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)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "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
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "True Religion" (Philippians 3:2-3)
- "The Discipline of Fasting" (Ezra 8:21 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: holiness
Worship is More Than Words
We often think of “worship” as the prayers we say, or the songs we sing — or perhaps even the “heart” behind them. And there is some truth to those ideas. But Romans 12:1 should cause many of us to … Continue reading
Holiness & Salvation
In Romans 12:1 the Apostle Paul writes: “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” Realizing the audience the … Continue reading
Are You Really That Close to God?
Many people claim to be “a friend of God”, but the Bible indicates that number may be far fewer in actuality. Psalm 25:14 says, “The secret of the LORD is for those who fear Him, and He will make known … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged accountability, fear, fear of the Lord, friend of God, holiness, intimacy with God, judgment, Psalm 25:14
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Are You Turning Away From Evil?
Job 1:1 says that Job “was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.” That phrase “turning away from evil” is an important one, which should challenge each of us:
Joshua 3:5 Sermon: “Preparing For God To Work”
(Preached at FBC Pauls Valley, OK, Sunday morning July 20, 2014) A couple of weeks ago our son Michael took a Drivers Ed class in Norman. We were all excited about it; we pre-registered him online, and we made sure … Continue reading
Patience With Holiness
Colossians 3:10 says that Christians “have put on the new self, who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him …”. It should be instructive to us that the verse says … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Colossians 3:10, Golden Rule, holiness, patience, process of holiness, sanctification
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Put It To Death
In Colossians 3:5 the Apostle Paul uses striking language to address how followers of Christ should deal with certain sins. He says, “Put to death the members (things) which are upon the earth: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged be killing sin, Colossians 3:5, commitment, consecration, holiness, John Owen, mortification, sanctification, sin
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From Bad To Worse
In I Kings 16 we see a picture of how wickedness compounds. It never remains as it is, but left unchecked will always go from bad to worse:
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged compromise, consecration, drugs, gateway drug, holiness, II Kings 16, lust, pornography, sin, substance abuse
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Holy Gratitude
In Psalm 6:8 David says: “Depart from me, all you who do iniquity, for Yahweh has heard the voice of my weeping.” It is interesting (and instructive for us) that David’s response to the fact that God heard his prayer … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged gratitude, holiness, Psalm 6:8, Romans 12:1, Thanksgiving
1 Comment
When It’s Good To Be Negative
Psalm 1 begins: “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or stand in the path of the sinners, or sit in the seat of the scornful.” In Hebrew there is a 3-fold repetition … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged consecration, Hebrew, holiness, negative religion, Psalm 1:1, relationships
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