JOY Magazine2 min read
Christianity Around The World BRAZIL
The Catholic faith has been the main religion since the 16th century after the arrival of Jesuit missionaries and later Portuguese settlers. A survey indicated that ±50% of Brazilians consider themselves Catholic (down from 90% in 1970). There is a g
JOY Magazine1 min read
Xhosa
Yesu, ndiyakholwa ukuba wandifela emnqamlezweni. Apho walinyazwa ngenxa yeziphoso zam, Walinyazwa ngenxa yobubi bam, ubetho loxolelo lwam lube phezu kwakho. Ndifana nemvu elahlekileyo, ndiye ndalahleka, kodwa ndiyakholwa ukuba uThixo walibeka phezu k
JOY Magazine3 min read
The Importance Of Biblical Hospitality
In the New Testament, the Greek word translated as “hospitality” literally means “love of strangers”. Hospitality is a virtue that is both commanded and commended throughout scripture. In the Old Testament, it was specifically commanded by God: “When
JOY Magazine3 min read
Baggage Control
Mental health challenges, particularly among today’s youth, are sometimes embraced as a form of personal “brand” or “identity”. Phrases such as “my depression,” “my anxiety,” “my therapist,” and “my medication” are increasingly common. As discussions
JOY Magazine10 min read
Letters To The EDITOR
D ear 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 k
JOY Magazine2 min read
BIBLICAL VOTER’S GUIDE for South African elections
South Africans who have registered to vote have the responsibility of electing a party to represent their interests. How you exercise this right and responsibility of voting will have far-reaching consequences for every area of your life. As responsi
JOY Magazine3 min read
The unredeemed REDEEMER
These days, when we think of redeeming something, we generally refer to vouchers and bonds. In biblical times, many other things were redeemed. The main idea is to buy back, which involves four stages: 1. The original ideal: The person, animal, or pr
JOY Magazine3 min read
Ask Val
Email your questions to: info@joymag.co.za How can I sincerely pray for our government when they deliberately make decisions against the Word of God? The Bible commands us to pray for our leaders. “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplicatio
JOY Magazine3 min read
Redeeming Persecution In India
The violent persecution of Christians in India is gaining significant momentum. According to the Open Doors World Watch List (WWL) for 2024, India is currently the 11th most dangerous country in the world for followers of Jesus. Narendran* and Kavita
JOY Magazine2 min read
Pledge A Year For The GOSPEL!
You may have heard by now that Christ for all Nations (CfaN) is conducting 50 Gospel crusades on African soil in 2024 to celebrate CfaN’s 50th anniversary. The pace is already hectic, and it will be our most intense and busy year yet. We are full of
JOY Magazine2 min read
A Devoted Citizen Is World-class Oriented
Many of the inspiring stories about our country are not filtering through to the public. Mainstream media remains captivated by the myth that “only bad news sells”. Often, we don’t get to hear stories like that of Njabulo Thabiso Madlala, the son of
JOY Magazine1 min read
Salvation Prayer
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 beli
JOY Magazine3 min read
The TOUCAN: A Masterpiece Of Design
Who has not marvelled at the huge, colourful bill of a toucan? They have the largest beak-to-body ratio of any bird in the world. The beak accounts for ± one-third of the bird’s body length! With the brightly coloured, enormous bill, the toucan looks
JOY Magazine2 min read
Thank You I Know It Was You, Lord!
One Sunday afternoon I was driving home, having visited my parents in the West Coast. I have driven this same road numerous times, but this time was different. As I drove over a hill past Malmesbury, I saw that a Corsa bakkie and another car had just
JOY Magazine1 min read
THE LORD’S PRAYER A POSTLES’ CREED THE 10 COMMANDMENTS (Exodus 20)
OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN,HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME.YOUR KINGDOM COME.YOUR WILL BE DONEON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD.AND FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS,AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS.AND DO NOT LEAD US INTO TEMPTATION,BUT DELIVER US FROM THE E
JOY Magazine3 min read
Why Marriage Matters
The institution of marriage is a powerful piece of evidence that supports the truth of the Christian worldview. Far from being useless, marriage is something recognised and practiced by basically every culture throughout history. Why would this be th
JOY Magazine2 min read
What’s In A HUG?
Have you ever pondered... what lies within the warmth of a heartfelt embrace? Is it merely a customary greeting, a source of solace, or a gesture to show we care? What significance does a fleeting hug carry? Well, as it turns out, from a parent to a
JOY Magazine2 min read
Did You Know?
David’s tomb was still visible in Jerusalem at the time of Pentecost (Acts 2:29). While the Israelites were in the desert for 40 years, God kept their clothes and sandals from wearing out (Deut 29:5). Miriam is the 1st woman shown to be singing in th
JOY Magazine3 min read
The Spiritual Decline Of The Church
There is a major spiritual decline that has set in among many believers – a walk-stand-sit progression according to which the Christian society is slowly but surely becoming worldly. It starts with a Christian walk that is loosely connected to a chur
JOY Magazine3 min read
Bible Fun
BASKETSBETHSAIDABLINDCAESAREADALMANUTHADISPUTEEYESFAINTFISHFORGOTTENFRAGMENTSGENERATIONHUNGRYLEAVENLOAVESMULTITUDEPHARISEESPHILIPPIREASONEDREMEMBERSATISFYSEVENSIGHEDSIGNSSPITTHANKSTHOUSANDTREESUNDERSTANDWILDERNESS This word search was crafted by Th
JOY Magazine2 min read
Evangelism
In Acts 3, we read about a lame man. This man was a representation of the state of the Church in the early days. During the man’s 40 years of lying at the entrance of the church, they could not raise or heal him. The lame man also represents the enti
JOY Magazine4 min read
Characters Of The Bible Titus
What kind of person would you want in charge of difficult church ministry? No doubt it would have to be a person of character, integrity, and grit. This month we take a look at just such a man, Paul’s ministry companion Titus. Paul mentions Titus 16
JOY Magazine6 min read
The Parables Of Jesus
The Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24 to 25 is Jesus’ end times sermon where He discusses the events leading up to His Second Coming. In Matthew 25, Jesus shares three parables. Previously we looked at the parable of the ten virgins. This month we’ll co
JOY Magazine1 min read
Pastor Appreciation
What a privilege to be able to say thank you in this way, to express my gratitude to a pastor who was a true shepherd when I needed it so much. In 1999, my husband, Hendrik, lost sight in his one eye when he developed a serious infection after an eye
JOY Magazine3 min read
A Season That Demands Strategic Kingdom Collaboration
We are living in a season and dispensation that demands Kingdom collaboration. The Lord has been speaking to me about collaboration and strategic alliances for many years now. In this season He is urging His sons to enter into strategic alliances tha
JOY Magazine3 min read
WHO’S In The NEWS?
Last month, Bieber shared a powerful guided prayer on his social media, encouraging his 293 million followers to turn to Christ and download the Churchome app, which shares daily prayer prompts. Churchome, the impactful ministry led by Judah Smith, s
JOY Magazine2 min read
Dr Caroline Leaf Transforming And Renewing Minds
Dr Caroline Leaf’s mission, and the vision of her company, is to make mental healthcare, knowledge about the power of our minds, and tools to improve learning and memory more easily affordable, accessible, and applicable to everyone around the world.
JOY Magazine3 min read
God’s Maths
“...for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.” – 2 Corinthians 9:7-8 The Bible story about the multiplicatio
JOY Magazine2 min read
Daily Guidance From The Word Of God
I get so encouraged and excited by the Word of God. Every day, as I read my Bible, I am reminded of His care and love towards us. His Word strengthens my faith and helps me get through any negative situations that may arise. I feel empowered to overc
JOY Magazine6 min read
WE ARE FAMILY: A Story To Inspire Us All
My brothers, sisters, and I were mainly brought up by our grandparents, who we lived with. My mother, a domestic worker, lived down the road with her husband, and my father wasn’t around much. It wasn’t easy and we weren’t well off, but our grandpare
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