Questions from the 12:12 Series

How do you explain to someone that God may not answer every prayer the way they want?  Probably the best passage in the Bible for this answer is found in James 4:2-4.  In this passage, James says, "You want something but don't get it.  You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want.  You quarrel and fight.  You do not have, because you do not ask God.  When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.  You adulterous people don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred to ward God?" This passage reveals that our motives must be in the right place when we pray.  Are we setting our hearts on earthly things, or are we trying to mirror the heart of God?  As difficult as it is, we really need to check our motives and ask, "Why am I honestly asking God to grant this request?

How much should one pray about sickness?  I believe Jesus was clear that we are to persist in our prayers, no matter what the subject.  Again, as long as we believe our motives to be pure and of God.  God is the Healer God and desires to bring healing to His people.  Jesus said in Luke 18:1 to "always pray and never give up."  So be encouraged and keep praying!

How important is it to confess your sins during prayer, because He already knows what you have done?  1 John 1:8-10 says, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives."  We see here that confessing our sins is very important to God.  If we say a blanket prayer like, "Lord, please forgive me for all the bad I've done today." we lack sincerity of heart.  It would be like going to your spouse and saying, "I'm sorry if I did anything against you today."  Our spouse would be like, "What did you do to me?"  Now contrast that with, "Honey, I'm sorry for when I snapped at you when you asked me to take the trash out."  When you name the sin by name, you and your spouse connect at a deeper level.  The same goes for our relationship with God.  Yes, He already knows what you have done, but there is something very healing about talking it out with God.  King David is famous for saying in Psalm 139:23 and 24, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."  Very transparent and very open to God revealing even more sin.  How many of us are willing to do that?

What is important for small children to pray for?  Obviously, I think sky is the limit on what children can pray for.  However, I would try to guide them a bit.  When they are very little, they will probably thank God for mom and dad, brothers and sisters, for food, family, friends, etc.  They will also probably pray for people who are sick.  I think it is good to teach your children to pray the ACTS prayer.  I do this with my kids from time to time.  "A" stands for adoration.  So I'll say, "Logan would like to praise you for being..." and then I let my son finish it with his own words.  During this time of praise, it's important to teach your children to praise God for who He is, not for things He's done for us.  So focus on His attributes. "C" stands for confession.  So I'll say, "Logan would like to ask forgiveness for when he..."  During the confession times, it's important to teach our children to name their sins specifically (see above question).  "T" stands for thanksgiving.  So I'll say, "Logan would like to thank you for..."  Finally, "S" stands for supplication, which means, requests.  Here I'll say, "Logan would like to ask you to..."  I would also talk to your kids about motives (again, see above questions).  But for prayer to be important to your children, they have to see it being important in your life.  So be sure to model a strong prayer life and talk about your prayer life openly with them.

Can prayer be a weapon to fight against the enemy?  Of course.  As I've sometimes mentioned in sermons, remember Satan does not have the attributes of God.  So just in case he cannot read our thoughts, it might be a good idea to pray out loud at times when praying against Satan.  In Ephesians 6, Paul talks about putting on the armor of God.  In verse 16, he writes, "take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one."  Notice Paul said, "all" the flaming arrows and not some.  Tying that into prayer, Paul goes on to say in verse 18, "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." No coincidence that Paul finished up his writings on the armor of God with a call to pray.

Does prayer need said out loud, or can God hear us if we say them in our minds?  God can hear your silent words and can also implant His thoughts into your heart and mind.  Psalm 94:11 says, "The Lord knows the thoughts of man."

Do you need to pray on every occasion, even about the smallest things?  Do you want God to be involved in only the big things of life, or also the small things?  While I think there are some prayers that are a bit silly, like, "Lord please allow there to be a parking space up front."  I do believe God wants us to pray, as stated above, "on all occasions."

What are items God doesn't like in prayer? I think going back to one of the questions above, God does not like selfish motives.  While I think He is OK with praying for things that will benefit you, we must check our motives and make sure we are in the right frame of heart.  Are we wanting to prosper in order to have nicer things and go to nicer places, or do we want more in order to do more for His Kingdom?  Also, God would not want us to pray for anything that goes against His character.  For example, God is against adultery, so He would not want you to pray for Him to allow it in your circumstance.

Is there a point at which prayer becomes more powerful?  James 5:16 says, "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."  So one answer to this question might be, "Yes, if a person pursues righteousness in their life, then their prayer life will become more powerful."  We are only righteous because of the presence of Christ in our lives.  Romans 3:22 says, "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe."  So if you are a true believer in Christ and pursue Him passionately, I believe your prayers will be powerful and effective.

God is not bound by time and we pray for things in the future.  Can we pray for things in the past?  I'm not exactly sure what types of issues you would like to pray for concerning the past.  If you are talking about past issues in your life or surrounding your life, I would say, yes.  If you are asking about changing things that have happened in the past, then I would say, no.  Isaiah 43:18 says, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past."  I may be taking this passage a bit out of context, but I think you could apply it here, depending on the angle of your question.

Is prayer with your eyes open disrespectful to God?  Check this out...Here are the positions of prayer as described in the Bible.  Prostrate with face to the ground, 56 times.  Facing toward Jerusalem, 20 times.  Kneeling, 9 times.  Hands up, 10 times.  Standing, 5 times. Head bowed, 8 times.  And eyes closed, 0 times!  Jesus' most common way to pray was lifting His eyes toward Heaven.  Obviously, praying with your eyes open is not disrespectful to God, however, I would make sure you are in the right frame of mind and not being distracted.

Does prayer prayer have to be a formal occasion, or can it be like conversation with God?  Conversation with God, for sure.  God talked with Moses as a "friend talks with friend."

Is it OK to keep your prayers between you and God, or do you have to ask others to prayer with or for you?  I think it's OK to have prayers that are just between you and God, but the Bible is full of stories of people of God praying for one another.  So while, private prayers are fine, I would encourage you to share some requests with trusted friends once in a while.  Sometimes, there can be power in numbers.

I am only 11 and I need some help on what to say to a person when I want to tell them about Jesus.  Can you help me?  That is a great question and I'm glad you have a heart to share Jesus with others!  I would encourage you to talk with our Junior High Pastor, Steve Schlatter.  He will have materials suited for someone your age.  However, I would suggest you keep it simple and cover the basics.  We have a sin problem that separates us from a Holy God.  God loves us and wants to have a relationship with us, so He sent His Son Jesus to die on a cross to pay the penalty for our sins.  Now, if we choose to love Him and believe in what He did for us, we can live in Heaven forever when we die.  Be sure to see Steve Schlatter.  He would be happy to talk with you.  Good job!

*If your question does not appear in the list above, that means the question was either answered live or did not pertain to the 12:12 series.

LIFE IS ABOUT GOD, NOT YOU

How does the new covenant relate to this in the old covenant? Jesus said in Matthew 5:17, Jesus said He came "not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it."  In Jewish culture, they had ceremonial laws, moral laws and civil laws.  Jesus fulfilled the ceremonial laws.  He was the perfect sacrifice for sins and therefore fulfilled the ceremonial laws of the Jews.  The civil laws were for public order and we still abide by many of those in our culture today.  However, the moral laws have never changed.  So moral laws found within the 10 Commandments are still to be adhered to in today's culture.  God doesn't change His moral code based on the latest trends of society.  Jesus taught the same moral laws in the New Testament that we see in the Old.  In fact, He often expounded upon them, as in the case of divorce, lust and revenge.

Is it sinful to worry about what God will do if you turn over EVERY aspect of your life to Him?  In Psalm 139:13 it says, "For you created my inmost being.  You knit me together in my mother's womb."  Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you' declares the Lord.  'Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  When you read passages like this, how could we ever be worried about giving every aspect of our lives to God?  I understand the question, but I want to encourage you that God always has your best interest at heart.  He provides us with a way to live in order to outline the best life possible.  Like I said Sunday, most of the troubles we experience in life are a result of living life our way, not God's way.  I would encourage you to turn over ever aspect of your life and see what God does.

Can you give some examples of breaking the first two commandments in today's life?  An example in breaking the first commandment would be believing we are all headed up the same mountain and what god we choose to follow to get there, doesn't really matter.  An example of breaking commandment number two would be getting overly attached to one particular Christian symbol in your worship.  Some might also say placing things such as entertainment life, sports, our work, money, hobbies, music, etc. before God would be examples of modern day idols.  Or like I said in the sermon, if we are guilty of worshiping the God we've created in our minds as opposed to the God who really is.

Could you put the prayer you put on the screen online so we could see it again?  I found this prayer in a book by Bill Hybels entitled, "Laws that Liberate."  Here is the prayer... "Lord, show me your will and I'll gladly do it.  If I can serve you best in the business world, then that's where I'll go.  If you want me in school, I'll go there.  If you want me to stay home, I'll stay home.  If you want me in ministry, I'll go there.  Give me a mission and I'll pursue it with passion for the rest of my life."

How many commandments are against man's laws?  Fortunately in our country, there aren't too many man made laws I can think of that go against God's laws.  I'm sure there may be some.  Our legal system and laws we have in this country were founded on Biblical principles.  I had a Jewish professor in Political Science who knew the New Testament of the Bible better than most Christians I have met.  When I asked him why, he said, "Because I'm a Political Science professor and most of our laws were based on New Testament teachings."  However, I think we are rapidly moving in a direction where that may cease to be the case.  We are teetering on a slippery slope.  Stay tuned and pray. Let's pray we move closer to God rather than further away.


How do you tell the difference between loving your spouse and putting them before God?  God tells us in Ephesians 5:25, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her."  and in Ephesians 5:22, "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord."  Loving and caring for our spouses is at the core of who God is.  He has called us to prioritize our marriages and view them with honor before Him.  I think the only way you would put your spouse before God would be to deny God's laws in order to satisfy your spouses request.  In other words, if you spouse is trying to get you to do something that is contrary to Scripture, then you would need to prioritize God's Word over your spouse.  But in any other case, I believe you are honoring God and putting Him first by giving total devotion to your spouse.

Many questions were about God's will for your life.  I answered this live, but if you missed it, I'll answer it again.  When discovering God's will for our life, we need to make sure it jives with Scripture.  God is not going to ask you to do something that is contrary to His Word.  If you don't know the Bible well enough to know, ask someone trusted who does.  Also, even though God used Moses in ways that were way beyond his abilities, there has only been one Moses.  Sometimes we think we can all be a Moses and God will gift us to be like him.  More often than not, God will use you in the way in which He has wired you.  Discover your spiritual gifts, talents and passions and serve God within those.  Ask Christian people who know you well if what you are hearing from God sounds legitimate to them.  They know you well and will be able to say, "Yes, that sounds like you." or "No, you are way off base."  Discovering God's will for your life can be frustrating, but it's all part of the growing experience.  Throughout the experience, don't ever forget, God has nothing to gain by keeping it a secret from you.  He wants you to know His mission for your life.  So pursue it with excitement and don't give up!  But don't spend your life searching.  Get out there and try some things and see where God leads.  Don't waste your life away wondering.

Do you believe salvation occurs at water baptism?  Do you believe people can lose their salvation? These questions come up almost every time you open it up for questions.  In short, no, I do not believe salvation occurs at water baptism.  I don't have space here to give all the Biblical evidence, and my assumption is, since you asking this question, you are fairly well versed in the Bible,  but I will say this.  If baptism were necessary for salvation, then it would be mentioned every time salvation is mentioned.  However, there are plenty of passages that talk about faith alone in Christ and nothing about baptism.  On the flip side, you never see a passage that says being baptized alone is what saves someone.  So faith in Christ is the only constant for salvation in the Bible. To the other question, yes, I do believe someone can lose their salvation.  Hebrews 6:6 refers to a believer falling away.  This topic is hotly debated in Armenian and Calvinist circles all the time.  My feeling is this...if a person is standing there and does not have faith in Christ and at one time appeared to have faith in Christ, one thing is for sure.  Whether they lost their salvation or never had it, they are still far from God and need Christ.  So in my opinion, we get too concerned with this question.  Our real concern should be for the person and their state with Christ, not with how they got there.

AM I MAKING PEOPLE SWIM TO ME?

How do I share Christ with non-believers without being too pushy or shoving Christ down their throats?  1 Peter 3:15 and 16 says, "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.  But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander."  Notice the passage says to share Christ with others with "gentleness and respect."  When dealing with non-believers, I would simply stay as respectful and gentle as possible.  Remember, you are their earthly representation of who Jesus is.  They may judge Him based on how you treat them.  So be bold yet careful. As long as the dialogue is open, you are not being pushy.  If they get to the point where they tell you to back off and leave them alone, then accommodate their request.  You gain nothing by being pushy.  Believe me, when the chips are down in their life or they have questions about God, they will come to you because they know where you stand.

If 75% of those reached by the Gospel fall away, have they lost their salvation?  As I studied for this sermon, that was a question I asked myself.  Jesus doesn't make it real clear, but it appears that the person described by the path maybe never had salvation.  The person in the rocks, appears to have had it, but left it.  The person I had the most struggle with was the person in the thorns.  This person was described as being "unfruitful," not as having rejected Christ.  That's why in the sermon, I referenced this person as one who is a follower of Christ in name only.  Obviously, this person has put other things before Christ.  And while that is a danger zone, I'm not sure if Jesus would say they've lost their salvation.  Jesus is pretty strong on what it means to call Him Lord.  For example, Matthew 7:21 that "Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." That's pretty strong language.  So whether a person loses their salvation or not in that 75% may be up for debate.  However, I think it is clear that we should all be pursuing the "good soil" way of life.

What should you do if you are trying to reach someone for Christ and they stop listening?  I think this question may have been answered in the first question I answered.  However, I would add praying for the person.  Never underestimate the power of prayer.  Pray hard for those you are trying to reach that God would soften their heart toward Him.

When you ask God into your life, how do you know you asked the right way?  How do you know that He has accepted you?  Romans 10:9 says, "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."  If you have done this and believe it in your heart, then you have done it "the right way."  John 3:16 answers you other question.  John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."  God loves everyone in the world and if they accept His Son, He accepts them as part of His family.  Romans 8:14-16 says, "Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.  For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.  And by Him we cry, 'Abba, Father.' The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children."  "Abba" can be translated, "Daddy."  As this passage in Romans says, if we are led by the Spirit of God and are truly committed to Him, He is our father and we are His children.  It's a wonderful concept and way of life!

What if your faced with rejection of Christ's name every time you try and spread the love of Jesus?  How do I respond to this kind of rejection?  Matthew 5:11 and 12 says, "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."  Any time we are persecuted or insulted because of Jesus, God blesses us.  That does not mean we just harshly talk to people about God and invite insult (see question above related to this).  In this world, we are going to experience rejection.  Don't ever let that deter you from trying to be a light for Christ.  Jesus said in Mark 8:38, "If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of Him when He comes in His Father's glory with the holy angels."  Keep being a light for Christ!

What concrete evidence do we have to explain the age of dinosaurs and their existence?  Why does science go against this?  I'm not an expert on this by any means, but I'll give you some food for thought.  Some scholars believe the leviathan mentioned in Job 41 is a dinosaur-type creature that lived in the sea.  Whether it was a dinosaur or a great whale, we may not be sure, but it's perhaps evidence of dinosaurs in the Bible.  Job is believed to have lived during the time of Abraham or before.  There is no mention of the Law or the Exodus in Job, so scholars believe he lived in what we might call "the prehistoric days."  As far as the age of the earth as it appears in the Bible, versus what secular scientists say, I don't know that it really matters.  I asked a college science professor who was a Christian at a secular university how he looked at it and he said, "It could be said that scientists have missed it and have dated the earth much older than it is, or it could be said that God created the world over a vast number of years and the days mentioned in Genesis are figurative rather than literal, but either way, does your faith hinge upon a concrete answer?"  I thought that was a good way to look at it.  It's an endless debate with people who simply like to debate.  If you enjoy this type of study and research, there is a wonderful magazine I used to get entitled, "Answers."  They have great articles regarding the origin of the earth, dinosaurs, archeology, etc.  Check our their website at www.answersingenesis.org.

SHARING CHRIST AT WORK

Do I stop talking to coworkers about Jesus (they come to me) if my employer says to? Do I not listen to God over what man says?
Colossians 3:22 says, "Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord." Based on the position of Christian slaves in Bible times, we could easily replace the word "slaves" with the word "employees."  Therefore, when we read about "slaves obeying their masters," we can most certainly replace those words with "employees, obey your bosses."  In the case of your boss not wanting you to talk about your faith at work, I think you should obey his wishes.  If you have coworkers approaching you, simply exchange cell numbers and say, "My boss doesn't want me to talk about my faith at work, but I would love to talk with you after hours."  I don't believe this fits the category of "obeying man and not God."  If your employer was trying to get you to do something that violated God's laws, then you might have an issue.  But in the case of sharing your faith, you can find other ways to communicate with a coworker rather than at the workplace.  I appreciate your heart to reach people.  If people are coming to you, you obviously are living the life and being salt and light for Christ.  Great job!

You've Never Locked Eyes with Someone Who Doesn't Matter to God

If the Jews do not believe that Jesus Christ was the Messiah, then why are they the chosen people of God?  This has been a hotly contested question for centuries among the Christian world.  Some believe that God promised the Jews that they would be His people for all time, no matter what.  Others believe the Jews will have a "second chance" at the end of the world.  And still others believe that the Jews who do not believe in Jesus Christ are no different than any other non-believer. If you read Romans 11, you might get even more confused when Paul says, "All Israel will be saved."  This passage must be read within context of all of Scripture.  Jesus and Paul both made it clear that "no one come to the Father except through Jesus Christ."  So salvation hinges upon one's belief in Jesus Christ as Lord.  When Paul refers to "all Israel," he is not talking about every individual Jew any more than "all Gentiles" would mean every non-Jew.  Whether a Jewish person comes to know Christ now or at the end of time doesn't matter.  The bottom line is that they are special in God's site and He still gives them an opportunity to redeem themselves through Jesus Christ.  So, are they still God's chosen people?  Yes, from the standpoint that God still wants them to come to Him through Christ and experience the fullness of their spiritual history.  But no, from the standpoint that they will go to heaven simply because they are Jewish.  This is a very complicated subject, but hopefully this gives you a brief insight.

Our Relationship with God is a Joke if Serious Prayer is Sporadic

Is there a special way to pray or do you see a prayer spending time talking to God?
Prayer is definitely talking with God, but it can also be listening to God.  If you look at the way Jesus taught us to pray in the "Lord's Prayer," we see He included different types of prayer.  Praise, confession, thanksgiving and requests.  All of these elements should be present in our prayer times with God.  Any time spent with God is beneficial to our lives.

A True Follower of Christ Lives for the Common Good of All

You talked about prioritizing women who were widows and orphans, but what about men who are single dads or widowed?
As I mentioned in the sermon, if a male comes to us with a legitimate need, we will give the situation serious consideration.  Our heart is not to turn someone away who needs help.  The same question you are asking me could be asked of God.  "Why God, did you not mention single dads or widowers in the the James 1:27 passage?"  Throughout Scripture we are told to take care of widows and orphans.  So yesterday when I said we are going to prioritize widows, I was only doing what God has asked us to do.  From the beginning of time, males have had an easier ability to provide for themselves and their families.  Therefore, God expects much more from a male than he does a widow.  God has given men the charge to provide for themselves and their families.  I'm not saying that is always easy, but our society does make it easier for a man.  Like I stated earlier, please don't interpret this as nonconcern for single dads or widowers.  I'm just trying to answer the question you submitted.  Thank you for your question.

The Holy Spirit Ignites the Supernatural

How do I open up to let the Holy Spirit in my life?
If you read Acts 2:14-41, you will read the Apostle Peter's first sermon.  After hearing his sermon, people who were listening asked Peter the same question you are asking.  In verse 37 it says they were "cut to the heart" by Peter's message.  They desperately wanted what Peter was talking about.  So at the end of verse 37 the people ask, "Brothers, what shall we do?"  Peter's answer to them is the same answer I give you today.  In verse 38 Peter answered by saying, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” So according to God's Word spoken through Peter, in order to be filled with the Holy Spirit you must first repent, which means turning 180 degrees in the direction toward God and submitting yourself to the Lordship of Christ.  It means making your life all about what He wants for your life rather than you being the leader of your life.  Then Peter says to be baptized.  We have a baptism service coming up August 28.  I would highly encourage you to be a part of that.  If you would like to, pick up a worksheet at the Welcome Center at church and turn it back into one of the pastors.  Peter also mentions the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ.  Of course, recognizing that you have been forgiven of your past life through what Jesus did on the cross is the foundational key.  When someone makes a real commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord of their life, they will have the Holy Spirit dwelling within them.  I hope this helps.  If you need further counsel, feel free to contact one of us at the church.  Thanks for the question!

Walk a Mile in the Shoes of Someone Who has No Shoes

How many shoes were collected for Soles 4 Souls?

I am so proud of our congregation!  I wasn't expecting the response we received Sunday.  We collected 416 pairs of shoes!  What an exciting day in County Line history!  We took the shoes down to Z-Coil shoe store at Covington Plaza in Fort Wayne.  I would like to give a shout-out to them because they were very helpful and kind to us.  We heard so many heart warming stories of people giving up expensive and favorite shoes.  Thank you for participating in the sacrifice!  God will bless you for it.

Why should we worry about children and women in another country when we are in the same situation here in America.  Why not talk about the kids with no shoes in America instead of South America?

I'm not sure I understand this.  Like I said in my sermon, this is a very self-centered way of thinking.  We have plenty of resources for children to have shoes here in the United States.  I don't think we can even begin to appreciate what poverty is until you witness it first hand in another country.  When my wife and I drove 3 hours in southern China to visit our daughter's orphanage, I saw the poorest conditions I've ever seen.  Like I said, you cannot even begin to understand poverty until you see poverty like I saw.  And I know from speaking with those who have been in other parts of the world, there is more of the same.  If you have a passion for children with no shoes in America, then do something about it.  Find out where they are and if no one is getting shoes to them, then put together a way to make it happen. Don't become the person who likes to complain but doesn't do anything about it.  Maybe God is tapping you on the shoulder.  Thanks for being willing to ask the question.

QUESTIONS SUBMITTED PALM SUNDAY AND EASTER SUNDAY

Jesus was crucified on Friday.  Where was His Spirit and what was He doing between the time He was crucified and the time He rose from the dead?
There is great debate among scholars regarding this issue.  Some think Jesus' spirit went to hell to preach to the prisoners there (1 Peter 3:18 and 19 and Acts 2:31).  While others think Jesus went straight to Heaven.  I tend to believe Jesus went straight to Heaven.  In Luke 23:43, Jesus told the thief hanging on the cross that "Today you will be with me in paradise."  Then a few verses later in Luke 23:46, Jesus said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit."  I think the 1 Peter 3:18 and 19 passage refers to the Spirit of God that was working through Noah to reach the people of his day. It says only 8 were saved, that would be Noah's family.  So in a nutshell, I believe Jesus went to Heaven and then His Spirit returned to His earthly body when He resurrected from the dead.  Whatever you believe really doesn't matter in this case.  No matter where His Spirit went, it doesn't make or break our faith.

Once saved, always saved?
I assume by this question someone is asking whether someone can lose their salvation.  Check out my posting on April 14, 2011.

Does Satan tempt us in our minds or is it our sinful nature?
Satan tends to get a lot more credit than he deserves for making people fall and stumble. James 1:14 says, "Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed."  Notice it says we are tempted by our own evil desire, or sinful nature.  Can Satan tempt us?  Sure. How exactly is debated.  One thing we know is that he cannot read our minds.  He is not God and therefore does not have God-like powers.  He does not even have the ability to be omnipresent.  So if we are being tempted, let's not be too quick to blame Satan. Not that he doesn't deserve any blame we can give him, but we should take responsibility for our own evil nature.

How much cooler does Stu think he is now that he has an iPhone?
Very cool.  You either have an iPhone or you don't (as the commercial says!).  Ha!

What does blasphemy against the Holy Spirit mean?
To blaspheme the Holy Spirit means to renounce, reject or attribute the works of the Holy Spirit to Satan.  To blaspheme the Holy Spirit is to outright claim the Spirit of God is a tool of Satan.  You can see why the Bible says this is the unforgivable sin.  Now, keep in mind, Paul was forgiven of this because he blasphemed the Holy Spirit out of ignorance.  He did not go to his grave blaspheming the Spirit of God.  It is unforgivable because if someone holds to that belief while on earth and then dies with that same belief, they will surely spend eternity in hell. (See Matthew 12:30-37)

Is there a time when God won't strive with a non-Christian any longer?
2 Peter 3:9 says, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.  He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."  God will always desire for someone to give their life to Him.  However, if they die in their rejection of Christ, then they will have lost their opportunity.

Will people who have never been exposed to Christianity go to hell?
According to Romans 1:18-20, man is without excuse due to the creation of the world.  If a people group recognizes a creator God based on what they see in nature, I think they may be OK, even if they have never heard of the historical Jesus.  I say "may be" because only God is the ultimate Judge and I will never put myself in His shoes.  The safest approach is to believe Jesus when He said, "I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

Are you saying we need historical proof outside the Bible and not JUST the Bible to believe Christ is who He said He is?
I'm not saying WE need proof outside the Bible, but I am saying skeptics need proof outside the Bible. We as Christians understand the importance of Scripture and the fact that it is living and active.  However, a skeptic couldn't care less what the Bible says.  Does that mean we don't use the Bible with a skeptic?  Of course not.  The Scriptures can still be a powerful tool in order to reach someone.  However, most skeptics will want to see or hear about other historical evidence that Jesus is indeed who He said He was.  This in no way minimizes the Bible.  It's just a matter of fact.

How do you approach a person far from God when they are miserable without Him and that is exactly how they like it?
I have a friend that before he was a Christian, he did not understand why he needed Christ.  In his case, he was very happy with life and didn't see a need for Jesus.  I and others had to convince him of his need for a Savior.  We had to convince him that he was a sinner who needed saved from his sins.  This person you are dealing with may need the same thing, but in a different way.  If they want to be miserable, that's fine, but why not insure eternal life in the mean time?  I would go at them from the aspect of needing a savior and see what happens.

Why does God take away the ones we love?
This is a question that is answerable, but will not make you feel better.  Because of the sin with Adam and Eve, bad things were going to happen to good and bad people alike.  Death was part of life from that moment forward.  So we all know death is part of this fallen world.  We also know that some people die younger than others.  Here's how I like to look at it.  As you look at the time you had to spend with your loved one, would you trade it for never having known them?  Would you say, "If I had it to do over again, I wish I had never known them."?  I don't think so.  When we love someone as much as we do, it is a risk.  It's a risk because when they die, we are opening ourselves up for a major hole in our hearts.  It's like my friend with his 8 year old son battling brain cancer.  He said, "Even if he dies, I would never wish I had never had him in my life.  The 8 years with him is the greatest gift in the world."  I think that's how we have to look at it.  Answers will come on the other side.  Just know God loves you and He hates the bad world we live in as much as we do.  That's why He provided a way for us to escape it!

You said that Christianity is the true religion, yet there are many views on Christianity.  Which one is correct?
This depends on what you mean by different views on Christianity.  If you mean the different denominations, I don't think the differences are a big enough deal to point to one or the other and say they are right or they are wrong.  Certain denominations will certainly do that, but not us.  I think it is pretty arrogant to point to a denomination and say, "You are wrong."  I'm talking about trivial issues that really don't matter in the bigger picture.  However, there are religions that exists that carry the Christian banner that we would say are cults.  Those would include Mormons and Jehovah Witness.  We would not look at these types of religions and say, "We're on the same side."  Their view of Jesus is not consistant with our beliefs.  In fact, their beliefs about Jesus dramatically separate them from us. So if you are concerned about denominational differences, don't get too worried about that.  As long as a demoninaiton believes Jesus Christ was the Son of God and died for our sins and rose from the dead, they are probably solid.  This is a very short answer to a very involved question.

Is there a way to reach Christians who are not living a Christian life?  I think of these people as the "Lord, Lord," people described in Matthew 7.
This is a great question.  In Matthew 7:21, Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."  The passage goes on to say in verse 23, "I will say to them plainly, 'I never knew you.  Away from me, you evil doers.'"  This passage along with Matthew 25 lead us to believe there will people who think they are in, but are not at the final judgement.  In order to reach these people in our lives we have to tread lightly.  We have to go to our friends in love.  We have to admit we are sinners too and would want them to show us the error of our ways as well.  I think a great way would be to read this passage to them and then say, "This passage has always messed with my mind.  What kind of person do think this is describing?"  This might get the conversation going in the right direction.  I would pray like crazy before having this meeting.  Never underestimate the power of prayer prior to meeting with anyone.

QUESTIONS FROM THE "STATE YOUR CASE" SERMON SERIES

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If someone was once a Christian but later walks away from the faith, will they be saved?
This question gets tossed around Christian circles quite often.  At County Line we believe someone can walk away from their faith.  Among other support Scriptures, we point to Hebrews 6:4-6 where it indicates someone can fall away from their faith.  Now, you would have others say, "You cannot lose your salvation under any circumstance."  I like to explain it this way.  Some people believe God holds you with an open hand and you can jump out any time you want.  Others believe God holds you by the back of the shirt and will never let you go.  I really don't get caught up in this argument because here's the bigger picture...If someone is obviously rejecting Christ in their life who once confessed Him as Lord, there is a problem.  Whether he lost his salvation, or never had real salvation, doesn't matter.  The fact is, he is still rejecting Christ and needs someone to reach him.  I also say, "If someone is truly saved, why would they ever walk away from it?  No matter what we face, life is better clinging to God than pushing Him away."

Can someone repent of their earthly sins while standing at the final judgment?
Again, some would say, "yes," others would say, "no."  County Line would say, "no."  We believe the end will occur in a twinkling of an eye and those who lived with Christ as Lord will go to heaven and those who did not will go to hell.  I don't say that harshly, just stating it simply.  For more information, read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.

If blood from bulls and goats cannot wash away sins, where did all of the people in the Old Testament go when they died?
There is evidence in Scripture that those in the Old Testament who had faith in God went to heaven.  If you remember, Elijah and Moses are said to have been talking with Jesus during the transfiguration.  If they didn't go to heaven, where did they come from?  Randy Alcorn wrote a great book entitled, "Heaven."  In his book he talks about an intermediate heaven that exists now and a new heaven that will exist after Christ comes back.  What Jesus did on the cross, covered all of humankind for all time.  Prior to His death, for those who believed, and after.  Hebrews 9:12 says, "He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption."

If we believe in Him and will have eternal life with Him, then what is the judgement?
The judgement is the final assessment of our lives.  This is talked about in various places in Scripture, but in Matthew 25, Jesus gives a pretty detailed description of what this day will be like.  Basically, there will be people who think they are in, but will be surprised.  The difference between both groups who call Christ Lord, will be how they lived their lives.  Did their beliefs show up in their actions?  Read Matthew 25:31-46 and see what you think.

Isn't the bridge illustration also known as the grand canyon figure?
I have never heard it referred to as such, but that may be true.

What evidence is there to support our country as a Christian founded country, rather than a country founded with a higher spiritual being?
For an exhaustive history of our Christian heritage, go to http://www.wallbuilders.com/.  This is solid and accurate information.  Very informative.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS SUBMITTED NOT RELATED TO SERMON

What is the significance of when County Line receives communion?
Historically at County Line communion has been taken quarterly.  There is no particular reason for this other than we believe it should be done, but if it is done too often, it becomes ritualistic and loses meaning.  However, we are looking at the possibility of offering communion monthly.  I've been convicted recently that once a quarter may not be often enough.

Is the practice of foot washing taught as part of communion?
While Jesus washed the feet of His disciples as an act of servanthood, we are not commanded in Scripture to practice foot washing.  The Church of God does encourage the practice of foot washing on Maundy Thursday before Easter as a reminder of what it is to be a servant like Jesus.  County Line has offered this at times throughout its history.

Can I be friends with a kid at my school if he is gay?
Absolutely.  Just because we believe the gay lifestyle is wrong, does not mean we should treat homosexuals in a disrespectful manner.  Like Christ, we should love all people and treat them kindly.  I think it would be tremendous for you to be a Christian who accepts this person as a friend.  They need to see a Christian that doesn't throw stones at them.  Just because you disagree about lifestyle, doesn't mean you cannot be friends.  I hate to say this, but the only caution I would have is that you not allow them to convince you the homosexual lifestyle is OK, and that you are careful not to experiment with homosexuality.  Talk to your parents and let them advise you as well.

What do you know about Rob Bell's stance on heaven and hell?
I'm assuming this question is a result of Rob's new book, "Love Wins."  I want to be up front and say I have not read the book.  I would like to read the book to get an understanding of where he is coming from.  To be honest, from what I know of Rob Bell and things he has said, I believe he is solid and holds to the same convictions as we do.  Rob is a guy who loves to ask the questions no one else will dare to ask in the church world.  I've also heard from his own mouth in interviews and sermons at his church that he has been unfairly attacked and that he does believe in a literal hell and literal heaven.  If you listen closely to the questions he asks, he does not advocate the question, he simply asks the question.  From what I have read and heard so far, he does a good job answering the questions in the way we would expect.  He just takes the readers and listeners on a different path than most pastors.  I would encourage you to read his material for yourself and make your own judgements rather than listening to critics.

What was the most powerful point that you heard during the Case for Christianity event?

It is difficult for me to narrow down one point as the most powerful.  The talks were full of insightful information.  I think an interesting point was the fact that women discovered the empty tomb.  This was talked about in his "Criterion of Embarrassment" section.  The fact that testimonies from women were not considered reliable coupled with the fact that the writers went ahead and admitted it was women who found the empty tomb, speaks volumes.  (The fact that women's testimonies were not reliable does not reflect the views of Jesus by any means)  So I guess, to me, that was the most powerful point.

Why should we pay for the sin of Adam and Eve?

When God created Adam and Eve He gave them dominion over the earth and the animals that walked upon it.  They were the first representatives of all mankind.  In fact, after the fall, it says in Genesis 3:20 that "Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living."  So because the sinful nature had entered Adam and Eve and she was now the mother of all the living, we too would all be born with a sinful nature.  But to answer your question, we didn't have to pay for the sin of Adam and Eve, Christ did.  Christ paid for their sin, so when we leave this imperfect earth, we may live with God as Adam and Eve once did in the Garden of Eden.  Not a bad gift.

Who or what created God?
This is maybe the most difficult question to answer.  Our minds are incapable of grasping the answer.  The answer is that before God created the earth, time did not exist.  There was no beginning and end to things.  Because our lives are so dominated by time, we cannot even come close to grasping this.  Everything we do has a beginning and an end.  Our day starts with the sun coming up and it ends with it going down.  We go to a meeting and it has a start time and an end time.  We are born and we die.  Everything is based on time on this earth.  So to image a period when there was no time and therefore no beginning to God, is beyond our comprehension.  But I often look at creation and the complexity of nature and our human bodies and ask, "Is it really possible we are all here by chance?"  Simply by looking around one must come to the conclusion, "It takes more faith to believe there is no God than to believe there is."

Do angels have wings?
According to the Bible, certain angels appear to have wings.  In Isaiah chapter 6 verse 2 we read, "Above him were seraphs (types of angels), each with six wings."  We also read in Ezekiel 10:12 that cherubim angels have wings.  There are other accounts of angels where we don't hear anything about wings.  So the short of the answer is, "Yes, some angels have wings, some do not."  As to why angels have wings...hopefully we will find out in heaven!

Why, if everyone is supposed to be equal in God's sight, are women not supposed to be pastors in a church?

This is obviously a hotly debated topic in the church world.  You will hear strong arguments on both sides.  A passage people often refer to in regards to women in the church is 1 Corinthians 14:33-35 which says, "As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches.  They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says.  If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church."  Now, upon reading a passage like that, you could take it at face value and say, "What more is there to say?"  There is also a passage in 1 Timothy 2:12 that says, "I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent."  The problem with taking passages like this and making universal statements regarding women is because you must read Scripture in light of the entire Bible.  If this is true universally, then why were women permitted to speak in other places in the New Testament?  Why were women taught how to prophesy and proclaim the Gospel properly?  In situations like these, you have to consider the cultural background during the time of the writing.  In the letter the Corinth, Paul was speaking a great deal about orderly worship and against speaking in tongues without an interpreter.  There was obvious disorder happening and evidently, the women of that church were at the center of it.  In the Timothy passage, Paul is writing strongly against false teachers.  The women of that church may have been susceptible to the false teaching and therefore were teaching incorrectly.  To think Paul was making a universal statement is being to narrow in our thinking and goes against the entirety of Scripture.  To think God created one gender to be of lesser value is absurd.  He created both men and women in His image.  Christ gave us a remedy for the curse Adam and Eve suffered after they sinned.  Yes, a man should be the spiritual leader of his home, but not the dominant lord.  God made Eve as a helper, not an indentured servant. So at County Line and other Church of God churches around the world, women are free to be teachers and pastors.  This is a very short answer to a very complicated issue.

If God knows what is going to happen, why would He let us do things to hurt the ones we love?

When God gave us a free will, He gave us the free will to love and to reject.  Because we have a sinful nature, we are at times, going to hurt others.  God could have created a bunch of robots who were forced to love Him, but is that true love?  Because He gave us the choice to do good and to love, He had to give us the freedom to do wrong.

In the Beginning...God Answers Part 2

Note: Some of the below questions were answered live in church, but not in each service.

What does omnipotent mean?
Omni means "all" and potent means "powerful."  Therefore, ominipotent means "all-knowing."

If we are in God's image and we all look different then what does He look like?
Because God is a spirit, we cannot see Him.  Jesus was the physcial form of God while He walked the earth.  In a prophecy concerning the coming Messaiah, Isaiah writes that Jesus was average looking.  Isaiah 53:2 says, "He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him."  Many have speculated as to whether this meant Jesus was indeed, average looking.  If He were, it would make sense.  It would have been another example of God being more concerned about the heart of a person and not the exterior look.  1 Samuel 16:7 says, "Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."  But even if Jesus was average looking, this doesn't mean God is average looking.  As we talked about in one of the sermons, God is so holy, angels even had to hide their eyes at His glory.  All I know is, when we get to heaven, God will look just fine!  In regards to us being made in His image, this has more to do with our inner being than it does out outward appearance.

Is it OK to focus more on the aspects of one name then the others?
As I said in the final Q and A Sunday, Jesus is the perfect manifestation of all the names of God.  So by focusing on Christ, you encompass all the names for God.  However, I think it is fine to specifically call upon God by using one of the names we studied given the particular situation.  For instance, if you are in need of healing, I think it would be fine to address God as Jehovah-rophe.  Having said that, I would not recommend keeping your focus on one name of God, because you limit your appreciation for who He is.

Can a person be demon possessed?  If so, how can you tell?  Have you ever been involved in an exorsim?
Yes, according to the Bible, a person can be demon possessed.  There are several examples while Jesus walked the earth.  In today's society, in order to be sure someone is demon possessed, a doctor can run tests to see if there is a mental imbalance of somekind, etc.  If a doctor is unable to diagnose the problem, then the odds increase you may be looking at demon possession.  Some things to look for would include a change in mental state.  A radical change in physical strength.  A radical change spiritually, such as someone becomes violent or hostile towards the name of Jesus Christ.  You might even notice voices that differ from their normal voice.  I personally have seen people that were possessed by a demon, but have never taken part in an exorism.  As a believer, we may be "influenced" by demons, but we cannot be possessed by a demon because our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit.  1 Corinthians 3:16 and 17 says, "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?  If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destory him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple."

Answers to Questions for the "In the Beginning...God" Series

Why would a loving God let Satan torture a servant and destroy his life, just to prove his faithfulness?
This has always been a difficult concept.  I assume this question deals with the story of Job.  Something we have to keep in mind when we read stories like Job, is that these are isolated examples God gave us.  We can't look at a story like Job and assume every time something bad happens to us, it's because God is allowing Satan to attack us.  We also have to remember that life is all about bringing glory to God, not to ourselves. And in the end of the Job story, glory is brought to God.  He restores Job far beyond what he had before the tragedy struck.  And through  it all, God still had boundaries that Satan could not cross, proving He was still sovereign and in control.  We also learn a great deal from this story.  How many of us would be able to keep the faith Job did under similar circumstances?  We want life to be perfect and when it isn't, we blame God.  But where are we when times are good?  We often forget about God when everything is going well.  It's in times of despair that we finally seek God.  So as difficult as hard times can be, they are often used by God to draw us closer to Him.  The question is, will it draw you closer, or will you be one of those that walks away?  If you stay close to Him, you will find peace.  If not, your life will be miserable.    Read Galatians 6:7-8.

Who are the people Cain dwelt with after he was marked by God?
This question often comes up because we clearly read about Adam, Eve, Cain, and Abel.  But when the Bible says there were other people around, where did they come from?  We have to remember that people lived a lot longer back then than they do now.  For instance, it was not unusual for someone to live 500 to 900 years.  Genesis 5:5 tells us Adam lived 930 years.  So during that time frame, a lot more children would have been born and therefore, populated the earth.  Genesis 5:4 tells us that Adam and Eve had other sons and daughters.  Incest was not an issue in the beginning of time because the world had to get populated.  Close inbreeding in ancient times would not have come with the genetic problems we see today.  So the other people Cain would have encountered would have been relatives that were populating the earth over a period of a lot of years.

Do you have to be baptized in order to get to heaven?
This could be a long answer, but I'll try to give you a short version.  The answer to that question is "no."  By adding anything to what Jesus did on the cross, you are diminishing what He did.  It's very dangerous to ever say, "In order to go to heaven, you must believe in what Jesus did on the cross, make Him Lord of your life AND..."  When you start adding anything beyond belief and lordship, you are walking in dangerous territory.  People who believe you have to be baptized will point to a number of Scriptures that mention baptism along with belief in Christ.  For instance, Peter in Acts 2:28 said, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins."  The idea here is that Christ takes away sin by what He did on the cross, NOT baptism.  Notice the passage says, "in the name of Jesus Christ."  Everything points back to what Jesus did on the cross.  If baptism was essential for salvation, then it would have to be mentioned every single time faith in Christ is mentioned for salvation, and it is not.  For instance, Romans 10:9 says, "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."  Where is baptism in this verse?  Every passage that talks about salvation mentions belief in Christ, not baptism.  That's because faith in Christ is essential to salvation, not baptism.  Having said that, we believe baptism is extremely important and is a command for believers.  The Bible is clear that we are to be baptized.  So for me, the question becomes, even though baptism is not tied to salvation, why would you avoid it?  What is the big deal?  It's a wonderful opportunity to make a public proclamation of your faith and to symbolically bury the old life.  Our baptism services are the highlight of my year.

I have a friend at school who is a Methodist.  How can I talk to him about believing that the Bible is the only way to God and eternal life?
First of all, as discussed in the last question, it is not the Bible that saves, but rather faith in Christ.  I think you know this, you just worded the question differently.  Second, if your friend is a Methodist, there is nothing wrong with that.  The Methodists would believe what we do on most accounts.  If he is truly a Methodist, then he should believe in the Bible as God's Holy Word and that Christ is the only way to salvation.  But just because he is Methodist, doesn't mean he understands this.  I would keep having discussions with him and discover what he believes and then go from there.

Why would a loving God ask man to kill his child just as a test of faith?

For this answer, listen to the sermon I gave on February 13 during this series. The explanation for this will be found during the part covering Jehovah-jireh. You can buy the CD at the Information Center for $2.00 or find it for free on our website at countylinechurch.org.

If someone is saved in their 20's and later in life fall into an addiction and die while being still addicted, will they go to heaven or hell?
I love questions like this.  It shows people are really thinking things through.  Fortunately, God is the judge and I am not.  Only God can judge what is truly in someones heart.  So I cannot say for sure whether someone is going to heaven or not.  I can tell you what it takes to get to heaven, but whether someone believes that in their heart, is only discernible by God.  On the surface, addictions can be a chemical imbalance in someones brain.  I would hope God shows grace to people who have a chemical imbalance that causes an addiction. But like I said, that's not my call.  One could also say, if the person is addicted to something, then that addiction has become their lord over Christ.  And if anything become lord over Christ, you are in a danger zone.  I'm sorry I can't give a more definitive answer, but only God knows their heart.

If I'm accepting of God's will, why pray for it?
I thought about this question several different ways trying to discern what was being asked.  There are so many ways to go with this question.  I don't think this person is asking, "Why pray at all?"  I think they are saying, "I'm good with whatever God's will is in my life, so I won't bother praying for Him to reveal it to me."  We must remember that prayer is more about communion with God than it is about answers.  You cannot grow in a relationship with someone without consistent communication.  Hence, the same goes with our relationship with God.  He wants to hear your heart, not a bunch of empty words.  While it is fine to be OK with God's will in your life, He still wants you to pray about all things.  God doesn't want you to pick and choose what you pray about.  Ephesians 6:18 says, "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests."  Notice it doesn't say, "Pray on all occasions except for God's will in your life."  Jesus prayed a lot.  He prayed, as the passage in Ephesians says, on all occasions.  Even in the garden before His crucifixion, He prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." (Luke 22:42)  Notice Jesus prays His request, but still submits to the Father's will.  As Jesus as our example, let us not withhold any types of prayers, but pray "on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests."