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)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "The Gift That Is An Insult" (I Kings 9:10-14)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 20:1-16, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Grace," for 4/19, 2026
- "The Word That Sustains In Difficult Days" (Habakkuk 2:1-3 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
“Because”
Psalm 6:2 says, “Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am pining away; heal me, O LORD, for my bones are dismayed.” There is a key word in this verse which may help explain many of the difficult things … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged Psalm 6:2, purpose, purpose for trials, relationship with God
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Your Praise: Better Dead or Alive?
In Psalm 6:5 David protests to God: “For there is no mention of you in death; in Sheol who will give You thanks?” He is objecting to his potential death, saying in effect, what good would that do? One might … Continue reading
Relationship With God 101
When David cried out to God in Psalm 6:2, he demonstrated for us the most basic nature of a person’s relationship with God: “Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am pining away; heal me, O LORD, for my … Continue reading
“The Morning Watch” (Psalm 5:3 Sermon)
One of the best articles I have ever read is “The Tyranny of the Urgent” by Charles Hummel. In it he writes that many people often wish for a 30-hour day, so they could get more done. But Hummel says … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Christian disciplines, devotions, George Mueller, Lord's Prayer, Matthew 6:9-13, model prayer, morning prayer, morning watch, prayer, Psalm 5:3, quiet time
1 Comment
The Times That Try Our Souls (Psalm 11 Sermon)
In 1776 Thomas Paine wrote, “These are the times that try men’s souls.” These words were written in a pamphlet entitled: “The American Crisis” — and America was indeed in a time of crisis which would determine our future for … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged America, crisis, difficulty, gay marriage, Greg Ogden, homosexuality, Psalm 1:1, test, Thomas Paine, times that try men's souls, Transforming Discipleship, trials
6 Comments
Rescued From Darkness
Colossians 1:13 calls God the One “Who rescued us from the domain of darkness …” (NASB). This verse teaches us that when we were lost, we were under the “domain” — the Greek word is “exousia”: the authority, the jurisdiction, … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged authority, Colossians 1:13, darkness, Ephesians 2:2, exousia, salvation, Satan
1 Comment
No Right To Complain!
In II Samuel 19:28, Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth uttered these words: “What right do I have yet to complain anymore to the king?” He spoke them as a man who had suffered some loss of property and reputation, but kept his … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged attitude, complain, David, Ephesians 2:1, grace, II Samuel 19:28, Mephibosheth, perspective, salvation
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Fit For Heaven
Colossians 1:12 says that we are to be “giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.” Here the Bible describes how each Christian — even the least worthy — … Continue reading
Evidence of God’s Power
In Colossians 1:11 Paul prays that the readers will be “strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience”. Several words are used here to describe the abundance of God’s power that … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Colossians 1:11, hupomene, makrothumia, patience, perseverance, power of God
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