NRB Strategic Partnership  

July 2010 Prayer Newsletter  

One of my favorite stories on prayer tells of the businessman who had been working night and day on a major presentation he was to make to a potential customer. He was constantly tweaking it right down to the last minute, then ran to his car and headed out for the meeting at a downtown high-rise office building. Naturally, he left no margin for anything to go wrong.

As the clock ticked closer to the meeting time, the businessman arrived at the office building only to find no parking in sight. He knew he didn’t have time to go to a garage or a distant parking lot. He needed something on the street and close.

Feeling the pressure of the meeting, and the importance of his presentation to his and his company’s financial well-being…and being a man of some prayer, he lifted a panicked prayer to God.

“Lord, you know how important this meeting is, and you know how badly I need a parking place right now. Could you just somehow, someway provide this small thing for me?”

At that moment the man looked over to the entrance to the office building, and surprise of surprises, a car was vacating a parking place.

Quickly and without hesitation the man lifted another prayer. “Lord…never mind. I found one.”

Have you ever found yourself in that situation…praying for something earnestly, having it answered, and failing to recognize it for what it really is, God’s gracious answer to your prayer? Be honest now.

I must admit, though I have told the story of the praying businessman many times, I too have overlooked God’s quick answer. It almost happened the other morning. Judy and I were praying at the breakfast table, and on my heart was the financial need of our NRB international work. I asked the Lord to provide for this work, and then went about my day.

Within two hours I heard from a man with whom I had recently visited. He had, in the course of our conversation a day or two before, asked about what I was doing, and I got to share with him how God was blessing Christian broadcasting around the world. I told him what an honor and joy it is that the Lord lets me help make connections between international ministries with needs and US ministries that could help meet those needs.

The phone call from my friend was to ask me to come see him again to see how he could help provide financial support for our ministry. I was amazed. I had not sought this nor asked for this kind of support from him. But God was at work. And it took me a while to remember that brief prayer from the morning asking God for His help. The scripture story that jumps to mind is in Mark 9. A distraught father asks Jesus to heal his boy who has been demon possessed for years. When Jesus told him that if he could believe, all things are possible, the man replied, “Lord I believe, help my unbelief.” (NKJV)

I also remember the disciples praying for Peter to be released from prison. (Acts 12:12-15) When he was miraculously rescued from that jail and stood knocking on the door where the prayer meeting was going on, those same disciples couldn’t believe Peter was there until they saw him with their own eyes.

Our faith in theory is strong, but in actuality…in the real world...is often quite weak. God says we should pray believing He will answer our prayer. The surprise comes when we recognize our unworthiness and the Lord’s faithfulness in pouring out blessing upon blessing to those who love Him and seek to faithfully serve Him.

So…what’s on your prayer list today? How surprised would you be if God responded today with direct answers to your prayers? Remember, “God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (I Corinthians 1:9, NLT)

Ministry Updates/Prayer Requests

Balkans Training Initiative – I am so excited about what God is going to do through this special training time. The planning partners in the Balkans are all top Christian media people with both the heart and the skills needed to serve God in this important part of the world. They have come up with almost twenty topics for our week of training November 2-6 of this year. The sessions will range from training in radio, TV, news and marketing, to ethics and spiritual growth of the ministry. These folks are not just interested in a better media outlet, but in a ministry that honors God and effectively spreads His Truth.
 
Here are some immediate prayer needs:
•    Favor with our host hotel for both the accommodations and for the best price.
•    God’s direction as we add the right people to teach the sessions. We are asking each faculty member to cover his or her own travel costs.
•    Discernment for the ministries to know who should attend. We had hoped for 100-120 attendees. Four months out we have over 175 who want to come.
•    Financial support for the conference. With the potential for more attendees come additional costs. NRB members at our February convention donated over $13,000. We originally planned for conference costs of about $18,000-20,000 US. Now it is looking like the costs could come closer to $25,000-28,000 US. It may mean that some will have to be turned away…but that is not my first choice. Pray for God to touch ministries and individuals to help with these costs.
•    Pray for the many details that the Balkans planning team will be dealing with over the next few months.
•    And, of course, pray for God to impact lives throughout the Balkans and beyond because of these efforts.

Indonesia – God is blessing the amazing work in Indonesia through Pastor Paulus. We mentioned recently about solar-powered transmitters on islands and villages where electricity is not dependable or hard to get. A report says God is already using these in an amazing way. Villagers are coming to the station to sing and praise God as others listen on solar-powered radios tuned to the Christian programming.

We are working with several ministries to get some of Paulus’ stations interconnected for networking and greater effectiveness. Thanks to Ambassador Advertising Agency and HCJB for their willingness to be God’s agent to bring this about.

Some other specific prayer needs:
•    Pray for favor with government officials and for financial support as several stations seek to gain permanent licenses or have their licenses renewed.
•    Pray for the additional financial support for more solar-powered transmitters to be installed.
•    Pray for protection for those proclaiming God’s Truth in the largest Muslim nation in the world.

Sweden – HopeFM is growing in impact and influence. They have been active in support of the evangelical community in Sweden by broadcasting special Christian conferences and gatherings. Their desire is to become self-supporting as soon as possible.

Other prayer opportunities for Sweden:
•    A new law takes effect in August that will allow HopeFM to network stations and syndicate their programming to community stations across Sweden. The HopeFM team will need to visit with various church and community leaders to gain their approval. Pray for God’s favor as they seek to provide solid Christian programming throughout the country.
•    As they build their outreach and programming, HopeFM needs to expand their staff. Pray for ministries, businesses, and individuals in Sweden to be willing to commit funds to HopeFM for the cause of Christ. Sweden remains one of the most secular countries in all of Europe, and needs the hope found only in Jesus Christ.

Serbia – ELION Media Ministry has been very active in recent weeks, videotaping seminars and conferences, and editing material for churches and ministries to use in Serbia. New equipment is being put to good use through this ministry, even though other key items, like video lighting, is needed.

Pray for these additional items:
•    Ongoing financial ministry support for Sasko and Ira Bogeski, as they lead ELION Media and as they impact Serbia with the Gospel.
•    A Mega City media campaign for Serbia held in conjunction with IRR/TV from Finland. This is designed to confront every person in the area with the claims of Christ and the hope found in Him with the theme, “The Power to Change.” Meetings will be held later this summer with pastors from Belgrade and other areas of Serbia to gain their involvement in such a campaign.
•    Sasko Bogeski as he works on the ministry projects before him. Pray for the Lord’s wisdom as he discerns the priorities the Lord would have for ELION Media Ministry.
•    Pray for additional space from which the ministry can operate. ELION needs room for additional editing and office as they add team members as God allows.

France – Radio Gospel in France continues to seek approval for a permanent license for their ministry in Paris. The temporary license they were seeking was not awarded. Instead, the French government has decided to make the frequency available on a permanent basis, opening the door for commercial entities to try for the frequency. It will take a special hand of God for Radio Gospel to be awarded the license, but what a testimony that would be.

In the meantime, Radio Gospel continues to use the Internet for their programming.

Pray also for the French Federation of Christian Radio. Against great apathy and the marginalization of evangelical believers, Denis Steffen and those in this group are seeking ways to cut across the culture of France with the message Christ…a message of hope and joy found in the Lord Jesus.

Albania – Continue to pray for Radio 7/Media 7 as they make inroads into Kosovo with Christian programming for radio and TV. God is opening doors of ministry in amazing ways. Pray for protection of the staff as they make their presentation to mostly Muslim broadcast executives and station personnel.

Romania
    TV – Alfa Omega is moving into their new broadcast center that has been in the works for several years. That is great news. The challenge now comes with the needed financial support to fully finish the space needed for studios, control rooms, editing, and ministry offices. Pray for Tudor Petan as he seeks these necessary funds to continue the great work of Alfa Omega TV.
    Radio – Radio Voice of the Gospel has an opportunity to add to their group of nine radio stations. A group of stations has become available in recent weeks, and Lucian Despa, the director of Radio Voice of the Gospel, is considering this opportunity.

God has done amazing things in Romania in opening doors for these broadcast ministries. However, with an eye to Russia and what is happening there and Ukraine, those in these former Communist countries know the window of opportunity for them may not remain open forever. There are signs of new challenges and limitations on the horizon for some of these countries. A prayer for all the Christian broadcasters in Eastern Europe, indeed around the world, is that they will be able to freely broadcast the Gospel, and they will have the needed finances to do so in these critical days.

Finally…

As you read this and take time to pray, my hope is that you will pray with an expectation that God will answer and meet needs as only He can. It may be He will use you or someone you know to fulfill these prayers and meet these needs. If so, you will be a part of something critical in God’s plan to reach hearts with the message of Hope found only in Jesus Christ. Thank you for your prayers.

God’s best…for His glory,

Ronald L. Harris, DD
Senior Vice President for Strategic Partnership
National Religious Broadcasters
 
817-446-1094 (Direct)
703-330-7000 ext. 400 (NRB HQ)
rharris@nrb.org

Dr. Ron Harris
Sr. Vice President for
Strategic Partnership, NRB

Prayer Thoughts
 
O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
-Psalm 63:1-4

 
Men only pray with prevailing prayer who do so amid the sobs and sighing of the race.
-G. Campbell Morgan
 
 
I always begin my prayer in silence, for it is in the silence of the heart that God speaks. God is the friend of silence - we need to listen to God because it's not what we say but what He says to us and through us that matters.
-Mother Teresa

 
Modern Christianity is simply not producing the kind of Christian who can appreciate or experience the life in the Spirit. The words, "Be still, and know that I am God," mean next to nothing to the self-confident, bustling worshiper....
-A. W. Tozer

 
How God works in answer to prayer is a mystery that logic cannot penetrate, but that He does work in answer to prayer is gloriously true.
-Oswald Chambers