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 Judges 2:11-23, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: "Consequences," for July 26, 2026.
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Preview of Joshua 24:14-24, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: "Vital Decision," for July 19, 2026.
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of I Peter 1:13-25, "Our Mandate," Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson for 3/09/25
- "The World, The Flesh, and the Devil" (James 3:15 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: Sermons
“The Gospel and Forgiving Others” (Ephesians 4:32 sermon)
(Preached at First Baptist, Pauls Valley, OK 1-18-15) The great symbol of Christianity is the cross, and for good reason. As we saw last week, the cross of Jesus is the center of Christianity. The basic message of Christianity is … Continue reading
Salvation Through The Gospel (I Corinthians 15:1-6 sermon)
(Preached at First Baptist, Pauls Valley, OK 1-11-14) Some New Year’s commitments are better than others! A year ago, I resolved to do something which I had long neglected: I decided to read a verse a day in both the … Continue reading
“Your Response to Christmas” (Matthew 2:1-12 Sermon)
(Preached at FBC Pauls Valley, OK 12-21-14) They asked some kindergarteners in Great Britain about the Christmas story of the visit of the Magi, and they had some interesting insights on it: one young boy said that the three wise … Continue reading
“He Will Save His People From Their Sins” (Matthew 1:21 Sermon)
(Preached at Mt. Home Baptist, Morganton, NC, and FBC Pauls Valley, OK, December 2014) C.S. Lewis wrote of an interesting experience that his brother had one Christmas season. He said Warnie was riding on a big English double-decker bus one … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged assurance, C.S. Lewis, Christmas, Death, glorification, heaven, Imagine, John Lennon, Joni Earickson Tada, justification, Matthew 1:21 sermon, salvation, sanctification, soteriology
6 Comments
“The Discipline of Discipling” (II Timothy 2:2 sermon)
(Preached at First Baptist, Pauls Valley, OK 11-02-14) The group picture of Hayden Fry’s 1983 University of Iowa football team has become famous, not necessarily because of the games the team won, but because of what became of its coaching … Continue reading
“The Discipline of Fasting” (Ezra 8:21 sermon)
(Preached at First Baptist, Pauls Valley, OK 10-26-14) A Christian disciple from India came to the United States a few years ago, and made the tour of a number of our Baptist churches, both observing and speaking. After a few … Continue reading
Posted in "The Disciplines of Disciples" series, Discipleship, Sermons
Tagged discipleship, Ezra 8:21, fast, fasting, sermon, spiritual disciplines
1 Comment
“The Discipline of Giving” (Genesis 28:20-22 sermon)
(Preached at First Baptist, Pauls Valley, OK, 10-19-14) Cheryl & I love to watch old movies, and one of our favorites is the 1948 classic: “Life With Father” with William Powell & Irene Dunne. There is actually a great lesson … Continue reading
Posted in "The Disciplines of Disciples" series, Discipleship, Sermons
Tagged Abraham, discipleship, Genesis 28:20-22, giving, grace giving, Harold Mathena, Irene Dunne, Jacob, Life With Father, love, Melchizedek, put your money where your mouth is, salvation, sermon, talk is cheap, tithing, WIlliam Powell
7 Comments
“The Discipline of Evangelism” (Colossians 4:2-6 sermon)
(Preached at First Baptist, Pauls Valley OK, 10-12-14) Many of us have looked on with shock and horror at the ISIS takeover of good portions of two countries in the Middle East, with the beheadings and other atrocities they have … Continue reading
“The Discipline of Service” (I Peter 4:10 Sermon)
(Preached at First Baptist, Pauls Valley, OK 10-05-14) This week our daughter Libby took a picture of our grand daughter Corley, walking in her daddy’s shoes for the first time. It made a cute picture, of course, but is also … Continue reading
“The Discipline of Fellowship” (Hebrews 10:23-25 sermon)
Cheryl & I are fond of assigning “chapter titles” to different episodes of our life together, as if they would be chapters in a book. We have labeled some of them: “The Great Mouse Caper”, “The Dark Year”, or “Just … Continue reading
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