Tag Archives: Puritans

“No Spirit of Fear” (II Timothy 1:7 sermon/Hurricane Beryl, July 7, 2024)

Posted on 2024/07/07 by Shawn Thomas

In March 2020 about a dozen or so of our church members went on a mission trip to Mazatlan, Mexico, to minister with what is now James Trail ministry, with Dan & Meredith Shuman. It was a good trip, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermons | Tagged A Leopard Tamed, assurance, be not afraid, Bible, Christianity, confidence, COVID, COVID sermon, Death, discipline, Eleanor Vandevort, faith, fear, fear not, fruit of the Spirit, God, how to be saved, hurricane, hurricane Beryl, hurricane prep, II Timothy 1:7, In Christ Alone, Jesus, Kim Eaves, London Plague, love, Martin Luther plague, ministry, missionary, no fear, no fear in death, no guilt in life no fear in death, panic, power, Puritans, salvation, sermon, sound mind, Sudan, testimony, The Black Death | Leave a comment

“Coming Back To Worship ‘In The Spirit'” (Luke 2:27 sermon)

Posted on 2020/05/18 by Shawn Thomas

It’s good to see people starting to come back and participate in our worship services again — it’s been growing over the last 2-3 weeks, and hopefully that will continue. But many are suggesting that we won’t ever get back … Continue reading →

Posted in COVID-19 crisis assorted messages, Discipleship, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged Acts 1:8, baptism in the Holy Spirit, church, church attendance, church like an orchestra, cleanse yourselves, confession of sin, daily Bible reading, daily quiet time, devotions, don't mortgage your Sunday morning, Ephesians 1:13, expectation for worship, faith, full of the Spirit, Hebrews 10:25, Hebrews 11:6, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit and salvation, Holy Spirit in you, I Corinthians 11 Lord's Supper, II TImothy 2:21, indwelling Holy Spirit, Isaiah 1, Isaiah 1:18, John 15:5, Luke 2:27 sermon, Luke Holy Spirit, morning worship time, One God Three Persons, Person of the Holy Spirit, preparation for worship, prepare for worship, prepare worship, Puritans, rest Sunday, Romans 8:9, salvation, Saturday night, sealed in the Holy Spirit, sermon note taking, sermon notes, Simeon, sin, spirit, spiritual preparation for worship, Sunday morning worship attire, Trinity, wash yourselves, worship, worship expectancy, worship preparation | Leave a comment

“Returning To The Shepherd” (I Peter 2:25 sermon)

Posted on 2019/09/16 by Shawn Thomas

I saw the cutest video this week: a farmer in Wales (United Kingdom) had his whole flock of about 250 sheep get out of the field they were supposed to be in, and they went into another field, which they … Continue reading →

Posted in I Peter sermons, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged conviction, eternal life, evangelism, Franklin Graham, Franklin Graham testimony, God relationship, I Peter 2:25, I Peter 2:25 sermon, Isaiah 53:6, John 17:3, knowing God, Lesean McCoy Andy Reid, lostness, Luke 15, Prodigal Son, Psalm 51:4, Puritans, relationship with God, repent, repentance, repenter, return, return to the Father, Romania, Romans 3:23, salvation, sheep, sheep straying, sin, sin against God, sin and salvation, straying, substitutionary atonement, The Lord is our shepherd, Valley of Vision | 2 Comments

“How Should We Then Live?” (I Peter 1:13 sermon)

Posted on 2019/05/28 by Shawn Thomas

Years ago when I was in seminary, we watched a video series based on a book by Francis Schaefer, a legendary Christian philosopher, called, “How Should We Then Live?” The point of the series was, that becoming a Christian isn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in I Peter sermons, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged action, applying scripture, attitude, Bible, Bible Reading, C.S. Lewis, Cary Grant, Cary Grant LSD, cat, Christian life, Christian living, Elijah Mt. Carmel, enemy, entertainment, eternal life, flooding, forgiveness, Francis Shaefer, fulfillment, gird the loins of your mind, gird up the loins, gird up your loins, hope, hope in Jesus, How Should We Then Live?, I Peter 1:13, I Peter 4:7, I Peter 5:8, I Peter sermon, I Thessalonians 5:6, II Timothy 4:4, illustrations, Indians, life, life is not a game, life is not fun, materialism, Memorial Day, mind, mindset, morning devotions, Puritans, quiet time, real life, rest, roaring lion, salvation, Satan, satisfaction, scripture, serious, sermon, settlers, sober, squirrel, take life seriously, take people seriously, Tales of Old Time Texas J. Frank Dobie, temptation, time with God, vacation, war, Weight of Glory | 3 Comments

“Pilgrim’s Progress” (I Peter 1:1-2 sermon)

Posted on 2019/04/08 by Shawn Thomas

The Bible is the #1 best-selling, most-read book of all time. But right behind it, is The Pilgrim’s Progress, widely considered the second most-read book in history. It was written by Puritan John Bunyan, in the form of an allegory: … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Doctrine/Theology, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged aliens, ambassador, baptism of Jesus, Bible, Chris Boniol, David McCullough Mornings on Horseback, doctrine, evangelism, gardener, George W. Bush Muslims, God the Father, God the Holy Spirit, God the Son, Great Commission, Gregory of Nazianzus, Hebrews 11:13, I Peter 1:1-2, I Peter 2:11, I Peter sermon, II Corinthians 5:20, Islam and the Trinity, John Bunyan, modalism, not of this world, pilgrim, Pilgrim's Progress, pilgrims, place kicker, planted, Puritans, purpose, scripture, sown, The Pilgrim's Progress, Theodore Roosevelt Sr., this world is not your home, Trinity, Triune God, vocation, when I say God I mean Father Son and Holy Spirit, witness | 3 Comments

“Pursuing Holiness” (Hebrews 12:14 sermon)

Posted on 2019/03/24 by Shawn Thomas

The old Puritans of England in the 1500-1600’s have gotten what J.I. Packer calls “a bad rap.” Usually if someone calls a person a “Puritan”, or says that something is “Puritanical”, they mean it as an insult: that the person … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged applying scripture, Arthur Bennett, beatific vision, cathedral of Milan, conviction, daily quiet time, desire for holiness, forgiveness, Hebrews 12:14, holiness, holy, holy holy holy, I John 1:9, I John 2:3, I John 3:2, I John 3:3, If I do not walk holily, II Corinthians 5:17, II Timothy 3:16, Innocents Abroad, Isaiah 6, J.I. Packer, Javert, Les Miserables, Mark Twain, Matthew 5:8, morning devotions, Psalm 16:11, Psalm 17:15, Puritans, pursuit of holiness, repentance, sanctification, Seeing God, sin, sinners prayer, Stars song Les Miserables, U-turn, Valley of Vision book, Victor Hugo | 1 Comment

A Martial Mindset

Posted on 2014/01/13 by Shawn Thomas

Psalm 144 opens “Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle.” (:1) This is another good reminder (see the devotion on “No Beds of Ease” here) that life is not about … Continue reading →

Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies | Tagged conflict, Ephesians 6:12, J.I. Packer, Psalm 144:1, Puritans, spiritual armor, spiritual warfare | Leave a comment

Do Not Confuse Disobedience With “Mercy”

Posted on 2013/12/02 by Shawn Thomas

In I Samuel 28:18, Samuel speaks to Saul from the grave: “As you did not obey the Lord and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek, so the Lord has done this thing to you this day.” Here the … Continue reading →

Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies | Tagged disobedience, I Samuel 28:18, J.I. Packer, precise God, Puritans, Richard Rogers | Leave a comment