20 Questions with Pastor Mike (Episode 93)

0:15 {Do We Pray For or Against our Enemies?} How do you reconcile the New Testament's clear teachings to love and pray for our enemies with Psalms like Psalm 69:22-28? Is there ever a time when we should pray against our enemies?

23:44 {Gospel Patterns?} Is Genesis 1:1-6 a foreshadowing of the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? John 1:1, Luke 1:1, Mark 1:1, Matthew 4:17, and 1 John 1:1 all speak of beginning, then water, light, and darkness.

29:25 {Unhealthy Associations w/Gratitude} Growing up, I had people expect me to show gratitude as a way to ignore abuse. Now, I want to be thankful for blessings in my life, but I associate gratitude with abuse. How do I separate that?

33:24 {Prophecy Fulfillment, or Just Staged?} People quote prophecy as evidence of Jesus’ deity. Couldn’t He have deliberately fulfilled some prophecies, such as bribing men to divide His clothes, or purposefully riding a donkey into Jerusalem?

37:38 {Why Physical vs. Spiritual Blessings?} What is the significance of God promising physical blessings to nations (thinking particularly of the promise to Ishmael), when, in light of eternity, physical blessings are nearly insignificant?

39:38 {About the Septuagint & Masoretic Text} Is the Greek LXX (Septuagint) considered a flawed copy? The genealogy of Shem adds hundreds of years which is quite significant. Is the Masoretic Text inerrant, or am I misunderstanding inerrancy?

44:38 {Thoughts on the Asbury Revival} What are your thoughts about what is happening at Asbury?

48:04 {Is there a Proper Format for Church Services?} Is the current way we do church services prescribed in the Bible? Where did this current style of worship come from?

51:34 {Was Aaron Punished for the Golden Calf?} Why didn't Aaron get punished for making the golden calf in Exodus 32?

1:00:38 {Butterfly Effect/Multiple Universes?} What are your thoughts on the butterfly effect and the possibility of multiple universes?

1:06:31 {Galatians 5 – Heaven or Rewards?} In Galatians 5:19-21, is the “kingdom of God” a reference to Heaven itself, or a reference to rewards? A local pastor says it is about rewards, but I am skeptical.

1:14:17 {Did God Permit Child Sacrifice?} Why did God allow child sacrifice in Judges when the man said he will sacrifice anything that walks through the door, and then his daughter walks out? Aren't the other nations judged for this action?

1:19:22 {Can Killing a Leader be Justified At Times?} We know that self-defense is biblical, but what about assassinations like Project Valkyrie (Hitler) or times when killing a leader might save other lives? Are we still bound to their authority?

1:23:50 {Bible Reading Schedule – Required?} Do you think it's wrong if I don't read the Bible regularly? I do read and study it, but I don't have a consistent schedule.

1:26:36 {Parable of the Minas} I was just wondering what your interpretation of the parable in Luke 19: 11-27 is. Specifically, what do you think the slaves and the minas represent?

1:34:07 {Must We Always be “Nice”?} Is it biblical to be nice? My boyfriend is extremely honest and it rubs a lot of people the wrong way. Does he have a biblical obligation to be nice with his words?

1:35:57 {The Holiness of God’s Justice} Any tips for how to become less opposed to God’s judgment, and to see it as holy? It can cause me to feel like God is an unloving God sometimes.

1:42:01 {Dancing as a Form of Worship?} Is dancing allowed in church? Can it be considered worship?

1:44:15 {Works-Based Salvation?} Does Matthew 7:21 tell us that works are necessary to get saved?

1:46:25 {Are Men’s Beards Prideful?} What do you think about beards? I heard a pastor say that it is a prideful thing to wear a beard, and ther