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
Before Him
Colossians 1:22 says: “Yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach”. This verse teaches us that now, because of what Jesus has done, … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged before Him, blameless, blood, Colossians 1:22, forgiveness, grace, holy, Isaiah 64:6
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Unalterable Consequences of Sin
II Samuel 24:10 says, “Now David’s heart troubled him after he had numbered the people. So David said to the LORD: ‘I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O LORD, please take away the iniquity of … Continue reading
A Word of Warning
Psalm 7:12 warns: “If a man does not repent, God will whet His sword, He has bent & readied His bow”. Although God is incredibly gracious and patient, we must not think that He will continually overlook our sin. He … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged forbearance, God's patience, James 5:9, judgment, Proverbs 29:1, Psalm 103:9, Psalm 7:12, repentance
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Your Test Today
In Psalm 7:9 David calls God, “You who test minds & hearts.” The word “test” here means “examine, put to the test; prove, test, try.” This is what God constantly does with us. He tests us
The Same Judge
Psalm 7:8 says: “The LORD judges the peoples; vindicate me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and my integrity that is in me.” In Psalm 7, David is calling to God because of what he sees as the unrighteous oppression … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged accountability, judgment, justice, Psalm 7:8
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Public Vindication
“Over them return on high.” In Psalm 7, David had been falsely accused by his enemies, and here in the second part of :7 he asks God to return and publicly vindicate him. Many of us can identify with this … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged judgment, justice, Psalm 7:7, public vindication
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“God” or YOUR God?
David begins the prayer of Psalm 7:1 by saying, “LORD my God …”. In Hebrew this is literally, “Yahweh Elohe”. “Yahweh Elohim” is a familiar Old Testament expression for God: “Yahweh” is His personal name (often translated “LORD” but is … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged John 1:12, Psalm 7:1, relationship with God, salvation
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The Leadership We Deserve (3-24-13)
In II Samuel 24:1 it says “The anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and it incited David against them to say, ‘Go, number Israel and Judah.’” This decision by King David led to punishment by God upon the people. … Continue reading
Holy Gratitude
In Psalm 6:8 David says: “Depart from me, all you who do iniquity, for Yahweh has heard the voice of my weeping.” It is interesting (and instructive for us) that David’s response to the fact that God heard his prayer … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged gratitude, holiness, Psalm 6:8, Romans 12:1, Thanksgiving
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“Because”
Psalm 6:2 says, “Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am pining away; heal me, O LORD, for my bones are dismayed.” There is a key word in this verse which may help explain many of the difficult things … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged Psalm 6:2, purpose, purpose for trials, relationship with God
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