Q: I've been reading about homosexuality and am confused. It seems that some people are born that way - and that is logical. But it doesn't seem that most churches accept that fact. Why is that?
A: People are not born to be homosexual. God created each of us for a heterosexual marriage. The exception to that would be the people whom He may have created to live celibate lives (i.e., those who never marry).
People are born with sinful natures that can be tempted. Those who have been abused sexually, for example, often find themselves a target for sexual temptations that are stronger and/or different than what the average person might experience.
We know the character and nature of God, and we have His Word (the Bible) that tells us what He thinks about virtually everything we'd ever encounter in life. Clearly God would not create someone to be something that He would then forbid.
The problem with those with homosexual feelings today is that they believe those feelings (temptations) define them. They don't. Similarly, people with food issues shouldn't just give up and proclaim that they were born that way and will just be fat. God wouldn't create people to be gluttonous and then declare gluttony a sin. It's just not who God is.
Those with homosexual tendencies need to come to grips with the difference between a temptation and a definition. (And they are different!)
Friday, February 4, 2011
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Murder?
Q: Why did God give us a commandment not to murder - when so many of his chosen leaders in the Old Testament slaughtered so many people?
A: Wow, that is an excellent question. To get to the answer, we really have to consider acts of war separate from individual actions.
God told the Israelites to declare war on certain factions when He led them back to Israel. Who were these factions? They were evil people whom God knew would never turn to Him. So He wanted them destroyed, and He (intended to) use the Israelites to do the destroying. But these were always acts of war. There was never a time when God condoned one individual killing another individual. When King David, for example, had a man killed to conceal the affair he'd had with that man's wife, God condemned it and it was considered sin.
A: Wow, that is an excellent question. To get to the answer, we really have to consider acts of war separate from individual actions.
God told the Israelites to declare war on certain factions when He led them back to Israel. Who were these factions? They were evil people whom God knew would never turn to Him. So He wanted them destroyed, and He (intended to) use the Israelites to do the destroying. But these were always acts of war. There was never a time when God condoned one individual killing another individual. When King David, for example, had a man killed to conceal the affair he'd had with that man's wife, God condemned it and it was considered sin.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Ground hog Day
Q: Is there any truth to the belief about ground hog day? How should Christians regard such events?
A: No, there is no truth to ground hog day. There is no truth outside of Jesus Christ. There are facts and observations and circumstances. But that is different than truth.
Christians should regard ground hog day as we would any other pagan holiday, pagan belief, etc. They may be fun and interesting, but they should never have any influence on how we make decisions or how we live our lives.
A: No, there is no truth to ground hog day. There is no truth outside of Jesus Christ. There are facts and observations and circumstances. But that is different than truth.
Christians should regard ground hog day as we would any other pagan holiday, pagan belief, etc. They may be fun and interesting, but they should never have any influence on how we make decisions or how we live our lives.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
God & Homosexuals
Q: Does God hate fags?
A: God doesn't hate anyone. By using the slang "fag," I assume you are referring to men and women who engage in homosexual lifestyles. God doesn't hate them. He loves them dearly. And it breaks His heart to see them being so deceived. What they are doing is sin. Unfortunately, many of them have been led to believe that it's "how they were born." And so they go on sinning, thinking that it's okay. It's not. But they are loved by God, just the same as you and I are loved by God when we sin.
And for what it's worth, homosexuality isn't a definition. It is a temptation.
A: God doesn't hate anyone. By using the slang "fag," I assume you are referring to men and women who engage in homosexual lifestyles. God doesn't hate them. He loves them dearly. And it breaks His heart to see them being so deceived. What they are doing is sin. Unfortunately, many of them have been led to believe that it's "how they were born." And so they go on sinning, thinking that it's okay. It's not. But they are loved by God, just the same as you and I are loved by God when we sin.
And for what it's worth, homosexuality isn't a definition. It is a temptation.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Addressing Issues
Q: What do you do if you see someone doing something wrong, and it needs to be addressed? I mean, how do you know if God wants you to say something to them about it --- or mind your own business?
A: There is plenty of Scripture available to help us understand that minding your own business is never Biblical. Really it's not. If someone is sinning, Christians are obligated to address the issue with them (Galatians 6:1). Of course to do that effectively, you have to do it in love. Speaking the truth to someone without loving them will just come off as being mean.
So make sure you love the sinner and hate the sin. Then pray and ask God to give you the words and the timing to address the sin you see in someone else's life. And be courageous enough to obey and let the Holy Spirit lead you through that conversation with that person.
A: There is plenty of Scripture available to help us understand that minding your own business is never Biblical. Really it's not. If someone is sinning, Christians are obligated to address the issue with them (Galatians 6:1). Of course to do that effectively, you have to do it in love. Speaking the truth to someone without loving them will just come off as being mean.
So make sure you love the sinner and hate the sin. Then pray and ask God to give you the words and the timing to address the sin you see in someone else's life. And be courageous enough to obey and let the Holy Spirit lead you through that conversation with that person.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Innovation
Q: Does God like innovation? Is it Biblical? What about people who oppose it, such as the Amish?
A: That is a very interesting question! Of course He absolutely loves innovation. After all, He is the Father of innovation (Psalm 121:2). The Bible tells us that every good thing and that all success in life comes from God. Moreover, God always has the best of intentions for us (Jeremiah 29:11).
There is no specific place in the Bible that addresses innovation, invention, etc. But if we look at the character and nature of God, and we look at how Jesus functioned, I believe it's reasonable to conclude that God does indeed like innovation. Just like Jesus turning water in to wine (John 2:1-11), God wants us to be provided for, help us solve our practical problems, etc. So yes, God likes innovation.
People who don't participate in modern innovations, such as the Amish, are refraining for another reason. Their view is not that a car, for example, is evil. Rather their view is that maintaining a simple life, uncluttered with modern technology - for example, is easier to maintain righteous life and a godly point of view. (If you think about it, a horse and buggy were innovations in their day.)
Now while God likes innovation, let's remember that anything God or mankind intends for good can be perverted by Satan. Television, for example, can be considered a marvelous innovation that does a world of good. There is a plethora of good, righteous programming available on television. At the same time, there is plenty of seriously perverse programming available as well. So let's condition this point of view and say that God likes innovation when it has some boundaries and discipline on it to keep it from being perverted by the enemy.
A: That is a very interesting question! Of course He absolutely loves innovation. After all, He is the Father of innovation (Psalm 121:2). The Bible tells us that every good thing and that all success in life comes from God. Moreover, God always has the best of intentions for us (Jeremiah 29:11).
There is no specific place in the Bible that addresses innovation, invention, etc. But if we look at the character and nature of God, and we look at how Jesus functioned, I believe it's reasonable to conclude that God does indeed like innovation. Just like Jesus turning water in to wine (John 2:1-11), God wants us to be provided for, help us solve our practical problems, etc. So yes, God likes innovation.
People who don't participate in modern innovations, such as the Amish, are refraining for another reason. Their view is not that a car, for example, is evil. Rather their view is that maintaining a simple life, uncluttered with modern technology - for example, is easier to maintain righteous life and a godly point of view. (If you think about it, a horse and buggy were innovations in their day.)
Now while God likes innovation, let's remember that anything God or mankind intends for good can be perverted by Satan. Television, for example, can be considered a marvelous innovation that does a world of good. There is a plethora of good, righteous programming available on television. At the same time, there is plenty of seriously perverse programming available as well. So let's condition this point of view and say that God likes innovation when it has some boundaries and discipline on it to keep it from being perverted by the enemy.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Proper Prayer
Q: I've always been taught that God loves our prayers when they are sincere and from the heart. I've also been taught that when we pray according to God's will, we should expect to get "the desires of our heart." So my question is how we know if we are praying according to God's will? How can we know if our prayer is effective?
A: I think the best answer to your question is to look at the prayer which Jesus modeled for us. Of course Jesus told us how to pray and gave us a specific example in the Lord's Prayer ("Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be they name ...") But what has been more useful to me has been to look at how Jesus Himself prayed.
Jesus was intentional about making prayer a priority. He removed Himself from the hustle and bustle of work and even friends. He set aside substantial amounts of time to go and be alone with the Lord to pray. We should do that too.
Jesus prayed His heart, but He also conceded the priority of God's will over the desire of His heart. The most specific example was his prayer the night before He was arrested (Luke 22:41-43). Jesus knew what was coming down and He knew it would be ugly. So He started with a typical human prayer. But then He did something that only someone who sees beyond their humanity could do. He submitted Himself to God's will. "Lord, if it would please you, I'd like an alternative to this. But if it wouldn't please You, then please give me the grace and strength to walk through it in a way that brings honor and glory to You."
I believe the error that most Christians make is to simply pray the obvious, from a human perspective. For example, if my grandmother is ill I will pray for her complete healing. However, that ignores the fact that she is 90 years old and it is well known that God's will for us is to bring an end to our human lives when we are in that age range.
So a more effective prayer for grandma might be something like, "Lord, I don't want grandma to die. So if it would please you, I ask for her complete healing. However, if you are ready to take her, then I ask that she not suffer. And I ask that you give us the strength and grace to focus on the blessing that she's been and not on the loss we feel. Help us to accept your will for her. And if it is your will that we live without her now, then help us to keep our pain and feelings of loss in their proper perspective. Help us to go on living lives that honor grandma's legacy and bring glory to you, dear Father. These things I ask in Jesus' name. Amen."
Notice the difference in that prayer or the basic, human prayer of "Lord, heal grandma." The thing is that God's perspective and His heart are usually much bigger than ours. So we must take time to think beyond our own human emotions and perspective to really consider - based on what we know of His nature and character - what might be God's heart on whatever might be the matter at hand.
Finally, another excellent example of how to pray effectively is found in the dialogue that occurred between God and King Solomon (1 Kings 3:5-15). God offered to grant absolutely any request that Solomon might have to make. Read this passage and look at the words. Look at the condition of Solomon's heart at the time. But Solomon asked only for wisdom. And this pleased God greatly. Why? Look at the motive behind Solomon's request. It was a self-less motive, bathed in humility. And it was motivated by Solomon's desire to serve others as well as glorify God. These same dynamics should bathe the requests that you and I make of God.
A: I think the best answer to your question is to look at the prayer which Jesus modeled for us. Of course Jesus told us how to pray and gave us a specific example in the Lord's Prayer ("Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be they name ...") But what has been more useful to me has been to look at how Jesus Himself prayed.
Jesus was intentional about making prayer a priority. He removed Himself from the hustle and bustle of work and even friends. He set aside substantial amounts of time to go and be alone with the Lord to pray. We should do that too.
Jesus prayed His heart, but He also conceded the priority of God's will over the desire of His heart. The most specific example was his prayer the night before He was arrested (Luke 22:41-43). Jesus knew what was coming down and He knew it would be ugly. So He started with a typical human prayer. But then He did something that only someone who sees beyond their humanity could do. He submitted Himself to God's will. "Lord, if it would please you, I'd like an alternative to this. But if it wouldn't please You, then please give me the grace and strength to walk through it in a way that brings honor and glory to You."
I believe the error that most Christians make is to simply pray the obvious, from a human perspective. For example, if my grandmother is ill I will pray for her complete healing. However, that ignores the fact that she is 90 years old and it is well known that God's will for us is to bring an end to our human lives when we are in that age range.
So a more effective prayer for grandma might be something like, "Lord, I don't want grandma to die. So if it would please you, I ask for her complete healing. However, if you are ready to take her, then I ask that she not suffer. And I ask that you give us the strength and grace to focus on the blessing that she's been and not on the loss we feel. Help us to accept your will for her. And if it is your will that we live without her now, then help us to keep our pain and feelings of loss in their proper perspective. Help us to go on living lives that honor grandma's legacy and bring glory to you, dear Father. These things I ask in Jesus' name. Amen."
Notice the difference in that prayer or the basic, human prayer of "Lord, heal grandma." The thing is that God's perspective and His heart are usually much bigger than ours. So we must take time to think beyond our own human emotions and perspective to really consider - based on what we know of His nature and character - what might be God's heart on whatever might be the matter at hand.
Finally, another excellent example of how to pray effectively is found in the dialogue that occurred between God and King Solomon (1 Kings 3:5-15). God offered to grant absolutely any request that Solomon might have to make. Read this passage and look at the words. Look at the condition of Solomon's heart at the time. But Solomon asked only for wisdom. And this pleased God greatly. Why? Look at the motive behind Solomon's request. It was a self-less motive, bathed in humility. And it was motivated by Solomon's desire to serve others as well as glorify God. These same dynamics should bathe the requests that you and I make of God.
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