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)
- "The Greatest Verse in the Bible?" (John 3:16 sermon)
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "A 'Real Life' Christmas" (Luke 2:1-11 sermon)
- "Your Response to Christmas" (Matthew 2:1-12 Sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 4:12-25, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson "Invitation," for 12/14/25
- "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
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- missions
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- Philippians sermons
- POTS (dysautonomia) articles
- Psalms studies and messages
- Revelation sermon series
- Reviews
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- The Model Prayer Series
- The Model Prayer series (FBCA 2020)
- This Week In Paradise (pastors family blog)
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- worship
Tag Archives: assurance of salvation
“The Fruits of Righteousness” (James 3:13-18 sermon)
I am not much of a “tree expert” at all. I know some people can just look at a tree and say, “Oh that’s a such-and-such tree …” but I have never been able to do that. I could probably … Continue reading
Posted in Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like, Discipleship
Tagged assurance of salvation, attitudes, bad fruit, Bible, blessed are the peacemakers, Christianity, Eusebius Church History, examine yourself, faith, fruit, God, good fruit, Holy Spirit, hypocrisy, hypocrite, II Corinthians 13:5, Irenaeus, James 3, James 3 sermon, James 3:13-18, jealousy, Jesus, Leo Tolstoy, Matthew 7:16, mercy, natural earthly demonic, peace, peaceable, peacemaker, Philippians 2, salvation, selfishness, test yourself, the world the flesh and the devil, trees, War and Peace, works, you will know them by their fruits
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“What Real Faith Looks Like: Perseverance” (James 1:12 sermon)
We’ve got one of my very favorite family pictures to put up on the screen: In 1998, I ran the Tulsa Run road race with Paul, David & Libby, our three oldest kids. Cheryl took this picture of the four of us at my … Continue reading
Posted in Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like
Tagged A.T. Bobertson, acid test, acid test gold, approval, approved, assurance, assurance of salvation, Book of James, crown of life, dokimos, eternal security, family, gold, gold test, I Corinthians 13, I Peter 1:6-7, if saved always saved, James, James 1:12, love, Matthew 13, once saved always saved, Parable of the Sower, perseverance, perseverance of the saints, Romans 16:10, seal of approval, stephanos, tested like gold, tests, trials, Tulsa Run, What Real Faith Looks Like
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“I John’s Tests of Your Salvation”
Last week Cheryl & I went to the anniversary celebration at Challenger Aviation, Mike Challenger’s aviation business at Hobby Airport. Mike’s wife Mikelle’s dad is on staff at Sagemont Baptist in Houston, and we really enjoyed visiting with him and … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Doctrine/Theology, Sermons
Tagged agape love, assurance of salvation, can I know I am saved, Challenger Aviation, Christian, Christian doctrine, Christian love, Christianity and homosexuality, commandments obedience, conviction, conviction of sin Holy Spirit, David McCullough Wright Brothers, doctrine, forgiveness, fruit of the Spirit, fully God fully man, Hadrian Aristides love one another, holiness, Holy Spirit, how to be saved, how to know I am saved, I John 4:6, I John 4:7-8, I John 5:13, I John assurance of salvation, I John sermon, I John test of salvation, Jesus Deity, Jesus humanity, John 16:8, keep His commandments, Ken Keithley quote indifference, lay down life love, love, love in marriage, love one another, marks of salvation, marriage, obedience, Oberkfell decision, righteousness, Romans 8:15-16, sacrificial love, salvation, sanctification, signs of salvation, sin, test of Holy Spirit
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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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“Justification by Faith” (Romans 1:17 sermon; Reformation Day 2021)
There are some days on the calendar that everyone knows are important: — December 25th everyone knows is … Christmas.— January 1st … New Year’s Day.— December 31st? Cheryl’s birthday! And today, October 31st, is a memorable date as well. … Continue reading
Posted in Doctrine/Theology, History, Sermons
Tagged 5 Solas, Acts 10 Cornelius, assurance of salvation, Bertrand Russell searching, Dwight Eisenhower and Billy Graham, eternal life, eternal security, faith, Habakkuk 2:4, heaven, In Christ Alone, John 17:3, justification by faith, life, Luke 10:25-28, Martin Luther, Martin Luther Reformation, Martin Luther Romans 1:17, Martin Luther testimony, October 31 Reformation Day, Reformation, Romans 1:17 sermon, Romans 5:1, salvation by faith, Santa Scala, Sola Fide
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“Meeting With God” (Exodus 29:42-45 sermon)
Who is the most famous person you’ve ever met? I was talking to Barbara Riddle the other day, after Billy Graham had passed away, and she was telling me that some years ago Ruth Graham was at the same hospital … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged adultery, assurance of salvation, Bible Reading, Billy Graham, Christianity, consecration, Exodus 29:42-45, fellowship, forgiveness, God, good deeds, heaven, holiness, homosexualiity, I John 1:5-6, I John 2:3, I Samuel 3:9, Jesus, John MacArthur Laverne & Shirley, Joy Behar and Mike Pence mental illness, language, mercy, note-taking, pornography, prayer, religion, revelation, salvation, Universal Studios, worship
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“Immanuel: God With Us” (Matthew 1:23 sermon)
One of my favorite parts of the Christmas program last weekend was when B.J. and Amy and Greg sang that beautiful song of the annunciation, which is right out of Luke 1:28, where the angel appeared to Mary and said: … Continue reading
Posted in Current Events, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons
Tagged "Sovereignty of God", assurance of salvation, Christ, Christmas, church, Colossians 2:9, Current Events, deity of Jesus, depravity of man, ecclesiology, Ephesians 1:13, Every Day With Jesus, faith, Genesis 6:5, God with us, God's plan, Hebrews 1:3, Holy Spirit, Hymn In The Garden, I Corinthians 6:19, II Corinthians 13:9, illustrations, Immanuel, Isaiah, Isaiah 7:14, Jesus, Jesus and marriage, John 14:8-9, John 1:12, King Ahaz, man, Martin Luther, Mary, Matthew 1:23, once saved always saved, perseverance of the saints, Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church Elf production, Romans 8:15, salvation, sealed in the Holy Spirit, smallpox vaccine, The Greatest Christmas Pageant Ever, trust
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“Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
Some of you remember the bad weather we had a few weeks ago, with all the high winds, and a tornado in the area, and the downpour of rain we got — several inches in very short period of time. … Continue reading
“Blessed Assurance”? (Matthew 7:21-23 sermon)
Do you think that you are going to heaven? If you do, you’re in good company. An ABC news poll indicated that 89% of Americans believed in heaven, and 85% of them think that THEY are going there. And it … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Matthew sermons
Tagged assurance, assurance of salvation, Blessed Assurance, charismatic gifts, consecration, Corrie Ten Boom, eternal life, false hope, fruit of salvation, grace, heaven, Hinduism, holiness, Islam, Lordship, Muslim dervishes, obedience, profession of faith, salvation, works salvation
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“The Fruit of Repentance” (Matt. 3:4-10 sermon)
It has been very interesting to say the least, to watch the first week of the Presidency of Donald Trump unfold. He has made appointments and issued executive orders which have pleased some, but have infuriated others. But there was, … Continue reading
Posted in Matthew sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged assurance of salvation, changed life, CNN, Donald Trump, fruit of repentance, garden, John the Baptist, judgment, Luke 19, Luke 3, Matthew 3:4-10, Matthew 7:21, Matthew sermon, repent, repentance, repenter, Rosaria Butterfield, salvation, The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert, Zaccheus
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