Search Results

You have written about having enough faith to believe we can be healed, and my emphasis is on the word, “enough.” It mildly disturbed me when I read that because the question that came up in my mind was, “Did I have enough faith to be saved, and if so why isn’t that same faith sufficient to believe I could perform miracles?”

I struggle with “being in this world but not of it” I believe that even though we profess our faith in Jesus, we still are sometimes “deceived” into thinking that just because we think something is good, it must be from our Father. And I know the verse of “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” but isn’t that talking about Jesus? I hate being deceived and I was just wondering if you had any advice or suggestions on the subject.

I have always wondered when God writes “He will supply all your needs, and that “we are not to worry about the clothes we wear, food to eat.” But then I see those in very poor, third world countries and I am sure there are believers there. How do they not worry and wonder if their needs will be met when conditions are so terribly bad? There are many believers who are losing homes and jobs now even in the US, and I wonder why God allows His children to lose everything but then says not to worry, that He’ll supply those basic needs?

Although 49, I am a “babe” in Christ as I was reborn last June. I have a question please. I was listening to a talk show about the Rapture in which the Speaker talked about all the raptured believers getting their reward for bearing fruit based on 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. What will happen to someone, like me, who is newly reborn and has hardly any fruits at all? I would greatly appreciate some advice on how to increase my fruits.

I’ve been a believer since I was little and now I’m having trouble because after a life changing experience I’ve realized that in the past I may not have believed it in my heart after all. I have problems knowing if the Holy Spirit is guiding me. I’ve always felt bad when sinning because I knew it was wrong, but there have been times in my life when I sinned knowingly and didn’t care. Since I didn’t care, was I saved?

Something has been weighing heavy on my mind for some time now. It seems that no one is preaching ‘preparation’. I believe there will be a rapture of the Church soon. As things are winding down and we see prophecy coming to fruition it is time for true women and men of God, I believe, to focus on being prepared for His coming. What are your thoughts on this?

Hi, great site and may the Lord provide for you. My faith and my walk with God has been good. I just got saved this year and I am very thankful for that. Praise our Lord.

What do you think about lifting weights? Do you think that if I focus too much on sculpting and chiseling my body, I am not glorifying the Lord, but instead I am glorifying my flesh? I’ve been struggling with this. I believe the Lord has already given me an answer to this, but being human, I can be stubborn and need second opinions from brothers and sisters in Christ. Am I serving two masters? When one decides to work out and get in shape, it becomes a lifestyle. There is much needed dedication as far as diet, sleep schedule, and physics that go into building new muscles. Can it be possible to work out and serve the Lord at the same time? Thanks.

During recent discussions with members of the Church regarding the end-times events which are unfolding on the world scene, I have been surprised by the negative comments regarding the rapidly approaching return of Jesus. Several professing Christians have expressed their desire that there be enough time remaining which would allow them to “experience a full life.” Some of the most common comments are as follow:

“I want to see my kids grow up.” “I have some things that I want to do first.” “I want to serve God longer.”

Most of these people would agree that they are tired of the evil we face every day and that things are getting worse. I am baffled by their desire to remain in our current state of existence. Do their reasons for wanting to continue in this life conflict with the sentiment of 1 John 2:15-17?

You have stated the Rev. 7 martyrs are saints who die after the Seal judgments. Have you ever tried to figure out how the four horses line up chapter-wise with the whole book of Revelation? Or does it overlap too much to do that?

A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

There’s a theory, only hinted at in Scripture, that Planet Earth had been the domain of Satan prior to his rebellion. Although he was only a created being, Satan was an enormously powerful dignitary in God’s Universe (Jude 1:9).

My sister is reading a book in which the author speaks of the angel in Revelation 8:3-7 as being Jesus. The author also says that the prayers of the saints which are being offered with the incense upon the golden altar are the prayers of the raptured church for those ‘christians’ who missed the rapture and are now enduring the tribulation. To settle a disagreement about these verses, my sister would like you to explain who the angel and the saints are.

Re: Rev. 11:19 The Ark of the Covenant was seen by John, as related in Revelation, in Heaven in the future. Now if the Ark of the Covenant is there then is it not likely that it is there presently?

And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm.

My question has to do with what the Bible refers to as “hardening of hearts”. There are many examples in the Bible of people hardening their hearts toward God. For instance Ephesians 4:17-18 (NLT) states, “Their closed minds are full of darkness; they are far away from the life of God because they have shut their minds and hardened their hearts against him”. My understanding of verses like these are that our hearts are hardened toward God and accepting Jesus as our savior because of our sinful and ungodly behavior.

Other verses state that God hardened someone’s heart. For example, in God’s dealing with Moses and Pharaoh in Exodus 4:21 God stated, “When you arrive back in Egypt, go to Pharaoh and perform all the miracles I have empowered you to do. But I will harden his heart so he will refuse to let the people go.” My understanding of this is that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart so that pharaoh would, “see His power and that His fame might spread throughout the earth,” (Exodus 9:16). Am I correct in saying that God, who knows the end from the beginning, knew that Pharaoh would never turn to Him so God used Pharaoh for this purpose?

I have been a Christian for a long time and have always believed in Jesus Christ, however, as of late, I realized that I didn’t understand why I believed what I believed, so I set out on a quest. I wanted to understand why others from different faiths believed what they believed about God. This quest brought me to a finding that I have a question about. It would appear that Hinduism predates Judaism. I also found that Krishna has a very similar story as Jesus. Now please don’t get me wrong, I am a firm believer in Jesus, I was just hoping for an explanation for my findings. Again, I am a firm believer, but I guess I am on a quest of reassurance. I wish I had more faith so I didn’t doubt all the time. It really isn’t that I doubt what I believe, I just want answers to back it up. Do you think this is wrong to have a lack of faith like this? To question things all the time like I do?

I always thought Hell was forever, but I recently read another view called the conditional view. It teaches that the unrighteous will be resurrected, judged, punished in Hell for a period of time proportional to their sins, and then suffer destruction (both body and soul). The author mentions several points against eternal punishment but he states “the most convincing of all arguments against the traditional viewpoint relates to what Jesus Himself suffered on the cross. What was that punishment? It was extreme punishment followed by death. If Jesus did not suffer the full penalty for our sin, our debt has not been paid. But the Scriptures say that He paid the full debt and it was not eternal torment.” What do you think of that argument?

I’m having difficulty verifying the mention of the Trumpet of God in Exodus 19. The only place I can find the phrase ‘trumpet of God’ is I Thes. 4. In Ex. 19, I see a ‘very loud trumpet blast’ in v. 16, and a ‘the sound of the trumpet’, in v. 19. Am I missing the ‘trumpet of God’? Is that in the Hebrew instead of the English?

I don’t know how to specifically phrase my question. I know there are evil spirits in this world. I know the disciples were given the power to drive out spirits, but I have always been taught that we are not to be involved with the spirit world. I am asking about this now because someone at my church (which surprised me) has told me that one of my grandchildren is possessed by a spirit. We recently found out she has been involved with some children playing around with witchcraft and devil worship so nothing would surprise me. He wants to drive the spirit out. I am really concerned about getting into all of this. What should I do?

What is binding and loosing? Is it appropriate for Christians to pray for binding and loosing? If not then what is the proper way?

I know that all whose names were not found in the book of life are going to be thrown in the lake of fire (Rev. 20:15). Why then does it say later on that nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it (New Jerusalem), but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. (Rev. 21:27)

I guess it seems like an obvious question, but here it almost indicated that there will be those who are unclean who exist outside the city, but they will never be able to enter. Is the lake of fire outside the New Jerusalem, or are these sinners who live outside of the city?

I was reading my Bible again, (I’m trying to read the whole thing), and I was going from Genesis through Exodus. I used to wish that I could have lived during those times, but now you couldn’t pay me to go there. It seems like every time Israel messes up, they get wiped out. But then I started thinking; I’m just as guilty as they are, because I haven’t always put God first. I feel that I wouldn’t have lasted one day before being killed for my sin. I mean, if one sin is enough to kill us, how much more do I deserve to die? The New Testament is filled with God displaying His mercy and forgiveness, and I am grateful for that, but I can’t figure out why He is so easy on us, when He was so tough on the Israelites.

I have a question regarding the “Laying on of Hands.” Is it just symbolic or can it impart healing, spiritual gifts or an infilling with the spirit? Also do you think that a ” transferable anointing” between one person and another is Biblical?

How is it possible for God to set aside divinity? I’ve struggled with getting my mind around God becoming man, entering into time, doing His restoration work, then leaving (though depositing the Holy Spirit to remain until the Gathering). Your comments have put my mind spinning.

Doesn’t this kinda “blow out of the water” the notions of people that miracles don’t happen today? If Jesus was on Earth only operating as a man under the power of the Holy spirit and not under His divine power as God, then this opens a whole other dimension to me. But the question still comes up, can God separate Himself like that?

Commentary by Jack Kelley

While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape (1 Thes. 5:3).

A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

I get a lot of questions about the relationship between God and Satan. Most of them are from people who want to know how God can tolerate Satan in His presence, and as far as I can tell the Bible offers no explanation for this.

Great site, I am blessed by your insights.

Here’s a follow up question for you on “Are any homosexuals saved?”: You make good points on confession and asking forgiveness for sins, but how does repentance fit in in your view? I am thinking of specific scriptures such as “repent or perish”, “but unless you stop sinning, you too will perish”, “the one who continues to sin is not born of God”, etc.