Why do people have to die?

That is a very awesome question! And, to find the answer, we have to go all the way back to the first book of the Old Testament, the Book of Genesis. Here’s the deal, when God first created the earth and created Adam and Eve, they were in a perfect relationship with God and they had no fear of dying. Life was fairly simple back then with very few rules…except one BIG rule:

“And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." (Genesis 2:16-17)

Well, we all know what happened. Eve was tempted by the serpent and took a bite of the apple and then Adam took a bite of the apple and sin entered the world. And God was not happy about it. In fact, God puts a curse on the serpent and on Adam and Eve. To mankind God says this, “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you are returned to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:19)

Our perfect relationship with God was broken and we were condemned to die. Even the New Testament reaffirms this curse in Romans 6:23 when it states, “For the wages of sin is death…” BUT, and here’s the good news!!! The rest of that verse says, “…but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus.”

Even though our physical bodies will eventually die, we are promised eternal life in Heaven WITH JESUS by accepting God’s gift of grace and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Probably one of the most quoted and well-known Bible verses is John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son and whoever shall believe in Him shall not perish (die) but have eternal life.” But don’t forget the next line, which to me is just as important, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”

Even though every person will eventually die a physical death based on the sin that came into the world, those of us who are saved will have eternal life with Jesus in Heaven. While no one wants to die and we don’t want to see loved ones die, I want you to know that I am not scared of dying because I know where I am going. I just want to be able to stick around for a little while longer so that I can see my kids grow up, get married and maybe become a grandpa someday.

I want to tell you a funny story. A friend of mine’s grandmother loved Jesus so much and she knew, without a doubt, what awaited her when she died. So, when she was on her deathbed she was so happy that she was going to see Jesus soon that that’s all she could talk about. The she fell asleep, a little catnap so-to-speak, and then woke up. Here’s the funny part: She looked around the room, looked at my friend and actually said, “Oh, darn! Still here!” Can you believe that???

You know, even though he was sad when she eventually died, he knew that she was in heaven with his grandfather and with Jesus and it made him happy and gave him great comfort to know that she was there.

What if you are in Hell and you pray about your sins? Will God take you to heaven from hell?

Wow, dude, that is an awesome question! Sadly, though, the Bible is quite clear on that and the truth is, no. Once you are in Hell, it is for all eternity.

Jesus actually talks more about Hell than He does about Heaven and the reason is because He does not want any of us to ever go there. Hell was not created by God for you and me. It is a place that was created for Satan and his demons. In Matthew 25:41, Jesus tells those who never came to Him, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”

It is a terrible place…the Holy Bible can’t even adequately describe it. We do know that it is a place where even Satan is tormented day and night forever (Revelation 20:10). It is a place of total darkness, where you are completely alone and where you are in constant anguish from the searing flame with a thirst that cannot be quenched and where there will be a constant weeping and gnashing of teeth (Revelation 14:11, Mark 9:4, Jude 7, Matthew 22:13). If that scares you, that’s okay…it scares me too.

There are people, who are non-believers, who will say, “How can a loving God send people to a place like Hell?” The truth is God doesn’t send us to Hell. The non-belief in Him and sin, choosing the devil’s way, put people in Hell. Remember, God is holy and will not allow sin in His kingdom.

But, know this: God does not want anyone to perish! He wants all of us to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9) More importantly, God sent His one and only Son to die for us so that we would not go to Hell. But, it’s not enough just to know that Jesus died for us. You must truly believe that He died for us and then confess Him that He is your Savior. Remember our A-B-C’s in the Bridge Illustration? You must Admit your sins, Believe that Jesus is who He says He is and Confess that He is your Savior.

Never forget how much God loves you!!! He loves you so much that while we were still sinners he sent His son to die for us! (Romans 5:8) And the reward is so great, too, because the Bible says that, “For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world through Him” (John 3:16-17)

How did Paul become a Christ-follower when he met Jesus because he killed Christians?

That is a very awesome question! In order to understand how Paul became a Christ-Follower, you should read the Book of Acts, which is in the New Testament. Chapter 9 deals with Paul’s conversion from being a Jewish leader to becoming a Christ-Follower. The very end of Chapter 7 and the beginning of Chapter 8 introduces us to Paul (Saul) and tells us who he is and the kind of person he is.

Paul started out persecuting Christians; in fact, he even killed them. Then, while on the way to Damascus to find more Christians and imprison them, Paul met the resurrected Christ. That meeting was so impactful that it changed Paul forever.

Now, it seems kinda weird that Jesus would pick Paul, who used to be known as Saul, out of all the people who lived during that time to become a Christ-Follower, doesn’t it? I mean, this guy was actually going around the country and persecuting Christians, beating them, imprisoning them and even killing them! Why Paul?!?!

Remember, Jesus is God. And, because He is God, He knows everything. Jesus knew that Paul would change. Jesus knew that Paul would be one of the greatest disciples of the word. Jesus knew that people who knew Saul of Tarsus would be amazed at his transformation into the Christ-Follower Paul and Jesus knew that Paul would do great things to further Christianity.

And, that’s exactly what Paul did! Paul started churches in places all throughout the region. Many of these places were unchurched and full of sin. Paul not only began churches, he wrote them letters to keep them strong in their faith. Many of those letters are parts of the New Testament. Many of the letters Paul wrote were while he was in prison!

That meeting on the road to Damascus with Christ changed Paul so much that he was willing to go to prison and even die for Jesus. In fact, Paul has no fear of dying because, as he says in 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

It’s really amazing how quickly Paul converted to Christianity. You should read Acts 9:1-20. It’s pretty short and really cool!

Why did only certain people go on the cross?

Wow, awesome question! First of all, let me be clear about crucifixion…it was basically a death sentence. Crucifixion wasn’t intended to be a punishment with set time. It wasn’t like the Roman judges said, “You will be crucified for a period of three hours.” The act of crucifying someone was meant to kill them. Not only that, but it was meant to kill them in a very slow, painful and tortuous way. Roman crucifixion was also meant to humiliate and dishonor a person.

Now, having said that, crucifixion was reserved only for the worst criminals, basically your murderers and thieves. In the Bible, we only have two instances of crucifixion mentioned. The first involves Jesus and two thieves, the second is when the Apostle Peter is told he will be crucified as a martyr (John 21:18-19).

Since the second instance is vague and has been debated by many Biblical scholars, let’s go to the first instance, which we know to be true. Here we have two thieves and Jesus who are being crucified. Do you remember what Jesus did to warrant death by crucifixion? According to the Jewish leaders, He blasphemed by claiming to be God. Even Pontius Pilate couldn’t find a reason to crucify Jesus so he handed Jesus to the Jews who had Him crucified by the Roman soldiers. So, Jesus, who was perfect and without sin and who had committed no crime, was crucified along with two thieves.

As unfair and unjust as that seems, it fulfills Old Testament prophesy about the Messiah. Jesus had to die on that cross. But, here’s the glorious and wonderful part about his death on the cross: when Jesus died He took the sins of world past, present and future with him and redeemed us. And because Christ died for us, we can have eternal life with God, the Father, in Heaven.

So, even though the cross was reserved for certain criminals, Jesus’ crucifixion was necessary to fulfill God’s unstoppable plan.

If God was made somehow, could he have been made from the planets somehow or the universe?

Well, that’s a very interesting question! Unfortunately, in order to answer it, we have to make an assumption that God was somehow created. And, we know, through Scripture, that God is not a created being. God has always been here, is here now, and will be here forever. In fact, God created the Earth and the Heavens and the universe and the planets.

I know that seems hard to understand. Many Biblical scholars have tried for years to try and answer or explain it in a way that makes some sort of sense to us. But, there are just some things that go beyond explanation … things that only God, the Father, knows. And, this is where faith comes in.

There are just some things in the Bible that we must accept as truth even if we can’t completely understand it or explain it. And we accept them based on a faith that God is who He says He is and has the ability to do the improbable. I mean … how do we explain that the Earth is exactly the right distance from the sun so that we either don’t burn up or that we don’t freeze up? How do we explain the tilt and the rotation of the earth is just right and that one rotation equals one day and one night? How do explain why you and I breathe air but fish breathe water? How do we explain how a holy and perfect God can come to earth as Jesus and live among us in this sinful world and then go willingly to the cross and die for us so that we could live forever?

There are so many other examples of God’s greatness that we just can’t explain but we know them to be true.

So, could He have been made from the planets or the universe? Absolutely not.

Is a person who turns their back on God a lost person?

That is a very awesome question! We do live in a l"ost world." People are lost because they don’t have a relationship with God. So, a person who turns his or her back on God is a lost person because they don’t have that relationship that God so desperately wants to have with them.

But, here’s the good news! In fact, it’s great news!!! God is always ready and waiting for anyone who wants to have a relationship with Him. In fact, in 2 Peter 3:9, Peter (who was one of Jesus’ original disciples) says, “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

We also told the parable of the Lost Sheep in class (Luke 15:1-7) where the shepherd, who has 100 sheep, loses one and goes out to find that sheep. When he finds that sheep, he celebrates even though he still had 99 sheep! Jesus tells us that God is like that shepherd in that there will be more rejoicing in Heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

So, even a lost person, who turns his or her back on God, can come back to God and He’ll immediately accept them, love them, and rejoice in their return! We have a very big God whose love is unstoppable and He wants you to have a relationship with Him.

Remember, there is nothing you can do, nothing, that is so bad God can’t forgive it.

If God and Jesus are the same, then how does God only know when Jesus is returning?

This is a very thought provoking question and it’s been debated by Biblical scholars a lot. First, there is absolutely no doubt that Jesus and God are one in the same. That is important to remember. The Holy Spirit is also God. So, there is one God but He reveals Himself in three ways: God, the Father; God, the Son; and God, the Holy Spirit.

So, Jesus may very well know when He is returning but He is referring to the greatness of the Father when He says "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Mark 13:32) Also, Jesus is likely not trying to act independently from the Father. It’s like He’s saying, “The Father is in charge, just as I can’t do anything that the Father doesn’t have me do, so it’s up to the Father when this day will occur.

Another widely accepted interpretation is that what Jesus what really saying is that no one will “make known” the hour of the coming of Jesus except God, the Father. God will have the full authority to announce Jesus’ second returning. This theory is based on scholars doing a word study on the ancient texts and breaking down the Greek word “eido” which we’ve translated as “know.”

These Biblical scholars believe also that Jesus, being God, knew when he was coming again but that He was leaving the announcement to God, the Father, to make. That only the Father will “make known” the return of the Son.

Okay, so is that a little confusing? It’s okay. It confuses me too but I believe it is the best way to interpret that passage.

If God has more power than Satan, why doesn’t He destroy Satan?

Great question! The truth is that no one knows why God allows Satan to live and roam the Earth and allow bad things to happen And, for the record, let me just say also that God could take Satan out anytime that He chooses, if he wanted to, but that God has a greater unstoppable plan in store for us. In fact, I know God can take Satan out because, eventually, God does get rid of Satan by throwing him in the Lake of Fire.

The real question is why didn’t God do it yesterday or why doesn’t God just do it now??? I mean, if God had gotten rid of Satan yesterday, I wouldn’t be tempted the way I am today, right? The best way to get rid of temptation, it seems to me, is to get rid of the Great Tempter, right??? So, why doesn’t God do that?

Well, the Bible does not directly answer that question. Perhaps God is allowing Satan to tempt us because it brings us closer to God’s glory and developing a relationship with Jesus when we overcome those temptations. And, don’t forget the most important aspect when we battle those temptations to do bad things: God sent His one and only Son right in the middle of that battle and it is through His death on the cross that you are saved! And when you put your love, faith and trust in Jesus in spite of Satan’s lies, tricks and temptations, Jesus’ glory will shine through you and you will be able to overcome anything! “I can do all things through Christ Jesus who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)

If Jesus was born, who gave birth to God?

Okay, so this is one of those questions where the answer is so confusing it sometimes even makes me scratch my head and say, “Huh???” But, here is the answer in the simplest way that I can describe it:

God is infinite, which means He has always existed and he will always exist. He is eternal. He, therefore, doesn’t have an age or a birthday.

Let me try and explain it like this, time is a measurement of physical change. But, time has only existed since the creation of the universe. Let’s look at Genesis 1:1, the very first book and chapter of the Bible. It says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” So, we can say that time started with this creation, right? We can start a timeline based on this sentence, couldn’t we?

But, we also know from this sentence that God was BEFORE the creation of the heavens and the earth. That means that God is timeless. And, because He is timeless, He is not physical and is not confined to physical change. Say what?!?!?

Also, try and imagine this…God is perfect, which means he can’t get any better or any worse. He NEVER changes. God has always been absolutely perfect.

So, if we take that statement to its conclusion, whatever God says is right is right and whatever God says is wrong is wrong. True right and wrong is, therefore, timeless!!!

Ouch, my brain hurts.

What would happen 2 da world if Satan turned [his heart] to God and became good??

Wow, that is a very interesting question! Do you realize that if there was no Satan, then there would be no evil or no temptation? If Satan became good again and became Lucifer, the archangel, there would be no wars, no hate, no jealously, no sin, period! That would be kind of cool, wouldn’t it?

What would we be like??? Would we be like robots just worshipping God without really understanding who God is? Would we know who Jesus is? Would there even be a Jesus??? I mean, if there was no sin, then there wouldn’t be a need for Jesus would there? Hmmm…

But, sadly, there is a Satan and he is a terrible, terrible being. He uses lies, doubt, distractions and evil to take our eyes off God. And, because there is a Satan, that’s why God sent us a Savior. God sent His one and only Son down to Earth to take all the sin of the world upon Him so that we wouldn’t die but that we could have eternal life with God in Heaven.

And, here’s sort of the weird part about this that kinda sounds kooky but it’s true: Satan exists so that we can have a personal relationship with God. Like I said earlier, if there was no Satan, we wouldn’t need Jesus and we’d all walk around like a bunch of robots not knowing God’s full greatness. But, because Satan shows us how weak we really are, we know we need Christ in our lives to overcome Satan’s attacks. And the only way to know Christ is to have a personal relationship with Him.

We need to accept Christ into our hearts and talk to Him every day through prayer and ask Him to help us from the evil one’s temptations. Remember when Jesus taught his disciple how to pray? It’s called the Lord’s Prayer and part of it, after acknowledging God and His greatness, is a request where we ask God to, “lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.” Jesus knew Satan’s power and knew that we couldn’t battle Satan without God’s help. It was so important that he included it in His prayer.

That tells me that, as tough as I think I am, I can’t do it without God’s help. I need God in my life. I need Jesus, who died for me on that cross, to save me from Satan. And, the best part is…He will! All you have to do is ask Him and trust in Him and believe that He died for your sins and the sins of the world.

Why did God choose to have the dinosaurs blasted into extinction?

That is a very awesome question! And I love this question because it allows the scientist in me to come out! In order to answer this, we have to look at the concept of micro-evolution. Micro-evolution is different from macro-evolution.

Macro-evolution is part of Darwin’s theory that says we evolved from common ancestors with apes, which is scientifically inaccurate. The Bible clearly states, in Genesis 1, that God created the heaven and the earth and all life on earth, including us and apes.

Micro-evolution, though, is different. That is where small changes occur within a species through either changes caused by humans or by natural selection. For example, a long time ago, someone said, “Hmmm…I wonder what will happen if I cross-breed a poodle and a cocker spaniel?” So, they tried it and today we have a very common breed called a cockapoo. Scientists have also cross-pollinated plants and created new types of plants and flowers.

Now, let’s get back to your question about dinosaurs. I think that dinosaurs were a victim of micro-evolution and became extinct due to natural selection or some natural catastrophe. I think that some of them didn’t survive the great flood, some may not have been able to adapt to the changes in climate or were unable to forage for food after the great flood and slowly died off.

I’ve been told by some of my scientist friends that this is not uncommon. There are many other species of animals that are extinct now too, for whatever reasons. Ever heard of the Quagga? It was half-horse and half-zebra and became extinct in 1883. How about the Thylacine? It’s been called the Tasmanian Tiger and became extinct in 1936. How about the Irish Deer, the largest deer that ever lived? It became extinct about 7,700 years ago.

So, why did God choose to make them extinct? That is a question I do not have the answer to but I can tell you this much: God has an unstoppable plan and the extinction of a species of animal is part of that plan and only He know the reasons for it.

What are Nephilim? They mention them in the Bible but are they real?

That is a very interesting and awesome question! First off, Nephilim are beings in the Bible that are described in the Book of Genesis, the first book in the Old Testament, as children born from “the daughters of men” and the “sons of God.” (Genesis 6:1-4)

No one really knows who the “sons of God” are; there are many biblical scholars that have theories but the truth is that we really don’t know. At any rate, the Nephilim came into the world during the time just after Adam and Eve but before Noah. They were also described as giants because in the Book of Numbers, in the Old Testament, it says, “We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them." (Numbers 13:33)

So, are they real? We must accept them to be real if we believe the Bible to be true. The Bible cannot be partially true and partially not true. We must believe on faith, just like we believe in angels, that the Nephilim existed. So are they around today? Probably not. There is some speculation that because the “daughters of men” and the sons of God” chose to have children together that God used that to justify the great flood and destroyed the Nephilim.

But, if they are still around today…I think Shaquille O’Neal is one! He’s huge!!! ;)

How is Jesus alive if God is always alive?

Cool question! And the very cool answer can be found by looking in our Bibles.

In the Book of John, which is the fourth book in the New Testament, Jesus tells his disciples, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.” (John 14:9-11)

Jesus is explaining that He is God! There are many other places in the Bible in which Jesus says that He is God, too, but I particularly love these verses because Jesus doesn’t mince words or speak in parables here…He is pretty clear that if you’ve seen Him, you’ve seen the Father and that He is in the Father and the Father is in Him.

So, if Jesus is God and God is alive…then, Jesus is alive! Does that make sense? It can be a little confusing but once you realize that Jesus is God then you’ll know that He’s alive right now and watching over you!

If God took nothing, how do things appear? Do they appear from his voice or does it come from his nothing?

We know that God created the heavens and the earth and everything in it, but you ask a very interesting question when you ask if it came from nothing.

Let’s look at the Book of Genesis, the very first book of the Old Testament, and look at Chapter 1. In Genesis 1:2 it clearly shows that the earth was formless and empty. This shows us that everything on earth and in the heavens came from nothing.

Next, if we read the rest of the verses very carefully, we will see that in all of the instances of creation, it says, “And God said…” Then, after God said it, it came into being. So, basically, God spoke everything into existence. Not only did He speak everything into existence, He named what He created too! He called the light, day and the darkness, night. He called the great expanse, the sky! He did that for the creation of the seas, the land, the plants, the animals and, of course, human beings.

Wow…I know that sounds so unbelievable but our God is all-powerful and capable of doing what we think would be impossible. It’s not like He had some super computer and some helpers and a machine that built stuff based on data He input. God created everything by just thinking it and speaking it.

How large is God?

That is a very awesome question! So, let me throw some fun factoids your way to give you an idea of just how large your God is:

The Earth is in the Milky Way galaxy. The Milky Way is 588 quadrillion miles across.
Scientists believe there are 50 billion other galaxies in the universe.
At the Pacific Ocean’s deepest point, Mount Everest could be submerged and the summit would still be nearly two miles from the surface.
Your body makes and destroys 10 million red blood cells every hour. If that ratio is off by 1%...life ends.
It is true that no two snowflakes have ever, or will ever, look the same.
Scientists believe there are 2,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars in the universe (though we can see only 6,000 in the night sky!)
It’s estimated that as many as 5 million species in the world have yet to be discovered.
The energy in one hurricane is equal to that of 500,000 atomic bombs.

And, who endowed the heart with wisdom and gave understanding to the mind? Who marked off the earth’s dimensions and set the foundations for all life? And, most importantly, who gave His one and only Son to die for us so that we could have eternal life?

You ask how large is God? God is large. And in kind of a twist to God’s answer to Moses, more importantly, God is.

Why do we get baptized?

That is a very awesome question! First off, let me just say - because sometimes folks are confused by this - that you do not need to be baptized in order to be saved or to have a personal relationship with Jesus. Being saved is a decision you make by admitting you are a sinner, believing Jesus is who He says He is and choosing to accept Jesus into your heart.

Baptisms are a very public and symbolic way of sharing with others your decision to accept Jesus as your Savior and to follow him with your life and heart. The practice of baptizing people with water was first shown in the Book of Matthew, the first book in the New Testament. In Chapter 3, we get introduced to a very strangely described person named John the Baptist. He is really a different kind of person in the way he dresses and in the stuff he eats! But, he is baptizing people in the River Jordan. He says it’s for repentance of their sins. (At the end of that chapter, he baptizes Jesus, who while sinless, gives us a model we follow!)

In the Book of Acts, the fifth book of the New Testament, Peter (one of Jesus’ original disciples) commands us to, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.” (Acts 2:38)

Again, we see that the act of baptism is a symbolic way to repent by “washing away your sins” and then rising again (just like Jesus did when He was resurrected) and walking in the newness of life that Jesus has to offer. Very cool - no doubt!

Did God make the Big Bang? Are both of them on the same page?

In the Book of Genesis, the very first book of the Old Testament, in Chapter 1, verse 1, it says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Despite our best scientific theories, the Bible just does not mention a “Big Bang.” For better or worse, the Bible is not a book of "how" everything came into being. It is a book on "why" everything came into being!

Genesis tells us that God was very deliberate in His creation of the earth in that He spoke it into existence. He knew exactly what He wanted and He created it perfectly.

Did you know that the position of the Earth in relation to the Sun is perfect in that if we were any closer we would burn up and if we were any farther we’d freeze? Did you know that the Earth is tilted on its axis just perfectly? Do you think that just happened by chance?

The question for everyone who grapples with the idea of a “Big Bang” is: what was there before the Big Bang? If that is the start of creation, what created the “Big Bang”? Hmmm…

The Bible is not like a food bar at a cafeteria ....we can’t choose to believe part of the Bible and then not believe another part. All of it is God's Word. This is where faith comes in. Since God and His Word don't contradict, if there is something which appears to be a contradiction (like the Big Bang vs. God speaking creation into existence) then there is a problem with our understanding of science or our understanding of the meaning of Scripture (or both!), but God's Word doesn't contradict itself. As a matter of fact, I'll bet that someday science will have the ability to agree with much more of the Bible than it does now!

If you steal and give back, is that good or bad?

We all know that stealing is not good. It is one of the Ten Commandments. “You shall not steal” Ex. 20:15. But what about if you steal and give it back? Does that make everything okay? - Good question!

A couple of examples in the Bible of where stealing is mentioned is Exodus 22: verses1, 3-6, & 14 and Luke chapter 19. These examples show us that if there has been stealing then the person who has stolen needs to take steps to try and make things right, to pay back what has been taken. We call this restitution.

Let’s look at Zacchaeus the tax collector in Luke chapter 19. As a tax collector Zacchaeus had cheated people by taking more money or possessions than he should have. The first thing Zacchaeus had to do is recognize he had been stealing and confess it, which he does in verse 8. But, in addition to confessing that he had stolen he also promises to pay back four times the amount he stole from anyone. He was committed to making things right with those he had stolen from. In other words, Zacchaeus brought about restitution. One of the things that I think is interesting is that Zacchaeus was promising to pay back four times the amount he had stolen. Zacchaeus was eager to make things right with those he stole from. His offer to pay more was a reflection of his heart.

If I steal, God wants me to recognize my sin. He wants me to be sorry that I have stolen and confess what I did. Then He wants me to do all I can to make things right with the person from whom I stole.

Personally, when someone has stolen from me, I have had to ask God to help me forgive them. With God’s help, forgiveness wasn’t hard to give, but being able to trust that person again may take some time.

Why is God called “The Rock”?

God is referred to as a rock often in the Bible. You see the reference in both the Old and New Testaments. When the Bible talks about God being a rock, it is using a metaphor comparing two things that are alike. The Bible often uses metaphors to help us understand something. When God is referred to as a rock it represents constancy, strength, power, presence, a strong support, and refuge or a safe place that protects.

One of my favorite verses that refer to God as a rock is Psalm 18:2, it says “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.” When David wrote the words of this Psalm he was going through hard times but he kept his focus on God. He found comfort and security knowing God was with him. David is a wonderful example to us.

We can (and should!) look to God as our rock, the one who is always there for us to protect and support us, and a place where we can find security.

How do we know God is in existence?

That is a great question! And, a pretty deep question … it’s not whether or not God created the world but whether or not there is a God, right? So, let me give you six reasons why I believe there is a God:

(1) The sheer complexity of our planet … it’s size, shape, the way it rotates, its gravity, its temperature, the right mixture of oxygen and nitrogen so that we can breathe… shows that there had to be a deliberate designer. It just couldn’t have happened by chance.

(2) For many, many years scientists have believed that the universe began with one big explosion of gas and light, which many people call the “Big Bang” theory. They believed this was the singular start of everything as we know it. That means at one time, it didn’t exist. It had a start somewhere…so what caused that? Guess what? Scientists can’t answer that question. We know, from Genesis 1:1 that, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

(3) How do we explain how nature works? There are certain things that are “for sure things” in our world…they are called universal laws. For example, why does gravity remain consistent? Why does the speed of light not change? Why does a hot cup of cocoa left on a table become cold? Basically, why are things so reliable?!?! I’ll tell you why: we have a God in Heaven that made it that way. He was deliberate in the way things are.

(4) How does DNA work? Do you know that each one of us has our own unique DNA? There are no two human beings that have the same DNA. No two human beings have the same fingerprint…not even twins! Computer programs are very complex, would you agree? But a person’s DNA…their genetic code...has three billion numbers and letters telling a cell to act in a certain way. How is that possible? Because you are fearfully and wonderfully made by a Father in Heaven and He created your inmost being. (Psalm 139:13-15)

(5) We know God exists because He pursues us. He is constantly inviting us to come to Him. The fact that you wonder about Him is great! That means He is on your mind. He wants us to ask questions about Him and He wants you to know Him. God loves you more than anyone ever has or anyone ever will. He loves you so much, He gave His one and only Son for you so that you would never perish but have eternal life! (John 3:16)

(6) Finally, unlike any other religion or revelation of God, Jesus Christ is the clearest, most specific picture of God revealing himself to us. No one else in the history of religions has claimed to be God. Jesus did. No one else has ever died and rose again. Jesus did. Jesus said that God exists and that you’re looking at Him! Jesus did things that only God can do. He performed miracles and caused blind people to see and deaf people to hear. He made the lame walk again and even raised the dead!

So, does God exist? If you look at the six facts that I have listed, could you say He does?

Where is Heaven?

Heaven is a real place - Jesus said so in John 14:1-3 when He said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

Heaven is also known in the Bible as the “New Jerusalem” and it is an eternal city that is described beautifully and in-depth in Revelation 21 and 22. I think my favorite description is in Revelation 21:3-5 which reads, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." He who was seated on the throne said, 'I am making everything new.'"

So, where is it exactly? No one really knows. It is beyond our Earth and beyond the universe. I know that is hard to imagine, but I just wanted you to know that no matter where it is, it is a real place and a place that has no sadness, no death, no mourning, no crying or no pain. We will have glorified bodies (and no one knows what those look like but we will know each other somehow) and we will be in the constant presence of God. Pretty exciting, huh?

When did the church get started?

When you read the Book of Acts in the New Testament, you will see how the original twelve disciples started the early church during the Pentecost when they were filled with the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is described in Acts 2:3 as appearing like “tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.” It enabled the disciples to speak in tongues and to preach God’s Word. Peter, one of Jesus’ closest disciples, delivered the first sermon and the church grew to 3000 that first day! (Acts 2:41)

Acts 2:42 goes on to describe the early church and how committed everyone was to each other. Grab your Bible and read it - it's awesome!

In Acts 7:54 through 8:3 we see that the stoning to death of Stephen and the beginning of Saul's great persecution against the church actually helped spread the church. The persecution caused the church at Jerusalem to scatter throughout Judea and Samaria. As we look back in history, though the time was painful for Christ-followers, it also represented a time when the church began to spread across the world, something that is still occurring.

And the church that started with the Holy Spirit's movement through Peter's sermon won't be stopped! Honest!

Why do we have wars and why can’t people just compromise?

Wars have been around since Satan battled God’s angels and was thrown out of Heaven along with a third of the angels that took his side. Wars are a result of sin.

Sin is a state we are born into and, although we try to overcome our sin nature by ourselves, we just can’t do it. That’s why Christ had to die for us. Only by His sacrifice was sin defeated.

And, one of the biggest sins is: PRIDE. When prideful, sinful people can’t get along or can’t agree, that’s when wars occur. They are just too stubborn and prideful to give in and compromise.

If Satan is evil in Heaven and in the Bible it says there is no sin in Heaven, why did Satan sin then?

WOW!!! That is a very awesome question! And, to be quite honest with you, I don’t know the answer to that question and I don’t think anyone, other than Jesus, really knows. But, here’s what I do know to be true:

God absolutely hates sin. He cannot even be in its presence.
There is no sin in Heaven.
Satan was once God’s most perfect angel named Lucifer and he was cast out of Heaven because he sinned against God.
A third of the angels also sinned and were cast down to Earth with Satan.
Satan is also known as the “accuser of the brethren” because he gets to go to the Throne of God and point out the sinners to God but Jesus protects us by saying, No, Satan, you’re wrong, They are covered by my death.” (Job 1:6-12 and Revelation 12:7-9 tell some of the story!)

So, there are a lot of bible scholars who believe that there are different realms of Heaven and that when Lucifer sinned against God it was in one of the realms of Heaven but not Heaven itself. There are also some Bible scholars that believe the Throne of God isn’t in Heaven but just outside Heaven which would allow Satan to come close to Heaven without being able to get it to Heaven itself.

We have to remember that God is all-knowing, all-powerful and ever-present. He has an unstoppable plan for us and for Satan. Don’t forget…Satan is not God or the opposite of God. He is a created being just like you and me. God created Satan. Satan cannot create life, he is not all-knowing, he is not all-powerful and he cannot be in two places at once. Never, ever think that God and Satan are equal because they are not.

In fact, if God wanted to, He could make Satan disappear with just a thought. But, God has a plan for us all, including Satan, and God’s plan is perfect and unstoppable. We cannot ever imagine or begin to know why God does some of the things he does or allows some of the things he allows. We will never know, until we go to Heaven, why God allowed Satan to sin.

What if someone in your family is smoking? What will God do?

That is a very awesome question! And the very simple answer is that God will continue to love them. You see, God loves us all. He is our Father in Heaven. And, He loves us unconditionally, despite our flaws.

And just like their Heavenly Father, good earthly fathers will also love their children unconditionally even though they sometimes do things that disappoint them or make them sad.

Now, does God want that person to smoke? No. Does God want that person to stop smoking? Yes. Could He make that person stop smoking in an instant just by using His powers? Yes, if He wanted to ---- but God gave us free choice. He wants us to honor Him by our own free choice.

Do I think that someone who smokes is bad and misses out on heaven? Absolutely not! This is not a salvation issue. God knows we are imperfect and sinful creatures. That is why He sent His one and only Son down to Earth to die for us. It is through Christ and His gift of grace that we are saved and have eternal life.

Do I think smoking is unhealthy and bad for you? You bet! Absolutely!! It's a pretty good idea not to mess around with smoking :)

Were the dinosaurs here first or Jesus Christ?

That is a great question! And the truth is that there is a Biblical answer to this question. In the Book of John, the fourth book of the New Testament, it starts out: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” Now, that sounds very confusing doesn’t it? I mean, when I first read that I said to myself, “what or who is the Word?” Then, I read John 1, verse 14, which says, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”

The Word is Jesus! So, what that means is that Jesus was here in the very beginning. And, here’s the most important thing to remember: this clearly shows that Jesus is God. Jesus was not created, He was the Creator. He has always been here. Now, I know that sounds even more confusing because people always ask, “Well who created God?” And the simple answer is, no one. God has always been here and He was the one who created the heavens and the Earth. Remember Genesis? God took six days to create the Earth and everything in it. And, because Jesus is God, he created everything in the world too…including the dinosaurs!

When people paint their stuff black, is that bad?

You know what? Jesus knows us so well and knows a lot about what our favorite things are, including colors. For example, my favorite color is purple and Jesus knows that. For others, they may like red, or blue, or green, or yellow, or…yes…even black. And Jesus knows those colors are favorites of some people. And that’s okay…even the color black.

But, what we really have to look at is the heart of that person and ask them why is black their favorite color? Or why are they painting things black? Let’s use red as an example here. My wife loves red. She loves red roses, she loves the reds and greens of Christmas and she loves a red sunset. But, if she told me she likes red because it reminds her of blood or the devil, I’d have a major issue with that! If someone likes black because it reminds them of evil things or of the devil, then I’d say that was a bad thing. BUT, here is the wonderful thing about Jesus: He is always there with His gift of grace ready to forgive anyone and offer them eternal life through His sacrifice on the cross. So, if someone liked black for all the wrong reasons, Jesus still loves them and is there waiting for them to accept His gift of grace.

Again, just liking the color black and painting things black isn’t a bad thing. It’s the reasons behind it that can be bad. But, even that badness can be forgiven by our Lord And Savior, Jesus!

Is there more than one way to God?

This is an aweseme question!

Jesus said, in the Book of John, Chapter 14, verse 6: “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” So, what that means is that Jesus is the only way to God. There is no other way.

That is true for each and every person in the world, regardless of what they believe or what religion they are - it's a fair shake cuz everyone needs Jesus to get to God!

AND, the great news is that you don’t have to earn Jesus’ love or salvation. He gives it to you, like a present. It is called the gift of grace. It is a gift from God and all you have to do is accept it! Pretty cool, huh?

If you know God is by your side, how can you still feel scared?

That is an awesome question!!! I actually love this question because I’ve had a lot of kids ask me this in person and it gives me the chance to ask a question back and that question is: Why are you scared?

I can promise you that it’s not because God isn’t there for you. He is always with you and thinks about you more times than there are grains of sand on a beach. He also knows every hair on your head and knows your every thought, hopes and dreams.

So, where does this fear come from then? Why do we get scared? And believe me, we all get scared at one time or another. Is it Satan trying to deceive us and to discourage us from trusting God completely? Satan does know that if he can create doubt in your mind, that’s when the fear can creep in. Satan is a master liar. He will do everything he can to make you doubt God’s love for you; he will even twist God’s Word! Remember what he said to Eve in the Garden of Eden? Satan came as a serpent and convinced Eve to take a bite of the apple by saying to her, “Did God really say not to eat from any tree in the garden?” (Genesis 3:1) Then that darn serpent said, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good from evil.” (Genesis 3:4-5)

He tricked Eve and sin came into our world. Once sin entered the world, it allowed doubt to also enter our minds. When we doubt God’s love for us, we get scared. It’s not because we don’t believe in God, it’s because Satan makes us doubt that God is who He says He is and that God couldn’t possibly do all those things.

But, remember this…it’s all about faith in God. Know in your heart that God is who He says He is. Know that God is good all the time and that He cannot sin. Know that God loves you and that He has plans for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you; plans to give you a hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

And when things seem to be going bad, remember this: “TRUST in the Lord, your God, with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding but in all ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Do all people have to read the Bible?

That is a great question! And here is my answer to you: if people really want to know God, then, yes, they need to read the Bible. The Holy Bible is the Word of God and teaches us many things about who God is, why the Earth was created, why things happen they way they do and how we are supposed to live. Even for those people who don’t know God yet can learn a lot from the Bible. It’s kinda like an Owner’s Manual on life!

But, for those of us who are Christ-Followers, the Bible is a very important piece of our faith. We can go to church and learn some things, we can pray, we can sings songs to God and we can talk to our Christian friends and learn even more…and that’s great! BUT, if you really want to know who God is and what his unstoppable plan is, you have to read His Word.

I remember the first time I picked up a Bible. I remember thinking, “Oh, man! This is wayyyy too much reading! Where do I start? What’s the important stuff??” Then, I had a very good friend, who is also my small group leader, tell me to start with the Book of John in the New Testament. It talks about God’s love for us and why He sent Jesus to us. If you haven’t read it, start there. You don’t have to read it all in one day either. Then, as you learn about Jesus, you’ll want to learn more about Him.

And, believe it or not, the Old Testament has some really cool stories in it! And they all show God’s love for us and His unstoppable plan for us. The story of Noah and the Ark, the story of Moses and leading the Hebrews out of captivity and the miraculous things he did with God’s help, the story of Samson and Delilah, the story of David and Goliath and the stories about King Solomon are so amazing! And the best part is…they’re true!

So, do all people need to read the Bible? Absolutely!!!!

Why is it that when I was 7 I smoked because my dad did it?

I think you are telling me that because your dad smoked, you also tried it. If that is the case, I’ll bet you did it because you wanted to see what your dad was up to. It’s absolutely normal for a boy to want to be like his dad and do things his dad does. I did that too when I was a boy.

Now you are wiser than when you were 7, and you know that smoking is bad for you. I know that a lot of parents, and even kids, smoke – but no one really argues that its good for you, right?

You know what’s so very cool??? You are old enough now to make your own choices about stuff like this. In my opinion, there is enough difficult and painful and bad stuff in life so that I don’t also have to make a choice that hurts me. If I know that smoking is bad, then I don’t need to try again.

My dad smoked for most of his adult life, I tried it a little bit when I was younger too – I hated it. Now my dad has cancer. Maybe the cancer is not even from smoking, it doesn’t matter – I know I don’t want to smoke.

What about you? What’s your choice?

I hope this note helps you. I have a lot of faith in you, and a lot of love for you. I have really enjoyed these two years in TRACK with you. I hope that you will make good choices in the future. You will have many chances to make good or bad choices. If you ever have more questions like this, or you just need to sit and talk with me, just let me know. Even after you are out of TRACK, you are welcome to ask me any question you have.

What happens to a baby that dies at birth? Do they go to Heaven or Hell, because they never sinned?

Babies that die at birth go to Heaven. Babies that die before they are born go to Heaven too. Even small children who cannot understand the concept of sin and salvation go to Heaven if they die unexpectedly.

There is a point, though, where we do hold individuals accountable for their sins, but that is usually later as they grow older. Hebrew Tradition usually celebrated this age of accountability with a Bar Mitzvah.

How come God loves the ones who sins?

It is because our God is a loving God. He has what's known as "agape" love for us...in fact, there really isn't an English translation for it...except to say that it is an unconditional love for us. He loves us completely and unconditionally.

We are His creation and we are fearfully and wonderfully made in His image (Psalm 139). What God hates is sin. We often say, "Hate the sin but love the sinner." Well, that's the way God is. God knows that we can never measure up to the level of perfection that Christ demonstrated. That's why He sent Jesus to us; to carry the weight of that sin. That doesn't mean there aren't consequences for sin. Think about it this way...your mom and dad love you unconditionally but they still discipline you when you do something wrong. It doesn't mean they don't love you; they are simply angry at the act of what you did. Your Heavenly Father is the same way.

Why did God send Jesus into the desert to be tempted by Satan?

That is an awesome question! If you read the very first line of the Book of Matthew, Chapter 4, Verse 1, it says, “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.”

So, just by this verse alone, we learn two things: 1, God (the Spirit) was involved in this plan and 2, He allowed Jesus to be tempted. And you’re saying, “Okay…but why???”

God sent Jesus to show us how to resist the devil. Remember, Jesus is God so, if He wanted, He could have made Satan disappear with just a thought. But, instead (and this is the part I love), He responded to Satan as a human to set the example for the rest of us humans. He showed us through His actions how to resist temptation!

And, if you were listening real close you heard how Jesus set the example for us. Do you recall? He accessed God’s strength. He used the passages from the Bible to give Him the strength He needed to resist Satan’s temptations. He turned to God’s Word. He did that to show us that if we can access God’s strength through prayer or knowing God’s Word and trusting in God’s Word that we can also resist temptation. Because, guess what? We can’t do it alone. And Jesus was showing that He couldn’t do it alone as a man.

Remember 1 Corinthians 10:13? It said, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But, when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” That is a promise from God to you. God knows we can’t do it alone. Jesus knew it and that’s why He showed us how to resist temptation by turning to God and by turning away from Satan and to keep walking away from him.

So, that’s why God sent Jesus into the desert to be tempted by Satan. It was to demonstrate to us how we can beat Satan by turning to God and by turning away from the temptation of the devil. Remember Philippians 4:13…”I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.”

What is the difference between Christians and Mormons?

I have done a lot of reading and research on the differences of Christianity and Mormonism. I have also spoken with a number of Mormons who have come to my door, and I know many kids (some in our class) who have some Mormon faith in their background.

I have discovered there are many differences. These differences are very important because they involve what we believe about God, Jesus, the Bible, salvation, and heaven. Below is a comparison of some of the differences. I hope this chart helps you.

Christianity
The Bible is God’s Word (2 Tim 3:16).

Mormonism
The Bible is not the final word of God.

Christianity
God is Spirit and the one and only God (Is. 43:10).

Mormonism
The Father has a body of flesh and bones. There are many gods. Humans can eventually become a god.

Christianity
Jesus is both man and God (John 1:1, 14) and God’s only son (John 3:16).

Mormonism
Jesus is created by the father (a separate being) and is a spirit brother to Lucifer (the devil).

Christianity
Salvation is a free gift provided by God’s grace for all who believe in Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross (Rom. 3:22-24).

Mormonism
Salvation comes from faith, good works & meeting church requirements.

Christianity
Those who put their trust in Jesus will spend eternity in heaven with God
(John 14:1-4).

Mormonism
Most of mankind will enter one of three levels of heaven. The highest level is reserved for Mormons.

Here are three of the websites I looked at that I thought were helpful, you might want to look at them with your mom and dad. They provide a lot of information.

Christian Apologetics Research Ministry (This is the Mormon / Latter Day Saints Page): http://www.carm.org/mormon.htm.

Mormon Research Ministry (This site challenges the claims of Mormons): http://www.mrm.org/.

Mormon Info.org (This site really digs deep into your question about the differences): http://www.mormoninfo.org/.


I know this is a lot of information, so start with the chart I made you, and then have some discussions with your mom and dad. If you really start digging deeper, keep asking questions!!

How could Jesus live without organs after He died?

Wow. That is a great question.

The Bible doesn’t say whether or not Jesus had organs. We can assume that He did because He hadn’t ascended (risen) to Heaven yet. We do know that Jesus had the scars from being crucified and from being stabbed because Thomas, one of the disciples, touched them (John 20:24-29). So, that kind of implies to me that he hadn’t changed physically. The more important thing, though, isn’t whether or not He had organs or not but that he had been resurrected. Wouldn’t a better question be, “How could Jesus live after He died?

Jesus is the only person that has conquered death (a few others, including Lazarus, did too but only because Jesus commanded it). So, how did Jesus do it? It’s because it was all part of God’s unstoppable plan. God has the power over life and death and He resurrected Jesus on the third day to because God knew we needed a Savior to save us from our sins.

Do you want to know something even wilder? God told us all of that was going to happen in the Old Testament! There were prophets in the Old Testament telling of Jesus 700 years before He was born!!! Amazing, isn’t it?

Why do people like being obnoxious?

hmmm…I can’t give you a biblical answer but I will give you an intriguing answer, one that may cause you to think or reflect. Let me ask you this: Is there such a thing as an “obnoxious meter”? I mean is there a device that actually measures behavior and then starts going off when a person crosses a certain point and becomes obnoxious?

Well, we both know the answer, right? …there isn’t. So, at what point does someone’s behavior become obnoxious?

What you may see as obnoxious, I may see as funny. What I may see as obnoxious, you may see as inquisitive. You see, I don’t think people purposely go out to be obnoxious. I think they are trying to be funny or have things they want to say or that they just want to be heard. Sometimes they are hurting inside and just want attention.

I’ve looked through the entire Bible and I can’t find one passage where Jesus said, “Wow! That guy is obnoxious and is really getting on my nerves!!!” Jesus loved and accepted everybody as they were…just the same way He loves and accepts us. We are so lucky that He extends us that grace and mercy because I’m fairly certain at some time in my life, I was obnoxious!

Is bringing back the dead a sin? If it is, it doesn't harm anyone or does it? Why is it a sin?

Wow…now that is a very interesting question. Let’s look at this Biblically, okay? First, there is only one person who has the power to create life and that is God. Nobody else can do that, not the angels, not the disciples, not Moses, not Abraham…not even Satan. Jesus was a man and He was also God. I know that is a very difficult concept to understand but it’s the truth. So, because Jesus was God-in-flesh, He had the power to bring back the dead.

There are several examples in the Bible where Jesus raises the dead: In Matthew 9:18-23 Jesus brings back a little girl who had died. In Luke 7:11-15 Jesus brings back to life a widow’s son as he is laying in his coffin. And, my favorite, is in John 11:1-43 where Jesus brings back to life Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha.

Now, it is very important to remember that Jesus lived His entire life without ever sinning. He lived a perfect life. Because Jesus is God and God hates sin, Jesus was incapable of sinning. Therefore, His miracles of raising people from the dead cannot be seen as sin.

Remember, God is the only person who can create, or give, life. No one else can do it and no one else will ever do it except God and Jesus.

There’s a girl in my class who thinks I’m her BFF but when I get on her bad side she’s really mean, but she only has a few friends. What should I do?

That is a great question but a hard one to answer because there really isn’t a “right” answer but here is what I think.

You are in a difficult situation. The impression I get is you want to be kind and a friend to this girl in your class but because of her actions and attitude she makes being a friend a challenge, even a bit scary. Do you know what we call people like that? EGR’s, which stands for Extra Grace Required! EGR’s are people God allows into our lives that we need to show extra grace to because they challenge us in someway or another. That means we need to show them extra forgiveness, patience, love, and understanding. And guess what? We all have EGR’s in our lives; you do, I do, your parents do, everyone does. You know what else; we are probably an EGR to someone else, too.

So, what can we do to help us deal with EGR’s? First of all pray. Pray for that person and her needs that you know of. Then pray for God’s wisdom, love, patience and understanding for yourself.

One of the things that I try to keep in mind when dealing with an EGR is that the person might not know better. You mentioned that your EGR only has a few friends. That tells me she probably doesn’t know how to be a friend. In her attempt to control others to be her friend she becomes mean. Definitely not the way a true friend should act. When she does something mean try talking to her about it. She may not realize how her words or actions make you feel.

If she keeps being mean, then if possible try and set some kind of boundary or limit to the amount of time you are around her. Not to be mean to her but for your own protection. God does not want you to be disrespectful or hurtful to anyone but He also does not want others to be disrespectful or hurtful to you.

I know how you are feeling. I remember going through the same type of situation when I was your age (yes, I can remember back that long ago) but I have also been in that situation as an adult. It is a terrible feeling. Keep your eyes on Jesus and he will help you get through this. Your parents probably have some great advice. I bet they have been in the same situation too. I’ll be praying with you. Keep me posted on how things are going.

What is the best book in the Bible to look up?

Hmmm, well, there is no "best" book. In every single book of the Bible, God has something incredible to show us about who He is and who we should be in reference to Him.

It might be good to start with one of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John) because they are fairly easy to understand all on their own. The book of Psalms is like that too and it’s FULL of verses that will make our God grow much bigger in your heart.

If you’d like to start reading your Bible on your own, please know that many parts of it can be difficult to understand. So never feel like you’re dumb for not getting certain parts of it and ALWAYS ask a grownup you trust to help you understand. I STILL get stumped on some things I run across in God’s Word and I’ve been reading it for a LONG time!! When I get stumped, I go for help.

Will God be upset and not talk to you if you litter?

That could NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER happen. God doesn’t want us to litter because He wants us to take good care of what He’s given us charge over. BUT, He will ALWAYS talk to you. He loves His children and He wants to have a fabulous relationship with you. Your parents don’t stop talking to you when you mess up do they? God is exactly the same way. So God does love you no matter what, but He’d probably rather you didn’t litter.

Can Satan create? If so, did he make dinosaurs and were they evil so they could not go on the ark?

One of the problems with Satan is that a lot of what we think we know about him is popular mythology – meaning that we get our ideas from stories and history and traditions that are not in the Bible. That Satan is a mean dude in a red suit with a pitchfork is a good example of a description of Satan that is not in the Bible. Another idea – a surprising one - is that Satan is in hell. The Bible states that he roams earth looking for someone to destroy (Job 1:6-7; 1 Peter 5:8). The point I am making is that we want to use only the Bible to understand Satan.

One of the clearest statements about Satan is Revelation 12:9, which states that “this great dragon – the ancient serpent called the Devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world – was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.” There are a lot of other passages in the New Testament that also describe Satan as humanity’s deceiver, adversary and challenger. 1 Peter 5:8 makes it clear that Satan wants to destroy us and Matthew 4:1-11 is a great example which shows that not even Jesus was free of his challenges.

To answer your question directly as it refers to dinosaurs, Satan is not the Creator, God is. God is the Creator of everything, of all matter and energy and space and time and life, and everything in creation that God called first “good” and later “very good.” This includes dinosaurs! God created dinosaurs and they were good.

The reason they did not make it onto the ark was probably because they were already extinct, not because they were evil.

How can God be 3 people at once?

He’s not. God is NOT 3 people at once. What He is, though, is 3 persons in one. Stick with me & let me explain - - - it’s really not that complicated.

The idea that God is 3 persons in one is called the trinity. The word trinity means three together. A trinity is three persons together in one. (A tricycle is three wheels on one cycle; a triangle is a shape with three angles.)

The Bible doesn’t actually use the word trinity. (BTW, the Bible also doesn’t use the word Bible, so don’t let that bug you!) So where does the idea come from? Check this out --- The Bible is the Word of God. God inspired certain men (Moses, Joshua, King David, Paul, John and others) and their words were recorded and became our Bible. One of the big deals about the Word of God is that it does not contradict itself. This means it does not say one thing in one place, and then the opposite in another.

So check out this verse --- James 2:19 NIV. What does it say? It says that there is only one God.

Now check out this one --- 1 Peter 1:2 Msg. God the Father has his eye on each of you, and has determined by the work of the Spirit to keep you obedient through the sacrifice of Jesus. May everything good from God be yours! Who has His eye on everyone? God the Father.

And this verse --- Romans 1:1-4 NIV. Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. What did the Spirit declare? That Jesus is God. Jesus is the second person of the trinity.

And this verse --- Acts 5:3-4 Msg. Peter said, "Ananias, how did Satan get you to lie to the Holy Spirit and secretly keep back part of the price of the field? Before you sold it, it was all yours, and after you sold it, the money was yours to do with as you wished. So what got into you to pull a trick like this? You didn't lie to men but to God." To whom did Ananias lie? To the Holy Spirit who not a man but is God. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the trinity.

Three persons in one God is a little bit (not exactly though) like five fingers on 1 hand! Or 3 wheels on one cycle. Or three angles in one shape. Each is separate but makes up the whole.

Extra evidence! Read Matthew 28:19; Matthew 3:16-17; 2 Corinthians 13:14. Do it, OK?

And here’s the deal for those who want to know ---

There is only one God.
There is a person called “the Father” and He is God.
There is a person called “the Son” (also called “Jesus” or “Christ”) and He is God.
There is a person called “the Holy Spirit” and He is God.
The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are three separate persons.

So, our one God is three persons, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit! This is what the Bible says. And now you know!

What does a ouija board do? What does it look like?

The board is spelled “ouija” and is often pronounced “wee gee.” The name of the board comes when you take the French word for “yes” (which is “oui”) and the German word for “yes” (which is “ja”) and put them together. The people who came up with this name was the toy company Parker Brothers (they make a lot of board games) back in the 1920s. Do you wonder what a toy company is doing messing around with witchcraft for kids??!! Read on ...

The real name for this board is called a “talking board” and in witchcraft it is used to contact the dead (I’ll tell you how it works in a second …). I don’t know what a “real” one looks like – at this point I know enough about ouija boards to stay away from them – no matter what they look like. I think its important to know just enough about this stuff so we can stay away AND explain to our friends (like for you at sleep-overs) why not to mess around with it.

Here’s how they work. The board has a bunch of letters and numbers printed on it. Then there is a pointer that can move around on the board, kind of like a computer mouse. Somehow the dead person communicates to the person working the mouse and the mouse begins to point to the letters, which of course eventually form the words that the dead dude is trying to say.

I want to encourage you to be wise about this stuff – because witchcraft is bad stuff! I am teaching you about this because I want you to be wise about the choices you make. There are a lot of bad choices we can make that end up hurting us and the people around us. There are also a lot of great choices we can make concerning what we do with our time and our energy and our hearts that will really honor God. Let’s ALWAYS choose to honor God, OK?

If you are not baptized, will God treat you different from those who are baptized?

Great question! The answer is God will not treat you differently from those who are baptized. The important thing is that you are saved, which means that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and have turned away from your sins.

Do you remember the part in the New Testament, in the Book of Luke, Chapter 23 where Jesus is crucified and there are two criminals that are also crucified with Him? One of the criminals mocks Jesus and says to Him, “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” (Verse 39)

But, the other criminal rebukes the first criminal, which means he sternly disapproved of what he said. Instead this criminal says to his former partner-in-crime, “Don’t you fear God since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But, this man (referring to Jesus) has done nothing wrong!” (Verse 40-41)

Then this criminal turns to Jesus and says to Him, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And Jesus says to him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise (Heaven).” (Verse 42-43)

This criminal wasn’t even baptized and he got to go to Heaven because he believed that Jesus was the Son of God. So, you see, it’s not about being baptized; it’s about believing that Jesus is who He says He is and then turning from your sins and choosing to follow Him.

Baptism is merely a symbolic way of showing everyone publicly that you have chosen to accept Jesus. It is simply a step of obedience to the Lord following your repentance and confession of sin.

God looks at your heart not what you do. If people make baptism a requirement for God to treat you differently from those who aren’t, then they are adding another requirements to salvation by grace. Remember, the Bible says, “For it is by grace you have been saved…through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift of God not by works so no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9) Adding anything to the work on the cross demeans Jesus’ sacrifice for us.

How many kids total do you get in an entire year?

I am assuming that you are asking about T.R.A.C.K., which is just our fifth and sixth grade students. Last year, we had 295 kids and almost half of those were visitors!

Remember, that’s just in T.R.A.C.K. That doesn’t even include the kids we get in Tiny Town (0-3 years old), Kids Kingdom (4 year olds and Kindergarten), J.A.M. (1st grade through 4th grade), or R-24/7 (our junior high and senior high students!).

On May 17th, we had 275 kids in KidZone, which is everything except junior and senior high students, and we had 71 kids from R-24/7. Right there we had a total of 346 total kids going to the different kid’s ministries. Multiply that times 52 weeks and you can see that we teach A LOT of kids!

There are probably some kids, too, that don’t go to the kids ministries and that go to the main service with their parents in the auditorium.

So, you can see, we take care of a lot of kids and we love on each and every one of them!

Why does God, when things are bad and you ask Him to make them better, make them worse instead?

This is such a great question, and there are some difficult issues here. I’ll do my best to answer you. If you have more questions, or if we need to dig in deeper, then just ask some more, OK?

Here’s what the Bible says –

First, God hears you and answers your prayers! Check out Isaiah 65:24! God says He will answer your prayers before you even get through praying! Not all prayers have the same “yes” answer. God is totally wise, and He knows exactly what is best for you. Its important that you pray according to God’s will, and you can find that in the Bible. Sometimes He says, “Not yet.” Whether your answer is yes, no , or not yet, He hears you.

Also check out Deuteronomy 4:5-8; Job 22:27; and Psalms 28:6 and 91:15.

You’re saying that God makes things worse when you ask Him to make things better. We already know that He hears you. So now the question is: why is He making it worse? And that’s a tough question.

We have to accept – even if we can’t understand – that God is not intentionally harming us. He is not making it worse for you because you asked Him to make it better!

Let me chat about God’s love for us for a second. He loves us with an unconditional love – that means that no matter what you’ve done or not done – He loves you. The Bible speaks of God’s love for us in many places, so we know it is real. (check out Psalm 136!)

Also check out John 14:21; Romans 5:5; 1 John 4:10, 16.

Not only does He love us, but He promises to love us forever!


So why are things still worse, right?

It is absolutely not because of anything that you are doing right or wrong, OK? The reality is that bad things happen to good people. The reality is that we will get hurt, we will suffer, we will have pain and heartache. Its not because we’re bad, or not praying enough, or sinning too much, or anything at all like that. And God is not getting even with us, or doing mean and hurtful things to us. He is not “making things worse.”

What the Bible clearly does not promise is that just because you love God, obey His commands, and follow Him, that you are always going to be happy and have a pain-free life. If we read the whole Bible – not just the warm, fuzzy parts – then we see that lots of people who love God still experience pain (like Job, and how about all of the disciples?!)

What we do know is that in times of trouble, God can be your strength.

If you think you are being short-changed, take it up with God. Go ahead and let Him know you are angry. Its OK to feel like life’s not fair. Its OK to go to God with all of your feelings about it. He can handle it.

But then let Him calm your heart! He’ll always listen, and He is with you. Psalm 9:9 is a good reminder!

I hope my answer helps you understand God a little bit better. Know and trust that He loves you even when times are really difficult and painful.

Did the tenth plague also included fathers if they were the firstborn?

Great question! I had to research this one a bit ....

At first we might think that Egyptian fathers were included but in Exodus 12:29 we learn that the plague was limited to offpring (children and the young of animals), not adult sons (fathers or adult animals). Verse 29 says, "At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Phoraoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well."

What is the difference between Christians and Catholics?

I have thought about this often because I have both family and friends that are Catholic.

First, I want to say that the Catholic Church is a Christian denomination. There are two important questions that we should look at when regarding other religions that help us understand their differences. The first question we should ask is “What does that religion think about Jesus?” The second question is “Is the Bible the final authority?” Catholics do read the Bible and do believe Jesus is the Son of God, that He died on the cross for our sins, and rose again. Who Jesus is and what He did for us is the most important issue in being a Christian and is what all Christians have in common.

The difference between other Christian churches and the Catholic Church is that the Catholic Church puts authority in the Bible and church tradition. It is in the church traditions that we differ. While we respect church tradition, we don't put authority in church tradition, meaning we don't consider the edicts (official statements) of the church equal with the words of the Bible.

We can talk about churches and our difference all we want but it all has to come down to a personal level. Each person must recognize that we sin and our need for a Savior in order to be right with God. Going to church every Sunday or following church traditions doesn’t make a person a Christian, it is that personal relationship we have with Jesus that makes us a Christian and make us right with God.

How did Jesus get in the desert to be tempted? In other words, what did Jesus have to do to go there?

Those are awesome questions! Well, we know one thing for sure…He didn’t drive there! I’m teasing, of course. But, the reality of the situation is that Jesus walked there. And, more importantly, He had some help.

If you read the very first line of the Book of Matthew, Chapter 4, Verse 1, it says, “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.”

So, just by this verse alone, we learn two things: 1, God (the Spirit) led Jesus into the desert and 2, he allowed Jesus to be tempted. This was all part of God’s “Unstoppable Plan.” Part of this was God’s plan in preparing Jesus for His ministry on Earth. Jesus was walking in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights and fasting at the same time!

So, what did Jesus have to do to go there? He had to trust God and be an obedient servant. He knew God would take care of Him if he was spiritually obedient and following God’s commands. That’s how he was able to go 40 days without eating! That’s amazing…I can’t even go 3 hours without a snack!

You know, one of my favorite parts of that whole story is the last verse, verse 11, that reads, “Then the devil left Him, and angels came and attended Him.” That shows that, even though Jesus was God, He was also man and needed, for lack of a better term, “first aid.” It shows Jesus’ humanity.

Aren’t you thankful that Jesus experienced these things and taught us from experience how to resist temptation, how to live, and, most importantly, how to love? I know I am.

How does God know how we feel when we're guilty if Jesus never sinned?

Excellent question!!! In order to understand God’s awesome abilities we have to expand our own imagination and remember that God is not like us. One of the reasons we have difficulty understanding God’s power is because we try and humanize God. It’s easier to picture Him if we think of Him to be like us.

But, God is so much greater than us. God is omniscient, which means He knows everything, is aware of everything and understands everything. He has a complete knowledge and perception of all things.

Don’t forget, God created the Earth and the universe and everything in it, including you and me. You and I are created in God’s image so everything you and I are capable of doing or thinking or feeling, God is capable of except to a much greater degree.

The fact that Jesus never sinned doesn’t mean God doesn’t know what sin is or the guilt associated with sin. Not only does He know what sin is, He hates it! God can’t even be in the presence of sin because He is so holy and perfect. Even before Adam and Eve took that bite from the apple, sin existed. Do you know who committed the first sin and do you know what that sin was?

It was an angel named Lucifer. Lucifer wasn’t just an angel though. He was God’s second-in-command (so to speak) and he was the most beautiful angel and the most intelligent angel in Heaven and was given a lot of power. But, do you know what happened to that angel? Lucifer became prideful and felt he could do a better job than God. The sin of pride entered into Heaven. Lucifer tried to take over but he lost and was cast out of Heaven. He also took a third of the angels with him. You may know Lucifer by his other name…Satan. And those angels are his demons.

God knows when we sin, He knows how we feel when we sin and He knows the guilt associated with sin. But, here’s the great news. God can and will forgive all sin. Not only does He forgive, but once you truly repent, He also forgets it. He’ll never, ever hold it against you. It’s like it never happened. I guess what I’m trying to say is, if God can forgive and forget then there is no reason to hold onto guilt about committing that sin. And that is AWESOME!!!

Why does God let the devil's angel try to trick us?

Um, tough question ... and the Bible doesn’t clearly say. You might be wondering why the Bible doesn’t go into detail on such good questions. But remember, the Bible is a book about God’s relationship with us, not a fun facts book on Satan!

We can take some pretty educated guesses why God allows the devil to tempt and even hurt us, though.

There is a wonderful passage in the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Rome that may help us to understand why God allows some trickery, pain, and suffering to exist in our lives. Grab your Bible and check out Romans 5:1-5. It’s pretty cool!

What do I say when people are making fun of me?

I am proud of you for asking me a really good Apple Box question. You asked me, “What do I say when people are making fun of me?” You also said, “I need help at school” and “Some of the kids at school are being really mean by making fun of the way I dress and they are calling me a boy and stuff like that.”

It’s a big deal and so I will try to answer your Apple Box question and help you with this problem. I promise we’ll keep praying, and you can keep asking questions too. If other kids are really bullying you a lot, though, we may need to help you more, OK? Promise me that you will tell your mom or dad or me or me if these other kids are going too far and are hurting you.

Proverbs 11:5 says,

The righteousness of the blameless makes a straight way for them, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.

The kids who are bothering you and making fun of you may not stop. You can’t force them to stop, but you can control the way you react. If you ignore them or aren’t bothered by them, they may just stop cuz they’re not getting you upset anymore. That isn’t easy, I know.

I will ask God to help grow you to be the kind of person who honors God no matter what circumstances you find yourself in!

Also, you have to realize that you simply can’t please everybody or be friends with everyone. Look at what Paul says in his letter to the church in Galatia about people who are bullying him about the truth of the Gospel:

Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

I promise you that you are not the only one who was ever teased!

And I get teased, too. One of the things that I do that really helps is that I search for positive influences and good friends and godly people to be in my life. And then I hang out with them. They are such good friends and people, that the others don’t matter as much any more!

I will say one more thing, and it’s kind of tough, but it will work. Check out these verses and I’ll bet you know what I am going to say.

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. (1 John 4:7a)

But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:44-45a)

O boy! It’s not easy to love your enemies. But it’s the right thing to do, and it honors God. BTW, “love your enemies” doesn’t mean that they have to be your friends, it doesn’t mean you have to like them, and it doesn’t mean you have to be anywhere near them, and it certainly doesn’t mean you should just let them hurt you. It just means that you will respect them as created by God (just like you are) and you can pray that God will change their hearts.

I hope this helps you a little bit. Let me know how it’s going, OK?

Why does God have to choose for people to die?

I will do my best to answer this question for you. This a very tough questions AND the answer is also tough!

Death is one of those things that is really bad, isn’t it? At least it seems that way to us, doesn’t it? Even though we know that death takes us to be with God forever, to a place where we can know God better and better, it still scares us. It scares us because its unknown. Death is one big unknown.

From God’s perspective, though, it’s a little different. It’s actually a time when we go to be with God forever! God welcomes us! It’s still tough, though, isn’t it? This is especially true when the death of someone is a surprise to us – like when a child dies of cancer, or a parent or someone from school dies in an accident.

Even the fact that EVERYONE dies doesn’t make it any easier, does it? So why does God chose one person on one day, and somebody else many years later? You and I will not get to know the answer to that question. Sorry, but only God knows!

I can think of a dad and mom who’s child died, and they can’t understand why it happened? How could God have taken their child to heaven so soon? It hurt them very much, but they learned to trust that God still loved them, that God still cared for them, and that God had not abandoned them … but it HURT! Sadness and pain like that happen everyday to people. Right now all of God’s creation is hurting. That’s the bad news – death and pain and suffering will continue. We can trust God, though. And the good news is that things are going to get better! God has a plan. Check out Romans 8:28, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.”

The good news is that we can trust God. Even though we can not know why God chooses who he chooses, or even when or why he chooses, we can know that we are loved by him!

When does God want us to worship Him?

There aren’t a lot of places in the Bible where God answers that question directly, but there are a couple of ways to piece the answer together. We can both consider God’s nature, and look at what some of the Bible authors say about it.

First, we’ll look at God’s nature. We are His kids. He made us so He could have a family to love who would love Him back. He loves each and every one of us SO MUCH and the Bible tells us that He even knows how many hairs are on our heads! King David writes of Him, “You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Thy hand upon me.” Our God is mindful of us every single minute of the day. He cares about our every thought and every move. He wraps His protection all around us. So since God is our loving Father, I’m sure He wouldn’t mind if we were to worship Him ALL THE TIME!

King David, who wrote a lot of a portion of the Bible called “Psalms,” wrote this about when to worship God: “My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to You; and my soul, which You have redeemed. My tongue also will utter Your goodness ALL DAY LONG.” Another piece of the Bible tells us to “pray without ceasing.” In another place the Bible even tells us to talk to each other ABOUT God all throughout the day.

From the standpoint of a loving Father, and the standpoint of those who have come to know and love Him, the answer to when God wants us to worship Him could easily be, “All the time.”

I can tell you that I find myself worshipping God when I look out the window at the river on my way to work. I thank Him when I see signs of spring coming. I thank Him when people do nice things for me. I praise Him when I read a piece of the Bible that strikes my heart just so. Once a person gets to know God, it’s EASY to worship Him all the time!

Can God help global warming?

I absolutely believe God can help global warming if He chose to. As the Creator of the sun, earth, planets, and stars I know He has the power to make any changes He desires. Will He help control the effects of global warming or is global warming part of God's plan for mankind? That I don't know. I do know I must be responsible with how I care for the earth. I also find peace on knowing God is in control of all things.

Why did Adam and Eve live so long?

I’ve always wondered that myself. I don’t recall that answer ever being directly answered by scripture, so I put on my detective hat, pulled out my magnifying glass and went digging.

Following an in-depth exploration of the subject, I came to this conclusion: There isn’t a direct answer. BUT, I had so much fun checking it out that I thought you might enjoy a little trip through my findings.

Chapter 5 of Genesis lists all the life spans of Adam and his descendants from Adam to Lamech (Noah’s dad). This is where we see crazy stuff like Adam living 930 years, his son Seth living 912 years, great great great great great (is that enough “greats?”) grandson Methuselah living 969 years, and on it goes through verse 31, then we come to Noah. Of course, along with Noah came the flood. He ended up living 950 years (Genesis 9:29).

n Genesis 11 we’re given the “records of the generations of Shem (v.10)” Shem is one of the 3 sons that rode on the ark with Noah, surviving the flood. This passage reveals a gradual decline in years lived. Shem lived 600 years, his son Arpachshad (say THAT 3 times fast!) lived 468 years, his grandson lived 433 years and on down it goes (with a few exceptions like Eber and Terah who lived a little longer than their surrounding relatives). So, after the flood, people were living 600, then 400ish, then 300, then 200 years. Shem’s line was so traced because it delivered Abraham and eventually, Jesus (if you’re interested, go to Matthew 1:1-17).

I do think it’s interesting how the years went down after the flood (which happened because God was sorry He made us and “every intent of the thoughts of [our hearts] was only evil continually”). Following the flood, we went increasingly down and things began to stabilize with Abraham who became the father of the Jewish nation. He lived 175 yrs., his wife 127, his son Ishmael 137, his son Issac 180. Skip forward a few generations and Moses lived 120 years while next-in-command, Joshua, only lived 110 yrs.

This is where it gets fun. Did our God cut down the life spans because we kept sinning against Him? Did He decide we wouldn’t need to live as long once Israel became established as a nation? Too much junk food and TV time? Too much hair spray that destroyed the ozone and lets cosmic radiation harm life ont he planet? What do YOU think?

How come we can't see the face of God, but many people looked Jesus in the eye?

That is an awesome question! And it’s kind of a complicated question too! Here is some bad math to help explain the answer. Did you know that 1 + 1 + 1 = 1? What I am trying to show is that there is only one God but He appears in three different forms.

There is God, the Father; God, the Son; and God, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Bible clearly shows that no one has ever seen God, the Father. John 1:18 says, “No one has ever seen God, [the Father] but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.”

John 6:46 says, “No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father.”

In fact, even in the Old Testament, Moses could not look upon God. In Exodus 3:2, God appeared to Moses as a burning bush. In Exodus 19:9 and 24:5, God covers himself in a thick cloud and can only be heard.

But, the best example of God not showing His face (as God the Father) is from Exodus 33:20-23 where it says, “But, He said, ‘you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.’ Then the LORD said, ‘There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.’”

And do you want to know why that is? It is because we are sinful people and sin cannot be in the presence of the Father. Jesus was the only one who could look upon God because he was without sin. Bottom line, if we saw God in our sinful state, we would die because He is Holy, Righteous and Pure. He hid himself from Moses because He knew Moses would die if Moses saw Him.

One of the cool things is that the Bible says that the Glory of God was so pure and bright that, even from behind, it turned Moses’ skin and hair completely white. The Bible describes Moses’ face as completely radiant. In fact, Moses had to wear a veil when he was around people because of it.

So, that’s why we can’t see the face of God, the Father. No one has. BUT, a lot of people saw God, the Son. You see, Jesus is God but He is also a man. He came to us in human form to teach us and to set the example for us and to ultimately die for us. God can’t die but a man can. So Jesus was a man and had all the attribute of a human being, including being able to be seen by other people.

It’s a weird contradiction because you’d think you couldn’t look Jesus in the eye because He’s God and God doesn’t allow us to see Him…but, because He’s also man, Jesus let’s us see Him, feel Him and hear Him.