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)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 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
Bible Doctrine in a Nutshell
Ezra 1:1 gives us a “doctrine in a nutshell” for what we believe about scripture: “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah …”. … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Bible, doctrine of the Bible, Ezra 1:1, II Peter 1:21, II Timothy 3:16, inspiration, scripture
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Trust His Purposes
Ezra 1:1 begins with a reminder that God’s purposes are always fulfilled: “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, the Lord stirred up … Continue reading
“Heart-Knower”
In Acts 1:24-25, the disciples, seeking God’s direction for a man to fill the apostleship vacated by Judas, prayed: “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which of these two You have chosen to occupy this ministry … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Acts 15:8, Acts 1:24, cardiognosta, heart, heart-knower, I Samuel 16:7, Jeremiah 17:10, Omniscience
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The Most Important Thing
It is no accident that David opens Psalm 18:1 by saying, “I love You, O Lord my strength.” His love for Yahweh was the first and most important thing in his life — and should be in ours as well.
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged God, love, priorities, Psalm 18:1, The Great Commandment, worship
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“The Discipline of the Word” I Peter 2:1-3 sermon
(Preached 8-24-17 at First Baptist Pauls Valley, OK) For years before his death in 2013, Pat Summerall broadcast NFL games on television. Many of you would recognize his voice to this day. Some of you also know that Summerall’s life … Continue reading
God’s Word: Desire or Discipline?
In light of I Peter 2:2’s command to “long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation”, one might ask if spending time in the Bible should be considered to be … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Bible, Bible Reading, desire, devotions, discipline, I Peter 2:2, quiet time, scripture, word of God
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Read The Word: Public Reading of Scripture
In II Kings 23, King Josiah led a revival in Judah when God’s word was rediscovered in the Temple. The book of the Law was read aloud to him by Shaphan the scribe (22:10) and it had a profound effect … Continue reading
He Didn’t Get Away With It
II Kings 21 doesn’t seem to end right. With all the evil described of King Manasseh & Judah in verses 2-16 (that they were worse than the pagan nations which had preceded them) and the punishment promised by the prophets … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged evil prosper, faith, Hebrews 9:27, II Kings 21, judgment, prosperity of wicked, Psalm 73, theodicy
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God’s House?
II Kings 21:5 records how the wicked King Manasseh “built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of YHWH.” Manasseh brought idolatrous worship right into God’s temple. In both the inner & outer … Continue reading
“The Little Condo on the Prairie” (Aug. 19, 2014)
Join this pastor’s family for Saturday morning coffee & doughnuts and more in this week’s “Little Condo on the Prairie”: COFFEE & DOUGHNUTS One Saturday morning I went out early (relatively speaking, for a Saturday, you understand!) to get some … Continue reading
