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
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- Revelation sermon series
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Tag Archives: salvation
Teachers’ Overview of Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson: Hosea 10:5-15 “The Sin Harvested”
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible Study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson for Sunday, October 30, 2022. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: ??? You might ask your class … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Alexander the Great Theban revolt, Beth aven, Bethel, E.W. Starling George Anderson, Explore the Bible Hosea 10:5-15, Explore the Bible lesson help, Galatians 6 reap what you sow, gospel, how to be saved, Israel idolatry, judgment, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson overview, Rod Masteller, salvation, sin, sow and reap, Sunday school lesson help, Sunday school lesson outline Hosea 10:5-15, Sunday school teacher help Hosea 10:5-15, wisteria
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“How To Run The Christian Race” (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
For most of my adult like I ran for exercise, although I was never very fast. When we lived in Tulsa back in the 1990’s (when I was in my 30’s) I was probably in the best shape of my … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Sermons
Tagged Amy Grant Faith Walking People, Bible Reading, bitterness, Box Hill, Cherry Street Mile Tulsa, Christian life, Christian life not a sprint, Christian race, daily devotions, discipleship, endurance, England trip, entanglements, faith, feelings, fix your eyes on Jesus, forgiveness, friends, George Washington Delaware, Hebrews 12:1-2, holiness, ministry, not a sprint a marathon, one foot in front of the other, PE run, Peter what about this man, running, salvation, sanctification, say goodbye to the feelings, sin, two masters, your race
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“Where’s Your Glory?” (Jeremiah 9:23-24 sermon)
It’s football season, and many college football fans virtually live and die on the success of their football teams. Fans wear their team’s colors on game day, and get excited when they win, and bask in the glory of that … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged athletes injury, boast, college football, conversation, Ernest Hemingway suicide, glory, glory of heaven, God's glory, gospel, Houston hospitals, Isaiah 55:6-9, Jeremiah 9:12, Jeremiah 9:23, Jeremiah 9:23 sermon, Jeremiah 9:23-24, John 17:3, know God, knowing God, Knowing God J.I. Packer, Luke 12 rich man, materialism, Pete Rose batting average, physical ability, pride and joy, relationships, retail therapy, riches, salvation, shopping high, strength, Washington Irving Westminster Abbey, wisdom
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Teachers’ Overview of Lifeway Explore the Bible: Amos 5:4-15
A brief overview for Sunday school teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Amos 5:4-15 for Sun. Sept 18, 2022, “Seek God.” A video version of the overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: You … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged America judgment, Amos 5:4-15 Sunday school lesson, Amos Bible Study, Appointment at Samarra, Deuternomy 4:29, heavens declare the glory of God, Hebrew dawrash seek, Isaiah 55:6, James Webb Space Telescope pictures, judgment, Lifeway Explore the Bible Amos 5:4-15, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson help, Matthew 5:3, poor in spirit, Psalm 19, salvation, seek God, seeking God, Sunday school lesson "Seek God", Sunday school teacher help
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“What God Wants From Us” (Micah 6:8 sermon)
Both the public schools, and our Angleton Christian School have resumed classes now. And I’m sure as classes began, most teachers shared with their students their expectations, right from the beginning: here’s how we need you to act, in your … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Sermons
Tagged Battle Abbey, business ethics, court packing, discipleship, do justice love mercy walk humbly, ephah, George Norris FDR court packing, grace, help from God, humility, I need help, Julius Caesar mercy, justice, Lady Justice, mercy, Micah 6:8 sermon, Percy Bysshe Shelley death, Pharisee and publican, pride vs humility, rich young ruler, salvation, William the Conqueror
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“The Spirit In Us” (Romans 8:9-17sermon)
In Acts Chapter 19, the Apostle Paul is on his way to Ephesus, and he comes across some disciples. He asked them: “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They said to him: “No, we have not even … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Doctrine/Theology, Sermons
Tagged Abba Father, Acts 8 Philip and Ethiopian, assurance, assurance of salvation, Bill Gaither I'm not what I was, Charles Wesley, Charles Wesley and Moravians, Charlie Chaplin, DNA, doctrine of the Holy Spirit, Doctrine of the Trinity, God the Holy Spirit, holiness, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit and salvation, Holy Spirit and sanctification, Holy Spirit conviction, Isaiah 30:21, John Newton I am not what I used to be, John Wesley, leadership of Holy Spirit, plan of salvation, Romans 8, Romans 8 Holy Spirit, Romans 8:9-17, salvation, sanctification, spirit, test of salvation, Trinity, Wesley salvation
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“Gratitude: Your First Step Towards God” (Romans 1:21 sermon)
When John F. Kennedy was president, he was at a dinner one evening when an assistant defense secretary’s wife told him that every night when her husband comes home, she says to him: “How can they say those things about … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Adam and Eve ingratitude, church, Colossians 3:17, creation, daily devotions, Dallek Camelot's Court, Einstein and God, family, forgiveness, giving thanks, gratefulness, gratitude, how to pray, I Corinthians 6:9-11, I Thessalonians 5:18, ingratitude, John F. Kennedy, leper Count Your Many Blessings, marriage, negativity, practicing thanksgiving, prayer, Psalm 136:1, Psalm 95:2, quiet time, relationships, Romans 1:21, salvation, sin, steps to God, thanking God, thanks, Thanksgiving, thanksgiving prayers
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“For All Of Us” (Isaiah 53:6 sermon)
I remember when I was a boy, growing up at the First Baptist Church of Harrah, Oklahoma, our pastor (Hoyt Aduddell) had just preached one of those messages that sticks with you for some reason. The reason this particular message … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged all have sinned, all we like sheep, atonement, BP oil spill, Exxon Valdez, I Peter 2:24, Isaiah 53, Isaiah 53:6, It is well with my soul, Jesus cross, Messiah, my sin o the bliss, respond to the gospel, response, Romans 10:13, RSVP, Ruthanna Metzger RSVP, salvation, sheep, sin, substitute, substitutionary atonement, Suffering Servant
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“Warnings From The Wilderness” (I Cor. 10 sermon)
On the coastline of Japan, there is a little village called Aneyoshi. On a certain spot in the town, there is an ancient stone tablet, engraved with a somber warning: “Remember the calamity of the great tsunamis. Do not build … Continue reading