Introduction and learning

[Tom Babcock]

My introduction
I was introduced to The Path Of Truth because I was following a false holiness teacher and about four months ago, when my wife asked me about it, she checked the site and then found what The Path of Truth had to say. Then I recognized the truth and left the other site and the light came more clearly.
I have since been reading the TPOT teachings and correspondence daily and see that it is just as the scriptures which teach through real situations with people and greatly clarifying and correcting. Had I looked further some years ago, I might have found it sooner, but instead I had to be humbled from my folly first so that the Truth might be received. I thought that I was wiser, being involved in so-called discernment ministries since coming back to the ‘church’ following the return to BC in the 1980s described below, and all this is happening now at 82 years of age! But thank God, he has kept me all this time.

I am not worthy of being a part of God’s kingdom, but I pray that he will bring me to that place. But I am also learning to first accept things as they are and patiently allow the truth to be fully revealed in His time, not mine. But I suspect that this is not only for my sake but also for others who are have similar things in their lives.

My parents were Anglicans and I went through all the things that were part of it, understanding nothing. My mother was keen that I would become a good Christian and had the church appoint me as a ‘crucifer’, one who holding the cross aloft leads the procession of choir and clergy into the church and their places and at the end, leads them out. It was confirming a life of lies and hypocrisy as I was honest with no one about my sins.
Long after studying to become an engineer and working for some years in that profession, I left my work for a time and enrolled in a Bible School, making me a Pharisee as well.
But well before that, shortly after leaving BC, and beginning work in a ‘far-away’ city I met a man who was talking about a movement that set out to change the world! It went under the name of Moral Re-Armament (MRA, now known as IofC). I was interested because it sounded like the way what my Father would talk, but it turned out that he was strongly against it. It happened that the founder of it had just died and because of my interest, I was invited by my friend and another business man to travel to the place where the funeral was to be held. It was more than a funeral, being set up as a conference both to honour the man but also to perpetuate his program and there were many fiery speeches given and being young, hasty and foolish, I became convinced that ‘this was it’ and went ahead with what they told me, having a Quiet Time or Guidance from God and getting honest about sins and making restitution. As I began to see much later, the guidance seemed for me to be looking to the collective consciousness or truths of the group as the group was open to all religions. This brought an end to things such as smoking and drinking and some careless ways, but certain vices persisted. It was a case of psychological change, but it did make me aware of some of the deficiencies of the church, and encouraged investigation into issues, but this was through my own study and research. I was involved with the local group where I worked and after a time when I was not making any progress, spent two years with them in the US on construction projects but fared no better. Then after a brief return to work, spending five years in India with them, part of a team supervising the building of a conference centre there. Finally after five years it seemed that nothing of real spiritual value had been gained for all the effort put in, so made plans to return home. But, just before returning home, I had to be hospitalized in Mumbai (Bombay) having suffered from a psychotic episode! Interestingly, the Lord knew this and a man from my hometown had arrived at the centre a few months earlier several times saying that he did not know why he had come. So when doctors said that I would not be able to return on my own, he immediately recognized what he came for and accompanied me all the way, even paying for much of the trip! And upon returning, I was only able to re-enter professional work following a four-month recovery period at a farm in Alberta.

I easily got a good job in a company in Vancouver and spent some years with them, but again became unsettled in my work, my sins playing a role in my confusion. I realized that MRA was not the place, but neither did I have the fellowship enjoyed where I was confident enough to be more honest. I thought that now was the time to make a change, again escaping from the working world.
Because it was well respected, I thought to go to a post graduate college in our city and began making plans. I was awakened one morning with the strong word that ‘This has nothing to do with the Christian life’. I was astounded, but knew that the Lord had spoken, so dropped that plan. But I had earlier learned about a small Bible School near where I lived that was well spoken of by the church I was then attending, so proceeded to enroll there. Soon afer starting, a young man on a bicycle came to the front porch of the school where I met him and told me that I had no need of a school for teaching because the anointing within would teach me! I was aware of that scripture, but had set my course and went ahead, not recognizing what God was saying through him. Because of age and education, I was the valedictorian of the handful of students in the graduating class, and I had to speak. Just at that time, while searching for what to say, it came that I really did not know what Christianity was about (quite an admission after being in their school), and that truth became the subject of what was given, but without response or interest, nor was I given any real opportunity to serve in that denomination. Sadly, while I shared this with others, I did not see the personal application, ignoring it as much as they did!

After a time, with no other plans, I returned to my profession for some years and it was during this time that the Lord through a mutual friend introduced me to Margaret (Mardi), a lady who soon became my wife, 23 years ago. Shortly after we moved to a church which encouraged those they recognized for being able, were given opportunities to preach and where I also became an elder. But I only thought I knew something! Then the Lord moved us to a similar church in 100 Mile House in the interior of the province and I had a lot more opportunities to proclaim my prideful ignorance in a manner that fitted their understanding. Then when family arrived to the same area, we moved to their church and after a time, became an elder there and had a number of opportunities to speak. But being an elder this time allowed me to see first hand what lays behind the way things were and the serious deficit in understanding that ruled. So at the end of one year, I left the position and the church and we have not joined a church since then.

While at 100 Mile House, we opened a fabric store together and I began to repair sewing machines. Sewing machine repair work continued until while I was reading a book dealing with the issue of salvation, that a table fell and fractured a toe. And from this I knew that the matter of salvation which was becoming an issue was real and had to deal with diligently. And from my experience, this could be not done through the church. Sometime later, while driving home and my wife was catching up on sleep, I was praying about lack of fellowship where we lived, because I said to some that I was unsaved, or that we had left the church or because some had either died or moved away. Then I sensed the Lord answering by saying that “I want to have fellowship with you!” This seemed to me later to fit Rev 3:20. But I was overwhelmed with this and did not know what to do for a time, but did know that the path to salvation is found on the ‘highway of holiness’. So I began looking on the internet and found the site that my wife some years later asked about. But then I began experiencing the scourging that comes to disobedient sons. And this was not pleasant, but gradually, and through the words that Victor wrote to me, to accept all and be thankful for it. This should not have been a new thought, but, in truth it had not received until now.
I hope that this will be useful and if there is any need for clarification, please let me know. Also, any help you might offer to me would be most welcome as I need it!

[Simon Hall]

Thanks for sharing, Tom. It's good to here what the Lord has been doing with/for you.

Simon

[Tom Babcock]

Thanks Simon

[Tom Babcock]

Learning about roots
Recently I was hearing what a speaker was saying in a video about things from Satan, and one of these was about Peter cutting off the right ear of the High priest’s servant at the time of his betrayal. Then Jesus restored the ear. The meaning given was that taking too strong a position or one beyond the others understanding was a picture of cutting off another’s ability to hear the truth and that only Jesus was able to restore that ability. And it was clear to me how many times I have done that to others to my regret. But the root of that became clear when it was shown to me that in truth, I have been despising others, as in the parable where the proud Pharisee felt this way toward the humble Publican.
Then I was let to James 3:15-18, which contrasts heavenly vs earthly wisdom. In the case of earthly wisdom the sources of that were also given: envy and strife. Envy was revealed to arise from earlier years when my Mother called me a ‘shrimp’ and while envious of others who were bigger and better than me, and I did what I could to remedy this, not recognizing the blessing that this really meant until reading 1 Cor 1:28,29. Here it is shown that God chooses the despised, as He was by the Pharisees, and the ones of no family, since He was regarded by them as one born out of wedlock. But I have been searching to understand where I came from and learned some things about my grandfather that helped me to understand why my Father could say nothing of real importance about him until I read some correspondence given to me by a cousin and later saw his death certificate.
But I handled my early issue by trying to overcome these things on my own, by exercise, and later going to university to become an engineer. And the strife was developed in my arguing with my father instead of listening to what he had to say, well meaning but unfortunately beyond my understanding. But none of these brought satisfaction, because I did not then know about acceptance of things as they are and trusting the Lord to do what he intended to do all along until reading about this truth in The Path of Truth. I pray that the Lord will grant me repentance.

[Steve Beiler]

Hi Tom,

Thanks for sharing, PRAISE THE LORD!
What a blessing!

Your testimony is so inspiring, as Victor puts it, no matter who we are , where we've been or what we've done, nothing is impossible by THE LORD!

Blessings,
Stephen