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)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 4:12-25, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson "Invitation," for 12/14/25
- "Your Response to Christmas" (Matthew 2:1-12 Sermon)
- "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
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- Discovering FBCA Membership class lessons
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- Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
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- Isaiah 53 sermon series Suffering Servant Glorious King
- John 3:16 sermon series
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- Philippians sermons
- POTS (dysautonomia) articles
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- The Model Prayer series (FBCA 2020)
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- worship
Tag Archives: God’s will
A Gospel Decision-Making Grid (Decision-Making, Pt. I)
How do you determine if you are going to do something or not? By whether you “want” to do it? If it will make you appear good to others? Because it will make you money? How do you decide? The … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged decision making, decision-making grid, decisions, God's will, gospel, I Corinthians 9:23
2 Comments
His Will Is Good
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you might prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2) Romans 12:1-2 … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged God's will, Jim Eliot, Psalm 119:68, Romans12:2
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“The Discipline of the Model Prayer” (Matthew 6:9-13 sermon)
(Preached at Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, 5-10-15) I attended a men’s retreat last year and I had the opportunity to talk to a man who shared with me that when he was a young Christian, he was challenged to spend … Continue reading
The Model Prayer: Praying For God’s Will (Matt. 6:10 Sermon)
(Preached at Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, Wed. p.m., 5-06-15) A few years back I read the testimony of a pastor who lived well over a hundred years ago, and who was praying for a friend of his who was very … Continue reading
“If it’s God’s will”?
One must admit, Paul didn’t make much of a “positive confession” in Romans 1:10, when he told the church at Rome: “if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you.” Those words … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged faith, God's will, humility, if it's God's will, James 4:14-16, Lord willing, positive confession, Romans 1:10, word faith, words
1 Comment
Seeking God’s Path
Psalm 25:4 shows us several important things about seeking God’s will for our lives: “Make me know Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths.” — First, it teaches us that our prayers are not to be that God would … Continue reading
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 Told Me”?
In II Kings 18, the Assyrian King Sennacherib had sent his army to capture Jerusalem. In verse 25 he had his messengers tell Hezekiah, King of Judah: “Yahweh said to me, ‘Go up against this land and destroy it.’”
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged God's Spirit, God's will, II Kings 18:25, impression, leadership of the Spirit, revelation
1 Comment
Three Keys
In I Kings 18 Elijah was very bold with his challenge to the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. God answered by fire — but will He always do such things? In :36 Elijah prays: “Today let it be known … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged boldness, discernment, Elijah, God's will, I Kings 18:36, prayer
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His Way, Not Ours!
In Psalm 5:8b David prays to the Lord, “Make Your way straight before me.” In Hebrew it is literally: “Make straight before my face Your path”! This is a significant prayer:
shawnethomas 