Luke 24:1-12 is the story about the women finding the empty tomb of Jesus. The Scripture identifies the women as Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James.

Women were the first ones to discover that Jesus had risen.  I was wondering how this speaks to the value of women in God's eyes and within Christianity. Also, even though the women did discover this first, it didn't seem important until Peter came and discovered that Jesus was gone.

Sincerely, Femininely Focused

Dear Femininely Focused,

Women are given great value within the Scriptures – exactly the same value as men. Indeed, it was women that first found the empty tomb (Lk 24:1-2). Entire books are written about faithful women (Book of Ruth & Book of Esther). Several women are listed in Hebrews chapter 11, the ‘hall of faith’ chapter (Heb 11:11, Heb 11:23, Heb 11:31). The fact that the news of Christ’s empty tomb didn’t begin to spread until His apostles began spreading the word of it, doesn’t make the tender act of the women bringing spices to His grave any less meaningful. His apostles’ report of an empty tomb would have carried more weight than anyone else’s.

The Bible is clear that men and women have different roles within the church. Men are to lead the congregation as elders and deacons (1 Tim 3:2, 1 Tim 3:12). Women are to teach in more private settings and by their godly demeanors (Tit 2:3, 1 Tim 2:9-10). Husbands are to lead their families in sacrificial Christ-like love (Eph 5:25), and wives are to bind together their families by their respect for their husbands and love for their children (Tit 2:4, Eph 5:24). Yet, in all these differences, God makes it clear that neither male nor female is greater than the other (1 Cor 11:11-12). They are equals and joint-heirs of salvation in Christ (1 Pet 3:7).

[This question is a follow up to “A Spirit Conflicted”)

     Is the Spirit some sort of energy force?  Can energy be spiritual?  I have sensed/felt a presence that enveloped all of me, yet I couldn’t define it as other than a sensed experience.  Later, I knew it was God (without a doubt).  The experience left me but not my mind.  Does God give us a conscience, and is it Him within us?

Sincerely,
A Lot On My Mind

Dear A Lot On My Mind,

God does give everyone a conscience, and it is a very common mistake to confuse the voice of your conscience for the voice of God.  Your conscience is that part of you that makes you feel good when you do what you believe is right, and it makes you feel bad when you do what you believe is wrong.  Sometimes, what you believe to be right is actually wrong or what you believe to be wrong is actually right. 
The Bible clearly teaches that we should attempt to learn and increase in knowledge, so we can better discern between good and evil (Heb 5:14).

You can’t trust your conscience as a direct communication with God because God is never wrong, but your conscience definitely can be!  For example, take the apostle Paul.  Paul said that he had a clear conscience… even though he had attempted to kill Christians (Acts 23:1).  The reason Paul could have a clean conscience after doing such reprehensible things is because when Paul did them, he did them in ignorance (1 Tim 1:13).  As soon as Paul realized that he was sinning, he changed.

The Holy Spirit isn’t an energy force that resides within us and speaks to us directly.  The Holy Spirit is an actual divine Being, just as much as Jesus and the Father.  Read “Father, Son, & Holy Spirit” for a detailed breakdown of who each member of the Godhead is.  The Bible is the tool God uses to bring us salvation (Rom 1:16).  God never says that we should expect to feel His presence in some sort of miraculous way.

      I have the Holy Spirit within me.  A voice in my head tells me I am not worthy to have the Holy Spirit within me.  Is that Satan trying to beguile me as he did Adam and Eve?  I sense the spiritual presence of God in my mind.

How can I have His Holy Spirit and Satan at the same time?

Sincerely,
Of Two Minds

Dear Of Two Minds,

Christians do have the Holy Spirit dwell in them (Rom 8:9) – but not literally, so there is no way to “sense” the presence of God in our minds. The Holy Spirit dwells in Christians in the same metaphorical way that Christ dwells in Christians (Rom 8:10). The Holy Spirit and Jesus do not physically dwell inside Christians miraculously. They dwell within Christians in a figurative way because a Christian’s life follows the path the Holy Spirit and Christ set for them.

The Holy Spirit dwells in those that follow the Bible and put to death their previous sinful lifestyles (Rom 8:12-14). The Holy Spirit gave us the Bible, and when we follow it, we are led by the Spirit (read “What The Holy Spirit Does” for further details). Those who are led by the Spirit are sons of God, and the Spirit dwells in them (Rom 8:14-16).

If you would like more information on this topic, we have an entire series of sermons on the Holy Spirit that can be downloaded or viewed by clicking here.

I have been having an urge to read my Bible lately, but when I sit down to actually do so, it's so intimidating.  I don't know where to start, and I can think of at least five things that I want to look at.  Please help!

Sincerely, Study Stress

Dear Study Stress,

The key to any kind of worship or Bible study is to make it a regular habit.Daniel had a habit of praying (Dan 6:10).Make a decision to put Bible study into your day first (Matt 6:33) and schedule other things around it.Most people fail to study their Bibles because it isn’t a part of their regular life.Make it a part of your morning routine, your lunch break, or bedtime ritual.Somehow schedule it into your life and make it a habit.

After you do that, it is just a matter of what you want to learn first.Many people read a Psalm a day, a chapter of Proverbs each week, or use a ‘read the Bible in a year program’, or you grab one of those five things you want to look at and read away.Any of these is a perfectly acceptable system.In fact, you can buy Bibles that are organized, so that you read a little of the Old Testament and a little of the New Testament every day.For new Bible students, I often recommend reading the gospel of Matthew or the gospel of John first, so that you become acquainted with Christ’s life; then follow that up with the book of Acts and familiarize yourself with the first century church.

The goal is to study your Bible, not just read it.God tells us to study to show ourselves approved (2 Tim 2:15) and to meditate upon God’s Word (Ps 119:15).You could read through an entire book of the Bible in an hour or so but fail to appreciate any of it. Read your Bible with a notepad beside you and a pen or highlighter in hand.Write down your questions and get them answered.Highlight meaningful verses.If you don’t understand something, don’t move on until you do.It is more important that you understand than that you read a large portion of text.And lastly, enjoy your Bible reading time; you are reading the most influential and meaningful book on the planet!

Can a person grow to be as smart as King Solomon? Is it impossible?

Sincerely, Searching For Wisdom

Dear Searching For Wisdom,

Solomon’s capacity for wisdom was unique and given to him miraculously as a gift from God (1 Kgs 4:29).The Bible states that no one ever was or will be as wise as Solomon (1 Kgs 3:12).We may never attain Solomon’s stature of wisdom, but God still provides a vast well of wisdom for everyone to drink from.The Proverbs teach that God’s wisdom is available for all if we will seek it (Pr 1:20-23).God tells us that if we pray for wisdom, He will give it to us (Jas 1:5).There was only one Solomon, but there is still a whole world of wisdom available in the Bible for the rest of us (Col 3:16).