Beethoven found eternal joy at the heart of the universe! He discovered a source of divine inspiration where all his melodies came from. There are whole symphonies waiting in that realm. He simply translated what he was hearing in the spirit realm. God is the source of all our Joy! He is the source of all creativity! He is the Creator of all things. When you discover the joy of the Kingdom you step into a kingdom of Joy!Enter into the Joy of the Lord
Andre Pelser

Beethoven found eternal joy at the heart of the universe! He discovered a source of divine inspiration where all his melodies came from. There are whole symphonies waiting in that realm. He simply translated what he was hearing in the spirit realm. God is the source of all our Joy! He is the source of all creativity! He is the Creator of all things. When you discover the joy of the Kingdom you step into a kingdom of Joy!

I dreamt about the Joy of the Lord the other night. I dreamt about the Hanekom family that always had joy! The old Oom Hanekom was a preacher. At the beginning of his ministry he used to wear white takkies or sneakers with his Sunday suit when he preached. The Hanekoms were friends of both Nola and my families. They exuded an exuberant joy, hilarity of spirit that could not be dominated by circumstances or people. Whenever that family got together they made music and laughed and enjoyed the presence of the Lord. They always seemed to be happy and to enjoy one another?s company. A house full of people can be a drain on the housewife if others do not help with the chores. I remember how some of them used to cook and others play with the kids outside while others worshipped God with joyful music in the lounge. After a while they would rotate ? because they were all musical. Then those who played with the kids would have a turn at the piano, organ, guitars & drums and then the first group of musicians would either get into the kitchen or play outside with the children. No one ordered anyone around. They all seemed to know just what to do. There was no one who was bored or who just lay around doing nothing just waiting to be served. I could not remember anyone ever complaining about sickness or struggles ? they were always bubbling over with joy. They often joked around like little children and sometimes even played practical jokes on each other ? then everyone laughed. The situation never turned sour. No one ever went too far. There seemed to have been a divine protocol keeping everyone in check. It was like a kingdom of joy ? in their homes and in their meetings. Their faces shone and their smiles were big. They were always happy to see each other and they always embraced each other and kissed the lady of the house hullo and goodbye! To go on holiday with them was literally a joy!

We always looked forward to visit them ? because there would be so much happening! Eating with them was always a feast because their hearts were merry and a merry heart has a continual feast. I wondered if no one ever did them any wrong or if anyone ever suffered persecution or if anyone ever treated them spitefully ? because they never showed it. How could their lives be so joyous while the rest of the world was bitter and sad?

This family influenced our families: we also made music together till the late hours of the night and told stories and ate together as families should. Nola?s father and her sisters also enjoyed playing on musical instruments and recounting interesting family anecdotes when the seven children all got together.
What has happened to these happy, happy times in today?s world? Television happened to it. We are constantly aware of all the problems in the world and the good news is repressed. We are constantly facing the depravity of a wicked and violent world and we no longer have time for each other. We fight over which programme we want to watch. We make time for television but not to tell the vision God gave us.

When we were small we listened to stories grown-ups used to tell around the fire until it was bed-time. We had to provide our own entertainment. Television has stolen family time and took away our joy. Television has desensitized humanity and we no longer feel offended when we see a man?s head blown away or cars going up in a blaze of fire!

Television has its place in modern society and Christians should use it to spread the Gospel in an eye-catching way rather than the kind of Americanized programmes that always tries to sell you something and makes Christianity just as commercial as all the other telesales programmes on TV. But TV should not replace family time and family worship and family Bible study. The time has come for us to find our true roots ? not in TV Soapies that we identify with but the cloud of witnesses that surround us.

Hebrews 12 talks about the cloud of witnesses that surround us?The word ?cloud? is nephos and the writer of the book of Hebrews refers to it as the cloud of saints who have gone on before us. They surround us: in other words we can be aware of the presence of God by remembering them as I am doing today. While telling you about the Hanekoms and how our families used to enjoy themselves in the Lord, you are witnessing something that TV cannot show you: you are looking into the spirit realm and feeling the same joy we felt forty years ago! We are tapping into a divine source of joy and inspiration that is available to us. This is the same source Beethoven spoke about. It is there for those who would take the trouble to go there. Although it is invisible it has an entrance: Jesus is the door into that realm. We can go in and come out and find pasture. This is the green pastures He promised to lead us to. We can go to those pastures whenever we want to! He leads us to those quiet waters where He restores our souls! Hallelujah!

That is where he sets the table before our enemies and anoints our heads and our cups run over! That is where surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives if we are willing to dwell in the house of the Lord for ever!

Hebrews 12:1-3

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.