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 21:23-32, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Authority," for 4/26/26.
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 20:1-16, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Grace," for 4/19, 2026
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Deuteronomy 6:1-9, 20-25, "Love" for Sunday 11/02/25
- Joshua 3:5 Sermon: "Preparing For God To Work"
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 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 Love Relationship
“The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.” (John 3:35) Mahatma Gandhi, typical of the Eastern religious perspective, described God as a “force.” But we see no such impersonal description of God in scripture. Here … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged eternal life, force, John 17:26, John 17:3, John 3:35, love, Mahatma Gandhi, relationship, salvation, Trinity, Triune God
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“Fasting For Spiritual Breakthrough” (Matthew 4:2 sermon)
On May of 1776, in the throes of the conflict of the birth of our country, General George Washington sent this order to his army: “The Continental Congress having ordered, Friday the 17th. Instant to be observed as a day … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Matthew sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged apostles, Apostolic Constitutions, discipleship, Early Church, Esther, evangelism, fasting, fasting challenge, George Washington, intercession, intercessory prayer, Jesus, John 4, Matthew 4:2 sermon, Matthew 6, Moses, Nehemiah, prayer, prayer and fasting, rules for fasting, salvation, Samaritan woman, Shepherd of Hermas, Tertullian
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“He Must Increase But I Must Decrease”
“He must increase but I must decrease.” (John 3:30) This statement was true for John the Baptist in a very literal way, in which it will not be for us: John’s ministry and popularity would decrease, as more and more … Continue reading
“Weary, Yet Pursuing: Obeying God When You Are Tired” (John 4:6-7 sermon)
During the Civil War, the 20th Massachusetts regiment found themselves in combat day after day after day for almost 2 solid months. And it wore them down physically, emotionally, in every way. At the end of June 1864, Captain H.L. … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Civil War, discipleship, evangelism, exhaustion, Jesus, John 4:6-7, Judges 8:4, obedience, prayer, priorities, schedule, time management, tired, weary, weary yet pursuing
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“Winning vs. Temptation: Jesus’ Example in Spiritual Warfare” (Matthew 4:1-11 sermon)
This last Saturday (March 18, 2017) an intruder kicked open the door of a house in Redding, California — but he picked the wrong home to invade. A California Highway Patrol Officer lived at that house, and he shot the … Continue reading
Posted in Matthew sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged baby dedication, baseball, battle of the mind, Bible, Ephesians 6:10, Ephesians 6:17, family, God's word, goodness of God, home invasion, I Timothy 4:8, II Corinthians 10:5, Jesus example, Matthew 4:1-11, Matthew 4:1-11 sermon, protection, Proverbs 24:10, Psalm 119:68, scripture, scripture memory, self-defense, spiritual warfare, sports, sword of the Spirit, taking every thought captive, temptation, trials
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The Friend of the Bridegroom
“He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full.” (John 3:29) John the Baptist … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged discipleship, friend of God, John 3:29, ministry, selflessness
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The Source Of Ministerial Success
“A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.” (John 1:27) John the Baptist set forth a general principle here which applies in every area of life. We receive nothing that does not come from God … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged church, gifts, humility, II TImothy 2:21, James 1:17, jealousy, John 1:27, minister, ministry, pastor, providence, Romans 9:16, service, success
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“Into The Wilderness”: The Principle of Spiritual Testing (Matthew 4:1 sermon)
Those of us who have children know that parenting can be a very “up and down” experience. Cheryl & I have talked about this a number of times. It’s like you never get to “sit on your laurels” — even … Continue reading
Evening & Morning & Noon
“Evening and morning and at noon, I will complain and murmur, and He will hear my voice.” (Psalm 55:17) Notice the CONTINUAL nature of David’s prayers here. He says they are at: “evening and morning and noon”. Legalists would make … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged continual prayer, I Thessalonians 5:17, prayer, Psalm 55:17
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The Double Cure
“Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.’” (John 3:5) To be “born of water and the Spirit” means to be washed from … Continue reading
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