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Written by Pastor Jim Keatley
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Tuesday, 23 March 2010 14:08 |
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John the Baptist was a godly man and prepared the way of the Lord. He gladly pointed people away from himself and directed them to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He was privileged to see some fruit of his work during his short life as people were baptized and followed Jesus. Whatever role God has called and gifted us to fill in the body of Christ, we can bear fruit for God’s glory every day as we seek to do what is good and right in His name. Paul prayed, “For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God ...” [Col. 1:9-10].
But when we strive to live faithfully for the Lord in this life, our fruitfulness is not limited to the time of our stay on this earth ... we can bear fruit through the legacy we leave behind. After John the Baptist had been killed and just over a week before Jesus would be crucified, “... He [Jesus] went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was first baptizing, and He was staying there. Many came to Him and were saying, ‘While John performed no sign, yet everything John said about this man was true.’ Many believed in Him there” [John 10:40-42]. Even in death, John’s ministry was bringing many people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as they remembered his life and testimony!
Be encouraged that a faithful life bears fruit beyond this life ... in our children, grandchildren, relatives, friends ... among all who have observed our life and testimony!
Pastor Jim |
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Brighter & Brighter: Pr. 4:18 |
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Written by Pastor Jim Keatley
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Sunday, 14 March 2010 13:37 |
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Ever since I can remember I have always enjoyed this time of year. Everything is growing, flowers are blooming ... as they say, “spring is in the air.” But even before I was old enough to appreciate the beauty of spring flowers I rejoiced in the lengthening hours of daylight. The hours of daylight have been slowly increasing since late December, but by now it is noticeable ... and then comes daylight savings time so that we can enjoy even more of the lengthening sunlight. Somehow the longer days renew and lift our spirits as we crawl out of the long dark nights of winter.
If days that grow brighter and brighter with lengthening hours of sunlight bring joy to our lives, how much more joy is ours when we experience the light of the Lord illuminating the paths of our lives with increasing brightness! How does the light of the Lord shine more brightly on our paths? God blesses us with increasing light for our paths as we walk in paths of righteousness. “... the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day” [Pr. 4:18]. How do we know the paths of righteousness? Follow the Lord, for He leads us in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake [Ps. 23:3]. Follow His voice, for His word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path [Ps. 119:105].
This does not mean that our path will not be rocky at times, but with brighter light from the Lord we will not stumble so easily over those rocks! Greater light for our path does not mean that we’ll always see what’s ahead ... sometimes our path will turn a sharp corner and we can’t see around the turn, but a brighter path insures we won’t miss the turn ... we’ll be on the path the Lord has prepared for us.
No matter what, follow the Lord in His paths of righteousness and He promises the joy of a path that grows brighter and brighter until we’re standing in the full light of the presence of the Son.
Pastor Jim |
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Following Jesus: Mark 5:1-20 |
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Written by Pastor Jim Keatley
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Monday, 25 January 2010 12:22 |
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“Come follow Me ...” are familiar words to every Christian. They are the words Jesus spoke to each of His disciples. He asked them to make an all-out commitment to Him that required a radical turn in their lives. They were to leave their fishing and tax collecting enterprises or whatever else had been their way of life and follow Jesus. To follow Jesus is not something for the disciples alone, Jesus told the rich young ruler, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow Me.” All believers are called to follow Jesus ... Jesus said, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.”
And so we can’t help but stand in amazement that when the man possessed by a legion of demons was healed by Jesus and then implored Jesus to let him accompany Jesus, or follow Him, Jesus did not let him! When Jesus commands all believers to follow Him, how could he deny this man’s request to do just that? Because following Jesus did not necessarily mean to follow Him literally and physically even in the days of Jesus earthly ministry. To follow Jesus means to follow Him in loving obedience to His commands. It means to follow His example of fulfilling the Father’s will. It means to follow His example as He related to the Father in prayer and as He related to people in love. It means to follow Him as our Shepherd as He leads us in specific ministries. Which is just how this man followed Jesus ... Jesus told him, “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you. And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed” [Mk. 5:19-20].
Jesus didn’t let this man follow Him but rather told him to go home! Yet in his “going” he was “following” in obedience as an ambassador for Jesus Christ. We are all called to be ambassadors for Christ and to follow Him by going [Matt. 28:19-20] and reporting to the people around us what great things the Lord has done for us, and how He has shown mercy to us.
May God give us joy in following Jesus by going out into the world with His message of mercy and grace!
Pastor Jim |
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