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My husband and I are Messianic Christians who have no group locally with which to worship. So I search books and Christian internet sites for the best answers to questions that arise from our personal bible studies. I am searching for the answer to a specific question and, since your article “Water into Wine” is the most intelligently thought-out, Jewish culture-based approach I have yet found, I am hoping you can answer this:

When Yeshua asked his mother, Miryam, “Why do you involve me? My time has not yet come,” why did Miryam pursue the issue? (Almost as if she were forcing Him to do something He was not yet ready to do.)

Many times I have seen American writers quote Daniel 12:4 saying:”many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” I am from Holland and I read the Dutch translation, where it says something like: “Many will study it and [their] knowledge shall be increased”. This second part of this verse is about the book of Daniel. It is saying that people will go ‘to and fro’ thru the book of Daniel searching for the knowledge that is in the book of Daniel.

The Dutch translation of 1634 and ALL other translations, even the German are saying this is what is meant by Daniel 12:4. Only the King James has people running to and fro and general knowledge being increased. This discovery came as a shock to me…because it seems more logical to see this verse in the light the Dutch translators put it.

But that would mean this verse is not about travel or science-knowledge, which means all people using KJV are wrong speculating we are in the end-times because of this verse being true now!

This question has been bothering me for quite a while, so I hope you can help me out here, especially because English is your native language. Many thanks in advance.

What is the Biblical position on masturbation? I have sons that will be at the age soon where this subject may come up and truthfully I’m not sure what to tell them. I have done some looking into it and have also asked some people that I respect very much spiritually but I really wanted to get your take on it.

I have looked at the bible and cannot find anything satisfactory on it. I know of the account in Genesis where the guy is killed by the LORD for spilling his seed on the ground. But I have always understood this to be more about his refusal to carry on his brother’s line.

I know that pornography is wrong and will tell my sons as much. If your focus (can’t think of a better way to say it) is about your spouse does that change anything? If your spouse has a medical condition or schedule that doesn’t allow for as much gratification as would be desired does that make a difference?

I have pondered if it is sort of a conditional thing too. Kind of like drinking. It is OK to have an alcoholic beverage so long as you are not getting drunk, etc. Are there times and conditions in which this activity is sinful and others where it is not?

I thank you for your willingness to take on subjects that can be a bit, well, sensitive. Thank you for being fearless in doing so.

I have a friend who is very involved in a church that teaches through faith “You will be wealthy.” My friend thinks if she has enough faith God will supply her family with everything they need. Please show me scriptures that show God really wants people to work for a living. My friend and her husband have not worked in years and the work that they have had in the past is all self-employed. They cannot support their kids, but will not listen to either friend or family. They are in their forties, so this is not just being “young and dumb.”

Is it scriptural for a pastor to keep someone from participating in the Lord’s Supper because of their behavior or sins?

Also, when someone goes through biblical discipline in my church, and then leaves, the pastor speaks to the person’s new pastor about their previous behavior and sins.  This is a covenant in my church, and I cannot find these things in the bible. I am bothered by them.

In Hebrews 12:6 it reads, “For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines”. My question is how does God discipline believers? Can we know when He is disciplining us?

I think it is fair to say that all of us have buried memories and thoughts we would like to keep buried. Now, what if you’ve already taken them and given it to God? If those memories suddenly flood back because of an argument or event, is that God “doing something” with those memories for say, discipline to bring us closer to Him? I read in your post “The Lord’s Discipline” that discipline does not increase our fear but increases our love. But does the process include making us angry and hurtful?

What if we’ve let the anger toward the one that has hurt us go, but we can’t let go of the shame we feel because of what the person had done? I have forgiven the one that hurt me as a child, but I have a difficult time forgiving myself and I feel shameful for “allowing” it to happen and for allowing it to carry on into a time in my life where I knew it was wrong. I’ve prayed about this often, but I can’t seem to overcome this shame and I struggle with it often. It really irritates me and I believe the answer is that I’m just letting Satan take joy out of my life through the shame. How do we let go of the shame? It’s easier said than done.

I know of nothing in the Bible that explains the following, but perhaps you can provide some insight.

Why did our Lord use spittle and clay to heal the blind man instead of merely speaking the word? What lesson are we to learn from that?

Hi Jack, thank you for your site, I follow it every day. May be you could help me to understand where I am at with the Lord, and get back in fellowship with him. I am saved and have been for awhile now, and I have been following after Jesus as GOD. For my understanding of the Bible is, that Jesus is GOD just as GOD is Jesus just as GOD is the Heavenly Father and he is also GOD the Holy Spirit. I believe in worshiping Jesus and praying to him and by doing this I am praising GOD the Father. One day at church I told a senior deacon that I pray to Jesus and I got a response from him that I was doing something wrong. I explained to him that it was not some kind of replacement Theology, because Jesus is also GOD. Now when I pray to Jesus I am thinking in the back of my mind that I am some how robbing GOD the Father of the praise he so deserves but at the same time I know that GOD the Father is also Jesus, GOD the Son. I am sorry if this sounds confusing because it is hard for me to explain. I just want to worship GOD the best that I can and in a way that is pleasing and acceptable to HIM . Thank you for your time and thoughts about this.