Seize the Moment – Day 312
“Living Hope”
In 2018, Phil Wickham started writing a song with Bethel Music’s Brian Johnson over text, sharing ideas for lyrics and verses back and forth for over a month. They could sense God was giving them something special. When they had finalized the third verse, again…all through text…there was a pause. Phil said, “I saw the three dots showing he was writing something else and it simply said ‘Dude, this is amazing!”
They both realized that God had rescued them from something they could never rescue themselves from, for their future was death, but Jesus came and brought life…a Living Hope!
“Hallelujah, praise the One who set me free.
Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me.
You have broken every chain,
There’s salvation in Your name.
Jesus Christ, my living hope!”
We need to wake up and realize that it is only through Jesus’s death and resurrection that we have new life and the promise of an eternal home. He is our hope, not the things that can rust, burn or rot away. Jesus is our solid rock and our hope is built on Him.
YOUTUBE:
Living Hope
How high the mountain I could not climb
In desperation, I turned to heaven
And spoke your name into the night
Then through the darkness
Your loving kindness
Tore through the shadows of my soul
The work is finished, the end is written
Jesus Christ, my living hope
What heart could fathom such boundless grace?
The God of ages stepped down from glory
To wear my sin and bear my shame
The cross has spoken, I am forgiven
The king of kings calls me His own
Beautiful savior, I’m yours forever
Jesus Christ, my living hope
Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There’s salvation in your name
Jesus Christ, my living hope
Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There’s salvation in your name
Jesus Christ, my living hope
Your buried body began to breathe
Out of the silence, the roaring lion
Declared the grave has no claim on me
Your buried body began to breathe
Out of the silence, the roaring lion
Declared the grave has no claim on me
Jesus, yours is the victory, whoa!
Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There’s salvation in your name
Jesus Christ, my living hope
Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There’s salvation in your name
Jesus Christ, my living hope
Oh God, you are my living hope
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Seize the Moment – Day 311
Living by Faith or in Fear!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, January 22.
There are two promises found side by side in Hebrews 10. Please understand that God put them side by side on purpose. Each of us has a choice to make.
The first is for a wise person who builds his or her life on the rock. Listen to Hebrews 10:19-25,
Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
Contrast that with the person who builds his or her life on the sand. Listen to Hebrews 10:26-31,
For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Both of these are the promises of God and accordingly, you are either living by faith or in fear.
Seize the moment and respond to the promises of God today. Build your house on the rock of Jesus Christ and find rest for your soul.
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Seize the Moment – Day 310
Once and for All!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, January 21.
Why is Jesus so important 2,000 years after He died?
According to Hebrews 9:11-12, it is why He died that makes Him relevant today:
But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
“Once” means that the atoning sacrifice for sin is done; the repetition of animal sacrifices demanded by the Old Covenant has been fulfilled through the one sacrifice of the Lamb of God Jesus Christ. The New Covenant has been eternally sealed with His shed blood on the Cross.
“For all” means that Jesus has done this for all who shall be saved. This is the good news of a great joy to all the world (Luke 2:10): God’s promises are fulfilled in Jesus Christ and there is no end to His government (Isaiah 9:6-7)!
Listen to Hebrews 9:27, “And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.”
An undisputable fact is that every single one of us will die. The Bible further illuminates for our eternal good that each of us will then face judgment. Our eternity—heaven or hell—is 100% dependent on whether or not you call upon the name of the Lord to be saved (Romans 10:13).
Saying that is definitely out of fashion today, but that doesn’t mean it’s not relevant today!
Seize the moment and once and for all call upon the name Jesus.
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Seize the Moment – Day 309
Jesus is Faithful to His Promises!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, January 20.
Are you concerned that people will not keep their promises? This is a big concern in our culture today for many people.
Hebrews 8:6 teaches us about Jesus’s covenant faithfulness: “But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.”
God is faithful to His covenant; to His Name! That is why He is faithful to you; not because you deserve it, but because of His Name, His Glory, His reputation!
Never forget that the promises of God are not dependent on your faithfulness, but on Jesus’ faithfulness alone.
In Christ alone! By faith so that no man should boast.
When I think back to all of God’s covenants, I come across this one truth: not a single one of those people was perfect, but God is!
Adam and Eve were not perfect… Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Israel and his twelve sons, King David… Not a single perfect person in that group of people, only a perfect God!
Only Jesus Christ is perfect and only Jesus mediates all of God’s promises for imperfect people, like you and me!
Seize the moment and thank God for His grace available to imperfect people through faith in Jesus Christ! No human being alive can fully keep his or her promises, but God can!
In God we trust! As a people, let’s be honest about that and stop putting all of our hopes or fears in imperfect people!
I hope to see you tonight at our new new mid-week “Prayer Awakening” service that starts online and in-person at 6:15.
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Seize the Moment – Day 308
Jesus is Praying for you!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, January 19.
Did you know that the most powerful intercessor in the world is praying perfectly for you, right now?
This is true for every believer in Christ Jesus. Listen to Hebrews 7:25-27,
Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.
Jesus is holy, innocent, without sin, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
Jesus is the High Priest, above all other priests, and His priesthood will never come to an end.
Jesus is the mediator and guarantor of the covenant of grace. And He is praying for you right now!
Listen to Paul explain this powerful prayer ministry of Jesus in Romans 8:33-35a, “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?”
Just like the truth of God’s forgiveness through the finished work of Jesus on the Cross of Calvary for your eternal life, Jesus’ promise for ongoing intercession at the throne of God’s grace for you day-to-day life is secure.
Seize the moment and join Jesus in His prayer life—partner in the life of Jesus by praying with Him! Never forget that Jesus is already praying for you!
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Seize the Moment – Day 307
Hope for the Future!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, January 18. Today is a national holiday in honor of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a Baptist minister and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He is famously known for his 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech, when he said,
Even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.
Great leaders provide people with hope for a better future, especially in the midst of difficulties. Great leaders invite people to apply all diligence to bring about those preferred futures.
Hebrew 6:9-12, 19a teaches us to be diligent in the hope we have in Jesus Christ,
But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way. For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. … This hope we have as an anchor of the soul…
Anchor your life in the hope that only comes from Jesus Christ; He is your Victory! It is only through Him that you will find peace of mind and heart, and rest for your soul. He’s with you right now waiting for you to recognize His presence and call upon His name.
There are many leaders in our world who want your loyalty, but only Jesus delivers on every promise.
Seize the moment and be diligent to put all of your faith and hope in Jesus alone.
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Live Like a Champion ( Week 3)
“Live Like a Champion: Victory Through the Promises of God!”
The Promise of Effectiveness and Fruitfulness!
2 Peter 1:5-9 (NAS95)
(Matthew Hurst introduces a new song he wrote for this sermon series.)
In the first two weeks of this series, we have learned how to live like a champion by learning how to live in the victory of the promises of God. Our guiding image for this series is being a member of an NFL team who wins the Superbowl. In order for this to happen, every player on the team has to play like a champion.
That means, each player must do the following four things:
(1) Know the team’s playbook;
(2) Train to be in great shape;
(3) Listen to the coach; and
(4) Work together with all the other players as one team.
In the same way, as we learn the precious and magnificent promises of God so that we may become partakers of the divine nature to the glory of God, we must also do those same four things:
(1) Know God’s playbook—the Bible—by learning the promises of God.
(2) Train ourselves for godliness by learning to live according to the promises of God.
(3) Learn how to listen to the Coach’s voice so that we play the right play at the right time.
(4) Work together as members of God’s family—His Church.
Never forget, the Superbowl celebration is in our future and we are invited to play like a championship team. As you have heard me teach every week of this series, both your salvation and glorification are already finished in Jesus; now live accordingly—the Victory is yours, now live victoriously—live like a champion!
“train [discipline in NAS95] yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”
This teaching is based on our ongoing study of Peter’s words from 2 Peter 1. Listen to 2 Peter 1:5-9,
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.
“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.”
“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.”
This is a triple blessing—past justification (DONE!), future glorification (DONE!), and our present godliness or progressive sanctification, which is the intent of this passage (APPLY All DILIGENCE…).
“work out your salvation with fear and trembling; [Yes, we are to apply all diligence to our salvation, but listen to verse 13:] for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”
To be very clear, our fellowship in God’s divine nature is a promise to take on God’s characteristics through our union with Jesus and fellowship with His Spirit. It is not a promise to become a god, rather, it’s a call to share in the eternal life of God (His immortality), as well as a partner with God in His mission on earth by taking on the character and life of Jesus (His morality).
“For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end.” This is the invitation!
We are to be diligent in living our eternal life today by partaking in His divine nature. We are called to manifest the new morality of Jesus, in increasing measure (progressively more!), as we remember our past justification and our future glorification. These are done, the Victory is ours in Christ, now live like it!
In the words of Jesus from John 15:1-17, we are to bear His fruit because we are branches connected to His vine; therefore, demonstrating to the world by manifesting good fruit in this life that we truly are sharing in His divine nature. You will know the partners of God by their fruit—God’s trees are effective and fruitful!
“For if these qualities are yours and are increasing [abounding], 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.”
Do you want to be effective and fruitful in living as a partner with God through Christ’s Victory?
Here’s a key—preach the gospel of Jesus to yourself every single day! Never forget that though you were once hell-bent, you are now heaven-bound! You were once dead in sin; you are now alive in Christ!
“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.”
“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.”
According to God’s Word from 2 Peter 1:5-7, we are to be diligent in the process of spiritual formation:
1) Faith supplies moral excellence.
“For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.” Galatians 3:3 teaches us the role of the Spirit and not the flesh!
2) Moral excellence increases knowledge.
Moral excellence is the other side of the coin of partaking of the divine nature, for as Christ welcomed us in the eternal life of the Father, He could only do that by first removing our sin, this is our escape of the corruption that is in the world by lust (2 Peter 1:4).
“More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ.”
3) Knowing Christ Jesus leads to self-control.
“For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline [sound mind].”
4) Self-control grows perseverance.
“Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”
5) Perseverance is what trains us in godliness.
“We also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
6) Godliness manifests in brotherly kindness (philadelphia).
“We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.”
7) Brotherly kindness expresses God’s love (agape).
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Brothers and sisters in Christ, this is your way to effectiveness and fruitfulness—Train! We are each chosen and called members of the same team. For us to be effective and fruitful, we each must be diligent in our training in godliness, so that as we, His team, hear the Coach’s voice we can run the right play at the right time, according to His playbook, as the many unique members of His one unified body (Romans 12:4-5).
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Seize the Moment – Day 305
“More About Jesus”
“More about Jesus, let me learn; More of His holy will discern;
Spirit of God, my teacher be, showing the things of Christ to me.”
This poem, along with several others, became known to Professor John R. Sweney, music professor at Pennsylvania Military Academy, who put the lyrics to music.
We must wake up and determine in our hearts that we will not let the circumstances around us decide our attitude. We need to fully focus on Jesus and let His light and love shine through our lives. And that can only happen when we hunger and thirst for more of Him in our lives.
YOUTUBE:
More about Jesus would I know,
More of His grace to others show;
More of His saving fulness see,
More of His love who died for me.
More, more about Jesus;
More of His saving fulness see,
More of His love who died for me.
More about Jesus let me learn,
More of His holy will discern;
Spirit of God my teacher be,
Showing the things of Christ to me.
More, more about Jesus;
More of His saving fulness see,
More of His love who died for me.
More about Jesus; in His Word,
Holding communion with my Lord;
Hearing His voice in every line,
Making each faithful saying mine.
More, more about Jesus;
More of His saving fulness see,
More of His love who died for me.
More about Jesus; on His throne,
Riches in glory all His own;
More of His kingdom’s sure increase;
More of His coming, Prince of Peace.
More, more about Jesus;
More of His saving fulness see,
More of His love who died for me.
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Seize the Moment – Day 304
Discernment in Today’s Information Age!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, January 15.
There is more news and information available to people in today’s world than ever before. This requires of us to learn how to be discerning of what is good and evil.
The teaching in Hebrews 5:12-14 teaches us about this:
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.
How do we grow in our ability to discern good and evil?
Developing and practicing discernment is a spiritual process led by the Holy Spirit, who uses the Word of God to cause you to become a person who knows the truth and who knows what is good.
This is an intentional process of study and application; it is the integration of our minds and hearts, doctrines and practices, private life and public life. Discernment is trained by constant practice.
Churches in the midst of this information age will not mature in faithfulness and grow in fruitfulness without each of us becoming discerning members of His body. We all are overwhelmed with dissident information and competing ideas and only those of us who choose obedience to Jesus Christ will ever become discerning of the things of God.
This is how we become wise! As Jesus taught us in Matthew 7:24, “Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
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Seize the Moment – Day 303
Draw Near!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, January 14.
How are you practically experiencing the promises of God in your daily life?
For example, in Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus promised that in His easy yoke all who are weary and heavy burdened will find rest.
God’s word teaches us how this happens in Hebrews 4:11-13,
Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest… For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
Here are three ways reading your Bible daily helps you enter into His rest:
- There is a great rest to be found in a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ when we daily enter the rhythm of being still and knowing that He is God. It is wearisome trying to be god! He is God, we are not!
- There is a clarifying conviction that comes from reading His Word because God knows us and our needs and sets us free from our burdens.
- There is the Counselor’s comfort when we invite the Holy Spirit to know our thoughts and hearts and speak truth to us.
As Hebrews 4:16 commands us, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Every day as you read and pray the Word of God, draw near to God and He promises to draw near to you (James 4:8).
Seize the moment and draw near today! Allow His Spirit to make you lie down in green pastures and lead you beside still waters (Psalm 23:2)—be diligent to enter His rest 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.
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