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
- Teacher's Overview of Joshua 1:1-11, 16-18, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson: "Strong & Courageous" for 6/07/26
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 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.
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "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
Afflicted In Faithfulness
Psalm 119:75 says: “In faithfulness You have afflicted me”. These words may appear odd to us at first. One might well ask: How is it “in faithfulness” that God has afflicted him? — First, God is faithful to His PURPOSES. … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged afflictions, character of God, God's purposes, Psalm 117:75
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Your Most Important Job: Worship!
Several times in Exodus (7:16, 8:1, etc.) God told Pharaoh: “Let My people go THAT THEY MAY SERVE ME”. His call to His people was NOT just to “go”; the purpose of their deliverance was that they might go to … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged Exodus 7:16, Exodus 8:1, priority of worship, serving God, worship
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“What Is It?”
It is interesting that when the people of Israel first saw the manna God gave them in the wilderness, they asked: “Man hu?” (Hebrew) — “’What is it?’” And of course, Moses’ answer was: “‘It is the bread which the … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Exodus 16:15, God's providence, God's provision, manna, What Is It?
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Pursue Faith
Included in the Apostle Paul’s final admonitions to his disciple Timothy in I Timothy 6 was a charge in :11 for him to “pursue … faith.” To “pursue faith” means to put one’s self, in God’s leadership, in situations where … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged faith, Hebrews 11:6, I Timothy 6:11, living by faith, pursue faith, step of faith
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The Warrior on the Hill
When Amalek came to fight against Israel in the wilderness, Exodus 17:9 says that Moses told Joshua, “Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” It is instructive to … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged Exodus 17:9, intercessors, intercessory prayer, prayer warrior
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Cultivating The Fear of the Lord
Psalm 119:38 says: “Establish Your word to Your servant, as that which produces reverence for You” The “fear of the Lord” is one of the most important qualities we can possess. Scripture tells us that it is the beginning of … Continue reading
Better Riches
In I Timothy 6, Paul commands Timothy in :17 to “instruct the rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches.” He then goes on to exhort them “to be … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged be rich in good works, good works, I Timothy 6:18, riches
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Turn My Eyes From Vanity
In Psalm 119:37 the Psalmist prays: “Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity, and revive me in Your ways.” This verse admonishes us: if we are going to be “revived” in the ways of the Lord, one of the … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged a harmful glance, covetousness, eyes, holiness, look, lust, Matthew 5:28, Matthew 6:22, personal holiness, Psalm 119:37, revival, time management, what you look at
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A Doer’s Prayer
In Psalm 119:34 the writer prays: “Give me understanding, that I may KEEP Your Law”! The understanding of God’s word that we are to seek is not merely for intellectual enlightenment or academic achievement.
Grant Me Your Law
In Psalm 119:29 the Psalmist prays: “graciously grant me Your Law.” It should be challenging to many of us that when he makes his request to God, he asks for His Law. When many of us ask God to “graciously … Continue reading
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