Tabla de contenidos para January 2023 en JOY! Magazine

It breaks my heart to see so many homeless people begging on the streets. I can’t help everyone, but what can I do? My resources are so limited. The Bible encourages us to give generously, cheerfully, and according to our ability to those in need (Pro 28:27; 2 Cor 8:12; 2 Cor 9:7,8; Rom 12:8). This doesn’t mean that we should thoughtlessly give money to someone whose next stop may be the corner liquor store. We must always remain sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leadership in these matters. Pray fervently for those you can’t afford to support, as well as those you do. Keep in mind that specialised agencies can receive our donations and spend them wisely. A practical way of helping the poor is to give them gift certificates…

Short Testimony What may be a small miracle for one person can be such a significant event in the life of another. This is the story of a ‘small’ miracle in my life, which has strengthened my faith and helped me to share the goodness of God with many others over the years. Making a good impression Years back, my husband had invited some businesspeople over for a Sunday lunch. It was an important meeting, and he wanted to impress his guests. He asked me if I would please make grilled prawns (Someone had given us a box of frozen ones a few weeks before and they were in my freezer). The guests phoned on the Saturday and let us know that they were bringing an extra person with to…

MENTAL HEALTH Here are a few tips to help respond to passive-aggressive comments & behaviour: 1. Don’t engage. You do not need to respond to everything that is said and done. 2. Don’t blame or judge. This can only escalate things. 3. Ask directly for clarification. “What did you mean by that?” 4. Bring attention to the behaviour in a clear, calm, concise manner. “I felt that comment was patronising. When you speak to me that way, it makes me feel undervalued.” 5. To the point: “Was that passive-aggressive?” 6. After highlighting the behaviour and expressing your feelings, open up a dialogue: “Are you okay? Are there any specific issues that have caused you to speak/behave in this manner?” 7. Set boundaries and/or reduce contact with the person, especially if…

SERIES There are few biblical prophets as dramatic and impactful as Elijah. In the middle of the most religiously corrupt and immoral point in northern Israel’s history, Elijah served the Lord in imploring the people to turn back to God. Yet, he was consistently met with resistance from those in power who wanted the nation to serve the Canaanite gods. There are few biblical prophets as dramatic and impactful as Elijah. Elijah appears We are abruptly introduced to the prophet Elijah during King Arab’s reign, roughly eight and a half centuries before Jesus. Elijah’s prophetic ministry in Israel was at least twenty years, as he appears during Ahab’s 22-year reign (1 Kings 16:29) and continues at least into the reign of Ahab’s son, Ahaziah. To set the stage, we are…

I really want to thank and honour God publicly for His grace over my life to complete a PhD in Mathematical statistics during the pandemic, whilst being a mom, a pastor’s wife, and having a full time job. The Lord’s goodness, mercy, and grace have carried me, ever since I made that life-changing decision to welcome Him into my heart. Growing up in fear I grew up without really knowing about the existence and the love of God. I accepted Christ as my Lord and Saviour in 1995, when I was 19 years old. I grew up in the Cape Flats, a haven for crime and drugs. It was a poor and dangerous community, and my love for solving complex mathematical problems was an escape from my reality. I always…

In life, there are things we choose and there are those that destiny chooses for us. I have learnt to never be ashamed over things that are a result of circumstances beyond my control. Nobody chooses the colour of their skin, which family to be born into, not even their gender. All these are chosen for us by God. On the other hand, we can choose our friends, our vocation, career, and quality of lifestyle. Being a Devoted Citizen means understanding that your life is not an accident, irrespective of the circumstances that surround your parentage. Maximise your potential The combined skills of over 58 million citizens can surely transform the fortunes of a country for the better, if they each identify their purpose and maximise the use of their…

With a vote of 90 to 30, the United Nations voted to hold a commemorative event in honour of the 75th “Nakba Day”—using the Palestinian delineation of the establishment of the State of Israel. The UN General Assembly voted in favour of a resolution that commemorates the “Nakba,” which means catastrophe in Arabic, referring to the modern State of Israel’s establishment in 1948. The international community has never before branded a country’s birth a “catastrophe.” Those voting for the resolution included Arab states that have formal peace agreements with Israel, such as Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco. Countries that voted against the resolution included Israel, the US, the UK, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Austria, and Australia. The resolution calls for the commemoration of the Nakba…

Think thanks. Be aggressively thankful. No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks. The person who isn’t thankful for what he’s got isn’t likely to be thankful for what he’s going to get. Ingratitude never ends. Thanksgiving, you will find, creates power in your life because it opens the generators of your heart to respond gratefully, to receive joyfully, and to react creatively. William Ward spoke wisely: “There are three enemies of personal peace: regret over yesterday’s mistakes, anxiety over tomorrow’s problems, and ingratitude for today’s blessing.” We all have a lot to be thankful for. For example: No matter what house you live in, wouldn’t you rather be there than the best hospital in your city? If you can’t be satisfied with what you’ve reached, be thankful…

The Bible defines faith as ‘believing God’. Abraham is the primary biblical example of a man who believed God: “And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” – Genesis 15:6. “For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.” – Romans 4:13 Definition of faith In the verses above, we first find the definition of faith (believing God). This emphasis upon faith is found throughout the Bible. Consider these scriptures: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16. “Therefore we conclude that a man…

WHAT IS A PARABLE? Because there’s no firm agreement among Christian scholars on what constitutes a parable in Jesus’ teaching—with parable lists widely ranging from 35 to 65 parables in His teaching—we need a definition that narrows the field. This definition will be limited to Jesus’ teaching, as opposed to a more general definition used for parables that we might find in secular literature. In Jesus’ teaching, a parable is a story Jesus fabricates to convey a spiritual truth about God, or the Kingdom of God, or what it means to be one of His followers. Parables are not actual historical events that Jesus recounts, as if there really was a lost sheep that a shepherd decided to find, leaving behind the other 99, or a man who was mugged…

As we begin another new year, perhaps you’re like me and you’re facing afresh the reality that the majority of your years on this planet are behind you. I don’t mean to sound morbid. I actually think it’s a great opportunity to examine our legacy. We’ll all be remembered; the question is—how and for what? Values and truths for the next generation How are your children and grandchildren, or the young people you mentor and influence, going to remember you? Will it be only for what your estate plan leaves them? Here’s what I’m really asking: What are the most important values and truths that you want to pass on to the next generation? And what’s your plan for doing so? How do you measure success? Twenty three years ago…

“God, please give me a job that I would be happy to wake up to every morning for 40 years.” This was my genuine prayer right before graduating from university. While all my classmates were sharing about attending job interviews and signing job offers, even before graduating, there I was, unsure of which career I would pursue. However, I was sure that God had called me to Himself and just as He had been faithful before, I knew that He would continue to lead me into a career that would glorify Him. I prayed and asked God which path to take, and He spoke in a rather unexpected way. ‘If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones.’ In my final year of university, my…

In the church’s attempt to reach the young and the un-churched, many believe that if the church would only make itself more relevant, we would be more successful. This usually refers to a generational relevance to reach the young, and/or a cultural relevance that seeks to focus on (and often endorse) whatever is ‘en vogue’ in popular culture. To be sure, we see aspects of relevance in the Scriptures, including the variations in Paul’s Gospel address depending on who his hearers were. Nevertheless, we must ask before we charge headlong: with all this insistence on making the church relevant, is relevance the ultimate bull’s eye we should aim for? Jesus lost many followers Scripture, however, teaches us something else: that faithfulness trumps relevance. In the short term, emphasising faithfulness to…

The DA-led Western Cape Education Dept (WCED) outsourced its “diversity intervention” programme to an organisation that ‘reportedly’ traumatised children recently at Fish Hoek High in Cape Town – to such an extent that they had to receive counselling. The “diversity consultant,” Asanda Ngoasheng, arrived at the school with two other officials and six psychologists from the department and ordered teachers out of the school-hall. Eight hundred students were then forced to sit through two hours of radical racial and sexual indoctrination. Destructive ideologies are competing for your child’s mind. According to various media reports, Ngoasheng – among other things – read a poem by Koleka Putuma to the pupils. Some of the wording reads as follows, “For all we know the disciples could have been queer, the Holy Trinity some…

Our right to religious freedom (section 15 of the Constitution) is one of the most important human rights we enjoy in South Africa – it is the freedom to choose what we belief, the freedom to share our beliefs openly with others, and the freedom to publicly manifest our religious beliefs by means of worship and practice. Our right to freedom of expression (section 16 of the Constitution) is closely related because it protects our ability to publicly share our faith and it specifically protects our freedom to impart information or ideas. Freedom of expression It is self-evident that we would not have much freedom of religion if we were not free to tell other people about our faith. The Constitutional Court has said that these rights are all part…

Owls are certainly very intriguing birds with their large eyes and the unnerving ability to swivel their heads around. These nocturnal hunters have a few fascinating features unique to them, given to them by our Creator. DID YOU KNOW: Owls can swivel their fourth toe 180° Owls are zygodactyl: The toes of each foot are arranged in pairs, with two toes facing forward and two to the back, similar to parrots. This means they can grasp their prey with incredible strength. However, owls can rotate their fourth toe back and forth 180°, so they can have three toes in front and one in the back enabling them to walk like most perching birds. Owls do not have eyeballs Owls do not have eyeballs – they are more like elongated eye…

Good day precious friends. Happy and blessed 2023. We would love to share a Word from the Lord for 2023 and the years to come: John 4:35-38, TPT “As the crowds emerged from the village, Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Why would you say, ‘The harvest is another four months away’? Look at all the people coming—now is harvest time! For their hearts are like vast fields of ripened grain—ready for a spiritual harvest. And everyone who reaps these souls for eternal life will receive a reward. And those who plant spiritual seeds and those who reap the harvest will celebrate together with great joy! And this confirms the saying, ‘One sows the seed and another reaps the harvest.’ I have sent you out to harvest a field that you…

The Lamb Jesus is called the “Lamb” 27 times in Revelation. Altar The Israelites were not to build an altar with steps because their “nakedness” might “be exposed” (Ex 20:26). Thanksgiving The Hebrew word for “thanksgiving” is “towdah,” which means “an extension of the hand” (i.e. “to lift up your hands”). There is at least one Old Testament quote in every chapter of Hebrews. Son of Man The term “son of man” is used 81 times in the gospels. Only Jesus used this term to describe Himself. No person in the gospels ever called Him this. JESUS CHRIST Jesus referred to Himself as “Jesus Christ” only once, and that is found in John 17:3. Honey Several places in the Bible compare God’s Word to “honey” (Rev 10:9-10, Ezek 3:1-3, Ps…

SERMON There is a vast difference between my experience of load-shedding at 10am versus my experience of loadshedding at 2am… I don’t know about you, but many times when the power cuts in the middle of the night, it wakes me up. The thick darkness – coupled with the dead quietness of the night – is something I’m not used to. If I get up and go check on the kids, I need a source of light. So, I reach for where my phone usually lies and feel and grope until I can take hold of the source of light. Then I can turn on the light. As soon as that happens, the darkness that was so overwhelming just a moment ago, flees. You see, it is not dark due…

The God of the Bible and Christianity is nothing like the gods and faiths of other religions. “No book of religion, except the Bible, teaches that God completely forgives sin” (Grider, 2001:460). There is tremendous hope if God forgives sin completely. Exploring what the Bible says about this is life-changing! God is both forgiving and holy Moses asked the Lord to reveal His glory and this is what happened, “The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty…” – Exodus 34:6-7 God reveals His glory by proclaiming Himself as gracious, patient, loving, faithful,…

You have the unique opportunity to be a tourist on a life-changing adventure by joining Open Doors on a trip to visit persecuted believers in 2023. Through the Open Doors Travel Ministry, you can be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ in countries where Christians are persecuted. You can literally cross borders to hold a persecuted Christian’s hand and encourage them by praying with them. You can also take resources to a church who has been praying and trusting God to provide them with the means to learn more about Him. You can walk in the coldest, darkest “closed country” and experience the power of prayer and the love of God burning in your heart for that country. Anyone who has a passion for Jesus Christ and a love…

Yeshua was the greatest example of a transformational leader. He was the epitome of humility – One who sacrificed for others. Today, God is looking to position Kingdom transformational leaders in the nations. A transformational leader is a servant leader. You cannot be a true transformational leader without displaying servant leadership behaviour. There are many who talk the talk of transformational leadership, but few who actually exhibit the traits. Servant leadership In Matthew 20, we read about the mother of the sons of Zebedee (James and John), who was trying to negotiate with Yeshua for her sons to occupy elevated positions of glory next to Him. Yeshua was clear in His response. He said, “whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave—just as the Son of Man…

In a world flooded with ideologies and agendas that are at war with Christian values, it has become non-negotiable to establish a Biblical worldview in our children from a young age. None of us are born with a Biblical worldview, it must be developed. A worldview is like a pair of glasses. Do we look at the world through humanistic, secular lenses, or through the lens of God’s Word and truth? HERE ARE 5 WAYS TO SHAPE YOUR KIDS’ WORLDVIEW: 1 Make your own worldview clear It is important that you model a Christian worldview for your children. When our children see us walking the talk, it makes the biggest impact. None of us are born with a Biblical worldview, it must be developed. 2 Constantly define truth…

Dabi Community Foundation (DCF), a non-profit community development initiative for the people of Mpeko Village, was launched on Ngqushwa FM. The foundation – in partnership with Chief Njokweni – is establishing a skills development programme in the rural Eastern Cape area, with initial emphasis on training the community in sustainable agriculture using Farming God’s Way methodology. Farming God’s Way is a proven programme developed to equip African communities and individuals to break the yoke of poverty through agriculture, says Zolani Booi director of DCF. “Rural Eastern Cape Villages continue to lose the younger generation to the cities due to limited prospects for education, employment, and entrepreneurship in the area. This causes a breakdown in the generational structure and traditions of the community and culture — leading to poverty and a…