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
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Joshua 1:1-11, 16-18, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson: "Strong & Courageous" for 6/07/26
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Ruth 3:8-13, 4:13-17, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Redemption," for 8/30/26.
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "The Word That Sustains In Difficult Days" (Habakkuk 2:1-3 sermon)
- About Me
- Joshua 3:5 Sermon: "Preparing For God To Work"
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
When Words and Deeds Contradict
Titus 1:16 should be inscribed across the landscape of religious America: “They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him.” SO many people in our country profess to know God – yet so few demonstrate the reality … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged deeds, empty profession of faith, Matthew 7:21, profession of faith, Titus 2:16, words
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But God
Psalm 102:12 begins: “But You, O Yahweh …”. The first eleven verses of the Psalm are taken up with lament, how “my heart has been smitten” (:4) “my bones cling to my flesh” (:5) and “my enemies have reproached me … Continue reading
Intergenerational Ministry
Psalm 145:4 says: “One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts.” This describes intergenerational ministry – one generation sharing with another — a too rare thing in American church ministry today.
When Faith Means Giving Up
In II Timothy 4:6-7 the Apostle Paul wrote: “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged acceptance, accepting God's will, faith, II Timothy 4:6-7, trials
1 Comment
Ultimate Accountability
II Timothy 2:15 adjures: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed …”. The words “approved to GOD” are key here. They remind us that it is not any man … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged accountability, approval of men or God, approved to God, II Timothy 2:15, John 12:43, judgment
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A Picture of Intercession
In :9-12 of Exodus 28 God commanded: “You shall take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel … You shall put the two stones of the shoulder pieces of the ephod, as stones … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Exodus 28:9-12, intercession, intercessory prayer, prayer
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“Negative Preaching”?
In II Timothy 2:2, Paul exhorts Timothy: “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and teaching.” It is interesting that of the three terms Paul uses here to describe the … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged II Timothy 2:2, negative preaching, preaching, rebuke, reprove
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The Priority of His Presence
Psalm 140 ends: “the upright will dwell in Your presence.” (:13) THIS is what is really important. Psalm 140 speaks repeatedly of the “evil men” (:1) who “stir up wars” (:2) and “sharpen their tongues”, etc. But the Psalm ends … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged Exodus 33:15, God's presence, Psalm 140:13, the presence of God
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Enemies of God
Exodus 23:22 says: “But if you truly obey his voice and do all that I say then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.” That is an awesome and sobering thought: that God … Continue reading
Guard My Mouth
In Psalm 141:3 David prays: “Set a guard, O LORD over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.” We often think of prayers as being for God to protect US: “set a guard over me; protect me”, … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged evening prayer, guard my mouth, Psalm 141:3, regret, watch my mouth, words
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shawnethomas 