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
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 24:36-51, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Alert" for May 10, 2026
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 sermon)
- “The Narrow Way To Heaven” (Matthew 7:13-14 sermon)
- "The Word That Sustains In Difficult Days" (Habakkuk 2:1-3 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 (FBCA 2020)
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Tag Archives: salvation
Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway “Explore the Bible” John 7:14-29
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of John 7:14-29 for Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023, “He Sent Me.” (A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged A.W. Tozer theological training, Bill Elliff Simply Prayer, Feast of Booths, Feast of Tabernacles, God's way, God's will, gospel, II Kings 5 Naaman, Isaiah 55:8-9, Jesus, John 7 Bible study, John 7 lesson teacher helps, John 7 Sunday School lesson, judgment, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson John 7, Lifeway Explore the Bible teacher help John 7, Martin Luther Diet of Worms, Martin Luther here I stand, Messiah, prejudice, salvation, Savior, show me scripture, tithe, tithing
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Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway “Explore the Bible” John 5:5-16, “Pick Up Your Mat”
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, over Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of John 5:5-16 for Sunday, January 15, 2023, with the title, “Pick Up Your Mat.” (A video version of this overview is available … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Explore the Bible lesson helps, John 5:5-16 Sunday school lesson, John Lloyd Stevens Holy Land, legalism, Lifeway Explore the Bible help John 5, obedience, pool of Bethesda, repentance, Sabbath controversy, salvation, Sunday school teacher help for John 5:5-16
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“The Promise of Christmas” (Zechariah 2:10-11 sermon)
In the 1800s, R.H. Dana was a student at Harvard who got measles, which weekend his eyesight and kept him from being able to read, so he took a job on a sailing ship in hopes of regaining his health. … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged agent Clint Hill President Eisenhower, Charles Ellet bridge builder Niagara Falls, faith, God with us, Immanuel, Messiah in Zechariah, R.H. Dana Two Years Before The Mast, Revelation 21 God Himself dwell among them, salvation, saving faith, Zechariah 2 sermon, Zechariah 2:10-11 sermon, Zechariah Christmas sermon
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“O Come Let Us Adore Him” (Revelation 4 & 5 sermon)
Christmas celebrations like many of us experience today haven’t really been in existence that long. Many old-time religious folk didn’t believe Christ was born on December 25, so they actually FORBID making it a special day of any kind. The … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons, Uncategorized, worship
Tagged children Christmas, Christmas, Christmas worship, God, heaven, kingdom of priests, Lion and the Lamb, Lion Witch Wardrobe C.S. Lewis, manger scene St Albans West Virginia, O Come Let Us Adore Him sermon, Pilgrims Christmas, Revelation 4 sermon, Revelation 5 sermon, salvation, sons of Asaph, South Christmas log, Thou Art Worthy, worship
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“I John’s Tests of Your Salvation”
Last week Cheryl & I went to the anniversary celebration at Challenger Aviation, Mike Challenger’s aviation business at Hobby Airport. Mike’s wife Mikelle’s dad is on staff at Sagemont Baptist in Houston, and we really enjoyed visiting with him and … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Doctrine/Theology, Sermons
Tagged agape love, assurance of salvation, can I know I am saved, Challenger Aviation, Christian, Christian doctrine, Christian love, Christianity and homosexuality, commandments obedience, conviction, conviction of sin Holy Spirit, David McCullough Wright Brothers, doctrine, forgiveness, fruit of the Spirit, fully God fully man, Hadrian Aristides love one another, holiness, Holy Spirit, how to be saved, how to know I am saved, I John 4:6, I John 4:7-8, I John 5:13, I John assurance of salvation, I John sermon, I John test of salvation, Jesus Deity, Jesus humanity, John 16:8, keep His commandments, Ken Keithley quote indifference, lay down life love, love, love in marriage, love one another, marks of salvation, marriage, obedience, Oberkfell decision, righteousness, Romans 8:15-16, sacrificial love, salvation, sanctification, signs of salvation, sin, test of Holy Spirit
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“He Will Hold Me Fast: 5 Reasons Why A Genuine Christian’s Salvation Is Eternally Secure” (John 10:27-29 sermon)
We have SO many blessings to count this Thanksgiving season, don’t we? But surely one of THE greatest blessings we have to give thanks for as God’s people, is the SECURITY of our salvation in Jesus Christ — that “HE … Continue reading
Posted in Doctrine/Theology, Sermons
Tagged Abraham Lincoln, Charles Spurgeon Isaiah 55:1, discouragement, Ephesians 1 earnest money, Ephesians 1 sealed in Him, Ephesians 1:13, eternal life gift, eternal life meaning, eternal security sermon, God faithfulness, Greek ou me, He will hold me fast song, I Timothy 1:12, II Timothy 2:13, John 10 eternal security, John 10:27-29 sermon, never perish, once saved always saved, perish, perseverance of the saints, Psalm 63:8, Romans 6:23, Romans 8:35-39, salvation
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Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson: Micah 4:6-8, 5:1-9
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Micah 4 &5 for Sunday, November 20, 2022, with the title: “Humble Beginnings.” (A video version of this overview is available on … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Bethlehem Ephrathah, Bible prophecy, dark days, George Washington American Revoluiton, how to be saved, Jesus Bethlehem, Jesus birth, Jesus person and work, John 8 I AM, lesson helps Explore the Bible Micah 4, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson help Micah 4 and 5, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson Micah 4 and 5, Messiah, Micah 5:2, poor in spirit, poverty in spirit, prophecies of Christ, prophecy of Christ birth, salvation, Sunday school teacher help, teacher help Lifeway Explore the Bible Micah 4
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“Sitting Before The Lord” (I Chronicles 17:16-20 sermon)
In the late 1800s, Alexander Graham Bell was a master inventor, producing, among other things, the first telephone. But Bell’s wife Mable was concerned. Once she wrote to her mother that the endless hours he devoted to the telephone frightened … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Sermons
Tagged A.W. Tozer give time to Him, A.W. Tozer no shortcut, Alexander Graham Bell, Brooklyn Bridge David McCullough, busy-ness, Candace Millard Destiny of the Republic, Christian hedonism, daily Bible reading, daily devotions, daily prayer time, daily time with God, David prayer, devotional time, enjoy God, enter His gates with thanksgiving, how to be saved, humility, I Chronicles 17 sermon, King David, prayer, prayer time, Psalm 100:4, salvation, Shepherd, sit before God, slow down, taking for granted, Thanksgiving, time, worship
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Lifeway Explore the Bible: Hosea 14:1-9 “The Restoration Promised”
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson for Sunday, November 6, 2022, “The Restoration Promised, from Hosea 14:1-9. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Bible study, Billy Graham Peace With God, C.S. Lewis Screwtape Letters, cedar of Lebanon, Explore the Bible, Explore the Bible teacher helps Hosea 14:1-9, false gods, false hope, false trust, Hosea 14 lesson outline, Hosea 14:1-9, how to be saved, India gods, iniquity definition, iniquity meaning, Israel, Jesus, Lifeway, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson Hosea 14:1-9, lily, olive tree, prayer of faith, prayer of salvation, repent, repentance and faith, repentance meaning, salvation, Samaria, sinners prayer, Sunday school teacher help, The Restoration Promised Sunday school lesson, witness, witnessing
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