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 13:24-30, 36-43, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Judgment Coming," for 2/22/26.
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 12:1-14, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Rejecting Legalism," for 2/15/26.
- “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)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 11:1-6, 16-24, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Confronting Doubts, for 2/08/26
- "The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "How To Seek The Lord" (Isaiah 55:6-7 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
Tag Archives: love
“What Real Faith Looks Like: Perseverance” (James 1:12 sermon)
We’ve got one of my very favorite family pictures to put up on the screen: In 1998, I ran the Tulsa Run road race with Paul, David & Libby, our three oldest kids. Cheryl took this picture of the four of us at my … Continue reading
Posted in Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like
Tagged A.T. Bobertson, acid test, acid test gold, approval, approved, assurance, assurance of salvation, Book of James, crown of life, dokimos, eternal security, family, gold, gold test, I Corinthians 13, I Peter 1:6-7, if saved always saved, James, James 1:12, love, Matthew 13, once saved always saved, Parable of the Sower, perseverance, perseverance of the saints, Romans 16:10, seal of approval, stephanos, tested like gold, tests, trials, Tulsa Run, What Real Faith Looks Like
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Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway “Explore the Bible” Lamentations 3:19-33 “Good”
A brief overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Lamentations 3:19-33 for Sunday, August 27, 2023, with the title, “Good.” (A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: A few months into the American Revolution in … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Augustine of Hippo, chesed, child of such tears, compassion, David McCullough, depression, Explore the Bible, faithfulness, God, God judge, God's love, grace, Great Is Thy Faithfulness, hope, II Corinthians 10:5, II Timothy 2:13, inheritance, Jehovah, Jeremiah, Jerusalem, Lamentations 3:19-33, Lifeway, Lord, love, lovingkindness, Martin Luther, Monica Augustine, portion, priests, Psalm 103, Psalm 16, Psalm 2:2, Psalm 42, seek God, seeking God, Shawn Thomas, SS teacher help, St. Augustine, Sunday school lesson, taking thoughts captive, The Lord is my portion, tob, trials, Yahweh
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Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Jeremiah 12:1-13, “Exclusive”
A brief overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Jeremiah 12:1-13 for Sunday, June 25, 2023, with the title, “Exclusive.” A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO ??? Can you share a time … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged ask God why, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Boss Tweed, gay wedding cake, God, hang on, Hosea 11, How can I give you up, Jeremiah, Jeremiah 12:1-13, Jeremiah 12:1-13 Bible Study, Jeremiah 12:1-13 Sunday school lesson, Jesus why have You forsaken Me, judgment, Lifeway Explore the Bible, love, Matthew 15:8, Prodigal Son, Psalm 43:2 why, Psalm 73, run with footmen, stick to it, Sunday school teacher help, Sweet Cakes By Melissa, theodicy, wicked prosper
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Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson: Jeremiah 2:1-13 “Judges”
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” series lesson of Jeremiah 2:1-13 for Sunday, June 11, 2023, with the title “Judges.” (A video version of this overview is available on YouTube … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Babe Ruth trade, cistern, Explore the Bible, Jeremiah 2 "Judges", Jeremiah 2:1-13, John Calvin idol factory, left first love, Lifeway Explore the Bible, lost your first love, love, marriage, Revelation 2:4, Sunday school lesson Jeremiah 2, Sunday school teacher help Jeremiah 2, trade
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Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson: John 21:15-23 “Do You Love Me?”
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers & Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of John 21:15-23, “Do You Love Me?” for Sunday, May 28, 2023. (A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged agape, confession, cost of following Jesus, deacon, Do You Love Me?, feed My sheep, I Love Thee hymn, Jesus, John 21 Explore the Bible lesson, John 21 Sunday school lesson, John 21 Sunday school teacher help, John vs. Peter, Lifeway Explore the Bible John 21, love, pastor, Peter, phileo, potter and clay, repentance, Romans 9:20, service, sin, Sunday School teacher, You follow Me
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“The Church That Left Their First Love” (Revelation 2:1-7 sermon)
Cheryl & I are so grateful for the kids God blessed us with; but sometimes they can be a little bit stubborn. (I wonder where they got that …). Our boys ran track in high school, and one time one … Continue reading
Posted in Revelation sermon series
Tagged all your heart, Church at Ephesus sermon, Churches of Revelation, deeds, do, Ephesus first love, first love, God is love, going through the motions, He who has an ear, heart, I John 4:8, I used to, Jeremiah 2 love, Jesus, Jesus letter to Ephesus, letter to Ephesus, Lewis Allen, love, Luke 15, Luke 15 repentance, Lyanda Lynn Haupt, Matthew 23:23, Prodigal Son, Psalm 42, Rare Encounters With Extraordinary Birds, remember, remember repent do, repent, repentance, Revelation 2 sermon, Revelation 2:1-7, tee ball, The Most Important Thing, The Preacher's Catechism
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Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson, John 13:31-14:6, “I Will Come Again”
A brief overview for Sunday school teachers and Bible Study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of John 13:31-14:6, with the title, “I Will Come Again,” scheduled for Sunday, March 19, 2023. A video version of this overview is … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Acts 4:12, C.S. Lewis heaven, disappointment, discouragement, Explore the Bible John 14 teacher help, Falls Creek story, glory, Hadrian Aristides quote, heaven, heavenly minded earthly good, I John 5:12, Jesus only way, John 13 Sunday school lesson, John 14 SS lesson, John 14:6, Joplin tornado testimony, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson John 13 and 14, love, Oliver Wendell Holmes heavenly minded, Psalm 16:11, Richard Feynman love, salvation, sin, stress, Sunday school lesson help, Sunday school teacher helps, they love one another quote
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shawnethomas 