Ezekiel 36

Day 1579

Cultivate and Sow!

Ezekiel 36

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Saturday, July 13.

 

Ed Bell is a local Indiana farmer who sees his chosen occupation as a metaphor for Christian ministry – to cultivate the soil and plant good seed, trusting God with the coming harvest. Farmer Ed’s perspective on life has positively influenced me over the fifteen years we have cultivated the soil and planted good seed together in his beloved Indiana community. I am thankful to live amongst a community that understands farming because the Bible is full of agricultural imagery, including God’s promise to Israel in Ezekiel 36:9, ‘For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn to you, and you will be cultivated and sown.” God explained His promise in verses 34-36:

 

“The desolate land will be cultivated instead of being a desolation in the sight of everyone who passes by. They will say, ‘This desolate land has become like the garden of Eden; and the waste, desolate and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.’ Then the nations that are left round about you will know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted that which was desolate; I, the Lord, have spoken and will do it.”

 

While this promise was given to the Jewish exiles in Babylonian captivity, after the destruction of Jerusalem and the desolation of the Judean countryside, the principle can be applied beyond the return and redemption of the Promised Land. As Christians, our promise is not for a homeland defined by borders because our citizenship is in Heaven and the whole world is our farm. While we are to be loyal citizens to our respective nations, and work for the welfare of our local communities, our true occupation is to cultivate the soil of hearts and sow the good seed of God’s Word for the salvation of souls (Matthew 13:1-43).

 

Seize the moment and work hard as a faithful farmer – cultivate the soil of hearts and sow good seed with care and concern for the welfare of your community!

 

 
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.

 

 
 
 

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Ezekiel 35

Day 1578

Break the Cycle of Bloodshed!

Ezekiel 35

 

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

 

Bloodshed begets bloodshed! This is one of the major themes of the human drama. We see it in the Bible, ancient mythology, modern history, and in current events. I just read another local news story of a road rage incident where a young man shot at another driver. We read stories like that, and we ask ourselves, “What’s the world coming to?” but, honestly, that that’s the way it’s been for thousands of years. In Ezekiel 35:5-6, we hear the ancient law of reciprocity in God’s oracle of judgment against Mount Seir, which is the nation of Edom:

 

“Because you have had everlasting enmity and have delivered the sons of Israel to the power of the sword at the time of their calamity, at the time of the punishment of the end, therefore as I live,” declares the Lord God, “I will give you over to bloodshed, and bloodshed will pursue you; since you have not hated bloodshed, therefore bloodshed will pursue you.”

 

The law of reciprocity goes both directions, just as it can be a negative death cycle of bloodshed begetting bloodshed, so it can be a positive life cycle of love begetting love. We see this in God’s salvation story to redeem His rebellious creation back unto Himself through the love of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. He broke the negative cycle by giving us grace, as Romans 5:8 emphasizes, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” We are not saved because we deserve to be saved; quite the opposite, we are saved because love begets love. When love wins, we all win!

 

Seize the moment and break the cycle of bloodshed in today’s world by loving others as God first loved you, hence fulfilling the golden rule of Jesus, “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12).

 
 

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.

 
 
 

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Ezekiel 34

Day 1577

The Promise of a Good Shepherd!

Ezekiel 34

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, July 11.

 

God’s people need hope whenever they are walking through the valley of the shadow. In Ezekiel 34:15a, the Lord promised to be a good shepherd to the sheep of His pasture, “I will feed My flock and I will lead them to rest.” He would fulfill this promise through the Messiah, referenced in verses 23, “Then I will set over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them; he will feed them himself and be their shepherd.” Even though this prophecy was written at least four hundred years after the death of King David, and Jesus would not be born for over five hundred years, Ezekiel was declaring that the promised rest of God would come through the Messiah of Israel, who is the Son of David. He described how the Good Shepherd would lead them to rest in Ezekiel 34:27-28:

 

The tree of the field will yield its fruit and the earth will yield its increase, and they will be secure on their land. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bars of their yoke and have delivered them from the hand of those who enslaved them. They will no longer be a prey to the nations, and the beasts of the earth will not devour them; but they will live securely, and no one will make them afraid.

 

Jesus fulfilled these promises, offering each of them to you today: 1) the promise of fruitfulness by abiding in the Vine of Jesus (John 15:1-16); 2) the promise of rest by taking on Jesus’ easy yoke (Matthew 11:28-30); and 3) the promise of peace by receiving the Holy Spirit (John 14:26-27). Like the rod and staff of a shepherd, these promises will comfort you as you walk through the valley of the shadow (Psalm 23).

 

Seize the moment and trust Jesus to be the Good Shepherd of your soul (John 10:10-18).

 

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.

 

 
 
 
 

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Ezekiel 33

Day 1576

Repent of Being a Church Connoisseur!

Ezekiel 33

 

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

 

Are you called to be a church connoisseur? A connoisseur is a person who has an expert knowledge of something, especially the arts, and is qualified to judge and appreciate its quality. You are called to be an effectual doer of the Word, not a critic (James 1:22-25). Unfortunately, in the modern world of social media, church connoisseurs have a popular platform for their craft, causing weaker brothers and sisters to stumble, and non-believers to scoff at the muddied message of the church.

 

The prophet was reminded of his call in Ezekiel 33, to be a watchman who blows the trumpet, warning the people by raising the alarm that they are in danger. Yet, the prophet’s proclamations had become mere entertainment to the exiles in Babylon, so God encouraged him in Ezekiel 33:32-33, “Behold, you are to them like a sensual song by one who has a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument; for they hear your words but they do not practice them. So when it comes to pass – as surely it will – then they will know that a prophet has been in their midst.” God was encouraging Ezekiel to be faithful to His calling because the proclaimed Word does not return void.

 

Your church’s worship leaders and preachers are not called to entertain you or to please your churchianity sensibilities, but rather to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ through fervent prayer and faithful teaching (2 Timothy 4:1-5). If you find yourself wanting your ears itched by your local church, then repent of being a church connoisseur and be the church instead.

 

Seize the moment and respond to your local church services, not with critique of your fellow ministers, but as a fellow member of the body of Christ, faithful to your calling as an ambassador for Christ and minister of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-20).

 

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.

 
 
 

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Ezekiel 32

Day 1575

When Grieving, Don’t Sin in your Anger!

Ezekiel 32

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, July 9.

 

Anger is one of the five stages of grief, along with denial, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. It is normal for a grieving person to oscillate between the five stages, returning to their anger time and again, especially if the death was tragic or untimely. Ezekiel 32 ends the four-chapter indictment of Egypt with the sixth and seventh oracles of judgment. They were given in 585 BC, just a few months after the exiles of Israel had learned about the fall of Jerusalem, so the historical context is that of a grieving community who had recently learned of their capital city’s fall and Judah’s devastation. It should be not surprising then that verses 18-21 capture the depths of their grieving process:

 

Son of man, wail for the hordes of Egypt and bring it down, her and the daughters of the powerful nations, to the nether world, with those who go down to the pit; … The strong among the mighty ones shall speak of him and his helpers from the midst of Sheol, “They have gone down, they lie still, the uncircumcised, slain by the sword.”

 

Repeatedly, the prophet condemned Israel’s enemies, telling them to make their bed with the uncircumcised (pagans) and to lay down with those who had fallen by the sword. This was a condemnation and shame upon not only Egypt, but all foreign nations who had either arisen against Israel or who had failed to protect her. Ezekiel taught that they would go to the “nether world,” which literally means “the lower parts of the Earth.” He called it “the pit,” which was referencing Sheol, the place of the dead. In Ezekiel 26:20, he compared it to the “ancient waste places.” How do you treat others when you are grieving? Have you ever cursed anyone in your anger?

 

Seize the moment by blessing and not cursing – don’t sin in your anger when you are grieving (Ephesians 4:26-27; Romans 12:14-21). Get help today by seeking grief counseling.

 

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.

 
 

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Ezekiel 31

Day 1574

The Thrill of Victory!

Ezekiel 31

 

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

 

There is nothing quite like competing on the biggest stage of national sport. As I’ve been watching the drama of the USA Olympic Team Trials unfold, I am reminded of the famous opening line in The Wide World of Sports, “The thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat.” I watched the heartbreak of a reigning world champion who did not make the team, and the pure joy of an athlete who did. It’s great drama to watch, but it’s a different matter to live through such highs and lows yourself. I know because I got fourth place in the hammer throw at the 2000 USA Track and Field Olympic Team Trials, narrowly missing the team by one spot. Sports are a great metaphor for life, because through them we learn how to navigate the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat!

 

Imagine what Pharaoh must have experienced when the prophet illustrated Egypt’s coming fall from the heights of power and prestige by describing the former world power, Assyria, as a mighty cedar in Ezekiel 31:2-3, 10-11:

 

“Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes, ‘Whom are you like in your greatness? ‘Behold, Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon with beautiful branches and forest shade, and very high, and its top was among the clouds. … Because it is high in stature and has set its top among the clouds, and its heart is haughty in its loftiness, therefore I will give it into the hand of a despot of the nations; he will thoroughly deal with it. According to its wickedness I have driven it away.’”

 

Seize the moment and find the thrill of victory in something greater than the transitory podiums of prestige and perishable awards of success – “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, … for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:20-21).

 

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.

 
 

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Ezekiel 30

Day 1572

Strengthen your Body!

Ezekiel 30

 

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

 

Do you have a physical fitness regimen that supports your ministry life?

 

I’m walking on the trails and working out in the weight room because I want to keep my body healthy. I desire to live my life on mission for Jesus, and I can only do that if I maintain the temple of the Holy Spirit with which I’ve been entrusted. Additionally, I have recognized the holistic nature of health and well-being; it’s not enough to remain physically healthy, I must integrate that with mental, emotional, relational, and spiritual health. As Paul taught his protégé in 1 Timothy 4:7b-8, “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” Ultimately, life and death are in God’s hands, so train your soul to listen, and discipline your body to obey.

 

The prophet emphasized God’s sovereignty over our physical strength in his judgment against Egypt in Ezekiel 30:22-25:

 

Therefore thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt and will break his arms, both the strong and the broken; and I will make the sword fall from his hand. … For I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put My sword in his hand; and I will break the arms of Pharaoh, so that he will groan before him with the groanings of a wounded man. Thus I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall. Then they will know that I am the Lord, … .”

 

Seize the moment and strengthen your body for the mission of God, so you can go where He tells you to go and do what He tells you to do. Dedicate your health and well-being to God for His 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.

 
 

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Ezekiel 29

Day 1571

Don’t Fear the Monsters!

Ezekiel 29

 

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

 

Have you ever feared what may be lurking under your bed at night? There are monsters in the world, but we do not have to fear them when God is with us! That’s the message of Ezekiel as he commences a four-chapter indictment against Egypt’s pride and failure to help Judah as promised. In Ezekiel 29:2-6, the prophet compares Egypt to an enemy of epic proportions:

 

“Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great monster that lies in the midst of his rivers, that has said, ‘My Nile is mine, and I myself have made it.’ I will put hooks in your jaws and make the fish of your rivers cling to your scales. And I will bring you up out of the midst of your rivers, and all the fish of your rivers will cling to your scales. … Then all the inhabitants of Egypt will know that I am the Lord, … .” [emphasis added]

 

The Hebrew word translated “the great monster” can also be translated “dragon” or “serpent,” as seen in Isaiah 51:9 when referencing the exodus event, “Was it not You who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the dragon?” In this passage, as well as in Isaiah 30:7 and Psalm 74:13, the mythological beast is used in parallel with Rahab and Leviathan, respectively, which further reinforces that God is referencing divine combat with chaos monsters of mythological proportions, emphasizing, in the way that the Ancient Near Eastern people would have understood it, that Yahweh was above all creation and mightier than any cosmic force. God showed His mighty right hand at the exodus, and He would do it again during the exile. He will do it for you, too!

 

Seize the moment and praise the God who is victorious over every foe, to include monsters – there is nothing to fear when God is with you!

 

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.

 
 

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Ezekiel 28

Day 1570

Guard your Heart from the Evil One!

Ezekiel 28

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, July 4. Happy Birthday to the USA!

 

What was the power behind the throne of Tyre? Was it hubris, with the man on the throne claiming to be a god, or was it Satan, a disgraced cherub, who was using the king’s pride as an access point to animate the king’s heart for his own evil schemes? Tyre was not ruled by a god, as the king claimed of himself. In fact, God rebuked him for such a claim in Ezekiel 28:2, “Because your heart is lifted up and you have said, ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of gods in the heart of the seas’; yet you are a man and not God” (cf. 6, 9).

 

Ezekiel 28 continues the three-chapter oracle of judgment against Tyre, concluding it with an indictment of the king’s pride. The prophet appears to be pulling back the veil of the natural as he used language that can’t be applied to any person. Regardless of whether you see this supernatural description as historical or allegorical, the ultimate point remains the same, “pride goes before destruction” (Proverbs 16:18). God described the prideful king as a fallen angel in Ezekiel 28:12-19:

 

You had the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; … You were the anointed cherub who covers, and I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked in the midst of the stones of fire. … Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I put you before kings, that they may see you. … you will cease to be forever.

 

Seize the moment and humble yourself, stop Satan from having access to the control center of your life through pride and arrogance (James 4:7). Your heart is a throne, so guard it well (Proverbs 4:23; Matthew 6:13)!

 

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.

 

YOUTUBE:

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

 
 

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Ezekiel 27

Day 1569

Tear Down the Fortress! (Part 2 of 2)

Ezekiel 27

 

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

 

Are you trusting God to tear down the strongholds of sin in your life? After the destruction of Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar moved on to Tyre, sieging it for thirteen years, but he could not prevail against the island fortress. It wasn’t until 332 BC, when Alexander the Great built a causeway of stone and rubble from the decimated mainland out to the island fortress, that the prophecy was fulfilled, as foretold in Ezekiel 27:34-36:

 

Now that you are broken by the seas in the depths of the waters, your merchandise and all your company have fallen in the midst of you. All the inhabitants of the coastlands are appalled at you, and their kings are horribly afraid; they are troubled in countenance. The merchants among the peoples hiss at you; you have become terrified and you will cease to be forever.

 

The ancient city of Tyre was destroyed, never to rebuilt as an island fortress. In fact, it has become a peninsula, as land built up around Alexander’s causeway. Tyre never dominated the region again, and the stronghold’s influence diminished into the history books. From 2 Corinthians 10:4-6, we learn that this is what happens when our strongholds of sin are removed by the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.” Never forget that it was for freedom that Christ set you free, so don’t return to slavery to sin (Galatians 5:1).

 

Seize the moment and live free of the fortresses of hurts, habits, and hangups from your past life. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

 

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.

 

 
 

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Ezekiel 26

Day 1568

Tear Down the Fortress! (Part 1 of 2)

Ezekiel 26

 

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

 

Did you know that ancient Tyre was a formidable island fortress? It was the capital and leading city of the Phoenician Empire, who greatly influenced Israel and the surrounding coastal region. Tyre was built atop an island, which made it virtually impregnable by sea or land. The Assyrians had sieged Tyre for five years and could not prevail against it. Yet God confidently declared His judgment against this seemingly undefeatable stronghold in Ezekiel 26:2-6:

 

“Son of man, because Tyre has said concerning Jerusalem, ‘Aha, the gateway of the peoples is broken; it has opened to me. I shall be filled, now that she is laid waste,’ therefore thus says the Lord God, ‘Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and I will bring up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves. They will destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers; and I will scrape her debris from her and make her a bare rock. She will be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea, for I have spoken,’ declares the Lord God, ‘and she will become spoil for the nations. Also her daughters who are on the mainland will be slain by the sword, and they will know that I am the Lord.’ ”

 

We all have strongholds in our hearts and minds that need to be brought low so that they stop influencing areas of our lives that should belong exclusively to God. In 2 Corinthians 10:3, we learn that to remove such strongholds we need God’s power, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.”

 

Seize the moment and trust God to tear down the fortresses of sin 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:

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

 

 
 
 
 

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Ezekiel 25

Day 1567

Love your Neighbor!

Ezekiel 25

 

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

 

Should I bless or curse my neighbors?
 

Ezekiel 25 moves your attention from God’s judgment of Judah to that of their immediate neighbors, the small nation-states of Ammon (1-7), Moab (8-11), Edom (12-14), and Philistia (15-17). Each oracle of judgment follows the because-therefore pattern, whereas a prophecy cites the sin that prompted God’s judgment and then describes what God was going to do about it. An example of this pattern is concisely stated in the oracle against Ammon in verses 6-7:

 

Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet and rejoiced with all the scorn of your soul against the land of Israel, therefore, behold, I have stretched out My hand against you and I will give you for spoil to the nations. And I will cut you off from the peoples and make you perish from the lands; I will destroy you. Thus you will know that I am the Lord. [emphasis added]

 

The basis of judgment against the surrounding nations was the Abrahamic covenant, given in Genesis 12, from which verse 3 stated, “I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” Regardless of whether those living under the Abrahamic covenant were under God’s judgment for sin themselves, the nations that cursed them were to be cursed. That’s because God had a plan for His chosen people, that through them the Messiah would offer salvation to all, near or far. Because of God’s mercy and grace through Jesus, Christians are now “Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise” (Galatians 3:29); therefore, behold, bless and do not curse your neighbors, regardless of whether they are near or far, so that the world may know through my love that Jesus Christ is Lord (Romans 12:14-21; John 13:34-35).

 

Seize the moment and “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-40).

 

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.

 
 

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The Call to the Great Community 10

 

 

We Pray as Jesus Taught us to Pray!

Matthew 6:5-13

 

“Rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer” (Romans 12:12).

 

“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened” (Luke 11:9-10).

 

APPROACH PRAYER WITH THE RIGHT ATTITUDE.

                                                                                                                

  • Be real

 

“When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full” (Matthew 6:5).

 

                       – Don’t try to impress others (or yourself!)

                       – Don’t try to impress God (for He knows you already, and He loves you!)

 

  • Be relaxed

 

“But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:6).

 

  • Be revealing

 

 “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him”                                                                   

(Matthew 6:7-8).

 

USE THE MODEL JESUS GAVE US

 

Matthew 6:9-13 “Pray, then, in this way…”

 

  1. PRAISE: I begin by expressing my love and adoration to God. Start by anchoring yourself in who He is and who you are in relationship to Him.

 

“Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name…” (v. 9b).

 

  1. PURPOSE: I commit myself to living a life of devotion to God’s will.

 

“Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven …” (v. 10).

 

Pray for God’s will to be done… in me… in my family… my church… my ministry… my job… my future… my city… the nation… the world.

 

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect”            (Romans 12:2).

 

  1. PROVISION: I ask God to provide for needs.

 

“Give us this day our daily bread…” (v. 11).

“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

 

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)

 

You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask” (James 4:2).

 

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6).

 

  1. PARDON: I ask God to forgive my sins

 

“And forgive us our debts …” (v. 12a).

 

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way” (Psalm 139:23-24).

 

“He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion” (Proverbs 28:13).

 

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

 

  1. PEOPLE: I pray for other people.

 

“…as we also have forgiven our debtors” (v. 12b).

 

“Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering” (Matthew 5:23-24).

 

 “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men” (1 Timothy 2:1).

 

  1. PROTECTION: I ask for spiritual protection.

 

“And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (v. 13a).

 

Believers face a spiritual battle every day! Satan wants to defeat you through temptation and fear. By praying for protection, you will have the confidence to face every situation during the day.

 

“You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

 

  1. PRIORITIZATION: I recommit myself and my work to God.

 

“For yours is the kingdom and power and the glory forever. Amen” (v. 13b).

 

“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship” (Romans 12:1).

 

HOW TO BEGIN A DAILY DEVOTION TIME (QUIET TIME)

 

The Important Factors:

 

In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.” (Mark 1:35)

 

  1. SELECT A SPECIFIC TIME

 

The best time to have a quiet time is when I am at my best! Whatever time you set, be consistent!

 

  1. CHOOSE A SPECIAL PLACE

 

And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him” (Luke 22:39).

 

  1. GATHER THE RESOURCES YOU’LL NEED

 

  1. A Bible – a good translation you can read and understand.
  2. A notebook or journal – to write down what the Lord speaks to you about, and to keep your prayer list. It is also good to keep you focused when other things come to your mind.
  1. Memory Cards for Scripture memorization.
  2. A Songbook – if you want to sing.
  3. Study tools that you helps you understand and apply what you are learning.

 

  1. BEGIN WITH THE RIGHT ATTITUDES

 

  • Reverence

“Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10).

 

  • Expectancy

“Open my eyes, that I may behold; Wonderful things from Your law” (Psalm 119:18).

 

  • Willingness to Obey

“If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself” (John 7:17).

 

“Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary” (Galatians 6:9).

 

 

A PRAYER OF COMMITMENT

 

“Father, I realize that I was created to have fellowship with You. Thank you for making this privilege possible through Jesus’ death and resurrection. I know that daily fellowship with You is to be the most important thing in my life. I now want to commit myself to spending time every day with You in a set apart quiet time of Bible intake and prayer. I’m trusting in Your strength to help me be consistent and for my whole life to be in devotion to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

 

RESOURCES:

 
For a PDF version of these notes, click HERE.
 
You can watch the entire service including music by clicking HERE.
 
You can watch the message by clicking HERE.
 

 


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Ezekiel 24

Day 1565

Seek Empathy – Walk a Mile First!

Ezekiel 24

 

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

 

“Don’t judge me until you’ve walked a mile in my shoes.” This idiom teaches us that to understand why people do what they do we must seek to empathize with them, understanding their experiences, circumstances, and challenges. Without empathy, we may take their words or behaviors out of context, presuming to understand them. In Ezekiel 24:16-18, the prophet was asked to walk a mile in God’s shoes:  

 

“Son of man, behold, I am about to take from you the desire of your eyes with a blow; but you shall not mourn and you shall not weep, and your tears shall not come. Groan silently; make no mourning for the dead. Bind on your turban and put your shoes on your feet, and do not cover your mustache and do not eat the bread of men.” So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. And in the morning I did as I was commanded.

 

The prophet put on display God’s extravagant love for Jerusalem in the most visceral way a person can possibly comprehend. Bringing judgment upon Israel was like losing a beloved spouse. There was a larger story unfolding for Israel, and Ezekiel’s prophetic action demonstrated the heart of God. Just like when Jesus, God’s beloved Son, died to satisfy the Father’s will – “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

 

Seize the moment and walk a mile in other people’s shoes, discerning your invitation in their story. God is always at work, doing more than can be seen because there is a larger story unfolding in your life and for the lives of all people. How can seeking empathy allow you to show others the love of Jesus?

 
 

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.

 
 

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Ezekiel 23

Day 1564

Flee from the Seductress!

Ezekiel 23

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, June 28.

 

From God’s perspective, idolatry is spiritual adultery, and Ezekiel 23 is a forty-nine-verse allegory of Israel’s adultery against Yahweh. God builds upon the visceral imagery of Ezekiel 16, casting Samaria, the capital city of the northern ten tribes, and Jerusalem, the capital city of the southern two tribes, as two harlots in Ezekiel 23:2-4:

 

Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother; and they played the harlot in Egypt. They played the harlot in their youth; there their breasts were pressed and there their virgin bosom was handled. Their names were Oholah the elder and Oholibah her sister. And they became mine, and they bore sons and daughters. And as for their names, Samaria is Oholah and Jerusalem is Oholibah.

 

The allegory concludes in verse 49, “Your lewdness will be requited upon you, and you will bear the penalty of worshiping your idols; thus you will know that I am the Lord God.”

 

We are all susceptible to seduction, whether by the desires of our flesh, or by the powers and principalities of this world. The devil is always on the prowl, seeking his next victim to devour (1 Peter 5:8). We are commanded to be sober-minded and on the alert against such seductions, regardless of whether they arise from within or come from without. There is only one way to handle the temptations of the seductress: “Flee immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18a)! Do not dabble with it and do not hesitate to remove the temptation from your life; it seeks to seduce you with counterfeit promises and lies.

 

Seize the moment and flee from the seductions of the flesh, the devil, and the world. There is only one way to do this faithfully, and that is by submitting yourself to God, putting on the whole armor of God daily, and praying in the Spirit continuously (Ephesians 6:11-18; James 4:7).

 

 
 

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.

 
 
 

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Ezekiel 22

Day 1563

Stand in the Gap

Ezekiel 22

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, June 27.

 

Ezekiel 22 has three distinct discourses devoted to indicting Jerusalem and all of Judah for their rebellion against God. While in exile, the Hebrews were making idols, murdering one another, and committing a multitude of heinous crimes (1-12). At their time of greatest need, the people, to include their priests, prophets, and princes, turned their collective back on God, so He promised to refine them like silver and remove the dross (18-22). In verses 30-31, God described how He had made a comprehensive search for a righteous person to stand in the gap for His beloved nation, “I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one. Thus I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; their way I have brought upon their heads.”

 

What does it look like to stand in the gap? In 1997, 1.4 million men gathered in Washington D.C. to call upon the name of Jesus Christ, confessing their personal and collective sins as a nation, and, in repentance, presenting themselves as one body poised for personal and national revival. I was deployed with my military unit to the Joint Readiness Training Center when this Promise Keepers event happened, but I will never forget that it was called, “Stand in the Gap.” We stand in the gap by humbling ourselves before the Lord, getting right with our God, and committing ourselves to the good works of faith, hope, and love. It begins when individuals and communities join in prayer to get right with God and one another (Romans 15:30).

 

Seize the moment and stand in the gap for our nation by humbling yourself, praying, and seeking God’s will for your life and community (2 Chronicles 7:14).

 

 

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.

 
 
 
 
 

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Ezekiel 21

Day 1562

Every Crossroads is an Opportunity!

Ezekiel 21

 

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

 

When you come to a crossroads in your life, use discernment, not divination, to decide your right next step. What’s the difference you ask? Divination is the practice of uncovering hidden knowledge by supernatural means. There are many ways to dabble in this unholy practice, some of which are described in Ezekiel 21:21-22:

 

For the king of Babylon stands at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination; he shakes the arrows, he consults the household idols, he looks at the liver. Into his right hand came the divination, “Jerusalem,” to set battering rams, to open the mouth for slaughter, to lift up the voice with a battle cry, to set battering rams against the gates, to cast up ramps, to build a siege wall.

 

This passage is found in the context of God using Babylon as His instrument of judgment. The sword of the Lord was about to be unsheathed upon Jerusalem, and the prophet made it clear that it would be by God’s decree, and not that of man’s divination. While we know that God can use all things to point to His will, such as the king of Babylon using divination in the passage above, there is an authorized way to gain wisdom when needing to make a hard decision (James 1:5). God has decreed the Way to be His Son Jesus Christ. Through faith in Him we receive the Holy Spirit, who guides us as we walk in the Way (John 16:7-15). Discernment is how we listen for the Holy Spirit’s direction through the authorized means of grace – the faith and practices of the church such as prayer, Bible intake, and spiritual friendship.

 

Seize the moment and discern God’s direction through the means of grace entrusted to you. Every crossroads is an opportunity to trust God and walk by His Spirit (Galatians 5:16-25).

 

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.

 
 

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Ezekiel 20

Day 1561

Death by Meetings!

Ezekiel 20

 

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

 

There are certain human realities of religious life that appear to have remained true over the millennia, such as death by committee meetings. As I began my third decade of pastoral ministry last year, I can attest that most of the time I do not like attending church meetings as they often prove to be the bane of my existence as the pastor of a local church. While meetings are necessary and can be beneficial, they often feel useless in the accomplishment of our mission and counterproductive to my mental and emotional health as a spiritual leader. Ezekiel 20:1-3 describes how this forty-nine-verse chapter was an impromptu elder’s meeting and how God responded to them calling yet another meeting:

 

Now in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth of the month, certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord, and sat before me. And the word of the Lord came to me saying, “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Do you come to inquire of Me? As I live,” declares the Lord God, “I will not be inquired of by you.” ’ ”

 

Yet again, God told the elders of Israel – repent and live! While God is infinitely patient, there does come a time where the meetings must stop, and the people simply need to be faithful to their God. What’s the purpose of your church meetings? What active steps can you take to work with your pastor and leaders to equip, encourage, and empower people in their daily Christian lives, to include delegating to them the ministry work that needs to be done to meet the diversity of needs of a group of people who are managing resources and living on mission together.

 

Seize the moment and transform your church meetings into spiritual encounters with God, focusing you and your congregation on obeying God to fulfill the purposes of the church of Jesus Christ.

 

If you would like to receive a personal phone call, please press 9.

 

God bless you!
 
 

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.

 

 
 
 

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Ezekiel 19

Day 1560

As through the Fire!

Ezekiel 19

 

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

 

Hardship and suffering are an unfortunate reality! Will any good fruit come through such fires in your life? The prophet concluded his message to the princes of Israel in Ezekiel 19:14b, “This is a lamentation, and has become a lamentation.” Whereas Jeremiah wept from the ashes of Jerusalem, Ezekiel grieved from the riverbanks of Babylonian exile, concluding his lamentation in verses 10-14a:

 

Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard, planted by the waters; it was fruitful and full of branches because of abundant waters. And it had strong branches fit for scepters of rulers, and its height was raised above the clouds so that it was seen in its height with the mass of its branches. But it was plucked up in fury; it was cast down to the ground; and the east wind dried up its fruit. Its strong branch was torn off so that it withered; the fire consumed it. And now it is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty land. And fire has gone out from its branch; it has consumed its shoots and fruit, so that there is not in it a strong branch, a scepter to rule.

 

Fire is an interesting metaphor. It can invoke the image of annihilation, the destruction of that which is thrown into it, or that of refinement, the purging of impurities from that which passes through it. In the above lamentation, if the fire invokes destruction, then there is no longer any purpose for Israel, all hope is gone. The Messiah had not yet come through Israel, so the fire must speak to their refinement, for they are the vineyard of God from which Jesus Christ, “the true vine” came, and from whom all eternal fruit flows (John 15:1-16).

 

Seize the moment and allow your lamentations to be a refining fire in your life, transforming your soul to the glory of God (Romans 8:28-30).

 

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.

 
 
 
 
 

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The Call to the Great Community 9

Lesson #9:

Build the Body of Christ by using your Spiritual Gifts!  (Pt 2)

Romans 12:1-8 

(with supporting verses 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, 27-31; Ephesians 4:11-12; and 1 Peter 4:9-11)

 

Today, we are focusing on how you can build the body of Christ by using your spiritual gifts. Last week we laid a good foundation that every Christian is called to live the life of devotion, which we call ministry (Ephesians 2:8-10; 4:11-16 and 2 Corinthians 5:17-20). We learned the 5-step process of discovering your ministry from Romans 12:1-8, which is the foundation of your daily devotional life, ensuring you’re living a life of devotion and not just checking a box. Today, we are going deeper on the spiritual gifts themselves (as described in Romans 12:6-8), but the big point we all need to remember is that God wants to build the body of Christ in and through each of our lives. God chose you on purpose because you have good works to walk in with your life! We are better together in Christ because each of us has an important SHAPE for ministry: God has given you spiritual gifts, a heart or passions for certain people or issues, abilities to meet those needs, personality to effectively work with others, and life experiences that uniquely equip you.

 

A spiritual gift is one aspect to how God has shaped you for ministry; it is a special ability, given by the Holy Spirit to every believer upon being saved, to be used to minister to others and therefore build up the body of Christ. All gifts are given to help the church fulfill its purposes to the glory of God. The spiritual gifts are related to, but are distinctively different from, the fruit of the Spirit. Whereas gifts are given to equip you for your life of ministry, the fruit of the Spirit are the maturity of your personhood as a minister of the gospel. It is the Spirit of God at work in you that defines both your person as a Christian – “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” – and your work as a Christian, empowered through your spiritual gifts. In Paul’s discussion about spiritual gifts, he stated in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11:

 

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

 

The Bible does not lock us into tight restrictions as to the number of spiritual gifts, or even their definitions. The four major lists of gifts are found in Romans 12:6-8 and 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, both of which I have already read to you, and the list continues in verses 27-31:

 

Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way.

 

The next passage of spiritual gifts is found in Ephesians 4:11-12, which I read to you last week; it covers the five-fold ministry of spiritual gifted leaders to equip the local congregations in their unique ministries; and finally, the last one is 1 Peter 4:9-11:

 

Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

 

Here’s the bottom line about spiritual gifts and why they are important to the building of the body of Christ: spiritual gifts are the temporary to build the eternal, so don’t worship the gifts (nor those who are working more maturely in their gifts), but only worship the Gift-giver! Remember the admonition of James 1:14-17:

 

But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

 

You don’t need a separate “baptism of the Spirit” or a “second movement of grace” to manifest the fruit of the Spirit or use your spiritual gifts in and through your Christian life. These are your birth rite as a Christian, so learn how to grow strong in God’s grace as a Christian disciple, as Paul exhorted his protégé in 2 Timothy 2:1-6:

 

You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules. The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops.

 

At conversion, you were already given everything in Christ through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Through God’s grace, you have everything you need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1).  You are not lacking in any way, except maybe in willingness, motivation, or obedience, but that is between you and God, and that brings us back to where we began this sermon last week, with the five-step process to mature in Christ and go forth to minister in His name.

 

Step 1: Dedicate your life to God!

 

“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship” (Romans 12:1).

 

Step 2: Eliminate competing distractions!

 

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).

 

Step 3: Find your identity in God!

 

“For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith” (Romans 12:3).

 

Step 4: Gather with the Body of Christ as a healthy, functioning member!

 

“For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another” (Romans 12:4-5).

 

Step 5: Live a life of wholehearted devotion by using your spiritual gifts to build the body of Christ to the glory of God – Live on Mission Today! CM! Live like a Champion Today! Live Strong in God’s Grace Today! This is what I’ve bene teaching you for years because this the life of discipleship, practically lived out in your life and through community!

 

“Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness” (Romans 12:6-8).

 

In conclusion, and to illustrate this, we are now going to call forward the 15-person short-term mission team going to the Dominican Republic in support of Jim & Teresa White and Sharing the Vision. While they are coming up to be commissioned, I also want to invite you to join me in prayer for Nathan & Ethan Hughes, the sons of Jeff & Michelle. The twins traveled to Honduras on Monday and will be serving on a short-term mission team there until June 29. I encourage all of you to look for the ways you are being called to build the body of Christ.
 
 

Available Materials:

 
If you would like a printable PDF file of the message, click HERE.
 
If you would like to watch this lesson on YouTube, click HERE.
 
If you would like to view the entire service including music, etc. click HERE.

 
 
 

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Ezekiel 18

Day 1558

Examine Conventional Adages!

Ezekiel 18

 

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

 

There was a proverb used in ancient Israel that was thwarted by God in both Jeremiah and Ezekiel, “The fathers eat the sour grapes, but the children’s teeth are set on edge” (Ezekiel 18:2 and Jeremiah 31:29). Moreso, in Jeremiah 31:30, God corrected their conventional adage, “But everyone will die for his own iniquity; each man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth will be set on edge.” The original expression taught that children would pay the penalty for their parents’ sins, but the revised one taught that people experience the consequences of their own actions. This correction came when generations would be born into captivity due to the sins of those who had come before them, so God hammered it home in Ezekiel 18, concluding with an eternal truth about personal agency in verses 29-32:

 

“But the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ Are My ways not right, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are not right? Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct,” declares the Lord God. “Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you. Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “Therefore, repent and live.”

 

When conventional adages are not true, deviating from the Word of God, even if they had originated from the Bible, do not live by them. Examine their precepts, ensuring that the wisdom you live by has not been compromised by cultural norms, political ideologies, superstitions, or other religious doctrines.

 

Seize the moment and listen to what you say because your tongue is like a rudder, which can unknowingly steer your life off course (James 3:1-12).

 

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.

 
 

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Ezekiel 17

Day 1557

Relief from Life under the Sun!

Ezekiel 17

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, June 21.

 

Have you ever found relief from the unrelenting heat of a scorching sun by resting in the shade of a beautiful tree? After a parable of judgment about two eagles and a vine, the prophet concludes with an oracle of restoration in Ezekiel 17:22-24:

 

Thus says the Lord God, “I will also take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and set it out; I will pluck from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one and I will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. On the high mountain of Israel I will plant it, that it may bring forth boughs and bear fruit and become a stately cedar. And birds of every kind will nest under it; they will nest in the shade of its branches. All the trees of the field will know that I am the Lord; I bring down the high tree, exalt the low tree, dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will perform it.”

 

In exile, God was giving His people hope, reminding them of the Messianic promise of Isaiah 11:1, “Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.” In fulfillment of this promise, in Matthew 13:31-32, Jesus quoted Ezekiel 17:23 in one of His parables, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; and this is smaller than all other seeds, but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.” This invitation to find shade is available to “birds of every kind,” which means that there is hope for you and for all who are experiencing the unrelenting heat of living under the scorching sun.

 

Seize the moment and find relief in the shade provided through faith in the Son.

 

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.

 
 
 

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Ezekiel 16

Day 1556

Give God Glory through your Giftedness!

Ezekiel 16

 

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

 

Were you born with health, beauty, athleticism, or intelligence? Have you been afforded opportunities in life to develop your innate intellect and latent skills? Do you see the goodness of God at work in your life or do you take credit for what you have done with what has been entrusted to you?

 

There is so much pain and heartbreak woven into today’s allegorical retelling of Israel’s history, which presents Israel as an abandoned infant who was rescued only to become a beautiful bride who then played the harlot. Intensifying the prophetic emphasis, Yahweh narrated the story in the first person, with Himself as king and husband. The people needed to understand why and how they ended up in captivity, so God spoke through an extended metaphor, grabbing their attention with visceral images of scandal and betrayal. Ezekiel 16:14-15 captures the heartbreak of this sixty-three-verse allegory,
 
“‘Then your fame went forth among the nations on account of your beauty, for it was perfect because of My splendor which I bestowed on you,’ declares the Lord God. ‘But you trusted in your beauty and played the harlot because of your fame, and you poured out your harlotries on every passer-by who might be willing.’”

 

God is the one who rescues us to fulfill His magnificent purpose through our giftedness. Our right response to His salvation is to dedicate all that we have to Him, seeing how He shaped us as part of His calling (Romans 12:1-8). It has always amazed me that God designed me in the womb already knowing the good works that He has prepared for me to fulfill (Ephesians 2:10). That’s a mind-blowing truth! Therefore, it is your calling, as a rescued child of God, to mature into the fullness of adulthood, fulfilling the purpose of what God has bestowed upon you from the beginning.

 

Seize the moment and give God glory by maximizing what He has entrusted to you!

 
 

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.

 
 
 

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Ezekiel 15

Day 1555

Live with Purpose!

Ezekiel 15

 

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

 

You are designed to live your life with purpose. From the beginning of His ministry, Jesus called people to live their best lives for the glory of God, which He believed could only be done when we live according to God’s creative intent and for His salvific purposes. Jesus warned about becoming like salt which has lost its saltiness (Matthew 5:13), or like a light which was hidden under a basket (Matthew 5:15). In John 15:5-6, Jesus illustrated this point by connecting Old Testament imagery about Israel being God’s vine, “I am the vine, you are the branches; … If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.” Imagine that you were designed to produce choice fruit, abundant and eternal, only to find yourself withered and discarded because you stopped abiding in the One who created you for this very purpose.

 

The One who designed you is inviting you to return to Him, finding meaning and value in His creative intent for your life, and living with purpose every day. The danger of not heeding God’s call has always been straight forward, as Ezekiel 15:3-5 describes of a useless vine:

 

Can wood be taken from it to make anything, or can men take a peg from it on which to hang any vessel? If it has been put into the fire for fuel, and the fire has consumed both of its ends and its middle part has been charred, is it then useful for anything? Behold, while it is intact, it is not made into anything. How much less, when the fire has consumed it and it is charred, can it still be made into anything!

 

Seize the moment and live your life on purpose, according to the Creator’s intent – “For [you] are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that [you] would walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).
 
 

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.

 

YOUTUBE:

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

 

 
 

 


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Ezekiel 14

Day 1554

Set your Heart Free!

Ezekiel 14

 

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

 

God cares about your circumstances, but He cares even more about your heart. Often enough our priorities are backwards (Matthew 16:26). That’s because our hearts, by nature, are idol factories. This heart condition is one of the primary reasons why we are instructed to bring everything to the Lord in prayer (Philippians 4:6-7). Even if your heart’s desire is to get God to work on your behalf, God responds to your prayer by cleansing your heart as His holy habitation. He is a jealous God and is unwilling to share your heart with any idol, even a well-intended one. The prophet emphasized this to the exiled elders of Israel in Ezekiel 14:3-6:

 

Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts and have put right before their faces the stumbling block of their iniquity. Should I be consulted by them at all? Therefore speak to them and tell them, “Thus says the Lord God, ‘Any man of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, puts right before his face the stumbling block of his iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the Lord will be brought to give him an answer in the matter in view of the multitude of his idols, in order to lay hold of the hearts of the house of Israel who are estranged from Me through all their idols.’” Therefore say to the house of Israel, “Thus says the Lord God, ‘Repent and turn away from your idols and turn your faces away from all your abominations.’”

 

God may not answer your prayers the way you think He should, but He is seeking first what’s in your best interest. Are you seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33)?

 

Seize the moment and trust God’s unrelenting resolve to set your heart free from idols. “Pray without ceasing” so that you may be cleansed continuously (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

 
 

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.

 
 
 

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