Life Beyond the Sun!

Ecclesiastes 12

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, November 30.

There is a purpose for your life, and to understand it, you must return to the beginning of the big story of God and His creative intent in making humanity – “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27). When we understand this, then we realize that we will not be satisfied with any vain conceit or selfish ambition under the sun, only with the fulfillment of our created design. You were redeemed to reflect the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).

The Preacher’s conclusion sought to understand the purpose of life when confronted with the futility of all things under the sun. In Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, he gave us a profound truth that is the key to not only understanding his book, but the meaning of life, “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.” The Moody Bible Commentary summarizes about the Preacher’s conclusion:

As image bearers, to fear and obey God is at the core of what it means to be human. … But if that is not enough, the narrator then gave a second, more negative reason: God’s final judgment (v. 14). … Only the fool would not fear and obey Him. Ultimately then the only place to find meaning in this meaningless life under the sun is in the One who is beyond life under the sun: God Himself.^[1]

Seize the moment and live life beyond the sun by reflecting the glory of the Son, who is the eternal light by which all God’s children will dwell forever – “And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb” (Revelation 21:23).

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.

YOUTUBE:

If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.

FOOTNOTE:

Reap a Harvest of Praise!

Ecclesiastes 11

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, November 29.

I have had the privilege of living amongst farmers for the last fourteen years; they are a hardworking people of great faith. Every citizen of every nation should give thanks to God for our farmers. They labor according to the faithful strategy of all hardworking farmers, by which they hope to produce a large crop yield:

Faithful farmers work hard in every step of this strategy, but they know that it is only by God’s activity that they can produce any crop yield from their efforts. They intimately understand the Preacher’s admonition from Ecclesiastes 11:3-6:

If the clouds are full, they pour out rain upon the earth; and whether a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, wherever the tree falls, there it lies. He who watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap. Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things. Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.

In the same way, we are to work hard at bearing the eternal fruit of God’s harvest, knowing that it is God at work in us through His Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence (John 15:1-5; Philippians 2:12-13).

Seize the moment and reap a harvest of praise to God – “Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God” (2 Corinthians 9:10-11).

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.

FOOTNOTE:

Hone Your Skills!

Ecclesiastes 10

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, November 28.

If you look both ways before you cross the street, you will not get hit by a car. If you don’t back a dog into a corner, you will not get bit. If you work hard, you will get a good return for your efforts. Unfortunately, these axioms are not true all the time. There are no guarantees in life, even when you apply wisdom to it. Life happens because that is the reality of living under the sun. The Preacher emphasized this predicament in Ecclesiastes 10:8-10:

He who digs a pit may fall into it, and a serpent may bite him who breaks through a wall. He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and he who splits logs may be endangered by them. If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success.

Even though you and I aren’t in control of all outcomes, as only God knows how something will turn out, we are invited to hone our skills for godly living. We are to apply wisdom to all that we do because there are inherent dangers in all tasks under the sun. Whether working in landscaping, building, quarrying, or logging, the key is to apply wisdom by honing the skills of your chosen trade, just like a logger must sharpen his axe if he hopes to be effective.

Jesus is calling you to represent Him as a “minister of reconciliation,” as an “ambassador for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:17-20). Your vocation, regardless of your occupation, is to be Christ-like, in word and deed. There’s only one way to be successful in this work: get in His easy yoke and learn from Him how to be like Him (Matthew 11:28-30).

Seize the moment and hone your skills for godly living; sharpen your axe by being with 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.

Work for God’s Reward!

Ecclesiastes 9

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, November 27.

Have you ever been skipped over for a promotion, turned down for a job, or overlooked at a time of recognition? I have experienced this bitter disappointment, but I have learned that we must not allow ourselves to be consumed by a need for other people’s approval. Such a compulsion will lead you out of the way of Jesus, and into the path of people pleasing.

Wisdom will not always be rewarded in this life. Therefore, your motivation to be wise and live righteously must go beyond your desire for financial compensations, personal successes, or social notorieties. In Ecclesiastes 9:14-18, the Preacher tells a story that points to the power of wisdom, while also capturing its lack of reward under the sun:

There was a small city with few men in it and a great king came to it, surrounded it and constructed large siegeworks against it. But there was found in it a poor wise man and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man. So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the wisdom of the poor man is despised and his words are not heeded. The words of the wise heard in quietness are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

A wise person is compelled to live for a greater glory (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). Paul commanded in Colossians 3:23-24, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”

Seize the moment and work for God’s reward! Live for the applause of Jesus’ nail-scarred hands, not for the approval of man (Galatians 1:10).

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.

Today’s song focus will be

Give Thanks to God

Psalm 136:1 (NASB95)

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.”

Co-written with his good friend Allan McKinlay, Peter Crockett wanted to write a song that would reflect the liturgical writing of Psalm 136 that could be spontaneously sung, or spoken or prayed. It was his plan to bring the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers into the congregational time of worship in song.

He sent his Son to die and rise again to save us  His never ending love is steadfast and sure
He’s broken our chains and given us freedom
Give thanks to God, for he is good.

We need to wake up and remember that each of us are to enter His gates with thanksgiving in our hearts by thanking Him for specific situations and things He has done in our lives.

If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.

YOUTUBE:

If you prefer a video, Pastor 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:

Give Thanks to God

Surrender!

Ecclesiastes 8

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

There is much in life that you and I cannot control. How does that make you feel? The problem is, if you refuse to believe this, you will seek to be powerful in an all-consuming effort to protect yourself from that which you perceive threatens you, or those you love. You will do what is right in your own eyes, and, eventually, all your effort will be in vain, a chasing after the wind. The Preacher knew this human predicament, explaining in Ecclesiastes 8:6-8:

For there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a man’s trouble is heavy upon him. If no one knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen? No man has authority to restrain the wind with the wind, or authority over the day of death; and there is no discharge in the time of war, and evil will not deliver those who practice it.

There is a remedy, and, surprisingly, it is not trying harder to be in control. It’s surrendering all to a God who is Sovereign, who knows all your tomorrows. James 4:13-16 explains how we should approach each day:

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.

The more success you experience by your own strength, the more enslaved you become to your own frailty. This run-around will fail you in the end, as we all must face death one day.

Seize the moment and surrender your lack of control by choosing to trust God in all circumstances!

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.

Soften Your Heart!

Ecclesiastes 7

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, November 23.

I am honored to preside over wedding ceremonies; they are fun-filled joyful occasions. Moreso, I’m privileged to conduct the premarital counseling in preparation for the big day. My greatest hope is to influence the couple for eternity through the marriage preparation process. With that said, I have a confession to make, I prefer to officiate funerals. Before you stop reading, hear me out. People are more open to God, and hearing about spiritual realities, when they are confronted with their own mortality by the pain of grief. While I feel honored to serve a family for whatever occasion they call upon me, I have found that people, in general, are far more receptive to the gospel of Jesus Christ in times of sorrow, as compared to times of celebration. The Preacher explained this phenomenon in Ecclesiasts 7:2-5:

It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for when a face is sad a heart may be happy. The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, while the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure. It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man than for one to listen to the song of fools.

We are a culture that strives to emotionally insulate ourselves from pain and suffering, especially by avoiding death and dying. In doing so, we are hardening our hearts to the urgency of spiritual realities and decreasing our capacities to respond to God’s mercy and grace. Embrace grief; it opens a part of your soul that is normally closed off by the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

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.

Live for Eternity!

Ecclesiastes 6

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

In the last week, I have preached three times in the New Castle Correctional Facility. There are 3,200 souls living behind bars there, each of whom has learned, or is learning, the extraordinary worth of a single day under the sun. What’s it going to take for you to realize the supreme value of the gift of today? Are you going to seize the moment by living for eternity today?

The prison chapel was packed and many of the men were leaning forward in their seats as I unpacked the power of the opening phrase of Romans 12:1, “Therefore, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God.” After proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ to them, I asked, “How are you going to respond to God’s mercies?” There is a purpose for this life that goes beyond your desire to maximize pleasure, comfort, and ease, and that purpose carries eternal implications, as Hebrews 9:27 mercifully warns, “It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.”

Where will you be after your time under the sun is gone? In Ecclesiastes 6:12, the Preacher expresses the urgency of our shortened life spans, “For who knows what is good for a man during his lifetime, during the few years of his futile life? He will spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?” The days are short, but eternity is so very long!

Jesus teaches us to invest our fleeting days wisely, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)

Seize the moment and live for eternity! You are guaranteed a great return on your investment.

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.

Keep Your Promises!

Ecclesiastes 5

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

Do you struggle with overcommitting your schedule or your money? Do you go back on previous commitments to take advantage of new opportunities that appear to be better to you? Are you struggling with FOMO – the fear of missing out? Jesus commanded in Matthew 5:37, “Let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.” In Ecclesiasts 5:4-7, the Preacher teaches the importance of not breaking your promises to God:

When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow! It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Do not let your speech cause you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands? For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness. Rather, fear God.

Be warned about making rash vows to God because of the excitement of the moment. Be cautious about saying you will do something to another person, only to learn that you can’t keep that commitment and go back on your word. I have done this, often with pure motives and sincere excitement at first, only to experience the consequences of a broken relationship. It’s better to not make the commitment in the first place. Overcommitting your calendar or checkbook, even with well-intentioned opportunities, hinders the work of God within you because you are not able to let your yes be yes, and your no be no. It is best to live a quiet life filled with integrity, than an overcommitted life filled with broken relationships.

Seize the moment and experience the joy of missing out (JOMO) by keeping your promises to God and others.

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.