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)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 5:13-20, 43-48, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: "True Righteousness," for 12/28/25.
- "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
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: personal relationship
“What James’ Faith Looked Like” (James 1:1 sermon)
This summer the Olympics will return to Paris France. It’s always fun to see how our American athletes do — and usually somebody from our country wins, and shares their Christian testimony. In 2008 a young man by the name … Continue reading
Posted in Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like, Sermons
Tagged anointed One, Bible, Book of James, C.S. Lewis, Christ, Christian testimony, commitment, David Boudia, doulos, faith, God, heaven, James, James the brother of Jesus, Jesus, Lord, Lord Jesus Christ, Mary, Mere Christianity, Messiah, Nicodemus, personal relationship, rich young ruler, salvation, saving faith, sin, slave
2 Comments
Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of John 20:1-18 “I Have Seen”
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of John 20:1-18 for Easter Sunday, April 9, 2023 (and re-posted for March 24, 2024) (A video version of this overview is available … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Arnold Toynbee quote, C.S. Lewis The Resurrection, Easter Sunday Sunday School lesson, Frank Morrison Who Moved the Stone, Islam, Jesus prophecy resurrection, Joe Namath I guarantee it, John 20 Bible study lesson, John 20 Explore the Bible lesson, John 20 Sunday School lesson, John 20 Sunday School teacher help, John 20:1-18, Lifeway Explore the Bible John 20, Matthew 28 resurrection of Jesus, Nabeel Qureshi Seeking Allah Finding Jesus, Old Testament prophecies of Jesus resurrection, personal relationship, prophecies of Jesus resurrection, resurrection of Jesus, Romans 1:4 resurrection
9 Comments
Knowing Him
In Psalm 3:3 David said: “But You, YHWH, are a shield about me …”. It is instructive that the enemies of David, the “naysayers”, said: “There is no help for him in God” — the word “God” there is the … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged elohim, knowing God, personal relationship, Psalm 3:3, Yahweh
1 Comment
shawnethomas 