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 25:31-46, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson "Active Faith" for May 17, 2026
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 24:36-51, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Alert" for May 10, 2026
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "The Church With An Open Door" (Revelation 3:7-13 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "The World, The Flesh, and the Devil" (James 3:15 sermon)
- "The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 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: preparation
Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 24:36-51, Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson, “Alert” for May 10, 2026
Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications to make. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION: ???DISCUSSION QUESTION???“Can … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged "Alert", "The Game of the Century", 88 Reasons Why The Rapture Will Be in 1988, Baptist, Bible, Bible study, Bible study lesson, Explore the Bible, faithfulness, God, gospel, hell, illustrations, Jesus, Jesus return, John Newton, Lifeway, Matthew, Matthew 24, Matthew 24:36-51, Matthew 25, Mount Vesuvius, no one knows the hour, Olivet discourse, OU/Nebraska 1971, Parable of the VIrgins, patience, Pliny, preparation, preppers, rapture, readiness, return of Christ, return of the Lord, reward, second coming, Shawn E. Thomas, Southern Baptist, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, teachers, teaching outline, time of Jesus return, waiting
5 Comments
“Coming To Worship Jesus” (Luke 21:38 sermon)
Charles Spurgeon once told a story about how Caesar Augustus was invited to a feast in his honor; but the attendance was so poor, and the feast was so mediocre, that he arose in the midst of it and lamented: … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Sermons
Tagged beauty of holiness, C.S. Lewis, Charles Spurgeon Caesar Augustus, church, church attendance, clergymen, consider Him, day of preparation, discipleship, family, Hebrews 10:25, holiness, humility, II Samuel 24:24, Isaiah 66:2, Jesus, Jesus glory, Jesus return, John 19:42, Luke 21:28, pastors, Philippians 2, preparation, preparation for worship, pride, Psalm 96:9, Sabbath, sacrifice, sacrifice that cost me nothing, salvation, sleep, Sunday, Sunday morning worship is a Saturday night decision, Sunday sabbath, Sunday worship, worship, worship Jesus, worship sacrifice
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Are You Ready For The King?
Matthew 3:3 tells us that years before John the Baptist appeared, Isaiah prophesied that his basic message would be: “Make ready the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.” The picture the Old Testament prophet was conveying is that … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged consecration, Matthew 3:3, preparation, revival
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Consecration Today For Wonders Tomorrow (Joshua 3:5 sermon)
After months of waiting, this week it is finally here! Starting this Friday Pleasant Ridge will be presenting our Christmas musical “The Grinch” downtown at the CoMMA. It is a major production, and preparations have been made for months in … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged consecration, fasting, holiness, Joshua 3:5, Joshua 3:5 sermon, prayer, preparation
4 Comments
Making US Ready!
In Psalm 10:17 David writes, “O LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear.” Near the end of a Psalm in which he has been entreating God for answers … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged consecration, prayer, preparation, Psalm 10:17
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Don’t Look Back; Look Ahead
I Samuel 16:1 could be a word for anyone who has been paralyzed by past hurts, and who needs to move on and follow God for what He has next for them:
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged God's will, I Samuel 16:1, living in the past, preparation, regret
2 Comments
A Step of Faith
In Exodus 25 God gave His people instructions regarding the construction of the ark of the covenant, and in :16 He commanded: “You shall put into the ark the testimony which I shall give you.” This was an act of … Continue reading
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