My husband is a good christian and a kind man.  He is an attorney and works very hard, but he just can't seem to attract a steady flow of income.  My mom and I pray for him every day.  It makes me wonder, after twenty-four years of marriage, why God does not answer our prayers.  I don't know what to do if we are somehow blocking God's blessings somehow.  I don't know how to help my husband.  Obviously, God must be waiting for some good reason, but it is difficult when the lights go out or we can't afford even the basics.  He will get good clients for a while and then have a long dry spell.  Do you think the Lord is trying to teach him something?  So many thoughtless people have money and security.  It seems the Lord is looking the other way (although I praise Him for His blessings every day).  What can I do?

Sincerely,
Lawyer’s Wife

Dear Lawyer’s Wife,

We all have our struggles, and it sounds like this one is your family’s.  It would be easy to give you advice if your husband was unwilling to work, but as you said, that isn’t the case.  Sometimes, good people struggle with burdens that seem very unfair.  After all, the righteous David had to hide in caves and mountains while wicked Saul lived in luxury.

In Ps 73:3-12, the psalmist, Asaph, ponders why it is that wicked people prosper and the righteous are downtrodden.  The question vexed him deeply because his enemies succeeded while he, a godly man, was constantly in pain (Ps 73:13-14).  Eventually, Asaph went to the temple and thought about the end of a wicked man’s life (Ps 73:16-17).

A life of wickedness is a slippery slope – one lie leads to another until all you have is a tangle of lies and deception (Ps 73:18).  The wicked man has no peace because he is totally dependent upon his own strength and wiles for success… every moment of life is lived upon a precipice (Ps 73:19).

Contrast that life to one of a righteous man.  God holds the hand of the righteous, so they will not despair (Ps 73:23), and God is a righteous man’s counselor and friend (Ps 73:24).  Ultimately, the righteous go to heaven, and the wicked spend eternity in hell (Ps 73:25).

It may seem like wicked people prosper, but eventually, their wickedness becomes their downfall.  Sometimes, their sins take years to catch up with them (pay attention to some of the latest headlines in politics and Hollywood), but they always do.  If a man becomes wealthy through evil… he may have money, but he won’t have peace.  As Pr 15:17 points out, a wealthy feast filled with hatred isn’t nearly as enjoyable as a humble meal eaten with loving friends.  Financial prosperity is not synonymous with happiness.

You are doing the right thing.  Continue to encourage your husband.  You are learning one of the most valuable lessons in life – to be content with what you have and place your trust in the Lord (Php 4:11-13).

     What is the gift of the Holy Spirit that christians are promised by Peter in Acts 2?  I don't think it's God's Word since faith comes by hearing, and you must hear the Word of God before you can believe and become a christian.  Also, not all christians at that time or today had/have access to the inspired Scriptures.  I followed Peter's instructions, but I don't have any "spiritual" gift.  I get very confused when it comes to the Holy Spirit's role after the perfect has come.

Sincerely,
Gifted

Dear Gifted,

The gift of the Holy Spirit is salvation. In Acts 2:38, Peter offers the gift of the Holy Spirit to those who are baptized. The problem is that in this verse, Peter doesn’t specify whether the gift is from the Holy Spirit or the gift is the Holy Spirit. We need to compare Peter’s sermon in Acts to other verses. What do other verses say you receive when you are baptized?

1. Mk 16:16 says you will receive salvation.
2. Acts 8:16 shows that several people had been baptized but hadn’t received the Holy Spirit – which means that the Holy Spirit can’t be what the gift is.
3. Acts 10:47 shows several people receiving the Holy Spirit before baptism, also proving that the gift of baptism isn’t the actual Holy Spirit.
4. Rom 6:4 says you are given a new life through baptism.
5. 1 Cor 12:13 says that you become part of the church when you are baptized.
6. Col 2:12 says you are raised with Christ in baptism.
7. Gal 3:27 says you put on Christ when you are baptized.
8. 1 Pet 3:21 says baptism saves you.

The truth can always be found in the sum of God’s Word (Ps 119:160). Baptism washes away your sins, and you receive the gift of salvation. The gift of salvation is a heavenly gift offered to us by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God (Heb 6:4, 1 Cor 2:11-13).

     Is it alright to give money through the mail to a church for a prophecy?

Sincerely,
Paying The Price

Dear Paying The Price,

Televangelists that promise healing miracles, local preachers that profess to have visions, and any others of their ilk are charlatans and liars.  They are no different than Simon the magician who tried to buy the gift of God for money… they are diseased in heart and enslaved to iniquity (Acts 8:19-23).  The word of God is in the Bible and free and available to everyone… anyone that tries to sell it to you is a false teacher.  Accept nothing but the Bible; don’t let anyone add to it, and don’t let anyone take away from it (Rev 22:18-19).  We have everything we need to know about life and godliness within the pages of the Scriptures (2 Pet 1:3).  There is no need for additional prophecy because God has handed down to us once and for all His Word to the saints (Jude 1:3).  Don’t give a penny, or even a greeting, to those who would use the Gospel for greedy gain (2 Jn 1:10-11).

Temptation and trials – what is the different between the two?  Who gives us trials or do we put ourselves in them?  Who gives us temptations or do we put ourselves in them?  Why do we go through both?  Is it a test for us to pass or to build us up spiritually?

Sincerely,
Trying

Dear Trying,

The Bible says that God never tempts us to do evil (Jas 1:13).  God never purposefully puts us in a situation with a desire for us to sin.  The devil wants to devour you with sin, but God never does (1 Pet 5:8).  However, God does put us in situations in order to find out what we are made of.  God tested Abraham when He asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac (Gen 22:1).  God put Abraham in a position where he could succeed or fail – but the key is that God wanted him to succeed (Gen 22:14-18).  Abraham was tried by God (Heb 11:17), so God could bless him.  God may put us in circumstances that are difficult, but His desire is always to benefit us.

On the other hand, the devil tempts us for the purpose of destroying us – just like he did with Jesus in the wilderness (Matt 4:1).  That is why God promises us that He will never allow the devil to tempt us beyond what we are able to handle (1 Cor 10:13).  The devil tries to set us up for failure, and the Lord tries to set us up for success.

     If John the Baptist was Elijah, doesn't this count as reincarnation?

Sincerely,
Karma

Dear Karma,

John the Baptist came in the spirit and power of Elijah to pave the road for people to receive Christ (Lk 1:17).  John the Baptist wasn’t literally Elijah; he was just a man with the same disposition and zeal as Elijah.  Both men were bold speakers, and both men went about in simple, rough attire (2 Kgs 1:8, Matt 3:4).  John made it clear that he wasn’t physically Elijah (Jhn 1:21), but Jesus made it clear that John was an Elijah-type (Matt 11:13-14).  There is no reincarnation; we all die once and then go to face God (Heb 9:27).