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.
-
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: focus
“Watch Yourselves”
“Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.” (II John 8) Despite just warning the church about the false doctrines that the antichrists are out propagating in the world, … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged criticism, focus, II John 8, log in your eye, Matthew 7:
Leave a comment
The Real Reason You Shouldn’t Worry
“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink …”. (Matthew 6:25) Many Christians would admit that anxiety is one of the biggest problems … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged anxiety, focus, kingdom, Matthew 6:25, Matthew 6:33, worry
2 Comments
What’s Your Focus?
“The lamp of the body is the eye; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged commitment, discipleship, eye, focus, Matthew 6:22-23, priority
Leave a comment
“Eschatou”, not “Eschatology”
Many of God’s people are fond of dwelling on the “end times”, otherwise known as “eschatology”, from the Greek word “eschatos”, which means “end.” But this obsession is unhealthy and was rebuked by Jesus when He addressed His disciples in … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Acts 1:6-8, church, end times, eschatology, eschatou, focus, mission
1 Comment
shawnethomas 