What was it like before creation? What did it look like, feel like, etc.?

Yahoo! I love that question because the answer goes all the way back to the very first book of the Bible in the Old Testament and describes exactly what it was like before creation in the first two verses ever written! Genesis 1:1-2 says:

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”

Whoa! That sounds kinda creepy and scary, doesn’t it? And yet, let’s look a little closer at what the Bible says just in these two verses. It starts, “In the beginning…” which tells us that this is literally the starting point of time as we know it! Then it says, “...God created…” The English word “created” is from the Greek word, “bara.” It is a verb used exclusively for God because it describes a full miracle. No man could ever attain the powers inherent in this word. So, by  an all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present God, something absolutely new was brought into existence – the heavens and the earth.

Next we see that the earth was formless and empty and that darkness was over the surface of the deep. BUT, we also see that the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. So, even though it sounds kinda scary, God was there! By the way, I find it fascinating that the earth was initially covered in water.

From that point on, God starts doing something absolutely incredible. He literally speaks the rest of creation into being. He creates light, he creates morning and evening, he creates the sky, then dry ground and vegetation. Next, he creates the sun, the moon and the stars. And finally, on the fifth and sixth days, God creates sea life, birds, animals and, lastly, man.

The best part is, God saw all that He had created and saw that it was very good and He blessed it all! He had created the perfect world. Amazing, isn’t it?

Why do bad things happen?

Wow. That is a very awesome question and one that has been debated for years by a lot of people. After all, some would argue, how could a “loving” God allow such things? How do we accept that a caring God, a God of infinite power, can allow bad to happen?

It seems that no one is untouched by tragedy and suffering, doesn’t it? Not even those of us who are Christ Followers can avoid some pain and suffering.

First of all, let’s be clear on a few things. While God allows bad things to happen, He does not want it for us. In fact, when God created the Earth, it was very good. Genesis 1:31 reads, “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” This very good condition was the plan for all of God’s creation. 

Then God created Adam and Eve and God gave us human beings the ability to make choices. We call it free will. And, sadly, Adam and Eve flunked the test on decision-making. Because of their decision, sin entered the world and it’s that sin that affects our choices. Because we can make choices, sometimes those choices can be good and sometimes they can be bad. But, that’s the freedom God gave us because He wanted us to love Him freely and not because we are forced to. However, with that freedom to make bad choices comes suffering.

Sometimes free will results in evil and painful choices.  Remember, though, that all of the evil and pain in this world is human evil, not godly evil. God cannot sin so He can’t be evil. So all this pain and suffering is humanly-caused pain, which is a result of human sin. It’s not God’s fault when things go wrong.

But, thank God, it’s not over! Even though we are evil by nature, God still loves and cares for us. Jesus’ death on the cross paid the full price for each and every one of us. God’s Word promises that He will create a new heaven and a new earth and there will be “no more mourning or death or pain” because man’s sin will be gone and God will dwell with mankind. Praise God for that!

So, what about things that aren’t caused by people? Why do earthquakes that kill thousands of people happen? Why do some people get cancer? Why do little children get hurt or killed? Certainly those aren’t caused by human sin, are they?

Well, in a way, they are. All pain and suffering can be traced back to the original sin in the Garden of Eden. But, here’s the plus-side of suffering: it gives us the opportunity to lean on God and grow closer to Him and it is an opportunity for those around the person suffering to develop compassion and personal heroism. When things go bad, and we all will experience pain and suffering, it gives us the chance to come closer to God and to depend on His grace and mercy. We may never entirely understand our situation or experience but we can put our faith in God to get us through the storm.

One of my favorite Bible verses is a simple one and one that is easy to remember. It is Proverbs 3:5-6 and it says, “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.”

We have to trust God’s will despite what we see as being so sad and so tragic. And know, just know and put your faith in, the fact that God is good and that He loves you unconditionally.

Will God tell me who my real father is?

This question is an incredibly touching question but also one that I really can’t answer. I say that because I cannot know how God thinks and what His plans are for you. I don’t even know what God’s plans are for me! But, here’s what I do know about God:

• He loves you unconditionally and more than you can even imagine.
• He only wants what is absolutely the best for you.
• He cannot, absolutely cannot, do things that are bad, evil or sinful.
• His plan for your life is perfect.

The best answer that I can give you is, if God wants you to know who your father is, He will make that happen. It may be tomorrow, it may be next year or it may be years from now. He may also never reveal it if He believes that the knowledge would do more harm than good.

Continue to be in prayer about it and pray that God’s sovereign decision will be done in this situation. Remember, God hears every single one of our prayers. He also answers every prayer. Sometimes, though, the answer might be, "wait," or, "no."

I hope that answers your question!

When Jesus died on the cross, where was he the three days before he resurrected?

Wow! That’s an awesome question! And it is a question that Bible scholars have debated for years!

The Bible does not specifically state what happened during those three days. Many biblical scholars have offered different theories based on Scripture. Some say He went to Hades; others say he went to “Abraham’s Bosom” to preach the gospel. They base this on 1 Peter 3:18-20 and Luke 16:22-23.

Others claim Jesus did go to Heaven because he told the thief on the cross that, “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). But, there are some Bible scholars that challenge that by quoting John 20:17. In fact, those same Bible scholars claim that “Paradise” is another name for “Abraham’s Bosom,” a place in the earth for those who were redeemed (saved) before Jesus came to earth.

One thing we are certain of is that Jesus was not giving people a second chance at salvation. The Holy Bible is very clear in that we face judgment after death, not a second chance. Hebrews 9:27 reads, “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.”

So, all of that to say, the truth is we just don’t know. I’m sorry, but there just isn’t a definitive answer to that question.

What do you do if someone you know claims to be a Christian but you know they are not and you want to help them?

This is a fantastic question! We do need to be a little careful when we start assuming that we know if someone is a Christian or not. Are you basing that on their actions or what they say they believe? The reason I’m saying that is because there is a BIG difference in the two.

There are a lot of people who say they’re Christian and may not act like it but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are not Christians. The Bible tells us that we all sin and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 6:23). In fact, it also says there is no one righteous, not even one (Romans 6:10). Just because someone sometimes does doing things that Bible says they shouldn’t do or doesn’t do things they should do doesn’t mean that they haven’t accepted Christ into their heart. We have no way of really knowing a person’s heart but we can judge their actions and we can gently remind them that Christ Followers don’t act or think like that.

Now, if a person claims to be a Christian but tells you they believe something that contradicts what the Bible says is true, that is a completely different matter. For example, let’s say someone says to you, “I don’t believe that Jesus was really God’s son. I think he was just a man.” That is wrong thinking. The Bible clearly tells us that Jesus was God’s one and only Son in John 3:16. Or let’s say they tell you that they believe in reincarnation … we know that belief is Biblically wrong. So, how do we help our friends see the truth?

Whether someone is not acting like a Christian or claiming something contrary to the Christian belief, we treat them the same way. With love. The Bible tells us to, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone that asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15)

It is not our job to judge a person’s heart … that’s God’s job. But, we can judge their behavior, speech and beliefs and respectfully tell them what we believe. Whether they choose to believe you or not, is their choice. I can promise you this:  God loves His people. He doesn’t want any of us to miss out on knowing Him. He will use the Holy Spirit to help someone that really wants to know who God is. Your mission is to share God’s love with them so that they can make a wise decision.

Are Mormons Christians?

Wow! That’s a thought-provoking question! The truth is that I, along with many Christian scholars, do not believe that Mormons are Christians and here’s why:

First, Mormons do not follow or believe that Jesus is God. We believe that Jesus is both man and God (John 1:1, 14) and that He is God’s only son (John 3:16). The Mormons believe that Jesus was created by the father (a separate being) and is a spirit brother to Lucifer (the devil).

Next, we believe there is only one God. He exists as three distinct personalities; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit but He is still ONE God. The Mormons believe there are many gods and that humans, by doing good works, can eventually become a god.

Finally, and most importantly, the Mormons believe you have to earn your salvation through good works or good deeds and by meeting church requirements. We believe that it is by grace that we’ve been saved, through faith. We don’t have to do anything to earn God’s grace (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 3:22-24). It is a gift given to us by God.

So, based on those three reasons, we believe that Mormons are not Christians.

Why did God bring the plagues to Egypt when He said He loves us?

Wow! That’s an awesome question!

There are actually two reasons. First, the Egyptians were enslaving the Israelites (the Jewish people), who were God’s “chosen people.” God had promised the Israelites their own land through the covenant He made with Abraham. God sent Moses to tell the Egyptian leader, known as Pharaoh, to let the Israelites go free. But, Pharaoh refused so God sent the plagues to show Pharaoh how powerful He is.

Second, the Egyptian hearts were hardened and they refused to believe in the One True God. They chose to believe in a number of different gods. Our God wanted to show them who He is and how powerful He is so the ten plagues that God sent were all specific attacks on ten different Egyptian gods.

It wasn’t that God didn’t love the Egyptian people. He wanted to show them who He was and He did it in a very dramatic way. We know that Pharaoh finally let the Israelites go but, don’t forget, Pharaoh’s heart became hardened again and he went after the Israelites after he let them go.

But, once again, God showed His awesome power and he parted the Red Sea for the Israelites and they were able to escape. The Egyptians, who tried to follow after the Israelites, were all destroyed when God closed the sea in on them.