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 Preview of Matthew 10:16-20, 26-34, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson for 2/01/26, "Loyalty Tested"
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 9:10-19, 23-26, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson "Mercy Extended" for 1/25/26
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "True Religion" (Philippians 3:2-3)
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 sermon)
- "How To Seek The Lord" (Isaiah 55:6-7 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 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: faith
“This Is My Story: The Prodigal Son” (Luke 15:11-32 sermon)
A few years back, in a state prison in Hominy, Oklahoma, they had an area in the kitchen they called the “pig slop” pit, into which they would throw all kinds of animal renderings and other food wastes, which they … Continue reading
Faith Sees Past The Means, To God
King Hezekiah was dying in Isaiah chapter 38 — until God intervened. The Lord told him through the prophet Isaiah that he would not die, but live — another 15 years. And God did absolutely heal Hezekiah — no question … Continue reading
Have You Signed A Peace Treaty With The Enemy?
“‘Do not listen to Hezekiah,’ for thus says the king of Assyria, ‘Make your peace with me and come out to me, and eat each of his vine and each of his fig tree and drink each of the waters … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged compromise, faith, Isaiah 36, peace treaty, prosperity, security
1 Comment
“This Is My Story: Cornelius The Centurion” (Acts 10 Sermon)
When we were serving in Louisiana, our church sent a mission team to Suriname, South America, where one of our members was a missionary. The first team we sent went to teach Bible stories in a local school, and they … Continue reading
Posted in "This Is My Story" sermon series, Sermons
Tagged Acts10 sermon, Cornelius, evangelism, faith, gospel, salvation, story, testimony, works
7 Comments
“This Is My Story: The Woman At The Well” (John 4:1-42 sermon)
Several summers ago, a father and his son were out for a walk in a farmer’s field in northern England. The son had brought a metal detector with him, and all of the sudden, it started to squeal. They decided … Continue reading
Posted in "This Is My Story" sermon series, Sermons
Tagged chair illustration, eternal life, evangelism, faith, forgiveness, grace, Isaiah 59:2, Jesus Christ, John 4 sermon, John 4:1-42, John Bunyan, love, love of God, Peter Ackroyd Shakespeare biography, salvation, sin, The Woman at the Well
5 Comments
Giftedness & Humility
“For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged church, faith, humility, pastor, pride, Romans 12:3, spiritual gifts
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“The Message of the Cross” (I Cor. 1:18-24 sermon)
A few weeks ago we installed a new wooden cross over our baptistry. Many people have commented that they like it — but some might ask: why would we put a cross here in our worship center? The answer is … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged church, cross, evangelism, faith, I Corinthians 1:18-24 sermon, ministry, salvation
21 Comments
Sunday Afternoon Gleanings (7-26-15)
Samuel Rutherford was a 17th-century Scottish Puritan pastor who was exiled for his faith. He spent much time writing others at home or in prison who struggled with their faith due to their circumstances. Below are some gleanings from this … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged doubt, faith, prayer, Samuel Rutherford, The Valley of Vision, trials
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Sincerely Wrong!
Won’t a person go to heaven no matter what they believe, just as long as they are sincere? The Apostle Paul wrote otherwise: “For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged faith, John 14:6, Romans 10:2, salvation, sincerity, works, zeal
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