Pastor Daniel @ Goshens

Pastor Daniel @ Goshens

Spiritual
1) How do you know God's calling in your life? How does God speak to us? Could you share with us how you received your calling?

Good calling might not be God’s calling (What we deem as good might not be what God is calling us to be).

One good way is journaling. When doing your QT, read with your SPECS (Sin to forsake, promise to claim, example to follow, command to obey, stumbling block to avoid). Write down the date that you read the passage. If using Daily Bread, read the assigned passage first before reading the text in the Daily Bread. Write down what verse and thoughts strike you the most. After which, read the story and write down what you want to do. Also re-read sermon notes and revisit the issue.

Half a year later, go on your own retreat (to you on place). Ask Pastor Daniel if you need to find a retreat place. Look back at your journal and see how God is calling you.

Do not let bible reading become a ritual or superstition (i.e. if I don’t read, bad things will happen to me). We will listen to where we tune in to (WGOD or WSIN) (i.e. what we pay attention more to).

Not sure whether God speaks through audible voice but do not put how God works into a box. Not sure whether the bible reference speaking is through an audible voice or spiritual prompting. He might speak through a good Christian friend.

People will see visions and dreams. Prophecies have 2 functions: foretelling (tell people of what will happen in the future) and forthtelling (warning people). Skeptical in some prophecies given – they are not fulfilled. Sometimes, you can minister by not saying a word and not just using prophecies.

2) What is spiritual warfare?

Some people might mix up psychological effects with spiritual warfare. Sometimes, it is our own flesh that is failing us. However, it does exist (e.g. people getting injured during mission trips).

3) Can Satan talk to us in our thoughts or can he just hear what we talk? Is it true that if we speak in tongues, Satan cannot hear us?

Not sure, but it is not important. It does not matter whether he can read our minds.


4) There are people who have faith but things don’t turn out as they expected (such as people dying). Is it because the faith is not pure or strong enough? How do we explain to those who prayed for healing?

Desire prophecies and love more than desire tongues. Bible can be prescriptive (what to do) and descriptive (what happened). The stories of people being healed by their faith are prescriptive. It is still up to God’s will.

There are people who are healed.

5) What are curses and blessings? Are they applicable now?
Deuteronomy 5:9-10 is often used to justify generational curses. But in verse 10, it shows that God will show mercy to thousands of generations (more than those who are cursed). Curses and blessings are speaking well or ill of a person. Need to read before and after the verse, would be better to read the whole chapter before and after.

Profanity can become natural if it perpetuate into our language. We need to say what we mean. It is possible to completely stop speaking profanity.

When approaching non-christians, we must build friendship first.

It does not matter if curses are effective or not – we have to watch what we say.

6) If a person has a headache, feels uneasy or feels something poking him when walking past altars with idols, what does it mean? Does it mean that the person is spiritually weak or strong (sensitive to spiritual beings)?

Luke 19 – God will judge both good and evil.

We should not do things to “avoid evil spirits”. Even if bad things do happen, we have to stay on top of it.

7) If a person can smell the smell of jasmine flower, does it mean that there is presence of evil spirits?
There is existence of spirits. Jasmine flower is still a creation of God.

Genesis

1) How did Moses know about Adam and Eve if Moses wrote Genesis a thousand years later?
Oral tradition. Will there be deviation? The bible is God-inspired. We should not go down the road of questioning the accuracy of the bible. It has survived thousands of years.

2) Did God just created Adam and Eve? Were there others? (Reference to Cain and others wanting to kill him)

Genesis 5:4. Incest is still allowed since the gene is pure.

3) Is it possible that the dinosaur died during the Great Flood?

Job 40:15-21 possible references to dinosaurs.

Others

1) It is said "Ask and it shall be given unto you". What is the real meaning behind this? How do we explain when someone keeps praying but never has his prayer answered? The gospels have many examples of people being healed because he has “great faith”? What does this mean to us?

Refer to 4th question under “Spiritual”.

2) Do animals, mentally ill or retarded, infants who died go to heaven?

Not sure.

Bible follows the patriarchal system then.

When reading the bible:
- Must read ahead and behind of the verse when reading the bible (best if 1 chapter ahead and behind).
- Look out for the genre (historical, poetry, story, prophecies, letters etc.) and read according to its genre.
- Look at whether it is descriptive or prescriptive.