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 17:1-13, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Glory," for 3/22/26
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 sermon)
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Preview of Matthew 16:13-26, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: "Following Jesus" for 3/15/26
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "The World, The Flesh, and the Devil" (James 3:15 sermon)
- "The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 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
Are You Following?
“Come, follow Me.” (Matthew 19:21) It is worthy of our attention that no less than THREE times in the story of the Rich Young Ruler and its aftermath, the word “follow” was used:
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Uncategorized
Tagged discipleship, follow Me, following Jesus, Matthew 19:21, salvation
Leave a comment
He Was Talking to YOU!
“And Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.’” (Matthew 19:23) One of the best methods that the enemy of our souls has of stealing … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged 1%, Daily News, Matthew 19:23, riches, salvation, wealth
Leave a comment
Doing The Impossible
“When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, ‘Then who can be saved?’ And looking at them Jesus said to them ‘With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”” (Matthew 19:25-26) This conversation, … Continue reading
Trusting The Creator of Gender
“And He answered and said, ‘Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female …’”. (Matthew 19:4) These words of Jesus are often overlooked. But we neglect them today to our detriment, … Continue reading
Why You Must Forgive
“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.” (Matthew 18:23) The words “FOR THIS REASON” are key to the meaning of this passaage. Jesus had just told … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged forgiveness, Matthew 18, Matthew 18:23, why you must forgive
Leave a comment
Radical Love For Some “ONE”
“What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying?” (Matthew 18:12) Here … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged evangelism, Galatians 2:20, love, love the one, Matthew 18:12, ministry
Leave a comment
Guardian Angels?
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 18:10) The concept of a “guardian angel” … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged angels, doctrine of angels, guardian angel, Hebrews 1:14, Matthew 18:10
Leave a comment
Who Is “The Greatest”?
“At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?’” (Matthew 18:1) We might do well to ask why the scripture tells us that it was “at THAT time” that the … Continue reading
Don’t “Sit In the Seat Of Scoffers”
“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, not sit in the seat of scoffers.” (Psalm 1:1) Psalm 1 opens with a blessing for the person … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged attitude, criticism, discernment, faith, Psalm 1:1, scoffer
2 Comments
When It’s OK To Cause Offense
“Then the disciples came and said to Him, ‘Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?” (Matthew 15:12) We’ve all heard it: “You made so-and-so mad with what you said.” Sometimes it is spoken or … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged Matthew 15:12, offense, Romans 12:18, truth
Leave a comment
shawnethomas 