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.
-
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)
- "The Greatest Verse in the Bible?" (John 3:16 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 17:1-13, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Glory," for 3/22/26
- "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
Bonhoeffer on Prayer
As today is the National Day of Prayer, I wanted to share some observations on prayer from Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Life Together. The book focuses on the importance of fellowship in the church, but includes some helpful observations on the practice … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Doctrine/Theology, Ministry, Reviews, Sermon Illustrations, Uncategorized
Tagged Dietrich Bonhoeffer, formal vs. spontaneous prayer, intercessory prayer plan, Life Together, morning prayer, prayer, prayer request organization, Psalms and prayer
Leave a comment
Fleeting Laughter, Lasting Pain
Most of us have been guilty at some point of poking fun at someone without thinking of the pain it might be inflicting on them. In Peter Ackroyd’s Dickens, he tells the story of John Coleman, who lived opposite the … Continue reading
Samuel Rutherford’s Five Lessons From the Furnace
In 1636 Samuel Rutherford, pastor of the Scottish church of Anwoth, was removed from his pulpit during a time of religious persecution. Sent into exile into Aberdeen, Rutherford, at first despondent, found grace that gave him a seldom-equaled walk with … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Doctrine/Theology, History, Reviews
Tagged furnace, Samuel Rutherford, spiritual growth, temptations, trials
2 Comments
The Word That Sustains In Difficult Days
Habakkuk 2:1-3 “The Word that Sustains in Difficult days” July 17, 2011 In the midst of the Branch Davidian crisis a few years back, when David Koresh’s compound outside of Waco, Texas, was stormed by Federal officers, there was a somewhat humorous … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Sermons
Tagged Bible Reading, Habakkuk 2:1-3, Habakkuk sermon
Leave a comment
The Secret of Contentment
I feel like I am particularly suited to write this post, among other reasons because I have been basically limited to my recliner for the past 48 hours with a cold and a bad sore throat! This morning I read … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship
Leave a comment
“Your Best Life Later”
It’s not an assignment any of us would have wanted from God – but it’s the one He gave Hosea: “Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry, and have children of harlotry, for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Leave a comment
Let God speak TO you, not just THROUGH you
I started reading through the book of Hosea the other morning in my devotional time, and something jumped out at me right off the bat. The first chapter opens by saying in :2, “When the Lord first spoke THROUGH Hosea, the Lord said TO Hosea …” and … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Leave a comment
shawnethomas 