JOY! Magazine November 2022

I was once accused of constantly ‘dumping’ my problems onto God, handing over all my issues and not letting them weigh me down. Let me share the story… Stuck with a flat tyre Many years ago, I was driving alone on a highway in Cape Town. I got a puncture and had to pull over in a very dangerous area (this was before cell phones were around). I was stuck. I immediately started to panic – I had no idea how to fix a puncture, I felt helpless. I prayed and asked God to please help me, as there was no way that I could change the tyre (and it was unsafe to be stuck where I was). God sent help Within minutes, a truck pulled up behind me. A…

Dear readers, we love to hear your thoughts on the stories that we publish, what is going on around the world, and what the Lord has placed on your heart! Email your letter through to editor@joymag.co.za for a chance to be featured – please try to keep letters to 150 words as we have limited space. Thank you for this awesome magazine Your articles are always so relevant and appropriate for the times we’re living in – a great platform to awaken the body of Christ. The Lord richly bless you and the staff at JOY Magazine! Sandra da Cruz My heart is full of joy! Erin, in her recent Editor’s letter to us, urged us to read all the scriptures about joy. Well, as a young 12-year-old attending Christian…

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 lube…

Good day precious friends. We are close to the end of 2022. This year has brought challenges and victories, and now we face 2023 and beyond. However, through all of this, we have this hope. Jesus is alive! Our hope is rooted and grounded in the fact that Jesus Christ is alive today. We have this hope so that we can share it with others as we share our faith. We do this by sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, by living and talking a life of hope, and by being a practical help to others. Are you born again? To have this hope we must be born-again. If you are not born again, what kind of hope do you really have? Today, you can make sure of your eternal…

I hope that whoever reads this story will be encouraged and know that our Lord will always be there for you in all that you do. I am a craftsman – the other day I was busy manufacturing and installing a large wooden shelf in a friend’s garage. They wanted a spot to stack their firewood. I was about halfway through the job when my electric drill packed up and stopped working. This was a huge problem for me – not only could I not finish this shelving job, but I use this drill daily for all my work. I closed my eyes and prayed. An answer to prayer Five or so minutes went by, and the Lord sent an answer to my prayer. My friend’s sister, who was temporarily…

Short Testimonies Right now is the most important time. The reason why most people don’t go very far in life is because they sidestep opportunity and shake hands with procrastination. Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried. For the tenacious, there is always time and opportunity. Don’t sit back and take what comes, go after what you want. Albert Hubert remarked, “Parties who want milk should not seat themselves on a stool in the middle of the field and hope that the cow will back up to them.” The door of opportunity won’t open unless you push. I agree with Jonathan Winters: “I couldn’t wait for success – so I went ahead without it.” “A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds,” said Frances Bacon. Life…