Category Archives: Spiritual life

God Speaks Your Language

Posted on September 23, 2023 by salooper57

He speaks to the poet in meter, to the architect in blueprints, to the child in games and laughter, to the wise in wisdom, to the fool in folly. He speaks to Isaac Newton in mathematical formulae, to Francis Collins in ribonucleic acids and to fisherman in fish. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Spiritual life, Theology | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Finally, Brothers and Sisters (2 Corinthians 13:11)

Posted on September 10, 2023 by salooper57

Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. I want to remind you of something we learned a couple of weeks ago. … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Church, Church Life, Encouragement, Sermons, Spiritual life | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Targeting Errors and How to Avoid Them

Posted on August 26, 2023 by salooper57

I frequently have heard people say, “I believe in my faith.” I cringe and respond, “Don’t do that! Believe in God, not in faith.” Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Peace with God, Spiritual life | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Church Member’s Checklist (1 Thessalonians 5:12-15)

Posted on August 20, 2023 by salooper57

Repair admonishment do not happen as often as they should, or as often as God intends, in the contemporary church. We are not close enough, do not love each other enough, do not trust each other enough to admonish. If someone does admonish, the usual result is anger, division, and departure. So, we cannot start with admonishment. We must start with love, intimacy, and trust, and that takes time to develop. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Church, Church Life, Sermons, Spiritual life | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Power of Selective Hearing: Timeless Advice from Jesus

Posted on July 29, 2023 by salooper57

People who listen to gossip will hear more and more of it. Those who refuse to listen will hear less and less. It is almost as if a search engine algorithm is at work. “Whoever has will be given more…” Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Spiritual life, Worldview and Culture | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Teen Mental Health: A National Emergency that Requires Local Action

Posted on July 22, 2023 by salooper57

… this national emergency will require local action. Individuals and individual families must change their praxis. Continue reading →

Posted in Lifestyle, Spiritual life, Worldview and Culture | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Good News Church (1 Thessalonians 3:6-13)

Posted on July 16, 2023 by salooper57

This leads to a question that each of us must answer for ourselves: Does my faith have holes in it? I think the answer is almost certainly, “Yes, it does.” But then we must discover where those holes are and what is causing them. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Sermons, Spiritual life | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Life-Changing Principle for a Better World

Posted on July 8, 2023 by salooper57

The Golden Rule is not a moral instruction that can be followed thoughtlessly or, in most cases, acted on spontaneously. To follow the Rule, I need to put myself in someone else’s shoes and this requires thought, intelligence, and imagination. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, relationships, Spiritual life | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Expiration Date: The Paradoxical Impact of Knowing Our Mortality

Posted on July 1, 2023 by salooper57

Imagine that you were born with an expiration date on your wrist or scalp. Your parents would know from the moment you were born how long your life would last. When you became old enough to understand what the numbers … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Peace with God, Spiritual life, Theology | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Signs, Signs, Everywhere a Sign: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

Posted on June 18, 2023 by salooper57

Many of us have been taught to think of “work” as a theologically dirty word. Work is what people do who don’t know Christ and are trying to bribe their way into heaven. But notice that Paul does not see faith and work as opponents but as friends. Faith produces work, as surely as fire produces heat, Congress produces deficits, and the Detroit Tigers produce disappointment. Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Church, Sermons, Spiritual life | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments