Repent of Your Stubbornness!

Be Confident in the Lord!

Proverbs 28

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, November 9.

Are there circumstances in your life holding you back from experiencing God’s best? Is your perspective preventing you from being able to seize the moment in those situations? In Proverbs 28:1, Solomon calls believers to be confident in the Lord, “The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, but the righteous are bold as a lion.” To be as “bold as a lion” is to be daring, or extremely confident. The lion is considered the king of the jungle, not because he is the biggest, but because he is the most confident. It’s his attitude that sets the lion apart, as Proverbs 30:30 explains, “The lion which is mighty among beasts and does not retreat before any.” When the lion sees an elephant, he sees food; whereas, when elephant sees a lion, it flees. The lion sees opportunity where others cannot!

Are you running from situations in your life even though you have the Lord on your side? Paul taught in Romans 8:31, “If God is for us, who is against us?” When we have God on our side, we are to be confident in Him, and His ability to turn any crisis into an opportunity for His glory. We are to be as bold as a lion by being confident in the Lord. Do not make the mistake, as many Christians have, of becoming like a lion in your mannerisms or leadership style. Such bravado only hinders the work of Christ in and through you and the local church. Jesus was meek, but not because He was weak. Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5); therefore, His confidence was in God’s plan for His life. God has a plan for your life, too, so be bold in how you trust Him in every circumstance.

Seize the moment and apply the wisdom of Proverbs 28: be confident in the Lord!

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.

Reflect the Image of God!

Proverbs 27

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, November 8.

Have you ever seen a photograph with still water in the foreground so that it mirrored the focus of the picture? This is called reflection photography, and the classic example is of a striking mountain vista captured on the still water of a serene lake. My wife has used this photography technique to take beautiful pictures from the Rocky Mountains, to include our recent trip to the Grand Tetons. She tried to do the same when we toured Scotland, but it was too windy, so the lochs did not provide a clear canvas. The key to the mirror effect is still waters. When the water is stirred, the reflection is distorted. With this imagery in mind, Solomon insightfully taught in Proverbs 27:19, “As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects man.”

If you want people to see the majesty of Christ reflected on the canvas of your life, there must be still waters to capture the vista of His presence. We are designed by God to be His image bearers (Genesis 1:27-28), mirroring His sovereign rule to the world. This is the very reason we are saved, as Paul clearly taught in Romans 8:29, “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.” We exist to make God visible, and this happens when our hearts are filled with God’s peaceful presence. Jesus explained in Luke 6:45, “The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.” Your life reflects the truth of your heart.

Seize the moment and apply the wisdom of Proverbs 27: reflect the image of God by finding rest for your soul in the easy yoke of Jesus Christ (Matthew 11:28-30).

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.

Be Wise with Foolish People!

Proverbs 26

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, November 7.

Have you ever been in a situation where you had no idea how to respond to a person who was acting like a fool; nevertheless, whether you should even acknowledge that they said something foolish? I’ve been in this situation in one-on-one conversations and in group settings, small and large. Clearly, Solomon has too, as Proverbs 26:4-5 instructs us how to handle people in such difficult situations, “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will also be like him. Answer a fool as his folly deserves, that he not be wise in his own eyes.” Solomon is not contradicting himself in these back-to-back proverbs; rather, he is teaching us situational awareness.

There are times to engage the person with truth, and there are times to ignore him or smooth it over, but there is never a time to be mean about it, even if the person has been casually cruel in his foolishness. In Matthew 5:21-22, Jesus gives clear instruction not to call anyone a fool:

You have heard that the ancients were told, “You shall not commit murder” and “Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.” But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, “You good-for-nothing,” shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, “You fool,” shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

While conflict is a necessary reality with certain people or situations, character assassination is never acceptable. When a person is acting a fool, be graceful with how you talk about the person, even when you must confront him about his conduct. Check your own heart so that you don’t act like the fool yourself.

Seize the moment and apply the wisdom of Proverbs 26: be wise with foolish people!

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.

Be Faithful at Work and in Life!

Proverbs 25

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, November 6.

Are you seeking a promotion at work? Are you trying to get ahead in life? Then build a reputation as a humble person who works hard to serve others and puts the team first. Trust God with your hopes for tomorrow by being faithful with what you have been asked to do today. Solomon taught the importance of humility in Proverbs 25:6-7, “Do not claim honor in the presence of the king, and do not stand in the place of great men; for it is better that it be said to you, ‘Come up here,’ than for you to be placed lower in the presence of the prince, whom your eyes have seen.” Jesus taught this proverb as a parable in Luke 14:7-11:

And He began speaking a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place. But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Don’t scheme for future success; instead, work hard today because that’s the best opportunity you will ever have to show your character. Be where you are supposed to be and do what’s right. Trust God with the results!

Seize the moment and apply the wisdom of Proverbs 25: be faithful at work and in 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.

Today’s hymn focus will be

Jesus Saves!

John 14:6 (NASB95)          

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

It originally sung to the chorus from an opera, but William J Kirkpatrick composed a vibrant melody for the words of her poem to become the song that we sing today.

            We have heard the joyful sound – Jesus Saves! Jesus Saves!

            Spread the tidings all around – Jesus Saves! Jesus Saves!

We need to wake up and proclaim the message of this song each and every day of our lives, until He calls us home. Don’t keep it a secret, but let it be known that Jesus Saves!

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:

Jesus Saves!

Taste and See that the Lord is Good!

Proverbs 24

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, November 3.

I like to put honey in my coffee; it’s a natural sweetener that has some health benefits to it, especially if you use local honey. I love how Solomon references honey in today’s rich chapter on wise living, instructing his students in Proverbs 24:13-14, “My son, eat honey, for it is good, yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste; know that wisdom is thus for your soul; if you find it, then there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.” There are health benefits for your soul when you live your life according to the wisdom of God. Life is sweeter when you live with hope for the future.

It appears that Solomon caught his love for honey from his father. David used the same imagery in Psalm 19:9-11, “The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” There is a great reward to living your life according to the judgments of the Lord. This is a truth you must learn for yourself.

More important than learning how good honey is from David, Solomon picked up his love for God and His wisdom. More important than trusting me that honey is good in your coffee, test me and see for yourself if spending time with God in prayer, and in studying His Word, is the sweetest of all. Have you cultivated a taste for the goodness of God?

Seize the moment and apply the wisdom of Proverbs 24: taste and see that the Lord is good – spending time with Him is sweeter than honey!

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.

Practice Self-Control!

Proverbs 23

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, November 2.

Proverbs 23 provides warnings against overindulgence, which is when a person has too much of something enjoyable. When people think about overindulging, their minds usually go to one of two places: food or drink. Solomon covered both in today’s chapter, starting in Proverbs 23:1-3, “When you sit down to dine with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you, and put a knife to your throat if you are a man of great appetite. Do not desire his delicacies, for it is deceptive food.” [emphasis added] While there are two dangerous forces at play here, overindulgence and manipulation, there is one solution for both, practicing self-control. That is what the idiom, to “put a knife to your throat,” means; it is saying that if you are tempted to overindulge, you need to practice self-control, or else you will be easily deceived. Self-control is a sign of wisdom.

While overindulging in tasty food seems pleasurable in the moment, many of us can testify that it is not comfortable for long, often leaving us feeling physical discomfort and emotional regret. The same phenomenon happens when a person overindulges in fine wine, or any alcoholic beverage, especially when doing so in the company of friends, called social drinking. Everything is better with friends, right? Solomon, who has experimented with everything to experience happiness, teaches us the importance of self-control in Proverbs 23:20-21, “Do not be with heavy drinkers of wine, or with gluttonous eaters of meat; for the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe one with rags.” Regardless of whether you are talking about food or drink, the essential ingredient to the life of wisdom is self-control. For the Christian, self-control is a sign of the Holy Spirit at work in you (Galatians 5:22-23).

Seize the moment and apply the wisdom of Proverbs 23: practice self-control in all things, especially anything that threatens to master you (1 Corinthians 6:12-13). Don’t overindulge, “but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).

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:

Be a Motivated Learner!

Proverbs 22

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, November 1.

Are you paying attention? What motivates you to stay focused in your devotion time? Since he is beginning a new section of his book, Solomon, like a wise teacher, grabs your attention with some incentives in Proverbs 22:17-21:

Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, and apply your mind to my knowledge; for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, that they may be ready on your lips. So that your trust may be in the Lord, I have taught you today, even you. Have I not written to you excellent things of counsels and knowledge, to make you know the certainty of the words of truth that you may correctly answer him who sent you?

Solomon knows that it’s easy to get distracted when reading (or listening) to verse after verse of wisdom sayings, so twenty-two chapters into his thirty-one-chapter book, he refocuses his students on why they should pay attention. This is important because the crucial ingredient to effective learning is motivation. A motivated learner has found a reason to remain focused on the instruction of their teacher. The promise of something better keeps us motivated to learn and grow. Solomon gives the following three reasons why you should diligently heed his instructions:

Seize the moment and apply the wisdom of Proverbs 22: be a motivated learner and you will diligently heed the words of truth!

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.