How should we celebrate Christmas?
“I feel guilty, because every Christmas I say I'm going to keep the real meaning of Christmas, but then I get distracted by all the shopping and parties. How should we celebrate Christmas?”
Answers
How do you know Jesus was really divine?
“How do you know Jesus was really divine? I work in a state mental hospital, and we have several people here who think they are God. What’s the difference between them and Jesus? I’m sure you are a sincere person, but as you can tell, I’m fairly cynical about religion.”
My spouse and I have rededicated our lives to Christ. How can we introduce our adult children to Christ?
“Last year, my husband and I started attending church again and committed our lives to Christ, after being away from God for many years. The problem is, our three children grew up without any religion, and now that they’re adults they don’t have anything to do with God. Is there anything we can do to make up for our years of failure?”
Since I turned my back on God when I was in my teens, will He refuse to have anything to do with me now?
“When I was in my teens, we had a visiting evangelist in our church, and part of me really wanted to give my life to Jesus. But part of me didn’t, and I’m afraid that part won. Since I turned my back on God then, will He refuse to have anything to do with me now? I don’t have much longer to live and I need to know.”
My boyfriend is in prison, and now he's written me that he's become a Christian. He says we can't live together again when he gets out.
“My boyfriend is in prison (for dealing in drugs), and now he's written me that he's become a Christian. The problem is, he says we can't live together again when he gets out in a few months, because it's wrong and God doesn't want us to. Is this true? I don't have anywhere to go.”
This past year has been a horrible one for my family and me. I'd like to be an optimist, but how can I when so much has gone wrong?
“This past year has been a horrible one for my family and me—financial reverses, a lost job, illnesses, you name it. People keep telling me to look up because next year is bound to be better, but how do they know? I'd like to be an optimist, but how can I when so much has gone wrong?”
Do you think it does any good to make a list of New Year's resolutions?
“Do you think it does any good to make a list of New Year's resolutions? I do it just about every year, but a month later I've usually forgotten all about them.”
Our daughter (who's 16) wasn't with us for Christmas because she's in a court-ordered drug rehab program.
“For the first time, our family wasn't together over Christmas, and it about broke my heart. Our daughter (who's 16) wasn't with us because she's in a court-ordered drug rehab program. Why do young people get so messed up with drugs? I don't think she realized what she was getting into until it was too late.”
It seems to us that our church is spending far too much on our new building, and not enough to help people. Are we just being critical?
“We moved to a new city last year and joined a church that we like. But last week they passed their budget for the coming year, and it seems to us that they're spending far too much money to pay back the debt on our new building, and not enough to help people. Are we just being critical?”
My grandmother gave me a Bible for Christmas, but I don't know what to do with it.
“My grandmother gave me a Bible for Christmas, but I don't know what to do with it. I tried to read it but got bogged down after the first few pages. I like to read, but somehow I just can't seem to get into the Bible.”
How can I know whether or not my sister has gotten involved with a cult?
“How can I know whether or not my sister has gotten involved with a cult? I admit they’ve done her a lot of good, but it’s a fairly small denomination and I don’t know anything about them. She says they believe in Jesus, but I’m not sure what they mean by that.”
What if Jesus has returned and He's already living as a small boy in Africa or Asia someplace?
“Like you, I believe that Jesus is going to return to earth some day. But how do you know He hasn't already come? Maybe He's already living as a small boy in Africa or Asia someplace, or something like that.”