Fairmont Baptist Church

08/31/2026

08/28/2026

“The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him,” Nahum 1:7. God operates with absolute moral integrity. In all that God is and does He is without hypocrisy or contradiction. He is whole and undivided integrity. No legitimate accusation can be brought against God. Adam was the first to place blame on God for his troubles. When Adam sinned the very first sin ever committed by mankind he not only lost fellowship with God he blamed God. “And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat,” Genesis 3:7. People have been blaming God for their troubles for a long time. Anyone who brings an accusation against God is wrong. The accusers of God are wrong every time, without fail. When people blame God for their problems it may make them feel better, but it does nothing to solve their problems. Problems must be identified and defined to be solved. Truth must be faced and responsibility must be taken. Without this there is no solving of problems. God is never the problem, but He is always the problem solver.
Everyone is responsible to God for their own thoughts, words and deeds. Everyone is responsible for the beliefs that they have chosen. Responsibility is challenging because it cannot be separated from accountability. If anyone else or everyone else is responsible for what I think, say and do it relieves me from accountability. God tells us in His word that each person is responsible and accountable for themselves. “So then everyone of us shall give account of himself to God,” Romans 14:12. No one will be able to excuse themselves by pointing to the failures of others or to those who may have misled them. This accounting is not a group accounting but each individual for themselves. The only response that can be given before God is, guilty as charged, on all counts. Thankfully that is not all there is. Each born-again believer will be able to look to Jesus and say, “I am with Him.” And in the beauty of it all, Jesus will look to the redeemed and say, “he is with me.” “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit,” Romans 8:1. This is not a declaration of innocence, it is a position of forgiveness, and it is eternal.
Only in our sinfulness can we believe that God owes us an explanation or an apology. Man is not the measure of all things, God is. In the light of the truth, we come to the understanding that we answer to God, God does not answer to us. When Job stopped seeking an explanation from God and sought an education from God his thinking cleared up. God owes us nothing and has given us everything. We owe God everything and yet blame Him for our hardships. God has done everything right and can do no wrong. The response to God should be repentance, faith and adoration now and forever. “Moreover, the Lord answered Job, and said, Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? He that reproveth God, let him answer it. Then Job answered the Lord, and said, Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth,” Job 40:1-3. God is good, boundless good that knows no limits.
- Pastor Jerry Clark

08/16/2026

Many people declare their belief in God. This is a good statement on the surface, yet it lacks clarity. There must be more. Terms need to be defined and understood. Belief in God begins with a true understanding of who God is. The religions of the world want people to believe in their god or prophet or even believe that each person is a god. It does matter who defines the terms and how they are understood. To know who God is and to know the truth about Him, He has given us the Bible. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him,” Hebrews 11:6. If it is our desire to know God and believe in Him, we must go to the Bible. A person’s relationship with God is not to be left to religion, politics, philosophy or to other people. To trust God is to believe His word the Bible. Philosophies fail, governments fail and people fail. If everything is true, then there is no truth. Someone is wrong, and it is not God. You can trust Him with your eternal soul and your daily life.
To believe that God exists means more than declaring belief in an unknown deity. To believe in God is to believe what He says about Himself. To believe in God is to believe what He tells us about sin, redemption, and eternity. The reason that faith is hard is because it is personal. Each person must believe for themself, take God at His word, and trust Him alone for eternal life. It is easier to take man at his word, especially religious leaders who are powerful, popular and appear to have an in with God. Faith is a person’s individual relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Salvation is not granted by a church, through religious rights, or personal behavior. Salvation is by grace through faith. Each person must take responsibility for their sin and call on Jesus in repentance and faith for forgiveness. No religion can do that for us. God loves us; Jesus died for us and there is salvation in Him. He is our only hope. Have confidence in Him and salvation in Him. Religion can be powerful and controlling yet it cannot provide peace with God. Jesus did not come to condemn us or to control us. Jesus came to set us free from sin, death, and hell. He has made peace with God for us, and He set us free to love Him and serve Him now and forever.
The Bible sets biblical Christianity apart from the religions of the world. The Bible is our only authority in all matters of faith and practice. The local New Testament church has a specific responsibility to help believers know and understand the word of God. Instruction is given to those who preach and teach in the local church. “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood,” Acts 20:28. The church is responsible to provide spiritual nourishment through clear, accurate and authoritative preaching and teaching of the Bible. Believe what the Bible says about God and enjoy the life of faith that is anchored in Him.
- Pastor Jerry Clark

08/02/2026

“He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he,” Proverbs 16:20. There are many good ways to define wisdom. Wisdom can be defined as the right application of truth to the issues of life. This definition makes good sense. To apply the truth it must exist, which it does. To apply the truth, it must be known; and it can be known. God has created us with the ability to know the truth and apply the truth to decisions we make. Truth and wisdom are companions, lies and wisdom are adversaries. In the Old Testament book of Jeremiah, the prophet challenged the people of God to turn from lies and find help in the truth. “Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit,” Jeremiah 7:8. Lying words might help a person feel better or bring some immediate relief but cannot be of any true or lasting benefit.
To handle a matter wisely there needs to be an awareness of self-interest. It does not need to be eliminated but needs to be understood and controlled. This does not mean that a person cannot think about themselves. It does mean that a person should not think only about themselves. There is no need to take a vow of poverty or to determine to live life in self-imposed misery. People with wisdom think of God and others along with themselves. Another area to consider when handling a matter wisely is to be cautious of easy answers. Easy answers may bring temporary relief or satisfaction but likely will not solve the problem according to wisdom. The right answers are usually the hard ones. The wrong path starts easy and gets harder. The right path starts hard and gets easier. The hard right answer is always better than the easy wrong answer. Wisdom applied to life will lead to good outcomes. Wisdom enables people to function well in society and interact with others with a balanced perspective.
True happiness consists of trusting in the Lord and finding contentment in Him. It is not right to trust the Lord to do what we want. It is right to trust in the Lord and what He does and allows because He is God. “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is,” Jeremiah 17:7. God is worthy of our undivided confidence. God is holy and without sin from eternity past through eternity future. God cannot be wrong, make a mistake or change. God has the knowledge and the power to get it right and He does get it right, all the time and every time. He is worthy of the kind of trust that brings contentment. To trust in God is to believe Him and rest in Him. When there is trust there is contentment and when there is contentment there is happiness. Many people believe they will find contentment when they find happiness. It is better to understand how trust in the Lord, happiness and contentment work together. Those who trust in the Lord find happiness because they know contentment. Happiness is not found by searching for it. Happiness is a result of trusting in the Lord. When people trust in the Lord, they trust their eternal souls and their daily lives in His hands and in His care. “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him,” Psalm 32:8. Wisdom, truth and happiness speak of a well-ordered soul that has depth, meaning and purpose in God and from God.
- Pastor Jerry Clark

07/18/2026

Most of us have heard the saying about the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Competition can be tough. Winning and losing are key components to competition and both are necessary. Everyone who competes will hopefully know the thrill of victory and will likely at some point face the agony of defeat. Competition can make us better. We have gone through an era where losing was determined to be such a negative experience that everyone was to be declared the winner. Some even thought it would be good to eliminate scorekeeping so that everyone can have fun participating and no one will lose. Competition does not work that way. True competition pushes each person to do their best as they continue to develop their skills. The Apostle Paul references winning a prize as he writes to the church at Corinth. “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain,” I Corinthians 9:24.
The Bible instructs us to do our best in every task that we take on. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might,” Ecclesiastes 9:10. When we take on a task we are to give it our all. In all that we do we are to do our best with the ability that God has given us. We are to work hard to develop our skills and abilities. God gives ability and we provide the discipline and hard work to do our best with those abilities.
When we compete, we must follow the rules. We have heard it said that winning is not everything, it is the only thing. This thinking may motivate a team or an individual, but it is not true. Winning needs to be the result of skill and effort coupled with honesty and integrity in competing. “And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully,” II Timothy 2:5. Win at any cost is not a good strategy. We do not win if it costs our integrity to do so.
Those who compete to win live disciplined lives and turn away from those things that would hinder their success. Paul also uses the analogy of a runner when talking about living the Christian life. “Wherefore seeing ye are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God,” Hebrews 12:1-2. Those who compete to win must lay aside the weights that slow them down. Run with patience, do not be distracted or discouraged. Finish strong and finish well.
People want to win or they would not participate. To have a winner there must be a loser. This does not mean the person is a loser, it means they lost the game or the match or the contest. Winning is good when in encourages everyone to give their all and to keep improving their skills, abilities and attitudes. True competition can bring out the best in everyone. Win with dignity, lose with composure and continue to strive for excellence.
- Pastor Jerry Clark

07/03/2026

Happy Birthday America
Two hundred and fifty years is a long time. The great American experiment has outlived its founders. This is an accomplishment that the founders could not guarantee in the early days of America. The Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution are truly great documents. The founders had the wisdom, understanding and courage to take these foundational positions. Today America is much different than the America of 1776, yet it continues to be ruled by the Constitution and influenced by the Declaration of Independence. This nation has occupied two hundred and fifty years in a world that has been around for thousands of years. This is an exceptional nation as nations go. America is founded on amazing concepts such as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This nation is ruled by the supreme law of the land, the United States Constitution. America is a nation that is not ruled by the ever-changing whim of the majority but governed by laws established by duly elected representatives of the people. A nation of three hundred and fifty million people is a nation of three hundred and fifty million opinions. America has had and continues to have its critics. Often people complain about our nation being so divided. The history of this nation is a history of division. This does not mean that division is right or necessary, it simply means that the nation is made up of people who take sides and often with very strong opinions.
Our founding documents are truly amazing and continue to stand the test of time in this rapidly changing world. Since the beginning of this nation there have been disagreements about the way things should be done and even disagreements about the true intent of the founding documents. Disagreement in our nation is nothing new. It is the way it has always been. Today there are many critics who condemn the founding of the nation. It is common to sit in judgment of the past thinking that we alone in our time and place have the answers to how others should have done things in their time and place. Some believe that America’s best days are ahead. Some believe that America’s best days are behind. A growing number of people hold the position that America is a failure in its founding and very existence.
Most Americans love this country. It is known as the land of opportunity and American exceptionalism. The freedom to worship God without government interference is one of the greatest strengths of this nation. Our founders did not give us this right, they recognized it. The freedom to worship God is recognized not granted. We are thankful that in America every person is free to choose their own religious beliefs without interference, intimidation or coercion by the power or force of government. America has been a voice for freedom, liberty and justice for many years.
This great nation has its limitations; it will not last forever. History teaches us that nations come and go and are in a constant state of change. We cannot change history, but we can learn from it. The only one who is eternal and unchanging is the true and living God who rules over all. “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God,” Psalm 90:2. There is only one eternal kingdom and that is the kingdom of God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. “And of his kingdom there shall be no end,” Luke 1:33.
- Pastor Jerry Clark

06/25/2026

We are having a great week at VBS. Parents are all invited to join us Thursday at 7:00 for a kids program and supper.

06/22/2026

Tonight at 6:00 pm!

06/21/2026

Happy Father’s Day. I hope you have or have had a good father as part of your life. We are thankful for faithful fathers who have led and guided their homes. We are thankful for faithful fathers who are currently leading and guiding their homes. God has ordained the family, and it is good. There is only one perfect father and that is our heavenly Father. He is perfect in all that He is and does. Dads have a God given responsibility to lead their homes. The best thing a dad can do is have a heart for God and a right relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. Dads are to lead with love and truth and by example. Earthly fathers have a tremendous influence on their children. Children will benefit from fathers who love God, but this does not guarantee the child will love God. Children may struggle with fathers who oppose God, but this does not mean that the child has no chance to come to know and love the Lord God.
The God ordained family has provided order and stability to mankind ever since God performed the first wedding in the Garden of Eden. “Therefore, shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh,” Genesis 2:24. The Bible also tells us that children are from the Lord. “Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward,” Psalm 127:3. Children are a blessing given to the family by God. Children do not belong to the state or federal government. Children are given to the parents by God and are precious and extremely valuable to Him. The Bible places responsibility on the father to bring up the child. “And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord,” Ephesians 6:4. The God ordained family is the oldest and greatest unit in the world, the very fabric of society.
People can and do resist God along with His structure and order. God gave them that ability. When someone says no to God and His order life becomes increasingly difficult. This is not necessarily because God is judging them or against them. The Bible is clear about those who live without God. “The way of transgressors is hard,” Proverbs 13:15. There is no other way to describe it, it is just plain hard. It is not because God hates us and wants us to be miserable. It is because God created us and knows what is best for us. He knows us best and loves us most. He instructs us in truth for our good and His glory. It is not the desire of God to destroy us; it is His desire to deliver us.
We salute the family. We encourage dads to be loving and truthful leaders in their homes. This is what honors God, and this is what brings strength and stability to the family and to society. We are thankful for every dad who loves God and loves his family and is doing the best he can to lead them in the truth. We are thankful for a heavenly Father who is holy and perfect in every way. “Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,” Matthew 6:9.
- Pastor Jerry Clark

06/06/2026

There are times when we must spend our money on what we need and do not have enough left to spend it on what we want. We are blessed people. In fact, we are so blessed that we often think that our wants are the same as our needs. The current economic situation is uncomfortable for most and a hardship on some. There are things that we choose not to do in order to have money available for the necessary items. It is part of the human condition to have a love for money. For many of us facing the ever-increasing cost of living we are challenged with a verse from the New Testament. “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows,” I Timothy 6:10.
Money comes in handy in this life. In the current economy we do not minimize the difficulties that people face. The high costs of housing, food, and gas are causing many to reevaluate household budgets. It is natural to like high wages and a low cost of living. It is good to have a margin between what is made and what is spent. We all like to have some fun money that we can spend without taking away from needs. A good test for each of us is to evaluate our attitude when we find that things are more expensive than they should be. We may struggle in the current economy and join others in expressing our complaints. The real test regarding the love of money is whether or not the lack of it steals our joy and makes us miserable. The expenses of life may make us unhappy, disappointed or a bit discouraged but not miserable. Another indication is when we are thinking that a little more money would solve our problems. It is the love of money that trips us up. Money is not the root of all evil, the love of money is.
We love money when it is the source of our hopes and dreams, our purpose and position. We love money when it dictates our outlook and attitudes. We love money when it controls us. There are many verses in the Bible that continually bring our thinking back to the true realities of life. “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content,” I Timothy 6:6-8. These verses do not tell us that we cannot have anything more than food and raiment. God tells us that our contentment is not found in abundances but in necessities. We can also be encouraged that while money comes and goes God will never leave us or forsake us. “Let your conversation be without covetousness: and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee,” Hebrews 13:5. Those who love money and have made it a god must face the fact that their god does leave them and forsake them. Money has died a thousand deaths and will never answer the most serious issues of life. We sing in church that Jesus is all the world to me, my life my joy, my all. These words are rather convicting. When He is our life, our joy, our all, we can face a difficult economy without the loss of our joy.
- Pastor Jerry Clark