My husband has supposedly received Christ. He teaches Sunday School (mainline denomination) and has even been on the “Walk to Emmaus” spiritual retreat. However, he is very liberal in his thinking and the CBS Evening News presented findings about the percentage of Christians and non-Christians alike who believe that other religions offer a way to salvation other than Jesus. My husband watched it with great interest and said when it was over that “he hadn’t been struck by lightening” for watching the program.

What can I say to him? He thinks my “obsession” with prophecy is just that – an obsession! If he continues on this path of other options what will happen to him? I firmly believe the end-time puzzle pieces are “floating” into place everyday. The worldly part of me wants to tell him that he is going to get left behind, but he will not listen to that. I have to wonder if he really is saved!!!

Thank you so much for your website. I read it everyday and gain so much spiritually because you lead us right back to the Word!!!

I just picked up a documentary (on the End Times) which is very well done with some amazing special effects and I enjoyed it very much. However, when I checked the scriptures that are being used to introduce one of the segments concerning the end of days gathering of Israel’s enemies at tribulation, they use Luke 21:20 to describe the events leading up to tribulation.

When I read that verse in context it sounds more like the fall of Jerusalem in 70AD by the Romans. Especially since what happens after is that Jersualem will fall by the sword and taken prisoners to all nations (Luke 21:24) and that Jerusalem would be trampled under foot until the times of the Gentiles has ended. That sounds like the two thousand year Diaspora prior to the rebirth of Israel in 1948. So, using Luke 21:20 to describe a tribulation event sounds incorrect to me.

Have I missed something? Is there anyway that Titus may have stood in the Temple and declared himself God fulfilling this prophecy?

I just read your response to a question about gifts and had some of my own. Do gifts change? From my experience I think they do based on what God desires to happen in both my life and how I interact with those around me. I see some of the change being based on my growth as a Christian and maybe some based on gaps in the Church I attend. My wife and I recently took a class in Church on the spiritual gifts. In that class we covered about 13 or 14 of them in the time frame of the class and then took a “gifts” test at the end. One of the things which struck me was I had one or two which stood out (was strong in) but others that I had some affinity for (not quite as strongly inclined). I also saw that what I had today (at the time of the evaluation) was not even close to what I saw in my life when I was younger in age and Christian walk as well as single. Is this biblical?

Like everyone else, I’ve been intently watching the headlines, wondering what’s next for our country, our world. I’m a pre-trib believer, but I’m also realizing that my family is not prepared for the “tough times” we’ll probably experience before the Lord comes for us. I’m wondering if you could give some advice, insight, references regarding what we can do today to make sure we are as prepared as we can be regarding finances, food, fuel, etc. Like many others, money is a little tight for us right now; but I feel like I could be doing more to prepare us for what lies ahead.

Thank you for your recent articles on the subject of prayer. I had been troubled about why the prayer section in my local Christian bookstore is so large.

When the Lord Jesus had his earthly ministry, did He ever say “No” to anyone who came to Him, asking (praying to) Him for help, healing, sight, hearing, speech, wine for a wedding, food, etc?

He certainly is saying “No” a lot since then, and that has me troubled, as He is “the same yesterday, today, and forever.” “What is too hard” for Him? So maybe it is the institution of prayer that has changed? Does the Bible tell us everything about God, or only what He thinks we need to know?

He told us that we were to have the faith the size of a mustard seed, not that of pseudo-theologians who appeal to “original languages” to hedge on the prayer promises. If faith “is a gift of God, not of man, lest no one should boast.”(clearly this verse refers to faith as the gift, since grace is by very definition a gift from God, that to mention it would be silly) then how and why do I need to have more faith for my prayers to be answered if the very faith that He requires, is a gift from Him???

Perhaps the best answer is “I don’t know”. “That’s God’s business.” He gave us so many prayer promises, with “whosoevers” and “whatsoevers”, but evidently, that has changed. I find it troubling.

I was surprised to see you state the following and this is the first time I’ve ever come across this perspective.

“This is why Jesus told His disciples not to fear those who can only kill the body, but rather fear him who can kill both body and soul (Matt. 10:28). He was talking about Satan of course, but those who reject the Lord’s pardon for their sins turn themselves over to Satan for his disposition”.

Did you understand the word in this verse to be Hades? The word for ‘Hell’ here is not Hades but Gehenna, where Satan will be tormented for ever as its his final destination. If the word for Hell was Hades, then your point would stick, but then again, maybe I’m missing something here. Please let me know. My understanding has been that once Satan is tossed into that Hell he is suffering himself, and will be too busy to be involved in anyone else’s torment. The Word says many times we are to “Fear the Lord” but not Satan. Surely “Him” in this verse refers to the Lord Himself? Am open, but can’t see what you see – please show me.

If God cannot look at sin or be in the presence of sin, how was Satan able to appear before him and ask about Job?

I have been reading your answers to several questions about who goes to heaven and who doesn’t. I certainly understand the nature of trusting in Jesus alone as the basis for our salvation. Yet it appears that you give little weight to the command to repent and turn from sin.

I also understand that our ability to turn from sin and live a holy life is part of sanctification and not salvation and is also the work of Christ. Yet, part of the condition of salvation is dying to self and to sin per Paul in Romans. How shall we who died to sin still live in it? (Rom 6:2) One can’t partake of the new life or new birth, if the death to self hasn’t preceded it. According to Paul, those belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.( Gal 5:24). We are new creations.

Sadly, the Christian church is full of unregenerate people who believe they have eternal life with Christ through a gospel of easy believism with no cost or death to self. They continue to be the same person before their “conversion” as after their “conversion”. We are admonished by Paul in 2 Cor 13:5 to test ourselves to see if we are in the faith; examine ourselves! Is this truly the gospel you are intending to promote – that there need not be evidence of a changed life? If so, I strongly disagree with you.

It was a bit disconcerting to read your response to a reader with a question about the book “23 Minutes in Hell.” Hell is a real place and people need to be aware of it. I’ve read the book. While it was upsetting to read the reality of it, it seems irresponsible to tell someone to throw the book away and not be concerned about it. The author of the book seems to be a sincere, humble person and not at all a person out to create sensationalism.

Did Israel defy a biblical warning with Egypt in the brokered Hamas Peace Deal? Of course, Hamas have said before that these peace deals are only for them to regroup and rearm for battle. What is your take on the warning to Israel about Egypt?