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 Trick Question

Deuteronomy 5:32 (NRSVue) - You must therefore be careful to do as the Lord your God has commanded you; you shall not turn to the right or to the left.

Moses delivered God’s commandments to the people.

Moses was to be the intermediary between God and the people.

God would instruct Moses.

Moses would, in turn, instruct the people.

And it was important that God’s word be obeyed.

Today we live in a New Covenant.

We have a new intermediary in Christ.

But there were those who continued to live under the Old Covenant.

They continued to live under the law.

The Pharisees gathered and tried to trick Jesus.

They put forward a man who asked Jesus which command was the greatest.

Jesus gave him a two-fold answer.

Matthew 22:37-39 (NRSVue) - He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Christ understood that the commandments were about relationships.

Some commandments are about our relationship with God.

The rest are about our relationship with those around us.

He also knew that the foundation of these relationships was love.

Jesus attempted to simplify the matter for his questioner.

When we completely love both God and our neighbor, we are keeping all the commandments.

But love must be demonstrated.

It must be demonstrated in thought, word, and action.

On the surface, this might seem easier said than done.

But it is possible when we look to the words and example of Jesus.

He can help us control our thoughts.

He can help us carefully choose our words.

And, most importantly, he can help us put our love into action.

As we do, we become the reflection of His light into a dark world.

We become the reflection of His eternal and limitless love.

We can then love God without hesitation or reservation.

We will be doing what God commands of us.

Matthew 22:40 (NRSVue) - On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, June 23, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, July 7, 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

Keeping Busy-ness in Perspective

It seems these days I just don’t have enough time.

True, we did have a holiday this week.

But somehow that turns into getting five days’ worth of work done in four.

Then things cropped up at home requiring my attention.

Next, my physician reminded me it was time for my annual physical.

I also have a speaking engagement at the end of the month for which I am still preparing.

Also, I am facing another deadline at the end of the year that requires prep work now.

Then, there are my other ministries (like this one) that cannot be ignored.

I am sure anyone reading this can relate to the feeling that there just isn’t enough time.

Fortunately faith, helps us cope in times that could otherwise appear overwhelming.

Perhaps that is why my “go to” verse in these times can be found in Philippians.

Philippians 4:13 (NET) - I am able to do all things through the one who strengthens me.

I know I can get through all this because I do not go through it alone.

As for health, we have a role to play in maintaining it which includes annual physicals.

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.

Scripture also reminds me the importance of being prepared to serve my fellow man.

This applies both to my speaking engagement and other deadlines.

1 Peter 4:10 (NET) - Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of the varied grace of God.

Yes, I will be able to do all things through the One who strengthens me.

We all can.

But I must set aside some quiet time along the way for God and acknowledge Him.

Psalm 46:10 (NET) - He says, “Stop your striving and recognize that I am God! I will be exalted over the nations! I will be exalted over the earth!”

Through it all, no matter how busy we get, we must keep God first in our lives.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, September 13, 2019.

I’ll be back here on Friday, September 20, 2019

Time Alone with God

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed?

We all feel that way from time to time.

Especially when we have others clamoring for our attention wanting one thing or another.

Jesus knew what that was like.

Scripture tells us that large crowds began to follow Jesus.

But even Jesus needed some quiet time alone with God.

Mark 1:35-37 (NET) - Then Jesus got up early in the morning when it was still very dark, departed, and went out to a deserted place, and there he spent time in prayer. Simon and his companions searched for him. When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.”

Once Jesus spent this quiet time alone with God, He was ready to continue His ministry.

Mark 1:38-39 (NET) - He replied, “Let us go elsewhere, into the surrounding villages, so that I can preach there too. For that is what I came out here to do.” So he went into all of Galilee preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.

Serving others is important.

But Jesus understood the importance of time alone with God.

Even when Jesus went to the Mount of Olives before His crucifixion, His disciples followed.

Yet Jesus knew He needed, perhaps more than ever, quiet time alone with God.

Mark 22:41 (NET) - He went away from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed,

In today’s fast paced world, the importance of spending time alone with God can be easily overlooked.

Fortunately, scripture offers us many reminders.

Psalm 46:10 (NET) - He says, “Stop your striving and recognize that I am God! I will be exalted over the nations! I will be exalted over the earth!”

Matthew 6:6 (NET) - But whenever you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

But what if we are at a loss as to what to pray?

Scripture helps us there, as well.

Romans 8:26-27 (NET) - In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how we should pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes on behalf of the saints according to God’s will.

The world of today is far more hectic than it was in times past.

We are bombarded with information…

… but what do we actually learn?

We find ourselves busier and busier…

… but what do we actually accomplish?

We have more contacts and friends through social media…

… but how many do we really know well and how many really know us well?

If Jesus needed time alone with God, what does that say for the rest of us?

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, May 10, 2019.

I’ll be back here on Friday, May 17, 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

Kindness

The other day I found myself behind schedule.

When it came time for lunch I opted to go to the corner store for something quick.

I was in hurry but my plans changed when I arrived.

As I walked from my car to the store entrance I glanced over at the gas pumps.

Something caught my eye.

I saw an older lady standing at the one of the pumps.

She had the pump handle in one hand and her credit card in the other.

She also had a look of confusion on her face.

I walked over to her and asked if she needed help.

She said she needed to put gas in her car but was not at all sure how to go about it.

I offered my help and she accepted.

I explained everything I did along the way.

Once her car had been filled I showed her how to print her receipt.

She thanked me and told me something I could never have expected.

She told me that her husband had recently passed away.

She then stated that he always put gas in the car.

This was the first time she needed to put gas in the car since he passed.

She then thanked me for showing her how it was done.

I believe that this is just one of many firsts for her as she continues her journey without him.

Please understand that I am not posting this for my sake.

It occurred to me that in today’s hectic and fast paced world it is quite easy to overlook others.

Sometimes people need help and do not ask for it.

We must not become so preoccupied with ourselves that we fail to notice.

As I paid the store clerk for my purchase, he thanked me for helping her as well.

It turns out that he was keeping a watchful eye on me as I approached her.

I was grateful for that as well.

It reminded me that God is looking out for her in other ways.

I thought of Paul’s words when he found himself shipwrecked.

Acts 28:2 (NET) -The local inhabitants showed us extraordinary kindness, for they built a fire and welcomed us all because it had started to rain and was cold.

There is always time for an act of kindness

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, July 28, 2017.

I’ll be back here on Friday, August 4, 2017

Focus

We tend to think of the New Year as a time for a clean slate.

We make resolutions and all too quickly abandon them.

Some of this can be attributed to our human nature.

Some can also be attributed to our focus.

Asking what we should do for ourselves is one thing.

Asking God what He desires of us and our service to others is another.

The opening of the very first Psalm provides us with some valuable insight.

Psalm 1:1-3 (NET) - How blessed is the one who does not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand in the pathway with sinners, or sit in the assembly of scoffers! Instead he finds pleasure in obeying the LORD’s commands; he meditates on his commands day and night. He is like a tree planted by flowing streams; it yields its fruit at the proper time, and its leaves never fall off. He succeeds in everything he attempts.

Notice the Psalmist’s words that “it yields its fruit at the proper time”.

This reminds us that it even when our focus is on His will we might not necessarily see results right away.

This is something we struggle with as impatient human beings.

Examine those who followed Jesus throughout His life.

They eventually became powerful witnesses.

But this did not happen right away.

The opening of the book of Acts reminds us of what transpired between the resurrection of Jesus and His ascension.

Over the course of forty days, Jesus appeared to the apostles many times.

He offered them proof that He had conquered death.

He gave them very specific instructions.

He also promised them what was still to come.

Acts 1:4-5 (NET) - While he was with them, he declared, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait there for what my Father promised, which you heard about from me. For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

The apostles then asked if this was the time that God would restore the kingdom to Israel.

Jesus reminded them that timing rested solely in God’s hands.

He also told them of what was to be theirs.

Acts 1:8 (NET) - But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth.”

Jesus then ascended into Heaven.

Those who followed Jesus went into hiding after his crucifixion.

They feared for their very lives.

Once Jesus ascended into Heaven, they found themselves alone once more.

But now they had a new promise.

A promise that was dependent on God’s timing instead of their own.

This was realized on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended upon each one.

Only then would they become powerful witnesses.

If you have made a resolution and failed to keep it, don’t feel bad.

Focus on God and trust in His timing.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, January 13, 2017.

I’ll be back here on Friday, January 20, 2016

A Real Gem

Each of my parents came from large families.

As a result, I grew up surrounded by many uncles and aunts.

I learned so much from each of them.

Each of them helped reinforce the lessons of faith and love my parents taught me.

Each did this through his or her actions and words.

I know the many cousins I have feel the same way.

Time moved on and one by one my parents and each of my aunts and uncles completed their earthly journeys.

This continued until only one of them remained.

I find it quite remarkable that her name was Pearl as we considered her a real gem from God.

Recently, she completed her earthly journey as well.

All those many uncles and aunts I grew up with are now gone.

But the lessons in faith and love they taught endure.

In one sense, an era has ended.

In that same sense another has already begun.

Now the young look to us to reinforce lessons in faith and love.

These are lessons that we must teach with our actions as well as with our words.

We must teach them in whatever time God in his infinite wisdom sees fit to give us.

Deuteronomy 32:2 (NET) - My teaching will drop like the rain, my sayings will drip like the dew, as rain drops upon the grass, and showers upon new growth.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, October 14, 2016.

I’ll be back here on Friday, October 21, 2016

Keeping It Simple

The world in which we live is often complicated.

We have constant access to information but in reality learn little that is useful.

We find new ways to stay busy but accomplish little.

We have politicians who make promises yet little, if anything, improves once they are elected.

We have laws designed to protect us yet we live among those who have learned how to manipulate them.

We may live in nations that produce enough food to sell yet some of our citizens are hungry.

We rush out to purchase the latest in technology while its replacement is already in development.

The world is a complicated place.

Even Christians occasionally feel overwhelmed by it.

Although we have everything we need to succeed we sometimes feel that we are struggling.

Although we are told never to fear we sometimes find that worry is our constant companion.

Although we are told to love God we sometimes find it difficult to make time for Him.

Although we are told to love our neighbor but we sometime tend to love only certain people.

Rather than alleviating the confusion of the world we instead find ways to contribute to it.

Perhaps we can take a lesson from the world of sports.

When a team is struggling to succeed, the coach of that team often focuses on the fundamentals of the sport.

He goes back to the basics.

The players go through the mechanics of running, throwing, and kicking over and over as they practice.

Going back to the basics often helps the team remember what works as they rebuild for future success.

Perhaps we need to go back to the basics as well.

An expert in the law once asked Jesus which was the most important commandment.

Jesus gave him in two parts.

Mark 12:30-31 (NET) – Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Jesus understood that if we truly kept these commandments we would essentially be keeping every commandment.

Love should be at the root of everything we do or say whether for God or our fellow man.

It really does not get any more basic than that.

If we can do that we cannot help but succeed.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com/ on Friday, September 11, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, September 18, 2015

Future Plans

This past weekend it was my honor and privilege to speak at our church convention.

On Saturday, I spoke to the delegates about our church history.

On Sunday, I gave the devotional as part of the worship service at the very first church in our state which was built in 1866.

Although that congregation has since built a newer church, the old church has been preserved for history.

I am glad that they decided to preserve the old church.

That church is one of the “Painted Churches” which means that the interior was painted in a very special way.

In January, I had an opportunity to stop by that old church but I only got to see it from the outside.

After the worship service on Sunday I was able to go inside and see it for myself.

I made certain that I had my camera with me as I wanted to get some photographs of the interior.

In the 1880’s, the Reverend Bohuslav Laciak painted the interior.

Laciak painted geometric patterns on the ceiling and the walls as well as ornate columns.

At the time the church was also used as a schoolhouse and Laciak was the teacher.

Word has been handed down that the students remembered studying while the good Reverend Laciak stood on a ladder painting those elaborate designs.

Unfortunately, Laciak died in a hunting accident and his painting was never completed.

It remains just the way he left it.

I took a number of photographs and in two of them I could make out the pencil marks drawn by Laciak.s hand indicating where he intended to continue his work.

At the worship service, a pastor reminded us that the church is not the building.

The church is, in reality, the people within the building.

He is quite correct in this.

Still, I am glad that the building was preserved and I am also glad to have been able to capture Laciak’s pencil marks.

These serve to remind me that the work of the church… the work of the people… is never really complete.

The duties of faith, hope and love never end.

1 Corinthians 13:13 (NET) – And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com

The Handwriting On the Wall

In the fifth chapter of Daniel, King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for his nobles.

Heavily influenced by wine, King Belshazzar ordered that the vessels taken from the Temple in Jerusalem be brought in.

Once this was done, all present drank wine from them and in their drunken state praised gods of metal, wood and stone.

At that moment, a hand appeared and began writing on the wall.

This sight greatly disturbed the king.

Even more disturbing to the king was the fact that he was unable to read the inscription.

The king was frightened to the core of his being.

He summoned the wise men of his kingdom to come interpret the inscription.

Despite promises of wealth and power, not one of his wise men could interpret this writing.

At this point Daniel was brought in and King Belshazzar promised him wealth and power in return for his interpretation.

Daniel rejected the king’s offer but agreed to interpret the writing left behind by this mysterious hand.

Daniel first reminded the king that he failed to humble himself before God.

He then reminded the king that he made matters worse by exalting the false gods made of metal, wood and stone.

Then Daniel interpreted the inscription.

Daniel 5:25-28 (NET) -  “This is the writing that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Teqel, and Pharsin. This is the interpretation of the words: As for mene—God has numbered your kingdom’s days and brought it to an end. As for teqel—you are weighed on the balances and found to be lacking. As for peres—your kingdom is divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”

That same night, King Belshazzar was killed and Darius the Mede took control of the kingdom.

This account gave rise to a phrase we utilize today, namely that the ‘handwriting is on the wall’.

It has come to mean a premonition of failure or disaster.

Today’s headlines point toward failure or disaster.

Fortunately for us, there is still time.

We still have time to love God with all our being and to love our neighbor.

We still have hope.

Must we wait until we see the actual handwriting on the wall for ourselves?

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com

Unplanted Seeds

Proverbs 22:6 (NET) – Train a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

When it comes to children and smart phones, I have mixed feelings.

To be honest, it bothers me when I see children spending time with their phones instead of interacting with each other.

I will admit that part of that is due to my age, but deep down I feel that interaction between people should not take a backseat to interaction with a device.

At the risk of sounding judgmental, I have discovered something that bothers me even more: parents who interact with their phones rather than their children.

In one day alone, I witnessed three separate events that caused me concern.

The first incident occurred as I sat in waiting area.

A young mother came in with her child in a carrier.

The moment she sat down to wait, she immediately got out her phone.

She became engrossed with it and never interacted with her infant child while I was there.

The child never took her eyes off her mother.

I pitied this child.

These formative years are critical and the stimulation of the mind is crucial.

Later that day, I stopped at a restaurant for lunch.

As I enjoyed my coffee, a man and his young daughter sat down at the next table.

The moment the father placed their order, he got out his phone and became engrossed with it.

The young girl just looked at her father as he stared into his phone.

Eventually boredom set in and she began to sing a little song.

She began singing quietly at first but sang louder with every word.

Suddenly she realized how loudly she was singing,

She became self-conscious and abruptly stopped.

She looked around to see if anyone had noticed.

We made eye contact and I offered her a smile.

She gave me hers in return.

Eventually I finished my coffee and returned to my car.

As I prepared to leave, the door of the restaurant opened and out came a man with his very young son.

The man held bags of food in one hand and was pressing his phone to his ear with the other.

As soon as they walked out the door, the boy bolted and ran across the parking lot.

I cringed as a car entered the lot.

Fortunately, the driver was able to stop in time.

I am now more concerned for today’s children than ever before.

I pray for them.

Scripture reminds us that it is important to train children.

It also reminds us that the seeds we plant today will bear fruit tomorrow.

If that is the case, what does it have to say about the seeds we fail to plant?

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com

Set Sail

Scripture constantly amazes me.

No matter how many times I read or hear an account from the Bible, I still pick up on things that I had not picked up on before.

This is true even of the most familiar accounts. Even those I first learned as a child.

One that fits this category is the account of Noah and the ark.

One of the earliest picture books I was given as a child was about Noah and the ark

My mother related the account of Noah and the ark to me many times while I was still too young to read.

I even had a toy ark to play with complete with a tiny Noah and little pairs of animals.

Recently, I found myself thinking about this portion of scripture.

My thoughts were not centered on Noah and his family.

I found myself thinking about the rest of humanity.

I thought about those outside the ark who were not spared the global devastation.

It stands to reason that some saw the gigantic ark under construction as Noah built it to the exact specifications as revealed to him by God.

There must have been talk about Noah.

I imagine that  many must have thought that Noah had taken leave of his senses.

Yet Noah continued to build.

Once the ark had been completed, Noah gathered the animals specified by God that would  repopulate the earth.

I imagine that by this time more than a few became concerned.

Noah, his wife, his sons and their wives entered the ark along with all the animals.

Then, then the rain began to fall.

By this time, I imagine that even more became concerned.

The rains continued to fall and the waters began to rise.

At this point, I imagine that almost everyone outside the ark was concerned.

As the waters continued to rise with no sign of letting up, concern must surely have turned to panic.

As their panic increased, I imagine that many began to plead frantically.

I wondered what impact this might have had on Noah and his family.

About the time I pondered this, I attended a devotional presented by my very good friend Randy.

As I listened to him read this account from scripture, I picked up on something I had never truly never picked up on before.

Genesis 7:16 (NET) - Those that entered were  male and female, just as God commanded him. Then the LORD shut him in.

That last sentence shed new light on my thoughts.

"Then the LORD shut him in."

Noah did not seal himself in.

Noah and his family were sealed off from the world outside by none other than the Lord Himself.

Even if Noah had heard their cries and taken pity on them, there would have been absolutely nothing he could do for them.

This bears a remarkable parallel to the Christian walk and outreach of today.

Ephesians 1:13 (NET) - And when you heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation) - when you believed in Christ - you were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit.

This seal is a mark ownership.

Those that have heard the truth and accepted Christ as their savior have this mark of ownership.

They have been set apart just as those aboard the ark were set apart by the Lord.

The crucial difference is that we have been commissioned to share the Good News with others.

Some will listen and they too will be set apart.

Others, perhaps like those that may have watched Noah build the ark, will conclude that we have taken leave of our senses.

But, as long as they draw breath there is hope.

That is why we must continue to reach out to them.

It must have taken Noah and his sons a long time to build the ark.

They faithfully continued to build until the ark was finished.

In the same way, we must continue our outreach throughout our lifetime until our work is finished.

With help from the Trinity, we can help others get on board and so that they too may be set apart.

One day, the door that leads salvation will be forever sealed.

As each day passes, we should experience a new and heightened sense of urgency.

As each day passes, there is one less day for us to reach out.

As each day passes, there is one less day for others to respond to His call.

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

When God Calls

Sesquicentennial.

It’s a fancy word that means 150th anniversary.

I begin this way because about three years ago I felt God leading me to write and share a weekly devotional and this makes devotional number 150.

What’s so remarkable about that?

Not much unless  you consider the fact that I never considered writing on my own.

In fact, by profession, I deal far more with numbers than words.

I followed His lead and I am glad that I did because some exciting and completely unexpected things happened as a result of it.

When I first began  writing, it was a challenge for me.

I knew this was going to take me out of my comfort zone.

I also knew that if it made a difference in only one life, all the effort will have been completely worth it.

Mark 16:15 (NET) - He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."

Eventually I learned that this happened when I was contacted by someone who was reading them.

We began communicating and I will never forget the question he posed to me.

"Do you think there is hope for me?"

I replied that there was indeed hope for all of us because of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:3 (NET) - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,..."

That individual, with God’s help, turned his life around in an amazing way and we still stay in touch.

Of course the credit and the glory both belong to God.

I am delighted simply to be the instrument that He used.

As a result of this, I came to another conclusion.

Since I was able to help this one individual, perhaps I will be able to help others along the way,

Another benefit I have personally received as a result of following His lead are the connections I have made with other Christians along the way.

Connections with the other contributors to this blog site are a great example.

Although I have never met them (and others like them) face to face,  I feel as if I know them because of their willingness to both encourage and edify.

That is what Christians are supposed to do for each other.

I always look forward to seeing what God has written upon their hearts to share with others.

I have also made connections with others.

Therein lies opportunity.

Most surprisingly, I have come to know myself better as well.

I have also had to make some choices and some changes along the way.

The biggest among these is how I choose to make use of what I consider a very precious commodity.

Time.

When people think about stewardship, thoughts automatically turn to money.

Also important is how we choose to invest our time.

We all have a finite amount of time and not one of us knows how much of it we have.

How we choose to invest that time is of tremendous importance.

So, when you feel His leading, I strongly urge you to follow it.

God indeed works in strange and mysterious ways.

If someone had told me a decade ago what my life would be like today, I simply would not have believed them.

I once heard someone say that God does not always call the equipped, but he does equip those He calls.

There is a tremendous amount of truth in that.

When God calls, follow the example of Samuel.

1 Samuel 3:10  (NET) - Then the LORD came and stood nearby, calling as He previously had done, "Samuel! Samuel!" Samuel replied, "Speak, for Your servant is listening!"


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

On One Who Taught the Teacher

On Saturday, I attended the funeral service of a very dear and wonderful woman.

She was a woman of outstanding character who was actively involved in our church for decades.

She loved God and served Him faithfully for many years.

She taught Sunday School and for a number of those years she taught our confirmation class.

I consider myself blessed because I was but one of the many students that she mentored along the way and I certainly am the richer for it.

Our pastor had many wonderful things to say about this fine woman.

One of the things he said that struck a chord deep within me was, "Sunday School teachers takes their position very seriously."

I found myself nodding in complete agreement.

I agreed because I currently teach a Sunday School class as well.

My pastor cited the following passage of Scripture at her service and it is a more than sobering reminder.

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.

Since that is the case, why would anyone do it?

Why would anyone risk being judged more strictly?

We do it because He called us to do it.

Romans 12:6-7 (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;

She answered her call for the same reason I answered mine.

We did so because, in the words of Paul, we "must".

We did so knowing that if God called us to do this, He would also equip us to do this.

God equipped her for this responsibility.

God also used her, and others like her, to help equip me for my responsibility.

He was at work doing this for me even though I did not realize it at the time.

When I was young, God blessed me in many ways.

He blessed me with excellent teachers.

He also blessed me with excellent role models.

A few special individuals, like her. were both.

Now, it’s my turn.

I admit that is a bit intimidating, because teachers like her have set the bar extremely high.

I also admit that since I became a Sunday School teacher, I have learned some things as well.

Teaching comes with responsibility.

Teaching comes with a lot of work.

Fortunately, teaching also comes with a tremendous amount of love.

That is not all.

It also comes with the satisfaction of knowing that God is using me as yet another link in the chain of teachers that He continues to weave.


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