Not a Lecture
In our August letter we gave you the link to see my presentation of, “Monstrous Problems – Awesome God,” for Apologetics Forum on July 28. In the link it directs you to look under “Lectures.” However, I should mention to you that what I presented was not a lecture. Why not? Because it was a sermon – that’s why! To be clear, I must admit that both a sermon and a lecture are oral discourses to a group of people, but the difference is in the purpose.
The purpose of a lecture is information.
The purpose of a sermon is transformation.
My purpose in, “Monstrous Problems – Awesome God,” is partially for information, but primarily for transformation! Why don’t you check it out for yourself and let me know your reflections. The link is http://www.apologeticsforum.org/event/monstrous-problems-awesome-god-rick-deighton/. One confirmation for my opinion on this matter is that after my presentation, one man thanked me for sharing a Biblical sermon.
The apostle Paul stated his purpose very well to the Corinthians: “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences…Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:9-11, 20 (NKJV).
Eclipse & Idolatry
Last month multitudes of Americans traveled both long and short distances in order to experience the total eclipse of the sun on August 21st. Our Northwest Science Museum group traveled only a short distance to the parking lot at Eagle Christian Church for the experience and the information that our museum curator, Stan Lutz, had to offer us. He told us that since we were slightly outside the path of the total eclipse, we would not experience total darkness – but with our special glasses we would see over 99 percent eclipse. The small slice of sun I saw at the bottom of the eclipse reminded me of the smile of the Cheshire cat in Alice and Wonderland. In the famous story, the Cheshire cat faded away until only his grin remained. It makes me wonder if Satan’s grin remains as he observes millions of Americans chasing a “once in a lifetime” (so called) experience – yet they still don’t get the point. They walk away or drive away with a bit of an eerie feeling – yet don’t understand two very important facts:
1. That an eclipse demonstrates the amazing genius of the Engineer who designed this solar system (and universe) so precisely that an eclipse is even possible. Stan pointed out that the sun is 400 times larger than the moon – so how can such a small lunar object appear exactly, completely, precisely the same size as the sun? How can it come between the earth and the sun in a predictable time and place to totally blot out the light of the sun for even a moment? That, my friends, is because the sun is 400 times farther from the earth than the moon! Do you realize that if the earth were nearer to the sun than it is – we would all be burned up? Do you realize that if the moon were much closer to the earth, the magnetic pull would cause huge tidal waves to flood entire continents – destroying much more than south Texas and Louisiana? Do you realize that if the moon were much farther from the earth, the tides would be too weak to cleanse the earth and seas as they do now? There is an excellent, amazing DVD entitled, “Our Privileged Planet” available from Northwest Science Museum for $10 (which Stan offered free to those who came for the eclipse event. Sorry you weren’t there!) But if you want one, you can send $10 (checks made out to Northwest Science Museum) and we will be send it to you.
2. Now concerning the eclipse and idolatry – do you get the point? Any little thing that we let come between us and the Son is idolatry – and it brings darkness! Even as the moon is so small compared to the sun, so your work, your sport, your pleasure, your house, you boat, your car, your friend, your wife or husband, or your child is miniscule compared with the Son of God! Even a nickel will blot out the sun if you put it in front of your eyeball – so putting some minor thing or person before Almighty God, the Son, is idolatry. Darkness is the result. Do you get the point? “Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.” 1 John 5:21.
By the way, when Jesus was crucified, it turned dark in the middle of the day – and not because of an eclipse. God closed the shutters on the darkness of evil, sent a mighty earthquake, raised the righteous dead to walk the streets of Jerusalem, and ripped the temple veil from top to bottom! (I’ve read that the veil was almost a foot thick.) Eerie? You better believe it! No wonder 3,000 souls repented and were baptized into Christ at the preaching of the cross and resurrection on the next great feast day (Pentecost) – and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith later on! Acts 6:7 says:
“And the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.” (NKJV).
20th Anniversary of Overseas Outreach
This month, September 2017, is the 20th anniversary of the beginning of our Overseas Outreach ministry, so we invite you to praise God with us and help us celebrate.
We thank you for your faithful prayers and financial support and invite you to consider an anniversary offering to Overseas Outreach. As is true with many missions, the needs are always greater than the funds – especially for the refugees (IDP) and orphans in war-torn Ukraine. Therefore, we offer you two books of your choice from our four published books for an offering of any amount. The titles are:
• READY TO GIVE AN ANSWER
• IS THE BIBLE WITHOUT ANY ERRORS?
• MILLIONS OF MIRACLES (The Evolutionist’s Dilemma)
• MORE THAN CONQUERORS IN CULTURAL CLASHES
Please let us know your choices when you send your offering.
Now I want to share with you the historical background of Overseas Outreach, which Della wrote last year for one of our supporting churches (with a few small revisions and updates).
Overseas Outreach History
by Della Deighton
“How we met:
We met when Rick came to Boise Bible College in 1961. I was already there as a member of the First Church of Christ at 18th & Eastman, which was the home of BBC at that time. We got acquainted the first evening Rick was at church. Some of the BBC students were going miniature golfing and asked me if I would drive, since I had a car of my own. I asked them who was going, and they said, “Who would you like to go?” I replied, “Well, that new guy looks pretty nice!” So, they went to Rick and asked if he would like to go. He also asked, “Sure! Who’s going?” They told him, “Oh, you’ll see!” That was just the beginning of our friendship, and after over a year of dating, we were married on December 14, 1962.
“Our family:
Our son, Randy (Randall Troy), was born on October 19, 1967. Two years later, we adopted a baby girl from Korea, who was born on October 20, 1969. We named her Sandra Joy. She came to us through Holt Adoption Agency in July of 1970. We now have 8 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren (as well as our first grand- daughter, Rachel, who went to live with Jesus in 1999.)
“How we got into missions:
Rick wanted to be a missionary, and always listened closely to mission presentations. In 1965 when Rick was a senior at Boise Bible College and we were also serving as temporary house parents to seven boys at the Christian Children’s home in Boise, Rick said to me one day, “I want to be a missionary, and I don’t know where. You have always wanted to go to Switzerland, and you don’t know why. God made us life partners, so maybe we should pray about this!” So we prayed on a Monday or Tuesday evening, asking God to show us what He wanted. That Wednesday evening, Hazel Scott, the cook at the BBC dormitory, shared a mission report at church. It was “The Alpine Call” by Ed Faust. He had a radio program that aired in Germany, Switzerland and Austria, and he was getting more requests from interested people than he could follow up on by himself. He was asking for help. We looked at each other in amazement! Wow! So what do we do next? We had heard that Ozark Bible College in Joplin, Missouri, had excellent training for missionaries, so we wrote to ask if they had something that would help us prepare for this field. The registrar, Paul Butler, wrote back a very short reply: “God in His providence is leading you to this field. Ed Faust will be here second semester to teach a missions class.” Wow! God, can You speak any clearer?” we thought.
“After Rick’s graduation from Boise Bible College in the spring of 1965, we loaded all our belongings into a small trailer and our ’51 Mercury and headed for Joplin, Missouri. Ed Faust was only in Joplin for a short time. His advice for us was to get some experience working with a church in the U.S. before going to a foreign country. Also, he said, “You probably will not be able to live in Switzerland, but you can live in southern Germany, and make trips into Switzerland. After one school year at Ozark, with both of us taking practical courses to help us with mission work, we went to work with Norvale Park Church (now Garden Way Church) in Eugene, Oregon, where we served for four years and learned much.
“We started making plans and raising mission support in 1969, but shortly after getting our daughter, Sandy, in 1970, we were “on the road” a lot with final fund raising and other preparations. By September, 1970, we were in Germany, and we served there for seven years with Alpine Christian Mission before returning to the U.S. We still have contact with some of those who became Christians while we were in Germany, both Germans and American military guys that were converted during that time. A few of those American soldiers ended up coming to Boise Bible College, where Rick served as missions professor for one school year. Since the end of the 1977-1978 school year at BBC, Rick has served as a bi-vocational minister of the gospel and missionary.
“Transitions that led to what we are doing now:
In 1986, Rick became a lighting salesman for Pacific Coast Industrial Lighting. In 1992 we moved to Gresham, Oregon, to work with Gary and Sandra Strubhar at Gresham Church of Christ. Rick served on the leadership team and continued to work with Pacific Coast Lighting. I later became the church secretary when Dave Adams was the minister there, and the name of the church became River Hills Church. In 1997 we both began to sense that God was getting us ready for a change, so we began praying specifically focused prayers, seeking to discern His leading. In September we went to Joplin, Missouri, for the Convocation of One Body Ministries (now Peace On Earth Ministries). One morning we got personally acquainted with Reggie Thomas, founder of White Fields Overseas Evangelism, while enjoying breakfast together. After breakfast Rick casually mentioned to Reggie that we were praying for direction because we both sensed God was preparing us for a change. Reggie pointed directly at Rick and said, “We need a preacher for Estonia, and you may be the answer to our prayers!” Rick politely replied that he would pray about that, but inwardly he said he was thinking, “That doesn’t sound like any place I want to go.” After the concluding session of the convocation, we were walking towards the door when Reggie called out, “Rick, you will be hearing from me!” He still didn’t take it seriously, but a few days after we got back home, we got a letter from Reggie, inviting Rick to become an associate evangelist with White Fields Overseas Evangelism and to consider going to Estonia. Rick told me, “We have been asking for God’s leading, so we can’t just shrug this off. We’d better take it seriously!” So again, we knelt in prayer and asked the Almighty for His guidance. What was the next step? Rick decided to show the letter to the leadership team at the Gresham Church and tell them the background. Their response was, “Rick, this is from the Lord! We want to be your sponsoring church!” That is what launched us into the most exciting and productive ministry of our lives. And after raising support and making other preparations, in June 1998, Rick was teaching Christian Evidences for youth camps in Estonia, on a campground that used to be a Communist training site for youth. He was hooked! Following that, he teamed up with Victor Barviks, an acappella missionary in Latvia for outreach evangelism and church planting. He made two trips a year to Latvia in 1998, 1999, and 2000. I went with him on a couple of those trips.
“In August of 2000, we moved back to Nampa, Idaho, to be close to our daughter and her family, and started our own lighting company, Deighton Lighting, and Rick has continued to be a bi-vocational missionary ever since.
“In the fall issue of “Creation Ex-Nihilo” magazine (Sept. or Oct. 2000) Rick saw an extensive article entitled, “The Creation Crusader of the Crimea”, concerning the ministry of Sergei Golovin, a converted evolutionist/scientist (geophysicist). He remembered that he had been distributing Sergei’s videos on “Science and the Bible” in Russian to Russian-speaking immigrants in the Gresham/Portland area. The videos were produced by Good News Productions International in Joplin, so Rick was able to get Sergei’s email address from them, and they connected in vision and purpose almost immediately. Sergei invited Rick to become a presenter for the “Man and the Christian Worldview” symposium in May of 2001. Georges Carillet had started the symposiums a few years before as an outreach to an unreached people group – intellectuals of the Former Soviet Union nations. Georges is the director of Commonwealth International University, and he and Sergei were both key leaders in Simferopol Christian Church in Crimea and partners in outreach to students and professors. Rick became a regular participant in the spring symposiums and the fall conferences for nine years. Through the symposiums God brought him into touch with people who opened doors to other areas of Ukraine, and he has been going once or twice a year to Ukraine to work with several of these outreach ministries. Rick says, “My planning strategy remains very simple: ‘Lord, what would you have me to do?’ I try to be very conscientious about walking through the doors He opens!”
“Our daughter, Sandy, and I are Rick’s support team, doing office tasks, bookkeeping, preparing materials and book manuscripts, and whatever else needs to be done. We try to keep him organized!”
Note from Rick: “Sandy is now our office manager for our lighting business and our ministry. (It’s wonderful to have our daughter as our co-worker. Adoption is a great option!) Della is our secretary-treasurer for both our business and our ministry. I couldn’t do what I do without Della and Sandy!”
As of this writing, Rick is currently planning to leave on September 25 on a mission trip to Ukraine. Your prayers for his ministry and for his safety would be very much appreciated. Thank you VERY MUCH for your financial support as well! May God open the windows of heaven and pour out His blessing on each of you and your congregations!
From Our Mailbox
The last, but not the least, facet of the ministry we got involved with is a partnership with missions serving internally displaced persons. More than 1.6 million Ukrainians from Donbas and Crimea are registered as IDPs officially. This is a huge number for the country with the population of 45 million – more than one in every 30 people! Many churches are helping them by providing food, clothing, shelter and medical care. Meeting these people’s felt needs became a great vehicle for sharing the love of God and the word of God with them. God opens their hearts, and there have sprung several congregations made mostly of the new converts among them. The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest!
Please keep praying for our ministry, for our team, for our families, for God’s guidance and protection in everything we do. You are in our prayers as well.
Yours in the love and grace of Christ Jesus,
Sergei
***************
Dear Rick and Della,
I have received all of the books I requested from you and will be reading all of them and sharing them with friends here for several months. I received Dr. Crane’s book just this week. Thank you so much!! This enclosed check is to cover any postage or costs to you and then use the remaining money for your trip or any other needs you may know of in the Ukraine.
These “END” times are truly times of testing and strengthening as God’s prophecies are being fulfilled and no time for closing our eyes and complacency. What a great comfort and peace to know God knows His own and offers His redemption.
In God’s Safety-net,
Claudia Boldon
Prayer Requests
1. Please pray for a safe and productive trip to Ukraine for me and Tony VanManen, who plans to accompany me for the first ten days. September 25 – October 16 is my time schedule for the trip.
2. Please continue to pray for the funds to share with orphan ministries, new church ministries and outreach to the displaced people from the war zone.
3. Praise God for the donations received for getting “Ready to Give an Answer” translated into Turkish and German. We still need about $1,000 to complete this project. Also, please continue to pray for a translator and funds to get it translated and published in Arabic for the refugees flooding into Ukraine from Syria and Iraq (as well as multitudes from Turkey).
4. Please continue to pray for the funds for Northwest Science Museum to get our own building – and for God to remove all existing road blocks in this process.
Memorial Gifts to Overseas Outreach
In Loving Memory of:
Sheila Smitley by her mother, Gwen Eichel, who misses her very much! Gwen wrote: “This would make Sheila happy. She was so strong in her love for her Lord.”
In Loving Memory of:
Norma Jean Bauer by Burton & Berna Brown, who wrote that Norma Jean was “One of the most sterling Christians we’ve ever known, and we’ve partnered with some fantastic Christians.”
In Loving Memory of:
Norma Jean Bauer by Rick & Della Deighton. “Norma Jean was a long-time friend, as well as a generous supporter of Overseas Outreach. She loved her Lord with all her heart and told so many others about Him.”
In Loving Memory of:
Norma Jean Bauer by David & Sandy Smith. “Norma Jean has been an inspiration for many years. Her sweet spirit and generous heart have touched us deeply.”
In Loving Memory of:
Gary Strubhar by Rick & Della Deighton. “Gary was another long-time friend and soldier of the cross, whom we will miss immensely. He encouraged us, inspired us, and challenged us many times over the years. Without Gary we would not have this Overseas Outreach ministry!”
Attention! Warning! Achtung! Wake Up!
For all of us it must be evident that America is in the midst of crisis times with the cultural warfare, fake news, slander, outright lies, riots, terrorist attacks, plus the natural disasters of horrendous hurricanes, immense floods, raging fires and at least 23 earthquakes recently in Yellowstone Park and one in southeast Idaho. Could the convergence of astronomical signs on September 23 be another monumental warning that our Father is giving to America to repent? Are the natural disasters of fires, floods and hurricanes, coupled with the raging violence on our streets and campuses, along with the hatred, vitriol and obscene slander being spewed out by “news media”, as well as individuals on social media disturbing to you? What about the world situation – does that disturb you a bit? Our world is in crisis with the intensifying of nuclear threats from North Korea and Iran and the tensions rising between America and these countries, plus Russia and China. Ukraine, Israel, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Sudan and many other nations are also in crisis mode because of warfare and famine.
Are the rumblings of at least 23 earthquakes in Yellowstone Park more warnings? If the huge cauldron of hot lava underneath Yellowstone Park explodes, it could be as devastating as nuclear warfare! Are the natural disasters of earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes and tornadoes, coupled with threats of nuclear warfare, terrorist attacks, riots, rumblings of civil war again in America, plus a convergence of astronomical signs last month and this month the messengers that God is using to call American Christians to deep repentance, fasting and prayer? Jesus reprimanded the Jewish leaders of His day for not paying attention to God’s warning signs. He also told His disciples: “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” Luke 21:25-28 (NKJV). (Duane McMurdie, one of our Overseas Outreach prayer team members, has been researching the information about the September 23 convergence of astronomy signs, and gave me permission to share his contact information. If you want to know more of what he has found, his email address is dmcmaxx@gmail.com and his phone number is 208-861-5882.)
Perhaps even more disturbing is that churches are in crisis – even conservative Biblical churches are infiltrated with the plague of pornography. Please pray plague/paralysis is conquered by truth, repentance and the spreading of the Conquer Series. Please note that it is available in more than 60 countries – so it must be available in many languages. (See conquerseries.com.)
“And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” Romans 13:11-14 (NKJV)
“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV). This is powerful! Children of God, we need to remember who He is – All powerful God – and who we are in Christ – more than conquerors! As a black pastor told his congregation, “You’s chillin o’ God! Be who you is! ‘Cause if you ain’t who you is – den you is who you ain’t! Dat’s hypocrisy!”