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)
- "The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- Romans 7:4-6, 14-25 Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson overview: "Struggle," for 10/11/26
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 sermon)
- "America's Verse" -- "Judge Not" (Matthew 7:1-5 sermon)
- "The World, The Flesh, and the Devil" (James 3:15 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
The Same Judge
Psalm 7:8 says: “The LORD judges the peoples; vindicate me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and my integrity that is in me.” In Psalm 7, David is calling to God because of what he sees as the unrighteous oppression … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged accountability, judgment, justice, Psalm 7:8
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Public Vindication
“Over them return on high.” In Psalm 7, David had been falsely accused by his enemies, and here in the second part of :7 he asks God to return and publicly vindicate him. Many of us can identify with this … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged judgment, justice, Psalm 7:7, public vindication
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“God” or YOUR God?
David begins the prayer of Psalm 7:1 by saying, “LORD my God …”. In Hebrew this is literally, “Yahweh Elohe”. “Yahweh Elohim” is a familiar Old Testament expression for God: “Yahweh” is His personal name (often translated “LORD” but is … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged John 1:12, Psalm 7:1, relationship with God, salvation
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The Leadership We Deserve (3-24-13)
In II Samuel 24:1 it says “The anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and it incited David against them to say, ‘Go, number Israel and Judah.’” This decision by King David led to punishment by God upon the people. … Continue reading
Holy Gratitude
In Psalm 6:8 David says: “Depart from me, all you who do iniquity, for Yahweh has heard the voice of my weeping.” It is interesting (and instructive for us) that David’s response to the fact that God heard his prayer … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged gratitude, holiness, Psalm 6:8, Romans 12:1, Thanksgiving
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“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
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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
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