Sunday, July 17, 2011

What Would Jesus Do?

Dear Brother Ron

What would Jesus do? Would Jesus live it up? Would He appreciate life? Would he make sure he didn't waste a minute of his time on this earth? Is that what Jesus would do, or would he spread the word of God, live in a fantasy, live for words, live for what comes after life?

So what would Jesus do?

Eleanor

Dear Eleanor

I assume you mean what would Jesus do if he were to return to earth today. First, He would make Himself known by presenting undeniable credentials such as miracles and healing. Then He would declare the reason for His return.

I imagine the first order of business would be to set us straight about killing God's children in His name. Then He would challenge us to end the disease and misery which drives so much of this world's population to wars and atrocities. After that, He would help us find ways to take better care of the world our Father has given us.

I doubt that He would have time for parties or fantasies. When His parents found Him in the temple at the age of 12, He told them, "I must be about my Father's business."

I believe there is still much business to attend to. That would probably occupy most, if not all of His time.

Best always
Brother Ron

Probate Mind

Dear Brother Ron

What does it mean if someone tells you that "there will be worse days coming to me" and when i asked why, they said "probate mind". I am a "baby Christian" and this was told to me by a Christian man I was seeing. I recently got an email from another girl on his Myspace saying he was trying to date her as well. Supposedly this man wants to be a Pastor one day, and he sure knows the bible and loves to minister.

I let him have it because i didn't fully trust him and he kept telling me the spirit lives in him and he wouldn't hurt me and that i have trust issues....well he got caught and now he's disappointed in me??? Then he told me that worse things are to come for me and when i asked him why...he just said probate mind that's why. Meaning me! Worse things for me.

He seems to know a lot and always refers to scripture for answers. However, he said that God opened his heart to me and he knew i am to be his wife. He has proposed to me even. Well he made a move on me and we did end up having relations. I told him i felt it was a sin because we are not married and i'm not even divorced yet. My soon to be ex-husband was unfaithful so i left him in Aug 07. This new man tells me i have trust issues and i should trust in the lord...but then when it came to relations, he said God has sanctified us to be together and the bible says go "know" your wife. He says we are not doing wrong in God's eyes because the divorce and us not being married are rules of "THIS world". Is this true? Is this ok? He would make everything sound ok. He has an answer and turns to the bible for everything, but I'm afraid he is manipulating me. What do you think?

Luvte

Dear Luvte

I think Jesus saw this guy coming a long time ago.

Matthew 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. Matthew 24:5 For many shall come in my name saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

This bozo sounds more like a used car salesman than a minister. If he really loved you, he would respect your feelings and not try to hustle you into doing something you were uncomfortable with. I have been married for most of my 62 years. Marriage is a partnership based on mutual trust and respect. You don't trust him and he doesn't respect you. I really don't see much of a future in this relationship.

Jesus also told us not to look for God from external sources.

Luke 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Luke 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or lo there! for behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

You say you are afraid he is manipulating you. Who do you think is telling you this? Listen to the voice of your Father within you, not this manipulative jerk.

Best always
Brother Ron

Paul’s Commandment to the Unmarried

Dear Brother Ron

What is the proper application for today of Paul’s commandment to the unmarried (I Corinthians 7:25-28)?

Newby

Dear Newby

1Co 7:25 Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: but I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be trustworthy.
1Co 7:26 I think therefore that this is good by reason of the distress that is upon us, namely, that it is good for a man to be as he is.
1Co 7:27 Art thou bound unto a wife? Seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? Seek not a wife.
1Co 7:28 But shouldest thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Yet such shall have tribulation in the flesh: and I would spare you.

Notice first of all that Paul tells us these are not the words of God but merely his own opinion. Judging from the last sentence, he would appear to discourage marriage for those who are not already married. But again, this is merely his opinion.

The application for today is simply that we are not to enter into marriage lightly. If we consider marriage as simply a license to have sex or a meal ticket, then we are sure to encounter the tribulations Paul speaks of.

Best always
Brother Ron

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Editing the Bible

Dear Brother Ron

In Deuteronomy 4:2 it says, "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you."

If this statement is true, then why are there words in the Bible after this verse?

Kinky

Dear Kinky

The real question is why did the Catholic church disobey this commandment when they edited the Bible at the First Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. Several books were left out of the final version. Other books, known as the Apocrypha, are found in some Bibles but not others.

You must also remember that the Israelites at this time were a theocracy. The priests were the government. So the word of God was literally the law of the land. In today's society, we are expected to obey the law as it is written, not how we think it should have been written. The Israelites were expected to do the same.

The Bible is a wonderful source of spiritual guidance. It is also a book of history, philosophy, sociology, poetry and other disciplines. Unfortunately, man has chosen to ignore the admonition of this verse. The words of God have been distorted by everybody from the Catholic Church to the Internal Revenue Service.

This is why I tell people the only truth you can depend on is the voice of God within you. Everything else is hearsay.

Best always
Brother Ron

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Adam Was a Hermaphrodite

Dear Brother Ron

My sister has always gravitated to churches where they are always dissecting the Bible. I remember back in the 90's she said that the world wide web was the devil's workshop and that WWW was the mark of the beast. The latest she has shared is that Adam was a Hermephrodite(sp). Now, first of all WHERE in the Bible does it say this? She used the scripture Genesis 1:27 :

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them

So, I asked her to look at the next verse 1:28 (I quote)

28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth

If this was the case then was God telling Adam to be fruitful and multiply with himself? NO!

Candy

Dear Candy

You will notice the scripture does not say male and/or female created He them. Second, the scripture says created he them, not him. He created two creatures, male and female, not one androgynous being.

Your sister needs to bone up on both her theology and her grammar.

Best always
Brother Ron

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Do You Believe in Reincarnation?

Dear Brother Ron

Do you believe in reincarnation? Sometimes I think reincarnation is true but it's against our religious beliefs. Do you think it exists? I've read lots of books about reincarnation because it interests me so much. Please answer my question.

Vanessa

Dear Vanessa

I believe that God is the source of all life. I believe that a part of the living God lives within all of us. I believe that God can never lose a part of Himself. I believe that, when the body dies, the part of God within us returns to the source it came from. I believe God uses that part of Himself to create new life, which is what God does.

In that sense, I believe in reincarnation.

Best always
Brother Ron

Where Does All the Money Go?

Dear Brother Ron

The Christian Church is a multi-billion dollar muli-national conglomerate. Where does the money go? I'm starting to think I'm in the wrong business. It obviously doesn't go to the poor and needy as it should because the amount of money pouring into Christianity (all forms) is enough to solve the world's financial problems 10 times over yet it doesn't. The numbers just don't add up.

Jester

Dear Jester

Granted there are some religious organizations which take money from the congregation and spend it on lavish lifestyles. But there are thousands more which use the money to help God's children. For example, after Hurricane Katrina, while the government was bumbling and stumbling around, churches from across the country were sending in trucks loaded with food, clothing, generators and other needed supplies.

Actually, a recent survey showed that churches are the most efficient way to distribute aid to the needy. If my family is starving and needs $100 worth of groceries, it costs the average church $7 to give them to me (utilities, salaries, etc.). The average United Way agency spends $20 in administrative costs (mostly fund raising) to give me my $100 worth of groceries. The administrative cost for the government to give me $100 worth of groceries is $328.

The trick is to do your homework and find out how the church is spending your money. If they won't tell you or if you don't like the answer, find another group to contribute to.

Best always
Brother Ron

Will Jesus Get Angry?

Dear Brother Ron

Will Jesus get angry if I skip Mass this week? It is kind of cold outside.

Number Two

Dear Number Two

Jesus was more concerned with you inner relationship with God than your public display of that relationship. In fact, He had some very negative things to say about those who made such a public display:

Luke 11:43 Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.

Matthew6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Spirituality is what goes on inside you between you and God. Religion is your public display of that spirituality. If you miss the public display, your inner relationship with God will not suffer. God will still be with you and listening to you no matter where you are.

Best Always
Brother Ron

Would This Person Go to Hell?

Dear Brother Ron

Would this person go to Hell? This person has created a cure for cancer, donated 50 billion dollars to charity, risked his/her life countless times to save someone else. Made an end to all wars, solved global warming, be really kind. Have never sweared or done anythign naughty, BUT the person was an atheist.

Would that person still go to hell, even though that person is more kind, generous and great than Christians, based on the fact that he was a humble atheist, someone that was not in his/her control?

Devilish

Dear Devilish

Since a piece of the living God exists within all of us, and since God can never lose any part of Himself and still be God, when this person dies, the part of God within him will return to its source. Let me ask you a question. You are probably sitting in a chair as you read this. Do you believe in the chair? Do you believe it has the power to support you and keep you from falling and hurting yourself?

Suppose you decided not to believe in the chair. Suppose you looked at the chair and said, "I don't believe you exist and I refuse to put my trust in you". Do you suppose it would make any difference to the chair? Would it crumble and send you crashing to the floor? Probably not. The chair does not need your permission to be what it is.

Neither does God.

Best always
Brother Ron

Monday, July 4, 2011

My Father is Very Religious

Dear Brother Ron

My father is very religious and has always been pushing his views on me ever since I was little. I am now living out of his house on my own. Even though I do not have the same beliefs, he will still persist with his religion on me. He has been asking me consistently to go with his church to him. I kindly turn down the offer, yet he still keeps asking...nearly every time he sees me. Should I just go?

Fenix

Dear Fenix

I believe this is an important event your father wants to share with you. You should grant him the pleasure of doing so. Before going, however, you should have a clear understanding between the two of you that your attendance will not change your beliefs and he should not expect this. If that understanding can not be reached, you should not go.

I believe accompanying your father will accomplish one important goal-you will have a better understanding of what your father believes and why he believes that way. You could also make it a reciprocal deal. You will accompany him to his church if he accompanies you to yours. He needs to understand you as much as you need to understand him.

Best always
Brother Ron

God and Creation

Dear Brother Ron

What do you think about GOD and creation?
Darnifino

Dear Darnifino

I think the Bible is correct when it says that in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. I also think the scientists are correct when they try to tell us how He did it. You are talking about the conflict between religion and science. This conflict is as old as religion itself. Gallileo had to write his findings in code to keep from being roasted by the church.

Science tells us how things happen. Religion tells us why they happen. To me, there is no conflict. Could God have created the universe in an instant with a thought? Yes. Could He have set in motion a chain of events which would take billions of years to unfold? Of course. Which method did He use? I don't know. I wasn't there and neither was anyone else. We are all just guessing and threatening to kill anybody who disagrees with us.

The whole argument is pointless anyway. We will never get where we need to go if we keep our focus on the rear view mirror instead of the road ahead. However we got here, we're here. Now what?

Best always
Brother Ron

Money and Religion

Dear Brother Ron

When the rich man wanted to follow Jesus, he was told to give his wealth away if he wanted to be a follower. Please explain why all religions manage to accumulate vast assets and money. It appears that it is all about money and power. Jesus and other prophets would turn in their graves if they knew of the present day religions actions.
Edward

Dear Edward

A church must function in the real world, which means rendering unto Caeser as well as the bank, the electric company, salaries, etc. Unfortunately, many religious organizations get so caught up in their business affairs they lose sight of why the church was founded in the first place. There are also many who are wolves in sheep's clothing. Jesus spoke often about them. His words were not kind.

Jesus told us that a man can not serve two masters. There are many churches which exist to serve their communities and the will of God. There are unfortunately many others which exist to accumulate money and power. Our Father knows which is which and will deal with the offenders in His own time and in His own way.

Best always
Brother Ron

The Soul and the Holy Spirit

Dear Brother Ron

Can you differentiate between soul and spirit?

GXI

Dear GXI

I find it interesting that churches try to separate the soul of man from the Spirit of God. According to the Catholic Church, the soul is the home where the Holy Spirit dwells. The word spirit means breath. We find in Genesis where God breathed the breath of life into Adam and Adam became a living being. This would mean that God instilled part of Himself into Adam. If the breath of life was just air, it would have no life-giving power. This would mean that a part of the living God dwells within us. Jesus told us this in Luke 17:21. "Neither shall they say, Lo here or lo there for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you."

Since God is perfect, He can never change. That means He can never lose part of Himself. If He did, He would no longer be perfect and no longer be God. So if our soul is part of the living God (which I believe it is), then it can never be "lost". And if it can not be lost, there is no need for it to be "saved". Kind of throws the whole evangelistic marketing strategy into a cocked hat, doesn't it?

Best always
Brother Ron