Doug Bolton

November 20, 2009

Instant Messaging Doesn’t Come Close to the Speed of Knee Mail

Berore you read today’s post, I wanted to remind you about the exciting new book promotion that is going on. Brandilyn Collin’s book, Eyes of Elisha, is now the book that will be given away in a free drawing. Brandilyn is one of the top Christian mystery, and suspense writers in the business. Brandilyn even graciously autographed the book.

To have a chance to win this book got to the right side bar, and click on the icon that talks about subscribing to my free newsletter. When you subscribe you are also in all future drawing for free books.

You will also see that when you subscribe you will be able to download a free eBook called, The Top 25 Ways to Survive in a Troubled World.

So you get a free newsletter with excerpts from my book, Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World. You can download a free eBook, and you have many chances to win top selling books, with autographs in them.

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God Accepts Knee Mail

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.

He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Psalm 18:2

In this day of modern technology, we can “talk” with someone in Africa in an instant. We can send e-mails faster than we can even say, “snail mail.” Instant and text messaging through our computers or cell phones make it so we can talk back and forth as easily as if we were sitting in the same room conversing. Isn’t that amazing? What wonderful advancements the world has made!

You know what is coming next, don’t you? God can answer prayers that fast. You don’t even need a computer to do it, and it is like He is right in the room with you conversing. God is watching right now as you read this chapter. Think about it, He knows every hair on your head. (I know—for some of us that’s not hard.) He knows when you are sad. He knows when you are happy. He knows when you are in danger. Psalm 139 tells us He knows all about us.

If you question how He can know your own thoughts, it’s because God is all knowing—or omniscient, as the theologian would say. He knows the thoughts of nobodies like us who want to be somebodies. Each of us is just one person among millions and millions of people. Why would He care about you and me? Because He loves us so much He doesn’t want us to be alone. He wants us to love Him back and seek Him in times of trouble. That’s what your earthly father would do, wouldn’t he? (I realize that question assumes a healthy parent-child relationship, which isn’t the case for everyone.)

Yes, He even knows your inner thoughts—your very own personal thoughts. That can be a scary thought, but it shows us His tremendous love for us. He loves us so much that He listens to even you and me.

God is all-powerful—omnipotent in theological terms. You follow the weather report each day to see if you need an umbrella for the rain that God created. You look at the beautiful mountains, and know that they tremble before God. You see a crocus come up in the spring, and know that God designed it. You look at a newborn child and see God’s greatest work.

Yet, even though God is so powerful, He takes time to listen to you and me. He lowers Himself to your level and listens as you speak in His ear. He loves us so much He even came to show us His love in person. In human flesh. He sent His only Son for us so that we would have a person who will pass our hurts, fears, and shame on to the Father. That is why we always say, “In Jesus name,” at the end of all our prayers. We are going through Jesus to have God also feel our pain.

Have you had times when you thought no one cared? Did your spouse leave you? Did your child grow up and move away—emotionally, if not geographically? Has your brother or sister stopped talking to you? Did your dad or mom disown you?

God feels your pain. Everyone left His only Son when He needed them the most. They turned their backs on Him and let Him die on the cross because they feared for their own lives.

God feels your pain. David escaped angry King Saul by hiding in a cave. When David became king, he committed adultery and had a man killed, yet God (through Paul) called him a man after His own heart (see Acts 13:22).

God feels your pain. Jonah tried to run from God and got as far as a whale’s stomach before God turned his pain into obedience.

God feels your pain. It hurts Him when people die in wars. He gives people choices and many leaders make painful, evil choices that hurt others.

Remember: God came down to this earth and felt pain. He cried. He worried. He knew fear. He knows (and understands) what we are going through. He has gone through it. So it makes sense to rely on someone with experience.

We probably wouldn’t hire someone to fix our toilet whose specialty is doing hair and makeup. Nor would we ask someone who has never been outside the United States (and is afraid of snakes and spiders) to lead us on a trek through a thick jungle. And we probably wouldn’t let a blind person show us how to climb the side of a rock cliff.

Rely on someone who knows you better than you do. Use someone who can change outcomes, before they happen. Count on someone who loves to make your life better than it is right now. Use God. Get on your knees and pray for God to direct you the rest of your life. God loves knee mail. He accepts it every day.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear,

though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

and though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

Psalm 46:1–3

Further Adventures

We all have friends that we can turn to and share our deepest hurts and fears with. They are a must on this tainted planet. However, when you leave them after a long talk, they are not with you anymore. You can’t talk to them with out calling them, or emailing them. You don’t have that problem with God. He is sitting right next to you as you read these lines. He will always be right there for you. You are never alone. Let him hear your inner thoughts, and rely on Him to show you the way.

Something to Ponder

Isn’t it funny that God can move mountains and calm the seas, but we still doubt He will help us in time of trouble?

November 18, 2009November 18, 2009

Do you Feel Unwanted and Unaccepted?

I wanted to remind you about the exciting new book promotion that is going on. Brandilyn Collin’s book, Eyes of Elisha, is now the book that will be given away in a free drawing. Brandilyn is one of the top Christian mystery, and suspense writers in the business. Brandilyn even graciously autographed the book.

You will also see that when you subscribe you will be able to download a free eBook called, The Top 25 Ways to Survive in a Troubled World.

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Don’t Put a Question Mark Where God Has Put a Period

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,

neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth,

nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us

from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38–39

I wrote a letter to my kids and sent it to them by e-mail. I wanted to talk to them about acceptance. This is something I had trouble with for many years. I never knew if God really loved me.

May 12, 2005

Guys (and gals):

I have been thinking again (and I know that is dangerous!), but I want to share some thoughts with the most important people in my life.

As you can agree, I have spent much of my life seeking love and acceptance. It had been a constant struggle for me to feel like I am a person of self-worth. I always rode a roller coaster. I would do great for a while, and then I would be in serious trouble with deep depression.

I had an incident last week, and it was the worst timing. It was on our wedding anniversary. I was out of control. I couldn’t stop crying. It took a heavy toll on Charlotte, but she was beside me the whole time, letting me know she was there for me.

Why did I allow myself to feel unwanted, and unloved?????

I knew I was a Christian, but I didn’t know I was ACCEPTED by God because of my past sins. It is one thing to ask for forgiveness, but another to feel that God will accept you for some of the things you have done in the past. I knew He loved me, but did He accept me?

Let me give you guys an illustration:

I love you very much, but have you always known I accepted you? I know you are sure that I love you, but acceptance could be another thing. It would be easy for me as a father to wish that each of you had become a lawyer, or a doctor, and that those professions would let me accept you more.

RUBBISH!!! I accept you as you are. I accept what you have done with your lives, and how your lives have turned out. It means unconditional love—AND unconditional acceptance!!!

That is exactly what I was struggling with!!! I knew God loved me, but did He accept me? I fell down every time I did just a little sin. I decided that I am not worthy of His love or acceptance.

The Bible has helped me a great deal with this. Greg and I have been hearing wonderful sermons on acceptance and love from God at Morning Star Community Church. I am also going to a Bible study on Monday nights, plus I am doing a great deal of reading. What is happening is that this 66-year-old dad of yours has finally come out of his cocoon, and is becoming a butterfly. It was a struggle, but I see many more good days than bad days, and it is getting better as I read God’s Word. I needed to feel righteous in God’s eyes, and I felt I was failing at that.

Let me give you another illustration I read in a book:

A man was doing a seminar with a group of men and he started his seminar with these questions:

“How may of you are as righteous in the sight of God as I am?” Every hand was raised.

“How many of you are as righteous as Billy Graham?” About half of the group raised their hands.

“How about the Apostle Paul?” About 10% raised their hands.

He then asked the final tough question: “How many of you feel you are as righteous as Jesus Christ?” Only three hands went up in the whole place!!!

Now the question could be how could those three people raise their hands? No one could be as righteous as Jesus!

He blew them away by saying, “If you are a true Christian, then you are as righteous as Jesus.”

He just had to read one passage from the Bible to clarify what he meant: “For if, by the trespass of one man [Adam], death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of THE GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS reign in life through one man, Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:17 (emphasis mine) ¹

Righteousness is a gift. WE DO NOT HAVE TO EARN IT!!!

What that is telling me is that if I accepted Jesus as my Savior, I am accepted, and I am as righteous as He is as long as I stay in His love.

A word in the Bible is “justified.” It comes up a lot in the New Testament. In Greek, it means “totally righteous.” Jesus used it often to say, “You are totally justified to be in the Kingdom of God by believing in me.”

It is that simple!!

We are loved! We are accepted just as we are!!! We are righteous, because Jesus is righteous!!!

I feed on these thoughts daily now. I want you to know that you are loved! You are accepted just as you are, and you are righteous because of your commitment to the Lord!!!

Love,

Dad

Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed,

yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken.

Isaiah 54:10

Further adventures

Parents, think about your own children. How do they perceive you as parents? Do they accept you for who you are, and love you unconditionally? Perhaps they don’t see you that way. What could you do to change that outlook? A Bible-based home with Christian values can make a big change in your whole family. It is up to you to take the first step.

Young people, do your parents accept you? If they do not, what do you think is happening? What steps could you take to turn that feeling around? Do you have peace in your own heart that Jesus accepts you? If not, seek Him right now. Ask Him to forgive you for any past sins you may have committed, and then you know you are accepted by your heavenly Father if not by your earthly father.

Something to ponder

Isn’t it funny that when your newly born child first holds your finger in their little fist, you are hooked for life?

¹ Classic Christianity: Life is Too Short to Miss the Real Thing, Bob George, 1989, pp. 99–101, Harvest House Publishers, Inc., Eugene, Oregon 97402

(Excerpt from: Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World. Chapter 11.)

November 17, 2009

Trying to be Macho, or Independent, can Lead to Trouble

You will also see that when you subscribe you will be able to download a free eBook called, The Top 25 Ways to Survive in a Troubled World.

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Trying to Make it Without God

It is very interesting to me how we think they can go through their daily routines, and survive without the help of God. People have gotten to a place where they do not want to depend on anyone else during their crises, or troubled times.

Why is it that someone can look you in the eye and tell you, “I can make it on my own?” You do not need to worry about me. Is it some kind of macho thing with men, and a worry of losing control for women and men?

I have learned that it is impossible to do my work unless I use the power of Jesus. I fear the unknown. I often have to face physical challenges. I see doors closing. I am not sure what I am suppose to do next in my life. Who should I turn to?

It is now easy for me to answer that question. I turn ALL of my concerns over the Jesus. He is walking with me down my path of life. He looks ahead and clears things for me. He helps me make decisions on hard issues. He is there when I have a physical need. He gives me directions when I am at a crossroad.

It is so easy to get complacent, and think we are tough, and reseleant. The truth is we will walk into the muck and mire if we do not have Jesus there to tell us which ways to go and what things to do.

If you are floundering, and in a spot where you have no where to turn to. talk to Jesus. If you haven’t accepted Him as your persoanl Savior, do it right now.

All you have to do is say this short prayer: “Lord, forgive me for any sins that may keep me from your love. I know I have not been as good a person as you would like for me to be. Thank you for dying for me on the cross, and I accept you as my personal Savior. In your Holy name, Amen.”

It is that easy. BUT it is not that easy from this moment on if you accepted Jesus into your heart. Statan is one very upset dude right now. He had you under his skin and he wants you back. You will face many tough trials and temptations. Find a friend that can be your earthly guardian angel. Call them when you are tempted. Call them several times a day if you have to.

Things that may cause you to falter are:

anxiety, fear, self doubt, depression, addicatons, hoplessness, low self esteem, and many more that I know you can think of that I have not mentioned. Turn every one of them over to Jesus. He will carry you the rest of the way.

If you have any commets, please feel free to let me know.

Doug