Table of contents for November 2024 in JOY! Magazine

Send your letters to editor@joymag.co.za Imagine being diagnosed with cancer, only to discover that the very treatment that could save your life is financially out of reach. This heartbreaking reality faces countless individuals worldwide, as life-saving immunotherapy remains an unaffordable luxury. What is immunotherapy? Immunotherapy, a groundbreaking approach that harnesses the body’s immune system to combat cancer, offers hope to patients with otherwise dire prognoses. Yet, its exorbitant cost threatens to extinguish that hope for many. The cost of immunotherapy is staggering: • A single immunotherapy session can cost upwards of R80 000 per bag. • reatment courses o ten re uire multiple sessions – up to 18 in some cases – totalling R1 440 000 or more. • ome patients may need ongoing treatment ma ing sus tained affordability…

Short testimony On Monday morning, 29 April 2024, I was driving on the highway between Pretoria and Johannesburg. In front of me, to the left, there was a truck carrying a heavy load of steel rods. The next moment, the truck’s load came loose, and, before I knew it, large steel rods were flying through the air like arrows, heading straight for my car. It felt like a scene from a movie. Miraculous evasion Without even thinking, out of pure reflex, I swerved to the right to dodge the oncoming steel rods. I can only attribute it to the Lord that only one rod struck my car and it wasn’t that serious. The Lord spared my life. If one of those rods had hit me, I would have been dead…

“This thing feels like a mountain in front of me,” says my friend, staring blankly over his cappuccino. “The Lord must move this mountain because I can’t get over or around it.” I can hear the despair in his voice, and I instinctively think of Matthew 21. Speak to the mountain In Matthew 21:21, Jesus says something seemingly incomprehensible: “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.” Just prior to this, Jesus also used the image of a moving mountain. “So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say…

Sakh’Ulutsha, Scripture Union’s life skills education initiative, is dedicated to building up young people, equipping them with the essential tools to thrive in today’s world. This initiative provides practical opportunities for youth to cultivate resilience, make informed decisions, and live purpose-filled lives. Sakh’Ulutsha stands as a beacon of hope, introducing biblical truths that foster spiritual growth and lasting transformation. Scripture Union’s lifeskills education initiative Sakh’Ulutsha means “to build up” – through our lifeskills education initiative we aim to equip young people with the tools to build resilience, make informed decisions, and lead lives marked by purpose and integrity. The importance of soft skills Soft skills, such as communication, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence are critical in today’s world. However, many young South Africans, especially in under-resourced communities, lack access to the…

This article continues our series titled “Christ Amongst the Seven Churches of Revelation”. Last month, we explored the letter to the church of Ephesus, and this month, we continue to delve deeper into this letter. “I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false” (Rev 2:2). The Ephesus church’s intolerance of evil The Ephesian church is commended for its intolerance of false and evil men who had infiltrated the church. In this context, these wicked men were the false apostles. The church not only demonstrated an intolerance for these false teachings, but also showcased its strength by accurately discerning the deceptive spirits…

Excitement has been abuzz in the scientific community over the Tara underwater expeditions. After the first expedition, a team of scientists discovered an astonishing 1,5 million new species while trawling the Atlantic, Pacific, Southern, and Indian oceans. Wildly vivacious colours You may have read about it, but what captivated the readers’ attention were the images of some of these underwater creatures. These images captured what imaginations could not. Wildly vivacious colours synergistically married animated shapes and textures to form visually stunning creatures. Some were as small as half a millimetre. The mantis shrimp Perhaps the most visually interesting resident of the underwater realm is one that has been known by scientists for some time. It is a stomatopod known as the mantis shrimp; also known as the “shrimp from Mars”.…

Incredible wealth Solomon’s annual income was 666 talents of gold, or about 25 tonnes (1 Kings 10:14). Bride price David collected 200 Philistine foreskins as a bride price for King Saul’s daughter (1 Sam 18:25-27). A host A group of angels is called a “host” – they are mentioned in numerous accounts, like in Luke 2:13. Marrying a prostitute God told Hosea to marry Gomer, symbolising Israel’s unfaithfulness (Hos 1:2-3). Barzillai’s generosity When King David fled from his son Absalom during a rebellion, Barzillai, a wealthy man from Rogelim, provided David and his exhausted followers with essential supplies. Along with other allies, he brought them beds, basins, bread, and other provisions to sustain them while they were in the wilderness (2 Samuel 17:27-29). Jesus’ looks The Bible doesn’t describe what…

Yesu, ndiyakholwa ukuba wandifela emnqamlezweni. Apho walinyazwa ngenxa yeziphoso zam, Walinyazwa ngenxa yobubi bam, ubetho loxolelo lwam lube phezu kwakho. Ndifana nemvu elahlekileyo, ndiye ndalahleka, kodwa ndiyakholwa ukuba uThixo walibeka phezu kwakho ityala lam. Wandifela, Waye wavuka ekufeni, wanyukela emazulwini, kungoku nje uhleli esihlalweni sakho njengeNkosi yako konke. Yesu, ndixolele. Ngoku ndiyaguquka esonweni sam, ndibeka ithemba lam kuwe. Ndigcwalise ngoMoya wakho, ndihlambe, undamkele njengomntwana wakho.…

The Bible frequently refers to God as “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob”, and all three men are called Israel’s patriarchs. Yet that middleman, Isaac, gets little biblical coverage. However, as the promised child of the covenant, Isaac plays a pivotal role in the history of redemption and can teach Christians some important spiritual truths. The forgotten patriarch The patriarch Isaac’s narrative in Genesis is surprisingly short when compared to his father Abraham and his son, Jacob. For example, Abraham’s account extends to over a dozen chapters, and Jacob similarly has a story that runs for ten chapters. But Isaac’s account is here and gone; he is relatively ignored in Genesis. Genesis 24 recounts how Abraham’s servant sought and found a wife for Isaac, but Isaac himself features only…

Growing up, my grandmother lived on a big farm out in the country. Every summer, I would spend a couple of weeks there with all my cousins. It was always an adventure. We would run around from dusk until dawn, exploring, fishing, and trying not to get into too much trouble. Some of my best childhood memories were spent on that land. Lessons from grandma In addition to having fun with my cousins, I always loved spending time with my grandmother. She was pretty “country” and knew how to make the best cookies in the world. She was funny and quick-witted and was always teaching us stuff. She had some incredible sayings that have stuck with me to this day. I’m sure every grandparent used these sayings to teach their…

In just three weeks in August, CfaN conducted six mass Gospel crusades in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Just getting our teams and equipment where they were needed was a tremendous challenge, one of the greatest we’ve ever faced. But despite the harsh conditions and lack of infrastructure in this deeply rural region, our dedicated team did not give up. Pushing through against all odds, they let nothing stop them – and the result was a cascade of salvations and an explosion of miracles. Spiritual hunger | Mbuji-Mayi: 31 July-4 August In Mbuji-Mayi, the campaign was on the exact same field where Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke preached in 1991. Evangelist Daniel Kolenda shared, “The atmosphere reminds me of the campaigns from 20 years ago, filled with vibrant energy from people experiencing…

The Joshua Project is a global research initiative that highlights the ethnic groups of the world with the fewest followers of Christ. Their mission is to raise awareness and promote informed prayer and action for these unreached groups. According to their 2024 update, there are still significant gaps in global evangelisation, with over 7000 people groups considered unreached, representing approximately 42% of the world’s population. This infographic provides a powerful visual summary of the current state of world evangelisation, offering key insights into the challenges and progress in spreading the Gospel to every corner of the globe. 17 300 people groups 17 300 People groups 7250 (41,9%) Unreached* people groups 3 400 000 000 (42,2%) Population in unreached groups Countries with the most unreached people groups: 10/40 WINDOW The 67 countries…

Like any train in motion, marriage needs to stay on the rails to reach its destination. Similarly, married couples must understand the “rails” that guide the relationship between a husband and wife. Equally important is understanding the distinct “rails” or rules that govern ministers of the Gospel in ministry. Different rules for marriage and ministry The rules that govern ministry differ from those that govern a home. The principles for marriage are found in Ephesians 5:22-33. Here, the husband is called to take the lead role and make final decisions, but only after carefully and prayerfully considering his wife’s recommendations. In my experience, before making any major decision in our personal lives, I have always asked my wife for her thoughts. To my amazement, God has often given her the…

Email your questions to: info@joymag.co.za Why do many Christians believe that the world is at? The facts of history, science, church history, and the Bible are consistent with the view that the earth is a sphere (circular) orbiting the sun. But some Christians believe they have a special revelation that our planet is flat. Social media plays a role in popularising the philosophy, claiming that NASA has lied about nearly everything it claims, and its photos are fake. What does the Bible say? Job 22:14 (believed to be the oldest book in the Bible) describes God as walking “above the circle of heaven”. Isaiah 40:22 says, “It is He who sits above the circle of the earth.” Proverbs 8:27-29 says, “He drew a circle on the face of the deep”…

I found myself rolling around in bed the other night, unable to fall asleep. My mind was racing, caught up in thoughts of everything that needs to be done. The international wars and rising costs of running a company are naturally taking a toll on our business and those around us, and this is the root of my concern and restlessness. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when everything seems out of control and the world feels unstable. How to respond in times of stress Lying in bed, I realised something important: when the rubber meets the road in my own life, I have to apply the same principles I write about month after month. We all know it’s inevitable that trials, tribulations, and difficult times will come (Rom 12:12, John…

Good day, precious friends. Wow! It seems just the other day we were celebrating the beginning of 2024, and now we are at the end of that same year. Over the last two issues of JOY! Magazine we have been studying Hebrews 12, focusing on the reward of witnessing, and the unbelievable joy that lies ahead for us. Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down…

“Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you…” In Acts 3:6, Peter says to a lame beggar, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” Peter did not have alms to give the beggar, but he gave him something better – he shared the healing power of Jesus with him. The encounter at the temple The chapter begins with Peter and John heading to the temple for prayer when they encounter a man who had been “lame from birth” (Acts 3:2, ESV). Since the lame man could not walk, he was carried to the Beautiful Gate, where he begged for alms. When the man…

There’s a moment when we hold our newborn in our arms, marvelling at their perfection. We search for the resemblance of ourselves in their tiny features – their smile, the waviness of their hair. Every little nuance becomes a cherished discovery as this new being enters our world, forever changing our routines and priorities. Sleep becomes elusive and our needs no longer come first. This little one, with their boundless demands and cries, quickly shows us who’s in charge. As parents, the desire to give them the best of everything takes root. Naturally, their education becomes one of our paramount concerns. We aspire to enrol them in the “best” schools, believing this will guarantee their preparedness for both the workplace and life. It’s only natural that we dream big dreams…

Quick facts • Hungary is a landlocked country in central Europe, rich in history and cultural heritage. • With a population of about 10 million, it is predominantly Christian, with Roman Catholicism being the largest denomination, followed by the Calvinist Reformed Church. Footprint of Christianity Christianity has played a transformative role in Hungary since the time of Saint Stephen, the first king of Hungary, who was canonised for his efforts in Christianising the nation. The Catholic Church has historically been a significant force in shaping Hungarian culture and politics. Today, Christianity continues to be a cornerstone of national identity, although the country also experiences growing secularism and religious diversity. What do the inhabitants believe? Hungarian Christianity is characterised by a blend of deep traditional values and a rich liturgical life.…