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”
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 17:1-13, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Glory," for 3/22/26
- Psalm 3:3 “Thou O Lord” Part III: “The Lifter of My Head”
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "Lessons From Gethsemane" (Matthew 26 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
Meditation and Delight
Psalm 1 opens by declaring that the righteous man does not walk, stand or sit in the ways of the wicked, but :2 says, “his DELIGHT is in the Law of The Lord, and in His Law he meditates day … Continue reading
I Shall Not Want
Most everyone is familiar with the opening words of Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” Truly understanding and applying what this verse teaches is one of the keys to the Christian life. The Hebrew is … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged I shall not want, lack, need, provision, Psalm 16:11, Psalm 16:5, Psalm 23:1, satisfaction, satisfaction in God, want
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Nursery Lessons About God
Psalm 22 is about trust in God, even under adverse circumstances which might lead one to doubt. In it, David said that his first lesson in trust came at an earlier age than many might think. He wrote in :9, … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged breastfeeding, faith, first lesson about God, Hebrews 11:6, mother, nursing, Psalm 22:9, trust
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It’s Not “Karma”!
In Exodus 22:24 God warned His people that if they afflicted widows and orphans, then “your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.” The irony of what happens to those who oppress others and who then consequently see evil … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged God, judgment, justice, Karma, Proverbs 24:12, repay
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Consider Your Ways
In Psalm 119:59 the writer says: “I considered my ways, and turned my feet to Your testimonies.” This is exactly what we SHOULD do from time to time — step back and evaluate our lives, and adjust ourselves to the … Continue reading
You Live What You Believe
Psalm 14:1 says: “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds. There is no one who does good.” This Psalm goes on to describe how “they have all turned … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged faith and practice, practice, Psalm 14, Romans 3, theology
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Charge That To My Account
In Philemon:18 the Apostle Paul speaks of the debts that the runaway slave, Onesimus, owed to Philemon: “charge that to my account.” We see in the Apostle Paul an analogy of what Christ has done for us. We are like … Continue reading
Come Up In The Morning
In Exodus 34:2 God commanded Moses: “So be ready by morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to Me on the top of the mountain.” Here, just before God would show His glory … Continue reading
Our Compassionate God
In Exodus 34, God granted Moses’ request to see His glory. Verses 6-8 describe what happened: “Then Yahweh passed by in front of him and proclaimed, ‘Yahweh, Yahweh God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged compassion, Exodus 34:6-8, forgiving God, God, love of God, mercy of God
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Suffering For Others’ Salvation
On this Memorial Day, many are commemorating those who lost their lives defending our country and preserving our liberties. They suffered in order to ensure our freedom. In II Timothy 2:10 we find a similar concept. The Apostle Paul writes: … Continue reading
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