✝ Daily Encouragement (2/3/26) "When The Shadows Deepen" (Part 2)
Published: Tue, 02/03/26
Updated: Tue, 02/03/26
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Tuesday,
February 3,
2026
Word
of God speak
Ester
has an eye for
interesting,
sometimes
touching
photos. She
was sitting
behind
these two
young children
who were
reading the
Bible along
with Pastor
John during
his sermon
when she
snapped this
photo about
ten years ago.
These
"children" are
graduating
from high
school this
year.
"When The Shadows Deepen" (Part
2)
Note:
In the course
of preparing
yesterday's
message using
Psalm 23:4 as
our text a
testimony came
to mind that
we heard
nearly 30
years ago.
This message
will be a bit
longer than
most of our
messages but
we believe it
will bless
you. This man
really
experienced
the deep
shadows! Message summary: As the Lord speaks in Isaiah 55:11 His Word does "not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it".
Listen
to our message
on your audio
player.
"Even
though I walk
through the
valley of the
shadow of
death, I will
fear no evil,
for You are
with me"
(Psalm 23:4).
The
Gideons are an
international
organization
of business
men devoted to
the
distribution
of the
Scriptures. I
have known
many Gideons
over the years
but today our
friend Galen
Martin, a
Lancaster
County farmer
and Gideon,
comes to mind.
Most
all of our
American
readers have
seen a Gideon
Bible in a
night stand
drawer at a
hotel. It was
a given for
most of my
life but in
recent years
we have stayed
at a number of
motels that
have not
provided
Bibles.
My
most treasured
Gideon Bible
is a New
Testament
distributed to
my uncle
during World
War 2 with a
very inspiring
inscription by
President
Roosevelt. You
can read the
inscription
below to see
how far our
leading
government
officials have
distanced
themselves
from freely
expressing
themselves
when upholding
the
Judeo-Christian
foundations of
our country,
although in
recent years
we've seen a
good number of
them taking a
strong stand
for Christ and
Christian
liberty.
We have heard many wonderful testimonies concerning the power of God's Word. But this one really stands out:
Some
30 years ago
we heard John
(Red)
Parkinson, a
New York state
farmer, share
a remarkable
first hand
testimony
regarding the
power of God's
Word and the
amazing
results of a
faithful,
persistent
witness by a
man named
Charlie Kline.
He spoke at
our church in
New England
and I wrote
down his
message at
that time when
it was fresh.
This message
is a little
long but it's
a great story
that will
bless you. I
also link to a
14 minute
video that is
well worth the
time to watch.
(Link below)
 John
Parkinson
joined the
Marines right
out of high
school
following
World War 2
and was given
a small Gideon
New Testament
and Psalms
upon his
induction,
probably like
the one my
uncle
received.At the time Parkinson had no interest in spiritual things but still he still carried the little Testament in his pocket.
He
met a fellow
Marine by the
name of
Charlie Kline
who bore
witness to
Christ and
persistently
tried to
persuade John
to become a
believer, but
John just as
persistently
refused.
Upon the completion of his first term of service he returned to his farm in upstate New York. But he determined that there was nothing to keep him there so he re-enlisted. This time he was traveling through the Mediterranean when he met up with Charlie Kline again who was still witnessing for Christ, and still John was rejecting. While they were at sea the Korean War broke out and his unit was deployed to Korea and became a part of the famed Inchon landing. They marched inland and just when it appeared the war was nearly over, the Chinese entered the war and John described the horrendous battles that followed in November 1950. It was known as "Hell Fire Valley". One night he and Charlie were two of only 6 men left from the original 96 men in his unit and things looked utterly hopeless. Again Charlie witnessed to John but he again refused, angrily shoving Charlie away.  But
later that
same night in
desperation
John finally
cried out to
God. He pulled
out his Gideon
Testament and
"randomly"
turned to the
23rd Psalm
where he read
the phrase, "Yea
though I walk
through the
valley of the
shadow of
death, I will
fear no evil,
for Thou art
with me."
This was a
remarkable
"coincidence"
as he looked
upon the
valley filled
with death,
since he had
no Christian
training or
Bible
knowledge that
would prompt
him to turn to
that famous
passage of
comfort.John did make it out and immediately found a chaplain who led him to the Lord. He inquired about Charlie Kline, but several mentioned that they thought he was among the injured and removed on a stretcher. He was assumed dead. John returned to upstate New York and this time the farm looked pretty good! He married and began to farm. Here's the rest of the story: John joined the Gideons and began to share his testimony. In 1985 he was at a Gideon's Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While being introduced a loud commotion in the back of the room got his attention. A man stood up and shouted "We finally got ya!" It was none other than Charlie Kline! What an emotional reunion that was! Turns out Charlie had gotten separated from the rest of the unit that dark night in 1950 and lost his direction. He walked right into the Chinese camp and had to spend three nights in a culvert in sub-freezing temperatures to avoid detection. He eventually made it out, but of course he had no idea what happened to John, not until 35 years later, that is! Indeed, the Lord tells us in Isaiah 55:11 "My Word will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"Word
of God
Speak"
Watch
on YouTube
MercyMe
This
inscription
from
President
Franklin D.
Roosevelt
is
on the first
page of the
Gideon New
Testament
distributed to
WW2
servicemen.
As
our country
has drifted
farther and
farther away
from God, the
Gideons have
seen more and
more
restrictions
placed on
their
Scripture
distribution.
Although not
compulsory
there are
numerous
forces who
feel that even
making Bibles
available must
be
prohibited.
Here's
John
Parkinson's
testimony on YouTube
(14 minutes)
He was still
living in
2011. He does
refer to
Charlie Kline
passing on. If
John is still
living he
would be
around 98
(born in
1928). Here's an article about him in the American Rifleman. I am not sure how this will open but in 1951 he is on the cover of Newsweek playing a guitar.
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