Author Archives: salooper57

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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.

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 →

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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 →

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The Golden Rule and the Narrow Gate

Posted on November 24, 2022 by salooper57
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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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Persecution, Real and Imagined, Old and New

Posted on November 12, 2022 by salooper57

Rod Dreher believes that “A time of painful testing, even persecution, is coming” upon Christians living in the U.S. Dreher, who is a senior editor of The American Conservative and the author of The Benedict Option and Live Not by … Continue reading →

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ASK: Following Christ Today (Matthew 7:1-8)

Posted on November 9, 2022 by salooper57

This class is about how Christians can obey Jesus and stop judging. Instead of placing themselves above of others, they can take a position of humility and ask. Asking is the rule of the kingdom.

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Lead Us Not into Temptation

Posted on November 6, 2022 by salooper57

Understanding why you are tempted can help you overcome chronic, difficult temptations. The reason behind temptation may not be something you’ve ever thought about. This message helps us understand why we are tempted and what it means for us to … Continue reading →

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Why Abortion Is So Intractable

Posted on November 5, 2022 by salooper57

Thirty years ago, Bill Clinton stated that “Abortion should be safe, legal, and rare.” The issue of its legality is still up in the air, but abortion has never been safe – especially for the developing fetus – and no … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, In the News, Marriage and Family, Worldview and Culture | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment