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 Matthew 24:36-51, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Alert" for May 10, 2026
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 22:15-22, 34-40, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Honor" for 5/03/26
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "The Gift That Is An Insult" (I Kings 9:10-14)
- "Inviting Jesus Into Your Home" (Luke 10:38-42 sermon)
- "The World, The Flesh, and the Devil" (James 3:15 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
The Back-to-School Speech
It was August 2004, and like children all over the country right now, our kids were getting ready to go back to school. Our oldest, Paul, was going to be taking his first classes at McNeese State University in Lake Charles. … Continue reading
Some Running Advice Is Best Taken With a Grain of Salt
In one of my very favorite movies, “Chariots of Fire”, the great British runner Harold Abrahams is asked if he enjoys running. He responds, “I am more of an addict.” I fall probably somewhere in between those two categories. Sometimes I … Continue reading
Ungodly Appetites
Habakkuk 2:5 “Ungodly Appetites” 8-07-11 a.m. In Leonia, New Jersey, back in 1995, a man was arrested for stealing a truck full of Snapple. It turns out he had previously worked for Snapple, and had been fired from his job … Continue reading
“Seeking God In Days of Judgment”
Zephaniah 2:1-3 “Seeking God in Days of Judgment” Aug. 7th, 2011 p.m. A couple of days before we went to Houston for The Response last Saturday, I was reading in the Book of Zephaniah in my quiet time, and my reading began … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged holiness, judgment, seeking God, spiritual growth, Zephaniah 2:1-3
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I’m Going.
The list of those lining up in opposition to The Response, the day of prayer and fasting for our nation that Texas Governor Rick Perry called for in Houston’s Reliant Stadium this Saturday, is growing: –The LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & … Continue reading
Posted in Current Events
1 Comment
The Righteous Will Live By His Faith
Habakkuk 2:1-4 “The Righteous Will Live By His Faith” 7-31-11 a.m. In the early 1500’s, young Martin Luther had felt the burden and weight of his sin before a God whom he knew was holy; he knew that he … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged faith, Habakkuk 2:4, Martin Luther, perseverance, salvation by faith, Sola Fide
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Notes on Repentance and Forgiveness from Psalm 51
Psalm 51 “Notes on Repentance & Forgiveness” Sun PM 7-31-11 Over the past months, we have spoken often of the crisis that our nation is facing, and the need for us to turn to the Lord in a fresh way. … Continue reading
Samuel Rutherford’s Five Lessons From the Furnace
In 1636 Samuel Rutherford, pastor of the Scottish church of Anwoth, was removed from his pulpit during a time of religious persecution. Sent into exile into Aberdeen, Rutherford, at first despondent, found grace that gave him a seldom-equaled walk with … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Doctrine/Theology, History, Reviews
Tagged furnace, Samuel Rutherford, spiritual growth, temptations, trials
2 Comments
“The Root of All Evil”
Habakkuk 2:4a “The Root of All Evil” July 24, 2011 There is a verse of scripture that is often misquoted; virtually everyone here has heard it: “Money is the root of all evil.” But I Timothy 6:10 actually does NOT say “money … Continue reading
Posted in Doctrine/Theology, Sermons
Tagged Habakkuk sermon, Job 38, Paradise Lost, pride, pride and salvation, pride in church, root of all evil, sin of pride
9 Comments
shawnethomas 