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 Joshua 1:1-11, 16-18, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson: "Strong & Courageous" for 6/07/26
- Teacher's Overview of Numbers 14:11-24, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Rebellion & Judgment" for 9/28/25
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 27:27-31, 45-54, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Our Savior," for 5/31/26
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "The World, The Flesh, and the Devil" (James 3:15 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 sermon)
- "True Religion" (Philippians 3:2-3)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 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: Jesus
Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway “Explore the Bible” John 7:14-29
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of John 7:14-29 for Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023, “He Sent Me.” (A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged A.W. Tozer theological training, Bill Elliff Simply Prayer, Feast of Booths, Feast of Tabernacles, God's way, God's will, gospel, II Kings 5 Naaman, Isaiah 55:8-9, Jesus, John 7 Bible study, John 7 lesson teacher helps, John 7 Sunday School lesson, judgment, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson John 7, Lifeway Explore the Bible teacher help John 7, Martin Luther Diet of Worms, Martin Luther here I stand, Messiah, prejudice, salvation, Savior, show me scripture, tithe, tithing
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Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of John 2:11-23.
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of John 2:11-23, for Sunday, December 18, 2022, with the title: “I Will Raise.” A video version of this overview is available on … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Bible Study John 2, Jesus, Jesus Deity, Jesus in the Temple, Jesus resurrection, Jesus temple cleansing, Jesus was a vegetarian, Lifeway Explore the Bible John 2:11-23, Lifeway Explore the Bible teacher helps, prophecies of Jesus resurrection, Shawn Thomas Sunday School lesson John 2, Sunday school illustrations, Sunday school lesson help John 2, Sunday school teacher help John 2
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Teachers’ Overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson: John 1:1-14, “In The Beginning.”
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible Study leaders, of Lifeway’s Explore The Bible lesson of John 1:1-14, “In the Beginning,” for Sun, Dec. 4, 2022. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Christ of Christmas, Christology, Incarnation, Jesus, Jesus Deity, Jesus humanity, John 1:1-14 Sunday school lesson helpl, Lifeway Explore the Bible, Lifeway Explore the Bible John 1:1-14, Paul Harvey The Man and the Birds, person and work of Christ, Shawn Thomas, shawnethomas.com, teacher helps John 1:1-14
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Lifeway Explore the Bible: Hosea 14:1-9 “The Restoration Promised”
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson for Sunday, November 6, 2022, “The Restoration Promised, from Hosea 14:1-9. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Bible study, Billy Graham Peace With God, C.S. Lewis Screwtape Letters, cedar of Lebanon, Explore the Bible, Explore the Bible teacher helps Hosea 14:1-9, false gods, false hope, false trust, Hosea 14 lesson outline, Hosea 14:1-9, how to be saved, India gods, iniquity definition, iniquity meaning, Israel, Jesus, Lifeway, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson Hosea 14:1-9, lily, olive tree, prayer of faith, prayer of salvation, repent, repentance and faith, repentance meaning, salvation, Samaria, sinners prayer, Sunday school teacher help, The Restoration Promised Sunday school lesson, witness, witnessing
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“The Incomparable Christ” (Hebrews 1:1-4 sermon)
The name of John Hay is not very well known today, but in the 1800s he was one of the most influential men in America. He was Secretary of State under Theodore Roosevelt, but he began his career as a … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Acts 4:12, angel Gabriel, angel Michael, angels, Colossians 1:15, false prophets, forgiveness of sins, glory of God, Hebrews 1 sermon, Hebrews 1:1-4 sermon, Islam, Jesus, Jesus angels, Jesus Christ, Jesus cross, Jesus glory, Jesus God's fairest reflection, Jesus God's final revelation, Jesus name above all names, Jesus redeemer, Jesus sat down, Jesus son of God, Joseph Smith, Matthew 24:24, radiance of His glory, the Bab, The Incomparable Christ
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Teachers’ Overview of Lifeway Explore the Bible: Amos 4:1-13, “Turn to God
(A brief overview for Sunday school teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Amos 4:1-13, for Sunday, September 11, 2022, with the title, “Turn To God.” A video version of this overview is available on … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged 2013 Norman tornado, Amos 4:1-13, Bible, Book of Amos, chastisements, child discipline, cows of Bashan, Explore the Bible lesson Amos 4:1-13, forgiveness, Jesus, judgment, Lifeway Explore the Bible, Prepare to meet your God, punishment, redemptive punishment, return to Me, sin, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school teacher helps, teacher help for Amos 4:1-13, warning signs
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“The Answer To The Biggest Problem You Have” (Luke 5:17-26)
What if I told you this morning that I know the answer to the biggest problem you have? Some problem just jumped to the front of your mind, didn’t it? “You have the answer to THAT?!” If you’re like me … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged C.S. Lewis run on gasoline, Charles Spurgeon testimony, evangelism, faith, forgiveness, George Whitefield, grace, Isaiah 45:22 Look to Me and be ye saved, Jesus, Jesus and the paralytic, Jesus is the answer, John 19:30 it is finished, John 3 Nicodemus, John 3 serpent, Joni Earickson Tada, look and live, look to Jesus, Luke 16 rich man and Lazarus, Luke 5:17-26 sermon, Numbers 21 serpent, priorities, salvation, sin, Southwest airlines accident, the biggest problem you have, your biggest problem, your sins are forgiven you
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“A Divine Appointment” (Acts 8:26-40 sermon)
In 2014 Cheryl & I were living in Norman, Oklahoma while I was recuperating from illness that had caused me to resign my pastorate in Louisiana. One winter afternoon about 4:00 I suddenly had a strong urge to go out … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Ministry, Sermons
Tagged Acts 8, Acts 8 Philip and Ethiopian, baptism, baptism and salvation, baptism profession of faith, baptism symbolic, daily Bible reading, divine appointment, Dwight Moody Big L, Ethiopian eunuch, Ethiopian Treasurer, evangelism, faith, gospel, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit prompting, India mission, instant obedience, Isaiah 53, Jesus, meaning of baptism, missions, morning devotions, morning worship time, Only Jesus saves, people need the Lord, priest "we baptize you", religion, repentance, response to the gospel, salvation, Walk Across The Room, witnessing, witnessing opportunity
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“Christian Contentment” (Philippians 4:10-14 sermon)
In Victor Hugo’s classic, Les Miserables, one of the early heroes in the story, whom the Lord uses to help turn around the life of the convict Jean Valjean, is Bishop Myriel. Unlike many churchmen in France at that time … Continue reading
Posted in Philippians sermons, Sermons
Tagged Bible Reading, Bishop Myriel, buy, C.S. Lewis contentment, C.S. Lewis letter Mary Shelburne, C.S. Lewis old folks home, Christ will be with you, Christian contentment, church health, circumstances, circumstances and happiness, contentment, contentment in circumstances, context of Philippians 4:13, dangers of contentment, evangelism, God's will vs. my will, holiness, I can do all things through Christ meaning, I'm satisfied with just a cottage, Jesus, Jesus and contentment, Jesus makes the difference, Les Miserables, Madison Avenue, Nick Saban satisfaction, NOT your best life now, Philippians 4:10-14, Philippians 4:13, Philippians sermon, prayer, prosperity gospel, retail therapy, Romania hospital, secret to contentment, shopper's high, spending, spiritual growth, spiritual maturity, The Glory and the Dream by William Manchester, Victor Hugo, walk with God, what Philippians 4:13 does NOT mean
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“4 Things That Won’t Save You (and 1 That Will!)” (Philippians 3:4-11 sermon)
In ancient times, they believed that when you were sick, they needed to get the “bad blood” out of you, so they would employ certain treatments they thought would accomplish that. One (which is so gross to many of us … Continue reading
Posted in Philippians sermons, Sermons
Tagged 4 things that won't save you, Allah weigh good deeds and bad, baptism, Baptist rituals, bleeding as medicine, blood of Jesus, circumcision, deeds, do your best, heritage, intentions, Islam 5 pillars, Islam scales, J. Edwin Orr testimony, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ alone saves, Jewish heritage, John 14:6, justification, leeches as treatment, Lord's Supper, lost ark, Luke 18 Pharisee and tax collector, Nabeel Qureshi testimony, Only Jesus saves, Oscar Wilde, Oscar Wilde deathbed conversion?, Philippians 3:4-11 sermon, Philippians sermon, repentance and faith, rituals, Romans 10:2, Romans 3:20, salvation, salvation intercessory prayers, Seeking Allah Finding Jesus, self-justification, sincerely wrong, sincerity, witness, works, works salvation, works won't save, zeal, zeal not in accordance with knowledge
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