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 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)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 5:13-20, 43-48, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: "True Righteousness," for 12/28/25.
- "The Greatest Verse in the Bible?" (John 3:16 sermon)
- "Blessed Is She Who Believed" (Luke 1:45 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
- "A 'Real Life' Christmas" (Luke 2:1-11 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 will
Don’t Let The Crowd Be Your Guide
“If You are the Son of God come down from the cross.” (Matthew 27:40) Jesus had heard this very same phrase three years earlier, in His temptation in the wilderness at the beginning of His ministry. Now He hears it … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged direction, God's will, Matthew 27:40, peer pressure, purpose
1 Comment
“Accept the Things I Cannot Change”
“How then will the scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?” (Matthew 26:54) The final words of Jesus’ sentence here were significant: “It must happen this way.” His arrest was going to happen. It had been … Continue reading
A Daily Gethsemane
“My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” (Matthew 26:39) The words spoken by Jesus here are some of the most important ever uttered in human language.
It’s Not Complicated
“On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:40) It’s not complicated. God’s basic will for your life as a whole, and for every day, is actually fairly simple. In Matthew 22 Jesus said “the whole … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged God's will, Great Commandment, love, love God, love people, Matthew 22:40
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“A Christian Decision-Making Grid” (I Cor. 9-10 sermon)
In 1939 Dietrich Bonhoeffer was one of the leading Christian preachers and teachers in Germany — but the country had been taken over by Adolph Hitler, and the noose of his control was beginning to tighten over the country. Soon … Continue reading
Fears, Circumstances & Providence
After the wicked King Herod died in Matthew 2, an angel told Joseph that he could take Jesus and Mary back to Israel. But it wasn’t that easy. There would be some “complications”: verse 22 tells us that Herod’s son … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Home & Family Life, Uncategorized
Tagged circumstances, faith, God's will, Matthew 2, Matthew 2:23, providence, purpose, trust
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When It’s Time To Keep Your Mouth Closed
“I have become mute, I do not open my mouth, because it is You who have done it.” (Psalm 39:9) Although we do not know the exact nature of it, David was in a life crisis here in Psalm 39. … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged acceptance, complaint Psalms, God's will, prayer, Psalm 39, Psalm 39:9, resignation, sovereignty, trust
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God Will Do What Your Worry Won’t
“For I am God, and there is no other; God, and there is no one like Me … saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure.’” (Isaiah 46:9-10) If you’re tempted to worry about … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged "Sovereignty of God", anxiety, God's will, Isaiah 46:9-10, kingdom, kingdom work, service, sovereignty, trust, worry
1 Comment
Paul on Decision-Making, Part III
“Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (I Corinthians 10:31) In the book of I Corinthians, the Apostle Paul shares several “nuggets” of truth which can help us in our … Continue reading
Decision-Making, Part II
“Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor.” (I Corinthians 10:24) Having already stated in I Corinthians 9:23 that his first consideration in decision-making was the gospel (see post here), Paul here offers a second: consider … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged decision making, decisions, God's will, I Corinthians 10:25, Philippians 2:4, selflessness
1 Comment
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