The Journey: (...Of a Normal Christian Life)

By R. Stephen Bolles

The Journeya personal expedition that provides a transformation from an ordinary life to one that is extraordinarysimply by recognizing the wonderful promises, power, and provision God has provided for His children.

These short stories will catapult your desire to embark on a journey of your own. Welcome to this exciting trip!

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jul 22, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490842066

R. Stephen Bolles

R. Stephen Bolles is a servant of God, willing to believe Him at His Word. He has lived and served as a missionary in Mexico, Ghana (West Africa), the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Turkey. He has also witnessed many miracles and wonders right here in the United States.

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Bible Read in Hospital

R ecently, it has become disturbingly clear to me that a large percentage of people that call themselves Christians really do not know much about the Bible or what it actually says. This would tend to intimate that many in this category have never read the Bible through; i.e., cover to cover. Of course, this does not necessarily mean in sequence as we have the Scriptures today, but does speak of the entire work included in the Bible.

As a child, from age three until graduation from High School, I had the advantage of being in a Bible-centered Sunday school class almost every Sunday. Then at age 20, I was in the Naval Hospital in San Diego for 40 days with a severe case of pneumonia. During that 40 days, I read the Bible from Gen. 1:1 through The Revelation 22:21. Thank God for that time. The years of being taught the Word along with the cursory digestion of the Word in that 40 days ignited a fire in me that has never been quenched. Daily, I gain more in vision and understanding. Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks, tells us that the heart is where our treasures are, and, John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. The Holy Spirit is able to bring to our remembrance what the Lord has spoken to us (through the Word). If we have not stored away, how can it be restored? Of course the Holy Spirit is able to bring things to our attention that have neither been stored nor experienced, but that is not the pattern indicated in the Word. We would be wise to store away as much of the treasures in God’s Word as we are able. A storehouse of ammunition is a smart move for anyone who desires to overcome the issues of life we all face.

Atlanta, a New Beginning for Our Journey

A t this point in our lives, w (husband, wife, daughter, and son) were all Christians, but were not as yet filled with the Holy Spirit. We were faithful members of one of the largest fundamental denominational churches, attending all regular services, participating in most of the activities offered, and took part in available witnessing programs. Both children were in Christian school/preschool where my wife taught.

Many things seemed to be perfect in our lives. My employment was extraordinary both in function and remuneration, our marital relationship was good, and our children were beautiful and active. The real problem was with me. When I compared our lives against the Scriptures, it simply did not measure up in my sight. (Mark 16:15-18: And he (Jesus) said unto them, Go you into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.) Then there were some pressing problems of daily life. Both children had inherited my wife’s severe allergies. Plus, my wife had been rear-ended in an auto collision, leaving her with severe neck pain. Even with heavy doses of morphine she would moan and groan all during the night hours. For an entire year, not a single week passed without at least one of my family in the hospital. One night, while my wife was moaning in her sleep, I prayed for her and arose to go to our living room to get some peace. I felt I had worked hard for the good things I had, but I knew this was a situation that my earnings and hard work and/or accomplishments could not resolve. I cried out with all my heart to my Heavenly Father, confessing I could not resolve my problems. It would have to be the Lord or nothing! That is exactly what He wanted to hear from me. Confession that He is the one who blessed me with whatsoever gifts and talents I do have, and that nothing short of His mercy, grace, and miraculous provision could bring the desired results. Nothing changed instantly, except an attitude of peace came over me. However, in the next few weeks, my wife attended a gathering of Christians in a friend’s home. Immediately she began to display a kindness and compassion to me and the children we had never seen before. Upon inquiry, she shared she had been filled with the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands by other Christians according to the Scriptures. Searching the Scriptures and finding this experience to be valid, I sought a similar experience. After being prayed for in a similar meeting of Christians, I was struggling to speak in tongues, but it was just not happening. A week or so later we were going to have a prayer meeting in our home. I went out to our living room about an hour early to pray and prepare for the meeting. As I was praying it occurred to me how simple my faith was to receive Christ as my Savior. If this were really the Lord, why should it be any different? So, on my knees, I simply raised my hands and began to praise the Lord in other tongues. It just seemed to flow like a river. After a while I thought I had better get up to receive our guests. It was dark and no one else was around. I went to find my wife. She said we had the prayer meeting in the living room where I was, sang and everyone had come and gone and the family was already in bed. Apparently I had been praising the Lord quietly in tongues the whole time. Although fluent in English only, I am at least street-wise in seven other languages. My Spirit-language is not like any of them. (However, I have seen others being filled with the Spirit whom I have heard speak fluently in a language they neither learned nor understood, but were in perfect grammar for the language they were