Seize the Moment – Day 1318
Be a Close Friend to a Few!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, October 26.
I was at a leadership conference years ago when I heard a pastor teach about congregational care in a way that lifted a heavy burden from my shoulders, “Do for one person what you wish you could do for everyone.” Pastors are taught to show no favoritism, so, in many ways, we are trained to do for everyone what we have already done or plan to do for another person. Often, that philosophy twists into a crushing weight of meeting people’s expectations, preventing pastors from responding in the Spirit. Proverbs 18:24 explains a better way forward, “A man of too many friends comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
It is humanly impossible for one person to be a close friend to everyone, and to each of their families, but it’s not impossible for the people of the church to stick close to one another. Let the Spirit lead you to build loving relationships, which are closer than a brother. We are called to do life together as a church, but none of us has the bandwidth to be a friend to everyone in the church. Only Jesus can do this, so be a friend of God, listening to the Holy Spirit’s leading, and be willing to be friendly to all while sticking closer than a brother to a few. Love them like you wish you could love them all, and everyone will get great congregational care. Jesus commanded us in John 13:34-35, “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.”
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.
Read more...
Seize the Moment – Day 1317
Trust God in the Fire!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, October 25.
God is doing a good work in you, but it’s a painful process. Proverbs 17:3 uses the imagery of God as a smelter, “The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests hearts.” The ministry of Jesus Christ is forged in this prophetic imagery, as foretold in Malachi 3:3, “He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the Lord offerings in righteousness.” The following story explains the promise of this prophecy:
A woman made an appointment with a silversmith hoping to better understand this verse. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot then she thought again about the verse that says, “He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.” She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment, then asked, “how do you know when the silver is fully refined?” He smiled and said, “Oh, that’s easy – when I see my image in it.”[1]
Seize the moment and apply the wisdom of Proverbs 17: trust God in the fire!
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:
[1] Jerry D. Ingalls, Live on Mission Today: Battle Drills for a Christ-Centered Life (New Castle, IN: AGF Publishing, 2023), 227. Read “Battle Drill #25: Endure the Refining Process” (223-231), to learn how this truth applies to your everyday life so you can live a Christ-centered life to the glory of God.
Read more...
Seize the Moment – Day 1316
Humble Yourselves in the Presence of the Lord!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, October 24.
The heart posture of sin is pride – the arrogant attitude that says, “I don’t need God. I’ve got this, thank you very much.” Essentially, pride is when you are on the throne of your own heart, serving as your own savior. This unwillingness to bow before God has consequences, as Proverbs 16:5 clearly communicates, “Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord; assuredly, he will not be unpunished.” There is a way that is pleasing to the Lord; it is the heart posture of humility, which is an attitude of believing God for who He is and trusting Him to be your savior. In Proverbs 16:17-20, Solomon demonstrated this connection between humility and trusting God:
The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; he who watches his way preserves his life. Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling. It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud. He who gives attention to the word will find good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.
Take time today to ensure it is Jesus Christ who sits on the throne of your heart. This is the beginning of wisdom – to trust the Lord to be your stronghold (Psalm 18). He is your protection from the evil one, who seeks to seduce you into thinking that you are all that you need to make life work for you. James 4:6-7 makes this clear, “But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, ‘God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
Seize the moment and apply the wisdom of Proverbs 16: humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord (James 4:10)!
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.
Read more...
Seize the Moment – Day 1315
Cultivate a Joyful Heart!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, October 23.
There is something powerful about joy – it strengthens your spiritual vitality, mental health, and emotional well-being. I was at the high school sectional volleyball tournament recently, and as I watched senior Alaina Bowman lead the New Castle team to victory, I was caught with the fact that they all played better when they were happy. Their minds were focused, their bodies more responsive, and their teamwork more cooperative. This observation applies to our everyday lives. There is a positive flow of power that happens in us, and between us, when we are joyful, as Solomon highlighted in Proverbs 15:13-15, “A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken. The mind of the intelligent seeks knowledge, but the mouth of fools feeds on folly. All the days of the afflicted are bad, but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.”
Joy is a firm foundation on which to build our lives. It is not a reaction to circumstance; rather, it is the rock on which we stand. As Nehemiah reminded God’s people as they returned from Babylonian exile, “Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). There will always be something to be upset about, but we must learn to move forward with resiliency. Joy gives our minds an increased focus, our bodies an enhanced responsiveness, and our team a greater fluidity. Paul commanded in Philippians 4:14, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” You will strengthen the church, our team, when you build your life on God, because “in [His] presence is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11).
Seize the moment and apply the wisdom of Proverbs 15: cultivate a joyful heart and you will strengthen your spiritual vitality, mental health, and emotional well-being! Be the kind of person that leads our team to victory.
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.
Read more...
Grow Strong in God’s Grace – Wk 28
Learning How to be a Faithful Farmer for God’s Harvest!
A Life that Witnesses to the Transformative Power of Faith!
(Part 1 of 2 of Series Conclusion)
Hebrews 12:1-3 (NASB)
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
If you started reading your Bible in Hebrews 12, you would automatically ask yourself, “Who are the people in this ‘so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us’?” The answer to this question is found in Hebrews 11, so let’s review the inaugural class of the great cloud of witnesses, and see what we have learned from each of them over the last 6 months of sermons:
- Abel and Enoch taught us how faith pleases God (4-6).
- Noah taught us how faith gives substance to your life (7).
- Abraham taught us how faith trusts God’s promises (8-10).
- Sarah taught us how faith bears fruit (11-12).
- Abraham taught us how can pass the test of faith (17-19).
- Isaac taught us how faith blesses the next generation (20).
- Jacob taught us how faith gives us a limp (21).
- Joseph taught us how faith lifts us out of the pits (22).
- Moses taught us how faith makes us humble (23-29).
- Joshua taught us how faith toots God’s horn (30).
- Rahab taught us how faith saves the day (31).
- Gideon taught us how faith takes God at His Word (32-40).
- Barak taught us how faith invites partnership (32-40).
- Samson taught us how faith invites us to be weak (32-40).
- Jephthah taught us how faith overcomes obstacles (32-40).
- David taught us the faith of a person after God’s own heart (32-40).
- Samuel taught us how faith listens and obeys (32-40).
- The prophets taught us how faith calls people home (32-40).
- In verses 33-40, other members of the inaugural class of the great cloud of witnesses are alluded to, various judges, kings, and prophets of Israel’s history, but specifically Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abed-nego, Hezekiah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Elijah, Elisha, Uriah, Zechariah, and possibly even foreshadows of John the Baptist and others found in the New Testament.
The emphasis of Hebrew 11 is faith. Each of these people had a relationship with God. How they believed not only affected their own lives, but each of their stories sent a ripple effect through history. That’s the power of faith! There is an important pattern found between the transforming stories of faith, found in Hebrews 11, and the exhortation of Hebrews 12:1-3. It is the biblical rhythm of “indicative-imperative,” simply meaning, “IF you believe this about God (the indicative about faith), THEN live this way (the imperative of faith).” This is what it means to believe; there is no false dichotomy between the indicative and the imperative.
Hebrews 12 starts with a “therefore” and the common thing you do when you see a “therefore” in Scripture is to ask yourself, “What is it there for?” Don’t devoid God’s commands of their meaning, nor reject the grace being extended to you, by just reading what comes next. Instead, go back and see what the Bible teaches you (the indicative of the imperative). In the Bible, God’s grace (His choosing) always precedes the call of obedience (God’s divine demands upon His children); in other words, “Relationship comes before responsibilities!” If you don’t get this, you can easily become a legalistic Christian (works-based religion), insecure and unstable because your focus is on your own ability to obey the commands of God. If you give yourself to this misapplication of Scripture (imperatives devoid of indicatives, or responsibilities without relationship), then all your effort will miss the mark and you will not know the heart of God. How can any righteous act please God if it is lacking love? Hebrews 11:6 teaches this clearly, “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3).
God does not call you to strive for acceptance through your own efforts; rather, He invites you to rest in His relationship with you. It is only by grace that you are even in a relationship with Him, nevertheless, able to live according to His divine responsibilities as a member of His family. Allow me to be clear, grace is not opposed to the effort you put into your relationship, but grace is opposed to merit – you think you can earn anything by your efforts. Hebrews 12:1-3 transitions from the previous chapter’s descriptions of faith to the responsibilities of faith. Hebrews 12 leans heavily on the faith relationship between God and His children. We have been investing these last six months to truly know the heart of God; to know He is good and that we can trust Him in all our circumstances. Who was the God of these people? What does it look like to live by faith; to believe? How does God transform stories through a faith relationship with Him? Can I grow strong in God’s grace and reap a harvest of praise to the glory of God?
God calls by grace – you are His by His loving choice! Relationship precedes but does not preclude responsibilities. We see this best illustrated for us in the most ancient of places: the Ten Commandments (the Decalogue). For many, it is whitewashed as moral decrees to be obeyed to be found acceptable in God’s eyes. But I want to illuminate the most important part of the Ten Commandments; it is the word of grace that comes before the responsibilities of relationship. What is the first thing God declares in Exodus 20 before launching into His covenantal expectations? In Exodus 20:2, God says, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” This is a word of grace where God is saying, “I chose you! I rescued you from slavery and death, not because you deserved it, but because I love you! Therefore, as my dearly beloved children, follow these 10 commandments and you will grow strong in grace (our relationship), bearing the good fruit of my grace, living in such a way that proves to the world that you belong to me!” Do you see the indicative-imperative pattern? Never forget that every promise of God comes with a praxis to live.
God has established your identity in Him, now live like it! This is the teaching of the fruit-bearing branch abiding in the vine of Jesus Christ, found in John 15:7-11, and 16:
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. … You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.
This is who you are, as the beloved of Jesus taught in 1 John 3:1-3:
See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
Do you remember the first time you were chosen for something? Maybe it was a glance across the classroom, the request for a dance, the acceptance to a college, the selection for promotion at work, or the diamond engagement ring. How did that make you feel?
Being chosen changes everything! Grace changes everything! Let us grow strong in God’s grace today so that we may witness to the world the transformative power of faith! How? By extending the same grace to others, just as Jesus commanded a new command in John 13:34-35, “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.”
How do you witness to the transformative power of faith in your everyday life?
- When you give generously without thought of getting anything in return.
- When you love for the benefit of the other and not for yourself.
- When you forgive a debt.
- When you invite someone to go for a walk or to sit around the fire together.
- Whenever you break bread with some around table fellowship.
- When you send a card, make a phone call, send a text of encouragement.
- When you make a visit or deliver a meal.
I try to teach my children to give good gifts; not to give away something they don’t need or want, but to give their very best. Love doesn’t give spare change; it gives the best of the first fruits. This is the principle behind how we give back to God. All things come from Him and all that we have is His; we are not giving anything to Him, we are returning it to Him because He is the source of abundance! Love doesn’t keep its commitment just when it feels good, because it’s easy, or because it’s reciprocated; love “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:7).
The faith stories of God’s people summarized in Hebrews 11 inform our lives and our lifestyles by calling us to live according to Hebrews 12:1-3:
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Paul echoed this in Philippians 2:1-4:
Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. [5-11 then give the example of Jesus in the Christ Hymn]
Take the next month and review Hebrew 11, and the lessons from the transforming stories of faith we have learned this last six months. Learn from these men and women of faith how you can be a witness to the transformative power of faith in your life. This is the faith we get to live when we are set free from sin to live with our eyes on Jesus:
- a faith, which pleases God.
- a faith, which gives substance to your life.
- a faith, which trusts God’s promises.
- a faith, which bears fruit.
- a faith, which passes the test.
- a faith, which blesses the next generation.
- a faith, which gives us a limp.
- a faith, which lifts us out of the pits.
- a faith, which makes us humble.
- a faith, which toots God’s horn.
- a faith, which saves the day.
- a faith, which takes God at His Word.
- a faith, which invites partnership.
- a faith, which invites us to be weak.
- a faith, which overcomes obstacles.
- a faith, which demonstrates God’s own heart.
- a faith, which listens and obeys.
- a faith, which calls people home.
If you minimize the Bible to a moralistic rule book filled with one-dimensional people, then you miss God’s extravagant love and scandalous grace. If you miss love and grace, then you miss Jesus, who is the only way to know the Father (John 14:6). Jesus didn’t die on the cross so that you can make a good human effort at living according to the Ten Commandments, doing and saying all the right things by your own strength. Jesus did not die on the Cross so that you can go around living a good moralistic life and be filled with pride and self-righteousness. Jesus died on the Cross so that you could be free from sin to love others as God first loved you; not to earn anything, but from of a transformed heart, striving to be like Him and like those who have come before us to show us the way of faith – the great cloud of witnesses. Jesus gives us our right standing by grace – a relationship with God that comes with the responsibilities of righteousness! As Paul taught in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” This is our calling; we have been made new by His love to join with Jesus in His ministry of love to reconcile all people to Him (2 Corinthians 5:17-20).
In your story, as in every story, grace matters! Do you remember when God chose you?
Today, God is calling to you, choosing you, extending His love to you. Trust Him today and experience the joy of why Christ endured the cross and despised the shame. For the joy set before you, live strong in God’s grace and reap a harvest of praise to the glory of God. Never forget, that what we do in this life is a witness to what Christ did to give us the life we live, once for all!
What does your transforming story of faith look like? Jesus is interceding for you at the right hand of the Father, so do not grow weary and do not lose heart!
YOU CAN LISTEN TO THIS MESSAGE BY CLICKING HERE.
In part 2 of the conclusion, schedule for November 19, we will learn how we can be inducted into the next class of the great cloud of witnesses. Live strong in God’s grace today by applying the faithful strategy of the hardworking farmer!
Read more...
Seize the Moment – Day 1313
Today’s hymn focus will be
O Praise the Name
Psalm 9:1-2 (NASB95)
“I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart;
I will tell of all Your wonders
I will be glad and exult in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.”
O praise the Name of the Lord our God
O praise His Name forevermore
For endless days we will sing Your praise
Oh Lord oh Lord our God
We need to wake up to the fact that Paul writes about in Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” We need to express our praise to God for this amazing gift and be ready to share this fact with those in need of a Savior!
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:
O Praise the Name
Read more...
Seize the Moment – Day 1312
Walk in the Way of Life!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, October 20.
Have you ever taken a wrong turn? There are certain times when this can be a costly decision, while at other times you simply recalculate your route at little cost of time or energy. When I am out on a hike in the backcountry, every trail intersection is an important decision. While some decisions are easier to make, as the trail is clearly marked, there are other times when it is a difficult decision to discern. I have made wrong decisions on the trail that have been costly in terms of time and energy. To avoid having to learn this lesson, again, I hike with a trail map and a compass, so if the trail is not well marked, I can find my location on the map and see which way the trail goes, so I can discern the right way to walk. The same is true in life; we need a map and direction finder so we can make wise decisions along the way. In Proverbs 14:12, 14-16, Solomon illustrated the choices we must make in life:
There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. … The backslider in heart will have his fill of his own ways, but a good man will be satisfied with his. The naive believes everything, but the sensible man considers his steps. A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is arrogant and careless.
You have a decision to make today: to walk in the way of God’s wisdom or to take a different trail. Every step you take, and every move you make, is a decision point – to either keep your eyes on Jesus, heeding the Bible’s instructions, or to follow a different path of your own choosing.
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.
Read more...
Seize the Moment – Day 1311
Work for the Hope of a Brighter Future!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, October 19.
Do you believe the best is yet to come, that the glory days are ever before you? That’s the perspective by which I live my life because the alternative mindset hinders my ability to be a hope-bearer of the gospel of Jesus Christ. If you believe the glory days are behind you, you will not work for the future with the same passion or conviction. I know how discouraging it is to feel like it doesn’t matter what you do; to be stuck in ground hog day. Hopelessness is an open chest wound that must be addressed immediately. Solomon wrote about this in Proverbs 13:12, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” How do we, as the church of Jesus Christ, keep ourselves from getting “heart sick” after thousands of years of waiting for the Lord’s return?
Paul commanded in Galatians 6:9, “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” We are to pass on the faith, as Paul taught in 2 Timothy 2:1-2, “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” Commit yourself to the gospel work, experiencing the good fruit of your labor along the way, one person at a time. Yes, we are waiting eagerly for the Lord’s return, but we are to be trees of life from which people can enjoy the good fruit of faith.
Seize the moment and apply the wisdom of Proverbs 13: work for the hope of a brighter future and you will be a tree of life! You will reap what you sow (Galatians 6:7-9).
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.
Read more...
Seize the Moment – Day 1310
Get Help for Your Anxiety!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, October 18.
It’s time to go see a counselor. You’ve suffered a long time trying to work through these issues on your own, and it’s not against God’s will to talk through it with another person, especially someone who has been equipped to help you; a person who will listen prayerfully, offering biblical counsel. Proverbs 12:15b makes it clear that, “a wise man is he who listens to counsel.” It helps to talk with a safe person who can help you apply God’s wisdom to your situation. Proverbs 12:20b describes the kind of person God has in mind for you, “counselors of peace have joy.” Stop and pray about it right now: who can you call to get help for your anxiety?
Today is the day to return to the joy of God’s salvation. Proverbs 12:25 gives us the necessary insight into our mental and emotional health, “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad.” Anxiety is a feeling of fear, dread, or uneasiness about an anticipated ill in the future. The body produces this emotion within you naturally, increasing your focus and helping you be alert for a coming danger. While it can be a good thing; it was not intended to be an ongoing state of feeling uneasy about today and apprehensive for tomorrow. Living in this hypervigilant state of alertness is exhausting, and it will bring you to the point of feeling weary and heavy burdened. There is hope! Respond to Jesus’ invitation to find rest for your soul in Matthew 11:28, and apply God’s wisdom, as 1 Peter 5:7 prescribes, “casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” (cf. Matthew 6:25-34; Philippians 4:6-9).
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.
Read more...
Seize the Moment – Day 1309
Be a Person of Peace and Bless Your City!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, October 17.
The good fruit of revival inside a local church must be experienced by those outside the four walls of the church building. When the people of God are awakened by the Holy Spirit, we are to bring the transformative power of God’s grace with us everywhere we go, bringing flourishing to the communities in which we live. Jesus’ church is called to gather in every locality of the world, experiencing the blessing of His presence, so that we may bring the message of God’s peace, the ministry of reconciliation, to others. We are instructed to start with those closest to us, in our families, neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, and centers of community life. The people of God have been blessed to be a blessing, as Proverbs 11:10-11 describes, “When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting. By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.”
You are to have a healthy relationship with the city in which you live: to be a hope-bearer in word and deed. Proverbs 11 is a contrast between those who are living for God and those who are not, as Solomon summarized in verses 30-31, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise wins souls. If the righteous will be rewarded in the earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner!” There are consequences to how you live your life. You are not intended to be an island unto yourself. What are the practical ways you are blessing your community? Are you praying for your city and its leaders?
Seize the moment and apply the wisdom of Proverbs 11: be a person of peace and bless your city with good fruit!
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.
Read more...