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
- 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)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "How To Run 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)
- "Three Christian Attitudes" (Philippians 3:12-15 sermon)
- "The World, The Flesh, and the Devil" (James 3:15 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
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- Devotions/Bible Studies
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- Discovering FBCA Membership class lessons
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- Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
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- 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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Tag Archives: salvation
“God” or YOUR God?
David begins the prayer of Psalm 7:1 by saying, “LORD my God …”. In Hebrew this is literally, “Yahweh Elohe”. “Yahweh Elohim” is a familiar Old Testament expression for God: “Yahweh” is His personal name (often translated “LORD” but is … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged John 1:12, Psalm 7:1, relationship with God, salvation
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Rescued From Darkness
Colossians 1:13 calls God the One “Who rescued us from the domain of darkness …” (NASB). This verse teaches us that when we were lost, we were under the “domain” — the Greek word is “exousia”: the authority, the jurisdiction, … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged authority, Colossians 1:13, darkness, Ephesians 2:2, exousia, salvation, Satan
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No Right To Complain!
In II Samuel 19:28, Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth uttered these words: “What right do I have yet to complain anymore to the king?” He spoke them as a man who had suffered some loss of property and reputation, but kept his … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged attitude, complain, David, Ephesians 2:1, grace, II Samuel 19:28, Mephibosheth, perspective, salvation
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Fit For Heaven
Colossians 1:12 says that we are to be “giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.” Here the Bible describes how each Christian — even the least worthy — … Continue reading
Entering By Grace
Psalm 5:7 says, “But as for me, by Your abundant lovingkindness I will enter Your house …”. This little half-verse is packed with significance regarding our salvation:
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged chesed, grace, heaven, house of the Lord, lovingkindness, mercy, Psalm 5:7, salvation
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Seeking the Giver
Psalm 3 concludes with :8, “Salvation belongs to the LORD. Your blessing be upon Your people. Selah.” What began earlier in the Psalm as a catalogue of all of David’s troubles ends in exclamations of praise to God for His … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged God, More Than The Water, priority, Psalm 3:8, Randy Presley, salvation, seeking God
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A Religion of the Heart
Psalm 1:2 says of the godly man: “But his delight is in the Law of Yahweh, and in His Law he meditates day and night.” It is significant that this very first Psalm sets the tone that it is the … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged delight, genuine religion, heart, meditate, Psalm 1:2, salvation, worship
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God WILL Give You More Than You Can Handle!
In Psalm 142:6 David makes his request to God: “Give heed to my cry, for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me.” Here David asks God for help, on the … Continue reading
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
