We are to be thankful.
Scripture provides us with excellent examples.
Before Jesus fed the five thousand He gave thanks.
Matthew 14:19 (NET) - Then He instructed the crowds to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He gave thanks and broke the loaves. He gave them to His disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds.
At the Last Supper, Jesus gives thanks twice.
Matthew 26:26-28 (NET) - While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after giving thanks, He broke it, gave it to His disciples, and said, "Take, eat, this is my body." And after, taking the cup and giving thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood, the blood of the covenant poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."
In the book of John, Jesus gives thanks to the Father before raising Lazarus from the dead.
John 11:41-42 (NET) - So they took away the stone. Jesus looked upward and said, "Father, I thank You that You have listened to Me. I knew that You always listen to Me, but I said this for the sake of the crowd standing around here, that they may believe that You sent Me."
Paul’s letters also provide many examples of why we should be grateful.
1 Corinthians 15:57 (NET) - But thanks be to God who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
His letters are also replete with gratitude for those to whom he wrote.
Ephesians 1:6 (NET) - I do not cease to give thanks for you when I remember you in my prayers.
So, Biblically speaking, we are to be thankful.
To be thankful for some things come very naturally.
Giving thanks to God before a meal is one thing that comes very naturally.
Sometimes we require a reminder to give thanks.
When the weather turns harsh, we find it easier to remember to give thanks for shelter.
Our safety is another thing for which we often forget to express gratitude.
How much easier it becomes to remember when we narrowly escape that accident on the road.
We are also to be thankful for difficult circumstances and difficult people in our lives.
God places them there in order to help us grow spiritually.
I would venture we almost never give thanks for these.
Finally, there are those things for which we almost never give thanks.
Those blessings from God of which we are completely oblivious.
Matthew 6:8 (NET) - Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
God knows what we need even before we recognize the need ourselves.
That means many of our needs are filled without our knowledge.
Why not take time to thank God for all that He has done for you,
Give Him thanks for His blessings, even those you did not see,
Give Him thanks for circumstances and people that challenge you.
Give Him thanks for keeping you safe and sound.
Above all, give Him thanks for His most precious blessing of all.
Give Him thanks for His one and only Son.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, February 24, 2012.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I’ll be back here on Friday, March 2, 2012.
Schedule subject to change.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Thursday, February 9, 2012
The Master Designer
Genesis 1:1 (NET) - In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Since I was a small child, I have always had a fascination with clocks, watches, calendars, sundials and anything else that has the capacity to track the passage of time.
Of these, I have a particular fondness for watches.
I appreciate the mechanics involved, the interplay of the various gears, the gear ratios, the springs, the tiny screws that hold the assembly together and so on.
In fact, had I been born with better eyesight, my fascination could possibly have turned into a different career.
As it stands, I have a career I enjoy and timepieces have turned into a hobby.
What has this all this to do with faith? For me, the answer is a great many things.
In the early nineteenth century, William Paley made a theological argument for the existence of God in what has come to be known as the watchmaker analogy.
In this analogy, Paley stated that if you found a watch, you would have to conclude that it had been designed because it is "complex". In other words, for the watch to exist, there has to be a watch maker.
It then follows that because the universe is s complex, it too must have a designer, namely God.
When I look at the complexity of the universe, I agree with Paley’s analogy.
Isaiah 45:12 (NET) - I made the earth, I created the people who live on it. It was me - my hands stretched out the sky, I give orders to all the heavenly lights.
There are some additional lessons in faith I have picked up from watches along the way.
For example, the first thing people usually notice about a watch is its face.
These faces range from black to white and include every color in between.
Each color is beautiful.
The same is true of human faces as well, as all are made in the image of God.
Genesis 1:26 (NET) - Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness, so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move on the earth."
Another feature easily noticed has also been given a human identity.
The hands.
Like their human counterparts, the simplest watches have two hands. One to track the hours and one to track the minutes.
Those that track other things require more hands to do so.
Some have a third hand to track the seconds.
Others require even more hands to track the month, the day, the date and so on.
Others have built in stop watches and require yet more hands.
Interestingly, each of these extra features have come to be known as complications.
I find this to be a remarkable coincidence because often our lives become "complicated" and when they do, a helping "hand" from a friend is always welcome.
Proverbs 3:27 (NET) - Do no withhold good from those who need it, when you have the ability to help.
The outward appearance of the watch is not the only thing that is important to those who appreciate them.
We also care about the what is inside as well, in particular, the movement.
What is inside says a tremendous amount about the watch.
Likewise, what is inside a person says a lot about the person.
1 Samuel 16:7 (NET) - But the LORD said to Samuel, "Don’t be impressed by his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. God does not view things the way men do, People look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
Finally, sometimes watches stop running or stop running well.
When that happens, they do not operate at the level at which they were designed to operate.
Sometimes this happens as the result of a fall.
At that point, a watchmaker or a highly skilled watch repairman must be consulted in order to get the watch operating in the way in which it was designed to operate.
It is very similar with people.
We do not operate at the level at which we were designed to operate.
This happened as the result of another and more serious kind of Fall.
God, the master designer, can always be counted on to fix even the most broken of us.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, February 17, 2012.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I’ll be back here on Friday, February 24, 2012.
Schedule subject to change.
Since I was a small child, I have always had a fascination with clocks, watches, calendars, sundials and anything else that has the capacity to track the passage of time.
Of these, I have a particular fondness for watches.
I appreciate the mechanics involved, the interplay of the various gears, the gear ratios, the springs, the tiny screws that hold the assembly together and so on.
In fact, had I been born with better eyesight, my fascination could possibly have turned into a different career.
As it stands, I have a career I enjoy and timepieces have turned into a hobby.
What has this all this to do with faith? For me, the answer is a great many things.
In the early nineteenth century, William Paley made a theological argument for the existence of God in what has come to be known as the watchmaker analogy.
In this analogy, Paley stated that if you found a watch, you would have to conclude that it had been designed because it is "complex". In other words, for the watch to exist, there has to be a watch maker.
It then follows that because the universe is s complex, it too must have a designer, namely God.
When I look at the complexity of the universe, I agree with Paley’s analogy.
Isaiah 45:12 (NET) - I made the earth, I created the people who live on it. It was me - my hands stretched out the sky, I give orders to all the heavenly lights.
There are some additional lessons in faith I have picked up from watches along the way.
For example, the first thing people usually notice about a watch is its face.
These faces range from black to white and include every color in between.
Each color is beautiful.
The same is true of human faces as well, as all are made in the image of God.
Genesis 1:26 (NET) - Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness, so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move on the earth."
Another feature easily noticed has also been given a human identity.
The hands.
Like their human counterparts, the simplest watches have two hands. One to track the hours and one to track the minutes.
Those that track other things require more hands to do so.
Some have a third hand to track the seconds.
Others require even more hands to track the month, the day, the date and so on.
Others have built in stop watches and require yet more hands.
Interestingly, each of these extra features have come to be known as complications.
I find this to be a remarkable coincidence because often our lives become "complicated" and when they do, a helping "hand" from a friend is always welcome.
Proverbs 3:27 (NET) - Do no withhold good from those who need it, when you have the ability to help.
The outward appearance of the watch is not the only thing that is important to those who appreciate them.
We also care about the what is inside as well, in particular, the movement.
What is inside says a tremendous amount about the watch.
Likewise, what is inside a person says a lot about the person.
1 Samuel 16:7 (NET) - But the LORD said to Samuel, "Don’t be impressed by his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. God does not view things the way men do, People look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
Finally, sometimes watches stop running or stop running well.
When that happens, they do not operate at the level at which they were designed to operate.
Sometimes this happens as the result of a fall.
At that point, a watchmaker or a highly skilled watch repairman must be consulted in order to get the watch operating in the way in which it was designed to operate.
It is very similar with people.
We do not operate at the level at which we were designed to operate.
This happened as the result of another and more serious kind of Fall.
God, the master designer, can always be counted on to fix even the most broken of us.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, February 17, 2012.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I’ll be back here on Friday, February 24, 2012.
Schedule subject to change.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
No Greater Love
John 15:13-14 (NET) - No one has greater love than this - that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.
I have often heard people quote verse thirteen.
Yet many people do not fully comprehend it.
That is why I chose to include verse fourteen as well.
To put things in proper context we must look at the surrounding text and determine to whom Jesus was speaking.
In this particular case, Jesus was speaking to His disciples.
Next, we next must determine at what point in time this conversation took place.
Jesus made these and additional statements before His death on the cross. This was but a part of His way of preparing them for what was to come.
Those whom He chose to follow Him had other professions first.
They began as His acquaintances.
Once they followed Him, they became His students.
As time went by, the relationship between teacher and student transformed into something deeper.
Those that followed His commands, became His friends.
And He was about to prove His love for them by laying down His life for them...
and for us.
In today’s world, there are some who willingly risk their lives in order to save others.
There is the soldier who risks his life to save a civilian on foreign soil.
There is the fire fighter who risks his life by entering a burning building in order to save someone from the inferno.
There is the police officer who risks his life by putting himself in harm’s way in order to protect a victim of crime.
Though noble, such sacrifices are made by a sense of duty and responsibility.
These professionals also willingly risk their lives when one of their own, often times a friend, is in distress.
When a soldier witnesses his brother in arms go down in an exposed area, he will willingly risk his life in order to move his friend to safety.
Fire fighters are equipped with an alarm that alerts their fellow fire fighters when they have gone down inside of a burning structure. A fellow fire fighter will enter into an even riskier situation in order to save his friend.
In law enforcement, the words a police officer never wants to hear are "Officer Down." When this occurs, all officer nearby will converge on the scene in order to render assistance to their friend on the force despite the additional personal risk.
In these situations, there is a heightened level of urgency that these professionals feel because a friend is at risk.
I believe Jesus felt a sense of urgency and devotion that far exceeded even mankind’s most noble intentions.
Jesus was not merely trying to preserve the physical lives of His friends, but their eternal lives as well.
That preservation came with a tremendous price... it required His death on the cross.
He willingly paid that price for His friends back then.
He willingly paid that same price for His friends of today.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, February 3, 2012.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I’ll be back here on Friday, February 10, 2012.
Schedule subject to change.
I have often heard people quote verse thirteen.
Yet many people do not fully comprehend it.
That is why I chose to include verse fourteen as well.
To put things in proper context we must look at the surrounding text and determine to whom Jesus was speaking.
In this particular case, Jesus was speaking to His disciples.
Next, we next must determine at what point in time this conversation took place.
Jesus made these and additional statements before His death on the cross. This was but a part of His way of preparing them for what was to come.
Those whom He chose to follow Him had other professions first.
They began as His acquaintances.
Once they followed Him, they became His students.
As time went by, the relationship between teacher and student transformed into something deeper.
Those that followed His commands, became His friends.
And He was about to prove His love for them by laying down His life for them...
and for us.
In today’s world, there are some who willingly risk their lives in order to save others.
There is the soldier who risks his life to save a civilian on foreign soil.
There is the fire fighter who risks his life by entering a burning building in order to save someone from the inferno.
There is the police officer who risks his life by putting himself in harm’s way in order to protect a victim of crime.
Though noble, such sacrifices are made by a sense of duty and responsibility.
These professionals also willingly risk their lives when one of their own, often times a friend, is in distress.
When a soldier witnesses his brother in arms go down in an exposed area, he will willingly risk his life in order to move his friend to safety.
Fire fighters are equipped with an alarm that alerts their fellow fire fighters when they have gone down inside of a burning structure. A fellow fire fighter will enter into an even riskier situation in order to save his friend.
In law enforcement, the words a police officer never wants to hear are "Officer Down." When this occurs, all officer nearby will converge on the scene in order to render assistance to their friend on the force despite the additional personal risk.
In these situations, there is a heightened level of urgency that these professionals feel because a friend is at risk.
I believe Jesus felt a sense of urgency and devotion that far exceeded even mankind’s most noble intentions.
Jesus was not merely trying to preserve the physical lives of His friends, but their eternal lives as well.
That preservation came with a tremendous price... it required His death on the cross.
He willingly paid that price for His friends back then.
He willingly paid that same price for His friends of today.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, February 3, 2012.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I’ll be back here on Friday, February 10, 2012.
Schedule subject to change.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Fair Warning
There are two places along my daily commute that are more risky than the remainder of my drive,
The first is on my way to work just a few miles from my destination.
At this particular point, the two lane highway on which I travel is built upon an overpass.
At the end of the overpass, a third lane opens up that allows drivers to make a left hand turn.
Problems arise when too many cars wish to make this left hand turn and vehicles are forced to stop on the overpass while the traffic light is still green.
The other major trouble spot I encounter is about a third of my way home in the evening.
The highway on which I travel terminates at the bottom of a very steep hill and both lanes in my direction are forced to turn left and merge onto another highway.
The problem that arises at this juncture results from drivers exceeding the speed limit. They are naturally picking up more speed because they are traveling downhill.
If the traffic light turns red when traffic is heavy, drivers that are gong too fast have to hard brake and this often results in rear end collisions.
Being all too familiar with the risks at these two locations, I do what I can to minimize my risks.
That means making sure I am in the appropriate lane and driving at a slightly reduced speed anticipating the moment that might call for an evasive maneuver.
Often, this means I will be passed by drivers who are not aware of the dangers that lie just ahead.
How I wish there were a way to caution them.
Many times, they learn the lessons I have already learned the hard way.
That is sometimes the way it is in matters of faith.
While I am not able to communicate the lessons I have learned on the road with other drivers in other vehicles, I can share the lessons I have learned by faith with my friends and acquaintances whether face to face or online.
Of course, there are inherent risks that go with sharing my faith openly.
I risk losing friends.
Yet, I must be willing to share with others the consequences that go with rejecting Jesus.
Mark 16:15-16 (NET) - He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved, but the one who does not believe will be condemned.
If I were willing to let a friend die spiritually, then I would not be much of a friend to begin with.
I must also be very open and honest with them about my faith.
Luke 9:26 (NET) - For whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when He comes in His glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
Some will walk away thinking I am deluded.
A few will just walk away.
Still, I must be willing to take that chance.
Matthew 10:38 (NET) - And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
I must remember those that choose to walk away in my prayers and I must be willing to try again.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, February 10, 2012.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I’ll be back here on Friday, February 3, 2012.
Schedule subject to change.
The first is on my way to work just a few miles from my destination.
At this particular point, the two lane highway on which I travel is built upon an overpass.
At the end of the overpass, a third lane opens up that allows drivers to make a left hand turn.
Problems arise when too many cars wish to make this left hand turn and vehicles are forced to stop on the overpass while the traffic light is still green.
The other major trouble spot I encounter is about a third of my way home in the evening.
The highway on which I travel terminates at the bottom of a very steep hill and both lanes in my direction are forced to turn left and merge onto another highway.
The problem that arises at this juncture results from drivers exceeding the speed limit. They are naturally picking up more speed because they are traveling downhill.
If the traffic light turns red when traffic is heavy, drivers that are gong too fast have to hard brake and this often results in rear end collisions.
Being all too familiar with the risks at these two locations, I do what I can to minimize my risks.
That means making sure I am in the appropriate lane and driving at a slightly reduced speed anticipating the moment that might call for an evasive maneuver.
Often, this means I will be passed by drivers who are not aware of the dangers that lie just ahead.
How I wish there were a way to caution them.
Many times, they learn the lessons I have already learned the hard way.
That is sometimes the way it is in matters of faith.
While I am not able to communicate the lessons I have learned on the road with other drivers in other vehicles, I can share the lessons I have learned by faith with my friends and acquaintances whether face to face or online.
Of course, there are inherent risks that go with sharing my faith openly.
I risk losing friends.
Yet, I must be willing to share with others the consequences that go with rejecting Jesus.
Mark 16:15-16 (NET) - He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved, but the one who does not believe will be condemned.
If I were willing to let a friend die spiritually, then I would not be much of a friend to begin with.
I must also be very open and honest with them about my faith.
Luke 9:26 (NET) - For whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when He comes in His glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
Some will walk away thinking I am deluded.
A few will just walk away.
Still, I must be willing to take that chance.
Matthew 10:38 (NET) - And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
I must remember those that choose to walk away in my prayers and I must be willing to try again.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, February 10, 2012.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I’ll be back here on Friday, February 3, 2012.
Schedule subject to change.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Christian Diplomacy
Technology is a marvelous thing.
It has allowed me to connect with an ever widening array of people from different parts of the world.
One of its benefits that I have enjoyed the most is connecting with people who have the same interests that I have.
In fact, I have made many friends who enjoy the same hobby that I enjoy.
Most of them I will never have the pleasure of meeting face to face in this world.
One of the things I never hide in my interactions is the fact that I am a Christian.
My faith is an important part of who I am and I certainly do not mind sharing that fact with anyone.
In fact, I share both this blog and another to which I contribute on various social media.
I invite my connections to read them.
I do not know how many or how few actually take the time to do so.
I am aware that, among those who do not profess to be Christians, relatively few will take the time to read them.
The next logical question is: Why do it in the first place?
My answer would have to be twofold.
First - I felt His leading me to do it and that in and of itself is sufficient.
Second - If the total effort makes a difference in just one person’s life, it will have all been completely worth it.
That said, a new friend recently posted something online about two new "Christian" acquaintances he made.
I was one and the other was kept anonymous.
The comments about me were very complimentary and I will not share them here so as not to appear conceited.
The comments about the other were far from complimentary.
It made me wonder, "How can two Christians who worship the same Christ be seen by the same individual in such a different light?"
Based on the comment I suspect it is in our approach.
As for my approach, I remind myself of what the Bible has to say about me.
Romans 3:23 (NET) - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
The last time I checked, I am still very much a part of all.
I also recognize that I am a work in progress and will continue to be one as long as I draw breath.
Luke 6:41 (NET) - Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to see the beam of wood in your own?
I must recognize that I am not perfect but am in the process of being perfected.
Jesus reminds us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves and warns us not to pass judgment on others.
We are citizens of Heaven.
Philippians 3:20 (NET) - But our citizenship is in Heaven - and we also await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.
If Christians are citizens of Heaven, it then follows that we are to be His ambassadors here in this world.
We are not to claim diplomatic immunity in our day to day affairs.
Rather, we are to use the gifts God has so generously given us in order to make a difference.
By and large that means making a difference one person at a time.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, January 20,, 2012.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I’ll be back here on Friday, January 27, 2012.
Schedule subject to change.
It has allowed me to connect with an ever widening array of people from different parts of the world.
One of its benefits that I have enjoyed the most is connecting with people who have the same interests that I have.
In fact, I have made many friends who enjoy the same hobby that I enjoy.
Most of them I will never have the pleasure of meeting face to face in this world.
One of the things I never hide in my interactions is the fact that I am a Christian.
My faith is an important part of who I am and I certainly do not mind sharing that fact with anyone.
In fact, I share both this blog and another to which I contribute on various social media.
I invite my connections to read them.
I do not know how many or how few actually take the time to do so.
I am aware that, among those who do not profess to be Christians, relatively few will take the time to read them.
The next logical question is: Why do it in the first place?
My answer would have to be twofold.
First - I felt His leading me to do it and that in and of itself is sufficient.
Second - If the total effort makes a difference in just one person’s life, it will have all been completely worth it.
That said, a new friend recently posted something online about two new "Christian" acquaintances he made.
I was one and the other was kept anonymous.
The comments about me were very complimentary and I will not share them here so as not to appear conceited.
The comments about the other were far from complimentary.
It made me wonder, "How can two Christians who worship the same Christ be seen by the same individual in such a different light?"
Based on the comment I suspect it is in our approach.
As for my approach, I remind myself of what the Bible has to say about me.
Romans 3:23 (NET) - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
The last time I checked, I am still very much a part of all.
I also recognize that I am a work in progress and will continue to be one as long as I draw breath.
Luke 6:41 (NET) - Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to see the beam of wood in your own?
I must recognize that I am not perfect but am in the process of being perfected.
Jesus reminds us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves and warns us not to pass judgment on others.
We are citizens of Heaven.
Philippians 3:20 (NET) - But our citizenship is in Heaven - and we also await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.
If Christians are citizens of Heaven, it then follows that we are to be His ambassadors here in this world.
We are not to claim diplomatic immunity in our day to day affairs.
Rather, we are to use the gifts God has so generously given us in order to make a difference.
By and large that means making a difference one person at a time.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, January 20,, 2012.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I’ll be back here on Friday, January 27, 2012.
Schedule subject to change.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Winning of Souls
Isaiah 55:11 (NET) - In the same way, the promise that I make does not return to me, having accomplished nothing. No, it is realized as I desire and is fulfilled as I intend.
I listen to a Christian radio station while I commute.
This station has, as part of its evening programming lineup, messages recorded by a minister who teaches the Bible consecutively from Genesis through Revelation.
His teaching style is relaxed and he constantly refers to his listeners as "Friends".
His name is Dr. J. Vernon McGee and the name of his program is Thru the Bible Radio Network.
His systematic study of the Bible is a two and one half year journey that is often referred to as the "Bible bus trip" and listeners are invited to "get on the bus".
Dr. McGee grew up in my state, hailing from Hillsboro, Texas and I was immediately attracted to his Texas accent as well as his message.
His ministry eventually took him to California.
I guess the old adage is true.
You can take a man out of Texas, but you cannot take Texas out of the man.
I remember his study of Jonah very well and with great fondness.
As he related how Jonah was inside the fish for days before he went to Nineveh I had a great laugh courtesy of Dr. McGee.
He said something like...
Now friends, I’ll bet the people of Nineveh could smell Jonah well before they even saw him!
The other remarkable thing about Dr. McGee’s program that I especially enjoy are the letters that continue to arrive from listeners around the world. Many of their authors gave their lives to Jesus as a result of hearing Dr. McGee’s teaching.
What’s so remarkable about that?
Simply this.
Dr. McGee passed away in 1988.
I ask you to consider this very carefully,
Dr. McGee left this world almost a quarter of a century ago.
How is it that he continues to win souls?
If he could, I am sure Dr. McGee would say it is not he that is winning souls but rather it is the Word of God that is turning lives around. This is true even if it is presented through a recorded radio program.
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.
Dr. McGee understood that truth.
His ministry attests to that.
As the new year approaches, many people will make resolutions in order to make their lives better.
Now would be an excellent time to resolve to spend regular time in the Word of God.
I can promise you that you will not regret it.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, January 6,, 2012.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I’ll be back here on Friday, January 13, 2012.
Schedule subject to change.
I listen to a Christian radio station while I commute.
This station has, as part of its evening programming lineup, messages recorded by a minister who teaches the Bible consecutively from Genesis through Revelation.
His teaching style is relaxed and he constantly refers to his listeners as "Friends".
His name is Dr. J. Vernon McGee and the name of his program is Thru the Bible Radio Network.
His systematic study of the Bible is a two and one half year journey that is often referred to as the "Bible bus trip" and listeners are invited to "get on the bus".
Dr. McGee grew up in my state, hailing from Hillsboro, Texas and I was immediately attracted to his Texas accent as well as his message.
His ministry eventually took him to California.
I guess the old adage is true.
You can take a man out of Texas, but you cannot take Texas out of the man.
I remember his study of Jonah very well and with great fondness.
As he related how Jonah was inside the fish for days before he went to Nineveh I had a great laugh courtesy of Dr. McGee.
He said something like...
Now friends, I’ll bet the people of Nineveh could smell Jonah well before they even saw him!
The other remarkable thing about Dr. McGee’s program that I especially enjoy are the letters that continue to arrive from listeners around the world. Many of their authors gave their lives to Jesus as a result of hearing Dr. McGee’s teaching.
What’s so remarkable about that?
Simply this.
Dr. McGee passed away in 1988.
I ask you to consider this very carefully,
Dr. McGee left this world almost a quarter of a century ago.
How is it that he continues to win souls?
If he could, I am sure Dr. McGee would say it is not he that is winning souls but rather it is the Word of God that is turning lives around. This is true even if it is presented through a recorded radio program.
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.
Dr. McGee understood that truth.
His ministry attests to that.
As the new year approaches, many people will make resolutions in order to make their lives better.
Now would be an excellent time to resolve to spend regular time in the Word of God.
I can promise you that you will not regret it.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, January 6,, 2012.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I’ll be back here on Friday, January 13, 2012.
Schedule subject to change.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Some Things Never Change
Someone once said that the only constant in the universe is change.
I am forced to agree with that, at least to a point.
I recently drove past the location where my father’s place of business once stood.
My father died several decades ago and where his business once stood there is now an empty lot.
My father repaired televisions and radios but even those forms of communication have changed.
Vacuum tubes have been replaced by transistors and computer chips.
When televisions break down today, people are far more inclined to replace them.
I remember when televisions were considered furniture and came in wooden cabinets in various finishes.
Televisions that had 25 inch screens once required two strong men just to move them.
Now, a flat panel television of equal screen size can easily be handled by one individual.
I grew up in an era where there were only three local channels to choose from.
Now, I have hundreds of channels at my disposal but sadly only a few offer something worth my time to watch.
Speaking of change, I noticed that the number of Christmas cards I mailed out this year is much smaller than it once was.
Many of the friends and relatives I once mailed Christmas cards to in years past have passed away and so the number of cards diminishes at an almost alarming rate.
Change even impacts the church I continue to attend.
Photographs of our former pastors as well as our current pastor line one wall in the narthex of our church.
I have been privileged to know three of these men of God personally.
Each has been an inspiration but each performed his work for the Lord in his unique way.
Yes, change is an inevitable part of life and I will no doubt witness still more change while I inhabit this world.
Yet, there are some constants in this world that I can count on.
The first is that Jesus never changes.
Hebrews 13:8 (NET) - Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever!
The second is that the love of Jesus never changes.
Ephesians 5:2 (NET) - and live in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave Himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.
In a world where change appears to be constant, my Christmas wish for us is that we remember Jesus and His love for us will never change.
Nothing in the universe can ever change this.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, December 30,, 2011.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I’ll be back here on Friday, January 6, 2011.
Schedule subject to change.
I am forced to agree with that, at least to a point.
I recently drove past the location where my father’s place of business once stood.
My father died several decades ago and where his business once stood there is now an empty lot.
My father repaired televisions and radios but even those forms of communication have changed.
Vacuum tubes have been replaced by transistors and computer chips.
When televisions break down today, people are far more inclined to replace them.
I remember when televisions were considered furniture and came in wooden cabinets in various finishes.
Televisions that had 25 inch screens once required two strong men just to move them.
Now, a flat panel television of equal screen size can easily be handled by one individual.
I grew up in an era where there were only three local channels to choose from.
Now, I have hundreds of channels at my disposal but sadly only a few offer something worth my time to watch.
Speaking of change, I noticed that the number of Christmas cards I mailed out this year is much smaller than it once was.
Many of the friends and relatives I once mailed Christmas cards to in years past have passed away and so the number of cards diminishes at an almost alarming rate.
Change even impacts the church I continue to attend.
Photographs of our former pastors as well as our current pastor line one wall in the narthex of our church.
I have been privileged to know three of these men of God personally.
Each has been an inspiration but each performed his work for the Lord in his unique way.
Yes, change is an inevitable part of life and I will no doubt witness still more change while I inhabit this world.
Yet, there are some constants in this world that I can count on.
The first is that Jesus never changes.
Hebrews 13:8 (NET) - Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever!
The second is that the love of Jesus never changes.
Ephesians 5:2 (NET) - and live in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave Himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.
In a world where change appears to be constant, my Christmas wish for us is that we remember Jesus and His love for us will never change.
Nothing in the universe can ever change this.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, December 30,, 2011.
Please enjoy the contributions of my fellow Christian bloggers while you are there!
I’ll be back here on Friday, January 6, 2011.
Schedule subject to change.
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