A place to find Hope

Tag: Christ

The Date December 7th, 1941 Changed life for Americans.

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On December 7th, 1941 The Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, and killed several thousands of Americans. I was only two years old at the time, so I didn’t really know what was going on.

Three of my uncles, fought in WWII and two of them received Purple Hearts. Their heroics helped stop the war and our freedom.

I enlisted in 1959 in the Army. I did it to honor my uncles who fought ahead of me. Each of them was a hero to me.

I am proud to have served my country, and I would do it again if I could.

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It is getting close to the most important holiday of the year. It is Christmas. The word Christmas means the mass for Christ. During this hectic time many people have completely forgotten the true meaning of Christmas. Christ seems to have disappeared out of their lives during this holiday.

Jesus was born on Christmas day. he became the savior for the world. He paid the supreme price by dying for each of us on the cross. That means you too. Jesus doesn’t hand pick His favorites. He loves ALL of us no matter what our beliefs are.

All we have to do is invite Him into out hearts and we are Christians. You become His child.

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I mentioned before that this time of year is very hectic. Do not let the stress of the holiday pull you down like a huge magnate. Keep being positive, and share your joy with others, who are suffering.

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Remember:

You are never alone,

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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Forget the Bad Days Concentrate on the Good Days

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I am pretty sure you guys are tired of hearing about my physical issues, but I had two tests in the last two days and they were both great. So we are back to the beginning still trying to figure out why I have such a shortness of breath. I see my primary doctor next week. I will see where we go from here.

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President Biden still doesn’t have any plan for getting the Afghanistan interpreters out of harms way.

They will certainly be slaughtered once we leave. Just put them all in planes and bring them to the United States. They served us well.

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I have been so frustrated with the way our country is moving these days. Christians are getting the bad wrap. More people hate us than ever before. I wonder why that is happening?

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So how are you doing? Do you worry about each day and what it may be for you? Are the days hard to face?

I certainly hear you. I have been struggling myself.

I have tried to cling to the promises that God has given us. He will not forsaken us. He will not allow us that have more problems than we can handle.

He is our fortress against the darkness. Go towards the light of Jesus.

I can do all things through Christ!!!

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all… never, ever, give up!

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Be Strong and Don’t Go Through Life Alone

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Have you ever felt alone? I mean like you ae stranded on an island by yourself?

I have some times that has happened to me:

  1. When I was eighteen, I enlisted into the military. I had never been out of my home state. In basic I had two buddies that I had enlisted with and they gave me comfort. But then we were trained and all three of us were deployed to Korea. Still OK until we got there and found out that we were being sent to three different bases. I then learned what loneliness was. It was just me and a whole company of guys I had never met before. Then the alone feeling was overpowering. This eighteen year kid was in a foreign land, and didn’t know anyone. I felt lost. I felt I wanted to be back home with my family.
  2. Much later in my life I felt alone again. It was overwhelming. I couldn’t even tell my wife why I felt alone. It kept growing on me until I was ready to give up. I was driving my Ford Explorer one day, and it all came up all at once. I began sobbing. I couldn’t see where I was going. I turned into a high school parking lot and drove way in the back of it where no one could see. I had actually considered checking of this hotel called earth. That is when I yelled, “God I can’t take this any more!” Then I felt different. I felt the fear got away. I felt fresh air. It seemed like coming out of a coma. It was like God was saying, “It’s about time you came back to me. Now let me carry you the rest of the way.”

There are other times I have felt alone, but each time now I remember one thing...I AM NOT ALONE! God is with me every step of the way. I could tell you what happened after each time I felt alone. I even wrote an award winning book about it called, Signs of Hope, Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World.

There are only one place to get the book if you want it. It is close to a second printing, and there are only about ten copies left. I have those ten copies, and you can only get one by going to www.dougbolton.com and click on books. This way you get an autographed copy directly from me.

I digress.

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Being alone and isolated is our enemy.

We feel we can take on the world on our own. As a result, we distance ourselves from those who know us the best, We come incased in ourselves to push away others.

Remember this… Living the Christian life is not a “me,” thing, it is a “we” thing.

We need someone in our life to hold us accountable. We need a mentor to keep us on the right path.

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In my case it is my own son Greg.

He has grown up to be a real Godly leader. I turn to him whenever I feel sad, depressed, or even alone. He is a no nonsense guy who tells it like it is, and that is exactly what I need.

We have to realize that we can not live for Christ if we are not connected. My son keeps me connected.

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Before you chose your mentor You have to expect the following things to happen:

  1. Transparency: You must be willing to be see as you really are. Many of us of afraid to let anyone knw how we are deep down. We are afraid of rejection.
  2. Choice: You must be willing to change. No one can force you into anything.
  3. Confidentially: Everything you share never goes any further than the two of you.
  4. Commitment: Both of you must agree to a higher standard. The person across the table from you must have a deep desire to see you succeed.
  5. Confrontation: You can’t go easy on each other. Accountability requires confronting the reality of the truth. Face the truth and accept the challenge.
  6. Compass: This is is most important thought. The Word of God must serve as your compass to guide you the rest of your life.

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“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” proverbs 27:17

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So if you feel isolated, find someone to help you. You need them to have a sounding board for you. Be strong!

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…..never, ever, give up!

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We Need to Pray About Our Fears to Stop Panic

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WE NEED TO PRAY RIGHT NOW

Thre no way to avoid it, we are in troubling times right now. There is the pandemic, rioting, wild fires, etc. A bit overwhelming don’t you think?

I have made a prayer list for myself that I do every day before I lay my head down:

  1. Pray for all leaders. From the president on down to our own local government.
  2. Pray for those you have trouble with. Love you neighbor as yourself.
  3. Pray for peace. There are many “hot posts,” in this world.
  4. Pray that the gospel will reach out to many and they will be saved.
  5. Pray for things that pleases God.
  6. Pray for your family, and friends.

We have many fears:

  1. Marriage-It is hard to have a good marriage if you don’t try hard to help it out.
  2. Job-There is much turmoil in the world now. Many people laid off because of the pandemic.
  3. Having enough money. Single moms wonder where the money will come for their rent.
  4. People wonder if life has any meaning. Sharp increase in suicides since the pandemic started.
  5. Many fear they are not accepted by God.
  6. Some think they are a failure.
  7. Others feel rejected.
  8. The opposite of # 5. People are afraid they are too close to od.

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Jesus has got us covered my friends. He said it very clearly in:

Matthew 6:25-34 

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed.

There is also a verse that shares these thoughts:

Philippians 4:6-7 

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

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So where are you in your faith right now? Do you wonder if you are safe from disaster? Would you rather stay in bed all day then face the wolrd?

BE STRONG IN THE LORD!

Jesus is beside you 24/7. He will not sway. He will protect you and love you. He faced many more horrible things many times, and He never wavered.

Show others why you are not afraid or full of fear. Tell who has your back and that they should too.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit for the site, please let them know about it. Your comments will not be seen by other people, just me, and I will connect with you to see if you are OK to share it.

You have to Go Through Basic Training to Survive in This World

I was in the Military. I am a Army veteran. I was deployed to South Korea. My heart goes out to all those who are serving now around the world.

Before you get trained in your MOS (job,) you need to go through basic training. This is eight week of torture and pain.

You have the crawling on the ground with live ammo go over your head. You have a gas chamber you have to go through without a mask. You throw grenades hoping you get it out of your hand. Then there is the shooting range. Don’t forget the many push-ups you do all day, because the drill sergeant loves you.

Now think of this as a Christian. You have to go through basic training once you accept christ into your heart.

Being a Christian is not for sissies.

God wants you to be part of His Army. He wants to train us in a certain way. The grace that saves us is the same grace that trains us.

When we have storms and trials, we should consider them as training.

Where do we get the training? The Bible. Even long time Christians need the Bible. We are never too old to need to learn more. The Bible bridges all racial, cultural, and social deviations. The Bible is for everyone, not just Christians.

Reading the Bible is not the goal. The goal is to grow spiritually while reading the Bible.

However, just reading the Bible is not enough.

  1. We go to church.
  2. We Read the Bible.
  3. We serve in the church.

What we really need to do is to be concerned about God’s glory.

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How are you doing? Do you feel you still need a lot of training? Are there times when you slide just a little bit and not go to church one Sunday? That is where it starts. Never shrink backwards when it comes to God.

Always keep learning. Always keep training. The world is tough out there. Put on the armor of God, and be ready for what comes.

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Remember:


You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

So many Problems Attack us All At Once

I had a great message online from my church on Sunday. I also was on a phone conference with a dynamic young man who is on fire for the Lord.

From the phone call I wrote down two of the quotes from Taylor Wilkens, area leader for FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes.)

  1. Everything can be chaos around us, but God will help us through the storm.
  2. There are so many bad reports coming from TV and newspapers, when will the good reports start coming in?

He is spot on, and we need to realize that. We are never alone in this world. God is always there for us through the good times, and the bad times.

We are overwhelmed with negative TV, and news in general. When is the last time you saw a feel good story? We need to be strong and block out all of the negativity.

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Referring to the protesters, My Pastor said, “Fireworks are exciting. The start is good, but then it is just a pull of smoke.” This reminds me of all the protesters who think what they are doing is right, but in the end they are causing more harm than good.

My Pastor also said, ” You have a house that you have built. You worry about room sizes, where to put the windows, the paintings, etc. Did you think about the foundation? Most people don’t.” Our foundation is the Bible. We get all our guidance from it. If we live by the Bible, our foundation will be strong.

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We were told that in reality we are just apprentices for God. We are still learned and growing. You never out grow being an apprentice. I am up in years and I am still learning much.

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There is an abundance of fear in our world. We can help others with fear. Reach out to those around you. See how they are doing. Help them if they are struggling. It may be right in your own neighborhood.

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We read the story about Peter wanting to get out of the boat and walk to Jesus. We need to get out of our boat and help others. What fear is holding you back from getting out of your boat? Ask yourself, “Why can’t I get out of my boat? Remember, God is not done with you yet. He needs you out of your boat. If we walk with Christ and not towards Him in the water, we are at the safest place to be. I realize that stepping out of a boat right now with all the storms around us is hard, at best, but we Have Good on our side. We win!!

Sorry for the many different topics here, but they were building up in my head, and I was getting a headache. :0

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never every give up!

Words of Wisdom From Friends

I watched a great message from my church online yesterday. It had some great wisdom from parables as it foundation. The first parable is from Matthew 4:26-29.

It speaks of a farmer who scatters his seed on the ground. It grows and he harvests it.

Another parable is later in Matthew 4. It is Matthew 4:30-32.

It talks about a tiny mustard seed growing to one being of the biggest trees around. Jesus is comparing The Kingdom of God to the seed.

When the seed is planted it starts growing, It keeps growing and growing until it is a magnificient tree. It gets so big that birds can make nests in it.

What these two parables infer is that we can plant seeds as well. If we do it in the right way, People will come to Christ as their savior. I often heard someone tell me, “You just planted a seed in that person.” I knew what they meant and I was glad.

As parents we need to plant seeds into our children, We need to let them know about God and His Son Jesus. As they grow up they will be like that mustard seed grown up into a beautiful person.

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I was thinking about sports the other day. We really miss it right? I was online at a breakfast last Tuesday when one of the members related the Bible is for people who love sports. He said that we all have a great playbook in the Bible. Everything is laid out for us to follow and be a winner. I loved that.

Another person said, “If you are teaching, you are learning.” I can relate to thta as well since a taught school for 22 years. We never stop learning not matter what our age is.

Yet another said, We spend too much time deciding if we want to or have to. There are things in life that aren’t pretty or rewarding, but they need to get done.

My favorite thing I heard was just one sentence: “See, feel, trust.” We need to know that God is always there for us. We need to trust His guidance.

Remember:

Your are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

People Are Fighting Depression During this Pandemic

It is Saturday. Should be a break for many of you, but since I am retired every day is Saturday. Sounds like I am rubbing it on you? Not at all. It is very hard to be retired and not be able to leave your home.

I have been climbing the walls. Charlotte and I take breaks by going on rides to nowhere. We just get in the car and start driving. We have found many places close to us that we have never seen before. We even drove into a closed community by accident, and could only get out when a homeowner opened the gate. That was an interesting adventure.

How are you holding up? Are you also climbing your walls? Are you frustrated on how we are in a lock down? Do you try to find excuses to travel in your car to nowhere? You certainly are not alone.

As you can see you are not alone.

Some thoughts:

  1. God didn’t promise a rose garden, and besides there are the thorns.
  2. Every day is a new day. Embrace it.
  3. 99% of all the worry we face doesn’t happen. Give the rest to God.
  4. We need to TRUST. We need to trust that God is with us always. There is no place to hide. He will find you and help you through your storms.
  5. All storms end.
  6. Use the storms to make you even stronger.
  7. It is hard at best to face the world, but if God is for us who can be against us?
  8. Life seems like two steps forward and one step back, but you are still going forward.
  9. When you hit a wall, climb over it, dig under it, or go around it. Never let it stop you.
  10. “I can do all things through Christ who give me strength.” (Phil 4:13.)

I have been to the bottom of the muck and mire. God pulled me out and made me whole again. He can do that for you as well.

Don’t let the dark side dictate to you. Embrace the light of Jesus and let Him guide you. He is always there for you.

Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

God wants Peace for Your heart

Peace, Be Still!

“Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.” -Mark 4:39

God’s desire for your life is that you would have an overflowing abundance of peace! In fact, one of the names Jesus is referred to in scripture is the ‘Prince of Peace.’ And as we know, when someone is referred to as a King or Prince, it’s because they carry a mantle of authority in that area. Jesus literally carries the authority of abiding and everlasting peace with God.

Peace with God is not to be confused with peace with this world— because the two are contrary to one another. If you choose peace with the world the outcome is internal chaos. And if you choose peace with God you will have internal peace, but the world will hate you.

The reason Jesus went to the cross was to restore peace between God and man. As the Prince of Peace, Jesus is the access point for us to receive peace. Jesus is waiting for us to come and receive His peace as a free gift. But we can’t receive His gift without surrendering our old ways of thinking and living. We must put off the old if we want to put on the new. When we yield to him, then we receive. Once we surrender our hearts to the Prince of Peace we can expect a great calm to come over our lives from the inside out!

Here are 5 Reasons God wants His peace to rule in your heart today:


1)You are a new Creation—
2 Corinthians 5:17 says you are a new Creation, the old has passed away and all things have become new. Your new creation identity in Christ is the root of all things becoming brand new in your life. Jesus stripped the power of sin from your life by dying on the cross, and now you are given a new inheritance of life instead of the old inheritance of death. Apart from life in Christ death  remains. As you continue to grow into Jesus, by experiencing His presence and understanding who you are in Him, your life will overflow with peace!

2)You can only give away what you have received— This point might sound obvious, but it’s so true and can’t be overstated! We simply can’t give away something that we don’t have. We can’t lead someone into a land that we’ve never been to! If we are going to be people who lead others in peace we have to first enter into that peace.

3)Peace is a Fruit of the Spirit— Galatians 5 teaches us the one of the core fruit of the Spirit is “Peace!” If you have been struggling to find peace, I hope this produces a spring of excitement in your heart. Peace isn’t something you need to try and achieve, it’s simply an outcome of growing closer to Jesus. Abiding in Christ is where every fruit of the Spirit comes from. All we need to do is abide!

4)Peacemakers reveal Jesus to Non-believers— In Matthew 5:9 Jesus says “Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.” Jesus is the Prince of Peace, and He showed us what the life of Sonship looked like in its purest form. In this scripture he clearly defines the role of a child of God as a peacemaker. The more we discover our identity as God’s sons and daughters, the more we will invite others into a relationship of Peace with God.

5)Peace is a sign of Hope—
There are probably many things that could be added to this list, but the final point I want to make is this; Peace is a sign of Hope! Whenever we as Christians share about the hope we have in Christ people are looking for evidence of that hope in your life.The evidence works just like a sign because it points the source. God always has been and always will be a God of signs and wonders. A transformed life that has been overwhelmed by God’s peace is one of those signs!

God is working powerfully and abundantly through believers in every nation, to reveal who Jesus is to the world. We are part of God’s story!

“You are loved more than you know, and God’s plan for you is bigger than your biggest dream!”


Praise God!

Taylor Wilkins
FCA (503)754-3783

“The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”

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