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)
- Joshua 3:5 Sermon: "Preparing For God To Work"
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 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
Not “As You Wish,” but “Just So”!
In Exodus 25:8-9 God said: “Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I am going to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its … Continue reading
The Problem With “Promise Keeping”
After God had given Moses the 10 Commandments and various other commands, Exodus 24 records the response of the people: “All the people answered with one voice and said, ‘All the words which the Lord has spoken we will do!” … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Exodus 24:3, Exodus 24:7, holiness, promise keeping, sanctification
1 Comment
A Step of Faith
In Exodus 25 God gave His people instructions regarding the construction of the ark of the covenant, and in :16 He commanded: “You shall put into the ark the testimony which I shall give you.” This was an act of … Continue reading
Giving and Worship
Although Christians are not under obligation to keep the Law, Exodus 23:19 shares a principle which surely applies to those of us under the New Covenant as well: “You shall bring the choice first fruits of your soil into the … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged Exodus 23:19, first fruits, giving, grace giving, tenth, tithe, worship
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He Who Loves Pleasure
Proverbs 21:17 says: “He who loves pleasure will become a poor man, and he who loves oil and wine will not become rich.” There is an obvious meaning in this proverb: that the person who spends a lot on luxuries … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged discipline, pleasure, poverty, Proverbs 21:17, riches
4 Comments
The Blessing of Affliction
In Psalm 119:71 the Psalmist declares: “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes.” It is a striking proclamation, and one which many experienced saints will heartily “amen.” Though we would never CHOOSE … Continue reading
On Political Discourse
Exodus 22:28 commands: “You shall not curse God, nor curse a ruler of your people.” It should be instructive to us that God puts the prohibition against cursing our rulers in the same verse as the prohibition against cursing God … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
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Deliverance, Not Escape
In II Timothy 3:11 Paul writes: “What persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me.” Following Christ did not exempt Paul from persecutions. In fact, the next verse famously proclaims: “indeed, all who desire to live … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged deliverance, deliverance vs. escape, II Timothy 3:11, persecution
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Don’t Follow The Crowd
Exodus 23:2 commanded the people of God: “You shall not follow the masses in doing evil …” That is like the old admonition many of our parents gave us: “Don’t follow the crowd”! That was Biblical!
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged don't follow the crowd, Exodus 23:2, peer pressure
1 Comment
The False Witness of a “Straw Man”
In Exodus 20:16 we are given the 9th Commandment: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” This verse entails numerous applications, but one of them includes purposefully misrepresenting the position of another. It is not uncommon for opponents … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
2 Comments
shawnethomas 