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)
- "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
- "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
Only Trust Him
In Psalm 4 we find the command: “Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and trust in the LORD.” In what was another difficult situation of David’s in Psalm 4 (:2 says his honor had become a reproach to men, and in … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged faith, Hebrews 11:6, only trust Him, Psalm 4:5, trust
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A Contagious Faith
There were several very noble and courageous sentiments expressed by David and others when King David left Jerusalem during Absalom’s rebellion. One of them came from Ittai, a foreigner (:19) who refused to stay in Jerusalem with the new king, … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged contagious faith, evangelism, II Samuel 15:21, Lordship, witness
1 Comment
Book Review: The Reason For God, by Tim Keller
Tim Keller has defied conventional wisdom by planting Redeemer Church — a growing, evangelical fellowship — in the unlikely ground of Manhattan, New York. In the course of his work, he has engaged thousands of lost people and their questions … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews
Tagged apologetics, book review, C.S. Lewis, creationism, Richard Dawkins, The Reason For God, Tim Keller
1 Comment
“In Christ Alone”: Praying for a Loved One
It is easy to get in a “rut” when we pray for friends and loved ones, merely rehearsing the same tired words every day. It can help to run the person, or the special request, through another “grid”, like a … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Home & Family Life
Tagged In Christ Alone, intercession, prayer
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His Ready Servants
In II Samuel 15:15 we find a great word from the servants of King David to their sovereign: “Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king chooses.” They were in a difficult situation together; Absalom had … Continue reading
Lessons From An Infamous Character
II Samuel 15:1-2 says of King David’s devious son that “Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way to the gate; and when any man had a suit to come to the king for judgment, Absalom would call … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged diligence, I Samuel 15:1-2, Luke 16:8, work ethic
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Seeking the Giver
Psalm 3 concludes with :8, “Salvation belongs to the LORD. Your blessing be upon Your people. Selah.” What began earlier in the Psalm as a catalogue of all of David’s troubles ends in exclamations of praise to God for His … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged God, More Than The Water, priority, Psalm 3:8, Randy Presley, salvation, seeking God
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By The Will of God
In Colossians 1:1 Paul wrote that he was an apostle “by the will of God.” This is an extremely important assertion. He had not taken this mantle upon himself; God had purposed and given it to him. It should be … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Colossians 1:1, God's will, ministry, vocation
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Knowing Him
In Psalm 3:3 David said: “But You, YHWH, are a shield about me …”. It is instructive that the enemies of David, the “naysayers”, said: “There is no help for him in God” — the word “God” there is the … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged elohim, knowing God, personal relationship, Psalm 3:3, Yahweh
1 Comment
Don’t Listen To What “Everybody” Is Saying
In Psalm 3:2 David writes: “Many are saying to my soul, ‘there is no salvation for him in God’.” The Psalm tells us that David’s situation was indeed bleak: he wrote it when he was in the cave, fleeing from … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged discouragement, peer pressure, pop theology, popular opinion, Psalm 3:2
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