Messianic jewish author & leader

I was born in Montreal on November 1, 1958 and I grew up in a secular Jewish family, with one brother, three years older than me.  From my earliest memories, it seemed like I was the least favoured in my family. I was the youngest and not the best in sports. Moreover, to make matters worse, my father convinced the principal at my primary school to admit me prior to the required age (the age limit was that one had to be six years old by September 15). The goal was to put me ahead, but the result was that it put me behind all the other kids.

I ended up being the brunt of a lot of teasing, bullying on the schoolyard, and even antisemitism. (The school was part of the Protestant School Board.)

My childhood for me is a mix of good and not-so-good memories. Our home-life was quite turbulent at times, as my parents had a rocky marriage which finally broke apart. I remember often feeling alone, empty, restless, angry, and bitter inside. The world was quickly becoming a cold, cruel, and unsafe place for me, and I was the "problem child" - the black sheep.

I found little comfort at home or at school, and often, I would hide in the woods near our house, or read books, fairy tales, and fables, or just daydream to escape the pain, despair and emptiness that I lived with daily.  As I grew older, I began to self-medicate my pain and emptiness with drugs and alcohol being my solution, but eventually my solution became more of a problem.

I sought solace through various religions and spiritual paths, and finally, I explored Orthodox Judaism. There, I discovered that my delight in the Torah battled endlessly with the sin to which I was a prisoner.  I was forced to recognize myself as spiritually and morally bankrupt. When my life hit rock bottom in 2000, I heard about Jesus, the Jewish messiah who alone is powerful to rescue, save and deliver. I ran into Jesus’ arms, which cost me many relationships with family and friends who said it isn’t possible to remain Jewish and believe in Jesus. But, my life finally started changing for the better. God was lifting me out of the miry pit that David speaks of in Psalm 40:1-3:

1 I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. 3 He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.

My Jewish friends and family considered me as having crossed over to the other side, and leaving my Jewish identity behind. Over time, Ihowever, I came to understand that the roots of Christianity are Jewish, and I saw myself as a completed Jew according to God’s promise to Abraham.

In 2001-2003, I pursued biblical studies at the Faculte Evangelique de Montreal. As I look back, I realize that they did not provide much focus on Israel nor the rightful place of the Jewish people in the Bible, God’s plan, prophecies, and promises, but I did learn my way around the Bible and received a foundational Christian education.

I met Jacques Gabizon, Messianic Leader of Beth Ariel in Montreal shortly after being saved in the year 2000. At the time, he was giving weekly Bible Studies, which I attended, and through him, I also became familiar with Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum, the Founder of Ariel Ministries in Texas, USA. The Ariel line of teaching is world-class, and rich with books, commentaries, and resources, which I have availed myself of, and continue to do so to this very day.

In 2005, I experienced a profound and vital turning point in my faith. I had a serious skiing accident and nearly died. During my recovery and time of healing, I was able to see and experience my faith in a much deeper, personal, and more meaningful way. A close brush with death can do that.

I realized that to be truly saved, we must see at least two things:

1- The truth about who Jesus is;
2- The truth about ourselves and who we are as unholy sinners before our Holy God.

That’s when I began to see how desperate I was for God, His Son and Holy Spirit in my life.

Sometime later in 2014, I reconnected with the Beth Ariel Congregation in Montreal. Jacques Gabizon was the leader, and under his tutelage and encouragement, I continued to grow in faith, my studies, and biblical understanding. Under his intense Messianic teaching, I developed an entirely new and deeper appreciation for God’s Word, prophecies, transformative power to change lives, and God’s plan to redeem the world, as well as Israel’s vital place within it.

I remarried in 2022, and moved near Ottawa and shortly after, with Jacques' help and support, Beth Ariel was born in Ottawa. I have been leading this congregation ever since with my wife Susan, and it has truly been a labour of love.

I have also written two books in the last few years. The first, "THE BIBLE UNVEILED " is an overview of the entire storyline of the Bible, highlighting God's ongoing plan for Israel, from Genesis to Revelation for the layman, connecting the dots to see the ‘Big Picture’.

 The second book is called "THE CASE FOR BLESSING ISRAEL". This book is written to Christians explaining why they should connect with the Jewish roots of their faith, bless Israel, and see the connection they have to God’s Chosen People and the Holy Land, and seeing Jesus in his Jewish historical culture and context.

And now, I am excited to tell you, that by the power and strength of God manifesting in my weakness, my life is being transformed by God into a man that He can use more and more each day, for His purposes and glory. I am so grateful for this, for this is something I could never have done on my own. Too many times, I found myself like Paul in Romans 7 who said "the very thing I know I am not supposed to do, I can’t stop doing, and the very thing I know I should do, I do not do. Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!".

God, by the power of his Spirit has transformed me and will continue to transform me in this never-ending process of sanctification after salvation that will continue until the time comes that I go to my eternal home to be with him forever.

Today, though, I have a fullness and peace in my life beyond all understanding and an indescribable joy in my heart that overflows in my work and in my relationships and in my sharing the gospel with as many people as I can, including Jews and Gentiles. I have a wonderful homelife and marriage with my wife Susan, living in the forest in Ontario with our two beloved dogs and cat. It is truly a foretaste of heaven on earth!

In prayer, one day, I asked God why He placed me in a family where I was the black sheep, and the least favoured one. His reply in my heart was instant. God answered my question with a question. He asked, “Among everyone in your family, who is most favoured in my eyes?”

Wow! I could never have come up with such a poignant and moving answer so quickly. I know this was God speaking into my heart. And now, I am happy to report that relations with my family, mother, and brother, are getting better and better each day. Being Jewish, they still struggle to understand that my faith in Yeshua is a Jewish faith at its core, but they can’t fail to see the incredible transformation the Lord has wrought so far in my life.

I believe the greatest thing that one can experience in this world is to be saved and sanctified by God to the point where He can use us for His purpose, and we can show and tell our story of transformation repeatedly for His glory.

Thank you for reading my story. I hope you have been blessed as I have been in sharing it. Warm Regards,

In Messiah,

Charles E. Shefler
charles@charlesshefler.com

+1-514-647-4111