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
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- Discovering FBCA Membership class lessons
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- Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
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- Habakkuk "Find Us Faithful" series messages
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- John 3:16 sermon series
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- missions
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- POTS (dysautonomia) articles
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Tag Archives: discernment
“America’s Verse”?
“Do not judge so that you will not be judged.” (Matthew 7:1) You would think from interacting with people, reading internet posts, or watching interviews on television, that Matthew 7:1 was the single most important verse in the Bible to … Continue reading
Looking Past The Surface
“You are looking at things as they are outwardly.” (II Corinthians 10:7) Many of the Corinthians evidently didn’t think much of the Apostle Paul. He wasn’t very “impressive” outwardly: verse 10 says that many of them were saying, “His personal … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged discernment, II Corinthians 10:7, spirit, surface level
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Don’t Live Like An Animal
Although animals have many good qualities, and many of us have been blessed by their faithfulness and labor, there are some ways in which we are not to be like them. Psalm 32:9 admonishes: “Do not be as the horse … Continue reading
The Demons Know
When Jesus cast demons out of people in Mark 1, :34 says: “He did not allow them to speak, because they knew Him.” There are a couple of important lessons in this verse: One is that the demons have a … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged demons, discernment, James 2:19, Mark 1:34, salvation, spiritual realm
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A Mixture of Error
Rarely does even a heretic get everything wrong. Usually the problem with a false teacher is that they have mixed SOME truth together with error. Elihu, the 4th and youngest of Job’s “friends”, is an example of this:
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged discernment, false teachers, heresy, Job 36, Job 37, prosperity gospel, theology
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Test Words!
Job 12:11 is a great example of some of the good advice this godly man has to offer us: “Does not the ear test words, as the palate tastes its food?” It SHOULD — but unfortunately that is not always … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged discernment, discretion, I Thessalonians 5:21, Job 12:11, music, words
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Wise As Serpents
The request that Tobiah and Sanballat made of Nehemiah in the second verse of Chapter 6 sounded reasonable and innocent: “Come, let us meet together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono.” But as in most situations, there is a … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged discernment, judgment, Matthew 10:16, Nehemiah 6:2, prudence, wisdom
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They Say All The Right Things
Ezra 4 opens by telling how the enemies of Judah heard of the rebuilding of the Temple, and asked to “help.” Verse 2 says they requested: “Let us build with you for we, like you, seek your God …”. On … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged deception, discernment, duplicity, Ezra 4, falsehood, hypocrisy, two-faced
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Three Keys
In I Kings 18 Elijah was very bold with his challenge to the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. God answered by fire — but will He always do such things? In :36 Elijah prays: “Today let it be known … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged boldness, discernment, Elijah, God's will, I Kings 18:36, prayer
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Is “God Calling” Through That Devotional Book?
The books God Calling and Jesus Calling have become very popular devotional readings over the years, making numerous “best-seller” lists. But from the moment I began to see quotes from the books being posted on Facebook and other places I … Continue reading
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