Testimony of

Alfred P. Cialella, Sr.

    MY DAD SHARED HIS TESTIMONY ON AUG. 29,1982 AT THE MILL PLAIN UNION CHURCH IN WATERBURY. IT WAS HIS DESIRE FOR HIS SON TO READ THIS AT HIS MEMORIAL SERVICE. SO I READ THE FOLLOWING:

    THE PRESENCE OF GOD, WHAT IT HAS MEANT IN MY LIFE, WHAT IT MEANS TODAY. IT IS LEADING ME TO PRESENT MY TESTIMONY TODAY. PRAISE THE LORD!

    I LOOK FORWARD TO EACH DAY THAT HE GIVES ME WITH HOPE, JOY, AND FAITH. NO MATTER WHAT I AM FACED WITH FOR ANY OF THE TODAYS THAT HE BLESSES ME WITH, I KNOW THAT I WILL NOT BE ALONE. HIS PRESENCE WILL ALWAYS BE THERE TO SEE ME THROUGH IT ALL.

    THIS GOOD FEELING THAT I HAVE IN ME NOW, I CAN HONESTLY SAY, I DID NOT HAVE IT ALL OF MY LIFE. OH NO! FOR 56 YEARS I WAS A MESSED UP CREATURE. I NEVER NEEDED GOD'S PRESENCE IN ALL OF THOSE YEARS—AT LEAST I THOUGHT SO. OF COURSE, I WAS MISTAKEN.
   
    I ONLY NEEDED HIM WHEN PROBLEMS CROPPED UP, AND OF COURSE I HAD A LOT OF THEM—WE ALL DO. LIKE, JUST TO MENTION A FEW, A SERIOUS SICKNESS IN THE FAMILY, OR LOSING A JOB AFTER 27 YEARS, OR WRECKING A FEW CARS AND GETTING IN TROUBLE WITH THE LAW. THE LATTER WOULD HAPPEN BECAUSE OF A SICKENING HABIT THAT I HAD, WHICH I CALL ALCOHOL.

    LAST BUT NOT LEAST, "ONE DAY," 10 YEARS AGO, I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM MY WIFE'S LAWYER, ADVISING ME THAT OUR MARRIAGE OF 28 YEARS WOULD EXPIRE WITHIN A WEEK. YES, THESE WERE THE ONLY TIMES I LOOKED FOR GOD'S PRESENCE.
 
    I BELIEVE THAT IT IS GOD'S WILL FOR ME BEING IN THIS PULPIT TODAY, TO GIVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO GLORIFY HIM IN GIVING MY TESTIMONY FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT HAVE AND ARE TAKING PLACE IN MY LIFE, WHICH STARTED 10 YEARS AGO.

    YES, APPROXIMATELY 10 YEARS AGO, "SEPTEMBER 5, 1972," I CAME TO KNOW JESUS CHRIST AS MY LORD AND SAVIOR. IT WAS THEN I BECAME A BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN.

    I COULD GO ON AND ON AND ELABORATE ON WHAT A BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN MEANS TO ME IN MY LIFE, AND HOW FULL OF THE SPIRIT I AM, AND I COULD GO ON AND ON AND ON, BUT THERE IS NOT ENOUGH TIME.

    BUT I JUST HAPPENED TO READ YESTERDAY IN THE "UPPER ROOM" A GREAT READING AND I THINK IT COULD DEFINE WHAT I REALLY WOULD WANT TO SAY IN A FEW WORDS. HERE IT IS."SOME YEARS AGO,"THIS IS A TEACHER, I GUESS—IT IS,"WHEN I WAS TEACHING HIGH SCHOOL HISTORY, I REMARKED TO THE CLASS THAT I WAS A CHRISTIAN. A TEENAGE BOY FIRED UP, 'YOU MEAN TO SAY YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN?' 'YES,' I REPLIED. 'YOU MEAN YOU DON'T EVEN DO ANYTHING WRONG?' I QUICKLY ASSURED HIM THAT I OFTEN DID THINGS WHICH WERE WRONG, BUT THAT I HAD ACCEPTED JESUS AS MY SAVIOR AND WAS TRYING TO LIVE BY HIS TEACHING AND TO FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE. I TRIED TO CONVINCE THE BOY THAT EVERYONE DOES WRONG AT SOME TIME, AND EVEN THE APOSTLE PAUL DESCRIBED HIMSELF AS A CHIEF SINNER."

    BUT THIS IS WHAT BEING BORN AGAIN MEANS TO ME. AND I SAY, THERE IS NOT ENOUGH TIME TO GO INTO IT.
I HAVE FELT HIS PRESENCE EVER SINCE THEN. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE! I PRAISE HIM FOR BEING SO GOOD TO ME.

    AT THIS POINT, MY DAD SHARES OF GOD'S ONGOING WORK IN OUR FAMILY AT THAT TIME. THEN DAD CONTINUES:

    HE ALSO BECAME MY HIGHER POWER IN HELPING ME TO GIVE UP THE HABIT OF ALCOHOL, BECAUSE HE KNEW I COULD NOT HANDLE THE AFTER-EFFECTS OF IT. BOY, THAT BOOZE USED TO DRIVE ME MAD! I RECEIVED THAT HIGHER POWER 10 YEARS AGO ALSO,  SEPTEMBER, 1972.

    I TOO HAD A VERY BAD SMOKING HABIT. AGAIN, WITH GOD'S HELP, I WAS ABLE TO KICK THAT HABIT 6 YEARS AGO, NOVEMBER, 1976.

    I BELIEVE OF ALL THE WONDERFUL GIFTS THAT GOD HAS GIVEN ME, 2 OF THEM STAND OUT. ONE WAS COMING TO KNOW JESUS CHRIST AS MY LORD AND SAVIOR, AND THE SECOND, THAT, ONE DAY, I DID NOT HAVE A FAMILY, BECAUSE I WAS NOT WANTED AS A FATHER OR AS A HUSBAND. BUT BECAUSE OF THE LOVING PRESENCE OF GOD, ALL WAS CHANGED 10 YEARS AGO. SINCE THEN, I HAVE A FAMILY THAT NOT ONLY WANTS ME AS A HUSBAND AND FATHER, BUT ALL LOVE AND CARE FOR ME MORE THAN I CAN SAY. YES, HIS PRESENCE IS FELT, IF WE WANT IT. ANYONE CAN HAVE IT JUST FOR THE ASKING.

    BEING A BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN DOES NOT MEAN I HAVE IT MADE. OH NO! THE TRIALS AND OLD TRAITS ARE STILL THERE. I STILL HAVE MANY FAULTS. I DO STILL FLY OFF THE HANDLE. I DO GET IMPATIENT. I REBEL, AND I CAN BE VERY STUBBORN. I FIND MYSELF CONSTANTLY GOING BACK TO MANY OF MY YESTERDAYS—I CALL THEM SINFUL DAYS.

    IN ROMAN 7:15, PAUL SAYS,"I DON'T UNDERSTAND MYSELF AT ALL, FOR I REALLY WANT TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT, BUT I CAN'T. I DO WHAT I DON'T WANT TO DO—WHAT I HATE."

    NO, IT'S NOT EASY, BUT GOD IS ALWAYS THERE TO PICK ME UP WHEN I STUMBLE AND FALL. YES, WITH HIS HELP, I DO MAKE IT "ONE DAY AT A TIME."

    I COULD GO ON AND ON, BECAUSE I HAVE JUST SCRATCHED THE SURFACE. BUT GOD WILLING, SOMEWHERE, SOMEHOW, HE MIGHT JUST WANT TO GIVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY AGAIN SOME DAY TO FINISH MY TESTIMONY. I HOPE SO, THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO PRAISE HIM FOR, ESPECIALLY WHY AND HOW AND WHO LED ME TO THE LORD.
   
    I JUST LOVE PRAISING HIM SO MUCH THAT I NEVER WANT TO STOP. YOU SEE, HE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF MY LIFE. BOY, I PRAISE HIM! WHAT A FEELING!
   
    YOU, TOO, CAN KNOW AND FEEL HIS PRESENCE IF YOU WANT TO. OH, IT'S SO SIMPLE. JUST ASK JESUS TO COME INTO YOUR HEART. ASK HIM TO BECOME LORD AND SAVIOR OF YOUR LIFE.

    PRAISE HIM FOR ALL THINGS. FOR WAKING UP TO A NEW DAY, FOR FAMILY, FOR HEALTH, FOR FRIENDS, FOR CHURCH, FOR JOB, FOR FOOD ON OUR TABLE, FOR ALL THE GOOD THINGS THAT HE GIVES US DAILY.

    AND OF COURSE, YES, THANK HIM FOR ALL ADVERSITY, TRIALS AND SETBACKS, EVEN IF IT'S HARD TO DO—AND IT IS.
I CAN BANG MY HEAD NOW, RIGHT NOW, RIGHT HERE, AND COME UP AND SAY,"HEY LORD, THAT HURTS!", BECAUSE IT DID HAPPEN TO ME LAST WEEK AND IT HAPPENS TO ME CONSTANTLY IN MY JOB, AND FIRST THING THAT COMES TO MY MIND IS TO GET ANGRY.

    WHY ME?  SO I SAY,"HEY LORD, YOU KNOW, THAT REALLY HURT, BUT I PRAISE YOU FOR IT." IT SEEMS IN ONLY ABOUT 10 SECONDS, IT'S GONE. SO PRAISE HIM IN EVERYTHING. THANK HIM ESPECIALLY FOR A FREE WILL.

    I HEAR SO MANY PEOPLE BLAMING GOD FOR ALL OUR PROBLEMS, AND I ASK THIS QUESTION: "IF THERE WAS NO GOD, WHO WOULD WE BLAME?" AND I TELL THEM, BLAME MAN, BECAUSE GOD MADE EVERYTHING PERFECT—SO, SO GOOD. IT WAS MAN AND MAN ALONE THAT CORRUPTED THIS EARTH AND STILL DOES EVERY DAY.

    SO GET THE GOOD FEELING OF HIS PRESENCE. GET IN TOUCH WITH GOD. I BEG YOU, PLEASE DON'T PUT OFF TALKING WITH HIM. HE WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU. HE IS WAITING. NO MATTER WHAT WORDS YOU USE, HE WILL HEAR YOU. YOU DO NOT NEED A COLLEGE DEGREE. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A BILLY GRAHAM, AN ORAL ROBERTS, A NORMAN VINCENT PEALE, OR EVEN A GOOD SPEAKER.

    STAND UP FOR HIM! DON'T BE AFRAID! GOD SENT HIS SON TO DIE FOR US. HE WASN'T AFRAID. HE WENT TO THE CROSS AND TOOK ALL OUR SINS WITH HIM.

    YOU KNOW WHAT? GOD LOVES YOU AND ME, NO MATTER HOW WE SPEAK OR LOOK OR WALK, RICH OR POOR. NO, HE HAS NO SPECIAL FAVORITES.

    PAUL WRITES IN ROMANS 2:11, "FOR THERE IS NO RESPECT OF PERSONS WITH GOD."

    GO TO HIM TODAY! OH, HOW HE WILL BLESS YOU WITH HIS WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL PRESENCE! TRY IT, YOU WILL LIKE IT.

    ISAIAH 55:6 READS: "SEEK THE LORD WHILE YOU CAN FIND HIM. CALL UPON HIM WHILE HE IS NEAR."

    ONE OF MY FAVORITE PASSAGES IS JEREMIAH 33:3. GOD IS ASKING US TO CALL HIM. QUOTE, "CALL UNTO ME, AND I WILL ANSWER THEE AND SHEW THEE GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS WHICH THOU KNOWEST NOT." CALL THAT NUMBER TODAY AND WATCH THE RESULTS.

    HOW DO WE REALLY CALL GOD? HOW DO WE KNOW HE ANSWERS US? SIMPLY GO TO THE WORD. GO TO THE BIBLE. IT'S ALL RIGHT IN HERE, IN THIS BOOK, LOADED WITH ANSWERS.

    I DON'T CARE WHAT ANSWER YOU WANT, IT'S THERE. IT'S WORKED FOR ME. IT'S BROUGHT ME WHERE I AM AND I PRAISE HIM FOR IT. JUST GO TO IT.

    EVEN IF IT'S A VERSE A DAY, READ IT.

    HOW REWARDING IT WILL BE!

    WHAT A WAY TO START YOUR DAY AND END YOUR NIGHT! AND YOU WILL BE SO REFRESHED WITH HIS PRESENCE.

    I'D LIKE TO CLOSE WITH A READING FROM SECOND CORNITHIANS CHAPTER 5, VERSES 10 TO 17:
"FOR WE MUST ALL STAND BEFORE CHRIST TO BE JUDGED, AND OUR LIVES LAID BARE BEFORE HIM. EACH OF US WILL RECEIVE WHATEVER HE DESERVES FOR THE GOOD OR BAD THINGS HE HAS DONE IN HIS EARTHLY BODY. IT IS BECAUSE OF THIS SOLEMN FEAR OF THE LORD, WHICH IS EVER PRESENT IN OUR MINDS, THAT WE WORK SO HARD TO WIN OTHERS. GOD KNOWS OUR HEARTS, THAT THEY ARE PURE IN THIS MATTER, AND I HOPE THAT, DEEP

    WITHIN, YOU REALLY KNOW IT TOO. ARE WE TRYING TO PAT OURSELVES ON THE BACK AGAIN? NO, I AM GIVING YOU SOME GOOD AMMUNITION! YOU CAN USE THIS ON THOSE PREACHERS OF YOURS WHO BRAG ABOUT HOW WELL THEY LOOK AND PREACH, BUT DON'T HAVE TRUE AND HONEST HEARTS. YOU CAN BOAST ABOUT US THAT WE, AT LEAST, ARE WELL INTENTIONED AND HONEST.

    ARE WE INSANE TO SAY SUCH THINGS ABOUT OURSELVES? IF SO, IT IS TO BRING GLORY TO GOD. AND IF WE ARE IN OUR RIGHT MINDS, IT IS FOR YOUR BENEFIT. WHATEVER WE DO, IT IS CERTAINLY NOT FOR OUR OWN PROFIT, BUT BECAUSE CHRIST'S LOVE CONTROLS US NOW. SINCE WE BELIEVE THAT CHRIST DIED FOR ALL OF US, WE SHOULD ALSO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE DIED TO THE OLD LIFE WE USED TO LIVE.

    HE DIED FOR ALL, SO THAT ALL WHO LIVE—HAVING RECEIVED ETERNAL LIFE FROM HIM—MIGHT LIVE NO LONGER FOR THEMSELVES, TO PLEASE THEMELVES, BUT TO SPEND THEIR LIVES PLEASING CHRIST, WHO DIED AND ROSE AGAIN FOR THEM
SO STOP EVALUATING CHRISTIANS BY WHAT THE WORLD THINKS ABOUT THEM, OR BY WHAT THEY SEEM TO BE LIKE ON THE OUTSIDE. ONCE, I MISTAKENLY THOUGHT OF CHRIST THAT WAY, MERELY AS A HUMAN BEING LIKE MYSELF. HOW DIFFERENTLY I FEEL NOW!
   
    WHEN SOMEONE BECOMES A CHRISTIAN, HE BECOMES A BRAND NEW PERSON. HE IS NOT THE SAME ANY MORE. A NEW LIFE HAS BEGUN" END QUOTE.

    DAD CONCLUDES AND I QUOTE: I THANK MY HEAVENLY FATHER FOR THE NEW LIFE THAT HE HAS GIVEN ME.


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