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 13:24-30, 36-43, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Judgment Coming," for 2/22/26.
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 12:1-14, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Rejecting Legalism," for 2/15/26.
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 11:1-6, 16-24, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Confronting Doubts, for 2/08/26
- "The World, The Flesh, and the Devil" (James 3:15 sermon)
- Lifeway "Explore the Bible" Jonah 1:15-2:10 "No Escape"
- "True Religion" (Philippians 3:2-3)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- “No Strange Fire: Honoring God in Worship” (Leviticus 10:1-3 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: sin
“We Are All A Mixed Bag” (Luke 10:38-42 sermon)
One of the controversies that has engulfed our country the last months has been regarding statues in different parts of our country, of people who had something in their past which is offensive to some people today. For example, Thomas … Continue reading →
Posted in Luke 10:38-42 Mary & Martha series, Sermons
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Tagged Apostle Paul, Christ sinless, Christopher Columbus, church family, church members, church staff, depravity of man, discernment, Donald Trump, Dr. D. James Kennedy, Dr. Lydgate Rosamund, evaluating sermons, flaws, friends, George Eliot, George Washington, George Washington anger, George Washington slavery, Hebrews 4:15, I Corinthians 13, II Corinthians 5:21, image of God, Imago Dei, Joe Biden, Love is patient, Luke 10:38-42, marriage, Martin Luther King Jr., Mary and Martha, Max Barnett, Middlemarch, ministers, no perfect candidate, pastors, perfect womanhood, Peter, Pharisee Luke 18, plan of salvation, political candidates, politics, Psalm 14, relationships, Romans 7, salvation, sin, sin nature, soulmate, statue controversy, the best person you know is fatally flawed, Thomas Jefferson, We Are All A Mixed Bag
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“The Maladies of Martha” (Luke 10:38-42 sermon)
A few weeks ago I read Joseph J. Ellis’ book on President Thomas Jefferson, entitled American Sphinx. In it, he discussed, among other things, the men who influenced Jefferson and made him the kind of president that he was. He … Continue reading →
Posted in Discipleship, Luke 10:38-42 Mary & Martha series, Sermons, Uncategorized
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Tagged accusing God, busy-ness, Christian growth, consecration, COVID-19, daily Bible reading, daily devotions, daily prayer time, daily quiet time, devotions, discipleship, does God care?, egocentrism, Ephesians 2, example, Exodus 2:24-25, God, God mercy, God who sees, God's will, Hagar in the wilderness, It's not about you, Job 38-39, John 21 you follow Me, John Adams, Joseph J. Ellis American Sphinx, log out of your own eye, love, love of God, Luke 10:38-42 sermon, Maladies of Martha, Mark 4:38, Mark 5 Gerasene demoniac, marriage, Martha, mercy of God, morning prayer time, negative example, others' shortcomings, others' sins, our will, prayer, priorities, relationships, Rick Warren Purpose Driven Life it's not about you, salvation, sanctification, schedule, self-centeredness, selfish, selfishness, sin, spiritual growth, telling God what to do, Thomas Jefferson, Thy will be done, time, time with God, what's in it for me?
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“Find Me At The Feet Of Jesus” (Luke 10:38-42 sermon)
In the 1700’s, Thomas Scott was a young man who felt a call to go into the ministry, but he didn’t know much about it. He became acquainted with John Newton, the author of the hymn “Amazing Grace,” who was … Continue reading →
Posted in Luke 10:38-42 Mary & Martha series, Sermons, Uncategorized
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Tagged Acts 22:3, Bible Reading, Bible reading plan, busy-ness, Christopher Hogwood, daily devotions, daily quiet time, feet of Jesus, George Frideric Handel, giving thanks, gospel, greatest priority, Handel, help my unbelief, Hudson Taylor, Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret, humility, Isaiah 59:2, Isaiah 66:1-2, journaling, listen to God's word, Luke 10:38-42 sermon, Mark 9, Mary and Martha, Michael Kelly Christoph Gluck, model prayer, morning prayer time, most important priority, one thing, prayer, prayer time, priority, Psalm 147, Psalm 27:4, salvation, sin, singing, Thanksgiving, witnessing, worship
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“Save Me By Your Grace” (Psalm 6:4 sermon/Lord’s Supper)
After the Second World War, General Douglas MacArthur and his wife and their little son Arthur went to live in Japan, where MacArthur was administering the Island after the war. As things settled down, slowly the American occupying troops were … Continue reading →
Posted in COVID-19 crisis assorted messages, Doctrine/Theology, Sermons, Uncategorized
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Tagged all have sinned, Arthur MacArthur, blood of Jesus, body and the blood, cheap grace, Cleopatra A Life Stacy Schiff, confess sin, COVID vaccine, COVID-19, definition of grace, depravity of man, evangelism, faith, free grace, General Douglas MacArthur, grace, greed, I Peter 2:24, invitation, Japan, John 1:12, Julius Caesar pardon, Just and the Justifier, Lord's Supper, Luke 6:46, nature of man, ordinance, personal application, praise of the glory of His grace, Psalm 6:4 sermon, Romans 3:23, salvation, salvation prayer, save me by Your grace, saved by grace, sin, sin nature, World War II
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“The Lord Tests The Righteous” (Psalm 11:5 sermon)
During the Civil War, they got a new orderly, a young man to carry messages to and from President Abraham Lincoln. Not long after he started, someone offered him $100 (which was a lot of money back in the 1860’s!) … Continue reading →
Posted in COVID-19 crisis assorted messages, Current Events, Sermons, Uncategorized
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Tagged Abigail Adams, Affliction is a good man's shining time, Carl Sandburg Abraham Lincoln, character, compromise, COVID-19, COVID-19 time of testing, foundations destroyed, Genesis 42:15, God is on the throne, God of the Bible, God sovereignty, gold refined, heart, I AM, I AM THAT I AM, I Chronicles 29:17, it's a test, Job, Job 23:10, John Newton, Matthew 13 parable of the sower, Navy SEAL, Navy SEAL hell week, perseverance, perseverance of the saints, priorities, Psalm 11:5 sermon, Psalm 1:1, ring the bell, Say "This is a test!", sin, test, test heart, test of salvation, testing, The Lord is in His holy temple, the Lord tests the righteous, William H. McRaven, Yahweh, YHWH
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“Dying, Yet Being Renewed” (II Corinthians 4:16 sermon)
Writing at age 75, mystery writer Agatha Christie observed: “With every year that passes, something has to be crossed off (my) list of pleasures. Long walks are off, and alas, bathing in the sea; fillet steaks and apples and raw … Continue reading →
Posted in COVID-19 crisis assorted messages, Sermons, Uncategorized
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Tagged abortion, adoption, Agatha Christie, age, aging, aging process, Bible, body, body soul spirit, breath of life, Colossians 3:10, consecration, consequences of sin, COVID-19, daily Bible reading, daily quiet time, Death, decay, devotions, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, dying, Ephesians 3:16, Ephesians 4:18, eso, exo, exoskeleton, Facebook Live prayer meeting, Genesis 17, God, growing old, Holy Spirit, human life, human nature, I Thessalonians 5:23, II Corinthians 4:16, II Corinthians 4:16 sermon, II Corinthians 5:17, Ingrid Newkirk PETA founder, inner, inner man, Isaiah 59:2, Jesus Christ, joy, joy in the Lord, Live Stream worship, living soul, Luke 12:33 moth, new creation, new creature, new man, new self, outer man, pain is a holy angel, patience with others, patience with self, process of sanctification, regeneration, renewing mind, Romans 12:1-2, Romans 8:28, salvation, sanctification, sin, soul, spirit, word of God, Zoom
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“Preparing the Way for Our King” (Luke 3 sermon)
In 1789 George Washington was elected as the first President of the United States — and the country went wild with celebration. Washington, who was reluctant to take the office, left his home at Mount Vernon to make his way … Continue reading →
Posted in COVID-19 crisis assorted messages, Sermons, Uncategorized
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Tagged "rededicate your life", Bible Reading, change of mind, confession, COVID-19, daily Bible reading, First Baptist Church, George Washington, Isaiah 40, John the Baptist, Luke 3, preparation, rededication, repent, repentance, revival, sin, specific repentance, Then what shall I do?, U-turn, u-turn absolutely required
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“Coming Back To Worship ‘In The Spirit'” (Luke 2:27 sermon)
It’s good to see people starting to come back and participate in our worship services again — it’s been growing over the last 2-3 weeks, and hopefully that will continue. But many are suggesting that we won’t ever get back … Continue reading →
Posted in COVID-19 crisis assorted messages, Discipleship, Sermons, Uncategorized
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Tagged Acts 1:8, baptism in the Holy Spirit, church, church attendance, church like an orchestra, cleanse yourselves, confession of sin, daily Bible reading, daily quiet time, devotions, don't mortgage your Sunday morning, Ephesians 1:13, expectation for worship, faith, full of the Spirit, Hebrews 10:25, Hebrews 11:6, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit and salvation, Holy Spirit in you, I Corinthians 11 Lord's Supper, II TImothy 2:21, indwelling Holy Spirit, Isaiah 1, Isaiah 1:18, John 15:5, Luke 2:27 sermon, Luke Holy Spirit, morning worship time, One God Three Persons, Person of the Holy Spirit, preparation for worship, prepare for worship, prepare worship, Puritans, rest Sunday, Romans 8:9, salvation, Saturday night, sealed in the Holy Spirit, sermon note taking, sermon notes, Simeon, sin, spirit, spiritual preparation for worship, Sunday morning worship attire, Trinity, wash yourselves, worship, worship expectancy, worship preparation
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“The People of Joy & Gladness” (Luke 1:14 sermon)
H.L. Mencken was an American writer and commentator in the mid-1900’s, and he is famous, among other things, for his quip that “Puritanism (is) the haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.” That’s the picture that many people have … Continue reading →
Posted in COVID-19 crisis assorted messages, Sermons, Uncategorized
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Tagged Adam & Eve, angel Gabriel, Bible Reading, church, coronavirus, COVID-19, daily quiet time, daily worship time, devotions, eternity, false gods, forbidden fruit, forgiveness, George Muller, gladness, God sun, H.L. Mencken Puritanism, Habakkuk 3:16-19, heaven, idols, J.I. Packer Puritans, Jesus, John Newton Amazing Grace, joy, joy and gladness, joy in circumstances, Luke 1 sermon, Luke 1:14, Luke 1:19, marriage, Paradise, people of God, presence of God, presence of the Lord, Psalm 118:24, Psalm 16:11, Psalm 31:7, Psalm 4:7, Psalm 84:11, rejoice and be glad, relationships, repentance, salvation, sin, sin and creation, sun, walk with God, walking with God, wife idol, worship, worship forever, Zacharias and Elizabeth, Zacharias sermon
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“Our Assurance of Glory” (I Corinthians 15:1-4 sermon Easter 2020)
Easter 2020 “Our Assurance of Glory” Last week I mentioned Charles Lindbergh’s historic trans-Atlantic flight to Paris in 1927. Not long after he landed, Lindbergh visited nearby … Continue reading →
Posted in COVID-19 crisis assorted messages, Current Events, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized
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Tagged "Sovereignty of God", A. Scott Berg Lindbergh, Adam and Eve, C.S. Lewis, Charles Lindbergh glory, Christ cross, Christians and COVID-19 virus, contamination, coronavirus sermon, COVID-19 heroes, COVID-19 origin, COVID-19 sermon, creation groans, do this in remembrance of Me, Easter 2020, Easter COVID-19 sermon, Easter sermon, evangelism, fear, Garden of Eden sin, God foreknowledge, gospel, heroes, hope, I Corinthians 15 gospel, I Corinthians 15:1-4, I John 1 blood of Jesus, I Peter 2:24, I will go straight to glory, Jesus cross, Jesus death, Jesus resurrection, Kimberly Lopez nurse COVID-19, Lord's Supper, Lord's Supper sermon, pandemic, Peter Brown Augustine, resurrection of Jesus, Revelation 13:8, Romans 5:12, Romans 5:8, Romans 8:22, sacrifice, salvation, Salvation A B C, sin, sin and creation, St. Augustine devil, St. Augustine quote, substitutionary atonement, The Facts Brazoria County news, there are times when a man is his own devil, virus cure
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shawnethomas 