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)
- “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: praying
Teacher’s Overview of Psalm 5:1-12, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “God’s Righteousness,” for 8/24/25
An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Psalm 5:1-12, with the title, “God’s Righteousness,” for Sunday, August 24, 2025. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: … Continue reading →
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
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Tagged Baptist, Bible, Bible study, Coke Stevenson, commitment, deliver us from evil, devotions, discipline, don't leave home without it, Explore the Bible, Explore the Bible lesson, faith, God, God holiness, grace, Hebrew, holiness, how to pray, integrity, Jesus, lead us not into temptation, Lifeway, Lord's Prayer, Make Your Bed, Martin Luther, model prayer, morning prayer, prayer, praying, Psalm 5, Psalm 5:1-12, Psalms, quiet time, salvation, sin, Southern Baptist Sunday school lesson, spiritual disciplines, spiritual protection, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, William McRaven
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5 Comments
Teacher’s Overview of Acts 12:6-18, “Praying,” Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson for 8/25/24
An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders of Lifeway’s ‘Explore the Bible” lesson of Acts 12:6-18, with the title of “Praying,” for Sunday August 25, 2024. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: … Continue reading →
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
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Tagged Acts 12:6-18, answered prayer, balance, deliverance, English Civil Wars, Explore the Bible, faith, God, James, Jesus, lesson plan, Lifeway, Mark, miracles, obedience, Peter, prayer, praying, sovereignty, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school teacher help
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7 Comments
“The Model Prayer: Begin With Praise” (Matthew 6:9 sermon)
When the Revolutionary War was over and the United States became a new nation, our country appointed John Adams as its new ambassador to England. When he arrived in London, Adams was to make his first appearance before George III, … Continue reading →
Posted in Discipleship, Sermons, The Model Prayer series (FBCA 2020), Uncategorized
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Tagged Acts 4 prayer, ambassador, begin with praise, Charles Spurgeon, Daniel prayer, David McCullough, discipleship, enter His gates with thanksgiving, example of giving thanks, George III, giving thanks, God is worthy, Heidelberg Castle, how to begin prayer, how to pray, iPod, Jesus' Model Prayer, John Adams, learning to pray, Mark Twain A Tramp Abroad, Model Prayer outline, music, Nehemiah prayer, praise, praise Psalm, praise scriptures, praise songs, prayer, prayer changes you, prayer example, praying, Psalm 100, Psalm 100:4, Psalm 8:1, Psalm 95:1-2, Psalm 96:1, Psalm 9:1, Psalm 9:2, Psalm songs thanks, Revelation 4:11, Revolutionary War, scripture memory, sing to God, singing, Solomon prayer, Spurgeon praise, St. James palace, thankgiving, thanks, Thanksgiving, The Lord's Prayer, The Model Prayer, three means of praise, vertical praise songs
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“The Ministry of the Intercessor” (Psalm 106:19-23 sermon)
Congressman Kellogg of Illinois read the reply from Secretary of War Stanton: the stay of execution for a young man from his home state had been denied. The young man was scheduled to be executed at sunrise the next day. … Continue reading →
Posted in COVID-19 crisis assorted messages, Discipleship, Sermons, Uncategorized
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Tagged Abigail intercession, Abraham Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln pardon, Carl Sandburg Abraham Lincoln, Christ intercessor, church and prayer, Colossians 1:9, daily quiet time, devotion time, emotional cost, Ephesians 6:18, Ezekiel 22:30, Facebook prayer requests, I Peter 2:24, I Timothy 2:1, I Timothy 2:5, intercede, intercession, intercessory prayer, Isaiah 53, Isaiah 59:2, James 5:16, Jesus only way, mediator, ministry of intercession, morning prayer time, Moses stood in the breach, Phinehas intercession, prayer, prayer and fasting, prayer for the lost, prayer for the sick, prayer for wisdom, prayer in worship service, praying, priority of prayer, Psalm 106:19-23, Romans 10:1, salvation, stand in the breach, stand in the gap, Tad Lincoln intercession, the cost of intercession, time
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2 Comments
“Prayers For Those You Love” (Philippians 1:7-11 sermon)
During the American War for Independence, John Adams, one of our Founding Fathers, corresponded with his wife Abigail, and thankfully their letters back & forth have been preserved for us. They are full of humor, and history, and love. In … Continue reading →
Posted in Philippians sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized
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Tagged A.T. Robertson, Abigail Adams, agape love, Benny Hinn Trinity, Beyonce medley in church, Bible, church ministry practice, counterfeit dollars, discernment, fruit, fruit of righteousness, grow in love, Hebrews 5:14, heresy, I Corinthians 13:4-8, I John 1:7, I John 4:1, I Peter 1:22, intercession, John Adams, John Adams prayer, know them by their fruits, knowledge, love, love in the church, Love is patient, Matthew 7:16, phileo love, Philippians 1, Philippians 1:7-11 sermon, prayer requests, prayers, praying, sacrificial love, salvation, theology
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“A Confident Future” (Philippians 1:3-6 sermon)
Last week Cheryl & I went with Scott & Tina to get some fruit trees at the Fairgrounds — and we bought two different avocado trees and two satsumas. I LOVE avocados, so if those trees really produce a good … Continue reading →
Posted in Doctrine/Theology, Philippians sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized
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Tagged Aaron Ausmus police chief, Acts 16, anxiety, Apostle Paul prayer, avocado trees Texas, baptism, believe, building fund, Christianity, church, confidence, eternal security, faith, faith in Jesus saves, family prayer, fellowship, future, giving, God's protection, good deeds, good deeds vs. bad, gospel, gospel message, He who began a good work, He Will Hold Me Fast, I will never leave you, Isalm, Jesus prayer, John 17:12, judgment, keep them in prayer, Keith & Krysten Getty, koinonia, Lydia, ministry, missions, missions giving, Nabeel Qureshi, once saved always saved, participation, perseverance of the saints, Philippi, Philippian jailer, Philippians, Philippians 1:3-6, Philippians 2:13, Philippians 4:6, Philippians sermon, prayer, prayer warrior, praying, protection, Psalm 14, Romans 3, Romans 8:28-30, saving faith, scales of judgment, Seeking Allah Finding Jesus, service, share, The Ballpark in Arlington, there is none good, tithe, What must I do to be saved?, worry
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1 Comment
“Principles of Effective Praying” (Matthew 6:6-8 sermon)
The great British preacher Martyn Lloyd-Jones wrote: “Prayer is beyond any question the highest activity of the human soul. Man is at his greatest and highest when, upon his knees, he comes face to face with God.” (SOTM, p. 45) … Continue reading →
Posted in Discipleship, Matthew sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized
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Tagged Bill Elliff, Catholicism, commitment, conversation with god, discipleship, George Muller, God vending machine, Hail Mary prayer, Hudson Taylor, Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret, hypocrisy, Jesus, Kathmandu, Lord's Prayer, Mark 1:35, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, MasterLife, Matthew 6:6-8, meaningless repetition, mechanical repetition, model prayer, Our Father prayer, prayer, prayer wheel, praying, principles of prayer, priority, relationship, relationship with God, repetitious prayer, rote prayer, rut in prayer, salvation, Susanna Wesley, Temple, The 18 Benedictions, tip of the iceberg, vain repetition
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Morning Prayer
Psalm 5:3 says, “In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice. In the morning I will order my prayer to You, and eagerly watch.” The words “in the morning” are repeated in this short verse, indicating that there … Continue reading →
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship
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Tagged devotions, I Thessalonians 5:17, Mark 1:35, morning prayer, prayer, praying, Psalm 119:164, Psalm 5:3, quiet time
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