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
- "This Is My Story: The Man Born Blind" (John 9 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 17:1-13, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Glory," for 3/22/26
- “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"
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "Three Christian Attitudes" (Philippians 3:12-15 sermon)
- "Working Out Your Salvation" (Philippians 2:12-13 sermon)
- "Walking in the Fear of the Lord" (Proverbs 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
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- The Model Prayer Series
- The Model Prayer series (FBCA 2020)
- This Week In Paradise (pastors family blog)
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- Uncategorized
- worship
Tag Archives: trust
Be Still and Trust Him!
“Be very still right now; I am about to do something very tricky.” Since the lady speaking those words had an electric razor in her hands, and she was cutting my hair, you can bet that I was very obedient! … Continue reading
Trust His Purposes
Ezra 1:1 begins with a reminder that God’s purposes are always fulfilled: “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, the Lord stirred up … Continue reading
Do They See You Trust God?
Jehoash, the king of Judah, had been used by God to bring reform & revival to the land. But it did not appear that he finished well. II Kings 13:17 says that the King of Aram set his face to … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged compromise, faith, fear, II Kings 1:3, trust, trusting God, witness
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Because …
In Psalm 9:4 David prays: “For You have maintained my just cause; You have sat on the throne judging righteously.” The word “for” here is an important one. Just as in English, the Hebrew word “qi” is a small word, … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged "Sovereignty of God", because, for, Hebrew word qi, Psalm 9:4, trust
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Only Trust Him
In Psalm 4 we find the command: “Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and trust in the LORD.” In what was another difficult situation of David’s in Psalm 4 (:2 says his honor had become a reproach to men, and in … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged faith, Hebrews 11:6, only trust Him, Psalm 4:5, trust
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Who Made Heaven and Earth
Psalm 146:5-6 says, “How blessed is he whose help in the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them …”. A key phrase here … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Acts 4:24, creation, prayer, Psalm 146:5-6, trust
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The Fear of Man Exemplified
I Samuel 3 relates how King Ish-bosheth rebuked his general, Abner, for immorality. Abner responded with indignation and anger and promised to deliver the rest of the kingdom of Israel to David. Ish-bosheth was mortified. Verse 11 says: “And he … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged fear of man, fears, II Samuel 3, insecurity, trust
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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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You Are My Hope
In Psalm 71:5, David said to God: “For You are my hope; O Lord God; You are my confidence from my youth.” Notice he said: “For YOU are my hope.” David’s hope in the difficult situation he describes in Psalm … Continue reading
What Real Faith Looks Like: Trusting A Benevolent God
One of my favorite scenes from the movie world is from the Christmas classic: “A Christmas Story”, when little Ralphie discovers the BB gun which his father had bought him for Christmas. The dad watches with delight as Ralphie opens … Continue reading
Posted in Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like
Tagged Daniel 4:29-30, Ephesians 1:13, Ephesians 2:9, faith, God is good, Greek word thelema, Habakkuk 3:17-18, I Timothy 2:4, II Peter 3:9, James 1:17-18, Jimmy Stewart, Job 1:21, John 3, John 3:27, Joshua Breland testimony, King Nebuchadnezzer, Mark 10:18, Psalm 100:5, Psalm 119:68, Romans 6:23, salvation as a gift, self-made man, Shenandoah, the goodness of God, trust, you must be born again
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