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 13:24-30, 36-43, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Judgment Coming," for 2/22/26.
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 12:1-14, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Rejecting Legalism," for 2/15/26.
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 11:1-6, 16-24, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Confronting Doubts, for 2/08/26
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "True Religion" (Philippians 3:2-3)
- "The World, The Flesh, and the Devil" (James 3:15 sermon)
- Joshua 3:5 Sermon: "Preparing For God To Work"
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "Three Christian Attitudes" (Philippians 3:12-15 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: God
“Your Worries & Your Father” (Matthew 6:25-34 sermon)
The other day I was reading something written by a pastor from generations gone by, and he said of this certain thing: “This is something which is highly dishonoring to God, a sin which we need to make conscience of, … Continue reading
Posted in Matthew sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged anxiety, C.S. Lewis, faith, family, father, Father in Heaven, God, Hudson Taylor, II Corinthians 10:3-5, love, Matthew 6:25-34 sermon, Philippians 4:6, provision, trust, worry
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“The Importance of Forgiving Others” (Matthew 6:14-15 sermon)
Several years ago a pastor went on a trip to England, where a Catholic priest told him and his wife a story about Lady Spencer, the mother of Princess Diana (who had been killed in a tragic car accident on … Continue reading
Posted in Matthew sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged American Christianity, Augustine of Hippo, Bill Elliff, bitterness, Constantine baptism, daily sins, devotional time, eclipse, Emmet Fox gulp acid, Ephesians 4:32, fellowship with God, forgiveness, forgiving others, God, God holy, holiness of God, I John 1:7, John 15:5, Lady Spencer, Matthew 6:14-15 sermon, Michael Thomas' Hallelujah lyrics, model prayer, Peter Brown, Princess Diana, quiet time, salvation, sins, Stephen Acts 7, unforgiveness
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Pour Out Your Heart To Him!
“Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. SELAH.” (Psalm 62:8 NASB) Psalm 62 opens with a contrast between the wickedness and deceitfulness of men, and the faithful … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged God, heart, Hebrews 4:16, pour out your heart, prayer, Psalm 62:8, relationship
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“Show Us The Father”?
“Philip said to Him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.’” (John 14:8) If Jesus had responded to this request with a note of frustration in His voice, it would have been understandable:
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged Colossians 2:9, Deity of Christ, God, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John 14:8, theology
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Worship Isn’t A Matter of Geography
“Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.” (John 4:21) Jesus’ statement to the woman at Jacob’s well in Samaria should not be lost … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Uncategorized
Tagged Acts 17:28, God, I Corinthians 6:19-20, John 4:21, omnipresence, spirit, worship
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A Foundational Lesson About God And Worship
“God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24) Here Jesus teaches the Samaritan woman, and every one of us who reads the inspired record of her conversation with Him, something about God … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged God, Holy Spirit, John 4:24, pneuma, spirit, spirit and truth, theology, worship
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Seeing God In Us
“No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.” (I John 4:12) “No one has seen God at any time.” Not God in His fullness … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged brotherly love, God, I John 4:12, love, witness
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What You Really Need
The story of Jesus’ temptation by Satan in the wilderness is familiar to most of God’s people, but what He actually quoted to the enemy in His time of tempting is very instructive to us. Jesus quoted from Dueteronomy 8:2-3, … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged Deuteronomy 8:2-3, God, Matthew 4:1-7, Matthew 4:4, need, perceived needs, purpose of trials, temptation
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Our Ultimate Aim
“… that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.” (II Corinthians 4:15) This verse reveals something very important when it tells us what happens … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged aim, glory, goal, God, II Corinthians 4:15, man's chief end, purpose, Westminster Shorter Catechism
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God Of Eternity — and 2016!
“For thus says the high and exalted One, who lives forever, whose name is Holy …” (Isaiah 57:15) This is one of a number of verses in Isaiah in which God reveals something of His glory to His people Israel … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Doctrine/Theology, Uncategorized
Tagged eternity, God, Isaiah 57:15, New Year, time, time and eternity
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