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 Matthew 22:15-22, 34-40, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Honor" for 5/03/26
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 21:23-32, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Authority," for 4/26/26.
- "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)
- "The Word That Sustains In Difficult Days" (Habakkuk 2:1-3 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 20:1-16, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Grace," for 4/19, 2026
- "Three Christian Attitudes" (Philippians 3:12-15 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 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
Praying for the Glory of God
Hezekiah truly made his prayer in II Kings 19 about the glory of God — a model for us all. Faced with invasion by Sennacherib’s army, Hezekiah sought the Lord (:1, :14). As we observed in the last post (here), … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged glory of God, II Kings 19, model prayer, prayer
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Begin With Praise
Psalm 100:4 instructs us to open our prayers to God with adoration: “Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise.” Jesus’ Model Prayer teaches us to do the same: “Our Father, who is in heaven, hallowed be Your … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged II Kings 19:15, Matthew 6:9, model prayer, praise, prayer, Psalm 100:4
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Take It To The Lord
In II Kings, the Assyrian army under Sennacherib had come up to Jerusalem and threatened Hezekiah, the king of Judah who was besieged there. Hezekiah’s reaction to the Assyrian threats is a model for our response in times of difficulty:
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged anxiety, II Kings 18, II Kings 19, petition, Philippians 4:6, prayer, trials, worry
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“God Told Me”?
In II Kings 18, the Assyrian King Sennacherib had sent his army to capture Jerusalem. In verse 25 he had his messengers tell Hezekiah, King of Judah: “Yahweh said to me, ‘Go up against this land and destroy it.’”
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged God's Spirit, God's will, II Kings 18:25, impression, leadership of the Spirit, revelation
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Will God Find Nothing?
In Psalm 17:3 David proclaims his innocence before God: “You have tried my heart; You have visited me by night; You have tested me and You find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.” David (or perhaps … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged forgiveness, in Christ, in Him, Psalm 17:3, Psalm 32:1, righteousness, salvation, sin
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Brother Against Brother
II Kings 13:12 summarizes the reign of Joash the King of Israel by describing “all that he did and his might with which he fought against Amaziah king of Judah …”. What a sad summary of a legacy …
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged church, conflict, divisions, II Kings 13:12, unity
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“The Little Condo on the Prairie” (August 5, 2014)
What’s it like to live in a pastor’s family? You don’t have to guess — just read it here in “The Little Condo.” No names have been changed … 🙂 DRIVERS ED It’s hard when you are riding along in … Continue reading
God’s Not In Our “Box”!
II Kings 14 tells a story which is hard for many of us to put in our “box”, theologically speaking. It relates how Jeroboam II came to reign over the northern tribes of Israel. Jeroboam was named for the infamous … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged II Kings 14, Jeroboam II, theodicy, why do wicked prosper
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“Are You A Disciple?” Luke 9:23 Sermon
(Preached at First Baptist, Pauls Valley, OK 8-03-14) In Matthew 28, Jesus gave His Great Commission to go and “make disciples.” The most important business of the church is to make disciples. But what does it mean to be a … Continue reading
The Secret of Confidence
If Christians would train themselves to apply Psalm 16:8, it would give them the ability to overcome every fear and anxiety, and bring God’s power to bear on every situation in their lives: “I have set the LORD continually before … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged anxiety, Brother Lawrence, fear, practicing the presence, presence of God, Psalm 16:8
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