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MARCH 2016
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We Are Redeemed
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His Amazing Power
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Rescuing Children
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A Mother’s Sacrifice
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Creative Easter
CBN EUROPE PO Box 700, Hereford, HR1 9EW, UK 01 513 3738 (ROI) 0300 561 0700 / 0800 432 0700 (UK) +44 207 101 7045 (Europe)
14 R E A C H is a free
magazine produced and distributed by CBN Europe to inspire, inform and strengthen your relationship with God. CBN Europe aims to partner with individuals, churches and organisations in order to share the message of hope in Jesus Christ, provide humanitarian relief and alleviate 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? Visit cbneurope.com/donate or call one of the numbers on the left.
Connect We would love to hear from you and pray for your needs! Send your prayer request by email: prayer@cbneurope.com www.cbneurope.com 700clubeurope 700clubeurope CBN Europe CBN Europe
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EDITORIAL |
Allen Carter | CBN UK Manager
LIFE IN ABUDANCE The bible states that ‘If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved’. Romans 10:9 NIV As we approach Easter, I’m so glad that the gospel is good news. No matter what circumstance you may currently be facing, the Easter story is one of hope. The cross, as gruesome and as painful as it was, still speaks of God’s incredible love. This love was extravagantly demonstrated by a Saviour who was willing to pay our debts in full. And as a result we can experience forgiveness of sins, health and wholeness in our bodies, deliverance, protection, peace, soundness of mind and so much more. Jesus said in John 10:10 “I have come that you may have life and have it in abundance or life to the full” Jesus wants each of us to experience this kind of life, where we walk in the newness and fullness of knowing Him, which is only possible through a living vibrant relationship with Him. Every day can be an adventure by learning to listen and obey His voice. If this is something you truly want and would like to know more about, why not call our prayer line on 0300 561 0700 where our staff would love the opportunity to pray with you. We trust that as you celebrate the risen Saviour this Easter, the truths of his death and resurrection will impact your life in new and fresh ways. Thank you to our partners and friends of CBN Europe, your prayers and your financial support is affecting and touching individual lives both here in the UK and around the world, we are so grateful to God for you. R|03
| INSIDE CBN
OUR TEAM Meet Ruth! Ruth works part time for our administration department as the partner relations representative. Coming from a background in retail, Ruth has worked at CBN for 12 months and has helped us to streamline our processes. Ruth is a very caring and bubbly person - there is much laughter in the office when she is around. She is passionate about God and has an ability to encourage growth and maturity in others. Ruth is passionate about people, and loves the opportunity to minister to those around her. She loves seeing people grow in their gifts, seeing them released into the best that God has for them. Ruth also works part time for her church organising events. She has been married to Simon for 10 years and has a black Labrador called Bumble.
Ruth Shares a Bible Verse “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work in us” Ephesians 3v20. I love this verse, because no matter what our biggest dreams, hopes or visions are, God is able to do even more! There is always a way through when we let God’s power work in us. I remind myself of this daily, because I often like to work things out for myself! God’s ways are always best.Trust Him daily and see His wonderful plans unfold in ways we will never work out for ourselves.
Want to volunteer for us? Are you passionate about God and love to write inspiring articles? We need you! Visit www.cbneurope.com/jobs R|06
THANK YOU CBN partners for reaching out to orphans and vulnerable children. Your support has enabled us to to help thousands of children in over 50 countries.
Become a world changer
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| DEVOTION
Richard Sanders | CBN UK Prayer Centre
HIS AMAZING POWER Filled with The Holy Spirit
It’s Easter time again and as people wander down the High Street they could be forgiven for thinking that this is a festival celebrating all things chocolate! Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against chocolate or holidays, I love them both as much as the next guy, but oh dear, there is so much more to Easter, people are missing out on so much! How do we seize the great opportunity of this national focus on Easter and clearly demonstrate the real meaning of it? As a follower of Jesus, Easter clearly reminds me of His life, death, resurrection and sacrifice, but to the rest of the world, it can so easily pass them by. In the First Century Church, as seen in Acts 1-2, how did they impact their community? The transformation that took place in Jesus’ followers after his resurrection was highlighted with their encounter with the Holy Spirit and I don’t believe anything has changed. I remember when I first encountered the Holy Spirit, and I am still amazed at the transformation that I have been through since then. My journey may be R|08
unique to me but the process is not. You see, as I matured into a born again, Spirit-filled, Word believing follower of Christ, I still struggled in one particular area, that being my identity. Life was difficult as I faced what seemed to be daily contradictions about the life I read about in the Bible and the life I lived. Time and time again this ‘false identity’ would raise its head and block my progress forward. I would spend hours in prayer begging the Lord to take this away from me. It wasn’t until after a particularly unique encounter with the Holy Spirit that I realised that it wasn’t so much as what Jesus had taken from me that counted, but what he had placed in me that made all the difference – the Holy Spirit. So, the answer to the question of what is the greatest witness or demonstration to the World of the resurrection power of Jesus Christ at Easter is...well, it’s you! You don’t have to have struggled with the same issues that I had, but as you live your lives in the same transformational power of the Holy Spirit, it will speak volumes to your friends, families and communities.
CBN STORIES |
BATTLING CANCER “Nobody runs 80 years without somebody they love dying, without getting sick, without serious trials. No one makes it clean through life in a fallen world.” Pastor Matt Chandler says these words knowing that in this life there are difficulties, and it wasn’t different for him. In 2009, Matt suffered a seizure in his living room in front of his three children. He was rushed to a hospital where they found a tumor in his right frontal lobe. Once it was removed, he was diagnosed with cancer. He spent the next two years receiving strong treatment. “When they started that first full-dose round of the chemo, I became very depressed and felt like my insides were rotting out.” It was when he started to really see what is really important and what is not, that he drew closer to God. “During that season, what I was asking the Lord is that He would just use our story to glorify Him, and that other people would find comfort in it.”, shares Matt’s wife.
“NO ONE MAKES IT CLEAN THROUGH LIFE IN A FALLEN WORLD.”
After undergoing 18 months of radiation and chemo, all of Matt’s scans have come back perfectly clear. “The single greatest thing I learned through it all is I really believe this. I have really got all of my chips in.”, says Matt. “To have Matt longer, and to have clean scans, I am grateful. Each day that we have with our kids as a family, I am so much more grateful.”, shares Matt’s wife. “I was able to lay that down and say: Hey, I am yours. You are what I want. You are my treasure. You are what I am after. The crazy thing is that I believe it. I really, really, really believe it.”, finishes Matt.
What is your story? Send your testimony to us: PO Box 700, Hereford, HR1 9EW, UK or email us at testimony@700club.tv R|09
| GLOBAL IMPACT
GO INTO ALL THE WORLD Preaching the Gospel to the Nations
Did you know, that the ministry of CBN Europe is supported solely through the generosity of our partners throughout the UK and Europe? If you are already a partner with CBN, can we take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks to you? Every day we pray and thank God for you. Through your support to the ministry, we are able to go and fulfil the great commission that Jesus commanded in Mark 16:15 “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” There is a great Biblical principle that we see at work within CBN and with our relationship with our partners. Whether you support us financially or pray for us, “all will share alike.” You are a shareholder; the rewards of your obedience and faith will be credited to your spiritual account. One day if you know Jesus as your Lord and Saviour you will hear the voice of your Heavenly Father say, “well done good and faithful servant, enter into my Kingdom.” As your name is being called, there will be records of those lives that have been impacted thanks to your obedience, some you may know however the majority you may not know. In Philippians 4, Paul is writing to the church in Philippi and is thanking them for their partnership with him in the gospel: “Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your R|10
acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; or even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus.” Paul says “not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account.” Paul wasn’t necessarily looking for a gift or for financial support, his desire was the opportunity for the lives of the believers to be enriched in every way as they gave, not under compulsion but with a willing, generous heart. Their giving became a fragrant offering which was pleasing to God and the promise “And my God will meet all of your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus,” became true. When you give to the ministry of CBN we don’t desire your gifts, we desire that more be credited to your account, both here on earth and also in heaven. God is the great rewarder of obedience and when you give, your gift comes before him as a fragrant
GLOBAL IMPACT |
offering, a sweet aroma because it is an expression of a willing, generous heart. We again thank those of you who are already partnering with us as a ministry; we couldn’t do what we do without you. Everyday there are more opportunities for lives to be touched and impacted with the gospel and in practical ways. If you are not already a partner with CBN would you prayerfully consider joining with us on a monthly basis? We welcome donations of any size no matter how big or small. As you choose to partner with us, you help us fulfil the great commission and you get to be a shareholder in everything we do. If you would like more information please log onto our website cbneurope.com or call on 0300 561 0700.
“GO INTO ALL THE WORLD AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO ALL CREATION.” Mark 16:15 CBN TV programs are available in more than 147 countries.
Thank You CBN Partners!
Your support enables us to proclaim God’s love to all nations. To help us futher visit www.cbneurope.com/donate or call 0300 561 0700 (UK) or +44 207 101 7045 (Europe). R|11
| GLOBAL IMPACT
CBN partners provided free heart surgery for XinYu.
A MOTHERʼS SACRIFICE Saving Her Dying Son
Mrs Dui thought her son just had a bad winter cold, but she found out XinYu had something far worse. She remembers well, “XinYu’s breathing was sounding strange, so we took him to the doctor and were told he was underdeveloped and was actually missing a part of his heart.”
and destroyed their home, wiping out everything they had diligently saved for XinYu. “We had to live outside in a tent. Since it was cold and XinYu’s immune system was weak, he got really sick with a high fever. We knew if it continued, my son would definitely die.”
Doctors said XinYu had three months to live, at best. “Then, I did some research and found out if my son got surgery, he could survive.” So I started saving as much money as possible. I wouldn’t even spend a quarter on water.” Mr Dui worked day and night at a factory to pay for medicine for XinYu. While it helped him live past the three months doctors had given him, he wasn’t getting better.
Before that could happen, CBN heard about the Duis. We made a visit to their village and shared the gospel. Mrs Dui prayed to become a Christian. We made a contribution to repair their house, and we provided free heart surgery for XinYu.
Then an earthquake hit the Dui’s village R|12
XinYu’s sister reports with joy, “My little brother is healed. I’m so happy! When I grow up, I want to be a CBN person because you help people. Now, I want to help people, too!”
GLOBAL IMPACT |
THROUGH YOUR SUPPORT CBN DID: #Philippines The Prayer Centre handled 14,180 calls, resulting in thousands of decisions for the Lord. Hundreds of new believers were referred to local church partners for discipleship.
#South Africa When her husband abandoned her, Noligwa was left alone to provide for her two children. With no job, Noligwa brought in money by taking care of other children in her community. As more boys and girls came to her makeshift preschool, her little shack became increasingly rundown. Soon, her living conditions became so bad that attendance dropped. With no one to help her, she became despondent and said, “I cried all night, and asked God for help.” Thanks to friends like you, CBN’s Orphan’s Promise heard about Noligwa through a local church. They built her a new preschool, with enough room to accommodate more children! Today Noligwa is able to provide for her family. With a safe, clean place to care for the children of the community.
“THANK YOU, CBN, CONTINUE TO HELP OTHERS THE WAY YOU HAVE HELPED ME!”
#Vietnam
Recently Orphan’s Promise helped a young girl in Vietnam who faced a difficult situation. She was pregnant and had been kicked out of her home with no support. It was our joy to step in and give her a safe place live, nutritious food, and vitamins. We also intervened and helped restore the relationships between her father and the birth father of her child. It is a reminder that the work we are called to is not a distant intangible work that is out there for others to do. No, it is the person set before us to serve. Pray today that God will reveal to you the person before you that you are called to serve! R|13
| FEATURED
CREATIVE EASTER
Jack Davies | CBN UK Editor & Cameraman Easter is nearly here, and for me that brings one exciting childhood memory to mind; waking up on a cold, frosty morning to spend time with my family, hunting for my dad’s copious amounts of complicated clues around the garden, which finally led us to our prize - an Easter egg. However, on reflection, Easter now seems to have lost it’s excitement and has turned into just another ordinary, uneventful holiday. It’s especially sad when you think of the excitement surrounding its original meaning. Familiarity and commercialism have turned it on its head and changed the focus back on to ourselves, looking inwards at R|14
FEATURED |
“And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good.” Genesis 1:3-4
what we want and encouraging us to consume mountainous amounts of cheap hollow chocolate. A few years ago in his Easter Sunday sermon, the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu expressed his regret that in one survey, nearly a third of British children said they thought that Easter marked the birth of the Easter Bunny, whilst over half had no idea of its religious significance! What has happened to change people’s focus about Easter? One reasonable question which I think we
can ask ourselves is, ‘Is what we’re doing still relevant today?’ Now, I don’t think this is an opportunity to point our fingers at churches and individuals, but more as an opportunity to reflect on ourselves and how we show the gospel to others. With regards to Easter, have we abandoned our God given creativity and instead just rely on the same old programme of events, the same presentation format, finding comfort in familiarity and just repeating what once worked with little or no actual impact? For inspiration I went back to Genesis, R|15
| FEATURED
Over half of British children had no idea of Easter religious significance.
where the greatest moment of creativity happened; the world we live in was formed. Genesis 1:1-2: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” The Bible says the earth was formless, meaning God had a completely blank canvas to work with and get creative. In Genesis 1:27 it says, “So God created man in his own image.” So we must also have His creative DNA within us. When looking again at God’s amazing
“WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO CHANGE PEOPLEʼS FOCUS ABOUT EASTER?” R|16
creativity, I took a closer look at Light. It says in Genesis 1:3-4, “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.” Light is electromagnetic radiation that can be seen and yet on the same spectrum we can find gamma rays, x-rays, microwaves and radio waves: all of which are invisible. Light isn’t something easy to understand and it takes accurate and precise work to use it effectively, but to me, light demonstrates God’s creative ability pretty well, as He manipulates it with magnificent power and ease. When I look at these verses, all I can think about is how creative our God is, because whilst hH was making his creation visible, He was also creating many other things which weren’t visible to the human eye. God knew that the invisible would one day be put to use because of people
FEATURED |
using their God given creative initiative to push through what they already knew and create new things such as x-ray machines, radios, remote controls etc. From Genesis and throughout the Bible, God’s creativity is continuously being revealed. And this is no more evident than within the greatest event in history: the death and resurrection of Christ: Luke 24:2-7: “And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” Even though these women had seen God’s creative power throughout Jesus’ life and ministry, they responded to his death just as if this was an ordinary burial with the reasonable expectation of finding Jesus’ body where it had been laid. But there was nothing ordinary here, this was God at work! At times, we can be just like them, amazed by the work of Almighty God one day, and then doubting his creative ability to work in our lives the next. The amazing creative power that raised Jesus from the dead, three days after he had died for us all, is beyond human comprehension and yet it is because he did this, that this very same creative power, the Holy Spirit, is available to us today, giving us power and dominion over all things in Christ. God didn’t create the world out of obligation; he didn’t send Jesus to die for us because it
“BE THE EXAMPLE OF DIVINE CREATIVITY THAT GOD MADE YOU TO BE.” was protocol. No, it was simply because He wanted to! Because He loved us so much, He wanted to provide a place full of beauty and vastness for his creation and He wanted a world where His people could live in freedom. He loves us more than we can ever fathom. So as you contemplate on how to share this message of hope and freedom, make this Easter the most creative you’ve ever been able to. Don’t do the ordinary: shake it up a little, do something that people wouldn’t expect, be the example of divine creativity that God made you to be. Let’s use this opportunity to show people the true meaning of Easter through brand new ways this year. God is not boring, so why should we make Him look that way? R|17
| INTERVIEW
MAX LUCADO
Interview from www.cbn.com
“WE CLING TO THE CHARACTER OF GOD IN THE TIME OF CHANGE.” What do you say when you are told your child has six months to live? What do you do when you learn your job has been eliminated due to corporate downsizing? How do you react when you learn your spouse wants a divorce? These types of questions are endless but the answers are not. Best-selling author Max Lucado has been asked many of these same questions over the years in his role as a pastor. While he believes there are no easy answers or magic solutions, Lucado offers encouragement to those living a life of dashed hopes and dreams in his latest book, You’ll Get Through This. In your book you write about Joseph from the Old Testament, a man who certainly had to overcome his fair share of adversity in life. Why did you decide to write so extensively about him? His problems are so much like ours. It’s rooted in family issues, but then he’s not completely innocent, either. The story opens with him telling everybody how they’re all going to bow down to him someday. Well, that’s not going to win you any friends either. And so it’s a complicated thing. He gets thrown into the pit when he’s about 17, and the best we can determine, he’s at least 29 by the time he appears before Pharaoh. So there’s about a 12 or 13 year period where R|18
INTERVIEW |
he’s either working in the household of Pharaoh or in prison. In either case, he’s abandoned. In both cases he’s been sold into slavery, and in both cases he’s thinking, how long is this going to last? This book is written to help people who find themselves in that period of time, to not give up and to not despair. The story of Joseph is helpful because it does end positive. Even though there’s 12 years of really difficult times, there’s several decades afterward where he’s having great influence on the world and enjoying God’s favor. Often, people are impatient in waiting for things to happen in God’s timing. Why is avoiding anger and bitterness so important in going through hard times? I can remember having a house on the market, saying, “Lord, you just sell this when you’re ready.” I was ready, though, at the end of the prayer. I didn’t realize that I was actually telling God what to do. It took forever to sell that house, and I don’t know why. I’m wondering if God was just saying, “Okay, trust Me.” And sometimes we will wait, and wait, and wait, and when it finally happens, we think, “Why did it take so long?” Again, the story of Joseph is the classic here. He’s in prison for two years. What was going on in there? Part of learning to trust is trusting God’s timing. I think “waiting on the Lord”, which is a real common phrase of the Bible, means that we just twiddle our thumbs and do nothing. I think we do everything we can while we’re waiting, but waiting really means hoping in the Lord. You need to say, “I’m doing my part, but I’m hoping in You, I trust You ultimately and I’m not going to get bitter and angry, even if it kills me.”
old son were in a dune buggy when it flipped. His son died. So he had to call his other children and tell them (about what happened to their brother). I thought it was so helpful, when he told them the news. He said, “Think about all you know that is good about God and hold on to that.” And I think clinging to the character of God is the principle I took out of that, because when we go through a crisis, we tend to reinterpret God. We tend to say, “Okay, either God is absent or God doesn’t care, or God is weak.” We draw these false conclusions. So in a time of crisis, let’s do this, let’s make a list of all we know that has not changed about God, and let’s hang on to that. We cling to the character of God and in the time of change, we hold on to His unchanging hand, and I think that really helps.
How does knowing God in times of crisis help someone in their life? In preparation for this book, I interviewed people who have gone through a terrible crisis, and of course it’s not hard to find, they’re everywhere. One of my favorite interviews was with a radio personality named JJ Jasper. He and his four year R|19
I will y m d l i u b
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CHILDREN |
Salvation Bringing the Bible to the next generation! With your help, CBN is launching a massive media campaign to bring the Bible back into the lives and hearts of children around the world through Superbook. Our Gospel Presentation for Kids on our website is a fun and easy way to present the story of Love between God and His creation to your children. Check it out at superbook.tv
EASTER IS HERE Hello Superbook fans! Welcome to the Easter edition of the Reach magazine. I hope that you have all had excellent starts to the year and are excited for the Easter period. To celebrate the Easter season, we will be offering you 3 copies of Superbook for a donation of just £25. These episodes will all be from around the Easter story: The Last Supper, Peter’s Denial, and He Is Risen. Learn all about Jesus’s journey to the cross and how he was raised victoriously on the third day! Order now in time for Easter and share the story of Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection with your children. Call 0800 652 5095 and we will be happy to help you. See you next time, The Superbook Team
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| PRAYER CENTRE
HE IS FAITHFUL Christ gave each one of us something voluntarily, without demanding anything in return. It’s salvation with eternal life. Grace is not a cheap action. Grace will cost us, it will demand an act of silencing our fleshly wants. Grace will require taking ourselves from the top, and repositioning to be last. Lord, we thank You so much for Your generous gift of grace. Help us not to hold tightly to it, but may the same abounding mercy we have received be given to those in the deepest need. Do you need prayer? Call us on 0300 561 0700 (UK), 1 513 3738 (ROI) or +44 207 101 7045 (Europe) or send an email to prayer@cbneurope.com or visit www.cbneurope.com/prayer
“FOR IT IS BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED, THROUGH FAITH — AND THIS IS NOT FROM YOURSELVES, IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD.” Ephesians 2:8 R|22
WE RECOMMEND
Jesus’ Story King’s Cross is Timothy Keller’s revelatory look at the life of Christ as told in the Gospel of Mark. In the book, Keller shows how the story of Jesus is at once cosmic, historical, and personal, calling each of us to look anew at our relationship with God. Like Keller’s other books it has tremendous crossover appeal, but it is also ideal for the faithful, those who are looking for a closer connection to Jesus and Christianity.
Easter Promise Have It All Bethel Music’s upcoming album Have It All features 14 new songs centered upon God’s nature, His promises and His presence in our lives. The album captures the refreshing essence of live worship and includes spontaneous moments as those gathered respond in his presence.
In our online shop you can find different gifts to give to the children in your life, like The Easter Promise book. It tells the story of Jerem, his sister Elizabeth, and his cousin Samuel as they make the joyous discovery that Jesus is the King above all other kings - with a promise for them that is far greater than they could have imagined! Visit www.cbneurope.com/ resources to purchase for a donation of £7.50 including P&P within Europe.
Want Christian resources? On our website you can read blog posts, devotions and factsheets. Visit www.cbneurope.com R|23
S I M P L Y
M U S I C
Fill your home and office with the sound of peace from this brand-new instrumental music station It’s Simply Music on CBN Selah, the all-new, free Internet radio station with the perfect mix of Christian instrumental music. We have instrumentals from many popular genres, including hymns, piano and strings, Christian jazz music, top Christian songs with music only, acoustic guitar music, praise and worship, and more!
www.cbneurope.com/radio
Become a world changer. www.cbneurope.com/donate