One of my church leaders said that we need to be baptized in the Holy Spirit (or laying of hands) frequently to renew and rekindle the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can also be diminished or leave us completely due to our sin or actions. He also said not all our prayers to God reach Him due to interference by satanic forces. To be frank I am doubtful about these statements. What does the Bible say?

Just like many others, I feel inclined to start this e-mail by thanking you for your ministry and for your dedication to digging deeper and helping others come to a better understanding of the Lord and His Word. Also, thanks for the answers you’ve provided to the questions I’ve already asked you; they were quite helpful. The thing that has me thoroughly confused today is Rahab’s house, described in Joshua 2:15, which says “Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall; she dwelt on the wall.”

You can probably see where this question is going. How did the Israelites spare the lives of Rahab and her family if they were inside of a house on top of a wall that collapsed right before the city was defeated?

I have a question. I have searched Scripture to try and find where God told the UN to establish a State and name it Israel. Is the State established in 1948 the same Israel talked about in the Bible? A friend asked me to Pray for Israel, and I’m willing to do that, but I am confused as to who Israel really is. She does not know either, not really.

Joshua 1:4 speaks to what God told Joshua. There is so much confusion in this world, I am seeking to find out what is truth from God’s Word. Can you help by providing me with Biblical information/Scripture?

I just read an article about Joshua. It gave his last name (ben Nun) I was intrigued by this because the other day I was just thinking about how the Bible didn’t use last names and wondering how and when they got started. Do you have any insight on this? Do you know any of the last names of characters in the Bible?

I’ve been following a debate among two friends regarding married women who hyphenate their last name. One thinks it isn’t appropriate, according to the word of God. I know when we are married through God’s will no man shall separate us. I also know that we women shall submit to our husband. But what does hyphenating our last name have to do with marriage bonding? Is it a dishonor to God? Is it a sin?

I’m currently reading the Psalms. In Psalm 36:1, David says “An oracle is within my heart…” would the oracle be the Holy Spirit?

It appears to me that there will always be things pertaining to GOD that I will not know or understand regardless of the amount of study and prayer I engage in. What is a believer to do in these instances when what has been revealed does not answer the questions that I have?

What is the significance of praying? Does something begin to happen in the spiritual realm when we pray that we don’t see? If God knows our needs before we even ask, why pray? I understand the need to show our dependence upon God, but what is going on when we pray?

I have a disabled son. He has a variety of problems. It seems new “conditions” keep getting added on. We have prayed for years for healing, but he just gets worse. A family member told me; “God’s plan for your son is a short life full of pain but He has a purpose in that pain”. Does God function that way?

You have given 4 reasons why God chose the Jews, which have all been fulfilled. Why then do we still refer to them as God’s Chosen or special people today? Please explain Gal.3:26-29 and the book of Ephesians plus many more which tell us we are now one.