I am one of those who aren’t excited about the rapture because of a secret fear I won’t qualify to go, even though I’ve been a born again believer for many years. I know I don’t deserve to escape the punishment due me and I worry that at the rapture the Lord will agree with my assessment and leave me here. What can those of us with these fears do to overcome them?

I am in my mid 20’s and am struggling with sexual immorality. I truly believe in my heart that I want to live a life of obedience to the Lord which is pleasing to him. At the same time, I am single and I feel my struggles are directly due to me being alone. I have always believed there was somebody out there that I was meant to be with, but I fear that because of my struggles, the Lord may withhold her from me or withhold any other blessings from me as well.

I was about 12 years old when I was saved. I remember knowing I was lost and needed to be saved. I thought my heart was going to beat out of my chest. I went to the altar and the pastor asked did I want Jesus to come into my heart and I said yes. I was sincere about this. I know that I confessed that I believed that Jesus died on the cross for me and was raised from the dead.

I am now 32 years old and wonder was this enough to save me. I know that I am a sinner and I believe with all my heart that Jesus is Lord. I just get confused sometimes that I didn’t do something right. Please help me dispel the doubt and fear that gets to me.

Earlier this year, I was hit head on by a heroin user which totaled my car and had me laid up in bed for a month. Miraculously, I was not killed or permanently injured but now I have fear of driving and question the Lord’s protection at all. I know He controls the orbit of our lives and can remove His protection as He did with Job for His reasons. What should I learn from this experience and how can I trust a loving God who allows me to go through this kind of pain and mistrust? I am not being disrespectful, I really took a hit. Is there protection in the blood of Jesus?

Re: Our Spirit and God’s. You said we’re born with our spirit attuned to the Spirit of God. I understand that Jesus commanded us to be born again (in the spirit). Why do we need to be re-born when God had already formed our spirit during conception? Is our original attuned spirit inferior to the required ‘born-again’ spirit?

My question is regarding crosses we have to bear. I recently had a conversation with a friend regarding her struggle with anxiety. She has prayed for god to remove the cause of her anxiety and constantly seeks prayer for this. When she still struggles with the anxiety she feels that it is a cross she has to bear and believes that we all have a cross to bear. I don’t agree with her, I don’t believe that God gives us crosses to bear, he came to free us from fear and anxiety and to make our burdens light. She said God gave Paul a thorn in the flesh and didn’t take it away. Could you shed some light on this matter and is it scriptural?

I just read your reply to the question Does God Create Every Person? I agree that God does not create each of our bodies but “the process of procreation was designed and instituted by God.” I believe, however, that our spirits which we receive while in the womb were created by God. What is your thinking on this?

A young business man was a member of our Church. He had accepted Jesus and was baptized at age 16. He remained in constant contact with God and was driven by a desire to do what God wanted. One evening he gave in to the temptation that abounds in the business world and went drinking with business associates. On his way home he wrecked his car and was killed. There is concern in the local congregation that he is no longer saved, because he was sinning when he died and did not have the opportunity to ask for forgiveness. Your thoughts?

At the end of Genesis 1, God said everything was “very good”. That statement right there precludes any possibility of evil existing during the creation week.

If everything was made in the presence of God where darkness cannot exist then how could Satan be tempted to be full of pride? in other words, how is it known that the concept of evil/darkness/sin could be chosen over God’s way? or, what would cause Satan to seek out something that he’s not aware of?

Re: Psalm 139: 13-14. “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful.” If I take this verse literally, it would seem that God is directly involved in the creation of everyone. He forms each of us in the womb. Yet some babies are born deformed or very sick, so how can that be? I’ve read your comments that only Adam and Eve were created directly by God and in His image and that God delegated procreation to us and so all of us are now born in the image of Adam. This would suggest that God isn’t directly involved in the conception of each person. How do I understand this verse?