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
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- Philippians sermons
- POTS (dysautonomia) articles
- Psalms studies and messages
- Revelation sermon series
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- The Model Prayer Series
- The Model Prayer series (FBCA 2020)
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- Uncategorized
- worship
Tag Archives: purity
“What Real Faith Looks Like: True Religion” (James 1:26-27 sermon)
What does a “religious” person look like? What do you envision when you think of someone who is “religious”? Someone carrying a big Bible, or wearing a cross around their neck? Maybe somebody speaking from a pulpit, or singing a … Continue reading
Posted in Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like, Sermons
Tagged Acts 4:12, Africa, African Queen, assurance, Bible, Bleak House, Book of James, Book of Mormon, bridle tongue, C.S. Lewis, Charles DIckens, Christianity, consumer religion, Dan & Meredith Shuman, doer of the word, false religion, Fight Club, God, hearers of the word, holier than thou, holiness, home, I Timothy 5, James, James 1, James 1:26-27, James 3, James sermons, James Trail Ministry, Jared Wilson, Jesus, Jesus only way, John 14:6, Katharine Hepburn, life, lifestyle, Luke 18, Mahatma Gandhi, Matthew 7:13-14, ministry, missions, missions starts at home, Mormon, Mormonism, Mrs. Jellyby, narrow gate, nursing home visitation, orphans, Pharisee and the publican, pornography, purity, real faith, real salvation, religion, religion starts at home, religious, Rock of Ages song, salvation, sanctification, scripture, self-righteous, test of salvation, True Religion, What Real Faith Looks Like, widows, words
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Do You Really Want To Know God’s Way?
In Psalm 25:4-5 David prays, “Make me to know Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me …”. Many Christians might identify with these words. Upon reading them they might say, “Amen! … Continue reading
A Balanced Perspective On Sin
“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (I John 2:1) Here in the first verse of … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged confession, forgiveness, guilt, holliness, I John 1:9, I John 2:1, libertinism, purity
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Dear God’s People: Do Not Sin
“My lttle children, I am writing these things to you, so that you may not sin.” (I John 2:1) The Apostle John was good about telling his readers his purpose for writing. In the Gospel of John he specifically stated … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Uncategorized
Tagged holiness, I John 2:1, purity, sin
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Prayer + Purity = Power
In II Corinthians 4:7, the Apostle Paul speaks of “the surpassing greatness of the power” that is in the life of a Christian, even though in and of themselves they are merely an “earthen vessel.” In other words, God manifests … Continue reading
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