Hope for the Final Victory!

Isaiah 2

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, December 14.

Before there was international conflict, national unrest, or community discord, there was a spiritual rebellion raging in the Heavenlies against God and His rightful rule over the elohim (translated “gods” in Psalm 95:3-4, and “rulers” in Psalm 82:1). In the ancient Near East cosmology, mountains were places of habitation for the gods, from which they ruled over the affairs of humanity. Mount Zion, where the temple was built by King Solomon, was considered the place of Yahweh’s habitation. The Israelites did not view Yahweh as another territorial god, but as the Creator, who is supreme over all gods, sovereign over all nations, and the only Savior of humanity. This is proclaimed in the prophetic imagery of Isaiah 2:1-3:

The word which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. Now it will come about that in the last days the mountain of the house of the Lord will be established as the chief of the mountains, and will be raised above the hills; and all the nations will stream to it. And many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that He may teach us concerning His ways and that we may walk in His paths.”

God chose Zion to be His dwelling place, as Psalm 132:13-14 describes, “For the Lord has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His habitation. ‘This is My resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it.’” In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus referenced Zion as “the city of the great King” (quoting Psalm 48:2 in Matthew 5:35). Don’t discount ancient cosmology as mythology; there is significance to geographical locations – Jerusalem is at the center of God’s plan for His final victory.

Seize the moment and hope for the final victory – “Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion” (Revelation 14:1). Pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6-9).

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.

The Heart of the Father!

Isaiah 1

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

Today, we begin a 250-day journey through the seventeen books of the Old Testament prophets. Just like in the New Testament, where you can find the historical context of each of Paul’s thirteen letters in the early church history book of Acts, the backdrop of each of these prophet’s ministries can be found in the history books of the Old Testament. The prophetic books should not be read as stand-alone works, to be taken out of their historical context, but as companion accounts of God’s salvific history. As you go on this journey with the ancient prophets of Israel, may you hear the heart of God the Father anew, for yourself, as He called out to His beloved children, “Come Home – Return to Me!”

A prophet is a person inspired to proclaim or reveal divine will or purpose. They are real people, with real faith, in real history, who, at great personal cost, gave the message as God gave it to them. Isaiah was called the Prince of Prophets, and his book is the largest, covering sixty-six chapters. According to Isaiah 1:1, his ministry was set during dangerous days of destruction, specifically, “during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah” (ref. 2 Kings 15-20 and 2 Chronicles 26-32). In this historical context of religious rebellion, national decline, and international instability, God’s heart was put on center stage, as He cried out to Israel in Isaiah 1:18, “‘Come now, and let us reason together,’ says the Lord, ‘Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.’”

Seize the moment and may your life proclaim the heart of the Father – “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10).

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.

The Security of Marriage!

Song of Solomon 8

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

Did you know that for a marriage certificate to be valid, it must be signed and sealed? But the real security of marriage is through the presence of God being in the couple’s love, as highlighted in Song of Solomon 8:6-7:

Put me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, jealousy is as severe as Sheol; its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the Lord. Many waters cannot quench love, nor will rivers overflow it; if a man were to give all the riches of his house for love, it would be utterly despised.

This is the only reference to God within the Song of Solomon. The phrase, “the very flame of the LORD,” emphasizes the point of his book, as expressed by a commentator, “Love is represented here as a force which is able to overcome the negative forces that threaten the very existence of the world and mankind. In other words, Love gains the victory over chaos and creates wholesome order and life.”^[1] There is only one who can secure you in such an embrace of love, and it’s not your spouse. It’s God, and the very real experience of human love, between a man and a woman, for which this book poetically celebrates, is a mere reflection of God’s perfect love. God has secured your relationship with Him through Jesus’ sacrificial love, as John taught in 1 John 4:9, “By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.” When you are finding marriage difficult, remember the security of God’s union with you, and love your spouse as Christ first loved you (Ephesians 5:25-27).

Seize the moment and trust God for His gift of love – “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:11).

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.

FOOTNOTE:

The Commitment of Marriage!

Song of Solomon 7

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

There is a myth I am fond of busting when I officiate weddings. The myth is that the very act of getting married fulfills the participants and they live happily ever after. Life is not a fairy tale; the reality is that marriage is like an empty box that must be filled with the things each partner hopes to receive from the other, such as intimacy, friendship, and forgiveness. The key to a successful marriage is that each participant must make the daily commitment to put more into the box than they take out of it. If you want intimacy, you must demonstrate love and respect. If you want friendship, you must invest the time to be a friend. If you want forgiveness, you must show mercy and give grace.

Whereas marriage is a commitment you make, love is the fertile field that you must cultivate deeply and sow good seed, so that you may bear good fruit. Song of Solomon 7:10-13 describes a very intentional cultivation of love in the marriage of Solomon and the Shulammite:

I am my beloved’s, and his desire is for me. Come, my beloved, let us go out into the country, let us spend the night in the villages. Let us rise early and go to the vineyards; let us see whether the vine has budded and its blossoms have opened, and whether the pomegranates have bloomed. There I will give you my love. The mandrakes have given forth fragrance; and over our doors are all choice fruits, both new and old, which I have saved up for you, my beloved.

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 HEREto visit the page.

Seize the Moment – Day 1362

Today’s song focus will be

Hark the Herald Angels Sing

 Luke 2:13-14 (NASB95).           

And suddenly there appeared with the angel

a multitude of the heavenly host

praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King”

Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled.

We need to wake up and join with the angels in proclaiming the first message of good news or the Gospel to those around us that are still in need of its powerful message. If you give no other gift this Christmas season, give the message of God’s love for all who will receive it.

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 Ken reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.

If you would like to listen to this song, click on this link:

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

The Exclusivity of Marriage!

Song of Solomon 6

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

Pastors often quote the words of Jesus, after the pronouncement of husband and wife, “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate” (Matthew 19:6). Exclusivity is the practice of excluding or not admitting other things. Unique to our marital vows is the promise of exclusivity – I choose you! In saying yes to the one, you are saying no to every other person. In the beautiful words of the Shulammite about Solomon in Song of Solomon 6:3a, “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine” (cf. 2:16).

The husband-wife relationship is intended to be an exclusive embrace, which provides a firm foundation on which to build their future. Even children must be taught this, as I have instructed my children throughout their developmental years, “You can have anything that is mine, except the one thing I will not give.” My message has been consistent and clear to my children, marriage is a life-long, exclusive commitment to love your spouse, and nothing, including the beloved children, can be allowed to compromise the integrity of that commitment. The best gift you can give your children is a strong marriage.

This exclusive embrace leads to a profound mutuality because no other person is allowed to meet the needs of the other. While the husband and wife become one flesh on their wedding day, they must learn how to belong to one another, as Paul counsels in 1 Corinthians 7:3-4, “The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.”

Seize the moment and trust God for His gift of love – “be subject to one another in the fear of Christ” (Ephesians 5:21).

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.

The Mutuality of Marriage!

Song of Solomon 5

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

The mutuality of marriage is a beautiful sharing that happens between a husband and a wife when they begin to satisfy one another’s needs. It is this open sharing of one another that leads to a mutual dependence for the satisfaction of one another’s needs. This especially happens within a couple’s sexuality, which blossomed between Solomon and the Shulammite in Song of Solomon 5:1, which continues the garden imagery of the previous chapter, “I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh along with my balsam. I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey; I have drunk my wine and my milk. Eat, friends; drink and imbibe deeply, O lovers.”

The mutuality of marriage is a deep level of experience that intertwines their lives and sense of well-being – the two become one and life is not the same, ever again, without the other person. While this is a beautiful gift, it has some unintended consequences as people have expressed in the idiom, “You can’t live with him, and you can’t live without him!” This is quite the paradox, as a wife can be annoyed by her husband’s habits at home but miss him so much when he is away on a business trip that she can’t sleep. For a reason that is not explained in the book, verse 8 captures such a moment when the Shulammite goes looking for Solomon, “I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, as to what you will tell him: for I am lovesick.” She felt incomplete apart from him. Just as we feel incomplete when we live our lives apart from God.

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.

The Wedding Night!

Song of Solomon 4

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

In America, marital conflict often arises in two primary places – money and sex. The key to success is to be generous with whatever is in your power to give to your spouse. Sex in the marriage is God’s precious gift of intimacy, intended to be the consummation of the marital vows on their wedding night, twining their souls and making them one flesh. Utilizing imagery from nature, the consummation of Solomon’s marriage to the Shulammite is poetically shared in the call and response of husband and wife, starting with Solomon’s description of his new wife in Song of Solomon 4:12-15:

A garden locked is my sister, my bride, a rock garden locked, a spring sealed up. Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates with choice fruits, henna with nard plants, nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all the trees of frankincense, myrrh and aloes, along with all the finest spices. You are a garden spring, a well of fresh water, and streams flowing from Lebanon.

Solomon’s poetic wooing of his wife on their wedding night is followed by her response to him in verse 16, “Awake, O north wind, and come, wind of the south; make my garden breathe out fragrance, let its spices be wafted abroad. May my beloved come into his garden and eat its choice fruits!” This garden imagery is powerful, as it reminds us of the generous nature of God – the Sower of Matthew 13, who abundantly sows the good seed with the intent of growing the Kingdom of Heaven in humanity, so that we will bear the good fruit of the Spirit in and through our lives.

Seize the moment and trust God for His gift of love – “Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).

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.

The Wedding Day!

Song of Solomon 3

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

The wedding day is a significant event in any person’s life. Regardless of the logistical details of the events surrounding the wedding ceremony, a couple must never lose sight of the fact that their most important investments of time and energy must go into preparing themselves for their life together.

Solomon’s wedding day was approaching quickly, and the desire to be with one another was growing in intensity. The Shulammite was experiencing the natural insecurities that happen to a person right before their wedding day, so she went searching for her beloved, yearning to make him her own (1-4). This was a precarious moment, where patience and self-control were warranted. As a lady in waiting, she cried out in Song of Solomon 3:5, “I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the hinds of the field, that you will not arouse or awaken my love until she pleases” (cf. 2:7). She knew that the integrity of her vow, which would be consummated on their wedding night, must be proven by her character leading up to it. She desired to present herself to her husband as a “holy and blameless” bride, just as we desire to do the same for our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:25-27).

The wedding day finally arrived with the procession of Solomon in all his grandeur as the king (6-11). This was the moment she had yearned for, and she was rewarded by her beloved’s “gladness of heart” on their wedding day (11). We, too, yearn for when we will be presented to the King “as a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 19:7-8; 21:2). May you be found holy and blameless on the day of Christ Jesus.

Seize the moment and trust God for His gift of love – “And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3).

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.

The Anticipation of Love!

Song of Solomon 2

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, December 4.

Do you remember anticipating your wedding day? Maybe you’re still waiting for such a love to come into your life. If so, be wise in how you wait because love is a powerful source of energy. Solomon’s fiancée, the Shulammite, expressed her eagerness to marry Solomon in Song of Solomon 2:3-6:

Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest, so is my beloved among the young men. In his shade I took great delight and sat down, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. He has brought me to his banquet hall, and his banner over me is love. Sustain me with raisin cakes, refresh me with apples, because I am lovesick. Let his left hand be under my head and his right hand embrace me.

Kimberly and I wed in 1999, at Fayetteville Christian Church, outside of Fort Bragg, North Carolina. We met at the church when we were both serving in the 82^nd Airborne Division. In anticipation of our wedding day, Kimberly turned down a promotion, sacrificially making the decision to end her time in the US Army so that we could get married without the complication of both of us being in the service. With this significant gesture of love and hopefulness, Kimberly allowed me to raise my banner of love over her, trusting that I would provide for her well-being in the future. In response, I eagerly wrapped my arms around her and pledged myself to her as we anticipated our wedding day. Decades later, I am in awe of the gift of God’s love to sustain us in the radical decisions we made for one another, which set us on the path we still walk today.

Seize the moment and trust God for His gift of love – “walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us” (Ephesians 5:2).

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.

O Little Town of Bethlehem

 Matthew 2:6 (NASB95)           

“‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,

Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah;

For out of you shall come forth a Ruler

Who will shepherd My people Israel.’”

Written in 1868 by Phillips Brooks, it was originally created as a Christmas hymn for the Sunday School Children at Holy Trinity Church, after he had taken a pilgrimage on horseback from Jerusalem to Bethlehem on Christmas Eve. Louise H. Redner wrote the music for this song, a simple melody inspired by God late in the night just before the Christmas Eve service.

O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie;
above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.

We need to wake up and see that this song not only beautifully describes the little town asleep in that December night, but according to British Hymnologist J.R. Watson, “gracefully modulates from a description of Christmas into an examination of the meaning of Christmas; first in its encouragement of charity and faith, and then into the coming of Christ into the human heart.”  

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 Ken reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.

If you would like to listen to this song, click on this link:

O Little Town of Bethlehem

The Intoxication of Love!

Song of Solomon 1

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

The Song of Solomon, also called the Song of Songs, is about the love between a man and woman.[1] This masterful song begins during the couple’s courtship, climaxes in their marriage, and blossoms in the sacredness of marital intimacy. Different church traditions, at different times throughout church history, have preferred a less literal interpretation of this book, attempting to avoid its explicitly sexual nature by allegorizing it to symbolize the love relationship between Jesus and His church. While I believe it should be taken at face value, as a poetic celebration of the love relationship between a man and woman, as God intended it to blossom through biblical marriage, I do believe that the marriage union, in and of itself, is intended to symbolize something greater. As Paul concluded in his teaching on Christian marriage in Ephesians 5:32, “This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.”  

Solomon captures the intoxication of new love, such as has been described by the poets and song writers of every generation. The intoxication of love is a universal experience because it is a good gift from God, built into our design as men and women. The opening lines, Song of Solomon 1:2, illustrate their passionate pursuit of love in one another’s embrace, “May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine.” Have you ever been drunk on love, intoxicated by the all-consuming embrace of another? Have you ever lost sight of everything else in your life as you gazed into the person’s eyes? This is the kind of love that Solomon was describing in his song – a passionate all-consuming love. Does it excite you to think of such a love?

Seize the moment and trust God for His gift of love – drink deeply of it in your marriage 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.

YOUTUBE:

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

FOOTNOTE:

Life Beyond the Sun!

Ecclesiastes 12

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

There is a purpose for your life, and to understand it, you must return to the beginning of the big story of God and His creative intent in making humanity – “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27). When we understand this, then we realize that we will not be satisfied with any vain conceit or selfish ambition under the sun, only with the fulfillment of our created design. You were redeemed to reflect the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).

The Preacher’s conclusion sought to understand the purpose of life when confronted with the futility of all things under the sun. In Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, he gave us a profound truth that is the key to not only understanding his book, but the meaning of life, “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.” The Moody Bible Commentary summarizes about the Preacher’s conclusion:

As image bearers, to fear and obey God is at the core of what it means to be human. … But if that is not enough, the narrator then gave a second, more negative reason: God’s final judgment (v. 14). … Only the fool would not fear and obey Him. Ultimately then the only place to find meaning in this meaningless life under the sun is in the One who is beyond life under the sun: God Himself.^[1]

Seize the moment and live life beyond the sun by reflecting the glory of the Son, who is the eternal light by which all God’s children will dwell forever – “And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb” (Revelation 21:23).

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.

FOOTNOTE:

Reap a Harvest of Praise!

Ecclesiastes 11

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

I have had the privilege of living amongst farmers for the last fourteen years; they are a hardworking people of great faith. Every citizen of every nation should give thanks to God for our farmers. They labor according to the faithful strategy of all hardworking farmers, by which they hope to produce a large crop yield:

Faithful farmers work hard in every step of this strategy, but they know that it is only by God’s activity that they can produce any crop yield from their efforts. They intimately understand the Preacher’s admonition from Ecclesiastes 11:3-6:

If the clouds are full, they pour out rain upon the earth; and whether a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, wherever the tree falls, there it lies. He who watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap. Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things. Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.

In the same way, we are to work hard at bearing the eternal fruit of God’s harvest, knowing that it is God at work in us through His Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence (John 15:1-5; Philippians 2:12-13).

Seize the moment and reap a harvest of praise to God – “Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God” (2 Corinthians 9:10-11).

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.

FOOTNOTE:

Hone Your Skills!

Ecclesiastes 10

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

If you look both ways before you cross the street, you will not get hit by a car. If you don’t back a dog into a corner, you will not get bit. If you work hard, you will get a good return for your efforts. Unfortunately, these axioms are not true all the time. There are no guarantees in life, even when you apply wisdom to it. Life happens because that is the reality of living under the sun. The Preacher emphasized this predicament in Ecclesiastes 10:8-10:

He who digs a pit may fall into it, and a serpent may bite him who breaks through a wall. He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and he who splits logs may be endangered by them. If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success.

Even though you and I aren’t in control of all outcomes, as only God knows how something will turn out, we are invited to hone our skills for godly living. We are to apply wisdom to all that we do because there are inherent dangers in all tasks under the sun. Whether working in landscaping, building, quarrying, or logging, the key is to apply wisdom by honing the skills of your chosen trade, just like a logger must sharpen his axe if he hopes to be effective.

Jesus is calling you to represent Him as a “minister of reconciliation,” as an “ambassador for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:17-20). Your vocation, regardless of your occupation, is to be Christ-like, in word and deed. There’s only one way to be successful in this work: get in His easy yoke and learn from Him how to be like Him (Matthew 11:28-30).

Seize the moment and hone your skills for godly living; sharpen your axe by being with Him!

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.

Work for God’s Reward!

Ecclesiastes 9

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

Have you ever been skipped over for a promotion, turned down for a job, or overlooked at a time of recognition? I have experienced this bitter disappointment, but I have learned that we must not allow ourselves to be consumed by a need for other people’s approval. Such a compulsion will lead you out of the way of Jesus, and into the path of people pleasing.

Wisdom will not always be rewarded in this life. Therefore, your motivation to be wise and live righteously must go beyond your desire for financial compensations, personal successes, or social notorieties. In Ecclesiastes 9:14-18, the Preacher tells a story that points to the power of wisdom, while also capturing its lack of reward under the sun:

There was a small city with few men in it and a great king came to it, surrounded it and constructed large siegeworks against it. But there was found in it a poor wise man and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man. So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the wisdom of the poor man is despised and his words are not heeded. The words of the wise heard in quietness are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

A wise person is compelled to live for a greater glory (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). Paul commanded in Colossians 3:23-24, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”

Seize the moment and work for God’s reward! Live for the applause of Jesus’ nail-scarred hands, not for the approval of man (Galatians 1:10).

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.

Seize the Moment – Day 1348

Today’s song focus will be

Give Thanks to God

Psalm 136:1 (NASB95)

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.”

Co-written with his good friend Allan McKinlay, Peter Crockett wanted to write a song that would reflect the liturgical writing of Psalm 136 that could be spontaneously sung, or spoken or prayed. It was his plan to bring the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers into the congregational time of worship in song.

We need to wake up and remember that each of us are to enter His gates with thanksgiving in our hearts by thanking Him for specific situations and things He has done in our lives.

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 Ken reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.

If you would like to listen to this song, click on this link:

Give Thanks to God

Surrender!

Ecclesiastes 8

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

There is much in life that you and I cannot control. How does that make you feel? The problem is, if you refuse to believe this, you will seek to be powerful in an all-consuming effort to protect yourself from that which you perceive threatens you, or those you love. You will do what is right in your own eyes, and, eventually, all your effort will be in vain, a chasing after the wind. The Preacher knew this human predicament, explaining in Ecclesiastes 8:6-8:

For there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a man’s trouble is heavy upon him. If no one knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen? No man has authority to restrain the wind with the wind, or authority over the day of death; and there is no discharge in the time of war, and evil will not deliver those who practice it.

There is a remedy, and, surprisingly, it is not trying harder to be in control. It’s surrendering all to a God who is Sovereign, who knows all your tomorrows. James 4:13-16 explains how we should approach each day:

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.

The more success you experience by your own strength, the more enslaved you become to your own frailty. This run-around will fail you in the end, as we all must face death one day.

Seize the moment and surrender your lack of control by choosing to trust God in all circumstances!

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.

Soften Your Heart!

Ecclesiastes 7

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

I am honored to preside over wedding ceremonies; they are fun-filled joyful occasions. Moreso, I’m privileged to conduct the premarital counseling in preparation for the big day. My greatest hope is to influence the couple for eternity through the marriage preparation process. With that said, I have a confession to make, I prefer to officiate funerals. Before you stop reading, hear me out. People are more open to God, and hearing about spiritual realities, when they are confronted with their own mortality by the pain of grief. While I feel honored to serve a family for whatever occasion they call upon me, I have found that people, in general, are far more receptive to the gospel of Jesus Christ in times of sorrow, as compared to times of celebration. The Preacher explained this phenomenon in Ecclesiasts 7:2-5:

It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for when a face is sad a heart may be happy. The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, while the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure. It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man than for one to listen to the song of fools.

We are a culture that strives to emotionally insulate ourselves from pain and suffering, especially by avoiding death and dying. In doing so, we are hardening our hearts to the urgency of spiritual realities and decreasing our capacities to respond to God’s mercy and grace. Embrace grief; it opens a part of your soul that is normally closed off by the hustle and bustle of everyday 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.

Live for Eternity!

Ecclesiastes 6

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

In the last week, I have preached three times in the New Castle Correctional Facility. There are 3,200 souls living behind bars there, each of whom has learned, or is learning, the extraordinary worth of a single day under the sun. What’s it going to take for you to realize the supreme value of the gift of today? Are you going to seize the moment by living for eternity today?

The prison chapel was packed and many of the men were leaning forward in their seats as I unpacked the power of the opening phrase of Romans 12:1, “Therefore, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God.” After proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ to them, I asked, “How are you going to respond to God’s mercies?” There is a purpose for this life that goes beyond your desire to maximize pleasure, comfort, and ease, and that purpose carries eternal implications, as Hebrews 9:27 mercifully warns, “It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.”

Where will you be after your time under the sun is gone? In Ecclesiastes 6:12, the Preacher expresses the urgency of our shortened life spans, “For who knows what is good for a man during his lifetime, during the few years of his futile life? He will spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?” The days are short, but eternity is so very long!

Jesus teaches us to invest our fleeting days wisely, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)

Seize the moment and live for eternity! You are guaranteed a great return on your investment.

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.

Keep Your Promises!

Ecclesiastes 5

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

Do you struggle with overcommitting your schedule or your money? Do you go back on previous commitments to take advantage of new opportunities that appear to be better to you? Are you struggling with FOMO – the fear of missing out? Jesus commanded in Matthew 5:37, “Let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.” In Ecclesiasts 5:4-7, the Preacher teaches the importance of not breaking your promises to God:

When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow! It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Do not let your speech cause you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands? For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness. Rather, fear God.

Be warned about making rash vows to God because of the excitement of the moment. Be cautious about saying you will do something to another person, only to learn that you can’t keep that commitment and go back on your word. I have done this, often with pure motives and sincere excitement at first, only to experience the consequences of a broken relationship. It’s better to not make the commitment in the first place. Overcommitting your calendar or checkbook, even with well-intentioned opportunities, hinders the work of God within you because you are not able to let your yes be yes, and your no be no. It is best to live a quiet life filled with integrity, than an overcommitted life filled with broken relationships.

Seize the moment and experience the joy of missing out (JOMO) by keeping your promises to God and others.

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.

Invest in Friendship!

Ecclesiastes 4

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

Friendships are an integral part of life. It’s important to invest in friends because no one can experience human flourishing apart from friendship. God designed us this way – to love and be loved. Sorry, I know it’s hard, but there are no exceptions to this rule. None of us plan on receiving a cancer diagnosis, or losing our loved one in an accident, or experiencing the devastation of a house fire, but in all three cases, having friends walk with us through the valley of the shadow is essential. We need friends! Often in difficult times, we want to push people away from us, but a friend will stick closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). In Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, Solomon expresses the importance of having trustworthy friends in your life:

Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

Do you have people who know you and will check on you when you don’t show up to school, work, or church? Can you name a single person who has permission to look you in your eyes and hold you accountable to your decisions? Without you biting his or her head off? If you don’t have a friend like this, then I encourage you to start praying for one to two people to come into your life. Make this a priority. The best way to find such friends is to be one!

Seize the moment and invest in friendship by being a good friend 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.

YOUTUBE:

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