Table of contents for June 2017 in JOY! Magazine

“FOR GOD SAID, ‘HONOUR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,’ AND, ‘HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF HIS FATHER OR MOTHER IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH.”- MATTHEW 15:4 I was quite taken aback when doing my research to see the Scripture above – as I have always only quoted the following words – “Honour your father and mother... as the LORD your God has commanded you, that your days may be prolonged and that it may go well with you on the land which the LORD your God gives you.” – Deuteronomy 5:16. I can’t say that I have ever noticed the Scripture above as recorded in Matthew 15. I don’t even remember ever reading the New Testament version, but I know I must have as I’ve read the book of Matthew…

The ‘Emoji Bible’ In response to the article about the Emoji Bible in a previous JOY! Mag, as long as the interpretation of the Word is not set forth in a way that could lead to ambiguity, I think this is a wonderful idea. Yes, the Scriptures can appear pretty daunting, especially to the young and those unfamiliar with the Word. Modern technology has been used in so many negative and destructive ways, so why not use it for good? There is no time for super-spiritual arguments. While those who may not agree are arguing the point, people are busy going to hell. Let’s throw them an Emoji-lifeline and be done with it! Lyn Malherbe Devout animal lover! I love animals and found the devotional called The Word for Today…

Millennials are leaving church at record numbers and they are described as the least religious generation. But while they may be highly skeptical of religion, they are still thirsty to find meaning in life. Studies show it isn’t Jesus they’re rejecting, they’re rejecting churches that aren’t making themselves relevant to Millennial culture. Researcher and president of LifeWay Christian Resources Thom Rainer says three things matter the most to Millennials: content, authenticity, and quality.…

Christians are being encouraged to practice their faith in another part of the Islamic world - the United Arab Emirates, where the region’s largest Anglican Church is now being built. With room to hold up to 4200 worshippers, All Saints Anglican Church is about two-thirds complete. The Anglican Church’s senior chaplain in the emirate is Rev Andy Thompson, whose ministry in the Middle East goes back more than 20 years. He is a driving force behind the project. “This is very much a work of faith,”Rev Thompson said. But it hasn’t been easy. A key donor pulled out early on, during the first year of construction, when there was a sharp dip in oil prices.“We were faced with the choice of abandoning the process or not,” Rev Thompson said. But…

Kori Ali Muhammad is suspected of fatally shooting three people in Fresno, California. When the police were taking him into custody, he shouted an all-too-familiar phrase in the world of radical Islam. ‘Allahu Akbar’. This is how the Associated Press reported what Muhammad said:“Fresno police say suspect in triple slaying told them he hates white people, shouted ‘God is great’ before killings.” There’s just one glaring problem. The Fresno police chief actually said Muhammad yelled “Allahu Akbar”—not “God is great.” So why would a trusted news organisation like Associated Press change what he said but for the connotation? We deserve the truth—not politically correct copy edits. If a man yells“Allahu Akbar” after gunning down innocent people, we don’t want the watered-down, fake-news version. We want the cold, hard truth. Shouthing…

Despite all the tragic news you may hear and see from the Global Lane—wars, terrorism, political divisions, and devastating natural disasters, God is stirring the world and His people. On April 22nd , more than one million South Africans of all races gathered for an unprecedented day of prayer for their nation. It was the largest prayer gathering in the history of the country and perhaps the largest ever on the African sub-continent. Evangelist Angus Buchan led the time of intercession for the nation. “We are in a spiritual battle in this nation. The only way we can fight this battle is on our knees,” he said. The event called, “It’s Time” was held on a farm near the city of Bloemfontein. It was about three times as large as…

A nearly non-existent inflation rate and low unemployment have helped propel Israel to the No. 3 spot on a list of the world’s most stable and promising economies for 2016, published by the Bloomberg financial news agency. The list named Hong Kong as the most stable economy in 2016, followed by South Korea. Denmark, Taiwan, Iceland, Japan, Switzerland, Singapore, and Thailand followed Israel to round out the top 10 in the rankings. The countries ranked lowest for stability in 2016 included Croatia, Colombia, Uruguay, Brazil, Serbia, Spain, Ukraine, Turkey — ranked fifth from last — Greece, Argentina, and South Africa. The country whose economy was rated last for 2016 was Venezuela, despite its rich oil resources. Israel’s economy continues to perform well by international standards.…

I wrote about God shaking the nations in a previous article; the shaking appears to be intensifying in South Africa. President Jacob Zuma’s dead of night cabinet reshuffl e on March 31st , the firing of Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and his deputy, and the investment ratings downgrades by two rating agencies has ignited mass protests across the country. The African National Congress (ANC) appears to be lurching from one crisis to the next. Stories of corruption and gross mismanagement of state resources regularly appear in the news media. ANC leaders spend large parts of their time trying to explain various allegations of corruption within the party and government departments. Four ministers in 16 months The firing of Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and his Deputy Mcebisi Jonas ignited a firestorm…

Doctors For Life International (DFL) is concerned about the way news reporting on the Medical Innovations Bill keeps presenting the issue of ‘medical marijuana’ to the public. These reports pose the danger of confusing critical issues in the debate to legalise cannabis for medicinal use. Actually there is no such thing as ‘medical marijuana’; that is, there is not a particular type of marijuana/dagga used for medicinal purposes, let alone for specific medicinal purposes. Conflating marijuana with isolated cannabinoids misunderstands the scientific literature and confuses physicians, policy makers, and patients. The medical marijuana movement was created to blur the regulatory and legal boundaries. In most states in the USA with medical marijuana laws, the vast majority (>90%) of those holding registry cards are young males with vague ‘pain’ or sleep…

There is an error that many make: they have attempted to understand the work and power of the Holy Spirit without first coming to know Him as a Person. It is crucial that we establish in our hearts and minds whether we believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person - One who is infinitely holy, infinitely wise, and infinitely mighty, yet wonderfully tender, sensitive, and compassionate. What do you believe about the Holy Spirit? Do we believe that He is One who is worthy to receive our reverence, affection, faith, love, devotion, and complete surrender? Or do we instead believe that the Holy Spirit is simply an influence proceeding from God - some sort of divine mystical power, not unlike what we think of when we refer to…

An Old Testament blessing of a father to his sons included words of encouragement, details regarding each son’s inheritance, and prophetic words over their future. The greatest commandment in Scripture is this: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” – Deuteronomy 6:5. Going back to verse 2, we read, “So that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.” Following Deuteronomy 6:5, we read, “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit…

WE MUST ASSESS OUR SITUATION, MAKE DECISIONS ON THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE, AND MOVE FORWARD. Of late, all that we seem to hear about are political problems, economic woes, junk status, high unemployment, and the continual devaluation of our Rand. Many South Africans are becoming increasingly wary of our economy as our march through the so-called New South Africa continues. Whatever permanent decisions are made now regarding our long-term financial futures will make life more difficult during the next twenty years when circumstances change – and they most certainly will, in ways and for reasons that are impossible to imagine right now. What is the best decision? Maybe our present problems are permanent? But we shouldn’t count on it. Those who make their plans on the basis of the…

During my time as a media coach, I have identified some elements that signify a successful social media platform, and it’s not ‘likes’. What makes it a success is when people are sharing your content with their networks and a community interacting with your ministry through leaving their comments, thoughts, and opinions. When you produce these, video views, activity, and even church attendance goes up, which in turn means more visibility and attention to your ministry’s message. I have identified 5 mistakes ministries make on social media that, if they pay attention to fixing it, they can easily develop a world class platform. Mistake #1: Only posting ads and promotional material I believe that a lot of time and effort is wasted if a ministry spends twelve hours on creating…

If any of the following statements are true for you then you probably need a business coach: • You focus on too many things at the same time. • You have no work life balance. • You are too busy to have daily, weekly, and monthly meetings. • You either don’t have or tend to overcomplicate the processes in your business. • You are too busy working in the business than on the business. • You feel you have too few people in your business that you can rely on to get the job done. • You don’t have clear and defined quarterly, annual key performance indicators and priorities, with weekly and monthly milestones to keep you on track. It may be time to allow someone to help you take…

• Sponsor 100 Children’s Bibles at R60 each. • Sign a debit order for the 60-year project. • Contact Ina Willemse at 021 873 7134 or ina@clf.co.za for the form. • Deposit R500 per month for 12 months into Christian Literature Fund account • Deposit a once off amount of R6 000 • (100 Children’s Bibles) Make a difference today in a child’s life and teach him / her about Jesus’ everlasting love by donating a Children’s Bible. For more information • Call: 021 873 7134 • email: info@clf.co.za • Visit www.clf.co.za…

Five day boat cruise with MSC Cruises from Cape Town to Mozambique. To enter, send through a few stunning photos from your wedding day, as well the name of the venue, and you and your partner’s full names. Email Adri Olivier at adri@joymag.co.za WEDDING MUST HAVE BEEN WITHIN THE LAST SIX MONTHS. *T’s and C’s apply…

Tumi Matlaila is the author of 21-Day Prayer Journey, a phenomenal book that was birthed amidst the 21 day Daniel Fast. This book will help and guide anyone who is struggling with their prayer walk. Tumi wears many hats, she is a single mom, senior executive, connect group leader, pastoral care volunteer at her local church and PTA Chairperson. In Tumis words, “I’m also studying towards a PhD: researching single parenthood and how society can help alleviate the needs of single mothers. My 2017 resolutions are to take up “tap dancing” and to get back into road running.” Q. This is your first book – what prompted you to write it? A. I tell people that this book was an accident; it was never the plan to write one. It’s…

How can a Christian regain his passion for Christ and His Kingdom? How can a believer rekindle his zeal for the Lord and become enthusiastic about the things of God? What will it take for the Church to arise out of her spiritual slumber? Seeking answers and direction I took these critical questions to the Holy Spirit, seeking answers and direction. As He often does, the Spirit responded with another set of questions. He asked, “How did it begin with you?”“What sparked the flame in your heart, son?”“What was it that motivated you to reach out and share the Gospel with your local Greek community?”As I pondered on the Holy Spirit’s rebuttal, I recalled what ignited my holy discontent, the heart-state of the Greek community, alienated from their Heavenly Father.…

The first Anglican university in South Sudan “will be a place in which the next generation escapes warring factions and prepares to build a peaceful nation”, the theologian who chairs the project said recently. Dr Eeva John, director of pastoral studies at Ridley Hall, Cambridge, chairs the Episcopal Church of South Sudan and Sudan University Partnership, a charity that is working with the Episcopal Church in South Sudan to open a multi-campus university within the next two years. Returning from her latest trip to the country this month, Dr John described how the Episcopal University of South Sudan’s vision was “to create a generation of people who will serve the nation”. In a country dogged by political strife and sectarian violence, it will offer students from all tribes the opportunity…

Nothing is more beautiful than the moment you turn your life over to God, when you surrender your heart’s desires and ask for His will to be done. In the Middle East, staggering numbers reveal just how many Muslims are falling in love with their Saviour. Among them, former jihadist Bashir Mohammad. Mohammad was a member of an al-Qaeda offshoot on the front lines of the Syrian civil war. He had flirted with extremism since his teens. His cousin had taken him to hear jihadist preachers as a 15-year-old, and he adhered to some of the most extreme interpretations of Islam. But when war broke out in Syria, after the country’s 2011 uprising, Mohammad joined the secular Kurdish forces in their fight for autonomy. Mohammad’s subsequent ideological journey rarely made…

“Helping the thinker believe and also helping the believer think.” “Jesus, if you are the One that gives life as meant to be, I want it. Please get me out of this hospital bed well, and I promise I will leave no stone unturned in my pursuit of truth.” This was the heartfelt prayer Dr. Ravi Zacharias at the age of 17 from a suicidal bed after a local Christian member instructed his mother to read John 14 to him from the Bible. Yet it was John 14:19b that spoke volumes to his teenage heart. Nine years later he graduated at Ontario Bible College. He earned a Master’s degree of Divinity from Trinity Internationally University in Deerfield Illinois. Since then, he has been honoured with no less than six conferring…

“My son, do not forget My teaching. Let your heart keep My words. For they will add to you many days and years of life and peace. Do not let kindness and truth leave you...”Proverbs 3:1-3 Upon hearing that we would feature Tom Selleck as our June cover story, I was both extremely excited, and slightly hesitant. Hollywood is known for its lack of morals, its advocacy of debauchery, and its blatant disregard for our Christian faith. I was blown away however, as the more research that I did on Tom, the more I fell in love with his powerful testimony and bold love for Jesus. He stands out amongst the thorns in a city of sin. 72 years old and still going strong! Thomas William Selleck, born 29th January…

“But even if we, or an angel from Heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.” – Galatians 1:8 Often Christians place additional rules and regulations onto a Gospel framework, pretending that these manmade rules are required from God Himself. We call this legalism. Legalism is a false gospel, stating that people can only stand righteous before God if they obey manmade regulations. There is some debate as to whom this letter is addressed, and once that question is answered, it becomes easier to determine when Paul wrote the epistle. One theory has it directed to a people living in the north of Asia Minor, what is considered Turkey today. These people were Gauls (thus the similarity to “Galatians”) who…

WHAT IS SONSHIP? –Nicky vd Westhuizen You cannot serve without knowing who you are. If you serve without an identity, you will then serve to get an identity, which becomes the wrong motive. Going to the Scripture in John 13:2-4, the disciples are about to see something about Jesus’ character. What they were about to see is not healing, deliverance, raising the dead, and all that they had seen before. At this stage, they were about to see Jesus serving as a Son. Serving will not take anything away from you, in fact, it brings blessing into your life. I am a son, my life source is the Father, and as a son I have unlimited resources. In the area of sonship, it is important to understand that servants/orphans do…

Each of us has a history, a personal story that gives meaning to our lives – and also to our fears. Often those main storylines are coloured not by strong and encouraging narratives, but by anxious thoughts of uncertainty, bad experiences, and demoralising words. Memories of apartheid Woven into my own life are memories of the apartheid system. I grew up in a rural area, firmly in the grip of those who believed in the separation of races. I never embraced those prejudices even though I attended, as required by law, an all-white school and university. Like it or not—and I do not—the very system I loathed so much also provided the privileges of education denied to the vast majority of black people. In small ways I tried to stand…

TAMRYN KLINTWORTH “ Spirit-filled believers who are not witnesses for Jesus are generally a sad and pitiful sort. They only speak of Him or pray for the sick when fellowshipping with or ministering to others who are born-again. When it comes to the unbeliever, they remain silent. Such people wonder why they do not feel fulfilled, why – even as Christians – they feel something is missing. The truth is, something is missing! They are denying their blood-bought nature, the nature of a witness. If this state describes you, dear friend, hear me now. The Holy Spirit is blazing within you, stirring you to share the Good News of salvation with a lost and dying world. Ignoring His promptings and refusing His moving through you, only results in frustrated and…

There is life and hope after adultery. When you pursue God’s purifying and refining fire, it will make your marriage better than it was! I have dealt with many situations involving adultery over the years. Lighting the fire of adultery is devastating to any marriage, regardless of the circumstances. Unfortunately, adultery is all too common. Nobody wakes up one day and suddenly decides to begin an extramarital affair. The fire of lust begins in the heart and mind. By the time a person physically commits adultery, he or she has been feeding the small fire for quite some time in progressively more intense mental, and emotional, affairs. Divorce is not God’s Will When your marriage is passing through the test of adultery, it could simply be God removing every dross…

MICHELLE LINKS KEEP THE FAITH “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the Cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” –Heb 12:1-2 When Moses was faced with an impossible situation “crossing the Red Sea”, his faith was tested, even though God had given him a clear instruction, fear and doubt crept in. God was true to His Word and the Red Sea parted, the Israelites crossed over unharmed, set free under…

It seems that a new “style” of church has swept onto the scene with some extraordinary success and incredible impact on young and old alike. Steven Furtick is the founder and lead pastor of an “off beat” evangelical ministry called Elevation Church, based in North Carolina. Top 100 fastest growing church At the age of 16 Furtick felt the call to pastor a church after reading the book Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala. He holds a Master of Divinity degree and is the New York Times Best Selling author of Crash the Chatterbox, Greater, Sun Stand Still, (Un)Qualified, and Seven-Mile Miracle. 5 February 2006 marked Elevation Church’s first service and since then they have grown to include multiple locations across several states. Elevation has been recognised by Outreach…

Pope Francis wants to interact with people on the street when visiting Egypt and therefore opposes riding in a bulletproof vehicle. Despite several terror attacks against Christians in Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula, Pope Francis will not use a bulletproof vehicle during his trip to Egypt. “The Pope will use a closed car to move around, but not an armoured one,” Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said. “That’s how he wanted it.” The Catholic News Agency explained the Pope’s decision as a result of his preference to interact with people on the street. The trip is meant to be a sign of solidarity for Christians in the Middle East, who are facing persecution from Islamist terror groups. “I would like this visit to be a witness of my affection, comfort and…

President Donald Trump recently announced a new “hire” to his administration that sent liberals’ heads spinning. Tennessee state Sen. Mark Greenhas been appointed secretary of the Army. The West Point graduate was a medic for the special operations team that captured Saddam Hussein. He is also an evangelical Christian who holds to the Biblical definition of marriage. This is particularly relevant because he will be replacing the first openly homosexual civilian leader in the Army’s history, Eric Fanning.…

When most hear about child marriage, the news is typically related to kids living in far away places like Thailand, India, and Niger. But a series of new public reports released in February reinvigorated an old call to action related to helping the girls and women who have fallen victim to child marriage in the United States. A place where many don’t even know the horrific act actually exists at “alarming” rates. Sources estimate that roughly a quarter million children are forced to marry without their consent. And individual reports state that forced marriage has long been a problem in the United States due to government loopholes that allow parents to marry off their children at any age. An investigation done and presented by the Tahirih Justice Center cited that…

The National Council of SPCAs reported a positive, uplifting outcome relating to the donkeys rescued from the horrific trade for their skins. They said that 5 donkeys had arrived at a beautiful property in Bethlehem in the Free State, where they will live out the rest of their lives. A further 14 donkeys will travel shortly to newly approved homes as well. They were initially cared for at the Sani SPCA, but since their operation is not far from the Lesotho border post, it was feared that the donkeys might be stolen. Their welfare and safety were top priorities so a decision was taken to move the donkeys to other SPCAs. The end of the story is a very uplifting one not only for the donkeys but also in terms…

Tornadoes in East Texas tore through homes, offices, and churches—but didn’t touch the hallway where 45 people were crying out to God. “Praise God because we walked out,” Monica Hughes, a youth pastor, says. Around 45 people were at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Emory, Texas, when they were told to take cover immediately. As soon as the group gathered in the hallway, the tornado tore through the church’s sanctuary and blew out both ends of the building. “We could see the beams bending and the aluminum roof being ripped away,” Hughes said. “Everybody dropped to the floor and protected one another. As soon as the worst was over, we began to sing to keep the kids calm.”…

Our youth are raised in a culture where dagga becomes morally acceptable. Earlier this year, the Cape High Court ruled that the ban on marijuana was unconstitutional. The court declared parts of the Law on Drugs and Drug Trafficking and the Medicines and Related Substances Control Act in violation of the Constitution in so far as it violates the private use of dagga for personal purposes. This ruling means that adults can now own, grow, and use dagga in the privacy of their home or property. However, it is still prohibited to sell or use it in public. Confusion abounds Response in the country is varied, with many people who are in favour of the verdict due to the medicinal benefits of marijuana, and others who are upset and disappointed…

Haggai 2:8 “The silver is mine and the gold is mine saith the Lord.” The four major South African banks will pay you around 5% interest per year on a typical 32-day fixed deposit. Now, let’s rewind to January 2006, when the spot price of 1 troy ounce of silver was about R50.00. Today, the same troy ounce of silver costs around R225.00. That is 450% growth over a ten-year period. Let’s do the same exercise and take that R50.00 spent on ounce of silver and put it into a savings account. Fast-forward to today. How much has that R50.00 earned in interest? Even applying a generous 8% interest rate per year over ten years, the balance would have increased to just under R120.00. It seems offering 5% interest on…