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)
- "The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 18:21-35, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Forgiveness," for 3/29/26
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
A Divine Decision
Proverbs 16:10 is a good word for anyone holding a position of authority or influence: “A divine decision is in the lips of the king; his mouth should not err (be unfaithful) in judgment.” At first one might wonder why the Proverb calls it … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged authority, decisions, Proverbs 16:10, responsibility, Romans 13
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This Week in “Paradise” August 13
Did I Do That? Cheryl hates the little lawnmower we have here in “Paradise”; she has lodged complaints against it on several occasions. Thus I must admit that I was more than a little suspicious when she “accidentally” left it … Continue reading
Posted in Home & Family Life, This Week In Paradise (pastors family blog)
Tagged back-to-school, Calvinism debate, cats and women, dinner, felines, football, Freudian song, garden, grading, home school, humor, kitten, lawnmower, nap time, Paradise, pastor's family life, POTS, Proverbs 31 woman, supersized, toothpaste, weight gain
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Simple Praise
Someone may ask: “How should I praise God? What exactly should I do?” One might think that there is some complicated, Biblical formula for praise, but the truth is there is a very simple one found in the Book of … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged giving thanks, model prayer, praise, prayer, Psalm 30:4, sing
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Introduction to the Book of James: “What Real Faith Looks Like”
A few weeks ago I had a phone conversation with a pastor in another town here in Southwest Louisiana, and he was talking about how there are well over 30 churches in their small community. He said, “You know … Continue reading
Not So Among You
In Mark 10:43 Jesus said: “But it is not so among you.” He spoke these words to His disciples in response to James & John’s ambitious request to be seated at His left and right in His kingdom — and the indignation … Continue reading
The Danger of Indignance
Mark 10:41 “And hearing this, the ten began to feel indignant toward James and John.” We need to be aware that sometimes our response to someone’s sin may be as great or greater than their sin which elicited our response! In Mark … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged bitterness, danger, indignance, indignation, Mark 10:41
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The Times That Try Men’s Souls (Psalm 11)
Years ago, at the founding of our nation, Thomas Paine wrote: “These are the times that try men’s souls.” That was certainly true of those revolutionary days – but I believe it is also very true today. Our souls are being … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
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“The Gift of Justification”
:2 “All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, but the Lord weighs the motives (literally “heart”)”. People are very good at justifying whatever they do. Take some of the worst things that are done in … Continue reading
Presuming in Prosperity
Psalm 30:6 says: “Now as for me, I said in my prosperity, ‘I will never be moved.’” David confesses here a previous sin in his life, which was an expression of the essence of human pride and presumption. During prosperous … Continue reading
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