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 Matthew 18:21-35, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Forgiveness," for 3/29/26
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 28:1-10, 16-20, "Our Task," Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson for 4/05/26
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 sermon)
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 17:1-13, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Glory," for 3/22/26
- "The Greatest Verse in the Bible?" (John 3:16 sermon)
- "Lessons From Gethsemane" (Matthew 26 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
Category Archives: Devotions/Bible Studies
People for an Inheritance
There is a sweet thought in Psalm 33:12, that we are “the people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.” God has not chosen for His inheritance the glorious stars, or mighty angels, or the vast riches of the … Continue reading
The Illusion of Security
Proverbs 18:11 says: “A rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall in his own imagination.” This verse is instructive to us in that it proclaims that the rich man’s wealth is like a wall “in … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged insecurity, riches, security, trust, wealth
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Are You A Friend?
Proverbs 17:17 says: “A friend loves at all times.” It is probably typical for us to think of this verse from our own perspective: that those who are our friends should always love us, and stick with us through thick … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged being a friend, faithfulness, friendship, love, loyalty, Proverbs 17:17
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Is He Finding Fruit?
Jesus’ visit to the Temple in Mark 11 was followed by His cursing of a fig tree outside of town in :12-14. But the two episodes are not unrelated. He looked at the fig tree to see if He could discover any … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged fig tree, fruit, Israel, judgment, Mark 11:12-14, Temple
1 Comment
An Ounce of Prevention
It is easy to miss the timing involved in Proverbs 17:14, where it says “abandon the quarrel BEFORE it breaks out”. “BEFORE” — THAT is the time to stop a quarrel. Not “shortly after”, and certainly not “after it has … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged avoiding controversy, discretion, foresight, ounce of prevention, peacemaking, Proverbs 17:14, quarrel, words
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Love in a Besieged City
In Psalm 31, David was in the midst of some pretty bad days, but surrounded by trouble, he could write in :21, “Blessed be the Lord, for He has wondrously shown His steadfast love to me when I was in a besieged … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged chesed, God's love, love in a besieged city, lovingkindness, Psalm 31:21
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The God Who Sees
Psalm 33:13 says: “He sees ALL the sons of men.” That is a pretty inclusive statement! There is no one who flies “under His radar”. God sees us all. This is true for better and for worse:
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Genesis 16:13, Hagar, Isaiah 40:27, Jehovah Roi, Psalm 139, Psalm 33:13, The God Who sees, Yahweh Roi
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Our Limited Plans
Psalm 33:7-8 speaks of how it is God who gathers the waters in a heap, before whom all the peoples should stand in awe. That same Psalm then immediately goes on to point out the limited nature of the plans … Continue reading
Posted in Current Events, Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged future, Hurricane Isaac, plans, Presumption, Psalm 33:10, Psalm 33:12, trust
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