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
“Until Now”!
II Kings 13:23 describes God’s treatment of the people of Israel who had rebelled against Him for years. It says that “YHWH was gracious to them … and would not destroy them or cast them from His presence until now.” … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged forbearance, grace, II Corinthians 6:2, II Kings 13:23, judgment, patience, Psalm 103:10, Psalm 103:8, Psalm 103:9, sin
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What Is Your Legacy?
In II Kings 13, the Bible tells of two of the kings of Israel, Jehoahaz and Jehoash. Neither of these kings was godly. It is of note that they are both described in their relationship to Jeroboam the son of … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged heritage, II Kings 1:3, Jeroboam the son of Nebat, legacy
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“Eschatou”, not “Eschatology”
Many of God’s people are fond of dwelling on the “end times”, otherwise known as “eschatology”, from the Greek word “eschatos”, which means “end.” But this obsession is unhealthy and was rebuked by Jesus when He addressed His disciples in … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Acts 1:6-8, church, end times, eschatology, eschatou, focus, mission
1 Comment
Do They See You Trust God?
Jehoash, the king of Judah, had been used by God to bring reform & revival to the land. But it did not appear that he finished well. II Kings 13:17 says that the King of Aram set his face to … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged compromise, faith, fear, II Kings 1:3, trust, trusting God, witness
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The “High Places” Are Alive & Well
II Kings 11-12 describe a revival that took place in Judah under Jehoiada the priest, and Jehoram the young king who was under his influence. But the scriptures relate that the revival was not complete. Verse 3 of Chapter 12 … Continue reading
And The City Was Quiet
II Kings 11 describes the tumult which happened in the land of Judah, as Athaliah, the wicked queen, was deposed, and Jehoiada the priest led a “revival” in the land which saw young Joash made king. The people renewed their … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged I Timothy 2, II Kings 11:20, peace, quiet life, tranquility
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Honoring the Godly
Psalm 15:4 says that those who may fellowship with God will despise the reprobate, “but honors those who fear the LORD.” There are “two sides” to this “coin”: we are indeed to despise those who live perverse lifestyles, which we … Continue reading
Admiring Wicked Men
Psalm 15 speaks of those who are able to stand in the fellowship of God, and verse 4 includes an interesting quality: “In whose eyes a reprobate is despised”. Here we find one of the symptoms of the compromised Christianity … Continue reading
All You Have To Do To Get To Heaven
Psalm 15 opens by asking the question everybody wants answered: “O Lord, who may abide in Your tent; who may dwell on Your holy hill?” In other words, how can we get to heaven, to be where God is — … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged grace, heaven, II Corinthians 5:21, Jesus, Matthew 5:48, Psalm 15:1-2, righteousness, salvation, works
1 Comment
“Four Surprising Signs of Wickedness” (Psalm 10:3-11 sermon)
(Preached at First Baptist, Pauls Valley, OK on Sunday evening, July 20, 2014) When most of us think of “wickedness”, we tend to think of certain specific “evil deeds.” Dr. Kermit Gosnell, who was in the news recently for having … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Dr. Gosnell, Presumption, Psalm 10, Psalm 10:3-11, seeking God, sermon, sin, wickedness, words
3 Comments
shawnethomas 