Forgive, and Be Forgiven

 

Jeremiah 14:7 (NRSVue) - Although our iniquities testify against us, act, O Lord, for your name’s sake; our rebellions indeed are many, and we have sinned against you.

Jeremiah 14 is about a great drought.

The containers are empty.

The ground is cracked.

The animals suffer.

Even the people cry out.

The prophet admits that the people are rebellious, and their sins are many.

In Matthew 6, Jesus teaches His followers how they should pray.

He follows this prayer with a word of caution.

For one to be forgiven, one must be willing to forgive.

Matthew 6:14 (NRSVue) - For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,

Like the people of Jeremiah’s day, we too are sinful and rebellious.

We wish to be forgiven.

But to be forgiven, we must be willing to forgive.

Honestly, this is something that even Christians struggle with.

But to forgive is far from impossible.

We do not have to rely on our strength alone to forgive.

God can help us to be forgiving.

And when we turn to Him in this manner, He reminds us that in forgiving we are forgiven.

Christ gave us the best example of forgiveness during His crucifixion.

Luke 23:34 (NRSVue) - Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. And they cast lots to divide his clothing.

If Christ could forgive so much, shouldn’t we be willing to forgive so little?

 

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com on Friday, October 18, 2024.

I will be back here on Friday, October 25, 2024

True Forgiveness

 

2 Chronicles 30:18b-19 (NIV) - “May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone who sets their heart on seeking God—the Lord, the God of their ancestors—even if they are not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.”

In 2 Chronicles, King Hezekiah celebrated the Passover.

He sent messengers throughout the kingdom asking the people to return to the Lord.

Many mocked the messengers.

Yet some of the faithful traveled to Jerusalem with their sacrifices.

Many were ceremonially unclean, so the Levites consecrated their offerings.

And so, Hezekiah prayed to the Lord to pardon everyone, even those who were ceremonially unclean.

In Mark 2, Jesus showed forgiveness.

He forgave and then healed a paralyzed man.

He dined with sinners.

The Pharisees criticized Jesus for doing so.

Jesus explained His actions regarding sinners.

Mark 2:17 (NIV) - On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

I honestly believe that forgiveness is something people struggle with.

This can be true even of Christians.

And when taken to task on this, we find it too easy to justify our unwillingness to forgive.

And just as sad, we sometimes have trouble forgiving ourselves.

This is a tremendous and unnecessary burden which we impose on ourselves.

But the truth of the matter is that we are completely and forever forgiven.

This is not our doing.

True forgiveness is made possible through Jesus.

And He extends that forgiveness to all.

He even extends it to those we find difficult to forgive.

Even when we find it hard to forgive ourselves, Christ offers complete and eternal forgiveness.

Through Christ, we are forgiven.

Through Christ, we are made new.

Through Christ, hearts of stone are made flesh once more.

Through Christ, relationships are mended.

When we truly seek forgiveness, Christ is there, ready to forgive.

And when that happens, we are free to love and forgive others.

We can even forgive ourselves and forever lose the guilt which burdens us.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, May 19, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, May 26, 2023

Escape Plan

I had the privilege of listening to a speaker Sunday afternoon.

He spoke of how he and his family escaped from an oppressive regime several decades ago.

He spoke of obstacles such as barbed wire, watch towers and armed guards with dogs.

When he finished describing these and other deterrents he added one important point.

These deterrents were not meant to keep people from entering.

They were put in place expressly to keep people from leaving.

The regime was determined to hang on to its population no matter how the people felt about it.

It was willing to use even the most extreme measures to accomplish this.

Satan can be compared to that regime.

He does not want any within his grasp to escape either.

He does not use things like barbed wire and armed guards.

Rather, he relies on temptation to both capture people and keep them ensnared.

He even tried this with Jesus Christ.

The Gospels tell us that Jesus went into the desert and fasted for forty days.

There, Satan tried to tempt Jesus.

Jesus resisted all of Satan’s temptations.

Human beings are not as resilient.

Any of us can find ourselves tempted to the point of becoming and remaining captive.

But God has provided us with a way out.

An escape plan that will work.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NET) -  No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. And God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, August 3, 2018.

I will be back here on Friday, August 10, 2018

Rescued

This week our church hosted its annual Vacation Bible School.

Although primarily designed for children, we also provide a class for adults.

After all, education is important throughout our lives.

It was my pleasure and privilege to lead the adult class once again this year.

Months ago, I selected a personal favorite from my video library,

The Pilgrim’s Progress has always held a special place in my heart.

I have read Bunyan’s Christian allegory a number of times.

I have lost count as to the number of times I have watched the modern movie adaptation.

Every time I watch the movie or read the book, some particular element will resonate within me.

This time was no different.

What struck me this time was the fact that Jesus never turns anyone away.

When Christian, the main character, knocked at the gate he was admitted in.

The gatekeeper reminded him that no one is turned away no matter what their past sins may have been.

Evangelist, a major character, reminded Christian that every sin can be forgiven,

Then there was the character known as Hopeful.

Hopeful felt that his past sins were too great to be forgiven.

The words of Christ provided both comfort and forgiveness.

“Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out.”

Hopeful’s relief was apparent in his thoughts: “He was able to make the worst of sinners righteous before God.”

On the fourth evening, I formally dismissed my class of adults.

I went outdoors as I was curious to see what the children were learning.

I watched as a good friend of mine asked the children what happens when we “mess up”.

In a unified voice they shouted, “Jesus Rescues!”

He does indeed!

May we be as forgiving.

James 2:13 (NET) - For judgment is merciless for the one who has shown no mercy. But mercy triumphs over judgment.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, June 15, 2018.

I will be back here on Friday, June 22, 2018

Leaving the Past Behind

Isaiah 43:25 (NET) - I, I am the one who blots out your rebellious deeds for my sake; your sins I do not remember.

I enjoy listening to music.

A singer who had been in declining health died in early April.

The news of his passing moved those of us who enjoyed his music over the years

As the news spread, many of his peers came forward.

They spoke not only of his accomplishments but also the influence he had on their careers.

I was a bit amazed by the amount of respect he was shown.

He not only accomplished a great deal musically in his lifetime. he also overcame a rather troubled past.

His father died when he was young.

He tried his hand at a number of jobs.

He also found himself frequently in trouble with the law.

That trouble grew and he eventually found himself sentenced to doing hard time in an infamous prison.

He likely had more than his share of critics as a young man.

Many likely doubted that he had much of a future.

A few probably gave up on him altogether.

How surprised his critics would have been to see the amount of respect his peers paid to him in the end.

Our spiritual journeys are somewhat similar.

We are born sinful creatures.

As we make our journey through this world we realize how desperate is our need for salvation.

We also realize we have no way to redeem ourselves.

Others might look at us and mistakenly conclude that we do not have much of a future.

We might even start to believe this ourselves.

God, however, knows better.

God planned for our future, including our salvation, from the beginning.

God loves us and wants to save us.

Our past, no matter how stained, is of no consequence.

What matters is the present and how we respond to Him.

Psalm 103:12 (NET) - As far as the eastern horizon is from the west, so he removes the guilt of our rebellious actions from us.

Speaking metaphorically, some of the people I see in heaven might surprise me.

If so, then a good many more will be surprised to see me there.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, May 6, 2016.

I’ll be back here on Friday, May 13, 2016

A Universal Reminder

For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated with astronomy.

It began when I was a young child.

At that time the United States and the Soviet Union were caught up in “the space race.”

Each nation wanted to be the first to send men to the moon and return them safely back to earth.

Although space exploration has changed my interest in astronomy has not diminished.

Whenever I think about astronomy, I also think about God.

God spoke the universe into being and the things he has created are magnificent.

Genesis 1:16 (NET) - God made two great lights – the greater light to rule over the day and the lesser light to rule over the night. He made the stars also.

The universe is so wonderful that we continue to discover new things about it all the time.

Take black holes for example.

There was a time when we could only theorize about them.

They were not even called black holes until 1963.

It was not until 1971 that technology had improved enough for a likely candidate to be found.

Black holes are remarkable in that they are formed when large stars die and collapse in on themselves,

The resulting mass is so dense and has such a gravitational pull that anything passing too close will be pulled inside.

Not even light which travels at 186,000 miles per second can escape its pull.

This is the reason why they look black.

Even more amazing is the concept of supermassive black holes in the centers of galaxies.

The reason they are called supermassive is that they can have the mass of billions of suns.

Certainly we have the technology to see them in other galaxies today.

In reality, we have to look no further than the heart of our own galaxy to find one.

As I pondered this, I was reminded of a passage from scripture.

This passage of scripture talks about sin.

We do not need to look for sin only within others.

We need only to look within ourselves.

Matthew 7:3-5 (NET) – Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

The universe God created is full of wonder and there is much out there that we have not yet seen.

The universe can also serve to remind us that we also need to look deep within ourselves.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, October 2, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, October 9, 2015

Choices

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NET) - No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. And God is faithful. He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also be provided a way out so that you may be able to endure it.

Choices are part of life.

Each one of us is faced with a number of choices we have to make every day.

Most of the choices we make do not come with tremendous implications.

Every now and then we are asked to make choices that have that have enormous consequences.

The kinds of choices that directly impact our relationship with others.

Last week, I watched an auto race whose outcome changed based upon the choices made by others. Along with that, these choices determined the last handful of drivers that would be allowed to compete for the championship in the following weeks.

As the laps wound down and the lead changed hands, a car inexplicably spun out bringing out a caution that in effect jumbled the running order.

Those of us who watched the race on television immediately questioned why this car had spun as there was nothing apparent on the replay that appeared to cause this.

The in car audio further added to our suspicions.

The race ended, a winner was declared and the final qualifiers for the championship were determined.

Over the course of the next two days, the sport’s governing body reviewed all the evidence it had at its disposal.

It determined that the spin was a deliberate act designed to give one of the other two team members a finish that would qualify him for a run at the championship.

The team owners were required to pay a substantial fine.

The crew chief of the car that spun was suspended indefinitely.

All three team drivers were penalized in points which eliminated the driver that qualified for the championship run. He was replaced by the driver who was cheated out of that last qualifying spot.

The loss of points for the driver that spun makes it all but impossible for him to win the championship.

All this because bad choices were made.

Together, these bad choices had other far reaching consequences.

They damaged relationships, some perhaps for a very long time,

Because of the choices the team owners made their sponsors are now reconsidering their future with them.

They are concerned about their companies’ reputations becoming tainted.

Because of the choices the crew chief made, his every decision (if he is reinstated) is going to be scrutinized by both the sport’s organizers and the teams with whom he competes.

If he is not reinstated, the choices he made will have a direct impact on future employment opportunities.

Because of the choices the driver made, it will take some time for him to regain the respect he had with his fellow competitors,

It is also possible that he has alienated some of his fan base.

It will likely take a very long time, but hopefully the individuals involved will learn from their bad choices and eventually repair the damages done to the relationships.

In thinking about all this, I was reminded about sin and its consequences.

Sin occurs when we make bad choices.

It occurs when we do that which we know displeases God.

It also occurs when choose not to do that which we know would please Him.

Sin damages the relationship we have with God.

It also damages the relationships we have with others.

Fortunately God loves us and is willing to forgive us if we just admit our wrong to Him.

Others are will not be as forgiving but we must try to rebuild those relationships as well.

The best course of action is not to make the bad choice in the first place.

Even when we are tempted to make the bad choice, God always provides us the means of making the right choice,

It is always there though we may have to look for it.

He will even help us find it if we ask for His help.

In trying situations others may let us down, but God never will.


Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, September 20, 2013.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I’ll be back here on Friday, September 27, 2013.

A Matter of Trust

Psalms 31:5 (NET)
Into your hand I entrust my life; you will rescue me, O LORD, the faithful God.


In Texas, geckos have become as much a part of the landscape as pecan trees and bluebonnets.

These pinkish brown lizards made their way into Texas and decided that they liked it here as much as the rest of us and made it their home as well.

They really are amazing little creatures. When they are young their skin has a transparent quality and you can actually see their tiny hearts beating.

They can scale everything from rough walls to smooth glass and even hang upside down from ceilings.

They also have another quality. They can squeeze through the tiniest of cracks.

I find them in my garage all the time and occasionally they make their way into my home.

I have no animosity toward them, in fact, I really like these tiny creatures.

While my home is a great place for me to live, I know that for them it really is not.

In fact, their chance of survival inside my home is greatly diminished.

I try to capture them if I can and release them into the bushes by my patio.

This is not easy for a number of reasons. They are tiny, fast, agile and have detachable tails.

Final score: Geckos 4, Jim 0.

Although I want to save them, they see me as just another predator to elude and they succeed far more often than I do.

Recently, I found several gecko corpses by accident.

I found them in the crease that exists between the edge of my front door and the door frame where it hinges.

Apparently, these saw me when I came in before I saw them.

They looked at the crease that formed between the open door and the frame as a safe place in which to hide from me. Their place of refuge then turned into a trap from which there was no escape.

"What a pity", I thought, "that these little fellows mistrust my intentions. If only they knew that I just wanted to take them gently in my hands and place them where they belong."

Yet, isn't that the way we are? Isn't that the way we have always been since the beginning?

God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. He gave them everything they needed and gave them only one restriction, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

They were not to eat of its fruit. They were not even to touch it.

Yet, they did.

And as soon as they did, they realized that what they did was wrong and tried to hide themselves from God.

Genesis 3:8 (NET) - Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God moving about in the orchard at the breezy time of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the orchard.


Things have not changed very much. We still make poor choices. We still end up in places and situations we shouldn't. We still sin.

And when we do, we do what the geckos do. We try to run from God rather than running to Him. We allow fear to keep us from putting our lives into His loving hands and trusting Him to put us where He knows we need to be.

Remember, He only wants what truly is best for you.

2 Peter 3:9 (NET) - The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because He does not wish any to perish but for all to come to repentance.


Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeet.byethost3.com on Friday, September 17, 2010.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I'll be back here on Friday, September 24, 2010.

Ignoring the Warning Signs

James 4:17 (NIV)
Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.

Wednesday morning, it rained… hard!

According to the experts, a low pressure system stalled right over the top of us and it just kept raining.

A series of flash flood watches were issued and these were quickly updated to flash flood warnings.

Low water crossings became dangerous.

A news crew had been dispatched to one crossing in particular that is always one of the
first to become problematic.

By the time they had arrived, public safety officials had already set up road blocks to protect drivers.

While the television reporter was delivering the news that this crossing had already been blocked off, his cameraman turned in order to capture the image of a car simply driving around the roadblock as if it were not there and then proceeded down the road to the crossing about a half mile away.

Needless to say, the reporter reminded viewers that this an illegal act that carries a fine. He also reminded viewers that making a choice like this shows a lack of sound judgment.

It reminded me of an incident I experienced just a few months ago.

It was on a Saturday and I went to the supermarket to do my weekly shopping.

I walked inside and grabbed a cart.

Suddenly, the fire alarm sounded and warning lights began to flash in every department.

As I put my cart back, I was surprised to see almost everyone continuing their shopping.

By their expressions, I could tell that they considered the combination of the alarm and
flashing lights annoying but not enough for them to stop shopping and head for the exits.

I shook my head in disbelief and went outside.

After a few minutes, the alarm went silent so I went back inside.

I noticed the lights had also quit flashing.

I identified an employee by his name tag and asked if everything was okay.

“False alarm,” he said. “I don’t know what triggered it but everything is okay now.”

The shoppers who ignored these warning signs were lucky… this time!

I thanked him, grabbed a cart and proceeded to get my own shopping done.

That’s the way it is with sin. Often times when we are tempted to sin, we know in our
hearts that the path on which we are about to embark is the wrong path.

Sometimes, the mere thought of what we are about to do or say brings on that feeling of guilt well before the act is committed or the words are spoken.

According to 1 Corinthians 10:13...
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so you can stand up under it.

If the Holy Spirit puts up a road block to keep you on the right path, will you choose to simply go around it?

If He causes the alarm of guilt to go off in your mind, will you choose to simply act as if there were no warning at all?


Blessings,

Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeet.co.nr/ on Friday, June 18, 2010.

Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I’ll be back here on Friday, June 25, 2010.