The Tide®

The African nation of Zimbabwe is experiencing very hard times, and its people desperately need the hope of Jesus Christ. According to a news story in Business Report , South Africa’s leading business-focused publication, the Republic of Zimbabwe is one of seven countries that could go bankrupt in 2018. Zimbabwe was in disarray last year following the resignation of former President Robert Mugabe. Even though his resignation made Zimbabweans jubilant, an estimated 95 percent of the workforce has been left unemployed, the outlet reports. “The people of Zimbabwe are in the midst of a great deal of strife,” said The Tide Director Don Shenk, who was born in then-Rhodesia. “Prices for food and health care are skyrocketing out of control, infrastructure is crumbling, and there are widespread shortages of cash and medicine. While people were celebrating the resignation of President Mugabe, their lives have not improved much, with uncertainty and unrest still prevalent.” Although small cha...

A Straight Road Makes Travel Easy Luke 3:3-16 Huge super-highways criscross the country. The high places have been brought down. The valleys have been filled. The crooked has been made straight. The way has been prepared for trade and commerce to flow into our cities. So the grace of God flows into any life when the way is prepared. The crooked must be made straight. Zaccheaus did, and the Master came to his house. The mountains of self-sufficiency must be brought down and the valley of neglect must be filled up, where such neglect has caused the corosion of the good soil of the soul. The rough must be made smooth. The stumbling blocks of doubt and unbelief must be tossed aside. Then the Lord comes to us in the full sweetness of His assurance. Lord, I ask of you, through the power of the Holy Spirit, prepare my heart for Your coming, so that my life will be enriched by Your fullness. Amen. The post A Straight Road Makes Travel Easy appeared first on The Tide .

Each year, Open Doors USA publishes its World Watch List to raise awareness of Christian persecution around the world and to encourage prayer and support for believers living in the 50 countries where persecution is most prevalent. Many of our listeners inhabit regions where there are serious repercussions for turning to Christ, as 22 of The Tide heart language radio programs reach people living in four countries on this year’s list. In Nigeria, Christians suffer from violence perpetrated by Islamic militant groups. Nepal was not even ranked in last year’s list, but now nearly all Christians there experience some form of persecution to the point that pastors and believers are hesitant to openly carry a Bible in public. Buddhism is seen as Bhutan’s heritage, and Christians there experience tremendous pressure to conform to local religious practices or lose social benefits such as government-provided education and health care. It is disturbing to see India continue its trend of climbi...

While the economy here in the U.S. is flourishing, inflation in Zimbabwe is spiraling out of control, putting great economic stress and unrest upon its people.  T he Tide ® has been broadcasting the Gospel in Zimbabwe since 1983, and The Tide Director Don Shenk was born in then-Rhodesia. His missionary parents and brother still reside there. “We often hear from our partner pastors in Zimbabwe that the out-of-control inflation and unstable government takes a toll on the people,” Shenk said. “And even though Zimbabweans were celebrating in the streets after former president Robert Mugabe resigned late last year, unrest and uncertainty aren’t yet in the past.” According to a recent news story in the Zimbabwe Independent , inflation continues to rise, posting at 3.46 percent for the month of December—0.49 percentage points higher than November. “Inflationary pressures mainly came from food inflation, which stood at 6.60 percent,” the outlet reported, while health care costs are in...

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair –  Isaiah 63:1-3a In an attempt to maintain good health I occasionally go jogging. It can get very tiring, especially when I focus on how far I need to go to get back home, and so I try to occupy my mind with prayer and meditation as I run. One day I noticed a crumpled brown bag on the road ahead of me. As I got closer I noticed it was from a fast food restaurant and it appeared that someone had finished their meal and then just tossed out the bag. My ini...

The Tide ® has been broadcasting the Gospel over radio airwaves for much of its 70-plus-year existence. And each year, it seems that more and more Christians are experiencing persecution where The Tide  shares the hope of Christ. Four countries where The Tide  works to broadcast Gospel radio programming are ranked on the most recent World Watch List  from Open Doors USA. The annual list highlights the top 50 nations where Christians are persecuted for their beliefs. The 2018 list includes India (No. 11), Nigeria (No. 14), Nepal (No. 25) and Bhutan (No. 33)—all locations where The Tide ministry partners with organizations and pastors to share the Gospel. “It’s especially discouraging—and sometimes frightening—to hear of the persecution believers face in the countries where The Tide ministry operates,” said The Tide Director Don Shenk. “Some of these countries seem to be climbing higher and higher on the list each year, or suddenly appear on the list when they had prev...

The Tide is a Christian ministry that was founded in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania in 1946. Over the past seven decades this ministry has grown from a single domestic radio program into an international mission organization reaching people in 8 countries through radio programs and related discipleship activities in 25 languages.  The Tide is currently seeking a Director of Development to help drive further expansion and ministry growth by helping to build and broaden the base of financial support for The Tide ministry activities. The attached Job Description provides additional details. Interested individuals who are suitably qualified may submit a letter of interest and resume to The Tide Director at the address listed on the job description. Applications will be accepted until March 16, 2018. Director_of_Development_Job_Description The post Now Hiring: Director of Development appeared first on The Tide .

Reading: Hebrews 4:9-16 The Teacher Presents the Examination Can a man examine himself? Even the medical doctor goes to another for diagnosis and treatment. We are examined by the living word of God and by the Holy Spirit. Our own methods and standards may not be very accurate. We might accuse or excuse where we should not. The boys of a certain village were all elated because they thought they were tall enough to be in the Queen’s Guard. They were as tall as the tallest man in the vallge. Their joy disappeared fast when they learned that he was too short. It is not wise to measure ourselves by ourselves. The Word is the standard. The Spirit presents the examination. Whenever we compare ourselves to others and judge our abilities against theirs, almost always it ends horribly. The only measure of who we are is who we are in Christ and his model on living. Search me O God! Reveal the thoughts and intents of my heart. Remove all hinderances. Amen.   The post The Teacher Presen...

The annual World Watch List from Open Doors USA highlights Christian persecution around the world and encourages prayer and support for the believers living in the 50 countries where persecution is most prevalent. T he Tide ®  broadcasts Gospel programming in four of the nations on this list: India (No. 11), Nigeria (No. 14), Nepal (No. 25) and Bhutan (No. 33). Director Don Shenk said the ministry has been honored—for more than seven decades—to share the love, hope and peace of Christ with new and potential believers who are at risk every day for following Jesus. “The rankings on the 2018 World Watch List do not bode well for our partners on the ground in those countries,” Shenk said. “It is very disturbing to see India continue its trend of climbing higher on the list, and to see Nepal ranked at 25 this year after not even being on the list of 50 last year. And although not on the list, there are some indications that the situation in Albania is moving away from total religious...

Provision when there’s Nothing Reading: Matthew 6:26-34 Christmas Eve, my husband and I went to go look at Christmas lights. They were half and hour from our apartment, so we decided to get dinner out. We came out from dinner, got in our car and….nothing. No clicking as if the battery was dead, just nothing. We called AAA, got our car towed back home and crawled in bed around 11:30 that night. They told us it was the starter, so we were prepared for that. When the mechanic came on the 26th, that’s when we new we were in trouble. He told us our engine had bit the dust. With no car, and everyone home for Christmas, we weren’t sure how we were going to get to work even. The full time handyman at church lended us his wife’s car for that day and the next, but after that, we had no way of getting around. That’s when my parent’s showed up. They had been wanting to get a new car for my mom anyways, so they sold us their minivan! What was even cooler, the money we made from our last pay...