Character Matters!

Character does matter.

It matters in our professions.

It matters as we interact with one another.

Most importantly it matters to God.

Each of us was made in the image of God.

This includes what is inside of us as well as the outside.

One of the best examples the Bible gives us of character is Daniel.

Daniel 6:3 (NRSVue) - Soon Daniel distinguished himself above the other administrators and satraps because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king planned to appoint him over the whole kingdom.

People took notice of Daniel’s character.

The king certainly noticed.

The administrators and the satraps noticed as well.

But they did not share the king’s view of Daniel.

Daniel 6:4 (NRSVue) - So the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for complaint against Daniel in connection with the kingdom. But they could find no grounds for complaint or any corruption, because he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption could be found in him.

Try as they might, they could not find fault with his character.

As Christians, people will examine our character.

Does our character align with our faith?

Does it align with our relationship with God?

Does it align with how we treat our fellow man?

If not, we have a major problem on our hands.

Our conduct (words and actions) builds up our character.

Our character, in turn, shapes our conduct.

Our character helps define us.

Both good relationships and a good reputation take time to build.

But the same relationships and reputation can be damaged in a heartbeat.

Using today’s vernacular, Daniel walked the walk and talked the talk.

As Christians, we should ask ourselves: “Do we?”

 

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com on Friday, April 24, 2026.

I will be back here on Friday, May 1, 2026

Where Trust Belongs

In Jeremiah 23, the prophet speaks of the restoration following exile.

Moreover, he speaks of God’s role in that restoration.

God will restore the people and prosper them.

Jeremiah 23:3 (NRSVue) - Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply.

In John 10, Jesus refers to Himself as the Good Shepherd.

He talks about the role of a thief.

He then contrasts that to His role as the Good Shepherd.

John 10:10 (NRSVue) - The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Our lives and successes are in the Lord’s hands.

This was true thousands of years ago and it is just as true today,

No matter what stage of the journey we find ourselves, every part of our existence is in His hands.

And we should respond accordingly.

Our service is bound in our relationship with the Lord and our fellow man.

All we need to do is trust Him alone and not ourselves.

For without trust, where would faith be?

 

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com on Friday, April 10, 2026.

I will be back here on Friday, April 17, 2026

Forever Young

Psalm 71 is a prayer for protection.

In it, the psalmist acknowledges God’s presence from his youth.

Psalm 71:17 (NRSVue) - O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds

In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, Paul demands something from him.

Paul demands that Timothy continue in the way in which he was instructed.

2 Timothy 3:15 (NRSVue) - and how from childhood you have known sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

These are good reminders for us, especially as we grow older,

Regardless of our age, we should always delight in the Lord’s love and mercy.

Moreover, we should retain youthful hearts,

We should remain open to new lessons that God wants us to learn.

We relied on the love of our parents as children.

As children of God, we should rely on our Heavenly Father’s love.

We should take delight in it.

Our earthly parents taught us new lessons.

Our Heavenly Father also has new lessons to teach us.

It is up to us to be open to His guidance as well as His love.

 

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com on Friday, March 27, 2026.

I will be back here on Friday, April 3, 2026

Created for a Purpose

In Isaiah 29, the prophet uses the analogy of the potter and the clay.

Put another way, the potter is the creator, and the clay becomes what the potter makes of it.

In the same sense, God is our Creator, and we are His creation.

God creates us to serve His purpose, and we, the created, should not question God’s intent.

Isaiah 29:16 (NRSVue) - You turn things upside down! Shall the potter be regarded as the clay? Shall the thing made say of its maker, “He did not make me,” or the thing formed say of the one who formed it, “He has no understanding”?

In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul reminds his audience of this fact.

But Paul expands on this.

Ephesians 2:10 (NRSVue) - For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we may walk in them.

God is the Creator.

We are the creation.

And we are created “in Christ” to do good works.

Moreover, these works were planned for us before we were created.

Let us return to the potter and clay analogy for a moment.

The potter decides what he will make of the clay beforehand.

Perhaps it will be a vase.

Perhaps it will be a bowl.

Perhaps it will be something entirely different.

The potter decides and the clay responds to his touch.

Likewise, we respond to His touch through the Holy Spirit.

We can then fulfill the need for which we were created.

We can then lead those in our midst out of the darkness and into the light.

Then, they too may see that they were created for His purpose.

 

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com on Friday, March 13, 2026.

I will be back here on Friday, March 20, 2026

Just Enough

The message I heard on Sunday centered on the manna and quail in Exodus.

One part of this chapter resonated within me.

Exodus 16:15 (NRSVue) - When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat.

This ended the reading.

But it made me realize that people, me included, can misunderstand God’s provision.

We may see it, but we do not always understand it.

I then thought about the verses that follow and another struck a chord within me.

Exodus 16:16 (NRSVue) - This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.’”

The people were instructed to take as much as they needed, not as much as they wanted.

Some did not heed these instructions and the extra they took went bad.

This angered Moses.

God still provides.

Yet human beings often mistake this providence and apply terms like ‘luck’ or ‘chance.’

And even when we do recognize God’s role as provider, we are tempted to take more than what we need.

We might even be upset that the provision was not enough to suit us.

As a provider, God knows our needs.

He will give us enough to meet those needs.

And our response should be one of gratitude.

 

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com on Friday, February 27, 2026.

I will be back here on Friday, March 6, 2026

Gratitude and Joy

Psalm 92 is a Psalm of Thanksgiving.

The Psalmist writes that joy should accompany gratitude.

Psalm 92:4 (NRSVue) - For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy.

In Acts 3, Peter heals a lame beggar.

The beggar’s gratitude was also accompanied by joy.

Acts 3:8 (NRSVue) - Jumping up, he stood and began to walk, and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.

Our gratitude and praise should also be accompanied by joy.

God expects our praise.

Got expects our gratitude.

God also expects our joy.

Scripture bears this out.

Philippians 4:4 (NRSVue) - Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.

 

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com on Friday, February 13, 2026.

I will be back here on Friday, February 20, 2026

Earthly Anbassadors

One definition of the word gospel is “the teaching or revelation of Christ.”

While there are four Gospels in Scripture, every Christian is called upon to be a gospel in his or her day.

A Christion is called upon to tell others about Christ.

Zechariah 8 tells of those who will be drawn to Jerusalem.

Those who do not know the Lord will seek out those who do.

Zechariah 8:23b (NRSVue) - ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’

In his first letter to Corinth, Paul writes that we are one body with many members.

1 Corinthians 12:13 (NRSVue) - For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

Thanks to the Spirit, all Christians are united.

And, as the prophet wrote, those around us should be able to observe our faith.

As we reflect the light of Christ, others will naturally gravitate to it.

This will help us point them to the Lord.

On my best day, I am incapable of saving anyone.

Only Christ can save them.

In fact, He wants them to be saved.

John 3:16-17 (NRSVue) - “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Let us be united in the Spirit.

Let us live as God wants us to live.

Let us be there for those who seek to know God.

Paul wrote that our citizenship is in heaven.

For now, let us be the best ambassadors we can be.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com on Friday, February 13, 2026.

I will be back here on Friday, February 6, 2026