Outreach Center Network News Letter
April 2018
In this issue:
The Door Is Opened - A Devotion
A Few Changes
Easter
Christian one-liners
Final Thoughts
Each article will begin with ###. You may move to the next article by searching for this.
### The Door Is Opened
I’d like to tell you about Cathy, a 28 year old woman who had a cancerous tumor in her brain. It was removed but she lost her eye sight in the process. That is how I got connected with her. The doctors were not able to remove the entire growth. Of course this meant that it would return very soon and take her life.
She testified to her faith in Jesus as that which helped her through the surgery and her daily life. She stated that because Jesus died and rose on Easter for her that life is an on going experience. She said that she will live for more than ten billion years of which she has lived only 28 years.
she continued by quoting one of her favorite Bible verses which had helped her during these first 28 years: "Ask and it shall be given you, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone that asks will receive, he that seeks will find, and he that knocks the door will be opened."
Cathy went on to say: "What this says to me is that I can pray to God any time, for anything and everything. I know that God says, I will answer your prayers. He may say to me yes, no or wait, but he will answer my prayers."
In fact, losing her eye sight, knowing she would lose her life soon changed her and made her different. "There is a really different Cathy. I know there are certain problems in my body. But what I see as different about me is that I have only a special time. God has given me so many years and I don't know how many that is." "Christ has freed us from so many things. In our bodies, oh yes I may have cancer. For some that could be a big wall. But Christ has come and knocked that wall all down because even though I have a cancer, and you might have a cancer, that doesn't mean that we can't go on living. Christ didn't say to me, ‘Cathy I'm giving you a cancer so too bad, you have to just give up.’ It’s just like in the middle of that wall he put a door and said, try this one. I knocked and open the door and my goodness there are so many more opportunities on the other side. It’s just a way of saying to us, ‘now let’s look at life a different way. Let’s see what other people need.’” that I can help them with."
Her observation was very keen. Will we see the wall only, or the door in the wall which God is opening for us? Let’s look at life a different way. "Ask and it shall be given you, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened to you.”
All this was possible because another door was opened--the tomb on Easter morning. Jesus broke down the walls of sin and death, making a huge door which leads from the grave to glory with God. Because Jesus rose from the grave, we have hope. We have help. Thus whether we live on this earth 28 years or 58 years or 88 years, it is only a fraction of what awaits us in eternity.
But there is more. Not only was the door of the grave opened to glory, but it was opened to new life. So lets look at this earthly life a different way.
Pastor Dave
### A Few Changes
You may have noticed that I (Pastor Dave) have not sent a newsletter for almost two months. This is because there have been some changes in my life. My work at St. Paul’s in north St. Louis, as their vacancy pastor is completed. I have handed over that work to a pastor who is her permanent pastor.
Abiding Savior, a large church in the suburbs of south St. Louis had provided some help to St. Paul’s. In passing, the pastor noted that he was short handed. When my work at St. Paul’s ended he asked if I might help him at Abiding Savior. I said yes.
I was asked to do visits to the homebound, some hospital calls and preach at least once a month. It’s about 10 to 15 hours a week. This February and March it actually ended up to be more time than this. It’s not that I forgot, didn’t pray or think of you all. Not at all. With Easter and all the special services now completed, life is slowing down and things are getting back to normal.
Pastor Dave
### Easter
E. is for the eternity we inherit.
A. is for the assurance we have in His promises.
S. is for the salvation He has won for each and every one of us.
T. is for the truthfulness of His Word.
E. is for the earnestness of His invitation
R. is for the resurrection of Jesus that makes this all possible for you and me.
Have a blessed Easter.
### Christian one-liners
Don’t let your worries get the best of you; Remember, Moses started out as a basket
case.
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Some people are kind, polite, and sweet-spirited
Until you try to sit in their pews.
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Many folks want to serve God,
But only as advisers.
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It is easier to preach ten sermons
Than it is to live one.
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The good Lord didn’t create anything without a purpose,
But mosquitoes come close.
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When you get to your wit’s end,
You’ll find God lives there.
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People are funny; they want the front of the bus,
Middle of the road,
And back of the church.
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Opportunity may knock once,
But temptation bangs on the front door forever.
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Quit griping about your church;
If it was perfect, you couldn’t belong.
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If a church wants a better pastor,
It only needs to pray for the one it has.
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We’re called to be witnesses, not lawyers or Judges.
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God Himself doesn’t propose to judge a man until
he is dead. So why should you?
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Some minds are like concrete
Thoroughly mixed up and permanently set.
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Peace starts with a smile.
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I don’t know why some people change churches;
What difference does it make which one you stay home from?
### Final Thoughts
In upcoming issues we can and will look at many of the same topics as well as others. If you have questions, thoughts or suggestions, please send them to me or post them on the blind ministry email list.
Pastor Dave