God’s Grace Alone!

Zechariah 4

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, October 11.

The prophet’s fifth vision is a symbolic picture of the Holy Spirit. God was bestowing His grace on Zerubbabel and Joshua to lead the distracted and disillusioned remnant of Israel. Their essential work was the rebuilding of the temple and restoring right worship in it; thereby, returning God’s glory to Jerusalem. Opposition and frustration can discourage even the best of people, so God called forth leaders to remind the remnant of Israel that all good works are by His grace alone. The angel spoke with the prophet in Zechariah 4:6-10:

Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel saying, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain; and he will bring forth the top stone with shouts of “Grace, grace to it!” ’ ” Also the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will finish it. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. For who has despised the day of small things?”

The church of Jesus Christ receives this same promise of God’s grace for the restoration of His glory unto the nations in our day: It is not by might nor by power, but by the Holy Spirit that His purposes will be fulfilled in our generation. So, do not be discouraged by small beginnings because God has promised in Philippians 1:6, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Seize the moment and do the good works God has anointed you to accomplish in your generation, remembering that every good work is by God’s grace alone (2 Peter 1:2-4; Ephesians 2:8-10).

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.

Signposts of the Kingdom!

Zechariah 3

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, October 10.

You are a signpost of the kingdom of God, but you can only be accurately read when you are not smeared with sin. Being a visible sign of prophetic significance is called holiness, sanctification, or purity, and it’s an important aspect of our calling as followers of Jesus. He is the only visible image of the invisible God, but we, as His remnant on Earth, are to point to Him until His victorious return as the conquering King. The angel of the Lord taught Joshua what it meant to be such a prophetic sign (“symbol”) of the Messiah in Zechariah 3:8-10:

“Now listen, Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who are sitting in front of you – indeed they are men who are a symbol, for behold, I am going to bring in My servant the Branch. For behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua; on one stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave an inscription on it,” declares the Lord of hosts, “and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. In that day,” declares the Lord of hosts, “every one of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and under his fig tree.”

Joshua was the high priest of the postexilic remnant of Israel, and it was his calling to lead the people back into right worship of God. He could not do so by his own merit, for his righteous deeds are but a filthy garment in God’s sight (Zechariah 3:3-4a; cf. Isaiah 64:6; Matthew 22:11-14). Interestingly, to be holy unto the Lord, set apart for his calling, he had to clothed by another into new clothes (Zechariah 3:4b-5; cf. Ephesians 4:22-24). Then, and only then, could he walk in the ordinances of God as a signpost of the Messiah (Zechariah 3:7; cf. Galatians 3:24-29; Colossians 3:1-17).

Seize the moment and point the way to Christ – “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16).

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.

Wall of Fire!

Zechariah 2

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

Have you ever wondered why the returning remnant of Israel focused on rebuilding the temple before the walls of Jerusalem? The walls had been torn down by the Babylonians, but was the breach of the city walls their real downfall? Where did the security of Jerusalem truly come from? The vision of Zechariah 2:1-5 gives us the answer:

Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a man with a measuring line in his hand. So I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see how wide it is and how long it is.” And behold, the angel who was speaking with me was going out, and another angel was coming out to meet him, and said to him, “Run, speak to that young man, saying, ‘Jerusalem will be inhabited without walls because of the multitude of men and cattle within it. ‘For I,’ declares the Lord, ‘will be a wall of fire around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.’ ”

The safety of the city, just like the security of any soul, is brought about by the glory of God being inside of it. Restoring right worship to the temple of God was the priority of the remnant, more so than any number of military fortifications because God’s glory is “a wall of fire” around His people. The downfall of Jerusalem was a foregone conclusion after the glory of God departed from it, as described in Ezekiel 10:18, “Then the glory of the Lord departed from the threshold of the temple and stood over the cherubim.” Zechariah’s visions brought hope to the returning remnant of Israel, reminding them of their priorities of work and motivating them to rebuild the temple in the face of frustration and opposition.

Seize the moment and ask God to be a wall of fire around your life by inviting the Holy Spirit to bring God’s glory into your jar of clay (2 Corinthians 4:7-18).

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.

Return to God!

Zechariah 1

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

The prophetic work of Zechariah is set in the same post-exilic historical context as Haggai, but his is a longer work because of his many visions, fourteen chapters as compared with Haggai’s two. Yet, Zechariah 1:1-4 begins with a clear and concise call to repentance:

In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Zechariah the prophet, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo saying, “The Lord was very angry with your fathers. Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Return to Me,” declares the Lord of hosts, “that I may return to you,” says the Lord of hosts. “Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Return now from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.” ’ But they did not listen or give heed to Me,” declares the Lord.’”

The earmark of God’s true messengers is found in that simple phrase, “Return to Me.” The former prophets alluded to included Isaiah (1:16-19; 55:6-7), Jeremiah (4:1-2), Ezekiel (33:11), Hosea (12:6), and Joel (2:12-13), to name a few. By doing so, the prophets were pointing the people back to God’s promises from the Mosaic Law. In Deuteronomy 4:29-30, Moses said, “But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things have come upon you, in the latter days you will return to the Lord your God and listen to His voice.”

Seize the moment and return to God – “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2; 4:17). Repent is forever the first word of the Christian life, so listen and give heed to God’s voice, for this is the call of the prophets and the apostles (Acts 2:38; 3:19; 5:31; 17:30; 20:21; 26:20; and 2 Corinthians 7:10).

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.

Far Greater than a Construction Project!

Haggai 2

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

In their return from Babylonian exile, God aligned all the resources for their success by giving the remnant favor with foreign kings. It was by God’s grace that the temple was rebuilt (Ezra 6:14), but, as in any construction project, there was something far greater happening than the building itself, as explained of its purpose in Haggai 2:6-10:

For thus says the Lord of hosts, “Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory,” says the Lord of hosts. “The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,” declares the Lord of hosts. “The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,” says the Lord of hosts, “and in this place I will give peace,” declares the Lord of hosts.

God promised to fill the temple with His glory once again. According to Haggai 2:23, the Davidic line had been preserved, “‘I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My servant,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you.’” As the signet ring, Zerubbabel was the authentication of God’s covenant promises to Israel. God’s presence would fill the whole earth through the Messiah of Israel, who is the fulfillment of the promise of peace (Haggai 2:10; Isaiah 9:6; Luke 2:14). Greater than all the earthly riches the temple could house, God was giving His Spirit so that Israel would fulfill their purposes – to bless the nations (Genesis 12:1-3).

Seize the moment and glorify God in your body, remembering that as the temple of the Holy Spirit, God chose you to be something far greater than a construction project (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Shine with the treasure He has placed within you (2 Corinthians 4:6-10). You are blessed to be a blessing!

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.

Trust Leads to Transformation!

Zephaniah 3

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, October 4.

The prophet’s call to rejoice at the end of Zephaniah is an invitation to believe in God’s faithfulness. This call to faith is captured in the stark contrast of Israel, the before and after snapshots found in the last chapter of Zephaniah. The transformation of souls brought about by the day of the Lord, as described in Zephaniah 3, illuminates the heart of God for His beloved creation:

The purpose of the day of the Lord is to transform people from pride to humility, tyranny to righteousness, roaring lions to gentle lambs. The salvation of souls is the heart of God, and His great love for humanity is why He must confront sin with holiness (Zephaniah 3:8-11). Whatever your circumstances, remember that God is faithful to work His will in and through you, which is to conform you into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ, who is “gentle and humble in heart” (Romans 8:28-29; Matthew 11:29).

Seize the moment and trust God during the transformation process of your soul – “Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!” (Zephaniah 3:14).

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.

Hide in a Safe Place!

Zephaniah 2

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

Throughout our rural communities in the Midwest, there are giant sirens positioned throughout the counties. They remain quiet reminders of the danger that lurks by living in tornado alley. While they are tested every Friday at noon, they are used only when a tornado has been spotted in the vicinity. When the siren sounds, there is a prescribed response – hide in a safe place! Unfortunately, too many of us do the opposite – we sit out on the front porch watching the storm.

The prophets of the Old Testament are like tornado sirens. They were sent by God when there was grave danger, but the people tended to respond to them like mere entertainment, rather than heed the warning of the watchmen on the wall. Their call to repentance was a loving invitation to seek safety by hiding in God through a faith relationship with the only One who could protect them from the coming storm, just as the prophet declared to Judah in Zephaniah 2:1-3:

Gather yourselves together, yes, gather, O nation without shame, before the decree takes effect – the day passes like the chaff – before the burning anger of the Lord comes upon you, before the day of the Lord’s anger comes upon you. Seek the Lord, all you humble of the earth who have carried out His ordinances; seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger.

There is a broken place inside of each of us that struggles to do the right thing when we hear the warning siren of the Lord in our lives, and it puts us in danger every time. The next time the siren goes off, you are invited to heed the warning and seek shelter. Whereas curiosity killed the cat, repentance will save a soul.

Seize the moment and hide in a safe place – “God is our refuge and strength” (Psalm 46:1).

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.

Love your Household!

Zephaniah 1

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

The prophet Zephaniah was the great-great grandson of King Hezekiah, and, as a member of the royal household, he had access to the inner workings of the Judean government. That would have been great in good times, but not during the tumultuous times when wave after wave of exiles were marched off to Babylon, with the destruction of Jerusalem on the horizon. With that historical context in mind, the major theme of his prophetic work is the urgency of the coming day of the Lord, with the Hebrew word for “day” occurring twenty times in his short book, as emphasized in Zephaniah 1:10-18. Yet, prior to that horrific depiction of what was coming upon the people, in Zephaniah 1:7-9, he called for the punishment of those in privileged positions of the royal household:

Be silent before the Lord God! For the day of the Lord is near, for the Lord has prepared a sacrifice, He has consecrated His guests. Then it will come about on the day of the Lord’s sacrifice that I will punish the princes, the king’s sons and all who clothe themselves with foreign garments. And I will punish on that day all who leap on the temple threshold, who fill the house of their lord with violence and deceit.

In the same way, as the second person of the Eternal Royal Household, the Trinity, Jesus warned the people about the coming day of the Lord in Matthew 24-25, and, like Zephaniah, He did so on the heels of declaring judgment over the religious leaders who had the privileged position to help the people, but they would not even lift a finger to help them (Matthew 23:4). So, Jesus made a way for all to be saved by allowing Himself to be lifted up on the cross for our salvation (John 3:14-16).

Seize the moment and love your household as Christ first loved you (1 John 4:19; Ephesians 5:25).

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.