Questions & Answers
You have asked us so many great questions that we want to share them with you! If you desire an answer to a spritual question, please feel free to send us an email. If you desire to remain anonymous, we will keep your name private. We know that by sharing, we will help others for God through Good News Ministries!
May 2010 - A Daughter’s Aching Heart
Dear Judy,
I feel so scared and alone since my mother died. She was my best friend. It was so hard to see her in so much pain the last months of her life, but even then, she had a smile. She just loved life. She said it was Jesus who got her through each day. You see, she loved Him very much. I go to her grave all the time. I talk to her, but it isn't helping. What can I do to soothe this deep ache I feel inside, and the aloneness I feel without her?
Dear Alone,
I am sorry for your loss. Losing a mom or anyone we are close to is very difficult. It sounds as if you are trying to find some of the closeness you had with your mom by going to her graveside. I know you cannot receive this right now, but one day you will find that time does heal.
You stated that your mom loved Jesus Christ. Her oneness with Him gave her the strength to love life, even when she was not well. She spent time in her Bible meditating on God’s words and gaining His perspective on life. She knew she was just a pilgrim on earth. Be encouraged that she is in heaven rejoicing with her beloved Jesus, and pain-free! Do you also believe as she did? If so, rejoice that you will see her again one day.
My own mother tells me, “Judy, one day I am going to get closer to Jesus’ home than my own and I will just stay there. Don’t be sad but rejoice because that is what I long for and where I belong.” It hurts to hear her say that because I too know one day I shall be separated from my very best friend, my mom! But I also know it will only be for a season!
It is okay to go out to your mom’s grave and chat with her but you must also remember that only your mom’s body is there; your mom is in heaven! My dad is in heaven also and I sometimes take flowers to his grave and just remember the good times we had together. He was truly God’s gift to me. And I know that he is waiting for me in heaven; that old grave only holds his body.
You will always miss the guidance, friendship, and love of your mom, but she would not want you to be sad. She would want you to get in the Bible that she loved so much and read it to renew your mind to heavenly thoughts. She would want you to make Jesus Christ your best friend as she did, and let Him guide you through this life. She would want you to love life, even the bad parts, because you know that He is walking beside you and living inside you!
You mother’s life was an excellent example showing you how to get ready for your home-coming in heaven. Look at the fullness of the legacy she left you. You will always have those wonderful memories, something that many, many people would give anything to have. Right now is a good time to renew your mind in the Word of God. Maybe even read Scriptures aloud at your mother’s grave. Start with the Book of Psalms. Your mother will be rejoicing in heaven, and you’ll experience God’s comfort that passes all understanding.
April 2010 - New Age or Old Occult?
Dear Judy,
I am a Christian and am pretty involved in my church. Recently some people moved into my neighborhood claiming to belong to the New Age religion. Their explanation of their beliefs was pretty confusing to me. What do they believe and why is it called “New Age”? I suppose they consider what I believe to be “Old Age religion.”
Dear Confused,
First of all I am glad to hear you are a Christian who goes to church. The Bible is your manual for life, your source for understanding everything. You will not find the name “New Age” in the Bible, but what this movement practices is certainly in the Bible, and God says DON’T DO IT!
The New Age movement has been called by some as the “Old Occult.” Occultic practices are a part of this movement, as are Astrology, channeling, crystal healing, psychic experience, Hinduism, Gnostic traditions, Spiritualism, Theosophy, Wicca, environmentalism, to name a few. New Age followers are encouraged to "shop" for the beliefs and practices that they feel most comfortable with.
The New Age movement seeks “Universal Truth” and individual human potential. It is an individual approach, a human approach, to spiritual practices and philosophies, and rejects religious teachings and dogma.
In the beginning of the Bible the first man and woman (Adam and Eve) fell for the deception of exalting self, and God cast them out of the Garden of Eden. All we have to do is look around and know that something, or someone, bigger than mankind created this earth and the fullness of it. God wanted, and still does want, us to be dependent on Him, not on ourselves. At the same time, God wants us to reach our highest potential and to know we have purpose.
Since the beginning of time we have had to make decisions on what is truth and what is deception. God graciously warns us about the counterfeit--those who practice witchcraft, conjure spells, interpret omens, or call up the dead, sorcerers, mediums, or spiritualists … all these are an abomination to the Lord. In Deuteronomy 18:10-12 and many more places, the Lord speaks of the things that are not of Him.
We are living in very serious times and I believe the last of the last days. As believers, we must discern what is of God and what is not of God. The New Age movement seeks to blur the distinction between particular religions and undermines the essential truth of Christianity. I say that because Christianity is based on what Jesus Christ did for mankind on the Cross. Without the cross, humanity would be hopelessly lost.
To be a Christian means to be a follower of Christ, to be like Christ. Christians have asked Jesus to forgive them of their sin, and asked Him to be their Savior. But sadly, some Christians are dabbling in New Age beliefs, and this is an abomination to Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. If you want to know more about what New Agers believe, just Google it. Better yet, instead of spending your time that way, spend it studying the truth —the Bible. This will help you stand strong and bold in these last days, and who knows, maybe you’ll help your new neighbors find what they are looking for too — the Truth that lives forever.