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)
- Psalm 3:3 “Thou, O Lord” Part II: “My Glory”
- Psalm 3:3 “Thou O Lord” Part III: “The Lifter of My Head”
- "Lessons From Gethsemane" (Matthew 26 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 28:1-10, 16-20, "Our Task," Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson for 4/05/26
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 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
Waiting For Our King
Psalm 110:1 opens: “The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.’” As Jesus makes clear in the New Testament (Matthew 22:41-46) this is a Messianic Psalm — … Continue reading
Two Sides of the Coin
Psalm 109:17 shows us “two sides of the coin” of sin, both sins of “commission” and of “omission”: “He also loved cursing, so it came to him. And he did not delight in blessing, so it was far from him”. … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
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Praise The Lord — AND Pass the Ammunition!
Psalm 108:13 says: “Through God we shall do valiantly, and it is HE who shall tread down our enemies.” As important as the truth in this verse is about having our hope and trust in God, it should not be … Continue reading
God’s Providential Timing
I Samuel 23:26 sounds like a scene right out of an action movie: David is on one side of a mountain, and Saul and his army on the other, in hot pursuit! But just when things are about to come … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged God's providence, God's timing, I Samuel 23:24-29, providence
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Not of This World
Hebrews 11:9 says, “By faith he (Abraham) lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land …”. The Bible tells us that Abraham lived in the Promised Land, but he was different than the inhabitants … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged aliens, Hebrews 11:9, holiness, I Peter 2:11, not of this world, Romans 12:2, strangers
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Prayers You Don’t Want Answered!
Psalm 106:15 says: “So He gave them their request, but sent a wasting disease among them (literally ‘a leanness into their soul’.” The Psalm describes how Israel had seen God’s work in the Exodus, but “quickly forgot His works” (:13) … Continue reading
Not Worldly Wisdom
In I Samuel 23, David had inquired of the Lord as to whether he should go up and attack the Philistines, who were oppressing the town of Keilah. God told him to go. But when David told his men, :3 … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged David, foolishness, God's wisdom, I Corinthians 2:14, I Corinthians 2:8, I Samuel 23:1-5, imprudent, Isaiah 55:8, reason, wisdom
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Inquire of the Lord First!
As I Samuel 23 opens, David is told that the Philistines are attacking and plundering Keilah. Verse 2 says, “So David inquired of the Lord, saying, ‘Shall I go and attack the Philistines?’” It is of note here that David … Continue reading
A Spiral of Compromise
Psalm 106:35-37 says: “But they mingled with the nations and learned their practices, and served their idols, which became a snare to them. They even sacrificed their sons and daughters to the demons.” Much of Psalm 106 describes the sin … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged associations, compromise, disobedience, friends, holiness, obedience, Psalm 106:35-37, separation
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Grace For Those Who Fall Short
Psalm 106:3 says: “How blessed are those who keep justice, who practice righteousness at all times.” If only we did! Unfortunately this rules out every one of us: NONE of us practices righteousness at ALL times! “There is NONE righteous; … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged chesed, grace, lovingkindness, praise, Psalm 106:3, Romans 3:10, salvation, Thanksgiving
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shawnethomas 