When I was at church, we were talking about how God was our rock; what does that mean?

Sincerely,
Rock On

Dear Rock On,

There are several verses that refer to God as our Rock (Deu 32:31, 1 Sam 2:2, 2 Sam 22:32, Ps 18:31, Ps 95:1, and 1 Cor 10:14… just to name a few).  Calling God our “rock” is a metaphor.  Just like a rock, God is stable, indestructible, immovable, and a firm foundation.  Throughout all the Scriptures, we see that God is unchanging (Heb 13:8) and trustworthy (Ps 20:7).  He is the firm foundation that we can build our lives upon (Matt 7:24-27).

I am interested to know of any verse that states that I need to go to my pastor regarding starting a home Bible study.

Sincerely,
Homeschooled

Dear Homeschooled,

There are no verses on this subject… because you don’t need their authority.  The Scriptures are a free gift from God to all mankind.  The Bible is useful to all and useful at all times (2 Tim 3:16).  The Bereans were praised for their individual desire to study the Scriptures for themselves (Acts 17:11).  We are told to discuss the Scriptures (especially with our families) at every available opportunity (Deu 11:19).  If you start teaching false doctrine – the church will have a responsibility to correct it (Acts 20:28-29), but there is nothing wrong with home Bible studies.

How and why is dwelling on the past a sin?  Is it okay to wish my destiny were different?  Is it okay to wish I could start over from the beginning?  Most important to me: is it okay to fantasize about having different lives, destinies?

Sincerely,
Regretful

Dear Regretful,

There is nothing wrong with dwelling on the past or pondering what your life would be like if it was different... as long as you are content and happy with what God has actually given you.  Godliness is a means of gain only if accompanied with contentment (1 Tim 6:6).  We are warned against always thinking about the grass being greener on the other side of the fence – be happy with what you have (Php 4:11).  It is very common for people to think about how much better life use to be... but we are warned against getting too wrapped up in that type of thinking (Eccl 7:10).  Let your heart abound with thanks (Col 2:7) and enjoy the day that the Lord has made (Ps 118:24).

Why did God say, “I am a jealous God” if jealousy is a sin?

Sincerely,
Green With Envy

Dear Green With Envy,

Not all jealousy is bad.  A husband has a right to be jealous for his wife and upset if someone else mistreats her.  God has the right to be jealous for us and upset if we worship other gods (Ex 34:14).  In this context, ‘jealous’ simply means ‘fiercely protective or vigilant of one’s rights’.  It is fair and appropriate that God expects us to worship Him and only Him (Matt 4:10).  Our world would have us believe that all religions and gods are equal… but the God of the Bible stands alone.  All other gods are idols.

The Bible says, "Touch not My anointed, and do him no harm".  My question is: when is it a legal issue?  If the anointed is a child molester and a murderer, should his behavior be reported to the leaders of the church?

Sincerely,
Pressing Charges

Dear Pressing Charges,

The verse you are referring to (1 Chr 16:22) has nothing to do with reporting a murderer or other heinous criminals.  1 Chr 16:22 (it is also mentioned in Ps 105:15) is specifically talking about how God took care of the nation of Israel.  The preceding verse (1 Chr 16:21) mentions how God forbid other kings and nations from attacking Israel.

If someone has committed a serious felony, you should do more than report them to the leadership of the church – you should report them to the authorities.  God specifically sets the government in place to bring to justice people who having chosen to destroy others’ lives (Rom 13:3-4).