Seize the Moment – Day 918
Leaders Prepare the Next Generation for Success!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, September 21.
The final chapter of David’s life was spent investing in his son’s success. In 1 Chronicles 21, David purchased the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite to build an altar to propitiate God, then, in 1 Chronicles 22:1, he declared it to be the future location of the temple. Nearing his own death, and forbidden by God to build it himself, he commissioned his son Solomon to build the temple (1 Chronicles 22:7-16).
David took proactive steps to prepare the next generation for success: he clearly communicated God’s vision and he invited his generation to follow His example in preparing them to be successful, as evidenced by 1 Chronicles 22:5:
David said, “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the Lord shall be exceedingly magnificent, famous and glorious throughout all lands. Therefore now I will make preparation for it.” So David made ample preparations before his death.
Based on David’s example of making “ample preparations before His death,” here are three ways each of us can prepare the next generation for success:
- Give them a God-focused vision! Don’t just build a business, or volunteer your time, but clearly connect your hard work and sacrifices of time with your love of God. Teach them why you do what you do.
- Make sure they won’t go at it alone! Invite them to do it with you. God’s work is a multi-generational work that shouldn’t be done alone. Vision is caught more than it’s taught.
- Put your money and resources at their disposal! Give them the necessary resources to be successful. Put your money where your mouth is!
Seize the moment and “set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God; arise, therefore, and [prepare the next generation to work hard and make sacrifices] for the name of the Lord” (1 Chronicles 22:19).
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 917
Trust God with your Worst Decisions!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, September 20.
Did you know that God can redeem your worst decisions and most painful moments?
In 1 Chronicles 21, David made a bad decision by ordering a census (1-2). Regardless of what motivated him to make this decision,[1] he did so against the counsel of his trusted general (3-4). God’s judgment was swift, leading to the deaths of 70,000 men by pestilence (14). In verses 15-17, David and the elders cried out to God for mercy as “the angel of the Lord was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite” (15).
In verse 18, God, in His mercy, provided a way out, “Then the angel of the Lord commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.” Very interestingly, the location of David’s altar became the future location of Solomon’s temple. As 2 Chronicles 3:1 reminds the people of this at the time of the building of the temple, “Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.” God chose the location for the temple in a place to remind His people of both His judgment and His mercy!
God loves to redeem our worst decisions and our most painful moments to bring about a redemptive purpose for that event that will bless us and others. The key is to follow David’s example, not in making a bad decision, you don’t need encouragement to do that, but in crying out to God for mercy once you realize you’ve made one.
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] When you compare 1 Chronicles 21:1-2 with its parallel account in 2 Samuel 24:1-2, they are nearly identical historical accounts minus one key point – the responsible party for motivating David to take the census. In the older account of 2 Samuel 24:1, it says, “Now again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and it incited David …”; whereas 1 Chronicles 21:1 states, “Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel.”
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Seize the Moment – Day 916
It Takes More Than a Leader!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, September 19.
It takes more than a leader to complete a job!
David had his part to play, but so did other people. Verses 4-8 describes how three different warriors defeated three giants. Previously, only David could do that! We learn that even though a leader may fall, others will arise to win the victories, which, in this case, was to defeat the giants in the land. This was a message of hope, and a call for a unified national effort to rebuild Jerusalem – to face the giants of today. While the postexilic Israelites did have great leaders like Ezra and Nehemiah, it would take all the people working together to complete the job.
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] Martin J. Selman, 1 Chronicles: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 10, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994), 205.
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Seize the Moment – Day 914
Today’s hymn focus will be
Faith is the Victory
1 John 5:4 (NASB95)
“ For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
John Yates was known for his beautiful poetry, first being published in the local paper, then soon thereafter in Harper’s Bazaar and other national magazines. He was a shoe salesman by trade but served as a lay preacher in the Methodist church. In 1878, his faith was severely tested when his wife and two sons died within a week of each other after an outbreak of diphtheria.
He later remarried and shared poems and messages of faith in the promises of God and how He supplies the victory. In 1891, he sent the words to this hymn to Ira Sankey who was the song director for the D.L. Moody evangelistic campaigns. He wrote the music for this hymn that is still sung today.
Faith is the victory! Faith is the victory!
O, glorious victory that overcomes the world!
We need to wake up and take hold of this glorious promise of God! He is the one who will give us the victory, for He has overcome the world.
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 song, click on this link:
Faith is the Victory
Encamped along the hills of light,
Ye Christian soldiers rise,
And press the battle ere the night
Shall veil the glowing skies;
Against the foe in vales below
Let all our strength be hurled;
Faith is the victory, we know,
That overcomes the world.
Faith is the victory!
Faith is the victory!
O glorious victory,
That overcomes the world.
His banner over us is love,
Our sword the Word of God;
We tread the road the saints before
With shouts of triumph trod.
By faith, they like a whirlwind’s breath,
Swept on o’er every field;
The faith by which they conquered death
Is still our shining shield.
On every hand the foe we find
Drawn up in dread array;
Let tents of ease be left behind,
And onward to the fray.
Salvation’s helmet on each head,
With truth all girt about,
The earth shall tremble ’neath our tread,
And echo with our shout.
To him that overcomes the foe,
White raiment shall be giv’n;
Before the angels he shall know
His name confessed in heav’n;
Then onward from the hills of light,
Our hearts with love aflame,
We’ll vanquish all the hosts of night,
In Jesus’ conqu’ring name.
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Seize the Moment – Day 913
Don’t Miss Opportunities for Peace!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, September 16.
Are you missing opportunities for peace? One of the most damaging things we do to our peace of mind, and relational well-being, is impute wrong motives onto people – we read into people’s words, and we judge them because we presume to know their motives. If you do this, you are projecting the anxiety and fear of your own mind and heart onto others.
If you find yourself frequently in hostilities with others, whether real or perceived, it’s because you are losing on the battlefield of your own mind. When you are expending energy on an internal war, how do you expect to have the energy to “be at peace with one another” (Mark 9:50; cf. Romans 12:18). That is exactly what we see happening in 1 Chronicles 19:1-3:
Now it came about after this, that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon died, and his son became king in his place. Then David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent messengers to console him concerning his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the sons of Ammon to Hanun to console him. But the princes of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun, “Do you think that David is honoring your father, in that he has sent comforters to you? Have not his servants come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?”
Nahash imputed evil motives on David’s peaceful actions, and, in doing so, missed an opportunity for peace. You don’t have to make the same mistake!
Seize the moment and invite the Holy Spirit to guard your heart and mind with the peace of Jesus Christ (Philippians 4:6-7). Peace with others flows from peace with yourself, both of which are made possible by letting “the peace of Christ rule in your hearts” (Colossians 3:15-17).
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 912
Rest on Every Side!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, September 15. Please join me in wishing a happy birthday to Layla McKnight.
Do you struggle to rest? Whether it is getting good sleep, turning off your worry, living at peace with your family, being content at work, or ceasing your ambition, do you struggle to enter God’s rest (Hebrews 4:11)?
Are you experiencing the righteous rule of King Jesus and his gracious offer of “rest for your soul” (Matthew 11:28-30)? Is the peace of God which surpasses all human comprehension guarding your heart and mind in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7)?
With God’s help, you can experience rest on every side of your life! Twice, in 1 Chronicles 18:6 & 13, the Chronicler emphasized that it was the Lord who was helping King David, “And the Lord helped David wherever he went.” In the same way, today, it is Jesus Christ, the Son of David, who brings His kingdom of “justice and righteousness” into your life – rest in Him.
Seize the moment and diligently strive to enter the rest offered to you through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ (Hebrews 4:11; Matthew 11:28-30).
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] John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016), Je 22:3.
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Seize the Moment – Day 911
The Foundation of God’s House!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Wednesday, September 14.
The building of a house is a beautiful metaphor for God’s people,[1] and we first find it in God’s promise to David in 1 Chronicles 17:11-14 (cf. 2 Samuel 7:12-16):
When your days are fulfilled that you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up one of your descendants after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build for Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be his father and he shall be My son; and I will not take My lovingkindness away from him, as I took it from him who was before you. But I will settle him in My house and in My kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.
God’s covenant with David illuminates the crucial theological concept of adoption, on which the foundation for God’s house is built. God adopted David and his future family to be His family, and David’s household would be God’s dwelling place, His home forever.
God’s promise to David was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who is the Rock on which our lives are built. Like God promised to David, the foundation of our house is built upon God’s adoption of us, as Paul taught in Romans 8:15, “you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’” Our adoption into the family of God is our induction into His kingdom forever, which is the fulfillment of the promise of God to David.
God is building His home in us, as Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 3:16, “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:19; 2 Corinthians 6:16).
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.
Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Pastor Daniel Lepley is in the process of writing, Building Church. His new book explores this metaphor and its applications to how we can revitalize our churches. I have been honored to be one of his advance readers, and I believe it will be an important read for church leaders.
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Seize the Moment – Day 910
When it’s time to Party – Let’s Eat!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Tuesday, September 13.
As an ordained Baptist minister, and as an active member of a local Baptist congregation, I can attest to you that we love to eat. Nothing makes a party successful quite like good food, and lots of it!
David agreed! He was singing and dancing as the ark of the covenant was brought home (1 Chronicles 15:26-29), and then he had a big party, described in 1 Chronicles 16:1-3:
And they brought in the ark of God and placed it inside the tent which David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord. He distributed to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone a loaf of bread and a portion of meat and a raisin cake.
At this party, David served up a huge amount of food, not just to those in attendance, but as verse 3 states, “he distributed to everyone of Israel.” Wow! That is a lot of sacrifices to provide that much meat. This was not your typical church pitch-in, this was a fully catered meal, with the Levites on the barbeque.
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 909
Learn from your Mistakes!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, September 12.
Wisdom is applied knowledge, and most often it is learned through good old-fashioned OJT, on-the-job training through the ups and downs of daily life. We must be humble enough to be able to learn from our mistakes. A wise person doesn’t keep repeating the same mistake, expecting different results; only a prideful, or insane, person would expect that!
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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