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When reading through Matthew, I usually come across this thought in my mind with no answer. I’m hoping you might be able to clarify this.

Matthew 11:2

When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?”

Matthew 3:14-17

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

My question:

Why, in Matthew 11:2 does John ask if Jesus is the one to be expected to come when John had already confirmed Jesus’ identity back in Matthew 3? I’m assuming that John is the he in “he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him” and that the scripture is chronologically ordered. If this is true (i.e., John saw a miracle during Christ’s baptism), it would only seem that John is at this time, in Matthew 11:2 (when in prison) delirious from being incarcerated (he is no longer thinking straight).

I am a believer who attends a bible teaching church and the people claim to believe also. My problems are some of their actions. I have had some very hurtful things said and done to me and my family by some members and I am treated with Christ like love by others. Please don’t think that I am just being petty, these are things you expect from people of this world, not true believers. My problem is how to deal with the people who seem to be jealous of me because of my talents. All that I have I received from God. They are getting to be a bit much to take but I don’t want to leave my church. Please help.

The Pharisees or Sadducees asked Jesus if a woman marries seven brothers after each one of them dies, who will she be with in heaven? He told them they would be in the spirit. Where is that story in the Bible?

I read your site daily and highly respect your opinions and answers. You have given me insights I have not found elsewhere. May God continue to bless your ministry.

I am struggling with knowing God’s will for my life. I was raised a Roman Catholic and fell away from the Lord for most of my life. I blamed God for all the bad things that happened in my life and wasted 30 years not knowing Him. I have been studying the bible for almost two years on my own and recently joined a church (not Roman Catholic) and got baptized. The preacher preaches salvation through Christ.

I have accepted Jesus as my personal Savior and have peace in my life for the first time. I feel guilty because I don’t think I’m doing anything for Him. He said we need to be His hands and feet, but I do not know what He wants me to do with my life.

How do I know what He wants me to do? How do I find my purpose in life? Where can I go to learn what I need to do in order to hear Him? Any information you can give me will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your daily insight. I have a question about a verse, Luke 7:47. The last sentence really struck me as odd so I must be misinterpreting. In the previous verses Jesus explained that the man with the biggest debt forgiven would have the most love for the man he had owed. Was he implying in Luke 7:47 that since the woman had more sins, she would love Jesus more than a righteous man?

First I wanted to say thank you for the informative site. I visit daily and enjoy your prophecy studies as well as your other topics.

I had a quick question for you. I’ve heard conflicting stories about the Apostle John from the book of John, and the John that wrote Revelation as to the fact that they where not the same guy! Have you heard this before and is there any truth behind this, if not is there anything in the Bible to tie these books together and to solidify that this is the same person. Thanks for any insight you can give. God Bless you and your family.

You said in article on the tithe: The Lord views 10% of our increase as belonging to Him. (Leviticus 27:30) Just want to point out that ‘increase’ means what it says, and it doesn’t mean giving 10% of ones entire earnings! Also, God was addressing the bad attitudes of the priests  and it was the priests who with held some of the tithes from the storehouse.

A possible rendering of ‘and this whole nation’, could refer to the tithes that were with held ‘from the whole nation’ –meaning from the people who were intended to benefit from them. I know that tithes in the storehouse were not there just for the benefit of the priests, but also for the poor & destitute who needed a meal, etc.!

So, how can you and so many other preachers/teachers abuse this word by saying the NT demands a tenth of all ones’ earnings, and not just the ‘increase’ as God’s word states? And, how can you say the NT believers are commaned to tithe? Show me one verse in the NT that clearly says so; and don’t send me verses tat I know speak only about offerings! IN fact there’s only 1 NT verse that makes reference to the tithe in Hebrews, about Melchizedek and how Abraham paid tithes through him.

I’m hoping you can help with a discussion my wife and I are having regarding creation. I know that some parts of Genesis can be “proven” date wise based on written information and compared with the time frame that societies existed ie, Pharoah and Egypt etc.

Our question is though is there any way to figure out approximately when man (Adam and Eve) first appeared on Earth? There are so many shows on the subject of the age of the earth as well as mankind that it gets very confusing. It seems that most of the media is untrustworthy when it comes to these issues, and I don’t know if they are intentionally trying to deceive people into doubting the Bible or are they just mistaken? our Pastor has the same opinion that you do that information should be tested against the Bible but some things are not given full explanation.

Also have you heard the opinion or idea of “earth ages”? I have heard a minister speak of separate earth ages (we are in the 2nd) where in the 1st earth (I know you have mentioned this in other letters) that Satan interefered in Gods original creation and God began creation again where Genesis begins.

One last question, I know that the Bible speaks of the war in Heaven between God and Satan and his army but are there books available that expand on this topic and its time frame? It seems that different translations of the Bible offer insight into this but without a degree in Hebrew or Greek we are left without much info. Thanks for your response to my long letter.

Re: Acts 19:1-7. This has long been a concern for me. My Sunday School teacher teaches that water baptism is not relevant today.

And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”

And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”

Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”

When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Now the men were about twelve in all. Acts 19:1-7

This is the scripture that I don’t understand. These people already believed in Jesus but they didn’t receive the Holy Spirit until they were baptized in His name. Please explain.