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 17:1-13, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Glory," for 3/22/26
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 18:21-35, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Forgiveness," for 3/29/26
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 sermon)
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Preview of Matthew 16:13-26, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: "Following Jesus" for 3/15/26
- "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 Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- “The Narrow Way To Heaven” (Matthew 7:13-14 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: salvation
Jesus’ Word & Salvation
“As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him.” (John 8:30) The Bible tells us that when Jesus spoke the words He did in John 8, that “many came to believe in Him.” Sure, there was controversy, as … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Ministry, Uncategorized
Tagged Bible, Ephesians 6:17, evangelism, God's word, Holy Spirit, Jesus, John 8:30, ministry, preaching, Romans 10:17, salvation, scripture, teaching, word, word of God
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“The Scriptures: Life & Light” (Matthew 4:12-17 sermon)
My wife Cheryl & I will have been married for 35 years on May 28th. (She has already informed me that we are not going to be here that Sunday — so I am informing you! 🙂 As you can … Continue reading
Posted in Matthew sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Bible, Bible literacy, Bible Reading, conversion, daily Bible reading, Dikkon Eberhart, discipleship, eternal life, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Matthew 4:12-17 sermon, Netflix, obedience, salvation, scripture, scripture application, scripture memory, The Time Mom Met Hitler book, word of God
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Don’t Miss The Holiness In His Grace
“And Jesus said, ‘I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.’” (John 8:11) Jesus’ response to the woman caught in adultery was an amazing display of His mercy and grace, and the story has touched … Continue reading
Exclusive, Outrageous Jesus
“Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me.” (John 6:45) Many people who think they “like” Jesus today probably have no idea about some of the outrageous, exclusive things He actually said. Here in :45 we … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged Christ, Christology, exclusivity, Jesus, John 14:6, John 6:45, salvation
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Your Works Testify
“But the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish — the very works that I do — testify about Me, that the Father has sent … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged assurance, John 5:36, Matthew 7:20-21, salvation, works
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An Overlooked Verse
“Afterwards Jesus found him in the Temple and said to him, ‘Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you.’” (John 5:14) Jesus had previously healed this man, who had been sitting by … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged holiness, John 5:14, repentance, salvation, sin
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The Love Relationship
“The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.” (John 3:35) Mahatma Gandhi, typical of the Eastern religious perspective, described God as a “force.” But we see no such impersonal description of God in scripture. Here … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged eternal life, force, John 17:26, John 17:3, John 3:35, love, Mahatma Gandhi, relationship, salvation, Trinity, Triune God
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“Fasting For Spiritual Breakthrough” (Matthew 4:2 sermon)
On May of 1776, in the throes of the conflict of the birth of our country, General George Washington sent this order to his army: “The Continental Congress having ordered, Friday the 17th. Instant to be observed as a day … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Matthew sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged apostles, Apostolic Constitutions, discipleship, Early Church, Esther, evangelism, fasting, fasting challenge, George Washington, intercession, intercessory prayer, Jesus, John 4, Matthew 4:2 sermon, Matthew 6, Moses, Nehemiah, prayer, prayer and fasting, rules for fasting, salvation, Samaritan woman, Shepherd of Hermas, Tertullian
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“Into The Wilderness”: The Principle of Spiritual Testing (Matthew 4:1 sermon)
Those of us who have children know that parenting can be a very “up and down” experience. Cheryl & I have talked about this a number of times. It’s like you never get to “sit on your laurels” — even … Continue reading
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