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 Romans 1:13-25, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "True Power," for 9/06/26
- Teacher's Overview of Joshua 1:1-11, 16-18, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson: "Strong & Courageous" for 6/07/26
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Ruth 3:8-13, 4:13-17, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Redemption," for 8/30/26.
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 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)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "The Word That Sustains In Difficult Days" (Habakkuk 2:1-3 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
Responsibility & Accountability in the Church
Hebrews 13:17 gives us some specific commands regarding our responsibilities in the church: “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy … Continue reading
Doing The Opposite
In II Samuel 9:7 King David told Jonathan’s crippled son Mephibosheth: “Do not fear, for I will surely show kindness to you for the sake of your father Jonathan …”. “Do not fear” was an appropriate admonition, for Mephibosheth was … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged enemies, grace, II Samuel 9:7, kindness, love your enemies, mercy
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A Battle You Can’t Win
Psalm 2:1 asks: “Why are the nations in an uproar, and the peoples devising a vain thing?” The Psalmist here asks “WHY” the nations are in rebellion against God, when the last word of :1 (in Hebrew, the word “riq”) … Continue reading
Take The Initiative To Do Good
II Samuel 9:1 says: “Then David said, ‘Is there yet anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?’” As this story begins, which would culminate with King David taking the crippled son … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged good deeds, II Samuel 9:1, initiative, kindness, mercy
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A Religion of the Heart
Psalm 1:2 says of the godly man: “But his delight is in the Law of Yahweh, and in His Law he meditates day and night.” It is significant that this very first Psalm sets the tone that it is the … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged delight, genuine religion, heart, meditate, Psalm 1:2, salvation, worship
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Delight in His Word
Psalm 1:2 says of the man whom :1 declared blessed for avoiding the ways of the world: “But his delight is in the LAW of YHWH, and in His LAW he meditates day and night.” This is an example of … Continue reading
Notes & Quotes from C.S. Lewis: A Life, by Alister McGrath
Some of my favorite quotes, and potential sermon illustrations from McGrath’s 2013 biography of Lewis. These are in order as they appeared in the book: TRAIN UP A CHILD “Both brothers inhabited imaginary worlds, and committed something of these to … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews, Sermon Illustrations
Tagged Alister McGrath, C.S. Lewis, sermon illustrations
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The Key To Contentment
Hebrews 13:5 commands us: “Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you’.” It is … Continue reading
Notes & Quotes: Jonathan Edwards’ Sermon: “Praise, One of the Chief Employments of Heaven”
SOURCE: The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Vol. II, p. 913-917 OCCASION: a Thanksgiving sermon, presented Nov. 7, 1734. TEXT: Revelation 14:2 “And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a … Continue reading
When It’s Good To Be Negative
Psalm 1 begins: “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or stand in the path of the sinners, or sit in the seat of the scornful.” In Hebrew there is a 3-fold repetition … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged consecration, Hebrew, holiness, negative religion, Psalm 1:1, relationships
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