I N S P I R E YO U R FA I T H | I M PA C T T H E W O R L D
Rivers of Living Water
He is your source
CBNEUROPE.COM
Life Reflecting His Heart
Living a full life
Life Giving Words Even the smallest of words bring life
ISSUE 54
CONTENT
03. Welcome to Issue 54 From The Director
04. Rivers of Living Water Teaching 06. Europe Updates CBN Ministry Highlights
09. How’s Your Light? CBN Israel
10. Life Reflecting His Heart Featured 13. The Superbook Race Fundraising
14. Discover CBN’s Impact Global Impact 16.
Overcoming Challenges Hope in a Pandemic
18.
CBN Hope Line CBN Australasia
20. Life Giving Words Featured
22. Children & Families Superbook
PO Box 700 Hereford, HR1 9EW, UK 0300 561 0700 (UK) 01513 3738 (ROI) 02 7908 0700 (AUS) 04 488 0700 (NZ) +44 207 101 7045 (International) WhatsApp
07833 993 924 CBNEUROPE.COM CBNAUSTRALASIA.ORG
24. Pray with us? Prayer Needs
26. God Answers Prayer Testimonies
@CBNEUROPE
29. Put Your Hope Into Action Your Ways To Give
R E A C H is a free magazine produced and distributed by CBN Europe to inspire, inform and strengthen your relationship with God. We partner with individuals, churches and organisations in order to share the message of hope in Jesus Christ, provide humanitarian relief and reduce poverty. It is our vision to share the Gospel in a relevant way to all generations and see people walk in their true potential with God. Would you like to support our ministry? Contact us on the numbers provided or visit cbneurope.com/donate.
FROM THE DIRECTOR | 3
“In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.” John 1:4 Dear friends, Welcome to the June edition of our Reach magazine! In this issue we explore the topic of LIFE and discover more about the fulness of life that God wants to give us each day. Gordon teaches about ‘rivers of living water’ and how Jesus is the source who supplies our every need. I never cease to be amazed by the Author of life when out and about in God’s great big garden. Personally, if there has been one major benefit of the lockdown, it is the discovery of nature right on our doorstep. We have the blessing to live in the Wye Valley, and area of outstanding beauty in England. We don’t have to go far to find a public footpath to encounter amazing flora, fauna and wildlife. The diversity, creativity, beauty and complexity of God’s creation and how it all works together is a mystery to me. It causes me to be in awe and wonder of the One who loved us so much, that He majestically created all of this for us. Ultimately, we know that this life on earth is temporary, and we are called to eternal life with Him. One day, He will make all things new again, and wipe every tear from every eye. We know this is true when we accept Jesus as our Saviour. He makes all things new, and when we believe in Him and the work He did at the cross for us, we can confidently say that ‘the old has gone and the new has come’. We have become alive in Him! Jesus says in John 10:10: “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Today, this message is for you. He wants to meet you where you are at today, and wash away the worry, the anxiety, the burdens and pain. He wants to refresh you with rivers of living water, as He cares for you! At CBN we want to passionately tell people more about Jesus. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He gives us peace when we need it most. It is my prayer that as you read this magazine, you will experience His presence, witness His peace and see provision in your life. He is ready to give it. In Jesus, Mark Dijkens CBN Europe Regional Director
4 | TEACHING
Rivers of Living Water While facing some challenges, I read Isaiah’s account of King Hezekiah’s problems—and mine suddenly seemed small. God saw him through, and He will see us through as well. Hebrews 10:23 assures us, He who promised is faithful. Hezekiah is known for preparing Jerusalem for a siege by carving a long tunnel from the Gihon Spring to the Pool of Siloam. Rabbis said the pool’s water was the purest on the planet because Mount Zion is its source. Every year during the Feast of Tabernacles, water was taken from the Pool of Siloam in golden pitchers and carried up to the Temple in a huge procession. People sang the Song of Ascent, silver trumpets were blown on the Temple steps, and the entire city was lit up with torches. It was called the most joyous time in Jerusalem when the water was poured out on the altar as an offering to the Most Holy God.
good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you—the sure mercies of David” (Isaiah 55:1-3). The first covenant had a price; the new covenant is without price. It also comes with the sure mercies of David—and the Son of David is Jesus. Even so, we must hear it, incline our ear, and come to Him. In John 7:37-38, Jesus cried out at the water celebration during the Feast of Tabernacles: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” So if you’re facing problems and feeling overwhelmed, come to Him. He is your source. He will supply your need, and out of your innermost being will flow rivers of living water. God bless you.
This is described in Isaiah 12:3: Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
Scripture is taken from the NKJV. This teaching was given during a CBN staff chapel.
It is also part of Isaiah’s prophecy about the Messianic age: “Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. … Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is
Gordon Robertson Chief Executive Officer
TEACHING | 5
HE WILL SUPPLY YOUR NEED, AND OUT OF YOUR INNERMOST BEING WILL FLOW RIVERS OF LIVING WATER.
6 | CBN MINISTRY HIGHLIGHTS
Mark Dijkens Regional Director
It is June already, and how fast does the time go! Much has happened in the last two months since our edition and we have so much to be thankful for. We give thanks to the Lord for His blessings, His provision and the open doors we are seeing across the region. We also thank God for you, our faithful partners and supporters. It is thanks to your prayers and support that we can bring HOPE to the nations and see lives impacted! This time, our focus is on our ministry activities in the UK and in Germany.
UK & IRELAND
CBN Hope Line: This June, we celebrate 19 years of CBN ministry in the UK and Europe! Starting out with a very small team of prayer volunteers in Standish, today our Hope Team is reaching out to thousands of callers each month not only in UK but all the way to the commonwealth in Australia & New Zealand. In March we received over 3500 calls from viewers, first time callers and CBN partners. We celebrated many victories in answered prayers. The Lord demonstrated His healing and restoration power, His provision and His ability to change lives. Below are a few of the many testimonies we received: A Testimony of healing: Yanni wrote to us: “I was in hospital with aggressive blood cancer ... God took me in his arms and the only thing I could feel was gratitude and love ... I am usually a very anxious hypochondriac person but miraculously, unlike the “normal” me, there was no hint of anxiety or fear inside me ... it was during the second week of my first chemo cycle when my oncologist consultant came in my room to tell me he was amazed by how well I was suddenly doing .... two weeks before I was nearly dead ... so now he couldn’t believe the miracle unfolding before his eyes ... in the end of my second cycle I had already achieved partial remission ... and in the end of my four-cycle chemo treatment I had achieved complete metabolic remission ... I now can see him clearly and feel his arms around me and see the miracles he’s brought into my life ... once I was ashamed but now, I’m proud to praise his name!!!” We had the privilege of praying with various callers who did not know Jesus as their personal Lord and Saviour and accepted Him after praying together. Our God is in the daily business of changing lives. He keeps knocking on the door of
CBN MINISTRY HIGHLIGHTS | 7 every heart! What a privilege to be ministers of His love and grace. Media Efforts: With daily shows on over 30 tv channels in the UK, Europe and Australasia, CBN’s presence on social media is expanding and continues to bring life and hope to thousands of people every month. The team continues creating the regular video devotionals, produce daily posts to encourage our audience and remind us of God’s truth, love and His promises for us. We produced an interview with Lucy Bunce, writer and composer of ‘The Blessing’ song for NHS workers, which was shared on Facebook, Instagram TV and YouTube. We received a good number of responses and positive feedback.
Superbook Ministry: Our UK Superbook team created three ‘virtual’ lesson resources based on CBN’s animated Bible series - Superbook. These lessons are part of our new library of resources that will be available to schools, churches and families at home. 11 teachers have already signed up to these new resources, and we pray many more will follow. In April, we shared Easter resources on social media which brought the biblical truths of Jesus’ death and resurrection to primary school children. We promoted the Superbook Bible App which is free and helps children and their families explore Christianity further in a fun and engaging way. We are also very thankful to report that in March alone, 62 people in the UK accepted Jesus after watching the Superbook Gospel presentation. This demonstrates the impact of CBN’s digital ministry in sharing the Good News of Jesus here in the UK, Europe and beyond!
Want To Learn More About Superbook? Visit cbneurope.com/impact to read more inspiring stories about how God has used CBN across the globe.
8 | FROM THE OFFICE EUROPE
Our CBN office in Hamburg is reaching out to viewers across the German speaking territory through our weekly programme ‘Erlebt TV’. The name of the show has two meanings; it speaks of the fact that ‘He Lives’ (Jesus lives) and ‘Encountering God’. The mission slogan is: “Menschen erleben Gott” which means: “people encounter God”. As in the UK, our German office operates a Prayer Centre. In the recent months, we increased staffing hours due to increased call volumes received. We have reports of many testimonies of healing and provision.God has and continues to provide all our needs through our faithful partners and supporters who continue to stand with us. Until now, our weekly TV shows were recorded in our recording studio in Brussels. As travel during the pandemic prooved challenging, we decided to take a bold step of faith in commissioning the construction a social media studio within our Hamburg office. God spoke to our director Andreas Heerwagen, and gave the scripture from Joshua 6 about the walls of Jericho. The walls had to come down, and it was a confirmation that the studio had to be built inside our Hamburg office. The construction has started. We removed several internal walls to create a larger space to house the studio. We are making good progress and praise God for this new season where we can record local media content to bring hope and life. Despite the pandemic, God’s Kingdom continues to advance! Under the leadership of the Regional Director, Mark Dijkens, CBN Europe operates 5 country offices in the United Kingdom, Germany, Croatia, Moldova and in The Netherlands. We broadcast the Good News of Jesus on numerous TV stations across the region, in over 20 languages. We partner together with churches and key ministry partners to see lives changed through CBN Media initiatives, Operation Blessing projects and Orphan’s Promise projects. Look out for our next edition where we will focus on our office in Croatia, which covers all the Balkan countries.
CBN ISRAEL | 9
How’s Your Light? “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16 NIV). We live in a world where people like to talk. Our lives are filled with the noise of communication. Our news, sports, and even weather are filled with talking heads that all have something to say. Social media provides a platform for everyone to talk and express themselves. As followers of the Lord, too often we assume that we display our light through what we say, the causes we defend, and even the arguments we have on God’s behalf. Light shines. It provides illumination in the darkness. It just does; that’s its nature. It doesn’t have to announce itself or let everyone know what it’s going to do. It shines and is visible to all. Many of us who grew up in church were told that the way our light would shine was by sharing with our words, but that’s not what Jesus says. He equates letting our light shine with our good works. Thus, it’s not what we say; it’s what we do. Our actions, deeds, and works cause those around us to give glory to our Father in heaven. As the saying goes, talk is cheap. We live in a world filled with cheap talk, quite often even by those who are followers of the Lord. We complain about the rise of anti-religious attitudes and secularism in our society, and we think that we need to speak out all the louder to stem this growing tide. Perhaps, if we take Jesus more seriously, we should let our light shine by doing good works. People can argue with our words; they cannot argue with our actions aligned with the teachings of Jesus. Do our good works cause people around us to give glory to God every day? Do we realize that perhaps the reason our world doesn’t glorify God is because we lack good works, or our light isn’t shining brightly enough? Maybe we should focus more on what our works communicate than our words. So, how’s your light; how’s our light? PRAYER: Father, may we live our lives today obediently submitted to Your will and commands, so that those around us may see our good works and give glory to You. Amen.
10 | FEATURED
CBN READ
LIFE REFLECTING HIS HEART
The Bible is full of life stories that give us incredible insight in who God is, His nature, His heart for us and His purpose and plans. We read about God’s ‘upper story’ and plan from before this world began, to a glorious and eternal future. We also read stories of ordinary and extraordinary people, about kings, queens, army commanders, shepherds, cup bearers, prophets, fishermen, followers of Jesus and many others. It contains examples as well as warnings for us who now live, to live our lives according to His purpose. What is God’s plan and purpose for my life, and how can I live a life that is pleasing to Him and others around me? God has a specific plan and purpose for your life. I recommend that you read Ephesians chapter 1 verses 1 to 14. In short, it confirms the truth that He chose us in Him before the creation
of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. Because He loved us, He adopted us through Jesus, in Whom we have forgiveness of sins. In verse 7, God confirms that “He has made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ”, and that we were chosen and predestined according to His plan and that He works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will (vs11). For what purpose? So that we might live for the praise of His glory! In other words, we were created first, to bring glory to God our Creator. Secondly, to spend time with Him, to walk with Him in unity, and to have fellowship with Him. In this relationship with our Creator, we live life in all its fulness, every day. Today, this truth is as valid as it was at the time when the apostle Paul wrote this message to the believers in Ephesus. God wants to have fellowship with you today; we
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FIRST OF ALL, THE SECRET TO LIFE IN ALL IT’S FULLNESS REALLY IS JESUS. THE BIBLE SAYS THAT JESUS IS THE TRUTH, THE WAY AND THE LIFE.
were created to live for Him. What is the key to living a fulfilled life? First and foremost, the secret to life in all its fulness really is Jesus. The Bible says that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. No-one can come to the Father except through Him. He is the Key to Life. Jesus says of Himself in John 10:9: “Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life”. This is the abundant life Jesus wants to give you today. Perhaps you have known Him for many years. Perhaps you are not sure if you truly know Him. Today is the day to let Jesus enter your heart. Surrender (afresh) to Him and let Him give you this fullness of life you have been longing for! How should I live? Jesus summarises
it wonderfully in Matthew 22:37 and 38: “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: love your neighbour as yourself.” Reflect on these verses and ask God to speak to you through His Holy Spirit and show you how to live your life to the fullest, and to His glory. Prayer: Father, thank You for Your Word and for Your Spirit. Thank you for showing me how to walk each day. Help me to live to live a life that is pleasing to You, and a blessing to others. In Jesus’ Name, amen. Mark Dijkens CBN Europe Regional Director
12 | FUNDRAISING
STAND AGAINST TRAFFICKING 26TH JULY – 1ST AUGUST 2021
World Day Against Trafficking in Persons is an official United Nations observance held on 30th July. At any given time, about 2.5 million people are affected by human trafficking. Almost every country in the world is involved in trafficking – whether as a country of origin, destination or transit for human trade victims. Will you join us and stand against trafficking? Ask 30 people to stand with you for this cause and ask them for a £7 donation. Here are some fundraising ideas: • • • •
Be silent for 30 minutes (in speech and/or mobile device) over each of these 7 days Commit to 30 mins in prayer over each of these 7 days Walk for 30 minutes over each of these 7 days Do a bake sale and share about this heart-breaking injustice
YES. COUNT ME IN! Sign up at cbneurope.com/SAT and download your prayer guide! Text “SAT” to 70085 to donate £7 Email fundraising@cbneurope.com Call 0300 561 0700 to make a single gift of £7
GO GO GIZMO | 13
14 | GLOBAL IMPACT
Hungry Cries in Cambodia Cambodia
10-year-old Srey Neat and her brothers and sisters were starving. She cried as she told us how her family has suffered since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Cambodia. “We don’t have anything to eat. My daddy lost his job. I saw my sister crying because she was hungry. That made me cry too.” After he lost his job, Srey Neat’s dad tried to earn a few dollars as a motorcycle taxi driver. His wife explained how difficult that has been. “Everyone is staying home. Now he only makes a dollar a day. And we have 5 children!” she said choking back tears. “I felt so helpless not being able to feed them.” Srey Neat tried to help any way she could. “Sometimes I went and found tiny crabs. Other times I collected wild berries,” she said. “But when I ate them, they made me really sick. One time I had to go to the hospital for 3 days!” We first met Srey Neat through a CBN Superbook Sunday School program in her village. During one class, Srey Neat prayed to become a Christian after watching the Superbook episode about Noah and the Ark. She then helped her entire family to become Christians too! “I wanted my family to believe in Jesus so that we can all go to heaven together some day!” she told CBN. “I wanted them be safe like Noah’s family.” Operation Blessing also helped Srey Neat’s family and others in the church who were struggling with food shortages and even starvation during the COVID-19 shutdown. We delivered bags of rice and boxes filled with groceries to those in need. Srey Neat’s mom was grateful. “Thank you for helping us in our time of need,” she said. “I am speechless! Now I am crying for joy!” “Now my family has food to eat!” added Srey Neat. “Thank you to all the people who helped us!”
Want To Read More Stories? Visit cbneurope.com/impact to read more inspiring stories about how God has used CBN across the globe.
GLOBAL IMPACT | 15 OPERATION BLESSING
Scared and Barely Surviving Philippines
“I am scared of the typhoon and strong winds,” said 9-year-old Angel, who lives in the Philippines in a makeshift shanty after a typhoon destroyed her home. To make life harder, Angel’s father, Roland, lost his fishing job because of COVID-19. “I worry about my kids,” he shared. “I worry about how I can rebuild my house.” One night, Angel asked God to give them a new house. That’s when you made it possible for CBN’s Operation Blessing to deliver food packages to Roland’s community and this family’s dire living situation was discovered. Thanks to generous friends like you, Angel’s family was given the supplies to build a safe new home, and you helped Roland start a new business selling fish.
Saving a Baby’s Life Tanzania
Baby Innocent was born with what began as a small cyst on the back of his head. However, it rapidly grew until it was nearly the same size as his head. He struggled to move his neck but would simply cry because of the pain. His mother said, “He tries to grab at the mass because it hurts.” She feared that if the cyst ruptured, Innocent would die. “I pray every day that he will get treatment somehow, and that God will heal him.” Innocent’s mother was put in touch with an Operation Blessing partner organization in Tanzania, where her baby received the surgery he needed - free of charge - thanks to partners like you. “He is such a happy baby now and has grown so strong!” she exclaimed joyfully. “Thank you to everyone who helped make this possible.”
16 | HOPE IN A PANDEMIC
We asked some of our very own CBN Europe staff members some questions about how they have overcome the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, here’s what they said.
What has been your biggest source of hope and encouragement during Covid-19? Jesus - His faithfulness, His goodness, His protection, the wonders of technology which birthed the countless virtual meetings. Thank the Lord for inspiring Chris Brown, Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes and Steven Furtick who wrote “The Blessing” - it’s been a refrain in our hearts over the lockdowns. - Lynnette Spending time (and intentionally putting aside distraction during it) in worship has been key for me. Also - having 2-3 people - my ‘tribe’ who I could be super honest and vulnerable with when things were tough, and I could be there for in return. - Beth Digging into God’s word and discovering new truths and fresh perspectives. - Allen My friends and family. Using technology to stay in touch with loved ones has meant the world during COVID-19. Being able to see someone and have a conversation about what we’re all going through has meant that I have felt more connected. - Charmain Hope itself! Hope has anchored my soul through the darkest of times during Covid –19 and has never put me to shame through my brokenness and weariness just as God’s Word promised. - Sarah
What have you found most difficult during Covid-19 and how did you overcome it? We’ve missed face to face contact. SO much gets missed in online/text communication, including lots of banter... we all know laughter is good for the soul - and we’ve had to fight for that. We experienced the loss of one of our parents, and also lost a baby during the pandemic... and not being able just to ‘sit’ with people and process has made that harder. - Beth Being confined and not being able to have the freedom to travel and meet with friends and family. Being able to communicate via Facetime or Zoom. - Allen The toughest part of COVID-19 for me has been not being able to see friends and family in person. I think I took for granted the comfort that comes from a simple hug or a coffee and a chat in someone’s home. Hopefully, having had this taken away for a season, I won’t take these simple things for granted again. - Charmain God set to work on my life during this Global season and remains at work in me. In a time of Lock down, it has been all too easy to ‘Look down’ but God remains the Lifter of my head. Many times I have had to remind myself of this Truth and both physically and spiritually - intentionally ‘Look up’ as my redemption in many things draws near. - Sarah
HOPE IN A PANDEMIC | 17
What would you say to those who are feeling lonely and hopeless? it’s okay to ask for help. It can feel hard, but it’s the bravest thing you can do. - Beth Loneliness and hopelessness are both real and affect everyone in different ways. However, even in their midst, it’s important to continually remind yourself that “I am not alone, for God is always near.” God’s word promises that “I will never leave you or forsake you.” - Allen I would encourage them with the fact that this won’t last forever and that the season will pass. - Charmain That it’s ok to NOT be ok because Jesus is close to the Broken hearted and He saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18) - Sarah
What’s the biggest lesson you have learned from the Pandemic? There have been so many lessons from the pandemic. The biggest one for me is not to take travel/time with family for granted. I have family living in different continents of the world and I often thought to myself, “It’s ok - I’m only one flight away from my mum, etc...” I’ve not seen my mum for almost 2 years and whilst there is Zoom and FaceTime, it really isn’t quite the same. It’s really difficult but I find comfort in knowing that Jesus is looking out for my mum and He is a man of His word. He has never failed and He won’t do that now. - Lynnette Everyone is going through this pandemic. If a friend hasn’t text you in a while - don’t get offended that they’re not supporting you - reach out to them instead, they might need it. You don’t have to have to be everything for everyone. In fact - you can’t be. Only Jesus can. Give yourself grace, and then go again. Community doesn’t happen by accident. If you want it, be strategic in making it happen. A plan can be your friend to book stuff in, but not overload and burn out. Make time for FUN!!! We all need joy more than ever. And the joy of the Lord is our strength. God invented laughter - so get some! - Beth It is possible to step back and appreciate the simple things of life. To be thankful in all circumstances and appreciate friends and family. - Allen By far the biggest lesson I have learned from the pandemic is to be content in any and every situation that life may throw at us. This comes straight from scripture (Philippians 4:11-13) and, though it is easier said than done, is definitely something that has been instilled in me through the pandemic. - Charmain Not to fear the hearsay of the world and even the Church in some corners but to listen for the still small voice that silences all others. He spoke into apprehensions around testing and vaccines very personally to me from Isaiah 8:12 “Do not call conspiracy everything this people calls a conspiracy; Do not fear what they fear and do not dread it”. - Sarah
18 | CBN AUSTRALASIA
CBN Australasia The CBN Australasia Hope line has now seen its third month in operation! Since February, the team has been taking calls, and while it has been a slow start, we do not despise the days of small beginnings! Even with the few calls we have received, people from all over Australia and New Zealand have been encouraged and we have even seen salvation! As someone who was born and raised in Australia, it is so exciting to see the ministry of CBN extended into a region that is so close to my heart. While CBN has operated in the region for many years in partnership with TBN Pacific, Vision Christian Media and Shine TV, our callers have never had the opportunity to receive follow up prayer ministry and a way to connect with the ministry on a personal level. With the CBN Australasia Hope Line, all that has changed and now we can connect with our partners and viewers in the region in a whole new way! I recently had a chat with Eliza, from the Australasia Hope Line to find out about her personal experience interacting with callers so far and this is what she said: ‘Being able to pray for our callers is such an amazing thing! It is an indescribable feeling that comes from within. It gives me so much joy to be able to stand with them in prayer and gives hope to the hopeless through God’s intercessional prayer. As Samuel Ruthford mentioned, “I have been benefited by praying for others; for by making an errand to God, I have gotten something for myself.” I find myself benefited while praying for the callers because it strengthens my faith, my prayer life and draws me closer to God. What joy and peace it is to be God’s servant in His ministry! The part that I favour most is when the caller thanks you. It made me feel l that I have done what the Lord wants me to do. I was able to grasp their hearts and reach their prayers to God.’ Thank you to all our CBN Partners who have faithfully supported us and helped make the CBN Australasia Hope Line become a reality. If you would like more information about this initiative or CBN Australasia, please visit www.cbnaustralasia.org or call 02 7908 0700 (AUS) or 04 488 0700 (NZ). Samuel Hunt Hope Line Manager CBN Australasia
BRING IT ON | 19
PAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS Join Pat Robertson, CBN founder, as he answers the tough questions in life with Biblical truth’s.
Q.
What is the purpose of life?
A.
The Westminster Confession of Faith says, “Man’s chief aim is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” God made us in His image to give Him praise, to give Him enjoyment, and to enjoy Him. There’s a great God, and there’s an evil force named Satan. God put human beings in the midst of that to say, “Here are people made in My image and I’m going to prove that love will triumph over evil.” The devil has shot at us and God gave His Word to us and we’re in the middle. We are a witness to principalities and powers and to created beings throughout the universe of who God is. And when we love God, we bring glory to Him.
DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR PAT? Log on to CBN.com/BringItOnline and follow the instructions.
20 | FEATURED
CBN READ
LIFE GIVING WORDS
Words are so powerful. Throughout history we see words that have brought about change; dreams that once spoken out have set humanity on a greater path than it would have if left unsaid; speeches that inspired laws to change, wars to be won and hope to spring up where defeat and hopelessness once reigned. The first story we read in the Bible shows beautifully how just a few words changed the course of our universe forever. In the first chapter of Genesis, God said “let there be light” (Gen 1:3). Can you imagine the colossal explosion those few words made as the first signs of light were born? I do not imagine it was a ‘light switch’ moment but more of an ‘ear-splitting eye-watering world’s biggest firework show’ kind of moment that set God’s creation plan into motion. If God’s words made all this creation story
happen, I wonder what we could see Him do through us if we were to be His mouthpieces. Proverbs 18:21 says “the tongue can bring death or life”. The wonderful thing about this truth is that we all have the capability to speak and bring about life with our words. Our tongue has the power to build someone up into the person they were made to be, to affirm that they are a child of God (1 John 3:1) and are dearly loved and chosen (Colossians 3:12). Our words can speak out life and hope to those who are experiencing a world of quite the opposite. But how do we do this? If you, like me, do not imagine yourself as one of the great inspirational Martin Luther’s, Pankhurst’s, or Churchill’s, speaking life may seem quite unimportant and you may even feel somewhat inadequate. But, even the smallest of
FEATURED | 21
EVEN THE SMALLEST OF WORDS CAN BRING LIFE WHEN THE SOURCE OF THOSE WORDS IS LIFE HIMSELF.
words can bring life when the source of those words is life Himself. If we have the Holy Spirit inside us, then we are empowered to speak His words of life and we can expect to see those affirmations and encouragements bring about change because His words do not come back empty or void (Isaiah 55:11). One of the extraordinary things Jesus said about Himself while He was on earth was that He is “the life” (John 14:6) meaning that when we speak words of life, love, and encouragement to those around us, we are speaking out the very essence of Jesus. We speak life by asking the Holy Spirit to dwell in us, by spending quality time with Him and getting to know Him and His character. In one of Paul’s letters when he is speaking to the church in Philippi, he wisely encourages them to fix their thoughts above to what is “true,
and honourable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable” (Philippians 4:8) and don’t all those things sound like attributes of Jesus? Let us dwell upon who He is and watch how the life-giving words so easily come out in our everyday conversations. The old saying of “you are what you eat” can be interchangeable here. If we eat the bread of life and drink from the well of living water and think about such things, we become like the living water, seeing new life spring up before us. So can I encourage you not to diminish the power even the smallest of words can have, because the source is life Himself and He always speaks love, mercy, grace, and hope so you will too.
Sarah Singleton CBN Office Manager
22 | SUPERBOOK
SUPERBOOK | 23 GizmoGO! is an all-new series from the world of Superbo ok! Join Gizmo and his new friends, Miss Tina, Gears , Widget and Rig, as they go on fun adventures and lea rn valuable lessons inside Quantum Labs!
c b n f a m i ly www.cbn.com/
Watch GizmoGo When you give £15 or more a month to Superbook, you will receive streaming access to GizmoGo as well as more EXCLUSIVE Superbook content on the CBN Family App.
24 | PRAYER NEEDS We know that the Lord is the One who establishes our efforts and that - as Psalm 127:1 explains - without Him we toil in vain. This is why we pray for the CBN Europe ministry daily. We want to ensure that all that we build, all the ground we take for the Kingdom, lasts and is covered in prayer.
PRAYER Here are some prayer needs that we have as a ministry. We would love for you to join with us as we ask God to provide, bless and establish. Thank you for standing with us!
CBN Germany
Please pray for our regional offices in Germany, The Netherlands, Moldova and Croatia and the UK as we continue to share the Good News to the nations. Pray that there will be blessing as we make every effort to use the God given resources to make Jesus known.
Increased Funding
CBN Australasia
Pray for God’s favour over our new Hope Line for CBN Australasia to grow and expand. To become widely recognised as a source of support in the region and see transformation in people’s lives.
Hope Boxes
Please pray for increased funding for our CBN UK Headquarters. This will enable us to strengthen our ministry team and help us realise the ministry goals for 2021 and beyond. We pray for a 25% increase of funding to help us reach our goals.
Please pray that, as unemployment levels sadly increase, we will be able to see progress in establishing our first Operation Blessing warehouse. This will give us the opportunity to support and encourage those whose jobs have been lost and those who are struggling to manage.
Media Teams
Superbook
Please pray for our Media teams across the region as they create content to share the Gospel effectively and bring hope to people who need it most. Pray for creativity, innovation and energy.
TV & Online
Pray for our many broadcast partner channels and for continued protection and freedom to air the Gospel on TV and online. Our world needs a Saviour, let’s pray that we can share Him freely across all channels.
Pray for our outreach to children and families through CBN’s animated Bible series “Superbook”, which is now translated in 20 European languages. Please pray that we will be able to share Superbook in schools (in lessons such as RE, Art and Geography). Pray that children will easily connect to the message and find faith in Jesus.
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CAN WE PRAY WITH YOU? Here at CBN Europe, we have a heart for prayer. We believe that Jesus has called us to pray for one another and encourage eachother in our walks with Him. If you need someone to stand with you, don’t hesitate to call us. Call the CBN Hope Line 0300 561 0700 (UK) 01513 3738 (ROI) 02 7908 0700 (AUS) 04 488 0700 (NZ) +44 207 101 7045 (Int) Or message us on WhatsApp! 07833 993 924
26 | TESTIMONIES ‘Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus travelled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him-and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?’ (Luke 17:11-17 NIV) It’s wonderful when we receive reports of the answered prayers of our partners and supporters. As with the one leper who returned to give thanks to God in the scripture above, we delight in hearing your testimony of God’s goodness. Our Hope Line exists to prayerfully support those who need God’s intervention in a situation and we love to hear of instances where He has done just that. Here are some of our recent testimonies to encourage your faith: HEALING: George called to give us his testimony. He was watching the 700 Club when Wendy said that she believed someone had a painful tingling sensation in their right hand, he had exactly this and, as soon as she started praying, he felt a change. RECOMMITTMENT: Steven called the Hope Line after trying to commit suicide one night and recommitted his heart and life to Jesus. Hallelujah! HEALING: God is never not at work! Mary called the Hope Line with miraculous testimony of God’s Healing power. She had been called in for a mastectomy in 2019 after cancer was found. The operation was put on hold due to Covid. Mary rang in February for our prayer team to stand with her in prayer for healing. She was recently called back to the hospital for a check-up before ‘next steps’ could be taken. However, during the check-up, Mary was told “there is nothing there!” Praise Jesus! It was a blessing to pray with Mary and we give God all the Glory! PRAISE: Vanessa, a CBN partner and former Buddhist, turned to Jesus who had revealed himself to her when someone gave her a Bible. She recently called to give thanks for God’s protection during the pandemic. While all nursing homes within 5 miles have all been affected by Covid, her nursing home residents and staff have remained untouched! Vanessa testifies that since turning to faith in Jesus, there was such a turnaround in her life that everyone around her recognised the transformation. Praise the Lord!
CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA 22
@CBNEUROPE
28 | REACH MAGAZINE ONLINE
YOUR WAYS TO GIVE | 29
Put Your Hope Into Action Online Head on over to cbneurope.com/donate and you can use our safe and secure online form to give a one-off donation or to become a monthly partner.
Phone Us Please call 0300 561 0700 (UK) or +44 207 101 7045 (INT) to speak to one of our staff who will help you make your donation.
Cheque To send us a cheque, please complete the form adjacent and return in the pre-paid envelope enclosed in your REACH mailing. Please make your cheques payable to CBN Europe.
Legacy Giving By leaving a gift to CBN in your will, you are helping to impact many lives in the generations to come. To find out more about Legacy Giving, please visit cbneurope.com/legacy.
Standing Order Giving to CBN Europe via standing order is so easy! Simply use the information below to let your bank know that you would like to give to CBN Europe. Then email us at partners@cbneurope.com letting us know your name, address and that you have set up a standing order. We’ll then be able to find your gift and can also send you CBN Europe resources! Christian Broadcasting Network – UK, Account number: 10083874, Sort Code: 16-21-20 Christian Broadcasting Network – Europe, Account Number: 10039241, Sort Code: 16-10-85 BIC: RBOS GB 2L, IBAN: GB36 RBOS 1610 8510 0392 41 Bank Address: Hereford Branch, 21 Broad Street, Hereford, HR4 9AP. IMPORTANT. Please use your name as a reference for your donation. This helps us to find your gift.
Our Programmes Join Pat, Gordon, Terry and many others on your phone, computer or TV every day of the week!
The 700 Club
The 700 Club Interactive
Turning Point International
Superbook
The show includes a lively mix of news, life-changing stories, health tips, and updates about our humanitarian outreach projects.
A TV show dedicated to prayer, uplifting stories, positive Christian news, encouragement and community.
An energetic programme that spotlights the voices of Africans and people of African descent around the world.
Teaching timeless truths through the Bible-based adventures of two time-travelling children and their robot friend.
For a full TV guide, visit: cbneurope.com/tv-guide/
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT LEGACY GIVING Call: 0300 5610700 Email: legacygiving@cbneurope.com Website: www.cbneurope.com/legacy
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GO PAPERLESS! IT’S NEVER BEEN EASIER TO DONATE ONLINE OR OVER THE PHONE! Visit cbneurope.com/donate and follow the simple steps to make your donation online. Or call our friendly team who will guide you through making a donation on: 0300 561 0700 (UK), 01513 3738 (ROI), +44 207 101 7045 (Intl)
CBN PARTNERS HELP US BRING CLEAN WATER TO COMMUNITIES THAT NEED IT MOST. TOGETHER, WE CAN GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFESAVING WATER. To help the thirsty, visit cbneurope.com/donate