The Colossians’ faith was something special, an example even for Paul: 5… I am delighted to hear of the careful and orderly ways you conduct your affairs, and impressed with the solid substance of your faith in Christ. Even though things weren’t going that well for them, even though they were by far in the […]
Read moreI don’t like arguing. I suspect it’s because I’m too dumb to understand everything at once. It’s not wrong to argue and our society needs it to ensure that we stay on the right track. However, it is important that we don’t run after false doctrine. Paul emphasises the fact that Jesus is the crux […]
Read moreEvery day we see shiny treasures being advertised on television, on billboards along the road, and in catalogues left in our mail boxes. Shiny, expensive diamonds in rings and necklaces looking so very appealing. Many people are ready and eager to collect treasures in safes. Women especially love it. It reminds of the time when […]
Read moreListen to these lovely words: 2I want you woven into a tapestry of love, in touch with everything there is to know of God. Then you will have minds confident and at rest, focused on Christ, God’s great mystery. You have to read this verse a few times to really understand its full meaning. When […]
Read moreOne day when I get to heaven one of my first appointments will be with Paul. I would really like to get to know him personally; he was such a remarkable man. He cared a great deal for others. He stressed because of others. He did not found the congregations in Colossae – on the […]
Read moreIn the previous section we heard that like Paul, we must go all out to share the Gospel. Like an athlete goes all out to win a race, we must use all our energy to make a difference wherever we go. The question is: How do we do this? Even Paul couldn’t do it all […]
Read moreOne Friday at 18:00 I went to pick up my son at the university’s sports centre. He had quite a few kilometres of exercise behind him. I was amazed by the large number of cars in the parking area on a Friday evening. So many sacrifices, so many hours of relentless practicing to one day […]
Read more28… Christ is in you, so therefore you can look forward to sharing in God’s glory. Concentrate and read again. Paul is not saying that he wishes every person on earth to share in God’s glory. No, he says everybody will share in God’s glory and can look forward to it. It’s a given that […]
Read moreWhen people ask me what church I belong to, I always say I’m interdenominational. I don’t think God intended that there should be so many different churches each with its own take on things. And it seems to be getting worse. With just a glimmer of a difference on the horizon we start looking for […]
Read moreI wonder how it would feel if someone told you that you weren’t allowed to eat certain food or go to certain places because your mom and dad did not have the right papers. Your friends can go wherever they like, but you can only play with them in certain places. I can see myself […]
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