Answerers

His students called Peter ‘The Answerer’ – Sadly their teacher, mentor & advice-giver, passed away on 11/06/2024. Celebrating the life and service of Peter Harris, a faithful teacher then Scripture Teacher in Perth Western Australia.

His Family & website team hope to keep this website content current and available for you to continue to appreciate and enjoy.

Welcome to Answers

Other Menu pages include Blogs, Jokes, Bible Stories, Wisdom and Wonders that Peter would think about – for the more involved questions asked of him. Many of these have been crafted into articles – all for you to enjoy.

Those Questions asked of “The Answerer” = the 276

are answered already here below.

Kids asked questions of Peter Harris during his Scripture Classes, in his ~25 year volunteer service in Perth public schools. Sadly, it seems the Bible Stories are being re-enacted in real life at the moment. The stories may have more ‘is-REAL-ism’ since 1948. Before that there was no IS-RA-EL. (For exactly 1,871 years.)

Here they are ….

peter
04/11/13

Q1: Does God love everyone, even the ones that do not love him?

Yes! Indeed He does! Why? Because we are “made in His image.” (like him) (Gen.1:26). Jesus’ whole life was directed to us. He spoke of love 27 times in John’s Gospel alone.

In John 3:16 Jesus said to a night visitor, Nicodemus: “For God loved the world so much that He gave his only Son so that anyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” “The world” means everyone and “whoever” means anyone who believes in Him and follows His way.

This love is not the same as ours. It is bigger and more forgiving than we know how, because it does not depend on us being “good.”

MORE INFO: God’s love is a bit like a mother’s love for a wayward son.

You have probably seen on TV a weeping mother outside a court, facing the TV men. Her son has been convicted of a serious crime and is off to jail. Everyone hates him for what he did. Not so his mum. She says with tears: “I still love him whatever he has done, he is my son and I love him.”

God’s love is much more than that. He helps us to make a new start if we want to.

Finally, perhaps this is helpful: When Jesus agreed to come to earth to die in our place what if he said to God (His Father) “Ok, I’ll go, but I will only die for those who love me – the rest can ‘go jump’.”

peter
04/23/13

Q2. Why does God let people die and become murderers and kidnappers?

Wow! I have been asked this question many times and it is not that hard to answer.

When God created us He had a choice: Should humans be always kind, helpful and hurt nobody. Or should we have a choice to be selfish, greedy and always ‘Look after number one’ (me).

I guess that sort of divides us humans into roughly three groups.

(1) Those who learn about God early and know that He is real and can help us in life.

(2) Those who choose to ignore God and His ways.

(3) Those who have never even heard of a God who made them and loves them.

This writer has heard stories from missionaries, that some people are amazed to hear that. They cry out for more information because they have been brought up to believe in, and make sacrifices to unseen gods and ‘the spirits’ who rule their every thought. They gladly embrace the idea of the God who made everything and them!

Please note: Jesus said, and the apostles (disciples) mentioned a judgement day when we will answer for the good and bad things we did on earth.

Murderers and kidnappers come in all styles. The Roman Emperor Nero, Adolph Hitler, Stalin and Pol Pot murdered thousands, even millions, and all of them believed they were doing the best thing – even that ‘God was on their side.’ YES!!! They thought they were right but were wrong. Remember we all have to face judgement and answer for what we have said and done. Jesus said so. (Matthew 12:26-27) and (Hebrews 9:27) The Bible has hundreds of references about justice and judgement.

To think upon: Imagine a human with no choice to be good or selfish. I imagine it would be like one who is hypnotised – who does exactly as the magician (hypnotiser) tells him to do. A bit like someone who is on drugs who has no idea as to where they are, or what they are doing – good, bad or normal.

peter
04/23/13

Q3: How come he made dangerous things? Why does he not stop the ozone layer? Why does he make people die?

Many kids ask these things and many more adults too.

I guess He gave us the brains to make them and the ability to make them and use them to kill people – or to heal people of diseases.

Dangerous things: Well I have two large knives in my kitchen drawer. I keep them sharp. I cut bread, cake, and vegetables but I have never hurt anyone with them.

The ozone layer: a human was awfully clever to make up ozone for refrigerators. It was very good until another human discovered it was very dangerous and we stopped using it. Another better chemical was made for fridges.

Bad news: Ozone is banned here but it is still sold in some poor countries.

In this world there are 30,000 (might be 300,000) man-made chemicals and many are poisonous. They can poison / kill or make people very sick. Look up ‘Bhopal’ on Google to see a bad case of greed, death and pain.

God will not force us to be ‘good.’ He hopes we will be, but many choose MONEY!

Why does he make us die? So we can take the trip to heaven. Really, this life is only a sort of school to teach us about life and death. We have 70 to 80 years on earth. Heaven (eternity) is FOREVER.

peter
04/10/13

Q4: How come he became God, and Jesus became Jesus, and he was so nice to people that hurt him and he could heal blind people?

I recall who wrote this question, a really kind and lovely girl. She hit the jackpot by seeing a part of the Bible that exposed who Jesus was and WHY He came to this earth. Thank you.

Long ago, a very long time ago, after Adam and Eve ‘messed up’ they were expelled from God’s presence in the Garden of Eden. (see Genesis chapter 3)

God had to expel them simply because: “The eye of God cannot look upon evil.” (Habakkuk 1:13).

Wanting a ‘Family’ God set in motion a plan to get his people back with him in heaven. (We could not be good enough by ourselves.)

Jesus was to go to earth, live as a human, yet be God’s son, and teach 12 disciples all he could about God. Examples: Giving sight to the blind, raising the dead to life and yes, loving their enemies. (Loving them does not mean liking them.)

Then came the ultimate: “I will be handed over to sinful men and be crucified but I will rise to life again on the third day.” (Luke.18:31-33)

NOBODY had ever said that before! Come back to life again!

Dunno what he means, they must have thought because people just don’t do that.

Well He did.

Those 12 disciples were so changed when He did come back from death, that nobody could shut them up. They were the beginning of the Christian church in 33 AD. Just 12 of them.

peter
04/10/13

Q5: Why don’t you kill the Devil?

Thank you for raising this subject. The Devil is very real. Many will say he is not but Jesus talked of him a lot. Paul the disciple wrote to Christians: “Satan masquerades (can appear to be) an angel of light.” (2 Cor.11:14) Jesus said: “I saw Satan falling from heaven as a flash of lightning.” And the night Jesus was arrested Luke records that: “Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot who was one of the twelve disciples.” Judas told the Temple police where they could arrest Jesus without a crowd around, for 30 pieces of silver. Judas later suicided.

You can read about how Satan operates in the Bible. See Job chapters one and two. A very interesting book.

I guess that while Satan is alive there is a chance for him to repent. God did create him, so I guess the answer may be that Satan is God?’ child and to kill him would be like killing your own son for a criminal act.

‘Repent’ meant to tell God that you are truly sorry for all the wrong things you have done.

Satan will, in the end, be punished in hell. The Bible says so in The Revelation.That is the last book in the Bible. You could read just the last few chapters to read ‘the end.’

peter
04/11/13

Q6: When are you coming back? When will the earth end? (and several more like that)

All such questions really go together. ‘The end’ really means the end of this civilisation, as we know it. The earth “will be burned up with fire” and there will be a new heaven and a new earth to replace it. And, with, no night, no tears or crying and no pain or death – forever!

I wonder a lot about this. How will He clean up the awful mess we have made of this lovely planet?

In Matthew 24:36 the disciples asked Jesus this question and He said: “No one knows that day…not the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Jesus’ Father, God)

Jesus also said (of His Second Coming to earth): “I will come at an hour you’ll not expect me.” (Matthew 24:44)

Note: God’s promises always come true.

peter
04/11/13

Q7: Why did my cousin have to die so young? (The cousin was killed in a freak sporting accident.)

I remember to this day the girl who asked me this question and I shall never forget her. A lovely girl whom I would be glad to welcome into any of my family gatherings…or just be on her Christmas card list. Very kind and good and I believe would never hurt anyone. Why? She knows what pain and anguish of heart is like…and would never inflict it on anyone.

I also get many pleas as to “WHY?” :“…that driver killed my son”…and many similar questions…from innocent, hurting people.

I consider the cousin question the ‘Mt. Everest’ of all questions. One cannot climb Mt Everest alone – you need help – and the help I need to answer this one, I believe rests with God alone. A thoughtless quick answer can hurt more than the loss of the cousin…stay away from quick answers.

So can God help me to answer this one? No, not directly today, but I believe the Bible has something of an answer. Jesus said: “Just so, it is not my Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.” (Matthew Chapter 18:v.10. Please note that God regards those people under 20 years old to be not able to truly judge good and evil thinking, so are considered children.(Numbers Chapter 32 and verses 9-13) I believe that all children are considered innocent and go to heaven.

I have read of angels rescuing children and then vanishing and I know of ‘co-incidences’ for good that can only be explained as a miracle. (I have one of my own where a reversing tractor could have run over me but did not.) But not in every case and I know not why! It baffles me a bit. When Jesus was on the earth He left many people unhealed – and went to other villages to tell the story of His ‘Good News’ and eternal life. This I do know: I have worked as a teacher in ‘Special Education’ for children with disabilities. Mostly the parents were more kind, more giving and more caring to other people; and added up, that makes this world a much better place. I think the same applies to the families of those who have suffered the pain of the loss of a family member. Is this one of the ways God uses to spread kindness? I think “Yes.”

The untimely death of a child in an awful thing. And Jesus does not allow us to know everything…I think that would be too heavy a load to carry. I believe that in heaven all the unexplained things we carry will be explained. I am looking forward to that because in 1968 my family had a four-year-old member die of cancer – and children still die of cancer today. But many cures are being discovered for sicknesses of many sorts.

It is all a puzzle to understand…but be assured, your cousin will be waiting in heaven for you. ☺

Added in 2020 by ‘theanswerer’ now 88 yo.

With deaths and injuries we need to remember that God placed within us the need to, and the pleasure in doing things, like playing sport, flying in the air, taking big and small boats across the oceans, driving cars and even climbing Mount Everest. All of them can hurt us but we choose to play sport, drive cars and the answerer thinks this is stupid – climb Mt Everest.

I write this is stupid, because Edmund Hillary and his helper the Tibetan Sherpa, Tensing Norgay did it first and were very wise and both came home safely. Many are not wise but have the money to pay Sherpas to help them get to the top.

The www say that 250 people have died on Mt.Everest since Edmond Hillary and Tensing Norgay did it in 1953. Why they went I know not!! Always have fun and enjoy sport but take care.

peter
04/11/13

Q8: How did Jesus come to earth?

This will have to be a long answer – as it is a most important question.

By a miracle from God.

Some Christians and many ordinary folk doubt this fact – but if Jesus was an ordinary human, born normally, He could not possibly do the things that Jesus did! To the Christians who cannot accept that it happened, well to them I say “what else do you not accept, do you not believe them too?”

God could not be with an ordinary human in the same way He was with Jesus, i.e. no miracles or healing and no resurrection either.

God prophesied to Eve, that: “one of your seed, (offspring – a human being), will bruise Satan’s head.” (Genesis 3:15)

And 500 years before Jesus was born the Prophet Isaiah wrote: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive.” and “For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given and the government shall be upon His shoulders. His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, The Mighty God, The Prince of Peace, the Everlasting Father and of His kingdom there shall be no end.” (Isaiah 9:6)

Who else fits that role?

No ordinary person could – only Jesus could.

Further on, Isaiah wrote of the suffering and rejection of ‘Him’ and the words can only apply to the one who was crucified for us. This is all in Isaiah ch. 53

The Conception: Mary was engaged to Joseph when the Archangel Gabriel paid her a visit. Not many get a visit from him! Gabriel said: “Congratulations favoured lady, God is with you. You will have a child and you are to call Him Jesus, for he will save the people from their sins.” Mary said: “How can this be, for I am a virgin?” Gabriel went on: “The power of the Holy Spirit will overshadow you so that the child born to you will be utterly holy.” Mary said: “I am the Lord’s servant. I am willing to do what ever he wants.”

Jesus is actually God’s Son and human in the same person.

When Joseph found out that she was pregnant, he did not report her (to have her stoned to death for adultery) but resolved to quietly divorce her. The Archangel Gabriel then appeared to him saying: “Do not be afraid to take Mary for your wife for she is with child from the Holy Spirit.” Joseph agreed and Mary did have the baby Jesus. (Luke 1:26-39) Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

That location too was mentioned in prophecy, see Micah 5:2.

And ‘wise men’ from a long way away who knew about it, and came to ‘see the new born king,’ bringing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh (Matthew 2:9-12). So that is about how it happened. It requires faith to believe and enjoy the way God works out His purposes for all of us.

peter
04/23/13

Q9: If you think God is real why can’t we stay young?

Fairly simple really. When we are young we think we will live forever – death does not come into our thoughts. The Bible says: “A man’s life is 70 years and 80 if he is fortunate.” When you get old we get tired of living. Some just want to die because life can be hard. Some want to live here forever – I do not!

However a quiet, young person has written this – and would like to stay young. Really all our stages of life need to, and must change. Why?

We eventually get bored and soon (because you are around 11 to 12 years old) girls or boys will be important to you.

Within a few years a particular girl,or boy, will look to you like a good person to marry.

Later a couple naturally would like a family – children.

Later, as your beautiful children grow up and marry…grandchildren mostly come into your life. You will love that.

This is a life-cycle plan that occurs to most people and the older you get the more tired you become until disease and sickness may come and take your life. Christians are happy to die. I have known a few too.

So, again I say, our life here is like a kindergarten or school, to get us to know God and look forward to being in heaven with God for eternity, for ever.

Another reason is that parents and grandparents love to see the child growing – and so take many photos to show others and often brag as to how great their growing child is. I see this a lot – and I believe God wanted it that way.

peter
04/23/13

Q10: Was Jesus God’s real son?

Yes, He truly was.

Nobody but God’s son could have done the things Jesus did, unless he was truly God’s son.

Read Q.8 and think about it, please – better still get a Bible and read what Jesus really got up to.

I will not try here but Jesus raised the dead, made the blind to see and often was so crowded by people very anxious to hear every word he spoke He needed to retire at night, or at early mornings to go , be alone and pray-talk to God (His father) and so renew his strength. When one woman forced her way to Jesus just to touch his garment she was healed of her sickness. Jesus turned and said: “Who touched me – for I felt power go from me?” (Question 39)

It takes but a moment to become a Christian – but it takes a lifetime to know about Jesus and the Christian life.

peter
04/23/13

Q11: Why were we born?

This is the all time favourite that everybody wonders about. Some folk forget it and never have any direction in life at all. Others worry, but never find anything that satisfies the heart.

Because we are made in God’s image, I believe that we belong to God. We are His children. A girl in one school put her hand up to answer that question: “So God could have a family.” Simple but very true and I like it. I cannot believe we were born to be like any animal – maybe to be eaten? Never.

Ask that question of anybody and most will say: “I dunno.” (I don’t know.)

If you believe that you belong to God, then all through life you want to please Him. Remember He does know our thoughts and doing what God wants, pleases Him and so you find He is there to help and guide us. It can and does happen. I know many folk who have had help from God.

Here is a Bible quote from Paul to Christians in Ephesus. Paul never saw Jesus, but God chose to change him from a Christian-hater to a Christian evangelist. God met and changed him on the road to Damascus (see Acts 9:1-30). Paul had a brilliant mind and God used him to spread the ‘Good news’ all over Asia. He wrote: “Long ago, even before he made the world, God chose us to be His own, through what Christ would do for us; He decided then to make us holy in His eyes without a single fault. His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family by sending Jesus to die for us. And He did this because he wanted to.” (Eph.1:4-6) Please note well; being a Christian in God’s family can be a great life, with real fun and good friends.

Sad to say too many Christians seem to think a good time and fun cannot be had. Some say, “You have to be serious, life is hard.” Rubbish!

I love a good clean joke and a laugh. See my Jokes page!

Or send me one you have heard?

peter
04/23/13

Q12: Do you have to go to church to be a Christian?

No, but I like to go and see my friends and be among people who think and believe like me.

The church is not the building – OK! The church is the people who meet together there. Many churches do not have a building, some even meet under a tree. In some countries Christians have to be ‘unseen’ or they may be killed. And some churches only have one Bible among 50 members.

Say you lived at Ayres Rock. Bit silly to drive to Alice Springs, a round trip of 200km! But there are many Christian radio and TV programs to help you learn and grow in knowledge. We all need to grow. Buy a Bible or search bible.org

peter
04/11/13

Q13: How old is God? What does he look like?

God’s age is not known. The Bible says: “From everlasting to everlasting you are God.” And Peter wrote: “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” (2 Peter 3: 8). In heaven time will be no more.

Moses and Elijah appeared in a special moment with Jesus. Peter, James and John were there. God spoke to them from the sky. Both Moses and Elijah had been dead for 1,000 years. Today they would be 3,000 years old.

Wow, that’s a lot of birthdays!!! (See Matthew 17: 1-9)

Please note: The disciples knew who Moses and Elijah were. How, I know not but they looked pretty normal, so God’s message was the major thought: “This is my Son whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him.” It is a most interesting time (Jesus’ face shone like the sun and the three disciples were terrified.) Coming down from that mountain Jesus said: “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man (Jesus) has been raised from the dead.” That’s a powerful statement! (Matthew 17:1-9)

Really it does not matter what he looks like. We may not be able to handle it. His purity, love and majesty may frighten us. His voice scared the daylights out of ?The children of Israel? and they begged Moses to let them get away. (Exodus 20:18-21)

To look at him is not permitted. God spoke to Moses face to face because God trusted Moses and at the time God thought it necessary for teaching Israel His laws.

The Disciples asked Jesus the same question as you did. Jesus said: ?If you have seen me you have seen the father.?

peter
05/13/13

Q14: When will the earth end? When is Jesus coming back? Several others like it.

Nobody knows. Be assured it is written, Jesus said He would come back – so He will. What Jesus says you can trust?

At that time everything will be changed. Wickedness will be shown up and punished, all evil will be judged, the earth will be ‘cleansed” (cleaned up) and judgement day will happen too.

There will be a “New heaven and earth” with Jesus reigning as King and God (Revelations 21:1). “I will make all things new.”

I am looking forward to that. It may not happen in my lifetime, but it could, today. Evil seems to flourish, wars seem to happen all the time. Also water is short and how do 7 or 8 billion people on earth manage? I find it hard to imagine.

Make sure you are on Jesus team!

Finally, my opinion: “How long will God permit one billion people to be too well fed and fat while 25,000 children die every day from easily preventable sickness and one billion go to bed hungry?”

See Q6 too.

peter
05/13/13

Q15: Why did God create the world?

A very pleasant place for His family to live in? (You and me!)

Well, it used to be much more pleasant!

When this writer looks at the rubbish humans leave around, I think we do not deserve this lovely place – because we have made it a rubbish dump. Animals don’t foul their own nest, humans do!

It is a great place to grow, play sport, learn to live with one another in harmony and to learn about God.

peter
05/13/13

Q16: Do people live forever up there in heaven?

YES, yes and yes. God’s people have been living, loving and dying for 4,000 to 5,000 years.

Jesus said to Nicodemus: “Whoever believes in God shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Eternity (heaven) has no end.

Time as we know it will not exist. Like no Monday, Tuesday, etc. and no months or years to count.

We will have ‘spiritual bodies’ like Jesus had after he rose from the dead.

I cannot really understand all of that but it is written in the Bible.

Pretty cool Eh?

peter
05/13/13

Q17: Where is heaven?

I don’t know. Wherever it is, God is there – that is all I know about that.

I mean, we all look up and point ‘up there’ because nobody knows much at all.

I do know that our galaxy, The Milky Way is very, very big. To cross it at 150,000 miles an hour would only take 670 million years (Readers Digest World Atlas 1963). Our galaxy has 400,000,000,000 stars in it and our sun is only an average size star. Even that will only last another 2 billion (maybe 60 million) years before it explodes into something else. Phew! And there are many, many other galaxies and all that is true.

Somehow I believe God made it all and Jesus said to his disciples: “I go to prepare a place for you.” You can trust what Jesus says (John 14:1-4).

peter
04/11/13

Q18: Have you ever made mistakes?

Sure have for me, the writer, but I think you mean has God made any.

Well I cannot truthfully speak for Him, but I know one part where He was very sorry for what had happened in men.

In Exodus God got very angry and was about to kill many of His people. He said to Moses: “I have seen these people and they are a stiff-necked people.” “Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and destroy them.” (Exodus 32:1-33). WOW! Look out, God is very angry.

Moses talked God out of killing them (some feat indeed) and none of them got zapped.

Before that the Bible records that, “When the Lord God saw the extent of human wickedness and that the trend and direction of men’s lives were only towards evil, He was sorry that He had made them. It broke His heart.” (Genesis 6:5-6). He did give us a choice to do right or wrong. He killed them all except Noah and his family. It is all in Genesis chapter 6, 7 and 8. Thinking on that, I wonder what God thinks of us humans today?

Have you seen movies about Noah, or books, seems everyone knows the story! There are something like 400 similar stories in historical cultural records: could they all have passed down this same story?

peter
05/13/13

Q19: Does God have parents?

Sorry, but there is no reference to God having parents or a beginning.

I believe we’ll find out all we want to know –

in heaven but not now, down here.

peter
05/13/13

Q20: Why is there a God?

This is a hard one to pin down.

All, civilisations have some sort of god. The Egyptians have left a huge reminder that there is an afterlife and someone there. They called the sun the God ‘Ra’. Mayan Indians and the Incas knew there was ‘something’ up there, in the sky and the Easter Island stone monuments testify that man is body, soul and spirit. (3 parts).

It has been said: “There is a God shaped space in the human heart, that only God can fill.”

We all need something to worship. Some choose a Harley Davidson motorcycle, some a Lamborghini car and others a rock star they know about. We lavish our money, time and yes worship, on our ‘god.’

Jesus came to show us the way to the God who loves us, made us and everything in this earth.

A little humour:

Diner in café: Waiter! What’s this fly doing in my soup!

Waiter, looking: Well sir, it looks like breastroke to me Sir.

and

Diner: Waiter, call the manager, this food is terrible.

Waiter: I’m sorry Sir, he knows it’s terrible – he’s gone out to lunch.

peter
05/20/13

Q21: If your brother or sister or a friend breaks something special to you, would you do what God wants and kiss and make up, or do what the Devil wants and punch him or her when you?re angry?

Good question. A common family problem and young feelings can be really hurt.

God is a God of justice and fair play.

In Leviticus and Deuteronomy there are hundreds of examples of how disputes are to be settled God’s way. And it is pretty tight. Briefly: if you cause another person loss – you fix that loss!

It could be a broken plough, a lost donkey, or an ox that got away. And God made ‘cities of refuge’ where a man can run to if he accidentally kills someone. The dead person’s family might kill him without trial, so God made a place where he could safely wait for a fair trial. Possessions were very costly and important then.

You must seek replacement through mum or dad or someone grown up.

If that fails, a threat can help. If it was a pesky little brother who was in your room and stepped on a tape or disc and told nobody and denied wrongdoing – then fear can help: Take a wrapped Mintie to his room, be friendly and start chatting while mum is busy on the phone. Tell him it is good to have a little brother. Give him the minty and while he unwraps it pin him down by his arms and hiss in his face: “If you ever break anything in my room again, I’ll come in while you are asleep and shave you bald!” Snatch the minty back and walk out quietly and shut the door.

Justice must be seen to be done.

peter
05/20/13

Q22: Why are we so mean?

Wow. How honest you are. I phoned King Solomon about this (he was the wisest man who ever lived) but his phone was constantly engaged. (I can read his advice in the Bible in his book called “Proverbs” – which means ‘wise sayings.’)

The answer is not easy. We are all of us come from different families and backgrounds so are all different.

One: Show a child meanness and they will grow up mean.

Two: Show them kindness and love and they will grow up showing kindness and love.

Three: Show them violence and anger and that’s what they will show growing up.

In all three, a person can change, given the right example by the right person.

A great mentor of mine, Zig Ziglar said in one of his public addresses: “You’re where you are, you’re what you are, because of what has gone into your mind. You can change where you are, you can change what you are, by changing what goes into your mind.” (Zig Ziglar, Perth 1984) Zig also said: “We need to get this matter of eternity sorted out if you truly want to be happy.” (The God bit.)

Now, you could be sick, eat too much of the wrong food, watch too much TV, or live in a house that has mould and/or various poisons going into your body. This needs a doctor to check it out.

Do you have one good friend? We all need one. Talk to that one.

Finally, sadly – abuse.

This can be physical, emotional or sexual. IF…somebody is touching in any way your private parts (what’s under your bathers) and you hate it, it is wrong, very wrong and even criminal. They can even be in your family – you must have it stopped. Tell a policeman or policewoman, someone in authority, a teacher, or a chaplain. There are now (in 2019) many chaplains helping people out in many different groups. People can go to jail for doing such evil things.

peter
04/11/13

Q23: Why do people die of cancer, AIDS etc?

Thanks for the question.

This writer’s four year old son died of cancer and nobody could tell me why. This is much like question 2,3 and 7. There is no specific answer that I can give.

I have to say that many of our modern sicknesses are self inflicted. To eat too much and get too fat is dangerous and smoking is too. I only recently learnt that smoking can eventually cause you to lose a foot or a leg or make you blind. It squeezes blood vessels smaller and cuts circulation of blood.

Chemicals in our food = I avoid. Fruit, to me 60 years ago, was wonderful and tasty. Now it seems to me mostly tasteless. The soil is depleted and chemical fertiliser does not help earthworms and bacteria that make the soil good.

The Bible tells us to only have sex with your wife or husband. But, we think we know better, and pay a heavy price in six or eight diseases, some of which can make you sterile.

peter
05/20/13

Q24: How was God born if he did not have a wife?

I guess you meant – if He did not have a Mother!

Many folk think of this – but God is a Supernatural being.

He is not like us – although some could say correctly, “We are made in his image and likeness” (Gen.1:26). Yes, we are made in his likeness but we cannot do the things that God has done – He is different.

We could not dream of creating worlds and universes, trees, flowers, butterflies and so on.

He does not have, or need a wife.

peter
05/20/13

Q25: If God only wants good, nice people and a nice world with no wars, how come there still is?

This is a question we all ask.

The disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. Part of The Lord’s prayer as it has become says; “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

Read it slowly and digest every word. “Thy (God’s) kingdom come.”

How many do you know who are working to bring God’s kingdom to earth? “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”.

How many people go against God’s will in daily life. I am thinking more of grown-ups in government and industry, more than children.

How many people make drugs, bombs, alcohol and land mines and machines of war.

As a civilisation I think we seem to love going to war of some sort or another pretty often.

The greed of ‘Banksters’, money people and the staggering money losses in 2008 shows how people love money too much.

I think that our society loves ‘things’ far too much – but they do not make us happy.

What do you think?

peter
05/20/13

Q26: Why did Jesus have to die?

The death of Jesus was the central ‘core’ of God’s plan to enable us to get into heaven.

When Jesus left His home in heaven, He knew that He was going to later die, for us all.

In all His time on earth, He knew that crucifixion lay ahead. Wow!

His death and suffering are prophesied in Isaiah chapter 53.

Right through the Bible is what is called A Crimson Thread that starts in Paradise with Adam and Eve and ends in the triumph of good over evil in Revelation. (God counts a thousand years as a day and a day as a thousand years.)

The ‘Crimson Thread’ is shed blood.

First, it was animals’ blood to cover our sins and later, the blood of Jesus to ‘wash away’ our sins.

The ‘Christian cross’ is the most universally recognised symbol of Jesus, the Christian message of ‘Good news’ that God loves us. Further, that Jesus paid the price of our sin, in blood, to invite us into heaven. Jesus was willing to do it for us. That is ‘Good news’ indeed.

This hymn sums it up very well:

There is a green hill far away

Outside a city wall,

Where the dear Lord was crucified

Who died to save us all.

We may not know, we cannot tell

What pains He had to bear.

But we believe it was for us,

He hung and suffered there.

He died that we might be forgiven

He died to make us good.

That we might go at last to heaven,

Saved by His precious blood.

There was no other good enough

To pay the price of sin.

He only could unlock the gate

Of heaven and let us in.

Oh dearly, dearly has He loved,

And we must love Him too.

And trust in His redeeming blood.

And try His works to do.

Cecil Alexander. 1848.

William Horsley has put a lovely melody to sing it to.

Religion’ where you cannot pay for, work for, do good deeds for or pay for later. Your heart (& mind & spirit) is what Jesus asks for. You want to please, and work for Him, after you learn to know Him. Once you understand what it is all about…you want to give your all! Your talents, skills, money and in many cases the best years of your life helping others in your work as doctors, nurses, teachers, health care, farming, etc.

It is a life-changing event, but not all Christians discover this and that is sad.

peter
05/20/13

Q27: What was Jesus thinking on the cross?

Thank you. You children never cease to thrill me with your ideas and questions. I have never thought on this.

The Bible says that He was like us in every way. He got tired, weary, frustrated, angry, hungry and thirsty.

I sort of cringe at writing what the Son of God was thinking while He hung there, naked, humiliated, thirsty and – oh the pain! To the Romans, who controlled the country at the time of Jesus, crucifixion was the most painful way they could think of to kill people. It sort of put you off doing wrong to them. You die slowly and painfully of asphyxiation – because you cannot breathe much at all.

He thought of His Mum (Mary) and told John to take care of her (John 19:26-27). He thought very kindly of the criminal who knew that he deserved to die. Jesus gave him a solemn promise that: “Today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:39-43). Jesus did not answer the mocking insults of evil men. And lastly, God turned away from Him and left Him alone to suffer.

Jesus knew God had turned away and cried out: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me.” Then said “It is finished.” And He then died for you. (Matthew 27:45-58)

Maybe He was thinking forward to this time when you read this and found out what He did and that He did it for YOU?

Finally, I guess his last thought could have been: “I have fulfilled Scripture and done all that my Father (God) required me to do to get humans into heaven.”

peter
04/11/13

Q34: What’s heaven like?

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has entered into the heart of man, the things that God has prepared for those who love Him.” (I Corinthians 2:9). Those words from Paul say it all.

I have been told by a very trusted friend, and read of many others, how they have died but came back to life. Some begged not to go back, others begged to return to earth. None said it was easy to find words to describe the beauty. “Words cannot describe the beauty,” is a common thing they say about it.

My friend, who has since died, was allergic to penicillin and ‘died’ in 1950. He told me that he talked to someone of power and promised to: “Tell someone about Jesus every day of my life if you let me go back.”

He got his wish, and did. He spent a lot of money on three-inch cassette spool tape recorders with messages about God. In his business he travelled widely leaving recorders with people. I was one who learned much from him. He told me quite late in his life of his ‘talk’ with someone ‘up there’. He seldom spoke about it, but never bragged about it.

Books have been written of similar experiences.

Be assured heaven is real. Jesus said so, and He is getting it ready.

peter
05/30/13

Q35: I want to know whether or not I am going to heaven and see my Grandad?

The decision is entirely yours. It does not depend on you being ‘good enough’. It is simply a matter of believing what Jesus said and did. Jesus said: “Unless you repent and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3). Jesus also said: “I am the one who raises the dead and gives them life again. Anyone who believes in me, even though he dies like anyone else, shall live again. He is given eternal life for believing in me and shall never perish.” (John 11:25-26). There is your promise. Once you believe you want to learn more about the one who died for you and makes that promise. Read your Bible; meet with fellow believers in a good church. As for your Grandad, I know nothing of him so I cannot say if you’ll see him.

peter
05/30/13

Q36: Can you show us a miracle?

Yes it’s not too hard: Make a hole in a garden hose and it will never stop letting water out. Make a hole in human skin and blood will come out, for a while, then a miracle occurs and slowly the bleeding stops. You did nothing. Unseen, a small army of ‘friendly blood cells’ go to work to stop the bleeding. A miracle? Yes! People in Jesus day asked this same question you have asked. Jesus said “The only miracle you will see will be like Jonah in the whale. I will be in the earth three days and three nights.”(Mt.12:38-42). Jesus was talking about his resurrection after His death. Crusty old atheists are smart when they look at a new born baby and say: “Beautiful – it’s a miracle.” Joke: A child was busily drawing in Sunday School and the teacher asked: “What are you drawing?” “I am drawing God.” “But nobody knows what God looks like.” “Well, they will when I’m finished,” says the child.

peter
05/30/13

Q37: I don’t understand, I have difficulty believing in God.

That’s OK. Youth is a time of discovering and trying out many things, not to mention school and making friends. Millions say the same thing and most of them in this country forget about God because life is so easy, maybe too easy. And some wait till they are old and start ‘Cramming for their finals’ to be sure they make it. The Bible says: “He is a reward-er of those that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6). If you really want to believe, just read your Bible. Start with the Gospel of John. (only takes two to three hours) Somehow, you will sometime notice an unseen helper and good things seem to come your way. Jesus knows you’re serious. He knows our thoughts. There can come a time in your life when a person who has believed in God for years has endured a very hard time in life. None of it was of their doing – just circumstances that hurt very deeply. It could be a war, a car smash, the death of someone who was loved very much had died. I have heard people on radio say that: “…the ‘thing’ was so devastating that I could no longer believe in an all-loving God anymore. I simply lost my faith.” It nearly happened to me after my fall, the wheelchair and all that! It certainly got my thinking wrong. Good, mature Christians helped me through. How? They had been down the same road themselves and really knew what it was like.

peter
05/30/13

Q38: Is Jesus the only person up there?

A short answer is, “No”.

Moses and Elijah, two Old Testament heroes met with Jesus at ‘The Transfiguration’ when God spoke and said: “This is my Son with whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him.” (Mt. 17:1-9). Those two guys had been dead for 500 years by then!

When Jesus told the story of heaven and hell, with the rich man in hell; there were other people with him in heaven.

See ‘The Rich Man and Lazarus’ (Luke 16:19-31) (see Bible Stories, the first one).

Paul wrote to encourage the believers in a city called Corinth, that the troubles they were having from persecution would not last forever: “For we know that when this tent (body) we live in is taken down – we will have wonderful new bodies in heaven, homes that will be ours for evermore, made for us by God.” (2.Cor.5:1).

peter
04/11/13

Q39: How could Jesus help sick people?

God’s power within Him. He would just ‘call on God’ in His mind and His words would make it happen.

On one occasion a sick lady ‘…touched the hem of his garment’ and was healed.

Jesus said: “Who touched me? I felt power go out from me.” (Mark 5:25-34). Be assured people get helped today, as in the time when Jesus was here, but not everyone. And that happened in Jesus time too, not everyone.

I have MET one very much-changed lady who was lost in the South China Sea on a child’s dugout canoe – drifting around in the ocean for three days and two nights. This lady, Michelle Hamilton, had told her mum that she: “…did not need this Jesus thank you.” Jesus had very recently transformed her mum’s life. God, or His messenger spoke very clearly to Michelle ten or more times. Even repeated the statement: “You are not going to die.”

In my 78 years I have never heard of God’s messenger repeating what he had just said when asked to.

Michelle was a most independently-minded girl but by the third day was in very poor shape and needed help. She saw an island and it looked very good to her so she paddled towards it. Voice: “Don’t go that way, turn around and go the other way.” Michelle of course knew that was silly, she wanted her feet on solid ground and kept going. But her canoe was picked up by an unseen hand and thrown in the opposite direction. She swam after it and soon met her rescue boat. It was manned by Christian fishermen. They thought she was: “an Americano Mermaid”. They were very poor with almost no education. They were amazingly kind and generous.

Her book, A Mighty Tempest, is amazing reading and is filled with many miracles.

She now lives in Sydney (see www.michellehamilton.com.au for more info about how it all happened).

So, how could Jesus help sick people and those in trouble? In His own way – not always when we ask, but miracles still happen and we all must use the medical help that is readily available.

Check out the girl (now a grown lady) and her story at www.amightytempest.com It can also be seen on Youtube.

peter
05/30/13

Q40: Can you die in heaven?

“No!” it goes on forever and ever. AND there is no crying, no night and the ‘River of life’ flows down the main street. The fruit trees will yield twelve crops of fruit a year and the leaves are for: “…the healing of the nations.” Wow! The nations will be healed – I guess that means no wars. The disciple John was given a vision of heaven while in exile on the Island of Patmos. John was the only Disciple to be alive in his old age. See (Rev.22:1-5). Please note we will not be sitting on clouds playing harps. Jesus said to His Disciples: “I am going to prepare a place for you…” If Jesus does it, it will be very, very good.

peter
06/10/13

Q41: Can you be banished from heaven?

I don’t know so I can’t say. Way, way back Satan was banished because he had rebellion in his heart, but he was a created angel. Heaven will be far better than we can ever imagine. The Bible says: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has anyone imagined what God has prepared for those whom love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9). It will be very good ~ so even if it was possible, who would want to be banished? Not me.

peter
06/10/13

Q42: How does God control us?

It is not like an aeroplane where the man in the control tower gives the pilot instruction as to ‘Take-off’ and ‘Landing’. It takes most of us many years to know the difference between our wanting something and what is good for us and what God wants us to have, or do. Basically the choice is yours. You tell Him that you would like Him to ‘control’ you. He will know what you mean. Then, do mix with people who are serious about ‘putting into practice’ what the Bible says. As we get to know more, we grow more, and little by little we learn to know how, and what, God would have us do. Very seldom will you hear His, or His messengers speak audibly to you. I have had that happen four times in 78 years. I never asked. Mostly, we know what’s right. Sometimes, our heart overrules what we might badly want. We learn later that it was not wise to have that thing. That’s how we learn from our mistakes. Christians should never be in a hurry to make big decisions.

peter
06/10/13

Q43: Why did they kill Jesus?

Basically, it was a part of God’s ‘Rescue Package’ to bring us back to Him. Seems strange but it’s true. If Jesus had not died, there would be no world changing resurrection of Jesus from the grave. Christianity would simply be another ‘good set of rules and ideas to live by’. There are plenty of them around. God’s love, and Jesus’ love, was shown to us in the death and resurrection of Jesus. An illustration: Somebody does something bad, really bad. The police cannot find him and the public complain that the police cannot find the criminal and are under pressure to catch one. They finally do, but the man is innocent. No matter – we have a suspect and false charges make him seem guilty. He goes to jail and the public are happy. He has become the ‘fall guy’ for the real criminal and pays the price with his time in jail. Jesus volunteered to be the ‘fall guy’ for us. A ‘sacrificial lamb’ is another example of an innocent one paying the price of someone else’s crime. We could not get to heaven by our own efforts. Jesus paid the price for our sins to get us there.

peter
04/11/13

Q44: If God made the earth, who made Mars and the planets?

Thanks for the question, I like it. Since 1991, I have become very interested in the Milky Way with its 400,000,000,000 stars. In 1991 ‘they’ said was 100,000,000,000. In 2005 I heard on the radio that it was 400b. What? I phoned up the Perth Observatory to check. “Yes, the evidence says it is 400b.” And that is just in our ordinary galaxy called The Milky Way. Sad to say that our sun is just an ordinary sized star in the top corner of our galaxy, and will only last another 66 million years (or was it 2 billion?). Heck, that’s not very long! The nearest star to ours is Alpha Centauri and that is 94,700,266,000,000, km away from us. Phew! That’s a long walk. Who, or whatever made our galaxy, the making of Mars and 13 other planets would be a simple ‘after hours job’. Mars is about 50 million km away and the sun is 125 million km away from us. There are 5,000 to 100,000 galaxies in the universe, and still counting. I believe that the one true God made it all. King David wrote: “He counts the stars and calls them all by name.” (Psalm 139:4). How, I cannot imagine. “Thanks God.” It’s beautiful. This is not a question but a very helpful ‘Power statement’ from Mr Zig Ziglar. ” You’re where you are, you’re what you are because of what has gone into your mind. You can change where you are, you can change what you are, by changing what goes into your mind.” (Zig Ziglar, Perth 1984) Think about it! A lovely girl in my Scripture class wrote some years ago: “Your mind is not a rubbish tip – so don’t put garbage into it.” One-hundred percent good sense! Ask yourself: “Is what I put into my mind, doing me good or is some of it plain filth and I would be better without it?” May you be where God can bless your future life and keep your mind on the best things and learn much about Jesus and The Creation.

peter
06/10/13

Q45: I can talk, but I can’t see God.

It is fairly normal for a child to expect to see God. And many children have seen His angels, but mostly they are not believed. Most mums and dads are too busy to ask the little child to tell them more about what they saw, because they do not believe it could happen. An older Grandma or Grandpa may stop and listen to the story. Jesus said of children: “Beware that you don’t look down upon a single one of these little children. For I tell you that in heaven their angels have constant access to my Father.” (Matt. 18:10). This is a comment in a Bible I have: Our concern for children must parallel God’s treatment of them. Certain angels are assigned to watch over children and they have direct access to God. These words ring out sharply in cultures where children are taken lightly, ignored, or aborted. If their angels have constant access to God, the least we can do is to allow children to approach us easily in spite of our far-too-busy schedules.” (Life Application Bible page 53) Tindale House Publishers, USA 1987. So you may not see God, but be assured children are very special to Jesus. God is not normally seen. Only Moses did and that was a special time for all in receiving God’s law. Suppose somebody did and took a photo. Money hungry ‘Groan-ups’ would have His face on breakfast cereal, cool drink bottles, etc. Greedy people cannot be trusted to be ‘good’. They just can’t.

peter
06/10/13

Q46: “Why does God let people starve?”

God doesn’t – people do. Did you know that every day 25,000 children under five years old die from easily prevented sickness or hunger? And 1,500,000,000 people go to bed hungry every night, while 1,500,000,000 in ‘The West’ are sick from eating too much food. A very sad fact of life is that money and power (over other people) rules, OK? When all the dust, lies and disputes are settled it is money, and resources like oil, gold, copper, or other minerals that are important. What has this got to do with people starving? People get in the way of greed. If people get in the way they must be shifted; sometimes to other lands, refugee camps – and in some cases killed. Some people are quite without mercy or pity for others and kill them. God must get pretty sad – and maybe angry to watch it all. There is another side too. Many countries do not have an elected government. Australia has but it too has faults. In some countries an Army General may gather around him a large group of armed soldiers or Militia and ‘Rule From the End of a Gun’ and terrorise its people to do as they are told. Now, these dictators spend much money on their war machines and flashy cars. So…not much money left for schools, hospitals and imported food if it is needed.

peter
06/10/13

Q47: If I don’t believe in God will I go to hell?

First, it is not for me to say – I am not your judge. But if you get to be grown up and do not believe in God – would you really expect God to say: “You MUST come into heaven.” No! He will not. So you will be where God is not, with other people who do not believe in Him. I reckon that would not be very nice. So, be smart – let God in and enjoy all the good things He has in store for those who love Him. Do please note that God, early in the Bible, punished ‘grown–ups’ for not trusting Him and said: “All those twenty (20) years and over will not see the promised land.” God meant those under 20 were not considered old enough to choose to deliberately ignore God. So those under 20 years of age are considered a ‘child’ by God’s thinking and will go to heaven. Those over 20 are able to choose not to believe in God, will go to where God is not.

peter
06/10/13

Q48: I have always wondered if it is true that God knows what we are thinking?

I know the answer is ‘Yes’. When I was younger and thought I knew everything. I was going to my car to drive to my church where there was to be a ‘World Day of Prayer.’ All churches in my area were to have a meeting of interested persons to pray for the world. On my way to the car I was thinking, “How can we all pray together? The Catholics bring their Rosary Beads; the Anglicans bring their Book of Prayer and what if the Charismatics pray in ‘tongues’ (unknown languages) it will be strange? I was thinking ‘We Baptists are the best and the right way.’ A voice interrupted my thoughts saying : “What makes you think you are better than them?” Oops! I was being proud and feeling superior? Yes, lesson learnt. And King David wrote: “Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely O Lord.” (Psalm 139:4). David, Goliath’s killer, was very close to God.

peter
06/10/13

Q49: When you pray to God, why doesn’t He talk back?

You could expect Him to answer now and then, because that’s how children are. People do hear His, or His messenger’s voice now and then, but mostly in extreme circumstances. I know of a girl, 22yo. had God speak to her ten or twenty times: I am glad it was not me! She was lost in the South China Sea for three days and two nights on a child’s canoe. Her book is thrilling: “A Mighty Tempest” and she tells it all. She was not a Christian when she went out and was carried away by a strong ocean current. She is a Christian now. She was on TV, in newspapers and magazines, etc. On the third day she called out: “God am I going to die?” Voice: “You are not going to die.” “How can you say that? This is my third day and I can not hang on any more” Voice: “You are not going to die.” She ignored ‘the voice’ and paddled off towards an island and had the canoe turned around by a unseen hand – which bought about her rescue by a passing boat of Christian fishermen. They thought she was a mermaid. Yes they did! Finding a pretty girl with long blond hair, 100 miles from shore was quite unusual. I have heard that ‘voice’ four times in 78 years. I did not ask for it. Jesus knows “What we have need have before we ask.” (Matthew 7:8). Also, today we have the Bible to guide us, friends to seek good advice from and lots of good books. Read one of my encounters with a ‘voice’ in the appendix of my book number 1. The ‘voice’ interrupted my Bible reading to tell me over and over to go see a lady until I said, “Alright, I’ll go.” My visit stopped the lady from killing herself. God is there all right and He knows your thoughts too.

peter
06/10/13

Q50: Why are there different gods for Chinese and English people?

All people who can think have a need to worship something. Every race of people has their idea, or system of worship. They know there is something up there or out there. With no god to see or touch they make one and the people endow it with godlike power. That is why Christian missionaries are all over the world telling anyone who will listen the ‘Good News’ about Jesus. Many of them are killed in some way every year in countries that are hostile to the ‘Good News’ of Jesus. Many choose to follow the God of the Christian people and are very happy. In some countries converts to Jesus have to keep it a secret so as not to be killed. And that is true!

peter
08/07/13

Q51: Why did He let bad people into the world? God is creator.

Yes, He is the creator of humans all right. I believe that when a newly married couple have their first baby, it is a beautiful miracle. He/she is 50% mum and 50% dad and to them – the most beautiful baby in the whole world. Come back in twenty years time and see the result of what has gone into that child’s mind and body. Lots of good things…or drugs, alcohol, and maybe damaged DNA (from drugs) by mum or dad before the child was born. Add to that good pure food and clean air – or polluted air and chemically laden food and drink – and you have the result in the 20-year-old boy or girl. Could be a brain surgeon, or a drug addict. All depends on how the parents raise and feed the child. Let me quote Zig Ziglar again. (A song put to the tune The Hokey Pokey.) “You dump garbage in You get garbage out, You dump garbage and you spread it all about. You’re into ‘Stinkin thinkin’ and kickin’ cats around, That’s what losing is all about. You put ‘Good Stuff’ in, You get ‘Good Stuff’ out, You put ‘Good Stuff’ in, And you spread it all about, You quit your ‘Stinkin Thinkin’ And kicking cats around. That’s what winning is all about. (Zig Ziglar, Perth, 1984) We are all a product of our parents, homes, schools, and work, Friends, ‘rellies’ and our choices. Yes we all make choices every day to do right or wrong. God did not make us robots but people with a free will to choose right or wrong.

peter
08/07/13

Q52: Why are people so hateful and non-caring and no respect?

Part of the answer to this one is in the last question Q51. Trouble is too many kids do not get enough hugs from a mum and dad who truly love and cherish them. And, this really grieves me – some kids know that they are not really wanted. They get almost no affection or hugs at home and many are abused too. That is very, very sad to see. Without care and affection many kids take to alcohol and drugs to: “Take away the pain.” What pain? The pain of knowing that nobody really cares if they have been abused, or if they live or die. In World War Two (1939 to 1945) Germany’s leader, Adolph Hitler, thought he would raise a generation of ‘Super Aryan Germans’ who would grow up to run and rule the world after the war. The babies were to be brought up tough – with little care or love. With no mother to hug and love them – the children mostly became mental defectives. Listless and without any real spark in their hearts. I would say to you that a loving mum and dad with time to give to their children is a priceless gift to a child. Without it resentment and anger could be the result and too many may become hateful and with no respect. Sorry this page is a sad look at society in Australia today. May you set your heart on being a good mum or dad when your time comes?

peter
08/07/13

Q53: Did God really create everything and will fighting ever stop?

Yes, God did, in the beginning, create everything that was good. However, when Adam and Eve’s children grew up there was a murder. Yes! Sad to say, out of jealousy Cain murdered his brother Abel. God warned Cain that: “…sin is crouching at your door and desires to have you but you can beat it.” Advice ignored; and when Cain was banished far away, what did he say? “Oh, my punishment is too much to bear.” He was warned! And there was no “Sorry.” (Gen.4:1-16). We can be a difficult lot, and selfish at times. God did create ‘good’ things but we choose to use them to our own advantage too often. We are all ‘slow learners’ in life. I do not think there are many exceptions and getting to know God takes a lifetime – a bit each day. ‘Fighting?’ If aliens have been watching us for very long, they must shake their heads and say: “Will they never learn – always fighting and they have the prettiest planet of all – but insist on fouling it up!” We are a weird mob. True or not? Feel welcome to add YOUR comment.

peter
06/10/13

Q54: When would people have a mind not to hurt other people?

When they get transformed. What? No, I do not mean the model plastic transformers, or the electric power transformers on poles in your street. Not long after Jesus was crucified, buried and transformed back to life by God, a very zealous Jew (a Pharisee) named Saul hated Christians. He had an I.Q. of around 150, very smart and highly educated as well. He was so well connected he got letters from the Temple Priests and made it his job to catch Christians, put ’em in chains and have them sent to Jerusalem for punishment, even death, just for believing in this ‘Jesus’. Paul and his group were on their way to Damascus to find some more when he got a shock and fell to the ground and heard a ‘voice’ sayig, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?” Saul: “Who are you Lord?” “I am Jesus who you persecute.” Saul was now blind and was led by his group to Damascus. He spent several days there in meditation (not used to being blind) and God sent a Christian to heal him, but he said: “But he’s a menace to us.” God said “I’ve changed him.” Saul was healed and was transformed into a Christian supporter in place of the persecutor he used to be. Read it all in “Acts 9:1-31.” Google it! There were many attempts to kill him but they all failed and Saul, now known as Paul, could not be silenced. That was called, and still is today ‘A Damascus Road experience’. TV and radio commentators use the phrase today to describe a complete turn around of a person’s way of life. Another word is ‘conversion’. It is often not too difficult in Australia to see in people from other lands, a difference when they become true Christians. There is ‘life’ – a true sparkle in their eyes, and all fear is gone. I do not say that lightly. Becoming a true Christian completely changes a person. SO … your answer? When those people discover that God is real and truly follow the way of Jesus. Maybe then. Maybe only when we are in heaven – because things look bad these days here on earth. Phew! That was long, sorry.

peter
08/07/13

Q55: Why do bad things happen to good people?

I have asked this one myself, as have millions of ordinary folk. There is no simple answer. Sorry about that, but is a very common, very complex (hard to understand and explain) question. I broke my back on the tenth anniversary of the birth of my only son. He died six years before. Simple coincidence; or Devil’s work to ‘rub salt into a wound’? Nobody laughed for years in our family, after he died. You may have good reason to ask it too. We all eventually have to ‘deal’ with what we are given (like in a game of cards) because we cannot see the future. God can! Many folk pay money to find out the future from people who think they can tell them the future. They can never be truly sure but they do take people’s money for their opinion. “Humph!” A seventeen-year-old disabled girl, and me, have said “Thank you” to God for the serious disability…and the life that came after it. For me it was not easy! Mrs Joni Eriksson-Tada was one. Joni had a diving accident and became a quadriplegic as a seventeen-year-old girl. Like me, it took years to get used to quadriplegia, but Joni has written, I think seventeen books on how God has led her since her diving accident. She’s helped many! Me, at 39 years of age, I got baptised. A clear voice said then: “You’ll be working with children.” I had no idea what it meant and the guy who baptised me heard nothing. I soon forgot about it. Four years later I had a fall at home, got paraplegia and got into a wheelchair. I was enrolled at University two years later. I became a teacher at 49 yo. Did that for seven years and became a Scripture teacher in 1988. This year is my 23rd year as a Scripture teacher, and this book is a part of ‘big picture’ of which I knew nothing when I broke my back. They have been the best years of my life. If somebody had told me that all of that would happen in the future – I would have laughed at such a ‘wild’ idea. It happened! We ask this question pointing our finger at God. But, is He to blame? No. He can and does do miracles but does not make bad things happen to ‘good’ people. He can ‘make lemonade from lemons’. Complainers who point the finger at God and ask: “Why?” do not give God a thought when things go well. Do you agree? My favourite story in the Bible is about a man called Job. The richest man in all that land. God allowed Satan to harm Job really badly. The whole story exposes Satan for what he is. Read in the Bible the book of Job chapters 1 to 3 and 38 to 42. It tells much of the character of Job, Satan, God and men. “What miserable comforter you are. Will your long winded speeches never end?” said Job (Job 16:1-2). Well worth reading.

peter
08/07/13

Q56: Can you stop people cutting down trees?

No. Put very simply animals are not stupid like people. Some people just seem to hate trees. I love them and the birds that come into my yard to feed on them. Trees can be sold for money, so someone wants to cut it down and sell it! Especially forests. Trees make oxygen and wood from carbon dioxide in the air. “They are the lungs of the world!” But stupid humans cannot seem to stop cutting them down. The young people of the world will have to, somehow, force the stupid people in the world to stop cutting them down. A man in a town near me, camped up in his street tree to stop the council cutting it down. He actually lived up there for over 100 days! All the other trees were cut down and his was too after he finally came down. At least HE TRIED to save his tree. He was even on national TV! So many people think about their trees now that this man became famous because he cared about his one tree!

peter
08/07/13

Q57: Why do people have to blow up tall buildings? And innocent people die? How come all the bad things are happening?

Those questions cover a host of very awkward questions that cannot be easily answered. Why? Well, the whole truth only comes out many years later! I can assure you that by the time you get to 50 years old many untold facts probably will have been told about this tragedy. That’s how things are today! Lies, and half truths are very common in high places in most countries these days. They all want to protect their image as ‘The good guys’. The others are the ‘Bad guys’ of course. A lady wrote a letter to the New York Times or some paper after those buildings fell. I heard on the radio that the letter simply said: “Really – what did you expect?” Meaning that the USA was NOT innocent of some quite bad things done in other countries. If Muslims did it, it is a bit like the question “Why are there Suicide bombers?” (see Q71). They would really believe that they are getting rid of ‘evil’ people. This world has always had similar evil things happen. Nero (a Roman Caesar) had many Christians killed, stuck on poles and set on fire – to impress on all Christian to ‘behave’ or get the same treatment. In World War II the Germans, under Hitler’s orders, killed 6 million Jews. 52 million died in all. God must hate it all, but they said: “God is on our side.” How wrong. Back to those ‘buildings’. There was a 45-story building not far from the two tall ones. It imploded (collapsed too). And, it seems that no airplane hit the Pentagon – the hole in the wall was not big enough to be made by an airplane and there was no fire. Many questions remain unanswered. And about: “All the bad things are happening?” I personally believe that the world cannot really support 6,000,000,000 people. Why? (my opinion) “The rich are not going to give up the money and ‘things’ they have and live more simply so that others may simply live.” Think about that. The poor people are getting desperate for a better life.

peter
08/07/13

Q58 Why did Jesus come back? Why won’t He show up and everyone believe? Why does God make us die?

Q58 (Three questions in one): Why did Jesus come back? Why won’t He show up and everyone believe? Why does he make us die? I have to assume that you mean ‘come back from the grave’. First of all He said He would: “rise to life on the third day.” (Mark 8:31 & Luke 18:31-34). Nobody had ever said that before and nobody since, but He did. Coming back to life sets Jesus Christ apart, far apart, from any other ‘religion’ in the entire world. Rising from the dead was proof that His, and God’s promises come true. As for his ‘showing up and everyone believe’? They will not all believe! It was like that when Jesus rose from the grave. Be assured, many did believe but many still persecuted the 12 disciples and anyone who believed with them. God does not ‘make us die’. Our life on earth is like a ‘school of life’ that gets us ready for what is beyond the grave. The Bible says, “… we shall be like Him,” and will have a spiritual body like Jesus had, one that will never die. (See 1 Corinthians 15: 42-44 and Luke 24:36-43). He showed us the way. ‘Thanks God.’ I know it will be good in heaven with you. Please note, the ‘spiritual bodies’ will be for Christians in heaven and with no sickness or tears and sorrow.

peter
06/10/13

Q59: What would my future be?

It plainly depends on the choices you make with what comes your way. Some choose to moan and protest that life has been hard so ‘I will sit down and cry’. Others will see a problem that is really not a problem and make it their business to tell everybody how unlucky they are. Another makes friends with some group who they know ‘do crimes’ and it seems exciting. That is, until they finish up in jail because they all got caught. There is a great saying: “You lie down with dogs – you get up with fleas.” One good true friend is more valuable than gold and diamonds. They never gossip, lie to you or cheat. Hang on to that friend, and make yourself a true, reliable friend to that one. Such friendships can last a lifetime. King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived wrote in the Bible 3,000 years ago, “If you want favour with both God and man and a reputation for good judgement and common sense, then trust the Lord completely, don’t ever trust yourself. In everything you do, put God first and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success.” (Proverbs 3:5-6). Wisdom can be had too. Another Proverb goes: “The man who knows right from wrong, has good judgement and common sense is happier than the man who immensely rich.” (Proverbs 3:13–15). Whatever you do, do not seek to see the future from clairvoyants, or fortunetellers, EVER!

peter
08/07/13

Q60: Why did my grandfather die because it was before his time and everyone loved him

I cannot tell you and I’m sorry that he has gone. We all, in our hearts, want our Grandparents to live forever. That’s how it should be. However some of them can be mongrels and nasty characters and few miss them when they go. To have that good Grandad must have been great. Nobody can tell when his or her time is up or why. SO … make the most of them while they are here and say, “thank you” to God for them every day and love them.

peter
08/12/13

Q61: Why is life so hard? What is the meaning of life?

It will all be revealed in heaven! Why is life so hard? Further back is a question “Why are we so mean?” (Q22). I cannot here give an answer that is accurate and true. I have not met you and looked into your eyes and checked your health. Please read Q22 and have a long thorough talk with your doctor, Mum/Dad school chaplain or someone and so ensure there are no physical problems. It could be that you want too much! A teacher told me, that in one country in Africa you cannot send your child to such-and-such a school because you have glass in your windows. Why? ‘That means you are already quite rich if you can afford glass in your windows.’ Wow! Our country is much blessed and some of us want more and more. I hope that is not you. What is the meaning of life? Most people answering this question would hesitate and say: “Well it depends, er, um … and I don’t want to push my opinions…er.” Many more: “I have no idea.” And it’s true. Many do not think on it and wander through life not caring about the future. You are good, you think about these things and that makes you a leader in some ways. Leaders think. Because I call myself a ‘Serious Christian’ I think God comes in at the front of my answer. What if the entire world obeyed God’s ‘Ten Commandments’? No lying, stealing, murder, adultery (sex outside marriage) and didn’t envy or steal their neighbour’s goods. There are Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:1-17. It could be a very different world. No wars, divorce, or innocents in prison, etc. No police needed! Wow! So, I say the meaning of life is “To love God and obey his laws, teach your children His laws and leave this world a better place for your being on it.

peter
08/12/13

Q62: Why you forgive people if they did wrong things?

About the best question of all. Thank you so much. Because Adam and Eve ‘messed up’ they were expelled from God’s presence. “God’s eye cannot look upon evil.” (Habakkuk 1:13). There can be no sin in heaven. So how can God get us back into heaven so He could have a family around Him? God’s ‘rescue package’ would not be an instant result. His only begotten Son, Jesus, agreed that He would come to earth as a human. From there He would, to use His own words: “…do the will of my Father in heaven”. He displayed God’s power in miracles and teaching, then submitted to the travesty of a false trial, was whipped, spat on, beaten then crucified and put in a tomb. God raised Him to life from the grave on the third day as Jesus said He would. By confessing our sins to God and believing in Him we are given forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Free! Forgiveness is God’s gift to us, in which He delights because we “are made in His image and likeness.” (Gen 1:26-27). God loves to forgive but there is a price that someone has to pay for sin. The suffering and death of Jesus was the price. There is no other way; you cannot buy it, work for it or exchange anything for it. All sin has a price. A stolen rubber costs the price of another one. Someone has to pay.

peter
08/12/13

Q63: When will the whole world disappear?

Well the whole world will not ‘disappear’ as you say. Jesus said it would be : “…the end of the age.” Not the world. What will happen is that the earth will be cleaned up, I think by fire, and all evil will be removed and replaced by God’s new heaven and new earth. To go into detail would take many pages, too heavy for a child to digest. Be assured: If you are a part of God’s family you will be very pleased when it all happens and have no worries at all. May God bless your future.

peter
06/10/13

Q64: How did you get your magical powers?

Well, He certainly had a bundle of magical powers! HE can do anything! As a gentleman, I have to say I like the way He made girls and ladies. They’re lovely. No unclean thoughts there, mind you. Nobody really can tell just how God works but there is no doubt that 2 billion Christians know that God has got those powers. A great example: You are standing on a planet that is revolving at 1,500 km/hr. This planet is travelling around the sun at 15 km a second – that’s once a year, It is tilted at 23 degrees to give us summer, autumn, winter and spring. Has been doing this for millions of years. COOL! Not bad, I say – some power! Also, this is sensational: You can fly from one end of this Milky Way galaxy to the other, if you can get a Concorde airliner and lots of fuel along the way. Ensure that you get some ‘YIPPEE’ pills to add to the fuel to make it go 70 times its normal speed and make the Concorde do 250,000 km/hr – it would take 670 million years (Readers Digest Great World Atlas, 1961 p.103) “Nothing is too hard for God.” (Jeremiah. 32:17).

peter
06/10/13

Q64: How did you get your magical powers?

peter
08/12/13

Q65: Does Jesus know what is going to happen in the future.

Yes, without doubt, He does, and I thank you for asking it. I had not thought about it in 75 years. (Makes you smarter than me!) In 1969 I got baptised and a voice said: “You’ll be working with children.” Nobody else heard it. I had never worked with children as I had always made things you can touch and see the finished job. I forgot about it. Four years later I had a fall at home and got into a wheelchair. Six years later I was studying to be a teacher at university. I taught for seven years then went to Bible College for two years and in 1988 I began Scripture teaching. This year will be 23 years and they have been the best years of my life. I love Yr. 7 kids! While saying my prayers one morning a voice said: “Go and see Mrs Arnold”, a former cleaning lady. I did not want to go – I had a lecture to go to. ‘We’ argued back and forth – for how long I know not. I did reluctantly go the 50 km round trip. She came out to my car and said: “Well – God must have sent you. I was just about to jump out of the window and kill myself.” She talked for 45 minutes and I never got a chance to tell her: ”Well He did actually.” Michelle Hamilton in her book A Mighty Tempest was lost at sea for three days and two nights in a child’s canoe. God was there all right and knew what would happen tomorrow. It is a thrilling read. She’s from Sydney. She asked for nothing and neither did I. But God had a plan for both of us, and has a plan for your life too. Jokes The ‘village idiot’ was pushing a carpenters measuring tape up a ladder but it kept falling back. Other village idiot says: Why don’t you lay the ladder on the ground and measure it there? Think I’m stupid do you? The foreman said measure the height, not the length! From one girl I taught in 1990. “Mr Harris, do you know why gorillas have such big fingers?” “No Linda, I have no idea.” “Well they have big fingers don’t they.” Putting her finger towards her nose. Oh yuk! She was such a nice girl too (and still is). And: What did the necklace say to the hat? You go on a head and I’ll hang around. Hope you liked those bits of fun.

peter
08/12/13

Q66: Judgement Day

These two words were all that the child wrote to me.

Please note that all these questions were written to me and I print them just as I got them with no changes.

Many would like to ignore things like a judgement day and hope there will not be one. Jesus said that there will be one. Jesus spoke very plainly about it because many people wanted to know then.

I have several Bible reference books so I can look up things in the Bible easily. Judgement Day has 160 references to it. LOVE has 760 references to it. That tells you a lot about Jesus. Judgement Day is necessary in God’s plan of things.

Satan will get his ‘come-uppance’ then, and he will not like it one bit.

Children should not worry about it. 20 years old seems to be the Bible’s cut off point between children and grown ups.

There has to be a judgement day. Why? Because God is a God of justice and a ‘fair go’ (as Australians say).

Briefly – Jesus, when He reigns as king on earth, will judge people (the nations): “As a farmer separates sheep from goats.” That’s for shearing so as not to mix wool with goat’s hair. (Matthew 25:31-46). And The Bible is plain on personal judgement. “And just as it is destined that men die only once, and after that comes judgement.” (Hebrews.7:11).

The Apostle Paul wrote: “The day will surely come when at God’s command Jesus Christ will judge the secret lives of everyone, their inmost thoughts and motives.” (Romans.2:16).

We, most of the earth’s population, know very well that our conscience tells us right from wrong. We choose right or wrong. There are some mongrel killers that I will be happy to see front up on Judgement Day to answer for a lot of evil that they did.

AND, special judgement is reserved for those who deliberately hurt or damage children. YES! That is physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and plain neglect of their needs. The worst is for them! (Matthew 18:6).

Fact: Children do not ask to be born.

peter
08/12/13

Q67: What would happen when I die?

I have to assume that you mean what happens to my soul or spirit.

With your body, your heart stops beating and when the brain gets no blood, all movement stops and your body cools and a doctor says that you are dead and fills out an official form saying so.

Your body, your earthly remains, are buried and sometimes cremated (burned) until only ashes remain. These ashes are collected and sometimes placed in an urn and can be kept at home, maybe placed at a cemetery. Some people leave in their will that: ‘my ashes are to be scattered over an ocean’, or scattered over a particular forest.

With the soul and spirit, that is much different. The Bible does not tell us exactly what happens. Some Bible scholars, and church leaders say Christians ‘sleep’ until Jesus comes back. Others say that we go to an ‘in-between place’. Others say that Christians go into God’s presence immediately.

Bit confusing isn’t it?

But if you are a real part of God’s family I know you have no worries;

He loves us and looks after us.

Some examples:

See the story of Mr. Roberts in the appendix at the back of my first book.

My little son, after about a year of cancer treatment, was in PMH, our children’s hospital. One day while in there he must have known ‘the end’ was near. He told his Mum: “I want to go home to your bed, and I want to see ‘Her’. ‘Her’ was his second mum and they both loved each other a lot. It was in the country. He insisted. So off we went. He saw her on the way home. At our home there lived a very old ‘resident dog’ that had lived at the farmhouse we occupied for many years. When we drove in he could only see my face. No joy or tail wagging. He just hung his head and crept away. He knew death was near! We did not.

The Christian nurses at the local hospital came out to attend to him, as they knew that his end must be near.

He died the next day but at the moment of death, he took a deep breath, gave a lovely smile and died. What made him smile? I know not, maybe he saw heaven. He was a ‘little’ Christian and believed in Jesus.

Mr Dwight L. Moody: He was a preacher who travelled the world preaching about Jesus. I read the story of his life. He ’died’ three times, over several hours in his own home with his family around him at 80 years old. After he had died once he came back and said: “Mama (wife) I have seen the children who had died”, years before.

Then he died again, came back and told of his seeing heaven and said:” Oh Mama, this is hard on you.” The third time he stayed in heaven and did not come back. This is over 100 years ago.

I am convinced that if you are a Christian your soul and spirit go to heaven.

The apostle Paul wrote about death in a letter to Christians in Philippi:“ For to me, living, means opportunities for Christ, and dying well that’s better yet.” And: “Sometimes I want to live and at other times I don’t, for I long to go and be with Christ.” (Phil.1: 20 –23)

Most Christians I know would rather be in heaven but their time has not yet come.

Hope that was not too long.

Some people have written whole books on this subject.

Jokes:

What’s worse than finding a worm in your apple?
Finding half a worm.

What two creatures did not go into Noah’s Ark in pairs?
Worms – they went in apples.

peter
08/27/13

Q68: I think heaven and hell aren’t real.

The Student’s full question was actually:

Q68: “I think heaven and hell aren’t real. Is there any solid proof that the two exist? Is it just something made up so they wouldn’t be afraid of death? How do they know the Bible wasn’t just made up and passed down through generations? And why wont God or Jesus appear and make everyone believe?”

You seem a bit worried as your writing tells of doubt, anxiety and hope. See Q. 69 re the Bible.

Much of what you ask is partly or fully answered in other questions so run your eye down then and check out the answers I gave. (Try the orange Category options in the right side column!)

Write to me if you need to.

Most adults would like to be sure that God is there and heaven is real. I have ‘been down in the pits’ and found that God is real and have come back up and am very thankful to be alive. I look forward to going to heaven- but I hope dying does not hurt much.

Please be assured God is a God of justice and mercy, and the Bible has been around for 4,000 years (2000+ since Jesus). If that was not true – like millions of other books – it would have ‘fallen-by-the-wayside’ and been forgotten soon after Jesus died.

The Bible is still the world’s number one bestseller in 2010. (Only IKEA beat the Bible’s publishing record in just one year since the invention of the printing press.)

Finally – if God and Jesus did appear, many people would not want to hear from them simply because they want to ‘…do it my way.’ Like: “Don’t tell me what to do!” “Who are you to tell me that what I am doing is wrong?”

Many people saw Jesus do miracles and raise the dead but they did not listen to any more – they just went their own way and I think the same would happen today. Maybe they would kill Jesus a second time.

Most folk just want to live peaceably.

I am glad you are thinking about it. May God bless your search because your question sort of tells me that you are searching for the truth.

peter
06/10/13

Q69: Why did they write the Bible?

Thank you for a great question, and it is a good one.

We have the Bible because it is God’s ‘Workshop Manual’ for humans. (I have a Workshop Manual for my 40 year old car. My car and I are good friends and have been so for 23 years.)

For about 1,400 years after Jesus came back to life only a few people could read and write. The ‘Church’ told the people about God and the Bible was chained to the pulpit so it could not be stolen. They were hand written and cost a heap of money. Later on a man, Mr Gutenberg, invented a printing machine. Before long books were cheap. Today they can be made for just a little money. That’s good and God wants everyone to be able to read His Holy word. It sort of changed the world. Books were cheap. The Bible changes people’s lives for the better if they want to.

So I guess God had these days in mind with 6 billion people on the earth so everyone who wanted to, could read it. It is so very different to AD 60 to AD 80 when The Bible was first completed. You know that to God thousand years is like a day and a day is like a thousand years. His times, and timetable is very different to ours. It makes me think that the ‘Second Coming’ of Jesus (he said he would come back) is delayed until all peoples have heard the “Good News”.

Here in Australia we have, in many ways forgotten the Bible. Sixty years ago almost everybody went to church. There was no TV, little radio, not much crime or violence and in our house we did not bother to lock our houses when we went out. Almost no stealing or violence.

Since then we have got TV, many 24-hour radio stations, plenty of money and plenty of ‘Grog’ (alcohol) and lately a huge drug industry and plenty of violence. There is almost a killing or a murder a day now. How very sad. Drugs particularly are a huge industry. A Christian is often ‘the odd man out’ and a non-drinker is almost rare.

In China, population 1,300,000,000, people are very hungry to have the Bible. There are many missionaries there and the Chinese Government print millions of Bibles every year, although they try to force all Christians to go to the “Three Self Movement” churches. Independent churches are banned – but they still thrive. There are never enough Bibles so Bibles and CDs are taken in there often, legally and illegally.

In China, 50 years ago, 50 people had to share one Bible. They would carefully cut out one page, copy it by hand and pass it on to the next person. They were keen! We are not. Maybe its because we have plenty of money.

peter
08/27/13

Q70: Does God approve of sex?

The full question had two parts, one public and one private!

Q70: Does God approve of sex?
And: Have you ever had sex?

“Yes” to both questions.

Me first: I am a dad, a grandad and a great grandad, so yes I have had sex.

God and sex: God is a ‘Supernatural Being’ and quite unlike us who live on earth so I would say, God does not need or have sex as we do.

If you meant Jesus, He obeyed God’s rules and never married so would not have had sex. Please disregard books that have been written saying he secretly married Mary Magdalene, or that Jesus was homosexual, etc.

People write those books to gain publicity, a name for themselves or just to sell books and make money. Many like to read ‘The latest thing’ on anything that is controversial at the time. They soon fade away.

As for sex, read on.

God made sex especially good and an absolute delight for humans.

Please note: Horses, sheep, lions, leopards, tigers, buffaloes, eagles and cheetahs, to name a few, have sex once a year. For the rest of the year they forget about it. Humans can have sex every day if they want to and this is how God planned it.

But, God planned for humans to wait until marriage before having sex and then to stay faithful and only have sex with their wife or husband. We humans are an impatient lot and we think we know what is good for us, so some have sex with many people and play around and they ‘reap a harvest’ of trouble. That is so sadly true in many lives. There are many sexually transmitted diseases and some of them make you sterile (can’t have babies).

Sex with the right person is utterly lovely, delightful

and makes one feel really good and satisfied.

The horrible side is shameful, degrading, humiliating and painful and sometimes fatal. It is called Rape! A large powerful male (not a real man) can force a girl to have sex with him against her will just because he is stronger. A pure and lovely girl is often mentally ruined for life and likely can never feel ‘normal’ again. The shame is painful and cannot easily be ‘forgotten’ and some victims even commit suicide.

If this has happened to you – don’t commit suicide.

God CAN help you! I can pray for you too.

What a weird lot we humans can be: We can make something bad out of something good!

peter
09/09/13

Q71: Why do we have suicide bombers?

Sorry, there is no short answer to this one.

I write this on 27/10/09. Two days ago 120 people were killed in two bomb blasts in Baghdad, in Iraq. Many victims were innocent Muslim women and children. Why? For thousands of years disgruntled and unhappy young people have taken out their anger on other people.

(It happens in Perth today) And…those unhappy people look for a leader to lead them and give them ‘counsel and guidance’. We all need ‘counsel and guidance’ at sometime in our lives and sometimes we choose the wrong person. Muslim Mullah’s (religious leaders) can be harmless and peaceful or militant and hateful of others who do not fit their way of thinking. That’s important because it applies to other religions a well.

An example: One Christian man ‘lost his way’ too.

Rev. Jim Jones began as a good pastor, a charismatic man (charisma: special power of individual to inspire fascination, loyalty, etc.) and quite soon had a large church. That grew and he loved people ‘loving him’. Later he said that God had told him to go to South America and live as a big Christian ‘family.’ They did. Later he said: “God has told me that ‘the end’ is near and the best thing to do is all to die together and go to heaven now.” Nine hundred died by poison. The ‘end’ did not come. He had ‘lost his way’.

Around 600 years ago Muslims led the world in art, literature, leaning, and culture. Not so now! The ‘radical Muslims’ believe that Allah is leading them to rid the world of all infidels (non Muslims) and suicide bombing is a cheap way, and the bomber is told “You go straight to heaven for killing infidels.”

I know that it will stop somehow, sometime. Today, 80% of refugees come from Muslim lands and 60% of the world’s poor come from Muslim lands. Many Muslim are just ordinary folk like you and me and just want to be left alone to live their lives with their family.

Someone is ‘on the wrong road’ there. This world does not stay the same but I believe that God is still in charge and things will change.

Please note: ‘Father Abraham’ is the ancestor of Jews, Muslims and Christians (all of the same ‘family tree’) and we all believe we are right. I wonder what God thinks!

peter
09/09/13

Q72: How did you change from suicidal?

Sorry but this one cannot be a short answer either.

The full question was rather long:

Q72: Have you (Mr Harris) always been a Christian? If not when did you start believing? And WHY?” And: How did you change from suicidal to normal?

Also it seemed the last question might have been the most important one?

So look for the 3 parts answered below:

Have you (Mr Harris) always been a Christian?

I guess as a child, I was introduced to the Bible in a Sunday School by a truly ‘Serious Christian’ man of whom I remember only one thing. I cannot recall his exact words but the idea was that wrongdoing hurts God. I resolved then not to hurt God. So, for much of my life I lived by that – and my Mum’s attitude also helped me to always ‘do right’.

At 16, I began attending a church in Perth. From there I went to quite a few Christian camps. Over 1.000 people aged 16 to 25 years all living in tents was a life changing experience! I went to these for five or more years. I learnt a lot of good things.

At one in Geraldton, I heard a girl tell of her life story. I knew then that she had true Christianity – and I did not. I wanted what she had. Her name was Nancy Douglas.

I got true Christianity soon after and began to discover that God was good and being a Christian was a great life.

Over the next ten years I got married, had four children and my only son died of cancer at four years old. It was very hard on my three older girls but I did not know it then. A year after his death as I got baptised and a clear voice said: “You’ll be working with children.” I had no idea what it meant because all my life I made things and worked with my hands. I forgot about it.

Four years later I had a fall at home and broke my back. Four months in hospital. All hell was in my heart. “Where are you God? I need to get up and walk!” etc.

It did not happen and I got quite suicidal and quite angry with God for several months. My bum hurt a lot. A friend told me of a “genuine healer, a sister Philomena in The Philippines has a truly genuine gift of healing.” I believed it!

A missionary said to me: “Peter, if God is going to heal you, there is no need to travel overseas, He can do it here.” I took his counsel, and did not go.

Soon after that my minister came for a chat. I unloaded all my anger on him. When I had finished he said: “Peter, is Jesus Sovereign Lord (the king) in your life?”

I was caught. Did I truly believe or not? I finally answered, “Yes, He is.”

He came back with: “Well, if that is the case, does that give you the right to tell Him what to do for you and when to do it? Don’t you trust Him?” He went home soon after that. Not long after that, a guy knocked on my door. A Commonwealth Government man telling me, “I am from the Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service. I am here to get you a job.” No phone call, no letter and no business card.

My home was quite a way from Perth by the edge of the forest.

I fancy he may have been one of God’s messengers. I never saw or heard from him again. To cut a long story short I finished up at Murdoch Uni. as a foundation student in 1975. (Nobody on my family had ever been to Uni.) I became a teacher and taught disabled kids for seven years.

My wife sued for divorce in 1984. I resigned teaching in 1985 and took a holiday. I went to Bible College for two years. I began Scripture teaching in 1988 and they have been the best years of my life. Twenty-three years! (At the time of writing this answer.)

I have ‘learned the hard way’ that God has been directing my life … and that He can trusted.

I hope that was not too long.

Had I got up and walked I would have missed out on 4,000 to 5,000 great Year 7 kids over 23 years of Scripture teaching. Are you one of my past students reading this?

Consider writing a comment about my answers ~

you know me and my wheelie chair!

peter
09/09/13

Q73: Why must there be heartache for there to be compassion?

Thank you for a lovely question.

Maybe it is the only way for God to teach us to show compassion. Basically we are born selfish. Babies and young kids yell to get what they want – and get it too! Later we all learn that there are things we cannot be selfish about.

Christianity is renowned all over the world for how it shows compassion to all people, with help in times of trouble. Also with medical clinics, hospitals, etc. Often where there is none provided by the nation’s government – and most treatment is free.

I have noticed that most people who have been ‘down in the pits’ with serious illness, depression or the loss of a loved one, gain true compassion for someone in need and are always ready to help.

A life of ease and comfort makes most of us selfish and uncaring. It does take a shock, or a revelation of need, to develop compassion. How great and kind compassionate people are.

peter
06/10/13

Q74: Is heaven and hell real?

Big question indeed. Jesus spoke of them pretty often and His words can be relied on. Everyone thinks of it sometimes.

When ‘in extremis’ (very difficult, or near fatal state) everyone thinks of God and mostly pray or curse God. I have heard that soldiers say: “There are no atheists (don’t believe in God) on the front line.” Like on a ‘two way rifle range’, (war), or in a broken down boat with a storm coming up fast.

Deep down I believe we all know they are there but we would rather not think about it just now. “I’ll think about it when I am older,” is common.

In Luke, one of the two criminals dying with Jesus said: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus replied: “Today, you’ll be with me in paradise.” Jesus knew he was sorry for his deeds. That’s very clear to me that there is a heaven (Luke 23:39-43).

On Hell, Luke writes a story Jesus told of a very rich man, who cared for nobody else, but he died at that same time as a diseased beggar, who sat at his gate begging for food scraps died too. In torment, the rich man called to ‘Father Abraham’ to send the beggar over to him to “dip his finger in water to put on my tongue for I am in agony here”. Abraham replied that “in life you had everything but cared nothing for others, and the poor beggar is now here. A great gulf separates us, and he cannot help you even if he wanted to.” (Luke 16:19-31).

A Bible quote: “… and He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 9:11). Read a Bible or Google the quoted verses and you’ll find it an intriguing and often fascinating book. Begin with John’s account of the life of Jesus. The Gospel of John can be read in about 3-4 hours. There you can learn that heaven and hell are very real.

There are some stories about this and I have read one of hell. A 150 years ago criminal,who was a coal miner, died in a rock fall. He was conscious (but dead as far as a human would be considered) and knew he was in hell. He was ‘dead’ for several hours, then woke up-but told nobody about it for fear of being put in a mental asylum(home). He came back to life in the morgue- got a Pastor and quickly became a believer in God. He did NOT want to go to the awful place he saw and experienced while he was ‘dead’.

Another is Dwight L. Moody. In a book that I read some years ago on his life story, The Life of D.L. Moody, the author told of his dying at home – three times!! In his life (1837-1899) he had been a poor country lad as a child but he became world famous as a Preacher (Pastor or Minister) and preached to millions of people. On his dying of a heart attack (seemingly slowly) he died, came back to life and told his wife: “I have seen the children” (their children who had died earlier). And, “I have seen heaven’s gate.” On the third occasion he apologised to his wife saying: “This must be hard on you Mama.” After this he died and died permanently.

All this and much more about D.L. Moody can be found on the WWW or YouTube. Mighty unusual indeed.

peter
09/09/13

Q75: Why does God make knives, drugs, land mines and things that kill people?

I have got this question dozens of times and I want to have you think a bit. Your teacher has a one metre wooden ruler and I want you to imagine it sitting on a little block of wood right in the centre of teachers table. Neither end touches the table. It is balanced.

Now imagine a large, very cruel male in a suit standing on one end. The other end is now up in the air. Then someone like Dr. Fiona Wood and Professor Fiona Stanley go and stand together on the high end. Both are highly regarded medical professors in hospitals in Perth. The ruler is balanced. Then a maker of land mines goes and stands next to the large unpleasant male and talks to him about selling ten tonnes of land mines to the arms dealer. Unbalanced again. Then two doctors (the neurosurgeons who separated the brains of the two joined 3 yo girls in that 30 hour operation in 2009) go and stand with the two doctors. The ruler is balanced again. So it is with this world and the six billion people in it. Some care only for themselves and money, others devote their lives to helping and healing others. Why? God has given us, a choice to do good or bad, to be helpful to others or selfish and greedy, grasping for more. It is a choice! God did not make us robots. Please know that the big knives in my kitchen have never hurt anybody (except my finger now and then – Ouch!)

peter
09/30/13

Q76: Why are there world wars?

The writer of this blog (Me – Peter Harris) is still ‘obsessed’ with World War Two (WW II).

I was in school during the six years of that terrible war when fifty-two million (52 m.) people died. Around half were civilians, from hunger and cold. The death and the utter waste are still seared into many living people’s minds.

Why did it happen?

Thousands of books have been written. The essential fact is that a leader, a dictator, can get the idea that he can rule the world because ’his mob’ are better than the rest and “God has told me that my mission is to dominate the world because we are the best, the most suitable people to rule the world.” That’s what they think.

Some are, or have been, mad.

The truth of what was really behind wars only comes out 30, 40 or 50 years after it all ends. The families of the dead and wounded soldiers, sailors and airmen and their families pay the true price for many years.

Countries only go to war to get something – in the current wars; it is oil, coal, uranium, copper or iron ore. In other words things that make them money, or racial hatred is at the bottom of some of it.

The commandments: “Do not lie, Do not steal, Do not envy your neighbour’s goods or anything he has,” are all broken here. Australia is NOT innocent in this oil business. Neither are Britain and many other First World countries.

How did they get so rich in the first place? Slavery and looting of Africa’s, India’s and Asia’s natural resources was a start.

It is getting better very slowly. The world-wide-web is helping the ‘poor nations’ understand what the ’rich’ countries have done to them in the past. I like that idea. Now the poor are fighting back.

Note that a little war can start over a stolen rubber.

peter
09/30/13

Q77: If God made the world why doesn’t he control it the way he wants it to be?

God has put that matter into our hands by my much-mentioned word ‘choice’.

We can make things that are good or make things that are bad.

Same for our behaviour.

Sadly, many go for money and forget about God.

peter
09/30/13

Q78: Can God make us have a better life?

Thank you for a lovely question.

Yes he can.

His ‘Workshop Manual’ = The Bible gives us all the directions and guidance.

It assures us that God will guide us all the way; right to the end which is heaven.

We make the decision to accept Jesus and the Bible, or not.

Sadly, many Christians fail to grasp all that He offers and that is plenty!!

Q79: Was God the inventor of the inventor’s inventions?

We would have to say ‘yes’ to things like the bionic ear, refrigeration, anaesthetic, modern dentistry (not the price!).

Doctors who use their skills to do amazing things that were unheard of 50 years ago.

NO to land mines, drugs, chemical warfare, and nuclear weapons and washing up dishes!

God gave us the ability to dream, to plan and complete many of our ideas.

And- love and compassion are often behind great inventions.

Not convinced?

Animals have not been given that ability even though some are very clever.

Has an animal ever composed a song, made and played a flute, made a piano, invented a new game or cooked up lasagne or made ice-cream? No.

Can animals organise and play a game of chess, soccer or footie?

peter
09/30/13

Q80: Why did Jesus leave once he came back from the dead?

God, His Father in heaven, planned for Jesus to be here on earth only for a short while.

Why?

Well, Jesus home is in heaven and He had to leave us because His time was up. He is busy preparing a place for us in heaven!

The church (starting with the 12 disciples) had to learn to do without their leader.

Jesus said: “I will give you power (the Holy Spirit) and my presence will be with you.” (John 14:25-26).

The disciples may have grown to be dependant on Him so they had to learn to manage themselves, which they did very well.

The ‘Church’ now numbers around 2,000,000,000 members around the world.

Not bad for 12 beginners!

peter
09/30/13

Q81: Why doesn’t God give us a good education so then we don’t have to come to school?

We could have a lot of fun without school.

Trouble is humans are here on earth to grow!

With nothing to do, we humans are inclined to go downhill and be naughty rather than good.

The Bible is full of stories of people doing just that with bad consequences too.

The seventy years on earth we have is a sort of school to teach us how to get along with others, to think about God, good, evil, and we (hopefully) have a normal life and to choose the way we will go in life. There is a lot to learn.

And, you need to know the price of things and if we have been given the right change in the shop.

And, we can learn to believe in Jesus and be a part of God’s family in heaven.

I have heard of many on talk-back radio who hated school, but have done very well in later life.

peter
09/30/13

Q82: Why did God make this world? Why couldn’t we be nothing?

Well I am so glad he made you because you brought something to school that was very special and the class would not have been so good without you!

Nobody else was like you.

Wonderful! Six billion and not one is exactly like another.

God made the world and us so He could have a family who choose to believe in Jesus and be in heaven with Him. Much better than nothing.

Sometimes, ‘black days’, when everything seems to be wrong – helps us to like life later, when it all seems good.

peter
09/30/13

Q83: Does God ever do bad things to stop other bad things from happening?

Yes. The Bible records several of them. To stop the young children seeing and following their parent’s naughty ways (unbelief) God decreed that those who so quickly forgot His deliverance and other miracles, made them (those aged over 20 years old) wander in the desert for forty years till the oldies had died off. (Numbers 32:10-15)

On another occasion God sent snakes among His chosen ones till they cried out for mercy. Many died, but God provided a solution, by telling Moses to make a bronze snake and put it on a pole. Just looking at the snake was the cure. (Numbers 21:4-9). All they had to do was ‘believe-and-look!’ But many refused and so they died!

Noah and the Flood was another. God saw that man had become very wicked. “God was sorry He had made them. It broke His heart.” So God wiped them all out except eight people. The lesson is still there. (Genesis chapters 6 to 8).

Something truly awful that God did was to have His only begotten Son – Jesus: be scoffed at, whipped, spat on and beaten, then crucified in great pain and suffering. Why? It was part of God’s ‘Rescue package’ to get us into heaven so God could have His family back with Him. Adam and Eve ‘messed up’ and God had to expel them from His presence.

Jesus is our ‘Pass’ into heaven. We could not be good enough by ourselves to get there.

peter
09/30/13

Q84: Is Heaven Real?

The full question was actually: “Is heaven real – really, truly, honestly?”

Yes! Jesus said it was and no lies were ever told by Him!

Many civilizations have given much attention to heaven. I think the Egyptian Pharaoh’s spent more money than most on it with their pyramids and all the decorations as well as treasure. None of them had anybody to tell them about it – but we have.

Jesus spoke of it often. Jesus said that He came from there: “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my will but to do the will of Him (God) who sent Me.” (John 6:38).

When the Lord’s disciples said: ‘Teach us to pray?’ Jesus began with: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” and: “… Yhy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”

(Matthew 6: 9) Note that Jesus said our Father not just His Father.

And later: “ Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.” (Mt.19:14).

Jesus spoke of heaven often and with authority! Nobody else ever has.

peter
10/17/13

Q85: Does God choose us to go to heaven, or hell?

The basic fact is – we choose that for ourselves whether to go God’s way or go our own way.

Paul wrote: “Don’t be misled; remember that you can’t ignore God and get away with it. A man will always harvest the same kind of crop that he sows.” (Galatians 6:7-9) It is a fact of life that if you ‘sow’ greed and selfishness that’s what you will reap. ‘Sow’ goodness and compassion and that are what you will harvest.

You choose where you will spend eternity, by the life you live and what you worship: money, cars, property, etc. Eternity is a long time to regret worshipping idols or things that we think are important.

Jesus came to show us that there IS something afterwards and how to get there – where He would like us to go!

Will you be a follower of Jesus and go to where He is – or go your own way?

peter
10/17/13

Q86: When will the earth end?

“When God has had enough of our stupidity!” (my opinion)

The disciples asked Jesus this and He said: “The angels in heaven don’t know and I don’t know, only my Father in heaven knows.”

Jesus said a lot about in Matthew chapter 24. Note: Jesus called it ‘the end of the age.’

If you are in His family you have nothing to worry about. He loves you and has gone to prepare a place for us all.

Our civilisation is in trouble. The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. The city I live in, Perth, (population over 1.5 million) has a murder or a killing of some sort about every day. Fifty years ago it was more like one a year. Yes, it was once like that.

I believe that our leaders will soon, not be able to manage the multitude of problems in this world. For instance – too many people have not enough water, food or housing. Drugs and money problems by the dozen as well as refugees flocking to new places looking for safety.

I think some may simply give up and walk away, hoping someone else can solve the problems.

I personally believe ‘this age’ cannot last another 50 years without some very big changes in the attitude of ‘rich folk’.

I believe that only a few will change their consumer lifestyle to help save this world from some sort of serious trouble.

peter
10/17/13

Q87: Why did God make bad things like cigarettes and cancer?

Truth is God did not make them. We did. ‘We’ also made drugs, land mines, adultery (having sex with someone you shouldn’t) and all the things that evil minds can invent.

When somebody feels bad, it is often God they blame – because it a normal thought reaction to blame somebody else! Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the serpent (Satan). That’s in Genesis Chapter 3.10-13. I have done it often in my youth.

I guess God thought long and hard as to whether He should allow ‘man’ to have a choice to be good or bad. He chose to allow us freedom to think and act good or bad thoughts and deeds.

The TV has a great time filling news and current affairs with all the murders, knifings, assaults, fires and car crashes. (Count them for a few nights). I despise ‘The tenant from hell’ Current Affair shows. There is one almost every night!

Business men make zillions of dollars from cigarettes and weapons of war. Millions more ‘good’ people help the homeless, heal the sick. Some spend their best years doing ‘good’ things often with only living expenses as reward. I personally know twenty or thirty of them. They have to come home later to have their children educated in Australia. They are called missionaries.

peter
11/11/13

Q88: Why do people who do wrong get away with it?

Oh Boy! Good question. I think about that because it happens a lot these days.

Do understand that many who do wrong things do have to pay, and a trip to jail is for some of them.

There are many answers but none are complete.

Three men in the city I live in were sent to jail for murder in the last twenty-five years. They were all three innocent! Some police got into trouble for that.

Others wrong-doers have money to hire very clever lawyers who find little errors in the police case and cast doubt to the judge or jury-who will not convict a person if there is any doubt-so they go free. That is how Australia’s legal system works.

It is The Rule of Law.

Police must charge a person, evidence heard from the police and the lawyers who defend the accused person. Then the magistrate, judge or the jury decide if the ‘accused’ is innocent or guilty.

Not many countries have this system. Most are worse, even though in our system, some guilty persons are found ‘not guilty’.

I am very glad that the Bible says that there is a judgement day: “… and we must all answer for the good and bad things we have done.” (Hebrews 9:27)

The wrong doer WILL answer to God for what they did while on earth. (See Matthew 25:31-46) and Romans 14:10-12)

peter

11/11/13

Q89: Is the Bible real? Do we get signs?

Yes, the Bible is very true though many would not agree.

Check out some of the other questions. It is a world’s bestseller and 4,000 years old.

As for signs, we do not get many clearly obvious ones today, some do. Why?

Well we know so much about what God did on many occasions in the old and the new testaments. These examples tell us much about how God works. We also have books called Bible Commentaries. They explain many things that puzzle some people and enlarge the verse so we can get the full meaning.

peter
11/11/13

Q90: Why did God made (make) me and no one else?

I have to think you mean ‘like no one else’.

Well I think God has done a pretty good job of making 6,500,000 000 people who are all different and you are unique in being what you are. Nobody looks exactly the same, eye patterns, fingerprints and DNA set you apart from all others.

I like that.

Try to imagine a world where ten people in a hundred were identical. Fancy knowing that you knew a person exactly like you who might live in Russia or even down the road. Scary indeed!

I never tire of the beauty of a girl’s face. (I am a gentleman so I like girls) There is no other like her, although ‘like twins’ are very similar.

It sort of confirms to me that God made you, much like your mum and dad yet unique in what you are. And the same for all of us.

Hope I got that right.

peter
11/11/13

Q91: Why did God make the environment nice in some places and not nice in others?

Cannot tell you exactly except to say that the world is constantly changing.

The Garden of Eden, or Paradise as God first made it, had the Tigris and Euphrates rivers flowing through it, plus two others. It became Babylon and later Persia.That’s in (Genesis Chapter 2:8-15).Today it is Iraq, Iran and some others.

It is called ‘The Cradle of Civilisation’ today. It has changed a lot!There used to be lions and bears there. David dealt with them (1 Samuel 17:33-37).

From TV footage today it is all limestone hills and sand, or at least no forest and ‘good’ land.

In Western Australia where I live the ‘bush’ went for over a thousand kilometres in good country. Millions of trees and shrubs, and the world’s largest number and diversity of flowers. Now it is mostly wheat, sheep and cattle country.

But 20 to 30 percent of it is now salted up, or very poor soil and in some spots is a desert. We did it!

Many folk are planting trees by the million and other groups are buying up land to restore it with the plants, trees and flowers (with the birds and animals that used to be there). Others are fencing off huge pieces of land to keep out foxes, cats and rabbits and so are helping the original wildlife that used to live there in great diversity and number to hopefully survive. Guess who brought in the foxes, cats and rabbits? We did. Long way to go to restore say 20% of the land so it is more like what it was originally.

Some people like exploring Antarctica – I don’t.

Some want to climb Mt Everest – I don’t.

Some like to challenge themselves to run across the Simpson or Sahara Desert – I don’t. Very hard on the body! And my wheelchair would get bogged!

I would not like to live in tropical areas, too hot and muggy. I like where I am.

Hope that made at least some sense.

peter
11/11/13

Q92: Do you have to be christened to get to heaven?

Q92: Do you have to be christened to get to heaven? I am not christened and sometimes I get scared that when I die I wont be admitted to heaven.

The full question is quoted above.

When Jesus raised Lazarus to life from the tomb. (Jesus deliberately delayed his help for several days and came after he had been buried) and He said to Lazarus’ sister Martha: “I am the one who raises the dead and gives them life…”

Do please, read The Gospel of John chapter eleven. This chapter tell us much in the bringing of Lazarus back to life, the Bible’s shortest verse: “Jesus wept.” and how Caiaphas, one of the Priests resolved that Jesus must die.

Some churches insist that people must be ‘Christened’ or be ‘dedicated’ to God. Others do not.

A.B. (The Banjo) Patterson wrote an Australian classic poem called ‘A Bush Christening’. In it, an eleven year old boy who lived on a farm miles from any church was christened. By listening to the adults (through the keyhole) thought he was going to be branded like an animal by a visiting priest! Ouch! He took off!

All very humorous. I recite it and people ask for it often.

I believe that as Jesus says in John 11: “…anyone who believes in me, even though he dies shall live again.” (John 11:25)

If you believe, that is only the first step.

Jesus would want all believers to read the Bible and learn more about Him.

peter
11/11/13

Q93: Why did God die?

Thank you for a good question.

It can be confusing for kids; understanding all that happened.

God did not die, his only begotten Son died. (John 3:16)

When Adam and Eve ‘messed up’ and believed Satan they broke God’s strict instructions, they were both expelled from God’s Garden of Eden (Genesis Chapter 3). That left God without His created people with Him in Heaven. God wanted ‘His’ family back with him, so He created a ‘Rescue Package’ to get His people back in heaven.

He had His own son come to earth and show how and who God really is (miracles and healings, etc.) and then Jesus gave His own life as a sacrifice to pay for all our sins.

We could not be good enough by ourselves.

God remained in His kingdom of heaven while this happened.

He raised his Son, Jesus, from a tomb, back to life to show that He had the power to do it.

God did not die – Jesus His only Son did, but was raised to life again.

Now, both of them are in heaven and ‘The Holy Spirit’ and God’s angels are God’s representatives (servants) here on earth.

peter
11/11/13

Q94: How did God make food?

Love this question.

The song; ‘Food, glorious food,’ comes straight to mind.

Ice cream, lasagne, roast lamb or chicken, with roast potato pumpkin and onions with mum’s special gravy! YUM!

I believe God made us the basics like potatoes, meat, pumpkin, onions, garlic and so on.

Animals fish and birds are mostly in a constant search for food to stay alive, like meat, fruit, seeds and nectar.

Lions rest for a few days after they have had a good feed of wildebeest, zebra of whatever they can steal from leopards and cheetahs.

Carrion: vultures, eagles, crows etc., are the undertakers of the bush (a butcher told me in answer to my question: “Do flies have a place in the environment?”) “Yes, they clean up what birds leave.” And the ants clean up the last of it, so only dry bones remain. That means no diseases around. COOL!

God gave us the ability to dream and imagine great food made from the basics that He put here for our use.

Sadly some people turn basics into junk food and highly refined processed food with ‘stuff’ to stop it going bad, or to last for months or even years. Many are sick these days because of that.

Be wise, eat good food.

peter
11/11/13

Q95: Did God die on a cross or just a plank of wood?

Good question thank you, as there is some confusion about this subject.

The Romans, under their Emperor called ‘Caesar’ ruled most of the known world when Jesus came to earth. They made everyone pay taxes to Caesar and that hurt.

They were mostly clever, often brutal but often helped by making good roads (with slave labour) and supplying water and other things.

However, if anyone in their ‘occupied lands’ broke their laws, like trying on a rebellion, they were severely punished. The most painful, shameful and publicly humiliating death was by crucifixion on a cross, naked.

Roman Governors of all of Caesars occupied lands had to “..keep the peace and the people under control.” A bad report to Caesar meant trouble for that Governor. Pontius Pilate was the Roman Governor of Judea at the time of Jesus.

The Roman method of execution was by crucifixion in public. It sure put most people off doing wrong things and upsetting the Romans. In a crucifixion, the victim is nailed to the cross on the ground and then the cross is raised and dropped into a prepared hole.

The victim dies from slow asphyxiation (cannot get enough oxygen) and death can come in a few hours or in a day or two. I heard a well-educated preacher say recently that four days was the longest time recorded by the Romans for a man to die.

The cross could not have been a plank, as we today understand a plank. A saw in a sawmill or workshop saws a plank to size and there were no machine-saws back then. Carpenters made the cross from tree trunks and branches by hand-shaping with axes and suchlike – so they were pretty rough. Not made for comfort.

peter
11/11/13

Q96: Why doesn’t God heal those with disabilites?

An awful lot of people have asked or thought upon that question. Especially me.

Yes! This writer has been a T12 incomplete paraplegic for 37 years.

That means my legs do not work and never will.

A short answer…I do not know, but this is a longish answer:

Exactly what is a disability? There are hundreds of them and some are brought on by the use of drugs, alcohol and smoking and also industrial poisoning.

In Jesus’ day many were not healed. Why? On one occasion Jesus left a crowd without healing all who were sick. Jesus said: “I must go on to other villages and tell them the ‘good news’”.

Question 72 says: “Why does there have to be heartache for there to be compassion?” Very insightful for a child to see that.

Suppose a foolish woman conceives a baby. She continues smoking and drinking. She is told, “It will damage the baby,” but continues to drink and smoke and the baby does have a mental disability. The child must suffer, being not normal for all his life. Awful!

Should she call on God to ‘heal her child’ of this disability? And when he does, she may do the same with the next baby!

I worked as a teacher in a school for children with disabilities for a while. I soon noticed that a disabled child brought out the best or worst in parents. Some parents were just lovely in their care for their child. Others ‘did a runner’ to escape and some never really learnt how to ‘handle’ a disabled child.

I have also noticed that quite a few people I have known who had never been sick or ‘down in the pits’ of life were quite often uncaring for those who suffered a lot. If they got sick, had a close shave with death in a car smash or something similar – then they became changed people: They became more caring and helpful for those in need.

This life (~70 years) is really only a preparation for life after death. (Eternity is forever.) Sickness, although painful, often brings out in people compassion and love they never would have dreamed of without seeing, or having, a disability.

I cannot, dare not, dwell on why!

Euthanasia: People who are suffering, really suffering from various diseases and would rather be dead than live any longer pose a terrible dilemma for caring doctors. They know the anguish of not being able to help that person die even though that is their dearest wish to be out of this world. I personally would lean towards not prolonging a life that has run its course and there is no hope of recovery. The Bible does not touch on this dilemma, but there is in this modern world an awful lot of unseen suffering.

(I said it would be long. Sorry.)

peter
11/11/13

Q97: Why do some people praise the Devil?

That’s a most interesting question and I do not really know.

I guess it would be smart to ask one of them. They don’t advertise too much, maybe they are ashamed but on TV they come over bold and happy. I have heard of ‘The Church of Satan’.

I ploughed through three pages of churches in my street directory but no Church of Satan did I find. Nor in the phone book. I know they exist but I am not going on the WWW. Too confusing.

Why worship the Devil? Looking for something new and exciting? Many follow that trail for a while. Maybe a need to contact the dead?

There have always been people in touch with Satan or his ‘black’ angels. They are mentioned a bit in the Bible.

There are demons, evil spirits, demonic forces and so on around us. Your folks may have seen a movie called The Exorcist. It was about demon possession. That is real and the Devil is alive. Why worship him? I know not. Maybe the people worshipping him are possessed and do not know it.

The churches have priests or laymen who know about the Devil, and they are taught the ability to deliver a person from Satan’s power. It is called ‘deliverance ministry’.

Satan is real but many do not know it is true.

peter
11/11/13

Q98: If someone commits suicide will he go to heaven or hell?

Oh boy! That’s some question indeed.

I do not know but I’ll try do dig up some pointers.

First, people (us) are not judges of such difficult things and any person who claims to give you a sure answer, ignore it. It is a job for God only.

Myself: after I broke my back I would have suicided if I got the opportunity. I was a Christian but my mental state, then, was pretty sick.

Had I suicided then I would like to think that as God is merciful I would go ‘upstairs’ not ‘down’.

Do you know anybody named Judas?

I think not. The only being I know with that name was a sheep. It was old, very tame and would lead a mob of sheep into the slaughterhouse, but Judas would go through a different gate to freedom.

Nobody, but nobody is named Judas because he was one of the 12 disciples and for money, (30 pieces of silver), he betrayed Jesus to His enemies, the priests and temple police.

Later Judas suicided and the Bible says the eleven disciples elected another to replace Judas.

It is not recorded that Jesus hated Judas but King David wrote in Psalms: “Leave his house empty and don’t let anyone else live there.” and “Let someone else have his job.” (Psalm 69:25) and (Psalm 109:8) I doubt that he would be welcomed in heaven because his attitude was money grubbing and selfish.

In my Bible reference books the word ‘judge’ and ’judgement’ occur hundreds of times. God, the Father and Jesus, the Son, are said to ‘judge fairly’ and to ‘judge mercifully.’

That tells me that evil people who murder and hurt people (especially children) will be in big trouble. Jesus himself said: “Whoever hurts one of these, my little ones” or “hurts the conscience of a little child” it would be better for him to be cast into the sea with a large rock tied around his neck” (Matthew 18:6) i.e. that would be better than judgement day.

So, I cannot give you an answer as to the judgement of God in suicide. I know that love and compassion are His main features.

peter
11/11/13

Q99: I talk to God sometimes, but usually nothing changes. Why is this so?

You have every right to ask because you have prayed.

Please do not give up praying.

Please note: I could write a book on this question. A large book.

Daniel I think, is the only one in the Bible (the Lions den Daniel) of whom it is written “you who are highly esteemed by God.” This is 3,000 years ago.

Daniel was in trouble and sent up a prayer to God. When The Archangel Michael did arrive 21 days later, said that: “the Prince of Persia withstood me 21 days.”

That was God’s enemy delaying God’s work as best he could. That’s a Biblical story (Daniel chapter 10).

Same today! Serious adult Christians know that life is not ‘all honey and no bees’. Christians who pray know this battle is continuous.

Please be assured, God heard your prayer. It did not go unnoticed.

God’s way is not instant flash of lightening with results we wanted. It is sometimes instant. My dentist was doing a root canal and having trouble cleaning out the last of two or three. I know her well and she really cares for me.

She was quietly saying, “Oh, Mr Harris, this is hard,” about three times. I knew she had been trying for several minutes and could not get the last one. With my mouth wide open and full of dentists tools I sent up a silent prayer.

Two seconds later a very relieved dentist said: (sigh) “Oh, there it is – that is good.” All done-and the tooth is still very good.

I know not what you pray for, it may be for things God knows will not be good for you. A lot of prayers went up on the sinking Titanic. God answered many. He was there. I am currently reading, Titanic, A survivors story by Colonel Archibald Gracie.

He was a Christian and has written a true story of that dreadful catastrophe. He survived I would say by prayer and faith that God cared.

You may, years later know that some of your prayers were answered but not how, or maybe when you expected.

To get an insight into the way mighty men of God prayed and worked read some of the books on them and by them. i.e. John Newton (Amazing Grace) and Charles Wesley. Ask a preacher you know to select and lend a book or two to you.

Do not give up. You are still young and God loves to hear His children pray. There is much to learn and it can be hard work.

peter
11/11/13

Q100: Is God real?

Faith is an essential part of knowing God. It does not always come easily or quickly.

Please read on, as this is not a short answer like for many of the questions.

The Emperor Napoleon wrote:

“I know men; and I can tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemange and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force.

Jesus Christ founded His empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for Him.”

Napoleon I (1769-1825)

Adolph Hitler took the world to war for six years, 1939-1945, and 52 million died. Germany lay in ruins. He suicided. Rule by force?

And think about this piece about Jesus: “His Resume”

“Here is a man who was born of Jewish parents the child of a peasant woman…

He never wrote a book.

He never held office.

He never owned a home.

He never had a family.

He never went to university.

He never put foot inside a big city.

He never travelled, except as a baby, two hundred miles from the place where He was born.

He worked in a carpenter’s shop until He was thirty and then for three years He was an itinerant preacher.

He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness He had no credentials but Himself.

While still a young man the tide of popular opinion turned against Him.

His friends – the twelve who had learned so much from Him and had promised Him their loyalty – ran away from Him and left Him.

One of them denied Him.

He went through the mockery of a trial.

Was nailed to a cross between two thieves.

His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth – His coat.

When He was dead He was taken down and laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.

Nineteen long centuries have come and gone. Yet I am well within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, and all the parliaments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned put together have not affected the life of people upon this earth as has this one solitary life. (Author unknown)

Think on this too…

No other book in this world has prophecies that come true.

No other leader of “religions” in the world have taken on telling the future and its leading characters. All of them give good advice on how to live – and it’s good advice (most of it). None but the Bible take on telling the future! There are around 300 Bible references as to the future about Jesus. Only a few remain yet to be fulfilled.

None of them said as Jesus did: “I will be handed over to sinful men, be crucified and will rise to life again on the third day.” (Matthew 20:18-19). Has anyone in history ever said or done that? No!

Finally, many educated men have set out to prove the Bible wrong. They failed and many of them became serious Christians.

In asking, “Is God real?” I wonder just what proof would convince you? Can you bring me a sample maybe in a bag or bottle, of the love that you have for Mum, Dad, Grandma or anyone you truly love? It just can’t be done.

Or when your heart is breaking and you run to the arms of Mum and throw your arms around her. Not a word is said. Something is happening to have you feel better. No-one else can do it – only Mum, or another one you love. Can you get me a sample, proof that it makes you feel better? What is it? You cannot prove love, compassion and care but it is there. Same with proving that God is real. Just go on the evidence the (the good stuff) that you see around you and think upon it.

peter
08/27/13

Q100b: How Mr Roberts came back from the morgue.

How Mr Roberts came back from the morgue.

Also check out the story just in 27th August 2013 – from

cbn.com

about another person who died AND came BACK!

A reliable friend told this story to me about MR ROBERTS:

He tells the truth.

Mr Roberts was about 50 years old and was preparing a church hall for a celebration or something. While up a ladder, the ladder slipped and Mr Roberts fell several metres to the floor. He broke his back, or neck. He was now a quadriplegic and cannot use his arms or legs. After hospital and rehabilitation he lived at home with his wife for some years. This was at Katoomba in New south Wales, Australia.

One morning Mrs Roberts could not wake her husband. She called the doctor who was a family friend. He told her: “Mrs Roberts your husband has had a heart attack and is slowly dying. He explained the ‘Death Rattle’ to her and he did die.

The doctor wrote out a Death Certificate and got the ambulance to take Mr Roberts body to the hospital morgue (a refrigerated place where people who have died are kept until the funeral.)

The doctor also ordered an autopsy to be sure of how he died.

About eight hours later his body was being prepared for the autopsy. An assistant noticed a flicker of life. Yikes! Call the doctor!

The doctor DID notice a flicker of life and had the body returned to the hospital ward and ordered no food, water or medicine to be given. Mr Roberts was in that bed from Saturday to Tuesday.

Around this time a group of Aboriginal Christians were praying for Mr Roberts to come over to Carnarvon and be Preacher for a while. (That’s 4,000 km west)

Mrs Roberts told them: “He can’t.” They kept praying.

On Tuesday Mr Roberts was awake. A nurse came in and said: “Ah- you’re awake Mr Roberts.” “Yes, I am going home on Friday, The Lord told me.” Then he raised his hand to move a hair off his face. His arm had been paralysed for years.

A neurosurgeon was most surprised and unable to explain the change. Several neurosurgeons did a lot of tests and found nothing wrong with him.

He did go home on Friday. I have to assume that there was no phone to tell Mrs Roberts about what was happening and they could not be sure he would fully recover.

The ambulance officers insisted that he be carried to the ambulance. But-he walked to his home where several ladies were with Mrs Roberts. They were surprised indeed! This was 1970.

The Carnarvon people were still praying.

After a few weeks recovering, a carload of Christians who were going to Carnarvon asked Mr Roberts if he wanted to come. “Yes”.

He said later: “I want to devote the first year of my new life to God who raised me up.”

The Aboriginal folk were happy, Mr Roberts was happy and I guess God was happy.

Mr and Mrs Roberts asked for nothing.

Check out The Answerer’s 217 answers now at children.org.au

peter
04/04/14

Q101: Why do people take drugs?

A most important question – huge to answer, nearly too huge for me as I know very little about drugs, so I shall have to ask for help to answer this one. I refer to illegal drugs here and, of course, ’grog’ (alcohol).

It seems that people take drugs to ’feel better’ if they are unhappy and to take away pain. Pain can have many forms and sometimes people carry ’pain’ that somebody has put on them – making them unhappy. We ordinary folk see pain as a sore eye, a sore foot, a blister, a stubbed toe, or a sore of some sort. If you’re travelling where feet and eyes are in use and they are sore then life’s a misery and we reach for a pill or a bandaid; anything to make feet and eyes feel better. Sort of the same with drugs.

Many people are not really happy in life! Unhappy people seem to be plentiful. Why they are unhappy is not being answered here. Try some of the other questions for ’why’ people are unhappy.

Mostly, I think that somebody did something nasty to them and they don’t know what to do about it. Depression and mental illness is around us more than we think. Getting drunk makes most people feel good for a while, but a very sore head (a hangover) is the result. Worse – as an adult, you could be ’Done’ by police for DUI (Driving Under the Influence) of alcohol or drugs; or even have a crash. In asking people about drugs I am told that people take drugs for several reasons: ’to try them’, ’to see what they’re like’, ’to be like their crowd and not be different’. Peer pressure can be ’heavy’ and hard to get away from but no drug addict ever had the thought: ’I want to be a drug addict, to lose my family, my house, my marriage, and all my money and be in poor health for the rest of my life.’ Nobody thinks like that…but it happens.

A friend who works in the city with the homeless and drug affected people pointed out to me that most young people who start on drugs do not realise the slippery downhill slide they are on until it’s too late. Then they are ’hooked’ and become like the group they are mixing with – a crowd of so called ’friends’ who may, or may not, help you if you are in trouble. Without understanding what is happening to them, they see violence, grog, drugs and sex as quite normal. That is very sad and mostly has a sad ending.

Not long ago I watched a ’Dr Phil’ show on TV. A girl (lady) who was very pretty but very sad too, was a member of a gang and had spent years in jail for murdering a young girl. She was on the show and trying to tell the mother and big sister of the murdered girl just why she helped to kill a 12 year old girl. She, basically, was afraid to go against what the gang was doing! She was so very sorry but the 12 year old girl had a horrible death and the convicted girl very much regretted not stopping the other gang members. She was now around 30 years old. A life filled with sadness and regret, and a family who had to live with the memory of the horrible death of their girl. So choose your friends/gang carefully because you’ll be like them.

One story had a good ending: I heard a guy telling his story on radio, on the ABC 720 AM band in Perth. He related how he was with his friends, good ones this time, and he was on drugs and out of control and said ’I wanted to burn my neighbour’s house down. My best friend took a lump of wood and hit me over the head and knocked me out for a while.’ When I woke up I was OK and realised how stupid and dangerous I had been. I have not touched drugs since.’ How is that for good friends?

Alcohol is the biggest problem, it is legal and cheap but costs this nation plenty in bashings, knifings, killings and ’punch ups’ of many sorts and that includes ’wife bashing’, and too often suicide. Alcohol is nasty in that the TV and other advertisements only show happy people drinking and they do not appear to drink too much. Many others do drink too much and get seriously addicted. That’s a nasty problem in that the addiction can take away most, or all of your money. It all happens very slowly until one day you admit you’re an alcoholic, broke and need help. Someone wrote: ’Why pay good money to put a devil in your mouth to take away your brain – then you piss it up against the wall?’ An Indian Chief, in the early days of the USA asked a white man who had given him a bottle of whisky: ’Why you give us drink to make us fools?’ I only see the sad consequences and I, and most in my age group (70-90 years) feel a real sadness that kids like you will be exposed to these drugs ’pushed’ by some low-life from the sewer, to get you hooked, and to produce money for their profit. The bigger the ’pusher’ the bigger their profits – from you!

The only drugs us oldies grew up with were tobacco…and that was rationed by the government to keep our armed services supplied in the war. (Much tobacco was grown in Manjimup in Western Australia.)

There was of course beer, but pubs closed at 6.00 pm, with few liquor outlets, no Sunday trading and there was not much money, or time for drinking anyway. This much I do know: I have noticed on TV and in magazines that Mums are encouraged to give kids, even little babies painkillers so: ’they get relief from any pain.’ A caller on talk back radio pointed out that: ’from babies, we never have to put up with any pain at all. There is always a pill to remove pain of any kind.’ (I am so glad that someone invented the anaesthetic drug so that a trip to a dentist is not too bad.)

But the caller also pointed out that: ’When the pain is of the heart (emotions) there is no painkiller for that!’ So very true! This emotional pain could be a friend dumping you for no reason at all, Mum and Dad divorcing, a girl or boy friend who you trusted, betrays you and spreads personal stuff for everyone to read, to see, or hear. Very hurtful indeed! So what to do? Mum and Dad or your best friend can help ease the pain. But if they are not there, there are many illegal drugs to cover the pain for a while but they will not take the heartache away. If you keep taking the drugs for the pain, then comes the problem: Drugs cost money! Big problem indeed. If you have none you think, ’Got to get some money, somehow.’ If you have plenty of money you can buy plenty, and whatever you want – but that’s not good either. Some end up dead. I have three friends, whose child, around 20 to 30 years old have died from, we suspect, drug overdoses. It is very painful and I guess hard to talk about. Another one I know has survived – the child of a preacher at a good sized church. That child had no problem stealing money and saleable goods from the parents to sell, to get money for drugs. Drugs take away your conscience so that stealing anything becomes easy and not a moral question.

I thought I wrote that I knew nothing – seems I know a bit after all!

Here are three testimonies (stories that happened to the people writing them). ’Graduates’ (people restored from drugs) from ’Teen Challenge’ agreed to tell their stories to put in my book. Teen Challenge is a group of Christian people who help those who need help, and ask for it.

This is what they wrote: When I was 13 I started to hang out with friends who used drugs and I started to use them too, so I could fit in. At first I liked it because it made me feel good but soon I didn’t want to do it anymore but I couldn’t stop because I was addicted. I started to steal from people and sell drugs so that I could buy drugs. When I was 16 I tried injecting drugs and by seventeen I was addicted to heroin. Before the end of that year my life was so bad because of my drug use that I didn’t want to live anymore and I tried to kill myself twice and was put into hospital in a psyche’ ward. When I was 19 I was at a party and had an accidental drug overdose that did kill me. I needed to be resuscitated by the ambulance guys and although they revived me I was still in a coma for seven days fighting for my life. When I turned 21, my Mum told me she didn’t want to speak to me again until I got help. I chose to go to Teen Challenge because I had heard that it was a Christian place and I knew that it was going to take a miracle for me to stop using drugs. At Teen Challenge I started a friendship with God and He helped me to become a healthy, happy person who no longer wants to take drugs. Now I’m married with a young son and another baby on the way, and I’m pastor of a church. God can do great things, but if I had my time again I WOULD NOT start using drugs. Jacob Hill (May 2011).

Here are two more personal stories from kids who were restored by Teen Challenge.

When I was 13 my parents separated and at about the same time I started high school. I was feeling depressed and instead of sharing my feelings with a trusted adult, I bottled it all up and began to experiment with drugs and alcohol as a way of ’escape’. This continued over the next few years until by age 24 I had a drinking problem and a serious addiction to speed. My life was a mess. I was suicidal and had no hope for the future. This is when my Mum told me about Teen Challenge and I entered the program. At Teen Challenge I detoxed off drugs and alcohol, and dealt with issues that I had been running from most of my life. I learnt to respect authority and boundaries, I learnt to communicate and respect myself and others. Teen Challenge changed my life. I am now happily married with one child and another on the way. I am one of the fortunate ones who were given a second chance at life. Some of the people I knew who also took drugs didn’t get that chance and their lives were ended far too soon. Drugs are NOT COOL. They destroy your health and ultimately your life. I thank God that my life was spared and I am now able to share this: Say NO to Drugs message with others. Melissa Hill (May 2011)

The 3rd personal story from kids who were restored by Teen Challenge.

When I was in Year 4, I was sexually abused at school by an adult. Then when I was in Year 7, my parents separated. At 13 I started smoking cigarettes and at 15 I started smoking pot. I did this for two reasons. The first was because my friends were trying it and I didn’t want to be different than them and the second because it stopped me thinking about how sad and hurt I was. I really missed my Dad and because of the abuse I had suffered I had the wrong idea of what love was so I had relationships with guys to try and find the love I had lost when my Dad left. I continued using pot and trying all other kinds of drugs (LSD, Ecstasy, Diazepam, Speed, Crystal Meth). In amongst all this I gave birth to my daughter. By age 21 I was absolutely addicted to drugs and couldn’t function without them. When my family couldn’t stand to see me hurting myself anymore, they cut me out of their lives. This finally led me to seek help from Teen Challenge. There I was able to work through all my problems and break the wrong mind sets I had developed. I have now been drug free for 4 years and work at Teen Challenge. I have a great relationship with my daughter and I can now be a positive role model for her. Many young people have experienced the breakup of their parent’s marriage or other traumatic events, just like I did and this can become a factor in their decision to use drugs. But I would like to encourage anyone who may be thinking of going down that track to talk to an adult first about how you feel. Get help for your problems. And remember the old saying: ’Prevention is better than cure.’ It really is. Caroline Barlahan (May 2011)

Sorry that this is a bit long-others write whole books on the subject…so I feel better already.

A preacher I once heard said: ’The greatest thing a person can tell is what’s happened to them.’ Someone’s personal story is powerful and I thank the three writers for their story – powerful messages indeed.

My comment: ’I cannot imagine coping with the problems those kids wrote about.’. To readers who have been hurt, especially sexually or emotionally abused, know this: On judgement day, those who did evil to children will answer for their evil deeds. The worst punishment is for them! Yes it is! Jesus said so by saying: ’But if any of you causes one of these little ones who trust in me to lose his faith in me it would be better for you to have a rock tied to your neck and be thrown in the deepest sea.’ Matthew chapter 18 in verse 6. Better than what?! Jesus did not say. One Bible translator used slightly different words: ’…anyone who hurts the conscience of one of these little ones…’ (Damages the mind of a child). Children are very special to Jesus.

And from Buddha: ’An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast. One can damage your body the other will damage your mind.’ (I don’t often quote Buddha but that one is true. Choose friends carefully.)

Jesus talked about judgment day too. He was telling his disciples that on judgement day selfish and uncaring people will be separated like a farmer separates sheep from goats before shearing. Those who ’helped the sick, the homeless, visited those in jail and helped those in need would be rewarded, and those who failed to help them would be punished.’ That’s in Matthew chapter 26 in verses 31 to 46.

From time to time we all ask God for help. Often nothing happens because God does not stop people doing evil things. From Adam and Eve right up to now, we’ (everybody) have a choice, a personal choice to do right-or to do wrong.

You, who maybe reading this some years down the track may ask: Is help available to me…now? I believe it will be! There have always been, and always will be, kind and good people. They will help if they know how to help; and if they cannot they will know someone who can and will. Do, please read again the three personal stories above and know that there is help.

Finally, I paid good money in 1984 to hear a speaker from the USA talk about ’motivation’. This statement has stuck in my mind since then: he said: ’You’re where you are, you’re what you are because of what has gone into your mind. You can change where you are, you can change what you are, by changing what goes into your mind.’ Zig Ziglar Perth 1984

A school principal said to me that rebellion can be the first step along the road to drugs. ’What?’ Let me explain. Teenagers can get quite resentful of restrictions placed on them by their parents: i.e. ’Now I want you home by 10.30 tonight, remember.’ ’Yuk! I want to stay out later with my friends.’ Or ’I will not allow you to go out with that boy.’ and other such unwanted restrictions. ’I’m old enough to know what is bad for me, leave me alone.’ And then resentment builds and sometimes rebellion, until at maybe 16 or 17 the child decides to leave home and live with some ’friends’. The friends could be of a similar mind, and all of them are easy, or ’soft’ targets for drug pushers. Easily manipulated by older men or women to get kids started on ’harmless’ soft drugs ’that help you have a good time’. That could be the start of a downhill path to a life of drugs. (Getting your own flat to live by yourself costs around $5,000 just to get started.)

Kids also leave home to avoid sexual or emotional abuse by family or relatives, often by ’Uncles’. They see that living on the streets, in old buildings, etc. is better than a bad home.

Finally, a little story told by Graham Mabury, the 30 year presenter of NIGHTLINE on 6PR (here in Perth) and still going. He told of a teenager leaving a party told her friends: ’Mum told me to be home by 11.00 so I have to go.’ One of the group remarked after she went: ’I wish my Mum cared when I get home.’ Meaning that his Mum did not care enough to make boundaries. (Kids need that kind of love, even if it is ’tough love’)

To you, dear reader, I say: ’May you always be where God can bless you.’

Finally (nearly there): Try www.jadelewis.com I read of her story in the doctor’s waiting room recently in a That’s Life magazine. She has a story full of hope for all. Well worth a look.

After all that serious stuff, try a nutty joke: ’Two peanuts were crossing the road. One was assaulted.’ (A salted peanut). And: ’Two peanuts sat on the railway track, Their hearts were all-a-flutter, Train came speeding round the bend. ’Toot Toot’ – peanut butter!’ (I like ’crunchy’ best.)

peter
04/04/14

Q102: Would our family be better if I was not here?

And a similar one: Life would be better if I was not here.

A Grandma I know told me of this boy’s remarks and that he felt that he was invisible at home (not noticed and ignored) while Mum and Dad argued too much and later divorced.

This boy was the ’meat-in-the-sandwich’ while his Mum and Dad fought and had eventually separated. NOT his fault at all but he felt it would help if he was ’gone’ – maybe living on the street and living ‘rough’ at night – or maybe dead.

Please know this that I have never heard of a child’s failure at school, in sports, in music etc. – really anything has caused the parents to divorce. It is always something else – but the child can easily think that they are the problem when they are not.

Kids often think that they are the problem that causes Mum and Dad to argue. Like: ’I am not good enough at sports, or school’. Kids are not the problem, Mum and Dad are, but kids still worry a lot that they might be. No child asks or demands to be brought into this world. The parents bring them in within a marriage and the child is much loved, but somehow things go wrong in this crazy mixed up world and as there is no training as to how to be a good Mum or Dad, personal problems just get bigger and good advice and help is not sought.

A personal thought: Advertising is about the biggest evil in our society. ’What?’ Think about this: We are all urged on TV, radio, and in hundreds of newspapers and magazines and billboards, etc., to ’be happy’ and buy this or buy that and ’turn every head’ by buying this car or that one…and ’have the greenest lawn in the street’. So to ’be happy’ we borrow money to buy ’stuff’ that we really can do without. Others do not really care but we must pay back that money we borrowed to ’be happy’. It can be quite hard repaying borrowed money. Borrowing money to buy ‘Stuff’ can lead to many parents fighting and arguing and this confuses the child.

Finally, here in my town, Perth we have phone help, like Kids Helpline at 1800 551 800 – or www.kidshelp.com.au and Lifeline is 13 11 14 and www.lifeline.org.au. Chaplains can help too (they are on the streets sometimes too) – do not be afraid to ask for help.

peter
04/04/14

Q103: Why doesn’t God answer my prayers?

This is how I put a variation on this statement: “I prayed to God but he didn’t answer my prayer so I don’t believe in him anymore.’ That statement is a question and a child’s belief.

In my first book: 100 QUESTIONS Asked by Year Seven students, Q.49 asked: ’When I pray to God why doesn’t he answer back?’ and Q.99: ’I talk to God sometimes, but usually nothing changes. Why is this so?’

All three questions are very reasonable thoughts from a child who is growing up. (Please note that many grown-ups feel the same but never bother to think it through.)

God’s way, is not our way and I’ll try to explain. Jesus said to his 12 disciples: ’Ask anything in my name and it shall be done.’ Phew! Can he really mean that? Anything? Jesus then likened their faith as being very small indeed. We all find it very hard to believe because our faith in Jesus is small.

Those disciples also said to Jesus: ’Lord-teach us how to pray.’ So He did. Jesus said: ’When you pray do not be like the heathen who hope to be heard by their much speaking, for your heavenly Father knows what you have need of before you pray. Pray like this: ’Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom , the power and the glory forever and ever, Amen.’ Please note that the Lord’s Prayer is very good in that it can be used anywhere and in any situation where God’s help would be a good thing.

It sure must be confusing for a child. The bit most of us don’t get is ’…your heavenly father knows what you need before you ask.’ It takes years to truly believe that. Some learn it fast, others take longer and some very much longer! I guess that’s our problem!! He knows what we need – but many of us ask too often for what we want or think we need. Please try to understand those few lines because that’s the secret. (Matt.6:5-15) please note; The 12 disciples were ’slow to learn and understand’ too. Jesus told them several times: ’Do you still not believe me?’ And ’Why are you so slow to understand?’ (see Mark Chapter 17 and verses 17 to 18, and Mark Chapter 8 verses 17 to 21)

I know people here in Western Australia who have had urgent prayers answered, for food when the pantry was empty, missionaries needing money for a plane ticket, or train fare and have had their needs met – just in time.

I am now 79 years old and I looked and found that most of my prayer was about other people- : family, lots of missionaries in places like Africa, Indonesia, Australia, USA, South America and the Middle East. These people need our prayers to keep them from harm and danger in many places. As an ’oldie’ I don’t ask for much for me.

Please know that this statement says a lot about God and his answering our prayers: “It takes but a moment to become a Christian but a lifetime to know God and his ways.”

So knowing about prayer does take time. We all must learn from it as we know more of the Bible and learn from our mistakes.

peter
04/04/14

Q104: Why do bad things happen to good people?

Q104: Why did God make bad things like cigarettes and cancer?’ and ’Why do bad things happen to good people?

These two questions are in 100 QUESTIONS Vol.1: Q.55 and Q.87.

I add this now because it will maybe shed a little light on unknown sickness and cancers. I heard on the news last week that kids in Japan around the four damaged nuclear power plants in 2011 must now wear radiation monitors so they do not get atomic radiation poisoning. ’YUK!’ What are they supposed to do if there is radiation? run 200 miles away?

In 1945 and up to 1965 the USA, France, Russia, Britain, (Britain tested several in Australia) and maybe a few other countries set off thousands of atomic bombs to learn more about them. Two atom bombs were dropped on cities in Japan to end six years of World War II. The poisonous bits (microscopic size poisons) fell all around the world and are still there – in food, water and the air, but invisible, odourless and tasteless.

Nuclear waste, radiation and other such ’nasties’…this world can do without!! Some of it causes cancers (one of my children died of cancer at age 4) so this writer will never trust nuclear energy in any form to be safe because many who want it make money from it! The waste must be stored for many thousands of years – hundreds of tonnes of it. And my grandkids and future generations will carry the burden of the cost and the danger from this highly poisonous radioactive ’stuff’.

Recently I saw a TV programme about Hiroshima victims. That city was the first to have an atomic bomb dropped on it. It was a year, (or years) after the bomb fell. Quite a few were still alive. The natural, long term decay of nuclear particles is a bit like a lottery. Nobody can tell just when a microscopic poisonous bit will decay (a bit like a tree trunk rotting over years in a forest) in your kidney, liver, leg, arm, etc. When the particle decays a nearby cell in your body will be damaged by its decaying. When a cell is damaged it cannot make new cells so a cancer might develop, or it may not develop! A real ’Lottery’ inside the body of the ’victim’.

If you, a family member or friend has cancer there is a very helpful website in Australia by CanTeen. It is www.whatnow.org.au . A very helpful mob.

peter
04/04/14

Q105: How long to peace?

The full question was:

Q105: How come you haven’t created peace yet even though you have had millions of years?
How long to peace?

A very reasonable expectation that it is time for a break from wars.

Why does it not happen? Well, we humans are really slow learners. We do not, and never have, learnt that war really solves nothing – only makes money for the arms makers (ships, planes, submarines, trucks, tanks and so on).

One wise, former ’great’ in fighting wars said; ’What must be held by force cannot last.’ Meaning that eventually ordinary people will rise up and throw the oppressor out!

It is happening in the Middle East today, now, in June, July and August 2011 (Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Syria, Iraq, and Bahrain and yes Afghanistan). What will replace them? Only time will tell – but some people seem urged to dominate and rule other people and you will see what happens over there in the next few years as history is made there. An elected democracy? Another dictator? Who knows? I do not.

In the Bible it says: ’The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it.’(Jeremiah chapter 17 in verse 9)

The very thought of power over people and lots of money ’hooks’ some people, but they find out later that power and money can be deceitful and does not always make you happy and with a great family when that person is old. Do remember God gave people guidelines and rules for happy living – with a free will to choose what to do – but so many get to love power and money over goodness and a happy family. Bit sad really that humans do not seem to learn very quickly.

peter
06/01/14

Q106: Why do we die?

Why do we die? Well, we all have to die one day.

The Bible says that a person’s life is 70 years, or eighty if he is strong.

In another way, each day in Australia about four people take their own lives, by suicide. I do not know but maybe this is what you may be asking about. Depression, or mental illness is something you cannot see mostly, but it is quite common. Some of the best and nicest people suicide. It is very painful for everyone and many people cannot talk about childhood abuse and so do not get help. Help is more available these days.

It seems to me – an old bloke – that big cities help, produce the conditions for loneliness, depression and thoughts of death and that nobody cares, or can help. And walls…walls that separate us from our neighbours are really not helpful at all.

To a child, death (in my country, Australia) is far, far away and not thought of too often. Australia has a good health system and help is mostly there if we need it. Yes, in ’the Outback’ where there are very few people, ’The Flying Doctor’ aeroplanes fly out to bring in sick people hundreds, even thousands of kilometres to hospital. Millions of children in other countries do not have this security and see death from poverty and sickness all too often. My Mum lived to be 100 years old – yes she did, 1893 to 1993, and her seven children were very proud of her. She told me around her last year: ’Oh Peter, I am so tired, I would like to just go to sleep and not wake up. ’She was a Christian and looking forward to heaven. I am now nearly eighty years old and starting to feel the same way as my Mum. It is God’s plan that our time on earth is a sort of school of learning, to get us ready for heaven. (A sign outside an American church says: ’Planning to go to heaven? Get your flight training here.’)

Youth just thinks that we will live forever because, in my country, mostly, life is good.

Enjoy your life now…but be ready at all times to meet God. OK?

peter
06/01/14

Q107: Why doesn’t everyone speak English?’

Why doesn’t everyone speak English?

Well, millions are born in countries where English is not the local language.

Russian kids speak Russian, Japanese kids speak Japanese, French kids speak French. I know that millions of people want to speak English and spend a lot of money learning it. It is very hard to learn it as a second language.

BUT it is a beautiful language with many shades of meaning to better describe what you want to say. In a little dictionary and thesaurus I have the word nice has 23 other words to describe something that is nice. (i.e. attractive, likeable, pleasant and many others).

I think English is the only language with a thesaurus.

peter
06/01/14

Q108: Why are some people Gay?

Why are some people Gay?

’Gay’ is another word for homosexual and I will not ask another person for their opinion because there are so many theories and it would take too long. This is my opinion.

I believe that when a child is conceived by a female ’egg’ being fertilised by a male sperm (can only be seen under a microscope) there begins a process of creating a new life. This, some say, is a miracle and I fully agree. All those DNA bits and genes decide your hair colour, skin colour, your face, your height and feet size and so on…and the child is 50% Mum and 50% Dad. Grandmas and Grandads think they are beautiful. How do I know? I have eight ’Grandies’ and four ’Great Grandies’ so that’s how I know!

Millions, maybe it is billions of chromosomes, genes and DNA (look those up in a dictionary for yourself) must be joined together perfectly over nine months inside the woman’s body. Errors can happen in that very, very complicated process and various poisons, can damage the process. Handicapped, disabled and imperfect babies are then born and I guess that a homosexual person can be the result of an error in a very complicated process.

I saw a Chinese guy on TV who was half a metre taller than everyone else. He was two-and-a-half metres tall! I think the ’height genes’ forgot to stop multiplying so he got to be very tall. Not too good going through doors. DUCK YOUR BLOOMIN’ HEAD! Others are born with Down’s syndrome, spina bifida, cerebral palsy and quite a few other abnormalities. Homosexuality, I believe, is another minor error.

I have seen a few lambs that are born with both male and female body parts. They are known as hermaphrodites. A few humans are that way too and that makes for a very difficult life for them. Even God claimed that He made imperfect babies. Yes!! Way back in the Bible Moses was told by God to: ’…go and tell the Pharaoh of Egypt to let my people go.’ They were there in slavery. Moses did not want to confront the Pharaoh and claimed that he had a speech impediment: ’ Moses replied, “I have never been a good speaker. I wasn’t one before you spoke to me, and I am not one now. I am slow at speaking, and I can never think of what to say.” But the Lord answered.“Who makes people able to speak or makes them deaf or unable to speak. Who gives then sight or makes them blind? Don’t you know it is I who does these things? Now go! When you speak I will be with you and give you words to say.’” ( Exodus chapter 4 verses 10 to 12). God got quite annoyed with Moses later, read it in verses 13 to 17) It all finished up, OK. I have never heard a preacher explain that passage of scripture about birth defects – it is pretty hard to understand.

I believe that the process of bringing a new life (a baby) into the world is so highly complicated, with so many millions of perfectly correct connections to be made between genes, chromosones, DNA and all that, it is so marvellous, that it should be called ’A miracle’. Errors do happen.

For real solid information see www.NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC (USA) October 2006 to see and read about chemicals that today are poisoning people –for profit ($$$$). 30 pages of it too. Some people worship money and care not for poisoning people!!

peter
06/01/14

Q109: How did the devil get turned into the devil?

How did the devil get turned into the devil?

Because he got very proud and ambitious and did not want to be No. 3 or 4 in heaven but rather No.1.

The Bible says there was war in heaven and Lucifer (another name The Devil) was thrown out of heaven, down to the earth and he took many evil angels with him. They are now the ’Evil spirits’ of this world. Maybe a better plan would have been to send him to Mars or Jupiter! (Er, that’s my own idea-it’s not in the Bible).

peter
06/01/14

Q110: In heaven, you know how we don’t get older but does God?

In heaven, you know how we don’t get older but does God?

No, I do not believe that God gets old like we do here on earth.

There are many big words to describe God. He is immortal, (deathless, lives forever) invisible, omnipresent (everywhere at once), omniscient (knows everything), and omnipotent (all powerful).

Jesus said : ’God is spirit (not a spirit) and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.’

King David wrote: ’From everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.’

He always was – and always will be – God. The unchangeable God.

peter
06/16/14

Q111: When you get married on Earth do you still become a couple when you die and go to heaven?

Great question and many think on it.

I don’t know the answer exactly but I’ll try:

Jesus said to His disciples not long before he was going to die: ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house (heaven) are many mansions; if it were not so I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if go and prepare for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.’ (John 14: 1-3). And He did not just mean the 12 disciples. Not at all; Jesus meant the true believers, and you and I are included in that lot.

Jesus once said in answer to as question about marriage in heaven: “When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage, they will be like the angels in heaven.” (Mark 12:25 NIV)

The Bible also says: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has entered the heart of man, the things that God has prepared for those who love him.’ (i.e. much better than we can possibly imagine)

Because love is the main theme of the whole Bible I cannot imagine God saying to good people, as we might say here on earth: ‘No, you cannot be near that one – we have rules here, you know. You stay over there with that lot, and you stay with that lot.’ I am fully convinced that true love will not be separated by silly rules.

On the other hand I would not like to be living with the woman I married without a big change. We just would not get along together. God is love and He cares for us all very much.

peter
06/16/14

Q 112 Has God Tongue Kissed?

Q.112. ‘Has God tongue kissed – does he approve it?’

Q.113. ‘Where do babies come from?’

Q.114. ‘Does God approve of sex before marriage?’

Q.115. ‘Is it a sin to have sex at this age? …

Like 13 and up because my friend had it?’

Q.116. ‘Does God like sex? (used to).

(These five all go together – and from five different people. I do hope the writers are not ‘having a lend of me’, joking, or just being silly) I did not understand, or remember all I heard in Year Seven, so I’ll treat them as serious questions.)

All five questions are a part of having babies.

As God is ‘Spirit’ (Jesus said that) so He is not flesh and blood as we are and did not, and does not, have a wifeto kiss and hug.

Are you dear reader able to spot what is missing in the above five questions? Look hard – read them again. What is missing! All five questions are on sex…you are strongly attracted to, besotted with a person (in adults it’s called lust).

Love is missing. Yes, love is the missing part. God planned that sex (kissing, touching and all that), is to go with love…in marriage, but we know better – or do we?

Around 5-10 people a day in Australia suicide. Why? Heartbreak, lack of love? Mental illness and depression (some from sexual abuse) can cause the loveliest people to suicide. A lot of people have severe depression – sometimes brought on by sexual abuse as children. We have a lot to learn and remedy about that.

Kissing and ‘touching’ is the beginning of having sex and having sex makes babies inside a female’s body. Babies come from a woman’s body as a result of having sex. God does not approve of sex before marriage. Why? We humans don’t know how to be sensible about it: simple as that. The TV, radio, magazines, etc. promote lust and adultery and call it ‘Love’ but it’s not! It is sex but it ought be called ‘Fake love’. Love is essential to happiness! We all, from babies to adults need to learn how to give love and to receive love. Humans are not ‘complete’ people without genuine love.

I watch the TV show ‘Dr Phil’ often. He is very wise, very kind, but very practical. Many of the people on his programme have deep personal pain and problems…many, because they took the easy way to sex and ‘Happiness’ and ignored the fact that God intended love and sex to be enjoyed within marriage. Maybe nobody told ‘em that!! Once two people are sexually aroused it cannot be stopped. Alcohol makes sex happen much more than normal – your sexual feelings ‘take over’ and you ignore everything you may have been taught from your youth.

Animals, with a few exceptions, have sex once a year to make babies. Mostly the mother raises the offspring (except a few). Daddy emu sits on the eggs till they hatch and raises the chicks. Poor dad emu! Mostly the male runs off till next year (lions, leopards, bears, foxes, etc) until it is time to mate again. Humans can have sex often if they want to but we do seem to make a mess of it and often and fail to ‘connect the dots’ and understand this business of sex and wonder why we are unhappy. Love and care for the partner is forgotten.

I was watching ‘Dr Phil’ recently. He tried to show a 13 year old girl that dressing in a ‘sexy’ manner invited boys to look at her, and think about one thing…sex. Dr Phil then invited the girl to walk around the walkways with him among the audience and return to the stage. She managed that OK. Then he put a blindfold over her eyes and helped her to walk around again. She was lost and totally bewildered. ‘That’s what you are doing in the way you dress and behave. You cannot see where it will finish up.’ (Getting pregnant, being sorry and very lost and getting a disease was not even considered by the girl.)

Yes! God planned that love and sex go together and ordained them to be enjoyed within marriage – but we know better!

In our knowing better there is an awful lot of sorrow, heartache and divorce. Kids suffer the most in a divorce, often blaming themselves. Take a daily, or hourly check of the popular music you listen to…how many times is love mentioned? In 50% of the songs or more, or less of them? Everybody wants love…and needs to learn to give love. In the 1950s a popular song was Love and Marriage (‘…go together like a horse and carriage’ – and had a great melody too). Such things as councillors, chaplains and psychologists were almost unheard of then. Society was without a lot of the heartache we have now and suicide was almost unheard of. What’s wrong now?

Back to sex! This desire/hunger/urge in sex can be a very strong force and few can hold back from it once kissing and fondling begin to get serious. All morals simply fly out the window because neither of you can, or want to stop. It can be a lot of fun…but pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases are not thought about. It hurts a lot of kids!!

Very early in the Bible God said: ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and they will become one flesh.’ (Genesis chapter 2 verse 24) God knew that we needed sex – and within marriage you can have plenty – with no risk of a getting a dose of STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases). Some of them can kill you; and also make you sterile (unable to have babies). Jesus told of an example of wise and foolish people (and the moral can be applied to sex and marriage). ‘Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation upon the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practise is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the wind blew and beat against that house and it fell with a great crash.’ (Matthew chapter 7 verses 24-27).Around half of all of marriages fail. Mine did, so take care!

Finally, whatever you do, do not model your life on ‘Pop stars’ and ‘Soapies’. Very few of them, but especially the ‘plots’ and ‘happenings’ are good models of how not to live your life. I love to hear our local weather presenter Natalia Cooper say: ‘Congratulations to Bill and Mary, celebrating 60 years of marriage’ God bless ’em’ – I am sure they had some fights, but they hung in there because real love was there.

peter
06/16/14

Q.117 Does God exist?

Q.117 ‘Does God exist?’ and ‘How do we know God is real?’

Yes, I believe the evidence is all around us if we care to stop and think about it seriously.

Our ‘Blue Planet’ spins around once a day at 1,500 km/hr to give us night and day, it travels around the sun once a year at 30km a second, in its own orbit, and it tilts at 23 degrees as it spins to grant us winter, spring, summer and autumn. And – this is very important – we (our earth) are just the right distance from the sun (150,000,000 Km). Very convenient for growing things like millions of tonnes of food crops, chicken, fish, beef for burgers, etc. so we don’t get hungry. And, according to ‘The Galaxy song’ our Milky Way galaxy goes round (orbits) every 200 million years.

Phew! I did not know that!

BUT our Sun will only last another 2,000,000,000,000 years and then it will give a big ‘POUFFFF’ and the bits will go off to form some other sort of star. And…none of these planets and stars has a string like a Yo-Yo to keep them in orbit. Gravity, just gravity holds ’em all… just gravity in all of in their 400,000,000,000 individual orbits. Our galaxy, The Milky Way, has 400b. stars. From a Big Bang? I think not- God made it!

We humans enjoy music because, and unlike animals, we can dream or imagine things. We can make a grand piano, a clarinet, a trumpet and then compose and write music to play on those creations.(Joke: Elephants sound like a trumpet… because they can’t play a guitar.)

So that you can hear music in our wonderfully created ears…we are given minds to dream up ways of delivering music in a concert hall, your home, or your ear, while out walking. (Do please look out for busses while walking – they’re big and can flatten you). Humans can also dream or imagine, stuff like lasagne, ice-cream, pizza, chocolate, Black Forrest cake, and meat pies, and apple pies…and then set up gymnasiums to help us lose the extra weight by paying to work it off! Animals have none of those pleasures. Only humans, made in the image and likeness of God, can imagine, and make such things.

I do think that when God made little girls He did an excellent job. How would we manage without them, boys?

Humans are – this bit is scary – given the choice to do good, or to do evil things to other people. Animals are not given choices like that. Animals only kill to eat, to feed their young and protect their territory. Animals do not go to war; humans do. I think God would like all humans to be peaceful human beings, but sadly we are not. And greedy humans insist on cutting down forests of trees to make money. I think we should cut down a lot less trees and live much more simply by not buying so much ‘Stuff’. That was a bit long! Sorry.

I must mention The Ten Commandments. It is the basis of this ‘Christian’ nation, Australia (yes, Australia does have its faults). From the Ten Commandments we have ‘The rule of law’ i.e. police, judges, juries, jails, and a whole lot more. Maybe that is the reason so many people want to come here – or any country where the law is based on the Ten Commandments.

I have to mention butterflies, birds and flowers … just beautiful I say, and created by a loving God.

peter
06/16/14

Q.118. ‘What happens when you die?

To begin with it makes some people very sad – and some people very happy. Those who loved you phone up all who knew you and they tell others. Then the funeral is arranged, and notices put in the paper to give details of where and when the funeral will be. For a young person killed suddenly and tragically many tears are shed. Your ‘earthly remains’ are buried and your soul/spirit goes to God.

The Bible says our spirit goes to God. Our spirit is indestructible. In the Bible it says in quite a few places that we will all stand before God to answer for all we have done, and there will be a judgement day for all the nations at the end of this age.

The Apostle Paul wrote that he longed to be in heaven with Christ, which ‘…would be far better.’ Paul was converted from a ‘Christian hater’ and a ‘rounder up of Christians to have them tried and probably killed’ into a very different person.

A few years after Jesus was killed and rose to life again, Saul was very soundly ‘converted’ and his name changed to Paul. Jesus spoke to him from the sky after he was knocked off his horse by an invisible hand. You can read of how this happened in the Book of Acts, chapter 9. It is known among journalists as ‘A Damascus Road experience.’ Every sports journalist seems to have been taught it – a 180 degree turnaround in your life – be it for a coach, player or manager, etc. So Christians are not at all afraid of death, atheists don’t care and some people are scared of dying. They do not have to be.

In heaven, after our death, and at ‘the Second Coming’ Christian believers, will be given new spiritual bodies, like Jesus had after He rose from the grave. Wow! No pain, tears, no night, or death, or dying. (Rev. chapter 22)

peter
06/16/14

Q.119 Who created God?

Q.119 ‘Who created God and why?’

Good question, thank you. I do not think that anybody knows the answer to this one, I do not.

So you will just have to wait till you die and ask him that question when you see him. It will all be revealed – somehow.

peter
06/16/14

Q.120 Are there actually people that have gone to hell?

Q.120 ‘Are there actually people that have gone to hell or is it just a lie?’

No! It is not just a lie.

Jesus told the story of two people: one went to hell and one went to heaven. The story was to let people know that there would be a separation after we die. See Luke chapter 16 and verses 19 to 31. I have in my possession the story of a man who was dying (over 100 years ago) and wanted to tell someone before he died, of how he had died for several hours while working in a coal mine.

He was in jail and was made to work in a coalmine. The roof collapsed on him and he was buried for several hours. He was a criminal and a horse thief and had led a very wicked life. He told the story of what he saw and heard when he went to hell. It was dark and horrible.

He later did come back to life in the morgue. After a spell in hospital he quickly found a preacher and became a Christian but told no one about what he saw and heard because they put you in the lunatic asylum if you told such stories in those days. Only in his last days did he tell his story to a friend.

I am not going to tell about it here but be assured, punishment awaits wicked people.

Stories can be found on WWW – but do be careful. False stories do not honour God, nor do they fit with what the Bible says or they want to sell you something exciting. I spent some time on the www re. hell, and near death experiences, ‘I went to hell’ videos, etc. be careful! Be sure that the stories honour God, Jesus or the Bible and are not trying to ‘get you in’ or sell you something. Ask for guidance from God to be wise.

peter
06/24/14

Q121: Does heaven and hell exist?

I say an emphatic ’Yes,’ because Jesus said they did and what Jesus said is worth listening to (and keeps the heat off you later).

I looked up the WWW on ’out of body experiences’ of ’hell’ and ’heaven’. Please do not be fooled: hell is for ’God rejecters’ and is not a very pleasant place.

To make a losing bet on earth is a disappointment. To find you ’bet’ wrongly about heaven and hell is a very serious loss indeed – it lasts for eternity.

There was one video of an evil man, convicted of, and jailed for manslaughter, who later, actually ’died’ during an operation and saw the fires of hell, and dead men he had known on earth warned him away. He said he felt the heat of it. It was very like the hell that Jesus spoke of in Luke 16 in Q.120. On the video, at home, dressed and in a large chair, he looked to me to be a man at peace with God, and a happy and relieved man who is now a serious Christian.

I believe hell is very real and there is no second chance! Be very clearly warned! Too many people today, on and off the WWW, are ’False Christians’ and want to be famous and get your money. If a WWW site urges you to: ’…send your money in today to this great cause,’ or ’…send your money for this great book now – it is only $54.95, down from $98.50, just for this week.’ Be smart, stay away from ’go getters’ and money grabbers.

A true Christian person or group, will offer you free help and advice and leave it up to you to send money with no pressure to: ’…give money today.’ There is a difference.

peter
06/24/14

Q122: Why do we steal?

Why do we steal? Because we want something badly and have no money.

In 1750, or around that time, in ’Merry England’ (that’s what it was called when I was in school) where rich folk lived well and poor folk starved, a man might steal a loaf of bread because his children were starving. There was no ’Social Welfare’ money of any sort. If he was caught he very likely would go to prison! For stealing something more valuable, he may have got ’transportation to Australia’ as a convict for some years, and no free ticket back home back to England by sailing boat. Very unfair indeed but things have got better over the last 200 years.

Today, in school, another student’s rubber could be attractive to you as you may have lost yours. It is often in our nature to steal – there is a little thrill in ’getting away with it’. And a biscuit stolen when Mum has said ’No.’ is a thrill sometimes but we know it is wrong. If we later realise that when we steal, someone suffers loss, be it a rubber in school; or a stolen car, we are growing up and learning.

Some people find stealing is fun, and get smarter and try not to get caught. That equals trouble because you know it is wrong. Many will say: ‘The devil tempted me,’ as an excuse. Adults have no excuse, but will scream ‘blue murder’ if something is stolen from them!!

God put in the ’The Ten Commandments’, a command not to steal (He knows we are inclined to be naughty). He wrote: ’Do not covet (want something) what belongs to someone else. Don’t covet your neighbour’s house, wife, or husband, slaves, bullocks, donkeys or anything else.’ (Exodus chapter 20 verse 17).

Stealing keeps the Police busy and our jails full. See Q.123.

peter
06/24/14

Q123: How do you avoid sins?

Q123: How do you fight/avoid sins?

and a similar one by someone else on the same day:

Q124: What happens if you sin?

’Thank you…you will make a good mark in life because you have thought about such things.’

About the most important and helpful question I have ever been asked. Yes it truly is, and this writer says: ’Thank you for a wonderful question.’ God will bless you for such an honest heart. And I say to you my friend:’ Join the club…there are millions of us with the same problem.’! It’s true!

We all need to understand the questions and the answers. Some of this world’s greatest Christians, scholars, missionaries, writers, priests, preachers and Bible professors have wrestled with these two problems all through life. Only Jesus was without sin. We all sin – some a lot, and some a little bit.

It is because we are weak humans who get tired, angry, frustrated, lonely and sometimes very sad – and we cannot see the future – only Jesus knows that. Getting angry is not a sin, and it is OK to try to make things right. Jesus got very angry once and did something about it. Merchants in the temple were trading sheep and cattle, changing different money (called Money Changers), selling doves, and so on. Jesus made a whip out of chords and chased the animals out, upset the money changers tables and said: ’Get these things out of here. Don’t turn my Father’s House (the Temple) into a market.’ He upset them sinners and made a lot of enemies that day (see John chapter 2, verses 13 to 17). I like that story because I believe that Christians should leave this world a better place for them having been here.

To get the help to resist sin, and get help to remove the guilt of sin, we need to get to know the only one who can help – God’s Son, Jesus. His forgiveness and help is a free gift. It cannot be bought or worked for. Jesus longs to forgive us – yes he does.

The disciple John wrote a clear message in his last years of his life: ’If we confess our sins to God, He will keep his promise and do what is right: He will forgive us our sins and purify us from all our wrongdoing.’ (First Letter of John chapter 1, verse 9).

We, each one of us, needs to let God know that we want to change – to get into God’s family. Tell God in your own words that you want to be in His family, to have your sins forgiven and have Him, or His angels, by your side to help you in His way, every day. God will understand your prayer however simple, and will help when he knows your heart is serious.

This getting to know Jesus is not like a 100 metre dash where we get to know Him in a day or two. ’No, Sir!’ It is a lifetime ’journey’ that gets better every day and it is not tiring like a marathon. And…I would urge you to pick up a Bible (an easy to read one if you are not used to it) and read The Gospel of John in a weekend. It will make a difference. I day-dreamed a bit one day and thought of my life and others I have known, as we went along that ’Road of life’.(in my dreaming):

(I thought): ’The Christian life is a bit like driving down the highway of life in our car. In stage one, we have a Bible wrapped up and tucked in the boot behind the spare wheel because we believe in God but don’t know much more because we are very busy. If we strike trouble we can always pull over, consult Jesus, pray a bit and read the Bible till the trouble is past. Maybe even get to a church for a while. In stage two-we have a wife and kids and we decide to get the Bible (Jesus) out of the boot and put Jesus in the back seat with the kids – might do some good. In stage three we decide that as we are more ’grown–up’ now and we agree to have Jesus sit in the front between Mum and Dad. We can ask Him all the questions we like about life and He can still tell stories to the kids. All is going well. Last stage: Mum and Dad decide to let Jesus drive our ’car’…and go wherever he decides to take them. Could be down a gravel side road to a strange new place, new job, new career or whatever. Jesus is driving–so it can be confusing and needs real faith-but Jesus is in control with many unexpected miracles along the way…so all will be well. Not everyone can take that final stage. It can be a bit scary.

About the greatest Christian Apostle; known as Paul, or Saint Paul, wrote many encouraging letters in the Bible, was beset by the frustration of sin. Why? His body wanted to sin but his spirit did not. He wrote: ’I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I can’t. I do what I don’t want to – what I hate. In fact, I don’t understand why I act the way I do. I don’t do what I know is right. I do the things I hate.’

And later: ’…what a miserable person I am. Who will rescue me from this body that is doomed to die? Thank God! Jesus Christ will rescue me.’ That’s all in Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome, Romans chapter 7 verses 15 and 24.

Paul had a brilliant intellect – an IQ of around 150 I reckon – and his writing in Romans can be hard to understand but he was very honest. In his earlier life he arranged for the destruction of Christians. See it in Acts chapter 9.

A story on a lighter note. A very young Christian man was at a Christian convention and asked a very much respected, 85 year old retired missionary gentleman: ’Would you please tell me at what stage in your life did you get past looking at pretty girls and thinking about how lovely they are and forgetting about other things?’ ’Oh…I am still waiting for that to happen,’ was his honest reply. (God did a lovely job in making girls…be kind to them, boys.)

peter
06/24/14

Q125: Did God make the dinosaurs?

Did God make the dinosaurs?

Yes, I believe he did…and some of their footprints are up around Broome, in my state of Western Australia too.

Last month, September 2011, a group of American scientists were up there to check their footprints out…as a huge gas plant might go in there. I believe God did make them, simply because I cannot believe dinosaurs just ’happened’ by evolution. Evolution just does not make sense to me.

peter
06/24/14

Q126: Why did God make wars?

In history, ’wars’ are mostly not made by God.

But on several occasions He did direct the armies of ungodly nations to punish and send into exile His own people, the Israelites (Jews), because they just were stiffnecked and hard-hearted and would not obey Him. God got very angry with them on more than a few occasions over a period of, say 1,500 years, and killed quite a few.

In other wars God did not intervene. Oops – maybe that is wrong!

In World War II when the whole world was at war, I believe God did intervene to help ’our mob’, the Allies (this was WW II –1939 to 1945): Britain, France, Holland, the USA and Australia to name a few. Our civilisation was threatened by a Nazi (Fascist) World Order. In that war 55 million people died.

I was in school during that six year war. All along the way miracles happened. Like 230,000 allied troops were rescued from the French Coast to England and were not taken prisoner, so they were there to fight again later (the Germans could easily have killed them.)

And, an Enigma Code machine was taken from a German submarine intact, with all the crew. From then on the British knew the movements of all German submarines and they attacked and sunk a lot of them. The Germans did not know that Britain had the Enigma machine. In the battle of Midway a Japanese scout plane’s radio malfunctioned and the Japanese Admiral Yamamoto did not know of several American aircraft carriers not far away. Three Japanese aircraft carriers were sunk in a decisive battle.

I heard on the ABC last week that in the 3,500 years of recorded history that there have only been 250 years without a war of some sort. Phew! How we love to fight to get something that is not ours. People still have a choice to be good or bad.

peter
06/24/14

Q127: Why is the sky purple?

Because, I believe, God created this ’Blue Planet’ so that it is liveable to humans.

We have a perfect mixture of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and neon, argon, crypton and zenon gases. Water evaporates and rain works to put moisture in the air as well. The trees take the carbon dioxide in the air and turn it into oxygen and wood and flowers (with nectar for bees to make honey. Yum!) and all sorts of good things.

In Australia the eucalyptus trees give off a gas that makes the hills look blue from a distance. The purple colour, some say blue, is the result of light from the sun shining through the 15 kilometres of the atmosphere.

It is all pretty good I say.

peter
06/24/14

Q128: Will we ever know when paradise will come?

The full question number 128 from the student was:

‘Will we ever know when paradise will come? Truly and honestly! I would not like to die before the event?’

Please don’t worry because if you love God, you will see it.’ Thank you for the question, I call that a beautiful question – and a lovely thought too. Jesus’ disciples wanted to know exactly the same thing as you do.

You can read how they asked Jesus in Matthew chapter 24, verse 3. ’When will this happen? What will be the sign of your coming?’ Read all of chapter 24 – it is good stuff!!

But Jesus then described the awful things that would happen in the months before His ’Second Coming’. Jesus said: ’No one knows the day or hour. The angels in heaven don’t know and The Son (Jesus) doesn’t know. Only the Father (God) knows.’ (verse 36) So…nobody knows but we can be assured that it will happen and believers need not worry – God is in control of such things. I think that God is waiting and hoping that all the world will hear and understand the Gospel (The Good News), of Jesus. Did you know that one or two billion people have never heard exactly what the message about Jesus is all about? That’s a sad fact. They all have to hear before ’Paradise’ comes. That’s in the Bible, but many countries will not allow Christian missionaries into their country, ’No Sir.’

So-do not be anxious but be patient. Paul wrote to the early Christians: ’…no mere man has ever seen, heard or even imagined what wonderful things God has ready for those who love the Lord.’ (First Corinthians chapter 2 verse 9)

Note well: Moses, Abraham, Jacob and his 12 sons have been enjoying those good things for about 3,000 years? (I wonder if they eat ice-cream up there?)

peter
06/24/14

Q129: How come God lets Wars happen and good people die?’

Well, sadly, good people do die. They are sent to the war by our governments – some for good and proper reasons and some for ’not-so-good-or-proper reasons’. Politics get in the way and money does too. Politicians, good and bad, choose to go to war and use men to fight it for them.

It is all too complicated to explain here. Try the WWW for information on The Great War (WWI), WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War and Afghanistan.

Politics, money and helping other countries are all mixed up. Thousands of books have been written and are still being written by the victims, and the perpetrators of war. Big businesses who make armaments for wars are the only ones who like wars. I read in the paper in 1990 that Britain had finally finished paying off the debt of World War I (or ’The Great War’) from 1914 to 1918. Wars cost money, and men die.

Some Vietnam War veterans go back to Vietnam to make friends with their former enemies (the Vietnamese people) and try to help them because it was a very bad and unfair war.

Some of us humans can be fools sometimes.

peter
06/24/14

Q130: Where is heaven?’

Heaven is where God is, ’Yes sir’ it is!

We are not told where but we are told by Jesus that He has gone to prepare it for those who love Him. Everyone on earth, in Japan, the USA, China and Australia point upwards to refer to heaven. Jesus also said that He would come back to take us there one day. His promises come true. I am looking forward to it and to catching up with dear friends and some other special people.

Ps. I hope there will be laughter in heaven.

Joke time:

Q: ’Why couldn’t the sailors on the ship play cards?’

A: ’The Captain was standing on the deck.’

peter
06/30/14

Q131: Why do we kill each other?

People kill each other – For many reasons:

All of them break God’s ’Ten Commandments’. Hate, envy, jealousy, revenge, and unpaid money debts are a few reasons. Human passion and anger take away our normal common sense and human compassion. These days, alcohol and drugs seem to be making some people very angry and violent. Next morning they feel very different in a Police cell but murder has been done and cannot be reversed. The hot temper and anger have gone but what happened is final. All so very sad for the victim’s family.

In a war, young men are taught (prepared mentally), to kill the enemy and ignore normal feelings. In some wars it is easy – in others it is difficult to kill an enemy person. It is unnatural for most of us to kill. God said in The Ten Commandments: ’Thou shalt not kill.’ Or ’Do not murder.’ It’s a complicated world. (in World War I on one Christmas Day, German and Allied troops forgot the war, and after hearing the ’other side’ who were not too far away, singing Christmas carols the soldiers came out of their trenches to shake hands, say ’Merry Christmas’ and exchange simple gifts of food. The ’top brass’ were furious: and explained loudly that they were: ’…to hate the enemy and kill them.’

peter
06/30/14

Q132: What does heaven look like?

and

Q133: Is everyone’s heaven the same? or is heaven whatever you want it to be?

I can only imagine what you think it might be like. You would be different to me.

We can all imagine our favourite things: lots of free ice-cream (except one!! A town in the USA celebrates a ’Garlic Week’ – and garlic ice-cream is on their menu! Phew – not for me!), no school or homework, chocolate ’goodies’ everywhere and millions of flowers, birds and butterflies. (I would choose a walk through an unspoilt forest, on a neat boardwalk with lots of birds, especially hummingbirds, butterflies and flowers. (No biting ants or spiders please.)

Jesus told his disciples that He was going to prepare a place for them and would later come and get them to be with Him for ever. That promise was not for just 12 disciples…it includes all believers. Should be pretty good if Jesus prepares it. We all, I am sure, change our idea of what we would like heaven to be like as we all grow older and desire different things. Our ideas will change.

The disciple John, the only Disciple to survive to old age, had a vision of heaven. He heard a loud voice say: ’He (God) will wipe all tears from their eyes and there will be no more death, suffering, crying or pain. These things of the past are gone forever.’ (Revelation chapter 21 verse 2). Sounds good, especially if you have suffered a lot.

To me, God’s heaven is a ’cool’ place to spend the next 10,000 or so years.

Please note: Our place in heaven is a choice to believe in Jesus and the Bible and daily follow Him as best we can, or to ignore Jesus, the Bible and stay away from heaven. It’s our choice. There will be no evil there.

peter
06/30/14

Q134: How come God doesn’t talk to us like we pray to him.

Oh boy, this one is not easy to answer by anyone.

One could expect answers at least sometimes but I have heard of some immediate, spoken answers to immediate, urgent needs.

God talked to Moses, Elijah, Jonah and some other Bible notables in the early Bible days. But there is more – read on.

God has His angels, or messengers who do speak out loud…but NOT how we might expect. Try A Mighty Tempest. This book is a truly amazing story by Michelle Hamilton and her Mother. One was a new Christian, the daughter a non-Christian. Michelle, the daughter was lost in shark and pirate infested waters of the South China Sea for two nights and three days. A ’voice’ spoke loudly and firmly to keep Michelle alive ten or more times!!…sharks and all!! A truly amazing story…but God had a purpose.

Or try Michelle Hamilton’s www.jonahministries.com I have heard Michelle tell her story personally three times in Perth. And have her first book. A genuine story that cannot be denied as a miraculous intervention by a God of love. Michelle is the only human to have a question answered…from above! Yes indeed. The WWW site has a series of videos of her experience, and Michelle is just simply a beautiful young woman. There is a series of short videos of Michelle telling of her amazing story. She has long, thick blond hair – her rescuers thought she was a true ’Americano Mermaid’.

With people I know, and have known, or been told about, answers and miracles have happened and many prayers have been answered by actions of other people – obviously instructed to act by God or his ’ministering spirits’ (angels). See the two miracles at Q100b: Mr Roberts coming back to life from the morgue, and Mrs Effie Duke and her miracle baby, Deborah. Others have had a loaf of bread left at the front door when they’ve had nothing to eat in the house. That situation of no food did happen in Western Australia. In the ’Great Depression’ (1929 to 1939) many in Australia, the USA and other countries were close to starving quite often. That can be hard to believe in 2011 but it did happen. But somehow – not to all of them.

God directs praying people in many ways like a silent voice in your head – but beware of Satan’s deceptive ways. It gets easier to understand as Christians get older and learn more about God. AND, make sure that any idea you might get conforms to what the Bible says.

The Bible has lots of stories to illustrate this. A bit of wisdom. King Solomon wrote: ’Having a lazy person on the job is like a mouth full of vinegar or smoke in your eyes. If you respect the Lord you will live longer; if you keep doing wrong, your life will be cut short. If you obey the Lord, you will be happy, but there is no future for the wicked.’ (Proverbs chapter 10 verses 26-28).

Well done Solomon…we must all do our bit and work too.

King Solomon is the wisest person to have ever lived: handy that he wrote many of his wise thoughts down for us to gain benefit from: Consider reading just one Proverb a day?

peter
06/30/14

Q135: Why am I not good at sports?

Oh boy…that’s me too. I was tall and awkward I and just could not run fast or do cartwheels at school. I was a big lad and just had no sense of rhythm or balance at all. I took lessons in dancing to dance at my wedding but still failed modern dancing. ’Ouch, I’m a failure.’ Well not really, but I have learned to live with it. I recently watched a girl come through a classroom of kids. Just beautiful – she did not walk – she ’danced’ her way through the classroom and enjoyed it very much.

We, all 22 million Australians, are all different. Some good footie players, some good cricketers, some ballet dancers, or netball players, maybe you play music – we all are good at something. And children are growing towards maturity and learning what we are good at and what we are not good at, and trying out many things. Do be patient, God loves you so keep trying things out and find something you like. Music?

Joke: What four legged animal can turn cartwheels? Answer. A horse – you put him in the shafts, connect up the harness, say ’Gee up’ and the ’cart wheels’ turn.

peter
06/30/14

Q136: Why do good people get bad things or illnesses?

For many reasons and some unknown causes. There is no easy or simple answer to this very often asked question. And please be wary of anybody who says they know.

Bad things can happen to good people and we cannot know why while here on earth. But bad things can also happen to good people…who could be said to be stupid because they do not think very deeply. They eat too much of the wrong foods and maybe drink too much, get too fat and get heart disease, high blood pressure and other sicknesses. Mostly they can be controlled and avoided by being sensible and eat the right food.

God does not cause sickness to us but he does know the future and in many cases God will use a sickness to have a person stop, slowdown, get a medical check up and think about where and how their life is going. This ’Answerer’ (Peter Harris) has had an experience like that.

In 100 QUESTIONS Vol.1, I wrote a description of the drastic changes in my life that led to my being a teacher, then a Scripture teacher for 24 years – and these two books and the 200 questions is a part of the changes brought about by God after I broke my back. Question 72 partly answers your question – about me.

There is a very popular song (hymn) called Amazing Grace. Nobody does not like it. John Newton (1726-1807) wrote it after he had become a preacher later in life. For 30 or 40 years he had led a very bad life. He suffered a lot, was a slave for several years too. On at least five occasions ’Something’ saved him from death. They are described in his life story. God was watching over him – and an illiterate, not an especially pretty girl, became his wife. He thought of, and dreamed of her, very, very often, over many years. He longed to marry her – but had no money to do so. The song ’Amazing Grace’ was Newton’s ’Thank you’ song to God who had led him so far and so safely through life, even though he had often been foolish.

Finally, learning to live with a bad sickness often brings out qualities inside of us, like compassion and care that we did not know we had.

peter

06/30/14

Q137: Why does my cousin (aged 7) have to have diabetes?

This is very hard for a family to have to bear and I cannot give you an answer. God did not give your cousin his or her sickness. God loves children very much. Jesus never spoke harshly of children – ever. Nobody can truthfully answer your question – along with many others like it. Humans just do not know, but may find a cure one day. Beware of people who say they know – and maybe can even cure it – for money, in advance of course.

Maybe one day a scientist/researcher will discover a cause because there are thousands of chemicals in our environment – in food, air and water and I am suspicious of many of them. Have a look at Q. 108 about poisons in the National Geographic magazine. Not very pleasant reading – sorry!

peter
06/30/14

Q138: Why does the world exist?

A beautiful place for us to live in.

The Bible does not say in as many words but my opinion is that it is a place where a child is born – a new life – with ’a clean slate.’ That means he/she knows nothing of hate, love, envy, poverty, luxury and good and bad thoughts. All these things are put in there by the parents, grandparents, neighbours, good or bad food, teachers, and, of course, scripture teachers!!

So the world – our existence – is to teach us about life and help us to grow into good helpful ’Grown-ups’ and be ready to go to heaven – if we want to.

Sadly it does produce some ’Groan-up’-complainers.

peter
06/30/14

Q139: What is the point of death?

So we can go to heaven! Most kids imagine death to be far away and mostly it happens to old people. Their whole life is before them. That’s how it should be – exciting!

I am almost 80 years old now and am tiring of life here on earth because I get very tired, weary, and: ’…I see an angel peekin’ through a broken window pane.’ That line is from a popular song from my youth (1950s) in which Rosemary Cluney cheerfully sang a song called ’This old House’. It has a great melody and is really a happy song. Her grandad is very old, the house is old and the roof leaks, the door hinges squeak but he doesn’t worry because: ’…he’s a ’gettin’ ready to meet the Saints.’ My Mum made it to 100 years old but said to me one day: ’Oh Peter, I am so tired, I would just like to go to sleep and not wake up.’

For you – you are standing on the threshold of life, dreaming of being grown up and doing great things, and probably a family – and death is far away. That’s very normal and how it should be. Do live a good life and may the world be better for you being on it for many happy years.

peter
06/30/14

Q140: Why is there wars if God is real?’

Good question and I have already answered several others like this one…but wars have a place in history.

Humans have hearts (wants) that can want a lot of things that are not theirs, so they steal it, take it by force or by stealth (robbing houses), and by mugging in the street…or even stealing a rubber in school. That’s like a small war – taking a rubber that is not yours – and so somebody has suffered a loss and must buy another one.

Wars are much bigger and a lot more people suffer loss.

God does not stop people being bad, nor does He force them to be good. It might be a very strange world if people were forced to be ’good’. I asked a class once ’How would it be if everybody obeyed the Ten Commandments like no lies, no stealing, no murder etc.?’ One boy said: ’There would not be any news would there, Sir.’ Funny or not? It makes the news very interesting but there is far too much bad news and too little good news.

None of that bad stuff is in heaven: ’God’s eye cannot look upon evil.’

There is a group of folk in the USA called ’The Amish People’ They will not use modern ’things’ like cars, trucks, tractors, home phones or ’modern’ things (there is a phone in the street for very short calls). They try to live like people did in Bible times. Recently a big ’Blue’ (dispute) arose in the community over how to behave. They took the dispute to the law courts. Dunno what it was about. Society grows and changes – maybe the girls were tired of wearing 200 year old dress styles – I know not.

peter
10/29/14

Q141: Why are people angry?

Q141: Why are people angry? Why people turn bad?

’Help!’ that’s a huge question! I could fill many pages with my beliefs, but others would be different or write whole books about it. Some human hearts get hungry for money and power to rule over people.

Millions of people could be angry at the way some nation’s leaders (self-styled ’Presidents’, Dictators and Military bosses) put much money in foreign banks for their own benefit when they retire. Mostly, the millions of poor people know nothing about that – they are just hungry and do not get to go to school. And certain giant oil companies take millions of dollars in oil from poor countries and do not equally share the money with the poor people.

In Australia many kids are angry because Mum and Dad do not really want them around. It does happen. I heard a policeman tell a TV reporter here in Perth, that they (the Police) take some kids home but the kids don’t want to get out of the police car and go inside to their own home! They know they are not wanted there. Drugs, alcohol and sexual abuse make home a nasty place to be. Horrible for the kids.

Some kids can be sick and not realise that they are sick and should see a doctor. Must tell Mum if you are not well. Maybe Mum is on drugs and doesn’t care.

People wanting ’Things’ too much can make for an angry child. A new mobile phone, a better bike, a new Video game can distort a child’s opinion on their parents’ love for them. And some parents fail to fully explain the reason why. One reason that really annoys me (The Answerer) is that the wretched TV, radio, newspapers, etc., urge you to ’get the best car’, ’have the greenest lawn in the street’, the latest iPad or phone or whatever – to impress other people!! But, we have not got the money, or rich parents so maybe some get angry. We did without mobile phones, iPods and GPSs for 5,000 years ’OK? One of the retail ’Giants’ put on their TV ads. ’100% Happy’ What a lie – what a load of codswallop – that things you buy make you 100% happy. They break, don’t work and much of it is soon in the rubbish bin. A heart at peace and a happy home makes you happy.

Many people do get angry and do turn bad and unless someone helps them by showing kindness and guiding them along new paths in life. Sexual abuse and emotional abuse can permanently damage a person’s mind. Yes, it can really. Some people, even in churches, sexually abuse kids and emotionally damage kids minds. Some kids never really recover even with big compensation money and apologies. Children are very vulnerable to evil adults. Such child abuse is the worst kind and Jesus said the ones who do it are in for very severe punishment later on (Matthew 18:6). That does not help kids much now, and anger and ’badness’ can be a way for some people to feel better – by hurting someone else.

I have a copy of a ’classic’ Australian book: Robbery Under Arms, by Rolf Boldrewood. He was a magistrate and later a judge a hundred years ago, and made up the story from cases that had come before him in court. The father of the Marstens, a family who engaged in ’Bushranging’ (like robbing the mail coach for the gold shipment) and many years of such bushranging activity. In his later years the father revealed that as a child, he was without parents, or they were useless, and in orphanages and ’The Workhouse’ he was, for years, very badly treated by the ’upper class’ people in England i.e. beatings, hunger and no love or kindness shown to him at all. In later life he vowed to hurt such people whenever and however he could. HE hated them!! So he became ’Bad’. Maybe I would be the same!? I know not.

A long answer to a real problem but I hope that sort of answered your question.

peter
10/29/14

Q142: Why are sisters devils?

Q142: Why are sisters devils? What can you do about them?

Whatever you do don’t shoot ’em! (only joking). It will get better as you all grow older – this is a normal process in families and most kids are ambivalent (love and hate close together) at some time.

And ’No.’ I cannot explain it. Every family is different. Some girls just adore their brothers, while others hate them, and some siblings (brothers and sisters) hate each other…but look out if anybody wants to hurt them…fierce punishment will be upon anyone who touches my family! It should get better as you grow older – if it does not get better; then maybe an independent counsellor can point you in a better direction to be real friends.

And parents ’favouring’ one child over another can be really bad causing one to hate the other (but some parents still do it). PS: ’What do your sisters think of you?’

In the Bible, Jacob ’favoured’ Rachel over Leah and there was quite a bit of anger and hostility in the family. Later Jacob ’favoured’ Joseph over his brothers by that ’coat of many colours’. Murder was in the air and ‘fortunately’ Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt. That’s in Genesis chapter 29 to 31. It all finished up OK as God had a plan for Joseph to become PM of Egypt – and he did (Genesis chapter 37 to 50). Great story.

peter
10/29/14

Q143: How come some people are brown and white?

They are born that way because their Mum and Dad had brown or white skin. They inherit all the traits of their parents – skin colour, hair, shape, height and so on.

peter
10/29/14

Q144: What will happen if the earth dies?

The exact question was:

Q144: What will happen if the earth has been Died so where can we go?

’I thank you for a first class question.’ Why do I thank you? Well, within your lifetime, say by 2025, ’we earthlings’, must change our ways dramatically or face very serious climate, environmental, housing and food crisis the likes of which we have never had to face in 6,000 years of history on this earth. That’s a true statement!

There has always been plenty of ’new country’ to move to – now there is not. Good farming land is being covered in roads, housing and concrete and by 2050 there will be 2,000,000,000 extra people who will want to be fed, housed, clothed and maybe want a car and petrol to fuel it. That’s the direction ’We’ are going in now.

And there is no other place to go! Our nearest star (like our sun) is Alpha Centauri and that is 2-3 light years away and about 97,650,350,000,000 kilometres away. To get there at 50,000 MPH would take about 55,000 years. (The last bit was on the great ABC radio in Perth recently – in 2018) There is no guarantee of water, food and beauty like trees, flowers, birds and so on.

Scientists talk of other places to live but I think it will never work.

In 2019 tens of thousands of students around the world skipped school to march in protest at no action on climate change. KEEP IT UP KIDS!!! This writer hails you and is proud of you. We all must do more to keep this lovely planet clean and beautiful.

In the final par. from ‘You kids in upper primary school’ Please change that to: You kids in Primary and High school now, (continue on with the rest of the par.)

SO…get your Mum, Dad, politicians, all of us, who consume too much to cease consuming more than is necessary! ie: big cars, big houses, food, ’STUFF’ we can do without (and later put on the road verge for pick up for the tip) because this generation (those aged 17 to 60) are using up this earth’s resources much too fast! They are stealing tomorrow’s oil, iron, aluminium, rare earth metals, and food growing soil and so on. You kids deserve to have a reasonable life here on earth. No other planet is habitable!! We must look after this one a lot better!! Like using less wood – save trees from destruction, stop eating too much, use less petrol, concserve water and make green electricity! Big problems if we do not! Some of you will know, but not fully understand that ’Banksters’ (money men) could have avoided the recent huge losses of money but they made huge profits from that financial ’Crash’, and little people paid dearly for their (unseen to us) benefits.

You kids in upper primary school now, are the first to ’See’ and to understand that real problems are ahead of this world and we all must change our wasteful ways. Truly, ’God help us if we fail to change our wasteful ways.’ ’God bless you’, for thinking about it now.

peter
10/29/14

Q145: Who is Mother Nature? Is she God?

Ripper of a question! Thank you, it is a beauty. I had never really given it much thought myself, so I’ll ask a few friends too. ’Mother nature’ is a very good friend to us all. She tells us to put on a jumper if we’re cold, take it off when we get hot, drink if we’re thirsty and eat if we are hungry after school (good healthy stuff please, Mum). Serious trouble if we do not obey!!

’Mother Nature’ brings us rain… and some city people curse the rain – farmers rejoice at it. rain at the right time causes the farmer to plant his crop of wheat, barley, oats, beans and so on. ’Mother Nature’ tells the seed to swell and grow, and the leaves are ’told’ to grow up to the sun, and the roots down into the soil. (I have never known them to go the opposite way.) The winter cold gets rid of mozzies and flies and we can enjoy the footie and yell for our favourite team.

So exactly who or what is ’Mother Nature’? ’She’ caused you as a microscopic sized egg to be formed and grow inside your Mum until it was time for you to come into this world – and yell at the pain when you took your first breath, and filled your lungs with the perfect mixture of gases that make up the air we breathe. How come that air is ’just right’ to sustain human life? ’Mother Nature’ made it – or did it just get there, in vast quantities, all by itself, all 15 km of it above earth?

And the sun. It is ’just right’ at 140,000.000 kilometres from us…and summer can be hot but not enough to barbecue us, and not too cold in winter to freeze us. Very handy to be just the right distance from the sun…and the planet earth does not need a Yo-Yo string to keep it in place. ’Mother Nature’ keeps it in the same orbit with only gravity to hold it there. Not half bad I say! ’Thank you, ’Mother Nature.’ This planet is rather nice to live on, especially with roast lamb, roast potato, pumpkin and delicious onions for dinner, and ice-cream for sweets. ’YUM!

This ’Answerer’ believes that ’Mother Nature’ is a convenient nick-name for the creator, God. When people may not want to accept that God had a hand in designing and creating this lovely planet and the environment and the people on it, so instead of saying ’God’; they avoid it by saying ’Mother Nature’. What do you think?

New news: I heard on the ABC radio in my town, Perth, yesterday (28/12/2011) that a scientist and his team of researchers in Australia are very fond of a South American beetle (no, not a VW Beetle). This desert living beetle goes out each morning to sit in the sun, and across his back he, or she, extracts water from the air. When the shell on his back is covered with water the beetle has a drink and then gets on with his daily activities. These researchers are most impressed with this beetle’s ability to get a drink in the desert from the air. They have copied the beetle and harvest water from the air by imitating the same sort of covering the beetle has on his back. Mother Nature or God? That science team harvest one litre of water from one square metre of their imitation beetle cloth is their result. Well done folks – Mother Nature is pretty smart, eh?

About storms, hurricanes, floods, heat waves etc…human activity and 80 million. barrels of oil burnt daily! We humans have played a part in clearing land, felling forests, fouling oceans and rivers. WE MUST STOP that sort of thing if we want to survive to enjoy this planet.

peter
10/29/14

Q146: How do you know you are going to hell or not?

You choose…and I thank you for this very important question.

If your Mum, Dad, uncle or anybody else you know was a Christian, a missionary or even a preacher, that will not get you into heaven. You make the decision yourself to accept what Jesus said as true, or that it is a load of rubbish. That decides whether or not you go to heaven.

As a child, God will not send you to hell. Jesus never mentioned the word children and hell together. While you are a child you just do not know enough yet to make the choice. Later on in life we all make a choice to accept God and Jesus as the true God; or you say to yourself ’I cannot believe all that rubbish about God and the Bible.’ (Most who say that have never read the Bible, but they know without reading it that it is all a load of rubbish.)

When Jesus raised Lazarus to life after his four days in the tomb, He told Lazarus’ sister, Martha: ’I am the one who raises the dead and gives them life again. Anyone who believes in me, even though he dies like anyone else, shall live again. He is given eternal life for believing in me and shall never perish.’ (John chapter 11 verses 25-26).

That is your guarantee! Believing is the first step. Believing in Jesus means that you want to follow His way and his teaching for the rest of your life. Do not treat this belief lightly! Just say a simple prayer to Jesus – tell him that you want to be in his family and not go to hell. He will know exactly what is in your heart. Then get hold of a Bible and begin reading, and I suggest John (the story of Jesus told by John), then Luke and make a habit of reading a bit each day.

Finally, mix with people who are in His family – not in a particular church, but be around Christian people who enjoy life and have fun as well. Being a Christian is not being perfect, always serious and careful of every little thing you say and do. There are many such Christian ’fun’ people in my town and they have lots of fun and enjoy life very much. ’Seek and you will find.’ Jesus said that. I know that in Western Australia, Scripture Union Christians love Jesus and the Bible but also have lots of ’fun’.

peter
11/10/14

Q147: Will God make our wishes come true?

The full question was:

Q147: If we pray and wish to God will he make our wishes come true?

Probably not. Why? Well you used the word ’wish’ – as we all do sometimes. You may have meant something else but our wishes are mostly selfish. Like a new bike, dress, laptop, boy/girl friend, or video game. I can only guess what you wished for – I cannot really know.

Here is a story of a prayer/wish by a pilot in New Guinea:

I heard of a lady in the USA being woken up by a voice (or a persistent urging) to get up at 2.00 am and kneel down and pray for a certain pilot in New Guinea who was in trouble. He was praying ’hard’ (and I guess wishing too). She did get out of bed and pray for him, and that pilot who was in trouble above low cloud in New Guinea, and could not see to go low enough to land. He did eventually find a hole in the heavy cloud and was able to see the airstrip and land safely (he was very low on fuel). The lady and the pilot met two years later and compared written notes. ’Yes,’ he said, ’I was in trouble on that day…it is recorded in my pilot’s log book. I could not see where to land.’ (New Guinea is one of the most dangerous places on earth to fly.’ There’s rocks in them thar clouds.’ the pilots say.)

Our wishes mostly are not what God has planned for us. Jesus said of our Father (God): ’He knows what you have need of before you pray.’ Please read question Q 103 – it is about prayer.

peter
11/10/14

Q148: When is judgement day?

I do not know. The 12 disciples asked Jesus almost the same question ’…when will these things be?’ and added later as they were all sitting with Jesus discussing future things: ’What events will signal your return and the end of the world?’ (as we know it).

Jesus had been telling them of the destruction of the beautiful temple, a very large and beautiful temple, and they found it hard to believe that as Jesus said: ’…not one stone will be left upon another.’ (The Romans destroyed it 40 years later. None of Jesus’ words were ever untrue.)

In Matthew chapter 24 and chapter 25 Jesus tells it all. I would not suggest that you go and read it now… it is pretty scary and a bit hard to understand. Judgement day is spelt out in chapter 25. Be assured, if Jesus said it, it is from God and will happen. And maybe in your lifetime too; but Jesus said that even He did not know exactly when it would happen.

I am re-writing this in 2019 and I am a little scared/afraid and yet hopeful. This world seems to be heading for trouble in many small ways. (Political, financial, too many people, 60 million refugees etc) but put together in is bigger trouble.

Recently an Australian man shot dead 50 Muslim people in New Zealand in a Mosque. Next day I heard of 400 christians killed in West Africa by Muslims. I believe the USA should not be in Iraq or Afghanistan. Someone’s told me:” The USA only wants the oil from there.”

I do not know the whole truth – and the TV news does not tell it all either. TV only want bad news and that always happens – they love it!! In many countries it is very difficult to be a Christian or build a church. (Look up some countries on the www to see). My country, Australia, has many churches and mosques and no restrictions on religion. Not so in some other countries. Jesus said. “When the good news about the kingdom has been preached all around the world and told to all the nations, then the end will come.” (Matthew chapter 24 verse 14) Many countries will not allow Jesus (his kingdom) to be told or broadcast at all. This is sad because until then “The end will not come”. When ‘the end’ does come – then it is judgement day. Sorry it is so complicated.

peter
11/10/14

Q149: If someone kills someone do they go to heaven or hell?

The full question was:

Q149: If someone kills someone to save themself or others do you go to heaven or hell?

At first reading of this question I would say ’No.’ because I imagine my family being attacked by some madman, or an enemy. You may be thinking of something else.

In this country of Australia we have ’the rule of law’ (based on the Bible) that permits a person to use: ’… reasonable force to defend himself.’ So if somebody is attacking you with an axe or lethal (deadly) weapon you are free to attack him; and if he dies later you are not guilty and as God is a God of justice you will not go to hell. The Bible covers just about everything that humans can get up to.

In the ’Books of Moses’ (Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers) almost every problem that can happen between humans is covered and the penalty for wrong doing is written there. Yes, even stoning to death, repayment for things borrowed and then lost, and so on. It is ’heavy’ reading indeed but unique in how God knows what humans can get up to. It shows God’s clear way to justice – not all nations follow it.

peter
11/10/14

Q150: Will God ever appear again?

No, but Jesus said that He would. God did come and talk face-to-face with Moses a very long time ago and instructed Moses in all that he wanted the people to know – He will not do that again. Maybe you meant Jesus? So just in case you did I’ll explain.

God’s Son, Jesus, has appeared once and has promised to appear again ’…in power and great glory.’ That will be ’The Second Coming’ and that coming will bring in a ’new heaven and new earth.’ That’s written in Matthew chapter 24 verses 30 to 31.

Jesus said it so be assured it will happen. It will be a fearful and very terrifying time…or an exciting time for believers who follow Jesus (could happen anytime).

peter
02/24/19

Q151: Does God have parents?

No, not as we understand parents. He has just been there forever. The Bible says nothing about God having parents.

peter
02/27/19

Q152: If God is real why do so many people die?

Be assured that God is real but as to ’Why do so many people die,’ we humans have a habit of going to war all too often. Since Australia became a nation in 1901, 100,000 Australians have died in wars. We have never started a war – others have done that, we only go to help. Many die from sicknesses caused by our modern lifestyle of wrong food, polluted air, grog, car crashes, drugs, and so on. Many sicknesses causing death have no cure yet! More people in Australia suicide (about four a day) than die in road crashes. Mental illness, and depression causes much of it. Sexual abuse as a child, divorces, bullying at school and at work are some of the causes of mental illness. But it also just happens to some people too. God must be very sad indeed. One of them here in Perth was Rob Reilly. He was an aboriginal boy and was sexually abused in an institution. Mentally (his soul) was damaged and the pain never left him, yet he worked tirelessly for over 20 years, for the benefit of Aboriginal people, putting aside the pain in his heart (his ’Inner pain’). Eventually that pain caused him to take his own life at about forty years old. In the ’West’ newspaper on one day there was a full page of tributes to him in the ’DEATH NOTICES’, and the tributes continued for weeks. A much loved man, yet he suicided, as do four people in Australia every day. Why? I can only guess as I have never had that sort of pain. Hope that helped a bit?

peter
02/27/19

Q153: How do you know the devil is bad or not good?

Because Jesus said so! Jesus called Satan some nasty names when he rebuked some religious men who hated Jesus. Jesus said: ‘You belong to your father the devil and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He (Satan) was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth,for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language for he is a liar and the father of lies.’ John chapter 8 verse 44.

There are dozens of references to Satan, mostly from Jesus. He is evil and is: ’The Prince of this world.’ Jesus broke his power over us when He rose from the grave but Satan and his ’evil angels’ are still active on the earth and doing bad things.

peter
02/27/19

Q154: Do you know if God is bad not good?

Please ask this question from some people you know are Christians because I can only give you my experience – and that backs up what the Bible says. I have had many doubts over 79 years!! Be assured of that; it is OK to doubt.

A ’voice’ has spoken to me four times in those 79 years and I did not ask for them. They have given me a lot of assurance that God cares for me.

The first one was concerning my future family. My wife had some trouble having children early on. One morning just after I woke up, a voice soon after said: ’There goes your baby.’ And I saw in a technicolour ’movie’ a three year old girl running by a farmhouse and laughing. Nine months later our baby came along and three years later we were living in the farmhouse I had seen three years before. That ’baby’ is now 54 years old.

Another time, moments after I got out of the water when I got baptised, a clear male voice said : ’You’ll be working with children.’ I had been a ’blue collar’ worker (making things) for 25 years, and the concept of ’working with children’ was very strange to me. The guy who baptised me said he heard nothing, so I forgot about it. I did forget about it but four years later I had a fall at home and broke my back. Went to University two years after that (that was a miracle in itself) and became a teacher at 47 years old. I taught for seven years, my wife divorced me in 1985, I resigned teaching in 1985. I went to Bible college for two years and began scripture teaching in 1988. I have taught Scripture since 1988. Now two books of kids questions – because YR 7. kids seem to ask me lots of questions. I sincerely thank them for it all.

The third male ’voice’ told me to: ’Go and see Mrs Arnold.’ ’Oh no!’ says me. I got a bit upset and did not want to go. He kept repeating the message. Eventually I did go – and when she came stomping to my car in slippers and dressing gown she said: ’Well God must have sent you – I was just about to kill myself by jumping out of the window.’ (of her third floor flat). She talked non-stop for 45 minutes and I never did get a chance to tell her that God had indeed sent me. Also, that I was reluctant even to make the 60km round trip to stop her. I have no idea of what or why she was saved. God always has reasons but as yet I know not why I was sent to save her.

Another one was to tell me not to be so proud, thinking that Baptists were better than any others. Yes, oops!

So I know He is there and has put up with my failings and errors and anger at Him not making me to walk again.

I am now 80 years old, have four children, eight grandchildren and four great grandchildren. I am a happy man and I know that God is good.

peter
02/27/19

Q155: How did the devil become evil?

Pride and ambition. Lucifer (Satan) was about number four in heaven but he wanted to be number one. So there was war, he lost and was thrown out of heaven down to earth – and took many bad angels with him. These are the ’evil spirits’ now here on earth. Jesus had to deal with Satan (to show who was ‘The Boss’) on several occasions.

peter
02/27/19

Q156: How was the earth made?’ (the same question from two people)

God just spoke and it happened! That is basically what the Bible says in Genesis chapter one – first book, first page, and the first words. It’s a simple answer for me to give – easy.

Millions of people have, still do, and always will argue and discuss just how it did happen and who did it. Nobody was there but God, Jesus, and His angels to see it happen.

I know the last bit is true because after the creation of the world was complete God said: ’Let us make man in our image and likeness.’ God said ’us’ so He must have had others with him. No voice answered or questioned that God should not make a man. A bit of humour: a ’Wag’ once said: ’God made man first because he did not want a woman looking over his shoulder telling Him how to make a man’. (Meaning women can have a lot to say). Another ’Wag’ said: ’God made man, looked at him and said: ’I can do better than that,’ so He made a woman. Do you agree gentlemen? I do and I love a laugh.

To your answer: Put three Christians (or Jews) together and you’ll get four different answers as to WHO, WHEN and HOW it was put all together, or how it all came together.

This I know and believe in my heart: God made it all, He causes the earth to turn once a day, to tilt and give us summer, autumn, winter and spring and to travel in its orbit, around the sun every year and somehow the 400 billion stars in our Milky Way galaxy hold their place and to not crash into each other. Not a bad effort eh? And this galaxy is only one of millions, (or is it billions), of galaxies yet to be discovered.

Think on this fact: If you could fly at 150,000 miles an hour and can get fuel on the way without stopping and have lots, I mean really lots of chocolate bars, it would take 670 million years to fly across the Milky Way from end to end. That’s in my Readers Digest Atlas from 1960. Sort of incredible eh?

The earth is also a massive web of life supporting billions of creatures with their food, and somewhere to live, and to have babies too. I love the singing birds, butterflies, flowers and all beautiful things and ‘yes,’ this poem by AB (Banjo) Patterson who wrote in his classic Australian poem Clancy of The Overflow: ‘And he sees the vision splendid of the sunlit plains extended, and at night the wondrous glory of the everlasting stars.’ That’s true beauty.

I just cannot believe it all came to be all by itself, or by evolution from a creature in a swamp billions of years ago. To me, that theory just does not add up or make common sense.

peter
02/27/19

Q157: I want to learn more about Moses

Wow, what a massive task! Moses stands about as ’tall’ as Jesus in the Bible. Some Jews regard Moses as higher than Jesus.

The Torah, the first five books of the Bible: ’The Books of Moses’ are sacred to Jews. They are the laws of God, given to Moses and written down by him. They contain The Decalogue (The Ten Commandments) and thousands of verses on how God was to be honoured and the ways to properly worship Him – and thousands of verses of instructions on how to live together in peace and how to settle disputes. King David’s son, King Solomon was in God’s presence on two occasions but Moses was the specially chosen as God’s special man.

Today there is a ‘Blockbuster’ movie that will never ‘grow old’ because it is so well done in telling Bible history and the part Moses played in it. Cecil B. De Mille produced the movie: The Ten Commandments. He stands very ‘tall’ in movie making and has done so for 60 years. This movie is still regarded as one of the ’all time greats’ of the movie world.

When Jesus was here on earth, Moses came back with the prophet Elijah and both were talking with Jesus on a mountain. Christians now call that mountain; the Mount of Transfiguration. Peter James and John were there and saw Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus. Moses had been dead for over 500 years. God’s voice split the clouds and He said: ‘This is my beloved Son whom I love and am well pleased, listen to him.’ (that’s in Matthew chapter 17 verses 1 to 9). The disciples were terrified at God’s voice and later, coming down the mountain, Jesus said to the three of them: ‘Tell nobody of this until I have risen from the dead.’ Not too many leaders in history have said things like that!!

I often wonder just what Moses gets up to in Heaven. I mean he had been dead 500 years then…and now it’s 2512 years?

peter
02/27/19

Q158: How does God look after everyone? How can God hear us?

The Bible does not spell out exactly how He does. It is a mystery.

God is omnipotent (all powerful), omnipresent (everywhere at once), and omniscient (knows everything). Just how God is all those things I cannot tell you, but He did make the world so everything is possible.

Angels help God’s work a lot. In the Book of Hebrews it stays: “No, for the angels are only spirit-messengers sent out to help and care for those who are to receive his salvation.” (Hebrews Chapter 1Verse 14 TLB) And it’s Life Application Bible commentary is: “Angels, God’s messengers ,were created by God and are under His authority (Colossians 1:16) They have several functions serving believers (1:14) protecting the helpless (Matt,18:10-11) proclaiming God’s messages (Revelation 14: 6-12) and executing God’s judgement. (Acts 12:1-23) and (Revelation 20: 1-3).” I hope that helps. As to : ‘What is God?’.All I can tell you is that ‘He is’.

On many occasions in the Bible angels feature in helps to many people and tribes. They have killed a whole army during the night. Others have put awful fear into the hearts of whole armies causing them to kill one another. King Jehosophat was in deep trouble with three armies coming after him (you got plenty of notice about coming armies in those days – they walked). What could Jehosophat do? All be killed – not him!! He called all the people to fast and pray, he humbled himself and begged for God’s help. Then he led his army out singing and praising God for his goodness. They took no weapons. ‘As soon as they began singing, the Lord confused the enemy camp so that the Ammonite and Moabite troops attacked and completely destroyed those men from Edom. Then they turned against each other and fought until the entire camp was wiped out.’ That is in The Second Book of Chronicles, chapter 20.

Jahaziel, the prophet told Jehosophat: ‘You won’t even have to fight. Just take your positions and watch the Lord rescue you from your enemy.’ They did, and soon every soldier of the three attacking armies were lying horizontal (dead). It took a good while to collect all the ‘loot’ from the dead soldiers too.

In other accounts whole armies just ran away at full speed leaving all their ‘goodies’ (food and weapons and clothing) behind.

I can truly write that God’s angels are everywhere. David wrote: ’God will command His angels to protect you wherever you go.’ (Psalm 91:11). Bad things still happen to good people and I can’t explain that I’m sorry to say).

And in Hebrews : ’Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation.’ (Hebrews chapter 1 verse 14)

For myself and the four voices telling me important things (see Q 154). The Apostle Paul (or Saint Paul) had Jesus turn his life around from a Christian persecutor to a Christian teacher and writer, and Christians still today are pleased to have his writings in the Bible. Paul was a ’giant’ of a man. He was put in prison so he sang and converted the jailor and many others. The Bible certainly is not all dull boring ’stuff’.

As for ’us’, God does not attend to those who just…’want something’ from him-like a Lotto win or our personal desires. It takes many years to get to know God and His ways and He: ’…knows what we have need of before we ask.’

Q159: Are you real? How do we know God is real? What is God?

My dictionary says of God: ’superhuman being worshipped as having supernatural powers, object of worship, Supreme Being, creator and ruler of universe.’ (Collins Gem Dictionary 1997).

About 2 billion Christians, 2 billion Muslims, and around thirteen million Jews worship this being we call ’God’ (not sure about Jewish numbers). He has many other names. But that’s a sizeable number of people and all the above people claim Abraham as their earthly ancestor. Phew!! That’s a bunch of people – and a very large variety of opinions, ideas, beliefs, prejudices and hates among them all.

King David, when in serious sickness and other troubles – even from a close friend, wrote: ‘Bless the Lord, the God of Israel, who exists from everlasting ages past and on into everlasting eternity ahead. Amen and Amen!’ (Psalm 41:13).

King David was no ‘angel’ (he had a man murdered and took his wife for himself but paid a very heavy price for his selfishness). But David loved God and sought and got forgiveness). Jesus is recorded as: ‘born of David’s line.’ (from the same tribe as David).

Please note that the faults in Bible characters are not ‘glossed over’, or omitted. The Bible tells the truth about its people – warts and all.

God had Isaiah write in 700 BC quite a lot about Jesus: his birth and suffering for us. There are over 300 references to Jesus in the Old Testament, that’s before Jesus was even born.

Jesus himself, when the time was close for his arrest, trial and crucifixion asked His Father God: ‘Father, if you are willing, please take away this cup of horror from me. But I want your will not mine. Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him for He was in such agony of spirit that he broke into a sweat of blood.’ Luke chapter 22 verses 42 to 44).

Jesus knew full well that crucifixion was ahead, but that is what He came to earth for – to help us into heaven – because we are not good enough to get there by ourselves. God made this world, and had Jesus show us the way to heaven and has planned heaven for us…those of us who want to go there. The Bible has been the worlds ‘best seller’ for ages. Millions believe it to be true. That is COOL!

I hope that explained a little about God.

peter
02/27/19

Q160: What does people in other countries believe in?

Mostly anything that they have taught by their parents, because everybody needs, even long, to believe in a god of some sort because the human heart: ‘…has an empty space that only God can fill.’

There are many people in developing countries; (that is a nice way of saying that those countries have few schools, most cannot read and write, very poor roads, almost no hospitals or knowledge of hygiene (like toilets and fresh water), still have Shamans who are trusted like we trust doctors. Some could be called ‘witch doctors’. They consult dead chickens insides, old bones and a variety of ‘charms’ or trinkets they carry in a bag. Of course they charge good money for their advice.

In parts of Asia some of those people sell ground up rhinoceros horn. It is regarded as a powerful medicine for sexual problems and strength. It is only keratin – the same material as your hair and nails – yet it is worth thousands of dollars for a tiny bit of it, and rhinoceros could soon be extinct – except in zoos – because poachers kill them for their horns. Those animal poachers worship money.

Quite a few cultures still sacrifice live chickens to please their ‘spirit gods’ who, they believe, are all around them. Some cultures are referred to as ‘Christo-pagan’ because missionaries have told them of the God of the Bible and the Christian way and they believe some of it but the Pagan ‘spirit-world’ is still a real fact of life…a part of daily living.

Middle-Eastern and North African countries like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Bahrain, Jordan, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco etc. are mostly Muslim and worship Allah (God). In India there are thousands of ‘gods’ worshipped by Hindus, Sikhs, Brahmans; and others in Asia worship Buddha. Many Japanese worship Shintoism, which involves ancestor veneration or worship. There’s an awful lot of them out there. Jesus told his disciples: ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and earth. Therefore go and make disciples in all nations, baptising them into the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit and then teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you and be sure of this, I will be with you till the end of the age.’ (Matthew chapter 28 verses18 to 20) So, in most countries there are Christians, the same as here in Australia because of missionaries. Quite a few are hated for bringing Christianity to a country and thousands have, and still are, killed every year for their efforts.

In some ‘advanced’ (maybe backward really) ‘First World’ countries the God of the Bible is sort of worshipped but money, expensive cars and huge costly houses are worshipped more. Much of the money to buy these things comes from poor people all over the world. That is true, and it is bound to bring real trouble one day – maybe soon. God could very well judge them and punish them.

God is good, kind and forgiving but there is a limit to how much oppression rich people can put on poor people and God has been known to punish those who know what they should be doing, but refuse to do it. That makes God angry and he does not forget.

In a book I have on current world money problems it says that 1,000 very rich people run the world economy. When you’re older, look out for one, or all of them…they want your money and may even want to run the world!! Yes! Do not believe all you hear on the TV. Learn to THINK about what you are told…or hear.

peter
02/27/19

Q161: How does God look at you when he is not a person?

Great question and I cannot fully answer it. I know that He sees everything because He is omnipresent (everywhere at once).There are quite a few Bible verses that mention this.

Remember, God is not bound by human limits like we are so He does not get tired of watching. Jesus said: ‘God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.’ (John chapter 4 verse 24).

‘God is spirit’ – not a spirit. Spirits can be angels or devils.

Maybe there are 20 billion angels who can slip from heaven to earth instantly and report everything of importance to God.

The book of Job tells of some of those angels: ‘One day when the angels had gathered around the Lord, and Satan was there with them, the Lord asked, “Satan, where have you been?” Satan replied, “I’ve been going all over the earth.”’ (Job chapter 1 verses 6 and 7).

It would take a whole book to tell of all the times in the Bible when it says: ‘…and God looked and saw that…’ such and such a thing was happening. Like Jacob’s 12 sons and their families (now grown to around 2 million) who were slaves in Egypt. God got them all out after a few lessons to the Pharaoh as to just who was the real ‘Boss’. That’s in Exodus, and in the Movie: The Ten Commandments.

peter
02/27/19

Q162: Why is there rubbish?

Because most people don’t think, don’t care and just maybe, ‘We’ don’t deserve this once beautiful planet!! I say: ‘Send all polluters on a one way trip to Mars.’

Not a pleasant thing to say of my own country but it’s the truth. Animals do not foul their own nest – humans do! I cannot explain why humans drop rubbish when our surrounds can be so beautiful.

Much of the rubbish comes from ‘stuff’ that we buy that is claimed to ‘make us happy’. What a load of old cobblers (rubbish). It does not make us happy. My street has 65 houses. Each year I estimate that ‘verge collections’ amount to about four tonnes of old TVs, tables, chairs, fans, computer screens, bicycles, microwave ovens and so on. What we bought a year or so ago is now rubbish! My city has one and a half million people. All China has 1.3 billion people!! ‘How would it be if every house in China put out tonnes of rubbish like we do?’ They would drown in the stuff! Too many humans cannot, or will not think, of what is happening and that there will be consequences. I am glad to know that you will not be one of them.

peter
02/27/19

Q163: Why is the world polluted?

Greed, stupidity and the love of money!! The pollution begins with our parents who do not, or will not, teach their children good and clean habits. This carries on into adulthood when maybe the child is grown up, has a business and is making money, what our parents taught us carries on there too.

A pretend case: If this business man has a lot of waste, then he must decide how to get rid of it. Some pay registered business people to take the ‘muck’ away and pay them for it. Others will, and do, tip it into the river as night. Fish die, the river stinks and is dangerous for a while, but the guy saved, say $1,000.00, as the cheapest way to get rid of the ‘muck’. This has happened a lot in the past but some people, and yes, good kids do join in to put a stop to such people polluting our water. Scientists can now discover exactly what the chemical was and who deals with that chemical, and heavy fines are the result. It is helping a lot, but much damage has built up in our rivers and oceans. Fast food outlets can be a problem with littering from the packaging. Do your bit (tell them off) to embarrass them and reduce visual pollution in our streets. It can be done if enough people like you who care, and demand that it be stopped. More heavy fines for people who drop litter – or send ’em to Mars.

Q164: How does Jesus bring back people to life?

Not by CPR (cardiac pulmonary resuscitation) as the Ambulance/Paramedics people do today. Put simply, Jesus carried within him God’s power to do anything. Not in a doctors ‘black bag’, but in his power as the Son of God. That mighty power could not be seen with our eyes. Jesus silently sometimes, and speaking at other times, simply called on God’s power to raise a person to life.

There was the 12 year old girl, one of my favourite stories. In this one Jesus simply took her hand and said, ‘Little girl get up.’ (Luke chapter 5 verses 41 to 42). She did get up. Then Jesus said: ‘Give her something to eat.’ I like that so much – kids who have been sick need a feed and Jesus knew that.

Jesus, on another occasion, spoke a prayer for all the people to hear. This was to show that He had God’s power within Him.

This happened at the tomb of Lazarus. Before calling Lazarus back from the dead. The Bible says: ‘After the stone had been rolled aside (from the tomb), Jesus looked up toward heaven and prayed, “Father, I thank you for answering my prayer. I know that you always answer my prayers. But I said this, so that the people here would believe that you sent me.” When Jesus had finished praying, He shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” The man who had been dead came out. His hands and feet were wrapped with strips of burial cloth, and a cloth covered his face. Jesus then told the people, “Untie him and let him go.’’’ That story is in John chapter 11.

Many people who saw what Jesus did believed in Him after that…but Jesus’ enemies wanted Him arrested and silenced.

peter
02/28/19

Q165: How can the environment kill even though it’s beautiful?

Not quite sure just what you mean but the environment sure is/was beautiful. I wrote ‘was’ because chainsaws have ruined too much of what was once so beautiful. Having no chainsaws would have left a lot of trees standing and slowed down the felling of a lot beautiful trees, because an axe is just very hard work. The environment sure is dangerous. AND, going to the top of Mount Everest has a 25% death rate. Yes! Quite a few die coming down, and the living ones cannot possibly help in any way to bring the body down. Phew! Awful decision!

Humans love to see new wonders and beautiful unspoilt places and things but the natives there know all the dangers that lurk there, and they respect those dangers. White folk often do not see dangers and can suffer the consequences. The USA President, Barak Obama was recently in Darwin, a town in the north of Australia. The ‘Aussies’ there (they love to laugh) gave him a very special personal insurance policy – just in case he was attacked/bitten by one of the local crocodiles. The President thought it a was great gift and good joke.

Now and then, mostly young crocodiles, are found roaming the suburbs or even in home swimming pools in Darwin. Crocodiles lived there before humans – we came into their territory – so we must learn to be careful of them at all times.

Antarctica: It’s very, very cold down there but people want to go and explore it all, and find, and get to the South Pole. Quite a few have died but many love the place where a little mistake or a minor accident can quickly kill you, or freeze you to death.

There are snakes, spiders, ants, scorpions, and bugs of all sorts live in our environment and they have their part to play in the environment (snakes and owls love to eat rats and mice). We oh-so–smart-humans really only know a little about them. A butcher told me that flies play an important role in cleaning up the environment. What?! Yes they do. After the lions, wild dogs, vultures, crows and ants have had their share of a dead animal, flies clean up the bones and no disease can develop. Cool eh? Earthworms and bugs by the million – seen and unseen, turn dead leaves and other organic ‘stuff’ on the ground into humus – that’s plant food –and when they get driven out, or die because of our mucking around with the soil, the soil is never as good as it was before. All the chemical fertilizers cannot do the same job in growing yummy tasting peaches, apricots, bananas, and mangoes, etc.

peter
02/28/19

Q166: Why don’t you come down?

I like this question because I would like Jesus to come down – now! That would be the ‘Second Coming’ that Jesus talked about a lot. The end of ’The Age’ He called it, and that would bring in the new world that God has planned, and the end of evil in all its forms. Hooray!

The Jews had to wait 500 years for the prophecy of Isaiah to be fulfilled. And about the same time the for prophecy about the birth of Jesus by Micah that Bethlehem would be His birthplace. God counts a day as a thousand years and a thousand years as but a day.

God is very patient and just maybe Jesus meant it when He was talking to His disciples who had asked Him about His return, ‘The Second Coming,’ and the end of the age. Jesus said: ‘Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.’ (Matthew chapter 24 verses 12 to 14).

That is pretty specific, and whatever Jesus says will come, will come. No doubt about it. There is much more in Matthew chapter 24 that is quite scary as to coming troubles. Read it and be wise and prepared. This ‘Answerer’ of questions thinks some parts have begun to show up in the last few years. There could soon be wars over clean water – I kid you not.

Earthquakes, troubles, climate change, plus troubles of all sorts with a population of 7,000,000,000 today, and it could be 10,000,000,000 within 40 or more years. So I say to you, read Matthew chapter 24 and try to know the worst signs like the moon not giving its light and the gospel being preached to the whole world. Many nations refuse to allow Christians telling about Jesus, they actually kill some of them and many who convert to Christianity are killed.

Knowledge makes you wise and prepared, so be wise and not foolish.

peter
02/28/19

Q167: Can God help me?

Sure can…just ask Him to and he will in a most amazing way.

God does and always will help people. He is always there and ready to help. You can get help – but it’s not like in a supermarket where you get what you want, when you want it. It is a lifetime learning experience, quite often filled with wonder at God’s goodness, but also filled with doubts, yes doubts: ’I wonder what God is doing now?’ thinking even, ‘God has forgotten me,’ and ’I feel lost and alone.’ King David was much loved by God had all three of those feelings with a good many ‘highs’ and a very large number of ‘lows’ throughout his long life.

As a teenager, David became famous for his simple boyhood trust in God. He told the giant Goliath: ‘You come with a sword and spear – I come with God’s help and I’ll kill you’. He ran towards the giant Goliath who was three metres tall, and David slung a stone from his slingshot that struck Goliath on the forehead and killed him. The Bible says: of that stone: ‘It hit him in the forehead and broke his skull and Goliath fell face downward on the ground.’ David ran up and used Goliath’s sword to remove his head. Great story. See First Samuel chapters 16 and 17.

Everyone soon loved and admired David, but not the king, no sir! King Saul secretly hated David and tried to kill him on several occasions. David was on the run from the king for several years because King Saul was jealous of him – and Saul knew very well that God was angry with him because he had disobeyed God, and that David was to be the future king.

King Saul’s foolishness is all in First Samuel chapters 17 to 31. Saul suicided in a battle at the end.

Being in God’s family and having ‘God help you’ is not ‘all honey with no bees,’ or ‘all roses and no thorns.’ The ‘thorns’ and ‘bees’ teach us that life is not all good times and trusting God is hard sometimes.

You are in the same ‘boat’ as the 12 Disciples. These guys knew a lot about Jesus but all of them ran away when Jesus was tried by Pilate, crucified, buried in a tomb and rose to life on the third day.

In John chapter 14 Jesus tried to tell his disciples that He was ‘going away’ and they would no longer see Him. They just could not understand what He meant. A bit like a lifelong friend saying: ‘I must go overseas and see you no more.’ What on earth did he mean? Get an older trusted Christian to explain to you what Jesus meant by ‘another helper, the Holy Spirit,’ in John chapters 14 and 15. Not easy for kids to understand.

Later, the disciples came to realise that Jesus was truly God’s son and Jesus promised them help from the Holy Spirit – not God as we think of Him. When ‘John the Baptist’ baptised Jesus, the Bible says: ‘As soon as Jesus was baptised, he came up out of the water. Then heaven was opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and landing on him. Then a voice said from heaven, “This is my own dear son, with whom I am pleased.”’ (Matthew chapter 3 verses 16 to17). Much is explained there: God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God is here, sort of representing God and Jesus on earth.

To get help just tell God that you know He is there, and that you want His help in your life and be a part of his family. Get to read your Bible too and a ‘Bible help’ book. Many are available free. Here is a website for one in Australia: www.word4u2day.com.au or Email: admin@word4u2day.com.au. My granddaughter gave me that name and she loves the book that’s posted to you, free, to help you with the Bible each day. Several others put out good Bible helps for kids, mostly free. Scripture Union are very good too.

peter
03/02/19

Q168: Why can’t I see you? Why do we never see God?

Well done to think on this and ask about it. Only Moses had the honour of having God speak with him ‘face to face’. That’s very rare! The Bible says: ‘No one can see God and live.’

In Numbers chapter 12 God spoke from the ‘cloud’ and said to Aaron and Miriam: ‘Even with a prophet, I would communicate by visions and dreams; but that is not how I communicate with my servant Moses. He is completely at home in my house! With him I speak face to face.’ (Numbers chapter 12 verses 6 to 8)

This is before we got a Bible: Moses was to instruct the people of Israel in God’s laws, and later write down all that God wanted us to know.

To see God is indeed a frightening thing that not many have done. Isaiah, one of God’s great prophets, did see God. I’m not sure if it was a vision, or a dream, or that he did actually see God. Isaiah ‘saw’ God in the Temple and his ‘train’ filled the Temple. Isaiah wrote: ‘The year King Uzziah died I saw the Lord! He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the Temple was filled with his glory. Hovering about Him were mighty, six winged seraphs (flying angels). With two of their wings they covered their faces; with two others they covered their feet, and with two they flew. In a great antiphonal* chorus they sang, “Holy, holy ,holy is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is filled with His glory.”’ Such singing it was! It shook the Temple to its foundations and suddenly the entire sanctuary was filled with smoke. Then I said: ‘My doom is sealed, for I am a foul-mouthed sinner, a member of a sinful foul-mouthed race; and I have looked upon the King, the Lord of heaven’s armies.’ (Isaiah chapter 6 verses 1 to 5).

*Antiphonal means two or more choirs singing different parts, but together, to make a great sound, Try Handel’s ‘Halleluiah chorus’ from ‘The Messiah’. It was so ‘Grand’ that the King of England stood up when he first heard it, out of respect and reverence for God. For a Christian, it makes the hair on the back of the neck stand up. Grand ‘stuff’ indeed. Heavenly music! That piece of music, from the Messiah; ‘The Halleluiah Chorus’ is used sometimes on advertisements on radio and maybe TV too. If somebody got a picture of God, it would soon be on drink bottles and breakfast cereals. Think of that! Oh YUK!!

Being in God’s presence is frightening stuff’, so imagine being there then, with Isaiah, a ‘foul mouthed sinner’ would be scary indeed. Maybe in the fear and wonder of seeing God, Isaiah immediately recalled all his sins. ‘…woe is me for I am a foul mouthed sinner!’ But God had a Seraph take a live, hot coal from the fire and, using tongs touched Isaiah’s lips with the hot coal saying: ‘Now you are pronounced, not guilty, because this coal has touched your lips. Your sins are forgiven.’ (Isaiah chapter 6 verses 6 to7) God is a forgiving God and used Isaiah to write one of the great and profound prophecies, with much in it about Jesus in the Bible. N.B.: No other ‘religious’ book tells the future, only the Bible, and it’s never wrong.

So, to the answer: We are not meant, or allowed, to see God. He is not a person, a statue, or a carved image. You will stand before Him after you die and then you’ll see Him in all his glory and majesty. Me, I look forward to that!

Q169: Why do people get sick?

For many reasons, and we can’t possibly tell the ‘why’ for all of them. For one thing, medical doctors would not have a job. (New thought: no sickness so no doctors needed in heaven.)

Many people make themselves sick by eating the wrong food, or too much wrong food. And almost every month I hear of a new sickness being discovered that was unknown in my youth. In the time of Jesus and up to the Industrial Revolution (around 1750) the air was clear of most pollutants. No cars, smoke belching chimneys, no aeroplanes, diesel trucks, and such like. We have grown to see them as necessary and mostly harmless. But now, all put together they are a threat. We breath in their exhaust ‘muck’. Today (5/12/11) a world campaign has begun in Australia to end asbestos mining and its use. The damn stuff can kill people!! MONEY is made from mining and using it to make asbestos sheets for roofs and walls – same as Australia did 60 years ago. This time it is India who uses it, supplied by Canada. Who cares about the thousands who will get sick and die? Some big business is only in there for the money – people, we will worry about tomorrow. Yuk!

Fast food, preservatives and other additives can, and do, make people sick. You need to be able to read and understand the labels. Many people cannot or don’t bother to read the label.

In John chapter 11 when Jesus raised Lazarus back to life He said: ‘The purpose of his illness is not death, but for the glory of God, I, the Son of God will receive glory from this situation.’ (John chapter 11 verse 4).

After that miracle a great many people believed that Jesus was the Messiah (God’s chosen one) and they told many others about Him. Such news spread like wildfire! Never happened that a person is raised from death before. Such things are rare today, but lifesaving operations are common!!

Today many doctors and caring people are trying to warn about the wrong foods. Many get too fat and that leads to several bad sicknesses like heart disease and diabetes. Both can kill you.

Finally, a thought. People who have never been really sick mostly don’t care much about those who do get sick. Sometimes do not even believe that they are really sick – until a serious illness knocks ‘em flat. Yes! ‘Oh, I feel really bad!’ Suddenly they have compassion for those who are sick. Big change of attitude indeed, and it changes them for the better. Sickness can lead to more understanding and compassion.

peter
03/09/19

Q171: Why was Mary and Joseph chosen on earth as Jesus guardians?

Thank you for a good question – I had not thought of it before. First, I guess that God knew that they were ‘Good for the job’, the right people and He knew that they would not mess it up. Think about it: God must have thought: “Who can I trust with this job? I need a couple with integrity above normal people.”

Because God, somehow, knows our every thought, He knew Mary, even though only a teenager, would do the right thing as the Archangel Gabriel unfolded the future to her. Gabriel came to Mary, while she was engaged to Joseph and told her: “Congratulations favoured lady! The Lord is with you…God has decided to wonderfully bless you… You will become pregnant.” (All in Luke Chapter 1 verses 26 to 38) There is much more in there too. Most men in those days would have had Mary publicly stoned to death for such an affair…‘an angel visited you- rubbish! You can’t get pregnant without having sex’. Joseph had not yet had sex with Mary. But Joseph was a man of integrity too. (Integrity means without serious faults or weaknesses.)

Matthew tells of Joseph’s character. “Then Joseph, her fiancé (husband to be), being a man of stern principle (a just man) decided to break the engagement but to do it quietly, as he didn’t want to publicly disgrace her.” There is a gentleman who cares for another person’s feelings!

An angel came to him in a dream and told him the whole story about him (Joseph), being from the line of David and to fulfill Biblical prophecy that tells about a virgin having a Son. Joseph accepted the angel’s message and had no sexual relations with Mary until after the birth of Jesus. (That’s in Matthew Chapter 1: verses 18 to 25)

So God chose a ‘Son of David’ (Joseph) and Mary to raise Jesus to manhood because He knew they were the best couple for the task.

peter
03/09/19

Q172: What is the meaning of life?

Thank you for a truly great question. Many ‘groan-ups’ never think of it, but it is very important to think about.

I guess that because I believe in God, ‘The meaning of life’ involves Jesus and life after death because we humans are only here on earth for 70 to 80 years. Not very long really if you realise that Moses and Elijah ‘came back’ and were with Jesus for a little while and talking with him. Peter, James and John saw them talking-and Moses had been dead for a thousand or more years,and Elijah for over 500 years (see Mathew Ch.17 Verses 1 to 9). It is interesting to note that Jesus told the three disciples. “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” (v.9) ‘Wow! What’s he mean?’ I wonder what they thought of that? So, life after death has indeed, got a lot to do with the meaning of life.

If a person does not believe in God, then, as one of my ‘rellies’ said: “When you die you’re dead and that’s the end.” I guess that means you are like an animal in the wild: a buffalo, zebra, bird,a rabbit or a camel and so on. It dies and the body decays and only bones are left.

I believe that man (people) have a living soul, put there by God and a spirit too. This is tricky to understand: man is three parts: body, soul and spirit. God made us that way: the body is what you can see, our soul is who we are in our thoughts and behaviour and these can change as we grow up and our spirit is the immortal ‘God’ part that goes to God when we die. Our soul and spirit and very much ‘one’ in that my dictionary says: soul: ‘spiritual and immortal part of human being’ and: spirit:’life principle animating a body’.

When we die our ‘earthly remains’ are buried in a grave; or as some people like, cremated and their ashes kept for remembrance sake, mostly in a container called an urn, or are sometimes scattered over that persons favourite place like the sea or a forest.

So, I believe that we are born onto this earth to learn about everything we can, including God, having a wife or husband with a family and living a good useful life and be prepared for death to be in heaven with Jesus after we die.

While living here,I believe we should learn to have common sense, love (true care) for others and to leave this world a better place for us having been here. Look up at the sky on a clear night: “Who made the 400 billion stars up there?” (that’s our galaxy The Milky Way). There are thousands, or maybe millions of other galaxies as well. Who, or what, caused them or made them? We humans are really only a very small spec on an exceptionally beautiful planet, in an ordinary ‘Solar system’ in a corner of The Milky Way. Yet, God’s son came here to show us the way, die for us and guarantee a place in heaven – if we want it. That is ‘Good News’ indeed. I often wonder is there life in other galaxies. Are we (us) the only living souls in the whole universe? I think ‘No, there must be others.’

A very popular song in the 1950s (when I was young) was ‘Nature Boy’ sung by popular guy named Johnny Rae. Two lines I recall were: “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn, is just to love, and be loved in return.” Jesus also said as much to his 12 disciples “A new commandment I give you, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John chapter 13: verse 34)

To ‘love’ someone does not mean you have to like that person. It means you treat them like Jesus would have you treat them, with compassion and fairness.(‘love’ has at least four other meanings). I think that I can say truthfully: ‘love is the foundation of the whole Bible, God’s love for his created children (us).’

Finally dear reader: God gave us a sense of humour – laughing at something funny. Do look for good clean fun because laughter produces endorphins in our body and they are very good for your health and mental outlook. That has been proved true by scientists:eg. “What did the hat say to the necklace?” “You go on ahead and I’ll hang around.” And: “What did the shorts say to the shirt as mum put them in the washing machine?” “I’ll see you on the clothes line – that’s where we hang out.”

peter
03/09/19

Q.173: Does Jesus have any enemies?

Yes! He certainly does, as He did when He was here on the earth. A quick read of the Bible could give the impression that everybody loved Him. Not so. Jesus upset the religious and political leaders – the Pharisees and Temple Priests because most of them were cheating the ordinary people and living ‘The good life’; even cheating widows! Jesus gave them a terrible tongue-lashing (told them off) in Matthew Chapter 23). There were no books, radios or newspapers then for the ordinary people to discover for themselves just what the Bible said. People only found out about God from what their leaders told them; and in many places the leaders changed the ‘rules’ to suit themselves and neglected compassion and a ‘fair go’ as we understand it today in Australia.

Some Christian leaders today would not ‘pass the test’ in Jesus’ eyes because they ‘Love the praises of men’ and preach the Bible to make money and to have people say nice things to them, and about them. Some people just crave the praise of other people. Jesus did not.

peter
03/09/19

Q174: What did God make on the seventh day in creation in the old testament?

I reckon He would have made a cuppa tea, got a biscuit and had a lie down! The Bible simply says: “So on the seventh day, having finished His task, God ceased from the work He had been doing, and God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when He ceased this work of creation.” (Genesis Ch.2:verse2-3, The Living Bible)

Why did I put in the bit about a cuppa tea? For a bit of fun – but also to indicate that He may have been tired. Read Genesis chapter one – it would seem a mighty lot of work even if He had ten zillion angels helping.

So, what did God make? He made an ordinance to rest on the seventh day and that is in The Ten Commandments: “Remember to observe the Sabbath as a holy day. Six days a week are for your daily duties and your regular work, but the seventh day is a day of Sabbath rest before the Lord your God.” (Exodus Ch.20.Verse 8-9)

Today the Christian church only partly follows this commandment. Some say that Jesus changed it because salvation removed that requirement and every day is a day to worship and do work for Him. Policemen, doctors, nurses, firemen and so on must work on the ‘Sabbath’ day (Sunday). The Jewish people and Seventh Day Adventist people worship on Saturday which they call the Sabbath. A bit confusing sometimes isn’t it.

Jesus was accused by the Temple religious leaders for doing work on the Sabbath. Jesus asked them: “If your cow falls into a pit, don’t you proceed at once to get it out?” (see Luke Ch.14:verses 1 to 6) They were humiliated because Jesus showed them up as hypocrites for not having common sense. Of course you would help a cow out of a pit on the Sabbath.

In Jerusalem today, some Jews throw rocks at other Jews who drive to the Synagogue in their Mercedes-Benz cars – ‘that’s work on the Sabbath,’ they say, and say that all Jews should walk to the synagogue. I heard that on the radio. Bit of a problem there.

A little personal view: At more than 80 years old now, I find that the society I live in seems to be going too fast. We never seem to slow down to ‘smell the flowers’, to be still and just rest. Too many people work too much or too hard and get Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, have mental or emotional problems, and get just ‘worn out’ and finish up in a hospital having a forced rest. Maybe God did know that a day of rest is best for us all.

Q175: How long was He (Jesus) alive for?

esus lived until 33 years of age. Mary and Joseph raised him; is father was a carpenter and Jesus also worked as a carpenter until he was 30 years old – that’s when he began his public ministry. So Jesus was only ‘in the public eye’ for three (3) years which does not seem a very long time. However in that three years Jesus changed the world. No other person raised the dead, healed the sick and caused the lame to walk, the blind to see, and his name is still highly respected, and his words reprinted in millions of bibles all over the world. The Bible is the world’s No.1 selling book.

peter
03/11/19

Q176: How did God come alive?

Because we know almost nothing of God’s origin I am going to assume you mean ‘How did Jesus come alive after he died?’

There are many prophecies in the Old Testament about Jesus birth and his life. Jesus, in the New Testament (that’s in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) spoke often of his own death and later resurrection (coming back to life). ‘What?’ The disciples must have thought – ‘come back to life – nobody does that!’ I would have thought the same: ‘Who can come back to life? nobody else ever has!’

So, we now have a miracle, from God the Father in Heaven. He did it because nobody on earth has that kind of power. How did He do it? Well truthfully, I just cannot tell you how God did it and neither can anybody else down here on earth. It is, and always will, be a mystery, until we see God. He can do anything!

You too will live again after your body dies and somehow, you, and all others will stand before God. Some of us will be very happy, others will be very scared and afraid. Check out some of the other questions like: “What happens after you die?” (Q.118) You can be one of the happy ones if you choose to be.

peter
03/23/19

Q177: “Where did He (God) come from?” and “When was God born?” and “How old is God?” and “When is God’s birthday?”

Nobody knows. I shall be very interested in how God came to be, as well as the Milky Way, the earth and many other things. I think we shall find out after we die and get to heaven without having to ask God himself for the details.

‘Where God came from?’ I think we would all like to know. But also: How He dreamed up flowers, birds, kangaroos, polar bears (how can they swim for miles in freezing water?), elephants and much more. I just cannot believe that they all evolved from a common ancestor in a swamp 60 million, or billion, years ago. Oh! and woodpeckers, my favourites! They can use their beak to peck out a nesthole, five times bigger than itself – in a dead tree. The nesthole is for his wife and children. Marvellously designed and no brain damage either in pecking that nest. He sends woodchips and sawdust flying at around 400 to 600 hits a minute. And, the rat-a-tat–tat-tat sound echoes through the forest and attracts the lady woodpeckers. Marvellous! None in Australia because I guess our trees are ‘hardwood’ trees. Woodpeckers live where ‘softwood’ trees are.

peter
03/23/19

Q178: “I wonder what God looks like?” and “Is God human like us does he look like us?”

He is ‘Majestic!’ Quite beyond anything we could imagine. There are no pictures of God – only artists’ ideas of what they think God looks like. There are many references in Scripture and they are, to me, a bit confusing. Jesus said: “If you have seen me you have seen the father.” And : “I,and the Father are one.” Jesus makes no mention that they both ‘look’ the same in appearance. Maybe Jesus meant in love, compassion and a deep care for people, and the ability to perform miracles.

I fear that if we really knew what God looked like – His face would be on breakfast cereal boxes, cool drinks bottles etc. “Yuk!” Who would want that? In the Old Testament when God’s voice was heard the mountain shook (and the people too) and they begged Moses to save them. (See Exodus Ch 19:1-2)

In the book in the Bible called ‘Revelation’ there are several descriptions of God’s majestic appearance and power. Not all of them to be taken literally. Starts in Revelation Ch. 4.

peter
03/24/19

Q179: “I talk to God, but He doesn’t talk back like everyone says He does. Why is that? I’ve tried and tried talking to Him.”

God loves you for being brave enough to ask this question,and it is about the most important question I have ever been asked. Why is that? Prayer is the ‘secret ingredient’ from God.

Back 400 years before Jesus came along a prophet called Habakkuk asked God a few ‘Whys’ as kids do today. eg: “Oh Lord, how long must I call for help before you will listen? I shout to you in vain;there is no answer. “Help! Murder!”I cry but no one comes to save.Must I forever see sin and sadness all around me?”(Habakkuk. Ch.1: verses 2-3) Many pray that prayer today!! God has His own plans – OK?

It is the most important question because most Christians never grasp just how important it is to pray – and not give up, but to trust God to answer your petition (request) in His own way and in His own time. PHEW! ‘In his own way and in His own time –why not now! I need an answer today!’ We can all feel like that sometimes.

Very little is written in the Bible about how and what to pray. There are examples of people praying for specific things.

Hannah was childless for years. She pleaded with God for years for a son. She finally got one, Samuel, who came to be one of the godliest men in the Bible and a ‘King of Israel’ (see 1 Samuel,Chapter 1:verses 1 to 28). Those two books: The First Book of Samuel (known as 1 Samuel) and Second book of Samuel (known as 2 Samuel) contain many dramatic encounters with God and the enemies of Israel defeating Israel – and Israel defeating her enemies.

In there, David becomes King of Israel after the death (by suicide) of King Saul – the king Israel pleaded for and, I suppose prayed for from God. Samuel told them: ’An earthly king will not work out for your good.’ But they refused to listen and demanded an earthly king. Be assured hundreds of books, maybe thousands, have been written on prayer. Prayer, An invitation to Meet with God, is the latest one I have bought (from Insight for Living, (IFL)) at 78 years old! Prayer is not easy. Insight for living is very good group and can be found on the www.

Jesus found prayer essential in his life. “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed (Mark,Ch1: verse 35) and “After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.” (Mark,Ch. 9, verse 46). and “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. (Luke.Chapter 5,verse 16).Jesus needed prayer to get through the day’s work.

The scriptures never tell what or how Jesus prayed while he was alone with God. That is where Jesus got the strength to carry out God’s plans for him while he was here on the earth.

So you see prayer is not easy to learn or to describe. A quick prayer is easy- but sacrificial prayer- prayer that ‘costs’ you time by leaving other things not done just to commune, to be quiet and think a about God– without distractions is where we learn about God and his ways.

As a teacher I ought to ask you: “Did you pray for the right things?” like a new iPhone, Bluetooth, Blueray or a new bike. (I don’t know exactly what those ‘Gizmos’ really are). I prayed to win the lottery as a youth. It was a silly prayer.

You say: ‘He doesn’t talk back like people say He does’. Sorry, but God does not ‘talk back’ like on a telephone. If someone told you that He does – they were very wrong – or they did not fully explain what they meant. God only spoke like that with Moses – a very long time ago. Moses was a special man to God then, and God needed to make things plain to the people by telling them things they needed to know – through Moses. Moses was and still is, very much respected by Jews (Hebrews or Israelies) and Christians. Moses wrote, or dictated, much of the first books of the Bible.

May I suggest that you take time to read about the life of Jesus (John or Luke to begin with) and ask God to direct your thoughts to what He wants you to know. It works. May God continue to guide and bless you.

In closing I have always found two Bible bits very helpful. The obvious one is the Lord’s prayer. That is Jesus’ response to the disciples request : “Lord, teach us how to pray.” Jesus replied briefly, but almost perfectly, and referred to about every problem or trouble we may have: “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come.” And so on. Have a read of that prayer – it is short, concise and just about covers all of our needs – we all need to know it well. (See it in Matthew Ch.6 verses 5 to 15; and in Luke Ch.11 verses 1-4)

I also have a favourite verse from Saint Paul: “Always be joyful. Always keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” (That’s in First Thessalonians ch.5 in verse 16-18 (The Living Bible)) It is sometimes just not possible to be joyful always because we are imperfect human beings and feel pain and hurt a lot. BUT, later, we can see that God was there; working something out, in us, and that mostly takes time and HE uses other people to help .

A few hints: Have a Bible (most churches will give you one if you cannot afford it) and a piece of card of your favourite colour. Write on the card things you want God to ‘attend to’. Like: ‘Help me to see the good things in my brother, sister, friend or whoever – instead of only seeing the wrongs they do. Help me to be kinder to others/may others be kinder to me.’ ‘Please heal my friend who is sick and bless the doctors helping her’ (use your own shorthand, not long sentences). Ask Him to forgive your sins too.

Thank God for the good things you have (home, warm bed, food and friends etc.). Ask God to help those who don’t have these things. In a column, or on the other side, write down the date when your prayers were answered. When you just run out of words or prayers just say “May Your will be done in my friend Jimmy Smith.” Prayer is not easy and it takes up time and effort, but God hears you and is very pleased that you care enough to ask for His help and your life will be better for it; and that is truth. Praying gets easier as you grow older.

Q180: How did He [God] create all of the things in the world and how did He come up with names for them?

The second part of this is easy…Adam named them, and where and how Adam got the names is amazing indeed. The Bible says: “So the Lord God formed from the soil every kind of animal and bird,and brought them to the man (Adam) to see what he would call them; and whatever he called them that was their name.” ( Genesis ch.2 Verses 19 to 20).

I wonder how he brought the crocodile to Adam? Be careful!

And there are tens of thousands of different species of birds and animals. I wonder just how fast God made them,and Adam named ’em at the same speed. (When I see Adam one day I’ll congratulate him on a job well done.)

Now the hard part: “How did God create all of the things in the world? Well I don’t know?” “Sorry.” But this I do believe, a loving, creative mind created it all. I cannot conceive in my mind that butterflies, hummingbirds (they can fly backwards), whales, tigers, racehorse goannas (perenties), wedgetail eagles and condors, willie wagtails and so many others came to be by evolution. Makes my mind boggle to think that it all happened with no guiding hand of a creator. I say God did it all, but I don’t know how, and neither does anybody else. “Sorry,” again, but I truly believe that in heaven all secrets will be revealed. One secret I would like to discover is what lies at the centre of the Milky Way. It must be ‘very cool’ because the Milky Way, that’s the whole galaxy, goes around every 200 million years. How can scientists know that? Better brains than mine! And, “How come none of those 400 million stars need a Yo-Yo string to hold ’em from banging into each other?” Gravity holds ’em!

peter
04/17/19

Q181: I wonder what heaven looks like?

Good question and I wonder too and am looking forward to finding out just what it does look like. I may have answered this before, but perhaps I have got some new items to include- and it saves you searching for the other answer to this question we all think about. No pesky flies to bother us for a start-COOL!,and no murders, knifings, bashings and hate. One of the ‘Minor Prophets’ Habakkuk, wrote of God:“Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil;you cannot tolerate wrong.(Habakkuk.Chapter1;Verse3) So there will be no evil or foul things in God’s heaven.

The Prophet Habakkuk had many a question for God too- just like Yr. Seven kids!! “Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow those more righteous than themselves?” Habakkuk.Ch1: verse 4) And many other complaints he had too. God gave us ‘Free will’-the choice to do right or wrong and it brings out some nasty things in some of us.

When Moses and Elijah ‘came back’ and were talking with Jesus (see Q172) Peter, James and John did not run up and ask those two ‘Great Old Testament Heroes’: “Hey you Guys! What’s it like up there?” Peter usually spoke first and thought later − but Jesus still dearly loved him. We can only learn from Jesus and trust Him to make it good because He said: “I go to prepare a place for you.” Not just His disciples but for all who love Him. Jesus also said to them: “And if I go to prepare a place for you I will come again to take you there so we can always be together.” (John Chapter 14: verse3-4). So, I must be careful and not print what I think and want heaven to be. That’s easy; but not the truth. I do get a bit annoyed with some Christian mobs who print lovely pictures of ‘heaven’. They cannot know what it will be like!!

This I do know: “If Jesus promises something, it happens – both the good and not-so-good, it will happen”. He is getting heaven ready, HOORAY? Don’t you be the last in the queue and maybe get the job as street sweeper up there!

peter
04/17/19

Q182: Do you believe in reincarnation and why?

Well, for starters, I do not believe in reincarnation because it is a very hazy idea, even confusing, and is not mentioned in the Bible – and what if I did come back as a lamb or a pig…I might get eaten!

I have spent some time on the WWW reading up on reincarnation. I did a test and I shall come back as a Rhino! Heck! They’re ugly! Seems that I am not too bad a person after all (it was ‘Reincarnation Station’ on the www)

I cannot accept it! “I consider myself ‘good’, but who is the judge?” “Who decides if I have told the truth” I have no idea who judges me. Am on my on my way ‘Up’-or ‘Down’?!

On the WWW there were many quotes to agree with reincarnation. Napoleon is quoted, but he contradicts other very good things he had said about Jesus. (Napoleon was a dictator who ruled France, but seemed to love going to war. He finished up with France broke (no money) and him in disgrace.)

One quote on the WWW takes a story about Jesus healing a blind man. The writer claims that the blind man was in reincarnation but fails to tell the whole story of what Jesus said. Actually the disciples asked Jesus “Was the man born blind because of his parents sin or his own sin?”. Jesus told why the man was born blind: “…to demonstrate the power of God.” There are six or eight stories in this chapter nine of John’s gospel. Very gripping to read about how politics and Jesus ‘split’ the people as to just who was right. Jesus healed the blind man on the Sabbath. That was a ‘big no no’ to work on the Sabbath. It is hilarious in that the poor blind bloke shamed the religious leaders who called him: “…an illegitimate b*^*@**”, and threw him out of the Synagogue. Very entertaining story indeed (John Ch.9).

To sum up on a quite big subject: Only the Bible tells the future,and has never been wrong. It also covers the whole spectrum of life of people-individuals and people generally. It tells of life’s beginning, how to love and survive, the bit in-between (living) and the assured end in heaven. EVERYBODY thinks about heaven and what lies beyond. Only the Bible tells of one who said he would be killed and come back to life again-and who says that we can have the same life after our death(a spiritual body). “Yes.” There is life after death but not in the body of an animal-and this was spoken by Jesus who knew all about God, life, death and heaven.

And lastly: I saw on TV an Indian man ‘earning credits’ for life after death. He was covering a hundred miles or more…by prostrating himself full length on the dusty ground and making a mark there. Then standing up on the mark, knelt down with his arms outstretched to prostrate himself full length again at the last mark and make a new one. In this manner he intended for carry on for days or weeks, to have his ‘god’ take note of his devotion to that ‘god’. That surely borders on crazy!

Jesus’ people (the serious ones) may ‘Answer a call from God’ and go as a doctor, nurse, teacher, physio, agricultural worker or maybe a pilot in Africa, South America and in some of the most basic, unpleasant places on earth to set up hospitals, nursing stations etc., where there was nothing, to help sick people.

Many – and I know dozens of them, spend ten, twenty or even fifty years of their lives healing the sick and improving the lives of million – in the name of Jesus – and telling of Jesus who freely forgives our sins. No ‘duties’ or ‘work’ are required, they volunteer to go! Their expenses are paid voluntarily by Christians at home.

Maybe that’s why refugees badly want to come to ‘Christian’ countries where the Ten Commandments are the basis of government and how the people live.

peter
04/17/19

Q183: What horrible things do you have to do to go to hell?

This one is ‘dead easy’ to answer! The one horrible thing Jesus spoke of was abuse of children and it will surely get you into hell. Sexual abuse of children is ‘murder of the soul’ as one man said to me (he himself was not abused but a close ‘rellie’ was). Sexual abuse damages the soul (your heart, mind and thoughts) and is never erased. Some victims feel so bad, that to get rid of the horrible memories, they suicide.

Jesus said of those who hurt little children: ”It will be terrible for people who cause even one of my little followers to sin” (to stumble or to hurt their conscience). Those people would be better off thrown into the deepest part of the ocean with a heavy stone tied around their necks!” (Matthew 18 : verse 6) Better off than what? Jesus didn’t say. I can only guess: To be drowned in the deepest sea meant death – but worse would be to be tormented alive in hell – and it goes on forever and ever. Children were very precious to Jesus. e.g.: On one occasion some mothers brought their children to Jesus to ask Him to bless them. The disciples, thinking of children as unimportant, wanted to chase them away.

No way! “Once when some mothers were bringing their children to Jesus to bless them, the disciples shooed them away, telling them not to bother Him. But when Jesus saw what was happening he was very much displeased with his disciples and said to them ‘Let the children come to me, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as they. Don’t send them away! I tell you as seriously as I know how that anyone who refuses to come to God as a little child will never be allowed into his kingdom.’ Then he took the children into his arms and placed his hands on their heads and he blessed them.” (That’s in Mark Chapter 10 verses 13 to 16)

‘As seriously as I know how.’ is an unusual emphasis on the words Jesus was saying, so read it again, OK. And I think it is the only place where Jesus was ‘very much displeased with his disciples’. Innocent children are so very special.

Things like child abuse (physical, sexual and emotional abuse) are very high up on the list. That is Jesus talking of children in (Matthew Ch. 18:verse 6) Innocent children…some up to 15 or 16 included. Children don’t know how to fight off an adult and were always very special to Jesus. (If you do not understand ‘physical, sexual and emotional abuse’ find a trusted adult and ask them to explain it all to you. Children cannot imagine just how evil some adults can be.)

Some ordinary means of getting into hell: Be greedy and selfish, be uncaring of others and selfish, be first in line always and selfish, have no time for others, and never help those in need.

Murder, assault, bank robbery, wife-bashing and housebreaking do not help your record when you stand before God on Judgement day. Judgement Day is when we all stand before God and He separates those who were selfish and those who were not. The unselfish ones thought of others who needed help of some sort and did not hold back from giving it. (Matthew 25:verse31- 46)

It could be said that the little things (for others), is very helpful on Judgement day. Murder, bank robbery and theft, etc. are always bad and on the TV. But we will ALL have to answer for the things we did on earth. Remember this: “But if we confess our sins to Him, He can be depended on to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong (and it is perfectly proper for God to do this because Christ died to wash away our sins.)” (That is from John’s First letter Ch.1 Verse 9 (not The Gospel of John.)) We all need forgiveness for the wrong things we do.

So, child abuse is first and carries the harshest penalty. Others are very bad but people can change, be forgiven and avoid hell but emotionally damaged children mostly, cannot be restored. Think upon that, please.

And lastly: ‘Banksters’, big people with power to wring (steal) money from the ‘little’, powerless ordinary people will stand before the Throne of God to answer for their huge, colossal greed that caused so many to be so poor in the GFC (Global Financial Crisis) in 2008.

peter
04/22/19

Q184: Why do we go to heaven or hell?

I guess that there are only two places to go, but the Bible does say that God put a spirit in man (people) so they are therefore like God and that spirit never dies, so it needs to go somewhere when the body dies.

Our soul which is different but very much a part of our spirit, is what sort of person we develop into by our thinking, planning, behaviour, our attitude in how we help or hinder other people in our lives. All that is weighed up (judged) by God who then decides if we spend eternity with God – or away from Him.

Jesus told a story of a guy who was very rich and uncaring of others and a guy who was very sick and poor. They both died around the same time. One went to ‘heaven’ the other to ‘hell’. There is a separation, and no other place was mentioned by Jesus in that story. (Luke Ch.16:verses 19 to 31).

And in case you were wondering we choose in this life which place we go to. I don’t believe that there is some place where we can ‘make up for lost time and bad behaviour’ by being ‘Good’ for X number of years. Why do I say this? Because the Bible is – and has been ‘The Good Book’ for over 5,000 years.

It has been the world’s ‘best seller’ for yonks, the only religious handbook that tells the future and has never been wrong. It predicted the Messiah’s (Jesus) life in quite small detail – which has all come true – save for a few future events. Can any other religious handbook claim that? You decide!!

Q185: Has Jesus done anything wrong in his life?

“No.” Now there is a pretty short answer. ‘How come?’ you may ask. Well several times he told his disciples : “I have come to do the will of Him (God) who sent me,” and other statements like that. Jesus is referred to as ‘The Sinless Son of God’. In all of the Old Testament – from the time of The Ten Commandments up to the time of Jesus, when a sacrifice to God was made, it had to be: “…a lamb, a goat or bullock without blemish. God did not appreciate damaged, injured, or sick animals for the sacrifice, i.e. damaged goods.

The sacrifice was made to ‘…cover the sins of the person offering the sacrifice.’…and it cost them money too! God got very, very angry when people who knew better, offered imperfect sacrifices (sick or injured animals) and punished them for it.

So, in order to ‘…die for our sins’, Jesus knew that to sin would make him unacceptable to God as a sacrifice for us. He therefore kept himself – with God’s help – free from sin.

peter
04/22/19

Q186: Sexual\What has God done wrong in his life?

God, and Jesus did no wrong in their life. In the written question the word ‘Sexual’ has a capital ‘S’ and appears to be partly crossed out. Not to worry – neither God, nor Jesus got into sexual, or any other sort of sin. I believe that if there was, the whole world, and the universe would be affected by the attitude that sin brings on – trouble and always bad.

peter
04/22/19

Q187: Why do we die if God loves us soooo much?

What a good question. “Yes!” He sure does love us soooo much indeed but long ago He chose to give us humans a choice to do right – or to do what is wrong.(Try to imagine this world if we humans had no choice to be good or bad.) It would be a strange place where everyone moved around as though being told by an unseen voice what to do every moment of the day. Phew!!

And, understand, not everyone is in good health, having a good life and does not want it to come to an end. Some begin life sick, and stay sick all through life.

We die…so we can go and be with God in heaven where: “He will wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain. All that has gone forever.” (Revelation chapter 21:Verses 2 to 4.) We die and go there if we choose to. At 80 years plus, this writer is looking forward to that trip.

peter
04/24/19

Q188: What sort of people go to Hell?

The unpleasant sort…always after No.1. Like…‘I want what I want now’…that sort of attitude. As in Question number 182 above, child abusers are at the top of the list, that’s physical, sexual and emotional abuse. If you need to, ask a trusted, wise person to explain those words to you.

One in five children in Western Australia are abused in some way at sometime. Few of them understand just how evil some grown up people can be.

I guess the next in line would be males (“men” is too good a word for them) who get drunk and come home and belt up their wives while the kids are there. Gutless males of the worst kind. Next come drug dealers who hook young people to make money from them. Then bank robbers, murderers, Banksters (executives of huge banks and businesses) who use their power and influence to rob millions of ’Little people’ of their savings. The same sort of ‘Robber’ was around when Jesus was here.

peter
04/24/19

Q189: “Why do we have to die?” and, “Why do bad things happen?” and, “Why does God let children die?”

Most people couple these three questions together (check out some of the other answers), and a sudden death is a bad thing especially for a young person. Joseph’s story in Genesis Ch. 37 to Ch. 50, tells the story of the beginning of the nation of Israel. Poor old Joseph was sold into slavery as a teenager, went to jail for seven years on false rape charges, but finished up being the Governor of all Egypt. (Gen.42:37-43). But God planned it that way!

Joseph suffered much, but eventually realised that God had planned all the bad things that happened and God knew that Joseph – even though suffering a lot, was made of ‘The right stuff’. God’s hand was in it all and the nation of ‘Israel’ was founded on Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (Israel), and his 12 sons and Joseph’s persisting in doing right and not fighting God’s plan.

This writer (The Answerer) fell at home and has spent 39 years in a wheelchair. Somehow I went from making things, to being a teacher, and then teaching Scripture for 25 years and a question answerer (like the above 189 questions), with more to come. Somehow for me, God made lemons into lemonade!! Jesus does know what is going to happen tomorrow (see Q65), and He has been known to save little children from death, but not all of them. We humans are given a choice to be good or bad.

Many are bad, but many more are good, and in between bad and good things happen to all people. Experiencing trouble makes many people very compassionate and helpful. Other people seem to make trouble – just to make trouble. Who puts viruses into computers? Bad people. We all have a choice to do good or bad.

Q190: Why does God exist?

To make the world and us I suppose – He needed a family to call his own, you know. Maybe that should include the ‘Big Bang’ and the universe. Who, or what else, could do that? Science lives by the ‘Big Bang’ Theory. But, it is only a theory!

And as for us humans, only a loving, brilliant creator could create the human body. It is so incredibly complex and beautiful at the same time. And 7,000,000,000 faces and no two are exactly the same. That did not come about by evolution!

And the ‘Good News’. I recently read of an aid group meeting in some place to discuss ‘need among poor people’. One non-Christian asked the missionary: “What can you offer these people that we can’t?” The missionary replied, “Forgiveness.” People need a ‘peaceful’ conscience, free from the shame of guilt and regret. God can do that for us as no other ‘god’ can. Some people have such a load of hidden shame and regret that they even suicide to be free of it. Others worry and fret in shame at what they have done in the past. God came to offer ‘Forgiveness’ to us. He came in the form of Jesus. Quite a few prisoners in our jails have time to ‘think’. They read the Bible and get the whole picture of Jesus, who He was and why He came to the earth. They ‘get converted’ there and begin a new direction in their lives – and never return to crime. Others are not sorry for their crime, get out eventually, but resume a life of crime, as they did before, and back to jail!

peter
05/04/19

Q191: “Why doesn’t God come and talk to the people on the earth?” and “Mr Harris, have you ever had Jesus talk back to you when you pray?”

Well, I have been ‘spoken to’ four times, but not like on a telephone and I was not told who it was. Please read Q.72 on my life. Another time while Bible reading (devotions) a voice interrupted me to say: “Go and see Mrs Arnold.” “Oh no, not her!” I thought or said. For a minute or two ‘we’ (the voice and me) argued back and forth. Yes we did! The ‘voice‘ just kept repeating, “Go and see Mrs Arnold.” No annoyance or emotion at all. I finally agreed, reluctantly, to go from Kalamunda to Lockridge and was 90 minutes late for Bible College lectures. Mrs Arnold lived on the third floor with no phone, lift and no fly or security screens.

Mrs Arnold was about to jump out of the third floor Homeswest flat (unit) and suicide. My visit stopped her. She said: “Well, God must have sent you – I was just about to jump out of the window and kill myself.” She talked non-stop for 45 minutes and I had no chance to tell her that someone actually did send me, but I have to assume it was one of God’s angels telling me: “Go.” (I didn’t tell her I didn’t want to see her!)

Being ‘Spoken to’: I have met one lady three times – but also to hear her tell her story. The story is of a 22 year old, quite a beautiful girl, lost on a child’s canoe (bunca) in the wild South China Sea for three days and two nights – including tropical storms at night. She was ‘spoken to’ by an unseen male voice ten or twenty times!! Yes indeed she was – and scared to death too – and was quite sure she was going to die. She did not die. Three angels kept watch over her the second night. Her book: A Mighty Tempest, by Michelle Hamilton is truly incredible reading. Jonah Ministries can be found on the www.jonahministries. Her story could not have been made up, it is just too incredible, and her book is ‘hard to put down’. I have read it twice and heard her tell it three times. She is a ‘good looker’ and blonde too – and the fishermen who rescued her thought she was: ‘…an Americano mermaid’ – but no, just one very lost girl in the middle of the ocean.

So I know of nobody having Jesus ‘talk’ to them. A ‘voice’ yes, but not saying who he was, but may have been Jesus himself. The written word in the Bible has ample directions to help us to know the way to live and so on. We do need to read the Bible for directions. There is much guidance there.

peter
05/12/19

Q192: Who picks the way we look?

Well now what a question! Again – this could take a book to answer but I’ll keep it short. I must ask do you mean, the body, or the face? The face, the eyes, the mouth and your expression usually show to the world how you feel and what you ‘stand for’. Some folk don’t like how they look so maybe drink grog to be more acceptable in the eyes of others.

As a youngster your biological mum and dad share the way you look. Later:’You are what you eat.’ Meaning if you live on ‘fast food’ you could look half alive and overweight while your liver and kidneys try to get rid of the ‘rubbish’ you have pumped into it- but it tastes so good. (it tastes so good because your body is not allowed to try good pure food that makes your body, and your eyes sparkle).

Look closely at our Aussie athletes – the hockey team, the swimmers, runners and all the others. “Do you imagine they can be world champions living on ‘Junk food’?” No Sireeee!

On the other hand if a child is abused in any way (sexual, physical or emotional) how can they ‘put on a happy face’ when they feel awful in their heart? Some, maybe most, take to alcohol to dull the pain in their heart. Playing music can help a lot if it is possible when the heart is aching; but not everyone can take up music because it mostly costs money.

And dress: Who do you dress to impress? Your mum, Dad, employer, best friend, a boy or girl you want to attract? Our dress and attitude tell other people what we are, want, or hope to be.

peter
05/12/19

Q193: How does God know when you’re talking to him?

Good question, and ‘Yes.’ He does know but I cannot tell you how? I do know that God has divine (sacred) powers to do such things. We know nothing of these powers except that prayer often changes things our way.

King David deeply trusted God and, as a teenager, killed Goliath, the giant loudmouth, with a stone from his slingshot – the stone sunk into his forehead (no brain to stop it!). This is recorded in 1 Samuel chapter 17 verses 26 to 53. The Bible does not record any prayer of David then; but his mind and words tell us that he must have said a prayer of some sort in his mind as this teenager ran towards Goliath with his stones and his slingshot – towards a three metre tall giant.

David wrote most of the Psalms about God whom he loved so much. David was no angel – he sinned plenty, but he knew that God knew his every thought. He wrote: “O lord you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely O Lord. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.” (Psalm 139 verses 1-6)

This writer, (The Answerer), had an experience last year (details forgotten, sorry) where I added up some unusual happenings when some things went ’My way’. I did not profit financially but it was unusually good in that I figured that God must have known my thoughts and heard my prayers. I do feel silly at not remembering the details (if I remember it I’ll put it on this site later).

peter
05/12/19

Q194: In heaven does everyone wear white?

I would say not everyone, but some would. In Revelation people dressed in white robes are mentioned and the apostle John (in his vision) was asked: ”Do you know who those people are that are dressed in white robes? Do you know where they come from?” ”Sir.” I answered, “You must know.” Then he told me. “These are the ones who have gone through great suffering.” (Revelation chapter 7 verse 13 to 14) Then the Elder went on to say that because they suffered greatly, God would reward them greatly because their suffering was for the sake of being Christians and they had remained faithful, in spite of much suffering. So some will wear white, maybe for special occasions, the special ones I guess. But our dress is not mentioned as of any real importance. (I do look good in green!)

I cannot imagine the residents ‘up there’ dressing as we do ‘down here’ with fashion changes and all that. It will be good, because whatever we wear Moses has been doing it for 3,000 years. So ordinary clothes will not do! (I wonder if Moses followed fashions, if they are there.)

Q195: How do you know there’s a heaven?

Because the most well known name in history, Jesus, said there was such a place. He spoke of it often and said that he came from there. The Egyptians, 3,000 years ago, spent much money ensuring that the Pharoahs went there in style and were remembered with rather large memorials (pyramids). The ordinary folk in Egypt did didn’t seem to matter. Their god was ‘Ra’ the sun god. Even the atheist government of China speaks of ‘Heavenly peace’. Everyone thinks of it, or speaks of it, but only Jesus died; and came back from death to prove it as a fact of His existence – and our future if we choose it.

peter
08/11/19

Q196: Does God choose what you do?

No, you do, simple as that. God has given us guideline – the greatest being ‘what Jesus did’. This was our example. Some years ago a man wrote a book entitled In His Steps, by Charles Shelton (I think). The book sold in the millions, yes indeed it did. The author decided to put into practice “What would Jesus do.” in all his daily decision making. Well he never went to jail, robbed banks, ‘mugged’ innocent people, insulted anyone and always told the truth. AND,I guess he memorised ‘The Ten Commandments’. Our modern ‘liberated’ world slowly ceased thinking about the idea and it sort of hangs around in the initials WWJD on pencils and rubbers – sold only in Christian shops. Too inconvenient for most, but others often pause to think it through when in a quandary. Others do much of it automatically and others are selfish and do bad things and wonder why they are not satisfied and are unhappy. We are given a choice to do as we want-and in doing that we choose our consequences too, the good, or the not-so-good.

peter
08/11/19

Q197: Did God live on earth?

No, not God himself, His ‘Only begot-ton Son’ (Jesus) came to represent Him for three years. ‘Only begotton’ means very special and Jesus was it. Jesus said: “I and the Father are one.” And, “I only speak what my Father tells me to say.” And, “If you have seen me you have seen the Father.”

This is hard to comprehend that God, Jesus and The Holy Spirit are one. A bit like water can be in three forms: solid, liquid or gas… or ice, water and vapour (steam or mist)are all the same stuff.

The Christian religion has no images, statues or things one can touch and see. Some ‘Icons’ are made because, I think, some people need something they can actually see and even touch – it helps some folk. The Bible does not mention them as necessary.

peter
08/11/19

Q198: Did God create the different religions?

No, he did not as far as I know. Abraham was chosen to begin the Hebrew (Jewish) religion, and Jesus Christ, a Jew himself, began Christianity. Ishmail, Abraham’s son by his servant girl Hagar, went off to Egypt and married a girl there.

God said to Hagar (after a fight with her mistress Sarah) and Hagar had run away: “Return to your mistress and act as you should, for I will make you into a great nation. Yes you are pregnant and your baby will be a son,and you are to name him Ishmael (God hears), because God has heard your woes. This son of yours will be a wild one – free and untamed as a wild ass (donkey)! He will be against everyone, and everyone will feel the same towards him. But he will live near the rest of his kin.” (Genesis Chapter 16;verses 9 to 12).

So through Ishmael’s descendants many years later, began the Islamic or Arab religion. The Bible does not say that God directed him to do so. Islam is the second biggest religion in the world. Hinduism, Buddism, Sikhism, and many others, I believe, were not created by God, but by men.

peter
08/11/19

Q199: “Why did God create us?” and “Why did God create the world?”

“So God could have a family.” That answer was given to me by an Aboriginal girl in year seven and is 100% correct! Some of that family would choose to follow him, and some would not. We had to have somewhere to live so he made the world and I guess for us to live on and ponder HOW He did it!

Q200: Is heaven like we live now?

No, not at all! Far, far better! I am looking forward to it. No night, no pain, no crying, no tears or suffering. Why? Jesus said to His 12 disciples, He was going to be killed and then go and prepare a place for them in heaven. He said: “Let not your heart be troubled. You are trusting God, now trust in me. There are many homes up there where my Father lives, and I am going to prepare them for your coming. When everything is ready, then I will come and get you so that you can always be with me where I am. If this weren’t so, I would tell you plainly.” (John 14: verses 1 to 4)

So, Jesus has gone to prepare a place for the 12 disciples (that would be a small family indeed). No, it’s for everyone who loves and follows Jesus. And in the last part of the Bible John writes of a vision he had and messages he heard: “I saw a new heaven and a new earth…(and) I heard a loud voice shout from the throne: God’s home is now with his people. He will live with them, they will be his own. Yes, God will make his home among his people. He will wipe all tears from their eyes, and there will be no more death, suffering, crying, or pain. These things of the past are gone forever.” (Revelation Chapter 21: verses 1to 4)

So – no crying, no suffering and no more death. Who could want more? Be sure you are there.

peter
08/11/19

Q201: Why do people fall in love?

Boy I like this question and thank you for asking it. We are made to fall in love. God made us that way, thank goodness! And being in love is just beautiful, exotic and quite magical.

Not to be infatuated! Big difference. (My 1998 Collins dictionary and thesaurus says: infatuated: ‘foolishly enamoured’ – and the Thesaurus bit: beguiled, besotted, bewitched, captivated, obsessed, and fascinated. (1998 ed.)

All these can seem like being in love, so do be careful because often the opposite sex can be so fascinating that people confuse love with infatuation.

I believe God made us to fall in love (fortunately, not all with the same one) because that is part of the wonderful time of growing up. Can often be confusing, even frightening too. Only fools rush into it without thinking carefully.

There is a story in the Bible that exposes infatuation. A guy fell for a girl and is sick with ‘love’ for her and contrives to have sex with her – then he strongly despises her. (The story is in 2 Samuel chapter 13 verses 1 to 39). It is a story of false love (infatuation) rape, hate, shame, disgrace for the girl and later murder of the guy.

It happens today. We must choose carefully who to marry. There is quite a Bible ‘Soap Opera’ in that chapter 13.

Note well: “If a guy tells a girl who likes him very much – but will not have sex with him: “If you really loved me you would.” (have sex). THAT’S BLACKMAIL! He does not really love you and is putting himself first – not the one he says he ‘loves’! So take care. N.B. If a person truly loves someone, they will never pressure that person to do something they don’t want to do.

peter
08/11/19

Q202: Why do people believe in other religions?

Mostly because that’s how their parents taught them. Until we are older we do not think if ‘my Religion’ is right for me, and stands up to close examination. Later on, some of us – the thinkers, get to examine in our mind if is it a true way of seeing things. Maybe you have just been told, or heard of a ‘New religion’. A thinking person asks themselves: ”Is this new ‘Religion’, a real and better answer to the questions that persist in my mind?”

This is dangerous in some Muslim lands where converting from Islam to Christianity can result in loss of job, being expelled from family and community, or death. I kid you not, people get killed quite often for ‘converting’ to Christianity.

Thinkers are rare in some communities. Most do not like to change, or will not change their ways. It takes time and real effort. I thank God for thinkers. We need ‘em!

There is a question above: “What is the meaning of life?” (172). Such things do not bother most people – they think it is too much trouble and think: “I’ll just wait and see, I’ll take what luck offers and hope for the best.” Well, they live, sleep, drink, have fun and decide not to think about death and what lies beyond death. That’s gambling with the highest stakes I can think of. Moses has been dead – in heaven – with Jesus, for 3,000 years and came back once to be with Jesus. Peter, James and John saw it all. (Matthew Ch.17:verses 1 to 17).

If you asked me: “How come you think Christianity is the true ‘religion’?”, I would ask you to read the gospel of John, or Luke who was a doctor – an educated man. Read it carefully from beginning to the end while sitting by yourself. Then think about who Jesus was, what he did and how come he could do things nobody else has ever done. And is his resurrection from the tomb to life again in three days, exactly as he said he would, true or false? And another question: “After 2,012 years were Jesus and his 12 disciples mad – or is it all true?”

Then compare what you read with the vague and negative ideals of all the other ‘religions’ in the world and see if love, healing of the mind, caring for others and what if everybody followed ‘The ten Commandments?’. What sort of world would we have. A lot depends on what, and how, you think. “God bless.”

peter
08/11/19

Q203: What happens when you die? Do you just, like, live forever up there, or do you get a second life?

You are a ‘Thinker’ – thank you and God bless you.

Those who go there get it all. We do live forever and the ‘second life’ is in a ‘spiritual body’ same as Jesus had when he visited the 12 disciples after he rose from the tomb. On those two occasions Jesus just appeared, having come through a wall with a locked door. That happened twice. Thomas (his nickname was Doubting Thomas), who was not there the first time, refused to believe that it was really Jesus. He wanted to see the nail marks in his hands and where the spear had pierced Jesus’ side. Then,on the second occasion Thomas was there, saw and the marks and he believed. That record is in John Chapter 20 verses 19 to 29.

These are, to me, marvellous words from Jesus, when on the second time when Thomas was there, saw the nail marks and believed, Jesus said: “Thomas, do you have faith because you have seen me? The people who have faith in me without seeing me are the ones who are really blessed.” (John 20: verse 29)

So you see, some need to see and be sure. Others know by hearing it, thinking about it and then believing. That’s faith.

About the ‘second life’ bit. Paul wrote to reassure and to encourage the church people at Thessalonica about death and the ‘Second coming of Christ’. Paul had been a strict Jew, an ‘upper class’ Pharisee and well respected. He hunted down Christians after Jesus went to heaven and had authority to have them chained and taken to Jerusalem for trial and probably death. He got ‘converted’ and did a ‘U-Turn’ when Jesus spoke to him from the sky, and Paul became a great evangelist for the Christian cause. He had a very high IQ! (Read about it in Acts Chapter 9;Verses 1 to 31)

One of his letters is to the church at Thessalonica tells of heaven when we die: “And now, dear brothers, I want you to know what happens to a Christian when he dies so that when it happens, you will not be full of sorrow, as those are who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and then came back to life again, we can also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him all the Christians who have died. I can tell you this directly from the Lord: that we who are still living when the Lord returns will not rise to meet Him ahead of those who are in their graves. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a mighty shout and with the soul-stirring cry of the Archangel and the great trumpet-call of God. And the believers who are dead will be the first to rise to meet the Lord. Then we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and remain with Him forever. So comfort and encourage one another with these words.” (First Thessalonians , chapter 4: verses 13 to 18 The Living Bible)

So there it is – a bit long for this answer but 10,000 years is just the beginning of eternity with God in heaven.

What we will do there I know not – maybe fly across to other galaxies as a missionary? We are not told, but I’ll bet Moses and all other believers do not go to a Bible study every morning and sing hymns all day. ‘No Sir.’ There’ll be something far better

peter
08/12/19

Q204: Why do people slaughter animals?

For many reasons. For a huge variety of reasons and in a huge variety of ways.

The worst are poachers in Africa who kill rhinoceroses just to cut off their horns to collect big money, like $10,000 a kilo from buyers who believe that ground up rhino horn is good medicine for many sicknesses and makes men have better sex. And worse still, maybe soon, the only rhinos left will be in captivity (the rhino horn is made of keratin – the same stuff as our hair and fingernails!) Better sex from keratin-rubbish!

Next: some Asian tigers are killed for their body parts, which are regarded as good medicine and are readily bought by herbalists in Asia for sale.

In more civilised countries cattle, sheep, lambs, goats, camels, horses, fish and such are killed for meat to sell in the local butchers shop and supermarkets for pets and people. Some people just hate the trade and refuse to eat meat.

Japan slaughters thousands of Minkie whales each year; maybe that’s what you are thinking about. That ‘slaughter’ causes many people to be unhappy. So the ‘Sea Shepherd Society’ gathers money from caring people and go down into the Southern ocean with a ship or two to harass (bother) the Japanese whaling ships and cause the Japanese to kill a lot fewer whales. The Japanese say that they are killing the whales for: “scientific purposes.” Not many believe them.

Jesus ate lamb and fish. Before Jesus came the Jews killed cattle, sheep, lambs and goats as a sacrifice to God for their sins. Strict methods as to how, are written in the Bible. And most of them were eaten for food too.

Q205: Why are some people poor and some are wealthy and rich?

Oh boy, you have hit the jackpot for much of the world’s troubles. Thank you for bringing up this HUGE problem. This is one reason I like Year 7 kids so much, they are beginning to think – ‘What’s wrong with the world?’ – and it is my favourite subject after the Bible. There is so much injustice in this world – from pure greed by the ‘rich’ countries!

Below are several examples of greed – it is a curse – and I am so glad there will be a “Judgement Day’ later.

As example: the giant chocolate makers in the world – there are only half a dozen really big ones, dominate the prices paid to cocoa producers in West Africa: Ghana, Ivory Coast and so on.

Kids aged 6 years to grown ups have to miss out on school to cut down cocoa pods from the trees to make enough money to live, but not enough for school fees. They cut them open, dry the beans on a cloth on the ground, then sell them for whatever price the market offers. You cannot make chocolate

They live in simple huts with no running water, no proper toilets, no electricity and NO air conditioning in a hot tropical climate! They are all very poor. The beans go into the back door of the giant chocolate makers factories at, say 30 cents a kilo, and come out the front gate at $30.00 to $50.00 a kilo. ‘WE’ rich people in rich countries have the money to buy it too, but are happy to not care about the growers in Africa.

OIL: Seven giant oil companies control the production, price, shipping, refining and sale of most of the world’s oil. In Nigeria 90% of people are very poor. Nigeria has huge deposits of oil, but only the rich and very corrupt people get any.

The giant oil companies of course get the most. Those companies get so much money that oil, in some countries, has got the name “The Curse of Oil.” Why? Because money brings out the worst in people with power and the ‘little people’ get almost nothing. And when the oil runs out that country has nothing to show for it like hospitals, schools, roads and railways.

FOOD: Again giant companies are able to beat down the price they pay farmers for cattle, lambs, chickens, eggs, pork, tomatoes, wheat, beans ,sugar etc, etc. In my town Perth, and in much of Australia, two giant grocery companies keep farmers poor by refusing to pay the farmer a good price for milk, veggies and fruit and we get it cheaper but farmers never get enough money for their work. And the farmer or growers have the risk of no crop at all if the weather turns bad.

FARMERS NEVER GET RICH! I know a lot and they do not drive Mercs, BMWs or even Rollers. Those cars are for folk who “play the market” for big profits in the cities and take no risks. This is all over much of the world.

The discussions about prices and who gets the money etc., goes on in company board rooms – behind the closed doors – of giant food trading companies and the price is manipulated to make huge profits for big companies.

Get the book ‘Fast Food Nation’ to see how it is all done, by men in nice suits, shirts and ties with families and so on. Thieves and robbers are many of them. That book in about the USA but it applies to much of the world. The book is cheap and easy to read. Ask your local library to get it. On one page there is listed what ‘imitation strawberry flavour’ is made of. Fifty ingredients make it up – 48 chemicals with cinnamon and vodka. There’s no real strawberries in it at all! And what do those chemicals do to your body? I know not!!

I am on my ‘soap box’ now. If you later – or mum or dad now – want to know the truth on these matters here are two books to read: A Century of War: Anglo-American Oil Politics and the New World Order, 2011, by F. William Engdahl. From this book I learnt just why the world’s ‘poor’ are poor. The world’s giant bankers ‘rip them off’ so they cannot buy essential medicines, mostly because of high interest rates on loans and manipulation of the worlds resources (oil & food).

The other, perhaps more frightening is Surviving the Cataclysm, Your Guide Through the Greatest Financial Crisis in Human History 3^rd Edition, 2011, by Webster Griffin Tarpley.

These are quite ‘heavy’ to read but in these two books are the facts behind most of the worlds troubles mentioned in your question, and they are many. May you become one of the people who learn the truth – you’ll never get it from the TV news. “Thank you again for the question.” May the whole world know about it soon. I included those two books because this writing is going on the WWW and I hope more people can know about such wrong things.

peter
08/25/19

Q206: What did God make before life and the world?

Sorry, I don’t know. Maybe he was planning it all. Like The Milky Way galaxy and the universe. Now that was a big planning job! Do you agree? Or maybe God was planning The Big Bang?! Or maybe planning who and how planet earth could be ‘home’ for his human race of people later on. Nobody knows really.

08/25/19

Q207: Why do people die?

This question has many answers because people are so different all over the world. Children see death as far, far away and that is quite normal and good. Life is to enjoy.

Some babies are born deformed, or with a disability, some severe, some mild and some with an intellectual disability, many of those die early. Most babies are born OK.

Others get killed in motor car accidents or collisions. Others are murdered, some are even poisoned because they tell too much of things they should not tell – like exposing corruption.

Many are killed in wars. Nobody wins in wars – except the makers of guns, bombs, rifles and so on. But most wars are planned to achieve certain gains, or profits for big organisations. I kid you not!

Others die because they: ”Dig their own grave with a knife and fork”. They eat too much, get very fat, get sick and die younger. Others smoke and drink too much.

But the Bible says ”..a man’s life is 70 years; 80 if he is fortunate.” It is normal to die between 80 and 100 years and that’s how God planned it. Then we can go to heaven to be with God for ever and ever – if we choose to. Moses has been there for 3,000 years! The 12 disciples for 2,000 years.

Heaven is not compulsory – you can choose to go where God is not if you care to – with people who are the same. This writer, ‘The Answerer,’ is looking forward to dying (but I don’t want to be there when it happens – it might hurt). Truly, 39 years in a wheelchair, and over 80 years old,- I really have had enough (in a nice way). My Mum got to be 100 years. She said to me once: “Oh Peter, I’m so tired, I would just like to go to sleep and not wake up.” She did, at 100 years plus 3 months. She’s in heaven now.

I have only heard of a few older people who want to get to 150 or more. I reckon they had no nagging sickness, plenty of money, and never stopped to see the poverty, sickness, and pain that many people have to live with every day.

peter
08/25/19

Q208: Why do people have talent and people do not?

You seem as though you think you haven’t any talent and maybe wonder why. Well this writer (The Answerer) did not have much until he got to around 50 or 60 years old. Or, maybe you are thinking that someone else who has too much, or too little.

I believe we all are good at something, and sometimes do not find out about it till later in life.

Richard Branson: (Virgin Air, Virgin Records, etc, etc.) has much trouble reading and understanding things we find easy. I heard that he is dyslectic – finds it very hard to read what we find easy.

In a board meeting of one of his companies he did not understand what ‘net’ and ‘gross’ was. An understanding friend took him out to the kitchen, and on a pair of scales showed him that ‘Gross’ was the total weight of (say) a loaded truck. ‘Net’ (or tare) was the empty weight of the truck. Then he understood. Richard sure does know how and what makes a business succeed. Maybe a stupid teacher told him once that he was no good at reading, writing or spelling. Who’s the millionaire, successful, and always happy guy now? Richard Branson!

This writer ‘The Answerer’ was no genius as a kid. Very ordinary marks in all subjects, but did get 100% for spelling. Little did I know that at 45 years old I would be at university learning to be a teacher. I liked Yr 7 kids in schools, and 2013 was my 25th year teaching Scripture to Yr 7 kids. I love it. And it would seem that answering kids questions is a talent I have – but I did not know it – or it was given to me later.

Dancing! When God gave out rhythm I must have been looking away or something. I have no rhythm. I took private lessons to learn The Modern Waltz for my wedding. I failed – could not ‘hack it’ – for my own wedding! Yes it was embarrassing.

If you think you have none, be patient. Keep trying things and I believe that one day you’ll discover that you are very good at something.

peter
08/25/19

Q209: Will we all be raptured by God or Jesus?

Wow! you do seem to know about the rapture already and I like that. Jesus will be the one to do it – He said so. God stays in His heaven at all times. And it is all spelt out in the Scripture. I like that too. Why? Well if Jesus says something will happen, it WILL happen. Jesus did not use the word ‘Rapture’, but His description of what will happen sounds awfully good.

Christians use the word ‘Rapture’ because it describes how that event will be. I.e. When a singer, pop group, orchestra or solo piano player gives an outstanding performance the crowd give him/her ‘Rapturous applause’ and sometimes they all stand up because it was so very, very good.

So the ‘Rapture’ will be very joyful for Christians. Paul describes the event for some Christians in Thessalonica who were worried that some of them had died before Jesus ‘came back’ as he had told his disciples that He would. To put their minds at rest Paul wrote this : “And now, dear brothers, I want you to know what happens to a Christian when he dies so that when it happens, you will not be full of sorrow, as those are who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and then came back to life again, we can also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with Him all the Christians who have died. I can tell you this directly from the Lord:that we who are still living when the Lord returns will not rise to meet Him ahead of those who are in their graves. For the Lord himself (Jesus)will come down from heaven with a mighty shout and the soul-stirring cry of the archangel and the great trumpet-call of God. And the believers who are dead will be the first to rise to meet the Lord. Then we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and remain with Him forever. So comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians.Chapter 4: verses 13 to 18 The Living Bible)

Don’t dismiss Paul as a fool. He was highly intelligent and a member of ‘the best groups in town’. He was a ‘Professional Envoy’ from Jerusalem, given authority to round up any Christians he could find – and they mostly went in chains – to Jerusalem to jail or death. His life did a ‘U-turn’ and he became God’s chosen person to spread the ‘Good News’ about Jesus. That’s in Acts Chapter 9.

It is known as ‘A Damascus Road Experience’ and is still used in sports commentaries about players and coaches and people whose lives take a ‘U-turn’.

I believe that ‘The Rapture’ could be around the same time as ‘Judgement Day’. That is in Matthew Ch. 25, verses 31 to 46. Please note: There is some difference of opinion among Christians as to the exact sequence of ‘The Rapture’, ‘The Tribulation’, and ‘The Second Coming’ of Christ. Many many books have been written on those three events but only God knows the exact timing of those events. An intelligent person will not put dates on it – that would be foolish – and neither does a careful Christian argue about who is right about it all.

Q210: Is it true if we see God we will die?

Yes the Bible says so in the Old Testament…but you will never see him – it is close to impossible. God was saying this to Moses, sort of in the beginning when Moses was alive and was talking to God and receiving His laws, instructions and rules of behaviour. Moses had them all written down.

Have a read of Exodus Chapter 33 verses 1 to 23. In verse 11 it says: “Inside the tent the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend…” But in verse 20 it says “But you may not see the glory of my face, for a man may not see me and live.” Later God allowed Moses to see His back as he passed by (v 23). Seems confusing – but I refuse to try to fully understand it all – there’s too much other work to do.

That was over 3,000 years ago and as far as I know, nobody has had a chance to see God’s face – except maybe those who have died in an out-of body-experience and later came back to life. So do not worry about it if you are afraid.

peter
08/25/19

Q211: How many Gods are there since He is Every where?

I believe that there is only one true God: the God of the Bible, maker of heaven and earth, and people.

I am glad you wrote ‘since He is everywhere’. He truly is everywhere. All the idols, and the 30,000 Indian, and other gods are made of stone, wood, gold and so on, but they are man’s creations and cannot talk or help as the true God can.

This God of the Bible can be everywhere because He is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent (look those up in a good dictionary). This God has countless angels to carry out his will too, if He chooses to.

peter
08/25/19

Q212: Why does God kill people?

In the Old Testament before Jesus (BC), it is recorded that God killed many people. Mostly it was an enemy army attacking God’s people (2 Chronicles 20 verses 1 to 30). God caused three great armies to attack each other until not one soldier was vertical, all were dead (it took three days to carry off the ‘loot’). It is one of my favourite O.T. stories, because King Jehoshaphat was scared but he gathered all his people to pray and seek God’s help, and they got it too.

The Egyptian army drowning in the sea is another (Exodus Ch. 14; verses 1-31).

God also killed His own people too. Yes indeed. Strange you may think. God had warned the Israelites to obey his specific commands and directions but many flatly refused and had forgotten the great things God had done for them. A good number of them died. As soon as they repented (were sorry) and did right, all was well. Some people do need to ‘be taught a lesson’ and God’s punishment, even death, was a part of it. It might be repeated again in our time if some ‘Christian’ nations are not careful. Some say that Australia is a ‘post Christian’ nation now (i.e we used to be be Cristian in our belief and behaviour but now we are not). Many Aussies pay little heed to God and the Bible – but NOT ALL!

peter
08/31/19

Q213: How many kids did Adam and Eve have?

We are not specifically told. They had Cain and Abel first, and then Seth came along. “After Seth was born Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters” (Genesis 5: verse 4). So we cannot know but I think that Eve should have been given some mention because she did all the work!! (That’s me joking).

peter
08/31/19

Q214: Did God create penguins?

Yes, most definitely. It’s in the first page of the Bible in the creation story, “And God said, ‘Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.’ So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems*, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.” (Genesis Ch.1 Verses 20 to 21)

I think God did a great job with the oceans. You can see some of its glorious beauty with a snorkel, face mask and flippers close to shore in many places in the ocean. Just so beautiful!

*Teems, is a good word to describe the oceans God created. I find it a great shame, a tragedy, that the oceans that people have fished with much joy for hundreds of years, are now ‘teeming’ with plastic. Millions of tonnes of plastic that breaks down eventually and kills birds, fish, turtles and sharks. Only humans ‘foul’ their own nest! Animals treat this planet better than so called ‘intelligent’ human beings. Do you agree?

Q215: What does God think about Homosexuals? P.S. and Lesbians

This sounds a bit like someone asking me “What do I think of our local member of Parliament?” Well homosexuals and lesbians could be like that to God and if they did meet sometime I guess God would say: “Hullo, I do hope that you will accept my free gift of salvation.” (That’s forgiveness of sin and a free ticket to heaven and eternal life with God and Jesus.)

It is important that this answer includes homosexuals and homosexuals who engage in homosexual sex. They are different.

Homosexuals and lesbians are created along with all other humans who may be different to most e.g., God told Moses to go and confront the Pharaoh of Egypt and demand that he let the Israelites go from slavery in Egypt. Moses didn’t want to go. Moses said, “O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” The Lord said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I the Lord. Now go; I will help you speak and teach you what to say.” (Genesis Ch. 4 verses 10 to 12)

I have never heard a preacher talk on that subject; people who are disabled and different, homosexuals included. It may be just too difficult a subject to talk about. They are different, but God loves them all.

A few thoughts from me, ‘The Answerer’, about disability in a family. I am now more than 80 years old, have been in a wheelchair for over 40 years after a fall at home. I was, for seven years, a teacher in ‘Special Education’ which is education for kids with disabilities of many kinds. I have observed that people who are not disabled, always healthy, have a reasonable job and enjoy ‘having fun’ know nothing of hardship. They mostly, do not know what it is like to be in hospital for weeks or months on end, always having to be careful to not fall or injure oneself, so they often get to be uncaring of others and even careless, drive like hell and often drink far too much. Other people can know what pain is, have long spells in hospital and are unable to enjoy life – to be FREE! These people, often the parents, truly care for others, are compassionate and never inflict pain or put others at risk. So, having disabled people around may be a part of God’s plans for people to be caring and learn compassion for those less fortunate. No child, or adult, wants to be disabled in any way.

However the practise of homosexuality is condemned in scripture. In the ‘Rules’ in Leviticus it says :”Do not lie with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable.” (Leviticus Chapter 18; verse 22) A different translation reads: “Homosexuality is absolutely forbidden, for it is an enormous sin” (Lev.18:22 The Living Bible). That is homosexual sexual activity.

The heathen Canaanites were a very wicked people and seemed to love doing what was wrong and that included a great deal of homosexual sex. God was angry with them and destroyed the city of Sodom with fire. It’s quite a story. (Genesis Ch.19:verses 1-29) That’s where the word Sodomy and Sodomites comes from. Be warned if you are inclined that way. God is not mocked and homosexual sex He does not approve of.

I believe a homosexual or lesbian should refrain from sexual activity because God can see everything. And the Bible says many times that we will all stand before God to answer for our wrongdoing and that includes deliberate sins of ANY SORT!

We all are guilty of some sort of sin. Some ‘Banksters’, bad ‘Financial advisors’, and various financial swindlers are all sinners too. There is no exemption for certain sins. Only God has the ability and power to forgive them, and He will forgive us – if we ask Him. That is guaranteed. See (1 John 1:9) ‘God bless’.

A mirth moment: In the story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah God told Lot and his family to “…flee, and do not look back.” (to see the fire from heaven). Well the Bible says that Lot’s wife did look back and “…turned into a pillar of salt”.

Joke: Bill Smith’s wife was out driving and saw a new shop so she turned her head and looked back. She turned into a lamp post. Crunch!!

All bible references are from The Living Bible,Tyndale House Publishers, 1974, The New International Version, 1978,New York International Bible Society; and The Bible For Today(Contemporary English Version, The Bible Society in Australia 1995),and THE NEW ENGLISH BIBLE. Oxford University press, 1961.

peter
08/31/19

Q.217: “How do you know if God is talking to you?” and “Does God lead his people into right decisions?” and “When God talks is it in your heart and can you tell it?”

These three are very hard to give a simple answer to this most important question. Thank you for asking it. Very few hear a voice that instantly changes them into serious Christians. Believe me it does happen. See www.jonahministries.com by Michelle Hamilton…and listen to her on Utube 20 years later. Been through many trials.

Michelle Hamilton was NOT a Christian and, a few days before, had told her Mum she was not interested in “Jesus and all that stuff”. She went out on the ocean, paddling a child’s dugout canoe and was swept out to sea by the ocean current. She spent three days and two nights alone in the shark and pirate infested South China Sea plus tropical storms. A ‘Voice’ from the sky spoke (commanded) her about 15 times. Scared her to death it did! She was rescued. I have heard her tell of her ordeal three times, have met her and I have her book. Serious ‘Stuff’ man!

Basically, it is from experience you learn. If you can find a missionary, talk to them, or get ‘on-line’ and converse by Email. Missionaries have to be very sure that God wants them to go somewhere overseas maybe. They cannot assume God has ‘spoken’ to them. Or, simply ask a Christian: “Why are you a Christian and how do you know God’s messages to you are from God?” Note, this cannot be done in 30 seconds! (see mine in question 72)

God does not talk like on a telephone and maybe it is better that way. I have been ‘Spoken to’ four times by an unseen voice. I therefore believe that He knows every thought we have (see Q.191 on that subject)…and then He uses individual ways to communicate what he wants us to do. I have heard of dozens of cases where what somebody gave shoes, winter clothing, food, a ‘paid for’ ticket for long rail trip, etc. – which was just what the receiver needed – but did not ask for. Coincidence or God’s provision? A missionary I read of, planned to buy a pile of winter clothes in Europe but a strong urge told her not to, and her first posting as a missionary was in the tropics! She assumed she’d be posted to a cold climate.

In the Bible there are thousands of illustrations to guide us in what is the right thing to do – or if this is God’s will for me. It can be really hard to know when you are young, so wait and pray.

If God wants to get a message to you, wait, and read your Bible daily. A term or a few years in a Bible college helps many people to decide just what God wants them to do. Countless times I have heard people say: “The verse leapt off the page at me and I knew that God meant it for me.” And it did turn out to be very helpful in what God was trying to ‘say’ to them.

It takes years to discern if God puts a thought in your head – or if it is your own ‘wants’ that you hear in that silent voice. A good resort is to ask yourself this question: “What would Jesus do?” in this decision; be it a boy or girlfriend, to buy a certain car, a new house etc. Stay around serious Christian people in a serious church and make them your friends.

Sorry this is a long answer but serious Christians WAIT for His guidance – which will come but may not be exactly at the time we ask for it.

peter
10/04/19

Q.218: “Why didn’t God keep the Garden of Eden?” and “If Adam & Eve got banished from the Garden of Eden why have no people ever found it?”

Well now you have got me thinking. Nobody but God knows but it is interesting to think upon it. The river Tigris and Euphrates are still there in the Middle East known as ‘The Cradle of Civilisation’. Those two rivers are named in the Bible as a part of the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 2:14) They are easily found on a map or on the WWW. They both rise in the mountains of Turkey and flow to the Persian Gulf.

What happened to the Garden of Eden? We can only guess as it was a very long time ago. In the Persian language ‘Garden’ was a place set apart. Maybe men overgrazed it to a desert that it is in much of the Middle East, including Egypt. They did not have chainsaws then but had many animals, including goats who eat almost anything. It takes a long time for men to understand overgrazing but overgrazing can turn ‘good country’ into desert, ask any farmer. We do know it could be hot and there was a “…cool of the evening;” (Gen 3:8) so some days were hot.

There are many myths and ideas about the Garden of Eden (I had a few myself) and famous painters painted what they thought or imagined what it was like. Perhaps God has used it as model for heaven or maybe it was simply a beautiful area set aside for God to see if Adam and Eve could be trusted to obey. Well, we know they did not obey and that humans can be persuaded to do wrong things to their sorrow. See also the WWW to help you to think about it.

peter
10/04/19

Q.219: “How can God forgive so quickly?”

Because it is the unique nature of God to have the willingness, and the power, to forgive the sin of anyone who is genuinely sorry.

It is the very nature of God to forgive if the sinner is truly sorry (mercy is His very nature). Jesus died a horrible death to pay the price for our sins…a price has to be paid by someone. God, His Father, gave Jesus the power and authority to forgive sins.

Guilt and shame are powerful feelings. Some people suicide to be rid of the shame in their heart. Others do not care one iota. Jesus knows just how we feel and He is not mocked by lies and denial…but it is his pleasure to forgive our sins when we are truly sorry.

For an beautiful example of that power read Luke Chapter 23 verses 32 to 43 where Jesus forgives a convicted criminal and tells him that: “Today you will be with me in paradise.” Not half bad…crucified criminal today…in paradise tonight. The criminal was truly sorry. That’s the Jesus way!

peter
10/04/19

Q.220: “Why do I respect God if I don’t know him?”

I am, again, amazed at your honesty and candour. You warm my heart.

Why do you respect a being you don’t really know? First, someone, somewhere, is praying for you…regularly. Is someone in your extended family a Christian? In another way you have heard his name often – most probably as a swearword or a curse by someone in anger and frustration. You heard it but did not like it. Nobody uses the name Buddha, Confucius, Krishna or other gods as a swearword, only the real God, the one in the Bible is in those peoples mind. And just maybe, ”Oh God!” is a cry for help.

In Genesis it says : “And God said: ‘Let us make man in our image and likeness.’” ( Genesis 1:verse 26). And He created Adam…and later Eve. You and I are made in God’s image and likeness so one could say that we are made to be like God.

And about angels, Jesus said of children: “Beware that you don’t look down upon a single one of these little children. For I tell you that in heaven their angels have constant access to my Father.” (Matthew Chapter 18:10-11).

Children are precious to God and angels are constantly around them. And in Psalm 91:11: “He will give his angels charge over you.” And Psalm 34:7: “The angel of the Lord encamps around them that fear Him and he delivers them.” GOD CARES FOR ALL OF US. So, I wonder if God is preparing you for a life that is special to Him in some way.

Do have a read of a Bible – a bit every day. If you do not have one most churches will gladly give you one for free. In its pages are the answers to most of our thoughts, joys and worries. But you have got to ‘dig them out’ and that’s a joy nothing else can give.

Q.221: “What’s wrong with the world?” (I asked the kids this one)

Plenty, but it so was in Jesus’ time too. Lots of things were wrong (Roman occupation was only one of them), no hospitals or medicine as we know them today. Jesus began a new way called ‘Love’ and chose 12 disciples to carry His message after He was gone. Its theme was LOVE! Phew!! Read that again please.

Much is wrong. These are what some Year 7 kids wrote around 1999.

Pollution, people rude and angry, do not belong, garbage, litter, bottles, plastic, suffering, murders, rapes (and more rapes), slack police, war, poverty, sickness. BAD BAD BAD, war, garbage, criminals, children suffering, a lot don’t know Jesus so do silly things, not in harmony with nature, lies, money, greenhouse gas. Phew! Kids do know what’s wrong!! (‘theanswerer’ would add drugs and alcohol today as a source of real problems).

These wrong things are very clear to some people. Big business like supermarkets, fast food joints, car makers, giant oil companies, and the people who spend much time, effort and money to sway (to direct) public thinking and opinion. Mostly it is by the TV, radio and news are the cause of most of the problems. Greed and money is the basic cause. The commercial TV stations believe that disaster and trouble gets ratings. “IF IT BLEEDS IT LEADS” (the news) and viewers watch, moan and say “Oh!”, and the TV channels make money via the ads.

The bold bit above is very real! Much time and money is spent where you do not see it…to ‘bend’ public feeling so that wars can be started, stuff sold, and objectives gained (oil and land to name two). I see on the WWW that the latest aircraft carrier in the United States Navy cost $62,000,000, plus their navy and the air force. The USA have 30 aircraft carriers! Some people in America starve and cannot afford to buy, or keep, their houses so live in cars or on the street. “What do you think about that?”

BUT, there’s another side, a good side. A certain professor, Dr. Ian Clarke, dreamed up a device to help deaf children hear Mum’s voice. His Cochlear Ear Implant worked when 99% of his fellow doctors said: “You’re wasting your time – it can’t be done.” But 250,000 children who were born deaf can now hear their mum’s voice with many more to come. Also, two West Australian doctors discovered that stomach ulcers were not caused by stress but by a bug. Most doctors thought they were mad and ignored their theory: “We’ve always known it is stress!” To prove it, one of them swallowed a dose of the ‘bugs’ to infect himself, and then cured himself! And they got a Nobel Peace Prize ($1,000,000) for the many years work on that. Both still work on medical research; they love research.

Mr Ian Keirnan saw all the pollution in the ocean and founded CLEAN UP AUSTRALIA DAY, and tens of thousands do clean up Australia.

Jesus warned people against: “Storing up earthly treasures where moth and rust corrupt and thieves break in and steal.” (Matt.6:18-20). Too many people think that things (possessions) will make them happy. They are nice to have but often they satisfy for only a little while then we have to buy another one: and all the while millions starve and the ‘possessions’ create rubbish, millions of tonnes of it.

So “What’s wrong with the world?” is that mostly, the ‘First World’ (of very rich nations) are obsessed with possessions. Possessions cannot fill the “God space” in the human heart. Only the peace of heart and mind that comes with knowing Jesus personally (closely) makes people happy, and caring for others and the environment.

peter
10/04/19

Q.222: “How do you know when God knows that you are serious and willing to take his guidance?”

Lots of things good come together and you know God is around. Doors shut (not real doors) too so you can’t go where He does not want you to go. It does take a while to understand and it can be confusing sometimes. Read the three questions in number 217 because they are similar to yours.

Also, find mature, serious Christians and talk to them (but especially missionaries and experienced Christian Youth leaders). Also be aware: “Be careful – watch out for attacks from Satan, your great enemy. He prowls around like a hungry, roaring lion, looking for someone to tear apart. Stand firm when he attacks.” (1 Peter 5:8-9) If you are doing God’s work the devil will come after you, so the best way is to keep working, read your Bible and pray. Every prayer IS heard and you will know, but ‘running ahead’ has caused many to get confused.

There are people in my town, Perth, who run kids camps for everything…such a pre-exam camps for kids doing year 12, canoeing, bush walking, wind-surfing (I find wind surfing really amazing) and camps for kids whose dads are in jail, etc. Many of them are young, but in a way, ‘mature’ too, and they love helping kids. Ps. I love your question…maybe God is planning a job for you.

peter
10/04/19

Q.223: “Why do I fight with my parents when God’s supposed to help?”

Oh boy…lots will read this one!

At about 12 years old Jesus upset his parents and caused considerable trouble for them, yes he did. Jesus had important things to do and said to them: “Didn’t you know that I must be about my Father’s business?” Big misunderstanding, but it was for Jesus an essential part of his growing up (Jesus was missing for five days! (see Luke 2:41-51)) Having ‘boundaries’ (how far you can go) is essential for children. Sometimes kids don’t like them, but sometimes they are secretly glad they that (the boundaries) are there and the decision is the parents’, not the child’s (you’ll recall all this when you are raising your own children).

It is fairly normal for kids to dispute on many things with their parents – it is part of growing up. I remember one of my children smiling a little after losing a dispute (that’s 50 years ago and she did not see that I saw her smile). I believe she was pleased to ‘lose’ that argument as it made her pleased, somehow.

God does help. “How?” Well Zig Zigler said that in an argument in their house mum would say: “It is not who’s right it’s what’s right.” The Bible can help a lot in finding examples of what is right. Zig claimed that his mum was the wisest person he ever knew.

But there are some parents who do not know how to raise children. Maybe drugs, alcohol and ‘having an affair’ (adultery) is their way of living. If yours do this see a Chaplain, Policeman or Policewoman and talk to them if it is a serious problem.

peter
10/04/19

Q.224: “Why did the Devil become the Devil?” and “Why did he hate God?”

The Devil had pride and ambition, wanting to become Number One, and not number three. He was given a good position in heaven – but he wanted more. It still happens today with people. Some just want to rule: to be Number One.

peter
10/04/19

Q.225: “Why he told his disciples to stay behind when he killed himself and didn’t live?”

Good question. It seems that Jesus did leave them alone for a while because the Bible records that they were all afraid and gathered together in an upstairs room after his death. Then – what a surprise – He came through the wall and said, “Hullo.” (John 20:19-30)

Only God knows tomorrow and knew that He would “…rise to life again on the third day,” (Easter Sunday) and that the 12 disciples would later understand that Jesus rising to life on the third day, as he had predicted, was the beginning of the Christian church. The 12 disciples were soon after given the Holy Spirit from God and could also ‘…heal the sick’ and do miracles as Jesus had done.

Those 12 disciples began the Christian church 2,000 years ago and today there are 2,000,000,000 Christians. Not bad for a handful of fishermen, tax collectors and sundry other ordinary men.

Q.226: “Do people get tumours and cancers because they are bad people?”

I do not believe that God does that these days because if He did, He would let us know that He did it. This whole business of cancer and tumours cannot be simply nailed down to any single cause. Research tells us that there are many known causes and many unknown causes. Cigarettes can cause cancer, alcohol can cause cancer and diesel exhaust particles cause cancer too. A local lawyer has written a book Poison Oils. He believes seed oils can cause health problems and cancer from our food. Obesity also can cause many diseases as can chemicals in sprays and weed killers, etc.

I do know that God will punish people who wilfully break any of his commands. ‘Bad people’ can mean many things. Especially bad are people who know better, but wilfully break God’s commandments. Little children are not old enough to know God’s rules (one of mine died of cancer at 4 years old).

You may have heard some adults say someone is a ‘Philistine’. That means difficult and hard to get along with. In Bible times the Philistines were good at fighting and loved a good fight (war). They were Israel’s enemies. In one fight they captured ‘The Ark of The Covenant’. Bad move by Israel to put it where it could be captured, and a bad move by the Philistines to handle Gods special object as if it was ordinary. God sent “…tumours and rats among them…” and many died. They realised their error and made ‘guilt offerings’ of gold to placate God. They returned the ‘Ark’ after their god Dagon fell on his face – twice. In the second fall Dagon’s head fell off.

All this unusual story is recorded in the Bible. And, ”…seventy Israelites were killed” because they broke God’s laws by looking inside the ‘Ark of The Covenant’. God will not tolerate wilful disobedience and will punish the offenders. That story is in First Samuel, chapter 3 right up to chapter 6.

peter
10/13/19

227: “Was God ever in love in His life?”

“Yes!” very much so, but not the same way that humans love certain humans. God’s love is for “…his only begotten Son,” and the whole human race. He created them to be His family in heaven.

God’s love for His son, Jesus, is mentioned at the baptism of Jesus, and at the transfiguration. He said of Jesus: “…my Son whom I love, listen to Him.” (Mt 3:17, and Mt.17:5 and Mk.8:7) Jesus spoke of himself in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”

In love, yes, but different to how we love.

peter
10/13/19

228: “Why do people today believe in him?”

Because He is real. If Jesus and his Father, God, were not a reality, the Bible would be just another history book and quietly forgotten. In the 2013 years since Jesus was here believers have steadily increased from 13 to about 2,000,000,000. ‘What is the basis of this religion?’ LOVE! Check out the other religions of this world and see if there is any difference…and what difference can be seen in that society. Better, or worse? In Christianity, eternal life, forgiveness and peace of heart and mind is a free gift. It cannot be bought, earned, or worked for. It is free. Later the receiver WANTS to give God something…and working for God good and plentiful.

There are other religions but not one of them foretells the future that actually comes to pass. Only Jesus said: “I will be handed over to sinful men, be killed and will rise to life again on the third day.” (Matthew Chapter 20: verse 17 to 19) Nobody in all history has said anything like that and had it happen. Neither do those other religions give assured forgiveness of sins and an assured place in heaven.

There are around 300 prophecies about Jesus and most of them have been faithfully fulfilled. The ‘end of the age’ and the ‘second coming of Jesus’ are yet to come. A world dictator (Antichrist) is also yet to come. Many believe that world dictator is not far away. Why? “What do you mean?”

Well this world once had about 1,000,000 people in it. In my Mum’s day there were about 4,000,000,000 but now in my day there are 7,000,000,000 people. Troubles are in store when we get to 10,000,000,000 people. Lots of troubles. All will want food, water, space to live, and fresh air to breathe. All those four things are getting scarcer. Wars will happen…as they have before. These four things will cause trouble and the Bible prophecy mentions them as: “…troubles which the world has never seen before…many will die.” (Matthew chapter 24) Sorry to be a bearer of bad news but I believe it to be true. The Bible prophecy has never been wrong. Jesus promised: “…a new heaven and new earth.” (restored earth)

peter
10/13/19

Q.229: “How can Jesus be alive still? How can you prove it?”

I will prove it if you bring to me a sample of the love you have for Mum, Dad, Grandma on someone special in a jar so I can see it. You just can’t but I can tell that there is love there by observing you and them together. And also, bring me a sample of how, when you are very upset or your heart is breaking, a hug/embrace with someone special to you makes you feel so much better. You cannot! Can you explain it? I’ll leave that one there.

The Bible says that God created the world and people. Look carefully at the people of integrity, love and compassion and the created world (before ‘WE’ fouled it up) with birds, flowers, beautiful rivers, lakes, animals, etc. Did it all just happen by itself? “No!”

peter
10/13/19

Q.230: “How is it that people say that God is good, and then when someone dies, they say that God took them?”

A very observant question indeed for which I thank you. People do say that: ”God took him/her.” I do not agree with saying that lightly.

Why? Well, one must be careful about ‘Putting words in God’s mouth,’ or claiming to know what God’s plans are. I know of a missionary who has gone back to a country in South America to die there. She has spent 55 years of her life over there, telling the people all she can about Jesus. She has learnt to love these people and they are family to her. She has never married and is now around 82 years old.

If I hear that she has died I could say: ”God took her.” Because one can get sick at 82 years old. But if a drunkard who cared nothing for other people died early in life nobody could say: ”God took him,” because he took himself to the grave. Why he became an alcoholic is quite another matter (WE DO NOT KNOW WHY!); only God knows that.

It is easy to say ‘God took him’ but I think that can be superficial or insincere. One should be careful and perhaps think about a more sincere word of sympathy to someone who is hurting. Maybe a hug and the truthful words: ”I’m so sorry,” is much better.

Q.231: “If God sends rain why doesn’t he make it rain in poor countries like Egypt?”

Good question thank you. I do know a little about Egypt. There is plenty of water and land. The Nile River is 6,500km long and has a huge dammed lake 500km long in the hills. Look up Aswan High Dam on the www to read and decide for yourself: What is the matter? While there, look at Water Supply and Sanitation in Egypt too. There are many real problems and they seem slow in fixing them.

But, many countries are hurting badly because of lack of rain, especially my home in Western Australia! From 1949 when I took notice of these things, up to 1980, Western Australia had good reliable rains and farmers had money to spare. Not so now; 30% less rain, with poor crops and no real soaking rains. Soaking rains are so important.

These changing rainfall patterns are everywhere – some have drought, some have floods with cars being washed down the street. There are record floods in the eastern side of Australia, and record fires too. Something is very wrong and I believe engine exhausts cause much of it. Burning coal is a bad one too but I don’t like nuclear power either. The poisonous nuclear waste must be stored for around 25,000 years!! We (my generation) started it but we are reluctant to find solutions because we love our cars.

Five scientists would give five different answers but ‘WE’ (humanity) burn 80,000,000,000 barrels of oil a day. That must make a difference somehow! I think we must burn less oil and not expect God to ‘Fix it’, while we buy more cars and build more roads for them. (This climate change/global warming is a huge subject of discussion and controversy in the news and on TV almost every day).

peter
11/03/19

Q.232: “Why does everything here have a good and bad side to it?”

Quite simple really. God gave Adam and Eve a whole garden to eat from except for one tree. “Don’t eat of it,” He said, “Or you will die.” Spiritually they would die, not like being poisoned by the tree’s fruit, but they chose to do wrong by disobeying God.

God did not post armed guards and force them not to do wrong, He gave them the choice to do right or wrong. They did do wrong and humans have been exercising that choice (to do right or wrong) ever since. It does make those who do right shake their heads in despair pretty often (I think TV causes some of it).

peter
11/03/19

Q.233: “Why is God invisible?”

The Bible says: “No man can see God and live.” Christianity is a religion of faith in the unseen God. That unseen God sent Jesus to earth to teach us about God and really, that is enough. His creation of the stars, the universe and this beautiful planet tells us a bit about Him. Studying them tells us much about God.

Many, many people have a strong need to see and touch the thing they ‘worship’, be it a gold statue, an expensive motor car, a motorbike, and even TV and movie stars.

Idols were/are condemned by God. They cannot see, hear, or help and can burn, decay, be stolen and so on. Not so God. “From everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.” (King David in psalms)

If God was visible His face, somehow, would be on cool drink bottles, and breakfast cereals, and roadside signs. ”YUK!”

peter
12/06/19

Q.234: “Does God approve of murder?”

Well thank you for a very important question. The answer is “Yes” and “No.” Confused? well, keep reading.

In The Ten Commandments one of them is “You shall not murder.” (Exodus 20:13) That is very plain, but people do kill others, but sometimes they do not mean to. Meaning it was an accident, an animal caused the death or maybe in a fight (this is 3,500 years ago). In the Old Testament, God, who is merciful, made five ‘Cities of Refuge’ where a person who had accidently killed someone could get to quickly before relatives came and took angry revenge. In the Cities of Refuge the person was safe and later on, would have a proper trial.

In the Ten Commandments ‘murder’ meant that you deliberately planned to kill someone and did it. That is called ‘wilful murder’. In some countries like the USA and China you can be put to death for that.

In the Old Testament (3,500 years ago) God killed thousands of his own people because He would not tolerate deliberate and wilful disobedience of His laws and instructions again and again. Some people treated God with distain, lied about things, and mocked his laws. There are many references to it in the Bible. On one occasion God had Joshua assemble all the family of Achan. He admitted his guilt and he and all his family and the animals he had, were stoned to death and stones heaped over them and ‘God’s anger was abated’. That’s in Joshua Chapter 7. (That punishment made the rest more inclined to obey strict instructions I would think.)

Stoning to death by the town’s people was in God’s law…but God is merciful. On one occasion (see John Chapter 8 verses 3 to 11) the religious politicians tried to trap Jesus into giving a wrong answer about a woman caught in the act of adultery (the bloke must have run away). Jesus refused to answer. But under pressure Jesus said: “Alright, stone her to death but only he who has never sinned may cast the first stone.” That put them on the spot. Slowly they all left, having remembered their own sins, and Jesus said to the woman: “Where are they all, are there none left to accuse you?” She replied: “None, Sir.” And Jesus said to her: “Neither do I accuse you; off you go and leave your life of sin.” Compassion – that’s Jesus. Even today people still use the expression: “Are you going to ‘cast the first stone’?” meaning that person could be hiding his/her own guilt over some matter in the past but wanting to punish someone else.

peter
12/06/19

Q.235: ”Why do people smoke around the world?”

Because they like to and it makes them feel better, even though they must know that it may one day ‘bite them on the bum’ by having a smoking disease. Did you know that smoking sends some people blind? I only found out about that last year…and I am 81 years old (moking narrows the tiny blood vessels at the back of the eye).

The need to ‘feel better’ is at the core of the problem. If most people do without smoking then why do the smokers need to ‘burn good money’ to feel better? I guess it is because they don’t know how to be happy – how to be at peace with themselves and so they like to smoke.

Here in my town, Perth, there are ‘super cheap’ non-grocery shops. One of them is ‘Target’ and some of their advertisements have a slogan that says “100% Happy!” I say that is a lie. ‘Things’ (like toys, iPads, bikes, clothes, grog, and smoking etc.) cannot make you happy. Things wear out and you get older and your needs change. Only God can give full peace of heart and mind.

“Why do people smoke?” is one I cannot fully answer because I don’t smoke. You may have to ask a smoker that one, and I hope you don’t get a punch up the nose for asking. Some may be a bit ‘agro’ at you asking them.

One boy in a school told me his aunty told his family that: ”I could have bought a house with all the money I have spent on ‘ciggies’ over 30 years.” Phew! Yes, a heavy smoker can easily spend the cost of a house over that time at $30.00 a week…in 1960 when houses were cheap. Ciggies are: ”A fire at one end – a fool at the other.” is true I guess.

Q.236: “Is the Devil in any way, related to God and is trying to beat God or taking revenge?”

Yes, the Devil is indeed related to God in that God created him, because nobody else was in the ’creation business’ then. Somehow, sometime, the Devil (Satan) turned away from God. The Bible does not say exactly when and how. And yes, he is continually trying to get people to turn away from God and follow him. That is the goal of his life!!

The disciple Peter wrote: “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (That’s in 1 Peter.5:8)

Many families have what is called a ‘black sheep’ in the family – one who cannot do right, causes trouble and robs people of money, peace and sometimes, their possessions. I had a cousin – our ‘black sheep’ in our family – and he was murdered later in life.

God allowed, even still allows, Satan (the devil) to do bad things and trouble people with evil spirits, or demons. Even Jesus himself was troubled by the Devil. “Then the devil led Jesus to a high place and quickly showed him all the nations of the earth. The Devil said: ‘I will give all this power and glory to you. It has been given to me and I can give it to anyone I want to. Just worship me and you can have it all.’” (That’s in Luke 4:5-7) Jesus didn’t take up Satan’s offer.

At the ‘End of the Age’ the Bible tells of the Devil’s downfall (Revelation 12:3-17) and his final punishment in a lake of burning sulphur…’for ever and ever’. (Revelation 20:7-10) Wow, for ever?

peter
12/07/19

Q.237: “How was God created?”

We are not told in the Bible. God was there at the beginning and that’s all we know. There is so much to discover in heaven that I am looking forward to getting there and finding the answers to my many questions (like: “How come the 400,000,000,000 stars in our Milky Way do not bang into each other?”).

peter
12/07/19

Q.238: “How come there is sin in the world and God be in control of everything and God is holy?”

Oh boy…that old problem!

When God created humans He had a problem – a big decision: ‘Should I give these people a choice to be good or bad, or should I make them all have to obey my instructions, then there would be no chance of any sin (so no problems)?’

Think of today’s world of 7,000,000,000 people all obeying God’s commandments and instructions with no wars, killing, stealing, rape, and lies. It would be like a heaven full of robots who have no choice but to obey God. Not really pretty if you think about it.

God must be pleased with His decision to give humans a choice to be good, or bad. Those who choose to ‘trust and obey’ God, must be pleasing to God – and they will populate heaven with Him later. Even though they still make many mistakes and wish they had not, God is pleased to forgive if we ask.

peter
12/23/19

Q.239: “Why do you believe in Jesus and God?”

Please see Q. 72 for some of the answer as this is really my life story, which is now 82 years on.

It must be a huge answer because so much has happened to me and I must put in a small space. Your eternity depends depend on my answer: “Is this guy for real- or is he off the planet?” We all must decide one day!

Basically I believe because the book about God and Jesus, the Bible, has stood the test of time. All the prophecies do come true, they are not someone’s day-dreams. The birth of Jesus alone is extremely unique. Jesus spoke of and prophesied his own cruel death and resurrection (coming back to life). Who else has said and done that? And for 4,000 years God’s promises and prophecies have come true.

AND my own personal life experiences border on amazing.

Jesus is not a gold or stone statue to worship, and Christianity is a daily contact with a God who cannot be seen – yet 2,000,000,000 believe in Him. Many would die for him and hundreds of thousands spend the best years of their lives serving Him as missionaries in the poorest and most unpleasant places on earth as doctors, nurses, farmers (agriculturists) helping subsistence farmers to have sufficient food and not starve. I know hundreds of them. And other Christians willingly pay their costs.

Bad things have happened to me.. ‘If I had received a letter from God at, say, 20 years old telling me what was before me in 10, 20, 40 or 50 years ahead I think I would have hated it and be unable to accept it.” ie: ‘Peter at 24 you’ll get married, have 4 children but one will die at four years old. At 41 years old you’ll fall and break your back. You’ll go to university to become a teacher, you’ll be divorced later and then spend 26 years teaching scripture to year 7 kids.”

That’s some of the worst and best. Who would be happy knowing that you would spend over 40 years in a wheelchair?!! BUT it happened and I sure am glad I did not know the future. Never waste your good money on ‘fortune tellers’, Tarot care readers and ‘palm readers.’ They are frauds

Joke: “Did you hear that the the clairvoyant’s annual general meeting (AGM) had to be cancelled? It was due to unforeseen circumstances.

Parts that I have not in question 72 are a vision I was shown in 1956. I was married that year and my wife had two miscarriages (got pregnant but it went wrong, somehow). This happened a second time and the Matron of the hospital in the country said: “Mr Harris, please take your wife to Perth and see a good doctor or you may never have a family.” The doctor was an alcoholic and the matron virtually ran the whole hospital. I did take my wife to Perth and saw a good doctor who did what was needed.

Later, one morning a voice said :”There goes your baby.” and I saw a vision of a lovely three year old girl running by a house. Nine months later our first baby came along and four years later we were in the very same house I saw in that vision. I did not pray for anything…I was very young and quite inexperienced. I now have an adopted son, eight Grandchildren and seven Great Grandchildren.

Another time, while saying my morning prayers a voice said: “Go and see Mrs Arnold.” “Oh no! Not her,” I thought. The voice and I argued back and forth quite a bit, but I did very reluctantly agree to go – a 30 Minute drive to Lockridge, then about two hours late for lectures at Bible College.

Mrs Arnold had no phone and lived on the third floor with no lift, no security or fly screens. So I get there, honk the horn, she looks out and sees my car, waves and comes down. Looking quite sick with flu she stomped up to my car and said: “Well God must have sent you…I was just about to jump out of the window and kill myself.” She then took my wheelchair out of the car and sat in my car and talked non-stop for 45 minutes. Somehow, I did not get the chance to say how I happened to get there. I was not happy to go – she was not a friend, just the woman who used to clean my flat in Mt Lawley.

There are two such others similar stories, but not now. Ask for them by the email if you want to know.

I believe in God and Jesus because I look back and see that God has been looking after me, guiding me – and that includes 26 years of teaching Scripture to wonderful and interesting Year 7 children. I am very happy with that because I never imagined it could happen.

Lastly,and this is sort of proof to me. Not long after Jesus went back to heaven Peter and John were before the court of the Political/Religious leaders accused of ‘making trouble’ by preaching about Jesus, doing miracles and so on. The court wanted them in jail or killed. Gamaliel, a smart cookie got up and said: “Listen you guys, you remember Theudas and the other fellow Judas. They both started a little rebellion against Rome and both had hundreds of followers. Both were killed and all their followers drifted away. If these guys are for real and tell the truth we may find ourselves fighting even against God and even we cannot win that one.” (That’s my version of Acts 5:29-42)

The 12 Disciples began the Christian church 2013 years ago. Now there are 2,000,000,000 Christian believers. And the Bible is the Worlds No.1 best selling book.

Finally, check out the different countries around the world and their dominant religions. Are they a peaceful nation? How do they treat they poor and disabled, how many hospitals and doctors, is there any ‘Social Security’ for the old, disabled and unemployed, how do they treat women and children and how do they treat those who have different religions and views to theirs- with talk or violence?

Send me an Email to the answerer if you want to know more.

peter
01/05/20

240: “Do you approve of sex?” and “Are you still capable of sex?”

(Please also see questions number 112 to 116 on this subject…very important)

Two parts here: of course I approve of sex. I am a dad, a Grandad and Great Grandad.

The second bit is my business and not yours – because you most probably would not like to be asked this question when you get old. What I will say is this: Most men give up sex around 60 to 70 years old. Drugs, too much alcohol (known as ‘brewers droop’ in some places), smoking, and diabetes stops many having sex too. Overweight and too much ‘junk food’ is not good for sex and causes many to lose interest. But a small percentage are still having sex past 80 years old! In the Bible Abraham became a Dad at 100 years old! (God promised Abraham a son three times. See Gen 12:1-3, Gen 15:1-5, and at 100 years old the son came along.)(Gen.18:10-14). A dad at 100? Yes indeed, but remember that there were no cigarettes, grog, drugs and so on then. For SCI (Spinal Cord Injured) people I can say that it is a bit like a lottery; some can and some cannot.

On a lighter note: and this is only for very old blokes (82 or more years old – and a good mop of white hair helps) who can get away with this so read on. My great joy is to meet, or be speaking to a girl, say 18 to 22 who has kept her integrity, and kept off sex, drugs, and grog and walks like an angel (about one in a thousand are like that). Now and then I meet or see an especially beautiful one and she is a lot like an angel – but she does not comprehend how lovely she looks – and if it is OK, I will say to her: “Wow! You make me wish I was 50 years younger.” No offence meant or taken – and girls like it very much. And I always get a beautiful smile. And I add: “Please tell Mum and Dad they have done a great job raising you.” It’s true, that’s what I do! So I still appreciate the loveliness of a lovely girl.

241: “If God was the first person alive how was He born then, they had no-one to have sex with?”

Thank you for the interesting question, you have an inquiring mind. But there are several errors in your question and I’ll try to explain them.

Firstly, God is not a ‘person’, a human as we think of a person. Jesus said ‘God is Spirit’ and I cannot comprehend exactly what that means. (‘Spirit’ comes from the Greek word ‘Pnuema’ meaning air. Car tyres are ‘pneumatic’ (filled with air)). God was not born to be the ‘First Person’ on earth as the result of two people having sex and the female getting pregnant. Much, much higher than that. Beyond our understanding.

I believe that God is, Omnipresent, Omnipotent, and Omniscient (is everywhere, all powerful, and can do anything) – superior to everything else on earth because He made it all.

You will “…stand before Him after you die,” so perhaps you could ask Him then just how He came to be.

No, I cannot understand it all but by faith I know it to be true. The Theory of Evolution – that life on earth began zillions of years ago in a swamp, and life started by itself; and monkeys are our ancestors and humans are still evolving. It takes faith in science to believe in evolution. I cannot believe it.

peter
01/05/20

242: “Why were you suicidal?”

I was quite without hope and I believed God had abandoned me.

I could only see a black empty future as I could only sit down for about 10 to 15 minutes. My bum hurt so much. Toileting was a nightmare.

Recently, in 2012, a former politician in New South Wales tried to suicide. He did not die but survived and said on the TV that he thought that his wife and children would be better off with him out of the way. They could start again with a better man in the house who could be a husband and father to the kids. About the exact thoughts I was having then – back in 1973. God had plans I knew nothing of and He did not tell me of them. BUT, here I am 40 years later, and so glad I came out of those ‘pits of despair’ and meet a lot of great Yr.7 kids since then.

peter
01/05/20

Q.243: “How come there are mean people that rape, kill, etc?”

Because God has given us a choice to choose what we are: mean or kind.

Check out the subject list on the Home Page. I have answered this one several times.

[I like your word ‘mean’ because it reminds me of a friend who lives ‘up north’ where man-eating crocodiles are plentiful. He used to love to fish and had a sizeable boat, not a huge one, but he decided sell his boat and give up the fishing as the crocodiles were ‘mean’ in that: “they could come over the side of your boat if it was bad tempered enough.” He told me that he kept a ‘Crocodile Repellent’ in his boat. I asked him just what the ‘repellent’ was, thinking of insect repellent or something like that? “Oh-just a 12-guage shotgun in one barrel and a 45 magnum bullet in the other.” You get two shots!!!

peter
01/05/20

244: “What does God look like?”

Like Jesus. The disciples asked Jesus the same question. Jesus said: “If you have seen me you have seen the Father.” The difference would be in His ‘Presence’ or ‘Majesty’, Awesome – just because of who God is. Very unlike humans in His ‘Majesty’.

You will stand before Him after you die. The Bible says so in dozens of places. Romans 14:10, and in Hebrews it says “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgement.” (Heb; 9:27). As one who believes in God and the Bible I am actually looking forward to that time (but I hope it doesn’t hurt too much as I die).

peter
01/05/20

Q.245: “If God is everywhere does that mean we breath him?”

No, God is not like smoke or a gas and I really cannot explain exactly how He can be everywhere at once. But I do know that somehow a person praying in England at midnight is heard by God, as is a person praying in Argentina at the same time: 7.00 pm. Or someone is Australia when it is 7.00 am in the morning. Somehow, God hears everywhere. I shall find out how He does when I get to heaven. (Sorry, but I can’t write to you from there!!)

There are some things humans cannot, or are not meant to understand.

They can understand jokes. Here is one: “Why do mountain climbers always rope themselves together?” A: “So the sane one cannot turn around and go home.” (I do not climb mountains!)

Q.246: “How did God create the world?”

I only know a bit about this – the Bible says He just spoke, and it happened.

That is unbelievable to our small, but earthly mind and imagination. I cannot understand how it happened.

The disciple Peter wrote that: “A day in the Lord’s sight is like a thousand years – and a thousand years is but a day to Him.” There is no doubt that things like dinosaurs and sea creatures were alive thousands of years ago.

Maybe the earth was not spinning then to give us night and day, and orbiting the sun each year and tilting to give us summer, autumn, winter and spring. And 150 million kilometres from the sun is ‘just right’ – not too close and not too far, but just right for life. Also with the 18 km of atmosphere to breathe as well. Beautiful, but ‘How’ I know not.

I saw recently on TV that at one stage in the last 300,000 years, maybe more, the earth was totally covered with ice – top to bottom. Maybe (who can tell?) earth was much further away from the heat of the sun, and at God’s plan He brought it closer to the sun which at this moment is just perfect and the source of all our power. A thought: ”If we (our earth) was 1% closer to the sun – that’s 900,000 km closer – we would cook in summer, and maybe not even survive at the poles?

01/06/20

Q.247: ”How did God create us?”

Wow! A great question and I do not really know how God did it. But when closely examined like through a microscope: “We are fearfully and wonderfully made.” Look up ‘spirit’ in a dictionary or the WWW. Our bodies are tripartite (three parts): body, soul and spirit. Not like animals.

I figure God must have spent some time working out the wonderful and beautiful bodies we have. The way our bodies repair damage like cuts, bruises, invasion by various ‘bugs’ – good and bad. And with help from the (as yet fully explained) brain that we have. Broken bones and awful accident and injury problems can be helped very much. How? Because, unlike animals, humans can imagine, plan, make tools and surgical instruments and learn how to restore badly damaged bodies.

(When you are in your doctor’s surgery next time – if there is time – ask the doctor to explain to you the tiny and intricate workings of the human ear and eyes. Most doctors have beautifully coloured and illustrated posters of eyes and ears. They change light waves and sound waves into electrical signals that send them to your brain and you SEE and HEAR!). Not half bad!! And our brain can dream, create and plan things like music, buildings, bridges and beautiful gardens, and families!

And we are different to animals; we can imagine how to get iron, gold, silver, copper lead ,diamonds etc., etc. out of the ground, and then imagine a musical and surgical instruments instrument made from metal, to make music, and then sing songs helped along by music. The special tools that surgeons have are quite remarkable. No animal does anything like that. Nor does any other creature gather a hundred or more musical instruments into an orchestra to make beautiful music. I got carried away there…I love large orchestras and ‘Grand’ music. Makes me feel very good!

So how God created us I cannot tell you. But I do know He did a truly incredible job of it. And I am so pleased that God included a sense of humour. I’d go mad without a good laugh each day.

Here is a joke: “What did the necklace say to the hat?” You go on ahead, and I’ll hang around.

peter
01/06/20

Q.248: “Why is there 400 years in the Bible that does not record?”

Thanks for the question. I have had to do a good bit of research to answer this one ( I didn’t know!). And anyone can spend many years studying all the kings, governors, rulers, etc. and the wars (one for 23 years) and the ‘Who’s Who’ of those 400 years. Really quite interesting. Amazing that 3,500 years ago any king, Pharaoh or the one in command, had to watch out for his back because there is always someone waiting to make him fall, or overpower him and take his place.

During those 400 years the Jews (Hebrews) were scattered around the world, because they had been very, very ‘naughty’, even evil, and God punished them by sending most of them into exile into foreign lands – mostly Babylon, now Iraq. God sent armies who ’sacked’ and burnt Jerusalem. They broke down the walls, desecrated it and carried off all of the important people (called the Diaspora). They also carried off the gold, silver and bronze. One person wrote that: “…there were Jews in every land and sea” in the world. Nebuchadnezzar also carried off all the golden lampstands, cups, snuffers, and goblets used in their religious ceremonies.

They were in ‘disgrace’ in God’s eyes and very little was written that was actually at God’s direction. Plenty of history is there but not Biblical history.

They had to first be accepted into Babylon and other lands, and later were allowed to build Synagogues. The only Scripture they had was ‘The Torah’ the five books (Scrolls) of Moses (Genesis, Exodus Leviticus Deuteronomy and Numbers), and leaders had to come forward to lead them too. Some were not too keen in a strange land. There is a quite popular song based on Psalm 137 which I hear on the radio named: By the Rivers of Babylon. The WWW has ten or fifteen versions of it and the Diaspora happened 2300 years ago!! The Bible tells of the good, the bad and the ugly!

It is a sorrowful dirge: “By the rivers of Babylon where we sat down,” and ”how can we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?”

King Nebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon and his officers told the Jews to sing the joyful songs of Israel for them. They were very sad.

This was 3,200 years ago and they had:v“Hung up their harps on the trees of Babylon,” and their captors told them to sing! (Psalm 137:1-9) ‘We don’t feel like singing,’ I reckon was their reply.

The final chapter in Jeremiah tell of the Jews being taken captive to Babylon. (Jer: 52:1-34)

For more see on www: Babylon, Ptolemies, Selucids, Antiochus 1V Epiphanes,The Romans, Septuagint (LXX), Apocrypha and The Dead sea Scrolls (it will keep you busy for days!!)

peter
01/06/20

Q.249: “What was the first animal made by God?”

The Bible does not tell about such things. I would like to think that it was an eagle – it could fly over it all – and report back as to how they were all getting along.

peter
01/06/20

Q.250: “Who found God or who did God talk to first?”

Again the bible does not say. The first words recorded of God speaking to others is:“And God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, and in our likeness and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air.’” (Genesis Chapter 1 verse 26a)

A study book I have says ‘God was speaking to the heavenly court.’ I can only guess that was the Archangels Gabriel and Michael, many angels and maybe even Satan too. We cannot be sure.

Q.251: “How did God create the earth in as little as six days?”

Oh Boy, this is a ‘Doosie’ (a difficult one to answer) and is sure to create many opinions, differences of opinion, and even criticism of my answer and criticism of ME!

I have had a read in the few textbooks I have that there are many opinions on exactly what is meant by: ‘in six days God created the heavens and the earth.’ Many books have been written about it all.

He very well may have created this world in six days. (Why the Himalayas rising up so high could still be grunting and shoving other mountains around before the next stage was ready and the noise would be very loud! my humour)

Some Christians firmly believe that because the scripture says six days, 24 hour days, it can be nothing else and there is no room for any other view. I am not of that group.

A strong concept for six days is that every living creature depends, somehow, on another for its life – the “Web of Life.’ Like bees need flowers, birds need trees for nests, and cows need grass, etc., a never ending cycle. I.e.: the water Cleopatra and the Pharaohs drank is still around – continous recycling. I.e.: the water evaporates into the air, makes clouds and it eventually rains somewhere as fresh water.

I believe that it is not honouring to God to loudly proclaim your views and vigorously argue with other Christians who may have a view that is different. Both believe God did it all but still will argue that, “I am right, and you are wrong!” there are more important things in the Bible that should be discussed. Like the existence of heaven and hell. “Are they real and what do you believe?” “What did Jesus say about it?” and: How could Jesus say: “I will be handed over to sinful men, be crucified and die but I will rise to life again on the third day.” Who else has ever said that?

I do know that God created this earth. So far, no other life forms in outer space have been found but are very likely out there – somewhere. But I also know that we humans are the only creature God made that fouls its own nest with pollution and rubbish. God must be sad about that.

AND, it has occurred to me: “How would we be if this earth was 1% closer to the sun?” One percent is a million miles. We would maybe get cooked in summer?

To your question: I cannot tell you and be sure it is correct. There are too many things, words, and interpretation of words in the original Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic writings, so we cannot be sure of the exact truth. God did make it is what I do know. I cannot believe it just all happened without a designer, a planner because the evidence is all around us of a perfect ‘Web of Life”.

You may want to do some reading on the WWW at: Creation Ministries International

peter
01/07/20

Q.252: ”Where is God lives?”

Jesus several times referred to God as ‘heavenly Father’ (in heaven-that’s where Jesus said He came from): Jesus also said: “I go to prepare a place for you – so that you can be with me always.” All of these precious words of Jesus – they are promises – are in John Chapter 14. I am looking forward to going there and being ‘shook’ of (finished with) this wheelchair I live in. (When He did go up to heaven it was a bit like ‘Beam me up Scottie’ in ‘Star Wars’) See: Luke 24:50.

peter
01/07/20

Q.253: ”Why did God make people like he did?”

So I could enjoy the beauty of lovely kids and big (grown up) girls. Also flowers, trees, millions of plants, birds, and four different seasons. God did a lovely job in making girls for us guys, but He ought to have taught us guys how better to keep our girls happy. Most of us don’t know how to (or take a long time to learn).

And further; He made us to be Mums and Dads and have families, but He must be sad that so many refuse to include Him in their lives and wonder why they are not satisfied and happy in their hearts. “The human heart has a God shaped space that only God can fill.”

peter
01/07/20

Q.254: “What do you think of people who do self-harm and how can they stop?”

What do I think? Old guys like me (87 yo. now) have never lived with self harm, or lived with people who do self harm. It seems so very sad to me. I know very little about it.

Modern society spawns (makes and develops) this thing – it makes some people feel bad about themselves, but underneath they are just like other people but haunted by the idea that something is wrong with them and they must strive to fix it. These wrong ideas need to be exposed as a lie (a fraud). (I personally think that some TV shows kind make many of us want to be like TV and Pop stars who have teams of people to make look so good – or bad. They are false really and quite a few die of drugs and mental health problems.)

Some modern e-mails, ‘Facebook’ or SMS, and many other forms of electronic ‘messages’ sent by some people, are to me, from utterly, gutless people who send anonymous vulgar messages and do not sign off with their name!! These messages come from corrupt and evil minds.

AND advertising is the biggest curse of our civilisation. Let me explain that. Every TV ad, magazine ad, radio ad, and newspaper ad – plus all the junk mail in our letterboxes – want YOU to buy their ‘stuff’ so you’ll be OK, accepted, be happy, and be smiling all day with lots of friends. RUBBISH!! Happiness does not come from toys, iPads, clothes, a bottle of grog, drugs, or a big new car. I think that all the advertisements I’ve mentioned make some people feel inadequate, not good enough and not as good as they could be because the ads paint a picture of the ‘perfect’ boy or girl. SO, ”I’ll work hard at being really good,” to be accepted.

There is also another possible problem with somebody – even a family member – abusing the self-harming person. Abusing by constantly telling the victim they are ‘useless’ and will never be any good. Also, maybe sexually abusing them or even belting or hitting them. This is now a criminal offence in some countries. This must stop – by the victim – the self-harmer, telling someone about it until somebody understands the problem and helps put an end to it. Too often victims are not believed.

When a person is hurting they feel inadequate and so say, “I’ll cut myself and that makes me feel better.” It might for a while, but it does not work for long. A good friend is needed. A really good friend or a person who has known what it feels like to want to hurt yourself.

A true friend, a wise counselor, a Chaplain, or a doctor can help – and you may not know it but Jesus – if you ask for his help, can be a real help too. Ask a Christian to pray with the one who is in trouble, not once but often, regularly.

Remember: “A problem shared is a problem halved.” (My mum again, she always helped people). May God bring some help to the one who needs it.

Phone help lines are there too;

KIDS HELPLINE (in Australia)is 1800 551 800 or on-line www.kidshelp.com.au

And LIFELINE: (in Australia) 13 11 14, or on-line www.lifelinewa.org.au

I am not a PC Geek but the www.beyondblue or Beyond Blue sure has a lot of different help phone numbers. Your local phone book will list help somewhere. This organisation was started by a state Premier in Australia who lost an election and got depressed.

peter
01/08/20

Q.255: “How does God and Jesus answer our questions?”

Well a good start is people like me sharing your need with Jesus himself. (There is an email address on this website for any questions of me). The twelve disciples had lots of questions for Jesus and Jesus answered them all. It is the best way in the world to learn things.

As a scripture teacher for many years, I now think that I would be very happy just sitting down and talking to kids, telling stories and answering their questions (as they think of them).

Jesus did just that and the twelve disciples later became question answerers themselves – instead of question askers. Please keep asking.

There are of course Bible textbooks. I have one here where I just look up a word and it tells me where to find the verse in the Bible with that word in it. There are often many to choose from. The WWW can make things easier and quicker now. If you have an iPad and such things (I do not). At 87 years old much of it is too technical for me. AND if it is urgent phone up a preacher at a local church and ask him.

Last word: Michelle Hamilton in her three days and two nights lost at sea in a kid’s dug-out canoe asked God: ”Am I going to die?” A: “You are not going to die.” ”Excuse me but would you please say that again because I cannot last much longer?” Again the answer came back: “You are not going to die.” Truly incredible.

She did not die, but was rescued by a fishing boat, crewed by Christians, soon after. In all my life I have never heard of a spoken question being answered from God. It can happen. For her story see: www.jonahministries.org. Really good to know about. I have heard Michelle tell her story three times and have two copies of her book: A Mighty Tempest.

Because Jesus does not answer as we humans do, we need to know the Bible. This (all of it) is because it can give us real guidelines as to an answer to our problem. It is not clear cut! On ceasing work as a teacher in 1986 I looked for some voluntary work to do. One ‘door’ was quickly and firmly closed. So I tried another – Scripture teaching – and it has worked out beautifully for which I am thankful. This Blog is one outcome of it.

Q.256: ”I would like to learn more about Noah and his Ark.”

What a great guy you are and a great question. Noah still gets talked about 4,000 years later.

After the creation in Genesis chapter one, and humans got to feel good and free…it was NOT good! People got to be so evil and selfish for their own pleasure that: “When the Lord saw the extent of human wickedness, and that the trend and direction of men’s lives were only towards evil, He was sorry He had made them. It broke His heart.” That sounds awfully sad doesn’t it. (Genesis 6:7 TLB)

God was pleased with Noah and his family because they all lived right. He told Noah to build a large boat (the Ark) because ‘I am going to destroy all living creatures from the earth – and start again.’

The Ark was to be 150 metres long, 25 metres wide and 15 metres high.’

(I read once that marine architects considered the size and dimensions of Noah’s Ark were ‘perfect for a seaworthy vessel’. ‘Make it three stories high with a roof and a 40 cm space between the roof and the sides, and a door in the side – a ramp too I guess, for the animals and not wheelchairs!!

Noah was told to get in food, and a pair of every bird and animal and he did. The rain came down for 40 days and 40 nights and the great fountains of the deep were opened up until every high hill was covered. All living things died and the water slowly went down till the earth became normal again. Took a bit over a year. Then Noah let the animals and birds out and they went out and multiplied as God had planned. God told Noah that He would put a rainbow in the sky as a sign that never again would He flood the earth.

Today (2020), many people are the same as in Noah’s day; selfish, greedy and uncaring of others. It must give God pain (that is all in Genesis Ch. 6 on to chapter 9).

Some people claim to have found the remains of the Ark on a high mountain in Turkey. Maybe they have but I guess it would not float today (it has not be verified (proven))!

Picture courtesy of PNGfind

peter
01/24/20

Q.257: “How did Jesus rise again?”

This is one I cannot tell you the details of and neither can anybody else. I guess God simply spoke and it happened.

It is just so unusual and, well, nobody has ever done it before and it did happen just as Jesus had said it would. That itself is mighty and unusual but accepted as fact. And, 2,000,000,000 (2b.) Christians agree.

Christmas to our ‘Western society’ is shrouded in mystery and gift giving customs. Jesus himself was born at the convergence of a Jewish festival and on an order from Caesar Augustus. He wanted more taxes collected and as it was a Jewish festival he wanted a list of all those who must pay taxes to Caesar, who ruled the Roman Empire.

All Jews had to come to their traditional ‘tribal home’. Joseph was from the tribe/clan of David so it was to Bethlehem he had to go.

That itself fulfilled one prophecy.

The Romans under Caesar ruled almost all the known world – and demanded taxes from all of them. (I read recently that the Romans put a bridge over the river Thames in London in 65 AD. Not bad eh? Maybe it saved them time in collecting taxes from the locals.)

Also, the Prophet Micah wrote 500 years before, that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem: “O Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are but small Judean village, yet you will be the birthplace of my King who is alive from everlasting ages past!” (see Micah 5:2 NLB).

There are over 300 prophecies concerning Jesus and only a few remain to be fulfilled. Main one is the great Judgement Day and the second coming of Christ.

Angels came from heaven to shepherds in the fields at night (Christmas Eve) to proclaim the birth of Jesus and three prophecies told of the wise men “…coming from the East to worship the newborn king.” Joseph was told by an angel to: “…flee to Egypt tonight.” King Herod wanted to kill his child Jesus…a future king? (Herod was one of the worst kings ever!!)

Joseph went to Egypt and Herod then killed all baby boys under two years old. King Herod was a truly horrible person.

Jesus rose to new life to fulfil (to complete) all the Bible prophecies about him.

peter
06/08/20

258. “Learn about Christmas.”

All Jews had to come to their traditional ‘tribal home’. Joseph was from the tribe/clan of David so it was to Bethlehem he had to go.

That fulfilled one prophecy.

Also, the Prophet Micah wrote 500 years before that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem: ”O Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are but small Judean village, yet you will be the birthplace of my King who is alive from everlasting ages past!” (see Micah 5:2 NLB).

There are over 300 prophecies concerning Jesus and only a few remain to be fulfilled. Main one is the great Judgement Day and the second coming of Christ.

Angels came from heaven to shepherds in the fields at night (Christmas Eve) to proclaim the birth of Jesus and three prophecies told of the wise men ‘…coming from the East to worship the newborn king.” And Joseph was told by an angel to: “…flee to Egypt tonight.” King Herod wanted to kill his child Jesus…a future king? (Herod was one of the worst kings ever!!)

Joseph went…and Herod then killed all baby boys under two years old. King Herod was a truly horrible person.

Christmas is now a glorious ‘spend-up’ on gifts. Few people know, or care, about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is all spend, spend, spend!!

Funny story: Teacher in Yr 4 asked the kids to tell what they did on Christmas Eve. Several told of wrapping presents and preparations for tomorrow. Izzy was a Jewish boy and Jews do not celebrate Christmas but the teacher asked him. He replied:“Oh, my dad has a retail toy shop and a warehouse to store stuff. When the shops shut we all go down to the warehouse in the Rolls Royce – look at all the empty shelves and sing ‘What a Friend we Have in Jesus’ – then we all go to Florida for a holiday.”

peter
01/24/20

Q.259: “Why do you think Joseph was so angry of his brothers for taking him to Egypt because in the end he was king?”

{I told the story of Joseph to the children as a Bible story (A Bible ‘Soapie’) as a way of seeing that bad things can happen to good people (see Genesis Ch.37 to Chapter 50) but God was arranging things because He knew what was best.}

In listening to the story I think your feelings for Joseph got mixed up with the real story. Joseph is never reported as being angry with his brothers for selling him to slavery in Egypt (I would have been!).

Somehow Joseph, perhaps knew to trust God and not show anger because God was with him and, well, ‘arranging things’ so that one day Joseph would be standing before the Pharaoh. Joseph would explain the two dreams to him – dreams that nobody else could interpret (the 7 cows and 7 corn plants) and then for Pharaoh to appoint Joseph to be governor: “Second to me only in all Egypt.” And the work of storing up all excess grain to sustain Egypt in the seven years of drought (famine) that was to come later. The Pharaoh was extremely glad to have Joseph there – he saved Egypt from starvation. I like the story because bad things do – yes, still today – happen to good people.

peter
07/12/20

260: “Why do bad things happen to everyone?”

(See many other questions on this subject – and there are many!)

Well, Question 259 tells of one person, Joseph, and how God was there – all the time directing the lives of many. Why? To bring understanding to people (his brothers too) that God can seem to make trouble but is working out his long-term plans. This writer is one. I broke my back – an awful thing – but I now know God had plans for me in answering kids’ questions that you are reading now.

Also, I notice that people who never have any troubles in life are different! Yes different. They cannot feel, nor empathize, with other people feeling pain and many troubles, that are not brought on by their own stupidity. I have noticed that I am treated differently sometimes…because some cultures believe that God is punishing me for evil things I have done – so I am in a wheelchair. I have done much more to make this world a better place for my being in a wheelchair than if I was a normal upright person. This website is a part of it too, about which I am happy.

PS: Do not forget to notice, and be happy, for the good things you have- and that you live in the best country on the world, Australia.

Q.261: “Do you always want to be a Scripture teacher?”

Yes, most definitely because I believe it is what God has for me to do! And I like Yr 7 kids very much.

And, answering questions is also something I can do quietly at home – and I reach the world!!

Because of the wheelchair and my age of 84 I do not now go out much but the PC is my window to the world, I can keep busy and help someone, somewhere 24/7, every day!

peter
07/12/20

Q.262: “Was this your favourite book?”

(The question refers to Joseph in Genesis Chapters 37 to 50)

No, but it nearly is. The Book of Job is my favourite book in the Bible. Why?

Well it shows up the true character of a good man named Job, the angels, Satan, God and the self-opinionated friends of Job: Bildad, Zophar and Eliphaz. These three men sat silently for seven days and nights on the ground beside Job, because they realised what terrible pain he was in (Job 2:13). Job, a millionaire, had lost everything, (ten children, thousands of sheep, camels and oxen) because of Satan’s work.

God gave Satan permission to persecute Job but not to kill him and Satan fully expected that Job would ‘curse God.’ But Job did not!

Job’s three friends spend the next 33 chapters trying to convince Job that ‘…you must have done something wrong by sinning.’ THEY WERE WRONG!

The three friends came to visit job but their advice and ‘counsel’ was all wrong. Well-meaning but wrong and God never did tell Job about Satan. However in the end God rewards him very handsomely. The rewards God gave Job are almost beyond belief. Great story!! God can do ANYTHING!

peter
07/12/20

Q.263: “Why did the brothers sell Joseph?”

This is from the story I told of Joseph in Genesis Chapters 37 to 50.
They sold their brother for several reasons. God wanted Joseph in Egypt for an important task later on. His brothers hated him because Joseph was now Dad’s favourite, after the gift of the ‘coat of many colours’. Also, Joseph had told them that in two separate dreams that people would bow down to him – including them! They really hated the idea of them bowing down to Joseph, but they did, 22 years later. The Bible puts in the good, the bad and the ugly – it’s about real people.

peter
07/12/20

Q.264: “What happened to the other wife?”

That’s Leah, Jacob’s first wife, the one Jacob’s uncle Laban tricked him into marrying (see Genesis Chapter 29).

It got quite involved in Bible times because Jacob did not really love Leah – but that was not very important. If you have sex with a girl then she becomes your wife! Jacob did marry Rachel a week later but he loved Rachel very much and now had two wives (which was not uncommon).

Leah gave Jacob six sons and the Bible says that when Jacob was on his deathbed he told his sons to bury him in the cave at Machpelah, at the place where Abraham and Sarah were buried : “…and I buried Leah there too.” (Gen; 49:31).
So it was a fairly uneventful life for Leah.

peter
07/12/20

Q.265. “Why did Joseph get put in jail for no wrong?”

Very good question thank you. It was a part of God’s plan for Joseph’s future. Sounds pretty rough but it is a genuine ‘Bible Soapie.’ With Joseph in Jail God could work out his plan. The jailor recognised that God was with Joseph and put him in charge of running the prison. Later, two prisoners from Pharaoh’s staff, were in the jail and both had dreams. Joseph told them the meaning of the dreams which came 100% true. Later the Pharaoh had two vivid dreams but nobody could interpret them. BUT the one who served the Pharaoh and had been in jail was able to tell Pharaoh that: “…there is a Hebrew slave in the dungeon who can interpret your two dreams.” Joseph was called up and told the Pharaoh the meaning of his dreams. Pharaoh was impressed with Joseph’s telling of the meaning (7 years of abundance then 7 years of famine). The Pharaoh promptly made Joseph ‘Second in Command,’ of all Egypt which fulfilled God’s long-range plans for Joseph. Joseph’s brothers later did come and ‘bow down’ to their little brother Joseph, as he had dreamed they would 22 years before (see Genesis Chapters 39 to 41). A most interesting story.

Q.266: “Does God also send visions of the future during dreams?”

(The person who asked this question says that they have visions about the future)

This is a very serious question. Why? Well God is capable of doing anything and this world which,I believe, is heading towards perhaps ‘the end of the age’…a very big upheaval…and it could happen any day. And He can send dreams to special people…but beware, so can Satan.

For centuries many people have told others of dreams or visions they say they have had (99% of them were wrong) . They were deceived, and started a new religion, but they faded away because the vision was not from God.

I know of missionaries who have had a dream vision of their future, and a Chaplain too. They did not ‘tell everyone’ and make a big show of how God had spoken to them. No, they quietly thought and prayed about it and waited for God to take things onto the next step and it worked out very well.

I did not have a dream or a vision, but on the occasion of my being baptised a ‘voice’ (like on the telephone) said very clearly: “You’ll be working with children.” I had never done that in my life before. But, several years later I broke my back, then university, then teaching, then Bible College and 26 years Scripture teaching. God knew what was to come in the future (yes, even these questions and answers – over 250 and counting).

So my answer: You may very well be getting messages about the future and may God bless you in all you do. But always check it out to ensure that directions agree with the bible – our guidebook. And finally if you are unsure of anything think and pray: “ What would I do if Jesus was standing next to me now?” ie. would He be pleased with my actions?

peter
07/13/20

Q.267: “Why is there cancer – it ruins the world?”

Yes indeed it helps to ruin the world. My only son died from cancer at four years old.

What caused it? We cannot tell yet but maybe one day keen research doctors will be able to trace what causes cancers. Many things cause cancers: diesel smoke, cigarettes, too much alcohol, poisons in the air, water and food that we eat and chemicals we put on plants and into animals to make them grow better. There are many others- like too much sun giving us skin melanomas etc.

I think about this problem often, and this bothers me a lot. On many foods in the supermarket there is a long list of additives like preservatives, anti-caking agents, humectants etc, etc with lots of numbers that mean nothing…unless you buy a book and check each number out, but you still cannot be happy with it all. I just refuse to buy most of them.

How can the manufactures be 100% sure that a diet of all these additives will do us no harm over 30 years of eating them. They CANNOT!

Here is one you CAN avoid! On the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Commission) radio I heard today 3/11/13,t hat a ‘back yard’ tattooist who does not have clean clothes and hospital-like studios, can give you hepatitis- a virus in the blood that can give you liver cancer. Be aware! Look it up on the www.

…………………………………………………………………..

To all readers please note these questions about Joseph. …..I tell the story of Joseph and the many trials and troubles he endured to the children (11 to 12 years old) to help them to see that sometimes God allows bad things to happen to His people . See Genesis Chapters 37 to 50 (or even from Ch. 12 on) (this is the beginning of the nation of Israel and later Christianity) . Joseph believed God and accepted that God is in charge of those who belong to Him, even when unexplained bad things happen. God has His long range plans for all those who belong to his family. And Joseph was committed to God. Obviously his dad, Jacob, taught him all the beginnings from Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and his mum Rachel and how they obeyed God. The same goes for us today. Sooner or later you will decide if you do, or if you do not believe God. It is a choice we all have to make at sometime in our lives. It means heaven or hell with God or without God for eternity. Everybody does not automatically go to heaven – it is our own choice.

peter
07/13/20

Q.268: “Why did Joseph’s brothers hate him so much?”

I have answered this one before in Question 264 but a bit extra detail won’t hurt. Jealousy and money – people kill for it today – just as people did in Bible times.

I like the telling of bad bits in the Bible because it shows that it is not a lovely tale of lovely people doing lovely things all over the world, and everything in the garden is lovely. It was not!

Joseph’s brothers were older than him, had wives and children with flocks and herds of their own. Money and power change people – not everyone can handle it well.

Happening this year, 2013, in Perth, my home town in Western Australia, where the richest woman in the world lives,s he is being sued in the supreme court by her children over money. A lot of it, and when and how much her children will get from her estate, or family trust. That is the general idea of what the argument is basically about, money.

Joseph’s brothers were ‘first-in-line’ to get a larger share of their father’s (Jacob) estate when he died. That was normal custom and Jacob was very rich. With his two dreams and after his very expensive coat (see Genesis Chapter 37) the brothers realised that Joseph was now ‘first-in-line’ for a bigger share of Dad’s estate. Hate grew.

I said this was a great Bible ‘Soap Opera:’ Love, hate, jealousy, greed conniving and back stabbing, it has got it all…with forgiveness and mercy.

Do read the whole story in Genesis, it is a great yarn. Start at Genesis Chapter 12 to 50. Abraham fathers a child at 100 years old and Sarah, his wife, has a baby boy at 90 years old, then right up to Joseph’s brothers coming to Egypt to escape the famine, and everyone bowing down to him just as his dreams had shown! That was the beginning of the modern state of ISRAEL.

A common joke: IF YOU ASK TWO JEWS A QUESTION, YOU WILL GET THREE DIFFERENT ANSWERS! It seems they love to argue about their interpretation of the Bible, or The Torah, the five books of Moses. God bless ‘em for all their faults and arguments. But they are, like it or not, eternally ”God’s chosen people.”

peter
07/13/20

Q.269: “What happened to Benjamin (Joseph’s young brother)?”

Benjamin grew up in Egypt with Jacob and his 11 sons. Jacob included Ephraim and Manasseh, Joseph’s two sons from Asenath, the wife that the Pharaoh gave him in Egypt.

Benjamin led a normal life as all the other brothers and one of the twelve tribes of Israel is named Benjamin after him.

peter
07/13/20

Q.270: “Why did Joseph want to see Benjamin so much?” (see Q 269)

Well first of all he and his younger brother grew up together and mostly stayed at home with Jacob and his first wife Leah. Leah was like a real mum to them as Rachel had died giving birth to Benjamin.

Jacob, I guess, was not keen to have the two sons of Rachel, the wife he had loved so much, go out into the countryside as there were bears and lions in those days.

And I would expect that there would be some enmity (unpleasant thoughts and feelings) between the children of Leah and the two children of Rachel. Also Joseph had a kind, loving heart – even though as a youth, he could not keep his mouth shut about the dreams of his brothers bowing down to him.

The Bible does not mention much of love and family love, but it was there with Joseph wanting so much to set his eyes on his little brother Benjamin. Thank you for the question.

Q.271: ”Was Joseph really called ‘Prime Minister?’”

No, I would not think so. (I may have used the term in telling the story to you) Prime Minister is a modern term where there is an elected Parliamentary Democracy and a leader is chosen as the No.1 person to lead the party in parliament. That means he is, sort of, the best one they have, so heor she is put up as that party’s ‘Leader’.

Pharaoh was pleased with Joseph’s interpretation (revealing and understanding) of his dreams and he said (this is my 1949 Newberry Bible): “And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants and Pharaoh said unto his servants ‘Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the spirit of God is?’ And Pharaoh said unto Joseph ”Forasmuch as God has shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: Thou shalt be over my house and according to thy word shall all my people be ruled; only in the throne will I be greater than thou.” And Pharaoh said unto Joseph.” See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.” (Gen 41:37-40).

And Pharoah put his cygnet ring on Joseph’s finger as a symbol of his authority, a beautiful golden chain around his neck and beautiful royal robes. Pharaoh also gave Joseph a name: Zaphnath-paaneah, meaning ‘He has god-like powers.’ No other name except governor is there.

So I hope you like the 1949 Bible (in those days people really loved the Bible and did not mind the style of the translation).

peter
07/14/20

Q.272: ”Was Israel a country in Jesus’ time, because it was only recognised as a country in 1948?”

Good insightful question thank you. You will be someone who keeps up with world affairs instead of simply swallowing the shallow ten second ’Grab’ that pretends to be news on the TV each night in Australia today.

Yes, Israel was a country then (split in two – Judah and Israel) when Jesus was here on the earth. (The Jews then, as now, can have very strong beliefs and feelings as how to follow God’s laws and instructions to them.) And since the time of Nebuchadnezzar the Jews have been scattered (disbursed) all around the world (it is called ‘The Diaspora’) for very bad behaviour and ignoring of God’s rules and ways. (See also Question 248 and the 400 silent years.)

One Babylonian King, Artaxerxes, did allow some Jews to return to the ruined and desolate city of Jerusalem and rebuild the walls. It was only a temporary return. Some Jews had been permitted to remain in Jerusalem to keep farming it and the king thought them not to be a threat to his rule (see Nehemiah Ch 1 and 2). Many returned over 1500 years but most remained where they had dispursed to. In 600 AD Mohammed began the Islamic religion and believed himself to be God’s prophet. He wrote the Koran (Quran) and his followers had a civil war and moved into Jerusalem. Later Christian armies tried to expel the Muslims but could not. After Jesus came the third major force – Christianity, and it became part of Jerusalem. Itwas God’s way of doing things and it stayed that way until 1948.

The Bible has many references to Jerusalem as the ‘Holy city’ or the ‘City of David’.

Spot of History of a ‘Disputed Land’ and Jerusalem.

I am pleased to record that Australian soldiers in 1917, in World War One (WWI), at The Battle of Beersheba, drove the Germans and Turks out of Beersheba in Palestine, with its many water wells, and then marched on into Jerusalem to free it from Muslim occupation. See Wikipedia and the Australian Light Horsemen at The Battle of Beersheba.

Australian ANZAC horsemen showed bravery of a very rare order then. I have a book on that battle. For the very thirsty Aussies and their very thirsty horses, it would seem that the horses could smell the water at the wells of Beersheba from three miles away.

As the Aussies had almost no water, it was literally: ”Do or die” – the Aussies rode three miles across the desert straight into the face of the enemy artillery at full gallop and the enemy just could not believe it was happening. No time to lower the big guns. The Aussies horses were the famous ’Walers’ a very tough and capable horse bred in Australia.

Later, after World War Two (WWII) in 1948 the United Nations, led by Britain, re-established The State of Israel…for the first time in 2,400 years with Jerusalem as its capitol.

A war immediately started as three Muslim nations tried to wipe out the infant nation of Israel. They didn’t.

That land, I believe will forever be a ‘tinder box waiting to explode’ as Jew and Muslim peoples claim it as ‘Ours’. Iran only last year claimed to want to ‘…wipe Israel off the face of the earth’. Do keep your eyes and ears open in the years to come.

Sorry that was so long but world peace, even ‘World War Three’ I believe, hinges on this part of the world and Jerusalem.

peter
07/14/20

Q.273: “How come Joseph knew who his brothers were but they did not know him?”

There are several reasons but mainly they could never imagine that “The Dreamer” – their little brother whom they sold as a 17 year old into slavery 22 years ago –could ever be in charge of Egypt. And, with the Pharaoh’s cygnet ring on his finger, the gold chain, a good one too, plus his fine clothes, plus Joseph spoke in Egyptian and the chariot of Pharaoh’s ‘Second in Command’ nearby. And to top it all, he is checking up on all visitors who come to buy food. Also 22 years had passed and Joseph was now a fully grown man with unusual authority.

God too was there. I suspect that Joseph would be expecting them, knowing that the drought was in the land of Canaan where his family lived and they too would be starving.

But finally, Joseph the ‘loud mouth kid who could not keep his mouth shut’ had grown up. God was with him and the experience with Potiphars’ wife, time in jail, the Pharaoh’s dreams, then he is governor of Egypt and overseer of storing grain for seven years. His mind had matured into a very smart ‘cookie’. He understood people management – his brothers remained simple shepherds.

peter
07/15/20

Q.274: “How Could Joseph read dreams?”

This question was asked by two students.

God did it for him. On every occasion Joseph said: “Do not interpretations belong to God, tell me your dreams?” This was to the Pharaoh’s butler and the baker in the jail.

They both did tell Joseph their dreams and instantly Joseph knew the meaning. And he was 100% right. I know not how but God put the answer into Joseph’s mind instantly but He surely did. The same thing happened for the Pharaoh’s two dreams.

Years ago, I was at a business seminar and there was a raffle. I forget the prize but the MC (person in charge) began reading out the contest results etc. I knew instantly that I was going to get the prize. I did. I was so sure I almost began walking out to get it before he gave out my name.

God’s ways just cannot be known to us but HE surely knows what is going to happen in the immediate future and the distant future.

peter
07/16/20

Q.275: “Why did God make us like we are?” (see Q 253 as well)

“Wow! Phew, I can feel a book coming on – about 35 chapters too!!” Thanks for the insightful question.

Not an easy question to answer – I can but try.

Well for starters please ask Mr.Google to call Mr Louis Armstrong to the stage to sing: “What a Wonderful World.” Listen to it well.

From his song we think of life, looking, laughter, and love. Also there is the ‘other side of the coin’ person: Me, mine, and myself. The foolish selfish person.

Perhaps you meant “Why did God make our bodies like they are?”

If that is what you meant then He did a truly marvellous job of it. Our bodies are truly quite amazing creations – as is the attraction boys have for a girl and a girl has for a boy. But I believe the ‘God’ part in us is mainly the spiritual section. We are different to animals in what we can do – some beautiful and fantastic – as well as horrible and cruel. He gave us a choice!!

Sometime soon, go outside to a park, a garden, natural bush and look at the trees, the flowers, the lawn, and all such things that are a pleasure to look upon. What you cannot see is many insects, microbes, and tiny creatures living in and around the trees and garden. Some bad for us but many good; and some you cannot see without a microscope. All are a part of the whole ‘Web of Life’. I believe God made us to enjoy it all.

The green leaves take in carbon dioxide and water, and by the light of the sun turn them into wood, flowers, fruit, vegetables and so on.

A bit marvellous Eh? And we are just the right distance from the sun so as not to be too hot or too cold. And if you feel cold you put on warm clothes, and when too hot and you take off some clothes. Who told you to?

It happens automatically because God built in automatic things to keep us well. Even a little child will say: ”I’m too hot,”or “I’m too cold.”

I believe God made for us a beautiful world filled with birds, animals, food, rain, sunlight, winter and summer and much, much more. This is for us to see, to understand, enjoy and preserve. I would hate to live in a land where the weather is always the same with no four seasons

While still on why God made us, do not forget to – on a clear night – look up. Gaze at the moon, then, on a clear night study the 400,000,000,000 stars in the Milky way. Put there by a ‘Big bang’ ?? I cannot believe that is true. (In some places ‘WE’ have so polluted the air that the stars cannot be seen.)

Then observe somewhere if you can the sheer joy, the love and pride of a new mum and dad with their first child – a new life – 50% Mum and 50% Dad. What a joyful miracle. And the joy of watching that child take his first steps, then school, work, a wife and family – with Grandkids for the proud Grandparents.

The bad things: God also made us able to choose to do right or do wrong. We choose what we will be as we grow up.

Some deliberately choose to put themselves at position number one…and live their life seeking good things for themselves first.

Sadly, in Australia recently, there is a Royal Commission of inquiry as to the sexual abuse of children – by churches and church institutions. Too often at home too, kids can be sexually abused by a family member or relative.

This can permanently damage a child’s happiness for all their life. Jesus spoke of a special punishment for child abusers and I feel good about that. Children cannot protect themselves but the severest punishment awaits the abuser (see Matthew 18:6).

In heaven Jesus will have around Himself all those who choose to believe in Him and follow His ways. That is the ultimate choice and maybe that is why God made us the way he did.

Hope you liked that Jessica.

Ps: A little thought occasionally comes to my mind that maybe God should have added a ‘Keep Australia Beautiful’ gene to the 2,000,000,000 gene pairs that make up a new human baby. But I suppose He would respond: ”I did give you all a ‘common sense gene pairs’…parents must develop it in their children.” ‘Nuff said: I despise litterers!

Q 276. If God is everywhere, is He in hell?

Ask your question of “The Answerer”

Kids ask their questions of Peter Harris

A Scripture Teacher in Perth government schools.

That’s me to the right of this page – in my wheelie-chair maybe at your school.

Here is the most recent childs question asked of their Scripture Teacher Mr. Peter Harris.

Dear Reader: this is listed here so you can see it first on this website:

There are about 100 in blog format and available to search via the categories.

Also on the Answers Tab: they are in numerical order, or the ones we have loaded so far!!

Q 276. If God is everywhere, is He in hell?

Well, this is a most difficult question to answer but I’ll do my best.

For starters it is a bit like searching God’s mind and His methods-is it right to do that?

I really am not sure!

My Webster Universal Dictionary,1968 P.967 has three words and God is mentioned in all three: Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent. The Bible speaks of God in Revelation (a vision of a future heaven):”…the voice of a great multitude saying: ”Allelula: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.” (Rev.19:7 KJV) In the explanation of the words the dictionary says:

Omnipotent: The Almighty God.

Omniscient: Possessing infinite knowledge,all knowing, as God.

Omnipresent: Present in all places at the same time,as God.

Those are three big important words and most Christians believe that they apply to God. Nobody else can be omnipresent. They cause me to believe that God really is everywhere, or His angels are. Four times in my 82 years a voice has spoken a single sentence (like with headphones) to me about something God wanted me to know. One of them ‘Told me off’ – and I did not ask for any of them! I believe it was one of God’s angels – or “…ministering spirits…’ (Heb.1:14 ) that spoke the message to me. Angels and ‘ministering spirits’ are mentioned very often in Scripture. King David mentioned them often in the Psalms.

So we know for sure that God is omnipotent and our human, really quite small, understanding of God, stops us from knowing all about God. (If we knew everything it may be not good for us.) John begins The Gospel of John with these words: “He created everything, there is nothing exists that He didn’t make.” (John.1:3 TLB)

So God must have created hell – maybe as a prison or gaol.

Jesus mentioned it in the ‘Judgement Day’ scene saying: “…away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his demons.” (Matthew 25:41 TLB) So, I sort of assume that hell (eternal fire) is God’s creation, His property, and is there for the rebels. So God must have created hell – those who care nothing for God and deserve punishment. God gave us a choice – to do good or bad. People who choose to hurt or abuse: “…my little ones,” defenceless children, will get God’s worst punishment and I would not want to even look at them, ever! (Matthew 18:6) I believe that teenagers too come into the word ‘children’.

But, what if you love God, or have loved Him – but ‘Lapsed’ (stopped regular prayer and being in touch with a good church) as several people have told me they are. Do they get sent to the fire and brimstone place? I will not say “Yes” or “No.” Because that is ‘Judging others’ and that is NOT for me to do!

So -‘Is God in hell?’ I think not.

“Why?” The prophet Habakkuk writes of God: “Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil….”(Habakkuk 1:13a NIV). I am quite sure He knows all about it but He hates evil – and hell is full of evil so I guess God declines to go there and I would think that he uses his zillions of angels to keep Him informed about everything.

The Catholic Church believe that there is an ‘in between place’ called Purgatory. See http://www.catholic.com/ for more if you want to. Most Protestants do not agree with it. It is a place that is not heaven and not hell and maybe God is there – watching – or having angels “…bring Him reports on how people are going”.

Got extra questions?

There is an Email address on the website for you if you need to. (Or just click here.)

BUT – a really good thing you can do is to read the Scriptures (Bible) and get to know what it says. That is quite a big job. Maybe you could start with the Book of Mark in the new Testament. Then another short one, but a good one is James. Then get some good advise from the wisest person who has ever lived: King Solomon ~ by reading his book of Proverbs. Check these out at www.bible.org

# Caroline Panther on 09/24/14 at 06:52

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