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.
-
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)
- "The Greatest Verse in the Bible?" (John 3:16 sermon)
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "A 'Real Life' Christmas" (Luke 2:1-11 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
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 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: II Timothy 3:16
“For the Mouth of the Lord Has Spoken It” (Isaiah 40:1-8 sermon)
Emory University in Atlanta has a big collection of the writings of Martin Luther, who set off the Reformation in the early 1500s, and emphasized justification by grace alone, through faith alone. A couple of years ago, they found this … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged America judgment, atonement, Bible, Bible Reading, Christianity, Christmas, comfort, comfort comfort My people, daily Bible reading, daily devotions, daily quiet time, debt, faith, God, God's word, gospel, Handel's Messiah, History First Baptist Church College Station, II Timothy 3:16, Isaiah 40, Jesus, Jesus paid debt, judgment, King Uzziah, Larry Watson, Lord Shepherd, Malcolm Bane, Martin Luther, Martin Luther document Emory University, MasterLife, Messiah, prayer, salvation, scripture, scripture memory, sin, sin debt, Voltaire, war room prayer, word of the Lord
Leave a comment
“The People of God” (I Peter 2:9-10 sermon)
I noticed from our very first days in Angleton that there is a palpable state pride here in Texas that exceeds what I have felt from the people of any other state – and I love it! The people of … Continue reading
Posted in I Peter sermons, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Abraham Lincoln pardon doll Jack, access to God, Andy Stanley unhitch, be holy for I am holy, boldness, Carl Sandburg Abraham Lincoln, chosen race, church, corporate worship, Deuteronomy 12:30, devotional time, Ephesians 1, Ephesians 2 mercy, Ephesians 3:12, eternity, Exodus 19:6, Galatians 3, God's possession, heaven, Hebrews 4:16, holiness, holy, holy nation, Hosea 1 not my people, I Peter 2:9-10, I Peter sermon, II Timothy 3:16, John 5:39, kingdom of priests, Leviticus 11:44, Leviticus 18, Lo-ami, mercy, Old Testament, people, people of God, priesthood of the believer, prophecies, purpose, quiet time, received mercy, Revelation 5:12, Robert E. Lee justice, royal priesthood, sealed Holy Spirit, security of believer, separation, so that, T.R. Fehrenback Lone Star, Texas, unhitch from Old Testament, witness, world, worldliness, worship
Leave a comment
“The Firm Foundation” (I Peter 1:23-25 sermon)
Years ago, John Wesley wrote: “I want to know one thing: the way to heaven; how to land safe on that happy shore. God himself has condescended to teach the way; for this very end he came from heaven. He … Continue reading
Posted in Doctrine/Theology, I Peter sermons, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged all flesh is like grass, assurance, Bible, born again, church, confidence, discipleship, duct tape, eternal life, fad, firm foundation, foundation, gimmick, gospel, Hebrews 4:12, How Firm A Foundation, Hussein Bolt, I Corinthians 2:1, I Peter, I Peter 1:23-25 sermon, I Peter sermon, II Timothy 3:16, Isaiah 40:6-8, Isaiah 53, Isaiah 55:10-11, James 4:14, John 3:16, John Wesley quote, Matthew 24:35, Matthew 5:17, ministry, Muslim conversion, not perish, once saved always saved, Ozymandias Shelley, perish, perseverance of the saints, Psalm 103, Psalm 90, Rameses II, Romans 10:17, salvation, salvation testimony, scripture, the word of the Lord, Wilbur Wright, word of God
Leave a comment
Bible Doctrine in a Nutshell
Ezra 1:1 gives us a “doctrine in a nutshell” for what we believe about scripture: “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah …”. … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Bible, doctrine of the Bible, Ezra 1:1, II Peter 1:21, II Timothy 3:16, inspiration, scripture
Leave a comment
The Prophetic Function of God’s Word
In I Kings 21, after King Ahab took the land which was the inheritance of his neighbor Naboth, :17 says: “Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite …” God did not overlook this evil deed of … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Bible, God's word, I Kings 21:17, II Timothy 3:16, prophetic function, scripture, sin
Leave a comment
Is “God Calling” Through That Devotional Book?
The books God Calling and Jesus Calling have become very popular devotional readings over the years, making numerous “best-seller” lists. But from the moment I began to see quotes from the books being posted on Facebook and other places I … Continue reading
shawnethomas 