The Blessing of Friendship

 Thanksgiving Day had me reflecting on all the ways God has blessed me in my lifetime.

 Every blessing from Him I thought of, without exception, had something else in common.

 God used people in His blessing.

 As a child, God used my parents to bless me.

 When I attended school, God used teachers to bless me.

 At church, He used pastors and Sunday School teachers to bless me.

 In my professional life, He used my colleagues to bless me.

 To develop my character, He blessed me with wonderful role models.

 To uplift me, He blessed me with a wonderful church family

 To love me, He blessed me with many loving uncles, aunts and cousins,

 Then there is perhaps my favorite blessing of all.

 God has blessed me with friends.

 I say this is among my favorite blessings for several reasons.

 Many of my friends I can trace back to the groups I mentioned before.

 For example, I consider my colleagues my friends.

 I also count members of my church family as friends.

 Even some of my role models became my friends and that is a very special feeling indeed,

 Now, through technology and social media, the number of friends God blesses me with continues to grow.

 I consider these friends special too.

 Some I see on a regular basis.

 Some I see only occasionally.

 Some I will never meet face to face in this world.

 Whatever the frequency, each friendship is one to treasure.

 Then, there is the most special blessing of all friendships.

 John 15:13-15 (NIV) – No one has greater love than this – that one lays down His life for His friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because the slave does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything I have heard from My Father.

 I would not trade this special blessing for anything.

 This blessing has no bounds.

 Best of all, Jesus offers this blessing to everyone.

 Before Thanksgiving Day fades into memory, take a moment to reflect.

 Reflect on the blessings of friendship.

 Then, reflect on the very best friendship of all.

 Reflect on the friend who laid down His life for you… for us…. for everyone!

 

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, December 4, 2020.

I’ll be back here on Friday, December 11, 2020

 

No Favoritism

 

Ecclesiastes 12:13 (NET) - Having heard everything, I have reached this conclusion: Fear God and keep his commandments, because this is the whole duty of men.

America experienced division prior to the 2020 election.

Now, one side claims victory while the other side cries foul.

Even the election results (such as they are) are posted as “red” states and “blue” states.

Unfortunately, the outcome, whatever it is, will likely encourage more division.

One thing I have observed throughout the campaign disturbs me.

Christian supporters for each candidate claimed in effect that God was on their side.

This is nothing new.

Even generals in various armed conflicts assured their troops of victory for the same reason.

But speaking for God and claiming to know which side He is on is a dangerous game to play at best.

Speaking for myself, I am glad America is a nation that has a say in its choice for leadership.

But I know the pendulum swings both ways.

Sometimes the candidate I support will win.

Sometimes the candidate I support will lose.

That is politics.

Rather than speaking for God, Christians would be far better off seeking to heal division.

Christ told us to love God and to love our neighbor.

That means loving those who supported a different candidate than we did.

It also means praying for our leaders and respecting the offices they hold.

Even those who did not get our vote.

Peter understood that God does not show favoritism.

Neither should we.

Acts 10:34 (NET) - Then Peter started speaking: “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism in dealing with people,

Perhaps understanding that would help Christians be a force for healing rather than a force for division.

 

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

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

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

 

Overcoming Fear

 

Daniel 6:23 (NET) - Then the king was delighted and gave an order to haul Daniel up from the den. So Daniel was hauled up out of the den. He had no injury of any kind, because he had trusted in his God.

The account of Daniel in the den of lions is one of those we learn in our childhood.

Darius selects over one hundred leaders to help rule his kingdom.

From these, three would be selected as supervisors over the rest.

Try as they might, these leaders and other supervisors tried to find fault with Daniel.

Failing this, they tried to discredit Daniel based on his relationship with God.

They approached Darius with a devious plan.

They suggested that Darius impose a law stating that anyone who prays must pray to Darius alone.

They also proposed that anyone who broke this law should be cast into a den of lions.

Darius agreed and the new law was put into effect.

Daniel knew about the new law.

That did not stop him from praying to God.

The conspirators then reported to Darius how Daniel was in violation of the new law.

Darius liked Daniel so the news disturbed him greatly.

Try as he might, Darius could not think of a way around his new law.

Darius sadly gave the order to have Daniel arrested and thrown into the den of lions.

Throughout the rest of the day and night, Darius feared for the safety of Daniel.

At dawn the following day, Darius rushed to the den to see if God had kept Daniel safe.

To the great relief of Darius, God had.

Darius ordered that Daniel be immediately removed from the den.

He understood that God kept Daniel safe.

Now being cast into a den of lions is a frightening proposition.

But in today’s world fears abound and take various forms.

Some of these fears are real, whereas some are only imaginary,

But even imaginary fears feel real to the person so afflicted.

But fears, both real and imagined, can be dealt with.

Scripture tells us exactly how to effectively deal with fear,

1 Corinthians 16:13 (NET) - Stay alert, stand firm in the faith, show courage, be strong.

Overcoming our own fears is one thing.

Helping others to overcome theirs is another.

Perhaps that is why the very next verse reminds us whatever we do should be rooted in love.

1 Corinthians 16:14 (NET) - Everything you do should be done in love.

Loving others is the best first step in helping them overcome their fears.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, October 16, 2020.

I’ll be back here on Friday, October 23, 2020

 

To Serve Once Again

Psalm 51:12 (NET) - Let me again experience the joy of your deliverance. Sustain me by giving me the desire to obey.

It goes without saying that many things have changed due to COVID-19.

Some things we took for granted either disappeared or changed.

COVID-19 did what nothing else in recent memory had done.

People stopped going to church.

They stopped attending Sunday School.

They stopped attending Bible Studies.

They stopped attending other group functions previously sponsored by the church.

Granted, these steps were necessary considering there was a public health crisis.

Some churches found new ways to serve.

Worship services began sprouting up online for those churches who had the means.

Now, in some areas, public services have resumed in compliance with local health regulations.

Even so, some things have not resumed such as Sunday School.

To be honest, of all the things I had to give up, teaching Sunday School is what I miss the most.

That is why I chose that opening verse.

While I still have the desire to teach, circumstances still do not allow me to do so,

I long for the joy of once again meeting with my students face to face.

I long for the discussions that arise from study with a committed group of students.

But, until in person classes can resume, I remained sustained.

That is because the One who created me continues to stir the desire to obey within me.

I know that one day, my current sadness will return to joy once more.

John 16:20 (NET) - I tell you the solemn truth, you will weep and wail, but the world will rejoice; you will be sad, but your sadness will turn into joy.

One day, COVID-19 will be just a memory.

But I am concerned that it will have lasting effects.

This is especially true where the church and the group functions it supports are concerned.

Time, of course, will ultimately tell.

Whatever happens, we must pray for the desire to obey.

We must pray for the desire to serve.

We must pray for the day when our sadness will once again be turned into joy.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, October 2, 2020.

I’ll be back here on Friday, October 9, 2020

One Thing

 

All things considered, current events put me in mind of the sisters Mary and Martha.

Their account can be found in Luke 10:38-42.

In it, Jesus went to a village where Martha welcomed Him as a guest.

Each sister responded to Jesus in a completely different way.

Mary sat at the Lord's feet and listened to everything He said.

Martha worked frantically away; consumed by all the preparations.

In no time, Martha grew upset with Mary for not helping.

Martha certainly let her frustration be known.

She complained directly to Jesus about how Mary had abandoned her to do all the work.

Moreover, she absolutely demanded that Jesus do something about her.

Jesus put things in their proper perspective.

Luke10:41-42 (NET) - But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha you are worried and troubled about many things, but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the best part; it will not be taken away from her."

I stated at the outset that today's world reminds me of Mary and Martha.

We are practically bombarded with bad news.

There is news of the ongoing pandemic.

There is news of more unrest in the streets.

There is news of continuing injustice.

The list goes on and on.

Meanwhile, those we expect to solve these problems disagree.

They even bicker with each other.

At times it seems as if they prefer bickering to problem solving.

Just like Martha, it is easy for us to be "worried and troubled about many things,"

But Jesus reminds us that only "one thing is needed."

It is simply left to us to choose.

Like Martha, we can choose to be distracted and frustrated by everything going on around us.

Or, like Mary, we can choose to sit at the Lord's feet and listen to everything He says.

This is the best choice and  one that can never be taken from us.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, September 18, 2020.

I’ll be back here on Friday, September 25, 2020

Love Conquers Fear

 

Proverbs 10:12 (NET) - Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers all transgressions.

Division has been on my mind a great deal.

We’ve seen division in politics.

We’ve seen division between races.

Even the pandemic brings about its own unique divisions.

Saturday, I witnessed two people almost come to blows over the pandemic.

One chose to wear a mask, the other did not.

It occurred to me that this division was born out of fear.

One feared the pandemic.

The other feared a loss of freedom.

When you get down to it, almost every form of division and hatred is born out of fear.

This is not the way mankind was meant to live.

The words of Jesus bear this out.

John 4:13-35 (NET) - Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples—if you have love for one another.”

We are meant to love one another.

We  are to love those who disagree with us politically.

We are to love those whose skin happens to be a different color than our own.

Even in the middle of a global pandemic, we must continue to love one another.

Love conquers hate.

That is because love conquers the fears that are at the root of hatred.

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

Faith is a wonderful thing to have.

Who among us doesn’t want hope?

Yet love is greater than either faith or hope.

Remember, love conquers all fears.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, September 11, 2020.

I’ll be back here on Friday, September 18, 2020

 

With Kindness

 

Proverbs 11:17 (NET) - A kind person benefits himself, but a cruel person brings himself trouble.

The temperature here has been over 100 degrees for many days.

A very old cat recently found a relatively cool spot near my door behind a bush.

One day, I opened the door to check my mail and I startled the poor old feline.

It stood up, arched its back and hissed at me in a very menacing way.

To be honest, I was more than a bit startled myself.

But rather than chase the animal away, I spoke to it in a soothing voice.

This ritual repeated itself day after day.

I would open the door and, as expected, the cat would bare its teeth and hiss at me.

I continued speaking to it in a soothing voice.

Days later, my small act of kindness was rewarded.

Now, the old cat looks at me and just goes back to sleep.

Scripture reminds us to be kind… to others.

Ephesians 4:31-32 (NET) - You must put away all bitterness, anger, wrath, quarreling, and slanderous talk—indeed all malice. Instead, be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.

We are also to be kind to those less fortunate than ourselves,

Proverbs 14:31 (NET) - The one who oppresses the poor has insulted his Creator, but whoever honors him shows favor to the needy.

Christ stressed this point as well.

Matthew 25:40 (NET) - And the king will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.’

If you think about it, it really costs nothing to be kind.

The more you practice kindness, the easier it becomes.

Even being kind to the smallest of God’s creation becomes part of our character.

The world in which we now live needs kindness, perhaps now more than ever.

Many are frightened by violence and the pandemic.

Many have lost loved ones.

So, be kind.

The seeds we choose to plant today will bear fruit tomorrow.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, August 21, 2020.

I’ll be back here on Friday, August 28, 2020