In between the greetings Paul recalls a name: Archippus. But Paul doesn’t send him greetings. No, he encourages Archippus to live his calling to the full and to take it seriously right to the end: 17And, oh, yes, tell Archippus, “Do your best in the job you received from the Master. Do your very best.” […]
Read moreRight at the end of his letter to the people of Colossae Paul gives us a glimpse of his support network. Paul conveys the greetings of his friends: Aristarchus, Mark, Jesus (also called Justus), Epaphras, Luke, Demas and naturally Tychicus and Onesimus who we got to know in the previous two devotions. Once again, I […]
Read moreWe meet another one of Paul’s friends who helped to preach the gospel. His name is Onesimus. His story did not have a good start. Originally, he was Philemon’s worker, but somewhere along the way he absconded. He was just a lay about, but then he met Paul and the message of salvation turned Onesimus’ […]
Read moreLife was not easy in Paul’s time. He was in prison. Their Messiah was no longer with them and everybody who believed in Jesus was in danger of death. Not a good time to be living. Still the Christians supported and encouraged one another. That’s why Paul sent Tychicus to them: 8I’ve sent him to […]
Read morePeople often ask me if I would be a referee on their CVs. For some I do it with pleasure, for others with some hesitance, because you have to be honest when someone calls you asking you to give a reference for the person. When someone enquires about someone who didn’t really pull their weight, […]
Read moreWe travel to Vredendal to have discussions with the congregation. What exactly it’s all about, I don’t know, but we spent the weekend there enjoying their potjiekos, going to their bazaar, just having a good time all around. On the way back, we stopped at Piketberg’s Spur and quickly talked about the weekend’s experiences. Everybody […]
Read moreWhether you like it or not, people are watching you. I don’t know why, but people are sitting with their magnifying glasses just looking for that place where you stepped outside the line of the playing field. Then it’s broadcast to all and sundry. I’m with a friend in his office. His business has taken […]
Read moreI believe in prayer. It was my mom spending so much time on her knees praying for her children that prevented us from losing the way big time. Only my mom’s prayers protected us. Paul also believes in prayer and that is why he asks the other Christians in Colossae: 3Don’t forget to pray for […]
Read moreDuring prayer, it is firstly not about me. Even less is prayer a shopping list where I only tell God what I want. No, God is at the centre of my prayer. Payer is the place where I become less and God more. In prayer, I get off the chair and allow God to take […]
Read moreCorrie Ten Boom said prayer is the engine room of every congregation. If a congregation doesn’t pray, it’s going one way – downhill. A believer is fueled by prayer. With no fuel, they come to a standstill. Prayer is the beginning and the end of every believer’s existence. I sometimes wonder out loud whether the […]
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