Hymn: Great is Thy Faithfulness
Great is Thy Faithfulness
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Acts 7
Happy Endings!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, July 10.
Earlier this week, my 6-year-old was upset because there was someone being mean to the main character in her animated show. Everything was not “sunshine and cotton candy” and Willow was not happy. She, like most of us, wants only happy endings.
Stephen’s life and death teach us about happy endings. Acts 7:59-60 records his death, “And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”
Stephen’s death confronts us with this reality: faithfulness to God doesn’t obligate God to give us a life of “sunshine and cotton candy”. There will be hardship and suffering, pain and death. Jesus told us this ahead of time.
We need to change our minds about how we define the “happy life” and what having a “happy ending” looks or feels like. Here’s the point: as long as your happiness is at the center of your decision making, you can’t have a happy ending.
Jesus promises to give you the fullness of His joy in this life and the hope of His eternal relationship with God. For this, He invites us to be faithful to Him.
Stephen lived and died exactly as he would have wanted because he gave his life to Jesus before anyone took his life. Acts 7 is all about Stephen’s faithfulness—Stephen did get his happy ending!
Until we believe this, we are left living on the treadmill of “sunshine and cotton candy” pursuits.
Seize the moment and join with Stephen in giving your life to Jesus. Live a faithful life!
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Acts 6
We each must do our part!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, July 9.
Are you ready and willing to do your part in the church body?
Acts 6:4 is actually a very important verse to how I view my life and ministry. It frames my understanding of what God has called me to do at FBC.
Listen to Acts 6:2-4, “And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
When there were needs not being met in the congregation (Acts 6:1), the people went to the leaders and they in turn didn’t drop their work to fix it; rather, they empowered members of the church to fix the situation. From Moses to today, God’s people have learned that delegation is God’s way because one person is not capable of doing it all without being crushed by the expectations, demands, and responsibilities of so many people.
The Bible teaches that every individual member of the Body of Christ is equally called to do that which you have been gifted and graced to do (1 Corinthians 12). The leaders are commanded to empower and equip you in that work (Ephesians 4:11-16). We are better together! This is how the church grows in depth and breadth—each individual member gets healthy and does his or her part.
Are you ready and willing to do your part in the church body?
Seize the moment and do your part as a member of the body of Christ. We are limping around without your active participation. Please start with prayer and let God show you your next step.
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Acts 5
God is at Work!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, July 8.
Is God at work in today’s world?
Acts 5 is filled with God’s direct activity in the church and through the Apostles. Acts 5:1-11 is the story of the “active wrath of God” against Ananias and Sapphira for lying to the Apostles about a financial gift they were giving to the early church.
The result of such an active and direct work of God was tangible in the church. As Acts 5:11 states, “Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.”
The church needs a healthy dose of the fear of the Lord today! To wake those who sleep and to focus those who are distracted.
Is God at work in the world? Absolutely!
But today, we experience God through the “passive wrath of God” (as explained clearly in Romans 1:18-32), where God gives people over to the consequences of their actions. Here are some examples from my experiences in today’s church world: (1) hearts harden (meaning people becomes even more stubbornly stuck in their ways of life and thinking) when they will not repent of their sin; (2) relationships are strained or broken causing strife in families and in churches when someone lies, steals, or cheats; and (3) the light of Christ’s glory is dimmed through people’s lives when hypocrisy (a double mindedness and divided loyalty of a person’s life) is allowed to exist and is fed by their daily life choices.
God is merciful in His justice, slow in His anger, and patient in His judgments. Do not misinterpret God’s grace for apathy (God is good and He cares!), withdrawal (God is with us and He knows!), or impotence (God is all powerful and He is at work!).
Is God at work in the world today? YES! Through His people…
Seize the moment and be the hands and feet of God’s work in today’s world.
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Acts 4
The Power of Annoyance!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, July 7—our church’s 110-year anniversary of gospel ministry. Congratulations!
There is a lot to be annoyed about in the world, in our nations, and in our own lives… you probably can’t watch the news or go on social media without being annoyed right now.
Did you know there is a lot of pent-up power in the emotion of annoyance?
Peter and John were arrested for preaching in the temple after they healed the man lame from birth because the religious leaders felt “greatly annoyed” by their teaching and proclamation about Jesus’ resurrection from the dead (Acts 4:1-2).
Interestingly, the Greek word, translated “greatly annoyed” is used only twice in the NT. The second occasion is in Acts 16:18 when Paul cast out the spirit of divination from the slave girl being used by her masters to make money fortune telling. Paul was “greatly annoyed” at the unclean spirit’s tormenting of this girl so he cast the demon out and that got him and Silas beaten and imprisoned by the Romans in Philippi.
The religious leaders were moved to take action against Paul’s Holy Spirit activity to heal the man in Acts 4 with the same emotion of annoyance that moved Paul to take action against a demonic spirit’s activity in Acts 16. Both times, the followers of Jesus end up in prison. Both times, God used their imprisonment to expand the work of the gospel and save souls!
The emotion of annoyance is in both stories—it is a human reality that fuels action. The question is: what kind of words and actions does “annoyance” empower in you?
Seize the moment and align annoyance with faith. Love what God loves. Hate what God hates. Pray before you speak, before you act, before you post something on social media, before you hit send on that text or email.
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Acts 3
Along Your Daily Paths!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, July 6.
Do you believe there is work for you to do in the well-tread paths of your daily routines & lives?
Acts 3 (and into chapter 4) tells the story of the healing of a man who has been begging at the Temple gates for a very long time. Acts 3:1-2 sets up the story in a very peculiar way, “Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple.”
This story is peculiar to me because it sounds so ordinary, so every day and that’s the point.
This is a well-traveled path for the disciples; they were entering the temple as they had with Jesus many times before. Jesus has walked by this man probably multiple times without healing him. This man is over 40 years old (see reference to him in Acts 4:22) and he had been brought to this gate of the temple daily for years. Even in the places where Jesus’ physical footprints were left there was still a work for the church to do.
This is peculiar because for some reason this man has been overlooked for years until the day Peter’s and John’s eyes were opened to his situation (Acts 3:4).
Are the eyes of your heart, as well as your physical ears and eyes, open so that God can use you in a similar way in your everyday life? Look with fresh eyes for those people in your daily life who need a touch from Jesus. Who or what have you been blind to until now?
Seize the moment and ask God to open your eyes to opportunities in your everyday life, along your well-tread paths.
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Responding to the Promises of Jesus (Week 5)
2020: A Year of Celebration!
The Promises of Victory!
Key Verses: 2 Peter 1:1-11 & Romans 8:26-39
Happy 4th of July Weekend!
How are we invited to respond to Jesus’ promises of victory?
“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
That sounds a whole lot like my understanding of “victory”! Jesus has overcome the world. Peace!
So, let me get this straight: We will have tribulation (pressures, stress, suffering, hardship, pain, disappointment) living in this fallen world, but we can take courage because Jesus has won the victory—He has overcome! Therefore, we can be at peace, even when we are going through hardships…
Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:7-11,
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
DON’T BE SURPRISED BY TROUBLE! Jesus doesn’t want you to be surprised that there is trouble in this world and being a Christian doesn’t change that reality. There are only three types of people in the word:
- Those in trouble.
- Those just coming out of trouble.
- Those about to go into trouble.
It’s important to know this or you can lose the battle by giving yourself over to your troubles through disbelief and doubts, discouragement and disappointment, or despair and depression. When we give ourselves over to our troubles, then defeat is knocking on the door of our hearts!
We need to remember Jesus’ promise so that we don’t let one of these diabolical D’s lodge in our hearts!
Jesus told us this ahead of time so we wouldn’t be surprised. Jesus say in John 14:29-30, “Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe. I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me”
Jesus was not surprised by the trouble of His life, nor should we! In fact, it was in how Jesus faced His troubles that we can find the promise of victory coming alive in your life.
That leads us to the second point I want to highlight: TAKE COURAGE!
Courage is not an absence of fear in a person’s life; it is the willingness to act in the face of it! We can take courage as we face tribulations and trials of all sorts because we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus!
Listen to Paul teach us this in Romans 8:26-39:
In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We can take courage because the God of victory is with us and nothing can separate us from His power in our lives: GOD IS WITH YOU!
This truth is a game changer! It’s like me getting in a fist fight with Mike Tyson. There is no fight; I’m just knocked out. With God on your side, there is nothing that can prevail against you.
“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.”
“My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.”
This is what Paul was talking about 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.
Living a victorious life is about living in agreement with the Victory of Jesus Christ! It does not mean that we will get all that we want, nor does it mean life will be easy. It means we will have God with us—PEACE! And His peace changes everything—us, how we handle our situations, and what we give to other people.
That leads us to our application: PASS THE PEACE! Paul says we are to put these things into practice. Be a witness of God’s victory by how you handle your situations—what are you passing on to others?
In 2 Peter 1:1-11, Peter teaches us that we can never forget everything Jesus has done for us and what He has given us through faith:
Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.
Peter says the same things as Paul: practice these things! A victorious life is a life that passes the peace of God to other people.
A quick review:
- Don’t be surprised by trouble.
- Take courage.
- God is with you.
- Pass the Peace!
The problem with suffering and going through times of pain is that times and situations like that cause us to get so caught up in our own troubles, in the moment, that we quickly forget to do what we know to do and we end up reacting. That is why I talk to you about these things ahead of time. So that you can think about it and develop a strategy so that you don’t get surprised by trouble and let the situation grip your heart. You can take courage, remember that God is with you and put the promise of God in practice.
This applies to every situation and circumstance. Practice these things…
Start by memorizing a promise of God. Be mindful of the promise as you go out to the store or about your day. Be aware of how it impacts your day.
You can listen to the message here.
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Acts 2
Our Heritage and Legacy!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Saturday, July 4. It’s our nation’s birthday, so enjoy your 4th of July and be safe out there.
The Fourth of July holiday reminds us of our inheritance as a nation! But it is not only our heritage, it is our legacy.
This Acts 2 story is our inheritance as the Church of Jesus Christ! This is not only our heritage, but it, too, is our legacy. The legacy we are called to leave our communities is the legacy of God’s power, presence, and love being in their midst—God is with us! Immanuel!
Listen to our heritage and legacy from the founding documents; from Acts 2:42-47,
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Are you His church? Never forget that the church is more than a building and more than a community organization. If we have learned anything during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is that the building is not the church; the people are the church. You can’t close the church because the church are people that show the world that God is with us: His love, His presence, and His power—Immanuel!
It is to be visible…
Seize the moment and be the Church of Jesus Christ.
Have a wonderful 4th of July weekend. God is with you!
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Acts 1
The Acts of the Holy Spirit
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, July 3.
What does a “successful” church look like?
For most Christians, the answer to that question means you have to turn to the 5th book of the New Testament: Acts of the Apostles. Today, we start our 5 weeks of devotions in Acts.
Acts 1:14 records of the New Testament Church, “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.”
Here is an Acts mark of church success: the members are in “one accord,” which means, according to a dictionary, that they were brought into agreement with one another. Something or someONE acted upon the members to bring them into agreement with one another!
Jesus prayed for us to have this unity, this “one accord” in John 17. Check out His prayer for us.
Did you know that no church can be of “one accord” without someONE acting upon us to bring us there?
And that ONE is not me, a pastor, or any man or group of people! In fact, we get in the way of being in “one accord” most of the time, demanding that our ways as His ways and our thoughts as His thoughts. There is no greater and more destructive pride than spiritual pride.
For any church to have any chance of being successful, I think we should think differently about the book we call, the “Acts of the Apostles.” It should be called the “Acts of the Holy Spirit”. If we are going to be of “one accord” and fulfill Jesus’ prayer of John 17 in our church, it will only be by the work of the Holy Spirit.
Seize the moment and be faithful to God. Get in one accord with God, then let Him get us in one accord with one another.
Have a great day!
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July 3, 2020: Still in Stage 4: Guarded
COVID-19 Updates
You can watch Governor Holcomb’s announcement here:
Video from Governor Holcomb July 1, 2020
You can see the Governor’s modified plan here: Back on Track Indiana Stage 4.5
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John 21
You Follow Me!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, July 1. If today is your birthday, happy birthday! Happy July everyone! We are halfway through 2020, let’s pray that the second half of the year is better than the first.
Are you content to do what God asks of you or are you distracted by what everyone else is doing around you?
I am convinced that people are miserable because they are playing the comparison game, especially right now. Mark Twain famously said, “Comparison is the root of all discontentment.” Contrasted with the Apostle Paul, who triumphantly said, “I have learned to be content in every circumstance” (Philippians 4:11).
Which one are you? It’s a choice! It’s a learned behavior…
If you are struggling with this, then you are in good company. So did Peter! Listen to John 21:19-22 and how it reveals both Peter’s struggle and Jesus’ focus. Jesus had just restored Peter back to his place as a leader in the church and had given him grace upon grace for Peter’s three denials.
[Jesus] said to him, “Follow Me!” Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them… So Peter seeing him said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!”
We get distracted by comparison, in and out of the church. Whereas, Jesus wants to keep us focused on Him. How does Jesus want to keep us focused? It is not with busy work or job descriptions or heavy burdens, but through a personal relationship with Him. Never forget that “follow Me” is a grace-based invitation to personal relationship; it is Jesus’ calling you to get back in His easy yoke and learn from Him.
Seize the moment and Follow Jesus! Learn contentment by taking your eyes off everyone else and focus on Jesus!
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John 20
Peace be with you!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, June 30.
What is the good fruit of the resurrection of Jesus Christ?
Listen to a phrase that flowed from Jesus’ resurrected lips as He went to His followers in those first days of His Victory over death.
In John 20:19, “Peace be with you!”
In v. 21, “Peace be with you!”
In v. 26, “Peace be with you!”
Great things come in threes! In the same way that Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him three times in John 21, He says, “Peace be with you!” to His followers three times upon His resurrection. Maybe, one for each day of His experience of death. Death has lost its sting! Peace be with you!
Jesus’ resurrection is the promise of faith; it guarantees your freedom from sin, your victory in the face of defeat, and your security in the Father’s embrace! Peace be with you!
Jesus’ resurrection is the promise of hope, that from death comes life, from ashes comes beauty, and with each morning’s sunrise comes new mercies! Peace be with you!
Jesus’ resurrection is the promise of love, which calls you to be a person of peace, a minister of reconciliation, a lover of God and people! Peace be with you!
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God (Matthew 6:9). Blessed are those who bring good news with them wherever they go; Peace be with you!
Do you believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ?
If so, here is the promise and here is your daily choice: Peace be with you!
Seize the moment and rest in the promises of God! Walk in faith, hope, and love! As God’s peace is with you, may God’s peace go with you…
If you need any practical assistance or would like to receive a personal phone call, please dial the phone number below and someone from FBC will call you soon.
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John 19
Faithful to our Family Responsibilities!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, June 29.
Would you consider yourself a responsible person? Do you find yourself going through circumstances that distract you from your most important responsibilities? Are you caught in the spin cycle of the tyranny of the urgent?
In John 19:25-27, we see the depths of Jesus’ love and His faithfulness to His mother:
Therefore the soldiers did these things. But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour the disciple took her into his own household.
This is a very powerful moment in the life of Jesus. He died young for us. He was brutalized and betrayed, scandalized and scorned, crucified like a common criminal. In that last night and day of Jesus’ life, He went through greater agony than most of us can even imagine, all for us so that we can be forgiven of our sins and brought back into a right relationship with God—restored unto the family of God with God as our Father. Jesus did all this without forgetting His responsibility as the eldest son to His mother. In the last moments of His life, Jesus ensured that His best friend, John the Beloved, would carry on His responsibility for caring for her in her old age.
I think Jesus just took all of our excuses away for why we are too busy or too important or too anything to not fulfill our family responsibilities. Whether you are in the season of caring for elderly parents or raising children, let us follow Jesus’ example and be faithful to our families and friends and our church and our community.
Seize the moment and be faithful.
If you need any practical assistance or would like to receive a personal phone call, please dial the phone number below and someone from FBC will call you soon.
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Responding to the Promises of Jesus (Week 4)
2020: A Year of Celebration!
The Promises of Eternity!
Key Verses: 2 Peter 3:3-18
Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. You, therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
We live with an unshakable and unquenchable hope because of Jesus’ promises of eternity! This hope is not only for our own souls, but for all of creation. It is a dual hope so that we do not despair; we can join with all of creation in worship to the Creator God.
Paul speaks of this dual hope (for us and for creation) in Romans 8:18-25:
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.
Here are three ways you can respond to Jesus’ promises for eternity and persevere in this life:
1. FOCUS on the Giver of Hope — Jesus Christ!
“fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
With the hope of eternity, you can face your daily life with joy. Joy is an essential ingredient in the Christian life. Without it, you are left without strength to face your circumstances!
Joy, like hope, comes from resting in the promises of Jesus. Listen for Jesus’ words in Revelation 21:1-8,
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 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.” [emphasis added]
2. FOLLOW Jesus in how we face our circumstance — with an eternal perspective!
John 18, the chapter which shares the story of Jesus’ crucifixion from His best friend’s memories, confronts us with the weaknesses of humanity, the corruption of religion and government, and the fickleness of public opinion. This is a story about betrayal amongst the closest of friends, the lust for power, the greed for influence, the abuse of authority, and the weakness of human leadership.
Jesus’ crucifixion forever mocks our efforts to find hope in this world or in people. In other words, it is a story relevant for this day and age, right here in our country, our communities, our churches, our homes, and in our own hearts.
We are to follow Jesus’ example! Jesus did not despair and give up because He knew the first point of this sermon: He modeled what it looked like to keep your eyes focused on the Giver of Hope.
“Put your sword away into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”
Jesus was saying to Peter: Stop panicking! Can’t you see that My Father has got this? Remain faithful to Me and the Way! There is always hope!
“My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest… But now my kingdom is from another place… for this reason I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to Me.”
Keep an eternal perspective because our circumstances never tell the whole story. Rarely is everything as it should be. You can get lost in that reality and live your life paralyzed with fear, doubt, and insecurity. The world is not YET as it should be, SURPRISE!
That is why our hope comes from looking to the Source of all hope and living with an eternal perspective! It is a fruitless and frustrating life to look for hope in anything/one less than Jesus.
3. DON’T LET YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED — Believe!
“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
Do not let your heart be troubled! Don’t quit! Persevere until the end! If you fall, get back up! IT’S A CHOICE!
Do you know what is the most useless sport statistic? It’s the score before the game is over!
When I was a cadet at West Point, I went to every home football game. When we were crushing the other team and they would score, we loved to arrogantly chant, “SCOREBOARD!” It was our way of saying you may have won that battle, but we are going to win the war. The worst was when a team came back to beat us in the end.
The world loves to arrogantly chant “SCOREBOARD!” at us, but I am here to tell you that far worse than any embarrassment we experienced in a football game, the world is going to face a harsh reality on that Day of the Lord’s return.
It’s not over until the trumpet blasts, just as Paul teaches us in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18,
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.
The scoreboard does not look like it’s in our favor right now and the enemy of your soul, as well as many people of the world, are chanting “SCOREBOARD”, but don’t you dare lose heart! IT’S A CHOICE!
God promises us that we are going to have the greatest, most unbelievable come back in the history of all sports—it’s going to look and feel like you are about to be defeated and all will be lost, but don’t lose heart!
Jesus has already won that Victory!
“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
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John 18
The Source of Hope!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Saturday, June 27.
Where do you find your hope for the future?
John 18 confronts us with the weakness of man, the corruption of religion and government, and the fickleness of public opinion. This is a story about betrayal amongst friends, greed for power, the abuse of authority, and the weakness of human leadership. Jesus’ crucifixion forever mocks our efforts to find hope in this world or in people.
Jesus did not despair and give up because He remained focused on His Father, the source of His hope. His eternal perspective gave Him the courage to do what needed to be done in the face of overwhelming evidence to despair. John 18:11 records Jesus saying to Peter, “Put your sword away into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”
In other words: Don’t panic! God’s got this; remain faithful! There is hope!
Listen to Jesus’ eternal perspective as He went to the Cross. From John 18:36-37, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest… But now my kingdom is from another place… for this reason I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to Me.”
Seize the moment and find your hope in Jesus! Keep an eternal perspective because everything is not as it seems!
Don’t despair and don’t give up! There is hope when you are looking to the Source of all hope!
May His Kingdom come, His will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Amen.
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John 17
Pray Like Jesus!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, June 26.
Did you know that Jesus lived in a rhythm of intimacy with His Father through personal practices that strengthened His spiritual vitality? Jesus had a living faith and His prayer life demonstrated that. In fact, John 17 is one of the most revealing chapters in the Gospels to learn how to pray like Jesus.
Jesus prays in John 17:1, 4-5, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you…I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.”
Jesus models for us to pray for our own personal lives. Pray you would live your life in accordance to God’s will and bring glory to His Name.
Jesus did not stop there: in verses 6-19, He prayed for his disciples. Jesus models for us to pray for those who are closest to us and most intimately impacted by our lives, directly.
Jesus kept going: in verses 20-26, Jesus prayed for future generations of followers—that’s us! Jesus teaches us to pray for people we will never meet or expect to personally impact, trusting God’s faithfulness to all generations.
As you follow Jesus, may God’s grace conform your life into the image of Jesus Christ as you learn to walk in the rhythms of intimacy with your Heavenly Father, just like Jesus.
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John 16
The Holy Spirit!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, June 25.
Have you ever been confused by of all the different teachings about the Holy Spirit?
Let’s keep it simple and read what Jesus says about Him in John 16. Here are a couple snapshots to get you started:
Jesus teaches in verses 7-8, “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment”
He continues in verses 13-14, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”
Allow me to pray for you this morning:
- May the Holy Spirit convict you of sin, righteousness, and judgment so that you may live a holy life to exalt the name of Jesus, to the glory of the Father.
- May the Holy Spirit teach you and remind you of all that Jesus taught so that your life may bring glory to the name of Jesus, by which a person can be saved.
- May the Holy Spirit bring glory to Jesus in your life through the visible evidence of the Fruit of the Spirit in your character (Galatians 5:22-23) and the equipping of your ministry through the gifts of the Holy Spirit (Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12-14).
- I pray all this for you, for the exaltation of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit to the glory of the Father. Amen.
Seize the moment and walk in the Spirit today.
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John 15
Vine Time!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, June 24.
How is your “vine time”?
That’s actually a really important question that will make sense to you after you read John 15:1-17. John 15:4-5 starts with Jesus saying to His followers, “Abide in me, and I in you.” Before I keep reading allow me to define “abide”: to remain; to connect to continually. It is an agricultural metaphor that Jesus is using to talk about relationship with Himself—those who answer the call to “follow Me” will abide in Jesus and He in them.
Let’s keep going with Jesus’ words, “As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
We live in a world that asks the question, “What have you produced today? What have you done for me lately?” We live in a culture of ever-increasing transient jobs and utilitarian relationships as people seek first their ambition and desired affluent lifestyle. Loyalty is eroding and with that character quality so are abiding, persevering relationships, even with God.
But that is not the way it is in the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is a relational kingdom and loyalty to Jesus Christ (abiding in the vine) is of the utmost concern. In fact, it is your highest and noblest pursuit! Even before bearing fruit…
Because good fruit can only come about from a healthy connection to a good Vine.
How is your connection to Jesus? Is it your priority?
Seize the moment and invest in your Vine time.
If you need any practical assistance or would like to receive a personal phone call, please dial the phone number below and someone from FBC will call you soon.
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John 14
Your Heart, Your Choice!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, June 23.
I was out trail running recently when my left foot kicked a small root and tripped me up. Down I went…and I mean down hard! Have you ever fallen? Been tripped up? Gone down hard?
Jesus says in John 14:1, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me” and again later emphasizes in verse 27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
Do you hear your choice? “Let not your hearts be troubled…” are the bookends of Jesus’ teaching. Jesus calls us to something greater than our flesh response to our circumstances, He calls us to faith in the Prince of Peace! He calls us to make a choice about our hearts!
Be thou at peace beloved of God! Jesus invites us to rest in Him and as Pastor Ken taught us on Sunday: “Trust in true rest!”
One of the great reasons we can rest in God is because Jesus’ teaching calls us to the new life of the Holy Spirit! Jesus’ teaches us that we have a constant companion who is our Helper!
When you are tripped up and you go down hard, what will you do? Will you roll around in the dirt cursing yourself and the world, or will you get back up, brush yourself off, and keep running the race? Life is hard! No one ever promised anything different than that, but with faith your witness can show the glory of God!
Seize the moment and get back up! It is natural when you trip for your eyes to head for the ground as you prepare for impact, but the Spirit of God helps you get back up with your eyes on Jesus.
If you need any practical assistance or would like to receive a personal phone call, please dial the phone number below and someone from FBC will call you soon.
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John 13
The Towel of Service!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, June 22.
Will you put on the “towel of service” for those you love?
Listen to John 13:4-5, “[Jesus] laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.”
Jesus then teaches in verses 13-15, “You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.”
I have heard many people say that they are willing to die for their loved ones. Such bravado! Peter essentially said the same about Jesus in John 13:37, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” In the same way that Peter failed to live up to his bravado, so do most people. Because as long as we keep on our outer garments, we will always talk a good game of following Jesus, but never become like Him.
Why is it we say we are willing to sacrifice everything for the people we love, when we can’t even suspend our own self-interests long enough to serve them? What is keeping us from being fully present to the people we love? What are the “outer garments” we must put aside to put on the towel of service?
Who do you need to serve today?
Seize the moment and be like Jesus. Take off the “outer garments” of how you want to see yourself and how you want everyone to know you, and put on the towel of service. It is only in the posture of humility that you can become like Jesus and fulfill God’s will for your life.
If you need any practical assistance or would like to receive a personal phone call, please dial the phone number below and someone from FBC will call you soon.
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Responding to the Promises of Jesus (Week 3)
The Promise of Rest in Jesus
“My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”Matthew 11:27-30
- Come to Me
- Take and Learn
- Find Rest
1. Come to Me
“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28
A little English class lesson…this is an imperative statement sentence. “Come to me” has the understood subject being “YOU”. But to make this even more clear, Jesus goes on to say “all of you…” or “all y’all”.
Then, in case you were still wondering to whom He was talking to, He says, “who are weary and carry heavy burdens.” I am not asking for a show of hands, but if asked, could you honestly say you are NOT tired/weary and/or carrying some type of burden? I couldn’t raise my hand. I know that I am to cast all my cares, for He cares for me (I Peter 5:7) But I am human, and tend to pick them back up thinking I can take care of them. But this only causes unrest in my soul. When someone offers to help us, why do we usually respond, “Oh, I got this” when in reality, we don’t. Jesus is telling us that HE wants to help us to not only carry the burden, but to truly find rest in Him!
If you will recall, when I did the 10 am phone call a week ago, I told you that Jesus used this type of invitation 23 times in the Synoptic Gospels. For us to come, we have to change directions, change our plan, surrendering to what Jesus wants us to do. And He promises to give us something that we cannot find anywhere else…true rest.
Last week, we sang the song “Lavished”, which is taken from the 23rd Psalm: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.” The part that always hits me is “makes me lie down…” Sheep can sometimes be stubborn, and the shepherd would have to make them stop, lay down and rest. One of my boys was like that…he fought going to sleep even though he was sooooo tired, because he was afraid of missing something. I remember laying him in his crib, standing over him, and patting his backside, sometimes making him lay down. He would finally surrender and go to sleep, finding the rest that he needed.
Matt Chandler, from one of our RightNowMedia devotionals, pointed out that in the desert region of the Middle East, there are only two rainy seasons, so there are not a lot of these green pastures with still waters. The shepherds would take their sheep there during the day, having the sheep take rest in this peaceful lush place, with the focus of being still and finding true rest. He goes on to say that as Christ as our Shepherd, we trust Him as He leads us, because in this place, we are restored, reanimated, refreshed.
2. Take and Learn
“Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart,…”
Matthew 11:29a
Again, the imperative statement, with the “You” being understood is made. It requires action on our behalf. We have the opportunity to receive the vast wisdom of our Lord and Master. We need to take advantage of this invitation! And only you can make that decision for your life.
Last week, Jerry shared from John 15:1-5 where Jesus says that God is the vinedresser or husbandman. Dr. Earl Radmacher is quoted “So, when Jesus calls His Father the Vinedresser (Husbandman), He is describing Him in terms of His relationship and attitude as well as His actions in the lives of His disciples”.
We all know that in any relationship, there is give and take, but we tend to only take if we know the person’s heart and intent. This is why we need to be in a real true relationship with God, to know His heart and intent for us is always what is best.
The husbandman is defined as “a farmer or worker of soil” and husbandry is an agricultural term related to the production of crops or livestock. And to husband is to manage something well, showing prudence and economic sense. I can just picture Jesus, teaching and talking with His disciples, as they pass a farmer (husbandman) out working in the field. He is working a new team of oxen, trying to get them to work together, the bigger one being stubborn and not cooperating. “Take my yoke upon you…”
Or, a vinedresser working in the vineyard, knowing that it is months before he will see a harvest, still out there pruning off the fruitless vines and training the vines, putting in supports or tying them to the trellis. He was saying to his disciples that they need to be taught on what they really need to focus on, learn from Him, abide in Him every day, and then go in the rest that you have Him with you every step of the way. The husbandman didn’t just wake up and know what all he had to do…Ask Ed Bell, he can tell you a lot of stories of what he has learned as a modern day husbandman/farmer. But he will also tell you that he sought out and learned from the best in the business. The world tells us to be the best, we have to learn from the best. Well guess what…we already have access to the very BEST…Jesus!!! He has an open invitation to learn from Him. And His ways are not like the world’s ways, but you can rest in His success when you fully follow after Him.
3. Find Rest
“and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Matthew 11:29b-30
Rest is more than sleep! I recently had a sleep test done, and it showed that I was not truly resting like I should. My dad and mom recommended that I start taking Melatonin, a natural vitamin that helps your brain to shut down and allow you to sleep. I have been finding this to truly help. But what has been helping the most is that before I close my eyes to go to sleep, I close my eyes in prayer and give all the cares and burdens of the day to the Lord…
“Be still and know that I AM God!”
Psalm 46:10
and
“Put your hope in the Lord.” This is a good practice for my nighttime routine, but I also need to practice these during the day.
Psalm 37:34
It is important to realize that we don’t work for the rest, but rather, what we do comes out of our rest. We rest at the feet of Jesus, learning from Him, and then go out sharing the message of grace, hope, love and peace. By resting in Him, our faith is made stronger. True rest is an intermission, or a cessation of motion, something that fidgety people like me struggle with doing. But in those moments, our hearts, minds and souls come into focus, allowing us to love God with all that we have and for Him to fill us with more of His love for others. Therefore, it is out of this rest that we are able to fulfill His calling for our lives…not as a task, but as a mission of love!
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John 12
My Soul is Troubled!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Saturday, June 20.
Is your soul troubled from all that is happening in our nation and communities?
There were times when Jesus’ soul was troubled, too, listen to John 12:23-33,
And Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. “He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. “If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him. “Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. “Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” Jesus answered and said, “This voice has not come for My sake, but for your sakes. “Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.” But He was saying this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die.
Seize the moment and answer the call to follow Jesus. He knew the suffering that would come and the hardship that His followers would face in this life. Jesus set us an example to follow, with His life and death. When you feel that you are looking death in the face, please know that God is with you and has already won the victory.
Whatever you are facing today, may Jesus be lifted high!
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John 11
Unbinding Lazarus!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, June 19.
Do you have anything in your life that is binding you—holding you back—from being the best version of you?
In John 11:44 we read the last words of Jesus in the famous story of how Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead: “The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, and let him go.’”
It is so easy to romanticize this story that we forget the very real details and implications. Lazarus was raised from the dead by Jesus, but it took the community to practically, hands-on unbind him from his burial wrap, the linen strips wrapped around his body.
Jesus commanded them to unbind him because he couldn’t do it alone!
Here is a practical application: If we are going to participate with God in helping transform stories through the gospel of Jesus Christ then we need to trust Him to do what we can’t—resurrect the dead, but we have to do what we can: allow people to unbind us from our burial wrap.
Is there anything binding you? Do you need help getting unbound from some stinking thinking or habitual sin patterns that are still affecting your present and infecting your future?
Seize the moment: Let’s be a community like the one that came around Lazarus. We unbind one another by forgiving each other often, because we make a mess of it, and helping one another learn how to live as new creations in Jesus; we call this discipleship—we call this doing life together! We all need this and at every season of our lives.
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John 10
Jesus is the Shepherd of My Soul!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, June 18.
Kimberly and I have three children, ages 13, 9, and 6. We are very selective with who watches them. We care deeply about who influences them and who we share authority with in raising them. Raising children is about shepherding their hearts like Jesus shepherds our souls. We work hard to give them a safe home to experience fullness of life.
We need to be just as, if not more, intentional and selective about our own lives: Who do we allow to shepherd our hearts? Who do we invite into the most influential places of our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls to love and nurture us?
John 10 is a beautiful chapter as Jesus declares that He is the Good Shepherd. Listen to some of Jesus’ powerful promises and beautiful teachings from John 10:27-30, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I gave them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one”
God loves you! He knows you by name and He cares about you—He wants to be the Good Shepherd of your soul! A Good Shepherd will not only lead you, but He will also protect you and keep you secure in His embrace while tending to your needs.
We are all like sheep who need a good shepherd to bring us into the safety of a good home so that we, too, can experience the John 10:10 promise of the “fullness of life”!
Seize the moment and ask Jesus Christ to be the Good Shepherd of your soul. He is calling for you: Can you hear His voice?
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John 9
Don’t bail before the blessing!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, June 17.
Here is some common counsel I give people: “Don’t bail before the blessing!”
So often, we miss out on God’s best for our lives because we don’t persevere and we grow weary in doing good. So often, we miss out on God’s best for our relationships because we grow callouses around our hearts and get bitter, then we stop giving and forgiving.
Love never fails! Don’t bail before the blessing!
I believe God makes use of us in every situation to bring about His greater purposes for His glory. No matter what you are going through, ask yourself, “How can I bring God glory in and through my attitudes, actions, and responses?”
Our lives and our relationships are always about something more than we know.
No matter how overwhelming your situation, remember that there is something greater than you can see at stake. In John 9, when Jesus’ disciples asked why a certain man was born blind and whose sin caused it, Jesus responded with a bigger story in mind. Listen to Jesus in John 9:3, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the work of God might be displayed in him.”
Jesus wants to tell the bigger story of God’s creation and redemption through your life. And not just a once upon a time story, but an everyday-in-every-way story. A key ingredient to this happening in you is faith—the ability to see and believe in the bigger story of God.
Remember, what is impossible for us, is not impossible for God!
Do you believe God can use your story to tell His Story? Do you have the faith that allows your everyday-every-way story to put God’s glory on display?
Seize the moment and don’t bail before the blessing! Live by faith and not be sight! God’s got this—Trust Him!
If you need any practical assistance or would like to receive a personal phone call, please dial the phone number below and someone from FBC will call you soon.
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