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
“Paradise”: The House Showing
Following my resignation at First Baptist, Moss Bluff, last Sunday, our house went on the market this week. We will not be able to live at 954 Mission Lane with me being unable to work full-time (or at all, presently) … Continue reading
Posted in Home & Family Life
Tagged cats, family, God's purpose for the family, moving, pastor, POTS, refining furnace, selling home
4 Comments
Letter To My Church Family (2-03-13)
We are fast approaching one year since I first went home sick from prayer meeting on a Wednesday night with what came be to diagnosed as dysautonomia, or POTS. We have employed a wide array of medications and exercises, and … Continue reading
Not The Easiest Route
In Exodus 13:17 it says that when the people of Israel came out of Egypt, “God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near …”. God does not always take … Continue reading
Redeemed
Just before the Exodus of His people from Egypt, God commanded in Exodus 13 that when they came to the land of promise, they were to devote every first born thing to the Lord as a sacrifice. There was one … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Exodus 13:15, firstborn, gratitude, redeemed, salvation
1 Comment
Forget None of His Benefits
Psalm 103:2 says: “forget none of His benefits.” Forgetting is one of our biggest spiritual problems. Israel was constantly cited for forgetting God, forgetting His blessings, etc. We do the same thing, of course.
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged forgetting, God's benefits, Psalm 103:2, remembering
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What to Pray
Instead of praying the same things over and over for those we care about, it is good for us to use scripture to guide our intercessions. I Timothy 4:12 is one of those verses we can use profitably in our … Continue reading
Your Spiritual Diet
Many of us make resolutions about our physical diet as a new year begins, but what about your spiritual diet? I Timothy 4:6-7 contains quite a contrast: :6 adjures us to be “constantly nourished on the words of the faith … Continue reading
New Year Disciplines
I Timothy 4:7-8 says: “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged I Timothy 4:7, New Year, spiritual disciplines
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Originally posted on shawnethomas:
I was really looking forward to my Friday off: after a pretty hectic start to the new year, I had a stress-free day with nothing planned! Unfortunately someone marred the middle of it with a really despicable act.…
Posted in Uncategorized
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The Word of God and Prayer
I Timothy 4:5 says that all food is allowed to be eaten “For it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.” The order here is not accidental, and not without importance. Notice that the WORD comes … Continue reading
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