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 Joshua 6:12-25, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Winning Strategy," for June 28, 2026.
- Teacher's Overview of Joshua 3:14-4:9, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson "Remembering God's Works" for June 21, 2026.
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 sermon)
- "The World, The Flesh, and the Devil" (James 3:15 sermon)
- “The Golden Rule” (Matthew 7:12 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "Inviting Jesus Into Your Home" (Luke 10:38-42 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
When You Don’t Have A Word
In Psalm 130 the Psalmist, in “the depths,” cries out to God. Then in :5 he says: “in His word do I hope”. In “the depths” of our own particular situations, we should do the same thing: put our hope … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged a word from God, depths, faith, I Corinthians 10:31, Psalm 100:5, Psalm 130:5, Romans 8:28, Romans 8:29, trials, trust
4 Comments
Pursue Faith
Included in the Apostle Paul’s final admonitions to his disciple Timothy in I Timothy 6 was a charge in :11 for him to “pursue … faith.” To “pursue faith” means to put one’s self, in God’s leadership, in situations where … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged faith, Hebrews 11:6, I Timothy 6:11, living by faith, pursue faith, step of faith
2 Comments
Our God Does Whatever He Pleases!
Psalm 115:2-3 says: “Why should the nations say, ‘Where now is their God?’ But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.” Just like in Israel’s day, there WILL be times in ours when those who do … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged "Sovereignty of God", doubt, faith, Psalm 103:19, Psalm 115:2-3, questions, where is their god?
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The Last Word
In Psalm 89 the author feels cast off and rejected by God (:38) as well as reproached by men (:41). He asks God in :49, “Where are Your former lovingkindnesses, O Lord?” He feels totally deserted. And yet with all … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged blessed be the Lord, commitment, faith, Job, Psalm 89:52, trials
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“What Real Faith Looks Like: Total Commitment” (James 1:6-8)
Cheryl and Michael & I were waiting in the drive through at Wendy’s the other day, and it looked like the people in front of us were having a difficult time making up their mind as to what they wanted … Continue reading
Posted in Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like, Sermons
Tagged Charles Spurgeon, Choose whom you will serve, commitment, cool vs. Christ, double-minded, doubt, doubting, Ephesians 4:14, faith, God or mammon, Hipster Faith, I Kings 18:21, inconsistency, James 1:6-8 sermon, Joshua 24:15, lack of commitment, Landry Jones, Matthew 6:24, Mr. Facing Both Ways, seeking God, split personality, total commitment, two-headed snake, What Real Faith Looks Like, Whitney Hand
2 Comments
“What Tested Faith Looks Like” (James 1:2-4)
We have a lot of people here at First Baptist Church who are going through different “storms” in their lives right now. My own current battle with dysautonomia is well-known to most of you. But I know that I … Continue reading
Posted in Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like, Sermons
Tagged "I Walked A Mile With Pleasure", cocoon butterfly story, drunk driver, endurance, faith, genuine faith, hupomene, James 1:2-4, Joe McKeever, maturity, purpose of trials, Robert Browning Hamilton, Samuel Rutherford, sermon, Sirach, suffering, teleios, tested faith, testing, trials, tried faith
4 Comments
Whate’er My God Ordains Is Right
The words of this old hymn are very pertinent for me right now – in a number of ways – and perhaps they may minister to you, too. Samuel Rodigast (1649-1708), the son of a Lutheran minister in Germany, wrote this … Continue reading
“Morsels From Mark” (Mark 5-6)
I have repeatedly said from this pulpit that each of us needs to read our Bible daily, just for our own personal spiritual edification – NOT to prepare a “Sunday School lesson” or church Bible study, or anything we intend to deliver to someone else. We each … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged application, faith, Mark 5-6 Bible Study, meeting practical needs
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The Righteous Will Live By His Faith
Habakkuk 2:1-4 “The Righteous Will Live By His Faith” 7-31-11 a.m. In the early 1500’s, young Martin Luther had felt the burden and weight of his sin before a God whom he knew was holy; he knew that he … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged faith, Habakkuk 2:4, Martin Luther, perseverance, salvation by faith, Sola Fide
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