Are you Churning & Pacing?
A Christian man with a serious trial was pacing back and forth when a friend asked him, “What is the matter?” He paused – then answered, “I think the problem is that I’m in a hurry – and God is not!”
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:3-9 (NKJV)
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” James 1:2-8 (NKJV)
“But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.” Hebrews 2:9-10 (ESV)
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? ‘My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.’… Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no ‘root of bitterness’ springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal… Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,” Hebrews 12:1-6, 14-16, 28 (ESV)
I’m Planning to Have a Good Day!
From Rejoice Radio, by Rhonda Autry
By Standing on the Promises
Walking in His Footsteps
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
Drinking from the Fountain that Never Will Run Dry!
Why Should We Trust God?
By Charles Stanley
For His Supreme Love
For His Infinite Wisdom
For His Absolute Sovereignty
Pertinent Questions about Truth or Lies
By Rick Deighton
At the doctor’s office, would you rather have the hard truth – or a soft lie (especially knowing that it could mean the difference between life or death)? If I were your doctor and you were my patient, would you rather have me clearly, bluntly tell you the truth about your condition, or tactfully, politely tell you a lie? At church, would you rather have the hard truth or a soft lie – knowing that it will mean the difference between life or death – eternally?
Worldly Foolishness
Have you noticed how Satan often overestimates his power and control – and underestimates the wisdom, knowledge, and power of Almighty God? The Scripture Says: “Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” 1 Corinthians 2:6-8 (ESV). Satan had tricked the ungodly rulers into believing that they could get rid of Jesus by manipulating Pilate to crucify Him. Our all-wise God used their blunder to fulfill His prophecies, thereby launching the gospel message of forgiveness, peace, and joy for eternity through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord!
Now, Satan, in his foolish pride, is overplaying his strategy once again by motivating the LGBTQ branch of the Left to continue pumping out the insanity of rebellion against God’s created order of male and female.
For example, I heard this morning a news report with a recording of Biden saying that he will be strongly promoting in every possible way the so-called transgender illusion and using every federal power to protect their fantasy that they can change their biological reality at will. Furthermore, Biden had announced in advance that if he had the opportunity to choose a candidate for the Supreme Court, he would pick a black woman. So, during the confirmation hearings for Ketanji Brown Jackson, a Republican senator asked her the question: “What is a woman?” – a valid question because the very reason she appeared before them was because she is a “black woman.” But Satan is pushing the Left further and further into the insanity of denying the obvious truth and scientific verification that males and females are different. (Equal in value – created in the image of God – but different biologically and functionally down to the cellular level and up to the brain functional level.) The candidate dodged the very clear and precise question with a few lame platitudes. She would not answer a kindergarten level question! One news commentator observed that that question had never been asked before in a confirmation hearing – and never would be again! Why not? Because more and more Americans are waking up and rising up to oppose the abject foolishness of allowing men pretending to be women to participate in women’s sports, use the women’s restrooms, and shower in their shower rooms! (Woke is broke!)
She was also asked, “When does life begin?” to which she replied, “I don’t know!” Honestly, friends, if a candidate is so ignorant that she doesn’t know what a woman is and doesn’t know when life begins – why should she be confirmed to serve on the Supreme Court? She is either lying or ignorant of basic facts! Either way – isn’t it the epitome of insanity for our Congress to confirm her to serve on the US Supreme Court (possibly for decades)?
Satan’s over-confident, ugly pride is overplaying itself again! What is the purpose of his foolishness? Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy! He wants to steal the God-ordained distinctions between male and female. He wants to destroy marriage and family (God’s plan for the most basic unit of society). He wants to kill all the babies he can through abortion and multitudes more through suicide, euthanasia, war, etc.
“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.” James 3:13-17 (NKJV)
More Blatant Hypocrisy
Biden’s “moral outrage” over Putin’s wanton destruction of human life is more blatant hypocrisy! Why? Because while he is claiming moral outrage against Putin, he is simultaneously promoting the brutal slaughter of millions of innocent babies nationwide and worldwide with his outrageous abortion policies!
The Fruits of Discipline are Rich and Sweet!
Study Hebrews 12
Potent Observations
Hardship is unavoidable! Misery is optional!
It is doubtful that God can bless a man greatly without hurting him deeply!
The health and wealth gospel cheats its followers of needed discipline and leaves struggling doubters in its wake when Almighty God does not cater to their demands!
Quotable Quotes
“I preached as never sure to preach again, and as a dying man to dying men.” ~ Richard Baxter
One caller to Kevin Miller’s radio talk show commented: “If we don’t have the freedom to determine what we put in our own bodies – how can we claim to be a free country?” Valid question, don’t you think?
“Integrity is choosing courage over comfort. It’s choosing what is right over what is fun, fast, or easy. It’s choosing to practice your values rather than simply professing them.” ~ Brene Brown
“Please join me in praying for the church of Christ to be God’s stewards over their citizenship duty to select and choose their leaders and laws at the voting booth. God has blessed us with the responsibility and opportunity in this nation to do just that. We ought not take it lightly! We will be held accountable.” Christopher White
He Looked Beyond My Faults
By Dottie Rambo
Amazing Grace shall always be my song of praise
For it was grace that brought me liberty.
I do not know just why He ever came to love me so.
He looked beyond my faults and saw my need.
I shall forever lift mine eyes to Calvary
To view the cross where Jesus died for me.
How marvelous the grace that caught my falling soul.
He looked beyond my faults and saw my needs.
He looked beyond my faults and saw my needs.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and we have a priceless inheritance kept in heaven for you.” 1 Peter 1:3-4 “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.” Matthew 28:6
From Our Mailbox and to Your Mailbox
“Dearest Rick & Della,
Thank you for all of your prayers, your card and all of the insightful and encouraging reading material. Truly, it is thru trials that we learn and grow in perseverance [per-“severe”!] and in Christlikeness and abound in our hope which is eternal in the Heavens. It is only by focusing on the CROSS and CHRIST Whose suffering was beyond a horrific nightmare that I am able to endure thru CHRIST in ME! Hallelujah! 😊 His Grace is sufficient. My spirit rejoices in the Lord and my soul truly magnifies the Lord. Yet this body is tired and weary so I do get encouraged knowing that one day I will be going Home and get a new body 😊 and be with Jesus forever to gaze into His Wonderful Face, to be in a place where there is no SIN, no evil, just PURE and Lovely permeated with Christ’s Love everywhere.
Love you much, Geri & Bob (Boyd)
P.S. Loved Randy Alcorn’s words as well as his Heaven book.”
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“Dear Friends,
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! With this traditional greeting, we normally start our Easter Sunday services in Ukraine. On Easter morning we are excited to say these words to each other because they give us hope for a good future. Jesus conquered death, hell, and the grave. Because of His finished work, we possess victory as well! But can we feel this victory now, when our country is going through the war and its results are not clear? Recently, I talked with our staff, who are still in Russian-occupied Kherson. Among the other questions, we talked about a sense of hope as we are getting closer to celebrating Easter. I was deeply touched by some of their statements:
‘I am ready to die, and I don’t know whether I will survive to celebrate Easter. The date when we celebrate Easter doesn’t really matter. What matters is Jesus’ resurrection.’
‘Easter to me is peace in my heart. We are ready to see the worst but we hope for better.’
I was amazed to see such a high level of trust in God, and I was reminded of the power of Jesus’ resurrection. Because Christ is risen, we have a meaning for our life, we were forgiven, and we are able to possess peace in this life and hope in the life to come. This truth applies to any circumstances – to the times of peace and to the times of war. Because Christ is risen, our preaching is not pointless, as we comfort the widows and orphans, our faith is not fruitless, as we go to dangerous places like frontlines and battlefields, and our message is not meaningless, as we say we do all of that in the name of Christ. Because Christ is risen, we know that our Christian brothers and sisters who have died are in His presence. We have hope of a heavenly reunion that will happen sooner or later. And if sooner, we are not afraid, as we will stand face to face with our risen, living, and eternal Savior, Jesus Christ! Because Christ is risen, there is much hope and victory as a result of His Resurrection. Unfortunately, not everyone has this hope. This hope belongs only to those who truly believe that Christ is risen.
So, during these turmoils of war, we should keep bringing the Good News that Christ is risen, whether we do that through preaching in our communities, or bringing food to the hungry, or providing medical supplies to the sick, or comforting the orphans and widows, or giving shelter to homeless refugees.
Christ is risen, and because He lives we have hope and victory in Him!
Valentin” (Director of Tavriski Christian Institute – TCI)
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“Dear Rick and Della,
Our life has changed to the point that it is really hard to describe in one letter. It has been already the 52nd day of terrible suffering. On the one hand we wake up every morning and think of the past, and our happy life in Kharkiv, but on the other hand we cannot even think of what the future has for us. We just live day by day since the 24th of February. (The day Putin ordered Russian troops to attack.)
Our older kids, Mary and Yan, happen to be in Austria. When shelling began in Kharkiv and after living in subway for a week, we put them on the train and sent them to Austria. My friends from TCM in Austria helped them. They plan to enter schools there. Next week my wife and youngest son Jacob will join them. Natasha and Jacob were here with me in Carpathian Mountains for a month, but we made a decision for her to go. We had moved to Carpathian Mountains the next day by car with Natasha and Jacob after we had sent kids away by train.
By miracle of God my, parents (85 years old) evacuated from Kharkiv by train and I was able to meet them in Ternopol (close city to where we are) and bring them to Carpathian Mountains after their house in the countryside of Kharkiv was attacked. They spent 24 hours on the train sitting. Here we were able to receive a conclusion from doctor for them as they need extra help in caring.
It is Palm Sunday here and I wish you and your family many blessings of resurrection. I am serving here in a local evangelical church and the pastor asked me to preach every Sunday. Tomorrow, Monday, I need to go to the military department. Based on the documents I have from the doctors, they should let me take care of my parents and not enlist me into Army. I need prayers for their hearts to be open to do that. Please pray for me.
May the Lord Jesus bless you and give us His peace, Zhenya and Family”
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Dear Zhenya – your clarification message from 4/17/22 is heart-touching as well as clarifying. Thank you! We are so thankful that you and your family are safe, and we keep praying for God to put a hedge or protection around you and give you wisdom and boldness in these trying and chaotic times. May He bless your current ministry abundantly. Have you thought of preaching a series of messages on First and Second Peter? He wrote to persecuted believers who were scattered and needed hope and encouragement. (I just finished studying through these epistles in my personal Bible study time.) How clarifying! How pertinent! The book of James is like that too!
Yours & His, Rick
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“Dear Overseas Outreach,
Thank you so much for your generous gift for Ukraine. You have met an urgent need and inspired a lasting hope. May God richly bless you just as you have blessed others!
Your IDES Volunteer” ( Note: The picture on the front of the card that contained this note is of a group of believers on their knees in prayer at the city square in Kharkiv. I have prayed there with Zhenya in like manner!)
Note #2: We sent funds for humanitarian aid to Ukraine through IDES before we found out that Stephen could get funds through. International Disaster Emergency Services (IDES) is a great organization!)
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“The only hope for Ukraine is an ‘Israel Miracle.’”
In His Grace and Peace, Stephen”
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“Dear Rick & Della,
Peace on Earth Ministries, now in its 30th year, was born ‘for such a time as this.’ More than a million refugees from Ukraine are now pouring into Poland. Since 1992 we have been pouring support into Poland to men of God like Kostek Jaroniuk and churches like the one where he is now an elder, the Church of Christ in Bielsk Podlaski. In a recent video phone call, he told me that most of the refugees are coming ‘with only the clothes on their backs.’
By the providence of God, several years ago one of POEM’s supporters, Tom Carrow from Indiana, went to help the church work on a ‘dormitory’ to house Christians ‘for such a time as this.’ Now refugees are being housed, fed, and cared for. This influx of refugees means we in America need to come to the aid of the church in Poland to help minister to Ukrainian refugees. Your gifts sent to POEM (marked ‘Ukrainian refugees’) will help do just that. You can also donate on line at our website: www.poeministries.org\give-to-Poland. Some of you have already done that! Thank you! As you know, every dollar you give will go directly to render aid to our besieged and beleaguered brethren.
Our ‘reason for being’ is stated at the top of our stationary: ‘A passion for Christian unity. A compassion for suffering humanity.’ While we have always tried to live up to our name, now it is more relevant than ever. Thank you so much for your support of POEM ‘in such a time as this.’ Please continue to pray for peace in Europe. ‘He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth’ (Psalm 46:9). ‘The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective’ (James 5:16). God’s phone number is Jeremiah 33:33, ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ God hears and answers prayer! “For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.”
In Jesus’ Name, Victor Knowles,” Peace on Earth Ministries (POEM)
(Note: Some of you may recall that we are also Northwest representatives for POEM)
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“Rick/Della – We continue to pray for peace in Ukraine & Russia. We have seen the satanic expression of ‘pure’ evil and suffering by an egomania motivated by the devil. But our Lord will bring out good when the enemy attacks (Romans 8:28). We are praying for a mighty revival among our dear fellow believers in the Ukraine and Russia and for many to come to know Jesus thru this heartbreaking time and long for His return! Our real Home is in Heaven…..
Love, Bob & Geri”
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“Happy Easter, dear Rick and Della!
My best wishes of good health, prosperity and peace! May God provide you with all blessings in life!
You are always in my heart as examples of true friendship and Christian love. Some of the best and most interesting pages of my life belong to you.
Yours in Christ, Sergei N.”
Speaking Schedule for Stephen
Stephen & Iryna, one of our four ministry couples for Overseas Outreach, are scheduled to be with us for the month of May. I hope you can hear them and get personally acquainted with them and their children.
Here is the schedule (so far) for the speaking appointments when Stephen & Iryna Yagilnicky are here:
- Sunday, May 1, 10:30 a.m. at Indian Creek Christian Church in Nampa (which meets in the former gym downstairs in the elementary Nampa Christian School – on the west end of the lot. Another church meets in the big gym on the east side). The address is 439 W. Orchard Ave., Nampa, ID.
- Sunday, May 1, 1:30-3:30 p.m. (approximately) at Morning Star Christian Church. 3080 N. Wildwood (one block south of Ustick) in Boise. Both Stephen and I will be preaching and I have 25 minutes to share “Does Jesus Care? Does God Actually Answer Prayer?” 1 John 5:14-15. Stephen will have up to 45 minutes for his message.
- Thursday, May 5, 7:00 p.m. at Morning Star Church. Stephen & Iryna to share about Love Cradle International (the website for Love Cradle is lovecradleint.org).
- Sunday, May 8 at Valley Christian Church in Fruitland, Idaho.
Class 9:30 a.m. Love Cradle.
Worship at 10:45 a.m. Stephen to preach.
- Monday, May 9 at Vale Christian Church in Vale, OR. (450 A St. West)
6:00 p.m. meal
7:00 p.m. Love Cradle presentation.
- Sunday, May 15 at Centennial Baptist Church, 326 E. Ustick Rd., Caldwell, ID (208-454-8951)
9:30 a.m. Class – presentation of Love Cradle, Int.
10:45 a.m. Worship – Stephen to preach
- Sunday, May 22 at Ola Community Church, Ola, ID 11:00 a.m.
- Sunday, May 29 at Heritage Christian Church, 115 N. Hayes, Emmett, ID
9:45 a.m. Class
10:45 a.m. Worship
Prayer Requests
- Let’s keep praying for massive spiritual awakening in Ukraine, Russia, and America!
- Let’s also keep praying for our Awesome God to keep a hedge of protection around true believers – and give them courage to be bold witnesses!
Glory to God!
