Thanks for sharing the story, John. I am
sure the Lord has used you even more than you realize. I like the total
immersion idea; will try to do it sometime. Izzy
From:
[EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Monday, July 26, 2004 9:57
PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] Why the
listen to voices from the past?
In a message dated 7/25/2004 8:40:15 PM Pacific Daylight
Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
John, Would you care to elaborate? I’d be interested to hear
about it. Izzy
And I understand my God more than I did just 5 years ago.
Actually it has been 8 years (summer/winter of 1997).
That was the first time I immersed myself into Christ (Gal
3:26,27). Upon the advise of a preacher, I decided (for seven days only)
to listen and think and read nothing but that which was divine ---
radio sermons, Christian music, Bible study before and after work, private
devotions -- nothing secular. I wound up doing this for
nearly two years. It turned me around, presented God as real in way
that was even shocking to me --- and extremely consistent.
I had gotten away from this immersion over the course of the last couple of
years. Not "backslidden" as they say but not fully
immersed. God has used this group to put me back under
-- immersion into the Lord.
And in 1998, He gave me an assignment that opened my eyes to all the times He
was a part of my life, using me in his work, and me complaining that I was
missing something !!!
I had no idea this "assignment" was grom God until the very instant
the whole affair was over. Read on -- I'll keep it
short.
It was about a man named Shelby Martin. I and some friends
went to a Promise Keepers event in Fresno
in l998. Shelby Martin was a visitor in our church, someone I
did not know. I had given him a hand shake but it was meaningless.
He was a biker-dude with lots of tattoos, a 13 year old daughter who was
married to another biker-dude -- he was a genuine tough
guy.
Anyway, I am at PM. On Sat., they took a two hour break so some of
us went to the book tent. I saw a Bible, a leather bound Bible, and I
decided to buy it. I didn't have any money, but thank God I
still had plenty of checks in my bank book. So I paid $50 for this
Bible and went back to the stadium. I laid it down on top of my old
NASV, the one that I had for maybe 30 years -- full of
notes , falling apart. I deserved
this new Bible. But as I sat there, I began to regret the
purchase -- I was betraying my friend, that old
NASV.
By the end of the service, I had decided to take the book back but the
tent was closed and everyone was gone. I could not return the
book. On the way home, I decided to use it in my private
devotional. So Sunday morning, 5 am, there I was trying to
study with some good religious music on -- and NOTHING.
I was so distracted by the fact that I did not want the Bible (the new one)
that I couldn't even use it in these devotionals. So I decided to give it
to someone at church -- Chris, a new convert and a member of my
bible study group. Yes -- Chris but there was
another name that kept coming into my mind:
Shelby Martin. I thought "not Shelby" I don't even know
the guy and Chris could use this book. No use. Shelby, Shelby
kept coming into my mind. So I finally decide to give it to Shelby. I
wrote something in the front of the bible and went to church.
Shelby always
comes late. That day he was one of the first ones in the
sanctuary. So I decided to give it to him then. I went up to
him (understand that I am 5' 7" and Shelby was probably 6' 2".)
"How ya doing" I said. "Fine." And I
reached out with the new Bible and said "Here, take this
thing. I bought it but can't use so it is yours -- no thanks
are necessary, believe me." He said in surprise
"What is this?" I said, "This would be a
Bible -- just take it , no big deal." And he took the
book.
After church, he came up to me, with tears in his eyes and told me he wanted me
to go outside -- he wanted to talk to me in private. So we did.
He told me that on the previous Wednesday, he had gotten "pissed off
at God" and had gone into his bedroom and had torn up his
Bible. It was still laying in the middle of the floor -- no
one in the house would touch it. Linda, at times I have been one of
the bigger fakes in religious history and God used me to get to Shelby. The
single most important event in my life. My wife runs a close
second, however.
Anyway, that's the story. I get very emotinal just telling the
story.
John
