The Call to the Great Community 4
The Call to the Great Community!
Join in the Eternal Conversation of God!
Right now, Jesus is at the right hand of God, in the throne room of Heaven, praying for you! Romans 8:34b teaches, “Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” Ascension Day, which was on Thursday, forty days after Easter, is the crowning event of the ministry of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ but is often hidden in the shadow of our proclamation of His crucifixion and resurrection.
We skip over the triumphant reality of Jesus’ ascension to the right hand of the Father, yet we declare His imminent return in the second coming of Jesus Christ. We leave the “where is He now” and “what is He doing in this present age” kind of ambiguous. Let’s be clear, right now, at the right hand of God, Jesus is praying for you! Amazing, the Holy Spirit, who dwells in you, and Jesus, who is at the right of the Father in Heaven, are speaking with one another and with the Father about you. God exists in a perfect relationship with perfect communication for His glory and our good, for eternity.
Today, I want to teach you the importance of Jesus’ ascension so that you can live with even greater confidence in your daily prayer life as a member of His body. We are held together by prayer because prayer is one of the few things we do that will stand for eternity. Revelation 8:3-4 teaches us this truth, “Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand.”
This is what the scripture reading was about from Acts 1:1-11. That is not the only place we saw the ascension recorded. Listen to the following passages:
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- Luke 24:50-53, “And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising God.”
- Mark 16:19, “So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.” We also hear it recorded in the ancient creeds of the Bible.
- 1 Timothy 3:16, “By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, was vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.”
On the fortieth day after Easter, concluding the church calendar season of Eastertide, Jesus ascended (bodily rose, “taken up in glory”) to heaven before His disciples’ eyes. Jesus did not leave behind his physical body, resurrected in the flesh, glorified in the Spirit, so that He could take His place at the right hand of the Father. No, very importantly, giving us hope for the New Heaven and New Earth, Jesus in His glorified and resurrected body, is now at the right hand of God, praying for us!
Furthermore, Hebrews 1:1-4 affirms Jesus’ fulfillment of this prophecy, “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.”
What does it mean that Jesus “sat down at the right hand”? It means that Jesus has the respect and authority of the Sovereign! To be at the right hand is to be the trusted agent of the will of the King. Heaven is the control room of creation from which the Sovereign Creator rules over all things in heaven and earth. Do you know the awesome news? God’s control room is one day coming to earth in the New Heaven & Earth.
Jesus has the authority of Heaven in earthly and heavenly affairs. From 1 Peter 3:22, Peter declares that Jesus “is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him” (cf. Ephesians 1:18-23; Philippians 2:9-11).
Jesus declared this authority before His ascension as He gave the Church the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Our relationship with God and our work for Jesus in His Church rest in His rightful authority, not in the authority of any man or denomination. Living and working under rightful authority (headship) is an essential reality and one that God cares very deeply about—not just for His Son, but for all of His children and all of creation, for all time. Are you living under the authority of Jesus Christ and His Word? How far reaching are the implications to your answer?
All who are in Christ Jesus are promised participants in His ascension. Paul states this in Ephesians 2:4-7, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
This event in Jesus’ ministry invites us to live faithfully and to keep our focus on Jesus and the Kingdom of God. Paul taught us this in Colossians 3:1-2, “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” Our work in this life is now informed by the promises of God and His rightful rule over all creation.
We are no longer bound to this earth, our place in Heaven is already being prepared for us. Speaking of His own future ascension in John 14:1-3, Jesus taught us how this is important for all those who follow Him, “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.”
These are the comforting words of Jesus Christ, made possible through His ascension. We can share these words with others because we know Jesus is alive, ascended to the right hand of God, in a place of authority.
Jesus prays for us continually and His prayers are effective, not only because of Jesus’ authority, but also because of the intimate knowledge of Jesus’ experiences as a person who walked on the earth! So don’t feel guilty and heavy-burdened if your prayer life is lacking, just remember to never stop starting in your conversation with Jesus, who is already praying for you.
What a powerful truth that fuels my prayer life with desire to be with this God who loves me and gave Himself for me. In fact, our very prayer lives are empowered by the presence of God in us, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We are joining in the conversation between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Prayer is sharing in God’s eternal community; this is what it means to be called to the Great Community – you have joined the eternal conversation of God!
Paul teaches us about the ministry of the Holy Spirit in Romans 8:26-27, “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.”
God is with us, and He will never leave us nor forsake us – He will see us through to the completion of His Plan A! God is with us through His presence and power living in us! May God be exalted in and through you – a fellow member of the Great Community where the eternal conversation of God is bearing good fruit in our everyday lives. Join the conversation and pray John 17 every day, continue to pray through the Psalms each and every day, joining with Jesus under His headship so that we, each and every one of us, may walk in the unity of the Spirit, so that the world may see us as one mature body, in synch with God and coordinated together. We can do more together than we can do apart.
Resources:
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Hymn: A Thousand Amens
Today’s song focus :
A Thousand Amens
Lamentations 3:22-23 (NASB95)
For His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.”
In 2009, Tim Timmons wanted to create a song that would be powerful and uplifting while inviting believers to praise and worship God. Reflective of the traditional Doxology, it also highlights the concept of God’s unfailing love, faithfulness and the assurance that we can always rely on His mercy and grace. It goes further to tell of God’s kindness that brings comfort, restoration and wholeness to all who worship Him.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him, all creatures here below
Praise Him above, Ye heavenly Host
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
YOUTUBE:
If you prefer a video, Pastor Ken reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.
If you would like to listen to this song, click on this link:
A Thousand Amens
Praise Him, all creatures here below
Praise Him above, Ye heavenly Host
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost
Unfailing love comes with the morning
It’s Your faithfulness we sing at night
It’s Your kindness Lord that leads to our healing
All glory to our maker and a thousand amens
Yeah, yeah, ooh
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him, all creatures here below
Praise Him above, Ye heavenly Host
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost
Unfailing love comes with the morning
It’s Your faithfulness we sing at night
It’s Your kindness Lord that leads to our healing, ooh
All glory to our Maker and a thousand amens
Yeah, yeah
Unfailing love comes with the morning, yeah, yeah
It’s Your faithfulness we sing at night
It’s Your kindness Lord that leads to our healing, oh
All glory to our Maker and a thousand amens
Amen, amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, all glory to our Maker
Amen, amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, all glory to our Maker
(Amen)
Amen, amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, all glory to our Maker
Amen, amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, all glory to our Maker
(We will praise Your name, oh God)
Amen, amen
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Jeremiah 42
Choose Wisely Your Next Step! (Part 1 of 2)
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, May 10.
Learning how to make wise decisions is an essential skill to the adult life, especially for someone who wants to walk in the Way of Jesus. Every single day we are going to be confronted with choices, many of which will be small daily decisions, while others will be significant with far reaching consequences. Big or small, every decision you make is important. In Romans 12:1-2, Paul taught us the foundational principle to godly decision making:
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
You have to be with Him! We cannot take our lead from the patterns of this world, but by being in step with Him, seeking direction from God through His Word, in prayer, and through wise counsel. After the assassination of the governor, the remnant had a hard decision to make – remain in Mizpah, awaiting the retaliation of Babylon, or flee to Egypt, seeking sanctuary from an old ally. The officials of the remnant approached the prophet in Jeremiah 42:1-3, taking the right next step in making this important decision, “Please let our petition come before you, and pray for us to the Lord your God, that is for all this remnant; because we are left but a few out of many, as your own eyes now see us, that the Lord your God may tell us the way in which we should walk and the thing that we should do.”
Seize the moment and seek to be in step with God in every decision you make, remembering that His Word “is a lamp to [your] feet and a light to [your] path” (Psalm 119:105).
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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Jeremiah 41
Be at Peace for the Sake of the Seeker!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, May 9.
Sometime after the deportation of the exiles, Gedaliah, the appointed governor of Judah, was assassinated by Ishmael (Jeremiah 41:1-3). It was yet another dark season for the people of Judah because instead of striving to work together to make the best of a bad situation, there was political strife and personal enmity. To make matters worse, when eighty pilgrims came from the north to worship in the house of the Lord, seventy of them were massacred by Ishmael (4-9). Whereas the assassination of the governor was a tragedy, the massacre of the pilgrims was an atrocity. Furthermore, beyond the moral consequences of this unnecessary bloodshed, there was going to be far reaching political ramifications from Babylon. Sadly, any stability in the region or hope for the future that had been restored to the everyday people was snatched away. After seeking revenge upon Ishmael, Johanan prepared the people to leave the Promised Land, fleeing to Egypt (11-18).
When the people of God infight, it keeps seekers from experiencing the love of God. I don’t understand why people are so easily stirred up into turmoil, especially those who are supposed to have the peace of God guarding their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Whether it’s the color of the carpets, the translation of the pew Bible, or a perspective on a hot topic, it’s almost as if the people of God are looking for something (anything!) to sacrifice their unified witness at the altar of personal preferences. Unfortunately, those who suffer the most from such infighting are the seekers and pilgrims. It is the guest, upon walking into a church that is caught up in discord and division, that never gets to feel or experience the love of Jesus through His disciples’ love for one another (John 13:34-35).
Seize the moment and fear God; be at peace with one another for the sake of the seeker!
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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Jeremiah 40
Heed Wise Counsel!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, May 8.
With the deportation under way, a remnant was left behind with Gedaliah as the appointed governor of Judah. Jeremiah found favor with the Babylonian leadership because of his faithfulness as a prophet and was given the choice to come with them to be cared for favorably in exile or to remain in Mizpah as a member of the Jewish remnant. Unfortunately, Jeremiah’s decision to remain did not thwart the rebellious plot to kill the Babylonian’s appointed governor. While there is no record of the prophet’s intervention, Jeremiah 40:13-16 records the governor’s refusal to heed a warning from his top advisors:
Now Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces that were in the field came to Gedaliah at Mizpah and said to him, “Are you well aware that Baalis the king of the sons of Ammon has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam did not believe them. Then Johanan the son of Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah in Mizpah, saying, “Let me go and kill Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and not a man will know! Why should he take your life, so that all the Jews who are gathered to you would be scattered and the remnant of Judah would perish?” But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, “Do not do this thing, for you are telling a lie about Ishmael.”
(Spoiler alert: Ishmael murders Gedaliah in the next chapter.) I have two questions about this historical narrative: Where was Jeremiah’s prophetic counsel? Why wouldn’t the newly appointed governor of Judah trust the counsel of his closest advisors? He thought he already knew, so he wasn’t listening to the kingly wisdom of Proverbs 15:22, “Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed.”
Seize the moment and heed wisdom, especially when it is given by a trustworthy source. Don’t let your presuppositions prevent you from heeding wise counsel.
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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Jeremiah 39
Faith Saves the Day!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, May 7.
The siege was successful, and the Babylonians breached the defenses of Jerusalem. While this historical account of the destruction of Jerusalem and the ensuing deportation of the people to Babylon is also told in 2 Kings 25, the prophet’s account emphasized God’s faithfulness to an Ethiopian eunuch, Ebed-melech, who rescued him from the cistern in Jeremiah 38:7-13. While the story does not explicitly state it, Ebed-melech most likely put his life into God’s hands twice to accomplish this feat – first, by going before the king with the petition for Jeremiah’s life, and second, by putting himself at odds with the officials who opposed Jeremiah. In return for his courageous and compassionate action to preserve the life of the prophet, God spoke to the Ethiopian eunuch in Jeremiah 39:15-18:
“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I am about to bring My words on this city for disaster and not for prosperity; and they will take place before you on that day. But I will deliver you on that day,’ declares the Lord, ‘and you will not be given into the hand of the men whom you dread. For I will certainly rescue you, and you will not fall by the sword; but you will have your own life as booty, because you have trusted in Me,’ declares the Lord.”
God preserved the eunuch’s life, “because you have trusted in Me.” I love how God said that, because did we ever witness any declarations of faith from the Ethiopian court servant of Zedekiah? No, we are confronted with the biblical fact that our faith must be made manifest by our works, but it is not our works that save us, but the faith itself. As Paul emphasized in Romans 4:1-8, Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.
Seize the moment and put your faith into action through good works (James 2:14-26).
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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Jeremiah 38
Real Hope Sets You Free!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, May 6.
Do you want people to tell you what you want to hear or what you need to hear? In Jeremiah 38, the military leaders of Jerusalem threw the prophet into a cistern; verses 4-5 explains why:
Then the officials said to the king, “Now let this man be put to death, inasmuch as he is discouraging the men of war who are left in this city and all the people, by speaking such words to them; for this man is not seeking the well-being of this people but rather their harm.” So King Zedekiah said, “Behold, he is in your hands; for the king can do nothing against you.”
Though the prophet was rescued from certain death at the muddy bottom of the cistern, he was kept under house arrest until his prophecy was fulfilled, as Jeremiah 38:28 explains, “So Jeremiah stayed in the court of the guardhouse until the day that Jerusalem was captured.” When the king went to the discarded prophet, Jeremiah confronted him with his conundrum (14-23). He gave the truth to the weak king like a surgeon utilizes a scalpel for good, in hopes of removing cancer from a sick person’s body.
Real hope is meant to set you free from the sin nature that seeks to grip you in its unbridled pursuit of making for itself a personal utopia on Earth. Jesus came to rescue you so that you can live for God as eternal citizens of Heaven. You need to hear this truth, so that you can surrender to a real hope for the future. Like He did for King Zedekiah, God is giving you a choice to make – live by fear of what could be or live by faith of what will be.
Seize the moment and surrender to God and you shall have rest for your soul. In Christ, your glory days are always ahead of you!
God bless you!
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
YOUTUBE:
If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.
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The Call to the Great Community 3
Communion Celebrates Christ While Declaring our Unity as His Church!
Our current sermon series, “The Call to the Great Community,” is a series of discipleship teachings about the body of Christ and our call to be fellow members of the body of Christ. This is an important call to answer for us individually and corporately for the sake of the mission of Jesus Christ (why He came!) for the glory of God. You have a purpose for belonging!
The church is God’s idea; not mine nor yours! The church is the body of Christ because we exist to embody the mission of Jesus to the glory of the Father. The mission of Jesus is the great rescue mission; He came from Heaven to Earth to show us the way to the Father; this has always been God’s Plan A; therefore, the church exists for the mission – to walk in the way of Jesus as His body, making Him known and continuing His mission for the glory of God. We have a purpose for belonging!
We are to be one in Christ as His church! In order to express our oneness in Christ we must have unity within our diverse functionality. Just like how God designed and intended men and women to complement, and not compete with, one another. We must treat one another with humility and gentleness, and we must pray for the the Spirit to give us a true John 17 unity. We must practice our belonging on purpose!
+ Read Luke 22:14-20
+ Watch educational video: https://www.gotquestions.org/communion-Christian.html
+ Read 1 Corinthians 11:23-34
- It is an ordinance of remembrance, commemorating the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.
- It is a sign and signifier of the New Covenant, which was sealed through the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
- It is a proclamation of your statement of faith – Christ crucified, risen, and coming again.
“For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” (v. 26)
How Do I Prepare Myself for the Lord’s Supper? Through faith, confessing, and repenting of all known sin. It is ONLY by God’s grace you can be worthy.
Who Should Take the Lord’s Supper?
Only those who are believers/disciples of Jesus Christ.
“For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly.” (v. 29)
RESOURCES:
In order to watch the message click HERE. (This will appear early this week.)
In order to watch the entire service with music, click HERE.
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Hymn: Nothing But The Blood
Day 1509
Today’s song focus :
Nothing But The Blood
1 John 1:7 (NASB95)
“but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light,
we have fellowship with one another,
and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
Oh precious is the flow that makes me white as snow
No other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus
We need to wake up and realize that it was for OUR SIN that Jesus shed His blood to provide the ultimate sacrifice. There is NOTHING that we could ever have done to restore our relationship with Father God. It is His precious blood that washes away our sin and makes us whole again. Thank Him for that gift today!
If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.
YOUTUBE:
If you prefer a video, Pastor Ken reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.
If you would like to listen to this song, click on this link:
Nothing But The Blood
- What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.- Refrain:
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
- Refrain:
- For my pardon, this I see,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
For my cleansing this my plea,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus. - Nothing can for sin atone,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Naught of good that I have done,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus. - This is all my hope and peace,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
This is all my righteousness,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus. - Now by this I’ll overcome—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Now by this I’ll reach my home—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus. - Glory! Glory! This I sing—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
All my praise for this I bring—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
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Jeremiah 37
Prioritize Time to Listen!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, May 3.
The key to good communication is the ability to listen. If you are always talking and never listening, then you will never know another person. We must listen to the one we seek to understand, which is why God gave us two ears and one mouth. As James 1:19 teaches, “But everyone must be quick to hear.” In our spiritual disciplines, we must listen to God’s Word because He desires for us to know Him. That happens primarily through Bible intake through a daily reading or listening plan, but it also comes through the life of following Jesus, called Christian discipleship. If you want to grow in your relationship with Jesus, you must prioritize listening to Him!
Often people treat God like a cosmic vending machine. They really don’t want to get to know Him; they just want something from Him. Such people are always asking, but never listening. Their religion is yet another way to cope with or control their world. We see an example of this in Jeremiah 37:1-3:
Now Zedekiah the son of Josiah whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had made king in the land of Judah, reigned as king in place of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim. But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to the words of the Lord which He spoke through Jeremiah the prophet. Yet King Zedekiah sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, to Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “Please pray to the Lord our God on our behalf.”
Zedekiah was willing to ask the prophet to pray on their behalf, but he was not willing to listen to God’s Word. There was no relationship, only his ambition to use God, and no one likes to be used!
Seize the moment and prioritize listening to God today! Mark your calendar with the times of your daily transformative practices of Christian discipleship.
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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