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 Judges 6:1-4, 7-16, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Called," for August 2, 2026.
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Judges 2:11-23, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: "Consequences," for July 26, 2026.
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- Is "God Calling" Through That Devotional Book?
- "The World, The Flesh, and the Devil" (James 3:15 sermon)
- Joshua 3:5 Sermon: "Preparing For God To Work"
- "Ambassadors For Christ" (II Corinthians 5:20 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
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- Sermons
- The Model Prayer Series
- The Model Prayer series (FBCA 2020)
- This Week In Paradise (pastors family blog)
- Travel
- Uncategorized
- worship
Tag Archives: fruit
No Difference In “The Wheat & The Tares”?
“But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also.” (Matthew 13:26) The parable of “The Wheat & The Tares” has become one of the most well-known parables in American Christianity, primarily through popular contemporary preaching … Continue reading
Character Leads To Conduct
Psalm 14:1 opens with its well-known words: “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds.” This verse is revealing on several accounts:
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Abigail, character, conduct, depravity, fool, fruit, I Samuel 25:25, Matthew 7:20, Nabal, Psalm 14:1, Romans 3:12, sin
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Assurance and Fruit
Hebrews 6:11 says: “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end.” Though scripture is very clear that salvation is entirely of grace, it also … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged assurance of salvation, confidence, fruit, Hebrews 6:11, I John 3:19, perseverance
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Is He Finding Fruit?
Jesus’ visit to the Temple in Mark 11 was followed by His cursing of a fig tree outside of town in :12-14. But the two episodes are not unrelated. He looked at the fig tree to see if He could discover any … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged fig tree, fruit, Israel, judgment, Mark 11:12-14, Temple
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shawnethomas 