The blog contains daily devotions and notes from the weekly messages.  We encourage you to review the notes during the sermon or through the week!  Most of the posts will have an audio and/or video link at the end of the notes.  From time to time the pastors will share other insights and devotions here.
 
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Seize the Moment – Day 890

 

The People of the Promise!

1 Chronicles 2

 

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

 

Jesus Christ is called the Lion of the tribe of Judah in Revelation 5:5, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.” Interestingly, the framework of this exalted title of Jesus, used in the last book of the Bible, was established in the first book of the Bible, in Genesis 49:9-10:

 

Judah is a lion’s whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He couches, he lies down as a lion, and as a lion, who dares rouse him up? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.

 

As Israel’s blessing prophesied, it was from Judah that the rulers of Israel would come. This was fulfilled in David, which is why Jesus is also called the Root of David (more on this in the devotion on 1 Chronicles 3).

 

Therefore, 1 Chronicles invests three chapters to establish the ancestry of the tribe of Judah (2:3-4:23) with a great emphasis on the line of David, as seen in 1 Chronicles 2:1-17 and chapter 3. These fifteen verses establish the lineage of David from Israel, through Judah, highlighting such notable characters as Tamar (4) and Boaz (11-12).

 

For the Jewish people, these chapters are not a boring list of names, they are rich reminders of their identity as a people with a divine purpose, as God promised to Abram in Genesis 12:3, “in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” Israel’s story was transformed for the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

 

Seize the moment and confirm your identity as a person of the promise in Christ Jesus. God has chosen you to be grafted into Israel’s family tree (Romans 11:24), not to make you Jewish, but so you can live with the same divine purpose His people have always lived (Galatians 3:29).

 

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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 

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Seize the Moment – Day 889

Continuity of Purpose!

1 Chronicles 1

 

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

 

In military operations, every soldier needs to know the commander’s intent – the ultimate objective of a military operation. As a leader, I needed to know the commander’s intent two up from me, so that I could CM (Continue Mission) no matter what happened. It was all about continuity of purpose, everyone working toward the same goal.

 

That is why the book of 1 Chronicles starts with nine chapters of genealogies, starting with Adam in verse 1, Noah in verse 4, Abraham in verse 27, Isaac in verse 28, and Israel in verse 34. Chronicles was written after the time of exile when the people were returning to Jerusalem. The Chronicler wrote with the same purpose of a military commander, not to write history for history’s sake, but to provide continuity of purpose to God’s people, as one scholar explains:

 

The genealogies were meant broadly to ensure the legitimacy of his generation’s claim to the covenant promises (to Abraham and David) and specifically the legitimacy of the Levitical institutions that had been revived in his day. In both of these the legitimacy is proven by the continuity of the generational lines. In effect he was saying to his generation, “We are the legitimate heirs of those promises and institutions.”[1]

 

The people of God needed to be reminded that they had a purpose in this life, one that went back to the beginning of God’s creation and covenant. The same is true for us today! Jesus Christ sent the Holy Spirit upon His Church so that we, all these generations later, can continue in Jesus’ mission – to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10; Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8).

 

Seize the moment and be a hope-bearer, not a doomsdayer, remembering that God’s mission is to save the world through His Son Jesus Christ (John 3:16-17). CM on God’s rescue mission!

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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 
 
 

FOOTNOTES:

 

[1] Kevin D. Zuber, “1 Chronicles,” in The Moody Bible Commentary, ed. Michael A. Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2014), 554.


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Seize the Moment – Day 888

The Seed of Hope!

2 Kings 25

 

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

 

Have you ever felt forlorn, only to be surprised by a glimmer of hope? A small ray of sunshine can make a big splash in dark circumstances, transforming your attitude, and giving you a more positive outlook.

 

The book of 2 Kings ends with the same story as the book of Jeremiah. Do you know why? Because the people of God felt all hope was gone after the destruction of Jerusalem and their exile to Babylon, so God gave them a glimmer of hope in the form of a seed. That seed is explained in 2 Kings 25:27-30:

 

Now it came about in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he became king, released Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison; and he spoke kindly to him and set his throne above the throne of the kings who were with him in Babylon. Jehoiachin changed his prison clothes and had his meals in the king’s presence regularly all the days of his life; and for his allowance, a regular allowance was given him by the king, a portion for each day, all the days of his life (cf. Jeremiah 52:31-34).

 

Jehoiachin was of the seed of David! The story of his release from prison was a declaration of hope that not all was lost because the royal line of David was being preserved. God was keeping His covenant promise, found in 2 Samuel 7:13, “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” There was a seed of hope because God is faithful to keep His promises!

 

Seize the moment and put your hope in Jesus Christ, the son of David, the fulfiller of God’s promises (Romans 1:3-4; 2 Corinthians 1:20).

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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 

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Train to Live on Mission – Week 26

Battle Drill #26:

“Apply First Aid – The Joy of the Lord is My Strength!”

Proverbs 17:22 (NAS95)

Today, we are going to walk through the four action steps of a soldier’s training routine to learn the next battle drill – “Apply First Aid – The Joy of the Lord is My Strength!”

 

When I was a soldier, we were required to learn first aid and CPR. Why? Because the potential is high that a soldier, whether in training or on a battlefield, will need to apply first aid. In the same way, and for the same reasons, the good soldiers of Jesus Christ must train themselves to be able to apply first aid in all circumstances. God has provided a great medicine for our soul – the sweet balm of joy! There is much suffering and many tribulations in this life; therefore, we must build our lives upon the sure foundation of what Christ has given to us – His joy!

 

There is great joy found in a relationship with Jesus Christ. This is not only the joy of our eternal salvation, secured through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, but this is the work of the Holy Spirit, the fruit of God’s presence in and though our lives that gives us a joy that will empower us through the mountaintops and valleys of our emotions and life experiences. Nehemiah 8:10 commands and promises, “Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Let me be clear from the beginning that the joy of the Lord is not a response to your circumstances, it is the posture of your heart in your circumstances, it is the firm foundation upon which you can biblically respond to your circumstances as a good soldier of Jesus! The strength of your joy is found in none other than the Rock of your Salvation – Jesus Christ! Let’s take the first action step of a soldier’s training routine to live on mission.

 

Action Step #1) Know the Field Manual.

The battle drill we are going to learn and apply this week is from Proverbs 17:22,
 
“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.”
 
This is what the Field Manual says, let’s now take the second action step to learn how to apply today’s battle drill to our everyday lives as good soldiers of Jesus Christ.

 

Action Step #2) Train together as one unit.

Today, we are going to learn how to apply this truth to all circumstances – “a joyful heart is good medicine.” But the proverb also emphasizes that “a broken spirit dries up the bones.” This truth leads me to Ezekiel 37:1-10:

 

The hand of the Lord was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones. He caused me to pass among them round about, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley; and lo, they were very dry. He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, You know.” Again He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.’ “Thus says the Lord God to these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life. I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the Lord.’ ” So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them. Then He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life.” ’ ” So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

 

An exceedingly great army came to life because God breathed His Holy Spirit upon a bunch of dry, lifeless bones. Ezekiel described the bones as “very dry,” as if to say, “there’s absolutely no life left in these bones, and there hasn’t been for a long time.” And how similar is the experience of a broken spirit? A broken spirit dries up the bones! The decay is not instant, but the longer the spirit remains broken, the more apparent it becomes that there has been no joy in that person’s spirit for a long time.

 

Have you lost your smile? Do you feel dried up by the circumstances of your life – weary from this life and heavy-burdened by sin? The answer to your dry-bones condition is the balm of joy through a relationship with Jesus Christ because a joyful heart causes good healing!

 

As I shared with you at our worship in the park service in Memorial Park a few weeks ago, my favorite song to start off the day is from Psalm 118:24, “This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” This verse both reminds me and exhorts me to live according to what is true. One of the greatest ways to train this battle drill is through singing, so let us sing together this wonderfully simple, yet powerful hymn from Psalm 118:

 

This is the day (this is the day).

That the Lord has made (that the Lord has made).

We will rejoice (we will rejoice),

And be glad in it (and be glad in it).

This is the day that the Lord has made.

We will rejoice and be glad in it.

This is the day (this is the day)

That the Lord has made.

 

The reason this verse, and its corresponding song, are so powerful to me is the context of the passage, found in Psalm 118:20-23:

 

This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous will enter through it. I shall give thanks to You, for You have answered me, and You have become my salvation. The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner stone. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

 

We rejoice and are glad because Jesus Christ has come and brought life to our dry bones! Jesus told us in John 10:7-11 that He is the gate of the Lord:

 

So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

 

Additionally, after Pentecost, in Acts 4:8-12, Peter preached that Jesus is the chief corner stone which the builders rejected:

 

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people, if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by this name this man stands here before you in good health. “He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

 

The Holy Spirit brought life to the Church on Pentecost, raising up a new exceedingly great army for God. In the same way that the dry bones of Israel needed the Spirit of God to bring life and raise them up for a purpose as God’s army, so do you and I, today, as His Church, need the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our dry bones. Like the first Pentecost nearly two thousand years ago, God calls forth life to our dry-bones condition on purpose! He’s doing the same today, in and through us! Let us now take the third action step of a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

 

Action Step #3) Seek the Commander’s approval.

Applying the balm of joy to our circumstances (aka rejoicing) is a choice that we each must make moment by moment because of our faith, regardless of our circumstances. This battle drill is an act of obedience to what we know is true and it’s for our good – it’s to strengthen us for the mission and to shine God’s light in dark places! It’s an act of defiance against the evil and injustices in the world, declaring that this is not the way it is supposed to be!

 

Paul invites us to join him in Philippians 2:18, “You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.” Later, Paul commands in Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” You can declare this in song, just like we did with Psalm 118:24, but you are to apply this to every circumstances. This decision, whether you rejoice, or not, has significant implications on your emotional stability, mental health, and spiritual vitality.

 

We see this truth laid out for us in Proverbs 15:13-16:

 

  • Emotional stability is expressed in Proverbs 15:13, “A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken.”
  • Mental health is communicated in Proverbs 15:14, “The mind of the intelligent seeks knowledge, but the mouth of fools feeds on folly.”
  • Spiritual vitality is proclaimed in Proverbs 15:15-16, “All the days of the afflicted are bad, but a cheerful heart has a continual feast. Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and turmoil with it.”

 

The joy of the Lord is your strength! God is at work in and through you in every circumstance you face, but you must choose to walk with Him and in His strength – to rejoice in His presence being with you! I often say to people when I counsel, “You choose to get better, or you become bitter – your choice!” It’s about faith in your Commander, not about your feelings (emotional), perspectives (mental), or interpretations (spiritual) of your circumstances. Let’s walk through five Scriptures to demonstrate this spiritual truth about joy from God:

 

  1. Psalm 16:11. “You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”
  2. John 17:13. “But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves.”
  3. Romans 15:13. “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
  4. Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
  5. 1 Peter 1:3-9. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.”

 

Joy is not about our ever-changing circumstances, but our unwavering trust in God and His promises – our rejoicing in Him and His power to perform every promise, on time, every time, in us and through us! How many of would “rejoice always” if we walked under own strength. It’s impossible! Our joy comes from knowing that the resources at our disposal are not limited to the inadequacy of our humanity, but rather the resources we have access to flow from the fountain of grace that brings us salvation and the power to walk confidently and securely in all our circumstances – the Holy Spirit! In His power, we live on mission for God. This brings us to the final action step of our training regimen.

 

Action Step #4) Live on mission.

This battle drill becomes the foundation on which we can be resilient when knocked down so that we can bounce forward and persevere to the end.
 
When joy is the deep bedrock of our souls we can experience the human realities of anger, grief, and sadness without being displaced from the rock of God’s joy into the shifting sands of human emotions. You can experience the hardships and injustices of real life, and respond authentically as a child of God, and authoritatively as a soldier of Jesus, without the forsaking of the joy of the Lord because you are secure in the Father’s love and sovereign grace.

 

We live on mission by reflecting the heart of Jesus Christ in how we live our lives and in how we conduct our business. This is our calling as image bearers of God – to reflect Jesus by living our lives as He did His. Jesus was motivated by the joy of the Lord, and went to the Cross for His joy to be made full in us, as promised in John 17:13, and as described in Hebrews 12:2-3:

 

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.

 

We are to follow His example. Do not grow weary and lose heart, apply first aid, and allow the ever-present breath of God, the balm of His joy, to be your strength. May your dry bones come to life!
 
Make this battle drill a reflexive, instinctive, and habitual part of your Christian life so that you can CM – Continue the Mission! Therefore, live on mission today and train the battle drill of the week for the glory of God. Let us pray.
 
 
 
 

You can listen to Pastor Jerry’s message here:

 

You can watch his message by clicking HERE.

 
 

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Seize the Moment – Day 886

Today’s hymn focus will be

“Nearer, My God, to Thee”

 Genesis 28:12 (NLT)

 

 As he slept, he dreamed of a stairway that reached from the earth up to heaven. And he saw the angels of God going up and down the stairway.”

 

Growing up in Harlow, England , Sarah Flower Adams was the daughter of newspaper editor and man of prominence, so she enjoyed the spotlight. She married William Bridges Adams in 1834 and moved to London to help fulfill her dreams of becoming an actress and be near the great theaters. Sadly, her frail health hampered that career, so she focused on her literary giftings, one of which was writing hymns of praise to the Lord.

 

Her pastor paid her a visit and shared with her his difficulty in finding a hymn to go along with his upcoming message. She reflected on the above passage, and the following Sunday, they sang this song that God had given Sarah.

 

Nearer, my God, to Thee. Nearer to Thee.
Even though it be a cross, that raiseth me.
Still all my song shall be, nearer my God to Thee
Nearer my God to Thee, Nearer to Thee.

 

We need to wake up and make this song a cry of our hearts, that no matter what we face, we want to be near the One who will strengthen us.

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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 
 
If you would like to listen to this hymn click on the link below:
 

Nearer, My God, to Thee,

 
1
Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
still all my song shall be,
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
 
2
Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
darkness be over me, my rest a stone;
yet in my dreams I’d be
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
 
3
There let the way appear, steps unto heaven;
all that thou sendest me, in mercy given;
angels to beckon me
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
 
4
Then, with my waking thoughts bright with thy praise,
out of my stony griefs Bethel I’ll raise;
so by my woes to be
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
 
5
Or if, on joyful wing cleaving the sky,
sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I fly,
still all my song shall be,
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
 
(Text by Sarah Flower Adams / Tune by Dr. Lowell Mason)
 

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Seize the Moment – Day 885

The Shedding of Innocent Blood!

2 Kings 24

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, August 19.

 

“That’s the last straw!” It’s that moment of exasperation in a relationship, or at work, or in your participation with some activity, where you just can’t take it anymore. No more! It’s over!

 

That moment came in God’s dealing with Israel, as 2 Kings 24:4 declares, “for the innocent blood which he shed, for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; and the Lord would not forgive.” In this heartbreaking chapter, the Babylonian army laid siege to Jerusalem, and the first exiles were taken to Babylon (10-16). Nothing is more heartbreaking than that statement, “the LORD would not forgive.”

 

What was the last straw? What is the shedding of innocent blood? One commentator explained, “The phrase ‘to shed innocent blood’ signified in the late monarchical period the oppression of the poor and the underprivileged.”[1] This is made clear through God’s Word in Jeremiah 22:3 & 5:

 

“Thus says the Lord, ‘Do justice and righteousness, and deliver the one who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor. Also do not mistreat or do violence to the stranger, the orphan, or the widow; and do not shed innocent blood in this place.’ … ‘But if you will not obey these words, I swear by Myself,’ declares the Lord, ‘that this house will become a desolation.’”

 

God cares deeply about justice and that His people care for those who cannot protect or care for themselves. James 1:27 explains, “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” God cares so much about justice that He sent His Son to shed His innocent blood for the forgiveness of your sin (Matthew 26:28; John 1:29; Acts 20:28). Jesus declared, “It is finished” (John 19:30).

 

Seize the moment and “do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).

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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 
 

FOOTNOTES:

 

[1] William H. Barnes, 1-2 Kings, ed. Philip W. Comfort, vol. 4b, Cornerstone Biblical Commentary (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2012), 352.

 

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Seize the Moment – Day 884

Cry out for Revival!

2 Kings 23

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, August 18.

 

Are we a nation experiencing God’s judgment? Whether or not we are, and I’ve heard it both ways, I believe our response is the same! We must come together as the people of God and cry out for revival in our nation. When the Spirit of God awakens His people to the need for revival, then the active presence of the Holy Spirit saturates every sector of our lives – personal, family, work, and community life. This can only happen through prayer!

 

Josiah, the last good king of Judah, renewed the covenant between himself and Yahweh in 2 Kings 23:3:

 

The king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to carry out the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people entered into the covenant.

 

The people followed the king’s example, and the reforms began. Verses 4-27 tell the story of a nation-wide revival, including a celebration of Passover that had not been seen in Israel since the time of Judges (21-23; cf. 2 Chronicles 35:1-19). God’s people were experiencing a culture-wide reform of their worship practices, and that was impacting every part of their community life.

 

Was this revival enough to turn God’s wrath away from Judah? Sadly, the reforms did not extend beyond the life of King Josiah, as the next kings did evil and broke the covenant (28-37). The nation was too far gone! God’s judgment, through the Babylonian Empire, was quickly approaching, as 2 Kings 23:26 declares, “However, the Lord did not turn from the fierceness of His great wrath with which His anger burned against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked Him.”

 

Seize the moment and cry out to God for revival. Trust that God will use all means necessary to bring His people back to Himself, including bringing a nation under judgment.

 

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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.

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Seize the Moment – Day 883

A Responsive Heart!

2 Kings 22

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, August 17.

 

I have the privilege of preaching once per month in a state prison, the New Castle Correctional Facility. It is a privilege to be invited inside to minister to my brothers, and it’s a ministry opportunity that I look forward to because the men are so responsive to God’s Word!

 

How do you respond to the Word of God?

 

In 2 Kings 22, repairs were being done to the temple when Hilkiah the priest found a lost book of the Law, believed to have been a copy of Deuteronomy (5-8). Shaphan the scribe read the book to King Josiah, and in verse 11, the king responded to God’s Word by tearing his clothes as an outward sign of his grief. The Word of God revealed to him God’s covenant promises, he now knew that there was a coming wrath for their sins.

 

Josiah was the last good king of Judah, and he responded to God’s Word by inquiring of the Lord what he must do. In 2 Kings 22:19-20, the response of God to Josiah, given by Huldah the prophetess, is recorded:

 

“Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you,” declares the Lord. “Therefore, behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes will not see all the evil which I will bring on this place.”

 

God responds to tender hearts! Do you have a tender heart for the Lord and His Word?

 

Seize the moment and respond to God’s Word with obedience (John 14:15, 21, 23; 1 John 5:3; 2 John 6). Be responsive to the Holy Spirit’s prompting today!

 

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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.

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Seize the Moment – Day 882

The Willingness to Listen!

 
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, August 16.

 

After Hezekiah reformed Judah and saved them from the Assyrian Empire, his son Manasseh became king at twelve years old and ruled for fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His introduction in 2 Kings 21:2-3, provides a scathing review of his kingship:

 

He did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord dispossessed before the sons of Israel. For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them.

 

Manasseh worshipped the sun, moon, and stars, as well as a myriad of other false gods, violated the Law of God in heinous ways – sacrificing his son, using divination, and witchcraft. He led Judah away from God. In 2 Kings 21:10-16, an unnamed prophet declares God’s coming judgment:

 

Because Manasseh king of Judah has done these abominations, having done wickedly more than all the Amorites did who were before him, and has also made Judah sin with his idols; therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, “Behold, I am bringing such calamity on Jerusalem and Judah, that whoever hears of it, both his ears will tingle” (11-12).

 

Could this have been the voice of Isaiah? Jewish tradition teaches that it was King Manasseh who martyred Isaiah. This evil king, like many others, tried to silence the Word of God by killing the prophets, but no one could silence God or stop His coming judgment. Jesus cried out in Matthew 23:37, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.”

 

Seize the moment and listen for the voice of Jesus, He is seeking to gather all who are lost (Luke 19:10). Don’t let sin silence the Word of God in your 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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
 

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Seize the Moment – Day 881

With Every Breath!

 
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, August 15.

 

Why do you want God to extend your days and give you long life? What do you plan to do with each breath He gives you? Hezekiah, the great king of Judah, became mortally ill during the assault of the Assyrians and cried out to God for mercy. He wanted to be healed and God spoke to him through the prophet Isaiah in 2 Kings 20:5-6:

 

I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord. I will add fifteen years to your life, and I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.

 

God extended his life and promised protection from the king of Assyria. This miracle is recorded twice, here, and in Isaiah 38 where Isaiah included a hymn (9-20), which Hezekiah wrote after his healing. In Isaiah 38:18-20, Hezekiah concludes his hymn with his motivation for asking to be healed:

 

For Sheol cannot thank You, death cannot praise You; those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness. It is the living who give thanks to You, as I do today; a father tells his sons about Your faithfulness. The Lord will surely save me; so we will play my songs on stringed instruments all the days of our life at the house of the Lord.

 

Hezekiah desired to live so that he could praise God with the breath that was in his lungs. He was adding his voice to the faithful exhortation of Psalm 150:6,
 
“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.”

 

Seize the moment and use your every breath to praise the Lord. Do it right now, speak out loud, “Praise the Lord!” Singing along to your favorite worship music will help you do this throughout the day.

 

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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.

Read more...