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