Love, Mercy, and Grace

Zechariah 3:4 (NET) - The angel spoke up to those standing all around, “Remove his filthy clothes.” Then he said to Joshua, “I have freely forgiven your iniquity and will dress you in fine clothing.”

Zechariah is considered one of the minor prophets.

This term can be misinterpreted.

It does not refer to the importance of the prophet but rather the brevity of his book.

Zechariah’s importance must not be overlooked.

He clearly and frequently prophesied about the Messiah.

The opening verse is from the fourth vision experienced by the prophet.

In this vision, Zechariah describes the complete forgiveness of sin.

This is represented by a change of clothing.

The old, filthy, and perhaps even ragged clothes are removed.

They are replaced with new and fine clothes.

Zechariah’s vision of forgiveness and salvation can be attributed to one thing.

That one thing is grace!

Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, also describes forgiveness through grace.

Ephesians 2:4-5 (NET) - But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even though we were dead in offenses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you are saved!

Paul uses the imagery of life and death to describe the effects of grace.

Sin makes us dead.

Through grace we are made alive once more.

We are made alive together with Christ.

On our own, redemption is impossible.

But through grace it is as simple as a change of clothing.

Zechariah saw our filthy rags replaced by fine new clothes.

Paul describes us as being brought back from lifelessness to life.

That is the power of grace!

Every aspect of our being is made new.

Again, we cannot do this on our own.

It is only possible because of God’s love, mercy, and grace.

A love, mercy, and grace manifested in Jesus.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, June 25, 2021.

I will be back here on Friday, July 2, 2021

First and Foremost

1 Samuel 7:3 (NET) - Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you are really turning to the Lord with all your hearts, remove from among you the foreign gods and the images of Ashtoreth. Give your hearts to the Lord and serve only him. Then he will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”

There was conflict between the people of Israel and the Philistines.

The people turned to the Lord for help.

Samuel reminded them that they first had to remove all foreign gods and images.

The people listened to Samuel and did so.

One day, the Philistines approached for battle.

Because the people placed the Lord first, He drove the Philistines away.

The Lord expects to be first in our lives.

In fact, He demands it.

He even made this the first of his ten commandments.

Exodus 20:3 (NET) - You shall have no other gods before me.

Jesus understood the importance of this.

He concluded His parable of the steward with a word of caution.

Luke 16:13 (NET) - No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Foreign gods and images are not the only thing that can evict God from His proper place.

Jesus reminds us that money can easily do this.

In fact, there are many things in life that tempt us to place them first.

We live in an age where we are bombarded by distractions.

The moment we place any person or thing above God, we practice idolatry,

Regardless of the circumstances we face, we must keep God first in our lives.

That is what He expects.

That is what He commands.

That is something we must remember.

We must keep God first even as we weather the storms of life.

If we do, we can count on God to impart His blessings upon us.

He did that for the people of Israel in their trials.

He will do the same for us.

When that happens, we must share those blessings with others.

This allows them to see that we have given God his proper place.

It also encourages them to do the same.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, June 11, 2021.

I will be back here on Friday, June 18, 2021

Success

Genesis 39:23 (NET) - The warden did not concern himself with anything that was in Joseph’s care because the Lord was with him and whatever he was doing the Lord was making successful.

Many things occurred during Joseph’s lifetime.

Some could be considered major setbacks.

Others could be considered major successes.

Through the ups and downs one thing was perfectly clear.

Joseph understood that God was at work in both.

Others more easily perceived God’s hand in the successes.

After being sold into slavery, the 39^th chapter of Genesis finds Joseph working for Potiphar.

Joseph found success in this new role and Potiphar saw that God was with him.

Potiphar put Joseph in charge of the household, and it prospered.

Potiphar’s wife then falsely accused Joseph of assault.

As a result. Joseph was sent to prison.

Although in prison, God was still with Joseph.

He found favor in the warden’s eyes.

He put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners and made him responsible for all that went on.

Joseph succeeded in this new role as well.

The warden saw that God was the source of Joseph’s success.

People do not necessarily recognize the Lord’s hand in success.

When this happens, Scripture tells us they need a reminder.

This happened in the church at Corinth.

Paul wrote to them about this.

Some claimed to follow Paul.

Others claimed to follow Apollos.

Paul reminded them that both he and Apollos were servants of the Lord.

He reminded them that their success and growth was due to God.

1 Corinthians 3:6 (NET) - I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused it to grow.

God is not just a casual observer.

He is an active participant in our lives in both setbacks and successes alike.

As the threat of the pandemic subsides, we will be presented with new opportunities.

Remember, the Lord is with us.

Let us ask the Lord to make our endeavors bear fruit.

Let us ask Him to bless the church and its outreach.

Let us ask the Lord to make new ministries prosper.

After all, we are but servants.

Our success is due to the Lord.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, May 28, 2021.

I will be back here on Friday, June 4, 2021

Follow Me

2 Samuel 22:19-20 (NET) - They confronted me in my day of calamity, but the Lord helped me. He brought me out into a wide open place; he delivered me because he was pleased with me.

The book of 2 Samuel discusses David’s reign.

This verse is from a song David sang to the Lord.

It is a song about how God rescued him from his enemies.

God did so when David called out to Him.

Like David, we often call out to the Lord in times of trouble.

Like David, we know the Lord will see us through the tough times.

What happens when the roles are reversed?

What happens when the Lord calls out to us?

How do we respond?

In the book of Matthew, we read about how the Lord called him.

Matthew 9:9 (NET) - As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. “Follow me,” he said to him. So he got up and followed him.

Matthew was a tax collector.

He was doing his job when the Lord called out to him.

He heard the Lord say, “Follow me.”

Matthew responded to the call.

Matthew got up and followed the Lord.

This changed Matthew’s life forever.

The Lord called others to follow Him.

Like Matthew, their lives were forever changed.

The Lord still calls out to us.

He calls out to us every day.

If we listen carefully, we hear Him calling, “Follow me.”

It is comforting to know that we can call upon the Lord in times of trouble.

It can however be a little unsettling when He calls out to us.

This is especially true when that call is: “Follow me.”

Following means leaving our old lives behind,

It means our lives will never be the same again.

But following brings about something else.

In following, we are guided to a place we are meant to be.

Fortunately, we can call upon the Lord for the courage to follow.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, May 14, 2021.

I will be back here on Friday, May 21, 2021

Joy and Loyalty

Psalm 5:11 (NET) - But may all who take shelter in you be happy. May they continually shout for joy. Shelter them so that those who are loyal to you may rejoice.

The Psalmist mentions elation three times in this verse.

He does this in various ways.

He uses the words “happy”, “joy” and “rejoice”.

There are however requirements for true elation.

First, we should take shelter in the Lord.

We should also remain loyal to Him.

Those who followed Jesus understood this as well.

Paul and Barnabas were moved by the Holy Spirit to preach at Pisidian Antioch.

On the Sabbath, they went into the synagogue.

The leaders there spoke of the law and the prophets.

They then invited Paul and Barnabas to speak.

Paul, in loyalty to Jesus, spoke extensively about Him.

Many were moved and they were invited to speak again the following Sabbath.

On that day, “almost the whole city assembled”.

But when some saw the size of the crowd, they were filled with jealousy.

When Paul spoke this time, he was interrupted, contradicted, and reviled.

Paul and Barnabas boldly stated that they were appointed to be a light to the Gentiles.

The Gentiles then began to rejoice.

The word of the Lord was spreading,

But those opposed to their message persecuted them.

Paul and Barnabas were thrown out of the region.

Despite this, Paul and Barnabas traveled on to Iconium.

They were also filled with joy.

Acts 13:52 (NET) - And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Despite persecution, Paul and Barnabas remained happy because of their loyalty to the Lord.

Today, it is easy for us to become discouraged.

But this does not have to be.

We can be happy.

We can find joy.

We can rejoice.

As the Psalmist said, all we need do is to take shelter in the Lord and remain loyal to Him.

 

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, April 23, 2021.

I will be back here on Friday, May 7, 2021

 

Love Endures

Proverbs 31:26 (NET) - She has opened her mouth with wisdom, with loving instruction on her tongue.

Mother’s Day was a bittersweet time for me.

Mom passed away almost 15 years ago, and I still love and miss her very much.

That is why I was so grateful to receive an email from a friend who is a man of God.

Like me, he too had a wonderful relationship with his mother,

In his email, he reminded me how blessed both of us are for the mothers God gave us.

I readily agreed.

My faith would not be what it is had it not been for my mother.

Some of my earliest memories are of her telling me stories from the Bible.

She told them with great conviction.

Afterward, she took the time to answer the questions a young boy inevitably had.

That is why I always think of Proverbs 31 whenever I remember my mother.

The last half of this chapter describes a good wife.

I believe it also describes a good mother.

This year I wondered how Mom would have dealt with the current situation.

I concluded she would have been concerned.

But her concern would have been for others rather than herself.

In fact, two passages of scripture she cited most often were about concern and where to turn for help.

John 14:27 (KJV) - Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Psalm 121:1-3 (KJV) - I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Mother’s Day will always be a bittersweet time for me no matter how old I get.

That’s a good thing.

It reminds me how special she was to me.

It also reminds me others thought she was special as well.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, May 22, 2020.

I’ll be back here on Friday, June 5, 2020

Country Road

There is an old country road I traveled many times in the past.

I hardly ever use it anymore.

It passes alongside farms, fields, horses and other livestock.

It also passes alongside an old country church that is still in use.

Just beyond that, the road comes to a T shaped intersection leaving you with two options.

You can turn left, or you can turn right.

Sometimes we would turn to the left and go to the home of my uncle and aunt.

Sometimes we would turn to the right and visit the home of some dear family friends.

Whichever way we went, we would always take that same country road home.

I recall a time when I was very, very young when we traveled on that road at night.

As we passed that old country church it was bathed in light.

“What is that?” I asked my parents.

“That is God’s house,” my mother answered.

I already had some idea of who God was thanks to my parents.

I took Mother’s statement quite literally.

As a small child, I honestly believed this was the one place on Earth God chose to call home.

I also thought my family, my uncle and aunt and our friends were very fortunate to live so very near God’s home.

As I grew older, I learned that this was just Mother’s way of defining a church to an inquisitive child.

My parents and my uncle and aunt are gone now.

The friends we had no longer live in that area.

So, there is no need for me to travel down that road much anymore.

In my mind I still do.

At times when I feel God’s hand upon me, I recall that church, that old country road and that night when I was so young.

I recall how special it felt to believe God was so very near.

Now, as a man, I understand that God is everywhere.

Because He is everywhere, He is always very near.

Jeremiah 2:22-23 (NET) - Do you people think that I am some local deity and not the transcendent God?” the Lord asks. “Do you really think anyone can hide himself where I cannot see him?” the Lord asks. “Do you not know that I am everywhere?” the Lord asks.

I do now.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, November 24, 2017.

I’ll be back here on Friday, December 1, 2017

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

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

Setting a Good Example

We just completed a week of Vacation Bible School at our church and what a wonderful week it was.

While the children that attend our church know me, it usually takes the visiting children a day or two to come out of their shells when they are around me.

Such was not the case this year.

Even the youngest of the visiting children seemed to feel comfortable around me and for that I am truly grateful to God.

It reminded  me of a time years ago when I watched an interview on television with a very famous athlete and a reporter asked him how he felt about being a role model.

This athlete responded by saying that he was not a role model because he was not paid to be a role model.

I disagreed with his position.

When it comes to children, every adult they encounter along the way is a role model.

The only choice adults have in the matter is whether we will be positive role models or negative ones.

There is a quote attributed to Austin L. Sorenson that goes, "Children are not likely to find a father in God unless they find something of God in their fathers."

I will not dispute that.

I am also willing to extend that thought to include men in general including me.

One of the things I want to be in life is a good male role model for children.

It does not matter to me whether they are the children in the church I attend who see me every week, or children that attend our Vacation Bible School whom I see once a year or the children who see me when I am out and about in public.

There are two ways that we can teach children.

We can teach them with our words.

We can also teach them by our example.

Teaching by example is one of the most effective means of teaching because children are watching us very closely to see if we practice what we teach.

There is also another very important reason why I want to be a positive male role model for children.

Matthew 19:14 (NET) - But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Children are special to Jesus.

Because they are special to Him they are also special to me.

Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com

Weathering the Storms

John 16:33 (NET) - I have told you these things so that in Me you will have peace. In the world you will have trouble and sufferings, but take courage - I have conquered the world.

In the summer, it is relatively easy to predict the weather where I live.

If I were asked to do so, I would forecast hot and dry and be correct the vast majority of the time.

I recall one summer day when the forecast called for hot with a slight chance of rain.

Even the professional forecasters all but dismissed that chance of rain.

Throughout the day and into the evening, it was indeed hot and not a single drop of rain fell.

That night, the slight chance of rain materialized in the form of a severe thunderstorm.

As it approached, I knew that we were in for quite a night because of the amount of thunder I heard in the distance.

When the storm arrived in full force, I was amazed by the amount of lightning it generated.

Continual flashes of lightning lit up my windows.

Several lightning bolts struck nearby.

Seated with my back to the wall, I could literally feel their shock waves as the concussions traveled through both the wall and my chair.

I could hear the wind as it drove the rain into my door and window panes.

As the winds continued to blow, hail began to fall.

Eventually, the storm passed.

The following day I saw some of the damage left by the storm.

Leaves littered the ground.

Broken tree branches were scattered about. Some fell in the streets.

Roofs were also damaged.

Yes, this was quite a storm.

The storm also brought one more thing.

Precious life giving rain.

A substantial amount had fallen and was quickly absorbed by the ground which the day before was extremely hard and dry.

In the days that followed, the grass, once brown and dry, softened and turned green once again.

It was given a new lease on life.

At times, the weather becomes turbulent.

At times, our very lives become turbulent.

Even believers experience times of turbulence and upheaval. 

Jesus was very clear about this in scripture.

That is why I have a problem with concept of only prosperity for believers.

According to some, becoming a believer will eliminate every problem and every challenge.

Experience, however, confirms both His words of caution and His promise.

In fact, some of the most faithful people I have ever known have endured challenges that would cause many without faith to become easily discouraged.

In some cases it was a health crisis. In others it was the sudden loss of a loved one. For others it was a problem in the workplace.

To speak candidly , believers face many challenges in a lifetime.

There are even times when they face several challenges at once.

The believer, however, knows that he does not face these storms alone.

The believer knows that there is no reason to fear and every reason to hope.

The believer knows that Jesus has conquered the world and will help them weather the storm whatever that storm may bring.

They rest assured knowing that they will be blessed in the process.

They may even be a vehicle of blessing for others as a result.

It is easy to thank God when things are going our way.

The faithful also thank God during the storms in life.

It is in the process of overcoming them that He refines us.

It is in facing them that our relationship with God is strengthened.

When the storms pass, and they will, the blessings that accompany them are truly appreciated.



Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com

Worlds Apart

Matthew 5:3 (NET) - Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of God belongs to them.

My friends just returned from a mission trip.

They shared some of their experiences with me.

In reflecting on the things they shared, I could not help but feel overwhelmed.

The remote village to which they traveled was quite poverty stricken.

The people there had very little as far as possessions are concerned.

Home was little more than four walls and a roof that could not even keep out the rain.

A simple bag of food distributed by missionaries to a household would be rationed and stretched to its limit and would last that family several days.

My friends have been sponsoring two children in this country for a number of years.

On this trip, God moved them to sponsor a third child.

Given the opportunity to meet this child, they took her to a zoo in the city.

These were both very new experiences for her.

She delighted in seeing all the different kinds of animals on display at the zoo.

Afterward, they went to a restaurant but were surprised that the child did not wish to eat her meal.

When asked why, she said she wanted to take it home and share it with her family.

This moved my friends who then told her to eat her meal and they promised her that before leaving they would buy food for her family.

Church was also a different experience for them.

The service was held in a structure that is a far cry from the image most people think of when they hear the word "church".

The service also lasted much longer than what most of us are accustomed to.

Singing songs of praise took up much of that time.

God had a surprise for one of my friends.

He was asked to preach.

He had nothing prepared ahead of time and found himself in total reliance upon the Holy Spirit.

Speaking through an interpreter, he delivered the message that God had given him to share.


Why am I sharing this?

Most of us have much more in terms of possessions than the people in this village will ever have.

In regard to food, most of us discard in a few days what families there share in a week.

Even the overall church experience differs.

At the risk of painting with a very broad brush, we expect church to conform to what we expect from it rather than what it is meant to offer us.

Perhaps most revealing was the overwhelming knowledge that those who have so very little are far more grateful than we can ever hope to be.

They are likely truly happier as well.

Matthew 5:8 (NET) - Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com