I served as pastor of Southern Baptist churches in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana for almost 30 years before taking a medical leave from the pastorate in February 2013 due to dysautonomia (POTS) and moving to Norman, Oklahoma. Blessed with renewed health, I was called as Senior Pastor of Pleasant Ridge Baptist in Morganton, NC in February 2015.
In this blog I share daily devotions from my own personal Bible readings, as well as sermons, book reviews, illustrations -- and occasional humorous "peeks" at life inside this pastor's home!
Author Archives: Shawn Thomas
“Heaven’s Comfort For Earth’s Disappointments” (John 13:34-14:6 sermon)
How many of you had some pumpkin pie this Thanksgiving week? Well, I hate to disappoint you, but an article came out last week, with the headline, “Canned pumpkin isn’t actually pumpkin.” You know, those cans of Libby’s and other cans … Continue reading
Posted in Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized
1 Comment
“He Will Hold Me Fast” (John 10:27-29 sermon)
We have SO many blessings to count this Thanksgiving season, don’t we? But surely one of THE greatest blessings we have to give thanks for as God’s people, is the SECURITY of our salvation in Jesus Christ — that “HE will … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Doctrine/Theology, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Abraham Lincoln, Amazing Grace, backsliding, C.S. Lewis, Charles Spurgeon, devil, discouragement, double negative, Ephesians 1:13, Ephesians 2:8-9, eternal life, eternal security, He Will Hold Me Fast, Hebrews 13:6, II TImothy 1:12, II Timothy 2:13, John 10:27-29 sermon, Kristyn Getty, Lectures to My Students, Matthew 24:25, Matthew 5:20, My Father, My Father's hand, never perish, once saved always saved, ou me, perseverance of the saints, pluck out of My hand, Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Romans 8:35, salvation gift, salvation works, Satan, Sears Kenmore warranty, security, sheep, sin and security, snatch out of My hand, Spurgeon down to God's price, temporary life, The Ballpark in Arlington, when we've been there ten thousand years
Leave a comment
“Working The Works Of God” (John 9 sermon)
You can definitely tell that it’s fall now — not only from the temperatures, but also from all the leaves that are falling. I spend a good deal of time Thursday afternoon gathering and burning over 11 wheelbarrows packed with … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged adoption, believe, BUCM, Burke United Christian Ministries, care, caring, church program, discipleship, evangelism, Evangelism: How The Church Speaks of Jesus, faith, Fall, felt need vs. spiritual need, John 6:29, John 9, John 9 sermon, leaves, Mack Stiles, man born blind, ministry, Orphan Sunday, salvation, sin, Sunday School, time, time change, time management, work, works
Leave a comment
“On The Road With Jesus” (John 4 sermon)
One of best ways to learn about someone is to spend some time on the road with them. I remember reading an article by the renowned actor, Charlton Heston (who played Moses in the classic 1956 movie “The Ten Commandments”). … Continue reading
Posted in Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged "The Ten Commandments" movie, ask Jesus into your heart, Charlton Heston, cheap grace, confront sin, conviction, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, direction, discipleship, Don Sunshine, evangeism, gospel, Gospel Resurgence, help, hope, I AM, I Peter 2:21, Incarnation, Jesus Christ humanity, Jesus Deity, Jesus is the answer, John 14:6, John 4, John 4 sermon, Luke 13:3, Matthew 19, Matthew 24:30, ministry, peace, prayer, repent, repentance, repentance and salvation, rich young ruler, Ronald Reagan, salvation, sin, strength, The Cost of Discipleship, tiredness, weariness, witness, woman at the well, YHWH
Leave a comment
“The Household of God” (I Timothy sermon)
In our “Discovering The Ridge” class for those who are joining our church, I often tell the story of the group in our home town which was starting a new church, and for some time they met in the home … Continue reading
Posted in Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Acts 2, Acts 20:28, Acts 6, Apostle Paul testimony, C.S. Lewis, C.S. Lewis Athanasius quote, Christian bookstores, Christian music, church, church buildings, church handbook, church leadership, deacon, deacon qualifications, deacon servants, deacons, doctrine, doctrines of demons, ecclesiology, elder, evangelism, false teachers, gospel, grace, he did not move with the times, heaven, I Timothy, I Timothy 4, leadership, mercy, morning prayer, offices of the church, overseer, overseer pastor elder, pastor, pastor qualifications, salvation, test the spirits, the church, the gospel, witness
Leave a comment
“The Faith That Pleases God” (Hebrews 11 sermon)
What kind of gift makes your spouse happy? That’s important to know, isn’t it? Because people vary so much in what pleases them. For example, some women might be delighted if you got them a certain kitchen appliance for Christmas … Continue reading
Posted in Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged "name it claim it", archeology, believe, Bible and faith, Blaise Pascal enough light, blind faith, Christianity, discipleship, Don Sunshine evangelist, faith, faith acts, faith and works, Faith works, false teaching, Galatians 1:10, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, God's word, Hebrews 11:, Hebrews 11:1-6 sermon, Herman Melville Moby Dick, Hinduism, I Corinthians 6:19-20, I Peter 1:8-9, James 2:17, James 2:26, John 20:29, Luke 9:23, MasterLife, Mormonism, people pleaser, pleasing God, reasonable faith, religion vs. practical world, resurrection of Jesus, salvation, salvation by faith, scripture and faith
Leave a comment
