I'd not bank on my not needing reminding hehe. In my BC day, before Christ,
I knew what I knew and there ain't was going  to be no one to tell me any
different and I was strong in my comfort of knowing that. I wasn't a know
it all, I wasn't arrogant, but I knew what I believed and that was that. I
did my own thing and was operator of my own life. Then Christ got ahold of
me and tossed me for a body slam and been ever since trying to find that
balance of confidence in what I know is his precepts to be done in my life,
yet do not wish to override him. I probably have less to be concerned
about   than I think.

Brad



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
> > > >