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)
- "The Greatest Verse in the Bible?" (John 3:16 sermon)
- "Your Response to Christmas" (Matthew 2:1-12 Sermon)
- "Blessed Is She Who Believed" (Luke 1:45 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
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 5:13-20, 43-48, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: "True Righteousness," for 12/28/25.
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
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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: perseverance
Taking the Long View on “Wins” & “Losses”
I wonder how often we are very short-sighted in what we consider to be “victories” and “defeats”? At the very end of Ezra 4, after the enemies of Israel had written to the king accusing those who were trying to … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged defeat, Ezra 4:24, perseverance, perspective, relationships, victory, wins and losses
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Learning From The Wicked
Sometimes the people of God can learn a lesson from the ungodly. In Ezra 4, the Bible tells us that the opponents of those who were trying to rebuild the Temple “hired counselors against them to frustrate their counsel all … Continue reading
Evidence of God’s Power
In Colossians 1:11 Paul prays that the readers will be “strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience”. Several words are used here to describe the abundance of God’s power that … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Colossians 1:11, hupomene, makrothumia, patience, perseverance, power of God
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Run With Endurance
Hebrews 12:1 exhorts us: “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that … Continue reading
Just A Number of Days
I Samuel 27:7 says: “The number of days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months.” The chapter begins with David thinking that Saul would eventually kill him if he stayed in Israel, … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged brief episode, God's plan, hour of trial, I Samuel 27:7, perseverance, purpose, time
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Look to the Reward
Hebrews 11:26 says that Moses considered “the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.” In this chapter which extols faith, we find here a glimpse of how it practically works … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged faith, Hebrews 11:26, perseverance, reward, temptation
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Assurance and Fruit
Hebrews 6:11 says: “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end.” Though scripture is very clear that salvation is entirely of grace, it also … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged assurance of salvation, confidence, fruit, Hebrews 6:11, I John 3:19, perseverance
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While I Wait For My God
David wrote in Psalm 69:3 “I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched; my eyes fail while I wait for my God.” We see several things in this verse about David’s response to his trials, which may challenge … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged perseverance, Psalm 69:3, trials, wait on the Lord
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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
Not This Time!
I’m writing as I am just back in from the Sam Houston High School football game at Westlake. I have been sick all week, and did not feel much like going tonight. I really only did so for one reason: I … Continue reading
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