Zechariah 3
Signposts of the Kingdom!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, October 10.
You are a signpost of the kingdom of God, but you can only be accurately read when you are not smeared with sin. Being a visible sign of prophetic significance is called holiness, sanctification, or purity, and it’s an important aspect of our calling as followers of Jesus. He is the only visible image of the invisible God, but we, as His remnant on Earth, are to point to Him until His victorious return as the conquering King. The angel of the Lord taught Joshua what it meant to be such a prophetic sign (“symbol”) of the Messiah in Zechariah 3:8-10:
“Now listen, Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who are sitting in front of you – indeed they are men who are a symbol, for behold, I am going to bring in My servant the Branch. For behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua; on one stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave an inscription on it,” declares the Lord of hosts, “and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. In that day,” declares the Lord of hosts, “every one of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and under his fig tree.”
Joshua was the high priest of the postexilic remnant of Israel, and it was his calling to lead the people back into right worship of God. He could not do so by his own merit, for his righteous deeds are but a filthy garment in God’s sight (Zechariah 3:3-4a; cf. Isaiah 64:6; Matthew 22:11-14). Interestingly, to be holy unto the Lord, set apart for his calling, he had to clothed by another into new clothes (Zechariah 3:4b-5; cf. Ephesians 4:22-24). Then, and only then, could he walk in the ordinances of God as a signpost of the Messiah (Zechariah 3:7; cf. Galatians 3:24-29; Colossians 3:1-17).
Seize the moment and point the way to Christ – “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16).
God bless you!
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
YOUTUBE:
If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.
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Zechariah 2
Wall of Fire!
Zechariah 2
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, October 9.
Have you ever wondered why the returning remnant of Israel focused on rebuilding the temple before the walls of Jerusalem? The walls had been torn down by the Babylonians, but was the breach of the city walls their real downfall? Where did the security of Jerusalem truly come from? The vision of Zechariah 2:1-5 gives us the answer:
Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a man with a measuring line in his hand. So I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see how wide it is and how long it is.” And behold, the angel who was speaking with me was going out, and another angel was coming out to meet him, and said to him, “Run, speak to that young man, saying, ‘Jerusalem will be inhabited without walls because of the multitude of men and cattle within it. ‘For I,’ declares the Lord, ‘will be a wall of fire around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.’ ”
The safety of the city, just like the security of any soul, is brought about by the glory of God being inside of it. Restoring right worship to the temple of God was the priority of the remnant, more so than any number of military fortifications because God’s glory is “a wall of fire” around His people. The downfall of Jerusalem was a foregone conclusion after the glory of God departed from it, as described in Ezekiel 10:18, “Then the glory of the Lord departed from the threshold of the temple and stood over the cherubim.” Zechariah’s visions brought hope to the returning remnant of Israel, reminding them of their priorities of work and motivating them to rebuild the temple in the face of frustration and opposition.
Seize the moment and ask God to be a wall of fire around your life by inviting the Holy Spirit to bring God’s glory into your jar of clay (2 Corinthians 4:7-18).
God bless you!
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
YOUTUBE:
If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.
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Zechariah 1
Return to God!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, October 8.
The prophetic work of Zechariah is set in the same post-exilic historical context as Haggai, but his is a longer work because of his many visions, fourteen chapters as compared with Haggai’s two. Yet, Zechariah 1:1-4 begins with a clear and concise call to repentance:
In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah the prophet, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo saying, “The Lord was very angry with your fathers. Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Return to Me,” declares the Lord of hosts, “that I may return to you,” says the Lord of hosts. “Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Return now from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.” ’ But they did not listen or give heed to Me,” declares the Lord.’”
The earmark of God’s true messengers is found in that simple phrase, “Return to Me.” The former prophets alluded to included Isaiah (1:16-19; 55:6-7), Jeremiah (4:1-2), Ezekiel (33:11), Hosea (12:6), and Joel (2:12-13), to name a few. By doing so, the prophets were pointing the people back to God’s promises from the Mosaic Law. In Deuteronomy 4:29-30, Moses said, “But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things have come upon you, in the latter days you will return to the Lord your God and listen to His voice.”
Seize the moment and return to God – “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2; 4:17). Repent is forever the first word of the Christian life, so listen and give heed to God’s voice, for this is the call of the prophets and the apostles (Acts 2:38; 3:19; 5:31; 17:30; 20:21; 26:20; and 2 Corinthians 7:10).
God bless you!
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
YOUTUBE:
If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.
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Haggai 2
Far Greater than a Construction Project!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, October 7.
In their return from Babylonian exile, God aligned all the resources for their success by giving the remnant favor with foreign kings. It was by God’s grace that the temple was rebuilt (Ezra 6:14), but, as in any construction project, there was something far greater happening than the building itself, as explained of its purpose in Haggai 2:6-10:
For thus says the Lord of hosts, “Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory,” says the Lord of hosts. “The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,” declares the Lord of hosts. “The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,” says the Lord of hosts, “and in this place I will give peace,” declares the Lord of hosts.
God promised to fill the temple with His glory once again. According to Haggai 2:23, the Davidic line had been preserved, “‘I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My servant,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you.’” As the signet ring, Zerubbabel was the authentication of God’s covenant promises to Israel. God’s presence would fill the whole earth through the Messiah of Israel, who is the fulfillment of the promise of peace (Haggai 2:10; Isaiah 9:6; Luke 2:14). Greater than all the earthly riches the temple could house, God was giving His Spirit so that Israel would fulfill their purposes – to bless the nations (Genesis 12:1-3).
Seize the moment and glorify God in your body, remembering that as the temple of the Holy Spirit, God chose you to be something far greater than a construction project (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Shine with the treasure He has placed within you (2 Corinthians 4:6-10). You are blessed to be a blessing!
God bless you!
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
YOUTUBE:
If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.
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Transforming Stories Wk 5
Transforming Stories of the Next Generation! – Week 5
Train Orthodoxy: Right Thinking!
“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. … We tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God”A.W. Tozer
Luke 2:39-52
“When they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth. The Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when He became twelve, they went up there according to the custom of the Feast; and as they were returning, after spending the full number of days, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But His parents were unaware of it, but supposed Him to be in the caravan, and went a day’s journey; and they began looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances. When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem looking for Him. Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. When they saw Him, they were astonished; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You.” And He said to them, “Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?” But they did not understand the statement which He had made to them. And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”
Connect with the prophet Samuel’s childhood in 1 Samuel 2:26, “Now the boy Samuel was growing in stature and in favor both with the Lord and with men.” Allow me to share an important story that gives us the right perspective for today’s teaching, from 1 Samuel 3:1-19.
There are three important ways children grow in right thinking about God and how to be in a relationship with Him, as well as learn how to be adults:
- Observation: Does the next generation see your relationship with God?
- Listening: Does the next generation hear your conversations about God?
- Asking questions: Does the next generation have permission to approach us and God throughout their developmental stages? How we handle questions is life or death. (Share story from NYC.)
Right thinking comes through the development of a cohesive biblical worldview, which gives us a mental framework from which we interpret our experiences and engage with God, ourselves, people, and the world.
None of us our born with this knowledge automatically in us. Like Jesus, we must “increase in wisdom”:
- The purpose & promise of parenting: Ephesians 6:1-4 & Proverbs 22:6
- The purpose of Proverbs (the Bible): Proverbs 1:1-9
- The what & how of forming a cohesive worldview: Where to start?
- Start reading the Gospels and pray. Discuss Jesus, ask good questions, and seek Bible answers.
- Live in sacred rhythms: prayer, building healthy relationships, becoming a learner, attending church, going on retreats, taking Sabbath, and protecting priorities in your daily life.
- Model that all life comes from God, all truth is from God, and all things belong to God.
Conclusion:
Acts 2:38-39.
Trust the promise of Pentecost! The Holy Spirit wants to partner with you in your parenting and mentoring.
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Haggai 1
Give Careful Thought to your Ways!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Saturday, October 5.
Have you ever been distracted by your circumstances? Whether for a moment or for fifteen years, it is easy to lose focus on what you set out to do. Israel returned from Babylonian captivity with a clear purpose in mind – to reestablish Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. But they got frustrated and discouraged by the constant opposition they faced, even though King Cyrus had authorized their return and work in 538 BC (Ezra 4:4-5). The historical situation of the prophet is clearly stated in Haggai 1:1-4:
In the second year of Darius the king, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came by the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘This people says, “The time has not come, even the time for the house of the Lord to be rebuilt.” ’ ” Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies desolate?”
It was now 520 BC, the second year of King Darius, when the efforts to rebuild the temple began, encouraged by two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, as we learned from the post-exilic history book of Ezra (Ezra 4:24-5:2). There was a fifteen-year gap in construction efforts because of the discouragement caused by the opposition against the returned remnant of Israel, led by Zerubbabel, the governor of Jerusalem. They all needed redirection, so God sent them His prophets to say, “You are distracted; return to Me and My purposes.”
Seize the moment and give careful thought to your ways – “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you (Matthew 6:33). Are you distracted?
God bless you!
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
YOUTUBE:
If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.
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Zephaniah 3
Trust Leads to Transformation!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, October 4.
The prophet’s call to rejoice at the end of Zephaniah is an invitation to believe in God’s faithfulness. This call to faith is captured in the stark contrast of Israel, the before and after snapshots found in the last chapter of Zephaniah. The transformation of souls brought about by the day of the Lord, as described in Zephaniah 3, illuminates the heart of God for His beloved creation:
- Beforehand in verses 1-4, “Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, the tyrannical city! She heeded no voice, she accepted no instruction. She did not trust in the Lord, she did not draw near to her God. Her princes within her are roaring lions, her judges are wolves at evening; they leave nothing for the morning. Her prophets are reckless, treacherous men; her priests have profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law.”
- Afterward in verses 12-13, “But I will leave among you a humble and lowly people, and they will take refuge in the name of the Lord. The remnant of Israel will do no wrong and tell no lies, nor will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths; for they will feed and lie down with no one to make them tremble.”
The purpose of the day of the Lord is to transform people from pride to humility, tyranny to righteousness, roaring lions to gentle lambs. The salvation of souls is the heart of God, and His great love for humanity is why He must confront sin with holiness (Zephaniah 3:8-11). Whatever your circumstances, remember that God is faithful to work His will in and through you, which is to conform you into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ, who is “gentle and humble in heart” (Romans 8:28-29; Matthew 11:29).
Seize the moment and trust God during the transformation process of your soul – “Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!” (Zephaniah 3:14).
God bless you!
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
YOUTUBE:
If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.
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Zephaniah 2
Hide in a Safe Place!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, October 3.
Throughout our rural communities in the Midwest, there are giant sirens positioned throughout the counties. They remain quiet reminders of the danger that lurks by living in tornado alley. While they are tested every Friday at noon, they are used only when a tornado has been spotted in the vicinity. When the siren sounds, there is a prescribed response – hide in a safe place! Unfortunately, too many of us do the opposite – we sit out on the front porch watching the storm.
The prophets of the Old Testament are like tornado sirens. They were sent by God when there was grave danger, but the people tended to respond to them like mere entertainment, rather than heed the warning of the watchmen on the wall. Their call to repentance was a loving invitation to seek safety by hiding in God through a faith relationship with the only One who could protect them from the coming storm, just as the prophet declared to Judah in Zephaniah 2:1-3:
Gather yourselves together, yes, gather, O nation without shame, before the decree takes effect – the day passes like the chaff – before the burning anger of the Lord comes upon you, before the day of the Lord’s anger comes upon you. Seek the Lord, all you humble of the earth who have carried out His ordinances; seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger.
There is a broken place inside of each of us that struggles to do the right thing when we hear the warning siren of the Lord in our lives, and it puts us in danger every time. The next time the siren goes off, you are invited to heed the warning and seek shelter. Whereas curiosity killed the cat, repentance will save a soul.
Seize the moment and hide in a safe place – “God is our refuge and strength” (Psalm 46:1).
God bless you!
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
YOUTUBE:
If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.
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Zephaniah 1
Love your Household!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, October 2.
The prophet Zephaniah was the great-great grandson of King Hezekiah, and, as a member of the royal household, he had access to the inner workings of the Judean government. That would have been great in good times, but not during the tumultuous times when wave after wave of exiles were marched off to Babylon, with the destruction of Jerusalem on the horizon. With that historical context in mind, the major theme of his prophetic work is the urgency of the coming day of the Lord, with the Hebrew word for “day” occurring twenty times in his short book, as emphasized in Zephaniah 1:10-18. Yet, prior to that horrific depiction of what was coming upon the people, in Zephaniah 1:7-9, he called for the punishment of those in privileged positions of the royal household:
Be silent before the Lord God! For the day of the Lord is near, for the Lord has prepared a sacrifice, He has consecrated His guests. Then it will come about on the day of the Lord’s sacrifice that I will punish the princes, the king’s sons and all who clothe themselves with foreign garments. And I will punish on that day all who leap on the temple threshold, who fill the house of their lord with violence and deceit.
In the same way, as the second person of the Eternal Royal Household, the Trinity, Jesus warned the people about the coming day of the Lord in Matthew 24-25, and, like Zephaniah, He did so on the heels of declaring judgment over the religious leaders who had the privileged position to help the people, but they would not even lift a finger to help them (Matthew 23:4). So, Jesus made a way for all to be saved by allowing Himself to be lifted up on the cross for our salvation (John 3:14-16).
Seize the moment and love your household as Christ first loved you (1 John 4:19; Ephesians 5:25).
God bless you!
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
YOUTUBE:
If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.
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Habakkuk 3
Take the High Road!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, October 1.
The final chapter of Habakkuk is a haunting song; it’s a petition for God’s deliverance from difficult circumstances, and it triumphantly concludes in Habakkuk 3:17-19:
Though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be no cattle in the stalls, yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, and makes me walk on my high places.
This closing song begs the question: Is success your god, or is God your strength? I know the right answer, but my practicing reality is often the former, to my own instability and exhaustion. I have a suspicion that I’m not alone. It is human to do so because we are affected adversely by our circumstances when they are not going our way, as we hear from the prophet in verse 16, “I heard and my inward parts trembled, at the sound my lips quivered. Decay enters my bones, and in my place I tremble. Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress, for the people to arise who will invade us.” Can we agree that it’s hard work to wait quietly and trust God when things are not going well? The off-ramp to faith is to take matters into our own hands and do something about it. But that will only make matters worse! We are invited to wait quietly and trust in God’s strength, even when that feels passive, inconsequential, and unproductive. Even when our feelings betray us, we are to wait quietly upon the Lord, who is our strength and our stability.
Seize the moment and take the high road – Believe God (1 John 5:4-5)!
God bless you!
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
YOUTUBE:
If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.
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Habakkuk 2
Be a Faithful Watchman!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, September 30.
One of my favorite promises of God is Psalm 46:10, “Cease striving [Be still] and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” This promise was given in a more peaceful time than Habakkuk’s historical context, yet our faith calls us to believe that not a single word of God will fail, regardless of the circumstances. Even though the Babylonian threat was looming over Judah, we should not be surprised that the prophet yoked himself with the great prophetic tradition of Isaiah 62:6-7 (cf. Jeremiah 6:17; Ezekiel 3:17), by describing himself as a watchman on the wall in Habakkuk 2:1-3:
I will stand on my guard post and station myself on the rampart; and I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me, and how I may reply when I am reproved. Then the Lord answered me and said, “Record the vision and inscribe it on tablets, that the one who reads it may run. For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay. Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; but the righteous will live by his faith.”
The power of the prophet was not found within himself, but in the revelation given to him by God. Though Israel had been visibly decimated at the hands of the Assyrians and there was no known escape for Judah from the Babylonians, God assured His people of what they could not see through His faithful watchman in Habakkuk 2:20, “But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him.”
God bless you!
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
YOUTUBE:
If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.
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The Heart of the Father
The Heart of the Father: Lesson’s Learned From Sabbatical
A sabbatical is supposed to be a time of rest.
~O.T. work the fields for 6 years, then give them a year
off.
~In the academic world: A time to be free of teaching duties and to do research, travel and writing.
~For us: A time of rest, reflection on the past years of ministry, and seeking God for what’s next. And sometimes I can be a slow learner!
So, in order to find what to do, I had to go back to the beginning…
Please stand for the reading of God’s Word:
John 1:1-4, 16-18 (NLT)
“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. 3 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. 4 The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone…From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.”
I love how John takes us back to the beginning, just like Genesis, where it all started. So since Jesus was there at the beginning, and we are created in their image, think about the first heartbeat of Adam when life was breathed into him! He was in rhythm with the Father’s heart.
~When a baby is born, the first thing they want for the new parents to do is have skin time, but actually, it is a way for the baby to hear their heartbeat…a sound very familiar to them as they were in the womb.
~According to John 13:23, the disciple John was leaning on Jesus’ chest as they were around the table at the Last Supper. I believe it was so he could hear his Master’s heart.
ILLUS: Stethoscope
-need to close out sounds of the world
-need to be quiet yourself
-The Twelve Disciples has Jesus with them, and they
Still struggled to know the Father’s heart.
John 14:9-11
“Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus *said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves
In the English language we have these little connecting words call “prepositions”. Their purpose is to create a phrase that shows direction, connection or relationship between elements in a sentence. I had an ‘ah ha’ moment during this time away. I needed to quit having conversations AT God and have conversations WITH God.
-Still bring all my needs to Him
-Express how I am feeling
-BUT…Take the time to be quiet &
listening for His response.
- Lesson learned: Listen for HIS HEARTBEAT. Quit being busy doing the things OF God or things FOR God, and start doing things WITH God, fully led by the Holy Spirit which is IN We just need to listen!
Song: “Abide” Aaron Williams (see words below)
- Tina’s Takeaway
- Lesson learned: Jesus took time to get away, even during a busy time. Need to be more like Him.
Why: Prioritize relationship with God over public
Ministry (Luke 6:12)
Personal Time with God (Matt. 6:6)
Encountering God more deeply in silence. (Mk 1:35)
Able to express authentic emotions privately
Get away from worldly distractions (Luke 5:16)
Maintain spiritual disciplines
Prayer over congregation:
Gracious God, thank you for wanting us close by so we can hear Your heartbeat. Cure our spiritual restlessness each morning to wait upon You. Help us live each and every day with Your power and grace so we can become the people after Your own heart.
Abide
I depend on You, I depend on You
For the sun to rise for my sleep at night
I depend on You, I depend on You
You’re the way the truth and the life
You’re the well that never runs dry
I’m the branch and You are the vine
Draw me close and teach me to abide
Where the Spirit leads as I’m following
I depend on You, I depend on You
For the victories still in front of me
I depend on You, I depend on You
You’re the way the truth and the life
You’re the well that never runs dry
I’m the branch and You are the vine
Draw me close and teach me to abide
Be my strength my song in the night
Be my all my treasure my prize
I am Yours forever Your mine
Draw me close and teach me to abide
When I pass through death as I enter rest
I depend on You, I depend on You
For eternal life to be raised with Christ
I depend on You, I depend on You
You’re the way the truth and the life
You’re the well that never runs dry
I’m the branch and You are the vine
Draw me close and teach me to abide
Be my strength my song in the night
Be my all my treasure my prize
I am Yours forever Your mine
Draw me close and teach me to abide
Here I am Lord
Would you teach me to abide
Teach me
Would you teach me
I depend on You, I depend on You
Yes, I depend on You, I depend on You
Oh, oh
I depend on You, Yes, I depend on You
I depend on You, I depend on You
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Habakkuk 1
Ask Honest Questions!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Saturday, September 28.
I’m not sure who the first person was to teach children that there is no such thing as a stupid question, but it may have been the prophet Habakkuk who tested the theory on God. After the fall of the Assyrians (read Nahum), the Babylonians had become the dominant power in the region, and by the end of the seventh century they were knocking on Jerusalem’s door. The prophet cries out to God in Habakkuk 1:2-3, “How long, O Lord, will I call for help, and You will not hear? I cry out to You, “Violence!” Yet You do not save. Why do You make me see iniquity, and cause me to look on wickedness?” What profound questions to begin this short prophetic work by Habakkuk, a contemporary of Jeremiah.
After his introduction, the prophet records a troublesome revelation from God to the people of Judah in verses 4, “For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans [Babylonians].” Why is God orchestrating calamity upon the surviving southern tribes of Israel after Assyria destroyed the northern ten tribes? For eight verses, God describes the Babylonians, then, in response to that, the prophet braves a series of honest questions to God in verses 12-17:
Are You not from everlasting, O Lord, my God, my Holy One? … [Then] Why do You look with favor on those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up those more righteous than they? Why have You made men like the fish of the sea, like creeping things without a ruler over them? Will they therefore empty their net and continually slay nations without sparing?”
Seize the moment and ask God honest questions – “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8).
God bless you!
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
YOUTUBE:
If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.
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Nahum 3
Clap your Hands in Celebration!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, September 27.
The desire for justice is built into the human psyche; it’s a God-given instinct, an aspect of what it means to be made in the image of God. I grew up watching old-fashioned Westerns. I loved it when the good guys won, and the bad guys got what was coming to them. Happy endings are satisfying, and when we get one, we clap our hands in celebration! The prophet concludes his oracle of judgment in Nahum 3:18-19, with concluding words of celebration – rejoice because evil has been vanquished and God has prevailed:
Your shepherds are sleeping, O king of Assyria; your nobles are lying down. Your people are scattered on the mountains and there is no one to regather them. There is no relief for your breakdown, your wound is incurable. All who hear about you will clap their hands over you, for on whom has not your evil passed continually?
Assyria had been tried and found guilty in the divine court of God’s judgment, and the penalty for their sin was the death of their long-standing empire. All who had suffered under their evil regime breathed a collective sigh of relief and clapped their hands over their defeat. It was a good day because justice had been done. Anyone who has had a crime committed against them or knows of someone who has been the victim of injustice, knows the deep desire for a righteous judgment against the offender. We desire justice to be done and for it not be perverted. Our soul cries out for God to make all things right! This is the promise of Nahum!
God bless you!
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
YOUTUBE:
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Nahum 2
Destroy your Pride!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, September 26.
The pride of Assyria was Nineveh, their capital city, which was where the royal den resided, filled with the children of the royal family. The Assyrians were a massive military complex, and they loved lions, seeing themselves as a powerful and sleek people, seeking their next victim to devour (Isaiah 5:29-30; Jeremiah 50:17; cf. 1 Peter 5:8). After causing much suffering and distress, God destroyed the pride of Assyria, bringing judgment upon Nineveh, which the prophet appropriately described in Nahum 2:11-13:
Where is the den of the lions and the feeding place of the young lions, where the lion, lioness and lion’s cub prowled, with nothing to disturb them? The lion tore enough for his cubs, killed enough for his lionesses, and filled his lairs with prey and his dens with torn flesh. “Behold, I am against you,” declares the Lord of hosts. “I will burn up her chariots in smoke, a sword will devour your young lions; I will cut off your prey from the land, and no longer will the voice of your messengers be heard.”
Interestingly, the voice of the Assyrian messenger being alluded to here was most likely Rabshakeh’s, remembering his blasphemous words at the gate of Jerusalem in 2 Kings 18:28-35, “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria. … Has any one of the gods of the nations delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria?” In response to the messenger, Isaiah the prophet comforted Hezekiah, the king of Judah, with a promise from God, to protect Jerusalem from King Sennacherib, who soon thereafter died at the hands of his cubs in the lion’s den of Nineveh (2 Kings 19), proving that “God is opposed to the proud, but He gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6).
Seize the moment and destroy your pride – “Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you” (James 4:10).
God bless you!
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Nahum 1
Take Refuge!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, September 25.
Nahum was a Judean prophet to the Assyrian capital city of Ninevah during the seventh century BC (approximately 675-612). Whereas Jonah the prophet had already been sent to preach to the Ninevites, calling them to repentance, Nahum was commissioned to give them an oracle of judgment, declaring their coming destruction (Nahum 1:1, 8, 14). There was no place for repentance any longer, as that time had passed! In fact, in Nahum 1:2-7, the prophet describes God as the caring warrior who would bring justice to the nations, especially to the enemies of God’s people:
A jealous and avenging God is the Lord; the Lord is avenging and wrathful. The Lord takes vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserves wrath for His enemies. The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. … Who can stand before His indignation? Who can endure the burning of His anger? His wrath is poured out like fire and the rocks are broken up by Him. The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him.
It was a harsh time in human history and warfare was brutal and dehumanizing. The judgment of Assyria would have been good news for Judah since Ephraim, the northern ten tribes of Israel, had been destroyed and scattered by the Assyrians (2 Kings 17:6, 23). Ultimately, Nahum’s purpose in writing was to declare the power of God over Assyria, as explained in Nahum 1:13, “So now, I will break his yoke bar from upon you, and I will tear off your shackles.” This may have been an oracle of judgment against Nineveh, but it was also a wake-up call to Judah – repent while there is still time!
Seize the moment and take refuge in the only One who can save you (Nahum 1:15; Psalm 91).
God bless you!
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Micah 7
Seek God with Faith!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, September 24.
Where does your help come from? Israel had to keep learning the same lesson, so, in Micah 7:7-20, the prophet triumphantly concludes with a declaration of faith in the God who rescues and redeems according to His covenant faithfulness:
But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me. … Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in unchanging love. He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities under foot. Yes, You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. You will give truth to Jacob and unchanging love to Abraham, which You swore to our forefathers from the days of old.
This is not the basis for cheap grace; rather, this the very definition of grace itself. Grace is God’s undeserved merit, and there is no amount of good works that can earn it. In fact, grace is opposed to earning, but it does call us to effort in seeking after Him. Just because there is no merit system in God’s economy, doesn’t mean we are not to work hard. That is the whole emphasis of Ephesians 2:8-10, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” That is why Micah concludes with a declaration of faith, because he believes in God to bring about good works through His people.
Seize the moment and seek God with faith (Hebrews 11:6) – “My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:2).
God bless you!
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Micah 6
Walk Humbly with God!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, September 23.
The most famous quote of Micah is found in the context of God’s legal case against Israel for violating His ancient covenant. God provided witnesses of His covenant faithfulness, then, in Micah 6:6-8, He reminded them of what He expected from them in return for saving them from death:
With what shall I come to the Lord and bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, with yearling calves? Does the Lord take delight in thousands of rams, in ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
God is more interested in the offeror than the offering. Micah was not rejecting the sacrificial system; rather, he was reminding them that sacrifices made to God must be subordinated to the ethics of living in a covenant relationship with God (1 Samuel 15:22-23; Isaiah 1:12-20; Amos 5:21-27). The sacrifice God has always been looking for is the character and behavior of how His people live with Him and one another (Romans 12:1-15:13). People are to act justly (James 1:27-2:13) and love faithfully (Matthew 22:37-40) by walking humbly with their God (James 4). We are conformed to the will of God through a right relationship with God because our transformation from death to life happens through faith, from the inside-out. There’s only one way for Micah 6:8 to be fulfilled in and through you, and that is to accept the invitation of Jesus Christ to find rest for your soul, and you will become like Him, “gentle and humble in heart” (Matthew 11:28-30).
Seize the moment and take upon you the custom-made (“easy”) yoke of Jesus, then, you will act justly and love faithfully because you will be like Him (Micah 6:8).
God bless you!
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
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Transforming Stories Wk 4
Transforming Stories of the Next Generation!
Make Space for Grace in the Home!
I am teaching the fourth message in our new sermon series, called, “Transforming Stories of the Next Generation.” In this message, I will continue my teaching on Ephesians 6:4, focusing on what it is we are supposed to be instructing our kids at home and how discipline works in conjunction with that training up of our children in the way they should go.
Read Acts 16:22-34
What can we learn from a slow reflective reading of this story?
[Read twice, first time to give an overview then second time with parenthetical notes through this lens: People are people and not objects!]
Parenthetical Notes:
Read Matthew 9:9-13 and invite people to see how the story makes them feel.
In light of what we learned from the story of the Philippian jailer, contrast the difference between Jesus and the Pharisees. What does Jesus do that makes space for grace in the tax collector’s home?
(Imagery of the machine that needs to be managed verses creation that we get to steward.)
The Next Generation are NOT OBJECTS to be managed, fixed, or replaced.
The Next Generation are PEOPLE! People who need to be known, discovered, invited, cared for, stewarded, and loved.
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Micah 5
Be a Beacon of Light!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Saturday, September 21.
When the magi arrived from the east to present their gifts to the new king of Israel, they arrived in Jerusalem and asked King Herod, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him” (Matthew 2:2). Herod was troubled by their question, so he inquired of his holy men about the Messiah’s prophesied place of birth, and in response they quoted from the prophet Micah 5:2-5a:
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.
While the Messiah would come to be our peace, His arrival was marked by bloodshed as the wicked king Herod ordered the execution of the male children born in Bethlehem who were two years old and younger (Matthew 2:16). The arrival of hope, the bursting forth of the Light (John 1:1-13), came in the backdrop of great darkness, just like Micah’s prophecy was given in days of great evil. Throughout history, the brightest stars are the ones that shine for the benefit of other people.
Seize the moment and be a beacon of light because our greatest hope shines brightest in the darkness of night! Shine like the Christmas star, which caused the magi to seek Jesus.
God bless you!
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Micah 4
Pray for World Peace!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, September 20.
The angelic host proclaimed a specific message that first Christmas morning, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased” (Luke 2:14). The first Christmas came with the promise of world peace through the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Recently, I asked a friend of mine what he wanted for his birthday, and without hesitation he said, “world peace.” His answer reflects the heart of God. We deeply desire to experience the promise of world peace through the coming of the Immanuel child of Isaiah 7:14, fulfilled in Matthew 1:23. As a contemporary of Isaiah, Micah would have known these messianic prophecies, and, in Micah 4:1-4, the prophet declared world peace through God’s sovereign rule:
And it will come about in the last days that the mountain of the house of the Lord will be established as the chief of the mountains. It will be raised above the hills, and the peoples will stream to it. … Then they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they train for war. Each of them will sit under his vine and under his fig tree, with no one to make them afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.
In the kingdom of God, military weapons are transformed into farming equipment – swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks. Rather than men fighting one another, they will work together to steward creation, as God intended from the beginning (Genesis 1:26-28).
Seize the moment and pray for world peace, recognizing that the Prince of Peace will start by stewarding your heart as His throne, then, through you, He will bring peace to the nations as His peacemaker (Matthew 5:9; Romans 12:18; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20).
God bless you!
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Micah 3
The Wise Respond with Humility!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, September 19.
It can be very difficult to hear a hard word from the Lord. Yet, oftentimes, it is our response to these tough truths which reveals our true heart condition, whether we are wise or foolish (Proverbs 15:31-33). King Hezekiah was a wise king, and the reason we know this is because of how he responded to God’s prophets, even when they brought him the harshest of words. Micah declared the fall of Israel and Judah because of the corruption of its leaders. He was a bold critic of those who abused their authority for personal gain, whether in the religious or political arena. He would not quiet his voice for personal gain or safety; rather, he declared the coming judgment of God in Micah 3:9-12:
Now hear this, heads of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who abhor justice and twist everything that is straight, who build Zion with bloodshed and Jerusalem with violent injustice. … Therefore, on account of you Zion will be plowed as a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins, and the mountain of the temple will become high places of a forest.
Some of Micah’s words from this passage are quoted over a century later in Jeremiah 26:17-19, where we learn that King Hezekiah responded to Micah’s words in faith, leading to the great reforms of Jerusalem, the restoration of temple worship, and the reinstatement of Passover (2 Kings 18:1-6; 2 Chronicles 29:1-31:21). The king responded faithfully to a harsh rebuke from the prophet, heeding the Word of God and proving himself wise. Hezekiah’s humility to respond favorably to correction saved Jerusalem and the southern kingdom of Judah from the Assyrians (2 Chronicle 32:1-23).
God bless you!
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
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Micah 2
Curtail your Covetousness!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, September 18.
We all need to get a grip on our appetites before they take a hold of our lives. One of the ways we do this is by curtailing our covetousness before it manifests into evil and unjust practices. To covet means to deeply desire something that someone else has, and it carries the negative connotation that you are willing to either take it from someone for yourself or reprioritize your life to get it. When we curtail our covetousness, we protect ourselves and others from evil by coming in agreement with God’s tenth commandment, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor” (Exodus 20:17).
In Micah 2:1-2, the prophet proclaimed judgment upon Israel because of the corruption caused by coveting, “Woe to those who scheme iniquity, who work out evil on their beds! When morning comes, they do it, for it is in the power of their hands. They covet fields and then seize them, and houses, and take them away. They rob a man and his house, a man and his inheritance.” God had given each tribe a portion of the Promised Land, then each family was given a lot on which to build a home and work the land, raising their children and providing for the common good of the community. Yet, some were not content with the ancient boundary lines, growing covetous for what their neighbor had, and ultimately hurting others to feed their insatiable desires. Get a grip on your appetites before they take a hold of you; practice the spiritual discipline of simplicity. Learn contentment and be a blessing to your community.
Seize the moment and curtail your covetousness before your desire for something, that is not rightfully yours, leads you to do evil against your neighbor.
God bless you!
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
YOUTUBE:
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Micah 1
Walk in Integrity!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, September 17.
Micah has been called, “Little Isaiah” because his prophetic ministry paralleled that of the Prince of Prophets, with Micah’s seven-chapter book being a tithe of Isaiah’s sixty-six chapters. The time of his ministry is made clear in Micah 1:1, “The word of the Lord which came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.” Interestingly, over a century later, the timing of Micah’s prophetic ministry was verified, as his bold message was compared to Jeremiah’s, as described in Jeremiah 26:17-19:
Then some of the elders of the land rose up and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying, “Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and he spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, ‘Thus the Lord of hosts has said, “Zion will be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem will become ruins, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.” ’ Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? Did he not fear the Lord and entreat the favor of the Lord, and the Lord changed His mind about the misfortune which He had pronounced against them? But we are committing a great evil against ourselves.”
Micah was obedient to God as a prophet to Israel and Judah. His life and message, as described in Micah 1:8, had the same character as that of the major prophets, “Because of this I must lament and wail, I must go barefoot and naked; I must make a lament like the jackals and a mourning like the ostriches.”
Seize the moment and walk in the integrity of what God has asked you to do. No matter how small your ministry may appear, God uses faithful people to produce lasting fruit that will bless others for generations to come (John 15:16).
God bless you!
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
YOUTUBE:
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Jonah 4
Don’t Sin in your Anger!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, September 16.
In the Sermon on the Mount, specifically Matthew 7:2, Jesus teaches about the danger of judging others according to our own self-righteous standards of justice, “For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.” His teaching continues that you must first remove the log from your own eye before you can accurately remove the speck from your brother’s eye (3-5). Jesus’ teaching is masterfully portrayed in the conclusion to Jonah’s story. Though his own nation was in rebellion against God, and he himself had just been rescued from certain death by God’s amazing grace, even though he had rebelled against God himself, Jonah didn’t want God to do the same for his enemies. To his horror, and by no means through his own eloquence or effort, the people of Nineveh repented because of his reluctant sermon. This did not surprise, but upset the prophet, as he explained to God in Jonah 4:1-3:
But it greatly displeased Jonah and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord and said, “Please Lord, was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity. Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life.” The Lord said, “Do you have good reason to be angry?”
God bless you!
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
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