First Baptist Church Valley Mills

05/29/2026

Reminder: Only two days left to register online for VBS! fbcvm.org
VBS starts Monday! Online registration will be disabled Sunday at noon. After that point, registration will need to be done in person Monday morning.
*Please note, in addition to the registration, you need to sign a permission slip in order for your child to attend, it is linked to the online registration and can be printed, or you can get a copy here at the Church. Please make sure they are turned in Monday morning.

05/29/2026

Friday May 29, 2026

Matthew 5:33-37
33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.[a]

Fundamentally God’s people should be known as people that speak truth and will fulfill their word. We find that this is expected throughout Scripture.
Numbers 30:2
2 If a man vows a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

Psalm 15:1-5
O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent?
Who shall dwell on your holy hill?
2 He who walks blamelessly and does what is right
and speaks truth in his heart;
3 who does not slander with his tongue
and does no evil to his neighbor,
nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
4 in whose eyes a vile person is despised,
but who honors those who fear the LORD;
who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5 who does not put out his money at interest
and does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be moved.

Ultimately, as Doctor Platt writes in the commentary, “Faith that perseveres is trustworthy speech. The words from our mouths should be so consistent and dependable that they guarantee reliability.” (Platt, page 101) Reliability is something missing in our world. God expects us to be honest and reliable. Today, you get the chance to prove your honesty as you fulfill your word to those around you. Be dependable and reliable as you live for Jesus.

Worship Songs:
"All May Boast is In Jesus" and "Unto Him"

Scripture Reading:
Malachi 4; Psalm 127; Proverbs 29; Colossians 4

05/28/2026

Thursday May 28, 2026

Matthew 5:33-37
33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.[a]

We have a passage here that makes one think that they are not allow to make an oath or promise or swear. Many have taken this passage and James 5:12 "12 Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned." to mean that they are not allowed to swear on the Bible in court or other things like this. In the context both Jesus and his brother James are discussing is a context of living out one's word and being careful what the tongue does. We will see in Scripture that Paul used God as his witness in helping prove his trustworthiness.
2 Corinthians 1:23
23 I call God as my witness—and I stake my life on it—that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth.
Galatians 1:20
20 I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie.
Romans 1:9
9 God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you
Romans 9:1
I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit—
Philippians 1:8
8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 2:5
5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness.
We also see that our ultimate salvation is based on God's Word and His promise of eternal life for in Christ Jesus. Jesus even gives us a new covenant. The question then is how we reconcile all of this. The answer is simple and Jesus and James give it to us. Let your yes be yes and your no be no. Be known by honesty and that you will complete you word. Granted the presupposition is that you are spending time in God's Word, prayer and in fellowship of a local church. Never assume you know best. Today, live out your faith by being known as someone that will fulfill your word. Work towards completing all that you have promised and will promise. Let you light shine.

Worship Songs:
"My Jesus I Love Thee" and "Amazing Grace"

Scripture Reading:
Malachi 3; Psalm 126; Proverbs 28; Colossians 3

05/27/2026

Wednesday May 27, 2026

Matthew 5:33-37
33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.[a]

The issue with oaths and taking them is that many times we tend to break them very easy. It is in this that Jesus was pushing back against the Pharisees and religious leaders. There was much happening where people would make their oath on something they didn't truly value and then they could easily break that oath and say it wasn't really an oath. This led to others to doubting their word and it left a sour taste in people. We as believers in Jesus need not to make oaths and then break them easily. We need to be known for our honesty and our word should matter. Today, are you keeping your word? Are you known as someone walking in integrity? Ask God to guide you in His truth.

Worship Songs:
"Salvation Belongs to You" and "Com Behold The Wondrous Mystery"

Scripture Reading:
Malachi 2; Psalm 125; Proverbs 27; Colossians 2

05/26/2026

Tuesday May 26, 2026

Galatians 6:1
Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.

Matthew 5:33-37
33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.[a]

This week we are learning about honesty. It relates to everything in this passage. If we are to be salt and light, then how can we be known as liars or people that continuously break the rules. We will get caught up in the "hypocrite" argument and lose face in a world of need. Thus, today, we have two things to discover. One, is that we need to guard our hearts as we live each day. Then in turn, we are able to help others caught up in sin and able to guide and speak to them with gentleness. This in turn leads to the second part of our lesson today. If we are not plugged into the "Truth" (John 14:6), then how can we continuously live in a world that teaches that small fibs are okay and not begin to behave like them. We must guard our hearts because we tend to talk and behave like those we are hanging out with. In turn, we aren't plugged into the source, and we speak out of turn, we promise by things we shouldn't promise, or worse, we are known for being fickle. Today, your task is simple. Plug into Jesus by spending time with Him then allow His Truth to flow through you and walk in gentleness towards others.

Worship Songs:
"I Love to Tell the Story "AND "Worthy of Your Name"

Scripture Reading:
Malachi, 1; Psalm 124; Proverbs 26; Colossians 1

05/25/2026

Happy Memorial Day! We are thankful for our freedoms and all those who have served and given so much for us to have them.

Enjoy the day.

Our offices will be closed today in observance of the Holiday!

05/24/2026

VBS starts a week from tomorrow!! June 1st-5th, 8:30 to 11am daily, for kids ages 4yrs through those that just completed 5th grade. Register now at fbcvm.org. Don't forget to print and sign the permission slip that is linked to the registration. There are also copies available at the Church.This release form must be turned in in order for your child to attend VBS.
*Online registration will no longer be available after noon on Sunday, May 31st.

05/24/2026

Join us for worship this morning, 5/24/26, at 10:55am.

Honesty
Matthew 5:33-37

HonestyMatthew 5:33-37Videos of live streams from services held in our church facilityCCLI License # 439151

05/23/2026

Tomorrow we gather again to worship as a united family under our Lord Jesus Christ.

Come and join us as we worship and give glory and honor to the Lord.

We will have a time of prayer, Bible study, worship in song, honoring and remembering the cost for our freedom, celebrating the Holy Spirit, preaching of God’s Word and a time of response.
We have something for everyone.

Early morning prayer in the prayer room at 8 am.

Sunday School and Bible studies for all ages at 9:45 am.

Worship at 10:55 am.

Praise and Prayer time at 6:00 pm.

Hope to see you all!

05/22/2026

Friday May 22, 2026

Matthew 5:31-32
31-32 “Remember the Scripture that says, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him do it legally, giving her divorce papers and her legal rights’? Too many of you are using that as a cover for selfishness and whim, pretending to be righteous just because you are ‘legal.’ Please, no more pretending. If you divorce your wife, you’re responsible for making her an adulteress (unless she has already made herself that by sexual promiscuity). And if you marry such a divorced adulteress, you’re automatically an adulterer yourself. You can’t use legal cover to mask a moral failure. (The Message)

Marriage is more than a relationship—it is a sacred covenant designed to reflect God’s love, grace, and faithfulness. In a world full of confusion and brokenness, we are reminded that true love is not built on feelings alone, but on devotion to the Lord, humility, and commitment. May our lives and our homes point people back to God, who alone brings healing, restoration, and true fulfillment. As we do that, we remember that it is a commitment to the Lord that matters the most. Singleness is a gift from God, and it is to be pursued and honored for God calls many to this place. Let us encourage one another and build each other up for His Kingdom purposes.

Worship Songs:
"So Close" and "My Jesus I Love Thee"

Scripture Reading:
Joel 3; Psalms 123; Proverbs 22; 2 Timothy 4

05/21/2026

Thursday May 21, 2026

Matthew 5:31-32
31-32 “Remember the Scripture that says, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him do it legally, giving her divorce papers and her legal rights’? Too many of you are using that as a cover for selfishness and whim, pretending to be righteous just because you are ‘legal.’ Please, no more pretending. If you divorce your wife, you’re responsible for making her an adulteress (unless she has already made herself that by sexual promiscuity). And if you marry such a divorced adulteress, you’re automatically an adulterer yourself. You can’t use legal cover to mask a moral failure. (The Message)

We also have to remember context, and, in this context, Jesus is fulfilling the Law and redefining it. The leaders are using it to justify themselves instead of seeing their need for redemption. Jesus is asking us to stop pretending that we don't understand. On the other side of this, is Jesus dealing with the beauty and sanctity of marriage. He is protecting it. When we can deal with the ungodly way of how we view things, then we can be open to reconciliation and healing. For us today, we need to recognize that marriage is a beautiful thing. God instituted it and in a context that puts him at the center (Ecclesiastes 4:12) we can see it. Today, praise God for the beauty of marriage and how it represents His love for the church. If you are married allow Ephesians 5:33 to become a reality in your life.

Worship Songs:
"As the Deer" and "I Set My Hope on Jesus"

Scripture Reading:
Joel 2; Psalms 122; Proverbs 21; 2 Timothy 3