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 10:16-20, 26-34, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson for 2/01/26, "Loyalty Tested"
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 9:10-19, 23-26, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson "Mercy Extended" for 1/25/26
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "True Religion" (Philippians 3:2-3)
- "How To Seek The Lord" (Isaiah 55:6-7 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 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: worship
An Important Balance in Worship
Psalm 2:11 commands: “Worship Yahweh with reverence; rejoice with trembling.” Here we find an important balance commanded for our worship. We are to worship with “reverence” — and yet “rejoice.” We are to “rejoice” — yet “with trembling.” It reminds … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged balanced worship, joy, Matthew 28:8, Psalm 2:11, reverence, Romans 8:15, worship
2 Comments
Giving and Worship
Although Christians are not under obligation to keep the Law, Exodus 23:19 shares a principle which surely applies to those of us under the New Covenant as well: “You shall bring the choice first fruits of your soil into the … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged Exodus 23:19, first fruits, giving, grace giving, tenth, tithe, worship
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Fairest Lord Jesus
The hymn “Fairest Lord Jesus” has an uncertain origin. It was first published in a German Roman Catholic publication in 1677, without attribution to an author. It is interesting that Samuel Rutherford, the Scottish Puritan pastor who was exiled in … Continue reading
Posted in Music, Sermon Illustrations
Tagged fairest, Fairest Lord Jesus, glorious Lord Jesus Christ, hymn story, James 2:1, music, Samuel Rutherford, worship
4 Comments
A Call To Worship (Psalm 132)
Psalm 132 is one of the Songs of Ascent, which were sung by pilgrims on their way to worship at Jerusalem. Verses 7-9 still present a great call to worship for us today: “Let us go into His dwelling place; … Continue reading
I Was Glad
Psalm 122 opens with a familiar and beloved verse for many: “I was glad when they said to me, let us go to the house of YHWH”. This Psalm is one of 15 Psalms called “Songs of Ascent” which were … Continue reading
Your Most Important Job: Worship!
Several times in Exodus (7:16, 8:1, etc.) God told Pharaoh: “Let My people go THAT THEY MAY SERVE ME”. His call to His people was NOT just to “go”; the purpose of their deliverance was that they might go to … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged Exodus 7:16, Exodus 8:1, priority of worship, serving God, worship
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Sing to the Lord
Exodus 15:1 says that after the children of Israel passed through the Red Sea and the Egyptians were drowned: “Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to the Lord …”. Notice that the RECIPIENT of their song … Continue reading
Does Praise Look Good On You?
Someone has said that a good interpretation of Psalm 33:2 might be: “praise ‘looks good’ on the upright.” The righteous are commanded to praise God, and it is fitting and comely when they do. But we may also infer a … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged hypocrisy, praise, praise looks good on you, Psalm 33:2, worship
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His House of Prayer
In Mark 11:17, Jesus said: “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations?’” His words regarding the temple remind us of some principles regarding our houses of worship today:
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged church, house of prayer, house of worship, Mark 11:17, worship
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The Goal of Revival
In Genesis 35, Jacob led his family in a “revival” in which they put away foreign gods and purified themseles. But “revival” is not merely putting away sinful gods and practices – it has a positive end. After he admonished … Continue reading
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