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)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 17:1-13, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Glory," for 3/22/26
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "Lessons From Gethsemane" (Matthew 26 sermon)
- "How To Seek The Lord" (Isaiah 55:6-7 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 sermon)
- Joshua 3:5 Sermon: "Preparing For God To Work"
- "The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 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
When It’s Good To Be Negative
Psalm 1 begins: “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or stand in the path of the sinners, or sit in the seat of the scornful.” In Hebrew there is a 3-fold repetition … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged consecration, Hebrew, holiness, negative religion, Psalm 1:1, relationships
1 Comment
The Sword of the Word
Psalm 149:6 says of the people of God: “Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand.” What did this mean to the original readers? It was their privilege, like ours, to … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Ephesians 6:17, judgments of the Lord, Psalm 119, Psalm 149, sword, word of God
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The Sword of the Word
Psalm 149:6 says of the people of God: “Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand.” What did this mean to the original readers? It was their privilege, like ours, to … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Ephesians 6:17, judgments of the Lord, Psalm 119, Psalm 149, sword, word of God
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A Life-Altering Perspective
II Samuel 7:18 says: “Then David the king went in and sat before the LORD, and he said, ‘Who am I, O Lord Yahweh, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far?’” David spoke these words … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged attitude, gratitude, humility, II Samuel 7:18, perspective, thanksigiving
1 Comment
The Pleasure of God
Psalm 147:10-11 says: “He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He does not take pleasure in the legs of a man. The LORD favors those who fear Him, those who wait for His lovingkindness.” In :10 we … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged athletics, glory of God, horses, Job 1:8, John 17:24, pleasure of God, Psalm 147:10-11
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Be Glad In Your Maker
Psalm 149:2 exhorts us as believers: “Let Israel be glad in his Maker; let the sons of Zion rejoice in their King.” The great truth of this verse is that GOD is to be the source of gladness and joy … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged God, joy, Philippians 4, Psalm 149:2, rejoice, worship
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Who Made Heaven and Earth
Psalm 146:5-6 says, “How blessed is he whose help in the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them …”. A key phrase here … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Acts 4:24, creation, prayer, Psalm 146:5-6, trust
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When It’s Too Late For Repentance
Hebrews 12:17 says of Esau, “For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.” This verse is speaking in … Continue reading
Pursue Peace
Hebrews 12:14 commands: “Pursue peace, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.” It is of note that the imperative here is to “PURSUE” peace. It is not just that it would be “nice”, and that we … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged controversy, cross, gospel, Hebrews 12:14, love, peace, peacemaking, stumbling block, unity
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Wonder Lost
In Psalm 144:3, David exclaims: “O LORD, what is man, that You take knowledge of Him? Or the son of man, that You think of him?” Here he exhibits the humble attitude that should characterize each of our lives: WONDER … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged doctrine of man, man, Psalm 144:3, self-esteem, wonder
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