We currently are studying Revelation in our small group and we were in chapters 2-3. A couple of ex-Catholics talked about still holding Mary in high esteem, not praying to her, but praying to God through Mary. One of them used the miracle written by John about turning water into wine as Jesus doing what his Mother asked him to do, to justify this. Could you comment on this event in regards to this miracle?

My husband had a history of adultery. I turned a blind eye for many years. Over a year and a half ago he left me and the children for another woman. He has been living with his mistress for over a year. Because of financial reasons on his part and child custody issues ( he was absent for four months) we are still legally married under state law. I filed over a year ago and it’s finally coming to an end. About 6 months ago I started seeing a long time friend. We have fallen in love and plan to marry. His family are very quick to judge and claim that I am committing adultery because I am still legally married. The bible says that God hates divorce unless adultery is committed. In my heart I tried everything. My husband cheated and abandoned me and the children. I prayed and God sent me this wonderful man I have now committed my life to. I no longer have any love for my legal husband and I feel that under God’s law we are divorced. What is more important, state law or Gods law?

Did the twelve Apostles represent each of the 12 tribes? In other words, was each of them from a different one of the tribes?

We had a guest speaker at church who said some things that I hadn’t heard before and didn’t sit quite right with me. Will you please clarify if these statements of his have any truth to them, and if they are regularly taught subjects?

(1) Based on Genesis 9 and 10, only Japheth’s descendants (which are caucasians) are Gentiles and were given the responsibility of spreading the Gospel; (2) There are two apples of God’s eye – Israel and America; (3) In Matthew 21:43, the kingdom of God was given to “a nation” (singular), which is America. (Strong’s says this word could mean people, and I always thought it meant the church.)

I’ve been reading the book of Acts especially chapter 1 and 2 looking for something that suggests that Mary the mother of Jesus was also there on the day of Pentecost. Its seems as if I read something like that in the bible and now I’m really struggling to get it. Please help me if you can.

In Mark 9: 14-27 a man brought a boy with a dumb spirit to JESUS. In vs. 19 he asked the father how long ago did this happen? Why did JESUS ask him that? Wouldn’t JESUS have known that? Then in vs: 22 the father said if you can do anything help us, and in vs 23 JESUS said if you can believe all things are possible to him that believes. In vs: 24 the father said i believe.. help my unbelief. What does all that mean? Did he believe or not?

In Matthew 12:29 Jesus said we must first bind the strong man ( the devil ) then we can spoil his house. Does that mean we are to bind the devil also? I hear that in lots of churches ie: I bind you Satan in the name of Jesus. Can we bind him in the name of Jesus?

I heard a sermon on this passage which I completely disagreed with. If I understood correctly, it seemed the pastor said that believers who do not bear fruit, or refuse to allow the Holy Spirit to work through them to bear fruits of love would be taken away and “purged or cleansed” in the fire to help them grow…something to that effect. As I understand it, believers can suffer loss but I’ve never read or been taught they will have to go through some type of purgatory. This teaching sounds like more “overcomers” theory.

Re: Hebrews 10:5-7. Do you think that these verses should be red letters since Christ spoke them? Are these the first words that Jesus spoke when He came to the earth?

I have always thought that there was more to the story about the shepherds visiting the birth of Jesus than what Luke says. For example, I’ve been told that these were shepherds of the flock of sheep that were used in the temple sacrifices and therefore they were making sure that the lambs being born were without blemish. This is the reason they were sent to Bethlehem to witness the birth of Jesus, the Lamb of God, who was born without sin. Also, the plot of land they were using was the same plot that Boaz redeemed for Naomi in the book of Ruth. Is there any evidence of this or is it all a cute story like the little drummer boy?