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There are so many hateful and violent words publicly exchanged by people these days. Can Christians do anything to stop this?

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 19:21:58 GMT

Answer: We can only control what we ourselves talk about and post publicly, such as on social media. Even where hostility already is expressed, we can set the better tone, or a good example of respectful, fair, and kind dialogue. Remember what parents have repeated to their children for generations - If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all. God inspired more about this to be recorded in His scriptures. Not only does He mean for us not to hurt others with our words but to select them to encourage and grow others to understand His great love for them!

“A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.” Proverbs 15:4

“There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Proverbs 12:18

Most important of all is whether our words – which spring from deep in our souls – are pleasing to God. Regardless of the public image we would like for others to see, Jesus said that words reveal a great deal about our true thoughts and how we live whenever we open our mouths to speak:

“Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Matthew 12:34, Luke 6:45

“…the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a man…out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.” Matthew 15:19

Next, what is important to God is the way we treat others. When people know we are Christians, will they be drawn to God and His love we share among ourselves, or will they be repelled by our insincerity? We are His ambassadors and represent Him to a dying world. Tragically, a person’s bad impression of hypocritical followers of Jesus may never be undone, which means the heart of an observer may become hardened to the truths about God so that he or she misses out on salvation. What a sobering responsibility we have!

“If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.” James 1:26

If we lose our honorable reputation, we lose a great deal – in our church, community, and family! Trust collapses and doors close. If we respond badly in anger and malice, no one will take our claims of faith in God seriously anymore. The Bible states that having “ a good name ” should be more desirable than monetary riches. (Proverbs 22:1) When people can see that we act on what we say we believe, then they trust us and are willing to open their own hearts and minds to hear the message of Jesus Christ. When Jesus was asked what was the most important commandment, He responded to love God with all our hearts, souls, and minds, and to love our neighbors as much as we love ourselves. (Matthew 22:35-40, Mark 12:28-34, Luke 10:27) Our speech demonstrates love for God and others, or, sadly, a lack of it.

“…neither filthiness, not foolish talking, not coarse joking, which are not appropriate, but rather giving thanks.” Ephesians 5:4

“Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.” I Peter 3:10

“But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, hate, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.” Colossians 3:8

The scriptures have much more to advise as warnings about the influence of our words in the lives of people around us. With our comments, we can make or break others. That’s a lot of power. We can build peace, or we can set the world on fire! When we start a fire, we often suffer along with our victims. Have you ever hurt someone deeply with a criticism or opinion? That person may always suffer from that painful, unhealed wound.

“Likewise, the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small spark. The tongue is also a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals have been tamed by mankind, but no human can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. My brothers and sisters, this should not be so.“ James 3:5-10

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” Proverbs 18:21

God has given us life to serve Him and use our mouths to help one another by building up others – not by tearing them down. Each day, be sure to offer a good word to cheer someone’s heart, and watch and see how God blesses your life immensely, too! When we show love, people experience what God’s love feel like, possibly for the first time.

“Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad.” Proverbs 12:25

“Let no corrupt word come out of your mouth, but what s good for necessary encouragement, that it may give favor to the hearers.” Ephesians 4:29

“Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Proverbs 16:24

“Let your conversations be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:6

Has God’s Holy Spirit brought forward thoughts of someone you have hurt with your words?

Here’s a good place to start in making this right:

Lord, thank you for bringing this broken relationship to my mind. You know who I need to apologize to and how I might better rebuild that relationship. Please help me to do this in your perfect timing and with a very humble heart. Would you prepare that person’s heart to hear my words and heal our relationship? Please transform me and rid me of my tendency to be speak hastily and harshly. I look to you for guidance, dear Father in heaven. Thank you!

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14

Are people born into this world good, or are they naturally evil?

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 11:57:00 GMT

Answer: God created us in His own image (Genesis 1:27) and allows us what is called “free will,” which means that we can choose to do right or wrong. The Bible details many people who did what was right in God’s eyes, but it reveals many who did evil. Even the main author of the Bible’s New Testament, Paul the apostle, admitted that trying to do right was a constant struggle!

“For I do not understand my own actions. I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh [my natural state]. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing…” Romans 7:15-25

Humankind doing evil is nothing new. The Bible records that long ago things became so bad that God was sorry He ever made people. He destroyed almost all living things in a worldwide flood and started over with Noah’s family. (Genesis, chapters 6-8)

“The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was widespread across the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Genesis 6:5

People are capable of being generous and loving, but we witness too much of the opposite in the daily news headlines. Most crime and injustice can be traced to selfishness, or thinking only of one’s self and not what will help others.

“The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick; who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9

“For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander .” Jesus in Matthew 15:19

So – born good or born bad?

The answer to the question is, we are born with the tendency to turn away from God and act stubbornly and willfully, which leads us to make many wrong choices.

Even as we sometimes try to live as Jesus commanded and help other people, we still fall short of God’s standard of perfection. From our birth, we err in making wise choices. It is just not possible without the guidance of God through His Spirit, the Holy Spirit. God sends His Spirit into us as soon as we believe that He sent His Son Jesus to shed His blood and die on a cross as punishment for our sins.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

Due to our selfish nature, God knew we could never live up to His standard of goodness that Jesus demonstrated during His brief life on earth. The Bible describes that Jesus willingly died to take the punishment for our rebellion against His authority that we deserved. His goal was to make us right with God; so, when God looks at us, He sees that Jesus has paid our sin penalty for us.

Is your relationship right with God? Or, are you living apart from Him? You can put your trust in Him, and He will begin to transform your life through His great, miraculous power!

Jesus explained in John 14:6 that He was (and will always be!) the only “Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no one comes to the Father [God} except through Me.” When you tell Jesus that you accept Him as your way to God, God accepts you. Say something like this:

Dear God, I have lived in many ways that have grieved you, and I am very sorry. I ask you to forgive me. I realize now that I cannot save myself from punishment for my sins in Hell, and I want to get my heart right with you. I understand from the Bible that there are no good works that I can perform to cancel out the sentence of punishment I deserve after my death. I know now that Jesus is your son who died to pay the huge debt for my sins. Thank you for sending Jesus to do this! I ask you to send your Spirit into me to guide me and help me every day from now on. I trust you and place myself in your loving, merciful hands. Amen!

“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” I John 1:9

Is heaven a real place or just a state of mind? What will I see when I arrive there?

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 12:22:00 GMT

Answer: Heaven is real!

And Jesus even called it “Paradise.” The dictionary defines the word as bliss, happiness, and delight . The Bible confirms this description is not only true, but it’s even better than that! You don’t want to miss out on heaven, and how you can make sure you’ll be there is coming up.

As Jesus hung on a cross, He told the man next to Him that the two of them would arrive in Paradise that very day: “One of the criminals who hung [on the cross] heaped abuse on Him. ‘Are You not the Christ?’ he said. ‘Save Yourself and us!’ But the other one rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same judgment? We are punished justly, for we are receiving what our actions deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.’ ” Luke 23:39-43

The youngest disciple, John, wrote the final book of the Bible about the glimpse of heaven Jesus gave him. The scriptures relate that others, too, saw part of heaven and its glory while they lived on earth. Among those were Enoch, Jacob, Elijah, Elisha, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Stephen, and Paul. The apostle Paul wrote that God has prepared a future full of wonders for those who have put their trust in Jesus Christ, and that includes the rewards of heaven: “But, as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.’ ” I Corinthians 2:9

Also from Paul: “… I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows. And I know that this man—whether in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows— was caught up to Paradise. The things he heard were too sacred for words, things that man is not permitted to tell.” 2 Corinthians 12:1-4

The Biblical record reveals a good bit about heaven, and the Holy Spirit, the author of the scriptures, decided it is enough information for us right now! The following are just a few highlights.

Our Arrival in Heaven

You will be escorted into heaven by angels and welcomed! You will see people you knew from your life and many you will get to know for the first time. The account Jesus shared in Luke 16 of a beggar, Lazarus, reveals much (see Luke 16:19-31 ).

“And you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

2 Peter 1:11

An intriguing account of the murder of a godly man named Stephen is included in Acts 7:54-59 . Before he died, Stephen saw heaven opening and the glory of God, with Jesus Himself standing to the right of God’s throne to welcome him into Paradise.

Who and what will we see in heaven?

The Bible documents that Jesus spoke seventy times about heaven in the book of Matthew alone. Our Christian loved ones and friends who are residing there now will be relocated to earth when Jesus returns one day in the future. The Bible in Revelation, chapter 21, says He will rule on earth for one thousand years and then bring the New Jerusalem, a breathtakingly beautiful city, down from heaven, with many delights to behold – light radiating from God, sparkling jewels, golden pathways, and crystal-clear water. Even before that chapter’s description, Revelation 4 includes some details:

“I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it. The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones – like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled His throne like a rainbow. Twenty-four thrones surrounded Him, and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder…” Revelation 4:2-5

“The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.” – Revelation 21:23

“For the Lamb at the center of the throne [Jesus] will be their shepherd; He will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” – Revelation 7:17

God is there, and so is Jesus! We will see and experience things we have never encountered before, such as creatures, unlike any we have ever seen, who continually worship God.

^” Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying,

Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord God Almighty,

who was, and is, and is to come.” Revelation 4:6-8

What will we do in heaven?

We will live among God’s people who are joyous and are enjoying fellowship. During our present lives, fun fellowship with others usually includes good food! So, just in case you thought about whether we will be able to eat, here are several examples:

“I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” Revelation 2:7

“On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month.” Revelation 22:2

Will I have a place in heaven to live?

We can be assured and comforted that Jesus has a place ready for us when we get to heaven. In John 14:1-31, Jesus’ own words are recorded: “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.”

False beliefs about heaven

Since fifty-four of the sixty-six books of scripture mention heaven, there are plenty of descriptions of it to read and enjoy. You have most likely heard of some of the misconceptions we should recognize as untrue and formed from human imagination. The Bible affirms that…

Everyone does NOT go to heaven when he or she dies. But all people will die and be ushered into one of two permanent destinations – heaven or hell. There is no in-between and no waiting or holding area.

People are NOT sent back to the earth to watch or help people. Those are assignments God gives to angels. And speaking of angels…

People do NOT become angels after they die. God created the angelic beings as unique and are tasked to serve Him and the people He created.

Heaven is NOT boring or monotonous. God will assign services and work to be done, and it will all glorify Him! We will have plenty of opportunities to rest, thank God, and express our honor and worship.

Now, this is the most important question of all which YOU must answer:

How can I be absolutely sure I will go to heaven when I die, and not hell?

This is not hard. You don’t have to earn God’s favor by working to become worthy so He will accept you. All you need to understand is you have a crucial choice to make that determines where you will spend eternity. The Bible promises you CAN know for sure when you put your trust in the Savior Jesus Christ, whom God sent to us.

“God loved the world so much that He sent His only begotten Son so that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.” Jesus in John 3:16

“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father [God] except through Me.” Jesus in John 14:6

Don’t put this off!

You may not have another chance to make certain you are right with God. Once you die, it is too late to change your mind. If you would like to tell God that you want to be with Him in heaven, say something like this:

God, I know that I have sinned against you and other people during my life. I am very sorry for all of this. I have lived with this guilt for long enough, and today I am admitting to you that I need you in my life. Please forgive me. I know that Jesus is your Son who died on the cross to take the punishment that I deserve. Thank you for raising Him back to life so I can see the wonderful future I can also have by putting my trust in you. I am asking you to take control of my mind, my heart, and my life and show me, every moment, that you are with me and guiding me. I will follow your lead from now on! Thank you for wiping my record clean and allowing me to begin again as a new person!

“…if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, ‘Everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing His riches on all who call on Him. For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ ”

Romans 10: 9-13

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

I used to go to church, and I still believe in Jesus and that I am a Christian. But I have drifted into doing some things that I know I should not be doing. How can I keep from messing up my life...

Sun, 02 Feb 2025 14:40:00 GMT

Question: I used to go to church, and I still believe in Jesus and that I am a Christian. But I have drifted into doing some things that I know I should not be doing. How can I keep from messing up my life all the time?

Answer: You mentioned that you believe in Jesus. Historians will tell you that Jesus really lived as a man on the earth, and the archeological evidence proves it. But have you believed that Jesus is the Son of God who died for your sins and was raised from the dead? If you accepted that Jesus’ death saved you from punishment for your sins, then you are a Christ-follower, or Christian. God sent a part of Himself, the Holy Spirit, into your heart and mind to guide you in all that you would do. You seem to realize that you have been making bad decisions, and this, and the fact that you are asking for help now, is proof that God’s Spirit is revealing to you that God has a better life for you. If you will stay in touch daily with God and ask Him to help you make the right choices, He will! He is always present with you. Remember that God is standing by now to forgive you when you are sorry for the wrongs you have done. You can leave those bad choices behind and move on, asking God to strengthen you to resist those sins which hold you back from being the person He destined you to be.

“If we say that we have no sin, we fool ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, He is faithful and fair to forgive us, and He puts our past behind us.” I John 1:8-9

If you continue to make bad, destructive choices in your life, it will lead to a dead end which will never bring you the happiness and security that you long for. God loves you so much that He sent His own Son Jesus into the world to save you ( John 3:16 ). He knew you would make wrong choices and not be able to get back on the right track and stay there without His daily help. A wonderful thing about God is He is always willing to give you another chance and help you to start afresh. He never gives up on you!

“If you trust in Christ, you become a brand-new creation. Your entire, previous life with its sins is in the past, and you begin a new life.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

To keep from making the same mistakes repeatedly (and suffering the terrible consequences), God wants you to read His instructions for your life in the Bible. Find a Bible that is easy to understand, and read it daily. A good place to begin reading is the book of John in the New Testament of the Bible. You will also need Christian friends to encourage and teach you, and the place to meet them is at a church or community Bible study class. Not only will they help and support you in your struggles, but you will be an inspiration to them, too! Intentionally keeping company with other believers makes all the difference as you support, strengthen, and encourage one another. Regularly meeting with other believers will keep you on God’s path. Pray now:

Jesus, I trust you, from this moment, to lead me in my life in everything that I do. I am sorry for the times when I ignored you. I confess that I did not follow you but did only what I wanted, and I have sinned against you and hurt many other people. I ask for a new life, and I submit to your authority over me. I look to you to show me every right choice to make. Amen.

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day (of Christ’s return) drawing near.” Hebrews 10:24-25

What exactly does the Bible commandment mean not to take God’s name “in vain”?

Sun, 12 Jan 2025 15:45:00 GMT

Question: What exactly does the Bible commandment mean not to take God’s name “in vain”?

Answer: The third commandment that God gave to Moses to teach others was:

“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” Exodus 20:7

“In vain” means misusing or using for the wrong reason. Bible commentators explain it as using the names, God, Lord, and Jesus Christ with no good purpose or effect. The sin includes both the frivolous use of God’s name – as people do when they are surprised or upset – and its wicked or deceitful use, like swearing or claiming God said something when He did not.

Are you in the habit of exclaiming God’s or the Lord’s name when you are not praying to Him or talking to others about how great He is? People get into habits of saying foolish words but can certainly change – and must! This error is quite serious, the using of God’s name in the wrong way. See what the word of God shows us about the immense importance and ultimate authority of His name:

“Therefore, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11

Knowing from these verses about the enormous impact of saying “Jesus!” or “O Lordy,” you can now see that this not only sounds downright silly but is an offense against God. That the “Lord will not hold him guiltless” means that you must repent when you misuse the name of the one who is “The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.” Read this astounding account recorded by the apostle John of what is ahead for us as believers in heaven:

“Now I saw heaven opening, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called ‘the Word of God.’ And the armies in heaven clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on his thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” Revelation 19:11-16

There has never been another name like His name in all of history, and there never will be!

“O LORD, our Lord, how excellent and majestic is Your name in all the earth, who have set Your glory above the heavens!” Psalm 8:1

The Bible tells us much about the power of Jesus’ name:

Demons cast out in Jesus’ name. Mark 16:17-18
Healing of illness in Jesus’ name. Acts 3:6, 3:16, 4:10
Salvation in Jesus’ name. Romans 10:13
Baptized into new life in Jesus’ name. Matthew 28:19
People justified before God in Jesus’ name. I Corinthians 6:11

“And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Colossians 3:17

Realize that any offensive words you utter are worthless to God and even lead others astray. If you are a parent or grandparent, you already know that children and grandchildren will pick up both your good AND bad habits. If you tend to exclaim “O my God!” when you are not praying, yet you desire to begin to please God and honor Him with your speech, ask Him to help you develop better practices for the future. Ask Him for forgiveness and for help.

He WILL forgive you and deliver His life-transforming help when you ask!

Jesus said, “If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” John 14:14

“I will praise you , O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works…I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.” Psalm 9:1-2

Should parents take children to church or just allow them to make the decision to attend when they are older?

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 23:34:00 GMT

Question: Should parents take children to church or just allow them to make the decision to attend when they are older?

Answer: Attention, parents! The Bible warns that God holds parents fully accountable for their children’s spiritual instruction and guidance. For many families, most of this happens at church. Parents who neglect this do so at their own peril. Not only will God deal with parental disobedience in this area, but parents will suffer terribly as their children mature, as they realize that their own bad choices caused much suffering and spiritual death for their dear loved ones. If you don’t teach your children to love and follow Jesus, the world will teach them not to. God directed Moses to write in Deuteronomy:

“But watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren. Never forget the day when you stood before the Lord your God at Mount Sinai, where God told me, Summon the people before me, and I will personally instruct them. Then they will learn to fear me as long as they live, and they will teach their children to fear me also.” Deuteronomy 4:9-10

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words that I give you today. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you’re at home or away, when you lie down or get up. Write them down, and tie them around your wrist, and wear them as headbands as a reminder. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:5-9

“For I will speak to you in a parable. I will teach you hidden lessons from our past— stories we have heard and known, stories our ancestors handed down to us. We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders.” Psalm 78:2-4

Biblical instruction is vital so that young people, from childhood, will come to understand how:

God loves them.
He created people to have good fellowship with them.
He planned for everything they would need.
He has an exciting future for them in heaven!

God’s words for living are not the opinions of men but are designed by Him to benefit men, women, and children so they will get to know Him as their loving, heavenly Father. In this increasingly dangerous and tumultuous world, children will certainly need the full benefits of God’s guidance and His peace through the hard times ahead in their lives.

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose hope is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8

Jesus said, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Jesus said that tribulation, or the intense distress caused by problems, will come to everyone – not IF problems come but WHEN they arrive! We know that troubles come into our lives, even beginning in childhood. We supply our children with everything we think they’ll need, from food and clothing to education and job skills. Why not build, from their infancy, the foundation of the knowledge of the love of Jesus for them? They will certainly need it and parents’ instructions on how to run to Him for help as the hurricane winds of life blow. Children are headed into storms in the downwardly spiraling world in which we live. To survive and thrive, they must learn to pray and read the Bible, God’s life guidebook. Parents need this, too, and can model for their loved ones how to turn to God and ask for help! How else can dads and moms teach children the truths of God unless they themselves have experienced them? Our own stories we share with others of God’s faithfulness have enormous impact on others of all ages. That’s an important reason God wants us to meet together with other believers regularly, for encouragement and support.

Have you heard the expression, “the family that prays together stays together”?

Prayer is a tie God uses to bind people closer to one another, and so does the reading of God’s word and discussing it. By taking your children to church, you establish and preserve a happy memory for children of how to be responsible Christian parents. The community of faith into which parents immerse their children provides not only relationships with other kids who are learning about God but also friendships among parents who are seeking God’s wisdom and direction. A great deal of support is shared when families come together to learn and worship. This can be especially helpful for single parents who seek additional Christian role models for their children. Like-minded adults who are attending church regularly can reinforce Biblical advice children hear from their own parents.

Talk with your Father in heaven and ask Him for guidance on this issue. He will lead you to just the right church if you don’t yet attend one. You can pray something like this:

Dear God,

I feel your urging to take my family to church, and I ask for your perfect guidance. I need you to lead me to just the right place to worship you and learn what you intend for us to understand about you from the Bible. Help me to be the leader you meant for me to be so my family members and I will join you in heaven when we die. I want to do all I can to make sure we go to heaven and not hell! You know my intense love for my family, but it can’t compare to the even greater love the Bible shows you have for us. Please speak to the hearts of my spouse and children so they will be ready and willing to grow closer to you spiritually. Point out which churches you might want us to visit, and then remind us to pray as a family about our selection. As the Bible tells me to do, I am putting my total trust in you. Amen.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Is Jesus just one of the paths to get to heaven?

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 22:22:00 GMT

Question: Is Jesus just one of the paths to get to heaven?

Answer: The people of the many religions of the world are hoping that their earthly worship of other men, women, animals, and objects will earn for them a heavenly future. The Bible warns that, sadly, those beliefs are false. Jesus Christ is the only sure foundation the Bible shows that we can trust. The scriptures assure us that He rules over ALL the nations now and always will!

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

Even the father of these counterfeit religions, Satan, will ultimately bow down to Jesus (Isaiah 45:23, Romans 14:11, Philippians 2:9-11, Revelation 45:13). God’s word, the Bible, shows that all people will have eternal life, but, importantly, not in the same destination. Jesus is the judge between heaven and hell, as He explains in the Bible books of Matthew and Luke. Jesus referred to Himself as the “narrow gate” and the “narrow door”:

“ Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Jesus in Matthew 7:13-14

“Then Jesus traveled throughout the towns and villages, teaching as He made His way toward Jerusalem. ‘Lord,’ someone asked Him, ‘will only a few people be saved?’ Jesus answered, ‘Make every effort to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. After the master of the house gets up and shuts the door, you will stand outside knocking and saying, Lord, open the door for us. But he will reply, I do not know where you are from. Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ And He will answer, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers.’ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves are thrown out. People will come from east and west and north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. And indeed, some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last.” Jesus in Luke 13:22-30

God purposed for His only Son to suffer a painful, gruesome death in order to satisfy the penalty of blood sacrifice for the sins of all mankind. If there had been any other way for this to be accomplished, God would not have asked this of Jesus. Jesus knew this was His destiny, God’s reason for sending Him into the world, to reconcile to Himself all people who would come to Him through His Son. Jesus’ words in John 14:6 proved He knew He was the only door to heaven: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” Jesus in John 3:36

Bearing what Jesus foretold In John’s chapter 3 as “the wrath of God” is an indescribably horrible process and is documented in the Bible as what happened to Jesus during the beating and torture before He was crucified (Matthew 26-27, Mark 14-15, John 18-19, Luke 18-22). What is especially difficult for us to comprehend was the separation from God that Jesus suddenly felt during that punishment. That must have been devastating! However, these are not all we would suffer if we didn’t put our trust in only Jesus for our future. It is difficult even to imagine an eternity in the fires of Hell, separated from God’s light and comfort, fulfilling the punishment that was due us! That is NOT what God, our Father, desires for us, though; hell was the place He created for the devil and fallen angels. He sent Jesus into the world to pay the penalty in a once-and-for-all blood sacrifice so that we could enjoy His presence and Paradise – forever!

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” Ephesians 2:13

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

“In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation (substitute payment) for our sins.” I John 4:10

As you can clearly see, GOD LOVES YOU IMMENSELY!

He commanded His Son Jesus to die for you. He is ready to send His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, to indwell you and help, teach, and comfort you. Do you know how to ask Him to forgive you and guide you through the rest of your life? All you must do is ask, and you can right now. You can say something like this:

Dear God, I know that I have sinned in many, many ways. I’m sorry for all my wrongdoing, and I want to turn away from this past life and start anew with you. Please forgive me. I believe Jesus Christ is your Son; I believe He died on the cross for my sin, and you raised Him back to life 3 days later, just like the Bible documents. I want Him to come into my heart and take control of my life. I profess right now that I am trusting Jesus to be my Savior and will follow Him as my Lord and Master from this moment forward. In the Wonderful Name of Jesus I ask this, Amen!

“Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11

I don’t feel as confident as other people seem to be about whether God will allow me into heaven when I die. Is it possible to be sure that I am a Christian?

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 14:54:00 GMT

Question: I don’t feel as confident as other people seem to be about whether God will allow me into heaven when I die. Is it possible to be sure that I am a Christian? Answer: Absolutely, you can be sure! A Christian is a Christ-believer and follower of Jesus Christ. Think about when you first […]

I am very comfortable with watching church services from home. Do I have to attend church in person to remain a Christian?

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 16:24:00 GMT

Answer: First, understand something extremely important. When you asked Jesus Christ into your life to be your Savior, you will ALWAYS be a Christian! FOREVER. After that lifechanging choice of yours, there is nothing extra you are required to do to maintain your position as a follower of Jesus. The Bible says God performed a […]

Won’t people from any religion go to heaven after death if they have been sincere in their own beliefs on earth?

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 20:05:00 GMT

Question: Won’t people from any religion go to heaven after death if they have been sincere in their own beliefs on earth?

Answer: The idea that all people will wind up in heaven when they die regardless of what they believed is called universal salvation. Even though that idea makes us happy that they won’t miss the paradise of heaven, it’s a myth that is opposite of what the Bible reveals. This false hope is popular among so-called religious groups that wrongly teach God is a force of nature that indwells all living things, an idea known as pantheism. Other religions claim that people must work all their lives to earn their way to heaven but still not be assured that they did enough. We can trust what God inspired the apostle Paul to write that is preserved in the Bible:

“If anyone ever had reason to hope that he could save himself (and get to heaven), it would be I. I went through all the Jewish ceremonies…I was a true Jew in every way…I was a member of the Pharisees who demanded the strictest obedience to all Jewish laws and customs. I obeyed every Jewish rule. I was so sincere! But all these things that I once thought worthwhile, I’ve now thrown them all away so I can put my trust and hope in Jesus Christ alone…everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Jesus as my Lord…no longer counting on going to heaven because I was good enough, but by trusting Jesus to save me…God’s way is counting on Christ alone.” Philippians 3:4-9

The Bible explains that everyone will, indeed, live eternally after physical death, in either heaven or hell. Many will not be allowed to enter heaven because they did not accept that Jesus died on the cross for their sins to save them from punishment in hell. Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14:

“Heaven can be entered only through the narrow gate! The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide enough for all the multitudes who choose its easy way. But the Gateway to Life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it.”

“ Jesus told him, ‘I am the Way—yes, and the Truth and the Life. No one can get to the Father except by means of me.’ ” John 14:6

“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.” Paul in I Timothy 2:5-6

“The Name of Jesus Christ…nor is there salvation in any other, for no other Name has been given among men under heaven by which we must be saved.” Luke in Acts 4:10-12

Passage into heaven is achieved in only one way, and it’s not anything we can work hard to earn. It’s through trusting Jesus to forgive us and lead us through the rest of our lives. He is the gateway, the narrow gate, the one mediator, and the ransom given to save us!

Many religions other than Christianity are not able to promise their followers that they will arrive in heaven after death. They teach that no one can know for sure. But God comforts us that followers of Jesus Christ will be with Him – forever! Remember Jesus’ words on the cross to the thief beside Him who was also being crucified? “I assure you that today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Luke 23:43

What better source could we have than from God Himself?

Do you have that assurance, His promise? If you are not sure, say or pray something like this:

Jesus, I have not believed that it was so important for you to be a part of my life, and I’m sorry I’m coming to you so late. I feel I have wasted many years worrying and striving to solve my own problems, and my life has not turned out the way I had hoped. Will you come into my life now and help me? I understand from your Holy Scriptures in the Bible that you loved us so much that you died on a cross as punishment for the sins of mankind, and I know my many wrongs were included. I am happy to know that you rose from the dead and await me in heaven! I put my full trust in you and ask that you will guide me through my future and help me make the right choices that please you and bring honor to you. Please show me how to have a close relationship with you. Thank you! Amen.

If you just prayed and asked Jesus into your life, it’s crucial to study the Bible, His life guidebook, so you will know all that God wants you to learn about Him. Attend a church and study the Bible with others who are seeking God. Ask questions about anything you read that you don’t understand. Jesus desires for you to know Him and know all about Him!

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

My family is traumatized because of the sudden deaths of several relatives, and now my parents are getting a divorce. Why does God allow all of this to happen in a Christian family?

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 18:22:00 GMT

Question: My family is traumatized because of the sudden deaths of several relatives, and now my parents are getting a divorce. Why does God allow all of this to happen in a Christian family?

Answer: We often try to understand the reasons God didn’t intervene to block some events that He knew would cause us great grief. Deaths in our families cause sadness, loneliness, and hardships. Physical death is a part of life and cannot be avoided. However, Jesus came into our world to make sure we would open our eyes in heaven as soon as we closed our physical eyes at death. When we ask Him to come into our daily lives and be our Master and Guide, we are assured of that secure future home. As for divorce, it separates family members from one another, which is never what God desired for us. Even though we make mistakes, God promises that “ He works all things together for good for the people who love Him and who have been called to fulfill His purposes.” (Romans 8:28)

Do you love Him? Are you one of those the promise includes?

He can bring good results – “ beauty for ashes ” – out of the sad times in our lives. Isaiah 61:1-3 shows He heals the brokenhearted, comforts us in suffering, and brings joy back into our hearts, not just for us but so that others will see it and give Him all the credit:

“…to comfort all who mourn, to console the mourners in Zion — to give them a crown of beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and a garment of praise for a spirit of despair. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”

Jesus didn’t say that His followers would have comfortable, happy lives without difficult times and conflict. He warned His disciples that while they were on earth, life would sometimes be tragic. One comforting thought to hold onto is that Jesus experienced suffering Himself. He was born to a poor family and experienced hardships. When He was a baby, an evil king sent soldiers to kill Him, and so His parents had to leave their country in the middle of the night to escape. When He and His parents eventually returned home, daily life was still hazardous because of the cruel Roman dictatorship over their land. As an adult, Jesus’ own disciples, friends, and family sometimes doubted Him, and everyone deserted Him out of fear when He was arrested! Only two relatives and two friends were with Jesus when He was put to death on a cross. Jesus certainly knows what hurting feels like, mentally, emotionally, and physically. He’s definitely been there.

“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely, He took on our infirmities and carried our sorrow; yet we considered Him stricken by God, struck down, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.…” Isaiah 53:3-5

Certainly, you realize and accept that tough times are a reality, but for Christians, the future is bright! There are glorious days ahead! On God’s timeline, the Bible shows our human existence is brief, and our hardships won’t last long. Even Jesus knew His earthly sufferings would be short-lived. He came into the world already knowing about the terrible times He would face as a young adult. He lived on earth for the purposes of showing people what God was really like and dying to take the punishment that men and women deserved. He was resurrected on the third day after His death to demonstrate to us what eternal life would be like. Jesus has been alive in heaven ever since, preparing a place for each one of us who trusts in Him to join Him after our earthly deaths. Jesus promised this in John 14:1-4. What a comfort to know!

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe in Me as well. In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that 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 welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Just as God had very important reasons for allowing Jesus to suffer, He has a definite plan for your life. God knows what’s best for you and others and will accomplish His work. Ask Him to help your mind to be at peace, knowing that He has a very good reason for allowing all that happens. Trust God and say the same words Jesus prayed when He knew He was about to be killed:

“O my Father, if it is possible, don’t let these bad things happen to me. But regardless of what I want, just do what you know is best.” Matthew 26:39

Have you ever asked Jesus to guide you and help you in all that you do?

NOW is the time. Don’t put it off any longer. If you die today without talking with God, it will be too late. Right now, God wants to fill you with His hope and peace for your future!

If God has led you to read these words, He is prompting you to talk with Him and ask Him to save you from your bad choices and more future heartache.

Pray or say something like this. Say it to God in your own words:

Dear Jesus, I don’t fully understand how you can be present with me each day, but, in faith, I ask you to do this, beginning now. It’s also a mystery to me how you died long ago on a cross to take the punishment that I deserved for all the wrong things I’ve done. Thank you for doing this for me and for coming back to life to show me the life after death that I can look forward to! Please forgive me for ignoring you and not believing people who told me about you. I ask that you forgive me for the wrongs I’ve done, and help me to resist my selfish, angry, unforgiving habits. I understand now how much you must love me that you suffered such a terribly painful death to save me. Just show me every day how to live to please you in the way I love you and love others. Thank you! Amen.

“I bless the holy name of God with all my heart. I will bless the Lord and not forget all the glorious things He does for me. He forgives all my sins, heals all my diseases, redeems my life from destruction, crowns me with lovingkindness and tender mercies, and satisfies my mouth with good things so that my youth is renewed like the eagle’s!” Psalm 103:1-5

Why should I pray to God when it doesn’t do any good?

Sat, 01 Jul 2023 19:55:00 GMT

Question: Why should I pray to God when it doesn’t do any good?

Answer: It sounds like you didn’t receive an answer you were hoping for, and so you are feeling disconnected from God. However, just because you didn’t get what you expected doesn’t mean that God did not hear. In your human finite understanding, you don’t realize all the many, many times during your life that God shielded you and others whom you love from harm and saved you from ruin. We won’t know all the good things God has done for us until we meet Him face-to-face. As He told the prophet Jeremiah about His chosen people, Israel:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord, “plans to help you and not to hurt you, to give you a future and a hope…” Jeremiah 29:11

God doesn’t urge us to pray in order to know what’s going on with us and what blessings WE think are best. He already knows that and everything else because He is omniscient (all knowing). He even knows the future, and that’s why He doesn’t always grant what we ask for because it is short-sighted and much less than HIS BEST FOR US. Prayer is not about getting things from God; prayer is about relationships, and He is teaching us that. God wants us to talk with Him in order to develop a daily friendship with Him so that we’ll feel assured of His love and be certain of His continuous forgiveness of our sins. He is more than a friend and counselor but is our heavenly Father, and we are His adopted children:

“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue, you, Lord, know it completely.” Psalm 139:1-4

“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” Matthew 6:7-8

We must admit that we put off speaking with God because we are too busy with other things. We pause that relationship with Him until we face a crisis! When we disregard God by never talking with Him, obeying Him, or reading our Bible to learn what He’s like, we signal to Him (and others under our influence) that He is not important or necessary in our lives. Essentially, we communicate our true feelings, like these:

You are not the God that I want. I would prefer a god like this: Give me immediate signs of what I should do when I pray, keep me from any harm or pain, make my relationships easy to manage, guard me against financial hardship, tell me the future, and make me rich so that I have everything I would like.

God is not like the genie in the lamp from storybooks who appears and grants three wishes when you summon him. He is not a supernatural vending machine to give you anything you ask for.

A sign of spiritual growth and a loving relationship with Him is when you turn from thinking He’s not the God you WANT, to: He is the God that you NEED!

At times, our lack of relationship with Him and our sin puts on hold the help we hope to receive from God. We ask for the wrong things because of our pride and our selfishness. It’s not surprising that pride is mentioned as the worst sin because it affects everything else that we do. It poisons our relationship with God and with other people.

“ What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you? You crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask. And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures.” James 4:1-2

Despite people’s unworthiness to receive blessings from God, the Bible shows us He does quite a lot to provide all that we need, even when we don’t ask! Since He does everything to take care of us, the list is infinite. Here are just several examples:

Listening to our prayers on behalf our others and ourselves
Guiding our decisions and our future (even though we don’t always ask Him to)
Directing us into the paths of people He wants us to interact with for our mutual benefits
Giving us favor with those in authority over us

“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you…” James 4:8

Do YOU have a relationship with the God of the universe who created all things, including you?

Do YOU know for sure that if you died today, you would go to live forever in Paradise with Him?

It’s not difficult to ask Him to save you from the suffering of eternal punishment in hell for your sins. God offers you the gift of salvation through the one He sent into the world – Jesus Christ – His only Son, who is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father God except through me.” (Jesus in John 14:6)

Pray or say this to God before any more time goes by. Don’t put it off! You never know when this will be your last opportunity before your death:

God, I want this close relationship with you and ask you to show me how. I will speak with you daily and read the Bible with others to learn what you expect from me as your new child. Please forgive me of all the many wrongs I’ve committed and help me to stop living in self-destructive ways. I know that Jesus is your Son who died on the cross to take my punishment and pay the penalty for my sins, and I thank you. I am grateful you resurrected Jesus from the dead to save me and show me the promise of the beautiful life after death that you promise me, too. Show me how to turn away from my past and look to the wonderful future you have promised me! Thank you! I trust you from this day forward and forever. Only you can transform me into the person you have destined me to be. Amen!

Why doesn’t God do something to stop the terrible suffering of people? Doesn’t He hear prayers anymore?

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 10:36:00 GMT

Question: Why doesn’t God do something to stop the terrible suffering of people? Doesn’t He hear prayers anymore?

Answer: God DOES act to relieve suffering, and He definitely DOES hear our prayers! We are not always watchful for His answers.

We are not the only ones to wonder God why He allows as much heartache and loss as He does. The Bible tells us of numerous examples, such as Joseph. He must have wondered why God would allow his jealous older brothers to sell him into slavery to get rid of him. Later, he was falsely accused while serving in a government official’s household and sent to prison for years. God had a miraculous plan, and you’ll be astonished at what God’s agenda turned out to be! Read his story in Genesis chapters 37, 39-47 . It’s one of many instances of God’s control over events resulting in much more than anyone had imagined.

David is another well-known example of a man who had to suffer through very hard times before God blessed him abundantly. He became king over the Israelites but had to deal with several crises, some because of his own bad choices. At one point, one of David’s sons gathered a small army to hunt him down and kill him so the arrogant heir could take over as king. Sadly, he endured the death of this beloved son. And that instance wasn’t the only problem he grieved over regarding his children. Even though he made multiple mistakes that cost him greatly, God blessed him after he asked for forgiveness. Read I Samuel chapters 16 – 24, 2 Samuel – all chapters, I Kings chapter 1.

Job endured the sudden tragic losses of his children during a storm, terrible sores, sickness, his wife’s angry words, catastrophic financial disaster, and his friends’ critical opinions about his situation that hurt much more than they helped. Surprisingly, he never asked why those things were happening to him. The closest he ever came was when he said to God, “ Show me why You contend with me ” ( Job 10:2 ). Job was sharing his agony of spirit with the very God he could not understand. The Bible tells us his happy ending, though, and how God rewarded him immensely for keeping his faith in God’s perfect plans for his life.

God ALWAYS has a much greater plan for our lives than we do! Our plans can be quite short-sighted.

“Now glory be to God who by His mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of – infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes. May He be given glory forever and ever through endless ages because of His master plan of salvation for the church through Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 3:20-21

There is so much we don’t understand about our lives on earth – why we are here, what will happen to us in the future, and whether God has reasons for allowing certain things to happen to us. The Bible tells us much about how God intervened in the lives of people over the centuries. It’s a mystery to us why He allowed some losses yet blocked others. Only He knew the reasons for His divine direction. Still, the scripture’s pages are where we find the answers we seek. They demonstrate that God always has a plan! We just can’t see it…yet. It’s extremely difficult to be patient during hard times, but that’s what God desires for us to do. He may reveal His purposes, or we may not know until we get to heaven.

If you’ve read the last book of the Bible, then you already know better days are coming! In this final chapter of the New Testament, the book of Revelation, Jesus promised us a beautiful and happy future:

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, not crying, either shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away. And He that sat upon the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said unto me, “Write – for these words are true and faithful.” Revelation 21:4-5

We wish we could have those blessings right now, but we are not living in heaven, where there will be no more death, sorrow, or pain. We live in a fallen world, which means that because of our sins against God, we suffer the consequences of our sins and those of others. Long ago, after the creation of the world, the first people rebelled against God, and they were cast out of the perfect place God had created for them ( Genesis 3 ). People have suffered ever since. Thankfully, God has not left us alone but still hears our prayers, watches over our lives, and responds to our needs.

Jesus suffered, too. He knows exactly what it’s like to live in this fallen world with its trouble and pain. From Isaiah 53:3-5:

“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.

Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely, He took on our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken by God, struck down and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.”

The most important fact to understand from God’s word, the Bible scriptures, is that God sent His Son Jesus into our world with the important purpose to suffer and die to pay the penalty for the sins of humankind. When He arose from the dead on the 3 ^rd day, He demonstrated to us how we can also live again with Him after death – forever!

To live with Jesus forever in Paradise after physical death, we must renounce our sins of rebellion against Him, turn away from our sins, ask for His forgiveness, and thank Him for His ultimate sacrifice on our behalf.

Have YOU talked with Jesus about this? Don’t put it off another minute! No one knows how long life will be, and after death, it will be too late to change your mind and put your full trust in Him. If you aren’t sure what to say, follow this example:

Jesus, I’m sorry I’ve waited this long to come to you and admit I am sincerely sorry for all I have done wrong, knowingly and unknowingly. Please forgive me and help me to stop the destructive habits I have and turn to you every day for the help I desperately need. It has taken me this long to realize that I can’t save myself and need your miraculous intervention in my life. Thank you for dying on the cross to pay for my sins and coming back to life again to show me I can have a wonderful life after death. Please encourage me and do whatever is necessary to keep me close to you and on the right path for the remainder of my life. Thank you! Amen.

“But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, that even though we were dead in our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead.” Ephesians 2:4-5

What exactly is meditation? Is it something Christians should do or avoid?

Sun, 08 Jan 2023 12:09:00 GMT

Question: What exactly is meditation? Is it something Christians should do or avoid?

Answer: The Bible speaks of meditation as important – even vital – to knowing how God is guiding your life. Here are some examples:

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked…But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law, he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:1-2

“Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes.” Psalm 119:97-99

“Meditate or think about what is true, good, right, commendable, and lovely. Focus on the good in others. You will realize all you can praise God for and be glad about.” Philippians 4:8

The scriptures show what meditation is, to read God’s words to us and think about how they apply to our own lives. God’s Holy Spirit will bring to your mind the meaning of the verses. The Bible says that reading about God and thinking about Him will “delight” us, will make us so wise that we stand out among others, and will impart insight that is useful to us and those we serve. Meditation usually leads into prayer as you discuss with God the next steps you should take. So, the purpose of meditation is simply to understand God better as a Father and friend and to know what He wants you to do with your life. Meditating about passages in the Bible is how God reveals Himself to you.

Some non-Christian religions or philosophies lead followers to mediate by saying certain words, sometimes repeatedly, intended to empty their minds of thoughts. Christian meditation is unlike that and is thinking about God, praying, and opening your heart to the words in the Bible to know Him better. It will help when you pray to leave your Bible open after you’ve read it, and ask God to help you know its meaning and how it affects you. You don’t have to say the words of your prayers over and over again. God is not like a person who needs to be reminded or convinced to help you!

“Don’t be just like unbelievers in the world but be transformed by allowing God to renew your mind. Then, you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is, His good, pleasing, and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

How can you begin to meditate?

Read the Bible and pray that God will guide your thoughts as you consider how what you have read in God’s word will affect your relationships with family, friends, classmates, and coworkers. What effect will it have on your work, recreation, finances, and your future?

“ Think over what I say, for the Lord will grant you understanding in everything.” II Timothy 2:7

“…and Mary pondered at all the things the shepherds had told her, thinking about them in her heart.” Luke 2:18-19

Without prayer for guidance from God, our human thinking leads us to selfishness, foolishness, discouragement, and disillusion. However, God promises when we talk to Him (prayer) and read His guidebook, His Spirit will point out our personal areas of hardness and rebellion. He heals the broken places in our lives and our open emotional wounds. God’s timing is perfect; He waits until we ask and then sends us answers and the peace that we desperately need!

“The angel Gabriel to Daniel: Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. As soon as you began to pray , an answer was given by God which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed by God.” Daniel 9:1-2, 2-23

What exciting insights will God send to YOU when you think about God, pray to Him, and read His message in the Bible? His plan is to transform your life, BUT He waits until you ask Him. Right now is the perfect time to ask! Have you ever accepted that God sent Jesus Christ to be your Savior, to make you right with God? Jesus revealed that He was the only one, the only “ Way, the Truth, and the Life ” to reach God and attain His adoption into His family. ( John 14:6 )

Say this to God:

God, I accept your words in the Bible as holy and true, and I thank you for your Spirit’s role in preserving these scriptures as true and authentic, your guidebook for us over the ages. I accept that Jesus Christ, your Son, came into the world to shed His blood, die on the cross, and be resurrected to take the punishment for my sins so I’ll never be punished. Please forgive me for living my life as though you didn’t exist. I turn away from my old life of sin and unbelief. Show me how to begin anew, trusting in you daily. Teach me to understand you, your plan for my life, and how you want me to maintain communication with you each day. Thank you for hearing my prayer!

“Therefore, if any man is in Christ, he has become a new creation. The old has passed away, and the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation…” 2 Corinthians 2:17-18 .

What does the Bible say about the Antichrist? Could he be one of our world leaders today?

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 11:04:00 GMT

Question: What does the Bible say about the Antichrist? Could he be one of our world leaders today?

Answer: The term anti-christ is used for a person who is against or anti-Jesus Christ; he will be the opposite of every good thing that Jesus is and promises. The Bible predicted that many antichrists (note the lower-case letter a) or evil rulers would lead nations over the course of history, but only one would eventually rule the world and demand that people worship him as a god. During World War II, many Christians feared that Adolf Hitler was the final antichrist. But he was not “the” Antichrist warned of in the scriptures.

“For false christs (saviors) and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders that deceive many…” Jesus in Matthew 24:21, 2 John 7

Also called “the son of perdition” and “the lawless one,” the Antichrist will be the world’s political dictator of the last days of the earth right before Jesus returns to set up His kingdom. It is believed from scriptural references that he will be a man, a Gentile (non-Jew), not a god, who will arise from and rule over the revived Roman empire of at least ten nations ( Revelation 17:1, Daniel 7:1-8, 23-26 ). He will make his debut on the political scene and appear to have the authority to make peace between nations, as he will broker a deal to bring stability and protect Israel from its adversaries. The scriptures tell us the Antichrist will sign a peace agreement with Israel to guarantee his support to the plan but then break it after three and a half years ( Daniel 9:27 ). The supremacy of this ruthless ruler will spread across the planet; the Bible says Satan will empower him and eventually indwell him. He will demonstrate his power through signs and wonders and will be able to come back to life again after he is killed: “ …and power was given him over all kindred, and tongues, and nations.” John in Revelation 13:1-7

“The man of sin, the son of perdition will be revealed, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God and worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, pretending to be God…whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming…the lawless one is according to the working of Satan with all power, signs, and lying wonders…and since people did not receive the love of the truth from God to be saved, for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie and may be condemned who did not believe the truth and had pleasure in unrighteousness.” The Apostle Paul in II Thessalonians 2:3-12

God has not revealed who this man will be, from which country he will come, or the year he will rise to power. Thankfully, the Bible does, indeed, assure believers that Jesus Christ will declare victory over him and his evil administration when He returns to the earth!

From Revelation 19:11-21:

“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war… And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses … He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS… Then the beast (Antichrist) was captured and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived many … These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse…”

The Bible says that those who ruled with the Antichrist and his followers will be removed, and that Jesus will begin His reign of 1,000 years on the earth with those who loved Him, both those still alive and all of those He brings down with Him from heaven. Following those years, believers will continue to live with Jesus on the earth He then recreates. In Revelation, the final book of the Bible, read chapters 20-22 to see all that Christians can look forward to, forever!

Should I pray for people who have died so God will allow them to enter heaven?

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 11:53:00 GMT

Question: Should I pray for people who have died so God will allow them to enter heaven?

Answer: God’s infallible guidebook for us, the Bible, does not advise us to pray for anyone after his or her death. At death, a person’s destination is set and doesn’t change. It’s either the paradise of heaven or punishment in hell. The apostle Paul wrote that men and women have only one chance to live on earth, die, and be judged by Jesus based on their faith in Him.

“…Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.” Hebrews 9:27-28

In his day, Paul knew that some useless baptisms were taking place as people asked for water immersion on behalf of their dead loved ones; they hoped it would assure the deceased their admittance into heaven. The scriptures do not teach that a person must be baptized to enter heaven. So, why would it do any good to baptize someone else for them since it’s not a requirement for eternal life? Paul wrote that these people practiced rituals that Jesus never taught them to do, and they wouldn’t follow what He actually did teach them ( I Corinthians 15:29-34 ).

Today, in addition to baptizing for the dead, some Christians believe there is a “waiting area” or “purgatory” before entering heaven, and that people still living on earth can pray for them to graduate from purgatory. The Bible doesn’t not impart this in any way. In a related practice from the past, some Jews believed that the spirit of a dead person hovered over the dead body until the 4 ^th day after death. Jesus illustrated a person’s journey into heaven is immediate when He shared a parable about a poor man dying and was carried by angels into heaven ( Luke 16:22-31 ). As He was dying, Jesus promised the thief on the cross near Him that they would be together that same day in heaven ( Luke 23:43 ). Before Stephen died, he saw Jesus waiting to welcome him to heaven ( Acts 7:54-58 ). In another example, Paul encouraged his fellow believers that when his human body died, he would certainly be in the presence of Jesus:

“So we are confident and happy that when we leave our earthly bodies, we will be present with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:8

Are YOU sure that you will go to heaven to be with Jesus when you die?

You CAN be sure, and here’s how.

Say to Jesus:

Jesus, I know you are the Son of God who died for my sins on the cross. Please forgive me for ignoring you and disobeying you all my life. I repent of all of this in my past. I have done many wrongs, and I ask you to forgive me of my many sins and let me begin anew. Please come into my life right now and show me the right way to live. Help me to understand how to know you better and have daily fellowship with you. Teach me all that you want me to know and do. I want my faith to grow stronger so I will trust you more. I am so thankful I have your assurance from the scriptures that I can spend eternity with you! Thank you! Amen.

“I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who do not need to repent.” Jesus in Luke 15:7

What should Christians do about Halloween?

Sat, 29 Oct 2022 10:30:00 GMT

Question: What should Christians should do about Halloween?

Answer: Those of us who are Christian parents struggle with whether to allow our children to take part in the observance of Halloween. It is alright for children to trick or treat? Should we allow children to attend the school Halloween parties? These are among the many difficult choices that we must make as representatives of Jesus Christ in the world.

The best place to look for guidance is always the Bible. Of course, since Halloween is a newer “holiday,” it is not specifically mentioned in the scriptures, although the Bible admonishes us to avoid any appearances of participation in demonic activities. Some parents say they will not allow the darkness of Halloween to be part of their family celebrations. It is wise for parents to learn more about what is really being celebrated on this day. On the surface, its symbols are reflective of its pagan origins in the occult, witchcraft, and death. Halloween decorations can cause fear by their morbid images. It is not surprising to see such evidences of evil in our fallen world over which the devil, or Satan, has huge influence. After all, according to the Bible, He is described as the prince of darkness or the “prince of the power of the air,” who has been given limited power by God to spread his destruction and even death (Ephesians 2:2, 6:12) . Our heavenly Father expects us to steer our loved ones away from any darkness and toward the light of God.

“For at one time, you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light. For the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth, and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” Ephesians 5:8-11

“This is the message we have heard of Him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.” I John 1:5

The Bible never gives permission for believers to be a part of any observances that glorify darkness and evil in any form; in fact, we are warned to reject and stay away from anything that does not bring honor to God and His Son Jesus Christ. As Christians, or followers of Jesus Christ, the Bible says to be good ambassadors for Him. The first Christians, the Jewish people, were urged to strive to represent Jesus well:

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness and into His marvelous light.” I Peter 2:9

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

The opposite of darkness is light! Light dispels the darkness. Only because of the good examples of followers of Jesus Christ will more of the culture around us will become “lighter” and exposed to the love and goodness Jesus offers freely.

“Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

How we handle the choices between good and evil – and our compromises – is being watched by our friends, neighbors, and importantly – our own children. What would God have us to show them during this opportunity? Will Jesus commend us for our parenting and the lessons we are teaching?

“We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” I John 5:19

Allow your children to join the discussion about Halloween. Read the Bible and pray as a family as you talk about how to handle these challenges for Christians. It is hard at times like this to live “in the world and not be of the world.” (John 17:15-21) We were born to be physically present here on earth but called by God to live a life that is set apart, or holy. Christians must not immerse themselves in what unbelievers value, which is usually wrong; God, His attributes, and His values are the mission of light and life for believers to carry into the world.

Talk with others in your church and community about offering alternatives to traditional Halloween practices, such as fall festivals or school carnivals which could be held on October 31. Volunteer in your child’s classroom to make the class party focused on the blessings of the fall season rather than on Halloween. Think about how to use this as an opportunity to reach others with God’s love. If you plan to give candy to children who come by to trick-or-treat, give notes with Bible verses, as well. Some kids may not be part of a church family and never have heard the verses about how very much God loves them. If you allow your children to collect candy from neighbors, you could have them, in advance, to write a sentence expressing thanks, along with a scripture verse about Jesus and an invitation to visit your church, to gift to the homes they visit on that night. Your children may think of other ways to reach out to neighbors in friendship.

“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17

Finally, we must keep in mind that each Christian will meet with Jesus after we die to “give an accounting of the deeds we did in this life, whether good or bad.” (2 Corinthians 5:10, Romans 12:17) This judgment of the life we led after we decided to follow Jesus will not be to determine our destination of heaven or hell because believers will already be in heaven. It will be a time of rewards and a review of our Christian life, how we faithfully represented and served Jesus. We long for Jesus to say to us: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:23)

Doesn’t the Bible have errors due to translations over the years? How can we know what is truly God’s instruction for us?

Sat, 22 Oct 2022 10:29:00 GMT

Question: Doesn’t the Bible have errors due to translations over the years? How can we know what is truly God’s instruction for us?

Answer: This is an extremely important issue, the main one in Christianity today. There will be no middle or “lukewarm” ground for followers of Jesus Christ, or Christians. The decision comes down to this:

Do you believe God or not?

God’s Holy Spirit, sent by Jesus to guide His followers after He ascended to heaven, keeps our Biblical record safe from infiltration by false teachings. When you compare the first manuscripts available with parallel historical texts and the recent archaeological discoveries of ancient writings, they are essentially the same and proof of God’s faithfulness in the safeguarding of His truths. God would have our Christian leaders, teachers, and pastors to consider this warning from Jesus in Revelation to turn away from the false assumption that God has been lax in preserving His words through His Spirit over the generations. This assurance He sends to His churches is vital for our own today:

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm —neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 3:14-22

Christians are dividing over this falling away from Biblical “inerrancy” (without error), and for good reason! Some leaders of churches today have chosen to teach only what people long to hear, is easy to follow, will not offend anyone’s new lifestyle, and will not hurt someone’s feelings. People desire, as is human nature, to decide what THEY think is right to do because they don’t want to change. That never ends well when it comes to determining a person’s destination for eternity! God decides who will join Him in the heavens and who will not based on our acceptance of His Son, Jesus and His sacrifice and resurrection from the dead. It’s not through earning your way through good deeds and kind words to others, although those are acts that are evidence of loving God, what the Bible calls the “fruits of the Spirit”. ( Galatians 5 )

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end, it leads to death.” Proverbs 14:12

“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine . Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:1-5

The times the apostle Paul wrote about to Timothy are here now! The scriptures show that people will fall away from its truths and be deceived into believing lies about God. ( 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2 )

Where is this current deception coming from? It’s inspired by the influences of Satan on our world. He would like nothing better than to establish counterfeit churches and convince people that you can’t rely on God and His guidebook, the Bible. He tries desperately to convince people that the Bible is full of myths, mistakes in translation, and only men’s own opinions. You see, the Bible tells us that long ago, God tossed him out of heaven and condemned him for the future, and so he and his demons he wants to prevent as many people as possible from enjoying fellowship with God in Paradise. ( Luke 23:39-43 ) Satan has been at the same game plan since the beginning when he tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden to disobey the one rule God had given Adam and her. The devil challenged her memory and her reasoning when he said, “Did God really say that? Are you sure?” He then called God a liar and said exciting things would happen if she just did what she felt was right. History shows the tragedy that resulted – Eve succumbed and led her husband to commit sin, too. Because of their sin, we have been in trouble ever since. ( Genesis, chapter 3 )

“…when you received the word of God from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men but as the real truth , the word of God, which effectively works in all of you who believe. “ 1 Thessalonians 2:13

You can rest assured that the Holy Bible is called that for a reason – it is HOLY. That means, set apart, dedicated, sacred, consecrated to God, and like no other. In what He calls “His word”, God revealed to us what He wants us to know of mankind’s past, present, and future. God also calls Jesus “The Word”. When He walked the earth, Jesus validated the truths of the scriptures by quoting them in His teaching. He wants you to read and study the Bible with others so that you will come to recognize Him as your Savior and know how God means for you to share the “good news”. Pray and ask Him to give you discernment between what is from God and what is human reasoning. When you ask, He certainly will answer!

“God is great, He is the Rock, His word is perfect , and all His ways are just. A God of truth, and without injustice, upright and righteous is He.” Deuteronomy 32:4

Followers of Jesus have so much to be thankful for and a wonderful, joyous future ahead with God and the others who love Him. We receive God’s peace that He always keeps His promises; He remains consistent and true in His direction and inheritance for us! It is only through Jesus that we are allowed to have this everlasting relationship with Him.

Jesus said, “I am the gate. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved. He will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness.” John 10:9-10

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the Lord is good and His mercy and love endures forever; His truths endure through all generations .” Psalm 100:4-5

It is certain that each one of us will meet Jesus face-to-face after we die.

Will He commend you for believing His word that He gave you?

Does God expect us to forgive and forget when people treat us wrongly?

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 11:05:00 GMT

Question: Does God expect us to forgive and forget when people treat us wrongly?

Answer: An expression we hear often is to “forgive and forget.” It is not from the Bible, but the sentiment behind it is what God does instruct us to do. This can be hard to hear. We just don’t want to! We would prefer for people to feel sorry for what they have done because that makes us feel better. However, God would have us to move past our personal feelings because they can be deceptive and unreliable. He is training us to obey Him rather than handle things in our own way, which is usually based on our emotions.

God shows us through His scriptures that we should not wait for someone to ask for forgiveness before we set our hearts toward forgiving him. So, it is not, forgive if they ask, or forgive when they ask, but just forgive, so our own recovery can begin. Whether the relationship can be restored will depend on the circumstances and whether you and the other person desire to continue your friendship. As followers of Jesus Christ, He calls us to have a forgiving attitude even before the other person makes the first step of reconciliation. He made the first step toward mankind to forgive, even before we realized that we were living wrong. We are to follow His model:

“He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:10-12

The Bible says it is our human tendency not to forget our hurts when we hear bitter things said in the heat of differences. We may not always remember clearly what caused the disagreement, but the pain we felt is preserved in our minds. We overlook the fact that others are watching us to see how Christians handle conflict and differences of opinion. Is our response to our pain what others, both believers and non-believers, should follow as an example?

God directed the apostle Paul to write: “ I am not overstating it when I say that the man who caused all the trouble hurt all of you more than he hurt me. Most of you stood up against him, and this was punishment enough. Now, however, it is time to forgive and comfort him. Otherwise, he may be overcome by discouragement and excessive sorrow.” 2 Corinthians 2:5-8

Jesus set the perfect example for us – above all, to love !

He forgave His disciples for not believing in Him, deserting Him, and saying they did not even know Him. He not only forgave them, but He died to take their punishment and restored their relationship with Him. He knew they had acted unlovingly, faithlessly, and fearfully, but He forgave them anyway, just as He does for us today! Much like Jesus’ closest friends, we have not obeyed the things He has told us to remember and do. We have not fully appreciated His ultimate sacrifice on our behalf as we should, for if we did, we would obey His instructions more often! Importantly, The Bible says we will have true fellowship with God when we have forgiven others. Jesus said that if we do not forgive, God will not forgive us. “…For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours.” Jesus in Matthew 6:14-15, Luke 6:37

Have you set your own mind and heart towards healing from past hurts? Even if we may still believe that someone else has done wrong, we can forgive and be at peace that we no longer are considering retaliation in some way. Obeying God means setting our own attitudes right and trusting Him to show us which steps, if any, to take next. The perfect starting point is to pray for the ones who have hurt you. When you do, God will comfort you with His peace and begin the recovery in your heart!

“ Therefore, as God’s elect, holy, and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, bearing with one another, and forgiving one another. Even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. Above all, put on love, the bond of perfection.” Colossians 3:12-14

“Forgiveness sets the prisoner free, and that prisoner was YOU.” – Lewis B. Smedes

Can a person wait until he is on his deathbed to accept Jesus and go to heaven? If so, is this fair to other Christians?

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 10:18:00 GMT

Question: Can a person wait until he is on his deathbed to accept Jesus and go to heaven? If so, is this fair to other Christians?

Answer: Our human logic tells us that it seems unfair to give the same wonderful, expensive gift to someone who has not been your friend for as long a time. However, people do not have the mind of God – or His love, His mercy, and His acceptance! It is dangerous, though, for anyone to put off making the decision to accept the gift of eternal life with God through His Son Jesus Christ that He offers right now. What if death comes so quickly and unexpectedly that there is no time left to reconsider? Once death occurs, there is no second chance to make that choice; the future destination is already set for either heaven or hell.

Jesus addressed this question of “fairness” regarding His new and former followers. The Bible records the story He told to illustrate such a situation in which new converts were resented by others who had been faithful to God for a longer time. In His parable, a landowner hired workers for a full day and told them he would pay them at the end of the day. Several hours later, the man hired more workers to help in the same vineyard. He hired more laborers throughout the day, some even in the final hour. When it came time for the workers to be paid, the farmer paid all of them the same amount of money. Of course, the men who worked the entire day complained that the others should not have received as much as they. But the landowner told them he decided to be generous to all who had worked. ( Matthew 20 ) Jesus may have been teaching His Jewish followers that God would accept Gentiles (non-Jews) into heaven even though they had not been His chosen people from the beginning. It was unthinkable to the Jews that Jesus would accept those who had not followed the laws God gave to Moses, including circumcision, sacrifices, and the keeping of the feasts and holy days. Jesus was preparing His followers to welcome anyone who God accepted, even those who decided to believe and trust Jesus late in life. He also ended the story with a warning to the Jews that, just because they had believed God longer, it did not necessarily mean their love was as genuine or faithful as the thankfulness and sincerity of the later converts.

So, the first may be last and the first last. For many were called, but few are chosen. Matthew 20:6

For my eyes have seen God’s salvation which He has prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of His people Israel. Luke 2:30-32

Jesus repeatedly explained that He came for ALL people, so that whoever would believe would be saved from his sins and go to heaven after physical death. ( John 3:16 ) And whomever Jesus accepts, His followers should accept them and be thankful for His gift of salvation to them, as well. Do you welcome anyone to whom Jesus shows His generosity? We should imitate His love and celebrate the way He, His angels, and those already in heaven do!

Jesus said, “Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep and lost one, would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that was lost, until he found it: when he has found it, he is happier about the one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. Likewise, your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish. I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” Matthew 18:12-14 & Luke 15:3-7

Have you, too, accepted Jesus as your Savior, the one who gave His life so that you can have eternal life with Him?

Do not wait until the end of your life. you may miss out on that last chance.

Once you die, your decision is finalized, and your future is set.

Asking Jesus to be your Savior and Master is not hard to do. Tell God that you are sorry for your sins, and ask Him to help you to begin anew. He promises to wipe away all records of your sins and allows you a clean slate. Accept His gift of forgiveness and acknowledge that Jesus paid for your sins by His death on a cross. He will immediately forgive you and send His Spirit to guide you the rest of your earthly days!

“But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, that even though we were like dead people in our sins, He gave us life when He raised Jesus from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace, His undeserved favor, that you have been saved!)” Ephesians 2:4-5

How can I know whether a church is teaching the Bible’s truths and not people’s opinions?

Sun, 21 Aug 2022 09:56:00 GMT

Question: How can I know whether a church is teaching the Bible’s truths and not people’s opinions?

Answer: In this day of many churches conforming to our cultural trends to gain more members, it’s crucial to know what the Bible actually says. If you will read and study the scriptures, you’ll recognize what is true and what is a false, man-made religion. Christian churches vary in their traditions but shouldn’t err on these most important foundational Christian beliefs:

What does that church believe about Jesus?

The Bible shows that Jesus is the only Son of God, and He died for your sins on the cross so that you may go to heaven. Jesus’ blood was shed as the final sacrifice God required to pay the penalty for the sins of all mankind. He was resurrected to life and is in heaven now, preparing a place for you. Accepting Jesus and His free gift into your heart and life is the only way to be admitted into heaven after you die.

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

“And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever 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, that you may know that you have eternal life.” I John 5:11-13

What does that church teach that you have to do to enter heaven?

No one can do enough good works to earn passage into heaven. God wants you to care about and help others, but that won’t make God accept you. The Bible uses the world “grace” to mean God’s acceptance of you even though you didn’t deserve it as a reward for your commendable deeds. Your only guarantee of spending eternity in heaven is by believing that Jesus is the one God sent to be your Savior and the leader of your life. The Bible states you must acknowledge Jesus as your Savior before your death; seconds after your death, it will be too late!

“For by grace you have been saved through your faith, not because of anything you’ve done. This is a gift from God. Its not something you got by working hard because if you did, you’d brag about it and think you’re better than others.” Ephesians 2:8-9

“And just as each person is destined to die once, and after that comes judgment.” Hebrews 9:27

What does the church believe about the Bible?

God has preserved the Bible as “His word” so that it will always be an authentic message from Him to us. If a church says that the Bible has mistakes or that they also use other books from God, that’s a warning sign! This departure from the scriptures is the main problem in church leadership today, and some churches are splitting their denominations due to this tragedy of false teachings. Even Jesus Christ taught His disciples as He quoted from the scriptures. ( Luke 24:45 )

“…God’s truths will endure for all generations.” Psalm 100:5

If you are searching for a church to attend, pray and ask God to direct you to the group of believers He intends for you to bless with your presence AND one in which you will be a blessing to others. When you ask God, He will answer! His Holy Spirit will also give you discernment in listening for the teaching of His timeless truths.

“ You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

Why would God love me when I have never done anything great but only make mistakes in my life?

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 10:11:00 GMT

Question : W hy would God love me when I have never done anything great but only make mistakes in my life?

Answer: You are right that God loves you even though you feel you don’t deserve it! God, our heavenly Father, loves us immensely, but it’s not because we’ve earned it through accomplishing noteworthy deeds. And, He won’t stop loving us when we make the wrong choices. This is the example He models for us so that we will strive to love others in the same way that He loves us.

“God loved the world so much, that He sent His one and only Son, so that whosoever believed in Him would not die and go to hell but would have everlasting life.” John 3:16

God sent His Son Jesus into the world to pay the ultimate price of death for your sins and for the sins of all people. Jesus explained that our Father in heaven knows everything about you and cares so much about you that He keeps close tabs on you at all times; He even knows how many hairs are on your head right now! ( Matthew 10:31 ) We humans don’t love one another like He loves us, and that’s one of our major human flaws. So, it’s difficult for us to understand how anyone could love like that. The Bible shows, in each chapter, how God took care of people who didn’t always love Him or obey Him. The history of the Jews is an amazing and miraculous account to read, beginning in Genesis, the first book of the Bible. God selected the small group of people to prosper them and help them throughout all generations, and we can learn much about God by reading about their relationship. God directed Moses to write this to the people of Israel:

“The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples. But because the Lord loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the Lord has brought you out [ of slavery in Egypt] with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh. Therefore, know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments.” Deuteronomy 7:7-9

As you can see, God’s promises of love and care were to Israel and also to all of those in every generation who would follow Him and do their very best to obey Him. God intended for Jesus to live among us to show God’s favor, first to Jews, and then to people in the rest of the world (the Gentiles or non-Jews) who desired to know and follow Him in their lives. He gives His love freely to anyone who is willing to receive it, never because people have earned it by good behavior or generous actions. God’s scriptures reveal that this concept is called “grace”, or God’s favor that He gives as a free gift to anyone who is willing to receive it:

“Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much,that even though we were spiritually dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) … God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:1-5, 8-10

As you read the Bible, you come to know more of God and begin to comprehend His great love for you. As you talk to Him (the Bible calls this “prayer”), you develop a relationship with Him through His Son Jesus. You sense His leading of your life in the choices you make and in the new, remarkable perceptions you experience.

You can begin to connect, right now, with the one who will always accept and love you.

Say (or pray) to Him something like this:

God, I am so sorry for the times I’ve ignored you and not cared about making good decisions. I confess that I have done and thought about many things that are wrong. I know you came into the world to save me by having Jesus to take the punishment for my sins on the cross. I believe that you raised Jesus from the dead just as the Bible explains to me. Thank you for this inconceivable love you have shown to me, and teach me to love people like you do. I really need you to help me to understand why I am here and what I am to do with my life. Please allow me to feel your real presence with me throughout every day. God, I now trust you with my life! Please lead me! Thank you, Amen.

Why do Christians believe they are the only ones in the world going to heaven? I am a good person, and I believe that God will allow me into heaven when I die.

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 11:00:00 GMT

Question: Why do Christians believe they are the only ones in the world going to heaven? I am a good person, and I believe that God will allow me into heaven when I die.

Answer: Christians are followers of Jesus Christ, who the Bible indicates is the only Son of the Living God. The Bible scriptures are the record of God’s revelations to mankind, and so we must base our beliefs according to these truths. The scriptures detail that God designed a way for humans to live forever in heaven as He does. It may surprise you, but that way is not by being good people; it’s through accepting that Jesus died for our sins to pay the penalty that God required to cancel them. Christians understand that this path to living forever in heaven is available to everyone who accepts that Jesus became the Savior for all!

God sent Jesus into the world to live as a man, and He taught us how important it is to live to bring honor and glory to God and obey His rules for life. But Jesus’ ultimate purpose was to offer Himself as the Savior (also “Messiah” or anointed one) and die as the final sacrifice on a Roman cross for the sins of men and women; the Jews’ yearly temple sacrifices of animals were not enough to transform their lives from sinful to new ones of righteousness in God’s eyes.

“Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” I John 2:2

After Jesus died, He was resurrected back to life on the third day to demonstrate what new life God will give us in the future! Our perfect, holy God can only allow a person who is sinless into eternal fellowship with Himself; so, Jesus was designated as the sinless, perfect one who paid for the sins of men and women by His death. Jesus’ blood paid the sin debt to God as our once-and-for-all sacrifice. Jesus proclaimed that He was the one and only way to God, the “narrow gate”, and the atonement for all sin. Jesus stated:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father (God) except by me.” John 14:6

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13-14

Many people have reasoned that they’ll be welcomed into heaven by God because they’ve been kind, have given money to charities, or have attended a church. However, the Bible says that no one can earn that privilege; each one must put his or her faith in Jesus because only Jesus provided the way for them! You can read in the historical record of the Bible how God revealed Himself to the world many times, and most people did not believe Him or obey the laws for life that He gave them.

“…all people have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

“…no one is considered good by God, not even one person.” Romans 3:10

“…we are all living dead lives in our trespasses and sins.” Ephesians 2:1

“He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” I John 2:2

It’s never too late during your lifetime on earth to enter into the right relationship with God through acknowledging Jesus as His Son. When you realize your own sins and that you cannot save yourself, you are finally ready to confess them, ask God for forgiveness, and accept that Jesus died on the cross for you. Then, you’re allowed to join God and others in heaven after your physical death in the future. The apostle Paul wrote:

“We are not ashamed of the gospel [truth of how to be saved from hell through Jesus] , for it is the power of God to everyone who believes…” Romans 1:16

God must be already speaking these truths to your heart; His Holy Spirit has brought these concerns to your mind. The Holy Spirit is God’s presence with us. He is reaching out to you and giving you another chance for eternal life in Paradise with Him. The moment you die, it will be too late to decide to accept Jesus’ sacrifice for you. That moment will come suddenly and unexpectedly!

Will you be ready to face God when you die?

Have you recognized that your own good deeds and good intentions are, as God inspired the prophet Isaiah to write, stained and useless? “…we sinned; we have been sinning for a long time, and shall we be saved? We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.” (Isaiah 64:5-6)

You have the choice to leave your downward spiral that leads to eternal death and punishment in hell. That is, to ask God right now to forgive you of all your sins you’ve committed, both intentionally and unintentionally. Receive His gift of life in heaven He is offering you. Be assured, ONLY Jesus can make you right with God. Anyone who accepts Jesus, His ONLY Son, is accepted by the Father (God)!

Do it rather than putting it off until another time.

Ask God – He is listening right now!

“There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

Does God consider a baby a person when first conceived or when he or she leaves the mother’s womb?

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 10:51:00 GMT

Question: Does God consider a baby a person when first conceived or when he or she leaves the mother’s womb?

Answer: The Bible has much to say about how intensely God values life, and children are described as a gift and a reward from Him! In various verses in the historical record, God leaves no doubt that He creates an eternal spirit which enters the baby’s life at the moment of conception. Another of God’s many miracles!

“ But Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.’” Matthew 19:14

“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from Him. Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands. How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them! He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates.” Psalm 127:3-5

“As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the bones form and grow inside the womb of a woman with child, so you cannot understand the works of God who makes everything.” Ecclesiastes 11:5

“ But when He who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace…” Galatians 1:15

“Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples from afar. The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother He named my name.” Isaiah 49:1

“ Did not He who made me in the womb make him? And did not one fashion us in the womb?” Job 31:15

The scriptures reveal that babies have personalities, even before birth. God had Moses to write that Jacob and Esau, the twin sons of Rebekah and Isaac, “struggled together with each other within her womb” because they would become separate, competing nations.

“Isaac pleaded with the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was unable to have children. The Lord answered Isaac’s prayer, and Rebekah became pregnant with twins. But the two children struggled with each other in her womb. So, she went to ask the Lord about it. ‘Why is this happening to me?’ she asked. And the Lord told her, ‘The sons in your womb will become two nations. From the very beginning, the two nations will be rivals. One nation will be stronger than the other; and your older son will serve your younger son.’” Genesis 25:21-23

In another incident, when Mary, Jesus’ mother, went to visit her pregnant cousin Elizabeth, Elizabeth’s baby, John the Baptist (who was the forerunner of Christ), “leaped in her womb” when the baby heard Mary’s voice, realizing that she and her unborn son, Jesus, were nearby. These two would mature into men who God had already destined to do monumental things for His kingdom. As you can see, the scriptures present preborn babies as fully conscious and already having experiences that would affect them – and all of us – forever.

“A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town where the priest Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted his wife, who happened to be her cousin, Elizabeth. At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, ‘God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what He said.’” (Luke 1:39-45)

Interesting to note is that the Bible teaches that the sexual union of a man and woman is more than just the expression between them of love and pleasure but also seems to involve the presence of God Himself; at the moment of conception, He acts to infuse a spirit into a newly-conceived person that will last throughout eternity. So, it becomes clear how important these moments in marriage and conception are to God, and He warns against adultery, fornication (sex outside of marriage), and all other distortions of sexuality. Sadly, the abortion movement has been led by women who want the legal “right” to end the lives of their own children at any time during development. In some places, as you must be aware, women have their decisions to end a child’s life up until birth not only allowed but applauded by some people in our land. These must not know that God decreed in His law that if a pregnant woman was injured during a fight between men, and her preborn baby died as a result, capital punishment was required for those responsible for the death. (Exodus 21:22-25) This is further evidence how seriously God considers the lives of babies. He calls abortion murder and an abomination. Very strong language!

“You shall not commit murder.” Exodus 20:13

“ There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.” Proverbs 6:16-19

To sum it up, each individual becomes a whole person physically and spiritually at his or her conception. Whether a person survives development within the uterus until birth or not, there is still an eternal spirit that lives forever. Regardless of the acts that laws allow women and doctors to do, God’s law is the highest standard for all people. His law will always be the final word on when life begins and ends. He created life in the first place – including yours.

Are you struggling with a decision on accepting God’s truths about unborn life and abortion? The Bible is always our ultimate authority because it is inspired by the Holy Spirit of God. Talk with a trusted friend who is a Christian and your pastor. Ask them to pray with you to accept God’s truths, and they will help you to move forward and will support you with any help that you need. God will place those who will love you and care for you during such a time as this. Life is extremely important to God because He created it!

“ For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” Psalm 139:13-14

Am I not really a Christian if I still have doubts about God and heaven?

Sat, 30 Jul 2022 10:11:00 GMT

Question: Am I not really a Christian if I still have doubts about God and heaven?

Answer: It’s important to understand that if you have already told God you repented of your sins, turned away from them, and accepted Jesus’ sacrificial death to pay the penalty for your sins, then you are a Christian – forever! What a comfort that we have God’s promise of this fact!

To clarify, once you became a Christian, your future with God in heaven was sealed, and the Bible assures us that nothing can steal that away. Believing comes at the beginning; as you grow in knowledge of God and faith that He always keeps His promises to you, you’ll become more and more confident in your future with Him, also known as your “salvation” from your former life without Him and the penalty of hell. Jesus said:

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give them eternal life, and they will never have to face hell. No one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.” John 10:27-30

“And it is God who establishes us with you in Jesus Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put His seal on us and given us His Holy Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

What exactly is doubt? It can be defined as perplexity, confusion, or a struggle to fully believe without questioning and trust. When the Bible records instances when people doubted, they were always believers. Doubt seems to be a part of believing, of being a Christian!

All Christians have doubts at times, for many different reasons – sudden injury or sickness, death of a loved one, fear, loss of a job, or fatigue.

Don’t get the wrong idea that doubt cancels out your faith. It absolutely doesn’t! You can feel secure that you are still a Christian.

As a matter of fact, the Bible shows that the giants of our faith doubted at many points in their lives – Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Gideon, Jeremiah, Zacharias, and the apostles, to name a few. Jesus referred to John the Baptist as the greatest man who ever lived; however, great in faith as he was, John doubted that Jesus was the Messiah sent to redeem mankind, and so He sent friends to ask for confirmation from Him. And remember how Jesus’ disciples doubted that He was who He claimed to be, even after all they had witnessed? They lived in fear and desperation in the few days between His death on the cross and His miraculous resurrection from the dead when they met Him again, face-to-face, and spent more than another month with Him until He departed into heaven.

How should we deal with doubts? Pray! Take time out to spend time with God, talking about it. If possible, fast and pray, asking Him for help. Fasting eliminates distractions for a while so you can communicate with God and sense His instruction. Have faith that He is certainly able to take care of your needs. The following Biblical passage in Mark is one example of such an approach to moving past doubts into stronger faith.

In Mark 9:21-29, a father asked Jesus to cast out the demon that possessed his dear son. Jesus took the opportunity to teach him and everyone else on the scene the way God would have us to deal with our doubts. Here’s what was recorded:

“ Jesus asked the boy’s father, ‘How long has he been like this?’

‘ From childhood,’ answered the father. ‘It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.’

‘If you can?’ said Jesus. ‘Everything is possible for one who believes.’

Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!’

When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. ‘ You deaf and mute spirit,’ He said, ‘ I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.’ The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said that he was dead.But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up. After Jesus had gone indoors, His disciples asked Him privately, ‘Why couldn’t we drive it out?’ He replied, ‘ This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting.’”

Do you see Jesus’ answers to doubts? Admission of doubts, reaching out to God for help, believing God can accomplish it, prayer, and fasting. Amazing how Jesus emphasized the importance of PRAYER! You could ask a friend you trust to pray both for you and with you.

“Confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous person carries much influence with God.” James 5:16

If you are a Christian, don’t allow your doubts to cause you to lose confidence that you truly belong to God. Don’t think that no one else feels like you do or be embarrassed to admit this temptation to doubt that you are facing. Deal with it, God’s way, and move forward! Actually, the way you face your spiritual doubts and continue pressing ahead in faith is proof of your progress in believing.

You may not be a Christian, or follower of Jesus Christ. If you have never taken the time to ask Jesus to be the master of your life, this is the perfect opportunity. You have read this article and must be seeking true peace in your life. Know that God is the ONLY one who can send His lasting peace into your heart, mind, and life. Don’t delay and put it off any longer. Say this to Him right now:

God, I know I have sinned much during my life, and I am ready to allow you to lead me and cleanse me so that my life will be pleasing to you. I understand that you sent Jesus into the world to die for my sins, past, present, and future, and you raised Him from the dead. Thank you! Saying thank you doesn’t seem like enough, but I am very thankful. I have read that the Bible, your word, explains that there’s no way I can be good enough to earn my way into heaven, but it’s only by putting my trust and faith in Jesus that assures me of a heavenly home with you after I die. Thank you for loving me this much, that you would allow your own son to die in my place. I can’t fathom that kind of love that you have, and I confess that I don’t have that same love for others that you do. But I am opening my heart to you and expecting you to begin transforming me each day until I meet you. Bless you for hearing my prayer, amen!

“But God, who is so rich in mercy, because He loved us so much, that even when we were considered dead in our sins, He gave us eternal life when He raised Jesus Christ from the dead. It is only by God’s grace – His unmerited favor – that you have been saved!). Ephesians 2:4-5

Must I keep confessing my sins daily to God so I can be admitted to heaven? I don’t want to die unforgiven.

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 11:11:00 GMT

Question: Must I keep confessing my sins daily to God so I can be admitted to heaven? I don’t want to die unforgiven.

Answer: When you accept Jesus as your Savior and become a Christian, the beginning of that life change is admitting or confessing to God you have sinned and need His forgiveness. God accepts your confession of guilt and applies the sacrificial death of Jesus to your account as a new believer, which is like the last payment due to pay all that is owed and to close the sin account. As a believer, or follower of Jesus and His teachings, you are counted as forgiven in God’s record and will not have any more sin debts charged to you – ever! This was Jesus’ purpose in coming to earth as a man, to pay the final price for mankind’s sins.

“When Jesus had received the drink, He said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.” John 19:30

Because Jesus paid the debt in full for future followers like you with His own life and blood on the cross, you will always remain forgiven, even though you are still human and commit sins. Whenever God’s Holy Spirit prompts you to realize that you are falling back into doing the same wrong things yet again, it’s important to face those problems by admitting them and asking God to strengthen your resolve and show you how to turn away from sinful habits and choices.

“If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” I John 1:7-10

You can see that the Bible shows that you were forgiven when you first asked God, and you will never again be considered sinful by Him. Jesus took care of paying the penalty for your sins a long time ago when He died on the cross and was resurrected three days later. Your name was added to His “Book of Life” as a believer who accepted Jesus’ death as payment for your sins. If you were to be required by God to earn your forgiveness by asking repeatedly or performing tasks to cancel out wrongs, then God’s grace (His forgiveness and favor you didn’t deserve) would no longer be a free GIFT but would be something you had worked hard for. You don’t receive God’s gift by giving money, praying, working, learning, or by attending church, and He will NEVER take that gift away. Jesus has done the work for you!

“For by grace you have been saved through your faith, and not something you earned or achieved yourselves. It is a gift from God, not from any work you did, so that no one can boast of his accomplishment.” Ephesians 2:8-9

“As far as the east is from the west, over this distance has God removed our sins from us.” Psalm 103:12

As we know from personal experience, Christians are far from perfect people. We continue to sin, both knowingly and unknowingly. When we pray each day, we should feel remorse and again admit the wrongs the Holy Spirit has made our minds to recognize we’ve committed; we ask God for forgiveness and thank Him that He always does forgive. Is this a requirement in order to keep our salvation? No, it’s something we feel we should do before our loving heavenly Father to maintain our right relationship with Him from an attitude of humility and obedience. To ignore sin or refuse to admit that our actions are wrong leads to many problems, such as interfering with the transformation God is accomplishing in our lives. A regular practice of admitting our errors to God helps get us back on the right track – His road for our lives. Remember that when Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them the best way to pray to God, He answered with what we call “The Lord’s Prayer” (Matthew 6:9-13, Luke 11:2-4), which included this instruction on confession:

“Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, just as we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.” Luke 11:3-4

“When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer…I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide; I said, ‘I will confess my sin to the Lord’; and You forgave the guilt of my sin.” Psalm 32:4-5

“And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” Mark 11:25

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

Jesus didn’t instruct that constant confession was required to remain a believer and enter heaven after death, but it should continue to be our humble admission that we need His forgiveness. Also, we must forgive others who wrong us. Others often aren’t repentant when we feel they’ve treated us badly; they neither confess that they were wrong nor ask for forgiveness. Even in these cases, we must seek to view others as God sees them, as sinners in need of a Savior, and be models of repentance and of Christians who are thankful to Him! But, even more important than that, because God forgave you, He requires you to forgive others. Jesus spoke more than once about not forgiving us if we refuse to forgive! How can we claim to be His true followers if we reject His commands for life?

“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:14-15

“ Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’” Matthew 18:21-22

“Be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32

You may wonder, does God command that I tell other people about my wrongdoing or only Him? It’s wise to have a friend who loves you and keeps matters private. This also helps us to have another person to remain accountable to. Another one of His purposes for involving a friend is for our fellowship with other believers, for learning, growth, support, correction, and encouragement. But the scriptures don’t state that confession must be made public, such as at a church worship service. A church may have a practice of public confession, but this must not be conveyed as a requirement for salvation and church membership. Jesus criticized the religious leaders of His day for requiring more from people than God did!

“Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” James 5:16

The Bible does say that, before participating in communion, or the Lord’s Supper, we should prepare our hearts by asking God to show us any sin that is interfering with an attitude of humility and repentance we should have; then, ask for His forgiveness.

Proverbs 15:29: “The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous.”

There are times when God may withhold His answers to your prayers if you are not acknowledging your wrongs and turning back to what He has shown you is right. There will always be people who claim to be Christians but refuse to live by God’s rules for life. They stubbornly cling to old habits and sinful behaviors and will not yield to God. Rather than erring due to weakness or ignorance, they knowingly and willfully oppose God by trying to decide right from wrong for themselves, which is a very dangerous practice.

“These people honor me with their mouths, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is useless and meaningless; their teachings are merely human rules.” Matthew 15:8-9

Have you felt convicted by His Holy Spirit in your heart and mind that it’s time to follow Jesus to a better life? Say or pray this to God:

God, I know you have a love for me that is so great, I cannot even imagine it. I confess that I have ignored you and not cared what you thought of me and my life. I want to get right with you and stay right, but I need your help. I have tried hard to change and can’t do it on my own. I understand that your Son Jesus died on a cross as payment to atone for all the wrongs I have done, and I thank you for that! I am grateful that you give me this opportunity to enter into a relationship with you through Jesus, and that He sent the Holy Spirit into the world to stay with me and transform me into the person you have destined me to be. Thank you! I will seek your guidance every day of my life, from now on. Amen!

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, ‘Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.’” Romans 10:9-11

Why are there so many different types of Christian churches? Is there one denomination that is the true one?

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 11:59:00 GMT

Question: Why are there so many different types of Christian churches? Is there one denomination that is the true one?

Answer: Christians are followers of Jesus Christ, the Son of God who came to earth to live as a man, die to take the penalty for mankind’s sins, and to be resurrected from the dead. Christian churches, then, by definition, should adhere to the teachings of Christ and the men God inspired to document His instruction, as chronicled in the Holy Bible. This is the test of a true church, to recognize Jesus as the only Savior of the world and to know His Word in the Bible is as the only source of truth from God, reliable and without error, as He is.

Consider this: Which one does God approve of? One that testifies of Jesus and instruction given by the prophets inspired by God to accurately carry His Biblical message to mankind!

There are many churches that stay true to teaching God’s revelation of His purposes for us and His timeless guidelines for living. Tragically, there are many churches that do not remain faithful in conveying Bible truths; they lead people astray by mixing together their own ideas, man-made traditions, and phony scriptural “updates” from God. The reason this is tragic is because God assures us that those aren’t from Him but are deception to lead His creation away from Him and into hell after death! Even kind, well-meaning pastors can present wrong information if they don’t study and understand God’s word, the Bible.

The Bible warns that many false teachers will mislead people, and we should always compare what we are hearing taught with what the scriptures really say. The apostle Paul warned of times like today, when people “would not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers and turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

The Holy Spirit of God preserves the teachings of God and impresses upon our hearts and minds when erroneous information is being presented as His truth. It’s vital to recognize that all scripture points to the mission of Jesus since the world began, which was to save the world from sin and make people right with God again. The world searches for the truth about God, creation, life, and death. Even Pilate, the Roman governor who arrested and later turned Jesus over to the Jews to be crucified, questioned Jesus about was real truth was.

“’Then you are a king!’ Pilate said. ‘You say that I am a king,’ Jesus answered. ‘For this reason, I was born and have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to My voice.’ Pilate asked, ‘What is truth?’” John 18:37-38

Jesus had already taught His followers that He was the embodiment of truth, in these verses often quoted:

“To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free…Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So, if the Son sets you free, you are free, indeed.’” John 8:31-36

“Jesus said to Him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through me.’” John 14:6

You can see that the Bible SHOULD be the foundation of each church’s instruction; the scriptural record is reliable because God is reliable! He is unchanging in His love for us and desire for us to come to Him through His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only pathway to knowing God and being accepted by Him. There is no other way that someone can please God or earn His way into heaven except through Jesus, the one who saved mankind by dying on a cross to pay the penalty of their sins. Being saved from hell, or salvation, is granted one way – by putting your faith in Jesus and asking Him to lead you through life.

You may be thinking, could it already be too late for me to follow Jesus?

God’s answer – ABSOLUTELY NOT! It is never too late…until you die.

Don’t turn away from God because of shame over your past life. You have not sinned too much, made too many mistakes, or waited too long – until the very moment you die, when your spirit departs your physical body for one of two destinations, eternal heaven or eternal hell. At that point, your future is decided.

“Just as man is destined that men will die only once, and after that to face judgment, so also Christ died only once as an offering for the sins of many people; and He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly and patiently wait for Him.” Hebrews 9:28-29

Don’t put off this decision any longer to ask Jesus to come into your life and lead you!

He loves you and proved it by suffering and dying for you!

Once you die, it WILL be too late. Your destiny will be set and cannot be changed.

Say or pray this:

Jesus,

I have thought about this for years and wondered if it’s possible that you really do love me and are willing to allow me to live in heaven after I die. I haven’t been sure until now that I want to spend eternity with you and with all those through the ages who have loved you. I have decided, right now, that I do want to be counted as part of your family, and I ask you to accept me. I receive your free gift you are giving me of forgiveness for all of my many, many sins. I am sorry for living only for myself and not caring what you think of me. I understand that I have not earned the reward of heaven by good deeds but that you have given this to me. Thank you so much for dying on a cross so that I can live forever as clean in your sight. Thank you for wiping my dirty record of sin clean so that I can begin a new life! I look to you to show me a new way to live and please you by my thoughts and actions. Amen.

“Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord taught of the power of Jesus’ payment or atonement for sin. ‘Come, let’s talk this over!’ says the Lord; ‘no matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can take them out and make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you white as wool!’” Isaiah 1:18

What should I consider in selecting a church to join?

Tue, 05 Jul 2022 13:40:00 GMT

Question: What should I consider in selecting a church to join?

Answer: People look for many different things in a church. Each person has different needs and usually looks at all the programs offered for adults, teens, or children. A church with varied meeting times during the week also can be convenient for working parents. The friendliness and welcoming attitudes of its members mean a great deal. Some visitors are impressed by a large, well-kept building and manicured grounds. The selection of worship music during services is important to others. However, the most important thing to look for in a gathering of believers and one that should be at the top of the list but is often not considered first, as it definitely should be, is this test:

Do the pastor and church leaders faithfully teach the Bible as true and without error, the foundation of the Christian faith?

This is an excellent question to ask the minister, and not at all out of line, when you meet with him after visiting a church. The Bible warns that false teachers who teach their own opinions rather than God’s Biblical word will always be among us, especially in the latter days of the world ( Matthew 7:15, 24:11, 24 ). You can view a ministry’s website to read their beliefs; if they’re not posted, email the organization and ask these important questions, but also set up an appointment to talk with the church’s pastor:

Is the Bible your only source for God’s truth?

It absolutely should be! Jesus directed His apostle John to write that anyone changes His message and teaches any other way to reach God, he will suffer greatly! John included this in Revelation when he shared Jesus’ teachings about the future of mankind and this world. It is certainly applicable to all of His teachings in the Bible.

“For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written here; if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” Revelation 22: 18-19

Do you teach the belief that Jesus Christ is the only Son of God, co-eternal with God? Do you lead others to worship Jesus?

The answer should be, yes! God directed the apostle John to write that false teachers would join churches, intending to spread their own wrong, human ideas about God.

“Whoever does not live in the doctrine of Christ does not have God, for whoever abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house or count him as a friend.” II John 9-10

Do you instruct that salvation from God is through faith alone, that there is nothing a person can do to earn his own way into heaven?

Sometimes churches ask more of people for inclusion in their membership than God does. There are no acts of service that people must perform to enter the kingdom of heaven except to acknowledge that Jesus has saved them from the punishment from God for their sins. Jesus criticized the temple leaders, the Pharisees, for adding rules and regulations to the Jews that God had not required.

“Being right with God is not earned by obeying His law…righteousness is through faith in Jesus Christ, to all who believe. For all people have sinned and have fallen short of receiving God’s glory… and they are made right with God through His free gift of His favor, by the substitutionary death of Jesus and His blood on the cross.” Romans 3:22-26, Ephesians 2:8-9

Do you encourage others and demonstrate yourself how to live a life that is pleasing to God, following His examples for a Holy life?

The scriptures show how Jesus and His followers lived and what God expected of men, women, and children in leading lives approved of by God. All humans sin, even after becoming believers. God’s Holy Spirit reveals the sin and keeps after you until you turn away from wrong behaviors and allow Him to guide you to righteousness living. Watching the actions of people who say they are believers or Bible teachers is the way Jesus says you can tell whether they’re really broadcasting God’s message:

“Beware of false prophets who pretend to be believers… You will know them by their fruits…a good tree bears good fruit…” Matthew 7:15-20

JESUS CHRIST is truly the KEY element in the Christian faith!

No other person, belief, or message is the way to connect with God for eternity:

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is NO other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

Pray and ask God to lead you to the right group of believers who meet regularly. He created you to worship Him, pray to Him, and teach about Him with other people – for their benefit and yours. He promises that when you ask Him for His help, He will guide you to where He has a purpose He designed particularly for you!

“… Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not depend on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:3-6

Does God still speak to people like He did in the Bible?

Fri, 24 Jun 2022 11:11:00 GMT

Question: Does God still speak to people like He did in the Bible?

Answer: Yes, He certainly does! Sometimes, we don’t recognize His answers.

In the midst of more distractions than ever before in history, we are missing His voice, His signals, and His instruction. So, it’s not that God doesn’t speak, but that we don’t hear because we are not listening. Or, we may expect Him to answer immediately and according to what we hope for, and His timing is different – in fact, better. You see, His delays are intended to help us (and others!) in multiple ways. Often, He doesn’t speak in the way we expect. God may not give us exactly what we prayed for, but it will be what is best for us. He may not even answer us for a while. That usually means to wait, which is especially difficult for us since we feel we need help right away. In Bible times, He spoke through His prophets through direct conversation, visions, events, and dreams. God gave His messengers power to perform miracles to authenticate the source was truly Him. Once Jesus entered our world’s time and space, God directed others through this promised one, His Son. Later, through His Holy Spirit, the disciples and apostles carried messages to people from Jesus and His teachings.

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us by his Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the universe.” Hebrews 1:1-2

“We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and Christ, The Morning Star, rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:19-21

Amazingly, He still speaks in many of these ways today! How can we make sure that we hear what He means for us to understand as His responses?

PRAY, LISTEN, WATCH, AND EXPECT!

First, we have to talk with Him and then listen intentionally and expectantly. Get alone and quiet. Spend time reading the Bible, talking to Him, and listening for Him to bring to your mind new thoughts, ideas, and solutions. We must adjust our expectations because God communicates in various ways. He may even cause you to come into contact with wise Christian friends who reinforce what you feel you are receiving from God. Always compare what solutions people offer with the Word of God, the Bible. Consider, would Jesus give you this same advice?

“But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed.” 2 Peter 2:1-3

PRAY AND ASK FOR DISCERNMENT

Secondly, we must recognize whether the direction that we’re sensing is truly from God. Again, the most important test is, does what you’re hearing line up with the Bible’s truths and guidance? He lets us know His answers mainly through the Bible’s scriptures; if you don’t read them, you won’t be able to safely discern what aligns with God’s will and what doesn’t. Ask Him to help you determine what is truly from Him. God’s instruction is preserved for us in the completed record of the Bible by His Holy Spirit because He means for us to judge all things by those standards. This Spirit from God helps us to know what is true and false and shows us how to apply it to our lives. Never depend solely on what others at church, in books, or online are teaching you as God’s guidance! Jesus gave us warnings about not falling for false teachers and their ideas that contradict His instruction. Compare what the Holy Scriptures teach with what your Bible teacher and pastor are saying. How sad that some of them today are not teaching God’s instruction but their own opinions and what is popular in our culture! They do this to gain followers in order to build their own egos and make more money from donations to their causes. If God is, indeed, speaking through people, what they’re advising you to do will perfectly line up with the scriptures He has given us. Don’t follow your feelings because your own desires strongly influence them and will lead you astray. God doesn’t change His mind and relax His rules for living just because people want Him to.

“Watch out for false prophets! They dress up like sheep, but inside they are wolves who have come to attack you. You can tell what they are by what they do. No one picks grapes or figs from thornbushes. A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit.” Matthew 7:15-18

“Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist [Satan], which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here… Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them. But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.” I John 4:1-6

STAY FOCUSED ON GOD AND UNAFRAID

Thirdly, don’t get sidetracked by your impatience and fears. Just because you have prayed for a certain outcome and believe strongly that your desire is what God will fulfill, be humble and open to a different answer, one that is so much better than what you prayed for. God is quite well-known for doing just that!

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to Him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20

“And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.” Romans 8:27-28

Don’t allow fear to overtake you as you wait, listen, and watch for answers to your prayers. Satan enjoys stoking fear in the followers of Jesus Christ. Refuse to believe His same old lies that God didn’t hear you or will not answer you due to your mistakes and bad choices. You can trust His promises which are documented in the Bible. God ALWAYS hears you, even before you become a believer!

“Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:7-8

The Holy Spirit speaks to us – our minds and hearts – today, just like He has done for others through the ages. It’s not just that He DID speak, but that He DOES, still actively reaching out to our generation in the present! And He will continue.

“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:12-13

Are you seeking peace in your heart?

You surely want to sign on for the kind that lasts – the peace that ONLY He can give. HIS PEACE.

God assures us He is with us at all times. You can feel His peace right now, which is the impression you have when you ask Him to help you sense His presence. God’s beautiful plan is to draw us to Himself through His Son Jesus, who He sent into the world to show us what God is really like. God adopts you into His own family when YOU accept Jesus as His Son who died on a cross to pay the ultimate penalty for the past, present, and future sins of mankind – including yours! Ask Jesus to come into your life and lead you through every day for the rest of your life. If you ask, HE WILL answer!

“I AM with your always, even to the end of this age.” Jesus in Matthew 28:20

Is it true that Jesus “chose” to die on a cross? I thought the Jews and Romans killed Him.

Thu, 09 Jun 2022 10:12:00 GMT

Question: Is it true that Jesus “chose” to die on a cross? I thought the Jews and Romans killed Him.

Answer: It’s difficult for us to hear that Jesus actually allowed others to inflict torturous beatings on Him, and then the terrible humiliation and death on a cross.

But the answer is yes – He consented to it because it was His ultimate purpose for coming to earth. Jesus announced right before He died that the plan was completed, or “finished.” (John 19:30) So that He could live and die among us as a human being, He intentionally stepped into time and space to become the substitute for us by being punished in our place. He tried to explain to His disciples that pain, death, and resurrection were ahead for Him, but they didn’t understand. They thought He was about to set up His kingdom on earth and would overcome the oppressive Roman government that ruled over their land. Jesus clearly shared the predictions of His death and the events that would follow to help them not to be afraid. He stated He planned to “ freely do what the Father requires ” – sacrifice on a cross.

Jesus said, “Remember what I told you – I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really love me, you will be happy for me, for now I can go to the Father, who is greater than I am. I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do, you will believe in me. I don’t have much more time to talk to you, for the evil prince of this world approaches. He has no power over me, but I will freely do what the Father requires of me so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let’s be going.” John 14:28-30

“From then on Jesus began to speak plainly to His disciples about going to Jerusalem, and what would happen to Him there – that He would suffer at the hands of the Jewish leaders, that He would be killed, and that three days later He would be raised to life again.” Matthew 17:21

“Leaving that region, they traveled through Galilee where He tried to avoid all publicity in order to spend more time with His disciples, teaching them. He would say to them, ‘I, the Messiah, am going to be betrayed and killed, and three days later I will return to life again.’ But they didn’t understand and were afraid to ask Him what He meant.” Mark 9:30-32

“Gathering the Twelve around Him, He told them, ‘As you know, we are going to Jerusalem. And when we get there, all the predictions of the ancient prophets concerning me will come true. I will be handed over the Gentiles to be mocked and treated shamefully and spat upon, lashed, and killed. And the third day, I will rise again.’ But the disciples didn’t understand a thing He said. They thought He seemed to be speaking figuratively.” Luke 18: 31-34

It’s helpful to know some background about what God required of people before Jesus arrived on the earth. In the laws God gave to Moses, the Israelites were commanded to bring a spotless, perfect lamb to the temple where they worshipped. The lamb was killed by the priest, and some of its blood was offered on an altar to God so that the family would be forgiven of all their sins committed during that past year. The reason for this was that God cannot look upon sin because He is perfect and good and requires it of others, not allowing any evil in His presence. To remain in right standing with God, He mandated the yearly sacrifice from each family. What the people couldn’t foresee then was that this was preparation for the one perfect and final sacrifice by the “Savior” or “Messiah” God would send to them: Jesus! He was referred to as the “Lamb of God” because His death counted as our once-and-for-all-time offering so God would forgive us of our wrongs – past, present, and future!

“The next day, John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who will take away the sin of the world.’” John 1:29

The Bible says God planned all along for Jesus to die in this manner before He sent Him to earth to live as a man. Even if the Roman government and the Jewish leaders hadn’t desired Jesus’ death, God would have accomplished it anyway. Jesus knowingly and willingly took the punishment we would have received from God for all our sins. So now, we won’t ever be punished when we die – only rewarded. God defeated sin and evil! He accomplished this through Jesus’ death on a cross at a place called Calvary and His resurrection 3 days later.

“…God forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” Colossians 2:13-15

“Jesus bowed His head and said, ‘It is finished’, and gave up His spirit.” John 19:30

Genesis 1 and John 1 document that God, Jesus (“The Word”), and the Holy Spirit were present and together during the moments of the creation of the world. In the Garden of Eden, God provided the first blood sacrifice when He killed an animal to provide its skins as clothing for Adam and Eve. He clothed them after they sinned for the first time, a foreshadowing of the blood that would need to be shed to cover the sins of the rest of mankind. God accepted the blood of animals until He sent Jesus to be the last sacrifice for sin. Since then, God has not approved of any other sacrifices made by people to cancel out their wrongs. Jesus is the only Mediator before God that human beings can have! When we invite Jesus into our lives to direct us, we join His family and belong to Him; He is our one and only Advocate before God. Jesus said:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

Think about this: Are YOU right with God? Accepted His sacrifice Jesus for your sins?

Do you want the wrongs you’ve committed during your life to be canceled so that God will accept you rather than send you to be punished?

The Bible warns, there are only two destinations for people when they die – heaven or hell. To join God and many others in heaven, you must believe and accept that Jesus died on a cross to save you, to become your Savior. You must confess to God that you are very sorry for your sins and thank Him that Jesus satisfied that debt for your sins though His death. Say to God that you believe that He resurrected Jesus to new life, as you would like to be in the future. Finally, ask Jesus to come into your mind and heart and lead you, through His wonderful Holy Spirit, to make the right decisions and please Him. Once you take these simple steps, you belong to God through Jesus Christ and have entered the Kingdom of God. You are on track for heaven and a fantastic eternity!

“There is now no condemnation awaiting those who belong to Christ Jesus. For the power of the life-giving Spirit – and His power is mine through Christ Jesus – has freed me from the vicious circle of sin and death. We aren’t saved from sin’s grasp by knowing the commandments of God, because we can’t and don’t keep them, but God put into effect a different plan to save us. He sent His own Son in a human body like ours, except that ours are sinful, and destroyed sin’s control over us by giving Himself as a sacrifice for our sins. So now we can obey God’s laws if we follow after the Holy Spirit and no longer obey the old evil nature within us.” Romans 8:1-4

Are there false forms of Christianity? Is every group calling itself a church still part of the Christian religion?

Sun, 29 May 2022 11:09:00 GMT

Question: Are there false forms of Christianity? Is every group calling itself a church still part of the Christian religion?

Answer: True Christianity, or faith in God and His Son Jesus Christ as prescribed in the Bible, is a major issue today! Church denominations are dividing over adherence to the truths recorded in the Bible. This is no surprise, though, because the Bible warns that the falling away from God’s truths will increase. It’s not a new issue, for it has been going on for a very long time. Today, some congregations of so-called “believers” actually don’t believe and teach the truths of the Bible, which is God’s supernaturally inspired and empowered guidebook! Jesus, who the Bible describes as the only Son of God, is downplayed by them as just another prophet and doer of good deeds. God has revealed that Jesus is part of Himself, the one who became a man to live on the earth for a time. He is who we will see in heaven!

“Whoever does not live in the doctrine of Christ does not have God, for whoever abides in the doctrine

of Jesus Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this

doctrine, do not receive him into your house or count him as a friend.” II John 9-10

Christians are called by the Name of the one we follow, Jesus the Christ (meaning Messiah or anointed one). We follow His teachings and those of the men He inspired to write down His guidance for mankind. Some apostate church leaders discount Bible teachings and tell others not to consider the Bible their moral standard – a very dangerous practice! Not only does God hold leaders especially accountable to Him for teaching His truths but expects them to call out others who are teaching lies.

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who but bitter for sweet and sweet for better!” Isaiah 5:20

“Jesus said to His disciples, ‘It is inevitable that stumbling blocks will come, but woe to the one through whom they come! It would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and to be thrown into the sea than to cause one of these little ones to stumble.’” Luke 17:1-2

“Beware of false prophets who pretend to be believers… You will know them by their fruits…a good tree bears good fruit…” Matthew 7:15-20

“All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…” 2 Timothy 3:16

…God’s truth endures to all generations. Psalm 100:5, 117:2

God’s attributes NEVER change. His will for the people He created NEVER changes. His Word endures across the generations, and His promises last FOREVER!

“’I am the Lord; I do not change…Yet from the days of your fathers, you have gone away from My ordinances and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘But you said, in what way shall we return?’” Malachi 3:6-7

“The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.” Psalm 33:11

“God is not a man that he should lie, or a son of man, that He should change his mind. Has he said He would do something and then not done it? Or has he spoken of the future, and will He not fulfill it?” Isaiah 40:8

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” Psalm 102:25-27

Some church teachers today would rather take what they think is the easy way out and tell people to live the way they think is best, according to what seems to be appealing and acceptable in society. This is quite popular and draws many people in because there are no requirements for righteous living. Their so-called pastors tell them the Bible is outdated, and God will love them anyway, no matter what they do or how they choose to live. There are megachurches that have been built up by men and women teaching the opposite of what God has commanded for His standards of behavior. They want to make church entertaining by teaching life lessons centered on self-improvement; their goal is not to offend anyone who is living immorally. To ensure continued financial support, these same leaders say that everyone will go to heaven regardless of whether they accept Jesus as their Savior! Jesus called this false teaching that leads many astray, resulting in hell’s punishment (Matthew 23 ). He inspired Paul to write:

“And so, I solemnly urge you before God and before Christ Jesus—who will someday judge the living and the dead when He appears to set up his Kingdom—to preach the Word of God urgently at all times, whenever you get the chance, in season and out, when it is convenient and when it is not. Correct and rebuke your people when they need it, encourage them to do right, and all the time be feeding them patiently with God’s Word. For there is going to come a time when people won’t listen to the truth but will go around looking for teachers who will tell them just what they want to hear. They won’t listen to what the Bible says but will blithely follow their own misguided ideas. Stand steady, and don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Bring others to Christ. Leave nothing undone that you ought to do.” 2 Timothy 4:1-5

One such false teaching is that the Bible contains errors and inconsistencies which they’ve discovered. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John contain accounts with different details from each man’s perspective, which is expected when different people write about what they saw and experienced. Detractors also accuse the scriptures of inconsistencies and a loss of its original meaning from being translated numerous times. What they don’t understand, since they haven’t studied the Bible, is the assurance that God’s Holy Spirit has been charged with guiding the preservation of His truth for all generations. In addition, the exciting discoveries in 1946 of scrolls from the first centuries in Israel, along with other archaeological excavations, confirmed the accuracy of the scriptures we have today.

The apostle Paul warned often about false teachers who make up their own rules as they go, usually for their own benefit.

“I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery, they deceive the minds of naive people.Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.” Romans 16:17-19

“If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.” I Timothy 6:3-5

Most importantly, JESUS CHRIST is truly the key element in the Christian faith. No other person, belief, or message is the way to connect with God for eternity. Here are strategic standards to follow for examining your church’s teachings to see whether they align with Biblical truths.

Is the Bible your only source for God’s truth?
Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the only Son of God, co-eternal with God?
Do you know that salvation from God is through faith in and acceptance of Jesus Christ, that there is nothing a person can do to earn his own way into heaven?

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

We can always trust the Bible for the ultimate truth. Jesus quoted the scriptures and urged His hearers to put their trust in God’s Word. Even though He referred to the details He gave John about the future of our world, Jesus’ warning applies to all direction God gave us through the men He chose. From Jesus:

Have you ever told Jesus you want to follow Him and inherit eternal life with Him in heaven? Say or pray this to Him:

Jesus, I know I have lived every single way that it opposite of your ideal. I confess my selfishness and ask you to forgive me. I read in the Bible that once I confess my sins, you are always faithful to forgive and cleanse me of my terrible past. Thank you for wiping my slate clean and allowing me to begin again, and I will follow your guidance every day. I thank you for dying on a cross and shedding your own blood to pay the debt that was owed for my sins. What a loving God you are, to take the punishment for me! Thank you very much, and I now rely on you to show me a better way through life – YOUR WAY. Amen!

“That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believes for righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made for salvation. For the scripture says that whosoever believes on Him will be saved. For there is no difference in the requirement for the Jew or the Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For any person who calls on the Name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:9-13

I get discouraged when I think of trying to be good enough to become a Christian. How could I lead a perfect life like people in the Bible?

Tue, 24 May 2022 14:04:00 GMT

Question: I get discouraged when I think of trying to be good enough to become a Christian. How could I lead a perfect life like people in the Bible?

Answer: Many have been surprised to hear they will NOT EVER be good enough to enter heaven! The Bible tells us so. God does have a much better way, though, to admit us into heaven as His family so we can enjoy His presence forever. Read on to hear how God unfolded and revealed His miraculous plans.

God gave His laws to Moses to teach them to the Hebrews as a standard for people to strive toward. However, no one could live “righteously” or right and never disobey most of them. It’s why God required a blood sacrifice, once yearly, of a lamb, goat, or dove which was judged to be perfect in appearance to atone or pay the penalty for the sins of each family. Then, each member of the family would be forgiven until the sacrifice the next year. These were just a shadow of God’s future design to send His perfect Son Jesus into the world in order to become the final sacrifice by His shed blood for the wrongs humans committed against God. If Jesus had never died on a cross to pay the penalty that was due, people could never be right with God and come into His presence in heaven after death. Remember, on the cross, Jesus said, “It is finished!” He knew He had just paid for sins past, present, and future for anyone who is willing to accept this free gift He offered. He wanted everyone there to hear that no other sacrifice would be needed again…ever.

“Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture He said, ‘I am thirsty.’ A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to His lips. When Jesus had tasted it, He said, ‘It is finished!’ Then He bowed his head and gave up His spirit.” John 19:28-30

God planned since the beginning of our existence on earth to have Jesus be that ultimate sacrifice. Even in the garden of Eden when Adam and Eve sinned and lied to God about it, God Himself killed an animal to make clothes to cover them because of their disobedience. It was the first blood sacrifice needed to cancel the debt of sin. God sent His message through prophets that He would send a Messiah to save His people from eternal death due to their wrongdoing. Here’s the description of the role Jesus was destined to play, written many years before He was born into the world as a human baby in Bethlehem:

“He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no stately form or majesty to attract us, no beauty that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely, He took on our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken by God, struck down and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:2-6

People who led perfect lives? You will not find them in the Bible, except for one: The only perfect person who ever lived was Jesus. His is the example to follow. Begin reading in the first book of the Bible, Genesis. In this book alone, Adam and Eve disobeyed God and then lied to Him about it. Noah drank too much and ended up putting his sons in a difficult situation. Abraham was so afraid someone would kill him to steal his beautiful wife that he lied that she was his sister – twice – and one king briefly took her into his own harem until the truth was revealed. Abraham’s nephew, Lot, rather than moving to a better and safer area, profited from running a business in a city filled with people known for practicing sexual sin. Then, he offered his own 2 daughters to men who tried to break down his front door one night. In another case in Genesis, Judah, who was known for seeking out prostitutes, was tricked by his own daughter-in-law when she disguised herself, posed as one, and became pregnant with his child. And there were more – many more examples of people whose lives were a wreck – but God used every single one of them to accomplish His eternal purposes. He still does that today for each one of us!

We certainly need God, through His Son Jesus, to save us from ourselves and the messes we make of our lives. See if you can relate to what God led Paul the apostle to record about the truth of our terrible human nature:

^“ As the Scriptures say, ‘No one is good—no one in all the world is innocent.’ No one has ever really followed God’s paths or even truly wanted to. Everyone has turned away; all have gone wrong. No one anywhere has kept on doing what is right; not one. Their talk is foul and filthy like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are loaded with lies. Everything they say has in it the sting and poison of deadly snakes. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. They are quick to kill, hating anyone who disagrees with them. Wherever they go they leave misery and trouble behind them, and they have never known what it is to feel secure or enjoy God’s blessing. They care nothing about God nor what he thinks of them. So, the judgment of God lies very heavily upon the Jews, for they are responsible to keep God’s laws instead of doing all these evil things; not one of them has any excuse; in fact, all the world stands hushed and guilty before Almighty God. Now do you see it? No one can ever be made right in God’s sight by doing what the law [of Moses] commands. For the more we know of God’s laws, the clearer it becomes that we aren’t obeying them; His laws serve only to make us see that we are sinners. But now God has shown us a different way to heaven—not by ‘being good enough’ and trying to keep His laws, but by a new way (though not new, really, for the Scriptures told about it long ago). Now God says He will accept and acquit us—declare us ‘not guilty’—if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like. Yes, all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious ideal; yet now God declares us ‘not guilty’ of offending him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in His kindness freely takes away our sins. For God sent Christ Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to end all God’s anger against us. He used Christ’s blood and our faith as the means of saving us from his wrath. In this way He was being entirely fair, even though He did not punish those who sinned in former times. For He was looking forward to the time when Jesus Christ would come and take away those sins. And now in these days also He can receive sinners in this same way because Jesus took away their sins. But isn’t this unfair for God to let criminals go free, and say that they are innocent? No, for He does it on the basis of their trust in Jesus who took away their sins. Then what can we boast about doing to earn our salvation? Nothing at all. Why? Because our acquittal is not based on our good deeds; it is based on what Christ has done and our faith in Him. So it is that we are saved by faith in Christ and not by the good things we do.” Romans 3:10-27

Do you recognize that God knows you are incapable of making yourself “good” for Him, that you can only enter His presence because of what Jesus has accomplished on your behalf? If you have never acknowledged this to Him, say or pray this right now:

Jesus, I thank you for preserving your timeless truths in the Bible so I can know for sure how to be made right with you. I understand from your scriptures I will go to hell when I die to pay for the wrongs I have committed unless you forgive me. I confess now, I have done wrong my whole life and need you to forgive me. I can’t change my ways by myself because I’ve tried and failed over and over. I know that I can’t enter heaven unless you do. I understand that you, Jesus, died to take the punishment for my sins, and I thank you for it! I am ready for you to come into my life and lead me from this day forward. I trust you with my future and look forward to spending eternity with you and all the others who will enter heaven before me. Thank you for setting me free from the sinful life I’ve led until now and the terrible punishment waiting for me in hell. Thank you for wiping my sin record clean and giving me this new beginning with you, the King of the Universe! Amen!

“To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’ They answered Him, ‘We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?’ And Jesus replied, ‘Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So, if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:31-36

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.’” John 14:6-7

What exactly does it mean to “be saved” by accepting Jesus and His “Gospel”? Is this the only way to heaven after death?

Mon, 23 May 2022 11:30:00 GMT

Question: What exactly does it mean to be “saved” by accepting Jesus and His Gospel? Is this the only way to heaven after death?

Answer: To be “saved,” one must be saved for and from something. When a person accepts the invitation from God to follow Jesus Christ, he or she is set apart or saved for eternal life in heaven and from punishment forever in hell for the sins committed in this life. Long ago, Jesus offered Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind, paying with His own suffering and death, and was resurrected three days later. Now that Jesus has completed the payment for men’s and women’s sins, all they must do is acknowledge this by accepting or receiving this wonderful gift and committing to follow Jesus for the rest of their lives. This saving of their eternal souls is referred to as salvation. We are assured of these truths by the Bible, God’s record He has given to us to learn from and to use to help others to know of Him and His great love for the people He created. The term “gospel” means truth, and the gospel of Jesus Christ is the truth of His substitutionary death or “atonement” for the sins of mankind. The gospel of the cross is not a product of human reason, it’s a revelation from God, preserved in the holy scriptures. Here is more to help you understand the gospel.

Jesus – Centerpiece of the Gospel

Many ask, is accepting Jesus as “Savior,” or the one who saved us, the only way to enter heaven some day? Yes, for If there had been ANY other way than to cause Jesus to suffer and die as He did, God would have accomplished it. Jesus spoke of Himself as the only way, like a “narrow gate” to pass through when you believe in Him.

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13-14

Jesus – Sacrificial Lamb of God

Many people don’t realize that God had a plan to redeem people from the very beginning!

The account of the first people in Genesis foreshadows Jesus’ future sacrifice of Himself. We can read of the shedding of blood as a necessity for sins in the Garden of Eden. Because Adam and Eve disobeyed God and then lied about it, they needed forgiveness in order to restore their relationship with God. To accomplish this, God provided a payment of blood for their wrongs by killing animals for the first time to clothe them to cover the results of their sins.

Some have reasoned that good works and moral behavior will be enough for admittance into heaven, but this is false and not at all what the Bible teaches. Others have figured that they can earn their way into eternity in heaven by good deeds or through suffering in some way. Sadly, they are mistaken, and waste their time doing good works for the purpose of gaining points with God when it is not what He requires.

“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and yet lose his own soul?” Jesus in Mark 8:36

Jesus – Only Path to Heaven

The Bible says salvation is in Christ alone! Jesus said to the temple leaders in John 7:33-34, “Because you believe not in Me, you’ll die in your sins, and where I go, you’ll never be allowed to come.”

Jesus also said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no man comes unto the Father but by Me.” John 14:6

“Neither is there salvation in any other. There is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

Believing in Jesus is truly the only way to be saved. There’s no other Savior, and no other gods.

There’s only one Mediator, said Paul: “There’s only one Mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all people…” I Timothy 2:5-6

The Bible warns that any other way to heaven except through faith in Jesus is a cruel lie and is circulated throughout the world by demonic forces. Demons are behind all false religions. They are behind all philosophical and religious systems. 2 Corinthians 10: 5 says they’re behind “every argument and every lofty thing lifted up against the knowledge of God.” Any anti-God idea is demonic. Anything that’s untrue about God, anything that’s unbiblical, is demonic in its source, though it will always be quite cleverly disguised as light and truth.

Jesus – Creator of All Things

Jesus is one of the Trinity of God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, – who created the world. He referred to Himself as the “Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” (Revelation 22:13) “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8

The coming of Jesus into the world was the most important event in human history! His story is unlike any other. He was born of a virgin, never sinned during His life, suffered and died as a substitute for all men, returned to life, appeared to many people, and ascended into heaven. He is there right now!

Jesus – The “Word”

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. By Him were all things made; without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.” John 1:1-4

This “Word” reference is one of the most intriguing scripture references, along with this one:

“For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:16-17

The world at its best, at its highest point of religious achievement and its wisest level, can’t come to know God. God meant to save all those who believe. So, he designed a miraculous way! The gospel, or true message from God, goes back to the cross in verse 18.

To put it plainly, the only way you’re going to be saved is by believing this truth about the cross. That’s the only way. God’s plan – from the beginning – was that the world through its own human wisdom couldn’t come to know Him. People would have to put their trust and faith only in Him. This promise of God’s acceptance and forgiveness is a free gift!

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by our works so that we can never brag about achieving it.” Ephesians 2:8-9

Are you ready to put your life in His hands, admit your wrongs, and enter into a right relationship with Jesus? This is the MOST IMPORTANT decision you will ever make during your life.

Say or pray this:

Dear God, I know that I have done so many wrong things. I’m very sorry for all my sins against you and others. I haven’t cared about anyone but myself. I am selfish and make foolish choices. I need you to save me from myself before I destroy my life and waste the many opportunities you have just waiting for me. Please forgive me! I believe Jesus Christ is your Son, that He died on a cross to take the punishment for my sins. You raised Him up to live again, and I know He is ready to guide me for the remainder of my life. I want him to take control of my heart and mind from this day forward so that I will always know the right path to take and have His strength to do it. Thank you!!

“If you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you’ll be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess your faith and are saved.” Paul in Romans 10:9-11

Is someone a real Christian when he obeys the Ten Commandments?

Wed, 11 May 2022 10:28:00 GMT

Question: Is someone a real Christian when he obeys the Ten Commandments?

Answer: Many have wondered, am I a true Christian when I follow all the Bible’s rules?

People have a misunderstanding of what is required to be a Christian. It’s not following a set of commandments, doing good deeds, giving all that we have to the poor, or traveling to remote parts of the earth to tell others about Jesus Christ. Does this seem surprising to you? Jesus asks this of believers:

Realize that He died on the cross for your sins.

Be sorry for the wrong things you have done in life.

Turn away from your past sins and to Him for His help in leading you through the rest of your life.

A difficult concept for us to understand and accept is that there is no way we can EARN our ticket to heaven! In our present earthly existence, we know that we must work to gain money, the trust of others, and acceptance by our friends. So, when the Bible teaches that Jesus has given us a FREE gift of eternal life, we think there must be some catch to this! It’s just too easy. Surely, we must do something to keep from losing this or to pay Him back.

“Because of Jesus’ kindness, you have been saved through trusting Him. This way Jesus has saved you is not anything you have earned, but it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good we have done, so none of us can brag and take any credit for it. It is God Himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Jesus. He planned long ago that we should spend our lives in helping others.” Ephesians 2:8-10

When we develop a daily friendship with Jesus through talking to Him and watching for His answers, we want to make Him proud of us by following His Biblical instruction of right and wrong. Christians feel compassion for the poor and try to help them in various ways. Some believers participate in mission trips to help people in other parts of the world know about Jesus and the only Way to heaven. These are certainly not requirements for going to heaven but things believers desire to do to show their thankfulness to God for all He has done for them. They also have an urgency to help others know God’s truths, as they now do.

“For God loved the world so much, that he gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.” John 3:16-17

“…if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, ‘Everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing His riches on all who call on Him. For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” Romans 10:9-13

The Ten Commandments were among a great number of highly detailed instructions for living that God gave to Moses. They are a part of what is known as the Law of Moses, guidelines covering every aspect of the Israelites’ lives. They were humanly impossible to keep! God intended for us, through our realization of that truth, to put our hope in Him to save us rather than trying to save ourselves through our own deeds. He planned a much better way for us to enter into a right relationship with Him: Through trusting in His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus was sent to offer Himself, His own blood, as a once-and-for-all sacrifice to pay for the sins of mankind. Jesus offers this today to everyone as a free gift to accept, but not everyone does. God still asks the people He created to strive to obey His commandments, but success in doing so is not a requirement for entry into God’s family. He expected us to fail because we are only human, and we needed – and still need – His forgiveness and a new start, the opportunity to have our slate of wrongdoing cleared. Long ago, Jesus distilled some of what was really intended by the laws He gave to Moses for those he led:

“But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Hima question , testing Him, and saying, ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Y ou shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.’” Matthew 22:34-40

What would God have you to do? Ask Him. He always answers!

You can say or pray this:

Dear Jesus,

I thank you for dying on a cross long ago so that people in all generations could trust in you and receive your gift of salvation from the terrible punishment for our sins. I am thankful you rose from the dead and are in heaven right now, preparing a place for those who choose to join your family. I admit that I am greatly in need of your forgiveness because I have hurt others you must have meant for me to love and help. I understand that you intended for me during this life to have a relationship with you, and I come to you, asking you to show me what this means. I want to talk with you daily and follow your lead. I will be watching for signs of what your new path in life will be for me. Thank you for wiping my record of sins clean and giving me a new life, beginning now!

“ Now also when I am old and gray-headed, O God, don’t forsake me, until I have shown your strength to this generation, and your power to everyone who is to come.” Psalm 71:18

“For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endures to all generations.” Psalm 100:5

“How great are His signs! And how mighty are His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His dominion is from generation to generation.” Daniel 4:3

What is the difference between the teachings of the Christian church and a false religion, like a cult?

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 11:25:00 GMT

Question: What is the difference between the teachings of the Christian church and a false religion, like a cult?

Answer: Christianity’s principles are those that align with the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and His followers, who shared His words during the first century. The accounts of these other God-inspired men are well-documented in the Holy Bible.

Let’s examine the errors that define groups as disseminators of false information, based on Biblical teachings:

Teachings clearly contradict Bible scriptures.

Other books written by their members tell of an alternate, “real” God, or many gods.

Jesus was considered to be only a man, not the only Son of God.

Jesus was a prophet with good teachings.

Jesus never existed.

Jesus was never resurrected from the dead.

Their group is the only “true” church on the earth.

The group is centered around an earthly leader.

People go to heaven only by pledging an oath to their leader, joining their church, giving money, and/or doing good deeds.

Cults are well-masked. They practice good works and may preach desirable, “family” values of love and community service. They might not even be focused on a god but on making themselves better people, both mentally and physically. Their members may be wealthy, attractive, and even famous; some of today’s celebrities have been drawn into these deceptive groups. False, so-called “religious” groups, may encourage acts of violence against or alienation of others who don’t believe as they do. Leaders are focused on gaining new followers and controlling them; they may exert mind control techniques on their members, manipulating and threatening them with expulsion from the group, assaults, and even death.

False teachers always move away from focusing on the Bible’s teaching and the truth that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven and eternal life. Remember that the Bible, our true revelation from God, assures us:

+ Jesus is the only divine Son of God who became a man.

+ Jesus died on a cross, and His blood was given for our sins.

+ Jesus physically rose from the dead and is alive today!

+ Jesus promised He has prepared a place for us to join Him after death and live forever!

“I (Jesus) am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father (God) except through Me.” John 14:6

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live (in heaven). And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?’” John 11:25-26

Unlike earthly leaders who demand devotion to themselves,God has given each person on the earth a choice to make. People have the freedom to believe that all the Bible tells us about Jesus is true…or to not believe. God inspired the writers of the Bible that harder times are coming in the future when more deceivers will arise and lead people away from God to their physical and spiritual destruction. Unbelief in the false quasi-religious and political leaders will first be met with expulsion from society, and later, by death. (Revelation 11:18)

These false teachers have existed from the beginning of the human race. God warns us about them, those who would incite rebellion against Him and draw people away from believing His promises to us. In scripture, a false prophet is “one who presumes to speak in My Name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods…” (Deuteronomy 18:20)

“Then the Lord said to me, ‘The prophets are prophesying lies in My Name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are spreading false visions, divinations, idolatries, and the delusions of their own minds.’” Jeremiah 1:14

“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2 Timothy 4: 3-4

That time HAS come! Signs are apparent today. Thanks to the Internet, information from all sources is being spread far and wide. There is an opportunity to spread the truth, or “gospel of Jesus Christ”, to the ends of the earth; sadly, however, the opportunities for evil doers to spread lies is greater than ever before.

What will you believe? The words from God’s scriptures, which His Holy Spirit has preserved for all time, or the writings of those with earthly motives?

“Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless…but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and forever! Amen.” 2 Peter 3:14-18

“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. The is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and, even now, is already in the world. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.” I John 4: 1-6

“We have this prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in our hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophesy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were led by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:12-21

Your eternal destination is at stake. Will you turn to Jesus for your future? Will He use you as “a light shining in a dark place”? In Jesus, there is no darkness. Will you make Him the master of your life who saves you from the destruction caused by your sins? Say this to Him:

Jesus, I confess that I have done so many wrong things in my life. Over and over, I have hurt others and myself. I realize now I cannot change the basic person that I am because I tried and failed. But I heard the Bible tells me when I follow you, I can be transformed into a new person and forgiven of all of my past. I want this very much! I am ready right now to start over and become the person you have destined for me to be. Jesus, I acknowledge that you took the punishment for my sins and died on the cross so I will never be punished after I die. Thank you for paying the terrible price that was required to save me! Like you were resurrected after death, I want to live again, with you in Paradise forever and enjoy speaking with you face-to-face. I just cannot thank you enough for not giving up on me. You are saving me from exile to punishment in the darkness of hell. Jesus, I will be grateful to you, always. Amen.

“Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” John 8:12

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” Revelation 22:16

Can we know anything about God?

Sat, 12 Mar 2022 17:41:00 GMT

Question: Can we know anything about God?

Answer: Absolutely!

If God didn’t intend for us to get to know Him and His plans for the world, He would not have given us such a great deal of information in the Bible. God has given us these accurate, historical accounts of events and His revelations to men and women, so that we can learn of Him, His character and standards, and His future plans for humankind. The common thread we can recognize from the entire Word of God, also known as the Holy Scriptures, is that God created people to have a relationship with Him, loves them immensely, and has a plan for them to be with Him throughout eternity! His design is quite intricate and miraculous, reflecting honor and glory back to Him. Most importantly, God means for us to get to know Him through a relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only way to truly know God. It’s difficult to describe God without pointing to Jesus, again and again!

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no one comes to the Father God except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father, as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.’” John 14: 6-7

KNOWING GOD

We can know about God, and we can get to know God as a friend and heavenly Father. Both are important. Really “knowing God” means recognizing His voice or guidance, reading of His relationships with people, talking with Him, and beginning to enjoy our growing relationship with Him, which brings hope, joy, and peace. We can do our part to know God through Bible studies in our church and community, by talking with others about what the Bible teaches, and, of course, by talking directly with God through prayer.

The scriptures say that God made us to observe His creation all around us and understand He is the master “architect” behind it all who designed it AND keeps it going. Psalm 100, memorized by many as a favorite, teaches that we should revere, praise, and worship God:

“Know that the Lord, He is God. It is He who has made us, not we ourselves; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.” Psalm 100:3

REASONING ABOUT GOD

God gave men and women the minds to reason, from living in His creation, that He is a God of enormous power, order, complexity, harmony, and beauty, which is “clearly seen” ( Romans 1:20) as the work of a master! Sadly, even though people sense within their hearts that God exists, they don’t turn to Him to live by His wise rules but selfishly fulfill their own desires and make their own “gods” to follow. Some think there is no god behind creation and that the world slowly evolved from particles of dust in space; they push from their minds what God has provided to help them comprehend. They know if they hear about and acknowledge God, then they’ll bear more responsibility of adhering to His higher standards, which they reject.

“For the wrath of God is revealed in heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.” Romans 1:18-23

The departure from respecting God’s truths, as demonstrated and illuminated by His creation, leads people into the futility of their own minds as they pursue false gods, man-made human religions, and shallow philosophies. Instead of receiving light and wisdom from God, their hearts are darkened more and more, and they believe any lies that the ultimate deceiver, Satan, and his demons covertly suggest to them.

BEGINNINGS AND NEW BEGINNINGS: THE MASTER’S PLAN

Some people have asked, where did God come from? The answer is one we don’t fully understand, that God existed always, or eternally. Another concept that our human minds can’t connect to from our earthly knowledge and experience is the “Trinity”. Some very intriguing scriptures tell of its members – God the Father, Jesus Christ (God’s Son), and God’s Holy Spirit. Did you know that all three, distinct parts of God were present when the earth was made? In the Colossians reference below, notice that Jesus, “The Word of God”, continues to hold creation together!

“ 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.” Genesis 1:1-2

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” John 1:1-5

^“ The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in Him, all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.“ Colossians 1:15-17

God instructs us, beginning with Genesis, the first book of the Bible, how He, along with Jesus and the Holy Spirit, made this world we live in. The history of God’s guidance, rewards, and discipline of men and women is detailed throughout the Biblical record so that we can know, even today, what He expects of us and how He partners with us to accomplish His perfect will. Through His inspiration to the writers of the books of Matthew through Acts, God explained how He sent Jesus into the world as a man to teach what God was really like; then, He showed how Jesus willingly suffered and died on a cross to save us. Because God cannot accept sin into His holy presence, He planned since the beginning of the world for Jesus to take the punishment for our sins against God by paying the ultimate penalty with His own blood by dying. Our belief and acceptance of Jesus’ sacrifice made us right with God so we never would have to pay for our own sins someday. Remarkably, three days later, Jesus rose from the dead to live 40 additional days on the earth before ascending into heaven. And what an amazing 40 days that was! The youngest disciple who followed Jesus, John, wrote of what he witnessed during the time after the resurrection:

“I am the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” John 21:24-25

“For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Jesus Christ. It is God’s powerful method of bringing all who believe it to heaven. This message was preached first to the Jews alone, but now everyone is invited to come to God in this same way. This Good News tells us that God makes us ready for heaven – makes us right in God’s sight – when we put our faith and trust in Christ to save us. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the scripture says it, ‘The man who finds life will find it through trusting God.’” Romans 1:16-17, Habakkuk 2:4

The Bible refers to Jesus as “the firstborn from the dead”, who has a resurrected body that can never die and can move quickly in ways and over distances that our bodies cannot…yet!

“And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy.” Colossians 1:18

God wanted us to know of this kind of body He will give to all believers at a future date when Jesus returns to earth with us, from heaven, to set up His earthly kingdom. (Presently, when we die, we exist in heaven only in spirit form but as recognizable as we were when we lived.) Details about believers’ future were recorded in some of both the Old and New Testament books. These have provided us with even more hope and encouragement to stay on course with our dedication to follow Jesus throughout our lives. Here are a few of the many verses penned by Paul the apostle and Isaiah the prophet:

“ Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God — His plan that was previously hidden, even though He made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared for those who love Him.’ But it was to us that God revealed these things by His Spirit. For His Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by this Holy Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.But people who aren’t spiritual but still natural can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them, and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. For, ‘Who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?’ But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 2:6-16, Isaiah 40:13 and 64:4

As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, the believers of church in Corinth, God purposed for us to know how He prepared a place for us to enjoy and serve Him at a time still to come. However, that incredibly glorious experience is only for those who God has adopted into His family, the people who accept His Son Jesus as the one who saves them from the penalty of their sins. Those who choose not to receive Jesus, God’s gift to them, will not inherit His kingdom of heaven and the “New Earth” kingdom of the future. God inspired the writers of the Old Testament to point to the coming of a Savior, a Messiah, who would make a way for men and women to be right before God. There’s a great deal that cannot be understood about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit by those who have not stepped forward in faith to accept Jesus as God’s Son. As verse 14 in Corinthians 2 stated, these truths seem like foolishness and can’t be fathomed by our natural minds; they are only spiritually discerned by those who have believed God’s message about Jesus. When someone accepts and asks Jesus into his life, God sends His Holy Spirit into the person to begin the unveiling of His exciting plans!

DESTINATION: GOD’S HEAVEN

God wants everyone to know how to join Him in heaven. He has assured all that it’s never too late to accept Jesus Christ as Savior – UNTIL the moment you die! Then, when you pass into the spiritual dimension and see the reality of the Biblical truths of heaven and hell you’d always heard about, and it will be too late. At that point, your destiny will be fixed for eternity with God and the other believers (saints) in heaven, or in hell, suffering torment in darkness. While dying for our sins on the cross, Jesus called heaven, “paradise”!

“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him: ‘Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other criminal rebuked him. ‘Don’t you fear God,’ he said, ‘since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’” Luke 23:39-43

Don’t delay! This is the opportunity you have to get right with God. It’s dangerous to wait to decide to follow His Son Jesus Christ at a later date. We never know when we could be living our final day on the earth.

Talk to God right now by saying something like this:

God,

I am putting all of my trust in you now. I understand that Jesus died for the many wrongs I’ve committed and paid the once-and-for-all price to make me right in your eyes. I am very sorry for all the times I sinned against you by ignoring you and living any way I wanted to. I confess I have led others to do wrong, too, and I am so sorry. Please forgive me for the people I have hurt along the way, intentionally and unintentionally. I can’t turn my life around and make it please you because I’ve tried and failed at it. I need you to be with me at all times, through your Holy Spirit, and transform me into the person you’ve created me to be. I trust that you can help me do every task you have for me that I cannot do under my own power, and I will give you the credit. I want you to be proud of me and use me to help others. Thank you! Amen.

“I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is there anything too hard for me?” Jeremiah 32:27

Is it possible to not be afraid of death? What happens as soon as I die?

Sat, 05 Mar 2022 11:53:00 GMT

Question: Is it possible to not be afraid of death? What happens as soon as I die?

Answer: Yes, when you are a Christian, there’s nothing to fear about death because you are certain of your next stop for eternity – heaven!

In Luke, chapter 16, Jesus revealed a few details of what dying and arriving in heaven is like. Luke recorded His account of two very different men who died and what happened next. During the men’s lives, the rich man had thought only of himself, refusing to help the poor man by relieving some of his suffering:

“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side [in heaven]. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So, he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” Luke 16:22-31

Some are afraid of dying, and rightly so, because they are not ready to meet God and his Son Jesus face-to face. Others fear the unknown; however, you CAN know about God, heaven, and hell by reading the Bible. There’s much we can know and look forward to – when you are a Christian!

The youngest disciple, John, lived longer than the others among the group of 12 men who first followed Jesus and spread His teachings after His death and resurrection. His final work of writing about an encounter in his old age gave us the thrilling Bible book of Revelation, or “The Revelation of Jesus Christ”. At that time, John was being held on the prison island of Patmos. From his report, he was alone and “in the spirit on the Lord’s Day”, which means that he must have been walking along and praying, when Jesus appeared to him and revealed what will occur on earth in the future:

“I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said: ‘Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.’ I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned, I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to His feet and with a golden sash around His chest. The hair on His head was white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In His right hand, He held seven stars, and coming out of His mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead. Then He placed His right hand on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.’” Revelation 1:9-19

As you can read, John was so surprised and terrified that he fell down at Jesus’ feet “like a dead man”. As was Jesus’ practice when He lived among His disciples, He reached out and comforted John with the words He used often, “Don’t be afraid.”

Some people fear seeing God or Jesus, His majesty and all-powerful glory. They are afraid He is waiting to punish them for the bad lives they lived. However, when you have accepted God’s free gift of forgiveness by accepting that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins, then you don’t have to be afraid ever again. Your sins are forgiven and forgotten by God ( Psalm 103:12, Hebrews 8:12 ). Your physical death just the beginning of a new, joyous existence with God, Jesus, and many others. Your arrival in heaven is a celebration and reunion with those who went before you! Death for the believer is a graduation day, a deliverance from the difficult days of living as a human being on the earth. All of heaven celebrates as the “saints”, or Christians, arrive to join them in their eternal home – Paradise! ( Luke 23:43 )

“ Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints, His servants.” Psalm 116:15

Because we have these promises in the Bible from God of how wonderful heaven and eternity with Him will be, we no longer need to be afraid to die!

“Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?” I Corinthians 15:55 and Hosea 13:9-14

“Since ancient times, eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the imagination of man all the wonderful things God has prepared for them who love Him.” I Corinthians 2:9 and Isaiah 64:4

How can you be sure that you will be ready to meet God and enter heaven, not punishment in hell, when you die, and your spirit leaves this earth?

Talk to God about it now. Don’t put it off! We never know what might occur today or tomorrow. Now is the time to get in a right relationship with Him – as adopted into His family, not an outsider as the rich man was.

Say or pray something like this:

Dear God, I accept that your Son Jesus died on the cross as punishment for my sins. I am very sorry for all the wrongs I have committed, and I thank you for forgiving me when I ask. I want to come to heaven when I die and spend forever with you. Thank you for hearing my prayer! Amen.

What is meant by the expression that Christians are “light”?

Sat, 05 Mar 2022 11:52:00 GMT

Question: What is meant by the expression that Christians are “light”?

Answer: The men who God inspired to write the Bible said a great deal about light. Jesus Christ is called the “Light of the World” (John 8:12) . Jesus was not only sent by God to save the Jews but the rest of the world, non-Jews or Gentiles, as well. Followers of His, Christians, are filled with His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, and carry His light and joy around inside of them! By light, this means they are charged with teaching and illuminating the meaning of God’s truths from the Bible and setting excellent examples for others in the ways they live their daily lives.

“ For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth.” Ephesians 5:8-9

“You are all sons of light and of the day…” I Thessalonians 5:5

“ You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

Before Jesus came into the world, God had the prophet Isaiah to write much about how the Messiah expected by the Jews would enlighten them and the rest of the world. Here’s just one of the many references from that Old Testament book about the promised Messiah:

“[God] says: ‘It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.’” Isaiah 49:6

When Jesus was first taken by his parents to the temple, God’s Holy Spirit immediately caused Simeon, the High Priest, to recognize that this child was the Savior and Messiah that the Jews had been waiting for. Among his beautiful words of praise to God were, “For my eyes have seen your salvation, God, which you have prepared before the faces of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.” Luke 2:30-32

In the final book of the Bible, Revelation 22:16 shows that Jesus Himself referred to the light He brought into the world of men, providing guidance and hope:

“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”

What does it mean to have a “relationship” with God? How is this possible?

Thu, 10 Feb 2022 12:36:00 GMT

Answer: To have a relationship with Jesus or God is the same as “walking with God”, which means having daily communication with the Creator of the universe and living in agreement with Him. It sounds like this would be impossible for a human being to talk with God, but it’s true! The Bible tells us that Adam and Eve were the first people God made, and, surprisingly, He created them to have fellowship with them. (Genesis 2-3) He still desires to talk with us today!

The Bible tells us much about the friendships God sought out with men and women. There are many examples in Genesis, the first book of the Bible. An intriguing account centered on Enoch, who was the great grandfather of Noah (who built the ark). Enoch’s son Methuselah lived longer than any man has ever lived on the earth, 969 years. Enoch’s life was recorded as highly significant. We aren’t told much about this man, besides these genealogical facts, except that he lived “a faithful life” for God and was taken into heaven without ever experiencing a physical death!

“When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” Genesis 5:21-24

Noah was another man who God counted as faithful, in Genesis, chapter 6:

“Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. Now, the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence.God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. So, God said to Noah, ‘I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. So, make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out…’”

During the conversations Noah had with God, he received highly specific instructions on exactly how to construct, waterproof, and stock the ark with needed supplies before the coming flood. Noah was counted as successful and a hero, and his name is known to just about everyone on the earth, even today, because of the ark he built, the flood He survived, and the human race that began all over again when he and his family emerged from the huge ark after more than a year. His success was due to the fact that he listened to God and obeyed all that God told him.

“Noah did everything just as God commanded him.” Genesis 6:22

The prophet Elijah was the only other person who was taken up into heaven by God without experiencing physical death, according to the Biblical record. He faithfully served as God led him, but he had times when he thought he had failed due to fear and discouragement. Even when Elijah wanted to give up while trying to stand boldly against evil government leadership, God patiently and lovingly counseled him, cared for his needs, and protected him. The relationship they had is detailed in the Bible in the 1 ^st book of Kings, chapters 17-18.

Many of us know the history of Moses’ life. What a long friendship he had with God! Despite all the ups and downs, the record shows Moses served God well:

“After the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua, son of Nun, Moses’s aide: ‘Moses, my servant, is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them, to the Israelites…No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” From the book of Joshua, chapter 1

Each book of the Bible tells how God communicated with and led ordinary people – men, women, and children, from all ethnic and economic levels of society. Some listened to Him and obeyed, and others didn’t, went way off track, and suffered.

Aren’t these truths the same as in our lives today?

Most of us are certainly as ordinary as the people who God loved long ago. Like them, sometimes, we obey, and other times, not. When we don’t, we fail in multiple ways – to move forward in our goals we strive to achieve and to grow to understand God better. As we talk and walk with God, in step with Him and His direction, we grow spiritually and experience the peace that we have always longed for, the “peace that passes all our understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”. (Philippians 4:7)

You will hear many people talk about the importance of having a relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus is God’s Son, one of the Trinity of God – God, Son, and Holy Spirit. If you believe and accept that Jesus died for your sins on a cross to make you right with God, then God accepts you – for forever! Having a relationship with one is the same as connecting with all 3 parts or “persons of God”.

“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father [God] except through me.” Jesus in John 14:6

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name [but Jesus] under heaven given to mankind by which we must have been saved.” Acts 4:12

This step of acknowledging Jesus as God’s own son is VITAL because God doesn’t accept anyone who rejects Jesus, the one He sent into our world to save us. Since Jesus came to earth to live and die for mankind, this has been the ONLY way that God adopts us into His eternal family who will be together eternally in heaven. Before Jesus arrived on earth, the Bible’s Old Testament writers record that God counted people as right with him, or “righteous”, because of their acts of faith, their love for others and God, and their trusting relationship with Him.

“And the scripture was fulfilled that says, ’Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as being righteous.’ And he was called a friend of God.” James 2:23 and Genesis 15:6

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

So, what is OUR part in this relationship God desires to have with us?

Think about this: When we walk or talk with a friend, we share concerns and news. We listen to and focus on each other. God wants exactly this kind of friendship with us! Even though we can’t physically see him, we can read the accounts of His directions to others and learn what pleases Him. We talk or pray to Him, telling him our thoughts (even though He already knows!) and listen to discern what He reveals as new guidance He has for us. At times, He brings answers to us through others, such as Christian friends, Biblical studies, and pastors. In these ways, we can learn more about this friend who is the most important of our lives!

Since God made men and women so that He could have a relationship with them, we feel a void or an emptiness when we don’t choose to speak to Him or hear Him and watch for His guidance. We can even begin to feel nervous, anxious, and afraid. We forget, temporarily, who has promised to “never leave us nor forsake us” as God told Joshua. After a while, something just doesn’t feel balanced; there’s no real peace or joy in our lives. Because God created us to connect with Him, it’s natural that we would sense that something is missing when we don’t keep up our end of the continuing conversation.

Some people say they don’t pray to God because they don’t know how. Is that how you feel?

Praying simply means talking with God. There is no right and wrong way. No magic words, only God’s power to know your true thoughts and heart desires. Begin like this:

God, I confess to you that I need you. I have done many things wrong and hurt others I really care about, and I long for you to forgive me. I am very sorry. I understand from the Bible that all I have to do is ask you to help me, and so I ask now. I want to totally turn away from the problems of the past and begin anew. I read that you wipe my filthy page of sins clean and don’t remember them anymore. Thank you! And thank you for sending Jesus into the world to be punished and die for my sins. I am glad to hear you raised Him from the dead, and He is alive in heaven now, like I will be in the future! I believe and accept this gift of eternal life you have given me, and I want you to guide me for the rest of my time on earth. I want to make you proud of me and see how sincere I am in wanting a better life, an eternal life in heaven with you when I die. Thank you so much!

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

“For I will forgive their wrongdoing, and I will never again remember their sins.” Hebrews 8:12

“As high as the heavens are above the earth, this is how great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our sins from us.” Psalm 103:11-12

How does someone become a Christian?

Sun, 06 Feb 2022 12:48:00 GMT

Answer: Often we ask, what evidence reveals that you are a Christian? Is it being born into a Christian family, attending church, having Christian friends, giving money to the church and charitable organizations, teaching Sunday school or Bible studies, going on mission trips to help others, or knowing what the Bible teaches? The answer may surprise you… no! You can do good works and help others daily, but that’s not what makes you a Christian. Many of these good results of being a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ, come later as your life begins to be transformed by God’s Holy Spirit, the part of our triune (3 parts) God that comes to live in us. Here’s the answer: We begin a new life as a Christian when we accept that Jesus Christ is God’s own Son who sacrificed His life on a cross to pay the penalty for mankind’s sins against God. That’s why it’s called a spiritual rebirth, or “being born again”. The apostle Paul, who wrote most of what we have in the New Testament of the Bible, was inspired by God to explain it this way:

“…Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive His new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. So, we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know Him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to Himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And He gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So, we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making His appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, ‘Come back to God!’ For God made Jesus Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” – From 2 Corinthians 5:14-21

The scriptures tell us that because God loves us so very much, long ago He sent Jesus into the world as a baby born in Bethlehem to grow and live among us, to teach us and die in our place, paying the debt we owed God due to our many sins. God arranged that the only way for us to be in a right relationship with Him was to receive His gift by accepting and believing the truth that Jesus’ death, and later resurrection, saved us from eternal punishment after our physical death on earth. In those days, God had instructed the people to sacrifice a lamb, one without spot or blemish, once a year in the temple, which paid the penalty of their sins so they could be forgiven. Jesus, because of His death on the cross, is known as the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world”. (John 1:29, Revelation 5:11-14)

“But, God, you are pure and cannot stand the sight of evil. Will you wink at their treachery? Should you be silent while the wicked swallow up people more righteous than they?” Habakkuk 1:13

Because our sins separated us from God, Jesus paid, in the only way possible, the penalty that finally made people right with God. And God accepted it! The only way to God was opened, and people could now be allowed into God’s presence in heaven because of Jesus’ payment – in full!

“Before He took His last breath from the cross, Jesus said, ‘It is finished!’ Then He bowed His head, died, and gave up His spirit.” John 19: 28-30

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

When you’ve accepted the free gift from God by believing that Jesus died for your sins, you can begin a relationship with God, praying and reading His guidebook, the Bible, so that you will know the choices that please Him.

The most important decision of your entire life is this – believing God’s message through the Bible that Jesus saved you! This once-and-for-all choice lasts FOREVER and can never be taken from you!

“And when you believed in Christ, he identified you and sealed you as His own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom He promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that He will give us the inheritance He promised and has purchased us to be His own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify Him.” Ephesians 1:13-14

Don’t put off making this life-altering decision! This determines your future, either in heaven with God or in hell with those who refused His offer of eternal life.

Would you like to be sure that you are a Christian? Pray or say something like the following paragraph now. They’re not magic words. God will hear your words and your thoughts, and He knows your heart!

Heavenly Father, I confess that I have done many evil things and I need the salvation, the way out of my downward spiral, that you freely offer me. Please forgive me of these past sins, all of my wrongdoing, and help me to live in a good relationship with you. I accept that Jesus Christ shed His own blood and died to save me, and I trust you that His death on the cross saved me. Thank you for accepting me, and help me to live the life now that you created me to live, the one that reflects well upon you. Amen!

If you prayed these words to God, your life will begin to be different now! You are counted as a child of God, adopted into His own family, with tremendous benefits!

Your sins have been forgiven.
Your name has been written in the Lamb’s (Jesus’) Book of Life.
You have begun a relationship with Jesus.
Heaven will be your eternal home…that means, forever!
You have been given the irrevocable gift of eternal life. God will never take back His gift to you.
You are now indwelt, empowered, and enabled to live by the Holy Spirit of God!

“When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” Paul in Ephesians 3:14-19

What happens to us as soon as we die?

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 20:13:00 GMT

Question: What happens to us as soon as we die?

Answer: The Bible has plenty to say about death and the eternal part of a person, the soul, that continues. One of the most wonderful passages in the Bible is when Jesus was teaching about the death of a poor man named Lazarus. In this account, Jesus revealed much about what comes next and gives us an exciting view of heaven! From Jesus’ own words:

“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with soresand longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.So, he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family,for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them. ’No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” Luke 16:19-31

What can you realize from this? If heaven is your destination, then you are escorted by angels to be with others who have arrived before you. There are two distinct places – heaven and hell. Heaven is pleasurable, while the alternative is a place of suffering. Those in Hades or Hell can see the inhabitants of heaven. The rich man could see, feel, hear, talk, and experience pain and need. There’s no communication allowed between the dead and those still living on earth. A person’s soul or spirit definitely lives on after the physical body dies, with memories of their earthly lives.

“Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God Who gave it.” Ecclesiastes 12:7

In another Biblical account, Stephen, a godly man, saw Jesus waiting for him in heaven as he was being killed for his support of the early church:

But Stephen, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, ‘Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” Acts 7:54-60

We know arrival in heaven is nearly instantaneous upon death because of what Jesus spoke while dying on the cross. Jesus has gone ahead to make ready a place for our souls to live:

“One of the criminals who hung there with Jesus hurled insults at him: ‘Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other criminal rebuked him. ‘Don’t you fear God,’ he said, ‘since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. ^’ Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’” Luke 23:39-43

Jesus said, “In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that 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 welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am. ” John 14:2-3

In another exciting preview of heaven, the Apostle Paul wrote these words about his own experience of seeing heaven even before he died:

“I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell, or whether out of the body, I cannot tell, only God knows) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell; God knows), how that He was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.” 2 Corinthians 12:1-4

Paul was so certain of his immortality and heavenly destination that he confidently wrote, “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:8) Many others were willing to suffer and sacrifice their lives because of the assurance of heaven. We are promised this when we follow Jesus, and the later judgment Paul went on to explain is not to decide whether Christians remain in heaven but to determine their rewards.

“While we labor, whether present in our bodies or absent, our aim is that we may be accepted by the Lord and please Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his earthly body, according to that he has done, whether it be good or bad.” (2 Corinthians 5: 9-10)

There is no waiting, no pause of existence once the body dies. Jesus demonstrated clearly that humans enter a different existence which can be fuller and much better than ever before! The disciple John observed almost indescribable beauty in heaven in the tour Jesus gave him, recorded in Revelation 4:

“After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, ‘Come up here, and I will show you what must come after this.’ At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on

the throne. And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the

throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the

seven spirits of God, and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.

And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front

and behind: The first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third

living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. And

the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and

day and night they never cease to say:

‘Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!’”

Let these promises from the Bible both encourage you AND warn you to decide now whether to make Jesus the Lord and Master of your life!

God has given you a choice, and it is a crucial, eternal choice that is yours alone to make. There is NO decision in all of your life that is more important than this.

If you want to be counted as one of God’s own family who has accepted His Son Jesus as Savior, say something like this:

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner, that I have done many things wrong. I’m very sorry for my bad choices in life, and I want to turn away from all of it and change. Please forgive me. I believe Jesus is your Son, that He died on a cross to pay the penalty for my sins, and you raised Him to life. I ask Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I trust Jesus as the one who saves me, and I will follow Him all the remaining days I have life, beginning now. Amen!

“It is because of this solemn fear of the Lord, which is ever present in our minds, that we work so hard to win others. God knows our hearts, that they are pure in this matter, and I hope that, deep within, you really know it, too.” Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:8

Will giving to the poor help me to be admitted into heaven?

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 20:26:00 GMT

Question: Will giving to the poor help me to be admitted into heaven?

Answer: While serving others is what God definitely calls us to do during this earthly life, there is no charity work that causes God to grant us permission to enter heaven! Eternity with God is not bought by us and our work, at all. Heaven is never earned but is a gift! Jesus knowingly and willingly paid that price for our tickets a long time ago on a cross. God accepts us as His children and admits us because we accepted this price that Jesus paid and now offers this gift to us. He was punished for the wrongs we have committed – past, present, and future. Once we’ve thanked Jesus for His sacrifice and allowed Him to be the leader or master of our lives, we are adopted into God’s own family – forever. Does it sound simple? It is, but not everyone takes this step of trust. The Bible says:

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many go that route. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and few choose to take it.” Matthew 7:13-14

Through the scriptures, God encourages us to help those who are in need with the talents and resources He has given us, to relieve suffering and make others’ lives better. God urged the apostle Paul to write that our willingness to give is more important than how much we donate to the poor or to the support of our church. Our attitude or reason for giving is what God really notices, not how many people we have aided. He desires that we give cheerfully, not because we feel we have to in order to avoid some kind of punishment from God.

“For if there is first a willing mind [to help others], it is accepted according to whatever someone has given…For I do not mean that you should help others and that your family go hungry. This time your abundance may supply what someone else needs; next time, they may be able to help you when you have needs.” 2 Corinthians 8:12-14

“So let everyone give as he decides in his heart, not with complaining or with griping; for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7

“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” Hebrews 13:16

“When you give to the needy, don’t announce it to everyone with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have already received their reward in full.” Matthew 6:2

In Matthew 25, Jesus explained to His followers how people will be rewarded in the future in heaven based on their relationship with Him and their treatment of Israel during the final days. The acts of mercy, compassion, and kindness that He mentioned are certainly good examples for us to imitate and are praiseworthy, although they are not the reasons for God’s great favor to us:

“Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, the times you did these for My brethren, you did it to Me.’ “ Matthew 25:31-46

Are you ready at any time to meet God and enter heaven? Did you think that you must first become a good enough person to be allowed in heaven? If you are not sure, pray now:

Jesus, thank you for taking the punishment on the cross and for giving your own blood as payment for the wrong things I’ve done. I am very sorry for my bad past and want to change the course of my life, but I don’t know how. I need you in my life! I understand now that I can never become good enough to earn the rights of heaven but only through a personal relationship with you. Please come into my life; be my Savior and lead me; help me every single day. Teach me to lead my life to make you proud of me. Amen!

Are astrology and horoscopes forbidden for Christians?

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 22:30:00 GMT

Question: Are astrology and horoscopes forbidden for Christians?

Answer: Horoscopes are in magazines and newspapers, but most people today may access the so-called “predictions” online. They may seem harmless, but are they? The Bible, God’s guidebook for our lives, warns on this topic.

Astrology is an ancient belief that the movement of the sun, moon, stars, and planets have some effect on human life on earth. Many today read their horoscopes “just for fun”. The Bible compares astrology with worshipping idols, “the worthless worship of the hosts of heaven which makes people worthless”, which led people long ago to take terrible, tragic further steps of sacrificing their children to man-made gods, seeking omens from the sky, consulting fortune tellers, and practicing magic (2 Kings 17:14-20). God created these beautiful objects seen the sky and used them as signs of HIS special events on earth. However, He did not design these to foretell future events. The Bible clearly shows that the heavenly bodies are only for astronomical and calendar purposes. Mentioned in the Bible are the constellations of The Bear, Orion, The Crooked Serpent, and The Pleiades, miraculous creations of God but never to be worshipped. He should ALWAYS be the ONLY one we worship in His Trinity – God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit – three, yet one.

“God said, ‘Let there be lights in the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for sacred times and seasons, and for days and years; and let them be for giving lights upon the earth.’” Genesis 1:14-15

“God determines the number of the stars; He gives to all of them their names.” Psalm 147:4

Sadly, Satan is always trying to lead people astray and into their own destruction! He has been at the same, dastardly cruel game since the Garden of Eden, when he lied to Adam and Eve that God was keeping secrets from them that could help them become “like God.” (Genesis 3)

Don’t confuse astrology with astronomy. Astronomy is the science of studying outer space, stars, and planets, which has nothing to do with astrology. The three famous wise men who traveled to see Jesus were led to His birthplace by a star that God caused to shine brightly for a brief time. Notice that the star did not cause Jesus’ birth! God used it only as a sign to help guide those who He sent to worship Jesus. (Matthew 2:1-9)

Even if you don’t read a horoscope, or, as some appropriately renamed it, “horror scope”, God warns against focusing ANY of your attention on a practice that could be dangerous to you and a bad example for others to follow. God is the ONLY one directing our future, and we should help others to understand this crucial, life-saving truth.

“Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and do not depend on your own thoughts or understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Have you ever invited Jesus to be YOUR leader and show you the right paths to take in life? Only He can see ahead and knows your future!

Being adopted into God’s family is not automatic when you are born but is a spiritual rebirth. It requires action on your part! The Bible explains that each one of us must ask or invite Jesus to be our Lord, our Savior, the one who saves us from eternal separation from God and punishment in hell. There are no magic words for this; God knows your heart. His words through the prophet Isaiah to the people of Israel demonstrate how God desires to connect and bond with all of those who seek Him throughout the ages:

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord…” Jeremiah 29:11-14

“The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: that if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with your heart, you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved. It is just as the Scripture says: ‘Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.’ For there is no difference between Jew and Greek: The same Lord is Lord of all, and gives richly to all who call on Him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” Romans 10:8-13

Call on Jesus now! He has sent you a gift to accept – His gift of eternal life. You may not have another opportunity so don’t put it off. Talk to Him and say something like this:

Jesus, thank you for taking the punishment on the cross, shedding your own blood for me, the penalty that I deserve for my sins. I’m very sorry for the wrong ways I have lived, caring nothing about you and doing only what I desired. Please come into my life and help me every moment from now on! I need you to transform my life so that it will be pleasing to you. I want to live forever in heaven with you when I die. Thank you! Amen!

Does the Bible tell the future?

Thu, 06 Jan 2022 12:36:00 GMT

Question: Does the Bible tell the future?

Answer: We take in a lot of information each day, thanks to the Internet. We access topics and news faster than has ever been possible, in fact, at nearly lightning speeds! Did you know that the Bible told us this would happen?

“But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal this record, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.” Daniel 12:4

“And in the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever…” Daniel 2:44

God inspired Daniel to write about the immediate future and the amazing events still to come in the last days of the earth. God knew our hunger for knowledge and experiences would grow. He wants us to have the right reasons for desiring to know more, or else our learning and advances won’t help us or anyone else.

“…always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 2 Timothy 3:7

Do we want to know more about God to help ourselves and others grow spiritually, or do we desire to know more just to impress others? In other words, is the information we are seeking helping us and others to reach our final, most important, destination? Learning more and more is worthless unless it’s helping us bring more people into heaven. What a great day it will be when we stand in the paradise of heaven and see all those we helped to grow in their faith!

“What does it profit someone to gain the whole world yet lose his own soul?” Jesus in Matthew 16:26

The Bible has a LOT to say about the future, and there’s too much about it to quote here. To summarize, society will make what men and women call “progress” but will continue to deteriorate in morality, crime, and widespread deception. Civilization is on a downward spiral. Jesus and His disciples taught that there will be more and more difficulties, especially for Christians. We can see for ourselves by studying the scriptures that much of what Jesus and the prophets He said and inspired men to write has already come to pass. Approximately 2,000 of the more than 2,500 events predicted in the Bible have already been fulfilled! That should be proof for anyone of the inerrancy and reliability of this miraculous book which continues to be maintained as accurate by the Holy Spirit of God.

“As Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will these things take place, and what will be the sign of your coming and the close of this age?’” Jesus in Matthew 24:3

Jesus’ own words to His followers are among the most quoted about the final days of the earth. We are certainly seeing the signs of the future He foretold now.

“You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end will still be yet to come. Nation will rise us against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of the birth pains. Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time, many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” Matthew 24:6-13

The most exciting to read is definitely what the last living disciple, John, recorded while living on the prison island of Patmos. Jesus surprised him one day and took him into heaven to reveal a panorama of the history of mankind and what will eventually take place. We know John’s record of this brief, incredible experience as the book of Revelation, or “The Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ”, the final part of the Bible. There are many studies available today that explain Revelation and are quite intriguing to examine.

Despite the terrible times that will come to the people of the earth in the future, our comfort is that Jesus will return to save those who follow Him and to usher in a new era in which His people will dwell forever! We know the ending, and for followers of Jesus, it’s all good! We may not understand the eternal significance of every upcoming event, but we do know that, whatever happens, God will keep caring and providing for us has He has done in the past, present, and future.

“Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please… what I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do.’ “ Isaiah 46:9-11

“And, when the Son of Man comes in His glory, all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.” Jesus in Matthew 25:31

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell 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!’ Then He said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’He said to me: ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End…’” Revelation 21:1-6

Are you certain that Jesus counts you as one of His own people, His followers, those who will live with him forever? If not, talk to Him and say something like this. There are no magic words! Just speak to God, from your heart:

Heavenly Father, I want to turn my life around and go in a new direction towards you, but I can’t do this on my own because I’ve tried and failed. I confess to you that I have committed many wrongs during my life and am very sorry for these sins. I need you and the salvation you offer so that I can be with you through eternity. Please forgive me and allow me to have a loving parent-child relationship with you from now on. I accept Jesus as my Savior who died on a cross to give His own blood to pay the penalty due to God for my sins. I trust what Jesus said on my behalf as He died, “It is finished!” I am so thankful He was resurrected from the dead and lives today. Thank you for saving me and accepting me! I long to follow your guidance every single day for the rest of my life and then enter heaven when I die. Amen!

If you chose to say this prayer sincerely to God, your future is now secure with Jesus. God promised He will be found by you when you look for Him “with all of your heart.” He ALWAYS keeps every promise!

“For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to hurt you, plans to give you a future and a hope. Then, you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13

Why do we feel depressed during holidays that should be happy times?

Thu, 16 Dec 2021 14:31:00 GMT

Question: Why do we feel depressed during holidays that should be happy times?

Answer : Many people suffer greatly from feelings of hopelessness and loneliness, especially during the holidays. They grieve for loved ones who have died, experience sadness for friends who are suffering in some way, long for happier times enjoyed in the past, or are exhausted from more-hectic-than-usual schedules of shopping and activities. Financial challenges are also a huge issue, as people try to balance their household budgets with their desires to bless others with generous gifts.

During celebrations, it can be difficult to narrow our focus away from materialism (idolatry!) to what really matters for eternity – our relationship with our Savior, Jesus. In December, we can get so busy preparing for dinners and parties and shopping for presents that we forget what the Christmas season of celebration is really about – the birth of our Lord. God knew that the people He created would never be satisfied with only the material possessions and pleasures of this world; He designed us to be fulfilled only when we are in a relationship with Him. So, when we are not having regular communication with Him, we don’t realize we’re out of balance until we begin to feel the effects of our distancing from Him, the loneliness and hopelessness. Have you heard the expression, if you are feeling far from God, guess who moved? Certainly, it was not God!

What we need is not more PRESENTS but HIS PRESENCE!

If you are feeling sad, practice this: Stop thinking of Christmas and think of CHRIST. Jesus came into the world to give you life and allow you to experience it more completely than ever before. That should make us very, very happy!

“I am the door; if anyone enters by Me, he will be saved…I have come that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” John 10:9-10

“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15:11

“…I speak God’s truths to the world, and I now come so that you will have My joy fulfilled in you.” John 17:13

Jesus clearly explained that the peace He gives you is not like the temporary peace that people and possessions can offer, but it is a deep knowing that He is with you at all times, and your future is safe and secure with Him. This is available only when you take attention away from worldly pastimes and spend time reading His Word, the Bible, and talking with Him. It’s important to gather with others and learn about Him as you study His scriptures. By now, you must have learned that there is NO peace or lasting happiness apart from Jesus!

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27

Do you long to be in a relationship with Jesus Christ and experience the peace that ONLY He can give you? Then, it’s time to talk with Him.

Pray or say this:

Dear Jesus, I am sorry that I have waited so long to tell you I am sorry for my past choices. I need you to come into my life. Thank you for loving me so much that you died on a cross to take the terrible punishment and pay the ultimate penalty for the wrongs I have committed during my life. I want to trust you and follow you all the days of my life, from this moment forward. I know you rose from the dead and are preparing a place for me to join you in heaven when I die. Thank you! I will join others in learning more about how to have a relationship with you and will talk with you daily to seek your guidance. Please help me to understand your plan for my life, one day at a time. Thank you for lovingly adopting me into your eternal family! Amen!

No Jesus, no peace. Know Jesus, know peace. –Anonymous.

Is there any way I can be sure that I will go to heaven when I die?

Fri, 26 Nov 2021 15:38:00 GMT

Question: Is there any way I can be sure that I will go to heaven when I die?

Answer: Yes, absolutely!

The Bible, God’s words of truth to us, assures us of His eternal salvation He offers for our souls. The soul is the part of us He created to live on forever, even after our earthly existence. However, living forever with God in heaven in the future is not automatic when we are born. Entering God’s family is a choice you must consciously make. Sadly, not everyone accepts His free gift. They think they must spend a lifetime earning their way there. That’s simply not possible! And we should be glad.

First, let’s look at the reasons that are definitely NOT signs or proof of our heavenly destination:

I attend church. I even teach Sunday school.
My parents and grandparents were Christians.
My family brought me up in church.
I know many Bible verses.
I give money to the church/a charity/the poor, etc.
I work hard to be good so God will accept me.

Now, here’s what WILL insure your acceptance into heaven. When your mind and heart are ready, you say:

Jesus, I accept your gift of your sacrifice on the cross for me. God accepted your blood to pay the penalty for my sins, and now I know am forgiven. I believe you are God’s Son and that you died, were resurrected to life, and are now with God in heaven, ready for me to join you in the future! Thank you! I want to follow you and have you guide me for the remainder of my earthly life.

If you’ve already asked Jesus to be the Master of your life, you may be having doubts that you are really a part of His family. You felt close to God in the past, but now, you’re not sure. One thing is certain: Feelings can’t be trusted! The answer is to look at the facts. You knew God was convincing your heart to turn from your sins and began to follow Him. You may have told Jesus this privately or shared your decision with others. The Bible proves that when you trusted Him to come into your life, you became a new person who will gradually be changed into someone with qualities like Jesus. The apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth that they were brand-new creations by God when they became Christians:

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

What holds us back from feeling assured, at times, is our own disconnect from God, or Jesus. He is still with you, even when you stray from spending time with Him in prayer. Praying or talking with Him every day, reading the Bible, and talking with other Christians is how God keeps us close to Him and progressing toward goals He has designed for us. Remembering these ways of communication with Him will move us forward and increase our understanding and our trust in Him. Paul called it, “renewing our minds”.

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2

When you ask Jesus into your life to save you, HE DOES…for forever! And you can be sure that you have been “sealed up for the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30

Jesus has these final words on the subject:

“For God loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not die but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never die; no one is able to snatch them out of my hand.” John 10:28

Will we receive rewards in heaven?

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 15:36:00 GMT

Question: Will we receive rewards in heaven?

Answer: Christians often ask whether the Bible gives any details about rewards in heaven, while they are in the eternal state of life. The main reason for the question is that people wish to know how to make sure those rewards will be waiting on them, too!

When we hear of a reward, we assume that it must be earned. What would you say that you do for God that might qualify you for some heavenly recognition? You may try to worship weekly, give offering money, help with Vacation Bible School, teach Sunday school, sing in a choir, or serve in the kitchen during church suppers. You may be surprised to learn that God is interested in the quality, not the quantity of your service. Future rewards have to do with your motive, your real reason for doing what you do. He is concerned with where your heart is. At times, our reason for helping others or for serving in church is to make others think well of us. It’s a human trait to like recognition from others for the nice things that we do. Here’s what Jesus said about it:

“Be sure that you do not do your charitable deeds before men to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward from your Father in heaven. So, when you do a good deed, do not sound a trumpet to attract attention to yourself like the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Surely, I say to you, they just received their only reward. But when you do kindly to others, do not let your right hand know what the other hand is doing so that your good work may be done in secret. Your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. “ Matthew 6:1-6

There are awards for other acts, like for enduring hardships, having great faith in God, standing up for the truth of Jesus, and trusting in Him. Only He knows exactly for what and how those benefits will be given. From the Bible, we know that they certainly will be given to us!

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.” James 1:12

The Biblical record has much to say about rewards. Here are several references:

“Blessed are you when people hate you, and criticize you, and call you evil, for my sake. Rejoice on those days and celebrate with joy, for your reward is great in heaven; for in the same ways, their ancestors also persecuted the prophets God sent to them.” Luke 6:23-24

“I, the Lord, search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds.” Jeremiah 17:10

The scriptures tell us that our basic motive for serving God and other people should always be love! When we don’t have love as our reason for helping out, the special gifts God has given each of us to use in service are misused and wasted.

“Now, we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then, we shall see face to face. Now, I know in part; then, I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now, these three remain: faith, hope, and love, but the greatest of these is love.” I Corinthians 13:12-13

“Each one’s work will become clear…fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work endures, he will receive a reward. Those whose work did not stand the test will not have those rewards but will still be saved, but only as through fire…” I Corinthians 3:13-15

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Jesus Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” 2 Corinthians 5:10

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rest destroy and where thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

Paul wrote that our salvation, or our place in heaven, never depends on receiving any extra rewards. We can’t earn our way into heaven by performing acts but just by doing one thing – trusting Jesus! It’s a free gift from God! We are always eternally secure when we have asked Jesus to come into our lives and be our ultimate leader and master. Ask Him to show you the best attitude to have in lovingly serving that will make Him proud of you!

“The Lord said to him, well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, and I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.” Matthew 25:21

Do you want to be sure that you will be have this joy in heaven with Jesus after you die?

Simply say this to God:

Dear God, I know that I have done so much wrong by my evil thoughts and acts. I am tired of living this way, and I want you to help me go in a new direction in life, towards you. I am very sorry for my wrongdoing; I want to leave all that behind and have you to forgive me. I believe that Jesus is your Son; I believe He died on the cross for my sins, and you raised Him to life again. I want Him to come into my heart right now and take control of my life. I will trust Jesus as my Savior and follow Him as my Lord from this day forward. I realize I can’t overcome my past without you in my life. I will follow you and stay on the right path because you’ll be helping me. Thank you!

In the Name of Jesus I pray, Amen!

How should people talk to God? Is there a right way to pray?

Wed, 10 Nov 2021 11:30:00 GMT

Question : How should people talk to God? Is there a right way to pray?

Answer: Talking to God, praying silently or out loud, is how our friendship with Him grows stronger. That’s extremely important, because He wants a relationship, a friendship, more than anything else from you! It’s not about your money or your time serving others, but your fellowship with Him. Praying is not only asking for His help, but also thanking Him for what he has already done. He helps believers all day, every day!

“…be thankful to Him and bless His Name…” Psalm 100:4

Would you believe that fear of prayer, being asked publicly to pray at church or gatherings, keeps some people from being there? I know it happens because that’s how I once felt. My friends told me they had the same fear. I used to avoid Sunday school or small Bible study groups for that reason – I was embarrassed that I wouldn’t have the right words to pray. Have you ever worried about this, too?

As I grew to understand God more, I learned that having what we perceive as the “right words” wasn’t important to God. I read in the Bible that Jesus addressed the subject of prayer numerous times. He explained that people should never pray with the intention of impressing God or other people by using particular words or phrases. Jesus drew intense anger from the religious establishment of His day because He strongly criticized the leaders of the synagogue for their insincere, public prayers. He said they were missing the entire point of praying:

“And when you pray, do not use vain, useless repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore, do not be like them. For you Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him…” Matthew 6:7-8

Jesus continues in that chapter of Matthew, giving His disciples a timeless example of how to talk to God. We know those verses as “The Lord’s Prayer”. ( Matthew 6:9-13 ) There are many studies available which detail those lines and explain them well. In today’s language, that prayer may sound quite formal. We are not expected to recite the prayer, word for word! The prayer is just an outline of thanksgiving and needs sharing we can certainly use in our conversations with our heavenly Father. When we pray, we are simply talking to God, with our words or silently with our hearts. He is our friend who wants to hear about our day, our concerns, and our questions (even though He already knows!). He is quite creative in answering, too! Reading the Bible daily is a helpful way of keeping the channel open for dialogue with Him as He guides your thoughts and answers your questions by showing you the solutions in those pages.

There are times when we are so upset or afraid that we want to pray but just don’t seem to be able to. This happens often during a time of grief. God anticipated that, of course, and supplies us with His own Spirit, His Holy Spirit, which prays for us and through us.

“And in the same way, the Spirit helps us during our weak times, when we don’t know what we ought to pray for, but this Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purposes.” Romans 8:26-28

Try it! Talk daily with this life-long friend who you can always trust. When you are accustomed to talking with Him in private, you will be more relaxed to pray in the presence of others, who will benefit from your examples of conversing with and trusting God. Sometimes, God answers in AMAZING and UNEXPECTED ways!

“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him belongs the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20

You can talk or pray right now! Include your gratitude for what He has done, as well as your concerns, requests, and questions.

Here’s one example, and you can and should, of course, customize this to fit your life situation. Just talk with Him. He is listening 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:

God, you have been so kind and loving to me during the years of my life, and I haven’t always realized it and acknowledged it. You are such a great God, and I am so happy you love me and care about me. I am amazed that you sent your Son, Jesus, into the world to save me. Thank you so very much! I am sorry for my mistakes and bad choices and want to turn my life in a new direction. I have already tried and failed. I can’t do this by myself. Please send your Holy Spirit to guide me and protect me each day. I want to make better decisions and learn to have a humble mindset so you will be proud of me. But, I understand, that you accept me even before I clean up my life. I know it will take a lifetime to help me become the person you want me to be, but I want to try my best every day to allow you to transform me. I don’t understand why certain things happen to me, but I know you are in control of everything and have a plan for my life that is not always easy. I trust you. Come and live in me, God, Jesus, Holy Spirit! Amen.

I am a Christian but still make mistakes. Might God block me from entering heaven?

Fri, 05 Nov 2021 11:11:00 GMT

Question: I am a Christian but still make mistakes. Might God block me from entering heaven?

Answer: There is only one reason a person is not allowed to enter heaven: Never accepting Jesus’ gift to you of eternal life. During your earthly life, this is the only time you can make this choice.

If you have become a Christian, you accepted this free gift of life and love God offered you, to be forgiven of ALL the wrongs you’ve done. God forgave you because someone else was punished in your place. That someone was Jesus! His sacrificial death on a cross paid your bill. Then, because God could see your entire life at a glance, He forgave you of all sins or wrongdoing – past, present, and future! God sees your heart and recognizes that you are, hopefully, continuing to repent or turn away from wrong actions and thoughts. God doesn’t EVER take His gift of eternal life back because of your struggles in following the perfect examples set by His own Son, Jesus. When you made the decision to follow Jesus and enter the family of God, you began a lifelong path of transformation which the Spirit of God accomplishes for you. This Holy Spirit entered you and remains in you always, reminding you of what God desires and expects.

The Bible, God’s authoritative word, tells us that heaven has a roll book called “The Lamb’s Book of Life”. Jesus is called “The Lamb” because God allowed His blood to be shed as He died on the cross as the payment, or atonement, that made human beings right with God. Christians’ names are recorded in this book! Jesus called believers “overcomers” because we overcome sin in our lives by putting our faith in Him to guide, help, and save us. Even though we are called overcomers, He is the one who really does all the work on our behalf. We continue to ask for His help daily in making good decisions that please Him.

“He who overcomes shall be clothed in white, and I will no not blot out his name from the Book of Life…” Revelation 3:5

In the original language, the Greek double negative “no not” puts great emphasis on the truth that a name is NEVER erased from the Book of Life. No bad behavior or mistakes ever gets you blocked or deleted! Becoming a Christian is PERMANENT. You belong to God’s family FOREVER!

“And I [Jesus] give them eternal life, and they shall never perish [in heaven] neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand.” John 10:28-29

“All those that the Father gives to Me [Jesus] will come to Me, and the one who comes I will by no means cast out.” John 6:37

“…God has sealed us and given us the Holy Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee [of being saved from hell for heaven] …” II Corinthians 1:21-22

“…the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption [until heaven].” Ephesians 4:30

“…you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance [of heaven] …” Ephesians 1:13-14

Isn’t the term “sealed” an enormous comfort? It means airtight, impervious, complete, finished, or final. In other words, safe from destruction, deletion, or erasure. The Bible is absolutely clear that God’s seal of ownership on a believer cannot be erased or changed.

Is your name written in this Lamb’s Book of Life? Don’t put it off! Don’t wait.

If you are ready to become part of God’s family, say this:

Dear Jesus,

I know that I have lived my life committing many wrongs. I am sorry for these sins, and I want to turn away from this terrible, downward spiral and begin over as clean and new. Thank you for dying on a cross so God will forgive me and allow me to live past this present life in such a wonderful place as heaven! I accept that you loved me so much that you were punished and died for me, and I know you are, at this very moment, sending your Spirit into me to help me become the person you want me to be. I am very thankful you were resurrected from the dead after dying on the cross and are fully alive now with God. I look forward to living forever, as you do. I trust you right now, Jesus, with everything and everyone in my life. I will follow you and talk with you from this day forward. Thank you! Amen.

What is most important to accomplish for God while I am living this life on earth?

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 14:07:00 GMT

Question: What is most important to accomplish for God while I am living this life on earth?

Answer: People believe they must do great works for God in order to finish this life on a high note and hear, as Jesus once said, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:23) The Lord does, indeed, have a purpose for each of us and equips us to make a difference in the lives of others. Most of all, He desires a relationship with us, walking and talking together. As our heavenly Father, He wants time with His children – us! That shouldn’t be so surprising, but it is.

Just think about it for a moment:

The God of the universe wants to spend time with you daily. You!

“With what shall I come before the LORD and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?

Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:6-8

Our own ideas that we need to perform outstanding acts and satisfy certain goals reveal a basic misunderstanding – that we must somehow earn our way to reach God and heaven. Nothing could be further from the truth! There is absolutely nothing we can do to purchase God’s favor except one thing – to put our total trust in Jesus, His Son, and accept the free gift that was bought with His blood for us on the cross. When Jesus died, God accepted His blood as payment for the debt we owed due to our many sins. Jesus did this for each of us because He loved us that much. He told his disciples:

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down His own life for His friends.” John 15:13

Our time on earth is short.

Purpose to enjoy your time here now, getting to know your Father in heaven through reading the Bible and hearing it taught, studying with friends, and listening and talking with God. Getting to know God and sensing His presence and His guidance will change your life: You will have deep and lasting peace!

Pray or say this to God now:

Heavenly Father, I know I have sinned in my life, and these wrongs were against you. I need you in my life; I need you to save me from mental, physical, and spiritual destruction at my own hand. Please forgive all of my wrongdoing and let me live in a right relationship with you from now on. Today, I want to receive Jesus as my own Savior, and I trust that He gave His life to save me when he sacrificed His own blood by dying on a cross. Thank you so much for saving me and accepting me. Help me to live a life that makes you proud of me. Amen!

“For it is by God’s grace or favor you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8

Why did God place me in this life? Is it my only chance to live on the earth?

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 14:05:00 GMT

Question: Why did God place me in this life? Is it my only chance to live on the earth?

Answer: This life is a one-time experience God has offered you. There is no second time around. The Bible is exceedingly clear that no reincarnation is possible. THIS IS IT! The human spirit or soul lives on forever, either in heaven or hell.

“…it is appointed for men to die once but after this, the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27

God created you as one-of-a-kind. He has special purposes for you and your life. First and foremost, He wants a loving relationship with you! Imagine this – the God of the universe made you and placed you in your life so He could be with you every single day and night! By all means, recognize and acknowledge Him!

When you put your trust in God, nothing in His plans for you will be left undone or unaccomplished by the end of your life. He will act through you. Second, He wants you to love and care for others. Jesus said that when we take care of others’ needs, He counts it as though we did it directly for Him! ( Matthew 25: 40, 45 ) This achieves another goal God has for believers, of bringing honor, renown, and “glory” to Him as a sign and example to others who are watching.

If you knew today or this week was your last one to live on earth, what would you do differently?

Pray more?
Tell more people about Jesus?
Show more care or affection to your family?
Call someone you haven’t talked to lately?
Take more time to be with special friends?
Do special favors for others?

So that you will have no regrets at the close of your life, ask Jesus every day to be your guide and lead you everywhere you should go to serve Him and others. Ask Him to lead you to talk with people He would have you to learn from, help, and encourage. Be assured, He will be present and working alongside you all day, wherever you go. Demonstrating His love is the true goal! If you don’t act out His love to others, how will they know of His love for them?

“Jesus said to him: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with your whole soul, and with your whole mind…And love your neighbor like you love yourself. On these two commandments depend all of God’s law and the teachings of the prophets.”

Matthew 22:35-40

Have you accepted Jesus’ free gift to you of living eternally with Him in heaven in the future? If you want to be sure, pray or say this to Him:

Jesus, I know I have committed many wrongs during my life, and I want to be forgiven. I know that you died on a cross to take my punishment from God so that my sins would not count against me. Thank you! Come into my life right now and show me how you want me to live every day. I want t o be with you forever! Amen.

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Who or what is the Holy Spirit?

Sat, 09 Oct 2021 12:32:00 GMT

Question: Who or what is the Holy Spirit?

Answer: The Bible refers to the Holy Spirit as the “Spirit of God”, “Holy Ghost”, and “The Spirit”. Jesus explained that the Holy Spirit is a person, one of the three parts of God: Father (God), Son (Jesus), and Holy Spirit. Unlike Jesus Christ, neither God nor this Spirit have never lived as humans on earth. It has only been Jesus’ particular role among this “Trinity” to accomplish that. As Jesus taught His own followers about the Spirit, He explained:

“…if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when the Holy Spirit has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment…He will guide you to all truth…He will tell you of things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take what is Mine and declare it to you…” John 16:8-14

The Holy Spirit still does all of this and even more for each of us!

Before you decide to follow God’s direction for your life, the Holy Spirit communicates to you that you need to change and shows you the wrongs you are committing. When you become a Christian, Jesus immediately sends the Holy Spirit into your heart and mind to live in you or “indwell” you. The Bible also describes this one-time event as being like a “baptism” or complete immersion into the Holy Spirit. You may or may not feel different right way. There is no work or act that you must perform to receive the Spirit, other than asking God and believing His Son Jesus died to pay to save you from the penalty of your sins. It is a gift from God that you never earned, and you accept that free gift.

Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you will be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38

“For just as the human has many parts, the parts make up one body. So, it’s the same with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, Greeks, slaves, or free persons. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we share this same Spirit.” I Corinthians 12:12-13

At this beginning point of confessing belief to God, The Holy Spirit “seals” the new believer for eternity so that your future with God is secure! (Ephesians 1:13) This Spirit stays with you throughout the entire earthly life to support and help you in every way, transforming you into the person He has destined you to be. There are so many other benefits of the Spirit’s constant, 24/7 presence. For example, He:

Prays with you and for you

Shows you right from wrong and truth from lies

Helps you grow closer to God

Allows you to feel God’s love and peace in your heart and mind

Enables you to love for others, showing sincere kindness and concern

Directs you to make good choices that aid and grow you and other people

Cautions you about danger and redirects your path away from it

Increases your understanding of God, the Bible’s teachings, and spiritual matters

Reveals new ideas and information to your mind

Prompts us to come together with people who we need and who need us

Sends you the right words to say to others

Gives you comfort, courage, strength, patience, self-control, and His power

Brings back memories from the past and helps you recall information

Grants you special gifts, abilities, and skills to serve others

Develops new artistic and intellectual abilities

Allows you a miraculous ability for a specific task

The Bible shows that this Spirit was present when the world was created (Genesis 1:2) . Crucially, the Holy Spirit of God inspired men to write down all of what we know as the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:21). And He has also kept the Bible’s scriptures from errors ever since. Because of this shield of protection of God’s truths, we can know that we have all that God chose for us to know about Him.

The greatest benefit of having God’s Spirit in your daily life is the peace in relying on His perfect power, on His perfect path, and moving closer to His perfect conclusion of our life’s race to the finish line – heaven!

Is God’s Spirit living in you?

If you have asked Jesus to be the leader of your life, then the Holy Spirit is already living in you. If you have never asked Jesus to enter your life, you can pray, or say this now:

Jesus, I am sorry for the wrong things I have done. I want to totally change, and I just can’t do this by myself because I have already tried and failed. Thank you for taking the punishment for my sins by dying on a cross. I understand that your own blood paid the price to God to erase my sin record so I could be clean. I need you to come into my life and be my Master, my Lord, forever. Thank you for sending your Holy Spirit to remain with me from now on! I want to experience the ultimate joy, peace, and contentment that others enjoy because they have been adopted into your family. – Amen!

Is there any proof that Jesus rose from the dead? Where is Jesus now?

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 15:42:00 GMT

Question: Is there any proof that Jesus rose from the dead? Where is Jesus now?

Answer: The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the central focus of the Christian faith, and many of the witnesses to that fact were tortured and died while proclaiming that it really was true! The fact of the resurrection has been called the most important event in human history and is supported by evidence detailed in the Bible. Enemies of the early Christian church said Jesus’ followers “turned the world upside down” ( Acts 17:6 ) with their eyewitness accounts of seeing Jesus after His death, talking and eating with Him, and hearing Him speak throughout the 40 days after His resurrection. After Jesus came back to life after the crucifixion and burial, the early devout Jewish followers of Jesus began meeting on Sunday rather than on the Sabbath day of Saturday, since Jesus had risen from the dead on a Sunday morning. His resurrection changed their lives and their worship, and it empowered and emboldened believers to proclaim everywhere the miraculous news of those events.

“I am the disciple who testifies of these things and wrote these accounts; and we know that my testimony is true. And there are also many other things that Jesus did (after He was resurrected), which, if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” John in John 21:24-25

“…Jesus was buried and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Peter, then by the twelve disciples. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, most of whom are still alive today, but some have died since then. After that, He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then, last of all I saw Him also, long after the others, as though I had been born almost too late for this.” Paul in I Corinthians 15:4-8

After those forty days of spending time with His disciples and many others, Jesus ascended into the sky and into heaven before the eyes of His followers. Two men in white apparel appeared next to them and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come back in the same manner as you saw Him leave for heaven.” Luke in Acts 1:9-11

The Bible explains that Jesus is in heaven now, preparing a place for all people who will join Him there in the future. The apostle Paul spoke numerous times with Jesus after He had entered heaven ( Acts 9: 1-9, Galatians 1:11-20), and Stephen announced that he could see the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right of God’s throne ( Acts 7:54-60 ). The disciple John, in his old age, recorded the most exciting scenes ever documented in human history in Revelation 21:2 :

“ I, John, saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb (Jesus) shall be in the new city.” Revelation 22:3

The next event on God’s calendar will be the coming of Jesus back to earth for his followers, to take them with Him into heaven ( I Thessalonians 4:16-17 ). For all people who have asked Jesus to be their Master and Savior, this will be a fabulous day! Each person who believes or is “saved” will have life that lasts forever after their physical death, just like Jesus has!

Have you ever asked Jesus to be your own Savior, to lead you, to save you?

Pray or say this to Him:

Jesus, I have read in the Bible that you came to earth to sacrifice yourself by dying on a cross because of your love for me and for all men and women. I realize now that I have committed many sins during my life, and that God cannot allow me in His holy presence because of that. I thank you that you willingly paid the penalty with your blood that now completely erases my sin record. You said on the cross, “It is finished!” I am sorry for my sins and so very thankful that I am counted as clean in God’s eyes, my terrible sin-filled past has been eliminated in your eyes forever, and I can enter heaven and God’s presence when I die. Please guide me and help me to obey and please you all the remaining days of my life. Thank you, dear Jesus, for this fantastic gift of eternal life and joy! Amen! (John 19:28-30)

“If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.”

Paul in Romans 10:9-10

JESUS IS LORD OF ALL!

Will God do anything for Christians when they pray?

Sat, 25 Sep 2021 11:48:00 GMT

Question: Will God do anything for Christians when they pray?

Answer:

“For everyone who asks receives…What man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a rock? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a snake? If you, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” Matthew 7:8-11

These were words that Jesus Himself spoke. So, why hasn’t He given you everything you have prayed for? The Bible also has that answer:

“You ask and do not receive because you ask for wrong things and with the wrong motives so that you may spend it on pleasures.” James 4:3

You may be wondering, are there magic words that must be spoken in order to get God to automatically grant my requests? No.

Will God do anything I ask if I just have enough faith? No.

Instead of expecting God to send what YOU have decided that you need, perhaps you should pray as Jesus did. He demonstrated to His disciples that the right way to ask God the Father for anything is in His model of what we call “The Lord’s Prayer”:

“…that your kingdom would come and your will would be done on earth, like it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10

God is not like a vending machine which releases whatever item you select. The Bible explains that God doesn’t do everything you ask because you often desire what will only benefit you. God only allows you what He knows will help you and, many times, what will benefit others, too. Amazing, He can see your entire future and has a plan for your life. He will guide all circumstances to fully accomplish His goals for you when you are a Christian. Keep in mind that God does this for His children, those who have accepted Jesus as His Son, who came into the world to save men and women. Are you a follower of Jesus, a Christian?

“And we know that God works all things together for good for those who love Him and have been called to accomplish HIS purposes.” Romans 8:28

If your prayer has not been answered – yet – maybe the answer is no. Or, at least not right now. Don’t become discouraged and think that God doesn’t hear you or care. He must have a different and even better plan ahead for you! God waits until the time is just exactly right to give you His very best BECAUSE HE LOVES YOU SO MUCH!

Keep praying and watching for the answer God will show you. Be ready for a much better resolution than you had even hoped for!

“ Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” The Apostle Paul in Ephesians 3:20

Are you unsure whether you have ever asked Jesus to come into your life and lead you? Are you discouraged that you have prayed and not received God’s answer? Pray, which means to talk about this with God:

Dear God,

I know that Jesus is your son who died on a cross to take the punishment for my sins. I admit that I have sinned against you all my life, and I thank you for instantly forgiving me! I understand that you now look upon me as forgiven, and I am beginning over with a clean slate. Thank you for loving me and assuring me you will welcome me into your awesome, magnificent presence when I die and arrive in heaven. What a huge gift from you and a relief to know I have such a happy future! I want you to show me how to follow your teachings each day that you’ve preserved for me in the Bible as I learn more from Jesus’ example and guidance. I just can’t thank you enough for your Holy Spirit’s presence with me every day, walking with me through every single situation that will happen in my life.

Amen!

What does God say about worry, fear, and anxiety? What can we do?

Fri, 17 Sep 2021 11:32:00 GMT

Question : What does God say about worry, fear, and anxiety? What can we do?

Answer : The Bible says much about worrying and being afraid. In it, we read that Jesus taught us not to worry. It is all right to be concerned about a present situation and take appropriate action to avoid problems. Concern often has to do with examining a current choice you must make. It’s wise to be concerned enough to correct a possible mistake and plan better for the future. However, worry can develop next, and then, fear! Sometimes it’s about the future and others’ actions, over which we may have little control. The good news, though, is that God does! God is on high; He is in control!

“Don’t be anxious (worried) over anything, but in every situation, while thanking God, tell Him your requests. And the peace of God, which transcends all our understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about these things.” Philippians 4:6-8

To be sure, worry is NOT in Jesus’ plan for you, and it’s terrible for your health! As you probably already know, these are just SOME of the BAD effects of worrying and being fearful:

Depression

Poor appetite

Weight loss or gain

Lack of sleep

Reduced job performance

Problems in relationships

Changes in heart rhythm

Constant anxiety

Higher blood sugar

Lowered immune system

Fatigue, and headaches, to name a few.

It can make you feel terrible just to read the list!

Here’s the GOOD news! Jesus knew ALL the things people worry about and are afraid of, and he addressed the topic with His followers and a crowd:

“Which of you by worrying can add any inches to his height? … So, do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat, or drink, or wear?’ For unbelievers worry about many things. Your heavenly Father knows what you need. But seek first His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you, as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:27-34

Did you notice that Jesus assured them of His comfort because He knew that they faced problems daily? He indicated that having to face problems will continue. He meant, it’s a part of everyday life on earth.

Corrie Ten Boom, a Christian who was a World War II concentration camp survivor, wrote that worrying does not help us be stronger for tomorrow, but that it makes us carry two days of worry at a time. She said it only drains us today of our strength. How true!

Do you know the answer to worry and being afraid of what might happen? Here it is:

PRAY, or tell, Jesus what’s on your mind, and TRUST Him to lead you. He will guide you to deal with it!

The scriptures show that God told people many times not to worry or be afraid:

“…Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert.” I Peter 5:7

“Haven’t I commanded you, be strong and have courage. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will hold you up with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

For more on what the Bible says about worry and fear, search those words, along with the word, Bible, on the Internet. God offers us plenty of comfort and peace in His wonderful scriptural record! Turn your eyes FROM the problems and TO the problem-solver – JESUS.

In closing, here’s one of my favorites. It’s time to trust Jesus and move ahead:

“You [God] will keep the person in perfect peace whose mind is focused on you, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3

Must I develop great faith first for God to answer my prayers and heal me?

Fri, 10 Sep 2021 11:34:00 GMT

Question: Must I develop great faith first for God to answer my prayers and heal me?

Answer: God always keeps His promises, and the Bible says He hears the prayers of all people and responds according to His will for their lives. In James 5:16 , the apostle Paul recorded that prayer for yourself and others is vitally important:

“Confess your sins to one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (New King James version)

“Admit your faults to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous man has great power and wonderful results.” (Living Bible version)

Old Testament scriptures reveal that, long ago, people thought that sickness was a result of a person’s sin, which was not always the case. In the New Testament, Jesus and His disciples compassionately healed many people, both believers and unbelievers, who came to them. Those miracles were meant to authenticate Jesus’ power over disease and death; this was intended by God to point to Jesus as the Messiah that Israel had been anticipating. In another well-known example, Paul, who God’s Holy Spirit led to write much of the New Testament, reported that God had chosen not to heal him, even though he prayed numerous times ( 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 ). If great faith were required to get answers from God, and Paul didn’t have enough faith to be healed, then how could anyone else ever receive healing from our God? So, we see that the measure of faith is not a requirement for healing!

Some people today say that it is God’s will that everyone who prays will be healed, but biblically, this is not true. If it were, then those who prayed would always get well and never die. Even during Jesus’ ministry in His country, He and His disciples did not heal all the sick. The simple truth is, God decides for Himself whether healing is in His plan and His perfect timing for a person’s life. Remarkably, when He does heal, God heals directly, with or without our prayers! Often, He guides the medical profession to help us. Jesus taught His disciples to pray for what God knows is best for the future of everyone:

“…that your will would be done here on earth like it is in heaven.” Luke 11:2

Be assured, God always hears your prayers when you ask for His help. Does He send healing any time that you ask for it? Not everything you ask for fits into God’s plan that He has for you ANDfor others. Just as God had greater purposes to be accomplished through Jesus’ healings, He has greater, eternal purposes for bringing people across your path who are suffering. Pray for the healing of the sick, but, more importantly, pray for both you and others to become believers, or followers of Jesus Christ. A person’s spiritual condition is much more urgent than his present physical state. God’s top priority is to heal someone spiritually; the earthly body will not last long, but the spirit or soul will live on forever in either heaven or hell. He wants all people in reside in heaven with Him! Whatever your disease, our God, the “Great Physician,” is certainly able to heal you.

“Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed.” Jeremiah 17:14

“I have seen his ways, and will heal him.” Isaiah 57:18

Ask God for His ultimate purposes to be accomplished in your life and those you pray for. God has a track record of answering us in unexpected ways with His unlimited power!

“Behold, I am the Lord the God of all mankind. Is there anything too hard for me?” Jeremiah 32:27

Does Hell really exist? Why did a loving God create such a place?

Tue, 07 Sep 2021 12:03:00 GMT

Question: Does Hell really exist? Why did a loving God create such a place?

Answer: Jesus explained that Hell, the “everlasting fire”, is a place God created for the devil and the angels who were cast from Heaven with him because they disobeyed God (Matthew 25:41) The Bible shows that, long ago, Lucifer, known to us as the Devil, was God’s number one angel in heaven. Tragically, He became conceited and power-hungry and rebelled against God and led other angels to team up with him. As a result, God threw them out of Heaven and into the confines of the planet Earth (Ezekiel 28, Isaiah 14, Revelation 12).

Hell was described by Jesus Himself as suffering and torture in flames, constant memories of missed heavenly opportunity, sorrowful regret of having no blessed afterlife, and permanent separation from God and blessings others are enjoying in heaven (Luke 16:23-25). Hell is referred to as “the pit beneath” (Isaiah 14:9, 15; Ezekiel 32:18-21) and the “abyss” (Revelation 9:2). In the future, the Devil and those who followed him “will be cast into a lake of fire and be tormented forever and ever. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in God’s Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:11-15).

The cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death (Revelation 21:8)

God loved mankind so much that He created a way for everyone to be able to join Him in Heaven! People had to become holy and pure, as God is, without sin, because no one with sin, or evil, can be in God’s presence. God wanted to allow people the freedom to choose their own destiny – Heaven or Hell. So, here was God’s plan: He sent His only Son Jesus into the world to live as a human being and to sacrifice His life for the sins of men. Throughout history, many people have not accepted that free gift from Jesus and have died and were punished for their own sins by living eternally in Hell. God will not force anyone to love Him and reside in heaven with Him who preferred to live without Him on Earth. Those who chose to be independent of God would not be happy to be with Him forever in heaven:

Do you know that the wicked will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither fornicators, adulterers, prostitutes, homosexuals, idolaters, thieves, drunkards, slanderers, swindlers, nor the greedy will inherit the Kingdom of God. And such were some of you, but you were washed, you were set apart, you were justified in the Name of the Lord JESUS and the Holy Spirit of our God. I Corinthians 6:9

In the scripture above, did you notice the words were and but ? ALL of mankind has sinned and needs God’s forgiveness to be saved from a future in Hell. No matter what happened in a person’s past, there is a better way forward. God’s love through Jesus gives people this miraculous, wonderful way out, a place of unending love and joy in what God calls “Heaven” – a real destination! This is what Christians refer to as “salvation”, or “being saved”.

Will you, in spirit form at your physical death, go to Heaven after you’ve lived your brief time on Earth? Have you called on Jesus to save you from having to pay for your own sins through punishment?

Whoever calls on the Name of Jesus will be saved. (Romans 10:13)

Want to know how to “call on the Name of Jesus” and accept Jesus’ loving, free gift of forgiveness so that you will never be penalized by going to Hell?

Pray, or say this:

Jesus, I am sorry for the bad, selfish ways in which I have lived my life, hurting others and myself, ignoring you, and doing a great many things that I know are shameful. I admit that I need God’s forgiveness, and I thank you for suffering a terrible death on the cross to pay the penalties for all of my sins. Now, I understand that I can simply accept your gift of this to me, and I do that right now. I want you to begin to transform my life so I can be the person you have destined me to be, in every way. Show me what you would have me to change, day by day. Bring others into my path to guide me and teach me your ways. Reveal where you would have me to go to by taught your truths from your scriptures. Open my mind to understand whenever I read your guidebook for my life, the Bible. Thank you, Jesus! I will follow you from now on!

Is it true that God won’t give you more than you can handle?

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 17:13:00 GMT

Question : Is it true that God won’t give you more than you can handle?

Answer: The passage from the Bible you are referring to is often misquoted and, therefore, greatly misunderstood!People share those ideas from an earnest desire to comfort others who have suffered painful losses, such as the death of a loved one, the elimination of a job, an accident, or an illness. These particular scriptures teach about resisting temptation, and that it is always possible turn away from doing evil.

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. I Corinthians 10:13

Do you see the similarity and how mentioning only part of the verse could cause error?

The question is, does God allow more to come into your life than you can handle? The answer is, yes! And for good reasons. We’ll get to that in a moment, but first, let’s go back to the subject of temptations.

Since some people mistakenly thought God might tempt them to do evil in order to test them in some way, God inspired James, the half brother of Jesus, to set the record straight: People are never tempted by God. The devil and his cohorts are the culprits who tempt, but they can’t be with all people at once, as God certainly is. Most of the time, people suffer from their own bad choices.

Let no one say when he is tempted, “God is tempting me! For God cannot be tempted by evil, not does He Himself tempt anyone. But each person is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. James 1:13-14

Now, for the answer you were seeking: Nowhere in the Bible does it say that God shields people, even Christians, from all trouble. In fact, Jesus warned His disciples that, while on earth, they would definitely face problems and hardships. Deaths, accidents, and illnesses are all common to being human and living in a world which is not a paradise. But paradise is promised to followers of Jesus Christ, or Christians, in the future. The Bible details many times in history that God did, indeed, choose to save His people from crises; however, it’s not in His plan for everyone all of the time.

I have told you these things, so that in Me, you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. Jesus in John 16:33

Importantly, the reasons God DOES allow trouble we cannot handle on our own is He wants us to ask Him for help and deliverance, depend on Him, and give Him the credit the scriptures call “giving God the glory”. He wants to use these times to draw us closer to Him so that He can envelop us in His Fatherly love and nurture the Father-child relationship. Does He always deliver us and solve the problems? The deliverance is sometimes “from” the crisis and at other times “through” these dark, deep valleys of life.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rives, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord you God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior… Isaiah 43:2-3

Pray and ask God to give you the strength to follow His guidance through these hard days and possible more to come. His power is absolutely limitless, and He is definitely certainly willing to help you when you ask. He can give you His peace and His strength even during the most painful times of your life.

Surely, I am with you always, even until the very end… Jesus in Matthew 28:20

Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God, I will strengthen you. I will uphold you with the right hand of My righteousness… Isaiah 41:10

God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in times of trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, even though the earth be removed and the mountains be thrown in to the sea… Psalm 46:1-2

Several friends shared their opinions with me regarding a decision I need to make. Does God send messages to us through others?

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 00:06:00 GMT

Question: Several friends shared their opinions with me regarding a decision I need to make. Does God send messages to us through others?

Answer: You are correct to realize that not all friends will give you the right answer, which is God’s solution to the problem, and that you could make a bad choice based solely on others’ ideas. Be especially careful when asking for advice from someone who is not a Christian because his values will not be the same as yours, especially if you desire to please Jesus Christ with your life. Well-meaning people can sometimes give wrong guidance when it’s based on their own experiences and personal opinions.

First, pray and ask God what to do.

Ask specifically whether you should talk with a friend, and if so, which one. God is certainly able to let you know what to do, even without your consulting anyone else. You never have to depend on others to let you know God’s will for your life. When you ask Him, He will answer you in some way!

Hear my prayer, Lord…I trust you; cause me to know the way in which I should walk. Psalm 143:1, 8

Secondly, spend time with those who are Christians. You don’t have to consider the matter alone; you and a trusted friend or mentor can keep the matter private. It’s not a good idea to share a personal issue with too many people. Sometimes, you may want to share with only one other friend to make sure your personal life doesn’t become the town’s gossip. Remember to ask your friend to wait and pray about the facts and situation before answering you. Not rushing someone to answer you will allow him or her the opportunity to ask for God’s direction, too. Then, get back together and compare your answers. A key could be that you both feel led by God in the same path to take.

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow evil men’s advice, who don’t spend time around unbelievers, criticizing and making fun of the things of God. But they delight in doing everything God wants them to, and day and night are thinking about His laws and ways to follow Him more closely. Psalm 1:1-2

Finally, read the Bible for yourself. When you do, you will easily recognize right from wrong choices.

How can a young person lead a clean life before God? By reading God’s Word. With my whole heart I have asked you, God, what to do. Help me to obey your commandments. I have hidden your words in my heart and mind so I will always remember what you consider as sin. Psalm 119:9-11

How can you make sure you are understanding what God wants you to do?

He will give you a certain peace of mind about what decision to make. Don’t let your emotions cause you to act too quickly just so you can be rid of the problem. God’s way may not be the fastest and easiest way to resolve your issue, but it will definitely be the best way to benefit both you – and others, at the same time!

Here’s a prayer to help:

Dear Jesus, you know quite well the decision I have to make. You already know all the details since you know everything about me. Please give me the peace of knowing that I’m making the right choice, the one that keeps me on the path you have for my future. Because you love me so much that you died on a cross to save me from eternal punishment, I trust that you will never lead me to do wrong. Thank you for loving me and those dear to me and walking with me every step of every day so that I am never alone!

And we know that God works all things together for good for those who love Him and have been called by Him for His purposes. Romans 8:28

Will people in the world who have never heard of God or Jesus be allowed to go to heaven?

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 10:43:00 GMT

Question: Will people in the world who have never heard of God or Jesus be allowed to go to heaven?

Answer: This is one of the most often-asked questions about heaven.

The Bible assures us that God – through the work of His Holy Spirit – reaches every single person with His truths, and each person will be judged on the knowledge he or she was given. God, the Creator, has built into the minds, hearts, and consciences of all human beings an understanding of right and wrong behavior. Even those who have never heard of the Ten Commandments have been enabled by God to observe from His signals through nature that He truly exists. The Bible shows that the apostle Paul was instructed to record these truths from Jesus:

For the truth about God is known to people by instinct. God has put this knowledge in their hearts, since earliest times, men have seen the earth, sky, and all God made, and have known of His existence and His great eternal power. So, they will have no excuse when they stand before Him on Judgment Day. Romans 1:19-20

The heavens declare the glory of God. Psalms 19:1

…He will punish unbelievers for their sins even though they never had God’s written laws because in their hearts they knew right from wrong. God put His laws within them; their own consciences accuse them… Romans 2:14-15

The Bible reveals that Jesus, the Supreme Judge, has a system in place to evaluate the life of every person, and He is always fair. Jesus knows everything about your life, past, present, and future. He knows your heart, hears your thoughts, and remembers all the opportunities you’ve had to know about Him. You can definitely trust Him to decide each one’s eternal destination after your death!

…will not the Judge of all the earth do right? Genesis 18:25

More than any other time in history, even in remote parts of the world, people today have chances to know about Jesus Christ. In addition to the worldwide web of the Internet, missionaries travel the world to give as many people as possible the hope of a fantastic future in heaven. You can be missionary by telling friends, family, and neighbors about your plans to live forever in heaven. Let them know that if they also believe the truth that Jesus died for their sins, they can be in heaven with you!

Are you sure that you will be escorted by the angels into heaven to meet Jesus when you die? (See Luke 16:19-31 ) Say, or pray this to Jesus:

Jesus, I know that I have done wrong things and still do, but I want you to be with me from now on to guide me and help me to turn away from my mistakes and bad choices. I know you died on the cross long ago to take the punishment for my wrongs, my sins in the sight of God, and I thank you! Thank you for forgiving me, and that my record has been wiped clean. Thank you for preparing a place in heaven for me for when I die. Thank you so much for saving my life and placing me on a new path. Help me to please you with my life!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ now, he is like a new creation; the old has gone, and new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled the world to Himself through Jesus Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And He has given us His message of this reconciliation. We are His ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal to people through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf:

Be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:17-20

We try for years to get a good paying job so we can earn well. Did Jesus say that it’s wrong to desire a lot of money?

Fri, 21 May 2021 11:16:00 GMT

Question: We try for years to get a good paying job so we can earn well. Did Jesus say that it’s wrong to desire a lot of money?

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Answer: Jesus emphasized that if you’ll put God first and focus on pleasing Him in all that you do, He will take care of the other needs that you have (Matthew 6:33 ). In well-known incident related by three of the Bible’s authors, Jesus told a wealthy young man to sell all that he had, give the money to the poor, and follow Him. (Matthew 19, Mark 10, Luke 18). Later, the apostle Paul wrote: “…those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown people in destruction and sin. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from faith in God in their greediness and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (I Timothy 6:9-10)

Important point: It’s not money itself that gets you into trouble but your love of money. Paul explained that your greediness makes you put more trust in the things money buys instead of trusting God to take care of all of your needs. To pierce oneself through with many sorrows means getting into serious trouble by putting your desire for money and material possessions ahead of your desire to love, know, and obey God. Paul records in chapter 6 of first Timothy that money and possessions are significant only for this present, brief life on earth so you should wisely focus more on your relationship with God that you’ll enjoy in eternity.

Your parents may have helped you to prepare for the future by encouraging you to train for a career that will support you and your future family. God rewards you when you work diligently and consistently to fulfill your responsibilities. In adulthood, He would not want you to live in poverty as a result of laziness and have to depend on others for your food and shelter. God inspired Paul to write that those who do not work will not eat. (2 Thessalonians 3:10).

In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty. (Proverbs 14:23)

If anyone does not provide for his family, especially those in his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. (I Timothy 5:8)

You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you. (Psalm 128:2)

Ask God to lead you to make the best choices possible for your future both spiritually and financially. The Bible says to keep your focus on what is most important: Your friendship with Jesus. He wants your heart more than anything else! That was the real message Jesus was teaching the rich young man and his friends who stood nearby. Jesus knew the choice the man would make. Sadly, he refused to part with his wealth. He missed out on the true, everlasting treasure of spending time with the King of the Universe!

…provide yourselves with a resource that does not grow old, a treasure in heaven that does not lose value, where no thief can steal it nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Luke 12:33-34)

Can God, the angels, and the devil all hear what I’m thinking? If God already hears what I’m worried about, do I need to pray?

Tue, 11 May 2021 11:02:00 GMT

Question: Can God, the angels, and the devil all hear what I’m thinking? If God already hears what I’m worried about, do I need to pray?

Answer: The Bible’s pages indicate that only God in triune form – God, His Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit – can hear a person’s thoughts. God is omniscient – which means, knowing all things. Since angels and the devil were created by God, they can only know and hear whatever He allows. Many people have not read the Bible so they mistakenly think that all supernatural beings have the same abilities. The scriptures point out that only one god exists, and that is the god the Bible says created all things, both seen and unseen. There is an unseen, invisible world of spiritual beings around you, but you cannot see it or hear it because God has not permitted it. The devil and the other disobedient angels who followed him into evil only have specific powers given to them by God. You have nothing to fear from them because God watches over all people who belong to Him. A person “belongs to” or is adopted into God’s own family when he or she accepts that Jesus is God’s Son who died a sacrificial death on the cross so that believers’ sins are forgiven – past, present, and future sins – forever! What a loving God we have!

You are absolutely right that God knows everything that you are worried about. Jesus and God’s own spirit, the Holy Spirit, hear and begin speaking to God on your behalf before you even begin to pray. The Bible says:

The Lord—knows the thoughts of man, that they are but a breath. Psalm 94:11

…You know when I get up and when I sit down. You understand my thoughts from far away…you know what I will say before I get the words out of my mouth. Psalm 139:2-4

…God cuts deep into our thoughts and desires and knows how we really are. He knows about everyone everywhere. The living God sees so much that nothing can possibly be hidden from Him. Hebrews 4:12-13

For whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and He knows everything. I John 3:20

Men and women whose experiences were recorded in the Bible became close to God and were delivered from all kinds of terrible situations after they prayed and asked for His help. Even though He knows you very well already, God urges you to talk to Him throughout the day and read your Bible so you’ll understand more about Him. Talking to Him and getting to know Him brings hope and peace in your mind, and that’s definitely the need of every person who he has created. He desires to have a parent-child relationship with you because He loves you so much!

…humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. I Peter 5:6-7

Have you given your cares, your worries, to God? He is waiting for you to talk with Him. He has prepared a way for you to be with Him for all eternity, where you will never fear or worry ever again. Here’s what He has done:

His Son, Jesus, died to take the punishment for your sins so that you will NEVER have to. That’s why Christians, or followers of Jesus Christ, call Him their Savior. He has saved them from eternal punishment in hell. Have you accepted that Jesus sacrificed Himself for you to allow you to enter heaven when you die, and be presented as clean, sinless, and forgiven before God? If you aren’t sure, say this:

Dear Jesus, I thank you for taking my punishment and paying that terrible price for all the wrongs I’ve committed. I now understand that you are the Son of God, were resurrected from the dead, and are waiting for me in heaven right now. Thank you for your gift to me! Thank you for sending your spirit, the Holy Spirit, to walk through each day with me, guiding, teaching, and advising me. I am so sorry for living like I didn’t care about you, and I want to live the rest of my life to serve you in any way I can. Help me every day! Show me how to help others to also learn of the hope in you for the future that I now have. Amen.

Many churches are welcoming homosexuals to attend services. Shouldn’t we only invite people who are living the way God wants them to live?

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 11:12:00 GMT

Question: Many churches today are welcoming homosexuals who want to attend their services. Shouldn’t we only invite people who are living the way God wants them to live?

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Answer: You are correct that the Bible states that God judges homosexuality to be wrong, just like sexual relations outside of marriage, adultery, and child exploitation, among other sexual sins. If we only invited people to church who we knew were living in every way according to the scriptures, we wouldn’t find many to invite. The Bible tells us that none of us ever ceases our sinning, Christian and non-believer, even when we try our hardest. A pastor once told me that the church is not a museum of saints but a hospital for sick souls! The Bible says:

There is none righteous, no, not one… Romans 3:10-12

…even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:22-23

For there is not a just man on the earth who does good and does not sin. Ecclesiastes 7:20

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and us to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. I John 1:8-10

So, if we never quit sinning, then what difference does it make if we become a Christian? The reason is because when we ask Jesus to forgive our sins, God no longer looks at our tarnished record but at Jesus’ perfectly clean record, which He substitutes for ours. It’s in our hell-bent human nature to desire to live without any rules, laws, or the heartbreaking consequences. Satan knows this and has been capitalizing on our selfish preferences towards sin ever since the beginning of mankind. The Devil once told Eve that she should follow her desires and fulfill her human emotional needs because God was just trying to keep her from experiencing great pleasures and rewards. That lie led her and her husband, Adam, to disaster with far reaching consequences! And Satan has been using those same destructive tactics on men and women ever since. ( Genesis 3 )

Since the church is the “hospital for sick souls”, invite everyone you know to come in for treatment and rest! All people are in need of Jesus’ gifts of forgiveness, healing, and renewal as together we study the Holy Word of God and experience His gradual transformation of our desires and lives.

Yes, invite everyone to attend church services, group activities, and Bible studies to learn what the Bible teaches and be mentored by others to follow Jesus. We all begin at this starting point! When it’s time to select people for church leadership, examine who is living for Christ and setting a godly example by adhering to God’s standards as clearly taught in the Bible.

(I Timothy 3)

God’s “Word” – another name for Jesus and also what we call the Bible scriptures – assures us that He welcomes everyone to come to Him so that “ they will be saved and come to a knowledge of His truth.” ( I Timothy 2:4 )

What better place is there to learn about God’s Word and His truths than your local church?

Why has God not heard my prayers and healed me?

Wed, 13 Jan 2021 12:09:00 GMT

Question: I have been praying for healing, and God has not answered my prayers yet. Could it be because of something wrong I have done? Is this a punishment from God? Doesn’t the Bible say that God sends miracles to help people who pray?

Answer: God always keeps His promises, and the Bible says He hears the prayers of all people and responds according to His will for their lives. In James 5:16, Paul writes: Confess your sins to one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. (New Kings James version)

Admit your faults to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous man has great power and wonderful results. (Living Bible version)

Old Testament scriptures reveal the common belief that sickness was a result of a person’s sin, which was not always the case. In the New Testament, Jesus and His disciples healed many people who came to them, believers and unbelievers, and this healing was meant to authenticate Jesus’ power over disease and even death, to point to Him as the Messiah that Israel had been anticipating. On the other hand, Paul wrote that God had chosen not to heal him, even though he prayed numerous times ( 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 ). Most of us know that God still miraculously heals people today because we know someone personally who received such a miracle, a life that was saved even after doctors said there was no more they could humanly do!

God decides for Himself whether healing is in His plan for someone’s life. Amazingly, when He does, God heals directly, with or without our prayers. Many times, He uses the medical profession to help us. Jesus taught His disciples to pray for what God knows is best for the future of everyone:

…your will be done here on earth as it is in heaven. Luke 11:2

God always hears your prayers when you ask for His help. Does He send healing any time that you ask for it? Not everything you ask for fits in with God’s plan for the future He has planned for you and for others. As God had greater purposes to be accomplished through Jesus’ healings, He has greater, eternal purposes for bringing people across your path who are need of healing. Pray for the healing of the sick, but, more importantly, pray for them to become believers, if they are not. Ask God for His ultimate purposes to be accomplished in their lives. God has a track record of answering us in unexpected ways with His great power!

Behold, I am the Lord the God of all mankind. Is there anything too hard for me?

Jeremiah 32:27

Why do the Jews not celebrate Christmas or believe Jesus really existed?

Thu, 17 Dec 2020 12:48:00 GMT

Question: Why do the Jews not celebrate Christmas? Don’t we worship the same God of the Old and New Testaments? Do they not believe that Jesus ever existed?

Answer: The Jews use documents for their worship that Christians are familiar with in the Old Testament, such as the writings of Moses, the prophets, and others. They accept Jesus as a prophet and good teacher, but they do not acknowledge Him as the Messiah they are still awaiting that was foretold in the Holy Scriptures. The Jews of Jesus’ time were expecting that the savior they had long awaited would come to deliver them from the harsh oppression of the Roman Empire and establish their nation as independent under his kingship. So, when Jesus was born, not in a royal palace, but in a cave or stable, and raised as a carpenter’s son in Nazareth, they did not recognize Him or accept Him. Even today, Christians expect Jesus to enter their lives and to solve all their problems and deliver them from any problems and persecution. Although He can grant His deliverance, protection, and healing, there are times He chooses not to, so that His ultimate purposes will be fulfilled. Jesus, God in human form, publicly taught the real reason why He had come as a man into the world – to save both Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews) not just from their situations but from their sins:

I have come in my Father’s Name, and you do not receive Me… Jesus in John 5:43

Then Jesus cried out as He taught in the temple, saying, “You both know me! You know where I am from, and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know.” Jesus in John 7:28-29

I am the door; if anyone enters by Me, he will be saved…I have come that they might have life and have it more abundantly. Jesus in John 10:9-10

God will send you another helper…the Holy Spirit of truth, to live with you and in you. I will not leave you as comfortless orphans; I will come to you. Jesus in John 14:16-18

For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save those who were lost. Jesus in Luke 19:10

I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. Jesus in Revelation 3:20

The scriptures tell that Jesus speaks to each man or woman’s heart and mind to reveal that He is the one who will save him or her from destruction and a future separated from God in eternity. Have you realized that Jesus came for you to seek you out and to save you ? Accept that truth now, before it’s too late! Right now, Jesus issues to you the same personal invitation He has always offered! Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life:

Come! Come to anyone who hears, who thirsts for life. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. Jesus in Revelation 22:17

Does God send tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes as punishments to evildoers in the world?

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 23:49:00 GMT

Question : Does God send tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes as punishments to evildoers in the world?

Answer: After such tragedies, we ask, why?

Only God Himself knows why each disaster occurs. The Bible documents that God is certainly able to send any calamity He chooses OR miraculously save any people He decides to from trouble. Evidence from the Bible shows that God does not always punish evildoers while they live on earth, and He does not reward all of those who serve Him while they are still living. Unfortunately for our extremely curious minds, there is just no set formula to figure out why, when, or how God will act because He does not choose to deal with everyone in the same way. It’s natural for us to wonder why God allows some people to suffer terribly and die, especially when they are His followers rather than unbelievers. When something upsetting occurs, it’s okay to ask God, why in the world did you allow such a thing to happen?

Oh, how deep are the riches of God in His wisdom and knowledge! How mysterious are His judgments, and His ways are impossible to figure out. For what man has understood the mind of the Lord? Is any man allowed to give God advice? Who could ever offer enough of a reward to get God to change His mind about the way He does things? Romans 11:33-35

Jesus was once asked about the reasons that a group of local people were murdered, and also why some others were victims of a tower collapse. Were they reaping punishment from God? Jesus answered:

Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? No! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Luke 13:1-5

God could stop all bad things from happening in our lives, but living a life in paradise is not His plan for us – yet. Experiencing sadness and pain is what causes many of us to turn to God and realize how much we need Him. God is our parent who is molding us into the children He desires for us to be. Since God created us, we have not cooperated very well with His perfect plan to transform our lives! God gave the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, a perfect place to live in the Garden of Eden. But they rebelled against Him, and our world has suffered from the curse of evil and has decayed spiritually and physically ever since (Genesis 3:17-19). There will always be tragedy, many times self-inflicted, because of our desire to do things our own way.

Besides our own selfish choices, another source of trouble on the earth is the work of Satan, who God has given limited power to throw all types of problems into our paths. However, the Bible shows us that sometimes, God does, indeed, cause calamity and destruction.

There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy . James 4:12

Great news!

God promises that these troubling days on earth are coming to an end, and absolutely wonderful days are ahead for those who have trusted Jesus to lead their lives!

God will wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain… Voice from God’s throne, Revelation 21:4

God is working in your present life to prepare you for your future on earth and in heaven.

Right now, ask Him to make known to you how He is working all things for your future good… (Romans 8:28)

He will begin to reveal these to you!

Does God weigh the good and the bad I’ve done to decide whether I get into heaven?

Wed, 02 Sep 2020 19:56:00 GMT

Question: Does God weigh the good vs. the bad I’ve done to decide whether I get into heaven?

Answer: You may be pretty sure that you’ll go to heaven someday to live with God after death. What is the reason for your belief? If your reasons are any of these common misconceptions, then you’re wrong:

I have done more good than bad in my life.

I have been a good person.

I attended church all of my life.

I have kept most of the 10 Commandments (known as the Law of Moses).

I have given money to the poor.

I gave money to the church each month.

I know a lot of people who are much worse than I am.

I haven’t killed anyone.

I was baptized as a baby.

I joined the church and was baptized.

My parents and grandparents are Christians.

My father was a pastor of a church.

I taught Sunday school and Vacation Bible School.

I took communion (the Lord’s Supper) every time it was offered in church.

I am sure you could think of more reasons that people give as reasons they feel God will accept them because they’ve somehow earned their way into heaven, or salvation.

The Bible says, there is NO way that we can EARN the privilege of going to heaven after we die. There is only ONE way – through our accepting Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross to pay for our sins and becoming His disciple for the rest of our lives.

Jesus answered, “I AM the way the truth and the light. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” -John 14:6

For unless you believe that I am He, you shall die in your sins. -John 8:24

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. -Acts 4:12

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift from God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. -Ephesians 2:8-9

What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to brag about, but not before God. For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” -Romans 4:1-7

…nevertheless, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of keeping the Law; since by works no one will be justified. -Galatians 2:16

Christians do good works and serve others BECAUSE they’ve accepted Jesus as their Savior. They want to show Him how much they love Him for all that He has done for them! Good works in the world are a RESULT of accepting Jesus’ gift of eternal life, not the REASON for receiving the gift.

Have you realized that Jesus died on a cross for you? Have you accepted this gift He offers you today so that you will never have to pay a penalty for your sins when you die? Thank Him, right now:

Jesus, I know that I have done terrible things and deserve punishment, but I accept that you’ve offered me your gift of forgiveness! I want you to guide me for the rest of my life on the earth. You died on a cross to pay for my sins and then rose from the dead on the third day afterwards. I want to come to be with you in heaven when I die and then live on the earth with you and all of your family in the future. You have offered me eternal life with you in Paradise, and I accept! Thank you!

Why does God allow so much evil in the world?

Sat, 22 Aug 2020 10:42:00 GMT

Answer: God is the Creator of all things. God knows all and sees all. Nothing escapes His notice and grasp! Nothing and no one takes him by surprise. Could God stop all evil from happening? Of course! So, why doesn’t He?

On the daily news, we hear of every kind of tragedy, including so many caused by people who committed terrible, senseless crimes: Children abducted and murdered, men and women attacked and beaten, people rioted in the streets, policemen killed while trying to help, businesses destroyed, government offices fire bombed, elected leaders threatened and hated. All of this has happened, in the wake of diseases that spread to more victims.

It’s natural to ask God, why? He certainly could block crimes from being committed and protect innocent people, especially children. God DOES intervene many times, but we just aren’t aware of it. The age-old question has been, why does God protect some people but not others? Only God knows His reasons. Often, God sends help because of our prayers! The apostle James was inspired by God to write that the prayers of righteous people carry great influence with God. (James 5:16)

However, if I were you, I would appeal to God and lay my cause before Him – the One who does great and unsearchable things, wonders without number. He gives rain to the earth and sends water upon the fields. He sets the lowly on high, so that mourners are lifted to safety. He thwarts the schemes of the crafty, so that their hands find no success. He catches those who think they’re wise in their craftiness and sweeps away the plans of the cunning. They encounter darkness by day and grope at noon as in the night. -Job 5:8-14

Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and daughters, your wives, and your homes. When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to our jobs of building the wall, each to his own work…Our God will fight for us! -Nehemiah 4:14-20

The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked. -Psalm 146:9

Long ago, God created our world and pronounced it good, but sin arrived through the tempting of Adam and Eve by Satan in the garden of Eden. Since then, the devil has been allowed by God to tempt mankind and bring destruction on the world.

Still today, God is allowing Satan’s havoc on the earth, but this season is coming to an end. The GOOD NEWS is that God has promised that better days are coming! Paradise on earth!

In the Bible, Revelation 20 begins the description of what life will be like when Jesus returns to live with His people, and those will be joyous days! He will return to remove Satan and establish peace for 1,000 years. Revelation 21 shows what follows, a newly created, glorious earth:

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, not crying, either shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away. And He that sat upon the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said unto me, “Write – for these words are true and faithful.” Revelation 21:4-5

Jesus is coming back to the earth, but no one knows which day. Are you prepared for Jesus’ arrival? You must be counted as one of His own followers who He has adopted into His eternal family. Talk to Him right now and say:

Jesus, I want you to guide me for the rest of my life on the earth. I know that I have done terrible things and deserve punishment, but I accept that you’ve offered me your gift of forgiveness! You died on a cross to pay for my sins and then rose from the dead on the third day afterwards. I want to come to be with you in heaven when I die and then live on the earth with you and all of your family in the future. You have offered me eternal life with you in Paradise, and I accept! Thank you!

Do Jews and Christians worship the same God?

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 10:49:00 GMT

Question: Don’t Christians and Jews worship the same God of the Old and New Testaments? Do Jews not believe that Jesus ever existed?

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Answer: The Jews use historic texts for their worship that Christians are familiar with in the Old Testament, such as the writings of Moses, the prophets, and others. They accept Jesus as a prophet and good teacher, but they do not acknowledge Him as the Messiah they are still awaiting which was foretold in the Holy Scriptures. The Jews of Jesus’ time were expecting that the savior they had long awaited would come to deliver them from the harsh oppression of the Roman Empire and establish their nation as independent under His kingship. So, when Jesus was born, not in a royal palace, but in a cave or stable, and raised as a carpenter’s son in Nazareth, they did not recognize Him or accept Him. Even today, Christians expect Jesus to enter their lives, solve all their problems, and deliver them from all worldly persecution. Although He can grant His deliverance, protection, and healing, there are times He chooses not to, so that His ultimate purposes will be fulfilled. Jesus, God in human form, publicly taught the real reason why He had come as a man into the world – to save people, not just from their situations, but from having to pay a penalty to God for their sins. Jesus said:

I have come in my Father’s Name, and you do not receive Me… John 5:43

Then Jesus cried out as He taught in the temple, saying, “You both know me! You know where I am from, and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know.” John 7:28-29

I am the door; if anyone enters by Me, he will be saved…I have come that they might have life and have it more abundantly. John 10:9-10

I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. John 12:46

God will send you another helper…the Holy Spirit of truth, to live with you and in you. I will not leave you as comfortless orphans; I will come to you. John 14:17-18

For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save those who were lost. Luke 19:10

I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. Revelation 3:20

The scriptures tell that Jesus speaks to every person’s heart and mind to show that He is the one who will save them from destruction and a future separated from God in eternity.

Will you be with Him when you die and leave this world? Or will you exist in darkness, away from His light? You will live on, in one of these two places.

Have you realized that Jesus came for you to seek you out and to save you? Accept that eternal truth now, before it’s too late! Right now, Jesus offers you the same personal invitation He spoke long ago:

Come!

Come to anyone who hears, who thirsts for life. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. Revelation 22:17

This is the most important decision you’ll make during your life on earth!

Settle your future with God, once and for all. Speak to God and say:

Jesus, I know I have sinned, and I want to be forgiven. I know that you died on a cross to take my punishment from God so that my sins would not count against me. Thank you! Come into my life and show me how you want me to live every day. I want t o be with you forever! Amen!

Why does God allow bad people to succeed so much?

Sat, 13 Jun 2020 11:47:00 GMT

Question : Why do good things seem to happen to bad people? Shouldn’t God make bad things happen to those who continue to do evil so they’ll learn that crime doesn’t pay?

Answer: A man named Jeremiah asked God that same question!

You are righteous, Lord, when I ask of you, so let me talk to You about Your judgments. Why does the way of the wicked man prosper? Why are those who cheat others living a happy life? Jeremiah 12:1

The Jews of long ago believed that God made good things happen for people who obeyed Him and bad tidings come upon those who didn’t. So, they became confused when they saw people getting away with cheating, lying, and treating others wrongly, but God wasn’t punishing them. The wrongdoers seemed to have everything going their way – attractiveness, good health, popularity, and plenty of money. Why would God allow people making all the wrong choices to succeed so much?

We still ask God these same questions! The Bible tells us to trust God to make all things right. He will deal with each person according to his deeds sooner or later either in this life or in the eternal life to come. Having wealth and enjoying other human pleasures are not always signs of God’s approval of a life. We see that fact demonstrated in the lives of celebrities and other prominent people who are not living to please God. On the other side of the coin, tragedy or the lack of money are not necessarily signs of God’s judgment upon a family. Jesus explained this truth to his disciples when they asked Him whether a tower which fell on some men and killed them was His judgment against their sins. (Jesus said no in Luke 13:1-5 .)

God inspired King David to write:

Do not fret because of evildoers or be jealous of them, for they shall soon be cut down like grass…Trust in the Lord and do good…feed on His faithfulness to you…and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:1-4

God holds you responsible for YOU and your own actions!

If you want everyone to get what they really deserve because of their sins, then you would also have to be punished for your own sins. Fortunately, Jesus came into the world and died on a cross so that those who trusted in Him would have their sins forgiven and forgotten. Have you asked Jesus to forgive your sins so that you will never have to face eternal punishment and separation from God when you die?

Tell Jesus this now:

Jesus, please forgive me of all of my wrongs because I truly am sorry for them. I accept your gift that you died and gave your own blood to pay for my sins. Come into my life and transform me into the person you have destined me to be. I know I cannot do this on my own, and I need your help. Lead me every day while I’m in this life here on earth. Thank you, Jesus!

I’m a Christian but have drifted into doing bad things. How can I stop messing up my life?

Thu, 28 May 2020 15:08:00 GMT

Question: I used to go to church, and I still believe in Jesus and that I’m a Christian. But I’ve drifted into doing some things that I know I shouldn’t be doing. How can I keep from messing up my life all the time?

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Answer: You mentioned that you believe in Jesus. Historians will tell you that Jesus really lived as a man on the earth, and the archeological evidence proves it. But have you believed that Jesus is the Son of God who died for your sins and was raised from the dead? If you accepted that Jesus’ death saved you from punishment for your sins, then you are a Christian. God sent a part of Himself, the Holy Spirit, into your heart and mind to guide you in all that you would do. You seem to realize that you have been making bad decisions, and this, and the fact that you are asking for help now, is proof that God’s Spirit is revealing to you that God has a better life for you. If you’ll stay in touch daily with God and ask Him to help you make the right choices, He will! He is present with you at all times. Remember that God is always standing by to forgive you when you are sorry for the wrongs you have done. You can leave those bad choices behind and move on, asking God to strengthen you to resist those sins that drag you down.

If we say that we have no sin, we fool ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, He is faithful and fair to forgive us, and He puts our past behind us. I John 1:8-9

If you continue to make bad, destructive choices in your life, it will lead to a dead end which will never bring you the happiness and security that you long for. God loves you so much that He knew He needed to send His own Son Jesus into the world to save you (John 3:16). He knew you would make wrong choices and not be able to get back on the right track and stay there without His daily help. A wonderful thing about God is He’s always willing to give you another chance and helps you to start afresh. He never gives up on you!

If you trust in Christ, you become a brand new creation. All you previous life with its sins is in the past, and you begin a new life. 2 Corinthians 5:17

To keep from making the same mistakes over and over again (and suffering the terrible consequences), God wants you to read His instructions for life in the Bible. Find a Bible that is easy to understand and read it daily. A good place to begin reading is the book of John in the New Testament of the Bible. You will also need Christian friends to encourage and teach you, and the place to meet them is at a church or community Bible study class. Not only will they help and support you in your struggles, but you will be an inspiration to them, too! Pray now:

Jesus, I trust you to lead me in my life in everything that I do. I’m sorry for the times when I ignored you. I confess that I didn’t follow you but did only what I wanted. I submit to your authority over me, and I look to you to show me every right choice to make.

Will I go to heaven even though my motive for praying to Jesus is wrong? I don’t want to go to hell.

Thu, 09 Apr 2020 09:50:00 GMT

Question: Will God accept me into heaven even though my motive for becoming a Christian seems wrong? I just don’t want to die and go to hell.

Answer: That’s not necessarily the wrong motive!

Fear and desperation have been the starting points for many of us in talking with God and asking questions. When we are seeking answers to life’s questions, there is no dumb question. God WANTS to you ask so He can show you how much He loves you! Many people become believers as an “insurance policy” to avoid hell, and then they learn over time many very generous benefits come with that policy. That’s when we begin to feel His love, and our love for Him grows.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD… Jeremiah 29:11-14

I once read an account of a Chinese woman who was working in the fields, gathering crops, and watching her baby which slept nearby in the shade. Suddenly, a tiger appeared from the thick brush near the baby and began slowly creeping toward them. The woman was not a Christian but had heard the stories of Jesus from missionaries. As the animal quickened his steps, she grabbed the child and said, “Save me, Jesus!” The tiger turned and walked away from them! Often, we despair, feel hopeless, and cry out to God to intervene. The miraculous thing is, He does! Sometimes it’s immediate, and other times, He takes us down a path towards Him that He knows is exactly what we need.

You may not be staring death in the face, as the woman was, but you know that you need the help that only God can provide. The first step in becoming a believer, a follower of Jesus, is to admit that you cannot save yourself from punishment for your sins. If you are at this point, you have taken the important first step! You must admit you’ve sinned and put your trust in Jesus; know that He died on the cross to save you. How did this save you? God is holy and cannot accept sin; God is fair, and penalties must be paid. So that you and I would not have to pay the terrible debt for our sins, God sent Jesus into the world to suffer and die on the cross. Jesus’ own blood was given so that no other future sacrifice would ever need to be made to pay the price. When you have accepted this free gift from Jesus, God has wiped away ALL the records of your sins in the past, present, and future. To show God you really mean to change your life and live by His guidance, read and study the Bible to learn what God expects of you now that you are known as a Christ follower or “Christian”.

Remember the benefits for Christians I mentioned earlier? One of those is that, because Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after His death on the cross, we will have a new life after our death, also!

Jesus didn’t just say we’ll avoid hell by following Him; He called the place we’ll go immediately after our death, Paradise! Jesus definitely accepts death-bed conversions, but don’t wait too late. You may not have another opportunity.

One of the criminals who hung there [with Jesus on another cross nearby] heaped abuse on Him. “Are You not the Christ?” he said. “Save Yourself and us!” But the other man also being put to death rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same judgment? We are punished justly, for we are receiving what our actions deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” And Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Luke 23:39-43

Will you invite Jesus into your life right now? Don’t put it off any longer!

How do I know that the Bible is really from God and not just men’s opinions?

Tue, 03 Mar 2020 20:31:00 GMT

Question:

I would like to know all that I possibly can about God. How do I know that the Bible is true and not just the opinions of the men who wrote it?

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Answer:

Men who were inspired by God wrote the scriptures in the Bible over a period of 1600 years. God used these men not only to record this history but also to recopy it and preserve it during the early centuries. The apostle Paul wrote:

…when you received the word of God from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men but as the real truth, the word of God, which effectively works in all of you who believe.

1 Thessalonians 2:13

While on earth, Jesus taught the Old Testament scriptures as the absolute truth to His disciples: “…All of these things have been fulfilled which were written about Me in the past by Moses, the prophets, and in the Psalms.” Then Jesus opened the minds of His disciples so they could understand fully for the first time what the scriptures were saying. (Luke 24:44-45) The scriptures must be true because Jesus said so!

Historical documents other than the Bible have also confirmed that events long ago really happened the way the Bible says they did. Jesus proved that the events that the Bible predicts for the future will definitely take place.

The entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation points to one person: Jesus.

“Immanuel”, another name for Jesus, means “God on earth with us.” ( Matthew 1:23 & Isaiah 7:14) Christians base their hopes for a future life in heaven on the fact that Jesus came into the world to save them from a dark, lonely existence in hell after the death of their earthly bodies. When Jesus died on the cross and rose again to a new life, He demonstrated for us how believers will live in heaven when they die.

The Bible provides the facts. When you pray, ask God whether the Bible tells the truth. He wants you to know His truth. That’s why He has made sure that you still have the Bible, His truths, today.

…God’s truth endures to all generations. Psalm 100:5, 117:2

How can I feel more peace in my life?

Mon, 13 Jan 2020 18:55:00 GMT

Question: Aren’t Christians supposed to be totally at peace in their lives? I know many Christians, and they worry about things all the time.

Answer: Peace is spoken about so often in the Bible that it’s not surprising it’s the message of many cards during the celebrations of Christmas and Easter. When the members of a family are Christians, God’s peace is the foundation of their home. Jesus said that the peace He gives your heart is not like the peace between countries of the world or the absence of problems in your life, but it’s a deep feeling of satisfaction in the minds of a believer.

My peace I give to you, but it’s not like the peace the world gives…

Jesus in John 14:27

The peace that passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds forevermore…

Paul in Philippians 4:7

When a household welcomes the gospel message, God’s peace rests there.

Jesus in Matthew 10:13

Above all these things put on love which is the bond of perfection.

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts…

Paul in Colossians 3:14-15

He Himself is our peace, who has broken down the middle wall of separation …between man and God…through the cross…For through Him we now have access by one Spirit to the Father.

Paul in Ephesians 2:14-18

You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is set on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever. For in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength.

Isaiah 26:3-4

If you have never asked Jesus to come into your life and be your Master, it may be difficult to understand why Christians can feel their minds at rest about the future even though they still encounter daily problems. It doesn’t mean you won’t have trouble and hard times in your life or that everyone will be easy to get along with. The peace is knowing that whatever happens in life cannot change the fact that you will be in heaven forever with Jesus. You already know the happy ending your life story will have!

Ask Jesus to show you how to experience His ultimate peace in your life. As you begin to recognize His constant presence in you and with you, you will feel surrounded by His peace.

Was Jesus really God Himself?

Thu, 21 Nov 2019 11:39:00 GMT

Question: Was Jesus really God Himself? Some people say that Jesus never claimed to be God. Don’t some religions teach that Jesus was only a wise man?

Answer: Most of the cults in existence today don’t deny that Jesus ever lived but claim that Jesus was only a wise teacher or prophet. People who insist that Jesus never said He was God must not be familiar with the evidence of Jesus’ life on the earth. The Bible documents that Jesus stated repeatedly that He was God, demonstrated His divine knowledge and power, and even came back from the dead! Jesus revealed Himself directly at times and indirectly at other times that He was the “Son of God” and the “Son of Man”; we can see why He would explain it in those terms because His Father was God, and His mother was a young woman named Mary. Here are some of the references from Jesus’ own words:

Have I been with you so long, and that you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father. John 14:9

For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath. Matthew 12:8

Most assuredly I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM. John 8:56-58

I and the Father are one. John 10:30

Jesus also refers to Himself as the Son of God, one of the three parts of God: God the Father, God’s Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. The three are understood to be both separate and one at the same time, known as the Trinity, which has always existed ( John 1:1-5 ).

Have you accepted that Jesus died to pay the penalty for your sins in your past, present, and future? He died on a cross so that you won’t ever have to be punished in hell for the wrong things you’ve thought and done. Thank Jesus for the ultimate price He paid for you, and ask Him to guide your life daily!

Do people sleep in the grave when they die? Or do they go right to heaven or hell?

Thu, 21 Nov 2019 11:37:00 GMT

Question: Does the Bible say that people sleep in the grave when they die? If so, when do people wake up and go to heaven?

Answer: The Bible teaches that the soul or spirit of a Christian goes immediately to heaven to be with Jesus as soon as his body dies. A believer’s spirit continues to live in heaven, enjoying the wonders there! But he is without a physical body for a while. The men God inspired to write the Bible’s chapters refer to the body, not the spirit, in the grave as “sleeping” or waiting for the future day when Jesus will resurrect and reunite the body with the living spirit of each person in heaven:

…How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come? What you sow in the ground (a seed) is not made alive until it dies…so also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption (dies or decays), and it is raised in incorruption…sown in weakness and is raised in power…it is sown in a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body… Paul in I Corinthians 15:35-44

Your future resurrected or “glorified” body is not explained in great detail in the Bible. The apostle Paul compared the restored human body to a seed that is planted and later brings forth a new plant. Your earthly, human body will decay while it’s buried in the ground. But the new body Jesus will give you some day will be much like the one He has had since He rose from the dead. When Jesus returns to the earth, the people still alive will also receive new bodies that will never die:

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye and at the last trumpet. The trumpet will sound, and the dead (bodies) will be raised to never die again, and we shall all be changed.

I Corinthians 15:51-52

Christians have so much to look forward to! Jesus assured believers that their future with Him in heaven begins the moment they die. It’s a new life greater than anything they are able to -imagine. He called it paradise! (Luke 23:43)