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 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)
- "Your Response to Christmas" (Matthew 2:1-12 Sermon)
- "The Greatest Verse in the Bible?" (John 3:16 sermon)
- "A 'Real Life' Christmas" (Luke 2:1-11 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 4:12-25, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson "Invitation," for 12/14/25
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "Blessed Is She Who Believed" (Luke 1:45 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
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- Discovering FBCA Membership class lessons
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- Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
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- John 3:16 sermon series
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- Luke 2 Christmas series
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- missions
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- POTS (dysautonomia) articles
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Tag Archives: persecution
“Am I A Soldier Of The Cross?” (Matthew 5:10-12 sermon)
Many of you recognize the name of Henry Blackaby, the author of the Experiencing God study. He wrote that one time he prayed: “Lord, make me like You.” That sounds like a good prayer to pray, right? But he said … Continue reading
Posted in Beatitudes Series 2020 FBCA
Tagged Ake Green Sweden, Am I A Soldier, Am I A Soldier of the Cross, America moral climate, American persecution, Beatitudes, Boxer Rebellion, character of Christ, Christian persecution, Christianity in India, Christlikeness, current persecution, Defense of Marriage Act, Equality Act, falsely on account of me, for the sake of righteousness, hate crimes, Henry Blackaby, homosexuality, I Peter 2:20, I Peter 4:12, II Timothy 3:12, India, India ministry, India missions, insensitivity, Isaac Watts, John 15:20, John 16:33, Joshua 24:15, Luke 6:26, Luke 9:23, Matthew 5:10, Matthew 5:10-12, Nik Ripkin, Oberkfell decision, persecution, Persecution of Christians in America, Romans 8:28-29, RSS, Sanjay Charan, The Insanity of God, what persecution is not
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“The Ark Of Our Salvation” (I Peter 3:18-22 sermon)
In 1913 there was a great flood in Brazoria County. The three rivers: the Brazos, the Colorado, and the San Bernard, all virtually became one, and the entire countryside was flooded. The streets of Angleton were covered in 3 to … Continue reading
Posted in I Peter sermons, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged 1913 flood Brazoria County, Angleton levee, ark, ark of salvation, Augustine, baptism, baptism saves you, baptism symbol, Billy Graham apologize to Sodom, blood, Brenton Tarrant good boy, children in the ark, children's salvation, commitment, dad responsibility, decision, depravity, depravity of man, disobedience, evangelism, evil, family, father, flood, Genesis 19:14, Genesis 4:10, Genesis 6:5, God's judgment, good at heart, grace, guilt, Hurricane Harvey, hurricane preparedness, I Peter 3 sermon, I Peter 3:18-22, I Peter 3:21, II Peter 3:9, Jesus, Jesus Christ, judgment, lot, Martin Luther, mom responsibility, mother, now is the acceptable time, patience of God, persecution, Psalm 103:9, responsibility, resurrection of Jesus Christ, Roe v. Wade, Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23, salvation, salvation by grace, sin, sin nature, thoughts, today is the day of salvation, Where did Christ go in the spirit, witness
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“Whom Shall I Fear?” (I Peter 3:13-15 sermon)
In Marie Beth Jones’ Tales of the Brazos, she tells of Dr. William F. Bruner, who was one of the first doctors who lived in what would later become Angleton. One day Dr. Bruner was called to treat a young … Continue reading
Posted in I Peter sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Angleton, Angleton Texas, Apostle John, Christ, Christ Lord, Dr. William F. Bruner, evangelism, fear, fear controls you, fear of death, fear of men, fear of the Lord, Herod fear, homosexuality, I Peter 3:13-15 sermon, I Peter 3:14, II Corinthians 5:11, intimidation, Isaiah 8, Jesus, Jesus is Lord, LGBT agenda, Lordship, Lordship of Christ, Marie Beth Jones, Matthew 10:28, Matthew 14, meaning of lordship, Milton Paradise Lost, mission, missions, peer pressure, persecution, Psalm 27:1, Revelation 1, Romans 3:18, Tales of the Brazos, television, tv news and fear, what people think, whom shall I fear?, witness
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“In His Steps: When We Suffer” (I Peter 2:19-23 sermon)
Cheryl & I love to read and watch the old Agatha Christie detective stories, so last year we each read her autodbiography. In it Mrs. Christie tells of a teacher at her girls school growing up. She said she couldn’t … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, I Peter sermons, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Agatha Christie biography, an eye for an eye, become like Christ, Christian life suffering, Christians and persecution, Christians and suffering, Christlikeness, commit to God, despair, discipleship, do not be overcome by evil, do not take your own revenge, entrust to God, faith, following Christ, foolish suffering, fret not, godly suffering, holiness, holy, I Peter 2:19-23, I Peter 2:20, I Peter sermon, I will repay says the Lord, in His steps, In His steps suffering, J.R.R. Tolkien, Joe McKeever, Lord of the Rings, love your enemies, Matthew 26:50, Matthew 5 sermon on the mount, meekness Psalm, never take your own revenge, payback, persecuted for Jesus, persecution, Proverbs 20:22, Psalm 37, revenge, ring of power, Romans 12:17, Romans 12:19, salvation, suffer, suffering, suffering for Jesus, trust, trust God, trust in the Lord and do good, turn the other cheek, why did God do this?, you can't fight the enemy with his own ring without turning into an enemy
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“In His Steps” (I Peter 2:21 sermon)
There were many different college football teams represented here today: we had Longhorn fans, and Aggie fans; Houston and Baylor — even a few Sooner fans — and many others. There are a lot of college football teams to follow … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, I Peter sermons, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Abraham Lincoln suffering, Carl Sandburg Abraham Lincoln, chastening fell upon Him, children, Christ suffered, Christian motivation, church, college football, discipleship, enemies, example, follow, follow Me, following Jesus, go to church, hardship, humbling, hupogrammo, I Peter 2:21, I Peter 2:21 sermon, imitation, in His steps, Isaiah 53, Jesus example, Jesus suffering, life, marriage beliefs, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Matthew 4 follow Me, ministry, motivation, no condemnation, pattern, persecution, personal response, respond, Romans 8:1, RSVP, sacrifice, salvation gift, submit to authority, suffering, trace, wrath of God
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“What Did This People Do To You?”
“Then Moses said to Aaron, ‘What did this people do to you, that you have brought such great sin upon them?’” (Exodus 32:21) The truth was, the people didn’t actually “do” anything to Aaron. At least it wasn’t like they … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged Aaron, compromise, Exodus, Exodus 32:21, Golden Calf, Moses, peer pressure, persecution, witnessing
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Living In A Tent
“Now the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day.” (Genesis 18:1) So Abraham literally lived in a “tent.” When angel asked him in :9, … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Doctrine/Theology
Tagged Abraham, commitment, discipleship, doctrine, faith, false teaching, Genesis 18, glory, hardship, heaven, Hebrews 11:, persecution, perseverance, prosperity gospel, reward, sacrifice, tents, theology, Your Best Life Now
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Standing By The Cross
“Therefore the soldiers did these things. But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene.” (John 19:25) Don’t miss this little phrase in the narrative which describes … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Uncategorized
Tagged commitment, conversation, courage, cross, cross of Jesus, dedication, discipleship, evangelism, faith, John 19:25, lifestyle, loyalty, persecution, preaching, salvation, standing by the cross, suffering, The Old Rugged Cross, trust, witnessing
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“Your Spiritual Fitbit” — The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12 sermon)
Well, our family is officially a part of the “Fitbit” craze. Many of you know what I am talking about. Cheryl got me this Fitbit watch for Christmas, and it keeps track of how many steps you take every day … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Matthew sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Alvin Reid, BBC movie, Beatitudes, character, character of Christ, discipleship, evaluation, Fitbit, goal, hunger for righteousness, I Corinthians 5:2, I John 3:2, Matthew 5:3-12, meekness, merciful, mercy, mourning, peacemaker, persecuted, persecution, poverty in spirit, prayer, Psalm 37, Psalm 37:11, Psalm 63, pure in heart, Romans 8:29, scripture memory, Sharing Jesus Without Freaking Out, sin
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shawnethomas 