I was born in Englehart in northern Ontario, Canada on February 1, 1940. A poor innocent child oblivious and trials of life to come!!

We lived nearby this small community until the summer of 1944 at which time my family moved to an even smaller community about 35 miles further north. It's name is Sesekinika. An Indian name meaning: Lake of many islands. And it is appropriately named. It is a fairly large lake located just off the number 11 high way a few miles north/west of Kirkland Lake. A pretty area.

This article and web site is basically a religious site. This article is not a total biography of my whole life but only certain incidents in my life that relates to how I have been protected by God all down through my life, how He brought me to be saved and into the Baptist faith taking me thousands of miles away from my home turf to do so. Of course at the time these things were happening I did not realize it was God's directing me, but once all things had come to a head I could certainly see God's hand in leading me step by step to that one goal - bring one of His elect home. Of course I know that God has his protecting hand over everyone in life, He has certain goals for everyone and they have no fear until God's appointed time of death. But the problem is, we do not know when that is, not even a saved person who recognizes that statement. But there are certain incidents that happen that are outstanding in it's obviousness that God is watching over us that we just can't deny it. Those are the things I would like to go over here in this article.
 

The first of many outstanding incidents happened when I was 9 years old. I will never forget this because of it's near brush with death. I had been sent to a friend of the family who had a small farm and sold vegetables. The farm was not on any road and the only way to it was walking along the railroad track for about half a mile, or by lake. I went to the farm by the lake, but being winter and of course frozen over with about six inches of snow with an inch or two crust (wind blown hard snow) over it, made it very difficult to walk. I was pulling a seven foot toboggan and when I left the farm there would be two 48 pound bags of vegetables on it. This would make it too difficult to pull the toboggan through the snow. I left the farm and started down the track. The farm is on a curve so I could see in both directions for at least half a mile each side of me. No trains were in sight in either direction. I started out feeling safe. I had gone only about 500 to 600 feet and was right in the middle of a rock cut which the tracks went through.

There was a ten to fifteen foot high wall of solid rock on each side of me. I had the rope of
the toboggan around my waist for ease of pulling. I looked behind me for a check to see if there was a train coming. THERE WAS!! There coming around the bend was the light of a train. As long as I live - it is just as vivid today as at the time - I will never forget that sight. JUST as I turned to look the big headlight of a fast steam locomotive came around the corner I had left just minutes before. This was around seven or eight in the evening in mid winter so the light was obvious. I could only do one thing - Jump to the side of the track and try to climb the wall of rock along side the track - a major accomplishment with one hundred pounds dragging behind me slowing me down. Snow banks between the rails and the rocks did not help matters at all. I was able to climb onto the snow bank but I did not have time to get rid of the toboggan and it's seven foot length now was a problem. It rested with it's head on the snow bank at about a 45 degree angle toward the rails. There was still grave danger that one of the ladders of a freight car might still snag it as it went roaring by. Even a slight nick of a ladder on the toboggan or it's load of vegetables would have torn it and me from our precarious position on the snow bank and probably dragged me under the wheels of the train. 

The trainmen would never have known, I doubt if the engineer had even seen me in the dark. I feared for my life until the last car finally went by me, which seemed like an eternity.
 

Just look at the coincidence here. That train must have been just around the bend at the other end of the straight stretch from me, so I had not seen it. I traveled about 500 feet and for no real reason I looked behind me to check. I had not heard anything, I had felt no sense of danger. And yet I looked around at the exact time I needed to give me time to get out of harms way. Coincidence? Or Divine intervention? You can choose to believe as you wish. I personally believe it was divine intervention. If I had not looked at the PRECISE second I did I would have been run over by that train. If I had looked seconds before I would not have seen it come around the curve and gone on thinking I was safe until it was too late to get out of it's way. If I had been a second or two later turning around - it would have already been too late, I would not have had enough time to clear the track. I just barely made it as it was especially with that toboggan with nearly one hundred pounds on it dragging behind me slowing me down. Then there is the fact that I had not frozen in fright. Remember, I was only nine years old. It was a terrifying sight to see that instrument of death bearing down at me at over 50 mph!!. And I knew exactly what it meant. If I had frozen, or hesitated for a second it would have been too long. I could not have got out of the way. I thank God that He showed me mercy that night.
 

Not all the incidents were that dramatic. For instance when I was sixteen I made an effort to join the army's permanent cadet corps which the Canadian Army had at that time. It was not successful, they only kept it in effect a few years. But I was turned down for medical reasons which were never substantiated by any other doctor. But as I see it, it was just another reason to believe in God's plan. Joining the army was not God's plan for me. Neither was it in 1958. I went to the recruiting office in Hamilton Ontario where I was living at this time. I had moved to Hamilton in the fall of 1956 to live with an older brother and get a job. This was shortly after being refused entry to the army. Jobs were scarce and although I did get a few minor jobs I could not land a good, permanent job. So in the summer of 1958 I tried the army again. This time I backed out. I had joined the army militia and I did enjoy military life. I did want to get in the forces so I cannot give a reason for my backing out of going into the army in 1958. The only reason I can give is again - God intervened and stopped me. This was not his plan for my life.
 

Going back in my life for a short time. I had not been brought up in particularly religious family. The small village I lived in did not have any church there. There were different denominations that came in to preach, and when they did I was always there. There was the Anglican church. I was even 'baptized' by them and took Sunday school lessons by mail from them for a few years. Then there was the United Church. A pastor from Swastika about 15 miles away came out at least once a month for services. At least toward the end of the years I lived in Sesekinika he did. For most of the years I lived there, their was no one. The last couple of years of my public schooling there was a Pentecost preacher from Timmins came and had a one hour school session one afternoon a week. Then at 14 I got tangled with the Jehovah Witnesses. But even at 14 I soon realized that these people just did not have any truth . So I left. During these young years whenever there was a pastor from any church teaching in our village - usually using the one room school in that village, I was there. I did receive some religious training, but at the same time never really got indoctrinated into any particular denomination. That was a real blessing and I understood why t years later. But I always enjoyed going to those services. I was really naive about spiritual matters yet. 
 

God's plan started to unfold early in 1959.
 

I lived in Sesekinika until I was 16 - leaving school early and moved to Hamilton Ontario to live with an older brother. As stated above I did get minor jobs but nothing I wanted as my life's career. So in January of 1959 I made an application to join the Royal Canadian Navy. I did not back out this time and I got in with no problem. I took a trade which I once again believe it was of the Lord's doing for reason which will become apparent later. The trade I took was Radioman. That is working with voice radio, teletype, and morse code. If I had joined a few months later I would have been told what trade to take out of 3 choices. As it was, I got one of my choice. If I had waited and been given the one advised as a result of aptitude tests to show what was best suited for me I don't think I would have got that trade. I regretted taking that trade later for different reasons. The big reason was that copying the morse code so much ruined my hearing. It took several years and damage was done so slow and quietly that I did not realize it until too late. The hearing damage was done, and today I wear two hearing aids. But, that is what God wanted I guess. That is the trade I picked by God's direction and there is a reason for it as will be revealed in a short time. I took my training in HMCS Cornwallis, near Digby Nova Scotia. Everything went smoothly and I completed my training in the summer of 1959. This is where God's leading becomes apparent. My trades course also was at Cornwallis. I returned to Cornwallis and took that trades course finishing in May of 1960. Now things are beginning to unravel. The reason why God had me take a trade that would bring me back to Cornwallis, never let me into the army on two occasions etc. Not too long before I finished my trade course I wanted to buy a flight bag to carry my good uniforms in. Something better than the kit bags where I could put pressed and ready to wear uniforms. Now to get the gist of just how God worked in the following one must understand how the navy worked here in Cornwallis at this time. Because of the large number of men in this training camp and the small size of the communities surrounding the base free time off the base (called shore leave - just as if we were on ship going off the ship on leave) was very limited. The base was divided into a watch system just like on board ship. This meant that those on any one watch could get the whole weekend off only once a month. One other watch could get off Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon but no overnight leave. This was single guys and still in training of course, and those still in training were most if not all singles. Even to get these times off one had to get permission via a request form from your divisional officer. To get off the base to look for this flight bag I wanted I had to get permission - just to go across the road to marriage quarters where there was a military commercial store, and this permission in this case had to include the morning since the store closed at noon on Saturday. I got this permission all right and went to the store. They had no flight bag. So I decided to head into Digby to see if I could find one in that small town of about 4000. I looked around a bit and then walked into a store. There was two men talking, one of course the owner and the other a visitor. Just talking, not buying. I asked for what I wanted and got it. Then we all got talking. I guess I must have made quite an impression on the second fellow for after a while he asked me to visit him and his family for the weekend. His name was Hantford Raymond of East Ferry - about 30 miles up the Digby neck. I told him I couldn't that weekend, that I would have to get permission to go off baser that length of time - but that I could the following weekend. He said ok, would probably be best anyway, that would give him time to let his wife know I was coming.
 

So that started a long term friendship that has lasted to this day in 2001. Hantford is still alive, although his wife Jean died in 1996. 
 

Was all this coincidence, or was it divine design? Once again, you have to decide for yourself, I can not make you believe anything. But I certainly believe it was divine design. God had a plan for one of His elect and He was working it out step by step. It would be another 2 years yet before I would actually be saved!! There is many, many more rungs to this ladder God was taking me up.
 

As stated above this friendship has been very long term. It turned out Hantford was a Christian. I did visit with the family the following weekend and as often as I could over the next few years. I left Cornwallis a couple of months later to join a ship in Halifax, but I would visit them when ever I could get a free weekend. It was like a home away from home. Here we should observe another point. Why did God arrange this meeting and friendship with the Raymonds? Why didn't He do the same with all the other lonely sailors so far away from home? I believe it was because as an elect of God He was taking care of me and seeing to it that I did not fall into the pitfalls so many other sailors fell into in trying to entertain themselves in their loneliness. Booze was the biggest pitfall most of the men fell into. I think God was protecting me from that as well as preparing me for what follows. And of course I went to church with them. I was pressed at times to 'accept Jesus as my Saviour," but never did with Hantford's church. But his friendship turned out to be just another rung in the ladder. A year or so after this, I was changing ships, from HMCS Terra Nova - my first ship, to another - HMCS Bonaventure - an aircraft carrier. During this interval I had been encouraged to go to a church in Halifax by the Raymonds. So I did and got friendly with two families in that church. Harry Graves and wife, a middle aged couple and Arnold Haines and family. They too were good to me and we still exchange Christmas cards each year. I have also visited both them and the Raymonds a couple of times over the last five years. I tell you this because when I told these people that I was being drafted (posted) onto the Bonaventure they at once piped up and said: "oh, we know a couple of men on that ship who are Christians, why don't you look them up when you join it. I said ok.
 

But I did not have to look them up. They looked me up. Or at least one of them did. Apparently he had been told by the church members that I was joining the ship they were on on such and such a date. I had not even completed my 'In routine' when this Petty Officer came up to myself and another chap who was joining at the same time and asked: 'which one of you is David Shortt' in quite a gruff way. You can imagine what went through my mind - "why am I being sought out already by a Petty Officer - what did I do?" Of course after introduction he explained what he was there for. To introduce himself and let me know where he and a group of men had Bible study and to invite me to join. I did later of course and once again four members of this group separated from the larger group and we have remained friends ever since. These men are myself, Max Zimmerman (the P.O. who met me on the ship) Herb Clark who would become, to begin with, the most influential in my instructions as a Christian, and Andy Landry, who at that time had just been saved himself. Andy has just recently died - in May of 2000. 
 

This happened in October of 1961. Over the next few months especially at sea the four of us got together for Bible study. It was here I started hearing some mighty strange doctrines. Before this I had never had anything to do with Baptists. They were just a name I would hear people talking about but I never actually knew anyone who was a Baptist. Herb Clark as I mentioned before was the most influential in my teaching. He taught me as best he could eternal security, election, the doctrines of grace, church truth, all pertaining to baptism, the Lord's supper, etc. I can remember many time after a session me going back to my bunk with my mind in tremendous turmoil. The best I can describe it is just as it appeared to me. It just seemed as if I had a blind over my eyes and during these session someone seemed to be pulling the string of the blind to one side that opened up my vision so I could see. Then I would go back to my bunk where I was by myself with my own mind again. Then it seemed someone just grabbed the string from the other side and snapped the blind closed again, blinding me. I can remember saying over and over again to myself - it looks right according to the scripture I was shown, but then the other side would snap the blind closed and I would just say - it can't be, I just can't see God working like that. Sound familiar? It should, that's our human nature at work in each one of us.

In January 1962 our ship berthed in San Juan, Puerto Rico. We would be here about a week. Herb Clark and Max Zimmerman had visited this port just the year before. This is not uncommon since San Juan was quite a common port for our ships at this time of year. They had gone to a church they 'happened' to come across while visiting this port at that time. They had befriended the pastor who had tried teaching these two fellows Baptist doctrine. Now it must be noted here that before this visit the previous year Herb and Max had been Reformed Baptists, the same as Hantford Raymond. This is the closest I had come to having anything to do with Baptists. They might just as well not have the name Baptist in their name because they sure did not teach what 'unreformed' Baptists believe. They, in fact, around 1970 merged with the Nazarenes. And the teachings of this group is a far cry from the teachings of even a half decent Baptist church. There just is no comparison at all. I will not get into the difference here, but if you want to know the different systems of belief read the articles that follow this biography. It will explain what I am talking about. I am not going to go over what happened between Herb and the pastor here in San Juan. His name was Joe Bell and we, as many others, came to know him affectionately as Bro Bell. But suffice to say when Herb left Bro Bell that previous winter after having many loud discussion, each one trying to convince the other his belief was right, Herb swore in his anger that during the next year he would look up all he could about his beliefs - and Herb was well versed in his beliefs having taken Bible college - and he would return the next year and would walk over Bro Bell with his much learning. Well, this was that next year now in the winter of 1962. I was with him this time. He had been teaching me all the things that Bro Bell had been trying to teach him that last year. You see, Herb had searched the
scripture as he said he would, but found out it was not Bro Bell that was wrong, but he himself. Now we look Bro Bell up again and a much humbled man admits he was very wrong and was now willing to listen to his teaching. For the next several nights we would be at this pastor's house being taught by him the wondrous doctrines of the Bible. Just think of this for a minute. This was a pastor who already had quite a large work load. He pastured a church, but he also had a Bible school for preachers with about eight students to teach. Yet here he was teaching for several hours each evening all week about twelve Canadian sailors that practically dropped in out of the sky into his lap. I wonder how many preachers would be willing to do that? I think the number was twelve. We did not all attend at the same time. I think the maximum on any evening was eight. That soon dwindled to just the four men I have named. And you know something? That blind that had been so troublesome for so long suddenly snapped open with snap that I could almost hear, it was so vivid. Never again would that blind that had been such a plague be a bother to me. The difference? When Herb Clark was teaching he did not have enough scripture to show me proof of what he was saying. He was brought up Arminian and well versed in that way of thinking and although he knew what he was talking about in the Calvinistic system(or better - the doctrines of Grace) he still did not have all scripture at the tip of his finger to prove his point. I required that, I always have and always will to be persuaded to a certain topic. Bro Bell had those scriptures. I was saved during that week and before the ship left that port I was baptized a firm member of a Baptist church and a Baptist by conviction.

 Now let's take a pause here and look over all what I have said so far. Can you see that this being saved here and joining this church was the culmination of all these years of all these strange coincidences that to me were just life. I had not linked all these incidents together to get the whole picture yet, but I was soon to do that. Right from the start - God did not let me die via that freight train when I was nine, I did not get into the army when I tried at sixteen or again at eighteen. Then I did get into the navy when God was ready for me too at age nineteen. I was sent to Cornwallis both for basic training then for my trades course, then the chain of events that led me to meet Hantford Raymond which in turn led me to join a church in Halifax where I in turn was introduced to men on the ship I was joining who would prepare me for the meeting with Pastor Joe Bell, a chosen vessel of God to lead me to Christ as Lord and Saviour. None of that was by accident, but the playing out of a plan laid out by God before the foundation of the world. During the few months between joining the ship and meeting Herb and when I was introduced to Bro Bell God was tilling the ground (my mind) for the planting of the spring seed so that when the seed was planted it would grow with no hindrance. Remember in the Bible where it speaks of a saved person is like a person who like a sower sowed some seed in the tilled ground already prepared for the seed, and that seed that fell into that tilled ground quickly sprung up in the fruit of the seed sown. (Matthew 13:23)

 That was exactly what God was doing during these months just before going to San Juan and meeting this pastor God had waiting for me. God knew I would not be in San Juan very long and did not have time for the normal teaching and coming to full fruit one usually goes through between the seeds planted and the fruit matures. So he had me prepared by Herb's teaching before I got there, the ground was tilled and the seed sown, Bro Bell as God's instrument watered and God produced the increase. 
 

Incredible isn't it? Of course God could have done things different. But he didn't. This was his way of working with me and that is the way I was brought to the Lord as my Saviour. Every saved person has their own story. Some may not be as dramatic and obvious as my experience, and then others may be even more so. Look at the experience of Saul on the Damascus road. He later became known as Paul and the greatest preacher in history after the Lord Jesus Christ. 

But that is not the end of my story. Many things were to happen after that that would even convince me more strongly of my special relations with the Lord.

Just a few weeks after this experience in San Juan where I was saved and joined the church there by Baptism the ship was returning to our home port - Halifax. On the way home several of us Christians got together with the ship's padre and we agreed to have communion. The padre believed in grape juice which is not Bible teaching. I did not know that yet so I agreed to taking communion along with the others. Of course there was other things wrong with me taking communion with this group too, but I had not learned that yet either. But the thing that has ever stuck in my mind is this. When I took that little sip of grape juice I almost choked on it. literally. The padre and everyone else made joke of it, and so did I at the time. He asked me what would have happened if I had taken wine. Seemed like a good question at the time since it makes more sense that I would have choked on the wine rather than plain old grape juice. But in later years as I learned what ingredients we should use in the Lord's supper I looked back at that incident and recognized that God was trying to tell me something there. And that some thing was that grape juice in the Lord's supper was just not tolerated by God. No matter what lies the people of the world may tell to excuse their conduct, how much they misuse and abuse God's word to justify there own opinion, in omitting wine and accepting grape juice as the element used in the Lord's supper instead - God does not. I have gone to great lengths not to join a church that used grape juice because of what God caused to happen to me on that occasion. I could have joined a church near where I lived in Toronto that believed pretty well everything I do except for using grape juice instead of wine in the Lord's supper. They use grape juice. NO THANKS. Not after what I had experience as explained above. One choking experience is enough!! I moved all the way to Windsor at great expense so I could be close enough to a church that used the proper element. And God has blessed me beyond belief for that move. He has blessed me in all aspects. He has opened up much more truth to me than the average person gets, even most Baptist pastors. He has blessed me and the family with good health all our lives to the present - no big health problems with the children as they were growing up. Financially He has looked after me. Although not a big wage earner we have never gone hungry, in fact we live a life style far above what you would expect from the small wage earner I have been. I am very hard of hearing which makes it very difficult to get, and even harder to keep any kind of job. That has been my only thorn in the flesh in life, this hard of hearing. But even that God puts to good use because despite my low wage earning God is looking after me and using me to show that trust in Him pays. 'See how I look after those who put their trust in me seems to be God's advertisement through me. Not rich, but God never promised riches to His people, only the necessities of life - not everything we want - and there is usually a big difference!! I have everything I need plus. A house paid for, a new vehicle all paid for. And that from a person of low wages!! How many people can make that statement? THANK YOU GOD!!!
 

I think a person would have to be awful blind not to see God's handiwork in my affairs. What was just living a life was in fact the plan God had for-ordained for me to live. The plan, then in life executed perfectly as planned, just as you would expect from an all powerful, sovereign God!!
 

Another thing that happened shortly after I was saved that convinced me of my special status, my conversion to Christ and being in the true church of Jesus Christ went like this:
 

Do you remember Hantford Raymond. He is the Christian I met first who started me along the Christian path. I would still visit them quite often when my ship was in harbour. The first week-end I had off once the ship returned to Halifax on return from Puerto Rico I visited the Raymond family. Since they were Christians I told them I had been saved. They were quite happy about that but things changed quickly in the course of our discussion because I mentioned some of the doctrines the church I had joined believed, including election, eternal security and all these great Bible teachings. As I said before this man and wife were of Armenian persuasion and these doctrines to them were very offensive to put it mildly. They quickly got very angry and after some heated discussion and yelling at me both stomped out in a huff leaving me sitting at the table alone. Of course being a babe in Christ I did not yet know the difference between Arminianism, Calvinism etc. I was flabbergasted at the reaction of these people I had called such good friends for so long. It certainly taught me very vividly just how fickle (shallow, no depth to) man's friendship is. I was totally depressed, more so than I can ever remember being before. I went to God in prayer and prayed something like this - quote: 'God I want to know the truth - please open my eyes to the truth here, who is telling me the truth, these people here that have been so good to me over the years and the church they belong to, or the church I was Baptized into in Puerto Rico and what that church teaches. I promise to believe whatever your word says no matter how out-landish (or offensive) it is to human understanding. I will believe it just because your word says so even if it makes enemies with most of the people in this world including those calling themselves Christians. I see from the reaction of these friends here just how shallow human friendship is so I will never overly seek human friendship but only yours. Give me a sign to whether what I learned at Berean Baptist Church in San Juan, Puerto Rico under the pastor ship of Joe Bell was the truth. If they are right, give me a sign that they are and are the ones you wish me to be faithful to, to that church and their way of life. Or should I stick with the Raymond's and their faith? Amen' unquote.
 
 
 

I believe God answered that prayer immediately. As soon as I had finished that prayer these words flashed through my mind, clear, concise words I almost heard with my ears - 'OPEN YOUR BIBLE'. I didn't do it immediately because the words were so loud and clear it startled me. I actually thought someone had come back into to room and spoken. So again -- OPEN YOUR BIBLE!! We had been using our Bibles in our discussion so it was still right in front of me on the table. So I did open the Bible. It was a red letter edition and of course Jesus' words were in red. I let the Bible open at random, just letting the book flop open. It opened to this page with the letters in red which attracted my eyes. This is the passage that caught my eyes:
 
 
 
 
 

He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. for whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not: and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, by hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand: and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed: lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seem them: and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
 

I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was meant to be an answer to the prayer request I had just made to God. EVERY thing is there. HE answered - because it is given to you -- they are not - blessed (or specially privileged) are you to be shown these things most are not even the rich and famous. Of course there are those that don't believe God talks to people in this manner. Believe what you want, I personally believe God in His sovereignty can talk to His people any way He wishes - even through a donkey.!! He is not restricted in His actions to what you or anyone else believes He does or can do. Of course there are those that will have an answer for what happened there and in their unbelief will make mockery of me taking it as an answer from God. Well, there are those that make a mockery of God himself, but it does not make them right and will have eternity to think it over how they reacted negatively to the plain actions of God, and what a mistake you made doing so. The case is the same here.
 

Let's go on because there are other incidents in my life that leaves no doubt of my relations with God. Up to now I have talked about the step by step leading by God that culminated in one of His elect being saved. I believe that God in His determinate council way back in eternity planned out my whole life just like you would plan a play. God was the author, I am an actor in that play and the Angels the directors who make sure the lines are played out exactly as determined by God. The things that I mentioned here were obviously controlled by God that had one aim, and that aim was to bring me -a lost sinner bound for hell to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and an assurance of eternity in heaven with Him. 
 

Now I am going to switch to another topic.
 

The rest of this article I will deal with incidents involving the writing and putting together the articles that follow at the end of this writing. I received computer training in 1993. I bought an older computer in order to get some practical experience working on computers. I thought of writing the first article for some time before I finally got around to starting it. I truly believe God was with me in the writing of all three of those articles. I do not mean they were inspired by God as we believe the Bible is - but God has certainly blessed the work in a number of ways. I now want to tell you a few of these events that happened that clearly shows that God is happy with what is in those articles.
 

I think the most dramatic of these is as follows.
 

Shortly after I started working on the first book I made a promise to myself - and it was to myself I made it to, not God in a prayer or any thing like that. I just made an agreement with myself because I thought it the thing to do. That which I thought was the thing to do was never to have the television on at the same time I was working on the book. This only made sense because the TV was right beside the computer so if the TV was on, I would be looking up scripture and trying to think spiritually at the same time my mind would be clogged up with what was on TV. Hardly likely!! That just wouldn't work!! I faithfully adhered to that promise in the months it took me to complete that first book. Then as I neared completion I made a mistake. I was nearly ready to start printing that first book. I was past the stage where I was looking scripture up or had to think on what I was writing. It was noon hour so I shut the computer down to eat, and at the same time I watched the noon news. I completed my meal, then because I was in a hurry to get the printing done I started the computer back up and started working again. But immediately things started going wrong. Those in computer land know that computers 'freeze' every once in a while. Well, this computer froze, and froze, and just kept it up and up, so much so I had to save just about every line I typed or lose it when the computer froze. There were still things I had to do in typing too - mistakes I had not noticed etc. It was getting really bad, so bad I was getting mighty discouraged and if there was ever a time I felt like cursing - that was the time. Instead I went to God and asked Him if this was His doing because He was not happy with my writings, or was it the Devil's work trying to disrupt something glorifying to God. I was also wasting an awful lot of paper due printing errors and jamming. Let's face it, when you make even a small error on one page, that means the whole sheet is useless and must be replaced. Then, after praying, it hit me like a brick on the back of the head. The TV was on!!! I sure turned it off quickly I tell you!! And you know something - the problem with the computer ceased immediately. I have never had much of any trouble since then. I don't think in total I have had to throw away as much paper since then in over 60 books I have printed up as I did in those few minutes I was making that big error of having the TV on while I was doing God's work beside it. 
 

Coincidence??? I hardly think so. If one can't see God in that it is because he doesn't want to - to his detriment, because if one doesn't want to see God's influence in our lives it is because there is no spiritual life in that individual.
 

I have since bought a brand new computer and it is this I use for internet use. I still have the older one I use for printing etc. Just another proof of God's approval in that I have been able to buy this new computer and able to afford giving away these books I print. This is my mission work - the printed books and the web sites I have.
 

Another incident stands out very vividly that strongly suggests God is pleased with the contents of the articles I mention at the end this testimony.
 

I had finished my articles and had printed a few up. I gave them away to any one who would accept them. Most liked them. Of course to begin with I handed them over to people I was pretty sure would believe pretty well what was in the articles, and like them. But there was one man in our church that I just could not seem to get together with and give me a chance to introduce him to the articles and offer them to him. Then one Sunday before leaving home I made up my mind that I would approach this fellow and offer him the books. But something happened that morning to again turn me away from approaching him, so I backed off. Then something happened which was completely unexpected and I accomplished my purpose after all by something God arranged. That morning this gentleman preached. He said something during the service that shocked me in it's untruth. I thought he knew better and for him to say something like that really did affect me. It must have shown. At that time I always sat near the front pews, so he could see every movement I made and I must have made some movement that made it obvious I did not agree with what he had said. It distracted him and threw him off his train of thought and had to stumble around to get back on track. I was not aware what happened, it certainly was not intentional. Any way, after the service this chap called me into the pastor's study and quite nicely asked me not to be so obvious when I disagree with something said in the pulpit. He told me what I said just above, that I had distracted him by my movement and asked me not to do it again. I told him I was not even aware that I had done what he was talking about, but if I had I would stiffen my body up to make sure no unusual body movements would occur at any time or for any reason during service. From that point on I moved the position where I sit in service quite a bit further back so neither the preacher or people behind me could see any unusual movement. I had never understood before why people never liked sitting near the front pews!! After all sitting 'frozen' for 45 minutes is rather difficult!! I had always sat near the front for two reasons. (1) I thought it would show support for the preacher and (2) my hearing not being the best the nearer the front the better I could hear. So having to move back has not been to my best interest. But, be as that all may be, at the end of our discussion I took advantage of our talk by mentioning the articles of mine and asked if he would read them!! He said sure, he would read any thing I wrote, and would be happy to read these books. So I brought them to him - to whether he has read them that is between him and the Lord.  SO, SUCCESS!! by something God' arranged, not me!!! Do you call THAT a coincidence??

That is my story. A story of how God has led me and made His influence so obvious in my life that I could not dispute it, nor can any honest person who knows my life. When I made that promise way back in 1962 to believe God's word even if it cost friends I could not guess what was out in front of me in life. If I had, humanly speaking, I don't think I would ever have made that promise. The name calling, the doors slammed in my face, the absolute hatred and disgust in the eyes of people towards me for believing such things. And just recently "defellowshipped" - or more bluntly kicked out of my church for things I wrote in this very article. One could expect these things from those who claim no belief in God what-so-ever, those who oppose God. But most of the mistreatment I have received has been from those who do claim to be of God. So called Christians who I would have thought would be my best friends in the Lord - and would have been if they were what they claimed to be. Of course I understand it was God's Holy Spirit working in me influenced me to make that promise, and it has been that same influence in me that has enabled me to keep that promise. (This is called Grace)
 

Throughout my Christian life I will not take man's word with any amount of confidence, no matter who they are. What I have learned has been from my own reading of God's word. I have found out over the years that what He teaches is far different from man's teaching. Even the best of men is bound to have some error in their belief - they may not admit that, but it's true. They don't know they are wrong, otherwise, they wouldn't believe as they do. But God allows perfection in no one - in doctrine or in one's own personal make up, so a person who does not allow that just maybe he is wrong in some little thing is treading on dangerous ground. They are the ones that probably will never get beyond the baby stage of Christian maturity. 
 

I have met very few Christians who believe all or most of the things I do. I have come to the conclusion that we who do are a breed apart from the rest. A privileged group consisting of very few in number who God has shown special favour too in granting us a deeper insight into the works of God. Those who study God's word and not the racks of books that fill most pastor's studies are the ones who reach this maturity.  Oh, of course this will make a lot of people angry, but the Bible does talk about the measure of faith He gives each person - some more than others. When a person has a higher measure of faith - he will know it. When you read man's books you get his opinions, and can only gain as much knowledge as that writer. Many of them may have some, or even a lot of truth, but there could be plenty of error too!! There are only 66 books in this world we should concern ourselves with - and read. And those 66 books are contained between the covers of what we call the "HOLY BIBLE". You can not get error in that book!! I do not mean you should never read other men's writings. But there is a difference between reading those writings for the purpose of learning from them and just comparing them with your own beliefs, or how he compares with that all important book - the Bible. And when you do compare you must know the Bible very well yourself or you may get caught up in the persuasive language of he writer, even if he is wrong. To get an accurate comparison you yourself must read through the Bible and know it well from Genesis 1:1 to Revelations 22:21. Not just a casual knowledge, but read through and studied many times. 
 

Going back for a few minutes to review my Christian life.
 

As mentioned above I was saved by the teaching of one of God's very able and blessed ministers - Joe Bell - while he was pastor of The Berean Baptist Church in San Juan, Puerto Rico. That year of 1962, the year I met him and was saved we asked him to come up to Halifax for services with our wives and any else who would listen. He came that summer for about 10 days. He did the same for the next three summers. Three of us four had now got out of the navy, I stayed in until the winter of 1968. Herb Clark got out but lived close by. Then I got out and moved to Oshawa, Ontario. Herb also moved shortly after to London, Ontario. We got together for fellowships and services but because of the distance between us, not very often. Then I got a job in London so we moved there too. We started fellow shipping with the Clarks and the Landrys who also lived not too far away. For the next two years once again Joe Bell came up for services for a week each visit. He had also moved by this time and was pastor of a church in Granada, Mississippi. We had also moved our membership there. The last time I saw Joe Bell was in the summer of 1969. He had referred us to a church in Jackson Mi which we had joined. When we did this I never even kept up a letter form of communication between myself and Bro Bell. I never communicated with him in any way, shape or form. I did get some news about him through our mutual friend Dick Miller who was the pastor of the church we attended in Jackson. Then, because I had injured my back and could not drive the ninety miles over to Jackson I looked for a church I could accept as a sound church in or near Detroit. After attending several we settled on Gethsemane Baptist Church in Taylor. We joined that church in June of 1990. Since then, since we have no contact with Pastor Miller either, we lost all contact with Bro Bell. Then in 1998 after I had completed the articles I had written and had given Bro Miller a copy, I asked him if Bro Bell was still alive and if so where he lived. So he gave me the address. I sent Bro Bell a copy of those articles. I received a letter from him stating he agreed with what I had written almost word for word. Now can you imagine that? Here was a man I had not seen or heard from in 29 years and yet by my own studies had came to the same conclusions doctrinally as Pastor Joe Bell!!! How?? Because we had the same teacher!! You may not agree with what I teach in those articles, you may not agree with the teachings of Joe Bell. But if you don't you may find you also do not agree with the teachings of the Bible. Oh, you may have some truth, but if you have read a lot of man's books, you are probably indoctrinated into a lot of error too. Only the Bible has no error, and that's what I read, and the only writings I accept. Bro Bell and I see eye to eye because we both have our source of doctrine from one place - The Holy Bible and the Holy Spirit in us teaching us the wonderful truths contained there-in. Oh, I am not saying that Joe Bell is perfect - neither was the apostle Paul by his own admission. But they are both much used of God in the teaching of His Holy word. He is a man as we all are - and is not perfect. I am not, you are not. But despite his imperfections God still uses him, and I personally will not call a man unclean whom God has very obviously declared clean - and uses him in a great way. God would not use this man as He does if he were unclean - out of fellowship with God!! I say all this so no one will say I think too highly of this man and think he is some sort of god or something. (As has been hinted to my face) I don't think he is any sort of god, but is used of THE one and true God very much. And as a result I have great respect for him. 

Now, please read the following articles. You will read a lot of things you may never have heard before. That does not mean they are wrong. It is your chance to get yourself out of babyhood spiritually and become a real mature Christian. It pays to do so!! So please, read them with a prayerful attitude. The more you understand of God, the more at peace you are with God, yourself, and even the world. World events will not trouble you knowing God is there for you and in charge of it all, and nothing can happen to you unless God permits it. (ordained it)
 

There are many, many other instances that I could relate in addition to these, but I will not bore you with them all for most are very simple things that to most would be just everyday events, but still to an observer, a believer in God they make it plain that God is there watching over me, in the minutest events of life. I pray God gives you that same assurance.
 

Good reading!!