His Guiding Hand

A new year is upon us.

We tend to look upon each new year as a chance at new beginnings.

We promise ourselves we will do some things which will improve the quality of our lives.

We also promise to try to improve the lives of those around us.

As this year ended, I found myself looking back upon the year that sped too quickly by.

In doing so I realized that I grew considerably as a Christian this year.

I served in ways that I could not have imagined serving a few years ago.

As I reflected on these things, I recalled some of the events that led up to them.

There was the class I attended five years ago.

There was the book I read which my pastor recommended four years ago.

There were the books I taught from for the last several years.

There were special people that entered my life and influenced it.

As I considered these things, I came to one inescapable conclusion.

God used all these things and more to help prepare me for the year that has gone by.

His guiding hand has led me to the books I have read.

His divine influence placed those special people in my life.

So when the times came for me to step outside of my comfort zone this year, God made certain that I was prepared.

In fact, He spent years preparing me for them.

As I reflected on these things, something new occurred to me.

Perhaps He has used the opportunities of the year past to prepare me for future service.

After all, nothing is impossible for God.

As we enter a new year, let us remain open to the ways God desires to utilize us.

Whatever avenues of service He leads us to, He has prepared us for them.

Psalm 143:10 (NET) - Teach me to do what pleases you, for you are my God. May your kind presence lead me into a level land.

Father, teach us to do what pleases you in the year to come.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, January 8, 2016.

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

Call Me Wilson

The Lord has surprised me many times and in many ways this year.

The season of Advent was to be no exception.

A few weeks ago I was asked to participate in our Christmas program.

I normally work with adults so when I was offered this chance to work with our young people, I jumped at the opportunity.

The days leading up to Christmas tend to get busy enough.

Participating in the Christmas program meant I was going to get even busier.

There would be lines to learn and rehearsals to attend.

Working alongside our young people would be worth the extra effort.

I was asked to portray a wise man in the neighborhood named Wilson to whom the children would come to for wisdom and advice concerning Christmas.

At our rehearsal, I was delighted to see how many adults gave of their time to work with our youth.

Parents, grandparents and Sunday school teachers patiently helped out.

There were even some young adults who volunteered their time and talents as well.

I recalled that it was not very long ago when they were the ones on stage.

Now, they felt the Lord moving them to lend a hand in this effort.

I appeared in scenes with three groups of young people.

As we went over our lines, I recalled watching them grow up.

I also thought about how they will become outstanding adults in the years to come.

The program took place on the Sunday in Advent on which we reflect on hope.

How fitting this was.

As we gave our performance, I realized that one of the ways God provides us with hope is through young people.

Their energy and optimism is contagious.

They not only learn from us, but God can teach us through them if we remain open to the possibility.

This makes perfect sense as we are all God’s children.

When the program ended I felt a bit sad, but God knew just how to cheer me up.

As I prepared to leave, many of your young people went out of their way to tell me, “Goodbye, Wilson!”

Matthew 18:10 (NET) - See that you do not disdain one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.

I wish you a blessed Christmas!

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, December 25, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, January 1, 2016

A Time to Draw Closer

Terrible things are happening around the world.

One only has to turn on the news for proof.

There is really nothing “new” about this.

Terrible things have been happening throughout all of human history.

In reality, each of the terrible things that happen is merely a symptom of a much bigger problem.

Humanity, as a whole, has lost touch with God.

How did this happen?

It stands to reason that one side of this equation had to move for there to be more distance.

God did not move.

God is eternal and constant.

Therefore it must be humanity that has moved away from God.

The question then becomes: Why would humanity choose to move away from God?

I think C. S. Lewis said it best when he said, “All that we call human history--money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery--[is] the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.”

People pursue all manner of things in an elusive search for happiness.

Wealth, fame and power are a few of the things that have the power to seduce people.

People pursue these things in an attempt to find happiness.

This attempt is futile because these desires can never be fulfilled.

No matter how much of these things one gets, the desire for more takes hold; more wealth; more fame; more power.

This never ending and fruitless pursuit often comes at the expense and misery of others.

Thus, new headlines are written and the distance between humanity and God becomes even greater.

There is a beacon of hope that emerges from all of this.

Even in the darkest of times lies opportunity.

History also tells of people of faith who tried to make a difference.

They tried to make things better for those around them.

All of this can be summed up very simply.

If you have God, you have everything.

If you do not have God you have nothing.

The season of Advent is a wonderful reminder of what sets Christianity apart from every other religion in the world.

Other religions are about man reaching up to a god or gods.

Christianity is about God reaching down to a fallen mankind through Jesus Christ.

John 1:12-13 (NET) - But to all who have received him—those who believe in his name—he has given the right to become God’s children  —children not born by human parents or by human desire or a husband’s decision, but by God.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, December 11, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, December 18, 2015

Use Words If Necessary

One of my favorite stories is about Francis of Assisi.

The story goes that one particular day he planned to go into town to preach.

He invited a young monk to accompany him.

The young monk felt quite honored to be asked along.

The pair set out the following morning.

When they arrived in town they walked up and down its streets.

They stopped and visited with everyone they came in contact with.

They met with people of all classes and all occupations.

As the day ended, they headed for home.

As they made their way, the young monk commented to Francis that perhaps they forgot their purpose in going to town.

After all, the monk had been told they were going to town to preach,

Francis reminded the monk that they had indeed preached.

They encountered many people who observed their every move and attitude very closely.

That, according to Francis, was how their sermon was preached.

Christians today, myself included, can take a valuable lesson from Francis.

Sometimes we defeat our purpose in the way we act or the words we choose.

On one hand, we desire to bring people to Jesus.

On the other hand, our actions and attitudes can drive them away.

Sometimes the way we act is not like Christ would have us act.

Sometimes we even argue about the smallest of things.

We might even let the color of coffee cups at Christmas upset us.

What kind of sermon is that?

The words of Francis of Assisi remind us, “Preach the gospel at all times; if necessary, use words.”

Ephesians 6:10 (NET) - For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, November 27, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, December 4, 2015

One Who Strengthens Me

Every Christian has at least one favorite passage of scripture.

I am no exception.

Of all the passages of scripture my favorite can be found in the book of Philippians.

Philippians 4:13 (NET) - I am able to do all things through the one who strengthens me.

I have leaned on this verse more times in my lifetime than I can count.

I even lovingly refer to it as my “go to” verse.

Whenever I begin to feel stressed or overwhelmed, I turn to this verse.

It reminds me that I can face any challenge that comes my way.

That is because I do not face such challenges alone.

There is someone who is not only with me, He strengthens me as well.

This passage of scripture helps remind me of this.

Once reminded, the challenges I face do not seem nearly as big as they did before.

It also reminds me to make certain the Lord has top priority in my life.

The Lord expects to occupy the foremost place in our lives.

When we give the Lord top priority, something really wonderful happens.

He helps us prioritize everything else.

That verse also serves to remind me of something else.

How I treat others is also important.

Since the Lord is with me, He is also aware of how I treat my neighbor.

I must love my neighbor no matter what happens to be going on in my life.

We all face times in our lives when we want to tell the Lord that we just cannot handle one more thing on our plate.

The Lord does not always take things off our plate.

Quite often He gives us a bigger plate,

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, November 13, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, November 20, 2015

Amazing Grace

I was thinking about hymns and the first one that came to my mind was Amazing Grace.

This hymn has always held a special place in my heart.

The title and opening stanza say it all…

Amazing grace (how sweet the sound)

That saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost, but now am found.

Was blind, but now I see.

How true those words are.

They are just as true as when John Newton published them in 1779.

Perhaps that is why it is one of the most recognized songs in the world.

It does not matter who the artist is.

It does not matter what instruments are played.

It does not matter what language, if any, is used.

As soon as we hear it, we instantly recognize it.

It is a song that translates well into any language without loss of meaning.

I believe these things are true because of the message the song delivers.

Each of us, every man, woman and child was at one time lost.

Each of us was blind to the existence of God.

Our condition was truly wretched,

But there is saving power in Jesus Christ.

This is a gift God’s grace,

We neither earned this precious gift nor did we deserve it.

Yet, He saved us.

That is truly amazing.

Romans 3:23-24 (NET) - for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. But they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

It’s enough to make anyone want to sing!

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, October 23, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, November 6, 2015

Dignity and Respect

One of the things I find interesting about the human race is the way we treat “important” people.

In business we tend to think of our superiors as important.

In politics we tend to think of our leaders as important.

We even tend to think of religious leaders as important.

Leaders are given titles and those titles denote their position within the structure of the body they serve.

In and of itself this is not a bad thing as it helps everyone within the structure function efficiently and effectively.

As humans, we tend to treat those above us in the structure as more important than ourselves.

In fact, we tend to think the higher up in the structure a person is, the more important that person must be.

Unfortunately, we tend to apply the same logic to those below us in the structure.

We tend to treat these individuals as if they were less important than ourselves.

There is nothing wrong with treating those that lead us with respect and dignity,

Plainly speaking, we should treat everyone with respect and dignity no matter what their station in life happens to be.

I do not think for a moment that God considers any one human being as being more important than another.

After all, God provided for the salvation of mankind long ago.

John 3:16 (NET) – For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

The passage continues.

John 3:17 (NET) - For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through him.

Notice that these verses apply to “everyone” in “the world”.

Nowhere is it stated that salvation is reserved for “the important”.

That concept of importance is a human invention.

Every man and woman, leaders and followers alike, are creations of God.

All are created in His image.

As such, everyone should be treated with dignity and respect.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, October 9, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, October 16, 2015

A Universal Symbol

Symbols are everywhere.

They tell us what we need to know at a glance.

Corporations utilize symbols to promote their products and services.

When utilized in this way a symbol is called a logo.

We identify their product or service with their logo.

This is an important concept because logos are international.

Coca-Cola is an example of this.

If I were to travel to a foreign country where I did not speak the language, it is safe to assume I would be able to purchase a Coca-Cola by recognizing one or more of their logos.

There are symbols in Christianity as well.

The cross is likely the most recognized symbol in the world.

For those who believe this symbol represents the ultimate in service.

God is the perfectly Holy creator.

Isaiah 6:3 (NET) – They called to one another, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord who commands armies! His majestic splendor fills the entire earth!”

Man is the fallen creation.

No amount of sacrifice on the part of man can put him right with God.

Jesus had both a divine nature and a human nature.

Although He had a human nature, He never once committed a sin.

This made Jesus the perfect sacrifice and the pain and humiliation He suffered on the cross is the means by which a fallen man can have a relationship with a perfectly Holy God.

Hebrews 9:14 (NET) – how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, purify our consciences from dead works to worship the living God.

The symbol of the cross is an international reminder of that most remarkable of services.

No matter where in the world you are the symbol of the cross is understood.

In some cases it is even detested.

The one thing it should never be is ignored.

Some churches have made a conscious decision not to display the cross.

Whatever their reasoning may be I find this unfortunate.

Everyone, even Christians who attend services regularly, need this symbol.

We need this visible reminder to help us understand why we need Jesus so very much.

Acts 2:23 (NET) – this man, who was handed over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you executed by nailing him to a cross at the hands of Gentiles.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, September 25, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, October 2, 2015

Keeping It Simple

The world in which we live is often complicated.

We have constant access to information but in reality learn little that is useful.

We find new ways to stay busy but accomplish little.

We have politicians who make promises yet little, if anything, improves once they are elected.

We have laws designed to protect us yet we live among those who have learned how to manipulate them.

We may live in nations that produce enough food to sell yet some of our citizens are hungry.

We rush out to purchase the latest in technology while its replacement is already in development.

The world is a complicated place.

Even Christians occasionally feel overwhelmed by it.

Although we have everything we need to succeed we sometimes feel that we are struggling.

Although we are told never to fear we sometimes find that worry is our constant companion.

Although we are told to love God we sometimes find it difficult to make time for Him.

Although we are told to love our neighbor but we sometime tend to love only certain people.

Rather than alleviating the confusion of the world we instead find ways to contribute to it.

Perhaps we can take a lesson from the world of sports.

When a team is struggling to succeed, the coach of that team often focuses on the fundamentals of the sport.

He goes back to the basics.

The players go through the mechanics of running, throwing, and kicking over and over as they practice.

Going back to the basics often helps the team remember what works as they rebuild for future success.

Perhaps we need to go back to the basics as well.

An expert in the law once asked Jesus which was the most important commandment.

Jesus gave him in two parts.

Mark 12:30-31 (NET) – Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Jesus understood that if we truly kept these commandments we would essentially be keeping every commandment.

Love should be at the root of everything we do or say whether for God or our fellow man.

It really does not get any more basic than that.

If we can do that we cannot help but succeed.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, September 11, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, September 18, 2015

Free Access

Human beings like to stay connected.

Cell phones, email and social media are just some examples of how we stay connected with each other.

More than a few businesses have become aware of our desire to remain connected.

Some have even offered ways to help us do that as a means of attracting business.

Recently I entered a small cafe.

I chose to spend time in this particular café instead of others nearby because it offered free wireless Internet access.

After I made my purchase I took tried to connect my device to their free service.

The signal was very week,

It took quite a while for my device to connect to their service.

Once connected, I discovered the bandwidth was extremely low and it took considerable time for web pages to load.

Fortunately, I am a patient person and I knew I could live with this.

Suddenly, the signal disappeared completely.

It reappeared a few minutes later and, just like before, it disappeared.

This happened several times.

Having finished my meal, I returned home and checked my device to make certain it was working properly.

My device was in good working order.

The problems I experienced were simply due to the cafe’s free wireless Internet access.

No wonder the service was free.

Isn’t it funny that when man offers you something free of charge he often tries to give you as little as possible?

God provides us with many things that are free and the things He provides us do not diminish in quality just because they are free.

Salvation is a great example.

We do nothing to either earn it or deserve it; yet this priceless gift is free to those who accept it.

1 Thessalonians 5:9 (NET) – For God did not destine us for wrath but for gaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

We also have free, unlimited access to God 24/7.

We can communicate with God through prayer no matter where in the world we are, no matter the time of day and no matter how many others happen to be praying.

Philippians 4:6 (NET) – Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God,

The gifts God bestows upon us are remarkable.

They are also completely reliable.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, August 28, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, September 4, 2015

Love Replaces Fear

When I first posted to this blog site I promised those that started it that my posts would be uplifting.

I think that have kept that promise thus far.

I will continue to keep it even though this discussion starts out with something that seems anything but uplifting.

Hell.

Hell is a reality most people would rather not think about.

The concept of Hell being an actual place can and does make people feel uncomfortable.

Matthew 13:42 (NET) – They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

It is easy to see why this makes people feel uncomfortable.

That is not necessarily a bad thing because discomfort is a great motivator for change.

When you touch a hot stove the discomfort you feel in your hand motivates you to move your hand away before more permanent damage is done.

The fact that there are consequences for the choices we have made or failed to make in life is often the motivation required for change.

Jesus also spoke about what happens as a result of such a change.

Matthew 13:43 (NET) – Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The one who has ears had better listen!

This is indeed good news.

But something really wonderful happens when a life is transformed in such a way.

We begin to live a life based on love rather than fear.

We desire to please God in our words and actions because we love Him not because we fear Him.

God is our Father.

He planned for our salvation before time itself existed.

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

He loves us and he wants our love in return.

He desires our love rather than our fear.

Even if the thought of hell was the initial motivation for change, the love we have for God ultimately becomes our primary motivation.

It is a love that grows stronger and deeper with each passing day.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, August 14, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, August 21, 2015

Blood over Bloodlines

Nations whose rulers are kings or queens place great emphasis on bloodlines.

The monarch who sits on the throne does so because members of his family ruled before him.

Typically, their oldest son or daughter will reign after them.

The book of Matthew talks about the earthly bloodline of Jesus.

In the very first chapter we are told exactly how the ancestry of Jesus can be traced from Abraham through David to Joseph the husband of His mother Mary.

Matthew then describes how Jesus came to be born.

Matthew 1:18 (NET) – Now the birth of Jesus happened this way. While His mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.

It is good to note that one can trace the earthly ancestry of Jesus from Joseph all the way back to Abraham.

It is far more important to remember the relationship that Jesus has with God.

God called Jesus “My Son”.

He did this when Jesus was baptized.

Matthew 3:17 (NET) – And a voice from heaven said, “This is My one dear Son; in Him I take great delight.

Jesus called God “My Father”.

Matthew 11:27 (NET) – All things have been handed over to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son decides to reveal Him.

When it comes to earthly monarchs, humans place great emphasis on bloodlines.

When it comes to faith what we must value is the blood of Jesus.

Mark 14:24 (NET) – He said to them, “This is My blood, the blood of the covenant, that is poured out for many.”

In Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he explains that God sent His Son to be born of a woman to redeem us.

Once redeemed, we are no longer under the law but adopted as children.

Galatians 4:6-7 (NET) – And because you are sons, God sent the spirit of His Son into our hearts, who calls, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if you are a son, then you are also an heir through God.

Since that is the case, the value of adoption far exceeds any bloodline one may have.

This is true even of monarchs.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com

Future Plans

This past weekend it was my honor and privilege to speak at our church convention.

On Saturday, I spoke to the delegates about our church history.

On Sunday, I gave the devotional as part of the worship service at the very first church in our state which was built in 1866.

Although that congregation has since built a newer church, the old church has been preserved for history.

I am glad that they decided to preserve the old church.

That church is one of the “Painted Churches” which means that the interior was painted in a very special way.

In January, I had an opportunity to stop by that old church but I only got to see it from the outside.

After the worship service on Sunday I was able to go inside and see it for myself.

I made certain that I had my camera with me as I wanted to get some photographs of the interior.

In the 1880’s, the Reverend Bohuslav Laciak painted the interior.

Laciak painted geometric patterns on the ceiling and the walls as well as ornate columns.

At the time the church was also used as a schoolhouse and Laciak was the teacher.

Word has been handed down that the students remembered studying while the good Reverend Laciak stood on a ladder painting those elaborate designs.

Unfortunately, Laciak died in a hunting accident and his painting was never completed.

It remains just the way he left it.

I took a number of photographs and in two of them I could make out the pencil marks drawn by Laciak.s hand indicating where he intended to continue his work.

At the worship service, a pastor reminded us that the church is not the building.

The church is, in reality, the people within the building.

He is quite correct in this.

Still, I am glad that the building was preserved and I am also glad to have been able to capture Laciak’s pencil marks.

These serve to remind me that the work of the church… the work of the people… is never really complete.

The duties of faith, hope and love never end.

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

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com

The Handwriting On the Wall

In the fifth chapter of Daniel, King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for his nobles.

Heavily influenced by wine, King Belshazzar ordered that the vessels taken from the Temple in Jerusalem be brought in.

Once this was done, all present drank wine from them and in their drunken state praised gods of metal, wood and stone.

At that moment, a hand appeared and began writing on the wall.

This sight greatly disturbed the king.

Even more disturbing to the king was the fact that he was unable to read the inscription.

The king was frightened to the core of his being.

He summoned the wise men of his kingdom to come interpret the inscription.

Despite promises of wealth and power, not one of his wise men could interpret this writing.

At this point Daniel was brought in and King Belshazzar promised him wealth and power in return for his interpretation.

Daniel rejected the king’s offer but agreed to interpret the writing left behind by this mysterious hand.

Daniel first reminded the king that he failed to humble himself before God.

He then reminded the king that he made matters worse by exalting the false gods made of metal, wood and stone.

Then Daniel interpreted the inscription.

Daniel 5:25-28 (NET) -  “This is the writing that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Teqel, and Pharsin. This is the interpretation of the words: As for mene—God has numbered your kingdom’s days and brought it to an end. As for teqel—you are weighed on the balances and found to be lacking. As for peres—your kingdom is divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”

That same night, King Belshazzar was killed and Darius the Mede took control of the kingdom.

This account gave rise to a phrase we utilize today, namely that the ‘handwriting is on the wall’.

It has come to mean a premonition of failure or disaster.

Today’s headlines point toward failure or disaster.

Fortunately for us, there is still time.

We still have time to love God with all our being and to love our neighbor.

We still have hope.

Must we wait until we see the actual handwriting on the wall for ourselves?

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com

An Imaginary Conversation with My Father

Psalm 103:13 (NET) - As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on his faithful followers.

Sunday is Father’s Day.

I wondered what it might be like if I could but sit down with my father once more and seek his wisdom.

My father was born almost a hundred years ago.

He died several decades ago while he was still a relatively young man.

I thought about how much things have changed since he was born.

I also thought about how much things have changed since he died.

Although some of the changes were beneficial a great may were not.

I tried to imagine what advice he might give me concerning today’s problems.

I began by remembering him the way he was the last time I saw him.

I have now reached the age my father was when he died

So, that is how I pictured us; two men of identical age but from different eras.

I imagined us seated side by side as I told him of the problems of today.

I imagined him listening to every word before he would impart his fatherly wisdom.

I told him about corruption in government.

I told him about the amount of dishonesty in business.

I told him about the persecution that still goes on in the world.

I told him about the hatred some clung to rather than embracing love.

I told him about how some chose to hold onto old grudges rather than forgive.

I told him how some people preferred to live in in ignorance and confusion rather than seeking the truth.

I told him how that same truth was often repressed once it was discovered.

I told him about greed and injustice.

I told him all these things and more.

Then, I imagined myself waiting expectantly for some pearl of wisdom that would help me cope with today’s reality.

I also imagined that my father had no immediate reply.

I then added, “One more thing, Dad. The world seems to have less faith in God with every passing day.”

At that I pictured my father smiling.

I imagined him speaking to me as he did my in childhood.

I envisioned him placing his hand on my shoulder as he said, “Son, that is exactly why the world has these problems.”

Proverbs 22:6 (NET) - Train a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com

Choices Matter

Most of the driving I do is on the highway,

There are several spots along my commute where traffic becomes rather intense.

I can normally count on at least a few drivers taking some unnecessary and even dangerous risks.

There is one thing I have learned about these drivers from experience.

Drivers in certain makes of cars appear more likely to take unnecessary chances.

Certainly one might expect this from drivers of high performance sports cars.

Their vehicles have more horsepower and greater acceleration.

Yet these drivers are not the only ones that are willing to take more risks.

I have also learned that some drivers of cars with high safety ratings also fall into this category.

Perhaps over time their sense of sense of security begins to make them feel invulnerable and thus willing to take more risks.

People can also live their lives in similar ways.

Many unbelievers think this world is the only reality they will ever face.

Similar to the drivers of some sports cars, they rush through this world at a blistering pace.

They disregard the fact that the choices they make in this world will have consequences in the next.

They are by no means the only risk takers.

Some who consider themselves believers begin to live life as dangerously, perhaps even more so.

Just like some drivers of safer cars, they live life as if consequences no longer apply to them.

In their way of thinking, since Jesus died for their sins they can live any way they wish.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

The choices we make in this world will have consequences in the next.

In Matthew 25:32 – 40, Jesus explains this when he compares judgment to a shepherd who separates sheep from goats.

The goats which are placed on the left represent those who are not saved.

The sheep which are placed on the right represent those who are.

In this world some will choose to be among the goats.

We are obligated to try to reach them, but ultimately the choice is theirs.

There will also be those who go through this world incorrectly assuming they are among the sheep.

Only in the end, when it is too late, will they discover just how much the choices they made in this world really mattered.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com

Judged More Strictly

James 3:1 (NET) – Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, because you know that we will be judged more strictly.

If there is one passage of scripture that weighs heavily on me, it comes in this warning from James.

Teaching, whether in my church or in my blogs, is one of the great joys in my life.

But, regardless of the pleasure it brings me, the warning from James could not be clearer.

Those who teach will be judged more strictly.

Since that is the case, why would anyone even consider taking on such a task?

The answer can be found in the book of Romans.

In it we are told that we have different gifts according to the grace given to us.

Furthermore, we are told that we “must” use those gifts in proportion to our faith.

This includes teaching.

Romans 12:7 (NET) – If it is service, he must serve. If it is teaching, he must teach;

When people think of “a calling” they primarily associate it with a call to preach.

Yet each of the gifts discussed in Romans is, in reality, a call from God.

Each is a call to serve Him and to bring Him glory.

This is also applies to teaching.

Teaching is much more than the act of transferring knowledge from one individual to another.

It is also meant to glorify God in the process.

Another thing that helps me cope with the warning from James lies in preparation.

In an age where so many things compete for time and attention, I know that time must be set aside for preparation.

I dare not attempt to teach without being well prepared.

That preparation must include prayer as well as study.

That prayer must include a petition to the Holy Spirit.

It must be a prayer for both guidance and resilience.

It must be for the long haul regardless of how many or how few we are given to teach.

One of the groups I teach in rotation has grown smaller over the years.

Age has taken its toll and this group that was once large has now diminished to a faithful few.

So few in fact that one of its members recently suggested to me disbanding so that we would not have to prepare for such a small group.

The other teachers I have spoken to feel as I do.

We will continue to teach this class no matter how many or how few are able to attend.

Scripture has a reminder for us there as well.

Matthew 18:20 (NET) – For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.

The words of James contain a sober warning, but in the end there is nothing I or any other teacher for the Lord would rather do.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com

Unplanted Seeds

Proverbs 22:6 (NET) – Train a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

When it comes to children and smart phones, I have mixed feelings.

To be honest, it bothers me when I see children spending time with their phones instead of interacting with each other.

I will admit that part of that is due to my age, but deep down I feel that interaction between people should not take a backseat to interaction with a device.

At the risk of sounding judgmental, I have discovered something that bothers me even more: parents who interact with their phones rather than their children.

In one day alone, I witnessed three separate events that caused me concern.

The first incident occurred as I sat in waiting area.

A young mother came in with her child in a carrier.

The moment she sat down to wait, she immediately got out her phone.

She became engrossed with it and never interacted with her infant child while I was there.

The child never took her eyes off her mother.

I pitied this child.

These formative years are critical and the stimulation of the mind is crucial.

Later that day, I stopped at a restaurant for lunch.

As I enjoyed my coffee, a man and his young daughter sat down at the next table.

The moment the father placed their order, he got out his phone and became engrossed with it.

The young girl just looked at her father as he stared into his phone.

Eventually boredom set in and she began to sing a little song.

She began singing quietly at first but sang louder with every word.

Suddenly she realized how loudly she was singing,

She became self-conscious and abruptly stopped.

She looked around to see if anyone had noticed.

We made eye contact and I offered her a smile.

She gave me hers in return.

Eventually I finished my coffee and returned to my car.

As I prepared to leave, the door of the restaurant opened and out came a man with his very young son.

The man held bags of food in one hand and was pressing his phone to his ear with the other.

As soon as they walked out the door, the boy bolted and ran across the parking lot.

I cringed as a car entered the lot.

Fortunately, the driver was able to stop in time.

I am now more concerned for today’s children than ever before.

I pray for them.

Scripture reminds us that it is important to train children.

It also reminds us that the seeds we plant today will bear fruit tomorrow.

If that is the case, what does it have to say about the seeds we fail to plant?

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com

The Good Delivery Driver

Luke 27:33-34 (NIV) - But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.

I read a short article in the news the other day that moved me.

In one of the largest cities in America, someone ordered pizza online.

There was a place on the online order form for special instructions.

The customer left two instructions.

The first was for the restaurant to have the pizza delivered by their “cutest guy.”

That is not what caught my eye.

The second instruction was, “Tell me I am pretty.”

The restaurant prepared the order and gave it to one of their delivery drivers.

The driver assumed that the order was placed by some college girls and the instructions were meant to be a joke.

When he arrived at the address, he was surprised by what he found.

A young lady opened the door for him.

He noticed that the room had been decorated for a birthday party.

He also noticed that there were no guests.

The young lady told the driver she had planned her own party and sent out invitations.

No one came.

She offered the driver a piece of cake which he accepted.

They talked while the driver ate his cake.

Once he finished his cake he accepted the money for the pizza.

Before leaving, he remembered the special instructions.

He gave the young lady a hug and told her that she was pretty.

As I stated before, this story moved me.

Here was a young lady living in a large city.

Yet she felt completely alone, unwanted and unloved.

I am so glad the driver did something to help her feel better.

In scripture, the Good Samaritan came across a man who was set upon by robbers and beaten.

Although others passed the man by, the Samaritan saw his physical wounds and rendered assistance.

When others are injured, we are required to reach out.

This is harder to do with emotional wounds because they are so much harder to detect.

We may not even realize how much someone is hurting until they cry out for help.

Let us not pass them by.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com

Kind Words

Who among us does not appreciate a kind word?

In today’s fast paced world, words of encouragement are increasingly rare.

Words of gratitude seem even rarer.

With each passing day, we get busier and busier.

Thoughts of lifting each other up seemingly fall by the wayside.

Even the simple act of saying “Thank you” seems to be dying away.

Yet a kind word or a simple “Thank You” can make a tremendous difference in someone’s day.

As Good Friday approached, I thought about this.

I also thought about the kindest words of all.

Those words were the ones spoken by Jesus as he hung on the cross.

Words that He spoke while crucified between two criminals.

Words that He spoke while others cast lots for his garments.

Luke 23:34 (ASV) – And Jesus said, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And parting his garments among them, they cast lots.

Jesus had already suffered abandonment, humiliation and torture.

Still, He had these kind words, words of forgiveness, for all.

Jesus would have more kind words before His ordeal was over.

One of the criminals hanging there with Him asked Jesus for a special favor.

He asked Jesus to remember him.

Jesus responded with these kind words.

Luke 23:43 (ASV) – And He said to him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in Paradise.

Those kind words of His forgiveness also apply to us today.

So do the kind words of His promise.

They are kind words of forgiveness and promise that reach across the centuries to us today.

What will our response be?

Hopefully will we make the time say, “Thank You, Jesus!”

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com

Intimate Knowledge

When we think about God, many things come to mind.

We think of Him as the first Person in the Trinity.

We think of Him as the Father.

We think of Him as Creator.

God is omniscient

God is eternal.

God is love.

God is all of these and much more.

Because God has so many qualities, one thing that is easily overlooked is how intimately God knows us.

The Psalmist understood this intimate knowledge.

Psalm 139:13 (NET) – Certainly you made my mind and heart; you wove me together in my mother’s womb.

In fact, the Psalmist understood this very well.

Psalm 139:16 (NET) – Your eyes saw me when I was inside the womb. All the days ordained for me were recorded in your scroll before one of them came into existence.

The prophet Jeremiah understood this once the Lord spoke to him.

Jeremiah 1:4-5 (NET) – The LORD said to me, “Before I formed you in the womb I chose you. Before you were born I set you apart. I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.”

Yes, God knows each of us intimately.

He knows us so well that He knows what He has planned for our lives.

He knew this even before we were aware of ourselves.

How is this even possible?

The Psalmist understood this as well.

Psalm 92:5 (NET) – How great are your works, O LORD! Your plans are very intricate!

Someone once said, “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”

God is the provider of gifts.

Have you found yours?

Have you given it away?

If either answer is no, now would be a good time to talk to God about it.

He has known it all along.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com

Turn Around

I take the same route to and from work every day.

There are some advantages to this.

One of the biggest advantages is that I have learned from experience where I need to be more careful.

There is a hill I must descend that is rather steep.

I need to monitor my speed there so I can stop safely.

There is one traffic light that changes more frequently than the others.

I need to wait an extra second or two before proceeding as someone will inevitably run the red light.

There is a left turn I must make from a busy highway.

Experience has taught me to make sure I am in the correct lane well before I get there.

Spring will be upon us soon.

Experience has taught me that I will be sharing the road with more bicyclists as the weather warms up.

There are also some disadvantages to taking the same path each and every day.

The biggest by far is not being familiar with alternate routes.

I recall one time in particular when traffic was diverted off the main highway onto another road because of an accident.

Suddenly, I found myself in unfamiliar territory.

I quickly discovered that I had absolutely no idea where I was.

I was simply followed the car in front of me.

He was simply following the car in front of him, and so forth.

It is likely that most of us naturally assumed that someone ahead of us knew how to get us back on track.

After several minutes I concluded that this was not the case.

If I continued to follow the pack I was only going to get farther away from where I wanted to be.

I had a decision to make.

At my next opportunity, I exited the highway and left the others.

Although I was in unfamiliar territory, I had a general sense of the direction I needed to travel.

After what seemed like a very long time, I finally spotted a landmark I was familiar with.

Using it as a guide, I made my way back to the path I knew would take me where I needed to go.

I wondered how far away the others were by then.

Life is a journey.

Sometimes we discover that we are not on the right path.

At that point we have a decision to make.

John 14:6 (NIV) - Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

If we are not on the right path in life, we put distance between ourselves and Jesus.

There is only one solution.

We must stop and go back.

The longer we wait to do this, the greater is the distance we will have to travel.

C. S. Lewis said, “We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive.”

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com