I always thought that God knows from beginning to end and knows all the choices we would make for our lives so how does prayer change things? Are there scriptures that support this idea? I want to pray effectively for my family and friends in need.

Thanks so much for your ministry and the time and energy you devote to it. I have a question about the faith of Abraham.

Romans 4:10-20 says that Abraham did not waver in his faith, in regards to the Promise. I believe that this is true. Clearly, he believed in the promise of a son in order to continue to do the things that are necessary for a couple to have children. Doing this even unto very old age.

What I’m trying to understand better is why Abraham took Hagar when she was offered.

I’m just trying to reconcile how saying his faith in a promised son didn’t waiver with his decision to be with Hagar for the specific reason of producing a son. Is it that GOD doesn’t expect our faith to be perfect to be acceptable? What was GOD looking at when He said Abraham’s faith did not waiver? I think understanding this better would help me understand the state of my own faith better.

I am saved and love the Lord and want so badly to honor him but I am in a relationship that does not honor the Lord. Many times, way too many to count I have tried to end the relationship. And I confess the sin desiring to make my relationship right with God. I hate that I am caught up in this relationship and my life is truly miserable because of it. I haven’t been able to free myself from it and I feel like a total failure before the Lord. I hate what my life has become; the sin entanglement is sucking the life out of me. Why can’t I muster the courage to end it once and for all? What hope do I have? I don’t want to pretend I will go to Heaven when from scripture it appears I am bound for Hell and I am sure many would agree that is where I will end up. I want the truth even if the truth is this ungodly relationship is sending me to Hell. What a failure and disappointment I must be to the Lord. I am not asking for a stamp of approval for my behavior( I know it is sin) but please help me sort through the misery I find myself in.

It is written in Philippians 2:9-11 that every knee shall bow at the name of Jesus, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. In reference to those in heaven, does this mean that the archangels Michael and Gabriel will also bow at the name of Jesus and confess Him as Lord, or is this just referring to the saints in heaven?

Do you ever get the feeling that born again believers should try to focus more effort on so-called believers in name only instead of trying to reach “sinners”? Seems like an even more difficult task to me, but I ask because with the nearness of the rapture. I can’t imagine a more surprised, disappointed, and terrified group than they will be after the rapture.

Concerning the fate of the lost: Punishment does not mean the same as punishing. If one is burned up and ceases to be, the punishment is eternal. If the burning was to go on for that individual forever, would it not be called “eternal punishing? The death penalty is different from life imprisonment with no parole. It has been said that Adam was created with eternal life but lost it for all of us. Since then, all humans are born with a body and soul but have to believe (born again) in order to receive eternal life. How then can the unsaved then live forever?

The Bible tells us that Jesus appeared to many people after his resurrection. Thomas touched his body and Jesus ate fish with his followers. Obviously, it was a physical body. In what state did the Lord Jesus ascend to Heaven to be seated at the right hand of God the Father, physical or spiritual, and in what state is he in now as far as his body is concerned?

I was recently talking to someone I know about Christianity and my friend said to me that he can’t keep up with all these made up things from Santa Claus to the Easter bunny and even the tooth fairy. How do I respond to this? How can I show Jesus to be the one true thing in all this?

I have recently allowed two of my wife’s brothers to move in with us because they needed help. My wife is pregnant and is completely stressed by them. They have agreed to pay rent but have not done so in the last two months and on top of that I have come to find out that they are addicted to pain pills. They are not Christians and I continue to ask them to attend church with my family but they refuse. I know that I am supposed to serve but I no longer feel like I am serving but rather enabling them. please help.

What, in your opinion, was the content/nature of the seven thunders in the book of Revelation, that John was forbidden to record? The events of Revelation are quite terrifying. What could possibly be worse, so much so that the nature/content of the seven thunders is kept secret?