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)
- "Blessed Is She Who Believed" (Luke 1:45 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)
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
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- 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
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- Revelation sermon series
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- The Model Prayer series (FBCA 2020)
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Tag Archives: persecution
“The King & The Disciples” (Matthew 5:1-2 sermon)
I have never in my lifetime seen the kind of vindictiveness expressed towards a president as we have seen evidenced towards President Trump: the hatred, lack of submission, people saying “He’s not my President”, etc. I was not a big … Continue reading
Posted in Matthew sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged 30 minute church service, Beatitudes, Bible, Bible Reading, Bible study, Chuck Quarles, Cliff Jenkins, commitment, consumer church, consumer mentality, convenience, crowds, daily bread, daily walk, Deuteronomy 8:3, devotional time, disciples, discipleship, entertainment, family, follow Me, following Jesus, God's will, God's word as food, Golden Calf, honey, Isaiah 53:6, Jesus, king, King Saul, Matthew 10:37, Matthew 4:4, Matthew 5:1-2, meat, milk, ministry, mission partnership, missions, Moses, Mount of the Beatitudes, Mt. Sinai, Pandering, persecution, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh mission churches, popularity, prayer, priorities, Psalm 119:103, quiet time, salvation, scripture, SEBTS, Sermon on the Mount, service, solid food, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, success, truth, walk with God
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Does The World Hate You?
“The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil.” (John 7:7) Jesus told His unbelieving brothers here that the world “hated” Him. Why? Specifically, He said, because He told them … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged hate, hypocrisy, John 7:7, persecution
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Do You Have The Right Enemies?
“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:12) When one of the presidential candidates was harassed at a campaign stop this week, … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Uncategorized
Tagged Beatitudes, enemies, evangelism, joy, Matthew 5:12, ministry, persecution, witness
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“The Disciple’s Character: Persecuted” (Matthew 5:10-12 sermon)
Henry Blackaby, the author of Experiencing God, one time prayed a prayer that many of us have perhaps prayed at one time or another: “Lord, make me like You.” But Blackaby shared that when he prayed those words, God directed … Continue reading
Posted in "The Disciple's Character" series (Beatitudes Mt. 5:3-12), Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Beatitudes, character, character of Christ, disciple's character, hate crimes, Henry Blackaby, homosexuality, I Peter 2:20, India, Isaiah 53, Matthew 5:10-12 sermon, Matthew 5:3-12, persecuted for righteousness, persecution, RSS, suffering, William Tyndale
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Chosen To Die
“For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.” (I Corinthians 4:9) To be chosen by God is … Continue reading
Putting Hardship In Perspective
If you ever think about how hard things are for you as you live and serve in the Christian life, Hebrews 12 may have some good words for you: get a little perspective by pondering the hardships that Jesus endured … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged difficulties, hardship, Hebrews 12, Jesus, ministry, persecution, perspective, service
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Deliverance, Not Escape
In II Timothy 3:11 Paul writes: “What persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me.” Following Christ did not exempt Paul from persecutions. In fact, the next verse famously proclaims: “indeed, all who desire to live … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged deliverance, deliverance vs. escape, II Timothy 3:11, persecution
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