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
- Romans 8:14-27 Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson overview, "Indwelt," for October 18, 2026
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Romans 7:4-6, 14-25 Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson overview: "Struggle," for 10/11/26
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 sermon)
- “The Narrow Way To Heaven” (Matthew 7:13-14 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
“Yachidati”: God’s Great Christmas Gift!
We understand more about God’s gift to us at Christmas from a Hebrew word used in Psalm 22:20. There the Psalmist asks God to deliver “yachidati” from the power of the dog (the enemy). The Hebrew word “yachid” means “only … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged beloved, Christmas, Genesis 22:2, John 3:16, love, Psalm 22:20, sacrifice, yachid, yachidi
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His Humiliation — And Our Response
“Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown when Thou camest to earth for me …” the Christmas hymn says. Psalm 22:18 continues the idea of the humility — and even humiliation — that Jesus underwent for us: “They … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged devotion, humiliation, humility, Incarnation, Psalm 22:18, service
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The Mediator
Sometimes two estranged parties need a third person, sympathetic to both, who can bring them together. Job lamented in 9:33 of his relationship with God: “There is no umpire between us who may lay his hand upon us both.” In … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Hebrews 2:17, Hebrews 4:16, I Timothy 2:5, intercessor, Jesus, Job 9:33, mediator, umpire
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“Your Response to Christmas” (Matthew 2:1-12 Sermon)
(Preached at FBC Pauls Valley, OK 12-21-14) They asked some kindergarteners in Great Britain about the Christmas story of the visit of the Magi, and they had some interesting insights on it: one young boy said that the three wise … Continue reading
Job’s God And Ours
How big is your God? In Job 9:4-10 Job gives us an idea of his view of God. He says, among other things: — “It is God who removes the mountains, they know not how …” (:5) — “Who shakes … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged doctrine of God, glory, God, Job 9:4-10, theology
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A Friend Indeed
Who can advise you as to how you should respond to a friend who is going through a difficult trial? Who better than the Biblical character Job, who knew something about it? In Job 6:14 he speaks a word for … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged counsel, friend, friendship, Job, Job 6:14, suffering, trials
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What God Brags About
When Satan appeared before God in Job 1 & 2, the Lord had a word for him. Both in 1:8 and 2:3, He asked him, “Have you considered My servant Job?” This is a living example of what Psalm 147:10-11 … Continue reading
A Friend Who Is Near
When distress is near, you need God to be nearer still. This was David’s desire in Psalm 22:11, where he prays: “Be not far from me, for trouble is near.” Notice the parallel: the “trouble” (the Hebrew word can mean … Continue reading
“He Will Save His People From Their Sins” (Matthew 1:21 Sermon)
(Preached at Mt. Home Baptist, Morganton, NC, and FBC Pauls Valley, OK, December 2014) C.S. Lewis wrote of an interesting experience that his brother had one Christmas season. He said Warnie was riding on a big English double-decker bus one … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged assurance, C.S. Lewis, Christmas, Death, glorification, heaven, Imagine, John Lennon, Joni Earickson Tada, justification, Matthew 1:21 sermon, salvation, sanctification, soteriology
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Are You Turning Away From Evil?
Job 1:1 says that Job “was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.” That phrase “turning away from evil” is an important one, which should challenge each of us:
