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)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 28:1-10, 16-20, "Our Task," Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson for 4/05/26
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Psalm 3:3 “Thou, O Lord” Part II: “My Glory”
- Psalm 3:3 “Thou O Lord” Part III: “The Lifter of My Head”
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 17:1-13, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Glory," for 3/22/26
- "Lessons From Gethsemane" (Matthew 26 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "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
The Priest: Merciful & Faithful
Hebrews 2:17 says that Jesus became like us in every way, “so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest.” Here we find 2 essential qualities of our perfect High Priest: He is “merciful” and “faithful.” BOTH of … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged faithful, Hebrews 2:17, I Peter 2:9, merciful, priest
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“Before the Lord”
I Samuel 2:18 says: “Now Samuel was ministering before the Lord, as a boy wearing a linen ephod.” Then :21 adds: “the boy Samuel grew before the Lord.” Both of these verses contain that expression “before the Lord”. They tell … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged before the Lord, I Samuel 2, ministry, practicing the presence, Samuel, sons of Eli
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My Tongue Is A Pen
In Psalm 45, the writer says in :1, “My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.” This is how it is when one is in love; they gush about the object of their love. This is why love is … Continue reading
That Missing Something
Psalm 45:7 says: “You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God has anointed You with the oil of joy above Your fellows.” Hebrews 1:9 quotes this verse as referring to Jesus, and it certainly does. He loved … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged anointing, consecration, holiness, II TImothy 2:21, ministry, Psalm 45:7
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We Do Not Yet See
Hebrews 2:8 says: “But now we do not yet see all things subjected to Him.” This verse follows a whole section of the first part of the book, which proclaims the superiority of Christ, and how God has “put all … Continue reading
Year After Year?
I Samuel 1 tells how Elkanah’s wife Hannah was tormented by her in-home rival, Elkanah’s other wife Peninnah, because Hannah had not borne a son. Verse 7 says: “It happened year after year, as often as she went up to … Continue reading
Think About It!
Verses 5 and 11 of Psalm 39 both end with the exact same assertion: “surely every man is a mere breath.” It is also of note that following each of these verses is the Hebrew word, “Selah.” While the exact … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged brevity of life, Psalm 39, Psalm 39:11, Psalm 39:5, selah, transience of man
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Scripture’s Indispensable Qualities of a Leader
In Exodus 19:21 Jethro told Moses: “You shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged discipleship, Exodus 19:21, leadership, qualifications
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Psalm 119:57-64 On Obedience
Several of the sections of Psalm 119 (which is an acrostic in Hebrew) seem to have a unifying theme. Psalm 119:57-64 is the “Heth” section, which means that each of the 8 verses in this grouping begins with the Hebrew … Continue reading
Make an Altar in Bethel
Genesis 35:1 says: “Then God said to Jacob, ‘Arise, go up to Bethel and live there, and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.’” God commanded Jacob to move, and … Continue reading
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