Author Archives: salooper57

Unknown's avatar

About salooper57

Husband, father, pastor, follower. I am a disciple of Jesus, learning how to do life from him. I read, write, walk, play a little guitar, enjoy my family.

A Minute of Hope: No More War (Advent)

Posted on December 5, 2022 by salooper57

Each week in Advent, I will post these minute-of-hope video or audio clips. During Advent, our hope is renewed and invigorated – and do we ever need that!

Posted in Advent, Bible | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Have You Got the Time?

Posted on December 4, 2022 by salooper57

You will think that you have seen it all when you see your friends and family, and especially when you see yourself. You will be stunned and overwhelmed. “After this,” you will think, “nothing will ever surprise me again.” And then you will see him – him who made the worlds – and in that moment, you will know why you were made, why everything and everyone was made, and you will know that the making was good, was “very good. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christmas, Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Do You Suffer from Spiritual Apnea?

Posted on December 3, 2022 by salooper57

For the past five years or so, I have been on a quest to sleep better. I have been sleeping poorly since my thirties, and it has only gotten worse as the years have passed. My three sons all followed … Continue reading →

Posted in Prayer, Spiritual life, Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Never Fear (Following Christ Today)

Posted on November 29, 2022 by salooper57

Jesus was relaxed. He was able to speak truth in very difficult situations. He went through danger with poise and aplomb. How? He never let fear control him. Is it possible for us to be more like him in this? … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Following Christ Today (Class), Spiritual life | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Prayer in Action (Nehemiah 1:1-2:8)

Posted on November 27, 2022 by salooper57

We don’t know how long Nehemiah had served the king, but it was long enough for the king to notice that something was wrong with him, and he asked him about it. Nehemiah says that the king’s question made him “very much afraid.” Why? Because Nehemiah had resolved to ask the king to send him to rebuild Jerusalem, but it was on the king’s order that the rebuilding of Jerusalem had been halted.

Nehemiah was about to ask a Persian sovereign to do an about face, a 180 degree turn. The request itself might be taken as an insult. Nehemiah could be fired—or worse. He had good reason to be “very much afraid.”

But the God who had prepared Nehemiah had also prepared the king. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Faith, Prayer, Spiritual life | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Get Ready, Get Set, and Wait: Observing Advent

Posted on November 26, 2022 by salooper57

Why do some churches begin their celebration of Advent, which is Latin for “arrival” and refers to Christ’s coming, a month before Christmas? Are they taking their cue from Walmart and trying to leverage the holiday to maximize worship attendance? … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Church, Church Life | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Golden Rule and the Narrow Gate

Posted on November 24, 2022 by salooper57
Posted in Bible, Following Christ Today (Class), relationships, Spiritual life | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church

Posted on November 20, 2022 by salooper57

On Sunday, November 13th, our church commemorated IDOP Sunday with special guests Otoniel Martinez and our long-time friend Joe Milioni. What they have to share will excite you and encourage your faith. Remarkable advances are even now happening in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Church, Encouragement, Worldview and Culture | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Thanksgiving Is Not a Given

Posted on November 19, 2022 by salooper57

To become a grateful person, one must also believe in a God who loves unconditionally. Life will sometimes scream that we are unwanted, unloved, and unworthy. Our own failures will echo that scream. Gratitude can only be reclaimed in such moments if we are convinced that nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Encouragement, Lifestyle, Theology | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Prayer in Everyday Life (Colossians 4:2-6)

Posted on November 13, 2022 by salooper57

Paul is not talking about inner room prayers here. He wants Christians to take their praying on the road. As they go about their day, doing their normal things, he wants them to stay alert to God’s voice and be ready to interact with him at any moment. Prayer is not just something we do when we have something to pray about. It is something we do when God has something for us to pray about. That insight in transformative. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Prayer, Sermons | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment