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 7:15-29, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Authority Acknowledged," for 1/11/26.
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 6:19-34, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Treasure," for 1/04/2026
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "True Religion" (Philippians 3:2-3)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "Three Christian Attitudes" (Philippians 3:12-15 sermon)
- "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
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- missions
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- Philippians sermons
- POTS (dysautonomia) articles
- Psalms studies and messages
- Revelation sermon series
- Reviews
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- The Model Prayer Series
- The Model Prayer series (FBCA 2020)
- This Week In Paradise (pastors family blog)
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- Uncategorized
- worship
Tag Archives: Matthew 5:3
Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Mark 9:17-29, “Strengthens”
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of Mark 9:17-29 “Strengthens” for Sunday, October 15, 2023. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: share a … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Charles Wesley prayer, demonic, demons, dipsuchos, double minded man, drugs, Explore the Bible, fasting, from the mountain to the valley, homosexuality, I do believe help my unbelief, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus power, John 10:10, Lifeway, Mark 9:17-29, Matthew 5:3, mountain top experience, occult, perversions, poor in spirit, poverty in spirit, prayer, prayer and fasting, Raphael painter, Raphael Transfirguration, Ruth Graham prayer, salvation, Satan, Strengthens, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school teacher help, teacher overview, Tim Keller prayer, transgender
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“The Church That Made God Sick” (Revelation 3:14-22 sermon)
Someone once did a survey of his church group, and he asked them: On a scale of 1-10, “1” meaning that you are very cold-hearted towards God, and “10” meaning that you are really “on fire” for Him — what … Continue reading
Posted in Revelation sermon series
Tagged admit need, Bach JJ, Church at Laodicea, deeds, hot or cold, I Need Thee Every Hour, I stand at the door and knock, Jesus invitation, Jimmy Carter Revelation 3:20, Johann Sebastian Bach Jesu Juva, LBJ, lukewarm, lukewarm deeds, lukewarmness, Lyndon Johnson, Lyndon Johnson need help, Matthew 5:3, ministry, need, poor in spirit, revelation, Revelation 3, Revelation 3:14-22, Revelation 3:20, Revelation sermon, Revelation sermon series, Robert Caro Lyndon Johnson, salvation, service, The Church That Made God Sick, William Holman Hunt Jesus painting, works, wretched meaning
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Teachers’ Overview of Lifeway Explore the Bible: Amos 5:4-15
A brief overview for Sunday school teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Amos 5:4-15 for Sun. Sept 18, 2022, “Seek God.” A video version of the overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: You … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged America judgment, Amos 5:4-15 Sunday school lesson, Amos Bible Study, Appointment at Samarra, Deuternomy 4:29, heavens declare the glory of God, Hebrew dawrash seek, Isaiah 55:6, James Webb Space Telescope pictures, judgment, Lifeway Explore the Bible Amos 5:4-15, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson help, Matthew 5:3, poor in spirit, Psalm 19, salvation, seek God, seeking God, Sunday school lesson "Seek God", Sunday school teacher help
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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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“The Disciple’s Character: Spiritual Dependence” (Matthew 5:3 sermon)
Several years ago I read the testimony of a Hollywood celebrity who had struggled for years with drinking. But they kept denying that they really had a problem. They said the breakthrough came when they got to their lowest point, … Continue reading
Posted in "The Disciple's Character" series (Beatitudes Mt. 5:3-12), Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Beatitudes, character, character of Christ, humility, I need help, Matthew 5:3, Matthew 5:3 sermon, Pharisee and publican, poor in spirit, prayer, purpose for trials, Romans 8:28-29, salvation, self-righteousness, sin, spiritual dependence, spiritual poverty, three most important words, trials
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Am I God?
In II Kings 5 the king of Aram, having heard of the prophet Elisha, sent his leprous general Naaman to the king of Israel so that he might be cured of his leprosy. We find the king’s response in verse … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged dependence, humility, II Kings 5:7, Matthew 5:3, poor in spirit, salvation
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Inquire of the Lord First!
As I Samuel 23 opens, David is told that the Philistines are attacking and plundering Keilah. Verse 2 says, “So David inquired of the Lord, saying, ‘Shall I go and attack the Philistines?’” It is of note here that David … Continue reading
But As For Me …
Psalm 73:1-2a opens: “Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me …”. He (Asaph here) recognized God’s goodness to His people (“Israel”) in general, and to the “pure in heart” especially. … Continue reading
Destructive Self-Confidence (G.K. Chesterton story)
“Once I remember walking with a prosperous publisher, who made a remark which I had often heard before; it is, indeed, almost a motto of the modern world. Yet I had heard it once too often, and I saw suddenly … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Sermon Illustrations
Tagged G.K. Chesterton, humility, Matthew 5:3, Orthodoxy, poor in spirit, self-confidence
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