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 Joshua 6:12-25, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Winning Strategy," for June 28, 2026.
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Numbers 14:11-24, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Rebellion & Judgment" for 9/28/25
- Teacher's Overview of Joshua 3:14-4:9, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson "Remembering God's Works" for June 21, 2026.
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "The World, The Flesh, and the Devil" (James 3:15 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 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
Author Archives: Shawn Thomas
Why We Can’t Judge Someone’s Ministry
I Corinthian 4:5 is a great reminder of why you & I are not to judge someone’s ministry too early. The verse reads: “Therefore do not go on judging before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged do not judge, heart, I Corinthians 4:5, Jeremiah 17:10, judging, judgment, mind, motives, Psalm 139:12, secret, service
1 Comment
What Kind Of Minister?
Many pastors and other ministers in churches today are noted for their “creativity”, or for their authoritarian nature. But how does this line up with scripture? In I Corinthians 4:1, the Apostle Paul wrote: “Let a man regard us in … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Ministry
Tagged creativity, faithfulness, I Corinthians 4:1, I Peter 5:3, ministers, ministry, pastorate, pastors, servants, stewards, stewardship
1 Comment
Your Conscience Is Not Your Guide
“For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the One who examines me is the Lord.” (I Corinthians 4:4) There is an old expression: “Let your conscience be your guide.” But Paul … Continue reading
Your Response Matters
Isaiah 22 shares Isaiah’s oracle concerning the Valley of Vision. In it he relates the coming destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians. When the Judeans heard of the impending invasion, they made every earthly preparation — but … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged apathy, attitude, Ecclesiastes 3:4, Isaiah 22, mourning, repentance, Valley of Vision
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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
5 Comments
Everything But God
In Isaiah 22, Jerusalem is being invaded by the Babylonians, and so the inhabitants are getting ready for the siege. Isaiah describes their preparations: :8 “In that day you depended on the weapons of the house of the forest … … Continue reading
Regard For God?
“In that day man will have regard for his Maker and his eyes will look to the Holy One of Israel.” (Isaiah 17:7) The first verses of Isaiah 17 foretold the judgment that was about to come upon Syria & Israel. … Continue reading
Different Ministries, Same Team!
“Now he who plants and he who waters are one, but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.” (I Corinthians 3:8) This passage gives us a good guide for the way that we are to see … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged church, gifts, I Corinthians 3:8, kingdom, ministry
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Are You “Really Something”?
“So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is ANYTHING, but God who causes the growth.” (I Corinthians 3:7) Writing to a church which was embroiled in a “personality contest”, the Apostle Paul makes it clear … Continue reading
“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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