For Sale

I decided to take a drive Sunday afternoon,

It’s one of the few activities one can indulge in with the current COVID-19 restrictions in place.

With no specific destination in mind, I decided I would first drive by the church I attend.

With the recent spike in COVID-19 cases, worshipping together has been suspended once more.

Fortunately, our services will still occur and be streamed online.

Many churches have chosen this option at least until the pandemic has subsided.

I remembered twice finding a note on our church door from a youth group.

The note said that they stopped by and prayed for us,

Each young person had signed their name to it,

I recalled thinking what a remarkable gesture this was.

Being familiar with the many churches in the community, I decided to make this the focus of my journey.

I made a mental list of all these churches and proceeded to drive from one to the next.

I paused my journey at each one and said a prayer on behalf of those who call that church home.

Luke 18:1 (NET) - Then Jesus told them a parable to show them they should always pray and not lose heart.

I prayed for their worshippers and the day that they would be able to gather once again.

So I traveled from one to the next, pausing at each to pray.

Things proceeded as I expected until I was taken by surprise.

One church to which I traveled had a “For Sale” sign.

I suddenly became quite sad,

There could be any number of reasons as to why this church had permanently closed its doors.

Perhaps it was the pandemic.

Perhaps the number of worshippers had been in decline.

Perhaps there was a disagreement that led to division.

Whatever the reason, this church and its congregation was no more.

Its doors will remain closed until a buyer comes along.

What will occupy the building remains to be seen.

Now, I know the Church is not the building.

It is the entire body of believers with Christ as the head.

Ephesians 1:22-23 (NET) - And God put all things under Christ’s feet, and gave him to the church as head over all things. Now the church is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Still, I could not help but feel sad as I thought of all that happened within its walls over the decades.

All the sermons that were preached.

All the hymns of praise that were sung.

Al the prayers that were lifted.

All the weddings, baptisms and funerals that united generations of people.

Now, the lights are turned off and silence fills an empty space.

It will remain that way even after the pandemic is over.

I know that those who worshipped there did so differently than I do.

That does not matter.

I continue to pray for them.

My prayer is that they will find a new church that they can call home.

That prayer turns my sadness into hope.

1 Corinthians 1:9 (NET) - God is faithful, by whom you were called into fellowship with his son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, July 10, 2020.

I’ll be back here on Friday, July 17, 2020

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

Cliffhanger

I enjoy old movie serials and television episodes.

Many of these installments ended in what has come to be known as “the cliffhanger”.

Simply put, this is a plot device in which the installment ends with a character in a precarious position.

It is also intended as an incentive for the viewer to want to watch the next installment.

Until then, the viewer is left wondering how the character can possibly escape almost certain doom.

There is an old saying that states life imitates art.

For those who do not know the risen Lord, death appears to be the ultimate cliffhanger.

Is death the end?

Can there be more to come?

Fortunately, Christ makes it very clear that death is not the end.

This happened at His crucifixion.

One of the criminals turned to Jesus.

Jesus gave him a promise.

Luke 23:43 (NET) -  And Jesus said to him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

But these were far more than words intended to comfort a dying man.

This was a genuine promise of hope!

This was not the only time Jesus assured us of eternal life.

Before His crucifixion, Jesus made a promise to His followers.

John 14:1-3 (NET) - “Do not let your hearts be distressed. You believe in God; believe also in me. There are many dwelling places in my Father’s house. Otherwise, I would have told you, because I am going away to make ready a place for you. And if I go and make ready a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that where I am you may be too.

Cliffhangers are fine for movies and television programs.

But, thanks to the risen Lord, the end of our time on earth is not the end at all.

Nor is it something to be feared.

It is a transition of hope made possible through Christ’s love!

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, May 8, 2020.

I’ll be back here on Friday, May 15, 2020

Comfort in Troubled Times

It seems that I cannot turn on the news without hearing about violence.

This is especially true about gun violence.

Just two weeks ago, a mass shooting took place in the state in which I live.

Within 24 hours, another mass shooting took place in a different part of the country.

On Wednesday, in another state, six police officers were wounded while serving a warrant.

That same evening, I received word that shots had been fired in the neighborhood where I live.

Frankly, this kind of news is enough to frighten anybody.

Fortunately, God provides words of comfort in troubled times.

Perhaps the most comforting of all can be found in the 23^rd Psalm.

Psalm 23:4 (NET) - Even when I must walk through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff reassure me.

There are others.

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

Christ tells us that in the world we will have trouble and suffering.

But He also tells us to take courage for He has conquered the world.

What about those who have lost loved ones to violence?

Christ provides these words of comfort in the Beatitudes.

Matthew 5:4 (NET) - Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Comfort after the fact is all well and good, but what about the here and now?

John 14:27 (NET) - Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; I do not give it to you as the world does. Do not let your hearts be distressed or lacking in courage.

It is a comfort to know that we can rely on the kind of peace that only Jesus can give.

Finally, there are words from an old hymn that can also ease our minds in these troubled times.

His eye is on the sparrow

And I know he watches me

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, August 23, 2019.

I’ll be back here on Friday, September 6, 2019

Outer Space and Outer Appearance

It is hard for me to believe we are nearing the fiftieth anniversary of the first manned moon landing.

I was a child while the race for space was taking place.

In those days before the Internet, products and services used the moon landing in their promotions.

I eagerly anticipated the moon landing and took in as much coverage as I could.

Perhaps that explains my continued fondness for science fiction especially works from the 1950’s and 1960’s.

It was great anticipating the progress we might have made.

That said, many works from that genre and era depicted evil aliens as ugly or disfigured.

Heroes on the other hand were depicted as either beautiful or handsome.

The same generally holds true today.

We still tend to associate beauty with goodness.

People have been making this assumption for centuries.

It even happened in Biblical times.

Take the time Samuel anointed David king.

Before David was brought before Samuel, Samuel was certain he knew whom God had chosen.

1 Samuel 16:6 (NET) - When they arrived, Samuel noticed Eliab and said to himself, “Surely, here before the Lord stands his chosen king!”

But God does not look at people the way we do.

1 Samuel 16:7 (NET) - But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t be impressed by his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. God does not view things the way men do. People look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

This is certainly not the only time scripture discusses this.

The New Testament warns us that outward appearance can be deceiving, perhaps even our own.

Matthew 23:28 (NET) - In the same way, on the outside you look righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Even the things we do to make ourselves more attractive on the outside are of little consequence.

1 Peter 3:3-4 (NET) - Let your beauty not be external—the braiding of hair and wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes— but the inner person of the heart, the lasting beauty of a gentle and tranquil spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.

In the end, it is our internal beauty that matters most.

A beauty that is only perfected by knowing Christ.

By the way, there is one more thing I remember about the space program.

Namely, it is the missions that followed the first moon landing.

In very little time, people became tired of it and viewing figures plummeted.

In a short while, manned missions to the moon stopped altogether.

This reminds me of the Parable of the Sower, particularly of the seed sewn on rocky ground.

Matthew 13:20-21 (NET) - The seed sown on rocky ground is the person who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. But he has no root in himself and does not endure; when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away.

Internal beauty is possible, and it can last a lifetime.

It only happens when we commit our hearts to the Lord for as long as we live.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, June 28, 2019.

I’ll be back here on Friday, July 5, 2019

Being Ready

One of my favorite stories is about a young Sunday school class.

The teacher walks into the room and asks, “Who wants to go to heaven?”

Every child raises his hand except for a boy named Timmy.

This surprises the teacher.

Still a bit stunned, she asks the boy, “Timmy, don’t you want to go to heaven some day?”

“Oh sure, someday!” exclaims Timmy.

“I thought you were talking about us leaving now!”

We are a great deal like Timmy.

On one hand, we say we want to go to heaven.

On the other, we just do not want to go there right now.

As Christians, our salvation is guaranteed by the blood of Jesus.

We take great comfort in that.

John 3:16-17 (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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through him.

We do things in order to live longer.

We might decide one day to eat better.

Or, we might decide to get regular medical exams.

The list goes on and on.

Frankly, these are things we should be doing anyway.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NET) - Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.

The things we do for our health will help us serve God better as we grow older.

But the truth is, only God knows exactly how much time we have on this earth.

Job 14:5-6 (NET) - Since man’s days are determined, the number of his months is under your control; you have set his limit and he cannot pass it. Look away from him and let him desist, until he fulfills his time like a hired man.

There is no point to worrying about how much time we have left.

What is important is what we choose to do with the time given us.

Then when someone asks if we want to go to heaven, our answer can be a resounding “Yes!”

  

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, March 8, 2019.

I’ll be back here on Friday, March 15, 2019

Love Without Limit

The Christmas season is now upon us.

The signs are everywhere.

There are Christmas songs on the radio.

Christmas trees are everywhere.

At night, the soft glow of Christmas lights cast their light into the winter darkness.

Even reluctant actors like me are preparing to appear in Christmas programs.

One nearby church will do their annual live nativity scene.

I find myself grateful for the season.

I am also grateful for currently teaching about heaven and hope.

Christmas is a celebration of the time the Lord took our human form and dwelt among us.

He was born in the humblest of circumstances.

But that is only the beginning of the story.

The course I teach reminds me that His life with us was full of service and love.

His earthly journey would ultimately lead Him to a cross and to an empty tomb beyond it.

                                                                                                                          

Therein lies real hope for us all.

I reminded my students that Jesus took this journey to obey His Father’s will.

He also took it to save a fallen mankind that could never save itself.

He did this out of love.

It is a love for everyone which includes you and me.

It is a remarkable love that has no limit.

It is never diminished by the vast numbers of people He loves.

A number that grows larger with each passing generation.

Upon sharing these thoughts with my students, one of them shared the feeding of the 5,000.

The time Jesus took a very small amount of food and fed a vast multitude until each had their fill.

When that meal was over, leftovers were collected.

The love Jesus has for us is a great deal like that.

In truth, I consider this contribution by my student to be a blessing to everyone in the room.

I find myself especially blessed.

I share that blessing with you.

As Christmas day draws nearer, we will hear more songs and see more decorations.

We may see Christmas programs or attend nativity scenes.

I hope that we will also set aside some time to be still and really feel the love Jesus has for us.

A love that is without limit.

1 John 4:10-11 (NET) - In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, if God so loved us, then we also ought to love one another.

1 John 4:19 (NET) - We love because he loved us first.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, December 14, 2018.

I’ll be back here on Friday, December 21, 2018

Unexpected Blessings and Love

This is not what I originally intended to post today.

I learned long ago that in such endeavors you must follow your heart.

I went to the post office today to pick up a package.

I was in for a surprise.

Along with my package, I received a thick envelope containing a card from a cousin.

The envelope also contained some old black and white photographs and a letter.

I felt a bit emotional as I looked at the photographs and read my cousin’s letter.

These photos were taken immediately after my brother’s funeral more than 60 years ago.

My brother died in infancy almost a decade before I was born.

I never met my brother in this world, but I have other photographs of him.

These photographs depicted the officiating pastor.

He once preached at the church I still attend.

It also depicted four of my cousins who served as bearers.

They were all quite young at the time.

There were also photographs of the coffin, the flowers and so forth.

I very much appreciated receiving this package and I will make certain my cousin knows this.

Many people often get uncomfortable when it comes to discussing death.

I said earlier that I felt a bit emotional.

But my emotions were not based on fear, but rather, they were based on love.

Love for my cousin who thought I should have the photographs.

Love for a brother I never got to meet in this world.

Love for my parents who did all they could for a very sick and tiny infant.

But most of all, love for the Lord.

As a Christian, I know with conviction that death is not the end.

It is merely a transition.

I also know how much the Lord loved my tiny brother.

He proved this in His ministry.

Matthew 19:14-15 (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.”

As stated, I never met my brother in this world.

I am completely confident that we will meet in the next.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, October 12, 2018.

I’ll be back here on Friday, October 19, 2018

A Matter of Trust

One of my favorite television programs first aired in the 1960’s.

I recently watched the first season of that program again.

Two episodes grabbed my attention this time.

Although each was written by a different writer, both episodes dealt with trust.

In the first of these two stories, the main characters began to mistrust each other.

In the second, this group began to mistrust those around them.

In both episodes, a sense of trust was restored.

Although each was written by a different person, their messages were the same.

Namely, trust was something that had to be earned.

I began to think of this in terms of faith.

The Psalms talk about trust and many references are made to it.

Psalm 20:7 (NET) - Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we depend on the Lord our God.

Psalm 31:14 (NET) - But I trust in you, O Lord! I declare, “You are my God!

There are many more.

Even Jesus knew that human beings were prone to mistrust first.

Perhaps that is why he went out of his way to stress there was truth in his words.

John 3:3 (NET) - Jesus replied, “I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

John 8:58 (NET) - Jesus said to them, “I tell you the solemn truth, before Abraham came into existence, I am!”

Again, there are many more.

Does Jesus really need to earn our trust?

No.

But he did so anyway

Romans 5:8 (NET) - But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, August 24, 2018.

I’ll be back here on Friday, September 7, 2018

Agents of Change

People, as a rule, dislike change.

If we had our way, we would like things to stay pretty much the way they are.

Yet things change all the time.

No matter how much we dislike it, one thing can be said for change.

Without change growth would be impossible.

There would be no advancement.

There would be no advancements in medicine.

There would be no advancements in technology.

Despite every advancement people still tend to dislike change.

People in the past were not that much different from us.

About 2,000 years, people encountered the biggest change ever in Jesus Christ.

His earthly ministry was unlike anything ever seen before.

He ministered to the lowly and outcast.

He healed the sick and the lame.

His criticisms were reserved for those in positions of authority.

Even the dead were brought back to life.

That made Christ the greatest agent of change… ever.

Many disliked this change.

This was true even after His death.

In the book of Acts we see that the apostles were to be the next agents of change.

They quickly found themselves in trouble for it.

They were brought before the council and the high priest for their efforts.

But a Pharisee and teacher of the law, Gamaliel, began to understand.

He told the others…

Acts 5:38-39a (NET) - So in this case I say to you, stay away from these men and leave them alone, because if this plan or this undertaking originates with people, it will come to nothing, but if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them, or you may even be found fighting against God.”

2,000 years have gone by and no one has been able to stop the changes Jesus set into motion.

Changes that began with Christ continued through the apostles.

It now falls to us to be the agents of change in a world that dislikes change.

But we can only be agents of change with His help.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, August 10, 2018.

I’ll be back here on Friday, August 17, 2018

Gifts Should Give

I will be teaching an adult class in June.

This is something I do every year and I always look forward to it.

That said, it is something I never take lightly.

Scripture is quite clear on the matter of teaching.

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.

So, why would anyone choose to teach knowing they will be judged more strictly?

Thankfully, scripture addresses this as well.

The twelfth chapter of the book of Romans discusses the various gifts given to us.

It also tells us what we are to do with them.

Romans 12:6- 8 (NET) - And we have different gifts according to the grace given to us. If the gift is prophecy, that individual must use it in proportion to his faith. If it is service, he must serve; if it is teaching, he must teach; if it is exhortation, he must exhort; if it is contributing, he must do so with sincerity; if it is leadership, he must do so with diligence; if it is showing mercy, he must do so with cheerfulness.

Here scripture reminds us that we “must” use whatever gifts God has generously bestowed upon us.

I take great comfort in this as I prepare for this class.

Even though it is still weeks away, I am actively preparing for this class.

Although I am familiar with the subject matter, I am using the time I have wisely.

Scripture also reminds us of the importance of being prepared.

After all, Noah began constructing the ark long before the first raindrops fell.

Hebrews 11:7a (NET) - By faith Noah, when he was warned about things not yet seen, with reverent regard constructed an ark for the deliverance of his family.

There is one unknown I face every year.

I never know how many or how few students I will have until the class meets.

Some years the attendance is large.

Some years it is small.

However many or few attend, they will receive the best I can offer.

After all, we certainly will not be alone.

Scripture is clear on that as well.

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

Put your gift from God into use.

If you have not yet discovered what that gift is, why not talk to Him about it right now?

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, April 27, 2018.

I’ll be back here on Friday, May 4, 2018

The Ultimate Self-Help Book

It seems as if more and more people want to feel better about themselves.

In a trip to the library or bookstore there are shelves full of self-help books.

This is nothing new.

Some of the titles have been around for a long time.

There is one book that can help.

Many people already have this book on a table or in a bookshelf.

Unfortunately, this book often goes disregarded and unread.

This book tells us that we were created in the very likeness of God.

Genesis 1:26 (NET) - Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness, so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move on the earth.”

Think about that for a moment.

You were made in the very image of the creator of the universe!

It goes on to tell us just how miraculous each one of us really is.

David understood that.

Psalm 139”13-15 (NET) - Certainly you made my mind and heart; you wove me together in my mother’s womb. I will give you thanks because your deeds are awesome and amazing. You knew me thoroughly; my bones were not hidden from you, when I was made in secret and sewed together in the depths of the earth.

That’s not all.

It tells us that God has had a plan for us all along.

He made that clear to the prophet Jeremiah,

Jeremiah 1:5 (NET) - “Before I formed you in your mother’s womb I chose you. Before you were born I set you apart. I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.”

When you need to feel better about yourself, there is one book that can really help.

Why not turn to it now?

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, February 9, 2018.

I’ll be back here on Friday, February 16, 2018

Music to His Ears

I was watching a concert on television that was performed by a very large orchestra.

The orchestra featured many types of musicians divided into several sections.

Some musicians played brass instruments.

Others played woodwind, string and percussion instruments.

I really enjoyed this concert.

The audience in the concert hall really enjoyed their experience as well.

I thought about the experience the live audience had as compared to my own.

As I considered this, I concluded that my experience was good.

My experience was one recorded on tape and played through speakers.

Those in attendance heard it live and directly from the musicians themselves.

Even though my experience was different, I could still make out groups of instruments.

I could even distinguish between different types of instruments.

Even while the brass instruments were playing I could still hear the flute or the oboe.

I could also tell the difference between happy melodies and sad ones.

This caused me to reflect on prayer.

One of the questions people often ask is: “How can God listen to so many prayers at one time?”

Everyone’s prayer is important to God.

Jeremiah 29:12 (NET) - When you call out to me and come to me in prayer, I will hear your prayers.

But nowhere in scripture does it say we must wait our turn.

When we listen to a concert we hear all the musicians at once.

We do not have to listen to each musician one at a time.

We who are made in God’s image can listen to many musicians at the same time and we call the result music.

So surely God, who has no limitations, can listen to a limitless number of prayers at once.

If you think about it, your prayer is like an instrument.

It is like an instrument that God longs to hear.

No matter how many instruments are playing, God hears each one.

So…

Romans 12:12 (NET) - Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, January 26, 2018.

I’ll be back here on Friday, February 2, 2018

Christmas, Tradition and Love

One of the things I enjoy about Christmas is tradition.

The church I attend has several traditions.

Some of these traditions go back many years.

For example, a traditional gift among people who share my heritage is “The Christmas Sack”.

This is a simple brown paper bag containing an apple, an orange and a few pieces of candy.

My parents always gave me this gift every Christmas when I was a boy.

I am not certain how many generations back this tradition goes.

My church continues this tradition as well.

Every year my church puts on a Christmas Program.

A few nights before the program, a few of us will meet at the church and prepare many sacks.

When the Christmas Program ends, everyone in attendance gets one and so the tradition continues.

Another tradition I enjoy takes place at our worship service every Christmas Eve.

Prior to the start of the service we place a rocking chair in our sanctuary.

At some point during the worship service our pastor will sit in that chair.

The children in attendance will then come forward and sit on the floor around the pastor.

He will then read to them about the very first Christmas from the gospel of Luke.

Another tradition we have is quite new.

Empty boxes are provided to all members at the start of Advent.

Members place a non-perishable food item in their box each day during the season of Advent.

By the time Christmas arrives, all the boxes have been filled with food.

The filled boxes are gathered, and the food is donated to the local food bank to help the less fortunate.

These are but some of our traditions.

No doubt, you have traditions of your own.

Traditions play an important role in helping us observe Christmas.

It is important that our hearts are in the right place as we take part in them.

Simply going through the motions is not enough.

Everything we do should be rooted in faith, hope and love.

After all, it is God’s love for us that is at the very heart of Christmas.

Christmas is not a celebration of how we reach up to God.

Christmas is a celebration of how God reached down to us.

It is a celebration of how God reached down to a disobedient and fallen world that could not save itself.

It is a celebration of how God reaches down in the most remarkable and unexpected of ways.

Luke 2:11 (NET) - Today your Savior is born in the city of David. He is Christ the Lord.

I wish you all a happy and blessed Christmas!

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, December 22, 2017.

I’ll be back here on Friday, January 5, 2018

Sold Out

The state in which I live just got hit by a hurricane.

The first communities to be hit were devastated by high winds.

There was more to come.

The storm then dropped record rainfall amounts on a major city and surrounding areas.

Lives were lost.

There was also a great deal of good.

Ordinary people pitched in to help those less fortunate.

Shelters opened their doors to take in those displaced by the storm.

Supplies began to pour in from far away.

Volunteers came in to offer their assistance.

Some traveled many miles to just assist the less fortunate.

But not everything was positive.

Stores miles away in relatively unaffected areas ran out of basics like water, bread and eggs.

As I write this, cars are lined up at gas stations not only filling their cars but gas cans as well.

A few stations have sold out of gas completely.

Some people are driving miles out of their way just to buy gas which they will consume on the way home.

Fear can do that to people.

Most people don’t think of being prepared until the crisis is right on their doorstep.

Even after the worst has passed, fear tends to maintain its grip and they worry about problems that do not yet exist.

Yet when it comes to being prepared for the end, how many of us can say we truly prepared.

Jesus told us to remain alert.

Mark 13:32-37 (NET) - “But as for that day or hour no one knows it—neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son—except the Father. Watch out! Stay alert! For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey. He left his house and put his slaves in charge, assigning to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to stay alert. Stay alert, then, because you do not know when the owner of the house will return—whether during evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or at dawn— or else he might find you asleep when he returns suddenly. What I say to you I say to everyone: Stay alert!”

Am I trying to raise fear?

No.

But I do have one question.

Do you suppose there will be lines of cars trying to get into churches for the next service?

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, September 8, 2017.

I’ll be back here on Friday, September 15, 2017

God with Us

Genesis 12:1 (NET) - “Go out from your country, your relatives, and your father’s household to the land that I will show you.

.

God told Abraham to leave the familiar and step into the unknown.

God did not even say exactly where this was.

Rather, God said that He would “show” him.

Abraham was no longer a young man when God gave him these instructions.

How did Abraham respond?

Genesis 12:4-5 (NET) - So Abram left, just as the Lord had told him to do, and Lot went with him. (Now Abram was 75 years old when he departed from Haran.) And Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they left for the land of Canaan. They entered the land of Canaan.

Abraham obeyed God.

God called Abraham and Abraham responded.

This would not be the only time that Abraham would answer God’s call.

There would come a time when God would ask much more of Abraham.

Genesis 22:2 (NET) - God said, “Take your son—your only son, whom you love, Isaac—and go to the land of Moriah! Offer him up there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will indicate to you.”

Abraham dearly loved his only son.

How did Abraham respond?

Genesis 22:3 (NET) - Early in the morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took two of his young servants with him, along with his son Isaac. When he had cut the wood for the burnt offering, he started out for the place God had spoken to him about.

This time, just like the time before, Abraham obeyed God.

God called Abraham and again Abraham responded.

Abraham was prepared to do everything God asked of him.

He was even prepared to sacrifice his only son Isaac.

In the end, God spared Isaac.

Genesis 22: 11-12 (NET) - But the Lord’s angel called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am!” he answered. “Do not harm the boy!” the angel said. “Do not do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God because you did not withhold your son, your only son, from me.”

God provided a ram for the sacrifice.

The name Abraham gave to the place means “The LORD provides”.

Romans 4:3 (NET) - For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

God was with Abraham.

I think it is more than fair to say that God was with Isaac as well.

That is the way it is.

God calls and we are to respond.

What will our response be?

If we obey God’s call then God will be with us.

The prophet Isaiah understood this.

Isaiah 7:14 (NET) - For this reason the sovereign master himself will give you a confirming sign. Look, this young woman is about to conceive and will give birth to a son. You, young woman, will name him Immanuel.

This prophecy was fulfilled.

Matthew 1:23 (NET) - Look! The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will name him Emmanuel,” which means “God with us.”

When my ancestors first came to the region where I now live, most of them did not even speak the local language.

They had no idea what awaited them in this new land.

But they did know one thing.

They knew that God was with them.

When they built their first church in the area 150 years ago, their pastor painted “God with Us” behind the pulpit as a reminder.

He panted these words in the language they knew.

God was with Abraham and Isaac.

God was with those who preceded me.

God is with me.

God is with us!

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, August 11, 2017.

I’ll be back here on Friday, August 18, 2017

Is There a Sequel?

Every now and again a really good story comes along.

Perhaps it is in the form of a book.

Maybe it is in the form of a movie or a television show.

Whatever form it comes in, we eventually reach the end of the story no matter how good it is.

If it is a story we enjoyed we might find ourselves asking, “Is that all there is?”

Not always.

Sometimes a sequel is written or produced.

The story continues but, more often than not, we find ourselves disappointed.

The sequel simply just does not live up to the original story we enjoyed so much.

Our lives are a bit like a story we enjoy.

We are born. we live for a time and ultimately each of our stories on earth comes to an end.

Somewhere along our journeys we all find ourselves asking, “Is this all there is?”

An unbeliever would tell us that this is the case.

He would tell us that we are born, we live, we die… end of story.

Some believe otherwise.

They believe in an afterlife but seem to feel this life is to be preferred.

Their concept of Heaven is one in which we float around on clouds and do nothing but play the harp for all of eternity.

This would be the equivalent of a sequel failing to live up to the original story.

Personally, I believe that God is the author of all things.

I believe our journeys on earth are just the first story.

There is more to come.

For those who believe, Heaven will be like the sequel to that story.

The Bible gives us some hints as to what Heaven will be like,

Yet even the most imaginative and creative among us will have to experience it to fully appreciate it.

In that respect, this sequel will be far, far better than the original.

1 Corinthians 2:9 (NET) - But just as it is written, “Things that no eye has seen, or ear heard, or mind imagined, are the things God has prepared for those who love him.”

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, August 26, 2016.

I’ll be back here on Friday, September 2, 2016

Unlimited Coverage

Today’s technology is amazing.

Take cell phones for example.

One day, you decide to take a trip and find yourself far away from home.

You decide to tell your friend about it and so you get out your cell phone.

You then dial your friend’s cell number.

At the very same time your friend has also decided to take a trip and is also far away from home.

Suddenly his cell phone rings.

He answers and the two of you are able to talk about the trips you are on.

You had no idea where your friend was.

Yet the two of you are able to clearly communicate as if there was no distance between you.

Of course there are factors that could prevent this from happening.

Perhaps you accidentally dialed the wrong number.

Perhaps your phone has lost its charge.

Perhaps your phone is not getting a signal.

Perhaps your friend is already busy talking to someone else.

Perhaps you forgot to take your phone with you.

I have no idea how cell phones are able to connect with each other.

I have no idea how simply dialing a number can connect you to a phone regardless of how far apart they are.

Even though I do not how they work, I am still able to benefit from this technology.

Our walk with God is a lot like that.

We can communicate with God through prayer at any time from any location.

We do not have to understand how it works in order to benefit from it.

All we need to know is that it does work.

God provides a constant power source and an uninterruptable signal.

We never have to be concerned about getting a busy signal.

God is capable of listening to an infinite number of prayers at the same time from all over the world.

To be honest, the only weak link in the chain is us.

Just as easily as we can forget to take our cell phone with us, we can also forget to pray.

Once we recognize this, and correct it, we find Him ready to listen.

1 Thessalonians 5:16 -18 (NET) - Always rejoice, constantly pray, in everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, February 12, 2016.

I’ll be back here on Friday, February 19, 2016

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

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