Behind the Scenes with Better Life
June 2021

“LOVE PERSISTS”
by Charlie Oliver,
Executive Director of Better Life

s I considered what to share with you in this month’s newsletter, I reflected on how long it’s been since I’ve been able to see many of you face to face, let alone hug you or shake your hand. God has given us many different ways to communicate His love to those around us, and most of them have been compromised over the last year. Isn’t that interesting? Instead of showing love by being close to others, we’ve had to choose to show love by keeping our distance...my take on this? Love persists.

What is love? Perhaps the greatest example of this comes from John 3:16 (NET): “For this is the way God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”

Let’s read that more closely, and look at the progression: 1. Love  2. Give 3. Believe 4. Live!

Have you inserted your name into this equation?  Let’s try: for this is the way God loved Charlie. Wow! There are those that see God as an angry deity. But this is not anger, it is love! How about those who see only God’s rules? No, this verse doesn’t say God just gave us rules in which to believe - it says God gave His Son, He gave Himself! Why? So that we can choose. We can choose whether or not to believe that God loves us, and that His Son died for us. We get to choose whether or not we will accept that gift, and move forward in Christ.

This choice, to me, represents the most humbling part of the equation: the choice is made over His dead body. Christ died for us, knowing that many would still choose this world over His free gift of love and eternal life. How crazy is that? What person in their right mind would give up eternal life? But then I look in the mirror, and realize just how many of my choices separate me from God, and I am even more grateful for His persistent grace and redemptive power.

Friends, I miss you and love you. Someday soon, by God’s unlimited grace, we will again meet together. But even that reunion will be a pale representation of what God has in store for us in His kingdom, when pain, suffering and sickness will be no more. That is the love of God. Let’s reflect His love to the world around us, and continue to spread the hope and joy that comes with telling others about Jesus. - CO

I Agree With What Better Life is Saying

We picked up the phone the other day and the caller on the other end of the line simply asked if we could send him a copy of our monthly program guide. We assured him we would be happy to, but as we continued talking with him he began to share some interesting things with us. 

He said that he is currently living in a rehab facility and that from time to time he has to take dialysis treatments. He told us that during the four-hour treatment he turned on Better Life TV and watched whatever was on at the time. He said that he agrees with what Better Life is teaching and he is even contemplating becoming a Seventh-day Adventist. 

He asked us if he would have to be baptized again since he was already baptized into another denomination when he was a boy. We asked if it was baptism by immersion and he said yes. We shared that in situations like that a person can usually join the Adventist church through a process called “profession of faith” and that they wouldn’t need to be baptized again. 

Realizing that during COVID-19 it might have been difficult for him to visit a local Adventist church we asked him if he would like to have a visit from an Adventist couple in his area. He agreed and we are looking forward to him getting acquainted with our dear friends the Remboldts who are Better Life ambassadors for that area.

Speaking of baptism... we just learned that another one of our Better Life viewers is planning to be baptized this month in the Eugene, Oregon, area! This is another person that our friends the Remboldts have been visiting with and she has decided to join our spiritual family. We are so thankful for Better Life supporters who are willing to reach out in their local communities to connect with people who are looking for the Lord. Please contact Better Life if you’d like to consider becoming a Better Life ambassador too!

Sometimes people call Better Life because they have a Bible question. We recently got two calls like that. In the first one the lady simply wanted to know who “Jehovah” was. We were happy to go over some of the wonderful names for God and Jesus with her and she appreciated the information.

The second call involved the topic of the Sabbath. A man in Reno, Nevada, has been watching Better Life for some time now and he has been keeping the Sabbath at home. He wanted to know what God required of him when non-believers were living in his home. We went over the fourth commandment with him and suggested some creative ways that he might deal with his situation. He was thankful to have someone to talk to about this issue.

One lady sent us an email sharing her concerns about living in these last days and she was appreciative that Better Life provided an option to hear good uplifting stories. 

She said, “Wanted to let you know that I’m beginning to watch Stories of Faith again as of yesterday to help strengthen me. I’m thankful YouTube hasn’t stopped you from sharing them.”

Friends, the world is fast becoming a very spiritually dark place. There is such a need for lighthouses like Better Life to provide uplifting, God-centered content. Thanks to your prayers and support, lives continue to be led to our Savior. Thank you!

Thank you for supporting the outreach ministry of Better Life.

NEWS NOTES

CAMP MEETING INFO
This year’s Better Life/ 3ABN camp meeting will be held on our main TV channel from June 8th through the 13th. Please check out our web page at BLBN.org to see the schedule of events. 

STORIES OF FAITH UPGRADE
Stories of Faith is about to get a BIG update! Beginning the week of June 20th we will begin airing our newly-upgraded Stories of Faith program. Tune in to see a brand new set, new graphics and of course listen to all-new stories! 

This program will now stand as its own independent series instead of just being a part of our Better Life Today series. 

These new episodes will also be added to our YouTube channel shortly after their release so you can watch them at your convenience. 

New episodes will be released each week with that same program airing: Sunday 10 AM, Thursday at 11 AM and Friday at 7 PM.

NEW SEMINAR
This month we are adding a new Bible seminar from David Machado entitled, Ignite. You can view a new episode each Friday at 3:00 PM. 

In this program David shares how God can ignite a wonderful new life in your heart. His first program is entitled, “What does God long for?” You’re sure to enjoy it!

Please consider becoming a monthly donor. Your credit card or bank card can be used to make an automatic donation each month. You don’t even have to write a check! Thank you for your prayers and support. It’s never been easier to become a regular contributor to God’s work. Click HERE to go to our donation page.

Call (541) 474-3089