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.
- Teacher's Overview of Joshua 6:12-25, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Winning Strategy," for June 28, 2026.
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Joshua 2:4-21, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Amazing Grace," for June 14, 2026.
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "The World, The Flesh, and the Devil" (James 3:15 sermon)
- "The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 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: service
“Standing Firm in Difficult Days” (Philippians 4:1-3)
So: this year we’ve had COVID, and a devastating winter storm, and now the eye of a hurricane pass right over us. Add to that all of the personal and family trials we’ve each had, and I know some of … Continue reading
Posted in Philippians sermons, Sermons
Tagged be on the team, Christian fellowship, Christian service, Christian unity, church, church attendance, church divisions, COVID, COVID and church attendance, do not grow weary, Euodia and Syntyche, fellow workers, Galatians 6:9 do not grow weary, gifts, Jesus John 17 unity, ministry, Olympic rowing, perseverance, Philippians 4:1-3 sermon, service, stand firm, Standing Frim, storm, sunathelo, sunergoi, trials, unity in service, unity in worship, video services vs. in person, you can't get a hug on tv
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“Brother, Worker, Soldier” (Philippians 2:19-30 message)
Those of you who are on social media know that often a person will put on their home page a brief description of themselves, often with just a series of words, saying something like, “Christian, mother of 3, blogger”, or … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Philippians sermons, Sermons
Tagged adoption into family of God, battle stations, brother, brother in Christ, brother worker soldier, church, commitment, commitment level in church, difference in worker and soldier, discipleship, Epaphroditus, Ephesians 2:12-13, fellow soldier, fellow worker, gifts for service, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit gift, I Corinthians 12:7, Meggie Hixson Kigoma Tanzania, Philippians 2:19-30 sermon, Romans 8:15, sacrifice, salvation, service, soldier, Timothy, total commitment, war, worker
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“The Drink Offering” (Philippians 2:16-18 sermon)
Early in his presidency, George Washington was stricken with a serious illness, from which he was slow to recover. Historian Ron Chernow writes: “Washington conceded that his job might have contributed to his ailment and might even kill him, but … Continue reading
Posted in Philippians sermons, Sermons
Tagged C.T. Studd, Christian life sacrifice, drink offering, George Washington sacrifice, invest your life, just one life will soon be past, ministry, missions, Nate Saint, nursery, Philippians 2:16-18 sermon, sacrifice, service, waste your life
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“While You Are Waiting” (Philippians 1:22-26 sermon)
It matters what you believe. A few years ago there was man who was was in high school and decided that since he didn’t believe in God, there was no meaning or purpose to life. And since there was no … Continue reading
Posted in Philippians sermons, Sermons
Tagged Christian life, Dahmer life no meaning, discipleship, don't waste your life, Fruitful labor, George Washington death, John Piper seashells, others, Philippians 1:22-26, selfishness, selflessness, senior adults, service, what's in it for me, work, You're a good man Charlie Brown
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“Working Out Your Salvation” (Philippians 2:12-13 sermon)
SO, how do you follow up on Easter Sunday?! We had such a great day last Sunday, didn’t we? Celebrating our Risen Savior; seeing several people follow Him in baptism — It was a great Easter Sunday. But how do you … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Philippians sermons, Sermons
Tagged Bible Reading, challenge, church attendance, comfort, daily devotions, daily quiet time, dicipleship, Ephesians 2:8-9, Ephesians 6:5-6, eye service, fruit of salvation, George Washington slavery, God is at work, God is at work in you, God worthy, Hebrews 13, hypocrisy, Luke 6:46, Matthew 6:1, our God is a consuming fire, Philippians 2:12-13, responsibility, sacrifice, salvation, Secret Service president, service, spiritual disciplines, spiritual growth, take a bullet, take a bullet for God, Tom Brady super bowl trophy, Working Out Your Salvation, worship, worship attendance
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“Great Expectations” (I Peter 1:4-5 sermon)
One of Charles Dickens’ greatest novels bears the title: Great Expectations. “Great Expectations” didn’t just mean that great things were expected of the young man Pip, whom the story was about. To have “expectations” in old England meant that you … Continue reading
Posted in Doctrine/Theology, I Peter sermons, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Acts 20:32, Ephesians 1:14, eternal reward, eternal security, false teachers, father, FDIC, giving, glory, government debt, Great Expectations Charles Dickens, health and wealth gospel, heaven, Hebrews 9:15, I Peter, I Peter 1:4-5 sermon, II TImothy 1:12, imperishable, inheritance, John 10:28-29, kingdom of God, kingdom work, materialism, once saved always saved, prosperity preachers, reward, rewards, Romans 8:38, salvation, security, service, Social Security crisis, stephanos, theology, time, tithing, U.S. Government, victor's crown, wasting time, Your Best Life Now
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