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 18:21-35, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Forgiveness," for 3/29/26
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 28:1-10, 16-20, "Our Task," Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson for 4/05/26
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 sermon)
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 17:1-13, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Glory," for 3/22/26
- "The Greatest Verse in the Bible?" (John 3:16 sermon)
- "Lessons From Gethsemane" (Matthew 26 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: obedience
Keeping His Commandments
“He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” (John 14:21) It is … Continue reading
The “Next” Verse …
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” (John 14:15) Much attention is focused on Jesus’ promise in John 14:14, “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it”, and rightly so. And yet it is … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Uncategorized
Tagged commandments, discipleship, I John 2:3, John 14:15, Lordship, love, love relationship, obedience, relationship
1 Comment
“The Scriptures: Life & Light” (Matthew 4:12-17 sermon)
My wife Cheryl & I will have been married for 35 years on May 28th. (She has already informed me that we are not going to be here that Sunday — so I am informing you! 🙂 As you can … Continue reading
Posted in Matthew sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Bible, Bible literacy, Bible Reading, conversion, daily Bible reading, Dikkon Eberhart, discipleship, eternal life, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Matthew 4:12-17 sermon, Netflix, obedience, salvation, scripture, scripture application, scripture memory, The Time Mom Met Hitler book, word of God
Leave a comment
“Weary, Yet Pursuing: Obeying God When You Are Tired” (John 4:6-7 sermon)
During the Civil War, the 20th Massachusetts regiment found themselves in combat day after day after day for almost 2 solid months. And it wore them down physically, emotionally, in every way. At the end of June 1864, Captain H.L. … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Civil War, discipleship, evangelism, exhaustion, Jesus, John 4:6-7, Judges 8:4, obedience, prayer, priorities, schedule, time management, tired, weary, weary yet pursuing
Leave a comment
“Whatever He Says To You, Do It”
“His mother said to the servants, ‘Whatever He says to you, do it.’” (John 2:5) This word was spoken by Mary the mother of Jesus to the servants at the wedding at Cana, after they had run out of wine. … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged discipleship, faith, John 2:5, Lordship, Luke 6:46, obedience, weddding at Cana
Leave a comment
“The Example of Joseph” (Matthew 1:18-25 sermon)
(Preached at Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, Morganton, NC 12-18-16) A few years ago, I preached a sermon on Mary, the mother of Jesus, and I had several people tell me afterwards that it was the first time that they had … Continue reading
Posted in Matthew sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged balance, church, holier than thou, homosexuality, instant obedience, J.P. Boyce and C.H. Toy, Jen Hatmaker, Joseph, love, Matthew 1:18-25, Matthew sermons, obedience, righteousness, Rosaria Butterfield, self-righteousness, the obedience of Joseph
5 Comments
Don’t Harden Your Heart
“Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened.” (Matthew 28:11 NASB) You have to ask yourself: just how depraved were these chief priests? … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged bitterness, disobedience, harden heart, heart, humility, Matthew 28:11, obedience, Pharaoh, pride, repentance, sin
2 Comments
Behold I Have Told You
“Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.” (Matthew 28:7 NASB) When the angel had … Continue reading
What Displeases Your Master
“But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed.’” (Matthew 25:26) There are two things which the master of the … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged consecration, holiness, kingdom, laziness, Lordship, Matthew 25:26, morality, obedience, sanctification, sin, wickedness
Leave a comment
The Blessing We All Seek
“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’” (Matthew 26:21) There are many applicable … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged fellowship, joy, joy of your Master, Matthew 26:21, obedience, Psalm 16:11, Zephaniah 3:17
Leave a comment
shawnethomas 