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 12:1-14, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Rejecting Legalism," for 2/15/26.
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Judgment Coming," for 2/22/26.
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 11:1-6, 16-24, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Confronting Doubts, for 2/08/26
- "The Greatest Verse in the Bible?" (John 3:16 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)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- Teacher's Preview of Matthew 10:16-20, 26-34, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson for 2/01/26, "Loyalty Tested"
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: humility
“Jesus’ Example of Baptism” (Matthew 3:13-17 sermon)
Adoniram Judson was born in 1788, and grew up in Massachusetts when the United States was still a new country. He graduated valedictorian of his class at Brown University, and wrote 2 books, one on grammar, and one on math. … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship
Tagged Adoniram Judson, baptism, baptism by immersion, baptism obedience, baptism sprinkling, baptism symbol, baptizo, bapto, first American missionary, gospel, humility, immersion, Jesus baptism, Jesus is Lord, Lordship, Matthew 3, Matthew 3 baptism, missions, salvation, thief on the cross baptism, Trinity, Triune God, wedding ring symbol
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“The Glorious Vision” (Revelation 1:12-17 sermon)
George Washington was not only “the father of our country” and one of the greatest men in American history, he also LOOKED the part. Historian Ron Chernow writes: “People were transfixed by Washington’s lean, virile presence. … Washington had … Continue reading
Posted in Revelation sermon series, Sermons
Tagged awe, Daniel 7 Ancient of Days, Daniel 7 Son of Man, David McCullough Harry Truman, eyes a flame of fire, George Washington, George Washington uniform, glory, Harry Truman, heaven, humility, Jesus eternity, Jesus glory, Jesus holiness, Jesus majesty, Jesus purity, Jesus Revelation, Jesus right hand, Jesus sword, Jesus word, John MacArthur, John Revelation, Jonathan Alter Jimmy Carter, popcorn snow, Revelation 1 sermon, Revelation 1:12-17, reverence, right hand, Ron Chernow, salvation, shining like the sun, Son of Man, vision of Jesus, witness
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“Sitting Before The Lord” (I Chronicles 17:16-20 sermon)
In the late 1800s, Alexander Graham Bell was a master inventor, producing, among other things, the first telephone. But Bell’s wife Mable was concerned. Once she wrote to her mother that the endless hours he devoted to the telephone frightened … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Sermons
Tagged A.W. Tozer give time to Him, A.W. Tozer no shortcut, Alexander Graham Bell, Brooklyn Bridge David McCullough, busy-ness, Candace Millard Destiny of the Republic, Christian hedonism, daily Bible reading, daily devotions, daily prayer time, daily time with God, David prayer, devotional time, enjoy God, enter His gates with thanksgiving, how to be saved, humility, I Chronicles 17 sermon, King David, prayer, prayer time, Psalm 100:4, salvation, Shepherd, sit before God, slow down, taking for granted, Thanksgiving, time, worship
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“What God Wants From Us” (Micah 6:8 sermon)
Both the public schools, and our Angleton Christian School have resumed classes now. And I’m sure as classes began, most teachers shared with their students their expectations, right from the beginning: here’s how we need you to act, in your … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Sermons
Tagged Battle Abbey, business ethics, court packing, discipleship, do justice love mercy walk humbly, ephah, George Norris FDR court packing, grace, help from God, humility, I need help, Julius Caesar mercy, justice, Lady Justice, mercy, Micah 6:8 sermon, Percy Bysshe Shelley death, Pharisee and publican, pride vs humility, rich young ruler, salvation, William the Conqueror
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“Jesus Coaches His Misguided Disciples” (Luke 9:46-56 sermon)
A couple of years ago, a hurricane hit southwest Louisiana where we had formerly pastored, and some of you may remember, we had a family come and stay with us in the aftermath. They have a little preschool boy (4-5 … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Sermons
Tagged attitudes of disciples, C.S. Lewis humility, Christian unity, denominations, discipleship, don't win arguments win people, ego, evangelism, humility, Jasper Myers summersault baseball video, Jesus coaches disciples, Jesus teaches disciples, John 17 all be one, John 3:17, John Newton, Luke 9:46-56 sermon, ministry, pastor ego, pride, self-centeredness, selflessness, song He's still working on me, Teddy Roosevelt bride at every wedding, The Cause of Christ Kari Jobe, witnessing
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“God-Given Skills For God’s Kingdom Work” (Exodus 31-18 sermon)
I’m sure many of you life-long Texans are familiar with Jack Sorenson, the Texas artist, known for his western paintings, including this one of Santa Claus riding a horse. W.F. Strong, in his book, Stories From Texas, tells us that … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Ministry, Sermons
Tagged abilities, Bezalel, Bulgaria missions, C.S. Lewis, church, craftsmanship, E.W. Starling, Eric Liddell, Exodus 31, Exodus 38, gifts, humility, Jack Sorenson art, Matthew 25 parable of the talents, ministry, Oholiab, service, skills, spiritual gifts, talents, talk shop, Texas Port Ministry, Woodrow Wilson
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“Three Christian Attitudes” (Philippians 3:12-15 sermon)
A week after he returned to Washington from his famous speech at Gettysburg, Abraham Lincoln was sick. It was actually a mild form of smallpox, so like a lot of people today with COVID, most people were being very careful … Continue reading
Posted in Philippians sermons, Sermons
Tagged Abraham Lincoln, Alexander the Great, ambition, attitude, attitude of forgetfulness, Christian ambition, Christian attitudes, church, David McCullough The Wright Brothers, don't settle, football short term memory, forget what lies behind, forgetting what lies behind, humility, never satisfied, none of us has arrived, Orville Wright Comte de Lambert, Philippians, Philippians 3:12-15 sermon, press on, pride, quarterback short term memory, reaching forward, salvation by faith, Steve Mariucci quote
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Poverty In Spirit: “I Need Help” (Matthew 5:3 sermon)
A pastor who served in California for a number of years shared the testimony of a Hollywood celebrity he knew, who had struggled for years with a drinking problem. But one of the most difficult things they had to deal … Continue reading
Posted in Beatitudes Series 2020 FBCA, Discipleship, Sermons
Tagged baptism, Beatitudes, Charles Spurgeon nothing in my hand I bring, Christian character, Christian life, declaration of dependence, how to be saved, humility, I can't save myself, I need help, Isaiah 64:6, John 5:19, Kingdom of Heaven, Luke 18 Pharisee and Publican, Mark 1:35, Matthew 5:3, morning prayer, nothing in my hand I bring simply to Thy cross I cling, poor in spirit, poverty in spirit, prayer, prayer and dependence, ptochos, righteousness, Rock of Ages, Romans 8:28, Romans 8:29, salvation, spiritual dependence, spiritual growth, spontaneous prayer, The character of Christ
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“God’s Goal For Your Life” (Matthew 5:3-12 sermon)
I’ve heard a number of people talk about their goals for this New Year in 2021: goals for health and diet and exercise. Our daughter Libby asked me the other night what my goal was for how many books I’ll … Continue reading
Posted in Beatitudes Series 2020 FBCA, Discipleship, Sermons
Tagged 8 qualities of the Beatitudes, aiming at wrong target, Baptist B's, Beatitudes, Billy Graham Secret of Happiness, character of Christ, Christian character, conformed to the image of Hi Son, Ephesians 4:13, Francis Chan Crazy Love, God's Goal for your life, God's goals, humility, I John 3:2, image of Christ, image of His Son, Jesus and the Beatitudes, Matthew 5:3-12, mercy, New Year goal, numerical goals, picture of Jesus in Beatitudes, portrait of Christ, poverty in spirit, purpose of trials, Romans 8:28-29, spiritual goals, spiritual success, succeeding at things that don't really matter, success, trials
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shawnethomas 