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.

Daily Bread

Posted on October 16, 2022 by salooper57

Does God really provide our daily bread – what we need for life today? Can we trust him to take care of us? Jesus knew we could. This encouraging message helps us to trust God as we pray, “Give us … Continue reading →

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Scientists Long for Meaning Too

Posted on October 15, 2022 by salooper57

(Approximate reading time: four minutes.) If I understand him correctly, the theoretical physicist Leonard Susskind, who teaches at Stanford, contends that matter entering a black hole is preserved in the form of data. Should a black hole consume our world, … Continue reading →

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Loving People in a Loveless World (Matthew 5:38-48)

Posted on October 12, 2022 by salooper57

This is the part of the Sermon on the Mount that people find most difficult, yet it yields great insights and real help for living the Jesus way in the world.

Posted in Bible, Following Christ Today (Class), Spiritual life | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Whose Side Is God On?

Posted on October 8, 2022 by salooper57

In ancient times, people had to decide which deity they would serve. There were many from which to choose. There was Yahweh the God of Israel, and the pantheon ruler Zeus, Egypt’s Amon-Ra, the fertility god Baal, the “detestable” Molech, … Continue reading →

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Having Integrity in an Evil World (Following Christ Today)

Posted on October 5, 2022 by salooper57

I (Shayne) remember preaching through Matthew and coming to chapter 19 and the section on divorce. When I announced my text, and told people it was about divorce, you could hear a pin drop. I looked out to see friends … Continue reading →

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Hallowed Be Thy Name

Posted on October 2, 2022 by salooper57

Only when we can pray, “Our Father,” from a full heart can we say truly, “Hallowed by thy name.” This message looks at hallowing the name of “our Father, the One in the heavens.” You live in two worlds – … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Prayer, Sermons | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Communities of Love and Belonging

Posted on October 1, 2022 by salooper57

The people of this generation are living through a sea change but as is often the case, those on the sea are liable not to notice it until it is too late. The term “sea change” has had two primary … Continue reading →

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Following Christ Today: Anger and Lust (Matthew 5:21-33)

Posted on September 28, 2022 by salooper57

How can the addiction to anger or to lust be broken? How can Christians experience the righteousness of the heart in these areas? We think through these questions based on Jesus’s extraordinary Sermon on the Mount.

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Our Father

Posted on September 25, 2022 by salooper57

In this message, we enter, explore, and savor the Lord’s Prayer, which is to say, the prayer he gave his disciples. And what a gift it is! We see in this first sermon that it is those who can call … Continue reading →

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No Angst Over Declining Political Clout

Posted on September 24, 2022 by salooper57

What changes would the Republican Party make if Christians, who have been a key bloc within their base, could no longer deliver enough votes to compete with Democrats for national offices? How would the party react to a 12 percent … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, In the News, Mission, Worldview and Culture | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment