First Baptist Church Indianola Tx

04/26/2026

Sunday Morning Worship Service
SCRIPTURAL TEXT: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
SERMON TITLE: When the Trumpet Sounds: The Resurrection of the Saints

04/21/2026

Ministry of First Baptist Church Indianola:
Pastor's Weekly Devotional & Bible study
SCRIPTURAL TEXT: Philemon 1:10-17 (KJV)
"I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me: Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels: Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel: But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly. For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord? If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself."
PASTOR'S THOUGHTS:
During Paul's first imprisonment in Rome (A. D. 59 to 62), he met Onesimus, who was a runaway slave, and led him to faith in Christ (v. 10). Onesimus might have been a great help to him, but Paul chose to send him back to his master, Philemon. Philemon was a wealthy Christian in the church at Colosse who probably was led to faith in Christ Jesus through Paul's ministry (v. 19). Paul wrote this letter to ask Philemon to forgive Onesimus for his actions committed.
This letter was likely carried by Tychicus, a Gentile convert from Ephesus who was also carrying letters from Paul to the Ephesian and Colossian churches (Eph. 6:21-22; Col. 4:7-9). Onesimus traveled with Tychicus.
This letter is a plea for forgiveness; slaves in the Roman empire were viewed as the personal property of their masters. When a runaway slave was caught, they could legally be tortured to death as a lesson for other would-be runaways; or they could have the letter F (for Fugitivus) seared into their foreheads with a hot iron. Out weighing the circumstances and possibility of receiving a painful punishment for running away, Paul convinced Onesimus to return to his master Philemon, cause the chance of them being reconciled as Christian brothers was better than the alternative of living a lifetime with unreconciled tension between them.
C.S. Lewis once spoke these words for all to focus on, "Everyone says that forgiveness is a wonderful idea, until he has something to actually forgive." Forgiveness is not always easy to ask for or to give. Someone has to swallow the pain of having been hurt. Paul's letter to Philemon serves as a true example of the cost that's involved in asking for forgiveness and of granting it. In addition to teaching about forgiveness, this brief letter also serves as a great example of the importance of equality and acceptance in the body of Christ.
In this brief epistle of only 25 verses, Paul is confronting the issue of genuine love and true forgiveness in a very practical way. Does Christian brotherly love really work even in situations of extraordinary tension and difficulty? With much confidence and tenderness, Paul asked Philemon to receive his former slave back with the same love and gentleness with which he would have received Paul himself.
Paul promises to make good any debt that Onesimus owes. Since he knows Philemon so well, Paul is confident that brotherly love and forgiveness will carry the day.
The Greek word for forgiveness is aphiemi and carries with it a wonderful meaning. It means to dismiss. When a person truly forgives, he does his very best to dismiss this matter from his mind.
The word also means to depart from the matter. Though you cannot forget, you will seek to forsake the matter.
It also means to disregard the offense of another. This means a person pushes from his mind, and departs from, and dismisses the offense.
Forgiveness also means discharging. In Matthew 18:27, Jesus tells the story of a man who forgave a man a great debt. This means he erased the debt.
Another meaning associated with the act of forgiveness is the word discussion. This simply means you put this matter in the past and refuse to discuss it again.
This is what Paul is asking Philemon to do for Onesimus. He has great confidence he will do it. I think Paul realized that it was not the nature of Philemon to forgive, but that Christ in him could do no less. The Christian community is well-known for its forgiveness because we have been forgiven most.
Has He forgiven you? Then He will forgive others through you!

04/19/2026

Sunday Morning Worship Service
SCRIPTURAL TEXT: Titus 2:11-13
SERMON TITLE: The Coming King

04/12/2026

Sunday Morning Worship Service
SCRIPTURAL TEXT: Acts 1:1-12
SERMON TITLE: Jesus Ascended And Seated In Heaven

04/05/2026

5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! LUKE 24:5-6

03/24/2026

03/23/2026

FBC INDIANOLA invites you to attend and share in our worship services together. We offer Sunday School for all age groups: Children, Youth, and Adults @09:45am each Sunday Morning. Likewise, we have a great Wednesday evening Bible study for all of our different age groups @06:00pm. We will start live on line streaming through Zoom of our Adult Bible studies in the upcoming month of April. Please send us your email so we can sign you up for participation. We're Likewise planning to initiate our Evangelistic Bus Beach Ministry in April.
UPCOMING WORSHIP EVENTS:
3/29/26
Palm Sunday Worship Service @11:00am.
4/3/26
Good Friday Worship Service @07:00pm.
4/5/26
Easter: Resurrection Sunday Worship Service @08:00am here at the Church.

God's grace and blessings be upon each of you and our community!

03/18/2026

Ministry of First Baptist Church Indianola
Pastor's weekly Devotional & Bible study
SCRIPTURAL TEXT: Hebrews 10:24-25
"And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." (KJV)
PASTOR'S THOUGHTS:
Today I want to focus on the subject of simply BEING FAITHFUL. It is not the person who is eloquent, highly trained, or multigifted that God specially blesses. It is the person who is "faithful."
More than twenty times in the New Testament the word faithful is applied to people who serve the Lord. But exactly what does that mean? When I focus or consider this question of thought in my mindset, I come to the realization that faithfulness has to be more than mouthing a creed or simply claiming to love Jesus. Generally speaking, words are easily spoken, but the true test of one's faithfulness to God is centered in our daily course of life and how we conduct and perceive ourselves in general. As we search the Scriptures, we discover several marks of the faithful Christian.
FIRST MARK: Faithfulness to the church is one sign we are always looking for. The church is God's family, and we belong to it because of what Christ Jesus did for us on the cross. Out of gratitude and obedience to Christ, we should be loyal to our church.
Church leaders certainly ought to make it a top priority to attend services, not only for the spiritual benefits, but because they set an example for the flock. (This does not mean that each Christian has to be in church attendance every time the doors are opened!) However, attending faithfully does accomplish several purposes. It encourages all those who come to worship and pray, affirming to each person present that he or she is not alone in the world. And it likewise stimulates us to do good and show Christian love to our fellow worshipers.
There also are other ways to be faithful to the church. Praying regularly for the pastor and other leaders is one. Another is to be a systematic giver. Holding an office in a church organization, or using your spiritual gifts to expand various programs within the structure of the church. All these ministries exemplify and express faithfulness to the church in which the believer is part of.
SECOND MARK: Faithfulness with one's time is the second mark of a true faithful believer. In (Ephesians 5:16), the apostle Paul advised us about "making the most of every opportunity" (NIV). Time is a gift to us from God. Since we cannot take tomorrow for granted, we must focus on today. Life goes by so quickly, yet we measure it in years. Each day, each moment, needs to be seized like a precious treasure and used in the best way possible. The psalmist (90:12) says, "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."
Time brings each of us responsibility. Time is a non-renewable resource, so we must use it wisely. Some people kill time, where others waste it. God's people are supposed to redeem time, to use it in ways that bear fruit for eternity. Time is the great revealer in that it shows our true character, our maturity, or our values. So often we hear the complaint or excuse that "I don't have time." But we can always seem to find time for what is most important to us. People who truly love God will be faithful to redeem the time available for the Lord's service.
THIRD MARK: Faithfulness with material resources is another mark of the faithful Christian. Jesus asks in (Luke 16:11), "If therefore you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous mammon, who will entrust the true riches to you?" (NASB). All we possess comes from God, and how we use those resources is a measure of our spiritual commitment to Him.
Money and worldly possessions are but tools to build with, and God expects us to use these material things of life to gain eternal blessings (Luke 16:9). Jesus was encouraging his disciples to use their money generously whenever and wherever they could to help others. Good deeds cannot buy eternal rewards, but those who do good because Christ has changed them spiritually will be rewarded in heaven.
FOURTH MARK: Faithfulness in small things also gives evidence of commitment. Jesus expresses this point of truth in (Luke 16:10), "He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much" (NASB). How we react in a crisis reveals our character; how we respond to daily responsibilities is also a measure of character. When you promise to pray for someone, do you follow through with the commitment? Do you keep your promises? Do you perform those small, thankless tasks, even when no one but God is watching? Our faithfulness in little things determines our readiness to be responsible for larger matters. With the little things, God is testing to see if we can be trusted. Always be faithful to every responsibility, for you never know when you're being measured for a greater position of service to God!
One day we will give account to God for our lives. God will not be looking at attendance pins or athletic trophies. He will be simply evaluating our faithfulness and commitment to his church, our responsible use of time, and our stewardship and servanthood. How will you measure up?

03/08/2026

Ministry of First Baptist Church Indianola Pastor's weekly Devotional and Bible study SCRIPTURAL TEXT: I Corinthians 1:10 (KJV) "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment."

PASTOR'S THOUGHTS:
PAUL'S letters to the Corinthians (I & II Cor.) are unique among the epistles of the apostle of grace. There is little similarity between them and his other epistles. First Corinthians was written in response to serious rumors concerning the spiritual state of the Corinthian church (1:11). Paul likewise had received a letter from the church seeking his counsel with regard to certain serious differences of opinion among the members of the assembly (7:1). It was to correct these errors that the epistle was written. First Corinthians (unlike Paul's other epistles) contains a minimum of doctrinal teaching. First Corinthians focuses on corrective guidance rather than deep doctrine, as the Corinthians were spiritual "babies," struggling to break free from their pagan past. Despite its corrective nature, the letter contains significant doctrinal truths, including Chapter 15's detailed discussion on the Resurrection.
The Corinthian church was a carnal church. Many of its members were but recently converted from paganism and found it difficult to separate themselves from their old life. As a result the epistle is largely corrective and exhortatory, rather than doctrinal. Paul severely condemns their carnal practices and childish sectarianism. However, the letter does contain some solid doctrinal meat. Chapter fifteen concerning the Resurrection of the body is the most complete doctrinal discussion of that subject in the Holy Scriptures, the Bible.
Another point of distinction was the abundance of special gifts which God gave to the Corinthian church. Among these were the gifts of prophecy, working of miracles, discerning of spirits, divers kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. All these gifts were peculiar to this carnal, worldly church. They were not found in the other churches in the measure they were in this carnal, immature church.
HISTORICAL SETTING (NKJV STUDY BIBLE):
Corinth was an important city in ancient Greece. Geographically, it was an ideal hub for commerce between Italy and Asia. Along with the flow of merchandise, Corinth received travelers from both east and west, creating ethnic diversity among the city's inhabitants. Although Corinth was ransacked by the Romans in 146 B.C., it was rebuilt by Julius Caesar in 46 B.C. Roman control of Corinth allowed them to dominate east-west commerce as well as the Isthmian Games (9:24-27), which were surpassed in importance only by the celebrated Olympic Games.
Corinth's commercial success was rivaled only by its decadence. The immorality of Corinth was so well known that Aristophanes coined the Greek verb korinthiazomai (meaning "to act like a Corinthian") as a synonym for sexual immorality. Greek plays of the day often depicted Corinthians as drunkards and reprobates. The Corinthians drew attention to their lewdness through their worship of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. Yet Corinth was also a strategic location for the propagation of the Gospel. The city's corrupt nature made for a unique opportunity to display to the Roman world the transforming power of Jesus Christ.
PAUL'S PURPOSE IN WRITING THE LETTER:
First Corinthians is a reply to two letters. Paul had left the Corinthian church under the leadership of Aquila and Priscilla in the spring of A.D. 53 to continue his second missionary journey. On his third journey, during his stay at Ephesus, he received two letters from the Corinthian believers. One was a disturbing report from the household of Chloe (1:11). The report detailed the divisions and immorality in the church. These problems arose because the young Corinthian church had failed to protect itself from the decadent culture of the city. The immaturity of the Corinthians had given way to sectarian divisions. The believers were identifying themselves as followers of specific Christian leaders rather than as followers of Christ (3:1-9). They were also dragging each other into court (6:1). Their desire to sue each other rather than settle their disputes within the church betrayed their immaturity and misplaced trust in human wisdom. Sexual immorality had become a problem in the church in spite of a previous letter (that has not been preserved) in which Paul warned against it (5:9-11). Paul wrote to answer both letters and to give some additional instructions to the church.
THE OCCASION FOR WRITING THE EPISTLE:
To understand the occasion and the purpose of this epistle, we must review briefly the history of the church in Corinth. Paul had visited the city of Corinth on his second missionary journey. After a most discouraging experience in Athens (Acts 17:15-34), Paul goes on to Corinth, greatly depressed in spirit, and here again meets with unusual opposition. He would have abandoned the city entirely, and gone on to Ephesus except for a special revelation of encouragement which he received from the Lord. In Acts 18 we are told that after Paul had turned away from the synagogue in disappointment, he had been compelled to conduct his meetings in a private home.

Here is the record:
(Acts 18:7) "And he [Paul] departed thence [from the synagogue], and entered into a certain man's house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue."

This must have been a tremendously humiliating experience for the apostle Paul, to be cast out as it were from the church, thrown out of the synagogue, and rejected by organized religion. He is now compelled to hold meetings in a house. Undoubtedly his enemies took this as a sign of defeat, and it greatly troubled Paul. The record seems to suggest that this greatly discouraged him, and he was ready to give up in Corinth, but God had other intentions!

(Acts 18:9-11) "Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them."

It's interesting to notice how when Paul is rejected by the religionists in the synagogue and compelled to hold meetings in a private home, that it is only then that the Lord appears to Paul in a revelation. It reminds us of the blind man in John 9, who also was cast out of the synagogue, and then Jesus found him. This experience has been a common one among true and faithful servants of the Lord, that when they were rejected by men, then it was that the Lord gave them special power and unction, and began to bless their ministry. It is when we are willing to be rejected of men, and to take our place outside the camp, that our Lord often comes to His own, and the place of separation becomes the place of blessing. To be rejected of men is often a sign of acceptance with the Lord.

(Luke 6:26) "Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets."

And again, He said:
(Matthew 5:11-12) "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you."