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 Preview of Matthew 16:13-26, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: "Following Jesus" for 3/15/26
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 17:1-13, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Glory," for 3/22/26
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Man Born Blind" (John 9 sermon)
- Teacher's Preview of Matthew 15:1-11+, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson for March 8, 2026, "Real Devotion"
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 sermon)
- "Christ's Suffering/Our Salvation" (I Peter 3:18 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 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: Discipleship
Not For One Hour?
“And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter: ‘So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour?’” (Matthew 26:40) What a pathetic response to an amazing invitation! How blessed were Peter, … Continue reading
A Daily Gethsemane
“My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” (Matthew 26:39) The words spoken by Jesus here are some of the most important ever uttered in human language.
Before You Give Up Praying For Your Loved One, Try This
Alexander Whyte (1836-1921) was considered by many of his contemporaries to be the greatest preacher in Scotland of his day. His book, Lord Teach Us To Pray, consists of a number of sermons on prayer from a variety of scripture … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Home & Family Life, Ministry, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Alexander Whyte, family, holiness, intercessory prayer, John 17:19, prayer, sanctification
2 Comments
It’s Not Really A Sacrifice
“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life.” (Matthew 19:29) Some Christians might admit to … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Uncategorized
Tagged discipleship, eternity, investment, Matthew 19:29, reward, sacrifice
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Are You Following?
“Come, follow Me.” (Matthew 19:21) It is worthy of our attention that no less than THREE times in the story of the Rich Young Ruler and its aftermath, the word “follow” was used:
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Uncategorized
Tagged discipleship, follow Me, following Jesus, Matthew 19:21, salvation
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Who Is “The Greatest”?
“At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?’” (Matthew 18:1) We might do well to ask why the scripture tells us that it was “at THAT time” that the … Continue reading
“Take Courage” In That Long-Unanswered Prayer
“And a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak” (Matthew 9:20) It should be encouraging for some of us to ponder anew the circumstances of … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Uncategorized
Tagged intercession, Matthew 9:20-22, prayer, prayer requests
1 Comment
The Action of Discipleship
“When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him.” (Matthew 8:23) It is notable that after Jesus shared something about the commitments and priority of discipleship, that verse 23 immediately followed, describing the actions of His disciples: “When He … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Uncategorized
Tagged discipleship, following Jesus, Matthew 8:23
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The Priorities of Discipleship
After Jesus finished His great Sermon on the Mount, in which He laid forth the character and many of the standards for His disciples, He then went about ministering and actually making disciples. In Matthew 9:19 and following, we see … Continue reading
The Cost of Discipleship
“Then a scribe came and said to Him, ‘Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.’ Jesus said to him, ‘The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to … Continue reading
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