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)
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "A 'Real Life' Christmas" (Luke 2:1-11 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: plans
“Expecting The Unexpected” (James 4:13-17 sermon)
How many of you expected to be here at Angleton Christian School for worship this morning? I didn’t! Some of you saw my post on Facebook yesterday morning: I listed all the activities, all the things we had going today … Continue reading
Posted in Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like, Discipleship, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged balance, cancer, change, crisis sermon, do not know what a day may bring, emergencies, fear, Gaza, gospel, heaven, II Timothy 1:7, illness, Israel, Israel Gaza, James 4, Jesus, Lord willing, Luke 12 rich man, plans, salvation, second coming, spirit of fear, unexpected, World War III
1 Comment
When God Changes Your Plans
Don’t be surprised if things don’t turn out the way you plan. Indeed, often it seems like they rarely do! But Proverbs 16:9 explains why that is often the case: “The mind of man plans his way, but YHWH directs … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged C.S. Lewis, interruptions, plans, Proverbs 16:9, providence
Leave a comment
Roll It To God
Proverbs 16:3 is a good word for any of us who make plans, whether personal, business, or in ministry: “Commit your works to YHWH and your plans will established.” The Hebrew here is literally “ROLL” your works to YHWH” — … Continue reading
Our Limited Plans
Psalm 33:7-8 speaks of how it is God who gathers the waters in a heap, before whom all the peoples should stand in awe. That same Psalm then immediately goes on to point out the limited nature of the plans … Continue reading
Posted in Current Events, Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged future, Hurricane Isaac, plans, Presumption, Psalm 33:10, Psalm 33:12, trust
Leave a comment
shawnethomas 