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 17:1-13, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Glory," for 3/22/26
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Preview of Matthew 16:13-26, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: "Following Jesus" for 3/15/26
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 sermon)
- Teacher's Preview of Matthew 15:1-11+, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson for March 8, 2026, "Real Devotion"
- "The Church That Made God Sick" (Revelation 3:14-22 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Man Born Blind" (John 9 sermon)
- "Christ's Suffering/Our Salvation" (I Peter 3:18 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 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: love
Pursue Peace
Hebrews 12:14 commands: “Pursue peace, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.” It is of note that the imperative here is to “PURSUE” peace. It is not just that it would be “nice”, and that we … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged controversy, cross, gospel, Hebrews 12:14, love, peace, peacemaking, stumbling block, unity
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The Obedience of Love
In Psalm 119:57 the Psalmist writes: “Yahweh is my portion; I have promised to keep Your words.” Here we see the key to the kind of obedience that God wants from us.
A Faithful Friend
Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” The Bible describes a true friend as one who is constant and faithful. He does not merely love when it is popular, convenient, or … Continue reading
“What Real Faith Looks Like: Perseverance” (James 1:12)
In 1998, I ran the Tulsa Run road race with Paul, David & Libby, our three oldest kids. Cheryl took a picture of the four of us at my favorite time of a race: when it was OVER! After the Tulsa run … Continue reading
Posted in Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like, Sermons
Tagged A.T. Robertson, acid test, Apelles, approved, assurance, authenticity of gold, crown of life, crown of righteousness, diadem, dokimos, games, Genesis 29, genuine faith, I Corinthians 13:7, I Peter 1:6-7, II Timothy 4:7-8, Jacob, James 1:12 sermon, Josephus, kingly crown, love, Matthew 13, nitric acid, once saved always saved, Parable of the Sower, perserverance, perseverance of love, possession of faith, profession of faith, proof of your faith, Rachel, Romans 16:10, salvation prayer, stamp of authenticity, stephanos, tested faith, tests, tests for gold, trials, Tulsa Run, victor's crown, What Real Faith Looks Like
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Are You A Friend?
Proverbs 17:17 says: “A friend loves at all times.” It is probably typical for us to think of this verse from our own perspective: that those who are our friends should always love us, and stick with us through thick … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged being a friend, faithfulness, friendship, love, loyalty, Proverbs 17:17
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“The Real Thing: Love Does Not Hold A Grudge”
I Corinthians 13:5b A generation ago in Communist Romania, a pastor was beaten almost to death, and was then thrown into prison. A fellow prisoner, also a Christian, slowly made his way over to him and, knowing how bitterness … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged "little red book", bitterness, C.S. Lewis, Florence Harding, forgiveness, I Corinthians 13:5 sermon, love
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The Real Thing: Love Is Not Proud
I Corinthians 13:4b Last year, in Santa Cruz, California, a family went on an outing together at a state park close nearby. They made tacos, including mushrooms they had picked at the park – but unfortunately, the mushrooms were … Continue reading
“The Real Thing”
Introduction to I Corinthians 13 “The Real Thing” 9-11-11 a.m. Last year investigators tested the federal “Energy Star” program by submitting 20 fake products as energy-efficient – and only TWO of them were rejected! The other fake products, including a gasoline-powered alarm clock, … Continue reading
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