With the growing number of “believers” gravitating away from true and traditional doctrine to churches that tell them “what they want to hear” do you believe that this is adding to the total number of the church or taking away from it?

My question concerns fasting. I read somewhere – can’t remember where, though – that we should not just pick a day and fast. That we need to feel led to do so concerning something specific, ie. healing or deliverance for someone, or for the answer to a serious problem. How do you feel about fasting and how do know that is what God wants you to do?

Re: Fasting For The Lord I have asked my doctor about fasting and was told that since I am diabetic it was not a good idea for me to do so. I want to fast to clear my mind of things however and I just don’t know how to do so. I have tried denying myself some things I enjoy but I guess that doesn’t seem the same as when I used to fast “for real” before I developed diabetes. Can you suggest anything to me that might help me?

My mother belongs to a church where they give lip service to salvation by Grace, but their deeds and doctrines suggest otherwise. During a discussion she mentioned that most people quote John 3:16 incorrectly, pointing out that “…whosoever believeth on Him should not perish.” is usually quoted “…shall not perish.” The KJV uses ‘should’, while the NIV uses ‘shall.’ She is implying the word ‘should’ leaves the possibility that we might still perish even if we believe on the Lord Jesus. Thus, the need to obey the commandments to prove/show we love the Lord.

My question is about John 15:1-6. In v.2 there are some who are connected to Jesus but if no fruit is a result they are taken away. Who is taken away because I believe OSAS? I understand abiding should be our response to the gift of life given to us, but what is meant in v6. If anyone does not abide in me he is cast out as a branch and is withered, and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. Who are the ones cast out and burned since in v.2 states they are apparently in Jesus?

At Church last night a man confronted me saying that a professor had proven that it was not David that killed Goliath, but Jonathan. In studying the section in 2 Sam 21, I use NKJV but the people at my church use an Afrikaans bible (One of the languages in South Africa) and as it turns out the translators were not accurate. How can I explain this?

Love your web site and look forward to your articles, I agree with your answers most of the time. However, on your answer to the wide and narrow paths, you mention the wide path being dependent on our religious works where as I was thinking that the wide path is all unbelievers and the narrow path being the believers. What do you say?

You have written about the origin of the Bible but I cannot find the article on your site. You spoke of the original canon/authority/collaboration of both the Old and New Testaments. My question is: What influence/part, if any, did Constantine have in putting the Bible together? I’ve researched the internet a bit but I am finding quite a bit of conflicting information.

My father passed away last fall and since then I have been worrying if I will see him again. I believe in God and have accepted Jesus as my savior but my mind just keeps wondering about if I will see him again. All of this worrying is really affecting my ability to live life. The Bible says something like narrow is the path to life but wide is the path to destruction. Does that mean not many people will get to heaven? I worry about messing up the opportunity of going to heaven and not seeing my dad again. Can you please help me?

There are so many versions of the bible out, NKJ, NIV, etc to name just a few, and then there is the Catholic Bible with the Apocrypha. How do we know that we have the right books in the bible? Maybe that’s why there are cults out there that state that the bible has been changed and by man. Could you explain why certain books are in our bible and why there are certain books that were not accepted and why is it that the Catholics have additional books that the Protestant world doesn’t? Are those “missing books” not the word of God?