Tag: Signs of Hope

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God Accepts Knee Mail

 * Got a lot of hits for Monday’s post. I want to thank you for supporting a fellow author. If you missed it, just go back one post and read the great interview of Tom Blubaugh, the author of “Night of the Cossack.”

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Time is running out in getting a copy of, “Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World.” There are only 6 days before Christmas. Hurry and order today, and it might still make it.

This book reaches out to those who may be suffering from anxiety, fear, depression, addictions, self-doubt, or hopelessness.

There is a special sale going on now until the end of the year. There is a $6.00 savings of you order from this site.

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I have another excerpt from the book, “Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World.” This one tells us that there are many types of technology that people use today to communicate, but the old fashion way of prayer, gets more results, and is much faster.

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Chapter 17

 

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 inAfricain 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 Acts13:22).

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 theUnited 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 we can turn to in order to share with them our deepest hurts and fears. 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 without calling them or e-mailing 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?

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Confusing Times During the Holidays Needs Prayer

* I want to thank those who have been signing up for the RSS feed. It helps this site move up the Google Search Rankings. If you haven’t already signed up please do so today.

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My book, “Sings of Hope: Ways to survive in an Unfriendly World,” is an ideal Christmas present for those on your list who may be battling anxiety, fear, depression, addictions, self-doubt, hopelessness, and the many other usual suspects.

There is a special Christmas sale going on right now. In the stores the book is $19.99, but is you order from this site, it is only $15.99. The shipping is cut in half as well. You will need to order by December 17th to make sure you get the book in time.

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Today’s excerpt is chapter 16. It talks about our need to ask God for advice before we charge into making new decisions.

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Chapter 16

 

Don’t Cross Your Fingers; Fold Your Hands

 

This is the confidence we have in approaching God:

that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

1 John 5:14

 

Do you often have trouble deciding what to do on an important matter? Do you sometimes charge ahead, and hope for the best? There are better ways to approach these situations.

We do things we haven’t spent any time thinking about, and then have to scramble to figure a way out of the problem after we do it. We think that whatever we do, everything will work out. And how often does that strategy (or non-strategy) work? Not very often, if you’re like most of us.

This approach can not only be harmful to yourself, it can also cause pain to those around you. Wouldn’t it be better if we considered each situation with deep thought and prayer about how it might affect ourselves and those around us? Decisions we make can—and often do—alter our own lives and the lives of others forever.

Now the other hat is on. There may be times when you need to trust your instincts and go for it. You may need to act quickly on some of your decisions, and this is when you pray on the spot, asking the Lord to direct you through the process. It could be a situation where if you waited, the opportunity God is presenting to you would be gone. Oftentimes the opportunity is there for only moments, and we pass it up out of fear. Or we let others talk us out of our dreams. Can you imagine what the world would be like if everyone went after their dreams, and didn’t let someone discourage them?

God did let me know what He wanted me to do—write a book—and I went ahead and did it. I prayed for a long time, and knew this was what He wanted me to do. Knowing His approval was my gift from Him. He helped me through each page of this book.

Ray Bradbury said, “Living at risk is jumping off a cliff, and building your wings on the way down.”

There are many Thomas Edison’s out there who never got past their fears. This could be a time when the Lord is saying, “Trust me, I am close at hand, and I will lead you through this.”

He may choose to build your wings after you jump off the cliff. Don’t let others stop you from trying to reach a dream you have kept inside yourself for years. Step the step of faith and break through the fear barrier.

Do you notice a similarity between deliberating for awhile about a decision and making one on the spot? Both scenarios should involve prayer! With prayer, both situations can come out the way God wants them to. Prayer is a critical step in everything we do in our daily lives. Without it, we are truly jumping off a cliff without any chance of getting wings on the way down. We will have to face what ever happens if we wing it (sorry about the pun) ourselves.

As we seek the purpose God has for us in life, we need to take that first step—sometimes the hardest step—He wants us to take. He will never give us any tasks that He feels we can’t handle.

He is there for you, so take that step of faith and He will walk you through the mire to your dream.

The saying, “I made it on a wing and a prayer,” says it all. You have to have the prayer before you acquire wings.

 

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Hebrews 11:1

 

Further Adventures

Some people go through life flying by the seat of their pants. They go through the desert like the Tasmanian devil you see in cartoons. They are whirling around and around but not going anywhere. The only way they can move ahead is by prayer. Stop spinning around, and head down a straight path with God leading you.

 

Something to Ponder

Isn’t it funny that whenever a man wants to do something wrong, it is not God who is tempting him?

 

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A Lot of Kneeling Will keep you in Good Standing

* I want to thank those who have been signing up for the RSS feed. It helps this site move up the Google Search Rankings. If you haven’t already signed up please do so today.

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My book, “Sings of Hope: Ways to survive in an Unfriendly World,” is an ideal Christmas present for those on your list who may be battling anxiety, fear, depression, addictions, self-doubt, hopelessness, and the many other usual suspects.  

There is a special Christmas sale going on right now. In the stores the book is $19.99, but is you order from this site, it is only $15.99. The shipping is cut in half as well. You will need to order by December 17th to make sure you get the book in time.

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Today’s excerpt is Chapter 14. Prayer is one of the keys to survival in a troubled world. Read how it can help you through the storms and trials.

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Chapter 14

 

A Lot of Kneeling Will Keep You in Good Standing

                                                     

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door

will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives;

he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Matthew 7:7–8

 

Have you ever heard someone say, “I will pray for you,” and then never even spend one second doing so? This is a phrase that is used over and over again that too often doesn’t involve much follow through.

In my Bible study group, we have prayer requests at the end. I asked for prayer for a good report at an upcoming doctor’s appointment, and a friend asked for prayer about his friend who was going through a crisis. My prayer was answered when the doctor told me I did not have leukemia. But I never heard anyone tell me they had prayed for me. I had to assume they did.

As for my friend who also asked for prayer, I did pray for his friend. And when I saw him again, I let him know I had prayed. He expressed great comfort in knowing that, and he told me the story of how his friend made it through his crisis. He thanked me for praying for his friend.

Two different situations in one group, two different outcomes. One person didn’t know if the group of men had prayed for him or not. The other person knew that someone had prayed for his friend and he was grateful.

Two opportunities for people to pray and let someone know they cared enough to pray for them, but many did not follow through.

I am not telling you this so you think I am better than another Christian brother. It is an example to show you that letting someone know you care does wonders for the other person. Knowing there is someone praying for you is a tremendous encouragement.

Every time I hear from fellow Christians about something wonderful that has happened to them, their explanation is that they had prayed. This has happened so many times that there must be something to it, don’t you think? It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to see that if this happens so often, you just may want to try it!

I have had many experiences like this myself. I told you in my introduction about my desperation prayer to God onMarch 31, 2001. I have had other experiences that are on the same level. There were times during my younger years when I was a little worried about how I was going to pay the bills at the end of the month. I’d receive a check in the mail or got some money I wasn’t expecting.

Just the other day, I was completely out of cash when I got a call from a car dealer to help them move cars from their lot to the local fairgrounds for a weekend sale they were having. They paid me at the end of my time there. The day I ran out of cash a short-term job showed up for me. A coincidence? Of course not!

The real exciting answered prayer was when I prayed for God to use me for His purpose. It led to the writing of this book.

Prayer can change your life too. Prayer is powerful. God is close. God wants to listen to your prayer no matter how unimportant it may seem in the larger scheme of things. He loves to talk to you! Steady prayer is not only a way to inner peace; it will help you through many trials.

There are ways to have a productive prayer life:

  1. Thank God for who He is. It is God you are praying to—not some golden calf. Acknowledge Him, and thank Him for answered prayer.
  2. Be realistic. Don’t just go through the prayer time and say, “Well I did my prayers today. I guess I can go on.” Be earnest in your prayers to God. Be genuine in your requests to Him. Don’t just recite a prayer. Cause some blood, sweat and tears to come to you, and really talk to God in a way that He knows you mean it.
  3. Ask for forgiveness. You need to have a repentant mind. Always ask for forgiveness of your sins. It is good to do this in the first part of your prayer when you are also praising God for His love for you.
  4. Be unceasing. Continue to pray for a need, even if it isn’t answered right away. God has His own timing. He doesn’t always answer a prayer the first time. Remember that time means nothing to God. A few hours here, a few years there. God wants us to be patient and wait for His timing.
  5. Expect an answer. You must trust that God will answer. This may be the most important factor. You can pray all you want, but if you are not sure He will answer, He may not.

Start praying today and every day to God, and you will be amazed how you are able to cope with your daily life—no matter how tough it gets. God will help you know the purpose that He has for you.       

 

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything

according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—

whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

1 John 5:14–15 (emphasis mine)

 

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it,

and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.

Mark 11:24–25 (emphasis mine)

 

Further Adventures

  1. Ask people from your church how God answered prayer for them. Have them share how it changed their lives. Write each testimony down. Keep them in a safe place. Look at those testimonies any time you doubt that God will answer your prayers. What I have learned is that sometimes God is saying no to your prayer for now. He has His own timing, and He may be waiting for the right time for you.
  2. Read more in the Bible about prayer. There are many more passages in the Bible besides the ones I have suggested. I also recommend that you acquire a book that is full of Bible promises. This type of book lists verses that pertain to any subject, like prayer. They are great for speeding up your search.

One example that I have used through the years is The Bible Promise Book from Barbour Publishing. The copy my daughter DG gave me many years ago has a 1985 copyright date and Barbour now has several different editions for teens, graduates, nurses, men, etc. I have used my copy many times to help me when I need reassurance.

 

Something to Ponder

Isn’t it funny how turning to God in prayer gives you a peaceful mind, and a grateful heart?