First Baptist Church of Jacksonville

Why is it hard to praise moms? In this Mother's Day message from Proverbs 31, Pastor Heath Lambert addresses the reasons Mother's Day can be difficult — women wanting to be moms but aren't, people grieving great moms who've died, or people remembering bad moms who brought pain — but focuses on the most common reason: we're selfish and ungrateful, taking for granted the wonderful gift of our mothers. Discover three biblical directives: praise your mom for her compassion in works and words; praise her hard work, both seen and unseen; and praise her godliness because a mom who loves God is one of the most precious gifts in the world.

Where are you lazy? In this message from Proverbs 24, Pastor Sean Perron stares at a sluggard's overgrown field to reveal three lessons: laziness reaps hardship slowly over time until your field is ruined with thorns and thistles—the thief comes invisibly through a little scroll, a little social, a little me time until poverty arrives like a robber; laziness reveals our hearts by choosing our schedule over God's desires rather than fearing him and walking in the good works he prepared for us; and laziness requires lordship by submitting to Jesus instead of being zealous for your own pleasure.

From nervous first-grader to preaching pastor. In this message on Isaiah 9:6, Pastor Tim Arndt reveals three gifts of the promised son: The son gives us light and joy by bringing hope to Zebulun and Naphtali's darkness through Jesus beginning his ministry in Galilee—healing the sick, casting out demons, and bringing joy where doom scrolling never could; the son gives us freedom and peace like the days of Gideon defeating Midian, freeing us from ultimate slavery to sin and death through his sinless life and resurrection; and the son gives us a king and kingdom with supernatural wisdom, mighty in battle, reigning eternally as Prince of Peace.

Are you ready to restore? In this message from Genesis 33, Pastor Heath Lambert shares a painful Christmas night story—a gun, frostbitten feet, foster care, and a brother's vow never to speak to their mother again—before revealing how Jacob and Esau's restoration offers hope. Discover three factors behind restoration: time adds perspective that you weren't the only sinner and that eliminating every sinful relationship means having none; generosity shifts you from competitor to giver when you realize others aren't ultimate threats; and care triumphs when relationship overcomes competition for stuff. From decades of separation to an embrace and weeping, learn why we aim at restoration with others because God achieved it with us through Christ.

Can you define trust? In this message from Proverbs 3, Pastor Coty Hoskins reveals what it means to trust the Lord through three simple statements: You are God—acknowledging His self-existence, power, and relational nature by knowing him through his Word; I am not—admitting you're not God and stopping the pattern of forgetting him like Israel did with the golden calf; and I need you—letting God make your path straight instead of trying through substance abuse or success, and fearing him with worshipful reverence. From a childhood Disney embarrassment to his four-year-old's honest question "What does that mean?" discover this litmus test for trust when you're worried, winning, or weary.

God is calling special Kingdom servants for a special time. In this message from Genesis 32, Pastor Heath Lambert reveals how God prepares servants for very special Kingdom tasks—from Jacob at Peniel to Moses at the Burning Bush, David facing Goliath, Paul on the Damascus Road, and Billy Graham in 1949. Discover three realities in God's preparation: his call includes confrontation through confusing encounters where you eventually recognize God behind the situation; includes affliction with pain that wounds for preparation but doesn't destroy; and leads to transformation from Jacob the deceiver to Israel the man who strove with God and survived. Don't miss this sobering truth: God always breaks his Kingdom servants before he uses them—before you soar in service, you must learn to walk with a limp.

Decades of relational sin are coming due. In this message from Genesis 32, Pastor Heath Lambert reveals what to do when you face a relational reckoning—when past mistreatment in relationships catches up with you, and consequences hang over your head. From Jacob's cruel deception of his brother Esau to his brother's threat to kill him, discover three crucial steps for facing broken relationships: reach out wisely through careful communication instead of ignoring the problem, pray by admitting your sin and begging God for restoration, and show kindness by serving those you've hurt rather than behaving selfishly or provocatively. Whether your relational break happened days or decades ago, learn how to leave the door open for reconciliation.

Why do headlights matter? In this message from Psalm 119:105, Ryan Trzeciak reveals how God's word functions like headlights piercing through life's darkness—the unknown future ahead and the sinful world we add to through our own sin. From Carl Benz's 1886 patent to oil lamps that leaked into combustible engine compartments, discover three ways to be led by the light of God's word: God's word shows you where to go by walking in wisdom, love, and light according to his precepts; shows you what to do with specific steps like abstaining from sexual immorality, rejoicing always, praying without ceasing, and giving thanks in all circumstances because this is God's will; and shows you who to follow in Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh who leads us toward salvation and teaches us to live in grace and truth.

You should have two questions about the resurrection. In this Easter Sunday message from Colossians 3, Pastor Heath Lambert addresses both: Did it happen? And does it matter? While most have settled the first question, the second might be more relevant—it's possible to believe something is true and miss how important it is. Discover three life-changing realities because Jesus is alive: the resurrection means you are alive, experiencing a sin death that destroys your old self and gives new spiritual life; your life is about God, hidden with Christ so people see him instead of your self-obsession with success and appearance; and your life will be surrounded in glory when Christ returns with overwhelming wonder.

Are you taking the right test? In this Easter week message from Romans 4, Pastor Heath Lambert reveals that God isn't the one being tested at the resurrection—we are. Just as Abraham passed his test by believing God's miraculous promise about becoming a father at 100, we face our own season of testing: will we believe God raised Jesus from the dead? From grocery store magazines questioning the resurrection to History Channel specials examining the evidence, discover why God doesn't need us to prove what he did. Learn how Abraham's faith was counted as righteousness and why ours will be too when we believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord, delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.