Inspiration from a Blind: Do You Care for "the Least" Most?

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

Do you love and care for "the least" in your community? Who are "the least"? Jesus answered this question in his parable in Matthew 25:31-46 (WEB):

When the Son of Man [Jesus Christ] comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. Before him all the nations will be gathered [on Judgment Day], and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will tell those 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 righteous 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 answer them, "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 say also to those on the left hand, "Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire [eternal destruction] 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." Then they will also answer, saying, "Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn't help you?" Then he will answer them, saying, "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 will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

Thus, "the least" are the most vulnerable in our community, the most in need of our love and care.

Throughout the Bible, Yahweh God Almighty emphasized the importance of ministry to “the least” and commanded people to love their neighbors as they love themselves (Leviticus 19:18).

In the Old Testament, Yahweh laid out specific laws that governed how people should look after the poor, the widows, and the orphans; some of the decrees include:

1) We should not take advantage of the poor and cheat them of their wages: "You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he be of your brothers, or of your foreigners who are in your land within your gates: in his day you shall give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down on it; for he is poor, and sets his heart on it: lest he cry against you to Yahweh, and it be sin to you." (Deuteronomy 24:14-15)

2) We should not mistreat the widows and the fatherless: "You shall not take advantage of any widow or fatherless child. If you take advantage of them at all, and they cry at all to me, I will surely hear their cry; and my wrath will grow hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless." (Exodus 22:22-24)

3) We should not look down upon or oppress The physically weak or those who are at a disadvantage, as the deaf and the blind: "You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind; but you shall fear your God. I am Yahweh." (Leviticus 19:14)

The word "curse" here is translated from the Hebrew word "qalal," which refers to treating someone with disrespect, contempt, or disdain. "Qalal" is belittling someone or looking down upon them, as if they are of little importance. We should never take advantage of the weak. We should never think in our hearts, "They're an easy target," or make fun of them. Every person is a creation of God. To mock the weak is to insult God, whom we must fear.

The theme of ministry to “the least” continues in the New Testament. Jesus Christ, our greatest model of a Servant Leader, commanded us to minister to the most vulnerable of our society in both speech and deed. He spent much of his precious time on Earth with the outcasts of society, people whom many shunned and detested. He stayed at their homes, dined with them, and warmly welcomed them into His heart and to receiving the gift of salvation. For instance, the Gospel of Luke tells us that while Jesus was eating at a house of a Pharisee by the name of Simon, a woman “brought an alabaster jar of ointment [which was very expensive]. Standing behind at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.” (Luke 7:37-38) Seeing this, Simon said to himself, “This man [Jesus], if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what kind of woman this is who touches him, that she is a sinner.” (Luke 7:39) Thus, Jesus gratefully accepted this woman while the self-righteous Pharisee frowned upon her, forgetting that he, too, was a sinner.

Besides setting physical examples after which we should model, Jesus pointedly told us to minister to the broken. He said, “When you make a feast, ask the poor, the maimed, the lame, or the blind; and you will be blessed, because they don't have the resources to repay you. For you will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous.” (Luke 14:13-14) When we honor the indigent and love them as we love ourselves, we will not only be loving them but Jesus Himself: “Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:40)

In the apostolic letters, we are exhorted to minister to our brothers. Our “brothers” are whoever need our help, and whomever we can help. The apostle John said:

"Whoever doesn't do righteousness is not of God, neither is he who doesn't love his brother. If a man says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is 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. But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and closes his heart of compassion against him, how does the love of God remain in him?" (1 John 3:10; 1 John 4:20-21; 1 John 3:17)

Thus, if we see our brothers in need, we should not “love in word only, neither with the tongue only, but in deed and truth.” (1 John 3:18) Our deeds should include ministry to the fatherless and widows, as the apostle James said, “Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” (James 1:27)

We should never treat the poor less favorably than we treat the wealthy:

"My brothers, don't hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory with partiality. For if a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, comes into your synagogue, and a poor man in filthy clothing also comes in; and you pay special attention to him who wears the fine clothing, and say, 'Sit here in a good place'; and you tell the poor man, 'Stand there,' or 'Sit by my footstool'; haven't you shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers. Didn't God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which he promised to those who love him?" (James 2:1-5)

In the parable of the separation of the sheep and the goats on Judgment Day Jesus told in Matthew 25, it is clear that whether the needy are sent to us or we go to them directly, we are expected to offer our hearts to them, to bring to them the love and the peace of Christ, and most importantly, the Good News of salvation through Christ.

If tomorrow were Judgment Day, would Jesus say to you, “Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me”? If not, start showing the love of Christ to the least of your community, today!

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

Question: In Ephesians, the apostle Paul wrote: "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you also were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all." (Ephesians 4:4-6, WEB) Could you please identify each of the seven "one" components Paul mentioned?

Answer: Here, Paul listed seven "one" components that are most important and fundamental to Christians.
a) One body refers to the church, the body of Christ (all believers as a unit)
b) One Spirit refers to the Holy Spirit, which is God's active creative force that dwells in each believer to help them live according to God's will
c) One hope refers to Christians' eternal hope for their future resurrection and everlasting life with Yahweh God and Jesus Christ in God's Kingdom
d) One Lord is our Lord Jesus Christ
e) One faith is Christians' faith in Jesus for salvation
f) One God and Father of all Christians is obviously Yahweh God Almighty

But what is our "one baptism"?

Whenever we come to the word "baptism" and its related forms in the Bible, we need to realize that it doesn't refer to water baptism every single time. As a matter of fact, the New Testament describes three main baptisms:

a) John the Baptizer performed water baptism for people
b) Before his ascension back to heaven, Jesus promised his disciples, "For John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now." (Acts 1:5) This is the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
c) Before his execution, Jesus said, "But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!" (Luke 12:50) This is the baptism of suffering for the world that only Jesus was baptized in.

So we have at least three baptisms in the New Testament. Which baptism was Paul referring to when he said "one baptism"? All the seven "one" components he listed are vital to Christians, so the one baptism must be required for any Christian in regards to their salvation. Paul spoke about this baptism in his other letters. Let's read a few verses:

"For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given to drink into one Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:13)

Here, Paul tells us that the baptism of the Holy Spirit puts all Christians into one body of Christ. All true Christians have "drunk" the Holy Spirit like water. This was what Jesus was referring to when he said, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water." (John 7:37-38) This is referring to "the Spirit, which those believing in him were to receive." (John 7:40).

God saves Christians "through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly, through Jesus Christ our Savior." (Titus 3:5, 6)

"...you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of his glory." (Ephesians 1:13, 14)

"Don't grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." (Ephesians 4:30)

"Now he who establishes us with you in Christ, and anointed us, is God; who also sealed us, and gave us the down payment of the Spirit in our hearts." (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)

Baptism in the Holy Spirit is not only very important, but as you can see, it is essential for salvation. Note that the Holy Spirit is given to each Christian as a "pledge." This means that God gives each Christian the Holy Spirit as a down payment or deposit that he or she will be glorified, which is the final stage of salvation. The Spirit "seals" God's promise to Christians.

Only the baptism in the Holy Spirit seals Christians with a pledge. Since this spiritual baptism is essential to salvation, Paul, I feel, was referring to this baptism when he wrote "one baptism" in Ephesians.

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

Did you get this from a friend's forward and would like to subscribe? Then send a blank e-mail to subscribe@shirleycheng.com from the e-mail address you'd like to sign up under.

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!"
Sign up to Inspiration from a Blind newsletter by sending an e-mail to: subscribe@shirleycheng.com
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Inspiration from a Blind: Be Part of the Blaze!

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

The Gospel of Jesus Christ started out as a small spark in the Galilean hillsides nearly two thousand years ago, but rapidly blazed across all geographical barriers to become the world's most well-known Good News in the history of humanity. A brief overview of how the Gospel spread will not only empower us to be a part of its spread but will help us see that the Gospel is propelled by divine power.

The spread of the Gospel began with the Great Commission Jesus Christ gave His disciples prior to his ascension back to his Father's side in heaven: “Go, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19, 20, WEB) Since the spreading of the Gospel was a great responsibility the disciples had to fulfill, it required the power from the Holy Spirit. Thus, Jesus told His body of believers to “wait in the city of Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49) With this power, they would be witnesses to Christ in "Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

The Spread of the Gospel in Jerusalem

Following their Master's instruction, the disciples waited in Jerusalem for the gift of the Holy Spirit. When the day of Pentecost came, “they were all with one accord in one place. Suddenly there came from the sky a sound like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. Tongues like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages,” so non-Hebrew speaking Jews from various parts of the Roman Empire could understand them in their own languages (Acts 2:1-4).

The Spirit-empowered disciples immediately began working to fulfill the Great Commission. The apostle Peter was first to add new members to the church of Christ; the Holy Spirit enabled this uneducated fisherman to deliver an impromptu preaching so powerful and convicting that it converted three thousand people to Christianity on the same day (Acts 2:41).

In Jerusalem, new believers were constantly being added to the church of Christ, as Yahweh God enabled the apostles to perform many miracles, including the instantaneous healing of a man who was crippled since birth (Acts 3). The increase that the church experienced was so rapid that the Bible soon used “multiplying” to describe the growth: “the number of the disciples was multiplying.” (Acts 6:1)

The Spread of the Gospel to Samaria

Great persecution soon rose against the body of Christ, and consequently, the believers were scattered “abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles.” (Acts 8:1) Those who left Jerusalem took with them the Good News of Christ, spreading the Gospel outside their circle to Samaria for the first time. One such believer who spread the Gospel to Samaria was Philip, a deacon who was assigned to serve tables for widows (Acts 6:5).

In Samaria, Philip healed the paralyzed and the lame, and drove out demons from the possessed, all the while proclaiming to the Samaritans the Christ, whom the Samaritans joyously accepted (Acts 8:5-8). When the apostles in Jerusalem "heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit." (Acts 8:14-15)

While Philip was still ministering in Samaria, an angel from God said to him, “Arise, and go toward the south to the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (Acts 8:26) God had a greater mission for Philip: to minister to one individual, an Ethiopian eunuch, the secretary of the treasury for the queen of the Ethiopians (Acts 8:27). Unhesitatingly,Philip obeyed and on his way, met the eunuch, who was traveling home on his chariot from Jerusalem where he went to worship. Commanded by the Holy Spirit, Philip ran toward the chariot, and once he heard the Ethiopian official reading aloud from the book of Isaiah, he asked him, “Do you understand what you are reading?” (Acts 8:30) The official admitted that he needed help understanding the Scriptures and asked Philip to “come up and sit with him.” (Acts 8:31) Sitting next to the Ethiopian in his chariot, Philip promptly preached about Jesus Christ, starting from the passage the man was reading: Isaiah 53:7-8:

He was led as a sheep to the slaughter.
As a lamb before his shearer is silent,
so he doesn't open his mouth.
In his humiliation, his judgment was taken away.
Who will declare His generation?
For his life is taken from the earth.

As they traveled, they came upon some water, and the official said, “Behold, here is water. What is keeping me from being baptized?” (Acts 8:36) Once confirming the man's new faith in Christ, Philip baptized him in the water. Upon the completion of Philip's ministry to the official, the “Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch didn't see him any more, for he went on his way rejoicing.” (Acts 8:39)

The Spread of the Gospel to the “Uttermost Parts of the Earth”

Following the spread of Christianity throughout Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, Jesus' Good News of universal salvation had to spread outward; no geographical barrier, either imaginary or real, could possibly hold it back. The spread of the Gospel to the gentiles had a modest start, but rapidly grew like a small amount of leaven in a lump of dough. Cross-cultural ministry officially began with the apostle Peter.

As a Jew, Peter was at first hesitant to preach the Gospel of Christ to non-Jews, as Jews at that time saw gentiles as unclean (ritually polluting). However, after a vision from the Christ, Peter accepted his mission to the gentiles. Immediately following the vision, three men were asking for Peter, and upon the Holy Spirit's prompting, Peter went to meet them. The men explained to Peter, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous man and one who fears God, and well spoken of by all the nation of the Jews, was directed by a holy angel to invite you to his house, and to listen to what you say.” (Acts 10:22)

Once arriving at Cornelius' home, Peter introduced Jesus as the Savior of the world. While he spoke, the Holy Spirit came upon the gentiles and, as a result, they spoke in tongues, amazing all the witnesses (Acts 10:44-46). Then Peter had them baptized in water (Acts 10:48).

The spread of the Gospel to the gentiles continued following Peter's first cross-cultural ministry. Some of those who were persecuted preached the Word at faraway places, including Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, where the term “Christian” was first used to describe a follower of Christ (Acts 11:19, 21, 26).

Cross-cultural ministry flourished under Paul of Tarsus. On the day of his miraculous conversion from a devoted Pharisee who was vehemently persecuting Christians to a devout apostle who would become the pioneer of church planting, the Master said to him, “Arise, and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you a servant and a witness both of the things which you have seen, and of the things which I will reveal to you; delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you, to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” (Acts 26:16-18)

Paul was "not disobedient to the heavenly vision.” (Acts 26:19) In his three Spirit-guided missionary trips throughout the Roman Empire, Paul won lives for Christ from many gentile worlds, including Malta, Cyprus, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, Corinth, Ephesus, Crete, and Rome, where his ministry ended due to execution and where the book of Acts of the Bible closes to open the door for further spread of the Gospel.

The Spread of the Gospel After the Book of Acts

After the close of Acts, the Gospel continued to spread despite great persecution. By the second century, it spread to nearly all of the Roman Empire, and in the fourth century, persecution ceased and Christianity became the dominant religion of the empire after Roman Emperor Constantine was converted to Christianity, and issued an edict of toleration in 313. Then through missionary work and colonization, Christianity spread throughout the western world in the Middle Ages and Renaissance.

In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, thousands of Christians spoke against the Roman Catholic Church for deviating from Biblical doctrines, for moral corruption, and for power abuse. Some of these reformers began making the Bible accessible to the common people by translating it into languages other than Latin, to which the sacred text was then confined. During such reformation, many reformers were persecuted and executed, including William Tyndale, who was burned at the stake in 1536 for smuggling copies of his English translation of the Bible into England after illegally printing them in Germany. Their efforts and sacrifice enabled many lay people to personally read and study the Bible on their own for the first time. The reformation was aided by the invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg, which allowed for mass production of the Bible.

In the eighteenth century, Christians sailed to the New World to seek religious freedom, bringing with them the Gospel to America. From that time onward to the 1900s, several revivalists rose up to radically evangelized the world; among them was William Booth, who founded the Salvation Army and established “Armies” in fifty-eight countries; James Hudson Taylor, the first missionary to inland China who converted tens of thousands of Chinese to Christianity; and John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist church who spread the Gospel throughout the United Kingdom.

Today, despite centuries of mass persecution, the burning of the Bible, and clergy power abuse, the Gospel continues to spread and penetrate geographical lines, fueled by technological advances. And when the “Good News of the Kingdom [is] preached in the whole world for a testimony to all the nations...the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14) Amen!

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

Question: What should motivate and propel us to spread the Gospel?

Answer: Most of us fail to share the Gospel with others because we do not realize the extent of God's wrath against sinners or of His future judgment on them. If we do not spread the Gospel, we are in turn allowing many to perish eternally. Is that what we really want? Do we want our loved ones to die forever without taking part in the future resurrection?

Thus, what we decide to do--whether to tell the Good News to others--is based on our love for fellow humanity or lack of it. In fact, our action reflects our heart attitude toward Yahweh God, Jesus Christ, and our fellow human beings. If we put God and Christ in the number one spot in our hearts, our love for them will motivate and propel us to spread the Gospel so people can be added to God's Kingdom. Remember, how we treat others show how we feel toward Yahweh and Jesus.

Let's not keep God's blessings all to ourselves. Just as receiving the gift of salvation is a personal choice, deciding to take an active part in God's mission is a personal choice we all have.

Question: How can we spread the Gospel? How should we prepare?

Answer: We should spread the Gospel by both our words and deeds. Jesus taught His disciples God's principles not only through words but more so through his works. Like our Master, when we evangelize, we should live in accordance with what we teach, and our Christ-like lifestyle will speak for us and convince non-believers the benefits of Christian living. Simply put, we should live what we preach. If we say, "Don't steal," and yet commit theft ourselves, what kind of message would that convey to non-Christians?

Jesus and the early apostles took the Good News wherever they went to whomever they met. Likewise, we should be ready to share the Gospel anytime, anywhere, to anyone. God will always provide us with the opportunities; we just have to seize every chance we get. In our modern world with its technological advances, we should use every avenue possible to spread the Gospel. Such avenues include television and radio broadcasts; Christian books, CDs, audio and video recordings; and Christian websites and Internet groups.

But before we began spreading the Gospel, we must prepare for it by first studying the Bible. How can we preach what we don't first understand ourselves? Thus, a decent understanding of Biblical truths is fundamental in evangelism. We have to understand the Gospel message backward and forward, specifically why faith in Jesus is the only way to salvation, why we need salvation in the first place, and what is the consequence of refusing salvation through Jesus Christ.

Most Christians cannot explain why they are Christians, why they believe what they believe, why the Bible is true and entirely trustworthy, and why faith in Christ is the only way to salvation. If you need help in understanding all this and more, I'll be more than happy to explore the Bible with you to obtain the answers! Just reply to this newsletter, and we'll get started!

When we have fulfilled our evangelistic duties out of love for God and humankind, our Master will say to us, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord." (Matthew 25:21) Amen!

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

Did you get this from a friend's forward and would like to subscribe? Then send a blank e-mail to subscribe@shirleycheng.com from the e-mail address you'd like to sign up under.

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!"
Sign up to Inspiration from a Blind newsletter by sending an e-mail to: subscribe@shirleycheng.com
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: Is Israel Your Friend?

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

Millions around the world, of different colors, languages, and cultures, have received the Gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. This Gospel is not merely good news, but the best news, for when you accept the Gospel, you will have accepted the gift of a lifetime, as only through Christ will you be blessed with eternal life and fellowship with our Creator, as the Bible says, "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13, WEB)

But how would we be able to call on him in whom we have not heard? How would we hear without a preacher? And "how will they preach unless they are sent?" (Romans 10:15)

Therefore, we owe thanks to those whom God has sent to spread this Gospel. Yes, our Creator, Yahweh God Almighty, is the One who planned out the salvation, and it's His Son, Jesus, who perfected it with his own sacrifice. But God often uses people as His agents through whom He bestows His blessings; so, too, the spread of the Gospel has been done through agents. Who are God's agents in the spread of this most wonderful news?

The spread of the Gospel began in the land of Mesopotamia over 4,000 years ago. From among the sea of humanity, Yahweh called one man and divided him away from his family. To Abraham, God said, "Get out of your country, and from your relatives, and from your father's house, to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. You will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you. All of the families of the earth will be blessed in you." (Genesis 12:1-3)

Thus, by faith, the 75-year-old Abraham, "obeyed to go out to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he went." (Hebrews 11:8)

Once settled in the land of Canaan as a foreigner, Yahweh told Abraham, "Now, lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, for all the land which you see, I will give to you, and to your offspring forever. I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then your seed may also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in its length and in its breadth; for I will give it to you." (Genesis 13:14-17) The border of this Promised land is "from the Red Sea even to the sea of the Philistines [the Mediterranean Sea], and from the wilderness [desert of Arabia] to the [Euphrates] River." (Exodus 23:31)

My friends, this Promised Land is allotted to the nation of Israel (though the modern-day Israel is occupying only a portion of the Promised Land). It is from this land, and by means of the promises God made to Abraham, that the world has been blessed with the Gospel.

How? Let us look more closely at the unconditional promises Yahweh made to Abraham in the everlasting Abrahamic covenant and their fulfillment to understand how we have been immeasurably blessed through Israel:

God's promises of blessings are given on three levels: personal, national, and international:

a) Personal: God would bless Abraham and make Abraham's name (reputation) great. Today, about half of the world's population highly respects Abraham, the father of faith.

b) National: God would make Abraham into a great nation, and would give him and his seed the land of promise. While Abraham was the forefather of several nations, that great nation and the seed of Abraham points to the nation of Israel, to whom is given the Promised Land forever. In the future Millennium during Jesus' reign over humanity, Israel will possess every inch of the Promised Land, and be transformed into the most glorious nation on Earth, and Jerusalem will be the center of worship.

c) International: Abraham would be a blessing. God would bless those who blessed Abraham, and God would curse those who cursed Abraham. All of the families of the earth would be blessed in Abraham. This promise was passed down to the nation of Israel. Hence, this means that God will bless those who bless Israel, and will curse those who curse Israel. All nations will be blessed through Israel.

It is this international aspect of the Abrahamic covenant that affects every person today. First, let's examine the promise about all nations being blessed through Israel. How have all of the families (nations) of the world been blessed through Israel, ultimately through Abraham? The answer is: because of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is a descendant of Abraham, from the nation of Israel! Thus, anyone who trusts in Jesus for their salvation will be blessed beyond measure through Abraham, for Jesus came through his line. This is how Abraham continues to be a blessing to the entire world even though he has been dead for 4,000 years!

Next, let's look at this promise: "I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you." It's exclusively to the nation of Israel that this promise of blessing was passed down from Abraham, as God's Word says, "Everyone who blesses you [Israel] is blessed. Everyone who curses you is cursed." (Numbers 24:9) This means that if anyone blesses Israel (respects and looks upon them with favor), God will bless that person. But if anyone curses Israel (treats them with contempt or looks upon them with disdain), God will curse (judge or condemn) that person.

Indeed, part of your relationship with God depends on your relationship with Israel. Since Israel is the chosen agent of God, those who fight them are actually fighting God, as the Bible says, "For he who touches you [Israel] touches the apple of his [God's] eye." (Zechariah 2:8)

While it's improper and wrong to disdain any person or nation, it's especially sinful to curse a nation which God has blessed, and which God calls the apple of His eye. Now, when we are to bless Israel, it does not mean that we have to worship them, or treat them as if they're the most superior nation, or approve of whatever they do. What it does mean is that we should treat them with respect and kindness, that we should not take away what has been promised to them by God, and that we should appreciate that the Jesus Christ we trust is the Jewish Messiah who was begotten in their own land.

The nation of Israel is a nation that Yahweh personally formed, working out every detail in its formation, even in the choosing of the name of the progenitor that would become the name of the nation: Israel, who was Abraham's grandson, formerly named Jacob. So in every way, Israel is a very special nation, the only nation that has God's unique and exclusive blessings upon it through the Abrahamic covenant. It is through Israel that the Messiah and Savior of the world was born: Jesus Christ. It's in Israel where Christianity originated and spread. Nearly the entire Bible was written by Israelites. And every Israelite is the spiritual brother or sister of every Christian, as all Christians have been grafted into Israel, thus becoming "spiritual Israelites" (Romans 11:17-24).

Because all Christians trust in the Jewish Messiah for salvation, they are all the spiritual children of Abraham (Galatians 3:7-9, 29). Thus, all Christians are a part of Abraham's nation, spiritually. This is how Abraham's nation can be so "great" as God promised.

Indeed, Christians have been greatly blessed through the covenant Yahweh made with Abraham and his seed. Friend, if you have heard the Gospel and have been blessed by it, then both you and I owe a big thanks to Israel, from which the Gospel came to our own homes. In light of this, how should we respond to Israel? Should we bless them as friends or curse them as enemies? Let's choose the former!

"May Yahweh bless you out of Zion, and may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life. Peace be upon Israel." (Psalm 128:5, 6)

Shalom!

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

Question: Do the West Bank and the Gaza strip belong to Israel?

Answer: Yes, they most certainly do. The West Bank and the Gaza strip are within the Promised Land, which belongs to Israel, forever. The West Bank contains regions where Jesus Christ ministered. Jesus was even born in the West Bank, in the town of Bethlehem.

Israel is technically the tenant of the Promised Land that includes the West Bank and the Gaza strip, leasing it from Yahweh, who is the land's actual Owner. For this reason, Israel is not even allowed to sell their land perpetually because they cannot sell something that does not truly belong to them (Leviticus 25:23). This also means that Israel cannot give away their land even if they wanted to, because it's not theirs to give away. Thus, it is against God's law and will to take any portion of the Promised Land from Israel, because that would amount to taking a portion away from God Himself! Yes, this is a very serious matter. Those who have taken away the Gaza Strip and West Bank of the Promised Land, and those countries that have supported them, have committed a grave sin against God. Let's pray that our leaders will correct their sin and have the West Bank and the Gaza Strip peacefully returned to its rightful tenant, Israel, in their entirety.

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

"If you can dream it, You Can Do It." -Walt Disney

A quote my friend Shane strongly believes in and found on the back of his new book, "Inspirational Quotes: Social Media Findings to Inspire and Motivate," which is available now on Amazon with great free bonus items for buying the book during the launch. Grab a copy at:
http://InspirationalQuoteBook.com/launch

***

Support the apple of God's eye by helping Israel build bomb shelters! This is a message a friend sent me in March:

A Message from United with Israel (PO Box 151, Lawrence, NY 11559):

Over 250 Rockets of Terror fired from Gaza have exploded in southern Israel in the last few days. Israeli citizens are living in horrible fear of attack...

Imagine hearing a frightening siren blaring "Code Red, Code Red" and having just 15 seconds to run for cover. Imagine never being able to walk beyond a short distance of the nearest shelter.

Can you imagine the fear and terror of a rocket whistling down, not knowing whether it will land a mile away or directly on your head? Or the sudden shock when you feel the impact and the sense the relief that you're still alive but the fear that your friends and family may not be so lucky. Imagine if you were a little child and had to live with this EVERY DAY...

Help build bomb shelters in Israel today! Learn more about United with Israel and this project:
http://unitedwithisrael.org

Nearly one million Israeli residents are within striking range of Gaza. There is an immediate and dire need to protect Israeli citizens from missile attacks. Above-ground portable shelters need to be deployed in vulnerable Israeli communities. These shelters can be moved to where they are needed most. They will provide safety for Israeli citizens as they go about their daily lives. They are built to prevent the penetration of bullets, shrapnel and missile fragments and can withstand direct hits. While building underground shelters can take months, these pre-form units take only a few weeks to build and can be delivered and deployed immediately. Although these shelters cannot provide Israeli communities with peace, they provide both safety and peace of mind.

Happy Pecach to all of our Jewish friends! Glory be to our God for delivering His people out of the house of bondage to a new life on Abib 15!

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

Did you get this from a friend's forward and would like to subscribe? Then send a blank e-mail to subscribe@shirleycheng.com from the e-mail address you'd like to sign up under.

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!"

Sign up to Inspiration from a Blind newsletter by sending an e-mail to: subscribe@shirleycheng.com


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: Your Road to Glorification

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

What happens the moment you accept God's Son, Jesus Christ, as your Savior and Master? Many people believe you have received eternal life that instant. But the truth is that the road to eternal life is a life-long journey, and eternal life is only one portion of the bundle of blessings that come with salvation for a faithful Christian. Here, let us explore the various stages of salvation and its everlasting blessings and privileges.

Stage 1: Justification

Pretend that today, you have accepted Christ as your Savior and Lord by acknowledging your sins, confessing them and seeking for God's forgiveness, and willingly submitting to God's will and commandments to govern the rest of your life. The moment you repent by turning to Christ, you have been justified by your faith.

Justification through faith is to receive the declaration of righteousness. God declares you as righteous, with all your past sins forgiven, when you put faith in His Son. Your plate of sins has been wiped clean. As a result, you have become a new creation with a new beginning: "The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17, WEB)

Stage 2: Reconciliation

Justification brings reconciliation. Prior to accepting Jesus Christ into your heart and life, you had been an enemy of God due to your sinful lifestyle (Colossians 1:21; Romans 5:10). But once you are justified through faith, you have been reconciled with God, where the wall of hostility between God and you has been broken down.

Because you have been justified and reconciled, you are now blessed with the peace with God. "Peace with God" is an essential and foundational element of fellowship with God. You cannot have a relationship with God without peace. Such peace is also the peace that helps you to remain at peace during life's hardships. This peace is granted by God, not developed by yourself. Only when you are justified and reconciled will you possess such peace.

Stage 3: Adoption

As someone who has been justified and reconciled, you have now been adopted as a child of God. It is from this moment onward that you can call God "Abba" ("Father") (Romans 8:15). Thus, while God is the Creator of every person, He is the Father of only those who have accepted His Son. Sonship comes only through Jesus Christ.

As God's adopted child, you have become the heir of God and a co-heir with Jesus Christ. The heir of God will be glorified together with Jesus Christ (Romans 8:17). Glorification is the final stage of salvation, which I'll touch upon later.

Stage 4: Sanctification

Upon adoption into God's family, your new life has begun according to God's will. At this stage of salvation, God will gradually and steadily mold you into the person He wants you to be. He will develop in you the fruit of the Holy Spirit, which is Christ-like qualities that include love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). This is progressive sanctification, the process of setting you apart for God's holy use and purpose by conforming you to Jesus' spiritual image (Romans 8:29; 1 Thessalonians 4:7).

The first three stages--justification, reconciliation, and adoption--are all works done exclusively by God. But the process of sanctification is team work: you have to work with God to achieve God's will in your life. You have to cooperate by obeying His voice and allowing Him to lead your life.

How will God lead you and guide you in following Him? He will lead you through His Holy Spirit, which He has given to you upon your acceptance of His Son for your salvation. The Holy Spirit will regenerate you, mature you spiritually, and sanctify you for good works (Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:10).

As the Holy Spirit leads you, you have the choice to obey or disobey it. God does not take away your free will. Therefore, it is up to you whether you will live according to God's will as a true child of God, or rebel against Him.

Listen to what Jesus said: "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 7:21-23)

Yes, the sanctification stage of salvation is one crucial stage! If you fail to do the will of God and deliberately go on sinning after you have accepted Jesus Christ,then a "certain fearful expectation of judgment" awaits you:

"For 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. A man who disregards Moses’ law dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will he be judged worthy of, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, 'Vengeance belongs to me,' says the Lord, 'I will repay.' Again, 'The Lord will judge his people.' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Hebrews 10:26-31)

"For concerning those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify the Son of God for themselves again, and put him to open shame. For the land which has drunk the rain that comes often on it, and brings forth a crop suitable for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receives blessing from God; but if it bears thorns and thistles, it is rejected and near being cursed, whose end is to be burned." (Hebrews 6:4-8)

Indeed, you have been justified by your faith. But understand that faith without works is dead: "What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him? And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food, and one of you tells them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled'; and yet you didn't give them the things the body needs, what good is it? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself. Yes, a man will say, 'You have faith, and I have works.' Show me your faith without works, and I by my works will show you my faith." (James 2:14-18)

Even the demons believe in God (James 2:19), but are they going to receive salvation? No, unless they repent and prove their faith is genuine by works.

Read what God's Word says about faith and works working together for justification:

"Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness'; and he was called the friend of God. You see then that by works, a man is justified, and not only by faith. In the same way, wasn't Rahab the prostitute also justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead." (James 2:21-26)

Sanctification will last your entire lifetime. Like a child who cannot physically mature overnight, you will reach spiritual maturity gradually, as you live and learn from God's principles in the Bible. Whenever you sin, you will have to confess your sin to God, who will forgive you (1 John 1:9).

By living according to God's will, you will experience immeasurable joy as you fellowship with your Creator and His Son: "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and don't tell the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:5-7)

"Wherein [in God's salvation] you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been put to grief in various trials, that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ--whom not having known you love; in whom, though now you don't see him, yet believing, you rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory." (1 Peter 1:6-8)

Stage 5: Glorification

When Jesus returns to Earth at his second coming, he will be revealed in all his glory (Luke 9:26). Upon his arrival, all the Christians who have ever passed away will be resurrected to meet him in the sky (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

Jesus "will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory." (Philippians 3:21) Thus, upon your resurrection as a Christian, you will be revealed in gory just as our Lord Jesus Christ (1 John 3:2). You will be raised incorruptible, for "this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality...then what is written will happen: 'Death is swallowed up in victory.'" (1 Corinthians 15:53, 54)

This, my friend, will be the final stage of your salvation. You have first been justified, sanctified, and now glorified. As a new glorified individual, you will never experience or know again pain, sickness, suffering, or death (Revelation 21:4). Instead, you will live in love, peace, and security in the presence of your Creator, Yahweh God Almighty, and His Son, Jesus Christ, your Savior, for all eternity (Revelation 21:3; Revelation 22:3-5).

This is why "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us." (Romans 8:18)

Therefore we ought not to faint at our current sufferings and hardships; even though we are decaying outwardly, yet we're being spiritually renewed day by day, for "our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory; while we don't look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)

Let's all pray that upon our death, we will be able to echo apostle Paul's words: "I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith. From now on, there is stored up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:7-8) In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

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

Question: Why did God grant us with free will?

Answer: Well, think about the person or people who love you. Would you prefer them to love you willingly on their own, or love you because you programmed them to automatically love you? Our answer to this question will help us understand why God made humans with free will.

God does not want to make humans like robots, with pre-programmed will. God wants each person to love Him and obey Him because they choose to do so, not to be forced to do so. God wants us to have the freedom to make our own choices, to choose between right and wrong. While He knows that many will make the wrong choices, He knows that many will also make the right choices. That's how a parent normally does it: to allow their child to make their own decisions when they grow older, knowing that their child will make the wrong choices sometimes.

When we have free will, we have the ability to willingly and freely communicate with God. Without free will, we would be exactly like machines and computers that do not have a mind of their own.

God wants a real relationship with us with pure feelings, not robotic, programmed meaningless interaction. Only humans created with free will can achieve that.

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

Study the Bible in depth in 2012!

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.

· This in-depth study will go through the Bible 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, I can e-mail you the Bible text or 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.

Want to sign up for the In-Depth Ultra-Ability Bible Virtual Class and give it a try? Then just fill out the form at www.ultra-ability.com. Thank you, and I hope to spend 2012 with you in a worthwhile way by studying God's sacred Word!

You may be thinking, "Yes, I'd like to learn more about God by studying His Word, but I just don't have the time!"

My friend, if you believe that studying the Word of God and establishing a relationship with your Creator are truly important, you will find the time. Food and water helps us to survive, but the Word of God helps us to really live, and not simply during this lifetime, but for all eternity. Do you have fifteen or thirty minutes a day for God? That's all the time you need to study with me.

"It would take me years to finish studying the entire Bible in that slow pace!" you now may think.

True, but aim for quality, not quantity. You can rush through the Bible from cover to cover in less than four weeks (and I did), but you will not reap from it as much if you were to carefully study ten chapters in that same amount of time (and I can attest it).

You are given only one lifetime to accept God's Word, so use your time wisely. Yahweh is waiting for you--will you receive His call?

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

Did you get this from a friend's forward and would like to subscribe? Then send a blank e-mail to subscribe@shirleycheng.com from the e-mail address you'd like to sign up under.

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!"

Sign up to Inspiration from a Blind newsletter by sending an e-mail to: subscribe@shirleycheng.com


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: Wormy Good Fruits?

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

Do you produce good fruits? If so, are they sweet and nutritious, or are they shining on the outside but wormy on the inside?

Good fruits? Well, I'm talking about the good works you do. But how can good works be wormy? "Good" works are wormy and rotten when they are done with the wrong motive. They are truly good and nutritious when they are done with the right motive.

Jesus Christ said, "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. Therefore by their fruits you will know them." (Matthew 7:17-18, 20, WEB)

We know someone only by judging the works they do, good or bad. However, judging one's fruit can be tricky business, as some fruits may appear good outside, but are truly wormy and rotten inside. Such "good" works are done with the wrong motives. So we're to be aware of those who come to us "in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves." (Matthew 7:15)

When we perform good deeds, our motive--the reason why we perform them--is more important than the works themselves. Good works done with the wrong motive may receive the praise of man, but will not receive the most valued praise: that of Yahweh God our Creator.

Charitable giving, praying, and fasting all are good works, but can be done with the wrong motives, thus making them fruitless in God's sight. What can be some of the wrong motives behind these three good works that people do? Let's see what Jesus taught:

Charitable Giving

Jesus said, "Be careful that you don't do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Therefore when you do merciful deeds, don't sound a trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may get glory from men. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you do merciful deeds, don't let your left hand know what your right hand does, so that your merciful deeds may be in secret, then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly." (Matthew 6:1-4)

When we give alms to the poor, we should not make a show to others of how charitable we have been. Certainly, when we spread word of the great deeds we've done, we will receive praise from our friends and family, and even from the media, but that's all the praise we'll ever receive.

Our motive for feeding the hungry and clothing the naked should be our love for them. Our motive should not be the wish to receive attention from others. Even if we give all our goods to feed the poor, but don't have love, it profits us nothing (1 Corinthians 13:3).

Prayers

Jesus said, "When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward. But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. In praying, don't use vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking. Therefore don't be like them, for your Father knows what things you need, before you ask him." (Matthew 6:5-8)

When we pray, we should not do so for the sake of making ourselves look good in the sight of man. It is not wrong to pray in public; however, if your motive for praying publicly is to get glory from others, then your prayers would mean nothing to the One whose judgment is most important, and whose answer you most depend upon.

Our motive for praying should be expressing our deepest, sincerest feelings to our Heavenly Father. For this reason, we should not use memorized words or repetitions in our prayers. Would you greet your earthly parent each day, mechanically using memorized words? If not, then why would you pray using meaningless chants to the Parent of all parents?

Even though we can say as much as we desire to our Father in our prayers, we should not deliberately make our prayers lengthy to manipulate God, thinking that the more words we use, the more likely He will answer us. Our almighty God knows exactly what we need even before we ask Him, so it's needless for us to pray long prayers to get His attention.

Fasting

Jesus said, "Moreover when you fast, don't be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face; so that you are not seen by men to be fasting, but by your Father who is in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you." (Matthew 6:16-18)

When we fast, we should not go around flaunting the fact that we are fasting, nor should we deliberately make ourselves reflect that we are fasting. The purpose of fasting is to discipline our physical bodies and draw closer to our Father in heaven, not to draw attention to ourselves and receive comments like, "You sure are pious or religious!" Fasting done with the wrong motive will not achieve God's will in our lives.

As you can see, our "good" works are not good in God's sight and will therefore not receive His approval when we do them with the wrong motives. All such fruits are wormy and rotten, and "every tree that doesn't bring forth good fruit [will be] cut down, and cast into the fire." (Matthew 3:10)

When you give to the poor, pray to God, and fast, what are your motives behind your actions? Do you seek glory from man, or approval from our Heavenly Father? Do you value the joy that good works bring to your spirit, or do you yearn for external rewards?

My friends, don't "lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don't break through and steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21)

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

Question: Jesus said, "the Father is in me, and I in the Father." (John 10:38, WEB) What did he mean by that? Does that mean that God and Jesus are one and the same?

Answer: We can understand what Jesus meant by reading what Jesus said to his disciples next: "In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you." (John 14:20)

So in John 10:38, Jesus didn't mean that God (the Father) and himself are one and the same, because we see that Jesus used the same description to describe himself and his disciples. We know for certain that Jesus didn't mean that he himself and his disciples were literally one and the same being; instead, they were separate individuals.

The Father and the Son 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) That doesn't literally mean that they become literally one person. What it means is that they become "one" in spiritual unity. In the same way, the Father and the Son are "one" in spiritual unity. They share the same spiritual qualities, 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)

"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.” (John 17:20-26)

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: 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.

The concept of "oneness" runs throughout the New Testament, so it is very important to grasp this concept and understand it fully in order to understand the entire Bible so that "with one accord [we] may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ"! (Romans 15:6) Amen!

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

Study the Bible in depth in 2012!

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.

· 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, I can e-mail you the Bible text or 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.

· This in-depth study will go through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation in order.

Want to sign up for the In-Depth Ultra-Ability Bible Virtual Class and give it a try? Then just fill out the form at www.ultra-ability.com. Thank you, and I hope to spend 2012 with you in a worthwhile way by studying God's sacred Word!

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

Did you get this from a friend's forward and would like to subscribe? Then send a blank e-mail to subscribe@shirleycheng.com from the e-mail address you'd like to sign up under.

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!"

Sign up to Inspiration from a Blind newsletter by sending an e-mail to: subscribe@shirleycheng.com


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: Whose Slave Are You?

Happy 2012 from Inspiration from a Blind brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com!

Whose slave are you?

Before you protest and say you're nobody's slave, understand that we're all slaves to one thing or another. Do you know that "you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey?" (Romans 6:16, NLT) In other words, we are slaves to whatever controls us (2 Peter 2:19).

Thus, when we cannot stop working to smell the roses, we are the slaves to our jobs. When we are glued in front of our TV set, the TV sets have become our masters. When we cannot break free from alcoholism, it has us firmly in its grasp. And when we are unable to stop telling lies, shoplifting, cheating on our spouses, or living in other ways that are against God's laws, we're the "slaves of sin and corruption." (2 Peter 2:19)

Worst of all, when we choose not to live under God's guidance in the Bible, we are prisoners of Satan in the "power of darkness," and don't even know it! (Colossians 1:13; Acts 26:18)

Yes, we can be slaves "to sin, which leads to death, or [we] can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living." (Romans 6:16) There is no middle ground. We cannot choose to be a non-slave. It is either a slave to sin, or a slave to righteousness. It's either a slave of the power of darkness, or slave of Yahweh God and His Son Jesus Christ. We cannot choose to be neutral in this battle ground; those who do not choose to be the slaves of God are automatically slaves of the evil powers of Satan. Hence, to be transferred to God's sphere, we must consciously make the decision to do so, by accepting Yahweh God Almighty and Jesus Christ into our hearts and living according to God's will.

"Slavery" and "slaves" have a very negative connotation because of the cruel and ruthless slavery that humans have brought upon one another throughout the Millenniums. Biblical or Christian slavery are not only very different from oppression but a great privilege.

Why a privilege? Because when we are the slaves to righteousness, we are serving the best Masters--Yahweh and Jesus--anyone could ever ask for. God is love and the only One who is purely good, while Jesus is the light and Savior of the world who brings salvation to anyone who trusts in him, regardless of their age, gender, nationality, background, and social status. (1 John 4:8; Matthew 17:19; John 4:42)

So what did Jesus Christ and his disciples have to say about Christian slavery?

Jesus said, "If you want to be great, you must be the servant of all the others. And if you want to be first, you must be the slave of the rest. The Son of Man did not come to be a slave master, but a slave who will give his life to rescue many people." (Matthew 20:26-28, CEV)

"Whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else." (Mark 10:44, NLT)

One of the greatest apostles of Jesus was Paul, who had this to say to slaves and their earthly masters:

"Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free. 

"Masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Don't threaten them; remember, you both have the same Master in heaven, and he has no favorites." (Ephesians 6:5-9, NLT)

Indeed, Christian slavery is serving people with absolute selfless love, regardless what positions we are in: doctors, teachers, employers, government officials, and even true earthly slaves of oppression. When we serve one another with devotion, love, and loyalty, we are actually serving our heavenly Master, Jesus Christ. When we serve others selflessly, we are following in the footsteps of Jesus, the ultimate slave who forfeited his own life in order to bring life to those he loves, even when they were his enemies.

How do we become faithful slaves of God, and in turn, of fellow humans? Well, we must take these three steps:

1) Make God's will our will. Our Master's will should become our own will, so we can carry out our Master's desires perfectly. For example, God wills for all to hear the Gospel, so we'll need to make that will ours by spreading the Gospel.

2) Obey God's commandments without questioning. Since God is omniscient (all-knowing) and purely good, His commandments are righteous, purposeful, and uphold the truths. Hence, we must not doubt Him or question His commandments found in the Bible. However, if someone, who claims to have received a revelation from God, tells you to do something, always be sure to compare that command with Biblical principles. If that command conflicts with the Bible, then it is not from God. God does not contradict Himself.

3) Fulfill the two greatest commandments: "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. The second is like this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:30-31, WEB)

The third step is the key step. If love is not what motivates us to serve God and one another, then we will be very disgruntled slaves. In the very least, we would have the wrong motive for serving God and people, and that wrong motive would ultimately make us fail.

Paul best said it: "If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don't have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don't have love, I am nothing. If I dole out all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don't have love, it profits me nothing." (1 Corinthians 13:1-3, WEB)

To sum it up: The best way to show others love is to serve them. The best way to serve them is with love.

Starting in 2012, let us serve others love...with love! Let us make our New Year's resolution to be the slaves to righteousness, of Yahweh God and His Son Jesus, our Messiah, and of fellow humanity, right now and to all eternity. Let us gladly serve all with love selflessly, for this is the will of God, the purpose for which we exist.

Make 2012 the year of service. Cheers!

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

Question: During his earthly ministry, Why didn't Jesus stop the oppressive form of slavery?

Answer: To answer this question, we must understand why Jesus came to Earth in the first place. He came down here to fulfill very specific missions in a short span of time. Simply put, he was command-oriented. That means he was set to accomplish only what he was commissioned to do by Yahweh God Almighty.

Jesus' coming was to 1) teach people about God's Kingdom, and 2) die in order to save us.

And by accomplishing his mission, he really in turn abolished slavery for good (but this won't be fulfilled until God's Kingdom is established on Earth). Once the Kingdom begins to reign, there will be no more tears, pain, or suffering. Everyone will be happy and live in peace for eternity. If Jesus hadn't come or died for humanity's sins, then this world would continue to be a sad, miserable world filled with darkness and suffering, with no hope of light. So Jesus accomplished everything and ended all evil, including slavery for the future, simply by being command-oriented. To learn what salvation is, and why specifically Jesus had to die to save us, read my article: http://tinyurl.com/ylaafno

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

Make it your New Year's resolution to study the Bible in 2012!

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.

· 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, I can e-mail you the Bible text or 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.

· This in-depth study will go through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation in order.

Want to sign up for the In-Depth Ultra-Ability Bible Virtual Class and give it a try? Then fill out the e-mail form on www.Ultra-Ability.com and I will respond to your request within three days.

Thank you, and I hope to spend 2012 with you in a worthwhile way by studying God's sacred Word!

~*~A Biblical Wisdom Nugget~*~

A man named Jacob once vowed, "If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and clothing to put on, so that I come again to my father's house in peace, and Yahweh will be my God, then this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, will be God's house. Of all that you will give me I will surely give the tenth to you." (Genesis 28:20-22, WEB)

Here, Jacob's vow actually seemed to be a bargain with God. He would worship God only on his own terms. If God blessed him, then he would worship God in response. Thus, he wanted to make sure that God would bless him before he committed himself to God.

How many of us are like Jacob, bargaining with God? "God, if you do this for me, I'll do this for you"? While God is all-merciful and patient with our weaknesses, bargaining with Him is unacceptable and we must repent if this is what we do. When we bargain with God, we're limiting Him, putting Him on the same small level as us, as if God is dependent on us somehow! Even if we could offer the world to God, what would that matter to Him who's the universe's Creator? Can we give God what He already owns? In our world, we operate by the "You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" principle. But how nonsensical to think we can scratch God's back! God operates by "pure grace." Grace is His kindness freely shown to us when we don't deserve it at all and when we can't reciprocate it.

We must understand this principle: Christianity is not about us primarily. Christianity is about God and Jesus primarily, and about us only secondarily. God is not obligated to serve us. We are obligated to serve Him and His Son.

"Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31) This should be the goal and focus of every true Christian. Thus, we should worship God unconditionally, simply because for who He is, not because we want His blessings. We should worship Him without expecting any blessing or reward in return. We must never be like Jacob, who would worship God only if God blessed him.

What are your goals as a Christian? In other words, what is your reason to be a Christian? Ask yourself this question: "Would I love God or Jesus if they do not give me benefits, blessings or good things?" Would you love God or Jesus unconditionally? This is the most important question you can ever ask yourself. Your answer will show how faithfully and sacrificially you will serve Yahweh God and Jesus.

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

Did you get this from a friend's forward and would like to subscribe? Then send a blank e-mail to subscribe@shirleycheng.com from the e-mail address you'd like to sign up under.

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!"

Sign up to Inspiration from a Blind newsletter by sending an e-mail to: subscribe@shirleycheng.com


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

Who Is Yahweh (Jehovah) God Almighty? Who is Jesus Christ? How about the Holy Spirit?

Who is God? Who is Jesus Christ? And how about the Holy Spirit? The entire Bible clearly supplies all the information we need in order to know about them, so here, I will briefly answer these basic and fundamental questions using the Bible, God's final written authority for us.

Why is knowing about God important? Accurate knowledge about Him 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": "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." (Genesis 2:24, NIV) 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, protect them by the power of your name--the name you gave me--so that they may be one as we are one." (John 17:11) Please also carefully read John 17:20-26, which says:

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be 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: 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.

The concept of "oneness" runs throughout the New Testament, so it is very important to grasp this concept and understand it fully in order to understand the entire Bible.

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, WEB)

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)

Jesus tell us to call God "Our Father" in our prayers. (Matthew 6:9)

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, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" (John 20:17, NIV)

And after he was back at his Father's side in heaven, Jesus continues to call God "my God," as in: "Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name." (Revelation 3:12)

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)

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 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, NIV; 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! "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." (John 17:3, NIV)

Note that in his prayer to God, Jesus said, "...that they may know you, the only true God." The "you" here refers to Yahweh. So Jesus specifically and exclusively identified his Father as "the only true God." 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 only his Father is God.

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)

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 "Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations." (Isaiah 42:1, NIV) Jesus is God's servant. Would God call Himself "my servant"? Yahweh calls Jesus His "servant" because He is greater than Jesus.

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 and today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8, NIV)

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

"Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made." (John 1:3, NIV)

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

"For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by 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 "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 will but to do the will of him who sent me. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall 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 "seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." (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" (Yeshua) 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, WEB) (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 bring God's gift of salvation to the children of God and co-heirs of Jesus. Jesus will be our King for one thousand years.

After Jesus' millennium 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!

Is Jesus an angel? No, for the Bible says, "For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, This day have I begotten thee? and again, I will be to him a Father, And he shall be to me a Son?" (Hebrews 1:5)

Jesus, as the Bible plainly says, is the Son of God. Remember, God calls Jesus "my Son," and Jesus calls God, "my Father." The Bible added 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)

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is Yahweh's active force, His creative power, which He uses to perform any and all tasks. For example, He used the Holy Spirit to impregnate the virgin Mary 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: "...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!

(All Bible quotations are from the American Standard Version of 1901 unless otherwise indicated.)

For other basic facts about the Bible, visit "Bible FAQs" at http://www.shirleycheng.com

Dr. Shirley Cheng (b. 1983) is a blind and physically disabled award-winning author with twenty-seven book awards, proclaimer of Yahweh God's good news of salvation through Jesus Christ, Bible teacher, founder of Ultra-Ability.com Ministry, summa cum laude graduate with Doctor of Divinity, motivational speaker, poet; and author of nine books (including "Do You Love Jehovah?"), contributor to twenty-five, and an editor of one. Shirley has had severe juvenile rheumatoid arthritis since infancy. Owing to years of hospitalization, she received no education until age eleven. Back then, she knew only her ABCs and very simple English; other than that, her book knowledge was non-existent. However, after only about 180 days of special education in elementary school, she mastered grade level and entered a regular sixth grade class in middle school. Unfortunately, Shirley lost her eyesight at the age of seventeen. After a successful eye surgery, she hopes to earn multiple science doctorates from Harvard University. http://www.ShirleyCheng.com

Do you have questions about the Bible? Something you don't understand? Do you need a bit of guidance in developing a relationship with Yahweh? Then Shirley would like to help you! Please contact her via her site at http://www.shirleycheng.com and she would be more than glad to do her best to answer your questions! Never hesitate to ask questions, for no question about the Bible is ever too small or stupid.