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
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 17:1-13, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Glory," for 3/22/26
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "Lessons From Gethsemane" (Matthew 26 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "The World, The Flesh, and the Devil" (James 3:15 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
Watch Out For This Trap!
Nehemiah’s enemies tried to trap him in Chapter 6 of that book, using a ploy which seems to be a common type of temptation used by the enemy. Perhaps it has been used against you — or may be soon?
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged compromise, God's word, Nehemiah 6:10-14, Satan, schemes of the enemy, sin, temptation, tempters
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As Persistent As They Are
Some people do not give up easily. Unfortunately the wicked often display more persistence than the people of God. It is revealing that in the Book of Nehemiah, Sanballat, Tobiah & Geshem, who were opposing Nehemiah’s work of rebuilding the … Continue reading
American Evangelism’s “Missing Ingredient”?
Acts Chapter 2:41-47 describes the glorious initial days of the Church, when 3000 were saved in response to Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost. Interestingly enough, although the chapter concludes with a description of how people were being saved … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Acts 2:41-47, evangelism, fellowship, John 13:35
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Wise As Serpents
The request that Tobiah and Sanballat made of Nehemiah in the second verse of Chapter 6 sounded reasonable and innocent: “Come, let us meet together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono.” But as in most situations, there is a … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged discernment, judgment, Matthew 10:16, Nehemiah 6:2, prudence, wisdom
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A Classic Response
Governor Nehemiah models for us how we need to respond to a number of things that clamor for our attention. In Nehemiah 6, the continual enemies of the governor’s work in rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem, Tobiah, Sanballat, et al, … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged distractions, memory verse, Nehemiah 6:3, priorities, time management
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General and Special Revelation (Psalm 19)
Psalm 19, which opens with those famous words: “The heavens declare the glory of God”, gives us a great example of what theologians call “General Revelation” and “Special Revelation.”
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Doctrine/Theology
Tagged creation, General Revelation, Psalm 19, Special Revelation, theology
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A Righteous Anger
It is not always a sin to be angry. In fact, there are times when it is a sin NOT to be! Nehemiah experienced one of those times when he was told about how the Jewish leaders were taking advantage … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged anger, apathy, passion, righteous anger, righteousness
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“Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition”
Following threats by those who wanted to stop the construction of the wall around Jerusalem, Nehemiah 4:9 says: “But we prayed to our God, and because of them we set up a guard against them …”. Nehemiah kept an important … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
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A Picture of Cooperation
When everyone does their part, it is amazing what can be accomplished. Nehemiah 3 describes how Nehemiah and the people who returned to Jerusalem rebuilt the wall around the city. What is significant about it is that no one person … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged cooperation, division, fellowship, ministry, mission, Nehemiah 3, service
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The Heavens Declare His Glory
The familiar words open Psalm 19:1, “The heavens declare the glory of God …”. Brown, Driver & Briggs tells us that the Hebrew word for “declare” here comes from the verb “sapar”, meaning “count”; and its piel (intensive) form here: … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged creation, General Revelation, glory of God, heavens, nature, Psalm 19:1
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