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)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "The World, The Flesh, and the Devil" (James 3:15 sermon)
- Joshua 3:5 Sermon: "Preparing For God To Work"
- Basebaal Strikes Out
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
Job’s God And Ours
How big is your God? In Job 9:4-10 Job gives us an idea of his view of God. He says, among other things: — “It is God who removes the mountains, they know not how …” (:5) — “Who shakes … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged doctrine of God, glory, God, Job 9:4-10, theology
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The Most Important Thing
It is no accident that David opens Psalm 18:1 by saying, “I love You, O Lord my strength.” His love for Yahweh was the first and most important thing in his life — and should be in ours as well.
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged God, love, priorities, Psalm 18:1, The Great Commandment, worship
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The God of Little Things
The problem described in II Kings 6:1-6 is not what many people would consider a “big deal.” An axe head that one of the prophets had borrowed accidentally fell into the Jordan River. It was a common, ordinary, everyday type … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged concern, God, II Kings 6:1-6, knowledge, love, Luke 12:6-7, providence
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“The Goodness of God In The Midst of Affliction” Sermon on Psalm 119:65-72 preached at FBC Bethalto IL
In February 2012, I stood to lead prayer meeting at the church I had been pastoring for 12 years in Louisiana, and the longer I stood the sicker I became. I had to leave during prayer and have one of … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged affliction, C.S. Lewis, God, illness, memory verse, ministry, POTS, Psalm 119:65-72, Psalm 119:68, purpose for suffering, sovereignty, suffering, testimony, tests, trials
5 Comments
An Unfamiliar Wonder
In Psalm 8:4, David marvels at the attentiveness of God to man, asking: “What is man, that You take thought of him, or the son of man, that You attend him?” The gravity of his statement is increased when one … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged egocentrism, God, humility, man, mankind, pride, Psalm 8:4, self-centeredness
2 Comments
The Ultimate Good
Psalm 4:6 says: “Many are saying, ‘Who will show us any good?’ Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O LORD.” Where is good to be found? The Psalm says, this is what everyone is asking: what good … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged face of God, glory, God, good, I John 3:2, Psalm 16:11, Psalm 17:15, Psalm 4:6, ultimate good
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Seeking the Giver
Psalm 3 concludes with :8, “Salvation belongs to the LORD. Your blessing be upon Your people. Selah.” What began earlier in the Psalm as a catalogue of all of David’s troubles ends in exclamations of praise to God for His … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged God, More Than The Water, priority, Psalm 3:8, Randy Presley, salvation, seeking God
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Be Glad In Your Maker
Psalm 149:2 exhorts us as believers: “Let Israel be glad in his Maker; let the sons of Zion rejoice in their King.” The great truth of this verse is that GOD is to be the source of gladness and joy … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged God, joy, Philippians 4, Psalm 149:2, rejoice, worship
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He Does Whatever He Pleases
Psalm 115:3 is one of my favorite verses; it says: “But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.” The context of this statement is the question of :2, “Why should the nations say, ‘Where now, is … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged "Sovereignty of God", God, goodness of God, Isaiah 55:8-9, kingdom, Psalm 100:5, Psalm 115:3, purpose, wisdom
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It’s Not “Karma”!
In Exodus 22:24 God warned His people that if they afflicted widows and orphans, then “your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.” The irony of what happens to those who oppress others and who then consequently see evil … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged God, judgment, justice, Karma, Proverbs 24:12, repay
1 Comment
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