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.
-
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)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 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
- Romans 6:1-14, Overview of Lifeway's Explore the Bible lesson, "Freedom," for October 4, 2026.
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 22:15-22, 34-40, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Honor" for 5/03/26
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "Inviting Jesus Into Your Home" (Luke 10:38-42 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
David’s 3 Commitments In Trials
In Psalm 71, David rehearsed in :10-13 all of the troubles he was facing: those who were watching for his life (:10) etc. Then he said in :14, “BUT AS FOR ME …” and he listed 3 actions he was … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged faith, hope, persistence, praise, Psalm 71:14-15, trials, witness
Leave a comment
You Are My Hope
In Psalm 71:5, David said to God: “For You are my hope; O Lord God; You are my confidence from my youth.” Notice he said: “For YOU are my hope.” David’s hope in the difficult situation he describes in Psalm … Continue reading
Provision Through A Person
In I Samuel 9:16, God told Samuel, “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over My people Israel; and he will deliver My people … Continue reading
“Oh My God”: Vain Expression or Personal Relationship?
In Psalm 71:4 David prays: “Rescue me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked.” The phrase David uses here, “O my God”, has become for many a light, meaningless expression, made so by multiplied and thoughtless use. … Continue reading
The Little Condo on the Prairie (Aug. 20 2013)
Last week at the “Little Condo” we all decided to go to the gym to get in shape, and then we got ready for “back to school” … WORKOUT FALLOUT Paul took me to his gym a week ago Monday … Continue reading
Our “Safe Home Base”
In Psalm 71:3 David importunes God: “Be to me a rock of habitation, to which I may continually come.” What is this “rock of habitation” David refers to?
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged base, game of tag, Psalm 71:3, refuge, rock of habitation
Leave a comment
The Greatest Blessing
Psalm 67:1 says: “God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us.” Having God’s face to shine upon us is the ultimate goal; that is the blessing for which we seek: the beatific … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged beatific vision, greatest blessing, I John 3:2, Matthew 5:9, Psalm 67:1, see God
Leave a comment
Magnify the Lord
Psalm 70:4b says: “Let those who love Your salvation say continually, ‘Let God be magnified.’” – What does it mean to “magnify” God? The basic Hebrew word here, “gadol,” means “great”.
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged great, Hebrew gadol, magnify the Lord, praise, Psalm 70:4
Leave a comment
Learning Obedience In Sufferings
Hebrews 5:8 says of Jesus: “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.” “In the days of His flesh” (:7) Jesus suffered many things, “learned obedience” (:8) and became “perfect” (:9). Jesus was, of … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Hebrews 5:8, obedience, purpose of suffering, sufferings
Leave a comment
“Anwoth Is Not Heaven; Preaching Is Not Christ”
Originally posted on shawnethomas:
Sometimes in the process of looking for one treasure, you inadvertently find another. That happened today, as I was searching through one of my very favorite books, The Letters of Samuel Rutherford. (Rutherford was the pastor…
Posted in Uncategorized
Leave a comment
