I have been an avid reader of your blog and books for many years – Thank you for the great amount of learning that you have provided to all of us. Today at my weekly church service I was listening to my pastor talk about the wonderful story of grace that the bible explains, and then he asked a question that made me really think. He asked the congregation, “Where are we currently in the wonderful story of the bible?” He then opened the bible to the page that was just between Jude and Revelation. Do you think is this correct? Are we just in the before or just into the beginning of Revelation?

I have learned from reading Gracethrufaith that Matt. 24 is about the surviving Jews at the end of the tribulation. However I am wondering about your opinion concerning Matt. 24:49. These people were judged by what they had done. My wife and I are invited to an Octoberfest party and it does give me pause to know we will be eating and drinking with drunkards. I feel if we don’t go it will send a message that we are too good to spend time with old friends. I know this has nothing to do with my salvation however I want to do what is pleasing to the Lord. Any thoughts how God views these things is greatly appreciated.

We have a new pastor and he has been very persistent about how the congregation praises the Lord. He wants everyone to raise their hands, shout and move about. Many in the congregation, including me, don’t always feel comfortable doing this. From time to time, I have raised my hands to the Lord but I don’t do it all the time. I was raised singing the old hymns and they speak to my heart and soul but the new pastor is insisting on singing the newer contemporary songs. The newer songs seem very repetitive to me and they go on and on without seeming to have an ending. What I need to know is…does the Lord expect everyone to raise their hands and shout to show praise to Him? Is He disappointed when I don’t do this? This really bothers me and I don’t want the Lord to be unhappy with the way I praise Him.