Tabla de contenidos para October 2022 en JOY! Magazine

Short Testimonies At the age of 82, as I look back over my life, I remember how the Lord has saved me on several occasions from serious injury and possible death... A horrible accident One instance that I will never forget was many years ago when I was on my way to Roodepoort. I was driving on a main road with many side roads on the right, each with a stop street onto the main road. As I approached the one side road I saw a bakkie coming up to the stop street and realised that the driver was not slowing down at all, and that a collision was inevitable. I braked as hard as I could – I managed to slow my car down so that the bakkie did…

Jesus, I believe that You died on the Cross for me. There You were wounded for my transgressions, You were bruised for my iniquities; and the punishment for my peace was upon You. I have been like a lost sheep, I have turned to my own way, but I believe that God laid my iniquity upon You. You died for me. Then You rose from the dead, You ascended into Heaven, and now seated on Your throne as Lord of all. Jesus, forgive me. I now turn away from my sin and put my trust in You. Fill me with Your Spirit, cleanse me, and take me as Your own. Amen Xhosa Yesu, ndiyakholwa ukuba wandifela emnqamlezweni. Apho walinyazwa ngenxa yeziphoso zam, Walinyazwa ngenxa yobubi bam, ubetho loxolelo lwam…

In 2021 I retired from full-time teaching and started my own business as a tutor and consultant to young teachers. The scene has changed drastically from when I first started as a young, inexperienced educator stepping into my own classroom. Now I start my day opening emails. I correspond with parents and colleagues via WhatsApp. Some of my lessons are online. However, the biggest change that I have noticed is the mental health of the students. A pandemic of depression Teenagers have the same feelings of uncertainty and insecurity as the ones I taught almost thirty years ago. Yet, this generation seems more anxious and lacks confidence. There is a worldwide pandemic of teen depression and learning challenges. Parents form an integral part of the missing link to the success…

Judges 21:25 is a scripture that is incredibly apt for our age. It reads, “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Nowadays, one is repeatedly urged to ‘live your truth,’ as though truth means whatever we wish it to mean, with no reference to an unchanging standard. As Christians living in the present age, we too have gullibly imbibed this idea far too often. Rather than dismiss God completely, the temptation in our generation is to mould God into “our truth”. Church membership has dropped An area where this has been applied has been that of regular church attendance. Applying the current fashionable idea to this area, we are tempted to think: ‘Church attendance is no big deal. After…

COLUMN We are in a season of revival – it is important that we do not quench these beginning flames. Joel 2:28-29 says, “And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.” Poor understanding of scripture The spirit of religion – along with shallow exegesis and poor interpretation of scripture – always tries to block the flow of revival by sidelining certain groups on the basis of gender or colour. You cannot restrain the voices and presence of women and expect revival to flow. Chuck…

FEATURE 1 In essence, “hypocrisy” refers to the act of claiming to believe something but acting in a different manner. The word is derived from the Greek term for “actor”—literally, “one who wears a mask”—in other words, someone who pretends to be what he is not. The Bible calls hypocrisy a sin. There are two forms hypocrisy can take: that of professing belief in something and then acting in a manner contrary to that belief, and that of looking down on others when we ourselves are flawed. Jesus condemned hypocrisy The prophet Isaiah condemned the hypocrisy of his day: “The Lord says, ‘These people come near to me with their mouth and honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made…

The Bible is full of answers, but there are some pretty important questions in there as well. Here are five that stand out to me. They were asked by the likes of Cain, Paul, and God Himself. All of them speak to some of the issues we’re facing today. 1. “Adam, where are you?” – Genesis 3:9 There’s the heartbroken cry of a Creator/Father in response to the tragedy of the fall. “We used to be close,” He seems to be saying to Adam, “our communion was deep. Now you hide from me?” Devastating, really, to consider this event from God’s perspective, and I personally think this is one of the saddest sentences in all of scripture. The question resonates today, as God would ask so many who used to…

RADIO MINISTRY The situation in Mali is extremely serious, even if our army is fully prepared to continue with another war. Not long ago, a French warship transported thousands of mercenaries and arms to Dakar, in neighbouring Senegal, to attack Mali. Everyday our soldiers are killing or taking many mercenaries captive from Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, and Niger. A nation at war Mali has been at war for ten years, both against the enemy within – fighting for the independence of its northern regions, as well as radical jihadists who have been fighting to turn the country into an Islamic republic. Economic and geopolitical considerations, under the veil of jihad, could be the cause for more bloodshed as the coalition of Western and West African countries – led by the…

With the visitation of Covid – which transformed our personal space, the world’s economies, and the destinies of nations – the question needs to be asked: What can we expect next? “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” – Matthew 24:6 Time for discernment In the verse above, Jesus warns us that we will begin to experience wars and rumours of wars. For the non-discerning believer, life continues – many are living in fear and trepidation due to everyday routines and lifestyles being somewhat challenged. Those who live according to the Spirit will have their ears close to the ground. What did Jesus mean when He spoke…

Our biological fathers, whether they are present or absent, play a major role in shaping our lives. It is true that our childhood experiences have a significant impact on how we parent our children and love our spouses. The imitation of our parents is only one of the many ways our childhood influences us. Our parents played a major role in our lives, especially fathers. Nothing is more powerful in a person’s life than a father. Father-influence can be positive or negative, and can make all the difference between success and failure. Foundation is key In building, a foundation carries so much weight. Fathers / husbands are the foundation of families. Fatherhood is God’s way of building and sustaining the human family. Cracks in the foundation lead to possible disaster…

Greetings precious friends. We want to share this wonderful testimony with you. It will encourage you as you witness to others. This testimony comes from a recent mission trip to Eswatini. A powerful story There was a young man who attended the outreach. He was very hard-hearted and rebellious. It looked like he had daggers in his eyes when he looked at us, but God! God’s love began to touch this young man. We could physically witness this. His whole countenance changed, and he was one of those who committed their lives to Christ. We saw him again the following Sunday morning at church and he was one of the first people to greet us with the warmest smile. Don’t be intimidated Don’t be intimidated by the outward appearance of…

TESTIMONY The boat pushed off and, with tears in my eyes, I let out a huge sigh of relief. As we sailed across the Hudson River, I could see at least fifty boats of all shapes and sizes approaching the area my husband and I had been just minutes earlier. They were rushing to rescue the thousands of people who had been trapped by the burning falling Twin Towers on September 11, 2001 – commonly referred to as “9/11”. In the midst of the tragedy My husband, Brian, had shaken me awake after the first plane hit. We watched the second plane crash into the South Tower, just six blocks away, and we ran down 24 stories – me barefoot and in my pyjamas. Soon after, the towers came down,…

After Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, all of His disciples “forsook Him and fled” (Mt 26:56, Mk 14:50). John and Peter returned (Jn 18:15-16), but Peter denied Him (Mt 26:69-75, Mk 14:66-72). Only John was there at Jesus’ crucifixion (Jn 19:26-27). The Gadites had faces like lions (1 Chr 12:8). King Ahasuerus made a feast that went on for 180 days (Es 1:3-4). Cheese is mentioned three times in the Bible (1 Sam 17:18,2 Sam 17:29, Job 10:10). The Dead Sea The name “Dead Sea” is not used in the Bible. The Dead Sea was called a number of different names: i.e. “the Salt Sea” (Gen 14:3, Josh 3:16), the “Sea of the Arabah” (Deut 4:49. Josh 3:16), “the East Sea” (Ezek 47:18, Joel 2:20), and more.…

We have the national elections coming up in 2024, which is going to be a big year for every South African. While this might seem like it’s still far off, it’s not. Many politicians are already at work subtly and out-rightly influencing voters. This is why it is important for every South African to use their vote wisely – including Christians, if I may I add. South Africa’s governance There can be many different systems of national governance, from dictatorship to democratic rule. The Republic of South Africa is a parliamentary representative democratic republic. The President of South Africa serves both as Head of State and Head of Government. The President is elected by the National Assembly (the lower house of the South African Parliament) and must retain the confidence…

FEATURE My 11-year-old son came home from school a few weeks ago and said, “Dad, I saw something weird on a friend’s phone today.” Upon further conversation, he shared that while this friend watched TikTok videos, he stumbled upon some inappropriate content and showed it to others around him. Thankfully, my son opened up about it with me, and we were able to have a positive albeit serious conversation. The impact of social media As a student pastor for the past 13 years, I’ve witnessed the impact of cell phone use on our youth and now upon my own family. It’s hard to keep up with the latest trends in cell phone apps, but one of the most popular is TikTok. TikTok is a social media platform that allows people…

Perhaps no accusation is more provocative than that of “hypocrite.” Unfortunately, some feel justified in their view that all Christians are hypocrites. Don’t follow hypocrites When Christ taught the significance of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving for kingdom people, He discouraged us from following the examples of those who are hypocrites. By making long public prayers, employing extreme measures to ensure others noticed their fasts, and parading their gifts to the Temple and the poor, they revealed only an outward attachment to the Lord. While the Pharisees performed well their dramatic role as public examples of religious virtue, they failed miserably in the inner world of the heart where true virtue resides. Hypocrisy in the Bible Jesus never called His disciples hypocrites. That name was given only to misguided religious zealots.…

SERIES It was a perfect day. I saw a perfect sunset. What a perfect date. We tend to throw around the word ‘perfect’ without really qualifying it. After all, does that mean that there could be no better sunset than that specific one? Yet, numerous times the Bible uses the word perfect to describe God. As we consider this attribute of God, we’ll also look at another related one. Compared to what? To say something is perfect requires a standard by which it is measured, or at least a context in which it is given. For example, the word is regularly used in Leviticus when speaking about animal sacrifices that are acceptable to God, ones without blemish or defect (e.g. Lev 22:21). The same Hebrew word describes Noah in his…

“Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Do you ever wonder why God commands us to be thankful? And not just sometimes, but in everything, all the time? In his article, “Gratitude: The Brain’s Amazing Fertilizer,” my friend and author Charles Stone documents scientifically-proven physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of practicing gratitude. His research in neuroscience is fascinating. He writes that there’s a tonne of research that says having an attitude of gratitude gives you more energy. For example, in a research study, one group of participants kept a journal listing things for which they were grateful. A second group recorded what annoyed them. People in the first group reported feeling more energetic and happier…

THEOLOGY Many people today are overworked, they are busy, much too busy. Rest is a luxury that many cannot afford. They are slaves of work, never enjoying rest. Others make themselves busy, always active, and never pausing to enjoy life. Rest is a blessing they have refused – their lives are cluttered with busyness. Some people struggle against workaholism. Most people, however, are not addicted to work, instead, they are tired of working too much, they are tired of being so tired. While laziness is a problem for some, many are burnt out from busyness and lack true rest. God’s perfect rhythm In Paradise, before sin, God appointed the perfect balance of work and rest. God commanded humans to work: “The Lord God took the man and put him in…

MISSIONS Living in Iraq is a life of uncertainty: In the last centennial, there hasn’t been one decade of peace. The occupation of large parts of the country by Islamic extremists of the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) between 2014 and 2016 has left deep wounds. Many Iraqis still suffer from trauma-related symptoms. Christians, who face persecution and displacement on top of wars, are no exception. In the extreme vision of ISIS, there was no place for Christians and this is why thousands of Christians fled their houses. Those who stayed were often killed or enslaved. ISIS was overthrown in 2016, but returning Christians found many of their houses and churches robbed empty and destroyed. Always ready to flee One of the Christians who has witnessed the…

We recently completed the month of Iyar on the Jewish calendar, which is actually God’s calendar. He rules the earth by times and seasons, and Iyar is significant because this is the month connected to the tribe of Issachar. The tribe of Issachar carried the anointing to understand God’s times and seasons, and what He required them to do in those times. A new revelation In these past few months, the light of God’s glory has been shining down upon His people to birth this new vision and release new scrolls with instructions for the way ahead. If you haven’t grasped it yet, become expectant and receive it by faith! The Lord has released this new vision to His children, with a new revelation of what His plans and purposes…

COMMENTARY In this scripture, Jesus is addressing His disciples. He is saying that on the earth they provide the savour of the Gospel. They will go to the whole earth, full of the Spirit, to carry the truth of the risen Saviour. They have become salty by receiving the truth and applying it to their lives, and they will spread it over the earth by going to preach the Gospel. As Christians, we are called to the same We have brought out the flavours of truth, righteousness, and God Himself, by our lives, but we must spread to the world around us. It does no good to know God and begin the race, only to quit down the track. If we do that, we will lose our saltiness. When that…

I love reading but am dismayed that the Name of Jesus Christ is blasphemed so freely. What do I do when I come across a book that has blasphemy in it? Here’s the Word on it: “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do ALL to the glory of God” – 1 Corinthians 10:31. That’s the Lord’s standard. God must be always glorified. If an author deliberately blasphemes and mocks the only Name whereby we may be saved, it is better to avoid that type of literature. “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons” – 1 Corinthians 10:21. Reading exercises your mind and, like physical exercise, is of…

We live in a dispensation in which pain seems to be part of our journey, an era where “…the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time” – Romans 8:22. Earlier in this chapter we are told some good news, which unfortunately comes with a bit of a price tag: “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” – Romans 8:17-18. How do we share in Christ’s sufferings? What is there in our present sufferings and pain that…

Archbishop Thabo Makgoba becomes patron of Accountability Now Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, head of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, has graciously and with immediate effect assented to taking up the position of Patron of the Institute for Accountability in Southern African, which campaigns for accountability and responsiveness as, “Accountability Now”. Archbishop Thabo is the second Archbishop to act as Patron of Accountability Now, having been preceded by the late Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Mpilo Tutu, who held the position until his death on 26 December 2021. PEARL KUPE “Let truth, righteousness, and justice prevail over lies, unrighteousness, and injustice. May light push back darkness!” TARA MCCAULEY “The Old Testament is Jesus concealed. The New Testament is Jesus revealed. But both are important. If you want to get everything in the New…

On the 27th of October, many celebrate International Religious Freedom Day. In South Africa, this most fundamental of all rights is recognised and protected by section 15 of our Constitution. Our Constitutional Court has further confirmed this protection extends to all religious beliefs, even if such belief is “bizarre, irrational, or illogical”. A fundamental human right Religious freedom is a human right that ‘attaches to you’ simply because you are human – it goes with you wherever you (as the right bearer) go. It applies to both individuals and organisations, and has been described as a ‘basket of human rights’ because it encompasses not only religion, but also protects freedom of conscience, thought, belief, and opinion. It is also closely related to other fundamental rights such as dignity, association, and…

The beauty of using my phone as my alarm clock is that when I reach over to turn it off, I’m only a few more taps away from the rest of the world. Before I’m even fully awake I’ve checked my Twitter and Facebook and my emails, and then returned to Twitter to check my feed for breaking news. Before I’ve said “good morning” to my wife and children, I’ve entered a contentious argument on Twitter about terrorism, and shared a funny video of a puppy. The encroachment of technology While making my breakfast, I begin working through social media conversations that require more detailed responses so that by the time I sit down to eat, I can set down my phone too. Years ago I would use my early-morning…

One of the most widespread arguments against Christians is that they are “judgemental” or “always imposing their views on others.” Often, this criticism comes in response to Christians who speak out against behaviours and lifestyles that God judges as “sin”. We live in a society where “everyone [does] what [is] right in his own eyes” (Judg 21:25)—where people insist that there are no moral absolutes, that each man should decide for himself what is right or wrong, and that we should “tolerate” (which essentially means “celebrate”) sinful activities. Those who take the biblical warnings against sin seriously and dare speak out against evil are written off as religious fanatics, and all Christians are, ironically, judged as being “judgemental.” Marked by grace The scripture that is used the most to support…

God’s giftedness does not automatically come with godliness, as we will see with this month’s biblical character. While God’s gifts may yield immediate results, godliness is something that must be diligently worked at for the long haul. Enter the judges After Joshua led the Israelites into Canaan, a succession of leaders arose in Israel, over the next centuries, until the monarchy was established with King Saul. The book of Judges covers roughly 350 years of this history of leaders known as “judges” (2:16) or “deliverers” (3:9). A cycle of judgement and deliverance is repeated throughout Judges (summarised 2:11-19), in which the people turn from God’s covenant they had previously promised to keep (Josh 24:16, 21, 24). God sends a foreign nation to punish them according to the covenant stipulations (Deut…

The Word of Abba Father is indescribable and undoubtedly true. It is a love story about a Groom and His bride. When we study the feasts of Abba Father, it is unavoidable to see His perfect salvation plan that has been there from the beginning and will always be there. Nothing that happens in heaven or on earth – nothing that originates from the heart of Abba father – is unplanned or outside His original plan, because He is an all-knowing Elohim (God). The seven Biblical feasts form the framework for God’s salvation plan. God’s plan for salvation has never changed Abba Father’s salvation plan for us, His bride – His plan for the earth as we know it – has always been there and has always been the same.…

TESTIMONY On March 14, 2022, fourteen students received their master’s degrees in occupational therapy during a joyous ceremony in Madagascar. The graduates were walking success stories in a 10-year effort to raise up, train, and employ 100 occupational therapists in a country that had almost none in 2011. Occupational therapy (OT) helps people overcome mental and/or physical disabilities so they can better perform everyday tasks. Such therapy is sorely needed in a country where up to 15% of the population—about 4 million people—suffer from disabilities, according to the World Health Organization. “Living with a disability is a tremendous extra burden on a family.” The desperate need for OTs The programme to send OTs into every corner of the country had been created through the efforts of Madagascar’s Ministry of Public…

Through the eyewitness testimonies we find in the Bible – written by people who lived and travelled with Jesus – we see exactly who Jesus is. Not who He was – but who He is! He hasn’t changed at all. His interaction with us is just the same as it was in Bible days. He is the same Jesus who wept when Lazarus died, then brought him back to life. He is the same Jesus who made haste to go with Jairus when his daughter lay dying. He is the same Jesus who sought out the woman who touched the hem of His garment, desperate to be free of her affliction. He didn’t care that she was “unclean”. He is the same Jesus who put mud on a blind man’s…