GFN Report: Standing on the Promises
Dear Friends,
The first 4 months of our stay in Grenada has flown by and God has abundantly blessed. GFN radio is still broadcasting the Good News that “Jesus Savesâ€! Just this morning God woke me up with that lovely old hymn in my heart.
We have heard the joyful sound:
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Spread the tidings all around:
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Bear the news to every land,
Climb the steeps and cross the waves;
Onward!—’tis our Lord’s command;
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
The last time I wrote we were facing a very serious financial challenge, but knew we could face the future with courage because the promises of God are sure. Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.†NLT. That is what we have been attempting to do through the messages and music sent over the airwaves of GFN Radio, 91.3 FM and around the world via Internet streaming. We encourage you to listen at: www.globalfamilynetwork.net/radio
You will be blessed!
Daily Burdens, Daily Blessings
Over the past 2 months I have been working with our local volunteers to bring new music and programs to GFN radio and evaluating everything we broadcast to see if it fully glorifies God and presents the beauty of His character. During the next few months I will be doing the same thing for GFN TV channel 4, which by God’s grace will be broadcasting before the end of the year. Our focus is to present Jesus the uplifted Savior, the sacrifice for the sins of the whole world.
For the radio, our music is placed in 12 lists (carts) of about 100 songs each which the radio software plays in order. What has been amazing is to see how often the perfect song comes after a particular sermon topic. It is exciting to see the Holy Spirit direct the messages and the music for the maximum impact on hearts. We hear encouraging reports from listeners almost weekly and my family and I have been blessed and encouraged as we have previewed new music and sermons. God’s promises are sure!
​Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of Salvation. Isaiah 12:3
God has blessed our feeble efforts and money has been provided to cover our most urgent needs and pay off several big debts which threatened to take us off the air for an extented period. Thank you to those of you who have had a part in helping GFN continue broadcasting good news! We know that God can easily create resources out of nothing, but His greatest desire is that we would each learn the economy of heaven by sharing more and more of what He has given us with the least of these, His children.
We are continually reminded and saddened however, by how few of God’s people really desire to learn that lesson or receive the blessing He has promised. Every month we are called to extreme sacrifice and the result is both joy and sadness. The joy is unexpected and unexplainable, from the only source of true joy. The sadness is the realization that often the return on God’s supreme sacrifice seems small. For every person in Grenada who listens to heavenly music on GFN there are probably 100 who listen to Satan’s music. We hear it all over the island, especially during this month of Carnival, and it’s one of the burdens of living here.
We recognize that Grenada Family Network will never be popular by the world’s standard. “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.†1 Cor 1:18. Very few of even church members have the faith to really test God’s promises. We are personally challenged each month with questions such as, “What will happen if we use our remaining grocery money to pay the radio station electric bill? Will God come through or will we use our credit card out of fear and desperation to put food on the table?†Of course we believe that God will come through, because we’ve seen Him provide again and again, but there is always the temptation to doubt and fear. We certainly aren’t ready for the “hall of faith†yet, but God is patient and kind in spite of our weaknesses.
We are reminded that:
“Had the church of Christ done her appointed work as the Lord ordained, the whole world would before this have been warned, and the Lord Jesus would have come to our earth in power and great glory.â€
The Desire of Ages, p. 633
By making ourselves available for God’s service, He requires us to believe and love Him completely. It’s painful training, but if we are willing He has promised to do that work in us, and that the future reward will be worth it.
How is it with you dear friends? Are you choosing daily to let God grow your faith? He has given you and “every one the measure of faith.†(Rom 12:3). It is up to us to choose to take Him at His word when he says, “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.†(Matt 6:33). Only by looking upon the Lamb of God on His cross can we be motivated to lay everything on the altar – money, land, possessions, time, everything we have, and everything we are.
We may expect great things of God. It is not as though we were making the sacrifice for men, and Jesus was reluctant to save. The cross of Calvary expresses his estimate of the worth of the soul, and his love for the fallen race. He is bending over the purchase of his blood, asking with inexpressible tenderness, pity, and love, “Wilt thou be made whole?â€
Gospel Workers, p 362
Current needs:
- Regular monthly gifts of $10, $20, $50 or more to cover our $3,000 USD/month budget.
- The Great Controversy and Steps to Christ books for sharing. (We’ve given out the 100 books we brought in March.)
- $400 to purchase a new weed trimmer. (Trimmers are used everywhere here because of uneven terrain and large rocks.)
- $500 for maintenance and repairs at the station house. (Ants, termites and tropical weather take their toll all too quickly.)
- Volunteers with media production skills.
- Prayers that the promise of Matthew 24:14 will soon be fulfilled.
Thank you!
Steve Shedell
Programming Director
Grenada Family Network
91.3 FM – TV Channel 4
www.globalfamilynetwork.net
How to help:
You can donate online: http://gospelministry.org/donations/
Or by phone at: 423-473-1841
Or you can send a tax deductible donation to:
Gospel Ministries International
PO Box 506
Collegedale, TN 37315
Kindly include a separate note that it is for Grenada Family Network.
Contact us directly:
Steve and Samra Shedell
PO Box 2747
St. Paul’s, St. George’s
Grenada, West Indies
1 (473) 435-4297
