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.
Tag Archives: poor in spirit
Poverty In Spirit: “I Need Help” (Matthew 5:3 sermon)
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
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“Don’t Be A Hypocrite!” (Matthew 6:1+ sermon)
“Beware!” If you are out driving, and you come across a sign in the road that says “Beware!”, you are going to pay attention, and proceed very carefully, aren’t you? And you should. You know there is something dangerous ahead, … Continue reading
Posted in Matthew sermons, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged actor, alms, applause of heaven, church, Facebook, fasting, giving, heart, humility, hypocrisy, hypocrite, hypocrites, Jesus, John 11 Jesus prayer, let your light shine, Luke 20:20, Matthew 23, Matthew 5:16, Matthew 6:1, Matthew 6:1-18, model prayer, motivation, NBA home court, Pharisees, poor in spirit, praise, prayer, pride, private prayer, public ministry, pure in heart, recognition, righteousness, scribes, singing, tip of the iceberg, worship
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It’s Not The Place, But The Heart
God opens the majestic concluding chapter of the Book of Isaiah by proclaiming: “Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me?” In other words, we human beings cannot … Continue reading
“The Disciple’s Character: Spiritual Dependence” (Matthew 5:3 sermon)
Several years ago I read the testimony of a Hollywood celebrity who had struggled for years with drinking. But they kept denying that they really had a problem. They said the breakthrough came when they got to their lowest point, … Continue reading
Posted in "The Disciple's Character" series (Beatitudes Mt. 5:3-12), Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Beatitudes, character, character of Christ, humility, I need help, Matthew 5:3, Matthew 5:3 sermon, Pharisee and publican, poor in spirit, prayer, purpose for trials, Romans 8:28-29, salvation, self-righteousness, sin, spiritual dependence, spiritual poverty, three most important words, trials
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“Who Is Adequate For These Things?”
“and who is adequate for these things?” (II Corinthians 2:16) Anyone who has ever taken their Christian ministry seriously can identify with the words of the Apostle Paul in this verse. Here Paul just exclaims about the gravity of the … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Ministry, Uncategorized
Tagged dependence, humility, II Corinthians 2:16, James 4:6, ministry, poor in spirit
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The Basic Christian Message
David’s prayer in Psalm 25:16 is a little gospel in miniature: “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.” At least two elements in this verse are significant: what he realizes about himself, and … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged gospel, poor in spirit, Psalm 25:16, religion, salvation
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Am I God?
In II Kings 5 the king of Aram, having heard of the prophet Elisha, sent his leprous general Naaman to the king of Israel so that he might be cured of his leprosy. We find the king’s response in verse … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged dependence, humility, II Kings 5:7, Matthew 5:3, poor in spirit, salvation
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Inquire of the Lord First!
As I Samuel 23 opens, David is told that the Philistines are attacking and plundering Keilah. Verse 2 says, “So David inquired of the Lord, saying, ‘Shall I go and attack the Philistines?’” It is of note here that David … Continue reading
But As For Me …
Psalm 73:1-2a opens: “Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me …”. He (Asaph here) recognized God’s goodness to His people (“Israel”) in general, and to the “pure in heart” especially. … Continue reading
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