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)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 22:15-22, 34-40, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Honor" for 5/03/26
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 20:1-16, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Grace," for 4/19, 2026
- "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
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 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
Win the Spiritual Battle For Your Loved Ones’ Salvation
“When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road.” (Matthew … Continue reading
The Family of God
“And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said: ‘Behold My mother and My brothers!’” (Matthew 12:49) This passage is just one of many in the New Testament where Jesus turns the traditional values of this world upside-down. Verse … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged family, family of God, Matthew 12:49
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Why “Turning Over A New Leaf” Is Never Enough
“Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came’; and when it comes, it … Continue reading
The Heart of Our Evangelism Problem
“For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.” (Matthew 12:34) Jesus spoke these words to the Pharisees, who accused Him in :24 of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub. He turned the focus back on … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged Acts 4:20, evangelism, heart, Matthew 12:34, witnessing, words
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Will You Pay The Price For Unity?
“Jesus said to them, any kingdom that is divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand.” (Matthew 12:25) Many churches, organizations — and even our nation — need to give heed … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged Abraham Lincoln, church, kingdom divided, Matthew 12:25, preferences, sacrifice, unity
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Are You Neglecting Your Mission To The Nations?
“And in His name the Gentiles will hope.” (Matthew 12:21) The present verse is actually a quote from Isaiah 42 about the coming Messiah, and how the Gentiles (the non-Israelite nations of the world) would put their trust in Him. … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
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An Outrageous Claim
“But I say to you that something greater than the Temple is here.” (Matthew 12:6) From time to time we hear the assertion that Jesus never claimed to be God. Anyone saying such things demonstrates gross Biblical illiteracy. Passages such … Continue reading
Compassion, Not Criticism
“But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, ‘Look, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath.’” (Matthew 12:2) “When (they) saw … they said …”. Seeing, and then being critical, was a mark … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged compassion, criticism, Hosea 6:6, judgmentalism, Matthew 12 devotion, Matthew 12:2, Pharisees
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Book Review: The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert, by Rosaria Butterfield
I’ll just say it up front: The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert is one of the most compelling books I have ever read. The title leads one to think that it will give the reader a peek into the … Continue reading
“Pressing On To Know the Lord” (Hosea 6:3 sermon)
Not long ago I read of a well-known actress who said that when she wasn’t acting, she really had no purpose in life. She said she just about went crazy because she nothing to do, and she said, “Thank God … Continue reading
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