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.
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "The Gift That Is An Insult" (I Kings 9:10-14)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- 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)
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
An Anchor of the Soul
Hebrews 6:19 says: “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul.” The problem many people have is that there is nothing to “anchor” their lives; they drift wherever they “feel led”, or wherever the prevailing winds of culture … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Ephesians 4:14, Hebrews 6:19, hope, The Solid Rock
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“The Little Condo on the Prairie” (Sept. 19)
Both home school and football make their debut in this week’s “Little Condo”: Although Michael is a very good student, and is usually very self-motivated, sometimes he and Cheryl go ’round and ’round in their homeschooling. Here are some episodes … Continue reading
The Fear of Man
After much prevarication regarding his sin of not fully obeying the Lord regarding His command to destroy the Amalekites, in I Samuel 15:24 Saul did finally own up to his sin: “I have sinned; I have indeed transgressed the command … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged fear, I Peter 3:14-15, I Samuel 15:24, intimidation, leadership, peer pressure, Saul
5 Comments
Be A Repenter, Not A Justifier!
In I Samuel 15, God had commanded King Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites and all their possessions, but Saul spared King Agag and his people kept many of the best of the livestock. When Samuel rebuked him, Saul said … Continue reading
When Self-Congratulation Is Not In Order
I Samuel 15 narrates how God commanded Saul to attack the Amalekites, and utterly destroy them and all their possessions. Saul did indeed launch the attack, but he spared the king, Agag, as well as “the best” of the animals … Continue reading
Blessings of a Relationship With God
Psalm 73:23-24 says: “Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. WIth Your counsel You will guide me, and afterward receive me to glory.” “Nevertheless” refers back to the description earlier in the Psalm … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged blessings of salvation, counsel, glory, heaven, Psalm 73:23-24, Romans 10:13, salvation, security
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The Leadership We Deserve (2)
In I Samuel 12:14 Samuel told Israel: “If you will fear the LORD and serve Him, and listen to His voice and not rebel against the command of the LORD, then both you and also the king who reigns over … Continue reading
Faith vs. Sight
In I Samuel 13:11 King Saul explained that he did not wait on Samuel to offer the sacrifice before the battle with the Philistines “Because I saw that the people were scattering …”. One of Saul’s problems was that he … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged faith, Hebrews 11:6, I Samuel 13, II Corinthians 4:17, II Corinthians 5:7, King Saul
2 Comments
With Us At Our Worst
In Psalm 73 Asaph shares a very frank testimony. He had envied the prosperity of the wicked (:3), and had considered that he had kept his life pure in vain (:13). He admitted that “my heart was embittered” and he … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged doubt, God's presence, Psalm 73:23, security
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The Top Shelf: Books I’ve Read More Than Once
When it came time to sell our home in Louisiana and move to a condo less than half its size in Oklahoma, we had to do some dramatic downsizing! One of the most difficult items to tackle was our book … Continue reading
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