March 2016
Last month we shared with you the picture of our decorations above our couch, which help us start our day as two hearts together worshipping God. This month we want to share the picture on the wall next to our front door, which reminds us often about our priorities. This picture also reminds me to thank God each morning that what we do for Christ does last. This is the powerful, exciting motivation that keeps us from sinking into the depression and despair of a life lived “under the sun” (that is, without a heavenly perspective). It is the life lived “under the sun” that ends up with the frustration of “chasing the wind” and being “vanity of vanities.” The self-centered life of chasing after power, pleasure and prominence ends up at the grave with the net result of being as productive as a dog chasing its tail – lots of activity with no value. Ravi Zacharias often reminds us that boredom does not come from being weary of pain – but weary of pleasure. Perhaps that is why we have an amazingly high percentage of depression in America! My brothers and sisters in Christ, we have the awesome privilege of living for and walking with the King of the Universe! He has given us an amazing challenge! An impossible dream! He said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:18-19). What a daunting, frightening, overwhelming task! Lord, don’t you realize the magnitude of this command? And it is dangerous out there – they might kill us! (Oh yes, You know! They killed you! But they couldn’t keep the God/man down. You broke the bonds of sin, death and hell. And you also told us, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20). Oh, yes, aren’t You also the One who told us: “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). Didn’t You also tell us that even the smallest acts of kindness will not be forgotten – as in giving someone a cup of cold water? And wasn’t it Your Holy Spirit who inspired Paul to write
1 Corinthians 15:58? “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
Brothers and sisters, let’s get on with it! We have a sick, sinful, suicidal world to win! And we have the unstoppable One, who promised to be with us and within us. He is the One who specializes in the impossible!
This month, on March 17th, we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. If you check true history of this amazing man and brush away the silly legends, you will find an Englander, who as a teen, was captured by the Irish, made a slave, who then escaped to his homeland, converted to Christ, returned to Ireland, taking the gospel in the power of Christ. He changed the pagan culture by winning souls to Jesus, training soul-winning church planters and planting over 300 churches. How? It was Patrick who said, “Christ above me! Christ beneath me! Christ before me! Christ behind me! Christ within me! Christ all around me!” No wonder he became an unstoppable force for the glory of God. The power was Christ -not himself! Remember, prayer is not our last resort – it is our first resource!
Radio Interview
Larry Spargimino, co-host of Southwest Radio Church program, interviewed me on the phone for over an hour concerning my book, “More Than Conquerors in Cultural Clashes”. He used the interview for two 25-minute segments for February 24 and 25. Then he put these on their website. He and a co-worker, Donna Smith, ordered six cases of this book to send out to responders to the broadcast. Please pray for good results in many lives. We still have some copies left of the first publication, and they are available to you for an offering of any amount to Overseas Outreach.
Oregon Trip
We are planning to leave for western Oregon on Friday, March 18, for speaking appointments and refreshing fellowship with friends. Wayne Hall, who films and produces Creation Science DVDs, asked me to be the narrator for some of the episodes he is filming, so I plan to spend some time with him in Oakridge. Following is the speaking schedule.
March 20 Drain Church of Christ
401 Second St., Drain, Oregon
9:45 a.m. “The Grit & The Glory”
10:45 a.m. “Many Infallible Proofs
March 27 Stream of Life Slavic Church
Meeting in Life Christian School
5585 SW 209th Avenue
Aloha, Oregon
1:00 p.m. “Many Infallible Proofs”
April 3 Vernonia Christian Church
410 North Street
Vernonia, Oregon
11:00 a.m. “Many Infallible Proofs
From Our Mailbox
“Thanks for the update. We will be praying for great things to happen!
I’ve been conducting various seminars on apologetics-related topics at our church for the last three months and I asked if anyone was interested in ministering along those lines. So far, we have twelve people who have responded to the call, which is about one fourth of our church members. I did not expect that kind of response, especially since I specifically asked people not to sign on to the ‘Discovery Club’ if they thought that their current ministries could possibly suffer as a result of their involvement. Our first team meeting will probably take place in mid-March! Please be praying about that if you would. Our goal, with the club, is not to study apologetics but, rather, to ‘do’ apologetics. Exciting times!
Blessings, John” (Murphy)
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Once again another great newsletter! Thanks for all you do!! God bless you beyond measure!!
Judy (Meadors)
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“…..I was pleased to learn that Mike Riddle of Creation Training Initiative is moving to the Boise, ID area. He is a knowledgeable friend and I am sure you will enjoy the opportunity to get to know him and his wife. You are in our prayers!
Blessings,Tim (& Joy) Coppess”
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“Yesterday (2-28-16) was a wonderful day. My oldest grandson, nine-year-old Ben, was baptized into Christ. Thank You, Jesus, for providing a way for us to be saved. Thank You for your great love.
Mary Hopkins”
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“I got an interesting phone call today. Two young ladies, both under 10 years old, had a fundraiser for NWSM. Their mother told me that their visit to the Vision Center had a huge impact on them and they told many people about what they had heard there. They had a cookie sale and are presenting NWSM with all of their proceeds, which was quite a large sum. Praise God for such wonderful people. I was very blessed. Please pray that God will continue to use Northwest Science Museum and us individually to affect more people like this and our society!
Please pray for financial support! Please pray for a building! Please pray for the health of the Board of Directors, helpers, and volunteers and their families….”
Stan Lutz, Curator Northwest Science Museum”
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“Thank you again for participating in our Heart for the Disabled outreach with the DVDs and books; you are so kind to think of our families in such a practical way! …..God bless you for remembering Joni and Friends in your prayers as we take the Good News of Jesus to more people with disabilities around the world. And for all your work in the kingdom…., may the blessings of Hebrews 6:10 be yours: ‘For God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.’
Yours in His care,
Joni Eareckson Tada”
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“Thanks for sending the cases of books for the Chapel. We are very grateful and so far have given out about 20 books to very happy residents here at RCI. (Ross Correctional Institute). I have read almost 1/2 of the book, ‘More Than Conquerors’ so far and I am loving every bit of it. I have also completed reading the small booklet, ‘Is the Bible Without Any Errors?’ and have used it several times in the last week to show people that the Bible is indeed a perfect book! Also, thanks for the newsletters and other information you sent to me directly. There was a lot of useful information contained in the newsletter as well.
“Personally, I just wanted to let you know that in the book, ‘More Than Conquerors’, you have shared to my pleasant surprise much of the same beliefs that I have. Prior to stating your spiritual…position in Chapter 2, I picked up within the first few pages that you were very conservative. I am the same way! I haven’t found in my short lifetime (31 years) many people who still hold the fundamental Biblical position that I do. People in my generation, that is……
“Just to reiterate, thank you for your kindness and generosity. I personally am thankful and am inspired by it. I know our Chaplain and the Christian Ministry as a whole here are thankful for your support. Please keep in contact. I will write you more on a regular basis, if you don’t mind, as I continue to read your books.
May God bless you, your family and your ministry! All Glory goes to the Most High!
Sincerely, Byron Mansley”
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“…..I enjoy reading the Overseas Outreach newsletter each month. The articles written bless me a great deal. I’m glad you had a wonderful time on your ‘Best Mission Trip Ever’.
In His Precious Name, Brother Michael” (Rusch)
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Prayer Requests
1. Please pray for Joni Eareckson Tada and her co-workers at Joni & Friends, plus the millions of people they minister to through the radio broadcasts and compassionate outreach through their wheelchair ministry. Pray also for my chiropractor, Dr. Wendell Nelson, and his compassionate outreach through wheelchair ministry.
2. Please pray for our prison ministry through our books and partnership with Joe Garman, ARM (American Rehabilitation Ministry) and Bruce Malone (Search for the Truth Ministries). Especially pray for Bryon Mansley, Michael Rusch and other converted prisoners to be effective witnesses for Christ inside the prisons.
3. Please pray for the compassionate outreach of our ministry friends in Ukraine and for thousands of refugees from the war zone and for multitudes of refugees (IDP) to surrender their lives to Christ.
4. Mike Riddle, an effective creation evangelist, recently moved to Eagle, Idaho, and is setting up his ministry base for Creation Training Initiative here in the Boise area. His plan to make Boise a highly productive U. S. Training Center for creation evangelists, dove-tails perfectly with our Northwest Science Museum goals, so we are working in cooperation with him and he with us to seek God’s leading in fulfilling our common dreams. Please pray for us!
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Our friend, Dennis Messimer, shared this with us:
“I wouldn’t be a good grandfather if I didn’t tell you about Heidi and Kenny’s four-year-old. She will start kindergarten next year, and she went to an orientation program. She will have the same teacher Isaiah and Zoe had. Her teacher said, ‘Mikayla came into the room, climbed up into my lap, counted to 20, recited the alphabet, and then looked up at me and said, ‘Do you need anything else from me?'”
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To Those Who Support Overseas Outreach with Prayers and Finances
“ Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Ephesians 1:15-23 (NKJV).
With deep appreciation, Rick & Della