Question : My friend just told me that the Bible was written by people but I had always heard that God had written it. If people wrote it, then why should I even listen to what it says?

Answer : You are right in both cases. The Bible was written by people—some special people who were chosen by God to write what He wanted them to write. They didn't write it alone, the Bible says that the Holy Spirit “moved the prophets (people who wrote the Bible) to speak to God.” So the Holy Spirit inspired them while they wrote. God wanted to tell us about himself, his plan for us and our life, and about how we can get to know him a little bit better. In order to make that happen, he used these people to write them down. Humans were the writers, but God was the author.

The bottom line is that we listen to the Bible because it's God's Word to us. The Bible has stood the test of time. No other document in the world has been around longer and influenced more people or proven to be more reliable.

Check out these scriptures for some more info:
2 Peter 1:20-21; Jeremiah 1:9; I Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:16

Question : I've had some science teachers point out in school lately that the Bible has been proven a fake by what science has proved to us. What do you think about that?

Answer : First of all, let me say that few topics send me through the roof more than this one. Actually, science has proven that the Bible is right more often than most people think. Archaeologists have located many of the sites mentioned in the Old Testament that skeptics thought were nonexistent.

I should point out, though, that the Bible was written not to explain science and history but to reveal the nature and character of God. Lots of people read the Bible and get caught up on how things got done instead of who did them.

It should also be noted that for every theory that science has about the origins of human beings and about the universe, there are just as many theories that exist about creation. People would like to make you believe that evolution evidence is everywhere, but the truth is that there is no evidence that proves the creation theory wrong anywhere.

Check out these scriptures for some more info:
Romans 3:4; I Corinthians 1:19-20; I Timothy 6:20

Question : Don't good people make it into heaven?

Answer : Here's the real question: define good. Just how good do you have to be to make into heaven? We all know good people, but no one is totally good or perfect. So how good is “good enough”? The Pharisees asked Jesus this question and he responded that “you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). That's being pretty stinkin' good! The only problem is that no one can do that or has ever done that…expect Jesus Christ.

All human beings are born sinners and sin often. We can all try to be good, but the truth is that we just cant possibly be good enough. Nobody's perfect. We all have flaws.

That's why Christianity is so sweet! Jesus came to this earth precisely for that reason. He came to die for our sins, to make us good enough—perfect, so that we could spend eternity with him in Heaven.

Check out these scriptures for some more info:
Ecclesiastes 7:20; Isaiah 64:6; Matthew 18:3; Romans 3:10; 7:18

Question : Lately, I've been reading my Bible a lot more and even thinking about what God wants me to do with my life. The problem is that I don't know. What do I do?

Answer : Hey! It's good to hear from you and I'm glad to hear that you've been reading your Bible more lately.

I wish there was an easy answer to your question. This question is always a challenge. The truth is that God doesn't drop a brick out of heaven that has a note on it telling you what he wants you to do. So how can you know what he wants for your life?

First, study the Bible. This is the closest thing that we have to a “note” from God. The Bible might not tell you the career to go after, but it'll help you get on the right track by giving you principles and guidelines that will help you make the right decisions.

Second, ask the advice of people you respect and know you well. Ask parents, teachers, counselors, and friends who you know love you. They might be able to give you the guidance and direction that you need. God often speaks to us through other people.

Third, stay close to God. Pray, go to church, be obedient to his Word. It will be much easier to sense his direction for your life. Remember: we usually don't hear God speaking to us because he doesn't speak, it's usually because we aren't listening.

God's not hiding from you. What He wants from you isnt a mystery or complicated puzzle. If you are seeking him wholeheartedly, than the truth of the matter is that often times, you can do what you want to do. That's because God has a way of causing us to want what he wants

Check out these scriptures for some more info:
Matthew 7:7; Proverbs 3:5-6; Mark 4:24-25; Colossians 1:9

Question : So what happens when I die? Do I just stay in a grave for a while or does everybody just go straight up to heaven?

Answer : Haha! Can you imagine just chilling in the grave for a while! If that was the case, someone would have invented “grave service” by now for those late night hunger strikes!

The bible teaches that “each person dies only once and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Jesus promised the dying thief on the cross, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). The Bible also says that when we are away from our bodies, “we will be at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). Clearly, when believers die, they go directly to be with Christ, and he is in heaven.

With Christ as your savior, you can be assured that you will go to heaven when you die!

Check out these scriptures for some more info:
2 Corinthians 5:8; Luke 23: 40-43; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

Question : Hi there! Ok, here's my question. You said in service the other night that God knows all of our thoughts and everything that we are thinking, so if he knows everything that we are thinking, why should we pray?

Answer : You are right! God does know everything. He knows what you need before you even ask for it. In fact, he knows what you need when you don't. According to the Bible, the Holy Spirit prays for us when we don't know what to pray.

But that doesn't mean that you shouldn't pray. When you pray, you are showing God that you trust him, that you love him and that you want to have a close relationship with him.

When you pray, you don't have to ask God for anything, you can just thank him for ask for forgiveness, pray for others and just tell him what's on your mind. Prayer is simply a conversation with God, a way of staying in touch.

The most important reason to pray is because God says we should pray all the time (see Ephesians 6:18). God desires our prayers and he wants us to pray regularly. We don't know how prayer works, but we know that it does. Prayer changes us when we pray, and it gets God involved in our lives.

Check out these scriptures for some more info:
Matthew 6:7-8; Psalm 139:4; Ephesians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Question : How much money should I give to God in the offering? Is there a set amount or should I just give when I feel like it?

Answer : This can be controversial, but I think it's completely up to you! In the Old Testament, the law God gave to Moses set the tithe (10 percent) as the standard for giving, but in the New Testament we are instructed to give generously from our hearts.

Jesus taught that we should give to God because we love him and love other people. Our motivation for giving should revolve around our gratitude and compassion, not jumping through hoops or giving because we think that we have to. In reality, everything belongs to God so if we can give more than 10 percent, then we should gladly do it!

A lot of churches teach that believers should tithe (give 10 percent) because it's good to have a starting point. But remember to give to God because you love him and want to express your love in a tangible way. God has a lot more that he wants to give you, but he can't do it if your hands are full.

Check out these scriptures for some more info:
2 Peter 1:20-21; Jeremiah 1:9; I Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:16

Question : Sometimes I feel like God doesn't answer all of my prayers. I've prayed about a lot of stuff before and it didn't happen. What do you think? Does God answer everybody's prayers?

Answer : That depends on if you consider him saying no to be an answer. Truthfully, God always answers our prayers, he just doesn't always say yes to our prayers.

Sometimes, people come to this assumption that God is like a magic genie that lives inside a bottle and gives you three wishes but the fact is that God isn't like that at all and I'm glad. If God gave us everything that we wanted, we'd be messed up because there are some things that God would give us that would hurt us in the long run. Often times, he knows things about the situation that you don't and he's doing what's best for you!

You can be sure of this: God will always hear your prayers and he will always answer them. The answer may not always be in the timing that you are looking for and it may not always be how you are looking for it, but God is always right beside you waiting for you to simply ask.

Question : There is so much pain and suffering in the world. Why does God allow all of it?

Answer : The key thing that you said is that God “allows” it, he doesn't create it. Part of the biggest problem is that we see everything from our perspective. We are so wrapped up in today, that we don't see that where we are is just a page in a book that isn't finished yet. If he wanted to, he could take all of the pain and suffering in the world and do away with it but he doesn't it. So for that reason, it must have a purpose.

The biggest thing that we need to realize is that pain and suffering is our fault. God could have created a world without pain and suffering but he gave us the choice between good and evil. Pain and suffering are the result of our choice to choose evil and sin.

The cool thing is that God has promised to eliminate pain and suffering one day. If we believe in Him and confess our sins and call him our savior, then we'll join him in heaven.

Check out these scriptures for some more info:
Genesis 3:16-19; James 4:1-2; Romans 8:18, 38-39; Revelation 21:4