Strength and Compassion

Psalm 10 is a prayer for deliverance,

The psalmist recognizes two things.

God will hear the meek that call out to Him.

God will also strengthen them.

Psalm 10:17 (NRSVue) - O Lord, you will hear the desire of the meek; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear

Luke 19 begins with the account of Jesus and Zacchaeus.

Zacchaeus was a tax official, and people disliked him for that.

He also knew he was not tall enough to see Jesus when He passed.

So, Zacchaeus climbs up a sycamore tree to afford himself a better view.

He was in for the surprise of his life.

Luke 19:5-6 (NRSVue) - When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him.

Although disliked by many, Jesus had compassion for this tax collector.

Jesus not only spoke with him, but Jesus would also be a willing guest in his home.

The Lord has compassion for all.

He wants us to show that same compassion to all God’s children.

You may be saying to yourself that this is impossible.

In one of life’s great ironies, those who need love the most seem the hardest to love.

Compassion for everyone is impossible if we rely on our strength alone.

But if we humble ourselves like the psalmist, the Lord will allow us to rely on His strength.

With His strength, all things are possible.

This includes an all-embracing love.

Philippians 4:13 (NRSVue) - I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

 

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com on Friday, October 10, 2025.

I will be back here on Friday, October 17, 2025

How Is Courage Possible?

Zechariah 8 is about God’s promises to His people.

The prophet concludes verse 13 with special instructions.

Zechariah 8:13b (NRSVue) - Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong.

John 16 concludes with Jesus offering His disciples peace.

His followers will still face persecution, yet Jesus tells them that they can take courage.

John 16:33 (NRSVue) - I have said this to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution, but take courage: I have conquered the world!

But do these words of courage still apply?

The answer is a resounding yes.

Persecution of Christians still goes on.

Christians are even willing to die to defend the truth.

To the unbeliever, the question is “Why risk it?”

The simple answer is because we believe we are following Christ.

We follow the commands He gave us.

As importantly, we follow the example He set for us.

Despite persecution, despite risk, we follow knowing Christ has overcome the world.

Will following Christ be easy or safe?

No.

But follow Him we must.

And in conquering the world, Christ assures us that we have a place in His kingdom.

If you find this hard to believe, examine the exchange between Christ and the thief on the cross.

Luke 23:42-43 (NRSVue) - Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingdom.” He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

 

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com on Friday, October 10, 2025.

I will be back here on Friday, October 17, 2025

Thankful Hearts and Transformed Lives

Psalm 69:5 (NRSVue) - O God, you know my folly; the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.

Psalm 69 is a prayer for deliverance from persecution.

In it, the Psalmist recognizes God’s omniscience.

He understands that God knows everything.

As such, God knows the sins that he has committed.

God knows when we fall short as well.

But God is both generous and forgiving,

He has already planned for our redemption.

We are redeemed through the blood of Christ.

We are forgiven by grace.

Paul understood this.

He explained the spiritual blessing in Christ in his letter to the Ephesians.

Ephesians 1:7 (NRSVue) - In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace

Thanksgiving Day is over.

But we should always be thankful for redemption and forgiveness.

May we be aware of this as we enter the season of Advent.

God is as generous as He is merciful.

And we should be thankful for all the gifts he has bestowed upon us.

May we be especially thankful for His greatest gift of all.

The gift of His Son whose birth we are about to celebrate.

For this is what sets Christianity apart from other religions.

Christianity is not about us reaching up to God.

Christianity is about how God reached down to the lost who could not save themselves.

And just as God gives to us, we are called upon to share with each other.

We can do so because God has transformed our hearts and lives through Christ.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com on Friday, December 8, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, December 15, 2023

The Ultimate in Unity

Psalm 118:26 (NRSVue) - Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord.

Psalm 118 is a song of victory.

It reminds us that those who come in the name of the Lord are blessed.

As such, they become a blessing to others.

The first chapter in the book of John speaks of Jesus.

It refers to Jesus as “the Word Became Flesh.”

It describes those who receive Him.

It also indicates what they become.

John 1:12 (NRSVue) - But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God,

Once we receive Christ, we become children of God.

Thus blessed, we can in turn venture out into the world and bless others.

And considering today’s headlines, the world is in dire need of blessing.

Through Christ, we can unite with others we know.

More importantly, with the gifts bestowed upon us, we can unite and bless others.

We can even be a blessing to those we will never meet in this world.

But this is not our doing.

Achieving unity on this scale is only possible through Christ.

Understanding that, we can effectively use the gifts He bestows.

This gives us hope in the promise of the day of even greater unity.

It will be a day when all will be joined together in continuous and eternal praise as one body of believers.

This body will also include those we never met in this world.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com on Friday, November 24, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, December 1, 2023

The Kingdom is Like…

Psalm 22:27 (NRSVue) - All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before him.

Psalm 22 is a plea for deliverance from suffering and hostility.

In fact, Christ’s words from the cross hearken back to this Psalm.

But verse 27 speaks of a time when “all the families of the nations shall worship before him.

Christ also describes what this will be like.

Among the many parables recorded in Matthew 13 is the parable of the yeast.

Matthew 13:33 (NRSVue) - He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”

I think many will be surprised to learn that heaven was not what they expected.

I am certain at least a few will be surprised to find me there.

Today, corporations and executives make diversity a selling point.

One might even think that diversity is something relatively new.

But if anyone understands diversity, it is Christ,

He knows we have diverse backgrounds.

He understands we have various interests and ideas.

With His help, we can turn our focus from ourselves back to God where it belongs.

With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can move in a direction that is best for us.

And, just as yeast causes dough to rise and expand, we too can grow and better serve the Kingdom.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com on Friday, November 10, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, November 17, 2023

Humiliation, or Humility?

Daniel 4:35 (NRSVue) - All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does what he wills with the host of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth. There is no one who can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”

Nebuchadnezzar’s pride led to his humiliation.

When this period of humiliation passed, Nebuchadnezzar praised God.

Pride in oneself is a dangerous thing.

It was pride that led to the fall of Adam and Eve.

True, they disobeyed God.

But it was pride that led them to disobedience.

Since pride is dangerous, humility is a virtue.

The Book of 1 Peter attests to this fact.

1 Peter 5:6 (NRSVue) - Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time.

Pride, especially pride in oneself, is indeed dangerous.

It even leads to self-deception.

We fool ourselves into thinking that we are in control.

We might even be tempted to impose our will upon God.

Nebuchadnezzar learned a difficult lesson.

Should we wait until we learn an equally hard lesson?

Hopefully, the conclusion we reach should be no.

Like Nebuchadnezzar, we should praise God.

As 1 Peter reminds us, we should humble ourselves.

That is when God forgives us, and our faith returns to what it should be.

In time, we will be exalted.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, October 22, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, November 3, 2023

His Heritage

Psalm 94:14 (NRSVue) - For the Lord will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage;

The New Revised Standard version heads Psalm 94 with “God the Avenger of the Righteous.”

But it is verse 14 that grabs my attention.

Vengeance aside, it reminds us that God will never forsake us.

It also reminds us that we are His heritage.

But what does heritage really mean?

One way to define heritage is: “something that is handed down from the past.”

Another is: “an inherited lot or portion.”

Both are applicable.

You can even see how the words “heritage” and “inheritance” share a root.

That root is “heir.”

We tend to think of an heir as someone who acquires something when someone else dies.

But it also means: “continuing the legacy of a predecessor.”

And that is who we are.

As Christians, we continue the legacy of those who preceded us.

But to put things in complete perspective, our legacy is not bound to this world.

Paul reminds us of this.

Philippians 3:20 (NRSVue) - But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

So, we are not citizens of this world.

The legacy we continue is of heaven.

In essence, we are His ambassadors in this world.

And we should speak and act accordingly.

Yet there are times when we feel lost or alone.

That is when we must remember the legacy we have inherited.

We should also remember that God will never abandon us.

As the Psalmist says, God will never abandon His heritage!

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, October 6, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, October 13, 2023

Christian Confidence

Exodus 19:4 (NRSVue) - You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.

God spoke these words to Moses when he and the people reached Mt. Sinai.

God had indeed freed His people.

He also destroyed those who continued to pursue them.

Now, they were in His presence.

They no longer had reason to fear.

In fact, they should have felt confident.

Paul spoke of confidence in his letter to the Hebrews.

He began his tenth chapter by reminding them of Christ’s sacrifice.

He then reminded them to persevere in matters of faith.

He also spoke of their persecution and the confiscation of their earthly property.

They bore these things because of their better and permanent possessions because of Christ.

No wonder they were confident.

Hebrews 10:35 (NIV) - So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.

The world in which we live will try to drag us down.

Others may try to drag us down to their level.

But we should not live in fear.

We should be confident.

We can be confident because God’s love for us lifts us up out of darkness.

Like God’s people at Mt. Sinai, God directs us to Him.

Our way has been made clear through the sacrifice of Christ.

And we can remain confident through discipline.

We should choose our thoughts, our words, and our actions carefully.

In doing so, we can help those around us become more aware of God’s love for them.

They can witness the light and love of Christ reflected through us.

Once they step into that light and love, confidence cannot be far behind.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, September 22, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, October 5, 2023

The Easy Way or the Hard Way

2 Samuel 23:3-4 (NRSVue)- The God of Israel has spoken; the Rock of Israel has said to me: “One who rules over people justly, ruling in the fear of God, is like the light of morning, like the sun rising on a cloudless morning, gleaming from the rain on the grassy land.”

These verses are from the last words of David.

But David, like all human beings, was fallible,

He, like us, made mistakes.

But in the end, David was a man after God’s own heart.

That is why God placed him on the throne.

Christ also left us words of wisdom concerning His own rule.

Matthew 11:29 (NRSVue) - Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

How often do we find ourselves struggling?

And how many of those struggles arise when we try to rely on our own strength?

And being fallible human beings, like David, do we learn anything from experience?

We would do well to learn from the words of Christ.

We should avoid the temptation of going it alone.

We should stop relying on our own strength.

Instead, we should turn to Christ and rely on His strength.

Paul reminds us of this as well.

Philippians 4:13 (NRSVue) - I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Remember, Christ is always available to us.

He can guide us, teach us, and give us rest.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, September 8, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, September 15, 2023

Truth and Love

Psalm 119:165 (NRSVue) - Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.

For as long as man has walked the Earth, there has been conflict.

God created the first human beings.

But in the first generation born to these human beings, conflict arose.

Time progressed.

Man’s sinful nature did not.

The result: almost an entire generation was wiped out in a cataclysmic flood sent by God.

Only Noah and his family were spared.

Even today, man’s sinful nature dominates the headlines.

We have now regressed to the point in which merely disagreeing with someone causes conflict.

Disagreement has now become personal rather than a simple exchange of ideas.

This leaves us with a choice.

On one hand, we can keep silent just to avoid conflict.

On the other hand, we can speak the truth and risk confrontation.

Scripture is clear which alternative we are to choose.

Colossians 3:16 (NRSVue) - Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.

But we must stick to facts rather than personal opinions.

For example, I can state that the weather is hot.

Someone from a colder climate would probably agree.

Someone from a more tropical climate might not.

Using a standard prevents an emotional response.

I can use a thermometer.

If I then say that it is 100 degrees, this eliminates the need for emotional opinion.

So, we can still obey Scripture and speak the truth. 

The Psalmist assures us of this.

But even Christians disagree from time to time and topic to topic.

That said, Scripture never permits us to become disagreeable in the process.

We can count on God to teach us the truth through His word.

That truth sustains us throughout our days.

But we must love the truth (and others) enough to share it.

But we must do so in a loving way.

The same loving way that was demonstrated by Christ.

In today’s world, we dare not keep silent out of fear of conflict.

The truth must be told.

Truth must prevail.

But it should prevail alongside kindness and gentleness, in other words, love.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, August 28, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, September 1, 2023

The Tasks at Hand

Philippians 4:13 (NRSVue) - I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Perhaps a good way to begin this devotional is by stating that it is good to be back.

I received notice that crews were going to level my building.

I had two weeks to pack all my belongings.

I then spent a week living in hotels while one crew did the leveling and another replaced the flooring.

I am now back home but I am still living out of boxes.

The verse I opened with from Philippians came through for me once again.

Living alone, all the manual labor was up to me.

With each box I packed, I thanked God that I was still able to do this at my age.

While it is tempting to state that I did this alone, that would not be entirely true.

To be truthful, I felt God’s presence every step of the way.

With His help, I finished packing in time.

With His help, I was able to make certain that prior commitments were kept.

I also took the opportunity to downsize a bit and reorganize.

Yes, I did thank God that at my age I am still capable.

I am also grateful for His Word.

Now that the most difficult physical tasks are behind me, I recall another powerful verse.

Luke 12:48b (NRSVue) - From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required, and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.

I do not know how much time God has planned for me on this Earth,

Nor do I know how long I will be physically capable of such work.

But I do know that there is plenty of other work that needs to be done.

Many are oppressed.

Many are wrongfully accused.

Many seek justice.

Many live in darkness.

So obviously, there is no shortage of work to be done.

No single human being can be expected to do absolutely everything.

But each human being, regardless of condition, can do something.

And, as Paul said to the Philippians, we can do all He requires of us when we rely on His strength.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, August 14, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, August 21, 2023

A Package Deal

Haggai 2:8 (NRSVue) - The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of hosts.

The book of Haggai is brief.

But the prophet’s message is powerful.

Speaking on behalf of the Lord, Haggai states that all the silver and gold belong to the Lord.

In Acts 4, we read of Peter and John.

They were brought before the council, and after their release, they returned to their people.

After relating what happened, they prayed.

Their prayer recognized God’s sovereignty.

Their prayer resonated with the people.

Acts 4:32 (NRSVue) - Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common.

United in heart and mind, no one claimed ownership of anything.

Everything they had was held in common.

What does all this mean for us today?

Simply this… all we have is really from God.

And when we give to God, we are literally giving Him what is His to begin with.

This goes beyond money (today’s silver and gold).

This also includes our time and our talents.

After all, it is only through God that we have them.

While we are young, we are told repeatedly that God wants our hearts.

This is true, but it only tells part of the story.

God wants all of us,

This includes our hearts, minds, spirits, and talents.

It is a package deal.

And when we give these to God, we are giving Him what really belongs to Him in the first place.

That is why those who give cheerfully are happy.

And that is why their lives have such an impact on those around them.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, June 9, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, June 16, 2023

Still Waiting?

Daniel 2:44 (NRSVue) - And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall this kingdom be left to another people. It shall crush all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever,

In Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar has a dream that Daniel, with God’s help, interprets.

Part of that interpretation includes a special kingdom.

This kingdom is God’s kingdom.

And, unlike human kingdoms, this kingdom of God will last forever.

Chapter 22 of Luke speaks of a great many things.

It speaks of the plot to kill Jesus.

It tells of the preparation of Passover.

It reminds us of the institution of the Lord’s Supper,

It also speaks of a dispute that arises among the followers of Christ.

The followers argue over who among them will be greatest,

Christ settles their dispute by reminding them of the importance of service.

Christ then reminds them of His Father’s kingdom.

Christ confers on them this kingdom just as the Father conferred this kingdom to Him.

They had just shared the Passover meal with Christ.

And, in the kingdom to come, they will continue to dine with Him.

Luke 22:29-30 (NRSVue) - and I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

When Christ instituted the Lord’s Supper, He took the bread.

He gave thanks for it, broke it, and shared it with His followers.

He reminded them that this was His body and that it was broken for them.

The promise of the eternal kingdom of God is a promise for us as well.

We too will have a place in that kingdom.

But that is something for which we do not have to wait.

Christ reminds us that He is the bread of life.

We can also experience Christ in our hearts and in our lives right now.

There is no need for us to wait!

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, May 26, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, June 2, 2023

What Are You Waiting For?

Psalm 130:6 (NRSVue) - my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning…

Psalm 130 is one of the Song of Ascents.

These songs attest to God’s qualities.

Psalm 130 is a reminder of God’s power of redemption.

During the dark of night, many wait for dawn.

This song reminds us that we should wait for the Lord instead.

The book of Jude is the next to last book in scripture.

It is a short letter that warns of false teachers.

But Jude finishes the letter with reminders.

Jude reminds us to continue loving God.

He also reminds us to wait on the mercy and redemptive power of Jesus.

Jude:21 (NRSVue) - keep yourselves in the love of God; look forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.

When we find ourselves awake at night, we often find ourselves waiting for dawn.

And when we encounter darkness in other forms, we wait for that darkness to pass.

As the Psalmist and Jude remind us, we should be waiting for the Lord.

For it is through his love and mercy that Christ died to redeem us.

The darkness, whether night or circumstances, will not last forever.

The love, mercy and redemption offered to us will.

And when we at last step out into the light, may we extend that same love to others.

In this way, they can see the light we reflect into their darkness.

Then they too can step into the light and the love of the triune God.

 

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, May 12, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, May 19, 2023

Promises, Promises

Isaiah 55:3 (GNT) - “Listen now, my people, and come to me; come to me, and you will have life! I will make a lasting covenant with you and give you the blessings I promised to David.

Here, Isaiah relates God’s promises.

All are invited.

For those who thirst, their thirst will be remedied.

For those who hunger, their hunger will be satisfied.

Even those in need of mercy will be shown mercy.

For God is a keeper of promises.

His word can be trusted.

Paul, in his second letter to the Corinthians, tells of his own change in plans.

He planned to visit the believers twice.

Paul reminded them that Christ is not one who is both “Yes” and “No.”

When it comes to God’s promises, Christ is the “Yes”.

And God is to be praised for a “Yes” such as this.

2 Corinthians 1:20 (GNT) - for it is he who is the “Yes” to all of God's promises. This is why through Jesus Christ our “Amen” is said to the glory of God.

Unlike us, God keeps His promises.

And in Christ, His promises are fulfilled.

His promise of mercy is fulfilled.

As a result, our hope is fulfilled.

We are loved.

We are forgiven.

We have been shown mercy.

As Paul suggested, our lives should be lived as evidence to all,

They should be lived in praise of the One who gave His promise.

They should be lived in praise of the One who kept His word through Jesus.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, March 24, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, April 7, 2023