Category Archives: Discipleship

“It’s What’s Inside That Counts” (Matthew 5:8 sermon)

Posted on 2021/02/22 by Shawn Thomas

When I got sick in 2012, they ran me through a bunch of tests trying to diagnose my illness. One day I found myself on an exam table, hooked up to an ultrasound machine, and the technician smeared some gel … Continue reading →

Posted in Beatitudes Series 2020 FBCA, Discipleship, Matthew sermons, Sermons | Tagged 6th Beatitude, appearance, beatific vision, Blaise Pascal, blessed are the pure in heart, blood of Jesus, clean, clean hands, clean heart, good deeds outweigh bad, good works, heart attitude, heart qualities, heaven, I John 1:7, I John 3:2, I Samuel 16:7 Eliab, Isaiah 1:18, Islam, it's what's inside that counts, katharos, look good, Mark 7:1-7, Matthew 5:8, Muslim, outward appearance, pork unclean, Proverbs 20:9, Psalm 17:15, Psalm 24:3-4, Psalm 27:4, Psalm 51:10, Psalm 63, pure heart, pure in heart, Revelation 22:4, salvation, Seeing God, superficiality, surface, the great reward, Tim Keller beatific vision, ultrasound heart, unclean, we will see Him | Leave a comment

“Hunger For Righteousness” (Matthew 5:6 sermon)

Posted on 2021/02/08 by Shawn Thomas

Bertrand Russell was one of the most famous atheists the world has ever known; he lived almost 100 years in Britain, from 1872 to 1970. But as much as he promoted atheism in his books and writings, Russell longed in … Continue reading →

Posted in Beatitudes Series 2020 FBCA, Discipleship, Matthew sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged Beatitudes, Bertrand Russell, C.S. Lewis, character of Christ, Charles Spurgeon testiimony, Christian life, daily devotions, daily quiet time, daily worship time, dikaiosune, eternity, God designed the human machine to run on Himself, God Himself will be among them, hunger for righteousness, hunger for salvation, Isaiah 45:22, John Newton, Matthew 5:6, Psalm 16:11, Psalm 17:15, Psalm 63, Revelation 19, Revelation 21, right with God, righteousness, salvation, satisfied, satisfied with His likeness, time with God | Leave a comment

“Sowing In Tears” (Matthew 5:4 sermon)

Posted on 2021/01/25 by Shawn Thomas

I remember very well, listening to the young man in my church office a few years ago. He was burdened with some temptations to sin that he was experiencing. He couldn’t understand why he would have such feelings and temptations; … Continue reading →

Posted in Beatitudes Series 2020 FBCA, Discipleship, Sermons | Tagged Augustine of Hippo, Beatitudes, blessed are those who mourn, character of Christ, children and salvation, Christian character, conviction of sin, guilt, intercession, Matthew 5:4, Monica prayer, mourning, prayer, repentance, salvation, sin | Leave a comment

Poverty In Spirit: “I Need Help” (Matthew 5:3 sermon)

Posted on 2021/01/17 by Shawn Thomas

A pastor who served in California for a number of years shared the testimony of a Hollywood celebrity he knew, who had struggled for years with a drinking problem. But one of the most difficult things they had to deal … Continue reading →

Posted in Beatitudes Series 2020 FBCA, Discipleship, Sermons | Tagged baptism, Beatitudes, Charles Spurgeon nothing in my hand I bring, Christian character, Christian life, declaration of dependence, how to be saved, humility, I can't save myself, I need help, Isaiah 64:6, John 5:19, Kingdom of Heaven, Luke 18 Pharisee and Publican, Mark 1:35, Matthew 5:3, morning prayer, nothing in my hand I bring simply to Thy cross I cling, poor in spirit, poverty in spirit, prayer, prayer and dependence, ptochos, righteousness, Rock of Ages, Romans 8:28, Romans 8:29, salvation, spiritual dependence, spiritual growth, spontaneous prayer, The character of Christ | Leave a comment

“God’s Goal For Your Life” (Matthew 5:3-12 sermon)

Posted on 2021/01/11 by Shawn Thomas

I’ve heard a number of people talk about their goals for this New Year in 2021: goals for health and diet and exercise. Our daughter Libby asked me the other night what my goal was for how many books I’ll … Continue reading →

Posted in Beatitudes Series 2020 FBCA, Discipleship, Sermons | Tagged 8 qualities of the Beatitudes, aiming at wrong target, Baptist B's, Beatitudes, Billy Graham Secret of Happiness, character of Christ, Christian character, conformed to the image of Hi Son, Ephesians 4:13, Francis Chan Crazy Love, God's Goal for your life, God's goals, humility, I John 3:2, image of Christ, image of His Son, Jesus and the Beatitudes, Matthew 5:3-12, mercy, New Year goal, numerical goals, picture of Jesus in Beatitudes, portrait of Christ, poverty in spirit, purpose of trials, Romans 8:28-29, spiritual goals, spiritual success, succeeding at things that don't really matter, success, trials | 3 Comments

“Give Thanks to the Lord” (Psalm 136:1 sermon)

Posted on 2020/11/23 by Shawn Thomas

First Baptist Church, Angleton, TX 11/22/20 First Sunday at 972 Anchor Road When the first Pilgrims landed in the New World on November 11,1620, William Bradford, the pilgrim leader who later became their governor wrote that: “‘They fell upon their … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Doctrine/Theology, Sermons, Uncategorized, worship | Tagged Astronomer Fred Hoyle, building dedication, chesed, creation, election, enter His gates with thanksgiving, eternal security, Ezra 3:11, faith and science, First Baptist Church Angleton TX, for His lovingkindness is everlasting, for the Lord is good, Fred, George Eliot Middlemarch, give thanks, give thanks to the Lord for He is good, giving thanks, God is good, grace, gratitude, I Chronicles 16:34, I Thessalonians 5:18, II Chronicles 5:13, importance of giving thanks, ingratitude, ingratitude and sin, James 1:17, Job, Jonn 10:28, Masters golfer hole in one, mercy, Mr. Farebrother, new building, new facility, once saved always saved, pilgrims, predestination, Psalm 100:4, Psalm 136, Psalm 136:1, Richard E. Simmons III Reflections on the Existence of God, Romans 1 they did not give thanks, Romans 8:31-32, science and God, Shirley Temple "Bright Eyes", thanks to God, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Day, they will never perish, we will never perish | Leave a comment

“The Model Prayer: Spiritual Protection” (Matthew 6:13 sermon)

Posted on 2020/10/26 by Shawn Thomas

Many Americans cheered several years ago, when a Texas mother fought off three masked men who invaded the home where she and her little son lived. Using a pistol she had in her bedroom, she shot one intruder in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Sermons, The Model Prayer series (FBCA 2020) | Tagged angels, asking forgiveness, battle in prayer, confession, daily prayer, daily quiet time, deliver us from evil, devotions, Ephesians 6 spiritual warfare, evil, family, get up, get up and pray, hedge of protection, home, II Corinthians 2:11, J. Frank Dobie Tales of Old Time Texas, Jesus temptation, John 17, John 17:12, keeping them in Thy name, lead us not into temptation, Matthew 26 temptation, Matthew 4, Matthew 6:13, morning prayer, ounce of prevention, prayer, praying for forgiveness, praying for your children, praying for your husband, praying for your spouse, praying for your wife, praying the Model Prayer, Sam Shafer and Queenie, sin, Sun Tzu win first, temptation, The Lord's Prayer, The Model Prayer | Leave a comment

“The Model Prayer: Receiving & Giving Forgiveness” (Matthew 6:12 sermon)

Posted on 2020/10/19 by Shawn Thomas

In 2012 a book was published with the title: Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essential Prayers. It became a New York Times Bestseller, and was regarded by many as a “pretty cool” book on prayer; how a lot of our … Continue reading →

Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Matthew sermons, Sermons, The Model Prayer series (FBCA 2020), Uncategorized | Tagged C.S. Lewis, confessing sin, confession, daily prayer, daily quiet time, devotions, forgive the inexcusable, forgiveness, giving forgiveness, granting forgiveness, Help Thanks Wow, I John 1:9, Jerry Bridges, Jesus, Lord's Prayer, marriage, Matthew 18, Matthew 6:12 sermon, meaning of forgiveness, model prayer, morning prayer, no condemnation, Parable of the Two Debtors, prayer, prayer outline, prayer relationship, preach the gospel to yourself, Psalm 66:18, relationship with God, repentance, Romans 8:1, salvation, sin, sin debt, sinners prayer, song "The Lord's Prayer", Tim Keller | Leave a comment

“The Model Prayer: Our Requests” (Matthew 6:11 sermon)

Posted on 2020/10/12 by Shawn Thomas

During the Second World War, Corrie Ten Boom and her family helped Jews escape from Nazi persecution and hid them in her home. In her book, The Hiding Place, she shares about growing up in that home, where her father … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Sermons, The Model Prayer series (FBCA 2020), Uncategorized | Tagged Bill Elliff prayer, Calvin Coolidge Amity Shlaes, centre of his own world, Corrie Ten Boom, daily bread, daily devotions, daily quiet time, daily worship time, dependence on God, discipline, ego centrism, Exodus 32 Moses intercession, front burner prayer requests, George Eliot, give us this day our daily bread, God's Kingdom first, grace, High Priestly Prayer John 17, how do to prayer requests, I John 5:14, I Samuel 12:23, intercession, James 4:2, Jeremiah 33:3, Jesus intercessor, John 16:24, John 17 Lord's Prayer, manna in the morning, Matthew 16:3, Matthew 6:11, Matthew 6:11 sermon, Matthew 6:33, Matthew 7:7, Matthew 7:9, Middlemarch, model prayer, morning prayer, morning prayer time, Mr. Casaubon, order of the Model Prayer, organizing prayer requests, Paul Romans 9:3 intercessor, Philippians 4:6, poor in spirit, poverty in spirit, prayer, prayer relationship, prayer requests, Praying For Others, Psalm 81:10, relationship with God, Samuel intercessor, spiritual dependence, Tim and Kathy Keller daily prayer, Tim Keller, time of prayer | Leave a comment

“The Model Prayer: Thy Will Be Done” (Matthew 6:10 sermon)

Posted on 2020/10/05 by Shawn Thomas

What would you pray in the following situation: A few years back a pastor had for a friend of his who at the point of death. He was praying fervently that God would spare this friend’s life. In fact he … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Matthew sermons, Sermons, The Model Prayer series (FBCA 2020), Uncategorized | Tagged 3rd petition of the Model Prayer, C.S. Lewis Great Divorce Thy will, Chuck Quarles Sermon on the Mount, daily decisions, daily Gethsemane, daily prayers, decisions, false gospel, false teachers, garden of Eden, Garden of Gethsemane, George Muller, George Muller morning prayer work, God's will, Greg Laurie, Henry Blackaby Experiencing God, how to pray, Jesus only way, John 14:6, John 7:17, John Newton Amazing Grace, John Newton God's will, Lord's Prayer, make me willing, Matthew 26, Matthew 26:42, Matthew 6:10 sermon, model prayer, morning devotions, morning prayer time, name it claim it, prayer, praying for God's will, Praying For Others, praying the Model Prayer, Praying Thy will be done, prosperity gospel, Psalm 103:19, quiet time, Rosaria Butterfield Openness Unhindered, Thy will be done, your vision, Your will be done | 1 Comment