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)
- "Your Response to Christmas" (Matthew 2:1-12 Sermon)
- "Blessed Is She Who Believed" (Luke 1:45 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 5:13-20, 43-48, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: "True Righteousness," for 12/28/25.
- "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: praise
Be Careful Who You Praise
“Jesus then said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven.’” (John 6:32) … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged credit, glory, John 6:32, praise
Leave a comment
Four Ways To Praise (Psalm 9)
“I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders. I will be glad and exult in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.” (Psalm 9:1-2) Psalm 9 … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Uncategorized
Tagged happiness, praise, prayer, Psalm 100:4, Psalm 9:1-2, singing, song, Thanksgiving, witness, worship
Leave a comment
What We’re Made For
“The people whom I formed for Myself will declare My praise.” (Isaiah 42:21) This little verse is packed with insight that should inform and direct each of our lives as God’s people:
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged Isaiah 42:21, praise, Psalm 149:2, Psalm 149:4, purpose, relationship, witness
3 Comments
“The Discipline of the Model Prayer” (Matthew 6:9-13 sermon)
(Preached at Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, 5-10-15) I attended a men’s retreat last year and I had the opportunity to talk to a man who shared with me that when he was a young Christian, he was challenged to spend … Continue reading
The Model Prayer (Part 1) “Begin With Praise”
(Preached at Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, Morganton, NC, Wed. p.m., 4-22-15) I don’t know if you’ve seen any of “A.D” The Series on Sunday nights, but like most shows, it has its better moments as well as its weaknesses. One … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Sermons, The Model Prayer Series
Tagged devotions, Matthew 6:9, model prayer, praise, prayer, prayer time, Psalm 100:4, quiet time
2 Comments
Begin With Praise
Psalm 100:4 instructs us to open our prayers to God with adoration: “Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise.” Jesus’ Model Prayer teaches us to do the same: “Our Father, who is in heaven, hallowed be Your … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged II Kings 19:15, Matthew 6:9, model prayer, praise, prayer, Psalm 100:4
Leave a comment
Your Praise: Better Dead or Alive?
In Psalm 6:5 David protests to God: “For there is no mention of you in death; in Sheol who will give You thanks?” He is objecting to his potential death, saying in effect, what good would that do? One might … Continue reading
Popular Praise: Blessing or Bane?
SO many people would give almost anything to have the kind of renown and fame that David received from the people of Israel after he killed Goliath, but as we see in I Samuel 29:5, it is not always such … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged flattery, I Samuel 29:5, John 2:24, popularity, praise, Proverbs 29:5, public opinion
1 Comment
A Word of Thanksgiving
Psalm 111:1 says: “Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart, in the company of the upright and in the assembly.” Here we find several truths about thanksgiving: — “I will give thanks …” … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged giving thanks, praise, Psalm 111:1, thanks, Thanksgiving
Leave a comment
Thanksgiving: “The Freewill Offerings of My Mouth”
In Psalm 119:108 the Psalmist prays: “O accept the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me Your ordinances.” In Old Testament times, the people of Israel were commanded to offer a number of different offerings: the lamb … Continue reading
shawnethomas 