What Do You Think?

Like many, I was saddened by the news of the recent passing of Ravi Zacharias.

There were many things I liked about listening to him.

I liked his voice.

I liked his message.

Most of all, I liked the fact that he always made me think.

That was really the heart of his mission: helping thinkers believe and helping believers think.

Not bad for someone who experienced an unsuccessful suicide attempt in his youth.

While the 17-year-old Zacharias recovered in the hospital, he turned to scripture.

There he found the risen Jesus and his life was never the same.

Neither were the countless lives of those touched by his ministry.

This put me in mind of another man who started out not believing in God.

As a young man, C. S. Lewis had given up on God.

God had certainly not given up on him.

God used his close literary friends to open both his heart and his mind.

His works of fiction like The Chronicles of Narnia and his works of non-fiction like Mere Christianity accomplished the same purpose.

Thinkers were helped to believe; believers were helped to think.

These men simply begin a list of people with a similar purpose.

It’s a funny thing.

From our youth we are told time and again that Jesus wants our hearts,

While true, it goes beyond that.

Jesus wants all of us.

That means He wants our minds as well.

He even said that loving God requires the mind and soul as well as the heart.

Matthew 22:37 (NET) - Jesus said to him, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

John Amos Comenius, whom I also admire, put it this way: “The mind is a great gift from God and to use it properly can be nothing less than an act of worship.”

The pandemic has made us miss out on a lot of things.

I think I miss teaching my Sunday school class most of all.

I always encouraged discussion concerning the materials we studied.

Those discussions helped develop the way we think, not just the way we feel.

In today’s world, we need to remember it’s important to ask, “What do you think?”

Zacharias and the others are gone.

I pray God will continue to raise up men who encourage us to use our minds as well as our hearts.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, June 5, 2020.

I’ll be back here on Friday, June 12, 2020

Looking Forward

I recently watched a rather interesting television program.

It was about a man who found himself moving backward in time.

When the man woke up each morning, he discovered that he had moved backward another day in time.

After several such mornings, he learned that he would be able to prevent a personal tragedy.

He also learned that by doing so, he would reveal a crime he had committed earlier.

He then realized that he would have to pay for that crime once he put things right.

Granted, this is fiction.

But it caused me to recall a conversation with a friend whom I love like a brother.

We were discussing faith and ministries and how personally rewarding they were.

I was relatively new to one such ministry at the time.

My friend posed the question: “Don’t you wish you had started sooner?”

The obvious answer is of course, yes.

But unlike the man in the story, I cannot go back in time and do that.

The journey toward Easter reminds me I never have to look back.

None of us do.

Here is what the Old Testament prophet Isaiah said…

Isaiah 43:18-19 (NET) - “Don’t remember these earlier events; don’t recall these former events. Look, I am about to do something new. Now it begins to happen! Do you not recognize it? Yes, I will make a road in the wilderness and paths in the wastelands.

I like the way Paul put it in his letter to the Philippians…

Philippians 3:13-14 (NET) - Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have attained this. Instead I am single-minded: Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead, with this goal in mind, I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

But no one put it better than Jesus.

Luke 9:62 (NET) - Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

There is no need for us to dwell on our past.

There is no need to be haunted by missed opportunities.

Not when we have so glorious a future thanks to Jesus.

Even this Holiest of seasons reminds of this.

True, we think of Jesus and all He endured for us.

But the journey did not end at a cross.

Not when there is a vacated tomb beyond it.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, March 20, 2020.

I’ll be back here on Friday, March 27, 2020

Where to Turn

With Thanksgiving on our doorstep, I wanted to write about gratitude.

I will, but in a slightly more roundabout way.

Recently, I had to travel to someone’s home and retrieve a piece of equipment.

I was given the address and a phone number.

This person lived in a remote area.

It was so remote that even technology like map websites and GPS were only helpful to a point.

I traveled out to this area and turned onto the road on which this person lived.

The first thing I noticed were that the house numbers made little sense.

I could have traveled up and down this road for hours and perhaps not found this individual.

I pulled off the road and did the only thing I could and telephoned this person.

He understood my confusion and told me what to look for as I completed the final leg of my journey.

With these instructions I found the residence and retrieved the device.

The journey back was much easier as I simply reversed my course until I reached the highway.

Faith is a little like that.

Sometimes we waver in our faith.

For example, we might find it hard to do certain things like love or forgive.

Knowing the right thing to do and failing to do it is a bit like being lost.

When this happens, the sooner we get our bearings straight the better.

The great news is we do not have to go about it alone

It is often as easy as making a telephone call.

One way is to turn to scripture for guidance.

Hebrews 4:12 (NET) - For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart.

We can also turn to our Christian family and friends.

Proverbs 27:17 (NET) - As iron sharpens iron, so a person sharpens his friend.

These methods and others can point us back to the right path when we have lost our way.

C.S. Lewis put it this way: “Progress means getting nearer to the place you want to be. And if you have taken a wrong turn, then to go forward does not get you any nearer. If you are on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; and in that case the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive man.”

We all find ourselves on the wrong path from time to time.

Fortunately, God provides us many ways to help us to find our way back to the right path.

That is truly something for which to give thanks!

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, December 6, 2019.

I’ll be back here on Friday, December 13, 2019

Proof

The 50^th anniversary of the first manned lunar landing continues to be on my mind.

This is due in part because it is hard for me to believe 50 years of my life have elapsed since then.

But, there is more to it than that.

There are people who still refuse to believe this event took place.

Theories abound as to how this was all some elaborate hoax.

Although there is definite proof, some will never believe that man set foot on the moon in July 1969.

Faith is a bit like that.

Try as we might to share the Good News, some people will absolutely refuse to believe it is true.

Yet the evidence is all around us.

Romans 1:20 (NET) - For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse.

Christ gave his disciples specific instructions on what they were to do.

This is known as “The Great Commission” and can be found in the gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 26:18-20 (NET) - Then Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Those instructions were not just for a handful of men who lived a long time ago.

They are for all believers for all time.

I once met and listened to a man who had a doctorate in theology.

He spoke about some of the most common questions he had been asked over the years.

One such question: How many people have you saved?

His reply: None. I am not Jesus!

Another question was: When were you saved?

His reply: At midday on a Friday about 2,000 years ago.

Faith is a matter of belief.

For those who find it, no amount of proof is necessary.

For those who do not, no amount of proof will ever be enough.

If that is the case, why should we take part in “The Great Commission” today?

I think the answer is a very simple one.

Because Jesus told us to do so.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, July 19, 2019.

I’ll be back here on Friday, July 26, 2019

That's Not My Job

I’ve been working for the same office for almost three decades now.

I recall the time when I first started working there.

I was new and learning.

I was assigned a task and worked at it until I reached an impasse.

I remember walking up to a female coworker and asking for her help.

She responded in a terse manner, “That’s not my job.”

Fortunately, I was able to find someone who helped me.

I made the decision there and then that I would never tell someone who needed my help, “That’s not my job”.

I understood two things even back then.

First of all, work is an activity God meant for mankind.

One of the tasks God gave Adam was to tend the Garden.

Genesis 2:15 (NET) - The Lord God took the man and placed him in the orchard in Eden to care for it and to maintain it.

Second, we were created to help one another.

Galatians 6:2 (NET) - Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

This applies to the workplace as well.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “In my walks, every man I meet is my superior in some way, and in that I learn from him.”

There is truth in this but not always in the ways expected.

There are often times when a man (or in my earlier example, a woman) can remind us how NOT to treat others.

In Christ, we have the best teacher of all.

Christ not only told us to love one another, He demonstrated how as well.

Colossians 3:23-24 (NET) - Whatever you are doing, work at it with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not for people, because you know that you will receive your inheritance from the Lord as the reward. Serve the Lord Christ.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, November 2, 2018.

I will be back here on Friday, November 9, 2018

Priorities in a Hectic World

Matthew 6:33 (NET) - But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Now that Fall has arrived where I live more than the weather has changed.

My drive home often takes place at dusk.

It seems that drivers want to go faster and take more risks once the sun has gone down.

Part of it must be psychological.

Perhaps the oncoming darkness reminds drivers that there are few hours left in the day.

As a result, they rush about in an attempt to get things done.

Yet when it comes to spiritual matters, broadly speaking, I think many of us lack a similar sense of urgency.

To be honest, not one of us knows how much time we have remaining to us.

Some of us may have years or even decades.

Others have mere days or perhaps hours.

Yet we seem to rush about placing more emphasis on the here and the now rather than the eternal.

We stay busy but accomplish little.

We are bombarded with information, but do we really learn?

Scripture reminds us to seek the Kingdom of God first.

We tend to lose sight of this in a world that gets more hectic with each passing day

So, pause.

Take a breath.

Reassess your priorities.

God not only wants to be first in our lives, he expects this.

When we place God first, a wonderful thing happens,

He helps us prioritize everything else!

Luke 12:34 (NET) - For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, October 5, 2018.

I will be back here on Friday, October 12, 2018

No Plan B

We had a rather important meeting scheduled recently.

Moments before the meeting started, we had an equipment failure.

I quickly came up with a different option.

This was my Plan B.

One thing experience has taught me is preparedness.

I immediately formulated a third plan in case my second plan failed.

A short time later, it did.

I had to put my third plan into motion.

Having done that, I immediately formulated a fourth plan, just in case.

Fortunately, I did not have to put that fourth plan into action.

As human beings, we make both plans and backup plans.

Fortunately for us, God has a plan and He has no need of a backup plan.

Each of us is a part of His plan.

When God told Isaiah of his future as a prophet, Isaiah resisted.

God reminded Isaiah of His plan.

Jeremiah 1:5 (NET) - “Before I formed you in your mother’s womb I chose you. Before you were born I set you apart. I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.”.

Jesus Christ Himself was part of the plan from the very beginning.

John1:1-3 (NET) - “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God. The Word was with God in the beginning. All things were created by him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.

Even our salvation itself was part of the plan from the very beginning.

Ephesians 1:4 (NET) - For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we may be holy and unblemished in his sight in love.

We are not here by accident or coincidence.

Each of us is a part of God’s plan.

A plan that has always been in place and cannot fail.

God requires no “Plan B”.

That is something we can all rely upon.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, July 20, 2018.

I will be back here on Friday, July 27, 2018

Be a Pilgrim

“Be a pilgrim and not a settler.”

These were the words spoken by Dr. Thomas Fudge when I heard speak in November 2015.

Those words come back to me time and again as I journey through life as a Christian.

His point was a simple one.

As Christians, we have two choices set before us each day.

We can choose to continue our journey, learn and grow.

Or, we can choose to settle down right where we are.

Settling certainly offers a sense of relief and a sense of comfort.

But settling also means stagnation.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer put it this way: “Cheap grace has served as an inoculation, or more accurately, a vaccination. We have gotten just enough of Jesus to prevent us from catching the real thing.”

That is why we should choose to remain pilgrims.

We should choose to keep moving forward - to learn, serve and grow more every day.

To become more like Christ every day.

To be a pilgrim and not a settler.

But be forewarned.

A pilgrim’s journey is not always an easy one.

Each day can bring challenges as well as opportunities.

It can even be outright dangerous at times.

Some of the most faithful have met quite sudden and very painful ends.

This must not dissuade us.

After all, there is one thing that every faithful pilgrim can count on.

A pilgrim never really travels alone.

Joshua 1:9 (NET) - I repeat, be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic, for I, the Lord your God, am with you in all you do.”

So, choose to be a pilgrim and not a settler.

Who knows, we might meet each other again along the way.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, April 20, 2018.

I will be back here on Friday, April 27, 2018

Two Kinds of Followers

In the fourth chapter of the book of Matthew we read about those who followed Jesus.

In verses 18 through 22 we read first of Simon (Peter) and his brother Andrew.

Fishermen by trade, they were busy casting their nets when Jesus came upon them.

Matthew 4:19-20 (NET) - He said to them, “Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people.”  They left their nets immediately and followed him.

Moving further along Jesus encounters two more brothers who were also fishermen.

Matthew 4:21-22 (NET) - Going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in a boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. Then he called them. They immediately left the boat and their father and followed him.

Shortly afterward we read of His healing ministry.

Jesus went through all Galilee and taught in the synagogues.

He preached the gospel of the kingdom and cured all manner of diseases and afflictions.

Word of this healing ministry spread throughout the land.

As a result, people brought to Jesus many who suffered.

Scripture tells us that Jesus healed these people.

It also tells us that others followed him.

Matthew 4:25 (NET) - And large crowds followed him from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan River.

So, this chapter tells us of two kinds of followers.

First, there were those who were called by Jesus.

Simon, Andrew, James and John not only followed, they followed immediately.

James and John even left their father in response to His call.

Second, there were the crowds that followed because of what Jesus said and did.

Some followed because of His teaching.

Some because of the healing they either witnessed or received.

There is a significant difference between these groups of followers.

The first group was called.

The second group was not.

That first group remained relatively small, but they responded immediately.

The second and larger group grew over the course of time.

Many of us hear His call to us today in one form or another.

I wish that I could tell you that my response was immediate, but I cannot.

I can say that I am grateful for both His patience and persistence with me.

In fact, I could tell you about others with whom He was patient and persistent.

Eventually, we came around as well.

If you have not as yet responded to His call, it is not too late to do so.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, January 19, 2018.

I will be back here on Friday, January 26, 2018

Triage

An interesting word that the English language has adopted is “triage”.

In a crisis where there are a number of wounded and dying, medical professionals will employ triage,

Triage decides each patient’s priority and order of treatment.

The goal is to maximize the number of survivors.

Even the best doctors and nurses can be limited by location, medicine, supplies and so on.

In extreme situations, such as wounds inflicted on the battlefield, a number of wounded may be deemed too far gone to help.

They are eliminated from the process in order to give someone else a better chance at life.

Sometimes we as Christians perform our own sort of triage when it comes to telling others about Jesus.

We might make the mistake of assuming someone is too far gone to help.

Without realizing it, we might be putting the emphasis on our individual limitations.

We sometimes forget that Jesus has no limitations.

I recall one man who got it right when it came to mission work.

His name was Count Nikolaus von Zinzendorf.

In 1731, Zinzendorf met a converted slave.

This man desperately wanted someone to go to his homeland in the West Indies.

He wanted someone to preach the gospel to his brothers and sisters.

Zinzendorf raced to his home in Moravia and quickly found two volunteers for this assignment.

Zinzendorf’s community was not large numbering perhaps 600.

Yet his desire for mission work proved contagious.

In less than 20 years’ time, some 70 missionaries from this Moravian community were involved in missions around the world.

They found themselves in places like Greenland, Lapland, Georgia, Surinam, Africa's Guinea Coast, South Africa, Amsterdam's Jewish quarter, Algeria, the native North Americans, Ceylon, Romania, and Constantinople.

They succeeded where others failed.

They told others about Jesus.

Zinzendorf’s concept was a simple one but that is what made it so successful.

"According to him: “Missions, after all, is simply this: Every heart with Christ is a missionary, every heart without Christ is a mission field."

This simple truth remains unchanged today.

Every man, woman and child who knows Christ is a missionary.

Everyone who does not is a mission field.

Our mission field may be found in another part of the globe.

It can just as easily be found in our own communities.

Triage can sometimes be necessary in the world of medicine.

It is completely unnecessary in the spiritual world.

John 6:37 (NET) - Everyone whom the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will never send away.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, October 20, 2017.

I will be back here on Friday, October 27, 2017

Father's - Earthly and Heavenly

Proverbs 20:7 (NET) - The righteous person behaves in integrity; blessed are his children after him.

My father’s birthday was just the other day.

I thought about him a great deal that day and the days since.

I was not yet a man when he died.

It is hard for me to believe that almost 40 years have gone by since the day he died.

I thought about the road I have traveled without him.

I thought of the questions I never got to ask him.

I pondered the fatherly wisdom he never got to give.

I thought of the many Father’s Days, birthdays and Christmases we could not celebrate together.

I reflected on the career I chose which he did not witness.

I thought of my personal successes he could not delight in.

I thought about many other things.

In the grand scheme of things, we did not have as much time together as we would have liked.

One thing is certain, neither of us knew that his last day on earth would be just that.

My father never saw the man I became.

Although I am by no means perfect, I am happy with the man I have become so far.

I give my father a good deal of the credit for that.

In the time we had together, he taught me many things.

He taught me the importance of work.

He taught me the importance of ethics.

He also taught me about the importance of relationships.

He taught me how to establish and nurture relationships with others.

He also taught me the importance of having a relationship with God.

Most importantly, he taught me these things by example.

As a result, I know that my Heavenly Father has shared with me in all the things my father could not.

I also know that I can turn to Him in any situation.

I know that He is an active participant in my life and not merely an observer.

He continues the work He started so many years ago.

Philippian 1:6 (NET) - For I am sure of this very thing, that the one who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, August 4, 2017.

I will be back here on Friday, August 11, 2017

The Voice

There is a popular television show called “The Voice”.

Talented vocalists compete with each other to see who sings the best.

A voice is a powerful thing, but it is not confined to singing.

Just the other day I was in the supermarket.

I was approaching the end of an aisle when I heard someone around the corner speaking.

That voice belonged to someone I knew from my youth.

Even before I saw her, I knew that the voice I heard had to belong to her.

I turned the corner and we saw each other face to face.

I was correct.

Several decades have elapsed since we last saw each other.

We have both changed.

The change in me was more dramatic as I now wear a full beard which seems to be turning grayer daily.

She appeared a bit startled until I spoke.

Once she heard my voice she knew who I was.

We spent several minutes reminiscing.

We then went our separate ways once again.

Had neither of us not spoken, it is very possible that we might have missed each other completely.

The voice is a powerful thing.

Jesus makes this clear about His voice.

John 10:27 (NET) - My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

We hear His call and obey. 

Although He speaks to us, He does not always do so in the same way.

For example, God spoke to Moses through a burning bush.

He spoke to Elijah in quite a different way when He found him hiding in a cave.

God asked Elijah to leave the cave and stand on the mountain.

There Elijah was subjected to high winds, landslides, an earthquake and fire.

Yet God did not speak through any of these things.

God’s voice came in a completely different way.

1 Kings 19 17 (NET) - After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a soft whisper.

God spoke to Elijah in a whisper.

How will we experience His voice?

It might come as a shout.

It could come as a whisper.

That is why listening is so important.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, May 19, 2017.

I will be back here on Friday, May 26, 2017

Wisdom Through Obedience

In 2 Chronicles, God told Solomon that he could ask for anything he wanted and God would give it to him.

Solomon asked God for wisdom and knowledge.

God was pleased that Solomon requested wisdom rather than riches, honor or other things.

God granted Solomon great wisdom.

God also granted him the other things he could have asked for.

Word of Solomon’s wisdom spread throughout the land

It eventually reached the queen of Sheba.

She felt it necessary to test Solomon’s wisdom for herself.

2 Chronicles 9:1 (NET) - When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon, she came to challenge him with difficult questions. She arrived in Jerusalem with a great display of pomp, bringing with her camels carrying spices, a very large quantity of gold, and precious gems. She visited Solomon and discussed with him everything that was on her mind.

Solomon answered every one of her difficult questions.

Not a single question she posed was too difficult for him.

It was not only Solomon’s wisdom that impressed her.

2 Chronicles 9:3-4 (NET) - When the queen of Sheba saw for herself Solomon’s extensive wisdom, the palace he had built, the food in his banquet hall, his servants and attendants in their robes, his cupbearers in their robes, and his burnt sacrifices which he presented in the LORD’s temple, she was amazed.

The material things God gave Solomon obviously impressed the queen as well.

In the end, she did realize that wisdom was God’s greatest gift to Solomon.

2 Chronicles 9:7-8 (NET) - Your attendants, who stand before you at all times and hear your wise sayings, are truly happy! May the LORD your God be praised because he favored you by placing you on his throne as the one ruling on his behalf! Because of your God’s love for Israel and his lasting commitment to them, he made you king over them so you could make just and right decisions.

Wisdom is one of God’s greatest gifts and it comes from obedience to Him.

The Psalmist understood this.

Psalm 19:7 (NET) - The law of the LORD is perfect and preserves one’s life. The rules set down by the LORD are reliable and impart wisdom to the inexperienced.

As a result, obedience to God is far more valuable than any riches the world has to offer.

The Psalmist understood this as well.

Psalm 19:9-10 (NET) - The commands to fear the LORD are right and endure forever. The judgments given by the LORD are trustworthy and absolutely just. They are of greater value than gold, than even a great amount of pure gold; they bring greater delight than honey, than even the sweetest honey from a honeycomb.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, February 17, 2017.

I will be back here on Friday, February 24, 2017

Custom Made

Psalm 139:14 (KJV) - I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

Each of us began life in the womb as a single cell.

Biology teaches us that this single cell divided and became two.

Those two, in turn, divided and became four and so on.

The Psalmist understood that there was more at work than just mere biology.

He understood that God played a major role in our development as well.

Consider the various organs of the body.

Heart, brain, kidneys and eyes just begin a list of all the complex organs in the body.

Every organ in the body has a special purpose.

The cells that make up each organ must be specialized,

A heart cell is different from a brain cell.

A kidney cell is different from an eye cell.

Each of our organs develops in the womb.

Somewhere along the way each organ must begin with its first specialized cell.

Question: How does the first heart or brain or kidney or eye cell know it has to be the first cell of its kind?

The Psalmist understood that we are fearfully and wonderfully made.

He understood that God was at work creating him in the womb.

Yet this is only a part of a bigger picture,

God knows each of us intimately.

God knit us together cell by cell.

He even knew what we would be capable of in the future.

In fact, He knew all these things before we were capable of knowing anything at all.

God explained this to the prophet Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 1:5 (KJV) - Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

God not only created Jeremiah, He created Jeremiah for a very special purpose.

The best part is God has done this for each and every one of us.

God created us just as fearfully and wonderfully as He created the Psalmist.

He sanctified us for a purpose just as He sanctified Jeremiah for a purpose.

Question: Do you know the purpose for which you were created?

If not, could there possibly be anyone better to ask than the Creator Himself?

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, October 7, 2016.

I will be back here on Friday, October 14, 2016

Diamonds in the Rough

Diamonds are formed by a combination of intense heat and pressure.

Along with its rarity, a diamond’s cut, when made by an expert cutter, increases its value tremendously.

Before the expert makes his first cut, he will study the diamond, look inside it, and determine exactly where he will make his cuts.

In essence, what he is doing is determining what part of the diamond will stay and what parts will not.

After the cuts are made the facets of the stone that remain are polished and the diamond’s true inner value can finally be seen.

Something remarkably similar takes place in people.

While we can easily underestimate the value of a person, God sees the true value hidden within.

When God sent Samuel to anoint a son of Jesse as king, Samuel noticed Eliab and was certain that God would choose him.

But God did not choose Eliab.

God reminded Samuel, “People look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart,”

God sees the internal beauty then transforms lives.

He expertly chips away any excesses that interfere with the relationship between Himself and the believer.

He does away with self-destructive behaviors.

He removes bad habits.

He discards old prejudices.

As the excesses are removed, God polishes the believer.

The life of the believer is thus transformed into something completely unrecognizable from what it was before.

Scripture reminds us that nothing is impossible for God.

We must therefore never, under any circumstances, say that someone is beyond hope,

To do so discourages them.

Not only that, it also attempts to place limits on God who has none.

Isaiah 64:8 (NET) – Yet, LORD, You are our Father. We are the clay and You are the potter; we are all the product of Your labor.

It is important to remember that all believers were at one time diamonds in the rough.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, February 6, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, February 13, 2014

As We Forgive Those

Forgiveness is something we struggle with.

One reason is that we have been conditioned from childhood to look out for ourselves.

For another, we have been taught not to let others take advantage of us.

There are without a doubt many more reasons and excuses we could cite.

When someone wrongs us our first response is not forgiveness.

We might be tempted to retaliate.

If we overcome that hurdle then the temptation to dwell upon it arises.

This is the temptation that we normally give into.

Dwelling upon the injustice accomplishes nothing.

It distracts us from what we could and should otherwise be doing.

It can even keep us awake at night as we replay the event over and over in our minds.

But that is not what Jesus wants for us.

Jesus tells us that we must forgive.

This is not an option nor is it just good advice.

When Jesus taught us to pray, He was very clear about this.

We are to pray "forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us".

That is from the Lord's Prayer and that is the way forgiveness works.

It is, in essence, a two way street.

If we wish to be forgiven, we must forgive others as well.

Yet forgiveness does not come easy to us because of our human nature and weakness.

That is why we have to rely on God's strength rather than our own.

When we do that then the task of forgiveness becomes much easier to accomplish.

Once we forgive, something truly remarkable happens.

We are liberated.

We cease to carry around a completely unnecessary burden that interferes with the kind of life He wants us to experience,

Think of your life as a ship and the unwillingness to forgive as an anchor.

While anchored, our lives are stagnant.

No progress is possible.

But true forgiveness is not merely the act of pulling up the anchor and taking it with you.

True forgiveness is severing the line and completely leaving the anchor behind.

We then have complete freedom to sail to the next destination He has planned for us.

Jesus told us more.

Matthew 5:7-8 (NET) - Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

When we truly forgive we are being merciful to others and have taken a big step in purifying our hearts.

The best part is that we do not have to do this alone.

We can ask for His help.


Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The  Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, July 4, 2014.
I’ll be back here on Friday, July 11, 2014

Condition Is Not Everything

There are some fairly interesting television programs on the stations I watch most often.

Many have to do with artifacts of historical note.

One of the things these programs often focus on is value.

When it comes to the value of artifacts, their condition plays a key role.

Experts have even come up with standards for grading their condition.

The better the condition, the more the artifact is worth.

When it comes to determining the value of individuals, people tend to take a similar approach.

So much so that we generally allow our first impressions to determine how or even if we will associate with others.

In Luke 15, Jesus speaks of a man with two sons.

The younger son asks his father for his portion of the estate.

This son then leaves home and proceeds to squander his share of the wealth.

Once spent, a famine strikes the land and the son finds himself in need.

He then takes a job in the land feeding another man's pigs.

Soon, he comes to his senses and decides to return to his father and beg him for a job.

His only desire is to be accepted as a hire hand.

Luke 15:21 (NET) – Then his son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to to be called your son.”

His father reacted in a way that must have taken him by surprise.

He had his servants bring the best robe to clothe him.

He put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.

The fattened calf was slaughtered and a celebration took place.

The son returned to his father, humbled himself before him and confessed the error of his ways and found his condition to be much improved.

While the conditions of artifacts cannot improve. God can dramatically improve the spiritual condition of anyone that genuinely comes to Him.

Jesus said so.

Luke 15:7 (NET) – I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine people who have no need to repent.

Humans tend to focus on present condition.

God sees the potential.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, March 7, 2014.

Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!

I’ll be back here on Friday, March 14, 2014.

Coping with Change

We are told not to fear.

We are told never to worry.

Philippians 4:6 (NET) - Do  not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God.

I am finding this passage of scripture a wonderful source of strength right now.

As Thanksgiving Day approaches, I find that some things in my life could radically change by things completely outside my realm of control.

While the outcome is anything but certain to me, I will not fear nor will I be anxious.

As a Christian, I know that God is in complete control and His will shall prevail.

If these changes take place, there are at least three possible outcomes.

Things can be better than they were before.

Things can stay more or less the same.

Finally, there is the very real possibility that I could be presented with a whole new set of problems and challenges with which to contend.

No matter which of these outcomes materialize, I know that I will not face it alone.

God will continue to be with me as He is now.

Although I am not apprehensive, I will hope for the best and plan for the worst.

After all, effective planning and stewardship go hand in hand.

Scripture reminds me to pray, but even in this I must exercise good judgment.

God is not there merely to grant me wishes.

I must pray for His will to be done and for helping me to accept and effectively deal with the outcome.

People, as a rule, do not like change.

We prefer our lives to be more or less predictable.

Yet there will be times when turbulence upsets our predictable lives.

It is during those times that we must truly rely on God rather than our own sense of self reliance and self worth.

That is when real change takes place because that is when we change.

As I face this unknown, others will be counting on me.

The people at the church I attend, the students in my Sunday School class and my coworkers will continue to count on me during this phase.

As a believer, God helps me to direct their attentions toward Him by how I choose to respond.

Proverbs 27:17 (NET) - As iron sharpens iron, so a person sharpens his friend.

I can remind them of His presence during periods of uncertainty.

I can also remind them that if God chooses to close one avenue, He will open another.

Having faith does not mean that life ceases to be challenging.

Having faith means knowing to Whom to turn when challenges come.

It also means being a source of strength to those around you by putting their needs ahead of your own.


Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The  Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, December 6, 2013.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I’ll be back here on Friday, December 13, 2013.

Life Imitating Art

Teaching Sunday school is something I am very passionate about.


Along with the current study, I also have to plan ahead for the next study and be able to move forward with it when the time comes.

One thing I have always been able to rely on is God’s guidance in the preparation of these one hour sessions which seem to go by so very quickly. I can also rely on His direction for us in future studies.

That is certainly the case with our current study which is very nearly complete.

Some months ago, I managed to get some time off around Christmas and decided to begin reading The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan.

When my holiday arrived, I read the first chapter before going to bed and it had a very profound impact on me.

Over the course of the next two days, I devoured the rest of the book.

I remember telling friends and family afterward how "blown away" I was by the book.

I also knew that upon completion of our current study, I would ask my class would to join Christian (Bunyan’s main character) on his pilgrimage through this classic.

I procured enough copies of the book for the entire class and informed them of the pending study.

Along with continued work on our current study, I read Bunyan’s classic three more times taking detailed notes, anticipating questions I might be asked and drawing on scripture to reinforce the spiritual truths that Bunyan sought to teach in his allegory.

When the time arrived, we began our study.

One of the things that delighted me was seeing my students have the same reaction to the book that I had the first time I read it.

Also very personally rewarding were the number of times students told me, "Thank you for bringing this book to us."

Now, that journey nears its end.

Along with the joy, we also experienced some personal sadness along the way.

One of my students, Rudy, went to be with the Lord.

Rudy was much more than a student.

I counted him as both a blessing and a good friend.

I feel that way about every student.

We are a cohesive and closely knit group.

There is an old saying that says that life imitates art and, at times, there is more than a fair amount of truth in that.

In The Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian acquired a traveling companion from his home town. This character’s name was Faithful.

They journeyed together intending to arrive at the Celestial City, or heaven, at the same time.

One day, as they neared the town of Vanity, they encountered an old friend and mentor, a wonderful man by the name of Evangelist.

Along with the happy reunion, Evangelist gave them words of caution.

"But be faithful unto death, and Christ will give you a crown of life. If one of you shall die there, although his death will be cruel and his pain great, yet he will be more fortunate than the other, because he will arrive in the Celestial City much sooner, and he will escape the trials the other must endure in the rest of the way."

This came to pass.

When Christian and Faithful arrived in Vanity, they refused to buy any of the worldly goods that the townspeople had for sale. This coupled with their speech and demeanor soon created quite an uproar. They were arrested and put on trial.

At the trial, Faithful gave a remarkable testimony. Nevertheless, he was found guilty in the town’s eyes and executed.

Christian then saw a golden chariot with fiery steeds whisk Faithful away to the Celestial City. He also thought he heard a trumpet sound from the Celestial City when the chariot arrived.

Christian then continued on his pilgrimage. A pilgrimage in which he encountered and overcame numerous obstacles before reaching the Celestial City himself.

My friend and student faced a trial of a different sort.

The trial he faced was a fatal illness.

Yet even in this sort of trial, he gave his own powerful testimony to those who lovingly took such good care of him.

At his funeral service, our pastor said that Rudy’s physical therapist told him, "Thank you for sharing Rudy with us." He added that these words assured him that Rudy was exactly where God wanted him to be.

Just like Faithful, Rudy has now arrived at the Celestial City ahead of the rest of us.

Just like Christian, we who remain behind must faithfully continue in our pilgrimage knowing that we will face and overcome many tribulations along the way.

Yet, we remain confident that God will see us through each and every one of them.

He will use these to build us up and refine us until we too reach the Celestial City just like our now departed friend.

Sometimes life really does imitate art.

This is not surprising when you consider that God is in complete and total control.


Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, June 21, 2013.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I’ll be back here on Friday, June 28, 2013.