Ask Roger

Dear Roger,I am so excited about going to heaven. I am ready for the rapture. I hope it comes right now! But I don’t know enough about heaven. Can you fill in some of the details for me?Sincerely,JulieDear Julie,There are ten common questions I hear all the time from people who are seeking to know more about heaven. I’ve collected them here, along with some biblical answers and practical application. I hope they’re helpful for you!Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/grakozy

The Bible teaches that the Book of Life is the register of everyone who is going to heaven. Very simply, if your name is not in the Book of Life then you’re not going to heaven.

Dear Roger,I have so many questions about the “millennium” or “Thousand-Year Reign of Christ.” Can you help me understand what John was describing?Love, CrystalDear Crystal,I would be delighted.Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/rickschroeppel

I'm a very worried Christian wife. My husband has completely changed over the last several months. How do I handle this?

I'm a new Christian, and I've always associated the word rapture with something romantic or earthly. Can you help me understand, why is the word rapture associated with the return of Jesus? What does it mean to experience the rapture the Bible talks about?

Dear Roger,I am 62 years old and facing retirement. I’ve tried to carefully manage my funds with Social Security, IRAs, mutual funds, savings, and some investments in the stock market so that I will be financially secure in my later years. I know that nothing is guaranteed in the future, but I’ve done the best I can to be all set.Is there a biblical model for retirement?Sincerely, RichardDear Richard,First, may I congratulate you on the obvious discipline that you have shown to put yourself in a good position for financial retirement. You are one of the few people I’ve met who has done adequate financial planning.Second, I recognize that some folks never had a good enough salary to accomplish the things that you have. You are very fortunate.Third, thank God for Social Security and Medicare, which will help some squeak through retirement with just enough.Yes, Richard, the Bible does have a clear-cut plan for retirement. But for many of us, it is not at all what we’ve imagined.Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/thodonal

Dear Roger,I often wonder if Jesus felt the same way I do about things. I know He did in many ways—like temptation and grief—but I don’t really get how He could have felt emotions like shame. Can you help me understand?Sincerely, RichardThis is a great question! It IS hard to understand how Jesus could have experienced shame. After all, shame is an emotion we feel when we’ve done something wrong, and Jesus never sinned. He was fully divine.However, we also know that Jesus became fully human, so that He could be the one mediator between God and us (see 1 Timothy 2:5). He knows everything we face as humans—He experienced it all, so that He could advocate on our behalf before God.In Hebrews 12:1-2, we read that Jesus did experience shame … the shame of the cross. Imagine the shame He endured as He hung naked, suspended between heaven and earth. Then read this powerful Scripture with me:Jesus, who for the joy set before him, endured the cross,despising its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.Photo Credit: ©Sparrowstock

Dear Roger,What did Jesus do each day during his last week?Sincerely,AnnaDear Anna,Jesus’ last week began on Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday was so named because the people waved palm branches in honor of the Messiah and then laid them down to cushion His ride as Jesus rode into Jerusalem.Palm Sunday also began the most premeditated, calculated week in the life of Christ.The Gospels are not biographies. Each shares a few words about His birth, one sentence to describe Him from ages 18 to 30, and then concentrates two-thirds of their content on a short 3½ years. The final third of every Gospel deals with one week in the life of Christ.I want to take us on a journey through the last week in Jesus’ life, so I have listed the major activities on each day.Photo Credit: ©iStock / GettyImagesPlus / 1971yes

Dear Roger,I know God said, “It is not good for man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). I’ve been thinking a lot about friends—it’s been tough to make time for mine lately. Can you give me some insight into why friends are so important?Sincerely, DaleDear Dale, I would be glad to share a few thoughts.Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/ Maskot

I’m really struggling with my church. So many people seem to be hypocritical—they just don’t live out what they say on Sunday during the rest of the week. What should I do?

Many wonder if Russia will have any part to play in the last days? The answer is a resounding “yes.” We find the answer in Ezekiel 38-39.

Dear Roger, My husband and I would like to be cremated after our deaths. Is there scripture regarding our decision?

Part of me is absolutely thrilled to see God moving so powerfully in the next generation. But I also have some reservations—are people just joining in an emotional moment? How can we tell if a specific revival is from God?

I am 69 and single. I met a woman who is 70. We are both believers. What does the Bible say about physical affection for people of our age?

I am now retired, and I look like a shadow of my former self. People no longer respect me, but treat me like a child. I never dreamed my life would end like this! I find myself getting mad at God and irritated by the people who love me the most. What shall I do?

Dear Roger,I’m very concerned about what I just read in Joshua chapter seven. A man named Achan knowingly disobeyed God. Then, God stoned him and his family to death as a consequence for his sin. I have sinned a lot in my life, even after I became a Christian. My personal concern is whether or not something like this can happen to my family and me?Sincerely,LarryDear Larry,When you read Achan's story in Joshua 7, notice that it is all about hidden sin. I believe that much of what happened to him is a direct result of the fact that he knowingly sinned and then deliberately covered it up, trying to hide his actions from our all-knowing, all-seeing God.Let’s dig into Joshua’s account together:Joshua 6 describes Israel's successful entry into the Promised Land."So, the Lord was with Joshua and his fame spread throughout the land"(Joshua 6:27).They accomplished this long-awaited, hard-fought goal. But unfortunately, all was not well among the Israelites:"The Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things. Achan took some of them. So, the Lord's anger burned against Israel"(Joshua 7:1).God made it clear to Joshua and the Israelites that all of the sacred things, those “devoted” to the worship of other gods, were to be destroyed (see Joshua 7:13).However, Achan was covetous. He took the “devoted things,” as well as some gold and beautiful Babylonian garments. He hid them in the bottom of his tent, covering them up with his family’s help.In one of their next battles, God instructed Joshua to destroy the tiny town of Ai. What should have been an easy battle was turned into a rout. The men of Ai chased away thousands of Israeli soldiers; some were slaughtered and left to rot on the battlefield. Ai was victorious (Joshua 7:3-8).Photo Credit: Unsplash/ammar sabaa

Dr. Roger explains the significance of the number 666 in Revelation.

Dear Roger,I’ve been reading the New Testament and it surprises me how often Jesus referred to money.For example, in Luke 21:1-4, “He commended the widow who did not have much, but from what she did have, she gave it all to the Lord.”He criticized the Pharisees for giving the tithe while they were rejecting the more important parts of sacrifice (Matthew 23:23).Of course, in the parable of the talents, Jesus declared that those who invest well will receive more and those who don’t invest well will lose it all (Matthew 25:14-30).So, I was taken a little aback when I came to 1 Timothy 6 and read how harshly the apostle Paul dealt with Christians who are not managing their money well! Can you please draw for us some lessons from Paul’s teaching? How am I supposed to handle money?Sincerely, MarkDear Mark,I think that the best way to answer your question is by moving through 1 Timothy 6 verse by verse, gleaning Paul’s meaning. You’ll notice that each statement is a critical key to how God intended for us to handle money wisely and well.Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/HappyNati

Dear Roger,We were ending our Bible study when one of the women spoke up. She said, “I hate to bring this up, but I get so tired of my husband, William, always bragging about the things he’s done for Jesus.” One of the men replied, “I don’t want to gossip, but have you noticed that he always tries to take credit for every good thing that the church does. Frankly, I’m getting tired of it. He wants his name out in front where everyone can see it.” Can you please help us understand how to interact with William wisely?Sincerely, SusanDear Susan,William reminds me of an analogy I heard from a man who was discussing the damaging effects of pride:“The moment that John comes in the front door, everyone else is backdoor.”Does that sound familiar? I’m sure we all know people like this—and most of us have a grain of this attitude in ourselves.So today, I’d like to construct a picture of a man who we’ll call the “Nameless Hero.” He’s the one who gave Jesus a drink when He hung in agony on the cross.No one knows his name. He’s a man who didn’t care who got the credit. Period.Read Matthew 27:46-49 with me:About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” [which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”]When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink.The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”Several soldiers gathered around three crosses on that horribly Friday afternoon. They had finished their work for the day. Two thieves and one Messiah hung there, in absolute agony as they slowly suffocated.Four soldiers amused themselves by gambling for Jesus’ seamless robe. This done, they had nothing more to do but wait.While waiting, they were startled by a wild cry that came from the man on the middle cross:Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" (My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?)Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/VvoeVale

I’m worried that life as we knew it is gone forever. I no longer read the news, because it seems that the same scary things are being repeated over and over. Everything seems to be in crisis. What are some practical ways to handle my stress?