The Father’s heart hears
My son winds his mother around his little finger. I don’t always agree and often remind her that she shouldn’t deprive our son of a learning opportunity. But soon I see him twisting her arm ever so slightly. A mother’s heart can’t do otherwise. If it’s flesh and blood, it’s different. I saw it with […]
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Innocent!
Remember Andy who stepped across the lines? I keep thinking of his cry for help. Luckily! Thanks to the Father, verse 1 has a second part: 1But if anyone does sin, we have a Priest-Friend in the presence of the Father: Jesus Christ, righteous Jesus. 2When he served as a sacrifice for our sins, he […]
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Get rid of it
There is a lot of pain in the world. People get caught in some storm all the time and then they need encouragement. They want a hand on the shoulder or a flashlight in the dark. When we preach sermons where we highlight God’s promises, people line up to let the flashlight shine in their […]
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Forgive to forgive
Adrian (not his real name) told me this touching story: Cast off that yoke from your shoulders. Get rid of the stone and resentment in your heart. On Saturday 16 May 1970 we went to the Skyview drive-in theatre in Kuils River. On the way back, near Polkadraai, we were in a head-on collision caused […]
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God is faithful and forgives every time
I remember some verses in the Bible word for word. Probably because I need them so much and because they constantly apply to me. I suspect the verse I’ve used the most in my life is this one: 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to […]
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Never without sin
Sometimes I overthink things, perhaps more than I should. This is especially true when I compare myself to others who seem to have it all together. Their clothes are always neat, and their hair is perfectly styled. At times like these, I feel inadequate. They look as if they never sin. They never let slip […]
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Family benefits
In most cases, being born into a family has advantages. I say most cases because unfortunately some families simply tear one another down. Normally a family provides a safe space where you’re taught how to navigate the world. It often provides you with a springboard to jump into life. Some families equip their children with […]
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Practice what they preach
A friend told me this story about Pieter, Hennie and Susan. Pieter had a hard childhood. He lost his father when he was young. He did not have a good relationship with his much older mother and had no contact with his only sister. Without these family relationships, he ended up making friends with the […]
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Light when you’re floundering around
At the start of our ministry, I soon realised that I would have to get up early in the morning to write. During the day, there are usually just too many things on my plate that need to be moved around if I want to spend quiet time with the Lord. The problem is that […]
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Member of a royal family
I was the last of six children. My brothers and sisters say I was spoilt, but I disagree. When my brothers wanted a guinea pig to test their newly made darts, I had no choice but to run. Then they tried to hit my heels with the darts. I slept very soundly and if I […]
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