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)
- "A 'Real Life' Christmas" (Luke 2:1-11 sermon)
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 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: once saved always saved
“Immanuel: God With Us” (Matthew 1:23 sermon)
One of my favorite parts of the Christmas program last weekend was when B.J. and Amy and Greg sang that beautiful song of the annunciation, which is right out of Luke 1:28, where the angel appeared to Mary and said: … Continue reading
Posted in Current Events, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons
Tagged "Sovereignty of God", assurance of salvation, Christ, Christmas, church, Colossians 2:9, Current Events, deity of Jesus, depravity of man, ecclesiology, Ephesians 1:13, Every Day With Jesus, faith, Genesis 6:5, God with us, God's plan, Hebrews 1:3, Holy Spirit, Hymn In The Garden, I Corinthians 6:19, II Corinthians 13:9, illustrations, Immanuel, Isaiah, Isaiah 7:14, Jesus, Jesus and marriage, John 14:8-9, John 1:12, King Ahaz, man, Martin Luther, Mary, Matthew 1:23, once saved always saved, perseverance of the saints, Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church Elf production, Romans 8:15, salvation, sealed in the Holy Spirit, smallpox vaccine, The Greatest Christmas Pageant Ever, trust
Leave a comment
“Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
Some of you remember the bad weather we had a few weeks ago, with all the high winds, and a tornado in the area, and the downpour of rain we got — several inches in very short period of time. … Continue reading
Shall We Sin?
It’s an old question: If “once saved always saved” is true, wouldn’t people use it as an excuse to sin? Romans 6:15 addresses that issue: “What then, shall we sin because we are not under Law, but under grace?” The … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged libertinism, obedience, once saved always saved, Romans 6, sin
1 Comment
If Saved Will Persevere
Many Christians (especially Baptists) are fond of claiming “once saved always saved”, and there is truth in that statement. Those who are genuinely saved will indeed never lose it. But many misinterpret that teaching to mean that anyone who makes … 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
3 Comments
shawnethomas 