Your Personal Life Matters!

Hosea 1

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, August 12.

Hosea’s personal life took on prophetic meaning during the dark days of Isaiah the prophet and the Assyrian Empire’s destruction of the northern ten tribes of Israel. In the Bible, idolatry is compared to adultery, so Hosea’s entire life became the message of God’s faithfulness to His unfaithful bride, Israel. God commanded His prophet in Hosea 1:2-3, “When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, ‘Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry and have children of harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the Lord.’ So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.”

Expanding the prophetic imagery, their three children took on symbolic names, capturing the message of God’s judgment against Israel’s flagrant harlotry:

While God was naming the children of Hosea to forecast His judgment of Israel, He was simultaneously prophesying the coming of Immanuel in Isaiah 8-9. God would bring His salvation to all humanity through the Messiah of Israel, Jesus Christ. This was the historical context to the prophets Isaiah, Hosea, Micah, and Amos, and it’s the historical backdrop of the naming of Jesus as the Immanuel, “God with us.”

Seize the moment and proclaim the faithfulness of God in your personal life. Even when current events are dark, your life is intended to shine the coming of Immanuel (Matthew 5:14-16).

God bless you!

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Persevere to the End!

Daniel 12

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Saturday, August 10.

The call to Christian discipleship comes with the promise of fulfillment (Philippians 1:6). Jesus promised in Mark 1:17, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” The Spirit will work in you as you learn how to live for Jesus (Philippians 2:12-13). God is at work in His creation to bring it to completion, and we are invited to walk side-by-side with Him, abiding in Him, trusting Him for His promises, persevering to the end. We find this language in Daniel 12:13, as the final promise of Daniel’s prophetic work was given to him personally, “But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age.”

While the timeline of Daniel is difficult to comprehend, and there are different interpretations based on whether you believe there is a historical or eschatological fulfillment to the number of days given in the apocalyptic prophecies, the overarching promise is that the elect of God can persevere through the dark days ahead with hope. Daniel was given a hard message to share, but he was given this final command, “But as for you, go your way to the end.” In the same way, Peter was given a hard message to bear, but Jesus told him at the end, “What is that to you? You follow Me!” (John 21:22). You aren’t to get distracted by what must come at the end, or by the timeline of the fulfillment. Instead, you are invited to follow Jesus, and He will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30).

Seize the moment and remain faithful to God, trusting Jesus and His promises, such as John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” Persevere to the end!

God bless you!

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Trust the Bible!

God bless you!

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If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.

The Second Named Angel

Daniel 10

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, August 8.

Do you remember the names of the two angels who are named in the Bible? They are Gabriel and Michael; both of which are named in the apocalyptic section of Daniel. We have already met Gabriel in Daniel 8, and today we meet Michael, first introduced by name in Daniel 10:12-13:

Then he said to me, “Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.”

The angel speaking is unnamed, though some interpreters believe it to be Gabriel revisiting Daniel after Cyrus, the king of Persia, had sent out the edict of Ezra 1:1-4, which released the Hebrew captives to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple (in fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy of seventy years as previously discussed in Daniel 9). Daniel, who may have been retired from active civil service at this time (Daniel 1:21), possibly being too old to travel, remained in Babylon, interceding on behalf of his people as they began the return to Jerusalem. The enemy opposed the return to Jerusalem, and Michael, the angelic prince of Israel (Daniel 10:21), was called upon to clear the way for God’s elect to prevail, just as he will do again according to Revelation 12:7.

Seize the moment and persevere in prayer because there are forces at work greater than you can see – “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).

God bless you!

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Rooted in History!

Daniel 9

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, August 7.

The prophetic books are rooted in the history of Israel. The prophet Daniel, who was serving in the royal court of Darius the Mede, was reading the prophetic work of Jeremiah, which was written in Jerusalem, when he found the prophecy that God’s people would be released from exile after seventy years (Jeremiah 25:11-12; 29:10-14). Daniel 9:3-19 records the prophet’s plea to God after discovering the prophecy of Jeremiah:

So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed and said, “Alas, O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, we have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly and rebelled, even turning aside from Your commandments and ordinances. … O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and take action! For Your own sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”

Daniel responded to this prophecy by praying according to God’s promise of 2 Chronicles 7:14, “and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” God responded to Daniel’s humble plea, sending the angel Gabriel to encourage him personally in Daniel 9:23, “At the beginning of your supplications the command was issued, and I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed; so give heed to the message and gain understanding of the vision.”

Seize the moment and pray according to God’s Word, and God will respond to you. He doesn’t need to send an angel to you because He has already given you the Comforter, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

God bless you!

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The First Named Angel

Daniel 8

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, August 6.

Do you know the names of the two angels who are named in the Bible? They are Gabriel and Michael; both of which are named in the apocalyptic section of Daniel. Gabriel was first introduced by name in Daniel 8:15-17:

When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it; and behold, standing before me was one who looked like a man. And I heard the voice of a man between the banks of Ulai, and he called out and said, “Gabriel, give this man an understanding of the vision.” So he came near to where I was standing, and when he came I was frightened and fell on my face; but he said to me, “Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the time of the end.”

While Gabriel continued to play a key role in Daniel’s ministry, he was also chosen to be God’s messenger to uniquely speak to Joseph and Mary in Luke 1:19 and 26-27, respectively:

The angel answered and said to [Joseph], “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.”… Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

It may be easier to understand the pronouncements of Jesus’ miraculous birth then it is to comprehend Daniel’s prophecies of the end times, but both were authorized communications by God, through Gabriel, to foretell the way forward in the depths of dark times, giving God’s people hope during great suffering.

Seize the moment and walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), because “[God’s] word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).

God bless you!

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Rest in God’s Ultimate Revelation!

Daniel 7

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, August 5.

Daniel’s book transitions in genre, from historical accounts to apocalyptic visions, but you don’t need to let confusion or frustration rule over your heart and mind as you seek to understand them. The same God who gave Daniel the interpretations of Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams, will reveal to you a right understanding of His visions. The following verses, from Daniel 7, establish the main point of what God wants to reveal to His faithful people throughout time:

Seize the moment and rest in the ultimate revelation of Daniel’s apocalyptic visions: God is sovereign, and nothing can thwart His victory! Earthly empires may have their day, but the Kingdom of Heaven is everlasting!

God bless you!

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The Great Community’s Mission!

¹⁶ But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. ¹⁷ When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. ¹⁸ And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ ^a]Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you ^b]always, even to the end of the age.”

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Accountable to the King of Kings!

Daniel 6

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Saturday, August 3.

Daniel proved his worth to Darius the Mede, distinguishing himself from the ambitious bureaucrats and scheming sycophants. They all hated Daniel because the king favored him, but they couldn’t find any character flaws to blackmail, evidence of corruption to indict, or negligence to exploit. They sought a way to destroy him through his faithful devotion to his God, so they used the king’s pride against him by getting him to unknowingly sign Daniel’s death sentence. He authorized a statute that for thirty days anyone who makes a petition to any god or man other than himself would be cast into the lion’s den (Daniel 6:6-9). Though Daniel was a faithful civil servant and loyal to his king, he disobeyed the decree because he was accountable to the King of kings (Daniel 6:10).

As God has done before, and as He will do again, God was faithful to His loyal servant. So much so that through Daniel, Darius wrote a decree exalting “the God of Daniel” throughout his kingdom (Daniel 6:25-27). Daniel’s brave stand against bureaucratic bullying was not by returning evil for evil, or scheming for scheming, but rather steadfast faithfulness to his God. Daniel was a person of integrity who did excellent work. May God be glorified when we, as Christians, know when to take a stand against bureaucratic bullying. In the same way that God closed the mouths of lions to preserve Daniel’s life, He will protect us from the schemes of the roaring lion, who seeks his next victim to devour (1 Peter 5:8). There is a time to disobey civil authority, but before you do so, you must establish an unwavering testimony like Daniel’s. Then your good works will shine like a light in the world (Philippians 2:15-16; Matthew 5:14-16).

Seize the moment and remember that you are accountable to the King of kings for your work and conduct (Colossians 3:23-24).

God bless you!

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Learn from your Parents!

Daniel 5

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, August 2.

What valuable lessons did you learn from your parents? If you don’t learn from their mistakes, the handwriting is on the wall that you are bound to repeat them. An example of this truth is found with the last king of the Babylonian empire, Belshazzar, who was one of the sons of Nebuchadnezzar. The events of Daniel 5 happened nearly thirty years after Nebuchadnezzar’s death, when the kingdom was being stripped away from their family and rule was being handed over to a new nation under Darius the Mede (30-31). The handwriting was literally on the wall for Belshazzar because he had not learned from his father’s mistakes. Daniel had been forgotten about by everyone except the Queen Mother. After telling her son about him, he called upon Daniel to interpret the mysterious supernatural words, so, in Daniel 5:22-23, the prophet gave Belshazzar a history lesson about his father, then spoke these words of judgment:

Yet you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this, but you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which do not see, hear or understand. But the God in whose hand are your life-breath and all your ways, you have not glorified.

The king promoted Daniel back into a high position of influence, which moved the story along in preparation for the next empire to rule, but Belshazzar died that night because he had not learned from his father’s history.

God bless you!

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If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.

Trust God’s Intervention!

Daniel 4

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, August 1.

Have you ever needed to be rescued from yourself? That is what God did for King Nebuchadnezzar at the height of his pride. God warned him of His impending intervention through a dream, which was interpreted for him in Daniel 4:16-17:

Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let a beast’s mind be given to him, and let seven periods of time pass over him. This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers and the decision is a command of the holy ones, in order that the living may know that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whom He wishes and sets over it the lowliest of men.

This was the verdict of the King of kings, the sovereign in authority over all rulers. It was a dream about the cutting down of his life, which had become like a magnificent tree. Because of his pride, the king was going to have his mind stripped from him for a season of time, cast out to live amidst the animals, humbled below the lowliest of men. This wasn’t cruel and unusual punishment for the sake of novelty. God designed a discipline for Nebuchadnezzar which was unique to him, purposed to bring him to a sincere repentance for his pride and arrogance.

When a person is high on himself, the only discipline that will get his attention is to hit him where it hurts the most, in the central place of his identity. God’s intervention worked for King Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, as evidenced by his final proclamation in Daniel 4:37, “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.”

Seize the moment and humble yourself before God, trusting that His interventions are for your good.

God bless you!

If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.

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If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.

Faithful through the Fire!

Daniel 3

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, July 31.

King Nebuchadnezzar built a statue of a golden image, declaring his dominance and enforcing his rule over the Babylonian kingdom. All were commanded to worship the monument or face his wrath through the fire (Daniel 3:1-7). Although Daniel is notably absent from this story, his three friends, Shadrach, Meshech, and Abed-nego, were brought forward because they refused to worship, and after the king threatened them with certain death, they said to him in Daniel 3:17-18, “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

Daniel’s absence emphasizes that the prophet is never the hero of the story; it’s always God! In this case, God showed up at the most dramatic moment, as the Fourth in the blazing furnace to rescue His three faithful witnesses and to elevate His glory above the idol (19-30). As the king confessed in verse 29, “there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way.” This points to Jesus Christ, who, in John 11, could have rescued his friend Lazarus prior to his death, but instead arrived on the scene when he was already in the burial cave, saying to him, “Lazarus, come forth” (43), then to the crowd, “Unbind him, and let him go” (44). Just like with the obviously divine rescue of Shadrach, Meshech, and Abed-nego from certain death, this led to an even greater worship of the one true God.

Seize the moment and be faithful through the fire! It is through difficult times of testing that our faith is the most visible and our witness is the brightest.

God bless you!

If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.

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If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.

From the Frying Pan into the Fire!

Daniel 2

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, July 30.

Daniel and his friends were in grave danger as the four Jewish exiles went from the frying pan into the fire! Even though they may have escaped the refugee camps to live in the palace, now they were going to die by “harsh decree” of an “indignant and very furious” king (Daniel 2:1-13). But God! When Daniel inquired of the captain of the bodyguard “with discretion and discernment,” he was brought straight to the king to petition him for time to beseech God about his forgotten dream (14-18). Daniel was miraculously granted permission to do so, even though the edict of death had already been made. He must have acquired courtly favor through his daily life in front of the royal household. This is the backdrop for the sensational moment of Daniel 2:26-30:

The king said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen and its interpretation?” Daniel answered before the king and said, “As for the mystery about which the king has inquired, neither wise men, conjurers, magicians nor diviners are able to declare it to the king. However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries.”

God revealed the king’s dream to Daniel in his sleep the night prior, and he was able to successful relay it and its interpretation to the king (31-45). King Nebuchadnezzar glorified God and paid homage to Daniel, promoting him to “ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men” (46-49). This story is intentionally reminiscent of when Joseph was elevated after interpreting Pharaoh’s dream in Genesis 41, establishing the parallel between the exodus from Egypt and the return from Babylonian exile.  

Seize the moment and prepare for the sensational moments by how you use your gifts and abilities in the everyday mundane of life. The quality of your character is being forged by how you live your life today.

God bless you!

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Make up your Mind!

Daniel 1

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, July 29.

How are you responding to your circumstances? So often I have witnessed people make their situations worse by how they responded to what’s happening. When under stress, people take matters into their own hands, seeking control over their situation rather than taking the time to wait upon the Lord, entrusting the right next step to God.

The prophet Daniel is a wonderful example to all believers of how we should respond to our stressful circumstances. He was an exceptional young man, so much so that he was handpicked from the Hebrew exiles, alongside of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, to go through three years of intensive training to become a part of King Nebuchadnezzar’s royal court in Babylon (Daniel 1:1-7). This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that would rescue them from the refugee camps and put them inside the palace, but when they were asked to compromise themselves in their training, we watch the prophet in Daniel 1:8-9 respond faithfully to His God, “But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself. Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials.” God was faithful to Daniel as the prophet made the decision not to compromise himself in the face of temptation (Daniel 1:11-21).

Seize the moment and make up your mind not to be conformed to the patterns of this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that God can grant you favor and show you His will for your life, that which is good, acceptable, and perfect (Romans 12:1). This is how you can live the victorious life of Jesus Christ, by choosing to be faithful to God in how you respond to your circumstances today.

God bless you!

If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.

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If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.

Root Deeply!

Ezekiel 47

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, July 26.

Ezekiel 47:12 concludes the description of the New Temple, describing a flourishing source of life that flows east from under its entrance, “By the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail. They will bear every month because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.” The imagery of this abundant river describes a right relationship with God, as emphasized by the following Scriptures:

Seize the moment and root deeply into the river of the water of life. Abundant life comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ (John 10:10).

God bless you!

If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.

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If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.

Make Straight your Path!

Ezekiel 46

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, July 25.

Are you living a disordered life? Is your internal world a whirlwind of activity and your living space a cluttered mess? Are you finding it difficult to focus on God? God cares about orderly worship. So much so that He gave the prophet clear guidance on how the people were to enter and exit the New Temple in Ezekiel 46:9, “But when the people of the land come before the Lord at the appointed feasts, he who enters by way of the north gate to worship shall go out by way of the south gate. And he who enters by way of the south gate shall go out by way of the north gate. No one shall return by way of the gate by which he entered but shall go straight out.” God was making straight the path for those who desired to worship Him (Isaiah 40:3-5).

Jesus Christ came to make straight our paths to God (Luke 3:4), to be able to worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). Furthermore, Paul spoke of the importance of right worship in 1 Corinthians 14, giving direction about topics that were causing division and confusion in the early church. He gave two principles of how we are to offer right worship in the church: 1) “God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints” (33). 2) “All things must be done properly and in an orderly manner” (40). God has forthtold the ways we are to conduct ourselves to be pleasing to Him. In the same way that He brought order to His creation, God desires for His people to worship Him in orderly ways.

Seize the moment and pick up the clutter of your internal world and conduct your life in a way that is pleasing to God (Romans 12:1). Make straight your path (Hebrews 12:12-13)!

God bless you!

If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.

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If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.

Live a Just Life!

Ezekiel 45

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, July 24.

How do you respond to injustice and inequality? Whether it is social justice or economic equality, one of the expectations of citizenship is that the government will not demean or exploit them, that they and their fellow citizens will be treated with respect by their community leaders and have equal access to opportunities in the marketplace. This desire is deeply embedded into us by God’s design. We need to pray for our nation, and all the nations, because the perversion of justice is one of the great signs of any culture’s decline, and it begins at the top. The prophet prescribed the antidote when God gave directions for the land surrounding the New Temple in Ezekiel 45:7-10:

“The prince shall have land on either side of the holy allotment and the property of the city, … This shall be his land for a possession in Israel; so My princes shall no longer oppress My people, but they shall give the rest of the land to the house of Israel according to their tribes.” ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Enough, you princes of Israel; put away violence and destruction, and practice justice and righteousness. Stop your expropriations from My people,” declares the Lord God. “You shall have just balances, a just ephah and a just bath.”

By God’s design, civic leaders are to be influenced by His moral decrees for justice and equality. When they are not, then truly the inmates are running the prison! That is why it is said of Jesus’ kingdom on Earth, He will “rule all the nations with a rod of iron” (Revelation 12:5). We need righteous leaders, like Jesus, who will not allow justice or equality to be perverted for their own selfish ambition or vain conceit (Philippians 2:1-11).

Seize the moment and live a just life – Do Justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8).

God bless you!

If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.

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If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.

Access to the Presence!

Ezekiel 44

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, July 23.

In Acts 21:28, Paul’s opponents accused him of desecrating the temple, “This is the man who preaches to all men everywhere against our people and the Law and this place; and besides he has even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” This was not a minor accusation, especially when you hear it in light of Israel’s history. In Ezekiel 44:6-9, God decreed that it was an abomination to Him:

You shall say to the rebellious ones, to the house of Israel, “Thus says the Lord God, ‘Enough of all your abominations, O house of Israel, when you brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in My sanctuary to profane it, even My house, when you offered My food, the fat and the blood; for they made My covenant void – this in addition to all your abominations. ….’ Thus says the Lord God, ‘No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, of all the foreigners who are among the sons of Israel, shall enter My sanctuary.’”

In Ezekiel 44, the prophet sought to protect the people’s relationship with God through the observance of sanctity laws, priestly codes, and holiness standards, which were essential to right worship. One of those decrees was that no foreigner – the uncircumcised in heart or in flesh – could enter the place of God’s glory, the temple. Later, after Paul had been accused, Peter proclaimed of all New Covenant believers in 1 Peter 2:10, “you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” In Christ, you have been given access to the presence of God. Through faith, you have been circumcised in heart by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Romans 2:29; Galatians 3:29).

Seize the moment and approach the throne of grace with confidence (Hebrews 4:16).

God bless you!

If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.

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If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.

Radiate the Glory!

Ezekiel 43

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, July 22.

After three chapters of describing the construction of the New Temple, in Ezekiel 43:1-7a, God showed the prophet that He would return His presence to Israel:

Then he led me to the gate, the gate facing toward the east; and behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the way of the east. … And the glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the gate facing toward the east. And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house. Then I heard one speaking to me from the house, while a man was standing beside me. He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell among the sons of Israel forever.”

In the first three chapters (40-42), the focus had been on the details of construction, on structures and spaces. Now (43), the emphasis was on filling those spaces, which alludes to the creation motif of Genesis 1, where God brought order to space by first constructing the domains of water, land, and sky, then filling them  with life. God was restoring life and purpose to Israel after the completion of His judgments. The presence of God was returning from “the way of the east,” which was the direction God had removed His glory in Ezekiel 10:18-19 and 11:23. The Great Reversal of God’s mercy and grace was being foretold! The chapter concludes, in Ezekiel 43:13-27, with God commanding His people to worship Him by offering right sacrifices, preserving the sacred purpose of not only the New Temple, but that of His chosen people – to reflect God glory!

God bless you!

If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.

YOUTUBE:

If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.

Create Sacred Spaces!

Ezekiel 42

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Saturday, July 20.

Where do you go to experience God’s presence? While we know that God is always everywhere, how do you intentionally seek to encounter God specifically somewhere? The vision of the New Temple continued as the angel took the prophet to the adjacent priestly structures. The priests’ chambers connected with the inner court, but also had entrances to the outer court. In Ezekiel 42:13-14, the angel explained the importance of constructing these sacred spaces:

Then he said to me, “The north chambers and the south chambers, which are opposite the separate area, they are the holy chambers where the priests who are near to the Lord shall eat the most holy things. There they shall lay the most holy things, the grain offering, the sin offering and the guilt offering; for the place is holy. When the priests enter, then they shall not go out into the outer court from the sanctuary without laying there their garments in which they minister, for they are holy. They shall put on other garments; then they shall approach that which is for the people.”

These rooms were intentional sacred spaces for the priests to change into their ministry garments, such as a sacristy or vestry in a church, where vestments are stored and changed into. It was customary for Israelite priests to eat a portion of the offerings, and according to Leviticus 7:6, that had to be done in a sacred place. Ezekiel’s vision of the New Temple preserved these ancient traditions, upholding the importance of creating sacred spaces for worship. Creating sacred space is still an important part of worshipping the God who is holy. Is it possible that in our evangelical tradition’s desire to transform the ordinary into the everyday sacred, that, unintentionally, we have diminished our experience of the sacred all together?

Seize the moment and create sacred spaces to encounter the holiness of God in your life.

God bless you!

If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.

YOUTUBE:

Day 1585

Make Space for Grace!

Ezekiel 41

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, July 19.

We all need sacred space in our lives, physical places that convey to us the mystery of God and His presence in the world. Where do you go to commune with God? For some, that is found in the meaningful architecture of a church building, while for others it is found in the grandeur of creation. There is great beauty in both, especially when you have eyes to see sacred spaces for what they are – reminders that God has made a way for humanity to be with Him.

Ezekiel 41 continues to lay out the details of the New Temple, as the angel moved the prophet’s attention to the sacred space of the nave in verses 1-4:

Then he brought me to the nave and measured the side pillars; … Then he went inside and measured each side pillar of the doorway, two cubits, and the doorway, six cubits high; and the width of the doorway, seven cubits. He measured its length, twenty cubits, and the width, twenty cubits, before the nave; and he said to me, “This is the most holy place.”

This is the sacred place of the temple system, especially the most holy place, commonly called the Holy of Holies, where God’s presence was promised to dwell. Take note that in Ezekiel’s vision only the angel entered this place while measuring it. As a priest, Ezekiel remained in the nave because only the high priest on the Day of Atonement was allowed to enter this most holy of places (Hebrews 9:1-7). Thank you, Jesus the Great High Priest, for tearing the veil and making a way for us to have God’s presence, always and forever (Matthew 27:51; Hebrews 4:14-16; 10:19-20).

Seize the moment and make space for grace in your daily life. In Christ, God is with you always, but where and when are you setting apart space to be reminded of these truths?

God bless you!

If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.

YOUTUBE:

If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.

Trust God’s Message!

Ezekiel 40

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, July 18.

The final section of the prophetic work of Ezekiel encompasses nine chapters, beginning with a detailed description of the New Temple. It is widely understood that the description of this New Temple does not match any known construction that has happened in the 2,500 years since Ezekiel received his vision. Those who believe that these chapters are far too detailed for there not to be a literal fulfillment, anticipate that it will be built during the millennial reign of Jesus Christ. Others believe that the details demonstrate the importance of the holiness of God, partially put on display by His church, who are individually (1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19-20) and collectively (1 Peter 2:4-5) the Temple of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:19-22), until the New Heaven and New Earth eternally declare His holiness (Revelation 21-22).

However you interpret it, we cannot write off the importance of Ezekiel’s prophecy of the New Temple. Amidst the many details of its construction, don’t forget the obvious detail found in Ezekiel 40:2-3, that God sent an angel to deliver this important message of a future hope:

In the visions of God He brought me into the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain, and on it to the south there was a structure like a city. So He brought me there; and behold, there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze, with a line of flax and a measuring rod in his hand; and he was standing in the gateway.

Seize the moment and trust the One who gave us the Bible, even when the message may be mysterious, just as it would have been to Joseph in Matthew 1:23, “‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which translated means, ‘God with us.’” All things will be revealed in their time!

God bless you!

If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.

YOUTUBE:

If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.

There is a Day Coming! (Part 1 of 2)

Ezekiel 38

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, July 16.

Why did God raise up an “exceedingly great army” from the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel 37:1-10? The answer is found in the apocalyptic battle of Ezekiel 38-39, where God introduced the coming enemy of “Gog and Magog” in Ezekiel 38:2-4:

Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him and say, “Thus says the Lord God, ‘Behold, I am against you, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal. I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them splendidly attired, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords.’”

The stage was set for the epic battle between good and evil, with the redemption of not only Israel, but all of God’s creation. It is through the New Covenant’s baptism of the Holy Spirit, which regenerates people to God’s purposes of living under His headship, that the Table of Nations can be restored back to His sovereign rule. The Table of Nations is the listing of Noah’s descendants in Genesis 10, and Ezekiel prophetically connected Israel’s purposes back to the scattering of these nations. There is a double fulfillment of Ezekiel’s prophecy because the prophet was anchoring Israel’s future deliverance from captivity to the ultimate fulfillment of the Messiah’s liberation of all the nations from demonic rule. Just as Israel would return to the Promised Land, so all the promises of God are fulfilled in Jesus Christ who “rescued us from the domain of darkness” (Colossians 1:18), which will be completed for Gog and Magog, and all the Table of Nations, in Christ’s eternal rule (Revelation 20:7-10).

Seize the moment and live on mission for God’s kingdom, remembering that your salvation is an enlistment into the exceedingly great army of God (2 Timothy 2:3-4).

God bless you!

If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.

YOUTUBE:

If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.

Breathe New Life!

Ezekiel 37

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, July 15.

After the destruction of Jerusalem, the exiles were in shock and despair. God wanted to restore unto them the joy of His salvation, so He gave Ezekiel a vision of the valley of dry bones, illustrating the truth of Proverbs 17:22, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” God commanded the prophet to breathe His Spirit upon them in Ezekiel 37:5-10:

“Thus says the Lord God to these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life. I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the Lord.’” … “Say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life.” ’ ” So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

God doesn’t desire for His people to live in despair. After the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the disciples were confused and discouraged, so the resurrected Lord appeared to them in John 20:21-22, “‘Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.’ And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” He restored unto them the joy of His salvation, giving them a renewed hope that their faith in Him had not been misplaced – “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). The regenerative power of the Holy Spirit restores joy, bringing life to dry bones.

Seize the moment and breathe the hope of new life onto people by giving them the balm of joy that brings life to broken spirits.

God bless you!

If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.

YOUTUBE:

If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.