The blog contains daily devotions and notes from the weekly messages.  We encourage you to review the notes during the sermon or through the week!  Most of the posts will have an audio and/or video link at the end of the notes.  From time to time the pastors will share other insights and devotions here.
 
Click HERE to go to our YouTube channel in order to see video versions of these blogs.  You can also reach the videos from within each blog page.  We are still working to complete the videos.  We are currently done with the New Testament and are up through the book of Job in the Old Testament.
 

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Today’s Final Christmas Hymn:  Joy to the World

Seize the Moment – Day 291

Today’s Final Christmas Hymn:  Joy to the World

 
 “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
    break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
    with the lyre and the sound of melody!
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
    make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!” (ESV)

 

“Joy to the world” is perhaps an unlikely popular Christmas hymn. First of all, it is based on a psalm, and, second, it celebrates Christ’s second coming much more than the first.
 
This favorite Christmas hymn is the result of a collaboration of at least three people:  English poet and clergy, Isaac Watts, composer of Handel’s Messiah:  George Frederick Handel, and Boston music educator, Lowell Mason. These men lived almost a century from each other, yet their work brought about this glorious song.

 

As we approach a new year, we need to look for opportunities to bring this message of joy to a world that is in desperate need of it. Yes, we can pull from the past, but we must make the most of the present to ensure that we are looking forward to the future that God has in store for us.

 

Wake up and be determined each day to seek God first and start the day with remembering that no matter how dark the night was, JOY comes in the morning!

 

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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 

Joy to the World

 
1
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive its king;
let ev’ry heart prepare him room,
and heav’n and nature sing,
and heav’n and nature sing,
and heav’n, and heav’n and nature sing.
 
2
Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let all their songs employ
while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
 
3
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
nor thorns infest the ground.
He comes to make his blessings flow
far as the curse is found,
far as the curse is found,
far as, far as the curse is found.
 
4
He rules the world with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness,
and wonders of his love,
and wonders of his love,
 
 
If you would like to hear the melody played, click on this link:
 
 
 
 

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2 Timothy 3

Seize the Moment – Day 290

The Word of God!

2 Timothy 3

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, January 1, 2021, the eighth Day of Christmas and New Year’s Day. Happy New Year!

 

Paul exhorts his disciple Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

 

Over the years of the hard and messy hands-on work of helping people in their very real situations in a very broken world, I have been deeply converted to the power of God’s Word: not as a propositional truth, but as a living truth. When my words go dry, there is a deep well of wisdom in the Bible. When a situation presents itself with no hope, there is still reason to hope in Jesus.

 

The Bible accurately diagnoses and effectively treats us. We each need the right kind of help and we each can get world-class care from the Wonderful Counselor and Mighty Physician. Turn to Jesus today, open His love letter to you (the Bible), and find rest for your souls. As He quiets the storm inside of you, you will see a new way through your circumstances. The Word of God does not return void—it illuminates the Way to peace and wholeness!

 

Seize the moment and start the New Year right, by recommitting yourself and your family to daily time with Jesus by opening your Bible to read and pray God’s Word.

 

Lord, you teach us that your word will never return void so I pray that you will plant the good seeds of your word deep into the hearts and minds of each person listening. Bear good fruit in them, deliver and rescue them, heal and transform their lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 
 
 

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2 Timothy 2

Seize the Moment – Day 289

Pursue the Deeper Life with Jesus!

2 Timothy 2

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, December 31, the seventh Day of Christmas. Enjoy your last day of 2020 and let’s welcome in the new year with prayer and fasting for God’s grace to pour down upon our church & families, communities and country. May God lead each of us into the deeper life with Jesus. 

 

You have heard of “stop, drop, and roll” when you are on fire. Well I say to you: “stop, turn away, and run into the arms of Jesus” when you are finding yourself struggling in life.

 

Paul teaches us in 2 Timothy 2:22-26, “So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.”

 

The Bible diagnoses us as having been given over to our passions and desires and that “breeds quarrels” within us! When you desire for something/anything more than God, there is war! When you desire to break your promises with others in hopes of finding personal fulfillment, there is war! When you struggle to love and trust, there is war!

 

There is only one hope for victory and He is the living hope—our hope is found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ!

 

Decide today: (1) move away from what “breeds quarrels” (STOP!); (2) flee from all immorality (TURN AWAY!); and (3) Pursue Jesus Christ—righteousness, faith, love, and peace (RUN INTO THE ARMS OF JESUS)!

 

Seize the moment and make it your all-consuming ambition in the New Year to live a victorious life for God by pursuing the deeper life with Jesus Christ.

 
 

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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 
 
 

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2 Timothy 1

Seize the Moment – Day 288

The Priority at Home!

2 Timothy 1

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, December 30, the sixth Day of Christmas.

 

What are the priorities of your home life?

 

Listen to 2 Timothy 1:5-7, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

 

Paul is reminded of Timothy’s sincere faith; a faith that now dwells in him, but started in his childhood home. Even though Paul and Timothy grew up in very different circumstances and cultures, Paul praised Timothy’s upbringing because it was one of faith.

 

Timothy’s preparations for ministry began in the home.

 

So often in American culture, we are expected to fill kids’ time with new experiences and activities, ensuring they have every opportunity now in hopes they will be successful in the future.

 

But do we neglect the simple things that our children really need: a home that is a sanctuary of faith, hope, and love. A home that is a safe place where they feel secure, where their souls can find rest, where their minds and hearts are guarded by the peace of God. A home that is filled with the care and concern that comes from God through our healthy relationships.

 

I often say to couples I work with, the best thing you can give your children is a healthy marriage.

 

If you desire to give your kids the very best, then make your home a safe place of refuge and protection. Not to hide them from the world, but a place of intentional preparation for what is to come: a life of service to Jesus Christ.

 

Children learn by watching the adults in their lives.

 

Seize the moment and prioritize Jesus in your life and home today.

 

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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 
 
 

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1 Timothy 6

Seize the Moment – Day 287

Godliness with Contentment!

1 Timothy 6

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, December 29, the fifth Day of Christmas.

 

Are you content?

 

Paul states in 1 Timothy 6:6, “But godliness with contentment is great gain.”

 

When you look at the context of this verse, we learn that we are to pursue “godliness”, which is Christlikeness—the work of the Holy Spirit in us to conform us into the image of Christ, restoring us as the Image Bearers of God to the world, while remaining content in the midst of both religious (vv. 3-5) and worldly power plays (vv. 7-10), both of which lead to discontentment.

 

Then, Paul writes in verses 11-16, “But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.”

 

Seize the moment and pursue a growing relationship with Jesus with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength. This is the great gain of godliness with contentment in all things. When we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, Jesus promises to lead us into His abundant life.

 

 
 

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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 
 
 

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1 Timothy 5

Seize the Moment – Day 286

The Basics of the Christian Life!

1 Timothy 5

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, December 28, the fourth Day of Christmas.

When I was in the Army, we would conduct the basic infantry “battle drills” all the time. The battle drills are the building blocks of individual skills and responsibilities on the battlefield—how to shoot, move, and communicate. Battle drills were drilled into us because people tend to forget how to do the basics well when under stress.

 

As your pastor, I need to lead you through battle drills of the Christian life, so that we do the basics well, like the golden rule of Jesus, even when we are under stress. 

 

As I read my Bible this morning, I am reminded of the simple wisdom of getting back to the basics. Paul said to Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:1-2, “Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.”

 

Here are a few basics for us to remember on how to do life:

  1. Do not “rebuke” (be harsh with) the elderly, but rather “encourage” them (advocate for them and build them up). Treat older men as you would your father and older women as your mother. In other words, honor the elderly in our midst for their wisdom and life experiences.
  2. Treat people who are your own age and younger as your brothers and sisters: ”in all purity.” In other words, do not objectify and use one another, but see the value and worth in one another as human beings and treat each other accordingly.
  3. We are to practice these basics continuously in the church, but we are to extend these graces to others. What a great witness that would be to our world today!

 

Seize the moment and get back to the basics in 2021. Practice the golden rule in every part of your life so that when stress comes, it is only love and the fruit of the Spirit that come out of you in word and deed.

 
 

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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 
 
 

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The Promises of Christmas (Week 5)

Happy New Year!

“The Promise of God Making All Things New!”

2 Corinthians 5:14-21 & Revelation 21:1-8 (NAS95)

 

One of the promises of Christmas is that God is actively working to make all things new. It is His work!

 

In Luke 1:30-33, a messenger from Heaven announced a kingdom that will have no end:

 

The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”

 

This will be the kingdom of the Messiah and the angel is referencing the messianic prophecy of Isaiah 9:6-7:

 

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.

 

Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote of these promises of Christmas during some of the darkest days of world history when a tyrannical empire was attempting to destroy all that was good upon the earth:

 

The authority of this poor child will grow (Isa. 9:7). It will encompass all the earth, and knowingly or unknowingly, all human generations until the end of the ages will have to serve it. It will be an authority over the hearts of people, but thrones and great kingdoms will also grow strong or fall apart with this power. The mysterious, invisible authority of the divine child over human hearts is more solidly grounded than the visible and resplendent power of earthly rulers. Ultimately all authority on earth must serve only the authority of Jesus Christ over humankind. With the birth of Jesus, the great kingdom of peace has begun. Is it not a miracle that where Jesus has really become Lord over people, peace reigns? That there is one Christendom on the whole earth, in which there is peace in the midst of the world? Only where Jesus is not allowed to reign—where human stubbornness, defiance, hate, and avarice are allowed to live on unbroken—can there be no peace. Jesus does not want to set up his kingdom of peace by force, but where people willingly submit themselves to him and let him rule over them, he will give them his wonderful peace.[1]

 

What was Bonhoeffer’s hope in the midst of Hitler’s regime? It was the Christ child and His kingdom of peace. As Paul says in Philippians 2:10-11,
 
“every knee shall bow… and every tongue confess…” .

 

Through Christmas, God promises to make all things new, but as Bonhoeffer noted, this something new actively opposes the old order of things—diametrically opposed to human stubbornness, defiance, hate, and avarice, which is greed and covetousness. This new thing that God promises will require each person to choose for themselves if they want Jesus’ kingdom of peace to be birthed in them.

 

One of the great promises of Christmas is that Jesus came to bring something new to the world—in us and then through us. Listen to Paul explain this in 2 Corinthians 5:14-21,

 

For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. [emphasis added] Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

 

This morning, as we prepare to enter into the New Year of 2021, I invite you to find your peace, hope, love, and joy by becoming a new creation in Christ Jesus and then learning to live in union with Him as a new creation. No longer entrust your peace or hope, your love or joy in the counterfeit promises of the world. After the chaos and emptiness of 2020, do not expect anything but Jesus to bring order to and fill 2021. If there is anything we should have learned in 2020 is that there is only One who can give us peace and hope.

 

To experience the promises of God given to us in this kingdom of Jesus, you must be born again, as Jesus states in John 3:3,
 
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

 

To be born again means we must be converted, through faith and repentance, into something different than we were—born into something new, something other than we were. Paul teaches us in Titus 3:3-7,

 

For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life (cf. Ephesians 2:1-10).

 

It is good news to know that we can have a new beginning when we come to Jesus Christ and are filled with His Holy Spirit—the presence of God in us, eternal life, here and now. Being born again is just the beginning of this new life, which is eternal life—Jesus Christ is the “doorway to all the promises and blessings of God.”[2] We are now called to live in them as citizens of a new kingdom. We are to repent and believe. 

 

Just as Jesus preached in Mark 1:15,
 
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

 

Jesus ushered in something new—the fulfillment of God’s promises. Paul explained Jesus’ words in Galatians 4:4-7,

 

But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.

 

Jesus knew that His coming, the first Christmas, was the ushering in of the fullness of time when the Old Covenant would be fulfilled with the institution of the New Covenant between God and humanity.

 

Listen to Ezekiel 36:26-27 point to the New Covenant 600 years before Jesus,
 
“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances” (cf. Jeremiah 31:33–34; Ezekiel 11:19–20; 18:31–32).

 

Jesus has done this! We are now living in the New Covenant with Jesus Christ as the only means by which any person can enter what He has made new. As Jesus proclaimed of Himself in John 10:9-10,
 
“I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

 

Acts 3:18-21 recorded this as the message of the early New Testament church:

 

“But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time (cf. Acts 10:38-44).

 

What is this “period of restoration of all things” that the earliest preachers of the gospel focused their message? It is their very hope—the fulfillment of what Jesus ushered in that first Christmas 2025 years ago in 4 or 5 BC—the rule of God on the earth itself in what the Bible calls the New Heaven and New Earth. This is our hope and our message. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:19,
 
“If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.”

 

It is God on His throne in Heaven who has given us these magnificent and precious promises of His fulfilled kingdom in Revelation 21:3-8:

 

And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

 

Never forget the words of the angel spoken to Mary, “His kingdom will have no end.” And in this kingdom Jesus promises, “Behold, I am making all things new.” This begins in you at your conversion, but it is not completed until His consummation. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this!

 

Jesus invites you to be a part of it! Jesus taught us to pray with these words from Matthew 6:10, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.” This is the prayer Jesus taught us to pray. May it be done in us and through us, now and forevermore, in and through 2021 and until that Day.
 
 

Footnotes:

 

[1] Dietrich Bonhoeffer, God Is in the Manger: Reflections on Advent and Christmas, ed. Jana Riess, trans. O. C. Dean Jr., First edition. (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010), 68.

[2] Mike Beaumont and Martin Manser, The Handbook of Bible Promises, 2020, 75.
 
 
 

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Christmas Hymn: Away in a Manger

Seize the Moment – Day 284

Today’s Christmas Hymn:  Away in a Manger

Matthew 2:6          
 
“‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
    who will shepherd my people Israel.’” (ESV)

 

“Away In A Manger” is one of the most popular Christmas carols and yet, its history has been obscured behind false information for a long time. James Murray published the song in 1887, making reference to the words and melody as being inspired by Martin Luther in a lullaby that he sang to his family. It’s rise to fame was not based upon that connection, but rather the melody that was easy to sing and the words that brought peace and comfort to those who sang them.

 

Reflecting the simple beginnings of our Lord’s arrival to earth and being born in a stable, this song paints the picture for us to see as you sing…

 

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus, laid down His sweet head, the stars in the sky look down where He lay, the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

 

While the song contains a prayer asking Jesus to stay close by, we need to remember that He promised to never leave us nor forsake us. We need to wake up and hold on to that promise, realizing that, while it is a pretty Christmas carol, the theology of the third verse is not totally accurate. Remember, if you ever have any doubt, go to God’s Word and check it out!

 
 
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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 
 
If you would like to read the words to this hymn or hear the melody played, click on this link:
 
 
1
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,
the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
 
2
The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
but little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.
I love thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky,
and stay by my side until morning is nigh.
 
3
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay
close by me forever, and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
and fit us for heaven to live with thee there.
 

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1 Timothy 4

Seize the Moment – Day 282

Train Yourself for Godliness!

1 Timothy 4

 

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

 

It’s Christmas Eve! Join us tonight for our 6:30 pm Christmas Eve Service. You don’t want to miss this beautiful time of worship. May you have a wonderful day, today, the eve of our celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ!

 

Have you ever met someone who lives in the past—a person who feels that the best is behind them and doesn’t have hope for the future?

 

Paul teaches us in 1 Timothy 4:7b-10, “Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.”

 

I can testify to you that physical training does have a season of glory, whether that season ends in high school, college, in the Olympics or professional sports, but there is a day where even the most celebrated athlete’s career must come to an end. And as the sun sets on any athletic season, what do those athletes have left? Who are they apart from their accomplishments and accolades?

 

Here is the good news: When we train ourselves in godliness, the best is always yet to come!  The glory days are never behind us, but always before us! When you train yourself according to the Word of God, the living God sets before you a future that has the truest and highest honor of being welcomed into the Victor’s Circle of Heaven (1 Corinthians 9:25).

 

Seize the moment and train yourself in godliness. This way, you’ll always have your best days ahead of 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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 
 
 

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1 Timothy 3

Seize the Moment – Day 281

The Mystery of Godliness!

1 Timothy 3

 

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

 

Have you ever noticed Paul’s beautiful doxology, or song of praise, at the end of 1 Timothy 3?

 

Listen to it in verse 16, “Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body; was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.”

 

This was an early creed of the New Testament Church—used to teach their faith and shape their communities.

 

The mystery of godliness is Jesus’ miraculous birth and perfect life, His sacrificial death and victorious resurrection, His triumphant ascension and imminent second coming. We are to proclaim this!

 

The mystery of godliness was made visible to us in the miracle of Christmas. It is revealed in the incarnation—that the God who is Spirit would dwell fully in human flesh as a baby.

 

God chose to reveal His majesty to us as one of us in a particular form and in a specific time and space. God became one of us, as a human baby and became completely dependent on His creatures for His care and well-being, for His survival…

 

God continues to trust us to fulfill His mission to preach the good news of His coming to the world so that all the nations can know what is the mystery of godliness.

 

Seize the moment and “Go tell it on the mountain / Over the hills and everywhere / Go tell it on the mountain / Our Jesus Christ is born.”

 

 
 

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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 
 
 

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1 Timothy 2

Seize the Moment – Day 280

Your Top Civic Responsibility!

1 Timothy 2

 

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

 

What is your top civic responsibility as a Christian?

 

This passage was written by Paul at a time when the Roman government was far from favorable to him or the cause of the Christian Church. In fact, the authorities he is talking about in this passage have imprisoned him and would soon kill him for his faith. Understanding this should change the way we read this passage; the sacrificial love it calls us to as citizens of any nation.

 

Paul commands all of us in 1 Timothy 2:1-6, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.”

 

Your top civic responsibility is to pray! And not just for the highest officials in the government, but also for those you are called to be civil with, like your neighbor or your coworker or the person sitting in across the pew from you. You are God’s person right here, right now!

 

This civic responsibility is a commanded way of life in the Bible; it is the way of having right relationships with other people, the truth of right interpretations of your circumstances, and the life of effectively expressing your faith in Jesus to the world. 

 

Seize the moment and pray! God has strategically placed you in your community to pray and live a life of sacrificial love.

 
 

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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 
 
 

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1 Timothy 1

Seize the Moment – Day 279

The Power of Testimony!

1 Timothy 1

 

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

 

This morning, I had the privilege of reviewing a 5-minute video testimony that one of our church members made for this coming Sunday’s service. Dee made this video to share God’s hope with all of us—to remind us that even when life and circumstances are hard, God is faithful and loving. I love it when people share their testimonies. It fills me with faith, hope, and love. 

 

Listen to the Apostle Paul share his testimony in 1 Timothy 1:12-17,

 

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

 

Did you see how Paul, when he finished his testimony, praised God! In remembering what God had done for him in the past, Paul was moved to thank God in the present. Paul’s testimony has been used by God to give so many people hope—that if God can love and forgive Paul, then, yes, God can love and forgive me too.

That is the power of testimony!

 

Seize the moment and share your testimony and give the gift of faith, hope, and love to another person.

 
 
 

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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 
 
 

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The Promises of Christmas (Week 4)

The 4th Sunday of Advent

“The Promise of Peace!”

Philippians 4:9, Isaiah 9:6 & Luke 2:8-14 (NAS95)

 

Let us start with the Christmas story as told by the angels to the shepherds in Luke 2:8-14,

 

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. “This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 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.”

 

This morning, we will be learning together about this promised peace that the heavenly host praising God proclaimed to those first shepherds and then came to us through the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

 

The angles emphasized in their proclamation: “With whom He is pleased.” God makes the peace with us; we don’t make the peace with Him! Peace is not man-made; it is from God! It is a gift (all of grace!) that we can even have and experience peace with God because peace was sent to us in the person of Jesus Christ! This is why He came on that first Christmas and why He died on the Cross of Calvary.

 

As Paul says of Jesus in Ephesians 2:14,
 
“For He Himself is our peace.”

 

Jesus came as the One to fulfill God’s covenant promises to His people. As one scholar stated, “A major feature of the Gospel record is the way it draws the reader’s attention to the fact that Jesus Christ’s earthly life fulfilled a veritable plethora of Old Testament prophecies, some momentous, others seemingly minute.”[1]

 

One of those “veritable plethora of Old Testament prophecies” is Jesus’ birth found in Micah 5:2-5,

 

But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity. Therefore He will give them up until the time when she who is in labor has borne a child. Then the remainder of His brethren will return to the sons of Israel. And He will arise and shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God. And they will remain, because at that time He will be great to the ends of the earth. This One will be our peace.

 

Jesus made the peace with God. Paul taught in Colossians 1:19-20,
 
“For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.”

 

Jesus then gives us that peace so that we can experience our new relationship with God. Jesus promised in John 14:27,
 
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”

 

 

Peace is not just a theological construct that speaks to the mystery of your justification by grace through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Yes, Jesus has made peace between you and God so that you can, one day in some distant future, rest in peace. Heaven is a glorious truth that gives us hope, but if your only view of God’s peace is being in Heaven one day, then you have an insufficient view of God’s peace.

 

Peace is the living presence of His person in you—the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who is the 3rd Person of the Trinity, as witnessed to us by Jesus Himself in John 20:20-21,
 
“‘Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.’ And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’”

 

Paul built upon Jesus’ teaching of this experiential truth in Philippians 4:6-9,

 

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

 

God’s peace guards your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus and, listen closely, “the God of peace will be with you”: He establishes His government in you, which is the Kingdom of God. Listen to another one of those “veritable plethora of Old Testament prophecies” of Jesus’ birth, a very familiar one, found in Isaiah 9:6-7:

 

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.

 

You have heard this prophecy every Christmas for years, but did you hear the connection of His government and peace. The Prince of Peace is the King of kings and the Lord of lords and there will be no end to His government or His peace. That’s a promise! It is His zeal that accomplishes this in and through us!

 

God grows peace in our lives because His peace in us and His government over us are defining characteristics of our new life in Christ as the adopted children of the King; the citizens of Heaven.

 

Paul emphasizes the rule of Messiah in the life of a Christian in Colossians 3:15,
 
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.”

 

Peace is a ruling reality of the government of God in your life and the more you submit to God’s sovereign rule over you, the more of His peace you will experience. Peace is a “fruit” of the indwelling Holy Spirit and we all know that fruit is only produced because the branch is connected to the life-giving source of all fruit. Abiding in the vine is submission to His government—it’s absolute dependence on Him!

 

Listen to Paul explain this to you in Galatians 5:18-25:

 

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

 

Fruit is designed to grow, to mature, to ripen and that happens in three ways in the Christian life:

 

 

1. Peace grows as you learn to trust (put your faith in) God:

 

Paul promises in Romans 15:13,
 
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (NIV).

 

Proverbs 3:5-8 teaches us how to do this:
 
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.”

 

 

2. Peace grows as you learn to love God’s Word:

 

Psalm 119:165 promises,
 
“Those who love Your law have great peace, And nothing causes them to stumble.”

 

Isaiah 48:18 promises,
 
“If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea” (NIV).

 

 

3.  Peace grows as you learn to walk in the Spirit:

 

Isaiah 32:17 explains,
 
“And the work of righteousness will be peace, and the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.”

 

Paul teaches us in Romans 14:17,
 
“for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

 

We are to mature in Christ and that means that we are to not only have peace with God, but grow in God’s peace and the peace of God will be with us. Once again, we see that the promises of God come with a praxis—a way of experiencing the fulfillment of promise as a part of our everyday lives.

 

A leader in our church testified to me about peace: “The peace that comes from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit can possibly be identified as the ‘thing’ that sets followers of Christ apart. You often hear conversion stories where the new follower says they met someone who was just ‘different.’ I think it’s this ‘peace that passes understanding’ (Philippians 4:7) that sets us apart and makes us stand out as different from the world.”

 

We are to walk in the promises of Christmas so that our lives proclaim Jesus Christ, the reason for the season—the Immanuel, God with us!
 

Footnotes:

 

[1] M. S. Mills, The Life of Christ: A Study Guide to the Gospel Record (Dallas, TX: 3E Ministries, 1999).

 
 

You can listen to the message here:

 

You can watch to the message HERE.

 

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Christmas Hymn: I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day

Seize the Moment – Day 277

Christmas Hymn: I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day

 
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.   (ESV)

 

Finding peace in a time of turmoil or tragedy is difficult for most of us. But Henry Wadsworth Longfellow did exactly that in his writing of the Christmas carol “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.”
 
He found himself widowed for a second time, raising five children and caring for his oldest son, Charley, who had been shot during a battle in the Civil War, and while he survived, he came home to recover, all during the Christmas season.
 
He was outside when he heard the Christmas bells ringing. The world as he knew it was tearing itself apart in civil war. It didn’t seem like there was much peace on earth or goodwill towards men. But he held strong to the promises of God’s hope, peace and goodwill.

 

Then pealed the bells, more loud and deep: God is not dead,

nor doth He sleep; the Wrong shall fail, the Right prevail

with peace on earth, good will to men.”

 
Wake up and realize that it is not our current situations that determine the outcome, but rather how we hold on to the promises God has given us. What makes the baby in the manger so amazing is the fact that the cross and His death and resurrection were in the shadows of His future, yet He came to bring us the Light of His love, joy, grace and peace that could only come from God’s Son.
  
 
 
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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 
 
If you would like to read the words to this hymn or hear the melody played, click on this link:
 
 

I heard the bells on Christmas day

 
1
I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace of earth, good will to men.
 
2
I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along th’unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
 
3
And in despair I bowed my head:
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”
 
4
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men.”
5 Till, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
 

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2 Thessalonians 3

Seize the Moment – Day 276

Perseverance!

2 Thessalonians 3

 

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

 

Do you have perseverance?

 

Paul prayed this for the followers of Jesus in 2 Thessalonians 3:5, “May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.” The NIV says it this way, “May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.”

 

What is perseverance?

 

Biblically, perseverance is endurance in spite of opposition. It’s both the condition of and the action of steadfastness. That is why Paul not only prays for this condition to be in the saints of God, but also then commands them in verse 13, “brethren, do not grow weary of doing good.”

 

Remember how Paul started his 2nd letter to the Thessalonians with these words from 1:3-4, “We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater; therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.”

 

So, here is the key: perseverance is both a condition given to you by the faithfulness of God and it is also an action empowered unto you by the faithfulness of God.

 

Allow me to pray for over you Paul’s benediction in verse 16, “Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!” Amen.

 

Seize the moment and be thou at peace: The Lord will persevere in and through you. Rest in His easy yoke.

 
 

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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 
 
 

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2 Thessalonians 2

Seize the Moment – Day 275

Stand Firm in Difficult and Dark Days!

2 Thessalonians 2

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, December 17.

 

Do you need help in standing firm in difficult and dark days? Are the current events shaking your faith or distracting you from the hope we have in God’s promises?

 

Listen to Paul’s encouraging words from 2 Thessalonians 2:13-15,

 

But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

 

It is important to note that Paul gave these encouraging words after a very hard teaching on the end times in verses 1-12. Those twelve verses are sobering to all, and for many, they are confusing.

 

Please notice that the first word of verse 13, after such a difficult teaching, is “But”.

 

Paul transitions to encourage the believers: no matter what may be happening or will be happening in this world, you, beloved of God, stand firm in what God has done, is doing, and will do. Trust God, you, chosen of God, and stand firm in difficult and dark days!

 

Allow me to pray Paul’s prayer over you, from verses 16-17, “May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” Amen.

 

Seize the moment and stand firm no matter how dark or difficult the day.

 
 

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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 
 
 

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2 Thessalonians 1

Seize the Moment – Day 274

Give Thanks and Pray for One Another!

2 Thessalonians 1

 

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

 

What does it feel like to have someone in your corner: someone who believes in you and is thankful for you, someone who prays for you?

 

I think this is one of the major issues of Covid-19. We are struggling in our well-being because many of us are cut off from their normal social rhythms, like going to church. We are easy prey to the devil when we actively feed the feelings that we are alone, isolated, or unwanted.  

 

There is a solution, friend.

 

Paul starts his second letter to the believers in Thessalonica with thanksgiving for them. Listen to 2 Thessalonians 1:3, “We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.”

 

The solution is you being the church—Paul knows we are better together and it takes each of us growing in our faith for all of us to be healthy. When you pray and take the initiative to serve another, then you get blessed in return.

 

Are you feeling alone and unwanted? Rebuke that lie by calling someone and giving thanks for them today! Be a part of the solution by being a blessing today…

 

Allow me to pray Paul’s prayer over you from verses 11-12, “With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Amen!

 

Seize the moment and be the Church you so desperately want your church to be. It takes all hands on deck!

 
 

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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 
 
 

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1 Thessalonians 5

Seize the Moment – Day 273

The Hope of Advent!

1 Thessalonians 5

 

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

 

The teachings of the Advent of Jesus’s Second Coming were intended to focus believers and unify them with faith, hope, and love as they faced the trials and tribulations of the day.

 

Listen to Paul teach these truths in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11,

 

Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. … But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

 

Here are two things I want you to know as we celebrate Advent:

 

  1. THE TIMING OF JESUS’ SECOND COMING IS IMMINENT: It’s a future hope that has great implications on our everyday FAITH! The Day of the LORD is to focus our hearts and minds on Jesus and to keep Him preeminent in our lives no matter what is happening today.

 

  1. THE ANTICIPATION DETERMINES HOW WE LIVE TODAY: We are to let our lives visibly manifest the LOVE of God. Jesus came to bring light into the world and until His return, we are His light-bearers to the world.

 

Seize the moment and shine brightly: live a life of faith and love that are rooted in your Advent hope.

 
 
 

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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 
 
 

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1 Thessalonians 4

Seize the Moment – Day 272

Practical Wisdom for Everyday Life!

1 Thessalonians 4

 

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

 

Does the Bible give practical wisdom for your everyday life?

 

Listen to Paul teach in 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12, “Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.”

 

Here are 4 practical points of advice Paul gives in how we are to “walk” or live the Christian life:

  1. BE HEALTHY IN YOUR RELATIONSHIPS: The proof of our love for God is how we love one another. The purity of our “brotherly love” (9) is the evidence of our sanctification (3).
  2. FOCUS YOUR LIFE’S MESSAGE: When we “live quietly” (11): we are not hiding our light under a bushel, rather we are focusing our life on the Light of the Gospel. We are turning down all the other ambient light of our lives, so that what people see and hear from us is the Gospel!
  3. BE EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY: God cares that we “mind our own affairs” (11). Being a gossip, or needing to know information about other people’s lives, distracts you and detracts from your ability to be in God’s will in your own life.
  4. WORK WITH A PURPOSE: the ability to “work with your hands” (11) is a gift from God and He cares that whatever you do, you do your work with your whole heart to His Glory.

 

Paul teaches us that we are to follow these four teachings “SO THAT [we] may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one” (12). It’s all for God’s glory!

 

Seize the moment and shine His light by the way you live your everyday 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 Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 
 
 

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The Promises of Christmas (Week 3)

Glimpses of the Nativity

Based on the four Gospels
 
A Reader’s Theater written and directed by Penny Stevens
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
This is a different story of the birth of Jesus.  We are directed by a Narrator to different characters who played a role in the nativity, or birth of Jesus, and his life shortly after…
 
Narrator:  “…for God so loved the world…that was His plan from the beginning! 
 
 
(Narrator:  Jack Hannum)
 
 
 
 
 
Of course there are Mary and Joseph.  They give us a glimpse into the feelings and struggles the young Jewish couple faced. 
 
Mary:  “Behold, I am a servant of the Lord!  Let it be to me according to your Word…”
 
Joseph:  “Messiah is coming…and He’s going to live in my house!”
 
(Joseph:  Kevin King;  Mary: Bree King)
 
 
 
Then there are the Innkeeper and his wife.  It was a busy time with irritating customers and crowded conditions.  It isn’t easy to find a place for the young couple who are desperate in their time of need. 
 
Innkeeper: “Sure I remember that night! What a week… people coming in from all over! We had them stacked on top of each other. Everyone was tired and cranky… I turned away so many people that night I lost count. I turned a young couple away too…”
 
 
Innkeeper’s wife: “…we were full. There was no room anywhere… I saw the young couple…Her child would be coming very soon! Samuel, we have to find them a place!”
 
(Innkeeper:  Mike Johansen,  Innkeeper’s wife:  Cyndi Johansen)
 
 
Then we meet a lowly surprised shepherd who tells it like it is… 
…Suddenly we were surrounded by light. 
I could see the shock on my brothers’ faces that I was sure was mirrored in my own.
Then an angel appeared and said,
“Fear Not!”
Huh!?  For some reason when an angel declares “Fear Not!” — FEAR IS OUR FIRST REACTION!
Well!  We feared all right!  We were terrified!
We fell on our faces – praying for ABBA’s protection like we never prayed before…!
 
(Shepherd:  Shawn Harter)
 
 
Last of all we hear from one of the wise men who arrived a little later on the scene.  These men had been studying and searching for years and now, at last, their dreams are literally coming true…
 
A wise man:  “My brothers and I followed the star.  We received word that Herod wanted to meet with us…we privately questioned his intentions.  He sent us to Bethlehem…we were in agreement that Herod had no plans to worship the child king…  We continued to follow the star…
 
 
(Wise Man:  Daniel Kinnaird)
 
 
 
Allow your heart to be stirred once again by these “Glimpses of the Nativity” 
 
 
 
 

You can listen to the Reader’s Theater here:

 

You can watch to the Reader’s Theater HERE. (Week #3, Dec. 13th)

 
 
 

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Christmas Hymn:  Silent Night

Seize the Moment – Day 270

Christmas Hymn:  Silent Night

 
“And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”  (ESV)

 

Imagine having a new church building and preparing to host the Christmas Eve service and discovering that the church organ was broken. Such was the case for the assistant priest, Joseph Mohr as he prepared for the service at the Church of St. Nicolas in Oberndorf, near Salzburg, Austria. He quickly wrote the words for this hymn and took them to Franz Gruber, the church organist and village schoolmaster. Franz was also a guitar player, and composed the simple tune. That night, December 24, 1818, ‘Silent Night’ was sung for the first time with Joseph and Franz singing to the accompaniment of Gruber’s guitar. It would later become a favorite Christmas carol, even being performed in front of the king and queen of Austria.

 

This song has been sung as a lullaby and as a song to inspire peace and comfort.

 

If you remember, I challenged you last week to start each day of Advent with a time of praise. When you WAKE UP tomorrow, take a moment to ask God what He would have you do today and then be still before Him. For it is in the silence that we can hear God’s voice the best.
 
 
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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 
 
If you would like to read the words to this hymn or hear the melody played, click on this link:
 
 
Silent Night, Holy Night
 
1
Silent night, holy night!
All is calm, all is bright
‘Round yon virgin mother and child.
Holy Infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
 
2
Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight;
Glories stream from heaven afar;
Heav’nly hosts sing “alleluia!
Christ, the Savior, is born!
Christ, the Savior, is born!”
 
3
Silent night, holy night!
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.
 

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1 Thessalonians 3

Seize the Moment – Day 269

Strength in the Fight!

1 Thessalonians 3

 

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

 

Paul’s third chapter to the Thessalonians talks about how Paul was concerned that the “tempter” had worked to make his efforts “useless” in the lives of the congregation (1 Thessalonians 3:5). This remains a real concern for church leadership to this day.

 

The spiritual reality is that the church lives with a continuous clear and present danger. We can expect afflictions in this life and the devil (the tempter) is always on the prowl looking for his next victim to devour. The key to this clear and present danger is you having a real personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

 

That is why each of us are invited into a daily time with God in His Word: studying it, memorizing it; praying it and applying into our everyday lives.

 

This is one of the reasons I write these devotions and make these daily calls: to encourage and help you keep your eyes on Jesus and to remain effective in your Christian life. I want to care for the spiritual well-being of God’s people the best way I know how—biblically following the teaching of the New Testament and as the apostles modeled it for pastors and elders: “We … will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4).

 

So, as Paul prayed for the believers in Thessalonica in 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13, I pray now for you: “Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.”

 

Seize the moment and find strength for today by starting your day with God—in His Word and in prayer with Him.

 
 

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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 
 
 

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1 Thessalonians 2

Seize the Moment – Day 268

A Biblical Lifestyle Matters to the Next Generation!

1 Thessalonians 2

 

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

 

Do you want to be a great mom or dad? Did you know that one of the clearest New Testament teachings on parenting is found in 1 Thessalonians 2? 

 

For moms, Paul says in verses 7-10, “But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers.”

 

Ladies, I encourage you to study this passage, get together and discuss it with one another.

 

For dads, Paul says in verses 10-12, “You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.”

 

Gentlemen, I encourage you to study this passage, get together and discuss it with one another.

 

Let me emphasize verse 10, which applies to all of us: be models of holy, righteous and blameless conduct before [all the] children.

 

Did you know that a majority of the next generation’s learning about how to do life, relationships, marriage, and parenting (all the big important stuff) doesn’t happen at school, but in watching you?

 

So, does it matter than how we live at home and at church?  Yes, because little eyes are watching and little ears are listening.

 

Seize the moment and live a biblical lifestyle today.

 
 

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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 
 
 

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1 Thessalonians 1

Seize the Moment – Day 267

A Great Recipe for Christian Living!

1 Thessalonians 1

 

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

 

Do you like to cook?  Do you follow recipes or create your own along the way?

 

Either way, you know that the finished product depends on getting all the ingredients just right. If you are missing something, the meal may be good enough, but it won’t be great! 

 

Paul teaches in 1 Thessalonians 1:4-8, “For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you and for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for your received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers…”

 

Paul gives us God’s recipe for all disciples to live in such a way that we line up with the Gospel of Jesus Christ:

 

  • Our lives align with the Word of God! His Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Psalm 119:105).
  • Our lives manifest the power of God! We overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony (Revelation 12:11).
  • Our lives are directed by the Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit is not only the sustainer of all Christian life, but He is also the teacher of God’s Word and the guide of using God’s power (John 14:26).
  • Our lives are anchored with a deep conviction! Our only certainty for this and eternal life is our faith and hope in Jesus Christ (Hebrews 11:1-6).

 

Now, there is a great recipe for living the victorious Christian life. 

 

Are you missing any of the ingredients?

 

Seize the moment and don’t settle for “good enough”! Live the Promises today!

 
 

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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 
 
 

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Colossians 4

Seize the Moment – Day 266

Clear Commands for the Christian Life!

Colossians 4

 

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

 

Here are Paul’s final instructions to the followers of Jesus in Colossae, found in Colossians 4:2-6: “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

 

Paul’s desire in each of his letters to the local churches and local church leaders was to encourage their daily lives so that they walked in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

Allow me to summarize Paul’s clear commands of how to walk faithfully in Christ:

  1. Be devoted or steadfast in your prayers.
  2. Look for God in all of your circumstances and give thanks to Him for His presence.
  3. Be ready, with eyes wide open, for opportunities to love people in word and deed in the name of Jesus Christ.
  4. Make the most of every circumstance remembering that every crisis is an opportunity.
  5. Salt everything with God’s grace and truth. Love others as God loves you—through grace and forgiveness. Please be gentle with one another.

 

This seems to be a theme! Paul has given us very clear commands on how we are to live our faith as followers of Jesus—we are to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances.

 

Seize the moment and walk in this way.

 

How are you living out your faith in Jesus in your day to day life?   

 
 

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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 
 
 

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