Kirsten

8. Why does God "punish" Zechariah? I am always confused by this because in Judges 6, Gideon asks for a sign and God doesn't seem to have a problem with that. At other times, Abraham (Genesis 18:22-33), Moses (Exodus 2:11-14), and Gideon (Judges 6:13-22) all seem to make excuses or question God's judgment and that seems to be okay. What is the difference? When is it okay to ask for a sign and when is it not okay? Is Zechariah disciplined because he is a priest and should know better? Is it because the angel is the sign? I don't know. I do know that God can see what's going on in our hearts, so there must have been a difference in what he saw in Zechariah's heart from the other three. I also know I struggle at times because I have prayers that seem to have gone unanswered for years, so I can kind of relate to Zechariah. 5. How does unbelief hurt a disciple's life and what is the cure? Unbelief hurts a disciple because if you don't believe, you won't bother to share the gospel with others. It also leads to a number of emotional problems that were mentioned by others earlier. I agree with part of the cure being humility, repentance, and prayer. Also, I think doing what Jesus taught by serving and teaching others helps us enter into situations that will revitalize our faith. We don't do because we don't trust God to take care of us. When we do what He tells us to do, that demonstrates our trust and faith in God.