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 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)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "The World, The Flesh, and the Devil" (James 3:15 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 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
The Stability of Your Times
“And He will be the stability of your times, a wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is his treasure.” (Isaiah 33:6) Significantly, this verse was written to God’s people in a time of impending distress … Continue reading
Posted in Current Events, Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged comfort, Isaiah 33:6, peace, Psalm 113, Psalm 16:11, stability, trial, tribulation
Leave a comment
We Exist For Him
Four little words found in Corinthians 8:6 would prove revolutionary if we would really understand and apply them. The words? “We exist for Him.”
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged abortion, glory of God, I Corinthians 8:6, philosophy, selfishness, we exist for Him
2 Comments
He Longs To Be Gracious!
Isaiah 30:18 must be one of the most encouraging verses in all of the word of God: “Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you.” God had spent … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged compassion, God, grace, Isaiah 30:18, Prodigal Son, theology
3 Comments
The Message You Don’t Want To Hear
“Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel …” (Isaiah 30:12) In one of the most ironic interchanges in scripture, Isaiah had quoted the people of Israel in Isaiah 30:11 as saying, “Let us hear no more about the Holy … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged congregational surveys, Holy One of Israel, Isaiah 30:12, polls, popular opinion, preaching
1 Comment
His Hand Is Lifted
“O LORD, Your hand is lifted up yet they do not see it …”. (Isaiah 26:11) The prophet Isaiah spoke a terrifying here to his generation. God was about to judge them for their sin. Verse 10 had just lamented … Continue reading
Why Not Rather Be Wronged?
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged I Corinthians 6:7, kingdom, Law, lawsuits, selfishness, sin, witness
Leave a comment
Would You Tell Jesus To Leave?
“And they began to implore Him to leave their region.” (Mark 5:17) Seriously? What kind of people would ask Jesus to leave their midst? Actually it might be much more common than we might first think!
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Jesus, Mark 5:17, religion, status quo, tradition
Leave a comment
“Prosperity Gospel”?
“To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless” (I Corinthians 4:11) Verses like this assure us that the Apostle Paul (as well as other New Testament writers) … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Doctrine/Theology
Tagged prosperity gospel, theology
Leave a comment
When You Must Judge
“For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present.” (I Corinthians 5:3) It should be instructive to us that Paul says here … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged church, do not judge, I Corinthians 4:5, I Corinthians 5:3, immorality, judge not, judging, judgment, Matthew 7:1, sin
Leave a comment
Chosen To Die
“For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.” (I Corinthians 4:9) To be chosen by God is … Continue reading
shawnethomas 