I'm a retired Southern Baptist pastor of almost 40 years. My wife Cheryl & I moved to Norman, OK in March of 2025. I share a weekly overview for Sunday School teachers of the weekly Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, as well as texts of my sermons and other articles.
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Top Posts & Pages
- Teacher's Overview of Joshua 2:4-21, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Amazing Grace," for June 14, 2026.
- Teacher's Overview of Joshua 1:1-11, 16-18, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson: "Strong & Courageous" for 6/07/26
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Numbers 14:11-24, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Rebellion & Judgment" for 9/28/25
- "The Disciple's Character: Purity of Heart" (Matthew 5:8 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 sermon)
- "The Word That Sustains In Difficult Days" (Habakkuk 2:1-3 sermon)
Categories
- "The Disciple's Character" series (Beatitudes Mt. 5:3-12)
- "The Disciplines of Disciples" series
- "This Is My Story" sermon series
- Beatitudes Series 2020 FBCA
- Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like
- COVID-19 crisis assorted messages
- Current Events
- Devotions/Bible Studies
- Discipleship
- Discovering FBCA Membership class lessons
- Doctrine/Theology
- Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
- Explore the Bible Sunday School lessons
- Habakkuk "Find Us Faithful" series messages
- History
- Home & Family Life
- I Peter sermons
- India Mission Trip 2011
- Isaiah 53 sermon series Suffering Servant Glorious King
- John 3:16 sermon series
- Luke 10:38-42 Mary & Martha series
- Luke 2 Christmas series
- Matthew sermons
- Ministry
- missions
- Music
- Philippians sermons
- POTS (dysautonomia) articles
- Psalms studies and messages
- Revelation sermon series
- Reviews
- Sermon Illustrations
- Sermons
- The Model Prayer Series
- The Model Prayer series (FBCA 2020)
- This Week In Paradise (pastors family blog)
- Travel
- Uncategorized
- worship
Monthly Archives: April 2013
Ultimate Accountability
II Timothy 2:15 adjures: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed …”. The words “approved to GOD” are key here. They remind us that it is not any man … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged accountability, approval of men or God, approved to God, II Timothy 2:15, John 12:43, judgment
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A Picture of Intercession
In :9-12 of Exodus 28 God commanded: “You shall take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel … You shall put the two stones of the shoulder pieces of the ephod, as stones … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Exodus 28:9-12, intercession, intercessory prayer, prayer
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“Negative Preaching”?
In II Timothy 2:2, Paul exhorts Timothy: “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and teaching.” It is interesting that of the three terms Paul uses here to describe the … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged II Timothy 2:2, negative preaching, preaching, rebuke, reprove
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The Priority of His Presence
Psalm 140 ends: “the upright will dwell in Your presence.” (:13) THIS is what is really important. Psalm 140 speaks repeatedly of the “evil men” (:1) who “stir up wars” (:2) and “sharpen their tongues”, etc. But the Psalm ends … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged Exodus 33:15, God's presence, Psalm 140:13, the presence of God
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Enemies of God
Exodus 23:22 says: “But if you truly obey his voice and do all that I say then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.” That is an awesome and sobering thought: that God … Continue reading
Guard My Mouth
In Psalm 141:3 David prays: “Set a guard, O LORD over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.” We often think of prayers as being for God to protect US: “set a guard over me; protect me”, … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged evening prayer, guard my mouth, Psalm 141:3, regret, watch my mouth, words
2 Comments
Not “As You Wish,” but “Just So”!
In Exodus 25:8-9 God said: “Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I am going to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its … Continue reading
The Problem With “Promise Keeping”
After God had given Moses the 10 Commandments and various other commands, Exodus 24 records the response of the people: “All the people answered with one voice and said, ‘All the words which the Lord has spoken we will do!” … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Exodus 24:3, Exodus 24:7, holiness, promise keeping, sanctification
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A Step of Faith
In Exodus 25 God gave His people instructions regarding the construction of the ark of the covenant, and in :16 He commanded: “You shall put into the ark the testimony which I shall give you.” This was an act of … Continue reading
Giving and Worship
Although Christians are not under obligation to keep the Law, Exodus 23:19 shares a principle which surely applies to those of us under the New Covenant as well: “You shall bring the choice first fruits of your soil into the … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged Exodus 23:19, first fruits, giving, grace giving, tenth, tithe, worship
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