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)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Ruth 3:8-13, 4:13-17, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Redemption," for 8/30/26.
- "The Word That Sustains In Difficult Days" (Habakkuk 2:1-3 sermon)
- "Finishing Well" (Psalm 92:12-15 message)
- "The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 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
“What Real Faith Looks Like: Perseverance” (James 1:12)
In 1998, I ran the Tulsa Run road race with Paul, David & Libby, our three oldest kids. Cheryl took a picture of the four of us at my favorite time of a race: when it was OVER! After the Tulsa run … Continue reading
Posted in Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like, Sermons
Tagged A.T. Robertson, acid test, Apelles, approved, assurance, authenticity of gold, crown of life, crown of righteousness, diadem, dokimos, games, Genesis 29, genuine faith, I Corinthians 13:7, I Peter 1:6-7, II Timothy 4:7-8, Jacob, James 1:12 sermon, Josephus, kingly crown, love, Matthew 13, nitric acid, once saved always saved, Parable of the Sower, perserverance, perseverance of love, possession of faith, profession of faith, proof of your faith, Rachel, Romans 16:10, salvation prayer, stamp of authenticity, stephanos, tested faith, tests, tests for gold, trials, Tulsa Run, victor's crown, What Real Faith Looks Like
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A Providential Encounter
Genesis 35:15-17 is a little paragraph that might look insignificant: just “a man” with whom Joseph has what many would think a “chance encounter.” But this little narrative is actually of great significance. “All scripture is inspired of God”, and this one is here for … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
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POTS update: “Redeeming the Time”
One of the things I am starting to get used to with having POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) is the rapid change of condition that I often experience. I wrote previously of how I was feeling pretty well a number … Continue reading
Posted in POTS (dysautonomia) articles
Tagged church office, dysautonomia, Ephesians 5:16, James 4:14, make hay while the sun shines, opportunity, pastor, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, POTS, preacher, priorities, redeem the time, time, time is a precious treasure which attracts many robbers
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A Simple Recipe For The Day
Sometimes we make things too complex; looking way off into the future, worrying about “what if” and “which way”, when many times those decisions don’t really need to made today. What we really need to focus on this day is … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged living in the present, Psalm 37:3, trust, trust in the Lord and do good, worry
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Prayers for a Loved One
Often times we end up praying the same old things for people – especially when we pray for them very often. It is easy to get into a “rut” and pray some version of the same tired “bless so-and-so.” One … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
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Behold Me!
In Genesis 37, Jacob asked his son Joseph to go to his brothers who were pasturing the flock. Many versions translate Joseph’s response as “I will go”, but his actual response is very interesting. Literally he told his father: “Behold … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
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This Week in “Paradise” September 17
This week in the “paradise” otherwise known as the pastor’s home, we had company from out of town, which proved to be very entertaining — on top of our own typical antics. I can even share SOME of what went … Continue reading
Near to the Brokenhearted
Psalm 34:18 says: “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted.” This should be comforting to those of us who have sorrow. Sometimes, in our despondency, we feel like God is far away. But this scripture says that in reality, He … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged brokenhearted, comfort, God is near, Psalm 34:18
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“Comforting the Afflicted & Afflicting the Comfortable” James 1:9-11
In the early 1900’s, humorist Finley Peter Dunne said that “The newspaper does everything for us. It runs the police force and the banks, commands the militia, controls the legislature, baptizes the young, marries the foolish, comforts the afflicted and … Continue reading
Posted in Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like, Sermons
Tagged bung hole, comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable, Death, dust, eternity, Finley Peter Dunne, Hamlet, Isaiah 40:6-7, James 1:9-11 sermon, Luke 12:13-21, materialism, money, poor, poor Christians, poverty, Prince William inheritance, prosperity preaching, Revelation 2:9, rich, rich Christians, rich man and heaven, riches, self-image, Shakespeare, Sylvester Stallone, the democracy of death, The RIch Fool, The Rich Man and Lazarus, Your Best Life Now
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His House of Prayer
In Mark 11:17, Jesus said: “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations?’” His words regarding the temple remind us of some principles regarding our houses of worship today:
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged church, house of prayer, house of worship, Mark 11:17, worship
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