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)
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "The Condescension & The Glory" (Philippians 2:6-11 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 17:1-13, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Glory," for 3/22/26
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "Lessons From Gethsemane" (Matthew 26 sermon)
- "How To Seek The Lord" (Isaiah 55:6-7 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
Do They See You Trust God?
Jehoash, the king of Judah, had been used by God to bring reform & revival to the land. But it did not appear that he finished well. II Kings 13:17 says that the King of Aram set his face to … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged compromise, faith, fear, II Kings 1:3, trust, trusting God, witness
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The “High Places” Are Alive & Well
II Kings 11-12 describe a revival that took place in Judah under Jehoiada the priest, and Jehoram the young king who was under his influence. But the scriptures relate that the revival was not complete. Verse 3 of Chapter 12 … Continue reading
And The City Was Quiet
II Kings 11 describes the tumult which happened in the land of Judah, as Athaliah, the wicked queen, was deposed, and Jehoiada the priest led a “revival” in the land which saw young Joash made king. The people renewed their … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged I Timothy 2, II Kings 11:20, peace, quiet life, tranquility
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Honoring the Godly
Psalm 15:4 says that those who may fellowship with God will despise the reprobate, “but honors those who fear the LORD.” There are “two sides” to this “coin”: we are indeed to despise those who live perverse lifestyles, which we … Continue reading
Admiring Wicked Men
Psalm 15 speaks of those who are able to stand in the fellowship of God, and verse 4 includes an interesting quality: “In whose eyes a reprobate is despised”. Here we find one of the symptoms of the compromised Christianity … Continue reading
All You Have To Do To Get To Heaven
Psalm 15 opens by asking the question everybody wants answered: “O Lord, who may abide in Your tent; who may dwell on Your holy hill?” In other words, how can we get to heaven, to be where God is — … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged grace, heaven, II Corinthians 5:21, Jesus, Matthew 5:48, Psalm 15:1-2, righteousness, salvation, works
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Not A Coincidence
In II Kings 8:1-6 we find the story of how the Shunnamite woman, whose son Elisha had raised from from the dead, had been gone from the land of Israel for 7 years during a famine, but was returning to … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged coincidence, Ephesians 1:11, II Kings 8:1-6, luck, providence, provision, purpose
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Suddenly Everything Can Change
When God speaks and acts, things can change faster than you can imagine! In II Kings 6, the Northern Kingdom of Israel’s capital city, Samaria, had been under seige, and they were starving. Chapter 6 verse 25 recorded that “a … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged change, circumstances, hope, II Kings 6:25, II Kings 7:1
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Guarding In Prayer
Colossians 4:2 commands us: “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.” The word rendered “devote” is “proskartereo”, which Thayer’s lexicon translates, “persevere”, “give constant attention to”, “continue” in. This seems to indicate that the … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Colossians 4:2, intercession, John 17:12, prayer, spiritual warfare
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The God of Little Things
The problem described in II Kings 6:1-6 is not what many people would consider a “big deal.” An axe head that one of the prophets had borrowed accidentally fell into the Jordan River. It was a common, ordinary, everyday type … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged concern, God, II Kings 6:1-6, knowledge, love, Luke 12:6-7, providence
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