MY TESTOMONY    by Rev. David Robert Ewart, PH.D.

My incarceration is the direct result of my sin.  It took time for satan to destroy my value system, my strong beliefs, with temptations, subsequently my fall from grace.  I am incarcerated in a California prison, with a sentence of 34 years to life.  The first time I will be eligible to go before the parole board will be in the year 2015.  I will be 71 years old at that time.  I am a first time offender.  My crime of murder was committed in 1993, 17 years after I had given my heart to Jesus Christ.  After my conversion, I sold my clothing business in Southern California and went to Bible College.  I felt I had been “called” into the ministry.  I grew in human knowledge about the “Word of God” and the vocabulary that goes with being a Christian.  There were times that I could hear His voice and great signs and wonders happened around me.  My family and I would pray and doors would open, people called us the “perfect” family.  After my graduation from Bible College, I became a schoolteacher and lay minister.  Then I let satan rob my joy. I became bitter towards church.  I had taken my eyes off of Jesus and became very prideful in my accomplishments.  I was an educated man who was a teacher and a minister.  I even made it to the ranks of college professor.  I was teaching in a graduate school at the time of my arrest.  My two beautiful children were both grown and married.  My wife and I had just celebrated our 26th wedding anniversary.  I had been faithful for all those years.  Then, while I was at a conference, the oldest story in the world happened to me – older man meets younger woman.  It was infatuation from the first moment we laid eyes on each other.  We talked and talked for the duration of the conference, which was one week long.  We were both married and not happy in our relationships with our spouses.  My mind ran with the emotional and fulfilling attention that she poured out on me.  I had changed my beliefs!  I told myself that I owed myself a new relationship.  What deception!

I never committed physical adultery with her, but in my mind I certainly did.  We lived about 800 miles apart so we only saw each other three times face to face in the next 8 months.  However, we did communicate almost every day via the phone or fax.  I had considered divorce, but then my Christian values would kick in.  This was a time of extreme anguish and I thought I had lost my mind!  I physically diminished; lost over 80 pounds in 8 months.  I even had a slight heart attack; I was under siege.   I had such an inner battle going on.  Remember, I knew what the Word of God said about marriage, temptation, sin and adultery.  Even though I never committed the physical act of adultery with this woman, it still has me taking my wife’s life.  My consciousness (the Holy Spirit) of the situation finally came to a point of decision.  For the first time in months, I prayed, and I felt the Lord tell me to confess my sin to my wife and repent of my behavior.  I did, we argued, she is dead!  There is no one to blame except myself.  I am not looking for sympathy.  I want to express how important it is to keep your eyes on the Lord.  We are under attack all the time.  Yes, I have lost everything that was dear to me.  My two grown children do not communicate with me.  I have never seen or touched any of my four granddaughters.  I robbed my children of ever being kissed or hugged my their mother.  I have robbed my granddaughters of ever knowing their grandmother.  I have lost all of my material wealth.  I have lost almost every friend that I had.  I have lost contact with almost all of my family.  But I know who Jesus Christ is!  He came into my cell and forgave me of my sins.  He set me free, inside!  He has called me again to preach and teach his mighty message.  I now have a captive audience here in prison.  He has called me twice now; He will not have to call me again.  I have received the invitation into my heart.