(festive music)

- Time for your questionsand some honest answers.

And Pat, this first one comes from Annie,

who says: Pat, my 70-year-oldmom and her male friend,

both widowed, would like to marry.

If they do, she would losemy late dad's retirement

and health benefits by remarrying.

Can she be married by apreacher in a civil ceremony

and just not signpaperwork with the state?

Would they still be consideredmarried in God's eyes?

- Absolutely.

The minute they commit to themselves,

they're gonna be married before God.

And if they have a preacher to help,

you don't have to have apreacher, but she's got one,

she doesn't have to sign all those papers.

And why should she lose all that?

You know, we have a tax code

that mitigates against marriage.

Honestly.

You're easier off if you're single.

I mean, why don't we change the tax code?

But it was set up that way. It's terrible.

But in any event, if they'remarried in the sight of God,

that's what's important.

When they commit to oneanother, God'll bless it.

Okay.

- Okay, this is Tim, who says:Why is there such a divide

between Christians aboutthe presence of miracles?

Many believe that miracles happen,

but some don't believe healing occurs

like it did in Jesus' day.

Simply watching "The 700Club" shows that small

and huge miracles happen all the time.

Why is there so much doubtconcerning His willingness

to perform miracles?- Well, there's some people,

so-called fundamentalists,who believe that the Bible,

you know where it says,"When the perfect has come,"

they believe the Bible is perfect

and that all the miraclesstopped with the first century

and we don't have miracles today.

Well, they're missingout on some great stuff.

But we're seeing the Lord do miracles.

We are seeing thousandsof dramatic miracles

and the gifts of theSpirit are being displayed

in great power.

And the Bible says, "In the latter days,

I'll pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.

Your sons and daughtersare gonna prophesy,

your old men are gonnadream dreams," and so forth.

And we're seeing theoutpouring of the Holy Spirit

and some people just don't believe it.

But I do and we believeit and we practice it.

Okay.

- Okay, this is Loriwho says, "Hello, Pat.

Over the years, I've heard you say

that you practiced the presence of God.

I would like to learn how to do that,

so how does one practicethe presence of God?

Please be as detailed as you can.

- Well, first of all, you read the Word

and you let the Word live in your heart.

"Thy word have I hid in myheart, that I might not sin."

And so you begin to worship God.

And then you think or you meditate on God.

Do you realize, He is thecreator of everything?

This huge universe, He created.

He has wisdom beyond all of our wisdom.

He is so wonderful and He is love itself.

He loves us.

He loves us beyondanything we could imagine.

And you begin to meditate on who He is

and you practice His presenceand you stand in His presence

and you worship Him.

Come into His courts.

You come in withthanksgiving and with praise.

You thank Him for what He's done.

You praise Him for who He is.

All right.- This is Lisa

who says: Pat, I've beenmarried for 11 years

and this is not the kind ofmarriage I want to be in.

He's manipulated me andothers to get what he's wanted

as well as womanized many women.

Given my financial situation,

I cannot afford rent on my own.

What do you think I should do?

- Well, I don't reallyknow all the circumstances

so I can hardly tell you, but, you know,

this guy, I mean, you have the perfect out

if you want to get out of it.

And I think, at law, heowes you an obligation.

You spent years with him

and the fact that he'swomanizing and so forth,

that gives you an out,and so there's no reason

that you shouldn't go to courtand get him to pay support

and maintenance for youso you can live alone.

So I mean, and scripturally,

you absolutely have grounds for divorce

and I recommend that you get out of it.

But that's what you do.

Get a good lawyer and sue him.