RS007 Q&A with Dr Don, Pt.2

God has an encouraging word for you and me today. The Bible-based teaching and preaching of Dr. Don Wilton day of questions and answers is no doubt we have a lot of questions these days, but today will be going to God's word discover the answers to your questions. Just a few minutes Dr. Don Wilton our teacher here on The Encouraging Word well-known author, pastor, evangelist seminary professor is going open God's word with a good friend, Kristi Henderson will be sharing your questions that you've written in you texted in you. Let us know you want Dr. Don to answer.

And as we gain the insight from these answers will draw ourselves closer to Christ by understanding God better. While we do so no that were available for you to connect on our website@twonline.org TW online.org.

This phone number 866-899-6730 well.thank you so much for taking more time answers and great questions from folks that have sent the man you know I'm so happy to do this.

Kristi and by the way I'm number one, full of grace. I know and love the Lord, but boy do I have a lot of questions.

Thank you so much. Are you ready I'm ready. Okay first question to your childhood as someone wants to know what is your happiest childhood memory of my happiest childhood memories bunch of them, but I'm going on with this person was the time my father and mother took us boys down the wild coast of Africa which is where we lived in. This is while this was hundreds of miles from anything and we stop 6 miles up this African River guarding the little boat and truck down in between the crocodiles and everything else and down to this peninsula will use a bluff.

There was nothing else, the only Indian Ocean. We stayed there for six weeks, five, six weeks in the Littleton shack. When it rained, there was no… Nothing.

There was no civilization.

Nothing.

It would just some hard-boiled bridge. We stayed at my mom my dad my three brothers all of us just right there. We ate out of cans we got rated by wild animals.

We what everything you know they they would get in and get all our food was in cans. They would just rip those cans open. We spent all our days just fishing and so on. And then one day in the Psalm be quick with this great memory. My grandfather was Capt. Rodrick McDonald, Scotsman in the Admiralty in Royal Navy, and in his retirement, disabled ships all around Africa through the Suez Canal early in the morning in Africa we saw law law ships foreign blowing and boy we jumped up out of our sleeping bags. Winston on this huge bluff and there was this huge ship coming straight to landlocked that my mother looked at us and said don't worry it's grandpa grandpa and I remember to this day that huge ship coming it stop it turn on a dime and the bridge was on the back and there was my grandfather in East who naval uniform standing on the back just waving at us and then the ship when strike back out to see my grandfather that I want to break memory quiet memory of my goodness. All right, well, I'm tells more about that your time on the coast of Africa had talked about fishing did you swam to you sir, if I hear their sharking and infested waters and does it compare to US beaches mean well don't mean there's such beautiful beaches here in the United States very much more like the California Oregon coast very rugged huge waves wound surfing championship.

Now this is the home of the great white shark. Kristi and this is on the southern tip of Africa where I grew up on up the East Coast in Julian, the warm award as being gorilla card would come around the Cape of Good Hope and we we grew up very out-of-doors with no television, grew up in Africa very adventurous outdoors aloft on the beaches, fishing for big game fish. Lotta swimming, and learning how to surf and paddle ski.

We will good to great relation degrees, but a very, very fulfilling very adventurous, very outdoorsy. Everything we did was out-of-doors and that's how I grew up in. In the wilds of Africa and I loved every minute. The difference in Africa when I was growing up. You had your town but as soon as you got out of town.

There was nothing unite America you get out of town here come the billboards and little villages and mile marker 21 and this Littleton young get that you know in Africa. When I look they had not been gone over 40 years.

But you know that you could drive for miles and miles and miles and miles and all you see is wild and you don't see billboards, gas stations, all that, stuff that's the difference in beautiful place.

Beautiful people, while the Carolina coast and wires. Engineers use I will the next question is what a life lesson did you learn the hard way. I learned some pretty tough life lessons the hard way. One of them was when I was a boy my father was preacher' church and we lived in an area where there was no air conditioning, much like the New Orleans area very heavy humidity. We didn't know what it conditioning was and one day I looked at my friends and I said you know we be missing something, and they said, why should you know these a swimming pool right in the middle of the church and back in those days they had the baptismal pool right up with the pool parties and they would move all the full birds and they would be this swimming pool.

So yeah we all sit in a nine-year-olds in the we decided one off and we were going to do it and so we got it.

We went in they found a way to get into the church and listen that poop.

It made the perfect diving the perfect shot and me into three of my buddies were bombing off the pool put water going everywhere and all of a sudden I looked up and there was a pair of feet, and I looked up into the face of the chairman of Nick now and then onto I remember I to this day. I'll never forget the feeling I was court rate Hannah you know that I've always loved the people of the church and I've always loved leaders in the church and cannot tell you the real reason why that man never reported me to really is that not the coolest man that the critical listen. If he'd gone to my bed, I would've still been in jail on an extra remote island off the coast of Africa except now you understand what I'm writing right lit. Listen live.

Yeah, I was very mischievous but you know life is an accumulation of lessons learned, and especially spiritually, and God uses that is less than easy home is not right.

He absolutely does some of them are funny, some of them a very serious yes what are really prideful and I pray for a list seriously am praying for you. You've got sons and daughters that all just struggling all you got a friend. It's just struggling yacht life teaches great missions.

I just pray that sons Bolton is your best friend. Don't send to the point that it damages them. You understand what I'm saying. Sin can blind you. It can grind you can destroy you. I got a lot of friends who dabbled in sin and thought I could get away with it added some things that good so badly hurt. Yes, the Lord forgave them, but they live with us because of this old and live so life lessons.

Yes, all right, my little son Greg is not 40 years old when he got his drivers license.

He had a fender bender.

I'll never forget it was in Greenville South Carolina near the Hampton mole and I got cold, quickly please. So yeah, it was the best thing that ever happened to him because it was a thing the band that he knew about the other people never go to all it did was cost me a little bit of money to replace the man's bumper and I'm telling you my son got a wake-up call about driving is a 16 a 15-year-old I'm I'm glad he had a feeling I pray that your kids everything I say that I got a guess at the pace early Re: next question right when you were dating Karen how did you know that she was the one my duckling men tell you it was ins for me. I'm going to confess, I came out of the Army went to church on the Sunday morning all my friends at auditor because they didn't even know was a Christian. I went to church for one reason Kristi the best looking chicks income when the church and you wondering where that comes from week-old Al Gore. The girls chicks when I was growing up and there was a term of great affection and I set up in the balcony, never saying a word, looked down only sold the back of her, that beautiful handyman just I'm tiny Ivan forgot the words to the next hymn and the so I tell people all the time. You know I fell in love with my duckling.

Instantly, I mean instant I know it. She didn't quite see it that way, you know, and the I think she I try to tell of the soul.

She was here. The notion is this so me about seven or eight month ago you. So I tried I may not and she finally agreed to give it. So you see is the one from his right leg.

So what model act of kindness weighing one sound.

Forgive the interruption will be back with the answer to that question from Dr. Don Wilton in just a moment, but he wants me to remind you we hear for you connecting 24 hours a day on our website@twonline.org. My phone numbers and other ways to connect know that were rated pray for you and encourage the matter fact, if you haven't signed up do that today on our website for the daily Encouraging Word devotional from Dr. Don comes out email frantically every morning. You can even sign up for a physical copy all in our website@tewonline.org. You also find great resources like this book, Dr. what an incredible to be framed and foster 70 that's why I have just written Saturday's.

This is not a biography. It is my experience this most precious man who has changed my life and the lives thousands of around you want to get right now Saturday's remember all the details are on our website@twonline.org.

Now back to the answer that question. Dr. Don Wilton what small act of kindness were you once shown that you will never forget you.

I remember when Carolina first arrived in the United States, and this a long time ago. Okay I'm doing that well over 40 years Kristi so going back and we were in New Orleans we woke up one morning not too soft.

We arrived in America and I'm not exaggerating. We didn't have enough money to buy had no money and nobody else I know money with no money.

I had no job and we were getting ready to prepare for the ministry and we set the in this little room I couldn't even buy Karen. I brought all the way to America.

I couldn't even bother to wonder. I know money today that got to me as a knock on Abdul open the door on the man say to you, Donald suggests Miami should my name is John I'm from Mississippi. Someone told me about you.

My wife and I visited New Orleans would you mind if we took you out to lunch today because it does the chicken… In my heart leapt for joy. We went out we went to Winston's is steakhouse. I got the number nine gun smoke which if anybody does know that that is the whole half side of a cow I had the biggest meal.

I was starving. When we got back to the campus and that man in his precious wife said goodbye. He left something in my hand is a $100 Kristi. I'd never seen $100 bill. I just come from Africa.

You might as well of given me $1 million. Karen looked at me. She said good you know that couple down and that other place that they from the Philippines.

They got nothing God gave us that to give to them. I look to do is said to all you crazy woman. God gives you what God gave us this should not we promised God everything we have is designed to bless others with and it starts right now.

I grumbled went down they they went.

They had to slip that hundred dollars on the they dole came back to our little apartment open the door and there was an envelope on drug just a random invalid.

When I opened the door and sold that envelope picked it up. Somebody else would come by and put $200 under Abdul to this data and who they are and that was the day Kristi, Karen and I bought on our knees and we said, Lord, everything we have is yours.

Everything we have belongs to you. You just given us the greatest wound we could ever get.

It was the kindest thing that ever happened to me.

Now I can tell you multiple kindnesses. I mean I'm surrounded by kind people, but that was what started and what it produced in me and Karen was a real effort to try and be kind to other people that have always been succeeded. I my greatest disappointments. All the numbers of times are most disappointed, but that was an act of kindness that gets to my heart and never forgot that's amazing how God uses people to encourage others and to build others in their spiritual faith in their faith and be kind to one another. What did God say people came to him and said what's the greatest component.

He said love the Lord your God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself. You get that.

That's what Jesus said. I'm just trying that's cold and it really is right so we have another question here. What do you think was Paul's thorn in the flesh, and do we all have one firstborn in terms of pull. Nobody knows, because the Bible doesn't tell us so with a smile on my face. I've heard some pretty good suggestions. I really had. I've I've heard speculations well it's the students that that's the next thing I'm going to tell you my speculation, which means it's not in the Bible on just to close whole taste of is how he's life was radically changed was he's the one in the flesh was justice he needed little new thing in him that constantly reminded him of how good he had it when he was in the popular crowd was he's thorn in the flesh, the numbers of times when he was being beaten up and chased out of town off town shipwrecked starving Betty. He's thorn in the flesh was saying you knows this with me.

I'm doing more of the school Jesus. Do we have doubts like it. Maybe that was he's thorn in the flesh, so there is a lot of speculation as to whether we all have phones in the flesh.

I really believe we I believe that every human being in the flesh has an Achilles heel has sometimes for some people it's very it's a propensity to want something that's not honoring to God.

Now that maybe in a motion it may be anger and maybe snapping back, it may be jealousy maybe covetousness. It may be selfishness by beholding it. It may be a spirit of criticism. I know people who love the people that was going to be criticizing just yet. Consequent help that there will always point that's a thorn in the flesh, run a thorn in the flesh is is is these traits that that we have enough enough for shakiness.

I would encourage all people you love the Lord and I know that you love the Lord do business with God I'm dainty five points of weakness. What is it that unit that keeps tripping you up what what courses you to snap. We, what is your gravitational pull what you find. Just so hard to resist.

You know you love the Lord and he's delivered you and he set you free and and yet you always find yourself being being you know I can't tell you how many times I've gone on direct if if I've told you I'd be as skinny as a rake, okay, up one minute down the next I'm constantly trying. There are some foods folks that I bet on the base for me to eat.I'm just being quite honest with you here, but man do I love okay and I know every time I eat them that I'm going to kind of regrade my fair enough saying that I love it but are not all.

I wish I hadn't eaten. I was in the flesh alike it's it's that part of your life in the maybe several of them never happen. You don't lock yourself when you behave like it. Do you like yourself but it's like it just pops out that you thorn in the flesh how to get victory can face that to the Lord bring it into mind identify write it down. Deal with it and God will give you the victory over good answer there for sure.

Okay, here's another good length. What have been your biggest parenting challenges from the days your children lived at home. So from preschool to high school and now as their adults.

What are the challenges that you face as a parent multiple Joan because every child is unique. They live under the same roof, in whom they were in a Christian home just because you born in a guarantor doesn't make you motorcar and I came to understand because that was my life. We did everything we possibly could to two teach to help to God and have a lot of fun boy our kids faced every kind of gin hunting.

I am sometimes worn holding on to the reins so to speak, and the challenge of parenting and its multiple and there a lot of child development specialist you would give a much better on Simi. The challenge of parenting is to celebrate the unique this of each one of your children and then to tap into that uniqueness and to channel that uniqueness in a right way that brings dignity and respect to the uniqueness of those children through that the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, which as they become teenagers, that becomes harder and harder because teenagers making a general statement.bid they moms looking me right as I want kids never did I use the word unique yellow. I tease my wife Karen all the time. Always tell her how perfect she's been old. Another subject, here's the bottom line they begin to pull back and eventually I'm using the word most tea night lauded teenage not most, most teenagers get to the point where they want to just divorce parents is likely to cut this thing looks. I need some space and I need some air.

So the challenges at those divorce points. Those cut off points that chronicle independence that I don't need to hear anymore of this. I'm big enough. I'm mature enough and I know everything necklace note no children and teenagers, they will know everything we know what I have. They know it all and I believe they and the least person tell them would be mom or dad rock so the challenge of that is to is to be able to pull back without ever letting go and fondling into the act the absolute trust don't lose sight of trusting God in the difficulty in the challenge of raising up and rearing up the uniqueness of the individual children and always remember you train up a child when they are old they will not depart from it.

By the way, that doesn't prefer to age what it prefers to is the process of time in God's economy lodging control and is going on and he the last thing we want people to do is to stay independent from Christ.

Tell us more about how we can invite Jesus well Christie, that's the point on a Christian man and we been taking in on-screen questions about the bottom line is that on Jesus on the Christian. I'm not a perfect man on the forgiven. I'm a dad and grandfather. I can tell you numerous things that I could but on the I want to invite you to give about praying this prayer with me today. Dear God, I know that you love me and I believe that Jesus died for me right now, I repent of my sin and by faith I received Eugene's love the fact that you prayed that this you and I have become brother and sister, Ralph brother, we are part of the family and I will could we all are on standby to welcome you into the family of God.

Christ makes the difference is a game changer is a life-changing. He gives us. Perhaps moments ago you were praying to give your life to Christ to rededicate your life to Jesus. Or perhaps you have questions now that need to be answered.

We stand ready to connect with you at this phone number 86689. I will answer that phone 24 hours later out to one of us happy to talk with listen or pray or connect with some wonderful resources that help you grow in your life. As a matter fact, if you just pray to give your life to Jesus but it's the first time will be dedicating your life. Dr. Don has some wonderful free resources. He wants you to have this need to call us at 8668 or does the phone number jotted down as of April, 24 hours a day. That's 866-899-9673 or email us at online@tewonline.org that's TBW online.org and before you get away closing thoughts were a pastor and chief encourager here at The Encouraging Word this is Dr. Don Wilton okay just before you go today. I just want you to know how much I love you mean so much to me and I just want you to know that with all the things that we've talked about the language God is speaking to your heart right now, we all The Encouraging Word and we are available to you 24 seven, morning, noon, not all day. You can call a friend one of my friends right now and they will encourage you pray with you, listen to you is the right to have people around us really care about us.

You are not alone. God bless you and be encouraged. Indeed, you are not alone. God promises never to leave you or forsake you and is a part of our ministry, we stand ready 24 hours a day to pray with you to encourage you at the other end of this phone number 866899 word. We encourage you to jot the number down stored in your cell make as a contact 866-899-9673 will always connect with one of us happy to talk or listen or pray or connect with great resources like you heard about the book from Dr. Wilton about salaries with Billy was another fresh book on the origin of everything written by his son Dr. Wilton son, Dr. Greg Wilton all the details are on our website@tbwonline.org until next time