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 18:21-35, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Forgiveness," for 3/29/26
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 17:1-13, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Glory," for 3/22/26
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 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 Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "Lessons From Gethsemane" (Matthew 26 sermon)
- Teacher's Preview of Matthew 16:13-26, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: "Following Jesus" for 3/15/26
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
The Great Benefit of Christianity
Hebrews 7:19, comparing the Old Testament Law with the better hope we have in Christ, says: “(for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged benefit, draw near to God, Hebrews 9:19, Isaiah 59:2, Jesus, salvation
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Blessings of a Relationship With God
Psalm 73:23-24 says: “Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. WIth Your counsel You will guide me, and afterward receive me to glory.” “Nevertheless” refers back to the description earlier in the Psalm … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged blessings of salvation, counsel, glory, heaven, Psalm 73:23-24, Romans 10:13, salvation, security
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Repentance From Dead Works
Hebrews 6:1 says: “Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God …”. The writer of Hebrews is addressing the … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged dead works, Ephesians 2:9, faith, good deeds, Hebrews 6:1, repentance, Romans 3:20, salvation, works
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Memories (For My Mother’s 75th Birthday)
Mom, your grandson Paul went down in our family history for the prayer he prayed one night after going to your house in Moore: “God, I thank you that I got to go to Grandma’s house today, and that I … Continue reading
Redeemed
Just before the Exodus of His people from Egypt, God commanded in Exodus 13 that when they came to the land of promise, they were to devote every first born thing to the Lord as a sacrifice. There was one … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Exodus 13:15, firstborn, gratitude, redeemed, salvation
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Psalm 3:3 “Thou O Lord” Part III: “The Lifter of My Head”
The recent shootings in Aurora, Colorado are reminiscent of a similar tragedy over a year ago in Tuscon, Arizona. Former Philadelphia Phillies baseball manager Dallas Green lost his granddaughter in that Tucson shooting rampage, and afterwards, in a media interview, Green was asked how he … Continue reading
“For God …” (John 3:16 series)
In London, England there is a 70-foot high red granite obelisk called “Cleopatra’s Needle” that stands beside the Thames River. In the 1870’s it was given to Britain by Egypt. When it was moved to England, they put a “time vault” at … Continue reading
Posted in John 3:16 sermon series, Sermons
Tagged "For God", egocentrism, ethnocentrism, John 3:16 sermon, repentance, salvation
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“Our Incarnate God” (Philippians 2:5-11)
Just after the Civil War, Mark Twain embarked on a voyage to the Holy Land, which he chronicled in his book, The Innocents Abroad. The work was largely humorous and ascerbic – typical Twain – but he did occasionally wax philosophical, and in the … Continue reading
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