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)
- "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)
- "The Condescension & The Glory" (Philippians 2:6-11 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
“Positive Confession” or Wicked Boasting?
In Psalm 10:6 the Bible says of the wicked: “He says to himself, ‘I will not be moved; throughout all generations I will not be in adversity.’” Did we we not have the context of these words, they might be … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged arrogance, boasting, James 4:15-16, perspective, positive confession, pride, Psalm 10:6, Psalm 90:10, words
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The Growth Which Is From God
In Colossians 2:19 Paul writes of those who are “not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.” THIS is … Continue reading
Right God/Wrong Worship
In I Kings 12 the Bible says that King Jeroboam “made two golden calves, and he said to (the people), ‘It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold your gods, O Israel, that brought you up … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged creativity, Exodus 20:4, I Kings 12:28, idolatry, John 4:24, regulative principle, worship
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You’re Not God!
Psalm 9 ends with this prayer from David: “Put them in fear, O LORD; let the nations know that they are but men.” His request may seem like a curious one at first, but it is actually very insightful regarding … Continue reading
Your Screwtape’s Disgrace!
Colossians 2:15 says that when God “disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.” The Bible words used here are very instructive to us in the spiritual warfare we face … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged authorities, Colossians 2:15, cross, Death, demons, Ephesians 6:12, Jesus, powers, resurrection, rulers, screwtape letters, spiritual warfare
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You Are Not Forgotten
In Psalm 9:18 David reminds us: “For the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted perish forever.” This is a good reminder, because there are times when you DO feel like you will always be … Continue reading
A Picture of His Grace
I Kings 11 describes how King Solomon allowed his heart to be turned away from God by his foreign wives. He broke the covenant with God and his heart was not fully devoted to Him (:4). But verses 11-12 tell … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged grace, I Kings 11:11-13, salvation, Son of David
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Forgetting God
In Psalm 9:17 David writes: “The wicked will return to Sheol, even all the nations who forget God.” “The wicked” are in parallel here with “all the nations who FORGET GOD.” This should remind us that it is wickedness to … Continue reading
The Pit They Made
In Psalm 9:15 David speaks of the judgment which will come upon those who reject God. He writes: “The nations have sunk down in the pit which they have made; in the net which they hid, their own foot has … Continue reading
Vertical & Horizontal
In Psalm 9:11 David writes: “Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples His deeds.” God’s people are commanded to worship their King in two distinct ways here:
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged balance, evangelism, Psalm 9:11, vertical relationship, worship
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