A New Christian's Questions

Dear Brother Ron

I have quite a few questions (I'm a new Christian, by the way :) )

1) I always had this picture of God as someone who punishes harshly and doesn't forgive if you keep on asking for forgiveness, and if you do something wrong or fail to do something something bad will happen to you...but I know he is a loving God....can anyone tell me more about Him and how He is like?

2) I told God yesterday night I would finish watching this movie: The Life and Times of Jesus Christ, today. But if I don't finish it today because of 1, lack of time 2, (i feel really guilty about this) at times I'm not interested (I know nothing is more important than God and Jesus and I feel really guilty...).....what will happen to me?

3) I pray every night as a routine and even if I don't have much to say I still have to pray. So is prayer and worship supposed to be a routine and if you break it you will be punished? Like is obeying God supposed to be routine? I want to please Him but sometimes I am quite confused.... :(

4) I always have a lot of temptations and I find it hard to control them so will God forgive me if I keep sinning (I'm just a really weak-minded and I lack self control.....) but praying for forgiveness and repenting I try to be as good as I can

5) Some of my family aren't Christians and I am really afraid for them because they are not saved yet and might end up in Hell and I'm really afraid for them I keep on praying that they will find a way to love God as I love him.... :( What can I do? I'm scared for my Atheist family members and my friends.....

6) Sometimes I feel like God has withdrawn from my life and I do not feel the same love and light as I do most of the time....at those times I feel lonely and afraid...Christians do you know this feeling and do you know any more about this?

7) As Christians what are the major things we can and cannot do?

8) Sometimes I feel guilty when I am not interested in things I should be interested in (like reading the Bible, praying, watching movies about God and Jesus (good movies), reading about God......sometimes I do, sometimes I don't feel interested and it makes me feel really guilty so what can I do?

9) I'm confused because sometimes it seems like I am Christian only because of my selfish desires and for my OWN good, but I know that everything is for God and his Glory how can I stop thinking that everything is "me, me, me?"

Thank you very very much

Deep Thoughts

Dear Deep Thoughts

1. God does not live by our rules of space and time. He has already seen every mostake you will make and has already forgiven you for them. The people who preach otherwise are merely using scare tactics to get your money and get you to behave.

2. You will find other ways to learn more about Jesus and His message than a boring movie. Maybe God was telling you there's more to the story than what the movie was showing.

3. Prayer is a good thing. God loves to talk with His children. But prayer is more than just talking, it's also listening for God's answer to your prayers. Prayer is a conversation, not just a monlogue.

4. See number 1 above. Eventually you will figure out that the things that keep tempting you will not get you where you want to go and you will stop. It's called growth. It's kind of like the guy who goes to the doctor, moves his arm up and down and says, "Doc, it hurts when I do that". The doctor replies, "Well, stop doing that". If sin makes you feel bad, stop doing things that make you feel bad.

5. They will eventually figure it out. If not in this incarnation, they will in the next. In the meantime, just take your cue from Matthew 5:16-"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven". When they see the change it has made in you, they may realize that you are onto something.

6. Since the Spirit of God is alive and well within you, He can not desert you. The two of you are stuck with each other. What you are feeling is the noise of this world becoming so overwhelming that you can not hear God's voice. That just means you have to focus harder to hear it. But it's still there.

7. There are just two things you have to do-love God and love your fellow man. That's it. Follow those two rules 24/7 and everything else falls into place like a row of dominos.

8. Do you listen to music 24 hours a day? Do you watch movies 24 hours a day? You have a life. You probably have many interests. God wants you to have a life. As long as He is the center of it, He does not want to be your whole life. He has other work for you to do.

9. Have you ever played a sport like football or baseball? Was the object of the game for the team to win or for you to be the star? As long as you are contributing to the team's victory, you will be rewarded. If you think only of your own glory, the team loses and you won't be the most popular guy in the locker room. Focus on serving the will of God and your reward will come. That philosophy has worked well for me for many years.

Hope this helps.

Best always
Brother Ron