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.
-
Top Posts & Pages
- Romans 7:4-6, 14-25 Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson overview: "Struggle," for 10/11/26
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Romans 6:1-14, Overview of Lifeway's Explore the Bible lesson, "Freedom," for October 4, 2026.
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- “The Narrow Way To Heaven” (Matthew 7:13-14 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 sermon)
- "The World, The Flesh, and the Devil" (James 3:15 sermon)
- "Ambassadors For Christ" (II Corinthians 5:20 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
Will God Find Nothing?
In Psalm 17:3 David proclaims his innocence before God: “You have tried my heart; You have visited me by night; You have tested me and You find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.” David (or perhaps … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged forgiveness, in Christ, in Him, Psalm 17:3, Psalm 32:1, righteousness, salvation, sin
Leave a comment
“Are You A Disciple?” Luke 9:23 Sermon
(Preached at First Baptist, Pauls Valley, OK 8-03-14) In Matthew 28, Jesus gave His Great Commission to go and “make disciples.” The most important business of the church is to make disciples. But what does it mean to be a … Continue reading
All You Have To Do To Get To Heaven
Psalm 15 opens by asking the question everybody wants answered: “O Lord, who may abide in Your tent; who may dwell on Your holy hill?” In other words, how can we get to heaven, to be where God is — … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged grace, heaven, II Corinthians 5:21, Jesus, Matthew 5:48, Psalm 15:1-2, righteousness, salvation, works
1 Comment
Am I God?
In II Kings 5 the king of Aram, having heard of the prophet Elisha, sent his leprous general Naaman to the king of Israel so that he might be cured of his leprosy. We find the king’s response in verse … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged dependence, humility, II Kings 5:7, Matthew 5:3, poor in spirit, salvation
Leave a comment
“Decisions” & Following
I Kings 19:21 says that when Elijah called Elisha to be his disciple, that Elisha sacrificed the oxen he had been plowing with (demonstrating that he was “all in”, see devotion here) and the text continues: “then he arose and … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged commitment, discipleship, following Jesus, I Kings 19:21, Luke 9:23, salvation
1 Comment
The Coming Wrath of God
Colossians 3:6 says, “For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience.” “These things” refers to the sins which :5 mentioned immediately preceding: “immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed.” … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Colossians 3:6, disobedience, God the Son, hen, immorality, Jesus Christ, judgment, Matthew 23:37, protection, punishment, repentance, salvation, sexual sin, wings, wrath, wrath of God
Leave a comment
A Picture of His Grace
I Kings 11 describes how King Solomon allowed his heart to be turned away from God by his foreign wives. He broke the covenant with God and his heart was not fully devoted to Him (:4). But verses 11-12 tell … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged grace, I Kings 11:11-13, salvation, Son of David
Leave a comment
Overflowing With Thanksgiving
In Colossians 2:7 Paul writes that we are to walk in Christ, “having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and strengthened in your faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing with thanksgiving.” It is of … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged blessing, Christ, Colossians 2:7, gratitude, salvation, Thanksgiving
Leave a comment
Promise Breakers
In I Kings 8:25 Solomon prayed: “Now therefore, O LORD, the God of Israel, keep with Your servant David my father that which You have promised him, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to sit on the throne of … Continue reading
Sermon: Romans 1:4 “The Meaning of the Resurrection of Jesus” for FBC Paul’s Valley, 4-20-14
When we were serving in Louisiana one of our church members was coaching a kids baseball practice just before Easter one year, and he announced that they weren’t going to have practice or a game that weekend because it was … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Chuck Colson, commitment, David Koresh, decision, Easter sermon, Ganges River, Hinduism, John 14:6, life change, power, resurrection of Jesus, Romans 1:4, salvation, Watergate
2 Comments
