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"WRITE the VISION - MAKE it PLAIN upon TABLES that He MAY RUN THAT READS it." Habakkuk 2:2
I count it a privilege to share what the ministry of Gospel Signs has
meant in my life.
I was greatly blessed as a boy to be sent to a Gospel-teaching Sunday
School in North Toronto, Ontario.
One evening I went to my superintendent and told him I wanted to become a
Christian. He was very pleased to hear this, and invited me to a quiet place
to discuss the matter further. He told me God loved me and that His son Jesus
had died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins. He said that if I would
ask God's forgiveness and invite Jesus to come into my life I would be saved.
I followed him in prayer and asked God to save me. I'm so glad to say He did,
according to His promise in Romans 10:13 "Whosoever shall call upon the Name
of the Lord shall be saved."
Now it was an evening meeting and my dad was waiting to take me home. I was
late coming out and dad asked me what kept me from coming out with the others.
Sadly, I did not have the courage to tell him that I had asked the Lord to save
me. I told my mother when I got home but I failed the Lord in not telling my
dad that the Lord had saved me. This was a sad failure indeed and I really did
not grow in my Christian life at all. In fact I was quite ungodly in my teen
years.
Then one night going home from work I saw a Gospel text in a street car. "How
shall you escape if you neglect so great Salvation?" Hebrews 2:3. God used
that verse to convict me of my backslidden condition. I began to read the
Bible and seek the Lord anew and afresh. He continued to speak to me from His
Word and to draw me back to Himself.
I had a Christian uncle who I believed
could help me get right with God. I prayed and asked the Lord to send him to my
house to invite me back to church. God wonderfully answered my prayer. I
attended three Sundays, morning and evening.
Then on a Thursday night there was
a special youth service - Good gospel music and a Christian film entitled
"Faith Triumphant". (The conversion of Saul) - I responded to the
invitation to get right with God. The repentance completely changed my life as
described in 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is
a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new,"
was my experience.
I have been in ministry now over 50 years. God used a Gospel Sign to bring me
to repentance, restoration and fruitful service. To Him be PRAISE and GLORY.
Pastor Les Shiel
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