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 2:1-12, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Worship the King," for 12/21/25
- “Immanuel: God With Us” (Matthew 1:23 sermon)
- "The Example of Joseph" (Matthew 1:18-25 sermon)
- "He Will Save His People From Their Sins" (Matthew 1:21 Sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 5:13-20, 43-48, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: "True Righteousness," for 12/28/25.
- "The Greatest Verse in the Bible?" (John 3:16 sermon)
- "Blessed Is She Who Believed" (Luke 1:45 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 4:12-25, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson "Invitation," for 12/14/25
- "A 'Real Life' Christmas" (Luke 2:1-11 sermon)
- "Your Response to Christmas" (Matthew 2:1-12 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
“How To Run The Christian Race” (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
For most of my adult like I ran for exercise, although I was never very fast. When we lived in Tulsa back in the 1990’s (when I was in my 30’s) I was probably in the best shape of my … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Sermons
Tagged Amy Grant Faith Walking People, Bible Reading, bitterness, Box Hill, Cherry Street Mile Tulsa, Christian life, Christian life not a sprint, Christian race, daily devotions, discipleship, endurance, England trip, entanglements, faith, feelings, fix your eyes on Jesus, forgiveness, friends, George Washington Delaware, Hebrews 12:1-2, holiness, ministry, not a sprint a marathon, one foot in front of the other, PE run, Peter what about this man, running, salvation, sanctification, say goodbye to the feelings, sin, two masters, your race
2 Comments
“The Incomparable Christ” (Hebrews 1:1-4 sermon)
The name of John Hay is not very well known today, but in the 1800s he was one of the most influential men in America. He was Secretary of State under Theodore Roosevelt, but he began his career as a … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Acts 4:12, angel Gabriel, angel Michael, angels, Colossians 1:15, false prophets, forgiveness of sins, glory of God, Hebrews 1 sermon, Hebrews 1:1-4 sermon, Islam, Jesus, Jesus angels, Jesus Christ, Jesus cross, Jesus glory, Jesus God's fairest reflection, Jesus God's final revelation, Jesus name above all names, Jesus redeemer, Jesus sat down, Jesus son of God, Joseph Smith, Matthew 24:24, radiance of His glory, the Bab, The Incomparable Christ
1 Comment
“Your Spiritual Armor” (Ephesians 6:10-20 sermon)
One of the things I have appreciated about living here in Angleton is the cooperation between the local police and the pastors of the town. We have regular lunches with the police and first responders and talk about various issues … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Angleton police, armor of God, Bible, Billy Graham Peace With God, Charles Wesley testimony, Christian armor, demons, devil, dream, Ephesians 6 armor of God, Ephesians 6 sermon, Ephesians 6 spiritual armor, Ephesians 6 spiritual warfare, Ephesians 6:10-20 sermon, Ernest Hemingway life is a combat, flaming missiles of the enemy, girded loins, God's plan, God's provision, gospel, gospel in a nutshell, gospel presentation, gospel tract, helmet of salvation, I Corinthians 15 gospel, II Corinthians 10:3-4, II Corinthians 5:21, Jesus Matthew 4 temptation, man's need, man's response, prayer, preparation of the gospel, righteousness, righteousness of Christ, Satan's darts, shield of faith, spiritual armor, spiritual warfare, sword of the Spirit, truth, word of God
5 Comments
“Where’s Your Glory?” (Jeremiah 9:23-24 sermon)
It’s football season, and many college football fans virtually live and die on the success of their football teams. Fans wear their team’s colors on game day, and get excited when they win, and bask in the glory of that … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged athletes injury, boast, college football, conversation, Ernest Hemingway suicide, glory, glory of heaven, God's glory, gospel, Houston hospitals, Isaiah 55:6-9, Jeremiah 9:12, Jeremiah 9:23, Jeremiah 9:23 sermon, Jeremiah 9:23-24, John 17:3, know God, knowing God, Knowing God J.I. Packer, Luke 12 rich man, materialism, Pete Rose batting average, physical ability, pride and joy, relationships, retail therapy, riches, salvation, shopping high, strength, Washington Irving Westminster Abbey, wisdom
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“What God Wants From Us” (Micah 6:8 sermon)
Both the public schools, and our Angleton Christian School have resumed classes now. And I’m sure as classes began, most teachers shared with their students their expectations, right from the beginning: here’s how we need you to act, in your … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Sermons
Tagged Battle Abbey, business ethics, court packing, discipleship, do justice love mercy walk humbly, ephah, George Norris FDR court packing, grace, help from God, humility, I need help, Julius Caesar mercy, justice, Lady Justice, mercy, Micah 6:8 sermon, Percy Bysshe Shelley death, Pharisee and publican, pride vs humility, rich young ruler, salvation, William the Conqueror
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“The Spirit In Us” (Romans 8:9-17sermon)
In Acts Chapter 19, the Apostle Paul is on his way to Ephesus, and he comes across some disciples. He asked them: “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They said to him: “No, we have not even … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Doctrine/Theology, Sermons
Tagged Abba Father, Acts 8 Philip and Ethiopian, assurance, assurance of salvation, Bill Gaither I'm not what I was, Charles Wesley, Charles Wesley and Moravians, Charlie Chaplin, DNA, doctrine of the Holy Spirit, Doctrine of the Trinity, God the Holy Spirit, holiness, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit and salvation, Holy Spirit and sanctification, Holy Spirit conviction, Isaiah 30:21, John Newton I am not what I used to be, John Wesley, leadership of Holy Spirit, plan of salvation, Romans 8, Romans 8 Holy Spirit, Romans 8:9-17, salvation, sanctification, spirit, test of salvation, Trinity, Wesley salvation
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“Gratitude: Your First Step Towards God” (Romans 1:21 sermon)
When John F. Kennedy was president, he was at a dinner one evening when an assistant defense secretary’s wife told him that every night when her husband comes home, she says to him: “How can they say those things about … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Adam and Eve ingratitude, church, Colossians 3:17, creation, daily devotions, Dallek Camelot's Court, Einstein and God, family, forgiveness, giving thanks, gratefulness, gratitude, how to pray, I Corinthians 6:9-11, I Thessalonians 5:18, ingratitude, John F. Kennedy, leper Count Your Many Blessings, marriage, negativity, practicing thanksgiving, prayer, Psalm 136:1, Psalm 95:2, quiet time, relationships, Romans 1:21, salvation, sin, steps to God, thanking God, thanks, Thanksgiving, thanksgiving prayers
1 Comment
“For All Of Us” (Isaiah 53:6 sermon)
I remember when I was a boy, growing up at the First Baptist Church of Harrah, Oklahoma, our pastor (Hoyt Aduddell) had just preached one of those messages that sticks with you for some reason. The reason this particular message … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged all have sinned, all we like sheep, atonement, BP oil spill, Exxon Valdez, I Peter 2:24, Isaiah 53, Isaiah 53:6, It is well with my soul, Jesus cross, Messiah, my sin o the bliss, respond to the gospel, response, Romans 10:13, RSVP, Ruthanna Metzger RSVP, salvation, sheep, sin, substitute, substitutionary atonement, Suffering Servant
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“Warnings From The Wilderness” (I Cor. 10 sermon)
On the coastline of Japan, there is a little village called Aneyoshi. On a certain spot in the town, there is an ancient stone tablet, engraved with a somber warning: “Remember the calamity of the great tsunamis. Do not build … Continue reading
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