Ask Pastor Chris – Pastor, Father, Grandfather who loves Jesus

December 6, 2019July 18, 2023

IT FEELS LIKE GOD HAS LEFT ME

Do you ever go through times where it feels like God has left you? Last night in my sleep, I had a horrible experience where it felt like nothing but emptiness in my gut. Like the Holy Spirit wasn’t there. What do you do when you feel like giving up? J.G.

Answer

The old time saints referred to times like this as the “dark night of the soul.” Everyone who follows Christ will experience it. There is a sense in which it is a test from God. “Will J.G. believe Me even when he does not “feel” My presence?”

John the Baptist went through the dark night of the soul when King Herod put him in prison. John sent some of his friends to Jesus to ask Him if He really was the Messiah (the Christ). See Matt. 11:2-6. Elijah the prophet went through it, too. So did Jonah. You are in good company!

Watch out for your emotions. Your feelings can lie to you! Created in God’s image, we are trinity. We are spirit, soul (which is your mind, will, and emotions), and body. When we repent and give our lives to Christ we are saved and we are given a new spirit. We are “born again” (John 3:3). We relate to God through our new spirit. The daily problem is that our salvation is not complete until we reach heaven. In other words we still have our unsaved soul and body in this life. Our new spirit battles against our “old man” called “the flesh” which is our soul. See Romans 7:24-25. Because we are not yet glorified our emotions can lie to us!

Our salvation is in three stages: justification, sanctification, and glorification. Justification is the new birth. It is when we first believe. At the point of salvation we are forgiven and can stand before God justified because Jesus paid the penalty for our sin. After justification comes sanctification or growing in grace and faith, maturing in Christ. That is where you and I are right now. Glorification happens in eternity when we are raised from the dead and receive our new, forever bodies. Pretty cool, huh?

So feed the “new man” (your spirit) and starve the “old man” (your soul or “flesh”). This will strengthen the one and weaken the other. We walk by faith not by sight (or feelings I might add). See 2 Corinthians 5:7.

~ Pastor Chris

October 28, 2017July 18, 2023

How do I win the battle in my mind?

Pastor Chris,

I am sending you this email because I am in trouble. There’s a huge battle happening in my mind. There are terrible thoughts which I can’t control . I have been unemployed for the past 8 years because of these terrible thoughts coming into my mind . If I can learn to control my mind I will be able to receive all the blessings the Lord has reserved for me . So PLEASE my Father, help me, PLEASE . Otherwise, I will miss going to heaven if I may die with this mind problem .

~ Mathais

ANSWER

Mathias,

I would like to give you some verses from the Bible. These verses have helped me many times.

The secret to curing a troubled mind is to focus on Jesus Christ. Ask Him to help you. He will.

Philippians 4:13 “I can do everything through Him (Jesus Christ) who gives me strength.”

Philippians 4:19 “And my God shall meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.”

~ Pastor Chris

July 8, 2017July 18, 2023

Broken Marriage Vows

Pastor Chris,

I have broken my marriage vows. I have seduced a younger man who is single. I love my husband and our children but do not know if I want to stay married. I have contacted a lawyer. Do you have any advice for me?

– Jane Doe

ANSWER

Dear Jane,
You are on a dark, destructive path. The following points are given to you in no particular order.

• Count the cost (Luke 14:25-35). Whatever decision you make has an impact on many people, including your children. That impact will last a long, long time.
• Ask yourself: What would Jesus do?
• Read Psalm 51 multiple times. Let its words wash over you. King David wrote this after his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband was exposed.
• Read John 8:1-11. Pay special attention to verse 11. You can stop sinning if you choose to do so.
• Review 1 John 1:9.
• Think about what your actions are doing to the man who is not your husband (Proverbs 6:32; 7:21-27).
• You cannot continue in sin and be happy. Happiness is a by-product of a right relationship with Jesus. You can choose to be happy in Jesus. Read Matthew 5:3-12 putting the word “happy” in place of “blessed.” (The Greek word can be translated both ways.)
• Sin blinds, binds, and then grinds. That is what happened to Samson (Judges 13-16).
• Remember, this life is less than a millisecond when you compare it to eternity. Abundant life is found in Jesus alone, not other people (John 10:10).
• The devil is your enemy. He is a liar and a deceiver (John 8:44). You can be sure that the devil is lying to you and has deceived you. That is what the devil does. The devil offers cheap thrills. R.G. Lee said in his memorable sermon Payday Someday, “The devil will give you corn and then choke you with the cob. The devil’s pearls are paste pearls.”
• Put on spiritual armor (Ephesians 6:10-18).
• It is always best to return to the Lord (Joel 2:13; Zechariah 1:3).

May your heart be filled and renewed with the love of Christ!

Sincerely,
Pastor Chris

July 8, 2017July 18, 2023

Was Jesus Death Real?

Hello Pastor,

I have heard people say “Jesus didn’t really die on the cross.” They say that Jesus never spoke of dying for people. I have also heard people say that Jesus is not God. I would be really nice if this was clarified.

Thank you!

~ Ben

ANSWER

Dear Ben,

Yes, Jesus death on a cross was real. Yes, Jesus spoke of dying for people. Yes, Jesus is God.

Here are some verses from the Bible that state these facts:

Jesus died on a cross: Matthew 27:32-50; Mark 15:21-37; 23:26-46; John19:16-37.

Jesus spoke of dying for people: Matthew 17:9; Mark 9:9, 31; 10:34; John 12:23-33.

Jesus is God: Matthew 3:16-17; 17:1-5; 26:63-64; 27:43, 54; Mark 1:11; 9:2-7; Luke 2:26-35; 3:22; 9:28-36; 22:70; John 1:1-2, 14; 7:28; 8:58; 10:33; 14:6-7; 14:9-11; 16:28-30; 17:1-26; 20:24-29-31.

You can trust Jesus with your life for now and for all eternity! He speaks truth. He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).

Pastor Chris

July 8, 2017July 18, 2023

Release from Guilt

Pastor Chris,

I got born again some months back. Since then I’ve been so much into Christ. I study and I pray. How do I get back up after I made a mistake by making love? How do I release myself of the guilt? I need your advice please.

Stephanie

ANSWER

Dear Stephanie,

The fact that you are feeling guilt is a good thing. This is the conviction that comes from God’s Holy Spirit. God’s conviction is designed to draw us back to Him. We hurt ourselves and others when we fall. We also hurt God.

The Bible says in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” To confess is to agree with God that what you did was wrong and violated His best for you. When you sincerely confess your sin to God, His promise is that He will forgive that sin. When God forgives, He purifies us and the stain of our sin is washed away.

Once you have confessed your sin it is also important to forgive yourself. This is not to simply excuse yourself as if the sin doesn’t matter. Sin always matters. However, forgiving yourself means that you accept the fact that God has forgiven you and removed your sin from you as far as the “east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12). What a joy-filled thought!

Forgiving yourself is also important because the enemy of your soul, the devil, wants to keep you in bondage to your failure. If you are consumed by your failure you will be of no use to God in service to Him. How much more wonderful it is to accept God’s forgiveness and move forward by living for His glory.

Remember what Jesus said to a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery, “Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin” (John 8:10-11).

Let me recommend a book to you by Jay Carty. It is titled Counter Attack: Taking Back Ground Lost to Sin. You will find additional insights on practical Christian living in this book.

Sincerely,

Pastor Chris

July 8, 2017

What do I do if diagnosed with an ailment?

Pastor,

Thank you for the great work you have been doing in both my life and the life of a million other people. My question is, if one is diagnosed of an ailment, say diabetes, cancer or HIV, and the physcian says that the person needs to stay on treatment, as a child of faith, how does the person go about it? Do you stick to the drugs and keep praying and exercising your faith on the sickness? Or do you refuse to acknowledge the sickness and stay off the drugs completely knowing by faith you are healed? Thanks!

~ Peter

ANSWER

Dear Peter,

Nothing is too hard for God (Genesis 18:14). He can heal anyone of anything at anytime. So, the question becomes, “Is this physical healing God’s will?” And then, if it is God’s will, “Is this the way He wants to bring healing?”

As to the first question, Jesus did not physically heal everyone in His day. He could have, but He did not. Even today, some people are healed and others are not. God is sovereign.

As to the second question, the Lord heals people in different ways. When Jesus healed blind eyes, sometimes He did it with spittle and mud (John 9:6-7). Othertimes He touched a person’s eyes (Matthew 9:29-30). And then Bartimaeus was healed of his blindness just by a word from Jesus (Mark 10:46-52).

Sometimes the Lord uses physicians to treat and cure disease and injuries with medical procedures and medication. Sometimes the Lord heals a person with no medical intervention.

The walk of faith is just exactly that, a walk of faith. A person has to go forward with what he believes God would have him to do.

I know a person who died of cancer. She was a mature Christian whose faith in Jesus was strong and secure. She told me that the Lord was going to heal her. He did not, as far as this world is concerned. However, as far as eternity is concerned, the Lord did heal her for He took her to be with Him which is the ultimate blessing and healing.

I know others who have been miraculously healed in this life, surprising the physicians, and bringing glory to God.

Pray. Seek the face of God. Act for His glory and not your own. Then do what you understand He wants you to do. After you have done that with a sincere heart, accept God’s decision to heal or not to heal you, and continue to live for Him (John 9:3).

Pastor Chris

July 8, 2017July 8, 2017

I don’t Feel Right about Marriage

Thank you pastor for this great opportunity. I am in a relationship with a man who brought me to church. He has made a huge impact in my life and has been of help financially. He says he wants to marry me. He is God fearing and a good person but he also wants to marry another woman in the same church I attend. He says that marrying her will secure his business in that country because we (he and I) are both foreigners. He said he would marry me and take me to our real country while he would be doing his business in the other country. Pastor sir, I love him but I don’t feel right about the whole arrangement. What should I do?

~ Blessing

ANSWER

Dear Blessing,

Thank you for your question. The Bible tells us in Genesis 2:18-23 that God made one woman, Eve, to be the wife of one man, Adam. God did not give Adam several wives. God did not give Eve several husbands. You are correct when you say that you do not “feel right about the whole arrangement.” That feeling is from God’s Holy Spirit. It is God Himself that is stirring your heart. You will bring much trouble on yourself if you give in to this proposal. You will also be going against God’s original and best plan for marriage.

Pastor Chris

July 8, 2017July 18, 2023

Benefits of Being in Jesus

Is it possible to be in christ (be born again)and not enjoy the benefits of being in him?
~ Bornitah

ANSWER

Dear Bornitah,

Yes, it is possible to be born again and not enjoy the benefits of living in Christ; but, I do not know why anyone would want to live that way. It is possible that someone like that has not been taught how to grow spiritually or how to walk in the Spirit.

Paul speaks of people like this as “infants in Christ” (1 Cor. 3:1). Peter exhorts such people: “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good” (1 Peter 2:2-3).

There are many excellent books and study tools available to assist people in their spiritual growth. The main thing is to get alone with an open Bible, read part of it, and seek God’s face for understanding. It is also helpful to get a mentor. A suitable mentor is someone who has an obvious, humble walk with Jesus. A spiritual mentor should be well versed in the Bible.

By-the-way, the Navigator’s Topical Memory System is a tremendous growth tool. Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life is a book every believer would do well to read as it is filled with Scripture and spiritual insight.

Sincerely,
Pastor Chris

July 8, 2017July 8, 2017

Is Sin a Person?

Pastor, just like the HolySpirit is a person, is sin also a person? Thank you for the word of God you have impacted on me, am grateful sir
~ Segun

Answer

Dear Segun,

Thank you for your encouraging words.

Sin is not a person. Sin is the result of going our own way, thus disobeying God. Sin is the English translation of the Greek word hamartia, which means “a falling away from or missing the right path” (from The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary (c) 1988).