Ask It Basket

Art and Pat Humphrey answered Ask It Basket questions from Guide readers for more than five years. They have two children of their own who are now young adults and attending college. Both Art and Pat love young people and have spent much of their lives working with them in various church youth programs, such as AYS, Vacation Bible School, and Sabbath School. Pat has also worked on several college campuses as a counselor and teacher and has written lots of articles aimed at helping kids and teenagers live happier, healthier lives.

The Humphreys have written a book, Don’t Sweat It, based on their Guide column.

Q. My dog died not long ago. I miss him a lot. Will our pets be in heaven?

A. It’s hard losing a special pet , isn't it? And it's quite natural to want to have our pets with us in heaven. But based on the things we've studied , there’s no evidence that our pets will be saved. Those who are saved will be in heaven because they have chosen to be there. Since animals cannot make intelligent decisions , or worship their Creator , we have to assume that they will not be among the saved.

The good news is , though , that we will have pets in heaven , and we'll never have to worry about them biting us or getting into fights with other animals. God is going to create for us new animals with gentle natures.

In a vision that God gave to Ellen White , she saw all kinds of animals in The New Earth. She said , “Then we entered a field full of all kinds of beasts; the lion , the lamb , the leopard and the wolf , altogether in perfect union. We passed through the midst of them , and they followed on peaceably after” (Early Writings , p. 18). Imagine that! Tame lions , leopards , and wolves! And these are just a few of the many kinds of animals that will be there. We can't wait to find out what God has in store for us.

What kind of animal would you like to have in the New Earth? A pet lion , a zebra , an elephant? You can have one if you want. We hope to see you there!

Q. Is it OK to pray to Jesus and the Holy Spirit?

A. That’s a very thoughtful question. The best example of how to pray that we have in the Bible is The Lord’s Prayer. Jesus began that well-known prayer with the words “Our Father.” By His example , Jesus showed that our prayers are to be addressed to God , who is our Heavenly Father. Although we can and should mention Jesus and the Holy Spirit in our prayers , we have not found any example or evidence in the Bible that we should pray directly to anyone other than God the Father.

In the Bible Jesus gives us a clear picture of His role in our prayers. He instructed us to pray in His name because He is our Mediator. That means that He makes our feeble little prayers acceptable to God the Father. That’s why we often say at the end of our prayers , “In the name of Jesus , Amen.” Jesus has promised us , “I will do whatever you ask for in My name” (John 14:13 , TEV).* Jesus also said that no one can come to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). The Holy Spirit also prays for us and presents our requests to the Father (see Rom. 8:26 , 27).

So , in short , we pray to the Father in the name of Jesus. This is not an easy subject to understand , but we hope we’ve helped make things a little clearer.

Bible texts credited to TEV are from the Good News Bible. Old Testament Copyright © American Bible Society 1976; New Testament Copyright © American Bible Society 1966 , 1971 , 1976.

Q. It seems like all the sermons I’ve been hearing recently are about salvation. Do you think God is trying to tell me and other people at church a message so we can be saved?

A. God uses many different ways to talk to us. Some of the ways He talks to us are through: (a) the people we know; (b) circumstances; (c) things that we read or see; and (d) the messages that we hear preached in church.

We had an experience recently in which the pastor of our church seemed to be preaching about the very situation we were facing at the time. It was kind of scary because we knew that he had no way of knowing what we were going through. When the sermon was over , we went up to the pastor and thanked him for the comforting message. We left church that day feeling as if God had spoken directly to us. .

So to answer your question , yes , we believe God is trying to tell all of us—through the messages at church , through the signs of the times , and in many other ways—that Jesus is coming soon and that He wants us to be ready. .

Remember , “He is patient with you , not wanting anyone to perish , but everyone to come to repentance” (1 Peter 3:9).

Q. If a person commits suicide , will they go to hell?

A. Now that’s a really tough question. From what we understand , taking your own life is breaking the commandment that says , “Thou shalt not kill.” And even though a person could be forgiven later for taking someone else’s life , taking your own life is a final act. Once your life is over , you’re not alive to repent or get forgiveness for what you’ve done in the past.

But , on the other hand , we can’t say that everyone who commits suicide will go to hell , because we really don’t know. God knows all the circumstances of a person’s life , and He can read a person’s heart in their dying moments , just as He knows our thoughts and feelings throughout our life. And He is the ultimate judge.

It’s so sad that some people view suicide as the only way out of a hard situation. True , many people have problems that seem unbearable , but God can make a way out of every difficulty if we allow Him to. (Sometimes He uses other people , such as counselors and doctors , to help us out of depression.) And nothing that we can face is any harder than the troubles Jesus had when He was here. No matter how hard things get here on this earth , remember , one day there will be no more pain or crying , and God is going to wipe away every tear. That’s just too good to risk missing out on!

Q. How can I be friends with a boy I like without being his girlfriend?

A. "That’s a good question. We think that just being friends is a very good approach to any relationship. Too many people try to start off a close relationship without being friends first , and that can really ruin things. It’s kind of like “putting the cart before the horse.” Actually , we don’t recommend that kids in your age group get involved in close boyfriend/girlfriend relationships at all.

To let your friend know that you just want to keep it casual , say something like , """"Thanks for helping me study for that test the other day” (or whatever is appropriate). “You’re really a great guy and a good friend."""" Don’t flirt or give him any kind of attention that would make him think you want a special relationship. Treat him as you would any other regular friend. If the subject of “going out” comes up , tell him tactfully that you just want to be friends. It’s OK to talk to him , get to know him better , and cultivate your friendship. That simply means being someone who is understanding , trustworthy , thoughtful , and kind. At the right time , when you are older , your friendship just might blossom into something special."

Ask It Basket Archive

• I like this boy , but I'm not sure if he likes me. My brothers started teasing me , so the boy I like doesn't hang around me anymore. I'm too shy to ask him if he likes me , and I don't think he'd respond to a letter. What should I do? >>



• To me , reading the Bible and listening to a sermon is boring. How can I make it interesting? >>



• Is it OK to wear jewelry and make-up? Does God care? >>



• My older sister is making some wrong choices. How can I tell her that what she is doing is wrong? >>



• I have a friend who goes to church on Sunday. I’d try to tell her about the Sabbath , but I don’t know what to say. >>



• Is going to amusement parks and getting on terrifying rides a sin? >>



• My parents want to send me to an Adventist school , but I feel I'm better off in public school. I know how bad things are in public school , but I had a lot of problems at the Adventist school. >>



• How can a young person (or anyone) discourage abortion? >>



• A lot of churches make a big deal out of jewelry. How big of a dealis it? >>



• Is it wrong to look at women in bikinis? >>



• What did the carnivores eat before sin? >>



• Is Christian rock music bad if it lifts the soul and helps you find answers to some of your problems? >>



• I’m thinking about running for class president , but so is my best friend! I want to be president , but I don’t want to lose against her or lose her friendship. What should I do? >>



• I’m a girl , and I’m closer to my mom than to my dad. Is there anything wrong with that? >>



• I need some advice on how I can control my anger and get along better with my parents. >>



• Is it wrong for a Seventh-day Adventist to go out with someone who isn’t a Seventh-day Adventist? >>



• I know of a family who keeps the Jewish feast days even though people told them these feasts were done away with. Is it OK to celebrate them? >>



• Why don’t Adventist schools play tackle football? >>



• This guy wants me to tell my best friend he wants to go out with her , but he already has a girlfriend. To make matters worse , my friend likes him too. What should I do? >>



• I have a friend that I always accuse whenever she annoys me. I don’t do this with my other friends , even when they do the same thing. What should I do? >>



• Why do some Adventist women wear makeup and then criticize girls who wear rings? >>



• My mother and father are both divorced and remarried. Sometimes I feel like I shouldn’t listen to my stepmom or stepdad. What do you think? >>



• I have a long-lost cousin who doesn’t show any interest in religion. How can I witness to him? >>



• Is masturbation wrong? >>



• I have a little sister and a big sister , and sometimes I feel left out. >>



• People tell me I look two or three years older than I am. I’m 13. Is it OK to go out with a 16-year-old guy? >>



• When my older sister gets around her friends or mine , she ignores me. What should I do to let her know I can’t stand it? >>