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.
-
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
- 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: saving faith
Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of I Peter 1:3-12, “Our Inheritance” for 3/02/25
An overview for Sunday school teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible lesson” for March 2, 2025, “Our Inheritance,” with the text of I Peter 13-12. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged "Our Inheritance", Bible, Bible study, born again, Charles Dickens Great Expectations, Christianity, Daniel, eternal security, Explore the Bible, faith, George Washington, George Washington inheritance, glory, God, gospel, heaven, heaven reward, How Firm A Foundation, I know whom I have believed, I Peter, I Peter 1, imperishable, inheritance, it's not all about you, Jesus, John 3:3, John 3:7, kept in heaven, lesson help, lesson outline, Lifeway, Old Testament prophecies of Jesus, Peter, Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia Bithynia, power of God, prophets, reward, Romans 8:18, Ron Chernow, salvation, saving faith, selflessness, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school teacher help, term Great Expectations, the soul that on Jesus, we're not home yet, you must be born again
13 Comments
“A Biblical Farewell” (Acts 20:18-32)
(On the occasion of my retirement from First Baptist Church, Angleton, TX, Sunday, January 26, 2025) So what do you say to someone when you’re seeing them for the last time? It’s very difficult. Quite honestly, a lot of times … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Acts, Acts 20, Acts 20 sermon, Apostle Paul, Bible, children, Christianity, daily Bible reading, elders, Ephesian elders, faith, farewell, Father's hands, God, God the Father, good bye sermon, gospel, Henry V, I commit you to God, I know whom I have believed, In Christ Alone, intercessory prayer, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus is the answer, Mark Dever, nothing in my hand I bring, pastor, pastor retirement, Paul, prayer, Prodigal Son, read the directions, repent, repentance, repentance and faith, retirement, salvation, saving faith, scripture, Shakespeare, Shawn E. Thomas, Shawn Thomas retirement, sin, We're in God's hands brother, why should I let you into my heaven, word of God
5 Comments
“Don’t Waste A Good Crisis” (Hurricane Beryl message, July 2024, Psalm 46)
Just before the dark days of the Second World War, English Prime Minister Winston Churchill famously said: “Never let a good crisis go to waste”! His statement has been adopted and re-quoted by many politicians in recent years: “Never let … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Bible, blessings, CAT 1, Corrie Ten Boom, COVID, COVID crisis, crises, crisis, crisis ministry, don't waste a good crisis, electricity, faith, give thanks, God, God is our refuge, gratitude, hurricane Beryl, In Christ Alone, Jesus, Lyndon Johnson, material blessings, ministry, My hope is built on nothing less, never let a god crisis go to waste, politics, prayer, Psalm 116:1, Psalm 46, Psalm 46:1, Robert Caro, salvation, Samaritans Purse disaster relief, saving faith, service, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, take for granted, thankful, The Solid Rock, trust, water, well, Winston Churchill
Leave a comment
“What Real Faith Looks Like: Relationships & Righteousness” (James 1:19-21 sermon)
In the fall of 1871, explorer Harry Stanley found missionary Dr. Livingstone in Ujiji, Africa, after he had been lost to civilization for several years. It was then that he uttered those famous words, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume.” Staying there … Continue reading
Posted in Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like
Tagged A.T. Robertson, anger, Bible, Christianity, continual repentance, conversation, dads, Dr. Livingstone, ethics, evangelism, faith, fathers, Fathers Day, garden, gay Christian, gospel, Harry Stanley, hearing, holiness, humility, James, James 1, James 1 sermon, ministry, mouth, proverbs, quick to hear, real Christianity, receive Jesus, relationships, repent, repentance, salvation, sanctification, saving faith, sermons, Shekinah, sin, slow to anger, slow to speak, Sunday school class, teaching, temper, thrice was Moses angry, two ears one mouth, weeds, What Real Faith Looks Like, witness, word implanted, words, Zeno
2 Comments
“Comforting the Afflicted & Afflicting the Comfortable” (James 1:9-11 sermon)
In the early 1900’s, humorist Finley Peter Dunne said that “The newspaper does everything for us. It runs the police force and the banks, commands the militia, controls the legislature, baptizes the young, marries the foolish, comforts the afflicted and … Continue reading
Posted in Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like
Tagged Alexander, Bible, Book of James, church poor, comforting the afflicted, death sudden, faith, Finley Peter Dunne, Hamlet, humility, identity, Imperious Caesar, Isaiah 40:6-7, James 2:5, James sermons, Jesus, love of money, Luke 12:13-21, materialism, Matthew 19:23, money, poor, poor in spirit, poverty, Prince William inheritance, real faith, Revelation 2:9, rich, riches, salvation, saving faith, self-image, Smyrna, Sylvester Stallone, temporal values, wealth, Yorick
Leave a comment
“What James’ Faith Looked Like” (James 1:1 sermon)
This summer the Olympics will return to Paris France. It’s always fun to see how our American athletes do — and usually somebody from our country wins, and shares their Christian testimony. In 2008 a young man by the name … Continue reading
Posted in Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like, Sermons
Tagged anointed One, Bible, Book of James, C.S. Lewis, Christ, Christian testimony, commitment, David Boudia, doulos, faith, God, heaven, James, James the brother of Jesus, Jesus, Lord, Lord Jesus Christ, Mary, Mere Christianity, Messiah, Nicodemus, personal relationship, rich young ruler, salvation, saving faith, sin, slave
2 Comments
“What Real Faith Looks Like” (Introduction to the Book of James)
Some time ago I was visiting with a pastor in another state, and he was talking about how there are well over 30 churches in just their small community. He said, “You know how it is here; everyone says they … Continue reading
Posted in Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like
Tagged American Christianity, assurance, Bible, Book of James, Christianity, commandments, conviction, conviction of sin, easy believism, epistle of straw, faith, God's Law, gospel, how can I be saved, James, James 3, Jesus, John Ryland, Lord, Lord Lord, Martin Luther, meddling in my private life, salvation, Samuel Rutherford, saving faith, scripture memory, sin, strawy epistle, Tennessee Williams, testimony, tongue, What Real Faith Looks Like, words, works
Leave a comment
“The Promise of Christmas” (Zechariah 2:10-11 sermon)
In the 1800s, R.H. Dana was a student at Harvard who got measles, which weekend his eyesight and kept him from being able to read, so he took a job on a sailing ship in hopes of regaining his health. … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged agent Clint Hill President Eisenhower, Charles Ellet bridge builder Niagara Falls, faith, God with us, Immanuel, Messiah in Zechariah, R.H. Dana Two Years Before The Mast, Revelation 21 God Himself dwell among them, salvation, saving faith, Zechariah 2 sermon, Zechariah 2:10-11 sermon, Zechariah Christmas sermon
1 Comment
shawnethomas 