Category: my testimony

A Lesson from Les

Friday, April 14, 2023

“For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:6-8 KJV).

Recently, a dear brother in Christ, who was highly influential in my early ministry, graduated to Heaven.

Brother Les Feldick reintroduced my family and I to Bible study after we had been out of church for some years. We had believed the Gospel of Grace (1 Corinthians 15:3,4) more than a decade earlier, and we had a basic Bible understanding, but our spiritual insight was limited because of denominationalism. Brother Les helped point us to dispensational Bible study (2 Timothy 2:15). Another brother’s ministry, months later, fine-tuned our right division.

Despite our doctrinal differences, Brother Les and I met in person during the summers of 2007, 2008, and 2009. My parents and I attended three taping sessions of his Bible study television program in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We were invited to eat a meal at his ranch, and met his wife Iris, their paralyzed daughter Laura, their grandson Jesse (we are the same age), and various office workers. It was wonderful Christian fellowship. These last few years, however, Brother Les suffered many increasingly debilitating health problems, and he finally moved to be with our Lord Jesus Christ just a few months shy of age 96!

Long ago, Brother Les gave me, a young man just entering ministry, the following advice: “Shawn, just get them to think. You do not have to convince them of the truth. Simply give them the sound Bible doctrine so they can think about it. The rest is up to them.” This is but one simple lesson from Brother Les. We can always be thankful to the Lord Jesus Christ for the men and women He used mightily to bring us where we are in our spiritual development. Like we, they are feeble and limited…. “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:7). One day, that same power of God will reunite us with these departed saints (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)!

-IN MEMORIAM-
Brother Les Feldick
June 6, 1927–April 5, 2023
“Salvation = Faith + Nothing”

An Ambassador Turns 34!

Sunday, August 7, 2022 🎂

“I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness” (John 12:46 KJV).

Dear saints, today, an ambassador marks 34 years of this earthly life!

The Lord Jesus Christ became the God-Man to combat the satanic darkness in the world (see today’s Scripture). He came first and foremost for Israel, His covenant people, to teach them the truth and bring them back to Father God who sent Him to them. Once Israel had a personal relationship with the one true God through Christ, the nation would become God’s kingdom of priests to evangelize the world. Jews and Gentiles alike were in gross spiritual darkness, but, during Christ’s earthly ministry, there was an Israeli believing remnant and even some Gentile believers. They trusted Him, choosing not to “abide” (remain) in their darkness.

A few weeks back, I celebrated 27 years of knowing the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour. For over 15 years now, I have been “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Today, I celebrate my 34th physical birthday. What a journey it has been! I was in darkness for quite a long time, even as a denominationalist, so I have spent most of those years coming into more light from God’s words. There is still a great deal of room for spiritual growth and development, and there are (have been) innumerable distractions and hindrances along the way, but I am steadily moving along by God’s grace and fortunate enough to have the privilege of bringing others with me. Whether we grow ever so slowly, or ever so rapidly, just so long as we grow is what ultimately matters. Let us not be comfortable where we are spiritually, content to be spiritual simpletons and Bible babies. No, as we grow and develop physically, so it is (or, at least, should be!) in the spiritual realm.

“Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain” (Philippians 2:14-16).

A Ready Writer

Monday, June 28, 2021

“The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it” (Psalm 68:11 KJV).

Dear brethren, only by God’s grace, I mark 15 years of writing ministry today!

A few weeks before my seventh birthday in the flesh, I trusted Jesus Christ alone as my personal Saviour. My family and I had been in and out of local denominational churches for many years, always fleeing some type of false teaching. That hectic routine went on for the first decade of my Christian life.

Fast-forward to my senior year in high school. With graduation approaching, I wondered what to do in life next. I suddenly began to have a renewed interest in the Bible. Out of church for a few years, my well-meaning mother bought me a “feel-good,” bestselling “Christian” book. (Only later would we learn just how corrupt it really was, and how it deceived us to our spiritual detriment!) I had always liked writing short stories and poems, and this book inspired me to write about spiritual matters. Those early rough-draft, experimental or practice “Bible” studies of mine spanned six months. On June 28, 2006, I began writing formal drafts. Although having a slightly better grasp of Scripture, I was still writing like a good denominationalist! One sincere relative suggested I enter seminary after high school. Looking back, I am ever so grateful to have declined the opportunity to attend Bible cemetery and experience further confusion.

Throughout 2007, the Lord used two faithful brothers in the grace ministry to teach my parents and I; we recovered ourselves out of the snare of the Devil (2 Timothy 2:24-26). By that time, I was several months into college, pursing a degree in Earth science, constantly fending off all the anti-Scriptural humanism bombarding my young, impressionable mind. With my dispensational Bible study underway, I was strengthened in the inner man, finally understanding and enjoying the Scriptures. No amount of intellectual persuasion—even nine years of it (!)—would move me from sound Bible doctrine!

Here we are, dear brethren, now 15 years into the writing ministry. Thousands of daily devotionals, hundreds of Bible question-and-answer articles, and an upcoming grace study Bible have resulted. I still have so much more to learn about Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery, so onward we go to further maturity in grace (Philippians 3:12-15)! 🙂

Our latest Bible Q&A: “What does ‘sottish’ mean?”

They Planted, She Watered, But God Gave the Increase

Thursday, July 30, 2020

“Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12-14 KJV).

Indeed!

A Christian woman, employed at the plant nursery of an older Christian husband and wife, brought her (almost) seven-year-old son to work one summer day. While potting flowers together, the young boy asked, “Mom, how can I be saved?” She gave him the Gospel of Grace: “Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). Immediately, he believed on the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour… and passed from death to life, Adam to Christ. By the way, that was 25 years ago this month—and that little boy was I!

Growing up, my family and I had been “in and out of” various “Bible” and Baptist churches—forced to leave after heresies corrupted the assemblies. For years, I had attended children’s Sunday school and main services, but I was lost as lost could be. Never can I recall hearing a clear Gospel message… although there was much emphasis on a “sinner’s prayer” and water baptism!! With my Mom, though, I realized my personal lostness and was saved unto eternal life.

As for the aforementioned Christian couple who owned the nursery, the lady died of Alzheimer’s disease several years ago and her husband met her in Heaven just a few years back. The nursery complex, long closed, is but two miles from my home. I pass it often. Someone else lives in the house now. I do remember, a decade ago, walking into that very shed where I was saved unto eternal life. How stirring! For half my Christian life, I did not know how to use the Scriptures rightly divided. Only for the last 13 years have I been a dispensational Bible student. How I came to be saved unto the knowledge of the truth… well… that is for another study! 🙂

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Why did Jesus tell Israel they do not know the date of His return?”