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)
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "Fear Not, I Am With You" (Isaiah 41:10 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
The Most Important Thing
It is no accident that David opens Psalm 18:1 by saying, “I love You, O Lord my strength.” His love for Yahweh was the first and most important thing in his life — and should be in ours as well.
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged God, love, priorities, Psalm 18:1, The Great Commandment, worship
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Read The Word: Public Reading of Scripture
In II Kings 23, King Josiah led a revival in Judah when God’s word was rediscovered in the Temple. The book of the Law was read aloud to him by Shaphan the scribe (22:10) and it had a profound effect … Continue reading
God’s House?
II Kings 21:5 records how the wicked King Manasseh “built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of YHWH.” Manasseh brought idolatrous worship right into God’s temple. In both the inner & outer … Continue reading
Music and the Spirit
We find an obscure but telling episode in II Kings 3, where Elisha is going to prophesy to the kings. In verse 15 he says: “‘But now bring me a minstrel.’ And it came about, when the minstrel played, that … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Colossians 3:16, Ephesians 5, II Kings 3:14, inspiration, music, singing, worship
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A Word About Worship Songs
Colossians 3:16 opens by commanding: “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you …” — and then instructs us that one way that is to happen is through our music and worship: “… with psalms and hymns and spiritual … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Colossians 3:16, John 4:24, music, songs, worship, worship music, worship songs
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Right God/Wrong Worship
In I Kings 12 the Bible says that King Jeroboam “made two golden calves, and he said to (the people), ‘It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold your gods, O Israel, that brought you up … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged creativity, Exodus 20:4, I Kings 12:28, idolatry, John 4:24, regulative principle, worship
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Vertical & Horizontal
In Psalm 9:11 David writes: “Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples His deeds.” God’s people are commanded to worship their King in two distinct ways here:
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged balance, evangelism, Psalm 9:11, vertical relationship, worship
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A Religion of the Heart
Psalm 1:2 says of the godly man: “But his delight is in the Law of Yahweh, and in His Law he meditates day and night.” It is significant that this very first Psalm sets the tone that it is the … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged delight, genuine religion, heart, meditate, Psalm 1:2, salvation, worship
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Notes & Quotes: Jonathan Edwards’ Sermon: “Praise, One of the Chief Employments of Heaven”
SOURCE: The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Vol. II, p. 913-917 OCCASION: a Thanksgiving sermon, presented Nov. 7, 1734. TEXT: Revelation 14:2 “And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a … Continue reading
Be Glad In Your Maker
Psalm 149:2 exhorts us as believers: “Let Israel be glad in his Maker; let the sons of Zion rejoice in their King.” The great truth of this verse is that GOD is to be the source of gladness and joy … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged God, joy, Philippians 4, Psalm 149:2, rejoice, worship
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