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 17:1-13, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Glory," for 3/22/26
- Teacher's Preview of Matthew 16:13-26, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: "Following Jesus" for 3/15/26
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "What God Wants From Us" (Micah 6:8 sermon)
- "Working Out Your Salvation" (Philippians 2:12-13 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 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
Blessed NOT To See?
“Jesus said to him, ‘Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” (John 20:29) Sometimes those of us who are alive today may wish that we had lived in Israel … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
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The Personal Confession
“Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!’” (John 20:28) Following his initial doubts about the resurrection of Jesus, when Thomas saw the living Christ, he then made this great confession: “My Lord and my God!”
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged confession, Deity of Christ, faith, Jesus, John 20:28, Lordship
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“Do Not Be Unbelieving”
“Then He said to Thomas, ‘Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.’” (John 20:27) The rebuke Jesus gave to Thomas … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Uncategorized
Tagged attitude, do not be unbelieving, doubt, faith, Hebrews 11:6, John 20:27, outlook, perspective
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“I Also Send You”
“So Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.’” (John 20:21) This must be one of the most important statements found in the book of John, regarding the duty … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Uncategorized
Tagged discipleship, evangelism, follow, John 20:21, mission, purpose
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An Amazing Example of Selflessness
“When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, ‘Woman, behold your son!’ Then He said to the disciple, ‘Behold your mother!’ From that hour the disciple took her into … Continue reading
The Lord’s Presence in Our Storms
In Matthew 1 the angel told Joseph that one of Jesus’ “nicknames” would be “Immanuel”, which means, “God With Us.” That is no small thing. In fact, it means everything that God is with us. He created us originally to … Continue reading
Standing By The Cross
“Therefore the soldiers did these things. But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene.” (John 19:25) Don’t miss this little phrase in the narrative which describes … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Uncategorized
Tagged commitment, conversation, courage, cross, cross of Jesus, dedication, discipleship, evangelism, faith, John 19:25, lifestyle, loyalty, persecution, preaching, salvation, standing by the cross, suffering, The Old Rugged Cross, trust, witnessing
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The Man In The Middle
“There they crucified Him, and with Him two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between.” (John 19:18) The physical arrangement of Jesus and the two thieves on the three crosses could not possibly have been a random … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged choice, cross, decision, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John 19:18, men on the cross, salvation, thief on the cross
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The Height of Hypocrisy
“Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter into the Praetorium so that they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.” (John 18:28) Jesus had previously condemned … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged chuch attendance, deacon, deacon qualifications, employees, Great Commission, hypocrisy, I Timothy 3, inconsistency, John 18:28, legalism, Matthew 23:24, mercy, pastor, pastor qualifications, Pharisees, Roberts Rules of Order, strain out a gnat and swallow a camel, tithing
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