JOY! Magazine

editor’s note

“I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.”– Revelation 3:8 The scripture above is my encouragement. It is the word that the Lord gave me when I started this magazine. I felt so unqualified at the time, yet I knew that the Lord had called me and anointed me for this task. In my moments of doubt, I prayed and God so clearly gave me this verse to hold onto. Now, 15 years later, I reflect back over the years and think about how time flies. I marvel at what our small, competent, and committed team achieve each month. We try hard to remain relevant to our vision (above) and we constantly pray for fresh ideas, contributors, articles, and topical news input.…

a prayer for those seeking reconciliation with god

God, have mercy on me, a sinner. I have come to believe that You are the only God, the maker of heaven and earth. I have come to believe that Jesus is your Son, that He is the judge of the living and the dead, and the Saviour of the world. I have also come to see my own guilt before You, and I long to be made clean. I believe that if You are willing, You can make me clean. 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…

is it important to know god?

About 2000 years ago in Jerusalem, a Jewish man named Jesus was crucified by the Romans at the request of the Jewish leaders. Jesus was famed for His remarkable miracles and the astonishing authority with which He preached. The night before He died, He had gathered a small group of His followers and shared what has come to be known as “the last supper” with them. On that fateful night, many dramatic things happened Indeed that night He was betrayed by one of His own companions. And yet it was also on that night that He lifted up His eyes to heaven, and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal…

introduction to basic christianity

The dictionary defines a religion as “the service and worship of God or the supernatural.” So, Christianity is obviously a religion. But what makes it different to any other religion? If the only thing separating it from other religions is a set of unique rituals, or a collection of unique buildings where Christians meet, then Christianity really does not have anything to commend itself at all. What then makes Christianity what it is, and why has it changed the lives of billions of people throughout the centuries? The answer is that Christianity is defined by its unique message. This message is called “the Gospel.” It is the good news that although all people are guilty of sinning and stand justly condemned, God – in His great love – became a…

church gossip

Irene – the church gossip and self-appointed monitor of the church’s morals – kept sticking her nose into other people’s business. Several members did not approve of her extracurricular activities, but feared her enough to maintain their silence. She made a mistake, however, when she accused George, a new member, of being an alcoholic after she saw his blue bakkie parked in front of the town’s only bar one afternoon. She emphatically told George, and several others, that everyone seeing it there would know exactly what he was doing. George, a man of few words, stared at her for a few moments and just turned and walked away. He didn’t explain, defend, or deny! He said nothing! Later that evening, George quietly parked his blue bakkie in front of Irene’s house, walked home,…

letters to the editor

Old age homes are not good enough I thank you for your magazine, I really enjoy it. I want to raise an issue and hope that people reading this will ponder on it. Why do we build and maintain old age facilities? Not all the places are grand and extravagant, but they cater for the elderly only. The residents were once providers of their own families. They carried responsibilities, provided, and cared for their families – but now that they have grown old, there seems to be no place for them in the family circle anymore. They seem to be just in the way. The fact that they have so much wisdom, time, and love that they can invest into the family seems to be disregarded. They are sent to these…