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.
Friday 31 July 2009
Thursday 30 July 2009
What is God's name?
His name is God. In the Bible, different names were used to describe different aspects of God’s character. It’s also I Am, Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Immanuel (God is with us), Jehovah (self-existent or eternal), Elohim (God the Creater), El Roi (the God who sees), Jehovah-Rapha (the God who heals), Jehovah-Shammah (the Lord is there), El Elyon (God Most High), Jehovah-Sabaoth (the Lord of Hosts)……this list is HUGE and goes on. Of course, the name for God that we lift up the highest is Jesus. With names used to describe God's character, there is just SO MUCH of Him to know. It’s wonderful to get to know more about God through learning His various names.
Wednesday 29 July 2009
How old was Jesus when he made the Bible?
Actually, Jesus didn’t make or write the Bible. The Bible includes the life of Jesus, and of course, that’s WAAAAYYYYY important, but it also contains stories of others. Adam & Eve, Noah, Joseph, Moses, Joshua – remember all those guys? They all lived before Jesus walked the earth.
The Bible is God’s story. God used many men and women to tell his story over many thousands of years. The best part of that story, though, is that Jesus came to earth, lived a perfect life, then was crucified, and rose again. His victory over death proves he was everything he said was – God’s Son. Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.
And if we will believe in him, he will call us God’s children, and we can live with him forever. That is amazing! Read John 1:12.
The Bible is God’s story. God used many men and women to tell his story over many thousands of years. The best part of that story, though, is that Jesus came to earth, lived a perfect life, then was crucified, and rose again. His victory over death proves he was everything he said was – God’s Son. Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.
And if we will believe in him, he will call us God’s children, and we can live with him forever. That is amazing! Read John 1:12.
Tuesday 28 July 2009
Why did Adam and Eve get kicked out of the garden for lying? Will I get kicked out of heaven for lying?
Adam and Eve didn’t get kicked out of the garden for lying, they got kicked out because the Lord didn’t want them to eat from the tree of life and live forever. Read all about it in Genesis 3:22-24. Really, Adam and Eve blew it with God because they disobeyed Him. He told them what NOT to do, and they did it. This just made everything into a big mess, as disobedience always does……..
As for lying, our God does “desire truth in the innermost being (Psalm 51:6A).” In Proverbs 6:17 we’re told that God hates a lying tongue. So this tells us how God feels about lying. We’re then told in James that, “to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin (4:17).” And God tells us to “confess our sins to one another” in James 5:16. So, we know that God doesn’t like lying so we shouldn’t do it. We know that if we do what we shouldn’t, we are sinning. We know that if we are sinning, we should tell someone. AND, we know that “If we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).” Knowing all that, will God kick us out of heaven if we tell a lie and don’t ask for forgiveness?
If Jesus is truly our Lord and Savior, habitual sin is impossible to do without feeling extremely tormented. So a person who lies all the time and doesn’t give it a thought probably doesn’t have a relationship with Jesus. If that is the case, we’re told in Revelation 21:8 & 27 that there isn’t a place in heaven for such a person. But if we DO have a relationship with Jesus, nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:39). We won’t, however, be able to sin without being bothered by it. And if we’re bothered by it enough, we’ll probably HAVE to confess it to SOMEONE, even if it IS only to the Lord (although it’s most helpful to tell another person as well).
So, a true child of God, one who has been adopted into His family through Jesus, will not be kicked out of heaven. I don’t believe, however, that we’ll get into heaven without unconfessed sin being laid bare to our Savior. He says in Matthew 12:36 that on the day of judgement, we’ll be held accountable for “every careless word [we] shall speak.” He says nothing unclean will be allowed into heaven. SO…..I personally don’t want to be standing before my Lord on judgement day in need of a shower. I’d rather confess my sins and get washed clean while I’m still here—how about you?
As for lying, our God does “desire truth in the innermost being (Psalm 51:6A).” In Proverbs 6:17 we’re told that God hates a lying tongue. So this tells us how God feels about lying. We’re then told in James that, “to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin (4:17).” And God tells us to “confess our sins to one another” in James 5:16. So, we know that God doesn’t like lying so we shouldn’t do it. We know that if we do what we shouldn’t, we are sinning. We know that if we are sinning, we should tell someone. AND, we know that “If we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).” Knowing all that, will God kick us out of heaven if we tell a lie and don’t ask for forgiveness?
If Jesus is truly our Lord and Savior, habitual sin is impossible to do without feeling extremely tormented. So a person who lies all the time and doesn’t give it a thought probably doesn’t have a relationship with Jesus. If that is the case, we’re told in Revelation 21:8 & 27 that there isn’t a place in heaven for such a person. But if we DO have a relationship with Jesus, nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:39). We won’t, however, be able to sin without being bothered by it. And if we’re bothered by it enough, we’ll probably HAVE to confess it to SOMEONE, even if it IS only to the Lord (although it’s most helpful to tell another person as well).
So, a true child of God, one who has been adopted into His family through Jesus, will not be kicked out of heaven. I don’t believe, however, that we’ll get into heaven without unconfessed sin being laid bare to our Savior. He says in Matthew 12:36 that on the day of judgement, we’ll be held accountable for “every careless word [we] shall speak.” He says nothing unclean will be allowed into heaven. SO…..I personally don’t want to be standing before my Lord on judgement day in need of a shower. I’d rather confess my sins and get washed clean while I’m still here—how about you?
Sunday 26 July 2009
Should I fear witchcraft?
You don’t need to fear witchcraft, just stay away from it. I liked the illustration about Satan being like a lion in a cage. Satan has power but his power is limited, it is like he is in a cage. So you don’t have to be afraid of him. As followers of Jesus if we just stay away from witchcraft and supernatural powers, then we are safe. If we dabble around with this stuff then it is like getting in the cage with Satan. That is when we expose ourselves to danger. Remember 1 John 4:4 “He who is in you (that’s Jesus or the Holy Spirit) is greater than he who is in the world (that’s Satan).
Saturday 25 July 2009
I thought that dinosaurs died by eating plants with diseases?
Over the years, numerous theories have been suggested that attempt to explain the extinction of the dinosaur. While in the past, most dinosaur experts held to "the gradual extinction" view, now there is a new theory that suggests not only the dinosaurs, but countless other forms of life, were wiped out in the past by a global catastrophic destruction.
The three events at the top of the list of theories are : (1) a huge meteor hitting in Mexico, (2) the eruption of several super-volcanoes (like the Yellowstone one); and (3) a great flood (like the biblical one.) All these events would have a huge impact on the climate and on animals’ ability to survive.
The idea that dinosaurs died through disease, or through over-grazing available plants, or due to a slow warming of the planet are now less accepted theories. I’ll bet, though, that parts of all of these theories intertwine and come into play. We just don’t know yet. I think some day we may know more precisely. Perhaps you will be the godly scientist who discovers the truth!!
The three events at the top of the list of theories are : (1) a huge meteor hitting in Mexico, (2) the eruption of several super-volcanoes (like the Yellowstone one); and (3) a great flood (like the biblical one.) All these events would have a huge impact on the climate and on animals’ ability to survive.
The idea that dinosaurs died through disease, or through over-grazing available plants, or due to a slow warming of the planet are now less accepted theories. I’ll bet, though, that parts of all of these theories intertwine and come into play. We just don’t know yet. I think some day we may know more precisely. Perhaps you will be the godly scientist who discovers the truth!!
Friday 24 July 2009
Is no one really the same in this world?
That’s right! Unbelievable isn’t it? God our Creator created each and every human being EVER all differently! Wow! You’ve probably heard that our fingerprints are different, but did you know that our eyes are all different as well? New technology called retinal scanning, which is an amazing picture of the eye, has shown this. Have you read Psalm 139? It’s SO amazing! Look at these verses – they speak of God’s “knitting us” in our mother’s womb …
13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
Thursday 23 July 2009
What am I supposed to because at recess I want to hang out with my friend, but people on the field say so many bad words?
This is an excellent – and a tough – question. Based on my experience, here is one thing you might do. First, if kids are using bad language against you, just simply leave. You have to protect yourself from people who are trying to hurt you. (You might need to get an adult involved if these kids are really aggressive.)
Second, if you and your friend are just hanging out, and other kids are using bad language just to be cool, just ignore their language. Don’t ignore THEM, but ignore their LANGUAGE. Don’t react to it. Don’t copy them either. Most people use bad language (swearing or telling dirty jokes) to get attention. If you don’t give them attention, they often stop.
This is advice that would honor God. If you would like to sit down and talk more with me about this, I would be happy to chat with you. I hope this will help you a little, though. I’m proud of you for asking this question, and I appreciate the courage it takes to try to do the right thing.
Second, if you and your friend are just hanging out, and other kids are using bad language just to be cool, just ignore their language. Don’t ignore THEM, but ignore their LANGUAGE. Don’t react to it. Don’t copy them either. Most people use bad language (swearing or telling dirty jokes) to get attention. If you don’t give them attention, they often stop.
This is advice that would honor God. If you would like to sit down and talk more with me about this, I would be happy to chat with you. I hope this will help you a little, though. I’m proud of you for asking this question, and I appreciate the courage it takes to try to do the right thing.
Wednesday 22 July 2009
Do we HAVE to get baptized to get into heaven?
Nope. We’re told in the Bible that “nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38,39).” The only thing that can keep a person out of heaven is if they do NOT have a belief in, and a heart commitment to Jesus Christ. If we believe that He is God and that He gave His life so that our sins could be forgiven, we’re in. In the Word, we are directed to do many things, such as: “Bless those who persecute you” and “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” We are also told that we should get baptized. But if we don’t, we will not be held back from entering heaven.
Tuesday 21 July 2009
What if we are not doing the right religion?
This is such a good question. The answer can be found in the Word of God. Any other religion could argue that THEIR “bible” contains the truth and they might ask, “Why do you think “YOURS” is the absolute truth?” I’ll just share with you a few pieces of Scripture so you can see what God says about Himself and His Word.
He both speaks directly and uses others as His mouthpiece. For instance, this is what the apostle Paul writes to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable (useful) for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man (or woman or girl or boy!) of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work (New American Standard Bible).”
Here are some more:
“The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony (evidence) of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts (instructions) of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes (Psalm 19:7, 8)”
In verses 9-11, King David goes on to describe what it’s like to follow the Word of God:
“The fear (reverence, worship, respect) of the Lord is clean, enduring forever, the judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Thy servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.”
Jesus prays for His disciples in chapter 17 of John. In verse 17 He says, “Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth.”
There are so many scriptures in the Bible that confirm the fact that this truly is THE very word of God. We’re even told that He holds His Word above His name. One fun thing for you to do would be to look up “word” in a concordance (ask me if you don’t know this word) and check out some of the verses.
Again, it is important to believe that the Bible we read and reference is really true because it provides us with the very foundation of our faith. Another aspect of our faith has to do with the fact that Jesus is the only “religious” leader who rose from the dead. With all other beliefs, the spiritual leaders died, were buried and their graves still hold their bones.
Colossians 1:15 tells us that Jesus is the “image of the invisible God.” Hebrews 1:1-3 says, “God…..in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world, and He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature…” These are just a few of the verses that verify the fact that Jesus truly is God.
There are also many scriptures that confirm to my spirit that THIS God, the One who gave His life for us, is the One true God. This is important to believe because so many other religions will say that THEIR God or religious hero is the REAL one and ours is false.
Listen to what God says about Himself in Isaiah 45:5-7: “I am the Lord, and there is no other; besides Me there is no God. I am the Lord, and there is no other, the One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these.” That’s just one teeny weeny portion of all God says about Himself in Isaiah.
Isaiah is a GREAT book in the Bible. If ever you want your socks blown off about the reality of God, go ahead and read Isaiah 40-50. Some parts might be hard for you to understand because they contain prophecy, but other parts are clear as a bell!
You already know that when we ask Jesus to live in our hearts, He sets His Spirit in us. We’re told in John 16:13 that when “He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide [us] into all truth.” The Holy Spirit is the mouthpiece of Jesus. He speaks to our hearts and reminds us of all that Jesus desires of us. Listen to what Jesus says in John 10:1-5: “Truly, truly I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep, to him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. When he puts forth all his own (sheep), he goes before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. And a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” In this passage, Jesus is the Shepherd and WE are the sheep. When the Holy Spirit indwells us, we fully recognize the voice of our Shepherd. This mouthpiece of God is only given to those who confess that “Jesus is Lord.”
You know, I could go on and on—but at least what I’ll do is jot down a few verses for you to check out on your own and you can see how the Lord speaks to YOU on the topic (or topics):
--Jeremiah 31:33
--Jeremiah 10 (the whole chapter is full of good stuff)
--Jeremiah 23: 16-24
--1 Corinthians 1:18
He both speaks directly and uses others as His mouthpiece. For instance, this is what the apostle Paul writes to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable (useful) for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man (or woman or girl or boy!) of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work (New American Standard Bible).”
Here are some more:
“The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony (evidence) of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts (instructions) of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes (Psalm 19:7, 8)”
In verses 9-11, King David goes on to describe what it’s like to follow the Word of God:
“The fear (reverence, worship, respect) of the Lord is clean, enduring forever, the judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Thy servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.”
Jesus prays for His disciples in chapter 17 of John. In verse 17 He says, “Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth.”
There are so many scriptures in the Bible that confirm the fact that this truly is THE very word of God. We’re even told that He holds His Word above His name. One fun thing for you to do would be to look up “word” in a concordance (ask me if you don’t know this word) and check out some of the verses.
Again, it is important to believe that the Bible we read and reference is really true because it provides us with the very foundation of our faith. Another aspect of our faith has to do with the fact that Jesus is the only “religious” leader who rose from the dead. With all other beliefs, the spiritual leaders died, were buried and their graves still hold their bones.
Colossians 1:15 tells us that Jesus is the “image of the invisible God.” Hebrews 1:1-3 says, “God…..in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world, and He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature…” These are just a few of the verses that verify the fact that Jesus truly is God.
There are also many scriptures that confirm to my spirit that THIS God, the One who gave His life for us, is the One true God. This is important to believe because so many other religions will say that THEIR God or religious hero is the REAL one and ours is false.
Listen to what God says about Himself in Isaiah 45:5-7: “I am the Lord, and there is no other; besides Me there is no God. I am the Lord, and there is no other, the One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these.” That’s just one teeny weeny portion of all God says about Himself in Isaiah.
Isaiah is a GREAT book in the Bible. If ever you want your socks blown off about the reality of God, go ahead and read Isaiah 40-50. Some parts might be hard for you to understand because they contain prophecy, but other parts are clear as a bell!
You already know that when we ask Jesus to live in our hearts, He sets His Spirit in us. We’re told in John 16:13 that when “He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide [us] into all truth.” The Holy Spirit is the mouthpiece of Jesus. He speaks to our hearts and reminds us of all that Jesus desires of us. Listen to what Jesus says in John 10:1-5: “Truly, truly I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep, to him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. When he puts forth all his own (sheep), he goes before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. And a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” In this passage, Jesus is the Shepherd and WE are the sheep. When the Holy Spirit indwells us, we fully recognize the voice of our Shepherd. This mouthpiece of God is only given to those who confess that “Jesus is Lord.”
You know, I could go on and on—but at least what I’ll do is jot down a few verses for you to check out on your own and you can see how the Lord speaks to YOU on the topic (or topics):
--Jeremiah 31:33
--Jeremiah 10 (the whole chapter is full of good stuff)
--Jeremiah 23: 16-24
--1 Corinthians 1:18
Monday 20 July 2009
I wonder if I will go to Hell
I want to reassure you of what the Bible and God has to say about hell. And I know that you have said that you have accepted Christ as your Savior so I am speaking from that perspective.
First when you mention a fear of going to hell it makes me think you are questioning your assurance of salvation. I think it is common for us to question our salvation because we sometimes go by our feelings, we know we are sinners and that we really don’t deserve to go to heaven. The truth is, if making it to heaven was up to us then you would have reason to fear but fortunately God through Jesus provides the way to heaven. Rather than go by our feelings we need to look at God’s Word for our assurance. Here are some verses that we can trust:
John 3:36 “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works so that no one can boast.”
1 John 5:11-13 “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”
These are just a few verses that give us confidence/assurance in what God has for us. If you use a concordance (some Bibles even have concordances in the back of them) you can look up more verses by going to salvation, saved, or Savior; you will find several.
First when you mention a fear of going to hell it makes me think you are questioning your assurance of salvation. I think it is common for us to question our salvation because we sometimes go by our feelings, we know we are sinners and that we really don’t deserve to go to heaven. The truth is, if making it to heaven was up to us then you would have reason to fear but fortunately God through Jesus provides the way to heaven. Rather than go by our feelings we need to look at God’s Word for our assurance. Here are some verses that we can trust:
John 3:36 “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works so that no one can boast.”
1 John 5:11-13 “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”
These are just a few verses that give us confidence/assurance in what God has for us. If you use a concordance (some Bibles even have concordances in the back of them) you can look up more verses by going to salvation, saved, or Savior; you will find several.
Sunday 19 July 2009
What is a Jehovah's Witness?
A Jehovah’s Witness is a person who follows the religious movement that was created by Charles Taze Russell in 1884 called the Jehovah’s Witnesses. They have also been called the Watchtower Society or Tract Society. They claim to be Christians but their beliefs often do not follow true Christian teachings.
For example, they believe that God is only one God and one person. They do not believe in the Holy Trinity, which we believe that God exists as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This means they don’t believe Jesus was the Son of God; instead, they believe Jesus was the archangel Michael, who became a man.
They also do not believe in Heaven or Hell. Instead, they believe that the soul ceases to exist after you die and that there is no Hell of fire where the wicked are punished. Another belief is that you “earn” salvation through good works.
Sadly, those people who follow these teachings are wrong and have misinterpreted God’s word. The Holy Bible clearly states in John 3:16, “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.” If you look at Matthew 3:16-17, it reads, “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment Heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on Him. And a voice from Heaven said, ‘This is my Son whom I love; with Him I am well pleased’.”
The belief that salvation is earned also goes directly against the teachings of the Bible. In Ephesians 2:8-9 we can clearly see that you are saved through God’s grace…through faith. It is a gift from God, not something you earn. That way no one can brag about it, basing it on all the good things they do. God gives you salvation, you just have to accept it!
And, finally, make no mistake…there is a Heaven and a Hell. The Bible clearly speaks of and describes both places. In fact, because Hell is such a terrible place, the Bible speaks more about it than of Heaven. But, you don’t need to worry about going to Hell. Hell was created for Satan and his demons and was never meant for us. The only way people go to Hell is by their own choosing, and that is by turning their back on God.
Because we are saved, through God’s grace and through our faith in Him, we are assured eternal life in Heaven!
For example, they believe that God is only one God and one person. They do not believe in the Holy Trinity, which we believe that God exists as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This means they don’t believe Jesus was the Son of God; instead, they believe Jesus was the archangel Michael, who became a man.
They also do not believe in Heaven or Hell. Instead, they believe that the soul ceases to exist after you die and that there is no Hell of fire where the wicked are punished. Another belief is that you “earn” salvation through good works.
Sadly, those people who follow these teachings are wrong and have misinterpreted God’s word. The Holy Bible clearly states in John 3:16, “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.” If you look at Matthew 3:16-17, it reads, “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment Heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on Him. And a voice from Heaven said, ‘This is my Son whom I love; with Him I am well pleased’.”
The belief that salvation is earned also goes directly against the teachings of the Bible. In Ephesians 2:8-9 we can clearly see that you are saved through God’s grace…through faith. It is a gift from God, not something you earn. That way no one can brag about it, basing it on all the good things they do. God gives you salvation, you just have to accept it!
And, finally, make no mistake…there is a Heaven and a Hell. The Bible clearly speaks of and describes both places. In fact, because Hell is such a terrible place, the Bible speaks more about it than of Heaven. But, you don’t need to worry about going to Hell. Hell was created for Satan and his demons and was never meant for us. The only way people go to Hell is by their own choosing, and that is by turning their back on God.
Because we are saved, through God’s grace and through our faith in Him, we are assured eternal life in Heaven!
Friday 17 July 2009
How does God know you've asked Him into your heart, because there may be thousands more asking?
We have a very awesome God. He is all-knowing, ever-present, and all-powerful. It is hard for us to fathom God's supremacy because we try and think of him in human terms. But God is so much more than we can even imagine! And, remember, God knows every hair on your head and his thoughts of you outnumber the grains of sand! You were fearfully and wonderfully made and you are a beautiful work of art to God. He knows, without a doubt, that you've asked Him into your heart and, even more importantly, He rejoices at it!!!
Because God is all-knowing, He sees everything that happens. He also knows everything you think, even before you think it! He knows the content of your heart so, as an example, if you lie to your parents or to your friends you might be able to fool them but you can NEVER fool God. He knows everything you've ever done, everything you're doing now, and everything you're going to do in the future...pretty amazing, huh? That is so hard for us to understand because, again, we try and compare God to us. But, remember God is the creator the universe and everything in it, including the planets, the stars, this planet, animals, plants...and most, importantly, YOU!
Because God is all-knowing, He sees everything that happens. He also knows everything you think, even before you think it! He knows the content of your heart so, as an example, if you lie to your parents or to your friends you might be able to fool them but you can NEVER fool God. He knows everything you've ever done, everything you're doing now, and everything you're going to do in the future...pretty amazing, huh? That is so hard for us to understand because, again, we try and compare God to us. But, remember God is the creator the universe and everything in it, including the planets, the stars, this planet, animals, plants...and most, importantly, YOU!
Thursday 16 July 2009
How old is God?
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?
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. God has no age. He is ageless.
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?
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. God has no age. He is ageless.
Wednesday 15 July 2009
How did Jesus live that long without water?
That is an awesome question! It’s also an interesting one because if you look at Matthew 4:2, it says, “After fasting 40 days and 40 nights, He was hungry.” It really doesn’t mention that Jesus was thirsty. Maybe Jesus only went without food. But, that brings up another question…what if He hadn’t drank water for 40 days as part of His fasting? I’m with you, I can’t imagine going without a snack for even 30 minutes…but not drinking a glass of water?!?! That seems an awful long time to go without any sort of food or drink, doesn’t it?
But, here’s the thing about fasting. If you trust God and are an obedient servant and occupy the time you would have spent eating with prayer and worshipping God, He will take care of your physical needs, including food and water. God has that divine ability. The key is, though, that you have to replace eating or drinking with worshipping God completely.
Could I do it? Nope. As soon as my stomach started grumbling I’d start taking my mind off of God and thinking, “Man, I need a Big Mac!” Then, I’d start focusing on my hunger making it even worse. Same goes for something to drink…I just don’t think I have it in me to go that long without a drink of water or milk or something. As soon as my mouth got dry, I’d be like, “Whewy! I’m parched!” And then I’d completely stop thinking about God and start thinking about where I could find something to drink.
Of course, once you stop worshipping, God will stop providing for you. Fasting is a hard thing to do because it takes a complete focus on the Lord and trusting in Him to provide for you while you pray and fast. But Jesus was able to do it because He was completely focused on God, the Father, and God’s Word.
But, here’s the thing about fasting. If you trust God and are an obedient servant and occupy the time you would have spent eating with prayer and worshipping God, He will take care of your physical needs, including food and water. God has that divine ability. The key is, though, that you have to replace eating or drinking with worshipping God completely.
Could I do it? Nope. As soon as my stomach started grumbling I’d start taking my mind off of God and thinking, “Man, I need a Big Mac!” Then, I’d start focusing on my hunger making it even worse. Same goes for something to drink…I just don’t think I have it in me to go that long without a drink of water or milk or something. As soon as my mouth got dry, I’d be like, “Whewy! I’m parched!” And then I’d completely stop thinking about God and start thinking about where I could find something to drink.
Of course, once you stop worshipping, God will stop providing for you. Fasting is a hard thing to do because it takes a complete focus on the Lord and trusting in Him to provide for you while you pray and fast. But Jesus was able to do it because He was completely focused on God, the Father, and God’s Word.
Tuesday 14 July 2009
If someone wants to commit suicide do you help him or do you let him because it’s his choice?
Let me first start by saying this is a very serious subject. When someone is at the point that they are talking about committing suicide, they are in a really bad spot because they can see no other option to their problem other than looking to end their life. This is a very serious, serious matter because there is no do-over. Once you’re dead, you’re dead.
You need to ask yourself in that situation, “What would Jesus do?” I know that Jesus loves all of his Father’s creations; in fact, He loved them so much that he forgave them as they were crucifying Him even though He had the ability to destroy them with a thought.
God doesn’t want any of His children to take their own life. He gave them that life and gave it to them so that they could “have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)
So, what should you do? If it’s a friend, tell them that God doesn’t want them to commit suicide. Tell them that God loves them. Tell them that YOU don’t want them to commit suicide either. If they don’t listen, you need to tell an adult. But, do not help them commit suicide or encourage them! Think about this: if it was your mom or dad talking about committing suicide, would you want someone to encourage them to kill themselves or even help them do it? Or would you rather have them try and stop them from doing it? I know what I’d do.
If there are no parents around and you really feel that your friend is going to commit suicide, my suggestion to you is to call 1-800-SUICIDE, which is the National Suicide Hotline. Remember, it is a recorded line and also has reverse-call capabilities so that if you get disconnected, they will know where the call came from and send police right away.
Oh, and by the way, if you ever feel like committing suicide and feel you have nowhere to turn, that phone number is someplace to go for help. I pray that you are never at that point in your life.
You need to ask yourself in that situation, “What would Jesus do?” I know that Jesus loves all of his Father’s creations; in fact, He loved them so much that he forgave them as they were crucifying Him even though He had the ability to destroy them with a thought.
God doesn’t want any of His children to take their own life. He gave them that life and gave it to them so that they could “have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)
So, what should you do? If it’s a friend, tell them that God doesn’t want them to commit suicide. Tell them that God loves them. Tell them that YOU don’t want them to commit suicide either. If they don’t listen, you need to tell an adult. But, do not help them commit suicide or encourage them! Think about this: if it was your mom or dad talking about committing suicide, would you want someone to encourage them to kill themselves or even help them do it? Or would you rather have them try and stop them from doing it? I know what I’d do.
If there are no parents around and you really feel that your friend is going to commit suicide, my suggestion to you is to call 1-800-SUICIDE, which is the National Suicide Hotline. Remember, it is a recorded line and also has reverse-call capabilities so that if you get disconnected, they will know where the call came from and send police right away.
Oh, and by the way, if you ever feel like committing suicide and feel you have nowhere to turn, that phone number is someplace to go for help. I pray that you are never at that point in your life.
Sunday 12 July 2009
Two of my friends are growing apart and are talking badly about each other to me. What should I do? Should I even be involved?
That is a difficult question and situation, isn’t it? But, I have an answer for you! We have been studying about love these past few weeks and the Bible verse we’ve been looking at is 1 Corinthians 13:1-7. I want you to look at verse 5, in particular, which states, “It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs.”
If you truly care about these two friends, think about the words, “It is not rude.” Hmmm…I wonder what that means? Do you know? Well, here’s what it means: it means you shouldn’t listen to gossip. You should love your two friends and tell them that they need to talk to each other, not you. REMEMBER, do this with kindness and gentleness!!! Verse 1 says that, “Love is patient, love is kind.”
Your friends are trying to make you pick one of them over the other so that they can boast to the other that you are on their side. Yikes!!! You don’t want to be in that situation!
Here’s what I’d do: tell each of your friends that you love them both but that they need to talk to each other. Tell them that you’re gonna pray for both of them and hope that God helps them become friends again.
To answer your second question, unfortunately, because they are both coming to you and gossiping about the other…you are already involved. It’s kinda hard to put the toothpaste back in the tube once it’s been squeezed out! BUT, you can tell them that you are not choosing sides and you really don’t want to talk badly about one of them behind their back.
If they say, “Yeah? Well, this person is really stupid so I’m not going to be their friend anymore!” You should say, “Well, have you talked to them about this? I mean really talked to them?” Then tell your friends it makes you sad to see them fighting. Encourage them to talk to each other.
Now, having said all that, I want you to be prepared for the fact that they may not ever be friends again (which I pray doesn’t happen) but I also want you to realize it’s not going to be because of anything you did or did not do. Please don’t put that kind of pressure on yourself, okay?
If you truly care about these two friends, think about the words, “It is not rude.” Hmmm…I wonder what that means? Do you know? Well, here’s what it means: it means you shouldn’t listen to gossip. You should love your two friends and tell them that they need to talk to each other, not you. REMEMBER, do this with kindness and gentleness!!! Verse 1 says that, “Love is patient, love is kind.”
Your friends are trying to make you pick one of them over the other so that they can boast to the other that you are on their side. Yikes!!! You don’t want to be in that situation!
Here’s what I’d do: tell each of your friends that you love them both but that they need to talk to each other. Tell them that you’re gonna pray for both of them and hope that God helps them become friends again.
To answer your second question, unfortunately, because they are both coming to you and gossiping about the other…you are already involved. It’s kinda hard to put the toothpaste back in the tube once it’s been squeezed out! BUT, you can tell them that you are not choosing sides and you really don’t want to talk badly about one of them behind their back.
If they say, “Yeah? Well, this person is really stupid so I’m not going to be their friend anymore!” You should say, “Well, have you talked to them about this? I mean really talked to them?” Then tell your friends it makes you sad to see them fighting. Encourage them to talk to each other.
Now, having said all that, I want you to be prepared for the fact that they may not ever be friends again (which I pray doesn’t happen) but I also want you to realize it’s not going to be because of anything you did or did not do. Please don’t put that kind of pressure on yourself, okay?
Saturday 11 July 2009
Why do Catholics pray to Mary and to God?
That is a great question! First, we need to understand that Catholics are Christians and believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for our sins and was resurrected and lives today in Heaven with God. The difference is that they have certain practices that have become tradition based on their interpretation of certain parts of the Bible.
Let me start by asking you a question: Have you ever asked a parent or friend or even your pastor to pray for you? Or, have you ever prayed for someone asking God to help them? Well, when someone prays for you, they are interceding for you. Interceding is just a big word that means “acting on behalf of someone.”
When Catholics pray to Mary, they are asking Mary to intercede for them and to pray to Jesus for them. It’s like asking your pastor to pray for you.
Catholics are not worshipping Mary; they are simply praying to her and asking her to pray to Jesus for them. Catholics absolutely do not believe praying to Mary is a direct petition to God.
I know…it’s very confusing. But, if you look at the definition of “pray” in the Dictionary, most definitions never use the word “worship” to define prayer. In fact, Webster’s Dictionary defines the word “pray” this way:
• To utter a petition to God
• To make a fervent request or plead
• To beseech or implore
• To make a devout or earnest request for
That’s why Catholics pray to Mary…they are pleading, beseeching, imploring her to pray to Jesus for them.
Let me start by asking you a question: Have you ever asked a parent or friend or even your pastor to pray for you? Or, have you ever prayed for someone asking God to help them? Well, when someone prays for you, they are interceding for you. Interceding is just a big word that means “acting on behalf of someone.”
When Catholics pray to Mary, they are asking Mary to intercede for them and to pray to Jesus for them. It’s like asking your pastor to pray for you.
Catholics are not worshipping Mary; they are simply praying to her and asking her to pray to Jesus for them. Catholics absolutely do not believe praying to Mary is a direct petition to God.
I know…it’s very confusing. But, if you look at the definition of “pray” in the Dictionary, most definitions never use the word “worship” to define prayer. In fact, Webster’s Dictionary defines the word “pray” this way:
• To utter a petition to God
• To make a fervent request or plead
• To beseech or implore
• To make a devout or earnest request for
That’s why Catholics pray to Mary…they are pleading, beseeching, imploring her to pray to Jesus for them.
Friday 10 July 2009
If God says in Thessalonians that he’s going to call people to heaven, why does he say in Revelation that demons are going to kill a third of mankind?
Wow! Awesome question!
I started by finding the verses I think you were asking about. Here they are:
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
Revelation 9:14-19
14It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates." 15And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind. 16The number of the mounted troops was two hundred million. I heard their number.
17The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur. 18A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths. 19The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury.
At first, this does seem a bit confusing, so let’s break this down and understand it. First, do you see that in Thessalonians God is calling people to heaven, but in Revelation it is again God who has sent the angels (even though they may be evil angels) to destroy a third of mankind?! Is that even more surprising, or what? (That’s important to understand, though … read on …)
In order to understand the Bible correctly, we have to understand that God gave these words to us and – because this is how awesome God is – one part of the Bible will agree with another part of the Bible. It becomes our job to understand it correctly! In order to do that, one of the things we have to understand is the “context” of the verses we are reading. Go grab a dictionary and look up the word, “context.” (go do that right now, and then finish reading this.)
So you see that “context” means the words, and sentences, and even the story that comes before and after the verse we are reading, AND (and this is very important) it affects the meaning and our understanding. If I tell you to go ahead and pick out a shirt to wear, but I don’t tell you whether we are going to a funeral or a football game, then you can easily pick out the wrong shirt (and obviously you would want a different shirt for those two times.) It would help if I gave you the “context” of why you needed to grab another shirt, right?
OK, back to Thessalonians and Revelation … what is the context of those verses? Take a few minutes right now to read the verses that come before and after the verses we are talking about (take a minute to do that right now …)
Here’s what’s going on with those two letters:
In 1 Thessalonians: the apostle Paul, Silas and Timothy have visited Thessalonica, a Greek city, on one of their missionary journeys. They started a church there, and many of the people who came to that church did not know God. The people there were enthusiastic about getting to know God, but they also had a lot of questions. And they didn’t always come up with the right answers!
Paul wrote back to that church (that’s the letter of 1 Thessalonians) to correct some of the errors they had made. One of the main issues he is writing about concerns what happens to people who believe in God when Jesus returns. You see, Paul was worried that the church there (because it was so young) would abandon their commitment to following Jesus, so Paul is writing to correct them and ALSO to encourage them!
SO – in 1 Thessalonians, the apostle Paul is encouraging new believers in Jesus Christ to hang in there even though things were at times a bit confusing and difficult.
Revelation was written by the apostle John at the very end of his life. John’s purpose was to comfort Christians who were going through really rough times; and Christians were being heavily attacked and persecuted during those days. John is telling his readers that the ultimate victory belongs to Jesus but – as you probably noticed – he uses some pretty wild and imaginative images to get his ideas across. He talks about horses of different colors and lakes of fire and swords coming out of mouths and WOW! how do we understand all that? Well, let’s remember that this letter is intended to comfort people (not to scare them, though the apostle John is not afraid to scare people into trusting Jesus!) and then recognize that this type of writing is called “apocalyptic.” (that’s a big word, but it just describes a kind of writing that uses lots of visions and wild images.) This is a little bit like how The Lord of the Rings or The Chronicles of Narnia stories are also pretty wild, but there are good stories and message there, right? Apocalyptic literature was a style of writing used to encourage people who were really being persecuted. Does that make sense to you?
In these verses in Revelation, Jesus is making it clear that those who don’t follow him (read verse 20 to see what all people were doing!) were going to be separated from him forever – and that sounds way harsh. But the context of this part of the story shows that ultimately God wins, Satan loses, and those who follow Jesus and accept him as their Savior, get to be with him forever. See, that’s the encouraging part that people needed to hear – and that’s the bigger picture that you and I have to understand. If we just see God as this God who is going to slay one third of mankind and we don’t realize that that third is the third that has rejected God, then we wonder if he is a mean God, or if we’re going to get killed like that.
SO – in Revelation, the apostle John is encouraging all believers in Jesus Christ to remain committed to him and to be comforted by the fact that in the end he wins, and Satan loses, even though things were way tough, confusing and difficult right then.
I started by finding the verses I think you were asking about. Here they are:
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
Revelation 9:14-19
14It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates." 15And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind. 16The number of the mounted troops was two hundred million. I heard their number.
17The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur. 18A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths. 19The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury.
At first, this does seem a bit confusing, so let’s break this down and understand it. First, do you see that in Thessalonians God is calling people to heaven, but in Revelation it is again God who has sent the angels (even though they may be evil angels) to destroy a third of mankind?! Is that even more surprising, or what? (That’s important to understand, though … read on …)
In order to understand the Bible correctly, we have to understand that God gave these words to us and – because this is how awesome God is – one part of the Bible will agree with another part of the Bible. It becomes our job to understand it correctly! In order to do that, one of the things we have to understand is the “context” of the verses we are reading. Go grab a dictionary and look up the word, “context.” (go do that right now, and then finish reading this.)
So you see that “context” means the words, and sentences, and even the story that comes before and after the verse we are reading, AND (and this is very important) it affects the meaning and our understanding. If I tell you to go ahead and pick out a shirt to wear, but I don’t tell you whether we are going to a funeral or a football game, then you can easily pick out the wrong shirt (and obviously you would want a different shirt for those two times.) It would help if I gave you the “context” of why you needed to grab another shirt, right?
OK, back to Thessalonians and Revelation … what is the context of those verses? Take a few minutes right now to read the verses that come before and after the verses we are talking about (take a minute to do that right now …)
Here’s what’s going on with those two letters:
In 1 Thessalonians: the apostle Paul, Silas and Timothy have visited Thessalonica, a Greek city, on one of their missionary journeys. They started a church there, and many of the people who came to that church did not know God. The people there were enthusiastic about getting to know God, but they also had a lot of questions. And they didn’t always come up with the right answers!
Paul wrote back to that church (that’s the letter of 1 Thessalonians) to correct some of the errors they had made. One of the main issues he is writing about concerns what happens to people who believe in God when Jesus returns. You see, Paul was worried that the church there (because it was so young) would abandon their commitment to following Jesus, so Paul is writing to correct them and ALSO to encourage them!
SO – in 1 Thessalonians, the apostle Paul is encouraging new believers in Jesus Christ to hang in there even though things were at times a bit confusing and difficult.
Revelation was written by the apostle John at the very end of his life. John’s purpose was to comfort Christians who were going through really rough times; and Christians were being heavily attacked and persecuted during those days. John is telling his readers that the ultimate victory belongs to Jesus but – as you probably noticed – he uses some pretty wild and imaginative images to get his ideas across. He talks about horses of different colors and lakes of fire and swords coming out of mouths and WOW! how do we understand all that? Well, let’s remember that this letter is intended to comfort people (not to scare them, though the apostle John is not afraid to scare people into trusting Jesus!) and then recognize that this type of writing is called “apocalyptic.” (that’s a big word, but it just describes a kind of writing that uses lots of visions and wild images.) This is a little bit like how The Lord of the Rings or The Chronicles of Narnia stories are also pretty wild, but there are good stories and message there, right? Apocalyptic literature was a style of writing used to encourage people who were really being persecuted. Does that make sense to you?
In these verses in Revelation, Jesus is making it clear that those who don’t follow him (read verse 20 to see what all people were doing!) were going to be separated from him forever – and that sounds way harsh. But the context of this part of the story shows that ultimately God wins, Satan loses, and those who follow Jesus and accept him as their Savior, get to be with him forever. See, that’s the encouraging part that people needed to hear – and that’s the bigger picture that you and I have to understand. If we just see God as this God who is going to slay one third of mankind and we don’t realize that that third is the third that has rejected God, then we wonder if he is a mean God, or if we’re going to get killed like that.
SO – in Revelation, the apostle John is encouraging all believers in Jesus Christ to remain committed to him and to be comforted by the fact that in the end he wins, and Satan loses, even though things were way tough, confusing and difficult right then.
Thursday 9 July 2009
Why did Satan and some of God's angels leave him?
The Bible doesn’t clearly – like without a doubt – answer why Satan and some of God’s angels left God. There are some verses in the Book of Isaiah that start to give us a clue, but honestly, we probably won’t know that answer until we get to heaven.
Isaiah 14:12-15 says this -
"How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.' But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit."
When Satan says he “will ascend to heaven and … make myself like the Most High” it is believed that he sought to rule heaven himself.
These verses are still a little confusing though because Isaiah was speaking specifically about a corrupt nation called Babylon, and not specifically about Satan. He is just making a comparison.
Anyway, Isaiah says God threw (or cast) Satan and the angels that followed him down to the earth! This is probably because Satan chose to do evil rather than worship & serve God. So they didn’t leave heaven as much as God threw them out! Do you see the difference?
Here’s the key - God gives each of his created beings a choice to follow him or to not follow him. If you choose to, you can be with God always – both now when you are alive, and forever. If you chose not to follow him, God allows you to be separated from him always – both now and forever. That’s the kind of love God has for us – he gives us that choice. Believe me, though, he wants you to choose to follow him because he created you, loves you, and wants a relationship with you.
Wednesday 8 July 2009
Were the seven angels watching the seven churches once men or not?
What an awesome question! In the simplest terms, no, they were not. You see, angels are created beings just like us. In fact, they are powerful beings created by God to serve Him. They also have served as God’s messengers. In Hebrews 1:14, angels are described as ministering spirits sent to look after human beings.
There is a big misconception where people believe that when we die, we become angels. This is not Biblically correct. We receive “glorified” bodies when we enter Heaven and we live with angels but we do not turn into angels.
BUT, don’t be sad, angels do exist! And there are worker angels and there are angel princes called archangels. Michael, one of only two angels ever mentioned by name in the Holy Bible, is an archangel. Gabriel, the other angel mentioned by name, is the Messenger Angel.
You wanna know what’s really cool? There is some Biblical basis for believing you have a guardian angel! In Matthew 18:10, Jesus seemed to indicate that little children have angels assigned to them for He said, “Their angels always behold the face of God.”
There is a big misconception where people believe that when we die, we become angels. This is not Biblically correct. We receive “glorified” bodies when we enter Heaven and we live with angels but we do not turn into angels.
BUT, don’t be sad, angels do exist! And there are worker angels and there are angel princes called archangels. Michael, one of only two angels ever mentioned by name in the Holy Bible, is an archangel. Gabriel, the other angel mentioned by name, is the Messenger Angel.
You wanna know what’s really cool? There is some Biblical basis for believing you have a guardian angel! In Matthew 18:10, Jesus seemed to indicate that little children have angels assigned to them for He said, “Their angels always behold the face of God.”
Tuesday 7 July 2009
If you’ve never heard of God, why do you go to Hell?
This is a good question with which many people have wrestled. Here are just a few remarks on what God’s Word tells us about God’s judgment on people, and those who go to heaven and those who don’t.
We do not know how God will judge those who have never heard of Him or His Son Jesus Christ. That’s the short answer to your question. We do not know for certain that they will go to hell. We simply do not know the mind of God with regard to those who do not know Him. But read on about what we do know …
God is a just God, a God of justice. We do know that He will judge each person uniquely and fairly and the only reason people are going to hell is because they have told God that they can live without Him. On Judgment Day God will allow people to continue to live with the decision they have made. Not everyone who hears the truth about God will be saved, only those who believe in Jesus and obey. Read Luke 8:1-15. Also read John 3:18, John 8:24, 1 John 5:11-13, Deuteronomy 32:4.
The only reason anyone will be in heaven is because Jesus bled and died on the cross to pay the penalty for human sin. Nobody will be in heaven because they lived a good life or because they were sincere. Rather they will receive eternal life as a result of God’s good gift to them in Christ. Read John 14:6, Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5, John 1:12, Acts 4:12, Romans 3:22-24, Romans 5:6-8.
Those who have heard about Christ will be held accountable for how they responded to Him. To reject Christ is to reject God’s offer of forgiveness and eternal life. To choose not to decide about Jesus is to reject Him. Love demands a choice. A loving God invites us to come to Him. Romans 10:9-10.
Have confidence in Christ. Keep asking great questions. But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened." But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander 1 Peter 3:14-16.
We do not know how God will judge those who have never heard of Him or His Son Jesus Christ. That’s the short answer to your question. We do not know for certain that they will go to hell. We simply do not know the mind of God with regard to those who do not know Him. But read on about what we do know …
God is a just God, a God of justice. We do know that He will judge each person uniquely and fairly and the only reason people are going to hell is because they have told God that they can live without Him. On Judgment Day God will allow people to continue to live with the decision they have made. Not everyone who hears the truth about God will be saved, only those who believe in Jesus and obey. Read Luke 8:1-15. Also read John 3:18, John 8:24, 1 John 5:11-13, Deuteronomy 32:4.
The only reason anyone will be in heaven is because Jesus bled and died on the cross to pay the penalty for human sin. Nobody will be in heaven because they lived a good life or because they were sincere. Rather they will receive eternal life as a result of God’s good gift to them in Christ. Read John 14:6, Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5, John 1:12, Acts 4:12, Romans 3:22-24, Romans 5:6-8.
Those who have heard about Christ will be held accountable for how they responded to Him. To reject Christ is to reject God’s offer of forgiveness and eternal life. To choose not to decide about Jesus is to reject Him. Love demands a choice. A loving God invites us to come to Him. Romans 10:9-10.
Have confidence in Christ. Keep asking great questions. But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened." But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander 1 Peter 3:14-16.
Monday 6 July 2009
Is it okay to kinda be scared to talk about Jesus? … I want to tell my friends. I don’t know what to say.
I hope that the TRACK lessons, and especially the game we have been playing in Small Group, give you some ideas on how to talk about Jesus (build a friendship, bring them to TRACK or a cool church event, or share God’s story), but I also want to share something with you from the Bible.
Put this letter down, and go to the Gospel of Mark, and read chapter 9, verses 14 through 24.
Did you catch verse 24? “Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
Even during the days when Jesus walked the earth, it was difficult to understand Jesus completely. Jesus is the Son of God, and although the Bible gives us everything we need to know about Jesus, there is much that we wonder about! We just can’t understand God completely, our brains just ain’t good enuf! That also means our faith can be challenged. And it means it can be difficult to talk about Jesus and our faith to others, even our close friends!
It is absolutely OK to kinda be scared to talk about Jesus BUT you don’t have to be!! Here’s what I mean … the Holy Spirit has come to give us power to help share the Gospel and talk about Jesus. God the Father doesn’t speak to us in loud words anymore (like He did with Adam and Eve), Jesus doesn’t walk the earth anymore (like He did 2000 years ago), BUT the Holy Spirit is right now our helper and our counselor and our guide as we connect with other people. That’s very cool! And remember, there is a time to talk about Jesus, there is a time to be like Jesus in action instead of word, and there is a time to just be a kid having fun and not worrying about it at all! Let the Holy Spirit guide you! (And talk to your mom and dad about this, too!)
Put this letter down, and go to the Gospel of Mark, and read chapter 9, verses 14 through 24.
Did you catch verse 24? “Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
Even during the days when Jesus walked the earth, it was difficult to understand Jesus completely. Jesus is the Son of God, and although the Bible gives us everything we need to know about Jesus, there is much that we wonder about! We just can’t understand God completely, our brains just ain’t good enuf! That also means our faith can be challenged. And it means it can be difficult to talk about Jesus and our faith to others, even our close friends!
It is absolutely OK to kinda be scared to talk about Jesus BUT you don’t have to be!! Here’s what I mean … the Holy Spirit has come to give us power to help share the Gospel and talk about Jesus. God the Father doesn’t speak to us in loud words anymore (like He did with Adam and Eve), Jesus doesn’t walk the earth anymore (like He did 2000 years ago), BUT the Holy Spirit is right now our helper and our counselor and our guide as we connect with other people. That’s very cool! And remember, there is a time to talk about Jesus, there is a time to be like Jesus in action instead of word, and there is a time to just be a kid having fun and not worrying about it at all! Let the Holy Spirit guide you! (And talk to your mom and dad about this, too!)
Sunday 5 July 2009
My grandmother has diabetes. Is it possible to survive diabetes?
I’m sorry to hear about your grandmother. It’s so hard to see a loved one struggling with sickness. But, you know what? God has a plan for your grandmother, just like He has a plan for you and me and everybody else on this planet. We just don’t know what that plan is. But, I can promise you one thing: God is good and He is good all the time. And we have to trust Him completely. Even when people suffer or are hurting or sick, we have to have faith in God’s plan. He does have His reasons. Sometimes that’s hard to do because we’re thinking, “Wow…that stinks. Why is this happening to me or my family?” I don’t have an answer for that. I just know I have to trust God’s sovereign will.
I will keep both you and your grandmother in my prayers. In fact, let me write a quick prayer for you now:
Dear Heavenly Father, I just want to thank you for these two people. I want to thank you for your Son, Jesus Christ, and gift of grace and mercy He offers. I come before You and humbly ask that, if it is your will, to please help with the diabetes. I know, Lord, that all things are possible through You and that You are the Great Physician. So, I lift up this grandmother to You in prayer. But, no matter what happens, we’ll still love You now and forever. Let your will be done in this matter. And we pray this in Your Son’s precious name. Amen.
I will keep both you and your grandmother in my prayers. In fact, let me write a quick prayer for you now:
Dear Heavenly Father, I just want to thank you for these two people. I want to thank you for your Son, Jesus Christ, and gift of grace and mercy He offers. I come before You and humbly ask that, if it is your will, to please help with the diabetes. I know, Lord, that all things are possible through You and that You are the Great Physician. So, I lift up this grandmother to You in prayer. But, no matter what happens, we’ll still love You now and forever. Let your will be done in this matter. And we pray this in Your Son’s precious name. Amen.
Saturday 4 July 2009
How would Jesus live without food for 40 days? Wouldn’t He die of hunger?
This is an awesome question! I’m with you …that seems an awful long time to go without even some chips or some beef jerky or some sort of snack! I don’t think I could go 30 minutes without some Cheeto’s…
But, here’s the thing about fasting. If you trust God and are an obedient servant and occupy the time you would have spent eating with prayer and worshipping God, He will take care of your need for food. God has that divine ability. The key is, though, that you have to replace eating with worshipping God completely.
I heard a funny but cool saying the other day. It said that fasting without prayer is called…hunger! But prayer with fasting is called “feasting in a spiritual sense.”
You know, one of my favorite parts of that whole story is the last verse, Matthew 4:11, 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. He was hungry, He was tired and He was mentally weary.
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.
But, here’s the thing about fasting. If you trust God and are an obedient servant and occupy the time you would have spent eating with prayer and worshipping God, He will take care of your need for food. God has that divine ability. The key is, though, that you have to replace eating with worshipping God completely.
I heard a funny but cool saying the other day. It said that fasting without prayer is called…hunger! But prayer with fasting is called “feasting in a spiritual sense.”
You know, one of my favorite parts of that whole story is the last verse, Matthew 4:11, 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. He was hungry, He was tired and He was mentally weary.
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.
Friday 3 July 2009
Why did Paul include the belt in the armor of God? I mean, it doesn't protect you or anything.
It's true that today’s belts that go through belt loops and hold up our pants aren't a part of our armor. But, in biblical times, belts were more than fashion statements! They were used to wrap around the waist to keep a warriors robes from tripping him. Warriors in Paul’s days didn’t always wear pants. They wore long robes, even in battle. The belt kept the robe out of the way. The belts in Paul’s days also kept the sword close to the warrior.
A good comparison would be the gunbelt a policeman wears at work every day. It has a holster for a gun and is easily accessible. Policemen also have a pouch for extra bullets and a holder for a radio and flashlight.
In biblical times, they didn’t have guns just swords. And those swords had to be close for easy access!!!
A good comparison would be the gunbelt a policeman wears at work every day. It has a holster for a gun and is easily accessible. Policemen also have a pouch for extra bullets and a holder for a radio and flashlight.
In biblical times, they didn’t have guns just swords. And those swords had to be close for easy access!!!
Thursday 2 July 2009
Why does God include day 7 in the Bible and God does nothing on that day?
Hmmm ....... the fact of the matter is that God did do something on that seventh day ….. He rested. So, what in the world does the Bible mean by “He rested?” After all, He’s God and He doesn’t get tired and He doesn’t need sleep, right? There’s two ways of looking at this. First let’s define the word, “rest.” In this case, rest doesn’t mean it was a rest of weariness but a rest of completed work. God was ceasing his activity and admiring His creation. The other way of looking at the word “rest” is such a deep theological concept that I even have trouble understanding it. Basically, it is a spiritual state of being and a place that we want to be. We want to be in God’s rest (I know confusing!) because it is a salvation rest. Oh, and don’t forget, God not only rested on that day but he blessed it and made it holy. So…to answer your question, God didn’t just do nothing on the seventh day, He rested and He blessed it as the Sabbath Day.
Wednesday 1 July 2009
Is Jesus in Heaven or Hell because He died and took the sins of the world on Him?
Excellent point, except you forgot one little detail and that is that Jesus rose again three days after He died. After He rose from the dead, He traveled around for about 40 days before He ascended into Heaven, where He sits at the right hand of God.
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