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 20:1-16, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Grace," for 4/19, 2026
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 21:23-32, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Authority," for 4/26/26.
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 19:16-30, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Eternal Life" for 4/12/26
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- Joshua 3:5 Sermon: "Preparing For God To Work"
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Lifeway's Explore the Bible lesson of Acts 17:22-34, "Believe" for Sunday Oct. 13, 2024
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Tag Archives: judgment
Sovereignty & Responsibility (Isaiah 10)
God’s ways are higher than ours, Isaiah 55:8-9 tells us, and there is much we do not understand about them. But some scriptures “pull back the curtain” just a bit and give us some insight into how God works. Isaiah … Continue reading
The Wicked Will Be Punished
“Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.” (Psalm 34:21) God makes clear in this verse what the end of the wicked will be. Their punishment is inescapable: “Those who hate the righteous will … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged evil, judgment, Psalm 34:21, punishment, salvation, wicked
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It’s Not Always Good News
God’s men don’t always have “good news” to share. If they do, they are certainly not God’s men! We see an example of that in Isaiah 7. God has just told King Ahaz that he does not need to fear … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged America, bad news, faithfulness, false prophets, God's people, good news, Isaiah 7, judgment, preachers, prophets
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Epithets
The very last chapter of Romans contains a long list of people to whom the Apostle Paul wished to send greetings. It is interesting to read the little “descriptions” that he attaches to the names of the people he was … Continue reading
The Ultimate “Wrong Side of History”: A Psalm For Our Times,
Christians in America have been dismayed by many recent events in our country, the Supreme Court decision regarding same-sex marriage prominent among them. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by what seems to be an unrelenting tide of ungodliness, and … Continue reading
Posted in Current Events, Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship
Tagged eternity, God, hope, Jesus Christ, judgment, Psalm 113, Psalm 2, same-sex marriage SCOTUS, sovereignty, wrath, wrong side of history
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The Discipline of Service (I Peter 4:10 sermon)
In 1910 Theodore Roosevelt gave a speech in Paris, France, on the kind of people that is needed to make a great society. A paragraph from that speech has become famous: “It is not the critic who counts, nor the … Continue reading
No Small Sin
A church member was once overheard saying: “He’s a good minister, he’s just got a little pride problem.” But pride is not a “little” problem — for a minister or anyone else, as Proverbs 16:5 makes clear: “Everyone who is … 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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If I Were In Your Place
One of the striking statements of the book of Job is found in 16:4, where Job tells his “friends”: “I too could speak like you, if I were in your place.” It should cause each of us to ponder the … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged compassion, discrimination, Job 16:4, judgment, suffering
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The Only One Who Matters
In Job 13:9 the oppressed saint asks his fickle friends a question: “Will it be well when He examines you?” That is a question that should search the hearts of us all.
shawnethomas 