Your website has been such a blessing to me. I just read a question from a brother who said that he wasn’t experiencing the joy that we as Christians are supposed to have. I can so relate. It is so difficult to feel joy with all that is going on in this world, with so many perishing, especially when they are family. Also, I am saddened by the fact that it seems to me that most of the Church is asleep. I lost a son two years ago and am not sure where he is. He knew the Lord, but at the time of his death he wasn’t walking with the Lord.

My Dad passed away in May. He had heard the truth and I do know that because of many, many prayers on his behalf, he could have called on the Lord with his dying breath, like the thief on the cross.

Sorry for taking so much of your time before getting to my questions. First: if we are to live by faith and not by our feelings, then what is joy? Second: in 1 Cor. 6:9 lists those who will not inherit the kingdom. What if those people are born again Christians?

If I pay my taxes cheerfully and the government gives the money to the poor does that count for part of my tithe?

My question is about fasting. I know that there are examples in the New Testament of people fasting, but I’ve never had a pastor ever teach about it. How should we fast? When? For how long? How often? How does it work? What is it’s purpose? Please teach me about this subject and how I should incorporate it into my own life and walk with God. Thank you, as always, for all of your hard work.

Maybe you’re familiar with this goldsmith “idea”. The Lord is our Goldsmith and troubles, sufferings in a believer’s life meant to be His melting pot so we can be purified and formed to His likeness (as the goldsmith recognizes himself in the pure silver). It’s a very popular validation in christian circles for sufferings and hardships in a believer’s life. What do you think about it? Is this just a man made “christian urban legend” or biblical?

I have a question about our faith. I am asking where our faith in the Bible as the Word of God comes from. I have only found this statement in the New Testament in one of the epistles, basically reading that all scripture is the Word of God. So I have two questions. One is that I am hesitant to believe that the author of the epistle considered his letters to others, as well as the letters of his contemporaries, or even the Gospels themselves, which were still being written, as scripture. Wouldn’t he only be referring to the Old Testament

Which leads to my second question. If we then have to take the rest of the Bible as the Word of God on faith, then, from an objective point of view, how is this faith different from faith put into anything else?

I want to obey my parents and show them respect, but sometimes it feels like their expectations are unreasonably high. When I was a child I could understand. But now that I’m 25, it feels like a huge burden as they are refusing to let me go. What does the Bible say about obedience to our parents? Does it mean we must follow every command they issue? What is considered “respect and honor?” How far can they go in terms of demanding respect and honor? How far must I go to make them feel respected and honored? I would greatly appreciate some insight as I really don’t want to disobey the 5th commandment.

I am saved and attend a great church, but lately I have been battling with fear. I search in the word of God for verses on fear and I read that we should not be afraid but somehow I continue to do so. I have tried to not fear some things and I find myself in the same place. I know the word of God, I know that he is faithful. So why am I afraid, why is the fear still there? I’m tired of fearing these things, I want to let them go.

What is it that I’m doing wrong. Please, it drives me crazy when I know that God is forever merciful and loving. Why? I don’t understand why I feel this way. I have made him my savior and I’m his child. I’m tired. I want to let go. I have prayed about it. I really have. I have cried myself to sleep sometimes because I don’t want to be afraid. If God offers peace what is wrong with me? Help me please.

I just got around to reading “The Way It Was Meant To Be” and just wanted to say you’ve got to be careful making it sound like we are never to confront sin in others. Some like to call it “judging”, which is a favored term for those who shy away from possibly offending a brother or sister over doing the right thing and in a loving manner helping/correcting them. It’s not “judging”. The Bible tells us to confront sin. Jesus did it often. One example was the woman at the well. He didn’t just chat with her and then say “have a nice day”. He confronted her with her sin and told her to sin no more. There are times when believers are to do the same. When they don’t, they can easily be construed as approving of the sins being committed around them.

In Matthew 18:22 when Jesus said to forgive 70 X 7 times do you think he might have had a reason for using this particular number?

I know we are supposed to pray for our enemies, but I run into trouble on what to pray about? Can you give me a sample prayer for the way you would do it? I’m thinking of people who are enemies of our Country foreign and domestic.