Note from Les: Dear Friends: Since our last letter a lot of water has gone over the dam. On March 1st through 5th I was hospitalized with a bleeding ulcer, but recuperated in time for our scheduled tour of Israel. It was a perfect ten days in which we were blessed by beautiful weather. We had 69 folks, which of course required two buses and two Jewish guides. Our group was very much impressed with both of them. Iris and I had been there enough to give input on what to see and do and what to omit, to which the guides were totally agreeable and accommodating. In turn, they were impacted by the Christian testimony of everyone in our group. For me, the highlight of the whole 10 days was our visit to the Upper Room. It is a high arched room built by the Crusaders in the approximate area of the Lord’s Last Supper. It has been our custom when we have the room to ourselves to sing the old hymn "There is a Fountain Filled with Blood", which sounds beautiful in the room’s phenomenal acoustics. This time when we arrived there was a group of about 40 South Koreans in the room singing Ahallelujah, Ahallelujah. While our group stood off to one side waiting, their leader came over and asked if we would like join them. The thought struck me to ask if they knew "There is a Fountain Filled with Blood". To my delight, he responded enthusiastically to the affirmative. We joined in with the 40 plus Koreans making a choir of over 100 (keep in mind the acoustics are unbelievable) holding hands and singing. There wasn’t a dry eye in the place, and I had goose bumps half an inch high. When we got back to the bus, our guides said in 20 years of guiding tours they had never experienced anything like this. Imagine, Koreans and Americans singing, hand in hand, together in the Upper Room. What an experience!
After returning from Israel, my left hip, which has been deteriorating for many years "gave up the ghost." The consequence was a total hip replacement on May 9th. As I write this it has been only three weeks and I’m nearly ready to throw away the walker. I think all those years of teaching nearly every night finally took their toll. As with Laura, we know the Lord is responding to all the prayers of the saints. Thank you, thank you. Last but not least, we want to thank you for your kind letters, cards and phone calls and continued financial support. Our next scheduled trip is up to Minnesota and Wisconsin in August - September. Then back home until we leave for the cruise with stops in Greece and Turkey. Lord willing, we’ll be teaching the Word every night after dinner.
What in the World? The following "Golden Rule of Interpretation" was written by Miles Coverdale in the 16th century. It shall greatly help you to understand Scripture if you mark not only what is spoken or written but of whom, and by whom, with what words, where, at what time, to what intent, with what circumstances, considering what goes before and what follows. If only authors, seminary professors, preachers and teachers would take to heart and practice the above quote. It would remove most of the disagreements and false teachings abounding today. For example, when Isaiah says in chapter 9:6 "For unto us a Child is born…" Isaiah, the Jewish prophet is speaking to Israel, not the whole world. Paul, the Apostle of the Gentiles, writes in Romans 15:8 that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision (Israel). Even though Paul is writing to us, Gentiles, he is confirming Isaiah’s Prophecy. Jesus in his earthly ministry addressed only the nation of Israel under the law with two exceptions. Now Paul, on the other hand, always emphasizes that he is God’s instrument for reaching the Gentiles. Romans 11:13, "For I am the (singular) Apostle of the Gentiles." In Ephesians 3:1 Paul claims to be a prisoner of Jesus Christ for the benefit of the Gentiles. So it boils down to the fact that ALL scripture from Genesis 12 to the last verse of Revelation excluding Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon, is addressed to Israel. There is no room for things spoken to the Jews to be forced into what Paul teaches the Gentiles. Another example, the Old Testament, the Gospels, the little epistles of James, Peter, John and Jude, and the Revelation all have constant reference to Christ’s second coming amid physical judgments, death and destruction. Paul never associates any of that with the Rapture. The strongest language Paul uses is II Timothy 3:1-12 "This know also that in the last days perilous times shall come…" But none of the ravages of the tribulation are even mentioned. The same approach holds true for salvation. Israel was always, except for Abraham, under faith + works. We are under faith + nothing, because the finished work of the cross has covered all the bases. Consequently, Paul’s admonition over and over is - believe it.
Note from Laura: Once again, I can not express my deep gratitude for the continued prayers on my behalf . I also appreciate the cards, letters and financial help so very much. I thank my Heavenly Father every single night for all of you. Please accept this note as my thanks as I still don’t have the use of my hands to write to you individually as I would like. However, God is good and prayers are being answered as my arm strength and range of motion continue to improve slowly but surely, and I have slight movement in all my fingers except the two little ones. I praise God for allowing this improvement and for being there as the Great Comforter. It is beyond me how people without God cope during the difficult times. As of yet, I have not made it to Craig Rehab, but my pressure sores are continuing to heal and we are hoping I will be well enough to go in July. It is my prayer that by the time you receive the Fall newsletter, I will be greeting you from Denver and reporting much more improvement. My hope and desire is that upon returning from Colorado, I will be able to work daily in the office and especially help with answering the phones. Oklahoma Rehab will be setting up a telephone and computer system to help make this possible. I so look forward to hearing your voices again. My sincere thanks and love to you all.
Note from the Office: As mentioned in the last newsletter, we were blessed the first of this year with two new helpers. Daniel Henson is a busy youth pastor and university student with two young children, yet still manages to help us out not only in the office, but occasionally with the ranch work if needed. Jennifer Apple has been a big asset with the phones and computer entry. When Jennifer is not helping at the ministry, she does her share of "hard labor" on her family’s ranch in Kinta. Erma Sexton began last fall, intending to come in only once or twice a week. Now we wouldn’t be able to keep up without her packaging and posting products for the mail nearly every day. Although the ministry has grown by leaps and bounds since the program as been broadcasting on satellite TV, we are still just a small part-time staff right here at the Feldick home. Les and Iris still personally go through all the mail themselves and Les is constantly on the phone with or writing to people with questions or comments. Our mission is to serve your needs for Bible study materials as best we can, but still keep the ministry personal. The down side is, we are not the most expedient or efficient operation out there, "but on the flipside," people can call and ask Les questions directly, and we in the office can recognize many callers by their voices alone. I don’t think that is the norm with nationally televised ministries. Our thanks to you all who continue to remember to use your checks memo line to indicate if it is for a payment or an order (remember you don’t need an order form). We would also appreciate it if you would let us know if you receive duplicate mailings of the newsletters, or if you have a change of address. We find there are many people who are doubly in our system because of sometimes using a husbands name and sometimes a wife’s, or using different first names (like Bill and William, initials, etc.). It would benefit you and our office if we could consolidate these names. I have to end with a thank you from all of us at the office for your patience and kindness. We have made many new friends through the ministry and our prayers and blessings are with you all Fun Bible Facts: Did you know that… When Moses returned from Mt. Sinai to find the Israelites worshiping the golden calf, he burned it, ground it and forced them to drink it? Exodus 32:20 Israel miraculously crossed two bodies of water in their journey to the Promised Land…The Red Sea and the Jordan River? Exodus 15:21, Joshua 3:16 The Sanhedrin Court is forming again for the first time since the Roman empire? Many scientific facts were stated in the Bible long before they could be proven true. Examples: The Earth is suspended in space. Job 26:7; The Earth is spherical and not flat. Isaiah 40:22; There are mountains in the sea. Jonah 2:3-6; There are canyons in the sea. II Sam. 22:16; The sea has currents. Psalm 8:8.