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 17:1-13, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Glory," for 3/22/26
- Teacher's Preview of Matthew 16:13-26, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: "Following Jesus" for 3/15/26
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "What God Wants From Us" (Micah 6:8 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "Fear Not, I Am With You" (Isaiah 41:10 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
Tag Archives: Holy Spirit
Shut Up By The Scriptures
“But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.” (Galatians 3:22) Paul teaches us here that one of the purposes of scripture is to … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged conviction, Galatians 3:22, Golden Rule, Holy Spirit, love your neighbor, Romans 11:32, salvation, scriptures, shut up
1 Comment
“Asking & Discerning” (Matthew 7:6-11 sermon)
I loved our Children’s Ministry Bible presentation last week, and I especially appreciated how Dr. Amanda mentioned that she is teaching our kids the importance of CONTEXT in scripture. It’s hard to overstate the importance of that in Bible interpretation. … Continue reading
Posted in Matthew sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Acts 13:45, asking, church fundraisers, compromise, discerning, discernment, donations, evangelism, Ezra, fundraising, giving, government, Holy Spirit, III John, Johann Tetzel, Luke 23:8, Mark Twain Innocents Abroad, Martin Luther, Matthew 7:6, Matthew 7:6-11, missions, missions giving, missions support, Pandering, pearls before swine, prayer, Reformation Day, salvation, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, spiritual abuse, wisdom, witnessing
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Written That You May Believe
“But these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” (John 20:31) John 20:31 is known as the “thesis” or purpose … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged belief, Bible, evangelism, evangelism methods, faith, Holy Spirit, John 20:31, Luke 16 rich man, Romans 10:17, salvation, scripture, witnessing, word of God
3 Comments
He Will Convict
“And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8) The word “He” in this verse is important for a couple of reasons:
The Believer’s Peace
“Do not let your heart be troubled.” (John 14:1) Many of God’s people are familiar with the opening words of this chapter. But they may not remember that Jesus REPEATS these very same words again later, near the end of … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged Comforter, disciples, heart, heaven, helper, Holy Spirit, Jesus, John 14:27, John 14:6, John 1:41, peace, salvation
1 Comment
A Triune Comfort
“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever.” (John 14:16) Jesus, knowing that His disciples were grieved by His impending departure from this world, comforts them with the promise … Continue reading
Jesus’ Word & Salvation
“As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him.” (John 8:30) The Bible tells us that when Jesus spoke the words He did in John 8, that “many came to believe in Him.” Sure, there was controversy, as … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Ministry, Uncategorized
Tagged Bible, Ephesians 6:17, evangelism, God's word, Holy Spirit, Jesus, John 8:30, ministry, preaching, Romans 10:17, salvation, scripture, teaching, word, word of God
1 Comment
A Foundational Lesson About God And Worship
“God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24) Here Jesus teaches the Samaritan woman, and every one of us who reads the inspired record of her conversation with Him, something about God … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged God, Holy Spirit, John 4:24, pneuma, spirit, spirit and truth, theology, worship
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Water And The Spirit
“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) Jesus had just told Nicodemus in :3 that he must be “born again” … Continue reading
“The Spirit We Need” (Matthew 3:11 message)
One day last week, a woman posted a comment on my blog on the internet. She wrote: “Shawn, I was looking at your work “being poured out as a drink offering”. I am a Christian who have received the baptism … Continue reading
Posted in Matthew sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged baptism in the Holy Spirit, baptism in the spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues, Ephesians 1:13, Ephesians 5:18, gifts of the Spirit, God the Holy Spirit, healing, holiness, Holy Spirit, I Corinthians 12:13, I Corinthians 12:7, I Corinthians 6:19, II Corinthians 13:5, John 14:16-17, Joni Earickson Tada cancer testimony, Matthew 3:11 sermon, power, power of the Holy Spirit, Romans 8:9, salvation, speaking in tongues, Spirit of Christ, Spirit of God, spiritual gifts
3 Comments
shawnethomas 