4 Questions About Life and Death

Questions:

1. What is the point of human existence?
2. Who decides where we go and when?
3. Where are our souls (please don't say 'INSIDE US')
4. Why are we here?

My Reply:

1) What is the point of Human existence?  To glorify God

2) Who decides where we go and when?  That depends on whose you are...if you belong to the Lord, then He guides you, and your desires relate to #1.  If you belong to yourself (sin), then I suppose it'd be your own desires that guide you.
But then, if you're talking about where we go when we die, then I believe we also decide on where we go...will we go to be with the Lord, or not?  And that depends on whether we'll have anything to do with Him now or not.
As for "when"? I don't fully know that one. As a Christian, I figure I'll go when my work here is done and He wants me home.  Although, I also believe that Jesus will return in my lifetime, so whenever that'll be...

3) Where are our souls?  The Bible tells us that our "souls" are actually part of our physical bodies...when we die, our "souls" will go to be with the Lord (or rest), but one day, our bodies will be transformed and resurrected as Jesus' body was.
Also, in the Old Testament God commands His people not to drink blood, for it's the life source of the animal. And in communion (Eucharist), Jesus made it a point to instruct us to partake in both His body and His blood. So are our souls in our blood?  Are they in our brains?  My point is that it's connected to the body, not separate.

4) This last one is a common question, "Why are we here?"  Genesis tells us that we were created to take care of the earth, be masters over the animals, and commune with God.  But ultimately, I believe we're here to give God glory and live for (and with) Him.

---Pastor Andy

Does Living Really Make Any Sense?

Question:

Just think about it, this is all there is.  Eventually, I am going to go to bed, sleep for a few hours, then start ALL OVER AGAIN. In my opinion, someone would have to be nuts to want to live in this loop of black and white, pain and suffering.....If this is all there is, then why live?

My Reply:

Dude, I TOTALLY get what you mean.  I often wonder the same thing...about this life, same routines each day.  We eat, why, to survive?  Even that becomes boring. Sometimes I get to that point where I don't even enjoy sleeping anymore.  So what's the point, really?

Then I remember the Lord, and though everything else continues to look boring and repetitive, I'm reminded that my purpose is to glorify Him and tell others of His Good News.  And suddenly, all the boring stuff I do begins to look like support for that.

So technically speaking, the only reason I continue to live is to glorify God and tell others about Him. Otherwise, yeah...life's really pretty pointless.

---Pastor Andy

What are a Christian's Purpose For Living?

Question:

Is your purpose to:

1. Enjoy afterlife?
2. Be with God in Heaven?
3. Persuade more people to church so the church can be richer?

Also, instead of avoiding the fact that we're going to rot, why can't we do something good to the world in our lifetime?  Why can't we make use of our lives instead of sitting there doing nothing while waiting to live with God or live in the after-life. If you're waiting to live the afterlife, then why not just go now? You'll help to save natural resources and create less rubbish.

My Reply:

Although I am looking forward to the afterlife, it's not my purpose for living.  

To be with God in Heaven will also be nice, but that's connected with the afterlife question.
To persuade more people to church so the church can be richer? No, that's not it either...

My purposes for living are:
1) To glorify God.
2) To carry out the ministry/mission of sharing what I know about Jesus with those who don't, so that they too may know Him as I do or better.
3) To love my wife.

"Better"

Question:

Whose life would be better?  The simple farmer who grows food for his family to live on leads a simple but happy life, or the millionaire CEO of a multinational company who has a hectic busy but satisfying life and the ability to buy anything he or his family needs (assuming that both people are in full health and have no outside factors such as war, crime or discrimination affecting them)?

My Reply:

Whose life is BETTER?  I think that really all depends on who's judging the meaning of "better".
In my opinion, it's the one whose live is centered in the Lord.

I Feel Like I'm Wasting Away

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Dear Pastor Andy, I feel like I'm wasting away my youth/20s, and need advice on how to live it in a more fulfilling way.

OK, this is going to be lengthy. If you get to the end of this and proceed to give me some advice I would like to thank you very much. 

So the story is I'm a 21 year old woman who's gone through some pretty tough times. I was the slightly chubby and extremely awkward girl who had a very difficult time going through puberty. I tried to get over that and spent 2 years of my life (from 14-16) devoted to school. I would call that period in my life achievement #1 . I am probably most proud of myself when considering ambition and drive. It was a thrilling intellectual journey although socially unfulfilling. 
Achievement #2 happened probably from when I was 15 to late 16. I gained more confidence about myself than I ever had before and I finally formed a social group. It was probably one of the happiest moments of my life, having friends and feeling at least comfortable with my looks and etc.
The dark parts happened afterwards and since then I would relate that to being caught in a dark and turbulent tornado, excuse the dramatics but thats really how it was. The truth is I developed a very embarrassing condition in which I was unable to control my flatulence. I attribute all the misgivings from my depression to my suicidal thoughts to my anxiety attack and the pushing away of family, friends, and etc to this very problem. I would go deeper into my sob story but then that would require me to write a novel. 
I know that what I have gone through was necessary, but I do regret spending the those years in which I should've been crazy and living it up... 18, 19, 20, and 21...miserable, depressed, detached and etc etc etc. I have sought help and while I have not been able to figure out exactly what is medically wrong with me, I have somewhat sort of reclaimed enough control where I am able to go to school without too much fear again. Socially though, this mysterious medical problem has left me mentally very weak and worn. I have had to reclaim all those simple things I used to take for granted...like looking people in the eye, or looking your own mother in the eye or making casual conversation with the cashier...or enjoying outings with your friends. Or even feeling relaxed and safe in your own home. I feel tired and sorry that I had to spend all that time so tormented.
My 22nd birthday is approaching and before I know it I'll be 30 and then i'll be 35, 40. I'll wake up one day and there it is. Retirement. I don't want to become an old lady who has spent the majority of her life awkward and miserable. Putting this strange medical problem of mine aside, I really just want a few suggestions on trying to prevent this regret that might creep up on me later in life. 
On a lighter note, there might be an achievement #3. I defied my parents and went to art school. It hasn't really given me or anyone else real fulfillment yet but it's a possibility. If I could take this further and make this a full fledged achievement I would try to create a story or a movie that would move or inspire people in a deep way.
They say you can't have it all, so maybe I'm being greedy. What I want to happen before I turn too old for anything to happen is to be in a loving relationship a couple of times (I have not been in a relationship for obvious reasons), to help others, to be able to find those things I thought I lost...home, comfort, family, true friends..
And a curious thing I have not been able to do is enjoy my feminity. I have always been extremely embarassed about attracting attention whether good or bad, so I haven't been into shopping or having fun being a girl. A lot of times its a question of who I would be dressing up and feeling pretty for? And why. I once tried to dress up and embrace the girlier side in me last year but I got treated pretty horribly by one of my teachers who probably thought I was an airhead who wasn't serious about art school. It's a problem I'd like to fix as I know I won't be young forever and I want to be able to feel beautiful without having that be the only thing that comes across when I communicate with people.

My Reply:

Wow, what a life's journey you've had so far! Granted time is moving fast, you are still only about 22, and have a lot of time before you have to worry about 40 (not that pushing 40 is much to worry about though).
All throughout your life though, all I hear is sadness, and trying to fulfill the void with life's accomplishments. And as you enjoyed some for a little while, the joy never lasted. So you want something to fill your void, and you want direction in your life so you can stop feeling so worthless. Is this right?
Here's what I suggest:
1) Come to know Jesus Christ (I'm serious here). If you've never prayed, then imagine Jesus asking, "How are you today?" Then after you answer, imagine Jesus asking, "No, really...how are you today? Tell me what's going on." Then tell Him everything you just said here (and whatever else you're feeling, experiencing, and fearing). It may feel like you're talking to a wall or thin air at first, but trust me, He's listening to every word.

2) If you don't have a Bible, get one. Any Christian bookstore will have them and anybody at them is more than happy to help you find the perfect one. (They may even help you get started on reading it if you ask.) Carry it with you everywhere. Read a chapter a day from it (anywhere in it), and pray about anything you don't understand.

3) Get connected with a church. You'll need to be around others who know what it's like to have lived a broken life, such as yours, and who've given themselves to Jesus. People who will love you where you're at, and who you won't have to prove yourself to.

How will this help you? 
1) You've got a void that you've tried to fill, but no matter how hard you've tried, can't. Jesus will fill that void permanently, if you ask Him to.
2) You want direction in your life. As you begin to pray, keep your eyes open for daily answers to your prayers. And as you continue to be filled with joy, learn to listen as you pray...prayer is meant to be a 2-way conversation between you and God. So as you ask the Lord for direction and guidance, He'll answer, take you places you've never been, and introduce you to people you never knew.

At the age of 21 (1993), I hit rock bottom. About that same time, I accepted and came to know Jesus Christ. My life's never been the same since, and I'd never go back.

I'll pray for you, too.

---Pastor Andy

Meanings of Creeds and Baptism

 Question:

1) What are Creeds in Christianity?

2) What are the major branches of Christianity? And what are the differences?

3) What does being baptized mean?

My Reply:

Wow, big questions :)

1) So what are Creeds in Christianity? Well, in the old days of the early Church, many people went off and began preaching other gospels, confusing people and sending them onto the wrong tracks...much like how religious cults today confuse people about Jesus and Christianity.

So the early church put together creeds in order to profess and make it clear as to what the real Church believes about Jesus Christ.  I suppose you could say it was an early version of apologetics, or defending the Truth.  It's all taken from scripture and from what was being preached by the original evangelists. So in other words, the purpose of the creeds is to teach, remind, and confirm the Truth, and to recognize and disprove the lies.

2) What are Christianity’s major branches? You know, I'm not really sure anymore, for there are so many branches out there now. Also, not all the denominations believe the same thing within their own denominations. So I can't really say.

3) What does Baptism mean, or what happens when you are Baptized?

Many things occur in baptism:
1) First, Baptism is not a means of salvation.
2) Jesus said that nobody can even SEE the Kingdom of God unless they're born from above. In Baptism, we're made a new creation – even a new race (the Christian race) – for like clothing, the old comes off and the new comes on.
3) Baptism is also described as dying and being born anew (from above...same word in the Greek). We die and are buried in our watery graves (dying with Christ), and being born anew when we come up out of the water (resurrecting, in a sense, but not to be confused with the resurrection to come).
4) You've heard the term, "blood is thicker than water"? In terms of baptism, "Water is thicker than blood", for it's in the waters of baptism that we're bonded with the other members of Christ's Body (the Church).
5) It’s the sealing of the deal…as accepting Christ is compared to getting engaged, Baptism can be compared to the wedding.  You’re saved when you enter into a relationship with God by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and you become part of the Body of Christ (fellowship of believers, Church) at Baptism.

I have a blog post that may help you understand some, also, put into context of a conversation.

---Pastor Andy

A Muslim's Afraid of Death

Dear Pastor Andy, I am a Muslim. I pray five times in day, I read the holy Quran, I listen to hadith, I follow the sunnah of the prophet...but one thing I fear, and that is death. When people talk about death, I get scared. When we die, do we still have thoughts and feelings? I need to know...I need advice.

My Reply:

As Christians, we understand that everybody was made to live eternally...conscious and everything (yes, thoughts and feelings). Only thing is that where we spend the rest of eternity depends on what or whom we choose to follow now.

Your confusion and fear could be due to your image of God. As Christians, we believe that God is a loving God who loves His creation, and INVITES us to spend the rest of eternity WITH Him. Being a Christian also means having a relationship (friendship) with God through Jesus Christ, who we believe was not just a prophet, but God Himself in the flesh, come down to communicate His Word and die (then be risen) in order to reconcile us to Him, We just need to accept His gracious invitation. If we refuse, then we will spend the rest of eternity in the other place, which is in complete isolation from God, and also a good reason to fear death.

It could be that God is trying to communicate Jesus to you in this fear of death. Check out this video for more information on Jesus - the main one I suggest you watch is called "The Jesus Film", but there are other great videos and resources there, also. Scroll down to your chosen language and give it a chance, if not to believe, but then to help answer your question.

Also, feel free to email me if you like.

---Pastor Andy

Trying To Figure Out Reincarnation

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Question:

I have heard non-religious folks say that energy doesn’t come from nothing, and that when you die, it is like your energy is released back into the earth. I think many religions with the belief of "reincarnation" actually share this similar idea...in a way, religions with a belief in reincarnation could be sharing fundamental ideas, because in both, there is some sort of cycle, like a recycling of energy.  In reincarnation, it is believed that the energy or soul, or whatever, is concentrated to "reappear" in another body: human, dog, cricket, etc... but what if the energy is actually released equally to the ground, plants, air, etc? Maybe the idea of reincarnation is partly right. What do you think? Do you think this energy releasing thing that non-religious people believe is similar to the reincarnation belief? Thanks.

My Reply:

Do I believe in reincarnation? No.
Do I believe in resurrection?  Yes, but the 2 are not the same (nor are they close).

Hindus believe in reincarnation in the sense that it's not something to glorify, but something to dread, or an ongoing hell. As I understand it, their hope is to one day stop reincarnating and finally go to whatever they consider to be like heaven or something, and the only way they can do this is by selfish works/deeds. As for things you jump into, that's why they often won't kill roaches or eat cows...because they believe such may be former relatives.

New Agers and the non-religious, on the other side, see reincarnation as something to glorify, a continuous of life in the physical world, like the "spark" or "energy” you mentioned. But in terms of things they jump into, instead of hearing that one was a sacrificed dove or squashed bug, you'll usually hear them say they were somebody of valor (or tragedy) in their "past lives".
I suppose they believe this because they can't (or won't) believe in a spiritual God who wants them to spend (a non-worldly) eternity with Him, who offers salvation freely through grace, should they accept it, versus selfish (or charitable) deeds/works. And though some may in fact believe in a spiritual being who is in charge of the way things work, it's not the Lord.

Christians (meaning those of us who have an intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ), on the other hand, believe in resurrection. We're told that we'll die physically, but spiritually, we'll go to be with the Lord, and one day in the future, our bodies will be resurrected (but as resurrected bodies), as was Jesus' at His resurrection. We also believe that the Body and Spirit are one, not separate as those who believe in reincarnation believe.

So to reincarnate is to become carnate again...return to life in the physical, fleshy world. I suppose this could also mean plants, for even the Native Americans' religions often talked of the spirits of the trees (though I don't think they believed such were spirits of their ancestors).

But resurrection in the Christian sense is to live again, only in a completely non-fleshy world.  And honestly, among the 2, I suggest focusing your attention on this one.

---Pastor Andy

Accepting Jesus in the 11th Hour?

Question: If Jesus will forgive all your sins, why not wait until the end of your life to accept him as you lord?

My Reply:

So wait until the end and wipe away all your sin at once? Unfortunately, some people do that. But they don't get the gist of it all.
In other words, if you accept Jesus as fire insurance, then it's really for the wrong reasons.
Christianity is all about a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. So as Christians, we're living life not alone, but with the Lord as friends (also). Waiting until the last minute doesn't allow you to experience this friendship during your life.  Sure salvation is still available and attainable if you wait, but I guess my question is, why would you want to?  Also, what happens if you wait, and get into an accident where you die instantly? It all went so fast that you missed out your chance to accept Him. Oops?

---Pastor Andy

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Q: Why do we carry on living?

My Reply:

Because we can...because we have a God who loves us and wants us to live for Him...because though this life is temporary, anything aside from it is permanent (and so if we ended it, we can't change our minds later)...

Life's tough, sometimes it sucks, but nothing we go through is anything that somebody else somewhere, some time didn't already overcome before us.

---Pastor Andy

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What is Manna?

Question:

What is Manna?

My Reply:

Exactly!

You don’t get it…OK, well you see, in the original language, "Manna" means "What is it?"
Manna is known as "bread from heaven". In the Old Testament, it was the food that God fed the Israelites during their 40 years in the desert. It's described as flakes of wafers and honey.  It obviously had all the vitamins and nutrients needed to live on, also.

In the New Testament, Jesus called Himself "Manna", for He is the bread of life that came from Heaven...the only "food" we need to "live".

---Pastor Andy  :}>+-