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.

Roadbuilders (3rd Sunday in Advent)

Posted on December 18, 2022 by salooper57

For the third week of Advent, we look at John the Baptist, the great roadbuilder for God. But the great roadbuilder was imprisoned and beginning to question what he had once believed: that Jesus was the Messiah. How did he … Continue reading →

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Violent Night: When Evil Came for Christmas

Posted on December 17, 2022 by salooper57

Our future historian would present a compelling case that violence entered the holiday season in the latter part of the twentieth century, but he would be mistaken. Violence surrounding Christ’s birth dates back to the very first century – a violence that was more gruesome than anything the writers of Violent Night included. Continue reading →

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Hope that Sustains

Posted on December 15, 2022 by salooper57

Hope is more than a feeling, more than a wish. It is more than “the thing with feathers that perches in the soul” (Emily Dickinson). Hope is an objective reality outside the soul which protects the soul. It is an … Continue reading →

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A Minute of Hope for Advent: Then You’ll See Him

Posted on December 13, 2022 by salooper57

Our hope includes seeing our loved ones again when Christ returns. They will astound us with their glory. It includes being glorified ourselves in the Great Revealing (Colossians 3:3-4). But our greatest hope is in the glory of God (Romans … Continue reading →

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“Everyone’s Insane Now” – and Then

Posted on December 10, 2022 by salooper57

(Reading time: 4 minutes) Peggy Noonan’s lede in her Wall Street Journal column from October 15, 2020 read: “Everyone’s insane now. I mean everyone in Washington.” It is not uncommon for people, even columnists for respected newspapers, to speak of … Continue reading →

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A Minute of Hope for Advent: The End of Evil

Posted on December 9, 2022 by salooper57
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Fear and Greed: Luke 12 (Following Christ Today)

Posted on December 7, 2022 by salooper57

Jesus wanted his disciple to be free from the control of fear. Because greed is fueled by fear, he took the opportunity to address it as well (and, in so doing, shared one of his most famous stories). Get out … Continue reading →

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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!

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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 →

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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 →

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