It's About God

I was channel surfing the other day.

I paused when I came across a program that was supposed to be about funny videos.

This segment featured a wedding video shot by a professional hired for the occasion.

The videographer along with a still photographer both decided to stand directly behind the minister.

The still photographer was using a flash and was clicking off shot after shot as the minister began to perform the ceremony.

Quite suddenly, the minister interrupted the ceremony.

He turned around to face both the videographer and photographer.

The minister informed the pair that he would not allow them to stand there.

The videographer protested stating that he just wanted to get a good shot.

The minister replied that these proceedings were not about the shot but rather about God.

The videographer continued his protest and the minister replied that he would stop the proceedings altogether if they refused to move.

A look of shock came over both the bride and groom.

This warning from the minister encouraged the pair to move.

What I find disturbing is that the producers of this program felt the minister’s reaction was funny.

The commentary from the program’s panel was equally disturbing.

They contended that the couple was more important than God.

They even discussed how much these professionals charged for their services.

Before I wrote this, I did a quick Internet search and discovered one of the major news networks featured an extended version of the video in a news report.

Their reporter inaccurately described the minister as having a meltdown.

The network also interviewed the couple by phone.

They were of the opinion that the minister overreacted.

All things considered, I have to side with the minister in this case.

I am not a professional photographer, but I have taken a number of photographs at weddings, baptisms and other services in a church setting.

I take them not only to benefit the participants, but also to document church history.

That said, there are a number of rules I imposed on myself from the beginning.

First, I would never use a flash in church.

Second, I would sit in front and take every photo from that position. I would not move around.

Third, I would try my utmost not to be a distraction.

Finally, under no circumstances would I ever consider approaching the altar for the sake of a photograph.

I have seen others do this, especially family members during baptisms, and I cringe when they do so.

The service, no matter the occasion, is about God.

God comes first and the participants second.

It is never about the photographer or the shot.

I find it sad that both the program and a major network decided to ridicule this minister.

I, for one, fully support his decision.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, July 1, 2016.

I’ll be back here on Friday, July 8, 2016

Remember

Nehemiah 4:14b – Remember that the Lord is great and awesome!

Although Vacation Bible School is a ministry primarily for children, we also provide a class for adults.

I volunteered to teach the adult class this week and tried to offer them something both interesting and challenging.

Church history is one of my passions.

I have written about it and have even been privileged enough to speak about it.

Over the last several weeks I prepared a series of four lectures and planned to tie these together on the final night of class.

Once again, God amazed me in that each of the lectures I presented tied in with the focus lesson aimed at the children each night.

GOD CREATES…

My opening lecture was about a man named John Huss who was martyred for his faith in 1415.

Although he was not the founder of our church, his faith and dedication to the truth inspired those who did.

God was already at work creating our church through his life and example.

GOD HELPS…

My second lecture centered on the early generations of our church and the years of persecution they endured.

God was at work helping them through the darkest times and thus preserved that which He created.

GOD LOVES…

My third lecture was about John Amos Comenius who wrote 154 books.

Many of these books were written in exile.

Many improved the way children are educated.

Comenius was sustained by God’s love.

GOD CALMS…

My fourth lecture was about our ancestors who left their homeland and came to America.

Pioneers in a new land they first worshipped in homes.

In time, they built communities, churches and secured ministers to lead them.

God calmed them as they adjusted to life in a new land.

GOD SENDS IN JESUS’ NAME…

The beauty of God’s wisdom was revealed.

In keeping in touch with our history, we understand how we came into being.

With this knowledge comes the responsibility of knowing our purpose.

God sends us out in the name of Jesus to reach those who are lost.

It comes as no surprise that the verse we stressed for the children is an important reminder for us.

Nehemiah 4:14b – Remember that the Lord is great and awesome!

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, June 17, 2016.

I’ll be back here on Friday, June 24, 2016

Which Is It?

Which is the more important: faith or works?

Men have struggled with this question for centuries.

This question has even caused strife within the church.

Historically speaking, I know of at least one church that let this question result in a schism.

On one side, there were those that believed faith was the superior of the two.

They could point to verses like this to support their reasoning.

John 1:12 (NET) - But to all who have received him—those who believe in his name—he has given the right to become God’s children

The other side, not to be outdone, could point to verses like this in their defense.

James 2:17 (NET) - So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead being by itself.

People on each side insisted their view was the correct one.

Neither side was willing enough to see things from the other’s perspective.

Neither side wished to compromise.

A few attempted to reconcile the two.

They did this by stating that view of each was imperfect.

This, of course, did nothing to bring the two sides together.

Eventually, a schism occurred and the church fractured into two.

Each side went their own way.

Time went by and the distance between the two increased.

One of the churches eventually failed.

It made life rather difficult for the other before it did.

This concept of faith versus works still challenges some today.

For me, the concepts of faith and works are not in opposition.

Rather they complement each other.

They are like two sides of the same coin.

I believe that once a person has been genuinely justified by faith, then good works naturally follow.

The two go hand in hand.

Love is what makes this happen.

Scripture reminds us faith is important, but love is even greater.

1 Corinthians 13:13 (NET) - And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Love helps us to make our faith complete.

Love for God.

Love for our fellow man.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, June 3, 2016.

I’ll be back here on Friday, June 10, 2016

Worry and Strife

People tend to worry.

We even tend to worry about things over which we have little or no control

We worry about the economy.

We worry about the outcome of elections.

We worry about war and the threat of terrorism.

Worry in and of itself accomplishes nothing.

Just worrying about the economy will not bring about prosperity.

Just worrying about an election will not guarantee your candidate will win.

Just worrying about a war or threat of terrorism will not bring about peace.

When you get down to it, worrying does only one thing.

In fact, it does it pretty effectively.

Worrying does help us to forget that God is in control.

Many things are not in our control, but scripture reminds us that Someone is always in control.

In matters of the economy, it reminds us of the widow who willingly gave her last two coins.

Mark 21:44 (NET) - For they all gave out of their wealth. But she, out of her poverty, put in what she had to live on, everything she had.

In matters of elections, it reminds us that Jesus is the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

1 Timothy 6:15 (NET) - whose appearing the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, will reveal at the right time.

What about the lack of peace?

Scripture even has a reminder for us there.

John 14:27 (NET) - Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; I do not give it to you as the world does. Do not let your hearts be distressed or lacking in courage.

We would do well to remember these things when worry knocks on our door.

Whatever comes our way, scripture reminds us we do not face it alone.

Exodus 14:14 (NET) - The Lord will fight for you, and you can be still.

Worry, after all, is just a form of strife and scripture has a reminder for us there as well.

Psalm 46:10 (NET) - He says, “Stop your striving and recognize that I am God!

I will be exalted over the nations! I will be exalted over the earth!”

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, May 20, 2016.

I’ll be back here on Friday, May 27, 2016

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

Let's Make a Deal

There are some good things about social media.

Social media allows us to reconnect with people we may have lost touch with.

It also allows us to maintain connections with people we know.

It can also allow us to make brand new connections.

Social media can even allow us to share our faith.

Social media also presents us with a new set of problems.

Although we can renew connections or make new ones, social media can make these relationships superficial in nature.

That is because these types of connections require little effort on our part.

Even something seemingly good like sharing one’s faith can be problematic.

Scripture reminds us how important it is for us to share our faith.

Mark 16:15 (NET) - He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

This is far more than simply clicking on “like” or “share”.

Even some of the things that social media asks us to “share” are problematic.

Some, in fact, are not sound from a scriptural viewpoint.

Some promise that if you “share this today then God will bless you financially tomorrow.”

Some even try to blackmail us stating if you “scroll past this without sharing then you really do not love Jesus.”

At best these are attempts to apply human reasoning to God.

In John Chapter 9 the disciples tried to apply human reasoning to God.

Jesus saw a blind man.

His disciples assumed that it had to be either the man’s sin or his parents’ sin that caused his blindness.

Jesus corrected their thinking.

John 9:3 (NET) - Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but he was born blind so that the acts of God may be revealed through what happens to him.”

God chooses His blessings for us and those blessings are not dependent on what we choose to do.

This is especially true of “financial” blessings.

If you think about it, some of the most faithful people are not financially successful by the world’s standards.

Similarly, the amount of love we have for Jesus cannot determined by a picture on the web and whether we decide to share that picture or not.

In the end, social media is a tool.

It is a tool that can be used.

If we are not careful, it is a tool that can just as easily be misused.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, April 15, 2016.

I’ll be back here on Friday, April 22, 2016

An Empty Container

There are currently at least two television programs that involve containers.

One is about storage lockers.

The other is about large shipping containers.

In both programs, the containers have been abandoned and their contents are auctioned off.

The highest bidder then claims the contents.

The participants in these auctions get some idea as to the contents.

The container is opened and the bidders are allowed a quick look inside,

They are not allowed to venture inside the container for a better look at all the contents.

From this cursory glance they then determine how much of their money they are willing to risk.

Often, labels on boxes or visible items provide clues as to the remaining contents which cannot be seen.

Imagine what were to happen if a container or locker were opened and there was absolutely nothing inside.

How much do you suppose bidders would consider paying for a container or locker that contained nothing?

A container in such a state would be worthless.

In contrast, we find ourselves on the verge of Easter.

This is the day Christians celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus.

After His crucifixion, Jesus was removed from the cross and was laid in a tomb.

Three days later, the tomb was found empty.

Luke 24:1-3 (NET) - Now on the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women went to the tomb, taking the aromatic spices they had prepared. They found that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

Jesus had risen, just as He said He would.

This was proof that He in fact was just who He claimed to be.

Luke 24:6-7 (NET) - He is not here, but has been raised! Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.”

That tomb… that container… was for all practical purposes empty.

When Peter arrived, he only found the strips of linen in which Jesus was buried.

Luke 24:6-12 (NET) - But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. He bent down and saw only the strips of linen cloth; then he went home, wondering what had happened.

By contrast that tomb… that empty container… is quite valuable.

It is valuable because it is proof of Who it once contained.

His value is beyond measure.

He is not for sale; not even to the highest bidder.

He gave himself as a gift.

A gift which is available to everyone.

Come and see.

The tomb is empty!

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, April 8, 2016.

I’ll be back here on Friday, April 15, 2016