Compassion for the Ungrateful

Hosea 11:8-9 (NRSVue) - How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender. I will not execute my fierce anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim, for I am God and no mortal, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath.

In Hosea, the prophet speaks about two things.

First, he speaks about the people’s lack of gratitude.

Immediately thereafter, he speaks about God’s compassion.

The people worshipped idols and made sacrifices to them.

Fortunately for the people, God was compassionate.

Broadly speaking, are we any better today than God’s people were back then?

Don’t we worship idols?

Don’t we put things and people above God?

Fortunately for us, God is still compassionate.

To prove this, He sent Christ into the world to take our sins upon Himself.

The triune God did this in order that we might be saved.

Christ understood that this was the task set before Him.

His words reflect this.

John 12:47 (NRSVue) - I do not judge anyone who hears my words and does not keep them, for I came not to judge the world but to save the world.

When it comes down to it, we should not put possessions and people above God.

After all, we were created in His image.

But God’s gift of grace is for everyone.

On our best day, we are incapable of saving anyone.

We cannot even save ourselves.

We, like those who came before us, often lack proper gratitude,

But God remains compassionate.

We still belong to Him, even when we sometimes lose sight of that.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, October 6, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, October 13, 2023

Provision for Need, Not Greed

 

Psalm 105:40-42 (NRSVue) - They asked, and he brought quails and gave them food from heaven in abundance. He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it flowed through the desert like a river. For he remembered his holy promise and Abraham, his servant.

The Psalmist speaks of God’s provision.

But God’s provision went beyond food and water.

God gave land and descendants to Abraham.

Before he sent drought and famine, God provided Joseph.

When enslaved, God provided Moses.

When freed, God provided the people with the spoils of their masters.

God still provides today.

But it is important to remember that he satisfies our need, not our greed.

Christ reminded His followers of this when He taught them to pray.

Matthew 6:11 (NRSVue) - Give us today our daily bread.

Even during difficult times and negative headlines, God continues to provide.

In fact, we are a part of that provision.

The world God created is remarkable.

No two people, not even twins, are exactly alike.

And everyone has specific needs.

As we make our way through this world, let us follow the example Christ set.

Let us pray for God to provide for our need and not our greed.

And may we find it in ourselves to give as we have received.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, September 15, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, September 22, 2023

To Rule or to Serve

Judges 8:23 (NRSVue) - Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the Lord will rule over you.”

Gideon was a judge and a man of war.

But before he was either, he was a farmer who hid from the Midianites.

Although Gideon’s faith was small, God used him.

God used Gideon and a small army of 300 to defeat the Midianites.

What we learn from God is twofold.

God can and does use those whom He chooses.

God also takes what is initially a small faith and turns it into a bigger one.

After the victory, the Israelites wanted Gideon to rule over them.

Most would be tempted to have both rule and authority.

Gideon declined both.

Centuries later, Christ dwelt among us.

He also spoke of the importance of humility and service.

He spoke of this when he denounced the Scribes and the Pharisees.

Matthew 23:11 (NRSVue) - The greatest among you will be your servant.

But Christ did more than speak about service.

He demonstrated this as well.

In John 13, Christ washes the feet of his disciples.

John 13:13-15 (NRSVue) - You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.

In fact, His entire life upon earth was an example of what it means to serve.

Christ reached out to the sick, the outcast, and the downtrodden.

In fact, He served all mankind in the most selfless act of all.

He willingly laid down His life in order that we may live.

So, like Gideon, may we resist the temptations of power and rule.

And, like Christ, may we welcome the opportunities to serve which surround us daily.

 

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, September 1, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, September 8, 2023

Remember Those Who are in Prison

 

Genesis 39:20-21 (NRSVue) - And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined; he remained there in prison. But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love; he gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer.

There is much wisdom in the Old Testament.

The account of Joseph is a prime example.

Joseph faced much in the way of adversity.

Sold into slavery by his brothers, he wound up in prison after being falsely accused.

But even in prison, God’s steadfast love never diminished.

God was with Joseph even in prison.

As a result, even Joseph’s jailer was moved to find favor in him.

The New Testament finds Paul and Silas imprisoned.

Their crime? They revealed the truth about the abilities of a slave whose owners profited from her.

But like Joseph, God’s steadfast love was with them.

Other prisoners were moved by their prayers and hymns.

Acts 16:25 (NRSVue) - About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

God’s love remains as steadfast today as it was centuries ago.

The life, death and saving power of the resurrected Christ serve as proof.

But it does not take concrete and iron bars to make a prison.

In fact, many are confined in prisons of their own creation.

Doubt, fear, jealousy, anger, bigotry, and the desire for revenge merely begin a list of self-made prisons.

But the steadfast love of God can be found in even the darkest of prisons.

It can even be found in prisons of our own creation.

We must remember this.

Moreover, our lives must bear witness to this.

As we think about those imprisoned, let us pray for them.

Let us also pray for God to reveal to us how we may best serve them.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, August 18, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, August 25, 2023

Returning in August

Due to unforeseen circumstances, I will be unable to post for the next few weeks.

I hope to return to this ministry in August.

Thank you for understanding.

 

Blessings Always,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/

Close Call

 

Psalm 34:2 (NIV) - I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.

Psalm 34 is a special Psalm.

It is a Psalm of David that is an acrostic poem.

This means each verse begins with consecutive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

But that is not the only thing that makes it special.

Verse two is about the rejected and downtrodden.

The psalmist offers God his praise and lifts those whom society rejects in prayer.

Paul offers similar sentiments in his letter to the Philippians.

Philippians 4:4-5 (NIV) - Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

Paul reminds us that we are to rejoice and glorify the Lord.

In fact, he reminds us twice!

He also reminds us that the Lord is close by even when circumstances appear dark.

He also reminds us that as Christians, our gentleness should be evidence to all.

Fortunately for us, Christ told us how he wants us to treat others.

Moreover, He demonstrated how we are to live.

As a result, we really have no choice but to praise and glorify the Lord.

And the combination of peace and joy we feel proves that the Lord is near.

As we reach out to others, especially those in difficult circumstances, they too can rejoice.

They too can glorify God.

They too can experience his nearness.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, July 7, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, July 14, 2023

Manly Responsibilities

 

Isaiah 38:19 (NRSVue) - The living, the living, they thank you, as I do this day; fathers make known to children your faithfulness.

Hezekiah was ill.

In fact, he was near death.

When Isaiah arrived, his words were not words of comfort.

“Thus says the Lord: Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover.”

Hezekiah prayed.

God sent Isaiah back to Hezekiah with a promise of fifteen more years.

Upon his recovery, Hezekiah wrote.

In gratitude, his words included: “fathers make known to children your faithfulness.”

Paul, in his letter to the Colossians touched on a similar sentiment.

Colossians 2:6-7 (NRSVue) - As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

We are commanded to walk in Christ.

Those whose fathers taught them are particularly blessed.

In a little over a week, we will celebrate Father’s Day.

But, for one reason or another, not everyone has an earthly father to celebrate.

That is why I think men… all men, have a responsibility.

We must choose our actions as carefully as we choose our words.

The example we set can have a tremendous impact on young lives.

God, in His infinite wisdom, has given us everything we need to live a Godly life.

Most importantly, He gave us His Son who taught us by both word and deed.

As such, our lives should revolve around Him.

In doing so, our lives reflect His light and His love.

And, in doing so, we teach our faithfulness to the young.

It does not matter whether they are our children or not.

The young observe us with great scrutiny.

If there are chinks in our spiritual armor, they will find them.

That is why we must be aware of the example we set.

And, considering the state of today’s world, the young need every advantage we can provide.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, June 16, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, June 23, 2023