I served as pastor of Southern Baptist churches in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana for almost 30 years before taking a medical leave from the pastorate in February 2013 due to dysautonomia (POTS) and moving to Norman, Oklahoma. Blessed with renewed health, I was called as Senior Pastor of Pleasant Ridge Baptist in Morganton, NC in February 2015.
In this blog I share daily devotions from my own personal Bible readings, as well as sermons, book reviews, illustrations -- and occasional humorous "peeks" at life inside this pastor's home!
Tag Archives: conviction
“Comforting or Convicting? 4 Tests of Genuine Salvation” (I John sermon)
One of the most common questions people in our churches have is, “How can I know for sure if I’m really saved?” That’s NOT a silly question. If there really is life after death — and the Bible tells us … Continue reading
Posted in Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Aristides, assurance, baptism, cardboard testimonies, comfort, conviction, conviction of sin, David McCullough The Wright Brothers, doctrine, don't fight flip, examine yourself, fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23, Hadrian, holiness, Holy Spirit, I John 2:1-3, I John 5:13, I John sermon, Incarnation, Incarnation of Christ, John 13:34-35, John 16:8, love, marriage, marriage counseling, obedience, Oberkfell decision, Orthodoxy, Romans 8:15-16, Romans 8:9, salvation, sanctification, service, Spirit of God, test, they love one another
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“On The Road With Jesus” (John 4 sermon)
One of best ways to learn about someone is to spend some time on the road with them. I remember reading an article by the renowned actor, Charlton Heston (who played Moses in the classic 1956 movie “The Ten Commandments”). … Continue reading
Posted in Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged "The Ten Commandments" movie, ask Jesus into your heart, Charlton Heston, cheap grace, confront sin, conviction, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, direction, discipleship, Don Sunshine, evangeism, gospel, Gospel Resurgence, help, hope, I AM, I Peter 2:21, Incarnation, Jesus Christ humanity, Jesus Deity, Jesus is the answer, John 14:6, John 4, John 4 sermon, Luke 13:3, Matthew 19, Matthew 24:30, ministry, peace, prayer, repent, repentance, repentance and salvation, rich young ruler, Ronald Reagan, salvation, sin, strength, The Cost of Discipleship, tiredness, weariness, witness, woman at the well, YHWH
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“Super Grace For Super Sinners” (Romans 5:20 sermon)
This week I read about a worship team that was meeting together, planning for upcoming services. They discussed using a certain song at the end of the service to encourage people to come forward and pray. But one woman on … Continue reading
Posted in Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged abundant grace, Agatha Christie, Agatha Christie autobiography, Agatha Christie piano, conviction, excuse to sin, Ezekiel 13:10, Genesis 6:5, grace, grace abounding, grace super abounds, grace that is greater than all our sin, I Corinthians 6:9, I Timothy 1:14, Jeremiah 17:9, Law, more than abundant grace, Parker Solar probe, preachers, preachers and entertainment, Psalm 103, Romans, Romans 3, Romans 5:20 sermon, salvation, sin, sun, super grace, super grace for super sinners, super sinners, tax cuts, Ten Commandments, Titus 2:11, truth
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“Testing The Fruit Of Your Salvation” (James 1:21-27 sermon)
For Mothers Day we got some things for Cheryl for the garden. She loves to garden outside — and I love to go out and walk through the garden with her for 5 minutes before I go inside to read! … Continue reading
Posted in Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged age, Bible, Book of James, born again, church, church attendance, conviction, darkness, doer of the word, faith, Faith works, fruit, fruit of salvation, holiness, I John 1:5, II Corinthians 5, James, James 1, James 1:21-27, James 1:21-27 sermon, John 13:17, John 3, light, Matthew 13 parable of the sower, minister, ministry, mirror, mirror of the word, new creation, obedience, orphans, Paraliament, purification, repent, repentance, salvation, sanctification, scripture, service, sin, slavery, widows, William Wilberforce, word of God, works, worship
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Shut Up By The Scriptures
“But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.” (Galatians 3:22) Paul teaches us here that one of the purposes of scripture is to … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged conviction, Galatians 3:22, Golden Rule, Holy Spirit, love your neighbor, Romans 11:32, salvation, scriptures, shut up
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He Will Convict
“And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8) The word “He” in this verse is important for a couple of reasons:
“The Disciple’s Character: Mourning Over Sin” (Matthew 5:4 sermon)
Many times over the years, people have come to my office, feeling very troubled over a sin or a habit in their life. And sometimes they will say something like: “I feel so bad about that sin; I am not … Continue reading
Posted in "The Disciple's Character" series (Beatitudes Mt. 5:3-12), Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Beatitudes, blessed are those who mourn, character, character of Christ, conviction, discipleship, Donald Whitney Ten Questions To Diagnose Your Spiritual Health, Fireproof movie, I Corinthians 5:2, intercession, Isaiah 6, Isaiah 66:1-2, James 4:9, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jonathan Edwards, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Matthew 23:37, Matthew 5:4, Matthew 5:4 sermon, Monica, mourning, prayer, Psalm 119:136, Psalm 126:5, Romans 7, Romans 8:28-29, sin, St. Augustine
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