I have always felt very close to Jesus as if He is always sitting right beside me.

When I think of God, he seems further away somehow. I look at Him as I do my earthly father who is stern and strict. I always address 99 % of my prayers to Jesus, even though I love God, I don’t feel that same one on one connection. I am afraid that he is going to punish me for this, but I don’t know how to change my way of feeling this way.

I have been listening to all your mp3 studies and they kind of make me understand a little why I feel this way. I take them as we are all children of God, but He will be concerned more with his covenant people than the Church. When the final judgment comes, will we be united with God and his covenant people on Earth, or will we still be in the New Jerusalem hovering above?

I read in Matthew 24:36 that not even the son knows the day that he will return. Only god the father knows. If Jesus is God how can this be? Also when Jesus went off to pray who was he praying to if he is God?

Great site, thanks for all your insight.

I have a follow-up query about Judas. It would seem from the gospels that during Jesus’ ‘travels’ he came across many of the Jewish leaders , Pharisees, etc, and in fact was questioned and tested by them on several occasions. As they considered Jesus to be a threat to them, they possibly also had ‘spies’ keeping track of where Jesus was and what he was doing. In light of this I have often wondered why they needed Judas to ‘identify’ Jesus and tell the guards/officials where he was so they could arrest him, as surely they already knew what he looked like and where he could be found?

I have an on-going battle or conflict in reconciling the doctrines of grace and forgiveness with the call to holiness (1 Peter 1:15,16 – But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”) I understand that even that work needs to be exacted by the Holy Spirit’s work in my life. It’s just so easy to fall into legalism. Do you have any insights?

I’m leading a study using AW Tozer’s book The Pursuit of God. Tozer deals with some pretty heavy things in our lives that rival God’s rightful place, covetousness, self-life, etc. My apprehension, now that we’re on the 3rd chapter, is that the group may not agree with his approach – heavy on the experiential as opposed to the positional-only stance of being in the presence of God. Are you familiar with this author and book?

I pray God’s richest blessings on you and your family. Peace!

First, I very much enjoy your answers and appreciate the time you spend composing them for us. As a scientist, I’m surrounded by staunch skeptics, agnostics, and fiery atheists all day everyday, and it is refreshing to see that many people out there have the same questions that I do and that there are answers to be found. I love the answers you give and hope you’ll continue.

My question is this: Out of the words of just about every end times book or even the mouths of many end times scholars, I’m always hearing a lot about what our glorified bodies will be like or how we’ll know everything or how we’ll “travel at the speed of thought” through space and time or…etc.

Is all this just imagination and hopeful creative conjecture or is there some biblical basis for it? I wouldn’t be disappointed if it IS in fact imagination since if it is we’re likely underestimating its grandeur, but I would like to see where these people get their ideas – yourself included. All that I’ve found is that Christ, after His resurrection, came and went as he pleased, but I think I must be missing something somewhere.

I recently ran into Christians who cite Acts 1:7 as basis why we shouldn’t study prophecy or say that we are close to the end. They say “well Jesus said it isn’t for you to know the times and season.” It’s frustrating to me that so many Christians stick their head in the sand because of this one verse.

Isn’t it possible that Jesus was speaking specifically to the apostles and early church and not to the church that He knew would be alive at the time of the end? It seems to me that the church alive just before the rapture and tribulation CAN know the season. What is your take on Acts 1:7? Thanks and God bless your ministry.

This isn’t a theological question. You seem to have a good grasp on ministry and I’m hoping you can help me with a group-dynamics question relating to a small group setting.

I lead a small group in our church. One couple seems to be very good at getting us off-track from the study. As a leader, I don’t know how far to let the discussion wander from the point.

This occurs every week. When it happens, I pray for discernment but, quite honestly, I don’t perceive any clear guidance either way, so I let it go on until the conversation comes around to where I can grab it and continue with the study. By that time, I feel the train of thought has been cut and it’s difficult to continue.

Do you have any insights into the issue of leading small group discussions?

I am sponsoring a child in South America through a Christian organization that works through local churches. I am struggling with this because the church they are working through does not teach OSAS. So if they believe that they can lose their salvation, are they really depending on the Grace of God and should I be giving this church my money ?

My question deals with some thoughts I can’t make sense of. Jesus died so his blood covers our sins from God’s sight. Still, He knows our needs and we’re to pray to the Father. If the Father can’t see our sins now, will they be exposed after the rapture if we don’t ask for forgiveness? Also, do we pray for healing to make the Father aware of our need or just our desire? I’m having a hard time reconciling what the blood covers with how we pray.

Does my tithe have to go to a church? Or is it just a matter of sending it to an organization that I feel does good work in my community, or even a nationwide organization? I haven’t found a church that uses the discretionary funds they get the way I feel is right. Don’t I have a duty to make sure these tithes I give be used for the right purpose? Really, what should that purpose be?