Inspiration from a Blind: What's the Idol in Your Heart?

A sunny June to you from Inspiration from a Blind brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com!

Do you have an idol in your heart? Now, before you say no, let us define idolatry and see what it means today.

In ancient times, idolatry was the worship of idols or the use of idols to represent the "gods" people believed in. Such idols were carved images in various forms made of stones and wood, and the rich folks touted silver and golden ones. Idolatry was practiced by many ancient cultures, by both the worshippers of the only true God, Yahweh, and worshippers of false gods.

Yahweh forbade His people, Israel, to practice idolatry. They were not to worship any idols of other "gods," nor to represent Him by any image. Since Yahweh is an invisible Spirit whom no person has ever seen, we cannot possibly use any kind of image to adequately represent Him. Moreover, to worship an idol that represents Him would put us in the place of the creator and God in the place of the created creature.

Today, people generally do not worship idols or use idols to represent Yahweh. Yet, many of us are guilty of idolatry. We commit the underlying sins of idolatry: a) redefining God and then worshipping what we have redefined, and b) holding people or things in higher esteem than Yahweh.

While we do not carve actual, physical idols to represent Yahweh, we do create "spiritual idols" by redefining who God is and how He should behave. When we redefine Yahweh and think of Him other than what He has revealed to us about Himself in His Word, we create spiritual idols in our hearts to represent Him. This is idolatry of today.

Other idols in our hearts may be people or things, or even our own selves, that we value more than we value God. Such idols could be our family or friends, our job, or our reputation.

Do you or anyone you know commit the following forms of idolatry?

a) Judging the actions of Yahweh

Have you ever said, "If I were God, I would do so and so, or not do so and so"? Personally, I've heard, "If I were God, I would have prevented terrible things from happening to people, like the kidnapping of the three Cleveland, Ohio girls who had been locked up, raped, and beaten for a decade."

But the thing is: you are not God. When we question Yahweh's actions, we are redefining how God should behave or act. When we say how God should act, we are judging Him according to our own moral standards and limited knowledge. We are using our own morality as the measuring stick to judge God.

Does an ant have the right to use their own moral standards as a measuring stick to judge us? If not, then how much less right do we, the created creature, have in judging God, the Creator, and using our own sinful morality of all standards? This is among the worst kinds of idolatry we commit against Yahweh today: judging how He should behave according to our own limited morality, understanding, and knowledge.

b) Focusing only on the attributes of Yahweh we like and disregarding the rest

Which qualities of Yahweh have you heard people constantly emphasize, without mentioning the others? Do they not include love, grace, and mercy? But are these attributes the only ones that Yahweh possesses? Is He not the God of wrath, judgment, justice, and righteousness, as well?

Many of us just like to think of Yahweh as a loving God who loves every person unconditionally, and that He will forgive the worst sinners down to every last person. At the same time, we ignore the fact that Yahweh is also a God of justice. Due to His justice, He will pour out His wrath on unrepentant sinners, who will be severely judged in the future. Simply put, we recreate God by focusing on only the attributes we prefer and ignoring the attributes that we find unfavorable in our own eyes. This is another form of spiritual idolatry that we are committing.

c) Switching Yahweh with Jesus Christ

Do you believe that Yahweh is Jesus Christ or Jesus Christ is Yahweh? If so, you would believe that it was Yahweh who came to Earth and was crucified for our sins. You would also believe that Jesus was the God who gave the Mosaic Law to Israel, including the "ten commandments."

However, the Bible clearly identifies Yahweh and Jesus as separate Beings, each with their own unique will and roles to play. Yahweh God is the Father, while Jesus is the Son, subordinate to the Father. Yahweh calls Jesus "my servant," while Jesus calls Yahweh "my God." Would God call Himself (or anyone else for that matter) "my God?" If He would, then "His God" is higher than He--so how could God be God? But the truth is that Yahweh is the most supreme Being in the universe, "the only true God," as Jesus said (John 17:3), while Jesus is His Son. "Father" and "son" are never the same person.

The worst kind of idolatry is switching the identity of Yahweh with Jesus Christ or saying that Yahweh and Jesus are one and the same. This is also the number one idolatry that most churches are committing today. To make it easier to confuse Yahweh with Jesus, church leaders have altogether removed the name "Yahweh" from their vocabulary, so every time they mention God, they either leave Him nameless or call Him "Jesus." But this grave sin falls heaviest on the shoulders of the translators of our modern English Bible versions for replacing all nearly-7000 instances of God's name with the generic title of "Lord" and "God." Yes, whenever you come across "Lord" in the Old Testament, know that ninety-nine percent of the time it was originally "YHWH," from which we get "Yahweh" and the English transliteration of "Jehovah."

How would you feel if you were the president of a country and you send an ambassador to represent you but people call him by your name and treat him as the president instead? So how do you think God would feel when we worship his servant, Jesus, in place of Him?

Yahweh said, "I am Yahweh. That is my name. I will not give my glory to another,
nor my praise to engraved images." (Isaiah 42:8, WEB)

Yet, we have given His glory to His Son. This has become our biggest spiritual engraved image in our heart, which we must cast away.

A while back, I introduced to you the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; to refresh your memory of their unique attributes, positions, and responsibilities, read the archived newsletter issue at:

http://drshirleycheng.blogspot.com/2013/04/inspiration-from-blind-prepare-to-meet.html

d) Worshipping other than Yahweh

If your family or friends encourage or order you to do something that is against Yahweh's will, whom will you heed, them or God? If you witness a loved one committing a crime, would you do the right thing in accordance with God's will by reporting it to the police, or would you keep quiet as a silent accomplice? In your life, what is your goal: to please those around you, yourself, or your Creator? What is your dream: to make lots of money in order to retire in luxury or spend your time to serve God by serving humanity?

If you choose anyone or anything above God, then you are committing spiritual idolatry. Yahweh should sit on the topmost shelf in our hearts. But many of us have shoved Him to the bottom drawer, underneath all the junks in our lives. We pull Him out only when we need His help--if we can even remember Him at all. And once we got what we wanted from Him, we shove Him back under our rubbish.

Is this how we should worship our Creator? Are we not rather worshipping ourselves, others, and other things in our lives?

So my friend, do you have an idol in your heart? Will you submit to Yahweh's sovereignty and will and praise all of His holy attributes, or will you recreate Him and worship your own creation? Will you love Yahweh with all your heart, mind, and strength, or will you love yourself more?

Any idol you set up in your heart is a stumbling block. It prevents you from having a fulfilling relationship with your Creator. It offers only a false sense of security, where you feel that you are worshipping the true God and will receive His blessing when in fact the opposite is true.

Only when you surrender yourself wholly to Yahweh with all the attributes He has revealed to us and set Him on the number one spot in your heart will you be able to serve Him properly. The question is: will you?

　

~*~Q&A with Dr. Shirley~*~

Question: What's the point in telling God our desires when they are not according to His will and therefore He will not answer our prayer?

Answer: Yahweh wants an open communication with us where we share with him our desires even if they are not according to His will. We may not get what we ask for, but our reason for telling Him our desires is not to have Him fulfill our desires, but to simply share with Him.

Let's think about it: when you speak with your friends and tell them your problems, do you expect them to be your problem-solvers? If not, then why do we tell our friends our problems since they couldn't really help us? We tell them simply because they are our friends and we need to share our hearts with them. Likewise, one reason we pray to God should simply be for the sake of sharing, as between friends. We shouldn't go to God only when we expect Him to help us. We should go to God in prayers for all reasons and for "no good reason." We should share our joy and our sorrow with Him. He's a Friend who's always there to listen to us. We shouldn't just view Yahweh as our Problem-Solver, but a true Best Friend. This will motivate us to pray to Him, and for the right reasons.

We need to study Jesus' short prayer to his Father before his arrest and execution. He prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; nevertheless, not what I desire, but what you desire." (Matthew 26:39) Here, Jesus wished that he would not have to suffer what he was about to suffer, and made his desire known to his Father. However, he yielded to his Father's desire (will). If God didn't want Jesus to avoid his suffering, then Jesus would accept his Father's will, not his will. Likewise, we can tell our Father what we desire, but still say, "But let your will be done, not mine, if my desire contradicts yours."

　

~*~Dr. Shirley's Corner~*~

For a limited time only, the Kindle edition of my book, "Do You Love Jehovah? God Almighty's Infinite Love & Wisdom to Propel You to Greatness" is available on Amazon for only $2.99, down from $6.99! If you don't have a Kindle--no problem, Amazon has free Kindle Apps so you can read any Kindle ebooks on your smartphone, tablet, and computer. So grab an electronic copy of "Do You Love Jehovah?" at:

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On that page, you have the option to give the book as a gift, where the ebook will be delivered to the recipient. Father's Day is coming up; why not give your Dad a book that will introduce to him the Source of true wealth and joy: Yahweh?

More about the book...

Ever wondered where you came from and where you will go? Is your life more than the cradle and grave? Your origin, purpose, and future do not have to be enigmas. "Do You Love Jehovah?" the inspirational Christian book by blind and physically disabled author Shirley Cheng, will help you discover your purpose and gently direct your way to align with the most sacred will: that of your Life-Giver, Jehovah (Yahweh).

Besides answering life's colossal questions, "Do You Love Jehovah?" clears up some of the most commonly misunderstood teachings about the Bible, such as:

• Who is God? Who is Jesus Christ? How about the Holy Spirit?

• What happens after we die? Do we have an immortal soul?

• Since Jesus died for us, does that mean we will automatically enter the Kingdom of God?

• Are we predestined?

• Why does God allow suffering and wickedness?

• What will happen to the wicked? Will they burn for eternity in hell?

"...this book deserves to sit on the shelf next to the Bible...Shirley has all of the properties, emotions, logic and spiritual being that (Jehovah) was hoping to instill in each one of us. Shirley may be in a wheelchair, but has walked the universe. She may be blind but see's the true color and beauty in the world..." -Jan Hayner, Professional Organizer, Motivational Speaker and Personal Coach

"(Shirley) could preach a sermon with the best of the 18th century preachers." -Laura Evans, United Methodist Church Pastor’s Wife, Certified Instructor

"In poetic prose Shirley describes the nature of God and the character of Christ with clarity, emotion, and passion. She boldly addresses traditional church doctrine giving her own personal insight and interpretation logically, using a common sense analysis. In a concise, yet complete, Bible summary, Cheng covers important events and a review of the important themes of the entire Bible from Genesis through Revelation." -Dr. Richard R. Blake, Former Instructor at Bay Cities Bible College

"Do You Love Jehovah? is well worth considering for Christian readers." -Midwest Book Review

"Do You Love Jehovah?" has garnered seven book awards, including:

Gold – Mom’s Choice Awards – Spirituality/Religion

Finalist – 2010 International Book Awards – Christian Inspirational

Finalist – National Best Books 2009 Awards – Christianity

Finalist – National Indie Excellence 2010 Awards – Religion

Second Place – 2010 Written Art Awards – Religion/Spirituality

Honorable Mention – Reader Views 2009 Literary Awards – Religion (Eastern/Western)

Are you interested in obtaining in-depth knowledge of God's Word to help you deepen your understanding of God and His plans and develop a sacred relationship with your Heavenly Father? If so, you are more than welcome to sign up for the In-Depth Ultra-Ability Bible Virtual Class via e-mail.

· You will study the Bible in depth from Genesis to Revelation in order.

· The study will progress in your own pace.

· You will work one-on-one with me via e-mail only.

· Your personal Bible-related questions will be answered.

· Although the virtual class has no financial cost, it will require your dedication and diligence. There will be lessons to complete and tests to take for all Bible chapters. All assignments are in short question and answer format.

· The only textbook for this program is the Bible. If you do not have a copy of the Bible, you can read it online for free at www.BibleGateway.com.

· The class is non-denominational and is not affiliated with any church or ministry.

· You have no obligations; you may pause or stop anytime, though you are strongly encouraged to complete the study.

Interested? Then fill out the form at http://www.ultra-ability.com and we'll get started. I look forward to our study time together!

May the grace and peace from Yahweh God and Jesus Christ be with you.!

Content Copyright by Dr. Shirley Cheng; All rights reserved

You are permitted to only give out or link to this website or post; all other distribution and copying is prohibited without the prior written permission of Dr. Shirley Cheng. Contact Shirley at www.shirleycheng.com

Would you like to receive Inspiration from a Blind via e-mail monthly? Then sign up at http://www.shirleycheng.com/contact.html

Read previous issues of Inspiration from a Blind at blog.shirleycheng.com

Best regards,

Dr. Shirley Cheng

Award-Winning Author with 27 Book Awards

Founder of Ultra-Ability Ministry

Proclaimer of Yahweh God's Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ

Author/Contributor/Editor of 35 books by age 27, Bible Teacher, Poet, Motivational Speaker, Self-Empowerment Expert, Advocate

Board member of World Positive Thinkers Club

http://www.shirleycheng.com

"Although I'm blind, I can see far and wide; even though I'm disabled, I can climb high mountains. Let the ropes of hope in Yahweh God haul you high!"

Please sign the Parental Rights in Children's Medical Care: Give Parents the Right to Say No Petition:

http://www.petitiononline.com/parentr7/petition.html

Inspiration from a Blind: Are You a Sheep or a Goat?

Happy May to you from Inspiration from a Blind brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com!




Are you a sheep or a goat? When Jesus Christ returns to Earth to judge and reign over humanity, he'll separate the "sheep" and the "goats," putting the sheep (true Christians) on his right, and the goats (false Christians) on his left.



So what I'm asking is: Are you a Christian? Do you know what actually makes you a Christian? Does going to church every Sunday, wearing a golden cross on your necklace, donating to charities, and praying to God nightly or even three times a day make you a Christian?



Let's see what makes a Christian "Christian." A Christian...



a) Believes in the only true God, Yahweh, of the Bible



The Bible, both the Old and New Testaments, is the primary source that introduces to us the all-knowing and all-powerful only true God, who has made His name known to us as YHWH in Hebrew (Biblical Hebrew has no written vowels), from which scholars produce "Yahweh," and "Jehovah" in English. Since the Bible has been proven historically accurate, scientifically sound, and prophetic, we can trust it as the Word of God, from where an accurate knowledge of God can be obtained. Therefore, if you do not believe in the God described in the Bible, but instead a "god" from a different source, then you might as well believe in Santa Claus or the tooth fairy--simply put, a god of your own imagination.



b) Believes in the Son of Yahweh God, Jesus the Christ ("Anointed One")



If you only accept Yahweh, but not His only begotten Son, Jesus the Christ, then you cannot be a Christian, as the name "Christian" implies a follower of Christ, which means the "Anointed." Even if you believe that Jesus existed and that he was a great prophet but don't believe that he is the only begotten Son of God, then you aren't a Christian, either. A true follower of Christ accepts who he is and all the works he has done for humanity.



c) Actively loves Yahweh and Jesus



So you believe in Yahweh and Jesus? Well, that's no big deal. Even the demons believe in the true God and His Son (James 2:19; Mark 3:11), but does this make them Christians?



The ultimate test whether you are a Christian is if you love God and His Son. Believing in them is the easy part; loving them is the hard part.



Moses exhorted God's people, the Israelites, "Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God; Yahweh is one: and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might." (Deuteronomy 6:4-5, WEB) Jesus confirmed this as the most important commandment of all (Mark 12:29-30).



What does loving Yahweh God really entail? How should you love Him?



In the Bible, "love" is more of action, rather than emotion. It's not about a warm, fuzzy feeling we have inside. Biblical love is doing God's will, as opposed to Biblical hatred, where you do not do God's will.



But what is doing the will of God?



Doing God's will equates with obeying His moral commandments, such as for us not to steal, not to commit adultery or fornication, not to cheat our government of our taxes due, not to dishonor our parents, and not to tell lies or spread rumors. Doing God's will is NOT performing external religious duties all the while abandoning God's moral Law. So if you go to church weekly and pray to God nightly, Yahweh will ignore your prayers and not heed the gifts or donations you give to the church. Note what Yahweh said to Israel:



"What are the multitude of your sacrifices to me?

I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams,

and the fat of fed animals.

I don't delight in the blood of bulls,

or of lambs,

or of male goats.

When you come to appear before me,

who has required this at your hand, to trample my courts?

Bring no more vain offerings.

Incense is an abomination to me;

new moons, Sabbaths, and convocations:

I can't bear with evil assemblies.

My soul hates your New Moons and your appointed feasts.

They are a burden to me.

I am weary of bearing them.

When you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you.

Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear.

Your hands are full of blood.

Wash yourselves, make yourself clean.

Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes.

Cease to do evil.

Learn to do well.

Seek justice.

Relieve the oppressed.

Judge the fatherless.

Plead for the widow." (Isaiah 1:11-17)



Israel thought that they had Yahweh's approval when they kept their worship rituals and offered Him many sacrifices and prayers, yet at the same time living a sinful lifestyle. But God was--and is never--mocked. He will not ignore our wicked deeds done outside the church building. It's only when we obey His Law will He look with favor upon our prayers and worship rituals.



When we obey Yahweh to follow His commandments, that means we love Him. When we disobey Him, that means we hate Him. That's how God judges whether we love or hate Him, not by how we feel for Him (2 John 6; Exodus 20:5-6). A Christian can "feel" love for God, but God will not see it as true love if the person fails to do His will. So it's a matter of passive love (a feeling of love) vs. active love. We should have an active love, just as we should have an active faith (trust). It's an active faith (trust) in Christ that saves us (James 2:14-26). A passive faith is the faith of demons, and is therefore fruitless (James 2:19).



Thus, if you do not do Yahweh's will despite believing in Him, it does not make you a Christian. At best, it just makes you a hypocritical one. However, if you actively do His will, then it shows that you love Him, which makes you a genuine Christian. And when you love Him, you will also love His Son, for whoever "loves the Father also loves the child who is born of him." (1 John 5:1)



d) Actively loves fellow human beings



True love for God means that we love what belongs to Him. If you say, "I love God," and hate your brother, you are a liar; for "he who doesn't love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother." (1 John 4:20-21)



So you must love fellow human beings in deeds, not just in words, and this will prove whether your love for Yahweh and Jesus is genuine, for God commanded us to love our neighbors as ourselves (Leviticus 19:18), and Jesus confirmed this as the second most important commandment of all (Mark 12:31).



Now, add up your score. Do all four points above apply to you? If so, then you are likely a Christian, though final judgment lies in Yahweh's hands through Jesus Christ, who will return to judge all the sheep and the goats.



On that day, King Jesus will say to the sheep on his right hand, "Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in. I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me."



Then the sheep will answer him, saying, "Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you a drink? When did we see you as a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you? When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?"



The King will reply, "Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." Then he will turn to those on his left hand and say, "Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you didn't give me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink; I was a stranger, and you didn't take me in; naked, and you didn't clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn't visit me."



The goats will ask, "Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn't help you?"



The King will answer, "Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you didn't do it to one of the least of these, you didn't do it to me." These goats will receive eternal punishment, while the righteous sheep eternal life. (Matthew 25:31-46)



If Jesus returns today, will you be identified as a sheep or a goat?





~*~Q&A with Dr. Shirley~*~



Question: What holds people back from obeying Yahweh?



Answer: Pride is what holds most of us back from obeying God. Many of us believe that we are smart and wise enough to make our own rules and govern our own lives; but are we really? Our modern motto is "Follow your heart!" but God's Word says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9, WEB) Look around us and see what we have done to our lives when we have followed our hearts: corruption after corruption of every kind imaginable. Did the Boston marathon bombers not follow their hearts recently? I bet they did, and actually believing in their hearts that they were doing the right thing.



The first sin of humankind, committed in the Garden of Eden, partially stemmed from pride; Adam and Eve felt they could be on their own without God, and that they were good enough--or deserved--what God did not allow them to have: the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the middle of the garden. They only focused on what they wanted, not on what God wanted, just as the apostle Paul wrote, "Those who live following their sinful selves think only about things that their sinful selves want. But those who live following the Spirit are thinking about the things the Spirit wants them to do." (Romans 8:5, NCV)



Question: How does a hypocritical Christian impact others inside and outside the Christian community?



Answer: Paul warned, "Be careful! 'Just a little yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise.'" (Galatians 5:10) In the Bible, sin is often compared to yeast. Just as a little bit of yeast can silently spread throughout the dough, a bit of sin can silently spread to the whole community if left unchecked. Therefore, a hypocritical Christian can negatively affect not only the church (the body of Christ) but outside it as well.



In the body of Christ, members are often role models to one another, good or bad. When a Christian acts hypocritically, others may follow in his or her footsteps, either thinking it is acceptable (i.e. "If he did so and so, then I can, too"), or doing it out of sheer rebellion against God. If the hypocritical person continues living in sin without others correcting them, then their actions may be mirrored by a large number of people.



Outside the body of Christ, hypocritical Christians can and do turn many people away from Christianity, making nonbelievers think that what these "Christians" are doing is a characteristic of the true Christian faith. For example, our Christian faith preaches against stealing, cheating, fornication, and adultery, but are we all living what we teach? No, so for this reason, many nonbelievers are ignoring Christianity--it, to them, is like any other religion available. Why would they need to adhere to Christian teachings if even Christians themselves do not? And what is so special about this particular religion if its followers are not doing what they teach? Hence, hypocrisy is a dangerous yeast that can spread to the ends of Earth, and it will unless each and every Christian stops it as soon as possible.





~*~Dr. Shirley's Corner~*~



Just to remind you that you can now read all of my Kindle ebooks for free if you are a Premier Member of Amazon. Browse all my titles at http://www.amazon.com/author/shirleycheng



However, if you are like me who loves to hold an actual book in her hands and read the words on its crisp pages (of course I haven't been able to do that since I lost my eyesight at age seventeen), you can get physical copies of my books on Amazon, too. Better yet, grab an autographed copy from my site: http://www.shirleycheng.com



Are you interested in obtaining in-depth knowledge of God's Word to help you deepen your understanding of God and His plans and develop a sacred relationship with your Heavenly Father? If so, you are more than welcome to sign up for the In-Depth Ultra-Ability Bible Virtual Class via e-mail.



· You will study the Bible in depth from Genesis to Revelation in order.

· The study will progress in your own pace.

· You will work one-on-one with me via e-mail only.

· Your personal Bible-related questions will be answered.

· Although the virtual class has no financial cost, it will require your dedication and diligence. There will be lessons to complete and tests to take for all Bible chapters. All assignments are in short question and answer format.

· The only textbook for this program is the Bible. If you do not have a copy of the Bible, you can read it online for free at www.BibleGateway.com.

· The class is non-denominational and is not affiliated with any church or ministry.

· You have no obligations; you may pause or stop anytime, though you are strongly encouraged to complete the study.



Interested? Then fill out the form at http://www.ultra-ability.com and we'll get started. In our study, you'll learn all the essential principles and precepts of God that will lead you to becoming a true sheep of Christ! I look forward to our study time together!



May the grace and peace from Yahweh God and Jesus Christ be with you.!



Content Copyright by Dr. Shirley Cheng; All rights reserved

You are permitted to only give out or link to this website or post; all other distribution and copying is prohibited without the prior written permission of Dr. Shirley Cheng. Contact Shirley at www.shirleycheng.com



Would you like to receive Inspiration from a Blind via e-mail monthly? Then sign up at http://www.shirleycheng.com/contact.html



Read previous issues of Inspiration from a Blind at blog.shirleycheng.com



Best regards,

Dr. Shirley Cheng

Award-Winning Author with 27 Book Awards

Founder of Ultra-Ability Ministry

Proclaimer of Yahweh God's Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ

Author/Contributor/Editor of 35 books by age 27, Bible Teacher, Poet, Motivational Speaker, Self-Empowerment Expert, Advocate

Board member of World Positive Thinkers Club



http://www.shirleycheng.com

"Although I'm blind, I can see far and wide; even though I'm disabled, I can climb high mountains. Let the ropes of hope in Yahweh God haul you high!"



Please sign the Parental Rights in Children's Medical Care: Give Parents the Right to Say No Petition:

http://www.petitiononline.com/parentr7/petition.html

Inspiration from a Blind: Prepare to Meet Your God!

Happy April to you from Inspiration from a Blind brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com



Do you know the One in whom you believe? If you believe in God, do you really know who He is, along with His Son and His Holy Spirit? Why is even accurately knowing about God important?



The entire Bible clearly supplies all the information we need in order to know about God, , His Son, and His Holy Spirit, so here, I will briefly outline the basic and fundamental facts from the Bible, God's final written authority for us. Accurate knowledge about God and Jesus is vital to our salvation. Read on...



God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit comprise what we call the "Holy Trinity." The Holy Trinity is a spiritual unity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.



The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are "one" in a spiritual sense. To understand this oneness, we need to understand what the Bible says about marriage. It says that when a man and woman marry, they become "one flesh": "Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh." (Genesis 2:24, WEB) That doesn't literally mean that they become one person. What it means is that they become "one" in spiritual unity. In the same way, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are "one" in spiritual unity; they are not literally "one God" in a physical sense. They share the same purpose, goals, and they work together harmoniously to achieve their plans.



Jesus wishes all Christians to achieve this oneness, as he indicated in his prayer to the Father: "Holy Father, keep them through your name which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are." (John 17:11)



Please also carefully read John 17:20-26, which says:



"Not for these only do I pray, but for those also who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that you sent me. The glory which you have given me, I have given to them; that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that you sent me, and loved them, even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am, that they may see my glory, which you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world. Righteous Father, the world hasn't known you, but I knew you; and these knew that you sent me. I made known to them your name, and will make it known; that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I in them."



The above passage helps us understand the concept of "oneness" or spiritual unity. Just as the Father (Yahweh) and the Son (Jesus) are "one," all believers are to be "one" with the Father and the Son. Did Jesus ask that all believers be literally one person? Of course not; that would be absurd.



The concept of "oneness" is described in two different ways in the Bible: 1) we are one, and 2) you in me and I in you. For example, John 10:38 says, "The Father is in me [Jesus], and I in the Father." This verse often confuses people because they don't understand this spiritual oneness concept; they think that John 10:38 means that the Father (God) and the Son (Jesus) are the same Person. On the contrary, it simply means that God and Jesus are "one" in a spiritual sense, not a physical sense. So if you see either kind of this wording in the Bible ("we are one" or "you in me and I in you"), you'll know that it means the same thing.



Now, let us identify each member of the Holy Trinity using the Holy Scriptures.



THE FATHER



The Father is the one and only true God Almighty, whose personal name is Yahweh ("Jehovah" in English, from "YHWH" in Hebrew). Yahweh said: "I am Yahweh, and there is none else. Besides me, there is no God." (Isaiah 45:5)



The name "Yahweh" means "He who chooses to become," meaning that He can be anything and do anything He wants. He indicates Himself as "I am that I am" for this reason. (Exodus 3:14) Simply put, He is Almighty.



Yahweh is the most supreme Being of the universe: "that they may know that you alone, whose name is Yahweh, are the Most High over all the earth." (Psalm 83:18)



Yahweh is the Creator of everything in the universe, both visible and invisible: "I am Yahweh, who makes all things; who alone stretches out the heavens; who spreads out the earth by myself." (Isaiah 44:24)



As in any father-son relationship, the Father is greater than Jesus, as Jesus said: "…the Father is greater than I." (John 14:28, ASV)



For this reason, Jesus calls Yahweh both "my Father" and "my God." For example, before returning to his Father's side in heaven, Jesus said to Mary from Magdala, "Don't hold me, for I haven't yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers, and tell them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" (John 20:17, WEB)



After he was back at his Father's side in heaven, Jesus continues to call God "my God," as in: "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will go out from there no more. I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God, and my own new name." (Revelation 3:12)



The apostle Paul confirmed this relationship between God and Jesus by urging us to glorify "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 15:6) Yes, Yahweh is the God and Father of Jesus.



Paul also indicated that "the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God," and that we belong to Jesus and that Jesus belongs to God: "you are of Christ, and Christ is of God," therefore Yahweh is above all and the Father of all. (I Corinthians 11:3, WEB; 1 Corinthians 3:23, NIV)



Finally, Jesus calls the Father "the only true God." Accurately knowing both the only true God and Jesus himself is vital to our salvation! Jesus said to his Father, "Now This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ." (John 17:3, WEB) From this prayer, we learn three important things:



1) Our eternal life (salvation) is dependent on an accurate knowledge of God and Jesus Christ. Think about it: if we believe in the wrong God, we might as well believe in Santa Claus or the tooth fairy; it won't make much of a difference what we believe if we don't have an accurate knowledge of God. Salvation is given to those who accept and believe a) in the death and sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and b) the One who initiated the salvation plan: Yahweh.



However, simply knowing that Yahweh God and Jesus Christ exist does no one good. Remember, even the demons believe in God and they shudder, but are they going to receive eternal life? (James 2:19) No, unless they repent!



So our knowledge of the only true God and His Son Jesus Christ should be knowing them intimately as friends. We need to know their wishes, desires, commandments, personalities, and then properly respond to our knowledge by showing our love for them.



2) Note that in his prayer to God, Jesus said, "...that they should know you, the only true God..." The "you" here refers to Yahweh. So Yahweh is the "only true God," no one else, not even Jesus. Notice that Jesus did not say, "that they may know us, the only true God." Jesus did not use the word "us" to refer to the only true God; instead, he used "you." So Jesus is not God Almighty; only Yahweh is God Almighty. So who is Jesus? Look at number three:



3) Note that Jesus said, "...and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ." Jesus referred to himself as the one whom "you," (God) had sent. Jesus was sent by Yahweh; Jesus did not send himself. Jesus is the Son of God, our Messiah, Savior and Master, commissioned and sent by Yahweh to do His will.



THE SON



Yahweh calls Jesus "my Son."



Yahweh said to Jesus: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." (Mark 1:11)



"Thou art my son; This day have I begotten thee." (Psalm 2:7, ASV)



The Bible adds to Jesus' position by telling us that Jesus is God's "only begotten Son," so Jesus is far higher than any sons of God, whether angels or humans. No other being has this special position as the only begotten Son of God. (John 1:18)



Yahweh also called Jesus "my servant."



Foretelling of Jesus' first coming to Earth, Yahweh said, "...behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch." (Zechariah 3:8, ASV) And "Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delights--I have put my Spirit on him. He will bring justice to the nations." (Isaiah 42:1, WEB) Yahweh calls Jesus His "servant" because He is greater than Jesus, who works for Him and under Him.



The saying "Like father, like son" couldn't be more accurate and fitting to describe this holy Father-Son relationship. Jesus is "the image of the invisible God." (Colossians 1:15) He is spiritually like his Father in every way. To know him is to know God.



Like his Father, the Son never changes: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8)



Jesus played a major role in the world's creation:



"All things were made through him. Without him was not anything made that has been made." (John 1:3)



"...Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds." (Hebrews 1:2)



"For by him all things were created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and for him." (Colossians 1:16)



How is this so? Well, Yahweh alone created the world by Jesus, just as He alone led Israel out of Egypt "by the hand of Moses and Aaron." (Psalm 77:20) In all events, Yahweh is the Boss, the Director, and the Supervisor, who uses agents to carry out His works. God is the Mastermind, and Jesus is His partner in creation.



Prior to his arrival on Earth through a miraculous virgin birth, Jesus lived with his Father in heaven as a mighty Spirit Being. He was sent down by God to do God's will.



Jesus himself said, "For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. This is the will of my Father who sent me, that of all he has given to me I should lose nothing, but should raise him up at the last day. This is the will of the one who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son, and believes in him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:38-40)



After Jesus died and was resurrected, he returned to his Father's side, where Yahweh "made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all." (Ephesians 1:20-23) What a glorious reward Yahweh has bestowed upon His dearest Son, who no doubt deserves all the honor and glory!



"Jesus" in Hebrew means "Yahweh Is Salvation." "Christ" (Messiah) means the "Appointed One." So Jesus is the one appointed by God to provide us salvation, while salvation ultimately comes from Yahweh: "I myself am Yahweh; and besides me there is no savior." (Isaiah 43:11) (If you have questions about what salvation is all about, you can read my article here: http://tinyurl.com/ylaafno)



Jesus will come to Earth for the second time to finalize God's gift of salvation to the children of God and co-heirs of Jesus by resurrecting them unto eternal life. Jesus will be our King for one thousand years.



After Jesus' millennial rule, he will return the Kingdom back to his Father so "that God may be all in all." (I Corinthians 15:28, ASV)



"Christ will rule until he puts all his enemies under his power, and the last enemy he destroys will be death. When the Scriptures say that he will put everything under his power, they don't include God. It was God who put everything under the power of Christ. After everything is under the power of God's Son, he will put himself under the power of God, who put everything under his Son's power. Then God will mean everything to everyone." (I Corinthians 15:25-28, CEV)



Amen!



THE HOLY SPIRIT



The Holy Spirit is Yahweh's dynamic active force, His creative power, which He uses to perform any and all tasks. For example, He used the Holy Spirit to make the virgin Mary conceive so she could give birth to Jesus. (Luke 1:35)



The Holy Spirit played a very important role in Jesus' earthly ministry. Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit to perform miracles:



"…Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him." (Acts 10:38)



Yahweh also used His Holy Spirit to resurrect Jesus from the dead. Likewise, we will be resurrected by the Spirit in the same manner. In the meantime, the Holy Spirit dwells in each child of God to give power and life: "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwelleth in you." (Romans 8:11)



While dwelling in us, the Holy Spirit develops godly quality in us called the fruit of the Spirit: "...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control; against such there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23)



Besides developing the fruit in us, the Holy Spirit also empowers us to be powerful witnesses of the Gospel: "But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." (Acts 1:8) Without the power of the Holy Spirit, we would be powerless in and against all things, not just in our ministry.



Since the Holy Spirit is Yahweh's active and creative power, the Spirit is involved in countless other activities, including the restraint against Satan, the giving of spiritual gifts to all Christians, the provisions of the revelation and wisdom required to understand the Bible, guidance and protection, the demonstration of God's love and power, among others.



If you'd like to learn more about Yahweh God Almighty, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, I strongly advise you to pick up a copy of the Bible and carefully read and study it on a regular basis. This is how you can begin to develop an intimate relationship with Yahweh. A relationship with God is the most sacred and fulfilling of all relationships, so don't delay; start deepening your knowledge about your Heavenly Father today!





~*~Q&A with Dr. Shirley~*~



Question: How do I have an intimate relationship with Yahweh? I feel He is so far and distant from me.



Answer: The Bible says, "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you." (James 4:8, WEB) Yahweh strongly desires to have a sacred relationship with us humans. He created us for that very purpose! It is WE who have distant ourselves from Him and His love. Throughout the history of humankind—even from the start—we have terribly rebelled against our Heavenly Father. We do things that He repeatedly told us to avoid. When we sin, it greatly grieves Him and breaks His heart. Despite all we do against Him, He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die for us. Through Jesus, everyone has a final chance to have a relationship with God. Yahweh "desires all people to be saved and come to full knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:4) Yahweh delays His final judgment because He wants to give enough time for people to repent: "The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)



The moment we trust in Jesus, we are justified, meaning that we are put in right standing with Yahweh. Then we must walk according to His will in a process called progressive sanctification (progressive "setting apart as holy" for God). During our walk, our relationship with Him should grow deeper and deeper. Our walk should begin with regular Bible studies and prayers. When we read the Bible, we get to know the great personality of Yahweh. The more we know Him, the more we love Him. Think about it: when you first met your spouse or your best friend, you didn't know him or her well, so you didn't love them as much, right? But after you two got to know each other, didn't your love and bond grow? It is the same case with our relationship with God. However, our relationship with Yahweh has a gigantic head start: God loved us first! So the relationship we seek is a relationship that Yahweh has desired from the very beginning, even before we were born! He already loves us dearly (everything He has done for us more than enough proves it), so it is OUR turn to love Him back.



Yahweh is not far away; it is we who have been far away. Yahweh is a true Gentleman; He will never force anyone to love Him. All He does is patiently wait for us to seek Him. When we diligently desire to be His friends (imagine being God's friends!), then He will gladly open His arms wide (His arms have actually been open wide for a very long time already). We are exhorted to "seek Yahweh while he may be found; call you on him while he is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." (Isaiah 55:6-7)



So it is up to you and me. The question to ask yourself is: do I want a relationship with Yahweh? If, from the depths of your heart, you answer yes, then that sacred relationship is waiting for you! Just repent, trust in Yahweh and Jesus for all things, study the Bible, walk according to God's will, and pray whole-heartedly, asking God into your life.



A sacred relationship that lasts forever will not be achieved overnight; we have to be faithful and remain faithful to God unto death. And Yahweh will greatly help us achieve this relationship with Him; ask Him for the Holy Spirit, which will sanctify you and make you into the person God intends you to be. Remember, it is God's Holy Spirit that develops the fruit of the Spirit in us, from love to temperance.



To live a life acceptable to Yahweh, we must clean up ourselves in both our flesh and spirit. "Defilement of flesh" refers to wrong things we do in our body, such as fornication, murder, lying, slandering and gossiping, cursing and dirty talking, and stealing. Defilement of the spirit includes sins we commit in our innermost selves, including pride, hatred, lust, selfishness, greed, and jealousy.



Our motivation for living a holy life should stem from the "fear of God," which refers to reverence fear, a fear that is based on love, not one that is based on threat. We should fear of breaking our Heavenly Father's heart. By living a life He approves of, we show Him respect, honor, and love. Surely, it's the least we can do for Yahweh who has given us our very lives, and Jesus who died for us! Our ultimate aim in life should be to bring them joy.



If you'd like to get started on establishing a sacred relationship with Yahweh and would like a friend to study His Word together with you, then I'd love to be Bible buddies with you! Just sign up to my free Bible study class at http://www.ultra-ability.com



May the grace and peace from Yahweh God and Jesus Christ be with you.!



Content Copyright by Dr. Shirley Cheng; All rights reserved

You are permitted to only give out or link to this website or post; all other distribution and copying is prohibited without the prior written permission of Dr. Shirley Cheng. Contact Shirley at www.shirleycheng.com



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Best regards,

Dr. Shirley Cheng

Award-Winning Author with 27 Book Awards

Founder of Ultra-Ability Ministry

Proclaimer of Yahweh God's Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ

Author/Contributor/Editor of 35 books by age 27, Bible Teacher, Poet, Motivational Speaker, Self-Empowerment Expert, Advocate

Board member of World Positive Thinkers Club



http://www.shirleycheng.com

"Although I'm blind, I can see far and wide; even though I'm disabled, I can climb high mountains. Let the ropes of hope in Yahweh God haul you high!"



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Inspiration from a Blind: Hope for Homosexuals

Happy March to you from Inspiration from a Blind brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com!




"Homosexuals are automatically forever condemned by God," is what some believe. Is this so? If you are a homosexual, is there hope for you to receive salvation and establish friendship with God?



First, let us address the question: Is homosexuality even wrong? If you ask one hundred people, you would get some "Yeses," some "Nos," and some "Maybes." We can never get down to one ultimate answer among ourselves. Therefore, we must turn to the source that lays down the standards that govern us: the Bible, which was written by our very Creator and Life-Giver, Yahweh God Almighty.



It is not for us to say whether homosexuality is wrong. Let us see what God's ultimate Word has to say about this crucial subject.



Homosexuality is forbidden in several Bible passages such as in Leviticus 18:22 and Leviticus 20:13, but I would like to just focus on one passage that mentions both male and female homosexuality.



Apostle Paul wrote:



"For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For their women changed the natural function into that which is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural function of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another, men doing what is inappropriate with men, and receiving in themselves the due penalty of their error. Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting." (Romans 1:26-28, WEB)



Paul's letters represent God's thoughts, unless otherwise specifically stated by Paul. Therefore, in this passage, God clearly disapproves of homosexuality among both genders. However, as obvious as this passage is, many people still object to this censure, saying that Paul was not really condemning homosexuality. In the "Q&A with Dr. Shirley" section in this issue, I will touch upon the most common objections, with my response following each. But first, I would like to address some concerns you may have regarding homosexuality, especially if you are homosexual yourself or have a loved one who is homosexual.



1) Why is homosexuality a sin?



Homosexuality is a sin simply because Yahweh forbids it.



Who has the authority, knowledge, and capability to determine the proper use or handle of a product, the maker of the product or the user? If you agree that God is the Creator of all, then do you not also agree that He alone has the right, knowledge, and capability to lay down laws to govern our lives? Since Yahweh is the Originator of all things, all things are below Him. The Creator is higher than the creation, never equal or under it. So doesn't God have the capability and authority, and even the responsibility, to set the standard principles for our lives?



Of course, whether we are willing to obey Yahweh's laws is another matter. He does allow us to decide whether to obey or disobey Him. After all, He has given us free will to do so. But our freedom is not without a price; there will be negative consequences for our rebellion.



2) Are homosexuals automatically condemned by God?



You will not automatically be condemned just because you are homosexual. You will be automatically condemned if you knowingly refuse to accept Yahweh's Son, Jesus Christ, for your salvation and without repentance.



The fact is that everyone at birth is automatically condemned. Yes, every newborn infant, whether they be straight or gay, is condemned, because every person is born a sinner, with no exception. So being a homosexual does not put you in a worse situation than the rest of humanity. Conversely, being heterosexual does not give you an advantage above others.



The only way for anyone, gay or straight, to be un-condemned is to believe in Yahweh and in Jesus and obey Yahweh's commandments. So everyone receives equal opportunity for salvation, regardless of their sexual orientation.



3) Are some homosexuals born gay?



The answer seems to be "Yes, some homosexuals are born gay."



The sin nature that every person is born with manifests itself differently in each individual. Some people turn out to be liars, some cheaters, some fornicators, and some even murderers. So it seems that in some, the sin nature manifests itself in God-forbidden sexual desires, such as homosexuality and even bestiality.



Even if someone's sin nature does not manifest itself in homosexuality, that person may still be born gay, due to a medical condition.



4) What should homosexuals do to receive salvation?



Whether you are born gay or "become" gay later in life due to a personal choice, you can receive salvation by accepting Yahweh and Jesus and repenting.



In this case, repenting involves a complete change of lifestyle. This means you will have to stop living a homosexual lifestyle or practicing homosexuality. If it comes down to it, you will have to live a sexually chaste life if you cannot develop any feelings for the opposite gender. How you act will be up to you to change; who you are inside will be up to Yahweh to recreate.



Of course, you will also have to straighten out other sinful areas in your life. For example, if you have been cheating your government on your tax returns, begin filing honest tax forms starting this tax season! We are not to rebel against our government, but to give "everyone what you owe: taxes to whom taxes are due; customs to whom customs; respect to whom respect; honor to whom honor." (Romans 13:8)



If you truly desire to have a sacred relationship with Yahweh, if you love Him and want to please Him by obeying His laws, then you will have the strength to repent and live a life that's pleasing to Him, for Yahweh will give you that needed strength and courage!



My friend, if you are homosexual, there is hope for you, as with any other sinner, even for murderers. Don't feel that you are meant to remain condemned. Seek Yahweh, and you will find Him. Answer His call to you:



"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope and a future. You shall call on me, and you shall go and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart. I will be found by you." (Jeremiah 29:11-14)



Will you seek after Yahweh your Creator with all your heart? The choice is entirely up to you!





~*~Q&A with Dr. Shirley~*~



Here are some of the common objections regarding Paul's writing in Romans 1:26-32, as well as the issue of homosexuality in general. You may like to read the entire Romans 1 chapter in the Bible using www.BibleGateway.com to follow the "discussion" below.



Objection: Paul's letter was addressed to people many centuries ago, so his letter with its censure against homosexuality is not relevant to us.



My response: "Envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil habits, secret slanderers, backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty," and boastful were all unfitting and unacceptable behavior and actions that Paul spoke about in the same section where he mentioned homosexuality (Romans 1:29-30). Does that mean these behaviors are fitting and acceptable today? What was wrong is wrong today and will be wrong tomorrow. God's morality is universal and timeless.



Objection: Paul was talking about only heterosexuals who became homosexual, not people who started out as homosexuals.



My response: Even if Paul was referring to those who had turned from heterosexuality to homosexuality, it doesn't lessen God's prohibition of homosexuality. Would it be okay for me to start stealing now just because I never stole before? That would be absurd, wouldn't it? Regardless of how a person starts out, one should not turn to a homosexual lifestyle, or anything else that is not permitted, later in life.



God let those people fall into homosexuality as "the due penalty" of their sins, namely their refusal to believe in God in spite of an abundance of evidences of His existence and their worship of the created rather than the Creator. If homosexuality is not wrong, then would God "give up" them to homosexuality? Would He punish people with something He condone? Would we punish people by giving them a roomful of gold?



God would not "give up" them to homosexuality if He approved homosexuality. Paul would not have used the term "gave up" for turning to homosexuality if God condone it. Paul used that term to indicate God's distaste of homosexuality. Homosexuality is clearly indicated as "vile," "inappropriate," and "against nature," diverting from what God has intended nature to be, and among "things which are not fitting." Anything that is "not fitting" morally remains "not fitting," regardless of whether you are ten, thirty, or eighty years old.



Objection: Do not judge or hate others.



My response: If your friend had too much to drink at a party, yet was getting his car keys out of his pocket to drive home, would you prevent him from driving drunk? If you would, then would it mean that you hate your friend? Quite the contrary!



If your friend is considering using drugs, would you not warn them of the negative consequences? If we are true friends indeed, then we would not hesitate to keep them from doing wrong or to rebuke them if they have done wrong. If you fell, would you not want a friend to pick you up? If you wish that a friend will pick you up when you make a mistake with temporary consequences, how much more should we help one another by picking one another up when we make a mistake that could result in eternal consequences (eternal death)!



If a police officer witnesses a crime in town, would he not go after the culprit? Well, if our society takes care to enforce human-made laws, should we not more so take care to enforce God's laws? Are God's laws less important than human laws?



Thus, informing people of what the Bible says and warning others of the consequences for rebelling against God's moral laws are not judging or hating them. On the contrary, this is how we show our love among ourselves. I certainly don't want a "friend" who will not correct me when I do wrong! In fact, woe to us if we don't strengthen the diseased, heal the sick, bind up the broken, bring back the driven, or seek the lost! (Ezekiel 34:4)



Therefore, when we know about something that will do others harm or bring displeasure to Yahweh, it becomes our duty to pass on the message to others to protect them and please our Heavenly Father (Ezekiel 3:18-21). Remember, "if any among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death, and will cover a multitude of sins." (James 5:19-20)



Objection: Many homosexual relationships are based on love. What is wrong for loving the same gender?



My response: Having a homosexual relationship, whether or not it's based on true love, is wrong simply because it is against God's will. If you choose to become a Christian, you will have to decide whether to love yourself more or love Yahweh more. True love always involves sacrifices. So when we truly love God, we will have to sacrifice what we want in order to obey God.



But if you are a Christian and decide to live a homosexual lifestyle, then it shows that you love yourselves and one another more than you love Yahweh. When we love ourselves more than we love our very Life-Giver, for whatever reason, we are selfish. Going against Yahweh's wishes is acting selfishly.



All the problems in our society are caused by selfish love. The Bible says no prostitution, no adultery, no fornication, no divorce (unless for marital unfaithfulness), no murdering, no greed, no cheating, no lying under oath, no false witnesses, no dishonoring parents, no cheating the government, no stealing...yet, we have broken all these commandments because we love ourselves more than we love God.



No child likes to listen to their parents in everything in life, but that child has the responsibility to do so as long as they are under their parents' care, as long as every order of the parents does not harm the welfare of the child. Since God is our ultimate Parent as we are His created, we have the duty to obey our Heavenly Parent in whatever we do, say, and think.



In conclusion, God forbids both male and female homosexuality. Homosexuality may not be wrong in our eyes, but it is in God's eyes. God puts the sin of homosexuality on the same level as incest, adultery, and bestiality, and those who practice such abominations without true repentance afterward will not receive salvation. God's laws are what we need to live by--not our laws. We need to do our best loving what He loves and hating what He hates. It does not mean we are condemning people when we do not approve what they do; we have no right to condemn anyone as we are all sinners, every one of us. But when people refuse to heed God's warning, they are self-condemning themselves.



Remember: "Don't you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don't be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor extortioners, will inherit the Kingdom of God." (I Corinthians 6:9-10)



If you have any concerns or questions not addressed here, please do ask by e-mailing me, and I'd be more than happy to point you to God's truths!



May the grace and peace from Yahweh God and Jesus Christ be with you.!



Content Copyright by Dr. Shirley Cheng; All rights reserved

You are permitted to only give out or link to this website or post; all other distribution and copying is prohibited without the prior written permission of Dr. Shirley Cheng. Contact Shirley at www.shirleycheng.com



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Best regards,

Dr. Shirley Cheng

Award-Winning Author with 27 Book Awards

Founder of Ultra-Ability Ministry

Proclaimer of Yahweh God's Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ

Author/Contributor/Editor of 35 books by age 27, Bible Teacher, Poet, Motivational Speaker, Self-Empowerment Expert, Advocate

Board member of World Positive Thinkers Club



http://www.shirleycheng.com

"Although I'm blind, I can see far and wide; even though I'm disabled, I can climb high mountains. Let the ropes of hope in Yahweh God haul you high!"



Please sign the Parental Rights in Children's Medical Care: Give Parents the Right to Say No Petition:

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Inspiration from a Blind: Good Riddance to Good Works?

A lovely February to you from Inspiration from a Blind brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com !




"Good riddance to good works!" is the mentality of some Christians who believe that obedience to Yahweh God's holy commandments is no longer required once you put faith in Jesus Christ for your salvation. Is this belief Biblical? When we accept Jesus as our Savior, does it mean we can indulge in a paradise of sin?



No, "in comes faith, out goes God's laws" is not a Biblical doctrine. To live a life based on this erroneous belief is not only foolish but dangerous as well, because "if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which will devour the adversaries." (Hebrews 10:26, 27, WEB)



So why do some people believe that Christians are no longer under God's laws? People believe so based on faulty interpretations of certain passages in the Holy Scriptures. Let us examine some of them now to understand their true, intended meaning.



1) God's commandments nailed to the cross?



The number one passage that's commonly misinterpreted is Colossians 2:13-14, which says:



"You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us; and he has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross."



Many people wrongly believe that "handwriting in ordinances" refers to God's commandments. So they believe that God's commandments are what work against us and were nailed to the cross, away from our sight, no longer to be obeyed.



"Handwriting" is translated from the Greek word "ceirografon," which refers to any handwritten note. It can also specifically refer to a record of debt. "Ordinances" is translated from the Greek word "dogma," which means both "decree," as in a formal order issued by a ruler, and "ordinance," as in ordinances in regards to right living.



While "handwriting in ordinances" alone can be understood as God's written commandments, this is not the correct understanding in its context. In the Colossians context, "handwriting in ordinances" refers to a record of sins or trespasses one has ever committed and the decree concerning them. The focus of the Colossians 2:13-14 is on the forgiveness of one's sins. Jesus has "forgiven us all our trespasses." How? By wiping out the record of trespasses which was against us, and nailing it to the cross. This canceled the decree concerning those sins. What's God's decree concerning sins? Death. Yes, the penalty for all sins is eternal death: condemnation. But Jesus nailed our records of sin and their decree onto the cross. This colorfully illustrates the forgiveness of our sins.



At the crucifixion of criminals, the Romans customarily nailed a plate onto the wooden stake to which the criminal was impaled. The plate stated the crime for which the criminal was executed.



In Jesus' crucifixion, Christ symbolically nailed our own record of sins (our plate) onto his own wooden stake. This symbolized that Jesus himself bore our iniquities and died in our place, as if he were the one who committed the sins we committed. This is in line with what the prophet Isaiah said:

"Surely he has borne our sickness,

and carried our suffering;

yet we considered him plagued,

struck by God, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions.

He was crushed for our iniquities.

The punishment that brought our peace was on him;

and by his wounds we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray.

Everyone has turned to his own way;

and Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

My righteous servant will justify many by the knowledge of himself;

and he will bear their iniquities." (Isaiah 53:4-6, 11)



Onto his wooden stake, Jesus nailed all of our sins, taking them upon himself. This canceled the decree of condemnation that we would have faced if Jesus had not died in our place. It was the decree that worked against us, not God's righteous commandments.



The English Standard Version best translates Colossians 2:13-14 as: "And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross." The New Living Translation translates Colossians 2:14 as: "He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross."



2) God's commandments "dead" to Christians?



Another commonly misconstrued passage is Romans 7:1-6, which says:



"Or don't you know, brothers (for I speak to men who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man for as long as he lives? For the woman that has a husband is bound by law to the husband while he lives, but if the husband dies, she is discharged from the law of the husband. So then if, while the husband lives, she is joined to another man, she would be called an adulteress. But if the husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she is joined to another man. Therefore, my brothers, you also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you would be joined to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit to God. For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were through the law, worked in our members to bring forth fruit to death. But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that in which we were held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter."



Here, the apostle Paul uses the marriage as an analogy to illustrate the fact that the Law no longer has a condemning hold on Christians. Just as a woman whose husband died has freedom to re-marry another man without being charged as an adulteress, so a Christian who "died" through Jesus Christ can now join to another "husband" (Jesus) and can no longer be condemned by the Law.



Many erroneously believe that this passage says that Christians no longer have to obey God's commandments. To correctly understand this passage, we need to know two things: a) what the Law stands for here, and b) what Christians died to.



The "Law" refers to the Mosaic Law given to God to Israel. The Law was comprised of three components: a) commandments to obey, b) prescribed punishments for disobedience, and c) a sacrificial system where people could receive forgiveness for certain sins (now, it's a bit more complex than this, but it gives you a good general idea). While people could receive atonement through the sacrificial system, people who broke any of the commandments were usually condemned by the second component of the Law (it's prescribed punishment, mainly condemnation), because the sacrificial system only covered a limited amount of sins. Essentially, all people under the Law were condemned, because no one could perfectly obey God's commandments due to the sinful nature in each person (Romans 3:19-20, 23).



Things changed for the better when Jesus offered himself up as a willing sacrifice to die in our place. When a person becomes a Christian by putting faith in him, their "old selves" died with Christ, meaning that they have become a new creation whose past sins were completely forgiven, and any future sins will be forgiven through confession and repentance (Romans 6:6-7; 2 Corinthians 5:17). In other words, the Mosaic Law with its prescribed condemnation no longer has a hold on the Christian. The Christian is "dead" to the condemnation of the Law, not to the commandments of God. This is the correct understanding in light of the entire Romans 6-7 context and the Scriptures overall.



To say that the "Law" in this passage is referring to God's commandments would make this passage contradict the rest of the Bible. We'll later see just a few passages that show God's commandments are still binding to Christians.



3) God's commandments no longer lead Christians?



One other passage people use to support the idea that God's righteous commandments are no longer relevant to Christians is Galatians 3:23-25, which says:



"But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, confined for the faith which should afterwards be revealed. So that the law has become our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor."



Here, the "Law" also refers to the Mosaic Law, which is a system comprised of three components: commandments, condemnation, and sacrificial system. Like the Law, "faith" in Galatians 3:23-25 also refers to a system or economy. Some dub them the "old dispensation" (the Law) and the "new dispensation" (faith).



To put it simply, the new dispensation is an upgrade of the old dispensation. The new dispensation also has three components as the old: God's commandments, justification through faith, and a sacrificial system. Essentially, God's moral commandments remain unchanged. What altered are the last two components: condemnation for failing to perfectly obey God's commandments has been replaced with justification through faith in Jesus Christ, where anyone who trusts in Christ for their salvation will be forgiven of their violations of God's commandments; and the object of sacrifice in the sacrificial system has changed from animal sacrifices to the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus Christ, whose blood can make atonement for the worst sins so long as the sinner sincerely repents. This means that condemnation of the Law still applies to those who refuse to put faith in Jesus for justification and those who willfully rebel against God's commandments.



Two of the purposes of the old dispensation were:

a) To show God's people that they needed Christ: Since the Law required perfect obedience and since no one could perfectly obey God's commandments for justification, the Law showed people that they needed a Savior to rescue them from condemnation.



b) To lead people to Christ: The sacrificial system of the Law made atonement for certain sins through the blood of animals. Every time a person committed a sin and needed forgiveness, an animal had to die in their place to pay the penalty for their sin, which is death. However, animal blood could atone for only unintentional sins and intentional less serious sins. This demonstrated that a) only blood could atone for sins, and b) they needed a better sacrifice to atone for any and all sins, even the worst sins, such as murder and adultery.



This was why the apostle Paul metaphorically compared the Law to a "paidagogos," which is translated into such words as "tutor," "guardian," and "schoolmaster." A "paidagogos" was usually a slave in a well-to-do Roman family who supervised and cared for school-aged boys and brought them to school. Like a paidagogos, the Law led God's people to Christ, their actual Teacher. When Christ came, God's people were transferred to the care of Christ in the new dispensation from their "guardian," the Law. As the Teacher, what does Jesus teach? God's commandments! Indeed, Jesus teaches the same old commandments, elaborating on the principles behind the precepts to give the commandments fuller meaning and make them applicable to anyone of any society. Thus, God's commandments have never been abolished, only affirmed and re-established.



God's Commandments, Alive and Active



Now that we've looked at some of the commonly misconstrued passages, let us read some verses that clearly tell us that God's commandments are not dead and gone for Christians.



Many say that when Jesus came, he abolished God's commandments. But Jesus himself disputed this false belief when he said: "Don't think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn't come to destroy, but to fulfill. For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished. Whoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven." (Matthew 5:17-20)



The "law and the prophets" refers to the two major divisions of the Tanakh (our Old Testament) which includes the writings on the Mosaic Law. Note that Jesus said he did not come to destroy the Law but to fulfill it. He fulfilled the Law by becoming the ultimate sacrifice for humanity in the sacrificial system, thereby making atonement for those who would have been condemned under the Law. However, his sacrifice and atonement did not remove God's commandments or people's obligation to observe them, as Jesus said that anyone who "shall break one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven."



Jesus' words are more than enough to prove that God's commandments are binding to Christians. But since by God's Law that at least two witnesses are required to establish a case, then let's look at another passage that supports the fact that God's commandments are still binding:



"'Behold, the days come,' says the Lord,

'that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah;

not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers,

in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt;

for they didn't continue in my covenant,

and I disregarded them,' says the Lord.

'For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel.

After those days,' says the Lord;

'I will put my laws into their mind,

I will also write them on their heart.

I will be their God,

and they will be my people." (Hebrews 8:8-10, quoted from Jeremiah 34:31-33)



The "old covenant" that Yahweh made refers to the Mosaic covenant He established with Israel ("Judah" refers to a kingdom of Israel). That covenant contained the commandments Israel had to observe. But after Israel repeatedly violated the covenant, Yahweh established a new covenant with them. The "new covenant" is more of a renewed covenant, because instead of having God's laws (commandments) written simply on stones, God will write His laws on people's hearts. This simply means that God will supernaturally help people observe His commandments by having His Holy Spirit guide them; on their own, they did a miserable job keeping His laws. And Christians have entered into this covenant Yahweh made with Israel. This consequently put Christians under God's commandments. So contrary to popular belief, the new covenant did not remove God's laws--it re-established them by having them written on people's hearts!



The Conclusion



If you have thought that obedience to God's commandments is no longer your obligation when you put faith in Christ, think again. Faith in Jesus is not the ticket to sin, only to reconciliation and justification, where you will not be condemned by God for not being able to perfectly obey His laws. Good works prove whether your faith is genuine, for "as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead." (James 2:26) Performing works in accordance to God's laws is God's will, and only those who do the will of God will enter His Kingdom, as Jesus said:



"Every tree that doesn't grow good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire. Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will tell me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?' Then I will tell them, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.'" (Matthew 7:19, 21-23)



Note your simple belief that Jesus is Lord will not get you into God's Kingdom. Only active faith can. Active faith is faith in Jesus that's proven genuine by your obedience to God's will in keeping His commandments.



Christians are God's workmanship, "created in Christ Jesus for good works." (Ephesians 2:10) Are you living up to your title as a new creation of God? If not, then follow the lead of the Holy Spirit to help you observe God's laws and avoid the temptations of all that is contrary to God's goodness.



Let us all pray:



Dear Heavenly Father,

How can a young man [or woman] keep his way pure?

By living according to your word.

With my whole heart, I have sought you.

Don't let me wander from your commandments.

I have hidden your word in my heart,

that I might not sin against you.

Blessed are you, Yahweh.

Teach me your statutes.

Open my eyes,

that I may see wondrous things out of your law.

Keep me from the way of deceit.

Grant me your law graciously!

Teach me, Yahweh, the way of your statutes.

I will keep them to the end.

All of your words are truth.

Every one of your righteous ordinances endures forever.

Give me understanding, and I will keep your law.

Yes, I will obey it with my whole heart.

Direct me in the path of your commandments,

for I delight in them.

Turn my heart toward your statutes,

not toward selfish gain.

Turn my eyes away from looking at worthless things.

Revive me in your ways.

Fulfill your promise to your servant,

that you may be feared.

So I will obey your law continually,

forever and ever.

(Psalm 119:9-12, 18, 29, 33, 160, 34-38, 44)



In Jesus' name, amen!





~*~Q&A with Dr. Shirley~*~



Question: Why should Christians obey God's commandments?



Answer: Why should children obey their parents? The answer to this question is partially the answer to the question posed.



The purpose of obedience to God's commandments is twofold:

a) It shows that you love Yahweh your Heavenly Father in turn. Obedience is an expression of love. You cannot claim to love God while you rebel against His laws.

b) It proves that your faith in God and in Jesus is genuine. How can you claim to trust in God if you do not fear the consequences of your rebellion? While our obedience to God's laws should not be driven by fear of punishment, we would be quite foolish to think that we will escape unscathed when we willfully disobey Yahweh's laws. Failing to perfectly obey God's laws when you have tried your hardest is one thing; to willfully rebel against His laws is quite another thing. There will not be any condemnation to only sincere Christians who failed to perfectly keep God's laws. It's another story for rebels. Simply put, God will not be mocked; we reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7).



Remember: "He [Yahweh through Jesus] will judge everyone according to what they have done. He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism.



"For merely listening to the law doesn't make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight." (Romans 2:6-11, 13, NLT)



"You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can't you see that faith without good deeds is useless? Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works." (James 2:19-20, 26)



"So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. But don't just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it." (James 1:21-25)





~*~Dr. Shirley's Corner~*~



Are you interested in obtaining in-depth knowledge of God's Word to help you deepen your understanding of God and His plans and develop a sacred relationship with your Heavenly Father? If so, you are more than welcome to sign up for the In-Depth Ultra-Ability Bible Virtual Class via e-mail.



· You will study the Bible in depth from Genesis to Revelation in order.

· The study will progress in your own pace.

· You will work one-on-one with me via e-mail only.

· Your personal Bible-related questions will be answered.

· Although the virtual class has no financial cost, it will require your dedication and diligence. There will be lessons to complete and tests to take for all Bible chapters. All assignments are in short question and answer format.

· The only textbook for this program is the Bible. If you do not have a copy of the Bible, you can read it online for free at www.BibleGateway.com.

· The class is non-denominational and is not affiliated with any church or ministry.

· You have no obligations; you may pause or stop anytime, though you are strongly encouraged to complete the study.



Interested? Then fill out the form at www.ultra-ability.com, and we'll get started. I look forward to our study time together!



May the grace and peace from Yahweh God and Jesus Christ be with you.!



Content Copyright by Dr. Shirley Cheng; All rights reserved

You are permitted to only give out or link to this website or post; all other distribution and copying is prohibited without the prior written permission of Dr. Shirley Cheng. Contact Shirley at www.shirleycheng.com



Would you like to receive Inspiration from a Blind via e-mail monthly? Then sign up at http://www.shirleycheng.com/contact.html



Read previous issues of Inspiration from a Blind at blog.shirleycheng.com



Best regards,

Dr. Shirley Cheng

Award-Winning Author with 27 Book Awards

Founder of Ultra-Ability Ministry

Proclaimer of Yahweh God's Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ

Author/Contributor/Editor of 35 books by age 27, Bible Teacher, Poet, Motivational Speaker, Self-Empowerment Expert, Advocate

Board member of World Positive Thinkers Club



http://www.shirleycheng.com

"Although I'm blind, I can see far and wide; even though I'm disabled, I can climb high mountains. Let the ropes of hope in Yahweh God haul you high!"



Please sign the Parental Rights in Children's Medical Care: Give Parents the Right to Say No Petition:

http://www.petitiononline.com/parentr7/petition.html

Inspiration from a Blind: Doomsday or Bloomsday?

Happy New Year 2013 to you from Inspiration from a Blind brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com!




December 21, 2012 came and went, and we're still all here. Whose fault is it that this and similar prophecies about doomsday did not come to pass? Who are we to believe anymore? Jesus had warned us, "Many false prophets will arise, and will lead many astray." (Matthew 24:11, WEB) So how can we tell true prophets from false prophets?



To answer these questions, we need to understand and keep in mind of three things regarding prophecy in general:



1) Only Yahweh God Almighty can foresee the future



As the all-knowing Creator of the universe, only Yahweh has the ability to see into the future and accurately foretell it. He can even know all the possibilities that can occur (1 Samuel 23:11-12). By His grace, He enables His spiritual messengers (whom we call "angels") to exercise this power to a limited extent.



2) A true prophet has to be authorized by Yahweh



When Yahweh wants to deliver messages to people, He can do so through human messengers. We call these messengers "prophets." As God's spokesperson, a prophet first receives a message from Yahweh, and then passes on the message word-for-word to others. This is prophesying. Hence, a true message from God is the very words of God, not the words of the messenger. For this reason, all prophecies that came from Yahweh through His chosen prophets are one hundred percent accurate. Ninety-nine percent accuracy is not good enough.



3) Unauthorized messengers will be severely punished by Yahweh



We must not claim to have a divine message from Yahweh God Almighty when we do not. Under the Mosaic covenant with Israel, false prophets were put to death (Deuteronomy 18:20). To deliver a message that did not come from Yahweh is to commit blasphemy, which is among the worst sins anyone can commit against God.



While we are not to put false prophets to death under the Christian covenant, false prophets will be personally judged by Yahweh through Jesus Christ. As with false teachers, false prophets will be punished with eternal death after the future resurrection unless they sincerely repent prior to their death in their lifetime on Earth or before Jesus returns, whichever comes sooner (2 Peter 2).



False prophets lead people astray from Yahweh and from Jesus, causing them to stumble. For this reason alone, "it would be better for him that a huge millstone should be hung around his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depths of the sea." (Matthew 18:6) As Jesus said, "Woe to the world because of occasions of stumbling! For it must be that the occasions come, but woe to that person through whom the occasion comes!" (Matthew 18:7) Simply put, the fate that awaits false prophets is not pretty.



In light of all this, we should be disturbed when unauthorized "prophets" "prophesy" the date of the so-called doomsday. Since all such prophecies have not come true, those who make such predictions have self-condemned themselves as false prophets. (However, the date of 12-21-2012 did not begin as a prophecy but had been misconstrued as such.)



Lest we be fooled by another "prophet" in the future regarding doomsday, we need to know and remember three things about "the Day of Yahweh" or "the Day of the Lord," when our current world system will end:



1) Only Yahweh knows when the Day of Yahweh will come



Speaking of the day he will return to Earth to punish the wicked as God's avenger, to put an end to our current world system, and to establish God's Kingdom over Earth, Jesus said, "No one knows of that day and hour, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only. Watch therefore, for you don't know in what hour your Lord comes. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore also be ready, for in an hour that you don't expect, the Son of Man [Jesus Christ] will come." (Matthew 24:36, 42-44)



While none of us knows when the Day of Yahweh will commence, we will know the "season" by watching various signs that tell us the day is nearing (Matthew 24:32-33). Among the signs is the return of Israel to the Promised Land where both halves of the nation will be united once more after thousands of years of separation and exile (Ezekiel 37). This process began in 1948 and is fulfilling before our very eyes. So we are in the season of the Day of Yahweh.



2) The appearing of "the man of lawlessness" precedes the Day of Yahweh



Some years after Jesus's resurrection and ascension back to heaven, rumors spread that the Day of the Lord had already come, disturbing the Christians in Thessalonica. To put their troubled hearts to rest, the apostle Paul wrote them a letter, explaining, "Don't be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion [apostasy] against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed—the one who brings destruction. He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God. This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth." (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, 9-12, NLT)



This man of lawlessness is dubbed "the Anti-Christ" by some. Regardless of the title we give him, this universal tyrant will be empowered by Satan with supernatural abilities in order to deceive the world into accepting falsehoods and to lead the world to worship him as God (Revelation 13:1-8). He will be the antitype of Antiochus Epiphanes, accompanied by his own personal false prophet, also empowered by Satan (Daniel 11:21-45; Revelation 13:11-14; Revelation 19:20).



It is useless for us to predict who the man of lawlessness will be. When he does come in God's due timing, then we will certainly recognize him. But we must remain alert and faithful to Yahweh and Jesus, lest we think the man is actually God!



As we can see, December 21, 2012 was too soon for the Day of Yahweh, as not all the signs, including the man of lawlessness, have been fulfilled.



3) The Day of Yahweh is not doomsday



If you do not like our current world system, with its corrupt politicians, dishonest businesses, heinous crimes like the recent shooting in Newtown, global poverty, and all the illnesses and diseases that plague humanity; and if you love Yahweh and His Son Jesus Christ, and are eager for Jesus to return to Earth to establish God's righteous Kingdom over us, then the Day of Yahweh will be the most wonderful occasion for celebration! It'll be "bloomsday" where all of our eternal treasures for which we have stored up and worked for will bloom and flourish for our everlasting enjoyment.



The Day of Yahweh will be doomsday to you only if you love our world as it is now, and if the idea of Jesus ruling over us does not appeal to you.



Yes, where people stand now will determine their attitude toward the Day of Yahweh. There were reports of hysteria as December 21 was drawing near; I wonder, were they panicking at the thought of their beloved world ending?



Where do you stand? Are you looking forward to the Day of Yahweh, or are you shuddering at the thought? Your relationship with Yahweh and Jesus determines your standing.



To the rebellious, Yahweh said, "Woe to you who desire the day of Yahweh! Why do you long for the day of Yahweh? It is darkness, and not light." (Amos 5:18, WEB)



But to the righteous who love his appearing, Jesus said, "There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and on the earth anxiety of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the waves; men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world: for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these things begin to happen, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near." (Luke 21:25-28)



Thus, "be careful, or your hearts will be loaded down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day will come on you suddenly. For it will come like a snare on all those who dwell on the surface of all the earth. Therefore be watchful all the time, praying that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen, and to stand before the Son of Man." (Luke 21:34-36)



And whoever will call on the name of Yahweh shall be saved on that day (Joel 2:32). But do not wait till that day. Call on Him now, as Yahweh invites: "Turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning [in repentance for all your sins]." (Joel 2:12)



Tear your heart, and not your garments,

and turn to Yahweh, your God;

for he is gracious and merciful,

slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness,

and relents from sending calamity.

(Joel 2:13)





~*~Q&A with Dr. Shirley~*~



Question: How can you tell a true prophet of Yahweh from a false prophet?



Answer: The below basic guidelines will assist your discernment:



• True prophets always speak in Yahweh's name with the authority given by God. False prophets speak in a name other than Yahweh's. This is the first and foremost test whether a prophet is from God. If someone cannot pass this test, there's no other reason to go on to the other tests.



• Prophecies from true prophets always come true exactly as they are told. False prophecies, on the other hand, do not come true, even if they are spoken in God's name. Some prophecies may appear to be fulfilled when they are told in an ambiguous way. For instance, if I say, "A dog will bark in two hours," and a dog does bark two hours later, does that make me a true prophet? No, because I did not indicate a specific dog. What I predicted could have spoken by anyone. A true message from God would have named a specific dog, giving no doubt to whether the prophecy had come true when it did indeed come true.



• True prophets produce good fruits by exhibiting godly qualities, doing good works and speaking good words. False prophets do not possess this good nature. Even though Satan and the demons who empower their false prophets can perform miracles, they do not imitate God's good qualities, so this is one of the best ways to differentiate the true from the false prophets, as Jesus said, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree produces good fruit; but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit. A good tree can't produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit." (Matthew 7:15-18)



• True prophets glorify God through their words, action, and any supernatural signs they perform. They credit Yahweh for the power they receive. False prophets glorify themselves or spirits other than God.



• True prophets lead people to Yahweh and His teachings. False prophets do not.





~*~Dr. Shirley's Corner~*~



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Thanks, and happy reading!



May the grace and peace from Yahweh God and Jesus Christ be with you.!



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Best regards,

Dr. Shirley Cheng

Award-Winning Author with 27 Book Awards

Founder of Ultra-Ability Ministry

Proclaimer of Yahweh God's Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ

Author/Contributor/Editor of 35 books by age 27, Bible Teacher, Poet, Motivational Speaker, Self-Empowerment Expert, Advocate

Board member of World Positive Thinkers Club



http://www.shirleycheng.com

"Although I'm blind, I can see far and wide; even though I'm disabled, I can climb high mountains. Let the ropes of hope in Yahweh God haul you high!"



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