Category Archives: Spiritual life

How to Seek the Kingdom

Posted on August 22, 2021 by salooper57

…if we don’t give priority to seeking his kingdom, we’ll never find it. “Seek second the kingdom and his righteousness” and you’ll be wasting your time. But that’s the way God intended it. The half-hearted, the religious dabbler, the spiritual dilettante never see the kingdom. “The kingdom of heaven,” Jesus once said, “is like a treasure hidden in a field.” Any number of people can pass right by it and never know it’s there. It is the one who hungers and thirsts for righteousness that is filled, not the one who nibbles at it. It is “he who seeks [who] finds,” not he who daydreams. Continue reading →

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Is Marriage on the Way Out?

Posted on August 21, 2021 by salooper57

My son the youth pastor asked me this week if I thought that marriage was on the way out. He wondered, he said, because cohabitation is now widely accepted and many people who do get married don’t stay married for … Continue reading →

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You Can Take “It” With You

Posted on August 19, 2021 by salooper57

I have often heard people say, usually in an appeal to evangelize, “The only thing you can take with you to heaven is another soul.” But that is not quite true. You can take a bigger soul with you – … Continue reading →

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You Can’t Measure Success While the Game Is Still Being Played

Posted on August 17, 2021 by salooper57

We play a game at our house called Ticket To Ride. The game is played on a board where railroad routes are outlined to cities all over the country. Each player draws three route cards worth varying numbers of points, … Continue reading →

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I Want to Be Like Bob

Posted on August 11, 2021 by salooper57

I met Bob and his wife about thirty years ago. He was just back in the states after a span of years in an east African country. Bob performed surgeries in a hospital there for people who otherwise would not … Continue reading →

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Story Within a Story: Bringing Your Story into God’s Story

Posted on August 9, 2021 by salooper57

This sermon follows the stories of Saul and David in 1 Samuel. Saul does not recognize the larger story and insists on being the sole contributor and final authority on his story. David, however, shows us how we can collaborate … Continue reading →

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Posted on August 5, 2021 by salooper57

Coming to some Scripture passages can be like joining a conversation that is already in progress. Imagine walking up onto the porch of a house belonging to your best friends. Through the screen door you hear your friend speaking to … Continue reading →

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It Cannot Bear to Admire, Respect, or Be Grateful

Posted on August 4, 2021 by salooper57

Envy is a terrible thing. It is one of the chief sources of evil in the world. Here are some of the things the Bible says about envy: It can destroy someone (Job 5:2); it will steal a person’s peace … Continue reading →

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Soul Erosion: the Deformation of Saul (1 Samuel 18-31)

Posted on August 1, 2021 by salooper57

This sermon explores the other side of spiritual formation. It is like looking at the negative of a photo. What we see is disquieting, but we have real reason for hope. Sorry, but because of technical issues, we do not … Continue reading →

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Doubt Roots Deeply in a Closed Mind

Posted on July 31, 2021 by salooper57

Faith is one of Christianity’s cardinal virtues. St. Paul ranks it alongside hope and love as something that will survive the end of the age. Christians are taught that they are justified by faith and must learn to live by … Continue reading →

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