A Southern Baptist pastor for almost 35 years, I currently serve as Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Angleton, Texas, and post my weekly sermons here. I am grateful to see these messages read in countries around the world, and pray that God will use His word to help individuals to walk with Him daily, and churches to glorify Him with their worship and obedience.
Category Archives: Sermons
“Confidence On That Day” (II Timothy 1:12 sermon)
Author Dane Ortlund wrote: “When my two-year-old Benjamin begins to wade into the gentle slope of the zero-entry swimming pool near our home, he instinctively grabs hold of my hand. He holds on tight as the water gradually gets deeper. … Continue reading
Posted in Doctrine/Theology, Sermons
Tagged assurance, assurance in death, Colonel Edmund Starling, confidence in death, confidence in God., Confidence in Harry Truman, daily Bible reading, Dane Ortlund, David McCullough, eternal life, every eye shall see Him, every eye will see Him, facing death, faith, Harry Truman, heavenly 401k, I know whom I have believed, I Peter 2:2, II Thessalonians 1:7-10, II Timothy 1:12 sermon, John 10:27-28, John 8:31, John F. Kennedy funeral media coverage, knowing God, Matthew 7:22, on that day, paratheke, peace in death, return of Christ, Revelation 1:7, Robert Caro, safe investment, that day, trust, trusting God, Woodrow Wilson, Years of Lyndon Johnson
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“Those Who Are Rich” (I Timothy 6:17 sermon)
When our son David was little, we were teaching him and his brother Paul some of the “good old kids songs,” like, “The B-I-B-L-E, yes that’s the book for me!” And so one day we had them sing for the … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged "eternal 401k", America standard of living, Christian giving, Christianity and wealth, enjoy riches, eternal 401k in heaven, eternal investment, eternal life, Ezekiel 7:19, generosity, George H.W. Bush "have half", giving, gold, I Chronicles 29:14, I Corinthians 1:26, I Timothy 6:17 sermon, invest riches, Joe Biden rich 400000, Luke 16 Unrighteous Steward, Luke 8:3, Lyndon Johnson Robert Caro, Mark Twain Innocents Abroad Pompeii, money, ready to share, riches, riches in heaven, salvation, song B-I=B-L-E, stewardship, take hold of eternal llife, tithe, tithing, Washington Post Gautam Nair Americans rich, wealth, who are the rich
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“Justification by Faith” (Romans 1:17 sermon; Reformation Day 2021)
There are some days on the calendar that everyone knows are important: — December 25th everyone knows is … Christmas.— January 1st … New Year’s Day.— December 31st? Cheryl’s birthday! And today, October 31st, is a memorable date as well. … Continue reading
Posted in Doctrine/Theology, History, Sermons
Tagged 5 Solas, Acts 10 Cornelius, assurance of salvation, Bertrand Russell searching, Dwight Eisenhower and Billy Graham, eternal life, eternal security, faith, Habakkuk 2:4, heaven, In Christ Alone, John 17:3, justification by faith, life, Luke 10:25-28, Martin Luther, Martin Luther Reformation, Martin Luther Romans 1:17, Martin Luther testimony, October 31 Reformation Day, Reformation, Romans 1:17 sermon, Romans 5:1, salvation by faith, Santa Scala, Sola Fide
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The Lord’s Supper: The Sacrifice Remembered (Matthew 26:26-29 sermon)
One of the newer monuments in Washington D.C. is one commemorating our soldiers who fought and won the Second World War. Among other elements, the memorial contains panels with bronze engravings of scenes from the war: soldiers loading artillery pieces, … Continue reading
Posted in Matthew sermons, Sermons
Tagged Acts 3:19, Christian children rebel, communion, food choice, forgiveness, God compassion, God judge, hoi polloi, I John 2:2, I Timothy 2:6, Isaiah 53:12, James Dobson, judge paid for crime, Lord's Supper symbol, many, Matthew 26:26-29 sermon, personal response, polloi, Romans 10:13, salvation, World War II monument
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“The Lord Our Provider” (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
I’ll never forget the time, just after Cheryl & I had graduated from seminary; I only had a part-time job, and we didn’t have any prospects of finding a full-time church yet; we had just had our first child, and … Continue reading
Posted in Philippians sermons, Sermons
Tagged Angleton Christian School, building fund, Christian School provision, church building provision, condition of Philippians 4:19, First Baptist Church Angleton Texas, Genesis 22, George Muller orphanage proviision, givers, giving, God our provider, God's providence, good stewards, Hudson Taylor, Hudson Taylor testimony, in Christ Jesus, investing in eternity, investing in the Kingdom, Jehovah Jireh, kingdom giving, Kingdom investing, Lottie Moon offering, missions, missions giving, needs vs. wants, pastor Shawn Thomas, Philippians 4 sermon, Philippians 4:19 sermon, provision, relationship with God, retirement savings, salvation, Shawn Thomas, stewardship, supply, tithe, tithe ten percent, tithing
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“Christian Contentment” (Philippians 4:10-14 sermon)
In Victor Hugo’s classic, Les Miserables, one of the early heroes in the story, whom the Lord uses to help turn around the life of the convict Jean Valjean, is Bishop Myriel. Unlike many churchmen in France at that time … Continue reading
Posted in Philippians sermons, Sermons
Tagged Bible Reading, Bishop Myriel, buy, C.S. Lewis contentment, C.S. Lewis letter Mary Shelburne, C.S. Lewis old folks home, Christ will be with you, Christian contentment, church health, circumstances, circumstances and happiness, contentment, contentment in circumstances, context of Philippians 4:13, dangers of contentment, evangelism, God's will vs. my will, holiness, I can do all things through Christ meaning, I'm satisfied with just a cottage, Jesus, Jesus and contentment, Jesus makes the difference, Les Miserables, Madison Avenue, Nick Saban satisfaction, NOT your best life now, Philippians 4:10-14, Philippians 4:13, Philippians sermon, prayer, prosperity gospel, retail therapy, Romania hospital, secret to contentment, shopper's high, spending, spiritual growth, spiritual maturity, The Glory and the Dream by William Manchester, Victor Hugo, walk with God, what Philippians 4:13 does NOT mean
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“Dealing With Worry” (Philippians 4:4-9 sermon)
In Amor Towles’ book, A Gentleman in Moscow, the central figure is a Russian count who has been exiled by the Soviet authorities to live within the confines of a single hotel; he cannot leave it at the risk of … Continue reading
“Standing Firm in Difficult Days” (Philippians 4:1-3)
So: this year we’ve had COVID, and a devastating winter storm, and now the eye of a hurricane pass right over us. Add to that all of the personal and family trials we’ve each had, and I know some of … Continue reading
Posted in Philippians sermons, Sermons
Tagged be on the team, Christian fellowship, Christian service, Christian unity, church, church attendance, church divisions, COVID, COVID and church attendance, do not grow weary, Euodia and Syntyche, fellow workers, Galatians 6:9 do not grow weary, gifts, Jesus John 17 unity, ministry, Olympic rowing, perseverance, Philippians 4:1-3 sermon, service, stand firm, Standing Frim, storm, sunathelo, sunergoi, trials, unity in service, unity in worship, video services vs. in person, you can't get a hug on tv
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“Enemies of the Cross” (Philippians 3:18 sermon)
A few weeks ago, this July, a large cross that stood at the top of Mt. Tzouhalem (zoo-HAY-lem), a popular lookout spot on Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada, was cut down overnight, and removed from the area. No one … Continue reading
Posted in Philippians sermons, Sermons
Tagged American religion, baptism and salvation, Buddhism, Christian Smith and Melinda Denton, cross at Tzouhalem, cross of Christ, deeds deny him, Enemies of the Cross, evangelism, examine yourself, faith alone, Galatians, Hudson Taylor, I Corinthians 1 baptism, II Corinthians 13:5, Islam, It is finished, judaizers, Just and the Justifier, justification, justification by faith alone, lifestyle witness, Moralistic Therapeutic Deism, Muslims, Muslims and Jesus, My Father Bertrand Russell by Katharine Tait, not living for the cross, paid in full, Philippians 3:18, Philippians 3:18 sermon, Romans 3:26, salvation, salvation by the cross, test yourself, tetelestai, the cross, The Missing Ingredient, Titus 1:16, witness
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“Which World Are You Living For?” (Philippians 3:18-21 sermon)
Bill Borden was the heir to the Borden milk fortune. When he graduated from Yale, he was offered multiple well-paying positions on boards of directors of major corporations, and he had, materially speaking, everything that a man could want. But … Continue reading
Posted in Philippians sermons, Sermons
Tagged aging, apollumi, appetite, best days ahead of us, best days behind us, Bill Borden, Bill Borden waste, body, business, businessman, Christian and citizenship, citizenship in heaven, consequences of sin, desires, destruction, end is destruction, eternity, feels good, gay lesbian agenda, gay pride parades, glory, glory in their shame, gospel, heaven, heaven our home, hell, homosexual practice sin, homosexuality, homosexuality watershed issue, I Peter 1:4 inheritance, Jesus King, John Newton, Judges every man did what was right in his own eyes, judgment, living for heaven, living for this world, Lordship, Mark Twain The Innocents Abroad, money, Paul Roman citizenship, Philippians 3:18-21 sermon, pride, Robert Caro Lyndon Johnson, salvation, set their minds on earthly thling, St. Charles Borromeo tomb, temporal values, their god is their belly, Which World Are You Living For?
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