in the beginning…

Remembering the beginning and the year of 2011 of the Confound the Wise Ministries…
God called us out on three separate journeys this year covering more than 15,000 miles. As we think back on our 2011 journeys and all God has accomplished, Rick and I are praising the Lord upon every remembrance of you our prayer/support partners. In 2008, when the Lord made it clear we were to leave a paid position and “go as His missionaries” to America and the world, I asked Him to raise up a faithful prayer support base for Confound the Wise Ministries. You, dear friends, are an answer to that prayer.
As many of you know, I was asked to be a prayer partner to an older woman in 1980. Eleven years later her son, Rick, asked me to be his wife and partner with him in serving the Lord. Since we were married in 1991, our prayer has been, “Lord, use us for Your glory.” Since that time, the Lord has given us many opportunities to serve Him as a team. Clara, Rick’s mother was my prayer partner for 26 years till her “coronation” in 2006. Through the years as she and I prayed the Lord showed Himself strong on our behalf. After Rick and I married, because of the prayers, we experienced the, “Good hand of the Lord upon us.” Neh. 2:8) Many of the answers to prayer not only glorified God, but also influenced others to “go for God’s glory, too.” Meanwhile, the spiritual battle has been fierce to try to stop us. But God intervened and blessed our path. The first ministry Rick and I had was working to help build a youth camp for Calvary Chapel in Southern California. Pastor Chuck Smith introduced Rick to Henry Morris who founded Institute for Creation Research, and through them Rick was encouraged to finish his schooling. In 1994 Rick defended his dissertation and earned his PhD in Evolutionary Biology from the University of California. Then,the next fifteen year call from God on our lives was at Mount Hermon Christian Camp in the Santa Cruz Mountains, California. This call was to invest our lives as founders to start an outdoor science school which continues to successfully minister to over 5000 middle school children every year.
During the last twenty years, we were invited to participate in many scientific expeditions including Mt. St. Helens with Institute of Creation Research under the guidance of Dr. Steve Austin, as well as the Grand Canyon expedition with both Dr. Austin and Dr. Kurt Wise. Dr. Kurt Wise invited Rick to be part of a Dinosaur dig at the Hanson Research ranch in Wyoming where Rick discovered a Pachycephalosaurus skull. Recently Dr. Wise, now the Science Department Chairman at Truett McConnell College, a Baptist College, invited Rick to join him as a professor at the college in Georgia. This offer touched many areas of desire in us, but after much prayer, we knew we needed to stay the course with Confound the Wise Ministries.
Throughout the last twenty years God has used Rick’s teaching gifts in many venues to hone his speaking skills in ministry. In 2008 when the Lord called us out from Mount Hermon’s Outdoor Science School, I knew the spiritual battle would increase. Rick founded the Confound the Wise Ministries that God has used to disable one of the enemy’s strongholds that has been causing doubt in God’s Word for 150 years, evolution. That’s why I prayed for undergirding prayer warriors. Now because of your faithfulness we have made a difference in many lives for God’s glory as many have replaced doubt with faith in God’s Word. Many have received salvation, and many have been encouraged to go forward with their call from God to glorify Him and the churches have been strengthened.
Since we returned this October from our journies, these are a few comment we’ve received: “We attended a lecture Rick was giving on Creation vs. Evolution. In this college town, it was refreshing to see so many young people responding to evidence that supports the Biblical account of creation, compared to mounting evidence that put Darwinism in doubt. Oftentimes, it is liberating for students to realize they are free to disagree with their professors and explore alternatives, finding reasons to believe God’s Word…When the church strays from teaching the inerrancy of God’s Word, it (the Word) has no power in our lives. But if we believe the first chapter of Genesis, “In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth…and man in His (Own) image…,” it eliminates all doubt of the value and purpose of life, and that what is impossible with man is possible with God.” Another comment was from a college student who attended Rick’s lecture on a college campus: “Dr. Oliver, I greatly appreciated hearing everything that you taught back in October at my college. I am a devout believer in Christ and live for Him every day. I always have a hard time listening to all the lies of evolution. I found it very intriguing that (in your lecture you point out that both creation and) evolution is (are) a faith-based religion(s). So they shouldn’t be shoving it (evolution) down my throat. It is my desire to keep walking in the faith and striving to show the love of Christ to the whole world. I thank you for having the courage to stand up for what you believe in and I ask you to please pray that I receive that same courage.”
Rick and I are looking forward to what God will do in 2012 through Confound the Wise Ministries as we continue to “go for God’s glory.” Through your prayers we go with confidence that the good hand of the Lord will continue to be upon us. Recently, Rick, was invited and accepted an offer to be a speaker for Logos Research Associates on college campuses. You can view our calendar on our website but a few open doors that He is providing are: January 26-29 a “Beginning to End prophecy conference,” at Tri City Calvary Chapel, Tempe, AZ. March 9-11 Rick will join Russ Miller (www.creationministries.org) at a Creation conference at Calvary Chapel in Salt Lake City, UT. In addition, July 3-19, Rick and I will be joining a team from Calvary Tucson since Rick has been invited to speak in numerous churches and colleges throughout the country of Ireland. Please continue to pray for strength, wisdom, provision, open doors and hearts as we trust Him to answer our afore mentioned prayer to “use us for His glory.” As we go, also pray that many will see the truth, it is the “Goodness of God leads thee to repentance” (Rom. 2:4).

As you observe the ways of this lost, dark and dying world, let not your heart be troubled. Remember, for such a time as this, you are planted where you are for His glory (Isaiah 63:3). May your Christmas and New Year be blessed as you remember that, all who look for Jesus’ soon appearing will be purify themselves now; and they will receive a crown. (2 Tim 4:8; 1 John 3:3). May you live for His glory as you answer His call in Romans 12:1-2, “That ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Forever His servants,
Rick and Susan Oliver

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