First Christian Church Fairfax: Recent Episodes
Russell Hughes
In the face of great adversity and false teachers, Timothy is discouraged. Paul appeals to Timothys heart and reminds him from where he came and to remember the strong and sincere faith that he learned from his mother and grandmother to stand firm and continue the mission of loyalty to the gospel message of Christ. This message rings true today in the face of false teachers in the churches around the world that are changing the scriptures to suit their lifestyles rather than change sinful lifestyles to follow Christ.
"If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, they are conceited and understand nothing."
It's clear in later times some in the church will abandon their faith to follow decieving spirits and things taught by demons that come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared. Church, beware of the hypocritical liars that are teaching in churches and schools today, we are in those times.
Nicodemus asks about being born again, as Jesus tries to explain salvation and being born of the Spirit, Nicodemus just doesn't quite understand that the salvation he seeks is standing before him trying to show him the way.
The elder pastor is the shepherd/leader and has many expectations that shouldn't be taken lightly. Paul explains these clearly so there will be no question who what is to be expected of the men that would fill this role.
Paul writes to Timothy clear instructions about the role women play as they are finding new roles and more freedoms to learn and serve that they were never aloud before under the strict Jewish traditions.
Guest speaker Tad Hughes reminds us that we are all loved by God and each one of us matter enough to leave the 99 safe sheep and seek us when we are lost. His word reminds us in Luke 15:3-7 that there is more rejoicing in heaven over the one repenting than the 99 who do not need to repent.
Paul gets real before the church and Timothy about the depth of evil that he took part in before Jesus saved him and set him on a new path.
Paul's warning against being idle reminds the church not to sit and wait on the return of Christ and not do anything, but to be out actively working and spreading the good news of Christ and making disciples and living a full life and providing for families.
Nehemiah returns to find the Israelites have gone back to some of their old ways even after making vows to God to never return to their evil ways. He reprimands them and runs evil people out of the temple and reminds the people of God's wrath and what will happen if they let their old lazy habits return and they forget that God is righteous and holy and has expectations on His children. A lesson that rings true throughout the history of mankind, especially true today.
Construction of the wall is over now is the time to rebuild spiritually and socially. Nehemiah sets up the order of the temple and the everyday happenings so that society can begin.
Sanballat's attempted setup for terrorism once again and Nehemiah's prayer for God to strengthen his hands.
Nehemiah prays and fasts for 4 months and is now ready to approach the king and the king notices he is sad. This is the chance that God has put before Nehemiah to do the mission that was prepared for him. Without fail, Nehemiah asks the king for permission, for supplies, for time off, and for an army to accompany him. The king grants him everything needed to head to Jerusalem for his first time and begin to rebuild the wall that was destroyed so many years before.
In the first part of chapter 5 we learn that believers are to live in the light and always be ready, awake and sober. Do not live in the dark and so be surprised by the return of Christ and be left behind for the tribulation. We are to encourage one another and remind each other that God did not appoing us to suffer wrath bt to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ!
After getting the report from his brother that the the Holy City had not been rebuilt, Nehemiah began to mourn and fast for the homeland he had never seen. God began to work in his heart and lay out a mission that would lead him from his protected life of security to a place of insecurity and hard work that would fulfil God's purpose for Nehemiah.
Be established in your faith like granite to withstand the trials that will come and test your faith.
God will allow tests so cracks in our character will be exposed and He will guide us to opportunites to repair those cracks. (Note: the service was cut short due to a health emergency with one of our members that required medical care in the middle of service and the sanctuary to be evacuated, please excuse the abrupt ending.)
Thessalonians was written by Paul to assure the church of Theassalonica of Paul's love and concern for them, to ground them in sound doctrine and to correct some weaknesses. The book has the same mission for the churches of today.
As we look at John 3:16 we realize in this familiar passage that God gave the world the greatest Christmas gift ever given, all we have to do is believe.
In Luke Chapter 2 we learn of young shepherds out in the fields that get the birth announcement from the heavenly hosts and quickly go and meet the Christ child while the bustling town of Bethlehem misses him due to their busy-ness.
In this episode the wise men were sent by Herod for an evil plan but after they worshipped the savior they knew to go a different way and Herod missed Christ in Christmas.
As the infant Jesus was brought into the temple a couple of devout and righteous elders, who were filled with the Holy Spirit, recognized the Saviour and prophesied to Mary and Joseph as everybody else missed Him in the business of the activities including the religious officials.
As we approach Christmas Day we are looking at individuals and groups that recognize Christ in Christmas and those that miss Christmas. This episode takes a look at Mary and Joseph.
God's chosen people clothe themselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
God's chosen people clothe themselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Paul, though he had never been to the church in Colossae, is contending with them to be encouraged in heart and united in love and to resist the wrong teaching that was seeping in from the surrounding cultures.
Paul, though he had never been to the church in Colossae, is contending with them to be encouraged in heart and united in love and to resist the wrong teaching that was seeping in from the surrounding cultures.
Daniel Interprets a vision for Belshazzar who was slain that very night, and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom.
Daniel Interprets a vision for Belshazzar who was slain that very night, and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom.
Daniel, through faith in God, interprets the dream and saves the lives of he and his friends.
Daniel, through faith in God, interprets the dream and saves the lives of he and his friends.
Paul is ending his letter to the Roman church and reminding them to tell their story of what Christ has done for them and cultivate relationships with the Body of Christ.
Young Daniel and his friends exhibit faithful dietary obedience in God and gain favor in service to the king.
In this introductory study of the book of Daniel we look at the history surrounding the book and walk through the first 7 verses of chapter 1.
Beginning in Romans Chapter 12, Paul reminds the church to be transformed by God's perfect will.
Revelation 19:1-10. The celebration of the fall of Babylon and the picture of God's rescue plan for His church(the bride of Christ).
Paul asks the question if "God has abandoned the Israelites?" Absolutely not, He keeps His promises.
Romans chapter 11 starts off with Paul explaining that God has not abandoned the nation Israel even though they had turned away from God.
How can more people believe and call on the name of Jesus unless believers go and tell them about Him?
As we learn from scripture that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever, we see how he treated those that fell at His feet and desperate need and their lives were changed for eternity.
In Romans 5:14-17, we learn that we can know how the we are children of God by the way we hear from God, hear His prompting and obey what He's telling us to do.
Paul teaches us in Romans 8 that as long as Holy Spirit lives in us, then we can live by the Spirit and not the flesh.
3 Commands from Romans chapter 6 to remind you to see yourself the way God sees you and choose not to walk in sin daily!
Paul reminds believers that as they have accepted Christ as Savior then they have died to sin and a new creature.
We learn through this passage that though sin entered all mankind through one man, Adam, that salvation for all of the world has entered through the One, Jesus.
Paul explains that you can't work your way into God's favor, it is by His grace that you are saved.
As we begin to move from the description of how God's wrath comes to be, and we repent from our own depravity, then we can begin to conform to God's righteousness.
The church is commended for their love and faith, service and perseverance, but they tolerate Jezebel!
Jesus commends the church for remaining true through persecution, but reminds them not to tolerate false teachers.
As Paul writes to the Roman church, he is reminding them, do not be ashamed of the gospel. And we learn from his example to be loving, humble and bold.
As Joshua is nearing the end of his life he leaves a message with God's people to remember from where they came, mistakes they've made and to not repeat them and what God has done for them and to be careful to always love God.
Two and a half tribes decide they want to stay on the other side of the Jordan, away from the Promised Land and the rest of God's people and build an unapproved altar and complications begin to arise because they didn't commune with God.
We draw comfort from the book of Romans as it reminds us that nothing can separate us from the love of God!
Now that the Gibeonites are allies, other nations want to defeat them and 5 nations attack them at once. They call on the Israelites to help them and God brings hale fire and makes the sun stand still to give Joshua and the army victory over the evil nations. God fights out battles!
Joshua and the Israelites enter into a treaty with the Gibeonites after being misled and forgetting to consult God before making their decision.
Achan disobeyed and the Israelite army got prideful and it resulted in loss of life and a lost battle. God reminded Joshua that obedience and keeping Him front and center are most important.
Joshua led the Israelites to Jericho and followed all of God's rules, even when they didn't make sense, without question. Because of their faithfulness God granted them victory as they moved into the promised land.
As Joshua takes over the leadership role after Moses, God is preparing the Israelites to cross over the Jordan River into the promised land through waiting on His instruction, preparing (consecrating) themselves, and then following his commands. This is applied to our lives today by learning to wait on God, prepare ourselves and then follow God's leading.
Joshua has now taken over the reigns and God is preparing him to lead the Israelites into the promised land. It will take courage and strength that can only come from meditating and knowing God's promises found in His Word. The same goes for His followers today.
As we cover passages in Numbers 13 through 14 and Dueteronomy, we see the faithlessness of God's people to go and take the promised land because of fear and second guessing.
This verse by verse sermon of Ezekiel chapter 37:1-10 helps us understand how to apply God's message to our lives today.
At the First Christian Church in Fairfax, Oklahoma, we are trying to reach more people worldwide with the good news of Jesus Christ. We believe this is the most important mission of our lives and want to use every avenue possible to get biblical teaching into the world as far reaching as possible. It is our prayer that this blog site will provide us one of those opportunities so, please join us weekly, right here, as we study God's Word and apply it to our lives daily. We pray you will find yourself seeking answers that only God can provide as we walk through these studies and encourage each other through prayer and positive words. Welcome, and let us know how we can pray for you today!
In Christ,
Russ Hughes
Morning worship sermon June 6, 2021 over Nehemiah chapter 1, Mr. and Mrs. Barley Bread.