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
- 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
Tag Archives: Christian life
“Come Away … And Rest” (Mark 6:30-32 sermon)
In the 1860’s, Mark Twain took a steamboat tour of Europe and the Holy Land, during which he visited Rome. He wrote about his experience there: “Afterward we walked up and down one of the most popular streets for some … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Sermons
Tagged 4th Commandment, balance, break, busy-ness, Christian life, cruise, daily Bible reading, day off, Ephesians 2:8-9, exercise, getaway, Hebrews 4, Mark 1:35, Mark 6:30-32, Mark Twain, prayer time, rest, rest in Jesus, rest in Me, rest in peace, retreat, Revelation 14:11, Revelation 14:13, Sabbath, sabbath rest, salvation, The Innocents Abroad, trust, vacation, work
4 Comments
“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
“Do You Believe This?” Applying Our Faith
“‘… and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord, I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged application, belief, Christian life, confession of faith, Death, faith, John 11:26-27, trust
2 Comments
What’s The Report About YOU?
“For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth.” (III John 3) Evidently some “brethren” left the presence of the church that John was addressing here, and brought … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged Christian life, discipleship, evaluation, III John 3
2 Comments
Be With Him
“And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach” (Mark 3:14) When Jesus appointed His 12 Apostles in Mark 3, the Bible says He had two specific purposes in … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Christian life, eternal life, fellowship with God, John 17:3, Mark 3:14, salvation, walk with God
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There’s Always A Tobiah
Things were going great for Nehemiah; he had told the king about how Jerusalem was in ruins, had prayed and made his request, and the king granted him all that he wanted. Then Nehemiah headed towards the holy city, accompanied … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Christian life, enemies, heaven, Nehemiah 2:10, rest, Sanballat, Tobiah, war
2 Comments
“Putting Up” With Each Other
You might not think that just “putting up” with someone was a very godly thing to do — but it is actually the literal translation of a Bible word in Colossians 3:13. The New American Standard translates it “bearing with … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Christian life, church life, Colossians 3:13, family life, home life, relationships
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Run With Endurance
Hebrews 12:1 exhorts us: “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that … Continue reading
The Race That is Set Before Us
Hebrews 12:1 encourages us: Therefore since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that … Continue reading
Book Review: Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health, by Donald S. Whitney
I read Don Whitney’s Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health for a small-group class on Sunday mornings at Trinity Baptist in Norman this year. I understand that it has been used for some time by several ministers and in … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Ministry, Reviews
Tagged Christian life, curriculum, discipleship, legalism, small groups, spiritual growth
2 Comments
shawnethomas 