From the Parable of the Sower, is being fruitful referring to the nine Spiritual fruits born in our character? Do ‘deeds’ or ‘good works’ then have to follow ‘fruits’? At the believers’ judgment for rewards, will our Lord judge us on works or fruits or are they both the same thing? Thanks for your help.

I am currently unemployed and have been for the past 8 months. I currently collect unemployment and am barely making it by right now. I do thank God because it is better than nothing! I love God and serve Him to the best of my ability and do desire more of Him but I find myself being really frustrated with Him as of late.

You see, I am a tither and have been so obediently and faithfully for years. I have no problem with tithing, in fact, it has become automatic and satisfying for me when I recieve my check to give back a tenth of what I have been blessed with. Even tithing the tenth of what I receive from unemployment.

One of my desires (when I get more money) is to consistently give more (over and beyond tithing) for the advancement of the kigdom of God and to organizations/causes that support poor children in the poorest nations of the world like Haiti. But last night, in my frustration, I had a heart to heart with God and asked Him why am I still going through what I am going through? Why wasn’t I prospering? I feel like I am lacking, stuck and not moving.

I have even received prophetic words from men of God telling me that my situation getting ready to change (and they even said by certain dates). And I believe what was said and stood on what was said because I believe the Lord says to believe in His prophets so that you may prosper. But many of the specified dates and time has come and gone with NO CHANGE! Which naturally causes me to become discouraged. Maybe I am not understanding right regarding tithing? Your insight is greatly appreciated.

Every so often I come across a negative statement about Free Masonry. I have a very close Christian friend who is also a Speculative Mason. What is it about the Masons that causes (Religious?) people to be suspicious? hateful? distrustful? Am I reading too much into those negative comments? Thanks and God Bless, I look forward to your questions and answers daily, and I’m learning a lot.

I find myself often just flush with greed. I have much; I have more than enough financially and I have advanced to a healthy old age. Yet I seem to have the idea that, “if I had more I could contribute more to God’s work in the world.” Yet by most giving standards I do give far more than a tithe. I mean much more. Got any suggestions as to what is wrong with me? Is it just a worldly attitude? God forbid that an old person would be guilty of that!

I just read your weekly article,” What kind of life can we expect “. I agree with what you said, but I worry that I am being one of the greedy ones. When we give, in the back of my mind I am excited to see how God is going to bless me. Also it just makes me happy to give to others. I have never given without wishing it could be more. We own our farm and do not have any debt, so I am not looking for anything. I am just excited to see how God is going to work. Can you make sense of what I am asking?

Grace Thru Faith has been such a blessing to me and I gain so much information from your knowledge of the scriptures. I have a question that has been bothering me for some time now. There are several people close to where I live who have not had a job in years and live on SSI. I am retired and live on SS and have cut expenses as much as possible but I still tithe. From time to time, one of these people will come to me and ask to ‘borrow’ money. I’m not a stingy person but when these people come to me for money, I feel like they think I’m a soft touch and I feel like I’m being used. Getting the ‘loan’ paid back isn’t the issue. I realize that our Lord wants us to be generous but when does being generous become being used?

James 2: 1-13 appears to be an admonition primarily against showing partiality to the rich in any given church. Is there also an underlying principle implied not to show partiality or favoritism in any way, shape or form towards anyone in the Body for any reason (not just the wealthy)?

The leader of a Bible study I attend uses Listening Prayer exercises in our homework and in her presentations. I have had some major breakthroughs using this form of prayer and feel like I finally have a real two-way relationship with God by listening to Him at the end of my prayer. I ask Him to let me hear only His voice. I have tried to research Listening Prayer, but can’t find much about it. Is it a false teaching?

The Word says, “Be ye filled with the Spirit” and “walk in the Spirit.” So I’m not sure what it means in Matthew 5, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Can you enlighten me?

Matthew 5:3 says “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” This almost indicates those poor in spirit will go to Heaven while I have always believed to go to Heaven you must accept Christ as your savior which would indicate one must have spirit.