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 2:1-12, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Worship the King," for 12/21/25
- “Immanuel: God With Us” (Matthew 1:23 sermon)
- "The Example of Joseph" (Matthew 1:18-25 sermon)
- "He Will Save His People From Their Sins" (Matthew 1:21 Sermon)
- "The Greatest Verse in the Bible?" (John 3:16 sermon)
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "A 'Real Life' Christmas" (Luke 2:1-11 sermon)
- "Your Response to Christmas" (Matthew 2:1-12 Sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 4:12-25, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson "Invitation," for 12/14/25
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 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
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- Sermons
- The Model Prayer Series
- The Model Prayer series (FBCA 2020)
- This Week In Paradise (pastors family blog)
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- Uncategorized
- worship
Tag Archives: good
Teacher’s Overview of Genesis 35:1-15, “Renewed” Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson for April 21, 2024
An overview for Sunday school teachers and Bible study leaders of Genesis 35:1-15, Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson for Sunday April 21, 2024, with the title, “Renewed.” A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: Another title … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Bethel, blessing, blessings, C.S. Lewis, children, consecration, Explore the Bible, false gods, father, Genesis, Genesis 35:1-15, God, gods, good, head of household, holiness, idols, instant obedience, internet, Israel, Jacob, Jim Eliot, John Kenneth Galbraith, LBJ, Lifeway, Luke 6:46, Lyndon Johnson, matriarch, name Israel, obedience, obey, one good God, parenting, patriarch, peace, revival, safety, Shechem, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, teraphim, There is but one good, vow to the Lord, vows, Why do you call Me Lord
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“The Goodness of God in the Midst of Affliction” (Psalm 119:65-72 sermon)
In February 2012, I stood to lead prayer meeting at the church in Louisiana I had pastored for 12 years, but the longer I stood the sicker I became. I had to leave during the prayer time and have my … Continue reading
Posted in Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged "Fall Apart" song, affliction, attributes of God, becoming like Christ, Christlikeness, cleansing, cocoon of a butterfly, confession, conformed to His image, dysautonomia, Ephesians 6, faith, faith testing, glory, God attributes, God goodnesss, God is good, God is good all the time, god is good and does good, God's purpose, good, grace, identification, II Corinthians 12:9, it is good for me that I was afflicted, John 17:3, knowing God, lessons, life, life purpose, Matthew 13 parable of the sower, maturity, minister, ministry, My grace is sufficient, pastor, pastor Shawn Thomas, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, POTS, prayers, priorities, Psalm 119 acrostic, Psalm 119:65-72, Psalm 119:67, purification, purpose for suffering, purpose for trials, purposes for affliction, Romans 8:28-29, Ronnie Rogers Trinity Baptist Norman, salvation, Shawn E. Thomas, sin, spiritual maturity, spiritual warfare, suffering, sword of the Spirit, test, teth, theodicy, theology, theology 101, thorn in the flesh, tob good, trials, word of God, You are good, You do good
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“Goodness Shall Follow Me”?
The words of Psalm 23:6 are familiar to most of us: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life …” — but they may bring something different to us than many of us might anticipate:
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged good, goodness, prosperity gospel, Psalm 119:71, Psalm 23:6
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The Ultimate Good
Psalm 4:6 says: “Many are saying, ‘Who will show us any good?’ Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O LORD.” Where is good to be found? The Psalm says, this is what everyone is asking: what good … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged face of God, glory, God, good, I John 3:2, Psalm 16:11, Psalm 17:15, Psalm 4:6, ultimate good
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