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)
- "Your Response to Christmas" (Matthew 2:1-12 Sermon)
- "The Greatest Verse in the Bible?" (John 3:16 sermon)
- "A 'Real Life' Christmas" (Luke 2:1-11 sermon)
- "Blessed Is She Who Believed" (Luke 1:45 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 4:12-25, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson "Invitation," for 12/14/25
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 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’s sovereignty
Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Genesis 50:15-26, “Revenge” for May 26, 2024
An overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” Sunday school lesson for teachers and Bible study leaders. This week’s lesson is for Sunday, May 26, 2024, and is based on Genesis 50:15-26, with the title, “Revenge?” A video version of this … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Ackroyd Dickens, Am I in God's place?, anxiety, bear a grudge, Book of Genesis, brothers, burial, Charles DIckens, Ephraim, example, Explore the Bible, faith, family, forgiveness, Forward in Faith, funeral, Genesis, Genesis 50, Genesis 50:15-26, God causes all to work together, God's sovereignty, grandchldren, grudges, guilt, Hebrews 11 Hall of Faith, Israel, John Milton Paradise Lost, Joseph, Joseph and his brothers, Joseph example, Joseph faith, Lifeway, man's responsibility, Manasseh, perspective, revenge, revenge at first though sweet, revenge dig two graves, revenge is a circle, revenge is a grenade, Richard Osman, Richard Osman The Man Who Died Twice, Romans 12:17-21, Romans 8:28, sovereignty and responsibility, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, teacher help, Vengeance, Vengeance is mine says the Lord, What if game, What If?, work together for good
4 Comments
Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Genesis 37, “Dreamer” for April 28, 2024.
An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Genesis 37:5-8, 18-28, for Sunday, April. 28, 2024 with the title, “Dreamer.” A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged 10 Commandments, 5 Love Languages, church, church conflict, Dreamer, Explore the Bible, family, family conflict, Five Love Languages, Gary Chapman, Genesis 37, God's providence, God's sovereignty, gospel, grace, hagiography, His Very Best, I John 1:8, Israel, Jacob, jealousy, Jimmy Carter, Job, Jonathan Alter, Joseph, Joseph's brothers, lesson overview, Lifeway, marriage, Messiah, problem, providence, responsibility of man, salvation, sin, sovereignty, Sunday School teacher, workplace confict
Leave a comment
Is God Really In Control?
If your circumstances have ever been so bad that you wondered whether God was really in control, you are not alone. Those living in the days of Jesus and John the Baptist must have had occasion to feel the same … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged circumstances, control, God's sovereignty, Matthew 14, Psalm 1:1, purpose, Romans 8:28, sovereignty
Leave a comment
Where Does God Have YOU?
After Nehemiah heard the news of the devastation of Jerusalem, he mourned and fasted and sought God in prayer. Then in the last verse of Nehemiah Chapter 1 he adds: “Now I was cupbearer to the king.” This statement may … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Esther 4:14, God's sovereignty, God's will, I Peter 1:1, Nehemiah 1:11, plan, purpose
3 Comments
God Did It!
In II Kings 18, the Assyrian army under Sennacherib invaded Judah, and the king spoke arrogantly to Hezekiah, king of Judah, about how none of the nations’ gods had delivered them from his hand, and Yahweh their God would not … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged God's sovereignty, humility, II Kings 19:25, pride
Leave a comment
A Model of Balance
In I Kings 18:41-46 we see how the prophet Elijah models for us a balanced attitude regarding God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility:
God’s Part and Ours: Balancing Sovereignty & Responsibility
In II Samuel 10 David had sent his armies to fight a coalition of the Ammonites and the Arameans. Just before the battle, David’s general Joab told his brother Abishai, whom he had given charge of an important part of … Continue reading
shawnethomas 