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)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "The Gift That Is An Insult" (I Kings 9:10-14)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 20:1-16, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Grace," for 4/19, 2026
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
Seeking God
Psalm 24:6 says: “Such is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob”. What is the “such” that is referred to here? HOW do you “seek the face of the God of … Continue reading
Who May Ascend?
Psalm 24 opens by declaring that Yahweh, the God of Israel, is the God of ALL the earth (“the earth is the Lord’s”). The next verse (:3) asks a vital question: “Who may ascend into the hill of YHWH, and … Continue reading
The Earth is the Lord’s
Psalm 24 seems to be divided up into 3 distinct sections: — :1-2 The Lord’s creation and Lordship over all the world — :3-6 The holiness required of those who would seek the Lord — :7-10 The entrance of the … Continue reading
They Will Perish, But You Remain
Hebrews 1 quotes a number of Old Testament scriptures to prove the deity and superiority of Christ. Verse 11, quoting Psalm 102:26, says of the heavens and earth, which Christ created, “they will perish, but You remain.” It is always … Continue reading
Finding His Path
In Psalm 25:4 David prayed: “make me know Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths.” Many of us might echo his prayer. But how will this happen? Look later in the Psalm:
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
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Bring Me Out!
We often point out how God uses trials and difficulties for His purposes — and the repeated witness of scripture is that He certainly DOES do that. But here in Psalm 25:17 David entreats God: “Bring me OUT of my … Continue reading
Can God Have A God?
In Hebrews 1:8-9 there are two seemingly contradictory truths which only orthodox Christian doctrine can rightly reconcile:
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged deity of Jesus, Hebrews 1:8-9, Trinity, Triune God
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A New Regimen: POTS Update, June 2013
I haven’t updated much on my bout with dysautonomia or POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) in a while, basically because I haven’t had much to report. In a previous post I shared that I had been much improved since we … Continue reading
Fixing Your Eyes On Him
Psalm 25:15 says: “My eyes are continually toward the Lord.” This is one of the keys to walking with God: keeping our eyes continually on Him. This is what Psalm 16:8 means when it says: “I have set the Lord … Continue reading
The Way You Should Choose
Psalm 25:12 says: “Who is the man who fears the Lord? He will instruct him in the way he should choose.” Many people are seeking to make the right choices for their career or other important life issues. This is, … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged choices, decisions, fear of the Lord, God's will, Psalm 25:12
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