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 Preview of Matthew 16:13-26, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: "Following Jesus" for 3/15/26
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Preview of Matthew 15:1-11+, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson for March 8, 2026, "Real Devotion"
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Man Born Blind" (John 9 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "The World, The Flesh, and the Devil" (James 3:15 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- Joshua 3:5 Sermon: "Preparing For God To Work"
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: sin
Why Not Rather Be Wronged?
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged I Corinthians 6:7, kingdom, Law, lawsuits, selfishness, sin, witness
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When You Must Judge
“For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present.” (I Corinthians 5:3) It should be instructive to us that Paul says here … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged church, do not judge, I Corinthians 4:5, I Corinthians 5:3, immorality, judge not, judging, judgment, Matthew 7:1, sin
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“This Is My Story: The Woman At The Well” (John 4:1-42 sermon)
Several summers ago, a father and his son were out for a walk in a farmer’s field in northern England. The son had brought a metal detector with him, and all of the sudden, it started to squeal. They decided … Continue reading
Posted in "This Is My Story" sermon series, Sermons
Tagged chair illustration, eternal life, evangelism, faith, forgiveness, grace, Isaiah 59:2, Jesus Christ, John 4 sermon, John 4:1-42, John Bunyan, love, love of God, Peter Ackroyd Shakespeare biography, salvation, sin, The Woman at the Well
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“This Is My Story: The Man Born Blind” (John 9 sermon)
There are some characters in books or movies who are popular because they are so heroic or selfless or beautiful, and they are so beyond who we are, and what we can do, that we idolize them as “superheroes”. But … Continue reading
Posted in "This Is My Story" sermon series, Sermons
Tagged evangelism, forgiveness, John 9, man born blind, Nepal mission, popcorn, salvation, sin, story, testimony, This Is My Story
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The Unavoidable Consequences of Sin
In Isaiah 1:4 God laments the sin of His people Israel — a lament which unfortunately could apply to our own nation: “Alas, sinful nation, people weighed down with iniquity.” There are actually SEVEN descriptions of the sin of God’s … Continue reading
Shall We Sin?
It’s an old question: If “once saved always saved” is true, wouldn’t people use it as an excuse to sin? Romans 6:15 addresses that issue: “What then, shall we sin because we are not under Law, but under grace?” The … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged libertinism, obedience, once saved always saved, Romans 6, sin
1 Comment
Who Me, “Ungodly”?
Many professed Christians tend to think of themselves as “pretty good church people” — but Romans 5:6 reminds us that genuine Christians were, at least once, very much otherwise: “For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged attitude, humility, Romans 5:6, self-righteousness, sin, ungodly
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“Just Follow Your Heart”?
How many times have well-meaning people counseled someone by saying, “Just follow your heart”? It is one of those things which just “sounds right” to tell a person who is seeking direction. But it turns out that according to scripture, … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged advice, counsel, deceit, decisions, heart, Jeremiah 17:9, just follow your heart, Proverbs 28:26, sin, wisdom
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