Hey, Carol

Just a minor thing but for the sake of Matt or others who are new to the
Bible
you had a typo in your note.  The verse you meant, John 15:5 says:  "I am
the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears
much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing."

Your note says "With Him we can do nothing."  Smile.

Picky Paul
>
> At 01/05/2004 on Monday, carol pearson wrote:
> >Good stuff, Brad.  Just ask the Lord for the right balance between a walk
in
> >the Spirit and a striving after Him.  "With Him we can do nothing" (John
> >15:5).
> >
> >Now you probably don't need the reminder, but maybe I do!
> >
> >
> >--
> >Carol
> >
> >
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "BD" <[log in to unmask]>
> >To: <[log in to unmask]>
> >Sent: Monday, January 05, 2004 4:30 PM
> >Subject: Re: Today's events are tomorrow's testimony... if you let them
> >
> >
> > > One of these commitments Carol is to enter in my journal daily or
nearly
> > > daily. I am doing so but yet I am to create a template of topics to
touch
> > > on as my entry... I E daily thoughts, attitudes towards others, and
> > > a  quick report on a couple other things I've committed to do and etc.
One
> > > of these ought be how God proved himself to me today. A pastor of mine
use
> > > to mention of a Alter of Remembrance. A continual list of things to
remind
> > > us of how God shows up in our lives. It appears as though that's what
they
> > > are doing in Leviticus with the festivals.
> > >
> > > Brad
> > >
> > >
> > > At 01/05/2004 on Monday, carol pearson wrote:
> > > >Yes, Brad, thanks for your reminder and how well you wrote it!
<SMILE>
> > > >
> > > >Brother Paul:  Thanks for your addition which, as always, was a
useful
> > > >reminder too.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >--
> > > >Carol
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >----- Original Message -----
> > > >From: "Ariel" <[log in to unmask]>
> > > >To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > > >Sent: Monday, January 05, 2004 2:45 PM
> > > >Subject: Re: Today's events are tomorrow's testimony... if you let
them
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > > Hey, Brad
> > > > >
> > > > > Amen to your main point.  I just wanted to remind folks that the
> > > >recognition
> > > > > of the new year and evaluating our lives at the New Year is not a
> >secular
> > > > > thing.  It is something established by GOD Himself as the festival
of
> >Yom
> > > > > Kippur (Leviticus 23).  There's some debate over whether the
holiday
> >of
> > > >Rosh
> > > > > Hashanah celebrated today was really the new year of the Old
> >Testament,
> > > >but
> > > > > either way, the LORD did establish that at least once a year we
are to
> > > > > examine our hearts before Him and the path our lives are taking.
It
> >could
> > > > > be argued that this type of thing goes along with examining
ourselves
> >at
> > > >any
> > > > > sacrifice in the pre-Crucifixion days and, today, at the taking of
the
> > > > > LORD's Supper which Paul warns about taking with a wrong heart.
(1
> > > > > Corinthians 11:28).
> > > > >
> > > > > So the blessings you mention are all the stronger for the fact
that
> >the
> > > >LORD
> > > > > has sewn these things into the fabric of our Life with Him so that
we
> >can
> > > > > keep track of those events and milestones more easily.  (As
witness
> >the
> > > >fact
> > > > > that the LORD told folks repeatedly to write things down so that
they
> > > >could
> > > > > look back on them and we could profit from them even today).
> > > > >
> > > > > Thanks for the reminder!
> > > > >
> > > > > Paul
> > > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > > From: "BD" <[log in to unmask]>
> > > > > To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > > > > Sent: Monday, January 05, 2004 8:38 AM
> > > > > Subject: Today's events are tomorrow's testimony... if you let
them
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > > With the ringing in of the new year came also my regenerated
hope
> >for
> > > >new
> > > > > > beginnings based not off of the fad driven knee-jerk response to
a
> >new
> > > > > year
> > > > > > accompanied by a false desire to make New Year's Resolutions,
fueled
> >by
> > > > > > pressures of society or family and friends who are doing
similar,
> >but
> > > >that
> > > > > > of simply reviewing some facets of my life, making a conscious
> >decision
> > > >to
> > > > > > change some old habits and increase various aspects of my daily
> >life.
> > > >Many
> > > > > > times, often times, people make New Year's resolutions because
they
> >are
> > > > > > just that "re-solutions" to the same problems they had a year
> >earlier.
> > > > > > You've heard them all I'm sure, I know I have before and from my
own
> > > >mouth
> > > > > > at that. Things like... loose weight, begin working out, quit
> >smoking,
> > > > > > spend more time with family, or if a Christian, more time with
God
> > > > > perhaps.
> > > > > > And I suppose I need to recognize that even my desire to review
some
> > > >daily
> > > > > > habits is due to the convenient mark of a new year falling upon
me,
> >but
> > > > > > hopefully the commitments I make near this time of year, do not
come
> >to
> > > >be
> > > > > > New Year's re-commitments next year at this time with excuses of
> > > > > > circumstances that caused a change in plans, but rather have
looked
> >back
> > > > > to
> > > > > > see I stood the test of endurance with God's help to overcome
those
> > > > > > circumstances and complete what I feel he is telling me to do.
Still
> >yet
> > > > > we
> > > > > > ought never lose hope of erasing the slate and starting over, we
> >have a
> > > > > God
> > > > > > of allowing us many beginnings in our trek to keep focused on
him,
> >but
> > > >as
> > > > > > he also said let our yeses be yeses and our noes be noes. With
that
> >mind
> > > > > > set, we ought have a more serious motivation of those things we
feel
> >we
> > > > > > need to change. Also ringing in the New Year this morning, after
> >coming
> > > > > out
> > > > > > on top of a battle with some sort of infection/illness, was the
> >ringing
> > > >of
> > > > > > my alarm clock. Bright and early it beeped only once at 4:30 AM,
and
> > > >only
> > > > > > once because I was already awake with excitement of not only
feeling
> > > > > > somewhat human again, but also to begin making the most of the
days
> > > >ahead.
> > > > > > Still yet in some planning stages, I knew however that my days
would
> > > >start
> > > > > > with an early rise, something to drink, time with the Lord in
either
> > > > > > reading of his word or taped sermon, and prayer.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Having hit the snooze button, and then turned off the alarm
clock, I
> > > > > > started up the coffee pot with the half and half, decaf and
regular
> > > >coffee
> > > > > > to continue my trek to decaffeinate myself, I then carefully and
> >quietly
> > > > > > grabbed up my tape player and a tape to listen while I let the
warm
> > > >drink
> > > > > > soothe a recovering throat. The tape I listened to was not the
preac
> >her
> > > >I
> > > > > > had hoped but I had decided to listen anyway. As he began to
preach
> >he
> > > >had
> > > > > > a very pointed, very short message with four points regarding
having
> > > >faith
> > > > > > to endure through things we may find ourselves plowing through.
One,
> > > >keep
> > > > > > your eyes on Jesus. Two, remember who God is. Three, remember
who
> >you
> > > >are
> > > > > > in Christ. And four, trust in God 100% to take you through. He
then
> > > > > > proceeded to give a testimony of his adopted daughter. This man
and
> >his
> > > > > > wife are missionaries to Thailand. They happened across a young
lady
> > > >whose
> > > > > > mother was a prostitute and  the daughter, or mother for that
> >matter,
> > > >had
> > > > > > no idea who the father was. This man and his wife had taken her
in
> >and
> > > > > > helped bring her up for just over a year now. She attended
school in
> > > > > > Thailand and of course Thailand is a predominantly Buddhist
country.
> > > > > > Fortunately  the leader of that country had past two articles in
> >their
> > > > > > government. One that gives freedom of religion, and the other to
> >have
> > > > > > freedom to express that religion. It happened then that this
young
> >lady,
> > > > > > Ann, was to attend a drug prevention class in her school based
from
> > > > > > Buddhist precepts. She did not want to attend so this man and
his
> >wife
> > > > > > wrote a note to the teacher stating they  wished them to honor
Ann's
> > > > > > request to not attend. The teacher tried to tell Ann to attend
> >anyway,
> > > > > > because her parents would never know the difference. Well Ann,
> >walked
> > > >out
> > > > > > the room and placed a call to this man and wife, who she now
calls
> >mom
> > > >and
> > > > > > dad. They go to meet the principle of the school and after an
hour
> >and a
> > > > > > half of Ann preaching at the principle, he finally said  "OK!
OK!
> >you
> > > >do
> > > > > > not have to attend". She then became the target of verbal abuse
> >stating
> > > > > she
> > > > > > was a trader to her country and heritage, trader to her race,
and
> >this
> > > >by
> > > > > > teachers not, just students. She came home that day and they
prayed
> > > >about
> > > > > > what to do with a nasty situation now on their hands. They
decided
> >to
> > > >let
> > > > > > God take control. She went to school the next day and no one
abused
> >her
> > > > > > verbally. In fact there were some kids that never before wanted
to
> >be
> > > >her
> > > > > > friend, now wanted to be her friend. And three weeks later the
> >principle
> > > > > > and many of the teachers, the ones that assaulted her verbally,
were
> > > > > > removed from the school for corruption.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I sat back and pondered about how a 17-year-old girl, in a
foreign
> > > > > > country,  with a foreign religion to that land, was strong
enough to
> > > >take
> > > > > > on her school and make such a difference. I thought how great
that
> > > >sounds
> > > > > > after it is all said and done. How powerful it is and like our
> >pastor
> > > >from
> > > > > > our former church mentioned afterwards, it is so much different
> >hearing
> > > > > > such testimonies from those who lived it, as it tells so quickly
but
> > > >lasts
> > > > > > so long. And with my repeated rendition of it, I'm sure it does
it
> >an
> > > > > > injustice, but for the purposes of my point of ponder hopefully
it
> >will
> > > > > > suffice. It sure sounded great, the power and passion in this
man's
> > > >voice
> > > > > > of the details of how this all came to pass in a country where
> > > > > Christianity
> > > > > > is a minority and persecution is on the rise all over the world.
How
> >he
> > > > > > encouraged his newly found daughter to count herself honored to
be
> >in
> > > >good
> > > > > > company as Peter, John, James and of course the rest of Christ's
> > > >followers
> > > > > > as well Jesus Christ himself, to be persecuted for upholding the
> >truth.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > When I hear these stories I look at my own life as a point of
> >reflection
> > > > > > and see how a 17 year old young lady has proved more courage,
lived
> >out
> > > >a
> > > > > > testimony, and made a difference in those around her more than I
had
> >in
> > > >a
> > > > > > long time living in a Christian based country with persecution
being
> > > > > > primarily that of "Oh don't preach religion to me" or "Oh save
your
> > > > > > preaching for the next guy". It also occurred to me that in the
> >midst of
> > > > > > this family's encounter, had they recognized that that day's
event
> >is
> > > > > > tomorrow's testimony in the making? If they hadn't, they will
from
> >here
> > > > > > out, based on the four points that accompanied this testimony.
If
> >they
> > > > > went
> > > > > > in that situation with the four points he made, that of
focusing on
> > > > > Jesus,
> > > > > > knowing who God is, knowing who they were in God, and trusting
god,
> >then
> > > > > > they had to be conscious of what they were living was a
testimony in
> >the
> > > > > > making.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > This realization helps give a new sense of expectation in my
life.
> >An
> > > > > > expectation to recognize that what we are living now, this
minute,
> >is
> > > >part
> > > > > > of some sort of testimony in the future to how God has worked in
our
> > > >life,
> > > > > > and if it is not, than am I really living life with God as
center?
> >Have
> > > >I
> > > > > > gotten side tracked to where I do not recognize or have
expectations
> >of
> > > > > his
> > > > > > hand in my life? Testimonies do not have to be a dramatically
wowing
> >of
> > > > > > awesome proportions but it may well be walking away from a
> >conversation
> > > > > > knowing God gave you the words to say to help that person better
> >know
> > > >God,
> > > > > > or a step closer to knowing him for the first time. It could be
> >standing
> > > > > in
> > > > > > the midst of financial difficulties and seeing provision coming
in,
> >or
> > > >it
> > > > > > could be standing in front of hundreds or thousands of people
citing
> >how
> > > > > > God spared your life miraculously while doing his work and
having
> >many
> > > >of
> > > > > > those want that loving God in their life and accept him at that
> >time.
> > > >And
> > > > > > when we  cannot seem to find a testimony complete or  having
reached
> >a
> > > > > > solution, we certainly can stand  with expectation knowing that
what
> >we
> > > > > are
> > > > > > living now is tomorrows testimony, and that hope will cause us
to
> >look
> > > > > > harder for God in a situation, to listen closer for his voice.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I know this man's points were focus on Christ, know who God is,
know
> >who
> > > >I
> > > > > > am in God, and trust in God, but what I remember hearing most
> >in-between
> > > > > > his words, in the pauses of his testimony, is the summation
"today's
> > > > > events
> > > > > > are tomorrows testimonies".
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Brad
> > > > >