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 Joshua 3:14-4:9, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson "Remembering God's Works" for June 21, 2026.
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Joshua 2:4-21, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Amazing Grace," for June 14, 2026.
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "Your Worries & Your Father" (Matthew 6:25-34 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 sermon)
- "The Gift That Is An Insult" (I Kings 9:10-14)
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
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- Discovering FBCA Membership class lessons
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- Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
- Explore the Bible Sunday School lessons
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- History
- Home & Family Life
- I Peter sermons
- India Mission Trip 2011
- Isaiah 53 sermon series Suffering Servant Glorious King
- John 3:16 sermon series
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- missions
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- POTS (dysautonomia) articles
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- Revelation sermon series
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- worship
Tag Archives: salvation
Getting Real With God: Four Important Admissions
The writer of Psalm 130 is very transparent in his prayer to the Lord. We find here that he makes 4 very important admissions which each of us would do well to imitate:
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged admit sin, confession, forgiveness, help, prayer, Psalm 130, salvation, transparency
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The Law & The Need For Grace
Psalm 119 is a great paean to the Law of God, extolling many marvels and facets of His word. Verses 1-8 (in which each verse begins with the Hebrew letter Aleph, as Psalm 119 is an acrostic in Hebrew) open … Continue reading
A Simple Testimony
Psalm 116:6 says: “The LORD preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me.” In keeping with the word “simple”, which opens the verse, the story line here is simple: “I was brought low — and He saved … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged childlike faith, Psalm 116:6, salvation, simple, testimony, trust
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Grace For Those Who Fall Short
Psalm 106:3 says: “How blessed are those who keep justice, who practice righteousness at all times.” If only we did! Unfortunately this rules out every one of us: NONE of us practices righteousness at ALL times! “There is NONE righteous; … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged chesed, grace, lovingkindness, praise, Psalm 106:3, Romans 3:10, salvation, Thanksgiving
2 Comments
Saved “So that …”
Psalm 105:43-45 describes God’s deliverance of the people of Israel from Egypt, and gives us some insight regarding it: 43 And He brought forth His people with joy, His chosen ones with a joyful ashout. 44 He gave them also … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged consecration, holiness, libertinism, obedience, Psalm 105:43-45, salvation
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The Obedience of Faith
Hebrews 11:8 says, “By faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a land which he was to receive for an inheritance, and he went out, not knowing where he was going.” A key word here is … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged faith, Hebrews 11:8, James 2:14, obedience, salvation, works
2 Comments
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
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