John started his second letter by declaring his love for his readers. Most probably a group of believers or a congregation. But he said that his love for them went even further. 1-2My dear congregation, I, your pastor, love you in very truth. And I’m not alone—everyone who knows the Truth that has taken up […]
Read moreJohn emphasises his points by repeatedly addressing the same subject in several verses. It must have been a major problem in his time, which is why he says again that we should love one another. He just uses a different metaphor: 2The reality test on whether or not we love God’s children is this: Do […]
Read moreThis is Hanlie’s story: I am staying in a retirement community. A couple stays close by, but to be honest, I don’t really like the woman. But the Lord has been working on my heart. I recently heard from other people that her husband has Alzheimer’s and was admitted to another facility’s infirmary a month […]
Read moreA good friend and I were talking about faith and how we understand the Bible. We disagreed about something, and he interrupted, saying that the way I believed was more suited to Grade 1s and children who were still playing with clay. I must confess, my faith is simple – probably because Jesus said we […]
Read moreLet me tell you the beautiful story of Suzette and her dad: I loved my dad very much. From the day I opened my eyes, I was his little girl, and he always called me his Baby when talking to others about me. When he got into the car, I got in too. I drove […]
Read moreWe were coming back from a choir camp, and the bus dropped us off at school. I don’t know why, but I decided it would be a good idea to throw my Coke bottle into the school swimming pool. But as it turned out, the bottle didn’t land in the water; it struck the edge […]
Read moreMany people are afraid of judgment day. They’re not entirely sure if they’ll get the green light to walk through the gates of heaven. They wonder: “What if I’ve messed up somewhere …?” I also sometimes experience some unease — that little voice in the back of my head whispering: Wasn’t I perhaps too sinful? […]
Read more“What’s going on with the world?” I hear people asking more and more. It’s as if things are starting to fall apart faster. Values are no longer at the forefront – everyone just does what feels right for them. I think many people are looking for something because they no longer know where they belong. […]
Read moreSince Jesus’ time on earth, people have struggled to understand the idea of grace and works. We are used to the idea that you must do something to get something. Nothing is free, right? And when something is free, we think: “There’s a catch. It must be a scam!” However, God operates on a different […]
Read moreI’m trying to figure out what the word “definition” means. The dictionary says: A short and precise description of an idea or concept. So, a definition helps us understand what a word really means. And then I wondered … what is the definition of love? Wikipedia gives the following meaning: Love is a feeling of […]
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