20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 105)

Aug 18, 2023

In this engaging discussion, Pastor Mike, a thoughtful leader known for his deep insights on faith, tackles several intriguing questions. He explores whether faith is merely a family tradition and how that impacts personal belief. The conversation dives into the implications of wealth and poverty in Heaven and whether Apostle Paul might have been married or widowed. Additionally, they dissect the complexities of doubt in faith and address the sensitive topic of praying to Mary, providing scriptural responses to common inquiries.

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Intro

00:00 • 4min

Philosophical Foundations for Belief in God

04:03 • 26min

Exploring David's Duality and the Nature of Faith

29:51 • 11min

Exploring Catholic Theology and Belief

40:42 • 60min

Understanding the Clarity of Hearing God's Voice

01:40:16 • 5min

Transformations of Faith

01:44:56 • 4min

Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference:
0:00 - Intro
1. 0:43 {Faith = Just a Family Tradition?} My husband believes that faith comes about by family tradition, and that someone's faith is just an expression of what their family has taught them rather than actual faith in God. What does the bible say about this?
2. 20:34 {Wealth & Poverty in Heaven} If we all get different wealth in Heaven based on our deeds on Earth, won’t that create a situation where some people are poor and some are rich? And what happens once we spend it all?
3. 25:28 {Was Paul Married? Widowed?} Acts 26:9-10: "...cast my vote" has implications that Paul was in the Sanhedrin (also residing over Stephen's trial in 8:1), which would have required him to be married (even though that requirement wasn't recorded until later; I'm guessing it was still implemented). Could Paul have been married? Perhaps widowed?
4. 30:04 {Did Saul Know who David Was?} Why at the end of 1 Samuel 16 did the author emphasize David's service to and recognition by Saul, but in 1 Samuel 17, Saul didn't seem to even know who David was (no one seemed to know him for that matter)?
5. 35:40 {Is Doubting OK?} I love Mark 9:24 - “I believe, help my unbelief.” But how do we understand that along with James 1:6-8 which says to ask in faith with no doubting, as the one who doubts will not receive anything from the Lord?
6. 41:10 {Should We Pray to Mary?} How can I respond with Scripture to a Catholic friend who says, “Mary is the mother of Jesus, so why wouldn’t you seek help from her? Jesus wouldn’t like you disrespecting His mom in any way”?
7. 48:25 {Are Our Souls Truly Immortal?} I was raised in the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, and they say that the belief in an immortal/immaterial soul is Pagan in origin and has no basis in the Bible. Is this true?
8. 52:30 {The Fruit of False Prophets} In Matthew 7:15-20, what are the fruits of the false prophets? The teaching? The followers? The acts? Or something else?
9. 57:36 {Leading with Proper Wisdom} In light of 1 Corinthians 3:18, how can I lead others spiritually with wisdom without considering myself to be wise?
10. 1:01:35 {Will God Give Up on Repetitive Sinners?} I suffer from same-sex attraction. I fight it, but sometimes I give in. Will God give up on me at some point if I give in?
11. 1:07:35 {Premarital Cohabitation Without Sex?} Is it OK for me and my long-distance girlfriend to stay in an Air BnB for a couple of months if we do not fall into sexual sin, but are not married?
12. 1:10:31 {Must Christians Attend Church?} Do you have to attend church to be a Christian?
13. 1:14:18 {When Other Faiths Pray for Us} When people of other religions pray for us and we see these prayers answered, how do we reconcile that with Christianity? Does that mean all faiths are good?
14. 1:18:32 {Why did Jesus Die if Humans Still Die?} If the payment for sin is death, and both believers and non-believers will die anyways, then why did Jesus have to die for us? Was it for a chance at us entering Heaven?
15. 1:21:53 {Did Augustine Consider the Apocrypha Canon?} How would you respond to those who point out that Augustine considered the Apocrypha as canon?
16. 1:24:40 {Satan’s Fall in Luke 10} Could you shed some light on what Jesus meant in Luke 10:18? Is Jesus talking about Satan's initial fall here, and what purpose does it serve in the passage?
17. 1:28:58 {OCD-Like Prayers} Any thoughts on struggles with OCD-like prayers? Ex: feeling the need to pray for protection over family members every day in fear that something bad will happen to them if I don’t.
18. 1:33:55 {God Didn’t Reveal Himself?} What do you tell an atheist who says he looked for God and God didn't reveal Himself to him? And in general, what do you make of the argument of nonresistant non-believers?
19. 1:40:16 {How to Hear God’s Voice} What does it mean to hear God's voice? Many teachings say to listen to your thoughts and discern God's voice. Is this even Biblical, or is it a cliche? Reminds me of imagination (visions/prophecy).
20. 1:45:13 {Why did God Change OT Names?} Why does God change the name of Abram to Abraham, Saul to Paul, and Sarai to Sarah? Is there a meaning behind this?

To ask a question during our next session, all you need to do is wait till after the stream starts (which means waiting until I'm actually on screen talking), post a question in the live chat with a Q at the opening of it, and be as clear as you can. Thanks!