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.
Author Archives: Shawn Thomas
“This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer” (Acts 16:25-34 sermon)
“And the prisoners were listening.” That phrase from the testimony story we just read in Acts 16 always sticks out to me. When Paul and Silas were unjustly thrown into the prison in Philippi, they didn’t bemoan their fate. The … Continue reading
Posted in "This Is My Story" sermon series, Sermons
Tagged Acts 16:25-34, assurance, circumstances, conviction, evangelism, Philippian jailer, salvation, sermon, testimony, witness
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Does God Not Care?
“Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?’” (Mark 4:38) The verse previous (:37) indicates that a “fierce gale of wind” … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged God, God's love, Mark 4:38, providence, theology
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“NOT In Cleverness of Speech”
“For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void.” (I COrinthians 1:17) It is definitely interesting in this day when … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged creativity, I Corinthians 1:17, preaching, teaching
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Sovereignty & Responsibility (Isaiah 10)
God’s ways are higher than ours, Isaiah 55:8-9 tells us, and there is much we do not understand about them. But some scriptures “pull back the curtain” just a bit and give us some insight into how God works. Isaiah … Continue reading
Take Refuge in Him
“The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.” (Psalm 34:22) God had made it clear in Psalm 34:21 that the wicked would be punished. The word there means … Continue reading
The Wicked Will Be Punished
“Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.” (Psalm 34:21) God makes clear in this verse what the end of the wicked will be. Their punishment is inescapable: “Those who hate the righteous will … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged evil, judgment, Psalm 34:21, punishment, salvation, wicked
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Small Beginnings
“And He said, ‘How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or by what parable shall we present it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller than all the seeds that … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged beginnings, kingdom of God, Mark 4:30-32, obedience, Welsh revival
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“Some People Are Saying”?
“For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you.” (I Corinthians 1:11) How interesting here that Paul does not report to the church at Corinth that “SOMEONE told me” or “a … Continue reading
The Importance of Unity
“Now I urge you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.” … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged divisions, I Corinthians 1:10, Philippians 2, unity
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Called Into Fellowship
What is the point of the Christian life? What is it all about? Paul reminds here in I Corinthians 1:9: “God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord”. He says here … Continue reading
