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.
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 12:1-14, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Rejecting Legalism," for 2/15/26.
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 11:1-6, 16-24, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Confronting Doubts, for 2/08/26
- "True Religion" (Philippians 3:2-3)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- Basebaal Strikes Out
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 sermon)
- “No Strange Fire: Honoring God in Worship” (Leviticus 10:1-3 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: heaven
“The Greatest Verse in the Bible?” (John 3:16 sermon)
People often enjoy discussing who or what “the greatest” is in different areas of life. A new acronym has arisen in light of that: “GOAT,” which stands for “Greatest of All Time.” The first time I saw that, it was … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged airplane trust, C.S. Lewis Screwtape Letters, eternal life, eternal life definition, eternal life meaning, everlasting life, faith, for God so loved, Galatians 2:20, GOAT, greatest travel destination, greatest verse in the Bible, heaven, how to be saved, how to go to heaven, invitation, John 17:3, John 3:16, John 3:16 sermon, Jonathan Edwards, love, sacrifice Jesus, saving faith, this is eternal life, Tom Brady GOAT, trust in Jesus, Whoever will call, whosoever surely meaneth me, whosoever will may come, Winston Churchill son Randolph
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“Who God Says He Is” (Exodus 34:6-8 sermon)
Years ago, in his book, The Knowledge of the Holy, A.W. Tozer wrote: “What you think about when you think about God is the most important thing about you.” What do you think about when you think about God? And … Continue reading
Posted in Doctrine/Theology, Sermons
Tagged "The love of God" song, A.W. Tozer what you think about when you think about God, Al Mohler, Bulgaria missions, chesed, compassion God, Dave Ramsey better than I deserve, doctrine of God, Exodus 34:6-8 sermon, forgiveness, God, grace of God, grace to others, gracious, heaven, Jebel Musa, Jesus final revelation, living by grace, love has a long fuse, lovingkindness, Marinne Williamson, new age, Prodigal Son, relationship with God, response to God, revelation, salvation by grace, surprises in heaven, theology, Yahweh, YHWH
1 Comment
“Justification by Faith” (Romans 1:17 sermon; Reformation Day 2021)
There are some days on the calendar that everyone knows are important: — December 25th everyone knows is … Christmas.— January 1st … New Year’s Day.— December 31st? Cheryl’s birthday! And today, October 31st, is a memorable date as well. … Continue reading
Posted in Doctrine/Theology, History, Sermons
Tagged 5 Solas, Acts 10 Cornelius, assurance of salvation, Bertrand Russell searching, Dwight Eisenhower and Billy Graham, eternal life, eternal security, faith, Habakkuk 2:4, heaven, In Christ Alone, John 17:3, justification by faith, life, Luke 10:25-28, Martin Luther, Martin Luther Reformation, Martin Luther Romans 1:17, Martin Luther testimony, October 31 Reformation Day, Reformation, Romans 1:17 sermon, Romans 5:1, salvation by faith, Santa Scala, Sola Fide
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“Which World Are You Living For?” (Philippians 3:18-21 sermon)
Bill Borden was the heir to the Borden milk fortune. When he graduated from Yale, he was offered multiple well-paying positions on boards of directors of major corporations, and he had, materially speaking, everything that a man could want. But … Continue reading
Posted in Philippians sermons, Sermons
Tagged aging, apollumi, appetite, best days ahead of us, best days behind us, Bill Borden, Bill Borden waste, body, business, businessman, Christian and citizenship, citizenship in heaven, consequences of sin, desires, destruction, end is destruction, eternity, feels good, gay lesbian agenda, gay pride parades, glory, glory in their shame, gospel, heaven, heaven our home, hell, homosexual practice sin, homosexuality, homosexuality watershed issue, I Peter 1:4 inheritance, Jesus King, John Newton, Judges every man did what was right in his own eyes, judgment, living for heaven, living for this world, Lordship, Mark Twain The Innocents Abroad, money, Paul Roman citizenship, Philippians 3:18-21 sermon, pride, Robert Caro Lyndon Johnson, salvation, set their minds on earthly thling, St. Charles Borromeo tomb, temporal values, their god is their belly, Which World Are You Living For?
1 Comment
“When Living Is Christ, then Dying Is Gain” (Philippians 1:21 sermon)
Aaron Sorkin, the writer for “A Few Good Men,” “The West Wing,” and other tv shows and movies, was speaking at graduation at his alma mater, Syracuse University, in May 2012, and he said: “Two newborn babies are lying side-by-side … Continue reading
Posted in Philippians sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Aaron Sorkin graduation speech what did you think, British missionaries Allen Gardner, C.S. Lewis God designed the human machine to run on Himself, Charles Lindbergh death, China plane crash, Christian life, glorify God, heaven, kerdos gain, life choices, missionary, personal application, personal choice, Philippians 1:21 sermon, Psalm 16:11, Psalm 17:15, Richard Williams diary testimony, salvation, Samuel Rutherford glory dwelleth, to die is gain, to live is Christ, very much better
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“It’s What’s Inside That Counts” (Matthew 5:8 sermon)
When I got sick in 2012, they ran me through a bunch of tests trying to diagnose my illness. One day I found myself on an exam table, hooked up to an ultrasound machine, and the technician smeared some gel … Continue reading
Posted in Beatitudes Series 2020 FBCA, Discipleship, Matthew sermons, Sermons
Tagged 6th Beatitude, appearance, beatific vision, Blaise Pascal, blessed are the pure in heart, blood of Jesus, clean, clean hands, clean heart, good deeds outweigh bad, good works, heart attitude, heart qualities, heaven, I John 1:7, I John 3:2, I Samuel 16:7 Eliab, Isaiah 1:18, Islam, it's what's inside that counts, katharos, look good, Mark 7:1-7, Matthew 5:8, Muslim, outward appearance, pork unclean, Proverbs 20:9, Psalm 17:15, Psalm 24:3-4, Psalm 27:4, Psalm 51:10, Psalm 63, pure heart, pure in heart, Revelation 22:4, salvation, Seeing God, superficiality, surface, the great reward, Tim Keller beatific vision, ultrasound heart, unclean, we will see Him
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“The Room Where It Happens: The Presence of God” (Luke 1:19 sermon)
One of the most-visited tourist sites in London, England is the Churchill War Rooms. The rooms are in an underground bunker built just before World War II, right in the heart of the city, not far from Parliament or Buckingham … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons, Uncategorized, worship
Tagged "The Room Where It Happens", C.S. Lewis, C.S. Lewis correspondence, C.S. Lewis on nursing homes, Christ will be there, church, church new builidng, church presence of God, church worship, Churchill War Rooms, corporate worship, daily quiet time, daily worship, Ephesians 3:12, eternity, experience His presence, foretaste of His glory, Gabriel, garden of Eden, glory, God, God made us: invented us, God sovereignty, Hamilton musical, heaven, I Corinthians 14:25, I stand in the presence of God, Isaiah 59:2, Isaiah 6:1-3, Jesus, Luke 1:19, oval office, presence, presence of God, Psalm 139, Psalm 147, Psalm 16:11, Psalm 17:15, purpose, Revelation 21:3, Revelation 4:8, salvation, satisfaction, what will we do in heaven, worship, worship services, Zacharias and Elizabeth
3 Comments
“No Worthless Thing” (Psalm 101:3 sermon)
On this Father’s Day, we can remember one of the great “Father/Son” teams in American history, John Adams, and his son, John Quincy Adams, both of whom served as President of the United States. When he was only ten years … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Abigail Adams, belial, Bible sword, billboards, books, Cary Grant Phillis Brooks, commercials, commitment to holiness, Daspe survey pornography, David and Bathsheba, Eve saw, family, Fathers Day, forgiveness, God, grace, grace of God, heaven, holiness, horses peripheral vision, I John 2:16, internet, internet pornography, internet search, John Adams, John Quincy Adams, lead us not into temptation, Love Later Brand Hatch Hajela, lust of the eyes, marriage, Matthew 4 temptation, model prayer, moral thread in books, No Worthless Thing, Philippians 4:8, pornography, pornography addiction, Psalm 101, Psalm 101:3, pursuit of holiness, reading, relationship with God, salvation, sanctification, Satan, scripture memory, sons of belial, surfing the internet, television, temptation, the lamp of the body is the eye, trap, tv watching, warning, word of God
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