Happy September to you from Inspiration from a Blind brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com!
Do you live a life that is pleasing and acceptable to Yahweh God? Do you know how you can do so?
Yahweh told His people, "You shall be holy; for I Yahweh your God am holy." (Leviticus 19:2, WEB) If you profess to be His, then your lifestyle has to mirror or reflect your relationship with your Creator.
You may have a strong desire to please your Heavenly Father, yet do not know exactly how. For example, you may not know whether certain things or activities you do conform to God's laws or principles.
So how can we determine which things are acceptable to God and which are not? We can by studying the Word of God.
Since the Bible is the book that Yahweh wrote to guide us in living a holy life that conforms to His will, then it should be the primary source we should go to for answers. If you are considering an activity or a place to visit, see whether the Bible approves or disapproves it. If the Bible clearly states that a particular activity is forbidden, then we should restrain from doing it. For example, Yahweh forbids His people to worship Him using objects that were used in false religions. Today, many Christians erect the Christmas tree, but from my research (if the information I read is accurate), I learned that Christmas trees originated from the Asherah poles, poles or trees that ancient pagans erected or planted in the worship of the false goddess Astarte. If this is so, then many Christians are displeasing God when they erect Christmas trees in the observance of the birth of God's Son, Jesus Christ.
While the Bible is clear on certain activities God forbids, we do need to dig into the Scriptures for many things in order to determine whether they are acceptable to God. For instance, the Bible does not explicitly tell us whether gambling is wrong, so we need to study the entire Word of God to gather any relevant principles to help us make the right decision.
Thus, to dig into the Scriptures, we need to know about "precepts" and "principles" and understand their differences in order to correctly determine the course of action.
A law or rule has two components: the precept and the principle. A precept is the specific statement of law. An example precept from the Bible is: "You shall not muzzle the ox when he treads out the grain." (Deuteronomy 25:4)
A principle is the underlying meaning or purpose of the precept. It offers us the reason why the precept should be obeyed. For example, the principle for the above precept is: A worker deserves his pay.
God's precepts change through time based on the change of cultures. However, His principles never change. For example, the precept regarding the ox was given to the ancient Israelites based on the culture they had; many of them were farmers and owned livestock. But for the modern United States, this precept is not applicable to many because an average American does not own oxen. Despite this, God's underlying principle behind this precept is still applicable for an average American today: a worker deserves to be paid. Therefore, we should operate in accordance with this principle by paying all our employees appropriately.
This is why it is important for us to study God's Word and the laws God gave His people. By studying His laws, we can discover the principles behind His laws, so we can apply them to our lives today.
When we understand God's principles, not just know His precepts, this will help us determine how to live a life that's pleasing to Him. Let's take pornography as an example. The Bible does not specifically say, "Do not watch porn." In other words, there's no specific precept against it. However, there are relevant principles that let us know that porn is a sin. One such principle is that even lusting after someone in your heart is considered adultery in the sight of God (Matthew 5:28). Thus, we can know that watching pornography is forbidden by God.
When the Bible does not give a clear guidance on a particular activity, it does provide us general principles to help us in our decision-making process. Below are some such principles, with example scenarios to which these principles can be applied:
1) What we do should glorify God: The apostle Paul said, "Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31) Our purpose for existence is to love, serve, and glorify God (Ecclesiastes 12:13). If we fail to glorify God through our words, thoughts, and deeds, we are wasting our lives entirely. If an activity does not directly glorify God, it should not profane Him in the least, either.
Scenario: Should you participate in Halloween? Well, if you have your kids dress up as demons and witches, do you think you would be glorifying God? Would it not rather glorify Satan?
2) We should do things with the right motive: Even good works done with the wrong motive is unacceptable, such as praying for the wrong reasons: "You ask, and don't receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it for your pleasures." (James 4:3)
Scenario: If you donate to your church--that's great. But what is your motive? To help your church to spread the Gospel and feed the hungry, or to receive praise from fellow church goers? If you see a homeless beggar on the street with no one around, would you give him money as eagerly as you would to your church?
3) We need to focus on doing meaningful, necessary activities that benefit others and ourselves: Since our time is short, we should not waste it on doing unnecessary things that serve no purpose, even if those things do not violate any of God's laws. Paul said, "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but not all things build up." (1 Corinthians 10:23)
Scenario: Watching television can be entertaining as well as educational and informative. But how much time do you spend sitting in front of a TV set? How much benefit do you receive during the time you watch TV? Could you have done something more productive for yourself and others during such time?
4) We should never compromise on God's commandments: The apostle James said, "You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." (James 4:4) As God's Christians, we are to be the salt and light of the world to shine the light of Christ on others; we are in the world, but not of the world. This means that even though we live in the world, we should not act like it by living ungodly lifestyles.
Scenario: If you are invited by your friends to an all-night party to "get wild and drunk," would you go, knowing Yahweh does not approve of drunkenness? If you go and say, "It's only for one night. What's the harm?" then you would be making compromises. Such compromise with the world does not please Yahweh.
5) We should consider how our action would affect others: We should never do things that make our brothers and sisters stumble or sin against God (Romans 14:21). If our sinful lifestyle negatively influences others to commit sins, then we would be sinning against others and God and would be fully accountable for our actions. Note what Jesus said: "It is inevitable that temptations to sin will come, but how terrible it will be for the person through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin." (Luke 17:1-2, International Standard Version) So we ought to set a good example after which people can model.
Scenario: If you tell your friends that you are a Christian, and yet live a lifestyle that is filled with ungodly compromises, what kind of message would you be sending out to your friends? Would you not misrepresent the Christian faith, and worst of all, God and Jesus? Would you not be a bad example to others? Your lifestyle would convey this message: "Being a Christian doesn't make you any different than others. You can do all you want, and God will still love you for it." If your friends adopt your "Christian" lifestyle, you would cause them to sin against God and live in self-deceit, and you yourself would have to face God someday for leading others into sin.
6) We should treat others the way we want to be treated: This golden rule of Jesus Christ is phrased by God as "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Leviticus 19:18, WEB) Loving others as we love ourselves fulfills the second most important commandment. The first greatest commandment is to love God with our entire selves (Mark 12:29-30).
Scenario: If you are attracted to a married person, would you act upon your feelings to commit adultery with that person? To help you decide, ask yourself, "Would I want my spouse to sleep with someone else?" If you do not like this idea, then do not make others sin against their own spouse.
By living in accordance with such Biblical principles and any specific precepts, we will be able to live lives that please our Father in heaven. We will be the people Yahweh wants us to be: blameless, without reproach, and holy. Then and only then will our lifestyle reflect our relationship with God as His people. So pick up a copy of the Bible to begin doing the will of God, today!
~*~Q&A with Dr. Shirley~*~
Question: Does the Bible teach us that our soul is a separate, conscious entity with a mind of its own, and that it would live on after our death?
Answer: To answer your question, we need to understand the meaning of the Hebrew word "nephesh," from which "soul" is translated in the Old Testament. Let's see a few verses in the creation account that contain "nephesh" to understand its meaning. I'll put "nephesh" in brackets to the right of a word to indicate that it's the original word used:
1) "God created the large sea creatures, and every living creature [nephesh] that moves, with which the waters swarmed, after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind." (Genesis 1:21, WEB)
2) "God said, 'Let the earth produce living creatures [nephesh] after their kind, livestock, creeping things, and animals of the earth after their kind'; and it was so." (Genesis 1:24)
3) "Yahweh God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul [nephesh]." (Genesis 2:7)
From the above, we see that "creature" and "soul" are translated from "nephesh." Sea creatures, land creatures, and humans are all called "nephesh." Hence, "nephesh" (or "soul") means "living creature." A goldfish is a soul, and so is a little boy. So we can correctly say, "The poor soul died" when our beloved pet passed away. Hence, by this definition, our soul is not a separate entity with a mind of its own. We ourselves are souls. In this sense, our souls die when we die.
However, "nephesh" also refers to "life" in the Bible. For example, in Genesis 35:18, it speaks of Rachel's nephesh (life) departing, as she was dying due to her troubled childbirth. In this sense, nephesh departs when we die. By this definition, our soul is somewhat a separate entity, but is merely our life or life essence, not something that has a mind of its own.
The Greek word, "psuche," is translated into "soul" in the New Testament. "Psuche" means living creature, one's life, life essence, and the spiritual part of our being where our emotions lay. In actuality, the Greek Septuagint (the first Greek translation of the Old Testament and one that the apostle Paul used) uses the word "psuche" to translate "nephesh." Hence, "nephesh" and "psuche" have primarily the same meanings.
The Bible does not support the common belief about souls. For instance, many of us believe that after we die, our "souls" come out of our bodies, float around the room, and can feel emotions and see our weeping loved ones. But the Bible simply does not support this. The Bible does not tell us that our nephesh has a mind of its own or is a conscious entity that can think and that lives on after we die.
In conclusion, it is correct to say that our souls die when we die, because "soul" ("nephesh") means "living creature." It is also correct to say that our "soul" ("nephesh" or "psuche") departs when we die (but not literally "live" on), depending on the context. However, "nephesh" or "psuche" is never explained by the Bible as a conscious being. Therefore, when we die, our thoughts cease, and we do not know anything. This is why the Bible sometimes calls death "sleep."
Like a deep sleep, all the dead will be resurrected (will "wake up"); the righteous unto eternal life, and the wicked unto eternal death (John 5:28-29; Daniel 12:2). Hence, death is not the end of our existence if we are righteous followers of Christ and of Yahweh--only a long sleep. We will be like a seed that lies dormant in the soil during winter and "comes to life" in spring. When Jesus returns, all the righteous will be resurrected and be given eternal life with him and Yahweh! This is the hope that the apostle Paul urged all believers to hold on to (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). So let us never lose hope of this!
If you have any question you would like answered in a future issue of my newsletter, just reply to this e-mail and ask! I'd be more than happy to feature it. :)
~*~Dr. Shirley's Corner~*~
Would you like to know your Creator, understand your origin, and fulfill your purpose? Do you desire to obtain true, enduring wealth, happiness, and wisdom? Then embark on your path to wisdom by learning about your Creator and His will from His Word, the Bible, and apply His principles to your life, as the fear of Yahweh God is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10).
Obtain an in-depth knowledge of the Holy Scriptures (both the Tanakh and the Greek Scriptures) to help you deepen your understanding of Yahweh God Almighty and His plans, and develop a sacred relationship with your Heavenly Father. In the In-Depth Ultra-Ability Bible Virtual Class via E-mail from www.Ultra-Ability.com Ministry, you'll be able to learn the Bible in depth from Genesis to Revelation. Sign up for the free virtual class by filling out the short form at www.ultra-ability.com.
· 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 your Bible teacher, Dr. Shirley Cheng,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, Shirley 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.
To sign up for the online class, please go to http://www.ultra-ability.com
Thank you!
May the grace and peace from Yahweh God and Jesus Christ be with you.!
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Best regards,
Dr. Shirley Cheng
Award-Winning Author with 27 Book Awards
Founder of Ultra-Ability Ministry
Proclaimer of Yahweh God's Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ
Author/Contributor/Editor of 35 books by age 27, Bible Teacher, Poet, Motivational Speaker, Self-Empowerment Expert, Advocate
Board member of World Positive Thinkers Club
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Sunday, September 1, 2013
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Inspiration from a Blind: Did George Zimmerman's Case Conform to God's Justice?
A blessed August to you from Inspiration from a Blind brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com!
Are you just? Justice is one of the fundamental virtues of Yahweh. If you claim God as your Father, then how much are you like Him? To live up the title as a child of God, you will need to reflect His qualities, among which is justice.
Here, we will study some of the principles and ordinances Yahweh has laid out in His justice system. I will use the recent emotionally charged trial of George Zimmerman as an example to illustrate how we can apply God's justice principles to our judicial system as well as to our daily life.
To acquaint yourself with the Zimmerman case, do a search on the net. The gist of the story is: Last year on a rainy night, George Zimmerman, 28, a neighborhood watch volunteer, spotted someone walking in his gated community, acting suspiciously in his opinion. In those days, there had been break-ins in the community where the burglars were primarily African American males. Thinking that this African American man might be one of the burglars, Zimmerman followed him on foot, despite being advised to stay put by a 911 dispatcher. But this "man" was no burglar but a 17-year-old boy named Trayvon Martin who was returning from buying a bag of candy. According to Zimmerman, after he verbally confronted Martin, Martin attacked him, repeatedly punching him in the face and smashing his head against a concrete sidewalk. Zimmerman then reached to his gun and fatally shot Martin. Zimmerman claimed the killing was in self-defense, but the prosecution team claimed it was second-degree murder, for which he was charged. On July 13, the jury found Zimmerman "not guilty" of all charges. Here, we will briefly study this case in light of God's justice system.
The fundamental principles and ordinances in Yahweh's justice system are:
1) Firm evidence is required to charge and convict a person of a crime
In order to justly charge and convict someone of any crime, firm evidence is required to undeniably prove the guilt of the criminal. Under the Mosaic covenant, Yahweh required that a case be established by at least two eye witnesses to the crime (Deuteronomy 19:15). This meant if only one person witnessed a murder being committed, this sole witness' testimony would not be sufficient to charge the murderer. This ordinance helped to prevent the conviction of an innocent person.
Today, with our technological advances, it is often not necessary to have actual eye witnesses to a crime to prove a crime was committed. For example, we have video cameras that can capture an actual murder as it's being committed, as well as fingerprints and DNA to confirm the murderer's identity.
So to establish a case, we need firm evidences, whether they be actual eye witnesses or video cameras, for example, or both. This is where the prosecution team in Zimmerman's case faltered: they had no eye witness to prove that Zimmerman murdered Martin, and any circumstantial evidences they presented were more speculative than actual. In other words, they had no real evidence to charge Zimmerman of second-degree murder.
Now, how do we apply God's principle to our daily life where evidence is required to charge and convict a person? Most of us will never be involved in actual court cases, yet this principle is still applicable in everyday matters. Two ways we can apply this principle to our lives are to:
a) Confirm what we hear or what we see before believing in it or before we pass it to others. If we pass on to others whatever we hear without verifying the facts with reliable sources, that make us gossipers who spread rumors.
b) Give others the benefit of doubt. If someone accuses of your friend of wrongdoing, first ask your friend about the matter before getting upset at your friend. Hear your friend's side of the story and investigate the matter before drawing a conclusion.
2) Speak the truth
God is a God of truth who never lies, and He desires us to be people of our word. We are to speak the truth, especially when we testify at a court trial. Yahweh does not excuse those who bear false witness against others.
Under the Mosaic covenant, to prevent perjury (the deliberate giving of false testimony under oath), the false witness was severely punished. Specifically, the false witness would receive the penalty they intended for the one they falsely accuse (Deuteronomy 19:16-19).
Let's take Zimmerman's case as an example. Zimmerman was charged with second-degree murder, which carries a sentence of twenty-five years to life in prison. If a witness falsely testified in his trial and was found out by the judge, then that false witness should receive the penalty of a second-degree murder: twenty-five years to life in prison. If our government punishes false witnesses in accordance with God's laws, just imagine how many innocent people would have been spared of false accusation and a wrongful conviction.
If we claim to be sons and daughters of Yahweh, then we must be honest folks, say what we mean and mean what we say. If we are ever called to the witness stand, we have to tell nothing but the truth to the best of our ability. If we are unsure of something, then we should not claim it to be the truth.
3) Side with the truth, even if it puts you in opposition to the majority
God's Word commands, "You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; neither shall you testify in court to side with a multitude to pervert justice." (Exodus 23:2) What this ordinance means is that we should not side with the crowd when the majority is wrong. If we side with the crowd simply to be counted among the majority even though the majority is wrong, then we would pervert justice.
We should always side with the truth, even if it means that we are the only ones standing on the side of truth. We are to side with the truth even when others around us pressure us to be on their side. This takes a lot of courage, indeed. But isn't the truth worth it?
In Zimmerman's trial, the six-member jury sided with the truth, even when their verdict went against the opinion and belief of many. They were courageous to choose to stand on the truth's minority side. The truth was: Zimmerman could not be convicted of murder when there was no evidence to prove that he committed murder beyond a reasonable doubt, while the strongest circumstantial evidences support his claim of self-defense.
One juror believes in her heart that Zimmerman got away with murder but she had to acquit him because there's no evidence to convict him. The feelings of our hearts cannot be trusted, as "the heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9) This is why we need evidence, not emotions, to convict the right person.
4) Deliver justice to everyone, regardless of any such factors as their social status, race, or gender
Yahweh loves righteousness and justice, which are the foundation of His throne (Psalm 33:5, 89:14). Justice is fairness, and the truthful administration of what each person deserves without partiality or prejudice, whether it be at one's home, workplace, or at the court of law.
In a criminal case, justice has to be served to and by all parties involved. The prosecution has to identify the right suspect to the best of their ability and provide enough solid evidences to establish their case and charge the suspect. They should not target a suspect because of their race, age, or social status. For instance, if tragedy struck between a white man and a black man, we should not automatically assume that a crime has been committed. If a crime was indeed committed, we should not instantly assume that race was a factor or the only factor that led to the crime.
Many, if not most, believe that Zimmerman murdered Martin because Martin was African American. In other words, they claim that Zimmerman (who is Hispanic) is racist and thus targeted Martin in hatred. But what is their evidence? Zimmerman's defense team pointed out that quite contrary to the public's claim, Zimmerman mentored to African American boys, and his girlfriend and prom date in high school was an African American girl. He also openly spoke out against the police to seek justice for a homeless African American man who was physically assaulted by a white youth, the son of a police lieutenant. He went into black churches to gain supporters to get the perpetrator charged. If you ask me, these are circumstantial evidences to prove Zimmerman is not a racist.
Outside the court, we should all treat others equally. We should not stereotype a person because of their race or gender or age. For instance, if we hear of trouble at work, we should not automatically think, "That black guy must have done it," or "A woman couldn't have done it." The fact is that any person of any race, gender, or background can commit any crime.
5) Do not convict the innocent
Yahweh says, "Keep far from a false charge, and don't kill the innocent and righteous: for I will not justify the wicked." (Exodus 23:7) God does not approve of convicting the innocent or acquitting the guilty, and neither should we, if we call Him our Father.
However, from the fact that Yahweh required His people to have at least two witnesses to establish a case, we see that the sin of convicting an innocent person is more serious than the sin of acquitting (or failing to convict) the guilty. In other words, it's better to acquit the guilty rather than convict an innocent person if we cannot have evidence to support our case. To make certain we convict the right person, we need evidences to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the guilt of the suspect. If we do not have enough evidences to convict a person, then we should not do so, even if that person is guilty.
In Zimmerman's case, he was rightly acquitted by the jury of all charges because the prosecutors failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Zimmerman was guilty of second-degree murder, or even manslaughter under Florida law.
Outside the courtroom in everyday matters, we should avoid "convicting" the wrong person as well. To do so, we must not draw hasty conclusions before gathering all the facts. If someone tells you that your friend is backbiting you, don't convict your friend. Ask them first. If you don't want to confront them, then don't convict them, either. If something is missing from your home, don't convict anyone of stealing it. You may have misplaced the item. If it were indeed stolen, then investigate first before confronting or convicting anyone without evidence. It all boils down to evidence.
6) Your judgment will be measured to you
If you know that you would be judged the way you wrongly judge others, would you still hastily draw conclusions in condemning others? If you would be condemned by the rash words you utter, would you still speak without thinking?
Indeed, we will be held accountable for any wrongful judgment we make about others and for any rash words we speak. Note what Jesus said:
"Don't judge, so that you won't be judged. For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you." (Matthew 7:1-2)
"I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." (Matthew 12:36-37)
Are you absolutely certain, beyond a reasonable doubt, that George Zimmerman murdered Trayvon Martin in hatred? Can you bet with your own life that Zimmerman is guilty of murder?
The jury could not, so they pronounced this lawful verdict: Not guilty.
Evidence: this is the bottom line. If you have no undeniable proof to convict anyone, whether it be Zimmerman or your next door neighbor, then your judgment will return on your own head when Jesus Christ returns to judge all of humanity.
7) Ultimate justice lies in Yahweh's hands
If you feel that our justice system is a failure where justice has not been delivered on behalf of all victims, here's good news for you: Yahweh will bring to light every deed of humanity, good or bad, done openly or in secrecy, and will deliver the perfect judgment for all cases. No one will escape the final judgment of God. If any person sins against a fellow human being and is not justly dealt with in this lifetime, rest assured that Yahweh will deliver full justice on behalf of any and all victims. We may fail at justice, but God will not. Ultimate judgment lies in His hands. This is a great hope of all justice-seekers that we must always hold on to!
Since final judgment lies in the hands of our almighty Creator, then we should not feel defeated when we or anyone we know have been wronged and not received justice due us. In the meantime, as we wait for the day of God's justice, it is our duty right now to conform to God's justice as best we can, whether it be in the courtroom, at home, at work, or with our friends at play. We are to be just to everyone in our dealings, speak the truth and side with it, and not hastily draw conclusions regarding any person without evidence lest we commit the sin of convicting an innocent person.
Now, the concluding question regarding the Zimmerman case in light of God's justice principles is: Did George Zimmerman's case conform to God's justice? No and yes. No, because the prosecutors charged Zimmerman without having evidences to support their claim. Due to a lack of evidence, there shouldn't have been a case in the first place. However, the case concluded in accordance with God's ordinance. Under the law of God and of humanity, people are innocent until proven guilty. Zimmerman was not proven guilty, so he remains innocent. The jury therefore rightly acquitted him of all charges, and we should respect and accept their judgment.
~*~Q&A with Dr. Shirley~*~
Question: Why did the jury acquit George Zimmerman of second-degree murder and the lesser crime of manslaughter?
Answer: Simply because there is no evidence to prove that Zimmerman committed second-degree murder or manslaughter. Under Florida law, the prosecution has to prove that the suspect killed another due to hatred or spite. The prosecution for the Zimmerman trial failed to do so. They had no real evidence for a conviction of any of the crimes they charged Zimmerman of, and any circumstantial evidences they presented in the trial were weak.
For example, one circumstantial evidence the prosecution presented during the trial was the profanity George uttered on the night of the shooting, which was generally directed toward the burglars who have gotten away. The prosecution claimed that such profanity proved that Zimmerman had hatred in his heart, a cause that made him murder Martin, a boy he had never before met. But is this "evidence" more speculative than factual? As we all know, profanity is rampant nowadays. Friends curse one another to their faces. Even children use the f-word to curse their parents. Does this mean that when people curse others using profanity that they hate others with the intent to murder?
On the other hand, the strongest and most important circumstantial evidences support Zimmerman's claim of self-defense. A few of such circumstantial evidences are:
a) Zimmerman sustained bodily injuries, while Martin's body had no wounds (apart from the bullet wound). This supports Zimmerman's claim that Martin physically assaulted him and that he responded in self-defense when he shot Martin.
Imagine you hear someone screaming for help. You run in the direction of the screams and found two men: one has injuries to his head, while the other was physically unharmed. Who was likely screaming for help?
In the 911 call recordings (pieces of circumstantial evidence), screams for help were heard in the background. Who had better reason to call for help--Zimmerman, with a broken nose and a bleeding head, or Martin, with no injuries?
b) Martin's knees were soaked while Zimmerman's backside was wetter than his front side. Sanford police officer Tim Smith, the first officer on the scene of the shooting, testified at trial that Zimmerman's jacket was wetter on the back than the front, and that the back was also covered in grass. On the other hand, the pants of Martin were heavily stained and muddy on the areas of the knee and shin. All this supports Zimmerman's claim that he was lying face up on the wet ground while Martin straddled him during the physical assault. This also supported at least one witness' testimony of seeing Martin assaulting Zimmerman while mounted on top of him.
c) Vincent Di Maio, a forensic pathologist and a gunshot wound expert, testified at the trial where he explained that his medical findings support Zimmerman's claims that a) Martin was on top of him, leaning toward him when he fired the fatal shot, b) Martin punched him in the face several times, and c) Martin repeatedly bashed his head against a concrete sidewalk, as the cuts and bumps on the back of his head were consistent with his claim. Di Maio testified that such repeated blows to the head can be fatal.
Thus, Zimmerman could have reasonably feared for his life and thereby justified in acting in self-defense.
Question: If Zimmerman is not racist, then why did he eye Martin and follow him as if he were a suspect?
Answer: In the days leading up to the tragic shooting of Martin, Zimmerman had reported several break-ins in his community to the police. The burglars were primarily young African American males. It so happened that Martin, too, was a young African American male. This was why Zimmerman became suspicious of him and followed him. Now, if the burglars were all Chinese men, then it would be a different story.
Imagine you have a vegetable garden. One night you saw a raccoon eating your plump tomatoes. You go out and chased it away. From now onward, you may eye every raccoon you see with suspicion, even when it is likely not the same raccoon that dined at your garden.
We have a tendency to suspect others of the same characteristics with the ones who have offended us in some way. When we suspect someone of something, every innocent gesture of theirs seems suspicious to us. This is among the unflattering traits of humanity. But then, some suspicion is healthy and helpful at times. For example, if a child in your community was kidnapped and the kidnapper was described as a bald white male, you might eye every bald white man you come across, and you might just catch the bad guy!
Hence, Zimmerman tailed Martin simply because he so happened to match the characteristics of the then-recent burglars who so happened to be primarily African American men. Other than this, there's no evidence to prove that Zimmerman is racist.
Question: What lessons should we learn from the account of Martin and Zimmerman?
Answer: I think we can learn at least three lessons from the tragedy:
a) Do not put yourself in a situation that you are not ordered to or have the capability to handle. If Zimmerman had listened to the dispatcher's advice to stay put, the tragedy would have been avoided.
b) We should not involve our emotions in judging a case. Our emotions can and do cloud our judgment. Rather, we should just focus on any evidence on hand. Only evidence can prove a case. Emotions do not, and will only get in our way.
c) We should not jump to conclusions without facts and evidences to support our claim. Would you want others to charge you with something when they do not have any proof to back it up but only had a "feeling" that you did it? If not, then do not do it to others. As Jesus said, "Whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets." (Matthew 7:12, WEB)
On a side note that you may find interesting: Four days after his acquittal, Zimmerman with a another man saved the lives of four people--two adults and two children--by rescuing them out of an overturned SUV that was catching fire by the time police arrived. Zimmerman also put out the fire with a fire extinguisher he so happened to have with him. The rescue site is less than a mile from the shooting of Martin. Will we dare stand on the side of truth and call Zimmerman a hero?
~*~Dr. Shirley's Corner~*~
Former CNN anchor Sharon Frame featured me in her latest book, "LeadHERship! Own It! Love it! Learn it! Give it!"
Are you caught up in life's "rat race" and adrift of your true purpose? Perhaps it's time to set a better sail. Sharon Frame's new and insightful book "LeadHERship" reveals the riveting life-stories of women who quit their empty, meaningless lives, or bucked the system to chart a new, more heart-centered course to happiness.
One woman went from homeless to being a millionaire in no time! Another gave up her corporate job to go island-hopping and then moved to Tuscany, Italy, to live her dreams on a vineyard!
Through their daring moves, heart-aches and set-backs they discovered the four anchors of living a full life: Own it! Love It! Learn It! Give it!
In LeadHERship, we find women redefining wealth, health and happiness on their terms; with grace and authenticity. It points the way on how you can too.
This book is bound to help you "Lead Your Ship" and live with more clarity, confidence and conviction.
Grab a copy at: http://sharonframeleadhershipbook.launchrock.com
May the grace and peace from Yahweh God and Jesus Christ be with you.!
Content Copyright by Dr. Shirley Cheng; All rights reserved
You are permitted to only give out or link to this website or post; all other distribution and copying is prohibited without the prior written permission of Dr. Shirley Cheng. Contact Shirley at www.shirleycheng.com
Would you like to receive Inspiration from a Blind via e-mail monthly? Then sign up at http://www.shirleycheng.com/contact.html
Read previous issues of Inspiration from a Blind at blog.shirleycheng.com
Best regards,
Dr. Shirley Cheng
Award-Winning Author with 27 Book Awards
Founder of Ultra-Ability Ministry
Proclaimer of Yahweh God's Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ
Author/Contributor/Editor of 35 books by age 27, Bible Teacher, Poet, Motivational Speaker, Self-Empowerment Expert, Advocate
Board member of World Positive Thinkers Club
http://www.shirleycheng.com
"Although I'm blind, I can see far and wide; even though I'm disabled, I can climb high mountains. Let the ropes of hope in Yahweh God haul you high!"
Please sign the Parental Rights in Children's Medical Care: Give Parents the Right to Say No Petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/parentr7/petition.html
Are you just? Justice is one of the fundamental virtues of Yahweh. If you claim God as your Father, then how much are you like Him? To live up the title as a child of God, you will need to reflect His qualities, among which is justice.
Here, we will study some of the principles and ordinances Yahweh has laid out in His justice system. I will use the recent emotionally charged trial of George Zimmerman as an example to illustrate how we can apply God's justice principles to our judicial system as well as to our daily life.
To acquaint yourself with the Zimmerman case, do a search on the net. The gist of the story is: Last year on a rainy night, George Zimmerman, 28, a neighborhood watch volunteer, spotted someone walking in his gated community, acting suspiciously in his opinion. In those days, there had been break-ins in the community where the burglars were primarily African American males. Thinking that this African American man might be one of the burglars, Zimmerman followed him on foot, despite being advised to stay put by a 911 dispatcher. But this "man" was no burglar but a 17-year-old boy named Trayvon Martin who was returning from buying a bag of candy. According to Zimmerman, after he verbally confronted Martin, Martin attacked him, repeatedly punching him in the face and smashing his head against a concrete sidewalk. Zimmerman then reached to his gun and fatally shot Martin. Zimmerman claimed the killing was in self-defense, but the prosecution team claimed it was second-degree murder, for which he was charged. On July 13, the jury found Zimmerman "not guilty" of all charges. Here, we will briefly study this case in light of God's justice system.
The fundamental principles and ordinances in Yahweh's justice system are:
1) Firm evidence is required to charge and convict a person of a crime
In order to justly charge and convict someone of any crime, firm evidence is required to undeniably prove the guilt of the criminal. Under the Mosaic covenant, Yahweh required that a case be established by at least two eye witnesses to the crime (Deuteronomy 19:15). This meant if only one person witnessed a murder being committed, this sole witness' testimony would not be sufficient to charge the murderer. This ordinance helped to prevent the conviction of an innocent person.
Today, with our technological advances, it is often not necessary to have actual eye witnesses to a crime to prove a crime was committed. For example, we have video cameras that can capture an actual murder as it's being committed, as well as fingerprints and DNA to confirm the murderer's identity.
So to establish a case, we need firm evidences, whether they be actual eye witnesses or video cameras, for example, or both. This is where the prosecution team in Zimmerman's case faltered: they had no eye witness to prove that Zimmerman murdered Martin, and any circumstantial evidences they presented were more speculative than actual. In other words, they had no real evidence to charge Zimmerman of second-degree murder.
Now, how do we apply God's principle to our daily life where evidence is required to charge and convict a person? Most of us will never be involved in actual court cases, yet this principle is still applicable in everyday matters. Two ways we can apply this principle to our lives are to:
a) Confirm what we hear or what we see before believing in it or before we pass it to others. If we pass on to others whatever we hear without verifying the facts with reliable sources, that make us gossipers who spread rumors.
b) Give others the benefit of doubt. If someone accuses of your friend of wrongdoing, first ask your friend about the matter before getting upset at your friend. Hear your friend's side of the story and investigate the matter before drawing a conclusion.
2) Speak the truth
God is a God of truth who never lies, and He desires us to be people of our word. We are to speak the truth, especially when we testify at a court trial. Yahweh does not excuse those who bear false witness against others.
Under the Mosaic covenant, to prevent perjury (the deliberate giving of false testimony under oath), the false witness was severely punished. Specifically, the false witness would receive the penalty they intended for the one they falsely accuse (Deuteronomy 19:16-19).
Let's take Zimmerman's case as an example. Zimmerman was charged with second-degree murder, which carries a sentence of twenty-five years to life in prison. If a witness falsely testified in his trial and was found out by the judge, then that false witness should receive the penalty of a second-degree murder: twenty-five years to life in prison. If our government punishes false witnesses in accordance with God's laws, just imagine how many innocent people would have been spared of false accusation and a wrongful conviction.
If we claim to be sons and daughters of Yahweh, then we must be honest folks, say what we mean and mean what we say. If we are ever called to the witness stand, we have to tell nothing but the truth to the best of our ability. If we are unsure of something, then we should not claim it to be the truth.
3) Side with the truth, even if it puts you in opposition to the majority
God's Word commands, "You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; neither shall you testify in court to side with a multitude to pervert justice." (Exodus 23:2) What this ordinance means is that we should not side with the crowd when the majority is wrong. If we side with the crowd simply to be counted among the majority even though the majority is wrong, then we would pervert justice.
We should always side with the truth, even if it means that we are the only ones standing on the side of truth. We are to side with the truth even when others around us pressure us to be on their side. This takes a lot of courage, indeed. But isn't the truth worth it?
In Zimmerman's trial, the six-member jury sided with the truth, even when their verdict went against the opinion and belief of many. They were courageous to choose to stand on the truth's minority side. The truth was: Zimmerman could not be convicted of murder when there was no evidence to prove that he committed murder beyond a reasonable doubt, while the strongest circumstantial evidences support his claim of self-defense.
One juror believes in her heart that Zimmerman got away with murder but she had to acquit him because there's no evidence to convict him. The feelings of our hearts cannot be trusted, as "the heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9) This is why we need evidence, not emotions, to convict the right person.
4) Deliver justice to everyone, regardless of any such factors as their social status, race, or gender
Yahweh loves righteousness and justice, which are the foundation of His throne (Psalm 33:5, 89:14). Justice is fairness, and the truthful administration of what each person deserves without partiality or prejudice, whether it be at one's home, workplace, or at the court of law.
In a criminal case, justice has to be served to and by all parties involved. The prosecution has to identify the right suspect to the best of their ability and provide enough solid evidences to establish their case and charge the suspect. They should not target a suspect because of their race, age, or social status. For instance, if tragedy struck between a white man and a black man, we should not automatically assume that a crime has been committed. If a crime was indeed committed, we should not instantly assume that race was a factor or the only factor that led to the crime.
Many, if not most, believe that Zimmerman murdered Martin because Martin was African American. In other words, they claim that Zimmerman (who is Hispanic) is racist and thus targeted Martin in hatred. But what is their evidence? Zimmerman's defense team pointed out that quite contrary to the public's claim, Zimmerman mentored to African American boys, and his girlfriend and prom date in high school was an African American girl. He also openly spoke out against the police to seek justice for a homeless African American man who was physically assaulted by a white youth, the son of a police lieutenant. He went into black churches to gain supporters to get the perpetrator charged. If you ask me, these are circumstantial evidences to prove Zimmerman is not a racist.
Outside the court, we should all treat others equally. We should not stereotype a person because of their race or gender or age. For instance, if we hear of trouble at work, we should not automatically think, "That black guy must have done it," or "A woman couldn't have done it." The fact is that any person of any race, gender, or background can commit any crime.
5) Do not convict the innocent
Yahweh says, "Keep far from a false charge, and don't kill the innocent and righteous: for I will not justify the wicked." (Exodus 23:7) God does not approve of convicting the innocent or acquitting the guilty, and neither should we, if we call Him our Father.
However, from the fact that Yahweh required His people to have at least two witnesses to establish a case, we see that the sin of convicting an innocent person is more serious than the sin of acquitting (or failing to convict) the guilty. In other words, it's better to acquit the guilty rather than convict an innocent person if we cannot have evidence to support our case. To make certain we convict the right person, we need evidences to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the guilt of the suspect. If we do not have enough evidences to convict a person, then we should not do so, even if that person is guilty.
In Zimmerman's case, he was rightly acquitted by the jury of all charges because the prosecutors failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Zimmerman was guilty of second-degree murder, or even manslaughter under Florida law.
Outside the courtroom in everyday matters, we should avoid "convicting" the wrong person as well. To do so, we must not draw hasty conclusions before gathering all the facts. If someone tells you that your friend is backbiting you, don't convict your friend. Ask them first. If you don't want to confront them, then don't convict them, either. If something is missing from your home, don't convict anyone of stealing it. You may have misplaced the item. If it were indeed stolen, then investigate first before confronting or convicting anyone without evidence. It all boils down to evidence.
6) Your judgment will be measured to you
If you know that you would be judged the way you wrongly judge others, would you still hastily draw conclusions in condemning others? If you would be condemned by the rash words you utter, would you still speak without thinking?
Indeed, we will be held accountable for any wrongful judgment we make about others and for any rash words we speak. Note what Jesus said:
"Don't judge, so that you won't be judged. For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you." (Matthew 7:1-2)
"I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." (Matthew 12:36-37)
Are you absolutely certain, beyond a reasonable doubt, that George Zimmerman murdered Trayvon Martin in hatred? Can you bet with your own life that Zimmerman is guilty of murder?
The jury could not, so they pronounced this lawful verdict: Not guilty.
Evidence: this is the bottom line. If you have no undeniable proof to convict anyone, whether it be Zimmerman or your next door neighbor, then your judgment will return on your own head when Jesus Christ returns to judge all of humanity.
7) Ultimate justice lies in Yahweh's hands
If you feel that our justice system is a failure where justice has not been delivered on behalf of all victims, here's good news for you: Yahweh will bring to light every deed of humanity, good or bad, done openly or in secrecy, and will deliver the perfect judgment for all cases. No one will escape the final judgment of God. If any person sins against a fellow human being and is not justly dealt with in this lifetime, rest assured that Yahweh will deliver full justice on behalf of any and all victims. We may fail at justice, but God will not. Ultimate judgment lies in His hands. This is a great hope of all justice-seekers that we must always hold on to!
Since final judgment lies in the hands of our almighty Creator, then we should not feel defeated when we or anyone we know have been wronged and not received justice due us. In the meantime, as we wait for the day of God's justice, it is our duty right now to conform to God's justice as best we can, whether it be in the courtroom, at home, at work, or with our friends at play. We are to be just to everyone in our dealings, speak the truth and side with it, and not hastily draw conclusions regarding any person without evidence lest we commit the sin of convicting an innocent person.
Now, the concluding question regarding the Zimmerman case in light of God's justice principles is: Did George Zimmerman's case conform to God's justice? No and yes. No, because the prosecutors charged Zimmerman without having evidences to support their claim. Due to a lack of evidence, there shouldn't have been a case in the first place. However, the case concluded in accordance with God's ordinance. Under the law of God and of humanity, people are innocent until proven guilty. Zimmerman was not proven guilty, so he remains innocent. The jury therefore rightly acquitted him of all charges, and we should respect and accept their judgment.
~*~Q&A with Dr. Shirley~*~
Question: Why did the jury acquit George Zimmerman of second-degree murder and the lesser crime of manslaughter?
Answer: Simply because there is no evidence to prove that Zimmerman committed second-degree murder or manslaughter. Under Florida law, the prosecution has to prove that the suspect killed another due to hatred or spite. The prosecution for the Zimmerman trial failed to do so. They had no real evidence for a conviction of any of the crimes they charged Zimmerman of, and any circumstantial evidences they presented in the trial were weak.
For example, one circumstantial evidence the prosecution presented during the trial was the profanity George uttered on the night of the shooting, which was generally directed toward the burglars who have gotten away. The prosecution claimed that such profanity proved that Zimmerman had hatred in his heart, a cause that made him murder Martin, a boy he had never before met. But is this "evidence" more speculative than factual? As we all know, profanity is rampant nowadays. Friends curse one another to their faces. Even children use the f-word to curse their parents. Does this mean that when people curse others using profanity that they hate others with the intent to murder?
On the other hand, the strongest and most important circumstantial evidences support Zimmerman's claim of self-defense. A few of such circumstantial evidences are:
a) Zimmerman sustained bodily injuries, while Martin's body had no wounds (apart from the bullet wound). This supports Zimmerman's claim that Martin physically assaulted him and that he responded in self-defense when he shot Martin.
Imagine you hear someone screaming for help. You run in the direction of the screams and found two men: one has injuries to his head, while the other was physically unharmed. Who was likely screaming for help?
In the 911 call recordings (pieces of circumstantial evidence), screams for help were heard in the background. Who had better reason to call for help--Zimmerman, with a broken nose and a bleeding head, or Martin, with no injuries?
b) Martin's knees were soaked while Zimmerman's backside was wetter than his front side. Sanford police officer Tim Smith, the first officer on the scene of the shooting, testified at trial that Zimmerman's jacket was wetter on the back than the front, and that the back was also covered in grass. On the other hand, the pants of Martin were heavily stained and muddy on the areas of the knee and shin. All this supports Zimmerman's claim that he was lying face up on the wet ground while Martin straddled him during the physical assault. This also supported at least one witness' testimony of seeing Martin assaulting Zimmerman while mounted on top of him.
c) Vincent Di Maio, a forensic pathologist and a gunshot wound expert, testified at the trial where he explained that his medical findings support Zimmerman's claims that a) Martin was on top of him, leaning toward him when he fired the fatal shot, b) Martin punched him in the face several times, and c) Martin repeatedly bashed his head against a concrete sidewalk, as the cuts and bumps on the back of his head were consistent with his claim. Di Maio testified that such repeated blows to the head can be fatal.
Thus, Zimmerman could have reasonably feared for his life and thereby justified in acting in self-defense.
Question: If Zimmerman is not racist, then why did he eye Martin and follow him as if he were a suspect?
Answer: In the days leading up to the tragic shooting of Martin, Zimmerman had reported several break-ins in his community to the police. The burglars were primarily young African American males. It so happened that Martin, too, was a young African American male. This was why Zimmerman became suspicious of him and followed him. Now, if the burglars were all Chinese men, then it would be a different story.
Imagine you have a vegetable garden. One night you saw a raccoon eating your plump tomatoes. You go out and chased it away. From now onward, you may eye every raccoon you see with suspicion, even when it is likely not the same raccoon that dined at your garden.
We have a tendency to suspect others of the same characteristics with the ones who have offended us in some way. When we suspect someone of something, every innocent gesture of theirs seems suspicious to us. This is among the unflattering traits of humanity. But then, some suspicion is healthy and helpful at times. For example, if a child in your community was kidnapped and the kidnapper was described as a bald white male, you might eye every bald white man you come across, and you might just catch the bad guy!
Hence, Zimmerman tailed Martin simply because he so happened to match the characteristics of the then-recent burglars who so happened to be primarily African American men. Other than this, there's no evidence to prove that Zimmerman is racist.
Question: What lessons should we learn from the account of Martin and Zimmerman?
Answer: I think we can learn at least three lessons from the tragedy:
a) Do not put yourself in a situation that you are not ordered to or have the capability to handle. If Zimmerman had listened to the dispatcher's advice to stay put, the tragedy would have been avoided.
b) We should not involve our emotions in judging a case. Our emotions can and do cloud our judgment. Rather, we should just focus on any evidence on hand. Only evidence can prove a case. Emotions do not, and will only get in our way.
c) We should not jump to conclusions without facts and evidences to support our claim. Would you want others to charge you with something when they do not have any proof to back it up but only had a "feeling" that you did it? If not, then do not do it to others. As Jesus said, "Whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets." (Matthew 7:12, WEB)
On a side note that you may find interesting: Four days after his acquittal, Zimmerman with a another man saved the lives of four people--two adults and two children--by rescuing them out of an overturned SUV that was catching fire by the time police arrived. Zimmerman also put out the fire with a fire extinguisher he so happened to have with him. The rescue site is less than a mile from the shooting of Martin. Will we dare stand on the side of truth and call Zimmerman a hero?
~*~Dr. Shirley's Corner~*~
Former CNN anchor Sharon Frame featured me in her latest book, "LeadHERship! Own It! Love it! Learn it! Give it!"
Are you caught up in life's "rat race" and adrift of your true purpose? Perhaps it's time to set a better sail. Sharon Frame's new and insightful book "LeadHERship" reveals the riveting life-stories of women who quit their empty, meaningless lives, or bucked the system to chart a new, more heart-centered course to happiness.
One woman went from homeless to being a millionaire in no time! Another gave up her corporate job to go island-hopping and then moved to Tuscany, Italy, to live her dreams on a vineyard!
Through their daring moves, heart-aches and set-backs they discovered the four anchors of living a full life: Own it! Love It! Learn It! Give it!
In LeadHERship, we find women redefining wealth, health and happiness on their terms; with grace and authenticity. It points the way on how you can too.
This book is bound to help you "Lead Your Ship" and live with more clarity, confidence and conviction.
Grab a copy at: http://sharonframeleadhershipbook.launchrock.com
May the grace and peace from Yahweh God and Jesus Christ be with you.!
Content Copyright by Dr. Shirley Cheng; All rights reserved
You are permitted to only give out or link to this website or post; all other distribution and copying is prohibited without the prior written permission of Dr. Shirley Cheng. Contact Shirley at www.shirleycheng.com
Would you like to receive Inspiration from a Blind via e-mail monthly? Then sign up at http://www.shirleycheng.com/contact.html
Read previous issues of Inspiration from a Blind at blog.shirleycheng.com
Best regards,
Dr. Shirley Cheng
Award-Winning Author with 27 Book Awards
Founder of Ultra-Ability Ministry
Proclaimer of Yahweh God's Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ
Author/Contributor/Editor of 35 books by age 27, Bible Teacher, Poet, Motivational Speaker, Self-Empowerment Expert, Advocate
Board member of World Positive Thinkers Club
http://www.shirleycheng.com
"Although I'm blind, I can see far and wide; even though I'm disabled, I can climb high mountains. Let the ropes of hope in Yahweh God haul you high!"
Please sign the Parental Rights in Children's Medical Care: Give Parents the Right to Say No Petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/parentr7/petition.html
Monday, July 1, 2013
Inspiration from a Blind: Want to Be Better Learners?
Happy July to you from Inspiration from a Blind brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com!
Are you a good learner? Life is about growing--physically, mentally, and spiritually--but in order to grow properly, one needs to be a good learner.
The Word of God provides us with valuable tips and principles that will help us be better learners in life. Here are some principles I've gathered from the Bible to assist us in our learning experience:
1. Fear Yahweh God, for it's the beginning of wisdom:
When you reverence and love your Creator, you will come to love His creations, for "whoever loves the Father also loves the child who is born of him." (1 John 5:1, WEB) Love for His creations will then open up your heart to learn from them valuable lessons of life. Love for Yahweh is the channel that opens all paths to wisdom, as the "fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." (Proverbs 9:10, WEB)
2. Seize every opportunity to learn:
Grab every chance you have to learn a new subject or take up a new hobby, for if you wait for the "perfect moment" or the "right opportunity," it may never come, and consequently your dreams will remain unfulfilled, as "farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest." (Ecclesiastes 11:4, NLT) Life is full of surprises and uncertainties; it is foolish to wait for the "perfect condition" to go after your dreams. So if you want to embark on a new learning experience and you have the means to, then do it today. Do not wait.
3. Be receptive to constructive criticism:
If you love correction, you love knowledge (Proverbs 12:1). To receive and learn from constructive criticism is wisdom, for you'll gain better understanding: "The ear that listens to reproof lives, and will be at home among the wise. He who refuses correction despises his own soul, but he who listens to reproof gets understanding." (Proverbs 15:31-32, WEB) Likewise, correct others for their own benefit, and the wise will be wiser and the learned more knowledgeable. In this, you shall be a good teacher, as "better is open rebuke than hidden love." (Proverbs 27:5, WEB)
4. Take lessons from nature:
From God's beautiful creations, learn to be: diligent in storing up for the future as the ants, driven and hardworking as the bees, and devoted as a pair of loons. Diligence, a driven will, and devotion are the keys to a good learner, as "in all hard work there is profit." (Proverbs 14:23, WEB) Be devoted to working hard in finding, soaking and storing up wisdom and knowledge for future use, for whoever finds wisdom "finds life, and will obtain favor from Yahweh." (Proverbs 8:35, WEB)
5. Be swift to hear, slow to speak (James 1:19):
Among the first steps in attaining wisdom is to listen. To soak up knowledge, carefully listen to instruction with attentive ears without interrupting, for "whoever despises instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command will be rewarded." (Proverbs 13:13, WEB)
6. Embrace humility to accept and absorb knowledge:
Pride holds us back from listening to the instruction, advice, and suggestions of others. Only humility will allow you to receive instruction and consider suggestions with an open heart, and that will lead you to wisdom, for the "way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who is wise listens to counsel." (Proverbs 12:15, WEB)
7. Realize and acknowledge the value of knowledge and understanding:
If you understand and acknowledge that "wisdom is better than rubies" and "all the things that may be desired can't be compared to it," then you will be motivated and empowered to seek after "instruction rather than silver; knowledge rather than choice gold." (Proverbs 8:10-11, WEB)
8. Learn from your mistakes:
Failure is not the result of our mistakes; failure is the outcome when we have failed to learn from our mistakes. To improve your walk in life, learn from your past to see how you can do things differently to attain better results. If you fail to learn from your mistakes, you will be stuck in the same place without any progress, like "a washed pig [returning] to the mud." (2 Peter 2:22, NLT)
9. Learn from the aged:
There is wisdom and insight in age and experience, as the Chinese proverb says, "The older the ginger, the hotter the spice." Do not hesitate to seek the counsel of your parent, grandparent, or a trusted older friend, for their experience in life may provide you with the insights you need. Remember, "where there is no counsel, plans fail; but in a multitude of counselors they are established." (Proverbs 15:22, WEB)
10. Apply your knowledge to your life:
What good is your knowledge if you do not apply it to your life? Application of your knowledge is "learning through experience." Obtaining knowledge is merely the beginning of learning, not something at which you should stop. Rather, go for the fruit of learning: lifelong application of knowledge. For instance, he who merely hears the Word of God but is not a doer of it is "like a man looking at his natural face in a mirror; for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of freedom, and continues, not being a hearer who forgets, but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in what he does." (James 1:23-25, WEB)
11. Be prudent and careful not to trust everything you hear or see:
As the Bible says, "A simple man believes everything, but the prudent man carefully considers his ways," be careful to double check everything you hear to make sure it is the truth or factual before believing it and spreading it to others (Proverbs 14:15, WEB).
12. Learn from the wise
Choose your company with care. Befriend those who are wise and learned to gain their understanding, as "one who walks with wise men grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." (Proverbs 13:20, WEB)
13. Last but not least, follow the guidance of your Maker:
Who has more knowledge on how a product should be used, the product itself, the user of the product, or the maker of the product? Naturally, the maker. Since Yahweh is our Creator, wouldn't you agree that He knows what is best for us? Therefore, "trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don't lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Don't be wise in your own eyes." (Proverbs 3:5-7, WEB)
When we apply these principles and tips to our lives, we will grow and prosper "like a tree planted by the streams of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also does not wither." (Psalm 1:3)
~*~Q& A with Dr. Shirley~*~
Question: What is the cause of sickness in the world?
Answer: Sickness is caused by sin. Individual sickness and diseases, such as blindness or the common cold, are usually not caused by your personal sins. For example, if you are blind, it does not mean that it is due to your own sins or even the sins of your parents (John 9:1-3). But it is due to sin in general.
In the beginning, when Yahweh first created humanity, sin was not in the world, as the two humans had not committed any sins (violations against God's laws). God gave them one law, and told them the penalty for violation of that law was death. Hence, when they broke that law, they were penalized with death. Since then, death has been the penalty for sin.
After the first pair of humans sinned, all their offspring down to us have inherited their sin nature, which became corrupt after they broke God's first law. Since all people are sinners, all people die. And since our bodies die, our bodies are therefore naturally not immune to sickness or diseases.
This is why all sickness in the world is caused by sin, but not necessarily by your own sins. We grow old, get sick, and die because death is the penalty for sin. We all die because we are all sinners due to our sin nature.
Indeed, it's a sad condition we are in. However, we will not be in such a condition forever. Anyone who puts faith in Jesus Christ will be resurrected unto eternal life with a perfectly healthy body! This is the hope all faithful Christians hold. Is this your hope? If not, why not make this your hope by trusting in Jesus for your salvation today?
May the grace and peace from Yahweh God and Jesus Christ be with you.!
Content Copyright by Dr. Shirley Cheng; All rights reserved
You are permitted to only give out or link to this website or post; all other distribution and copying is prohibited without the prior written permission of Dr. Shirley Cheng. Contact Shirley at www.shirleycheng.com
Would you like to receive Inspiration from a Blind via e-mail monthly? Then sign up at http://www.shirleycheng.com/contact.html
Read previous issues of Inspiration from a Blind at blog.shirleycheng.com
Best regards,
Dr. Shirley Cheng
Award-Winning Author with 27 Book Awards
Founder of Ultra-Ability Ministry
Proclaimer of Yahweh God's Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ
Author/Contributor/Editor of 35 books by age 27, Bible Teacher, Poet, Motivational Speaker, Self-Empowerment Expert, Advocate
Board member of World Positive Thinkers Club
http://www.shirleycheng.com
"Although I'm blind, I can see far and wide; even though I'm disabled, I can climb high mountains. Let the ropes of hope in Yahweh God haul you high!"
Are you a good learner? Life is about growing--physically, mentally, and spiritually--but in order to grow properly, one needs to be a good learner.
The Word of God provides us with valuable tips and principles that will help us be better learners in life. Here are some principles I've gathered from the Bible to assist us in our learning experience:
1. Fear Yahweh God, for it's the beginning of wisdom:
When you reverence and love your Creator, you will come to love His creations, for "whoever loves the Father also loves the child who is born of him." (1 John 5:1, WEB) Love for His creations will then open up your heart to learn from them valuable lessons of life. Love for Yahweh is the channel that opens all paths to wisdom, as the "fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." (Proverbs 9:10, WEB)
2. Seize every opportunity to learn:
Grab every chance you have to learn a new subject or take up a new hobby, for if you wait for the "perfect moment" or the "right opportunity," it may never come, and consequently your dreams will remain unfulfilled, as "farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest." (Ecclesiastes 11:4, NLT) Life is full of surprises and uncertainties; it is foolish to wait for the "perfect condition" to go after your dreams. So if you want to embark on a new learning experience and you have the means to, then do it today. Do not wait.
3. Be receptive to constructive criticism:
4. Take lessons from nature:
From God's beautiful creations, learn to be: diligent in storing up for the future as the ants, driven and hardworking as the bees, and devoted as a pair of loons. Diligence, a driven will, and devotion are the keys to a good learner, as "in all hard work there is profit." (Proverbs 14:23, WEB) Be devoted to working hard in finding, soaking and storing up wisdom and knowledge for future use, for whoever finds wisdom "finds life, and will obtain favor from Yahweh." (Proverbs 8:35, WEB)
5. Be swift to hear, slow to speak (James 1:19):
Among the first steps in attaining wisdom is to listen. To soak up knowledge, carefully listen to instruction with attentive ears without interrupting, for "whoever despises instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command will be rewarded." (Proverbs 13:13, WEB)
6. Embrace humility to accept and absorb knowledge:
Pride holds us back from listening to the instruction, advice, and suggestions of others. Only humility will allow you to receive instruction and consider suggestions with an open heart, and that will lead you to wisdom, for the "way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who is wise listens to counsel." (Proverbs 12:15, WEB)
7. Realize and acknowledge the value of knowledge and understanding:
8. Learn from your mistakes:
Failure is not the result of our mistakes; failure is the outcome when we have failed to learn from our mistakes. To improve your walk in life, learn from your past to see how you can do things differently to attain better results. If you fail to learn from your mistakes, you will be stuck in the same place without any progress, like "a washed pig [returning] to the mud." (2 Peter 2:22, NLT)
9. Learn from the aged:
There is wisdom and insight in age and experience, as the Chinese proverb says, "The older the ginger, the hotter the spice." Do not hesitate to seek the counsel of your parent, grandparent, or a trusted older friend, for their experience in life may provide you with the insights you need. Remember, "where there is no counsel, plans fail; but in a multitude of counselors they are established." (Proverbs 15:22, WEB)
10. Apply your knowledge to your life:
What good is your knowledge if you do not apply it to your life? Application of your knowledge is "learning through experience." Obtaining knowledge is merely the beginning of learning, not something at which you should stop. Rather, go for the fruit of learning: lifelong application of knowledge. For instance, he who merely hears the Word of God but is not a doer of it is "like a man looking at his natural face in a mirror; for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of freedom, and continues, not being a hearer who forgets, but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in what he does." (James 1:23-25, WEB)
11. Be prudent and careful not to trust everything you hear or see:
As the Bible says, "A simple man believes everything, but the prudent man carefully considers his ways," be careful to double check everything you hear to make sure it is the truth or factual before believing it and spreading it to others (Proverbs 14:15, WEB).
12. Learn from the wise
Choose your company with care. Befriend those who are wise and learned to gain their understanding, as "one who walks with wise men grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." (Proverbs 13:20, WEB)
13. Last but not least, follow the guidance of your Maker:
Who has more knowledge on how a product should be used, the product itself, the user of the product, or the maker of the product? Naturally, the maker. Since Yahweh is our Creator, wouldn't you agree that He knows what is best for us? Therefore, "trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don't lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Don't be wise in your own eyes." (Proverbs 3:5-7, WEB)
~*~Q& A with Dr. Shirley~*~
Question: What is the cause of sickness in the world?
Answer: Sickness is caused by sin. Individual sickness and diseases, such as blindness or the common cold, are usually not caused by your personal sins. For example, if you are blind, it does not mean that it is due to your own sins or even the sins of your parents (John 9:1-3). But it is due to sin in general.
In the beginning, when Yahweh first created humanity, sin was not in the world, as the two humans had not committed any sins (violations against God's laws). God gave them one law, and told them the penalty for violation of that law was death. Hence, when they broke that law, they were penalized with death. Since then, death has been the penalty for sin.
After the first pair of humans sinned, all their offspring down to us have inherited their sin nature, which became corrupt after they broke God's first law. Since all people are sinners, all people die. And since our bodies die, our bodies are therefore naturally not immune to sickness or diseases.
This is why all sickness in the world is caused by sin, but not necessarily by your own sins. We grow old, get sick, and die because death is the penalty for sin. We all die because we are all sinners due to our sin nature.
Indeed, it's a sad condition we are in. However, we will not be in such a condition forever. Anyone who puts faith in Jesus Christ will be resurrected unto eternal life with a perfectly healthy body! This is the hope all faithful Christians hold. Is this your hope? If not, why not make this your hope by trusting in Jesus for your salvation today?
May the grace and peace from Yahweh God and Jesus Christ be with you.!
Content Copyright by Dr. Shirley Cheng; All rights reserved
You are permitted to only give out or link to this website or post; all other distribution and copying is prohibited without the prior written permission of Dr. Shirley Cheng. Contact Shirley at www.shirleycheng.com
Would you like to receive Inspiration from a Blind via e-mail monthly? Then sign up at http://www.shirleycheng.com/contact.html
Read previous issues of Inspiration from a Blind at blog.shirleycheng.com
Best regards,
Dr. Shirley Cheng
Award-Winning Author with 27 Book Awards
Founder of Ultra-Ability Ministry
Proclaimer of Yahweh God's Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ
Author/Contributor/Editor of 35 books by age 27, Bible Teacher, Poet, Motivational Speaker, Self-Empowerment Expert, Advocate
Board member of World Positive Thinkers Club
http://www.shirleycheng.com
"Although I'm blind, I can see far and wide; even though I'm disabled, I can climb high mountains. Let the ropes of hope in Yahweh God haul you high!"
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Inspiration from a Blind: What's the Idol in Your Heart?
A sunny June to you from Inspiration from a Blind brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com!
Do you have an idol in your heart? Now, before you say no, let us define idolatry and see what it means today.
In ancient times, idolatry was the worship of idols or the use of idols to represent the "gods" people believed in. Such idols were carved images in various forms made of stones and wood, and the rich folks touted silver and golden ones. Idolatry was practiced by many ancient cultures, by both the worshippers of the only true God, Yahweh, and worshippers of false gods.
Yahweh forbade His people, Israel, to practice idolatry. They were not to worship any idols of other "gods," nor to represent Him by any image. Since Yahweh is an invisible Spirit whom no person has ever seen, we cannot possibly use any kind of image to adequately represent Him. Moreover, to worship an idol that represents Him would put us in the place of the creator and God in the place of the created creature.
Today, people generally do not worship idols or use idols to represent Yahweh. Yet, many of us are guilty of idolatry. We commit the underlying sins of idolatry: a) redefining God and then worshipping what we have redefined, and b) holding people or things in higher esteem than Yahweh.
While we do not carve actual, physical idols to represent Yahweh, we do create "spiritual idols" by redefining who God is and how He should behave. When we redefine Yahweh and think of Him other than what He has revealed to us about Himself in His Word, we create spiritual idols in our hearts to represent Him. This is idolatry of today.
Other idols in our hearts may be people or things, or even our own selves, that we value more than we value God. Such idols could be our family or friends, our job, or our reputation.
Do you or anyone you know commit the following forms of idolatry?
a) Judging the actions of Yahweh
Have you ever said, "If I were God, I would do so and so, or not do so and so"? Personally, I've heard, "If I were God, I would have prevented terrible things from happening to people, like the kidnapping of the three Cleveland, Ohio girls who had been locked up, raped, and beaten for a decade."
But the thing is: you are not God. When we question Yahweh's actions, we are redefining how God should behave or act. When we say how God should act, we are judging Him according to our own moral standards and limited knowledge. We are using our own morality as the measuring stick to judge God.
Does an ant have the right to use their own moral standards as a measuring stick to judge us? If not, then how much less right do we, the created creature, have in judging God, the Creator, and using our own sinful morality of all standards? This is among the worst kinds of idolatry we commit against Yahweh today: judging how He should behave according to our own limited morality, understanding, and knowledge.
b) Focusing only on the attributes of Yahweh we like and disregarding the rest
Which qualities of Yahweh have you heard people constantly emphasize, without mentioning the others? Do they not include love, grace, and mercy? But are these attributes the only ones that Yahweh possesses? Is He not the God of wrath, judgment, justice, and righteousness, as well?
Many of us just like to think of Yahweh as a loving God who loves every person unconditionally, and that He will forgive the worst sinners down to every last person. At the same time, we ignore the fact that Yahweh is also a God of justice. Due to His justice, He will pour out His wrath on unrepentant sinners, who will be severely judged in the future. Simply put, we recreate God by focusing on only the attributes we prefer and ignoring the attributes that we find unfavorable in our own eyes. This is another form of spiritual idolatry that we are committing.
c) Switching Yahweh with Jesus Christ
Do you believe that Yahweh is Jesus Christ or Jesus Christ is Yahweh? If so, you would believe that it was Yahweh who came to Earth and was crucified for our sins. You would also believe that Jesus was the God who gave the Mosaic Law to Israel, including the "ten commandments."
However, the Bible clearly identifies Yahweh and Jesus as separate Beings, each with their own unique will and roles to play. Yahweh God is the Father, while Jesus is the Son, subordinate to the Father. Yahweh calls Jesus "my servant," while Jesus calls Yahweh "my God." Would God call Himself (or anyone else for that matter) "my God?" If He would, then "His God" is higher than He--so how could God be God? But the truth is that Yahweh is the most supreme Being in the universe, "the only true God," as Jesus said (John 17:3), while Jesus is His Son. "Father" and "son" are never the same person.
The worst kind of idolatry is switching the identity of Yahweh with Jesus Christ or saying that Yahweh and Jesus are one and the same. This is also the number one idolatry that most churches are committing today. To make it easier to confuse Yahweh with Jesus, church leaders have altogether removed the name "Yahweh" from their vocabulary, so every time they mention God, they either leave Him nameless or call Him "Jesus." But this grave sin falls heaviest on the shoulders of the translators of our modern English Bible versions for replacing all nearly-7000 instances of God's name with the generic title of "Lord" and "God." Yes, whenever you come across "Lord" in the Old Testament, know that ninety-nine percent of the time it was originally "YHWH," from which we get "Yahweh" and the English transliteration of "Jehovah."
How would you feel if you were the president of a country and you send an ambassador to represent you but people call him by your name and treat him as the president instead? So how do you think God would feel when we worship his servant, Jesus, in place of Him?
Yahweh said, "I am Yahweh. That is my name. I will not give my glory to another,
nor my praise to engraved images." (Isaiah 42:8, WEB)
Yet, we have given His glory to His Son. This has become our biggest spiritual engraved image in our heart, which we must cast away.
A while back, I introduced to you the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; to refresh your memory of their unique attributes, positions, and responsibilities, read the archived newsletter issue at:
http://drshirleycheng.blogspot.com/2013/04/inspiration-from-blind-prepare-to-meet.html
d) Worshipping other than Yahweh
If your family or friends encourage or order you to do something that is against Yahweh's will, whom will you heed, them or God? If you witness a loved one committing a crime, would you do the right thing in accordance with God's will by reporting it to the police, or would you keep quiet as a silent accomplice? In your life, what is your goal: to please those around you, yourself, or your Creator? What is your dream: to make lots of money in order to retire in luxury or spend your time to serve God by serving humanity?
If you choose anyone or anything above God, then you are committing spiritual idolatry. Yahweh should sit on the topmost shelf in our hearts. But many of us have shoved Him to the bottom drawer, underneath all the junks in our lives. We pull Him out only when we need His help--if we can even remember Him at all. And once we got what we wanted from Him, we shove Him back under our rubbish.
Is this how we should worship our Creator? Are we not rather worshipping ourselves, others, and other things in our lives?
So my friend, do you have an idol in your heart? Will you submit to Yahweh's sovereignty and will and praise all of His holy attributes, or will you recreate Him and worship your own creation? Will you love Yahweh with all your heart, mind, and strength, or will you love yourself more?
Any idol you set up in your heart is a stumbling block. It prevents you from having a fulfilling relationship with your Creator. It offers only a false sense of security, where you feel that you are worshipping the true God and will receive His blessing when in fact the opposite is true.
Only when you surrender yourself wholly to Yahweh with all the attributes He has revealed to us and set Him on the number one spot in your heart will you be able to serve Him properly. The question is: will you?
~*~Q&A with Dr. Shirley~*~
Question: What's the point in telling God our desires when they are not according to His will and therefore He will not answer our prayer?
Answer: Yahweh wants an open communication with us where we share with him our desires even if they are not according to His will. We may not get what we ask for, but our reason for telling Him our desires is not to have Him fulfill our desires, but to simply share with Him.
Let's think about it: when you speak with your friends and tell them your problems, do you expect them to be your problem-solvers? If not, then why do we tell our friends our problems since they couldn't really help us? We tell them simply because they are our friends and we need to share our hearts with them. Likewise, one reason we pray to God should simply be for the sake of sharing, as between friends. We shouldn't go to God only when we expect Him to help us. We should go to God in prayers for all reasons and for "no good reason." We should share our joy and our sorrow with Him. He's a Friend who's always there to listen to us. We shouldn't just view Yahweh as our Problem-Solver, but a true Best Friend. This will motivate us to pray to Him, and for the right reasons.
We need to study Jesus' short prayer to his Father before his arrest and execution. He prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; nevertheless, not what I desire, but what you desire." (Matthew 26:39) Here, Jesus wished that he would not have to suffer what he was about to suffer, and made his desire known to his Father. However, he yielded to his Father's desire (will). If God didn't want Jesus to avoid his suffering, then Jesus would accept his Father's will, not his will. Likewise, we can tell our Father what we desire, but still say, "But let your will be done, not mine, if my desire contradicts yours."
~*~Dr. Shirley's Corner~*~
For a limited time only, the Kindle edition of my book, "Do You Love Jehovah? God Almighty's Infinite Love & Wisdom to Propel You to Greatness" is available on Amazon for only $2.99, down from $6.99! If you don't have a Kindle--no problem, Amazon has free Kindle Apps so you can read any Kindle ebooks on your smartphone, tablet, and computer. So grab an electronic copy of "Do You Love Jehovah?" at:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009VNMZ46
On that page, you have the option to give the book as a gift, where the ebook will be delivered to the recipient. Father's Day is coming up; why not give your Dad a book that will introduce to him the Source of true wealth and joy: Yahweh?
More about the book...
Ever wondered where you came from and where you will go? Is your life more than the cradle and grave? Your origin, purpose, and future do not have to be enigmas. "Do You Love Jehovah?" the inspirational Christian book by blind and physically disabled author Shirley Cheng, will help you discover your purpose and gently direct your way to align with the most sacred will: that of your Life-Giver, Jehovah (Yahweh).
Besides answering life's colossal questions, "Do You Love Jehovah?" clears up some of the most commonly misunderstood teachings about the Bible, such as:
• Who is God? Who is Jesus Christ? How about the Holy Spirit?
• What happens after we die? Do we have an immortal soul?
• Since Jesus died for us, does that mean we will automatically enter the Kingdom of God?
• Are we predestined?
• Why does God allow suffering and wickedness?
• What will happen to the wicked? Will they burn for eternity in hell?
"...this book deserves to sit on the shelf next to the Bible...Shirley has all of the properties, emotions, logic and spiritual being that (Jehovah) was hoping to instill in each one of us. Shirley may be in a wheelchair, but has walked the universe. She may be blind but see's the true color and beauty in the world..." -Jan Hayner, Professional Organizer, Motivational Speaker and Personal Coach
"(Shirley) could preach a sermon with the best of the 18th century preachers." -Laura Evans, United Methodist Church Pastor’s Wife, Certified Instructor
"In poetic prose Shirley describes the nature of God and the character of Christ with clarity, emotion, and passion. She boldly addresses traditional church doctrine giving her own personal insight and interpretation logically, using a common sense analysis. In a concise, yet complete, Bible summary, Cheng covers important events and a review of the important themes of the entire Bible from Genesis through Revelation." -Dr. Richard R. Blake, Former Instructor at Bay Cities Bible College
"Do You Love Jehovah? is well worth considering for Christian readers." -Midwest Book Review
"Do You Love Jehovah?" has garnered seven book awards, including:
Gold – Mom’s Choice Awards – Spirituality/Religion
Finalist – 2010 International Book Awards – Christian Inspirational
Finalist – National Best Books 2009 Awards – Christianity
Finalist – National Indie Excellence 2010 Awards – Religion
Second Place – 2010 Written Art Awards – Religion/Spirituality
Honorable Mention – Reader Views 2009 Literary Awards – Religion (Eastern/Western)
Are you interested in obtaining in-depth knowledge of God's Word to help you deepen your understanding of God and His plans and develop a sacred relationship with your Heavenly Father? If so, you are more than welcome to sign up for the In-Depth Ultra-Ability Bible Virtual Class via e-mail.
· You will study the Bible in depth from Genesis to Revelation in order.
· The study will progress in your own pace.
· You will work one-on-one with me via e-mail only.
· Your personal Bible-related questions will be answered.
· Although the virtual class has no financial cost, it will require your dedication and diligence. There will be lessons to complete and tests to take for all Bible chapters. All assignments are in short question and answer format.
· The only textbook for this program is the Bible. If you do not have a copy of the Bible, you can read it online for free at www.BibleGateway.com.
· The class is non-denominational and is not affiliated with any church or ministry.
· You have no obligations; you may pause or stop anytime, though you are strongly encouraged to complete the study.
Interested? Then fill out the form at http://www.ultra-ability.com and we'll get started. I look forward to our study time together!
May the grace and peace from Yahweh God and Jesus Christ be with you.!
Content Copyright by Dr. Shirley Cheng; All rights reserved
You are permitted to only give out or link to this website or post; all other distribution and copying is prohibited without the prior written permission of Dr. Shirley Cheng. Contact Shirley at www.shirleycheng.com
Would you like to receive Inspiration from a Blind via e-mail monthly? Then sign up at http://www.shirleycheng.com/contact.html
Read previous issues of Inspiration from a Blind at blog.shirleycheng.com
Best regards,
Dr. Shirley Cheng
Award-Winning Author with 27 Book Awards
Founder of Ultra-Ability Ministry
Proclaimer of Yahweh God's Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ
Author/Contributor/Editor of 35 books by age 27, Bible Teacher, Poet, Motivational Speaker, Self-Empowerment Expert, Advocate
Board member of World Positive Thinkers Club
http://www.shirleycheng.com
"Although I'm blind, I can see far and wide; even though I'm disabled, I can climb high mountains. Let the ropes of hope in Yahweh God haul you high!"
Please sign the Parental Rights in Children's Medical Care: Give Parents the Right to Say No Petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/parentr7/petition.html
Do you have an idol in your heart? Now, before you say no, let us define idolatry and see what it means today.
In ancient times, idolatry was the worship of idols or the use of idols to represent the "gods" people believed in. Such idols were carved images in various forms made of stones and wood, and the rich folks touted silver and golden ones. Idolatry was practiced by many ancient cultures, by both the worshippers of the only true God, Yahweh, and worshippers of false gods.
Yahweh forbade His people, Israel, to practice idolatry. They were not to worship any idols of other "gods," nor to represent Him by any image. Since Yahweh is an invisible Spirit whom no person has ever seen, we cannot possibly use any kind of image to adequately represent Him. Moreover, to worship an idol that represents Him would put us in the place of the creator and God in the place of the created creature.
Today, people generally do not worship idols or use idols to represent Yahweh. Yet, many of us are guilty of idolatry. We commit the underlying sins of idolatry: a) redefining God and then worshipping what we have redefined, and b) holding people or things in higher esteem than Yahweh.
While we do not carve actual, physical idols to represent Yahweh, we do create "spiritual idols" by redefining who God is and how He should behave. When we redefine Yahweh and think of Him other than what He has revealed to us about Himself in His Word, we create spiritual idols in our hearts to represent Him. This is idolatry of today.
Other idols in our hearts may be people or things, or even our own selves, that we value more than we value God. Such idols could be our family or friends, our job, or our reputation.
Do you or anyone you know commit the following forms of idolatry?
a) Judging the actions of Yahweh
Have you ever said, "If I were God, I would do so and so, or not do so and so"? Personally, I've heard, "If I were God, I would have prevented terrible things from happening to people, like the kidnapping of the three Cleveland, Ohio girls who had been locked up, raped, and beaten for a decade."
But the thing is: you are not God. When we question Yahweh's actions, we are redefining how God should behave or act. When we say how God should act, we are judging Him according to our own moral standards and limited knowledge. We are using our own morality as the measuring stick to judge God.
Does an ant have the right to use their own moral standards as a measuring stick to judge us? If not, then how much less right do we, the created creature, have in judging God, the Creator, and using our own sinful morality of all standards? This is among the worst kinds of idolatry we commit against Yahweh today: judging how He should behave according to our own limited morality, understanding, and knowledge.
b) Focusing only on the attributes of Yahweh we like and disregarding the rest
Which qualities of Yahweh have you heard people constantly emphasize, without mentioning the others? Do they not include love, grace, and mercy? But are these attributes the only ones that Yahweh possesses? Is He not the God of wrath, judgment, justice, and righteousness, as well?
Many of us just like to think of Yahweh as a loving God who loves every person unconditionally, and that He will forgive the worst sinners down to every last person. At the same time, we ignore the fact that Yahweh is also a God of justice. Due to His justice, He will pour out His wrath on unrepentant sinners, who will be severely judged in the future. Simply put, we recreate God by focusing on only the attributes we prefer and ignoring the attributes that we find unfavorable in our own eyes. This is another form of spiritual idolatry that we are committing.
c) Switching Yahweh with Jesus Christ
Do you believe that Yahweh is Jesus Christ or Jesus Christ is Yahweh? If so, you would believe that it was Yahweh who came to Earth and was crucified for our sins. You would also believe that Jesus was the God who gave the Mosaic Law to Israel, including the "ten commandments."
However, the Bible clearly identifies Yahweh and Jesus as separate Beings, each with their own unique will and roles to play. Yahweh God is the Father, while Jesus is the Son, subordinate to the Father. Yahweh calls Jesus "my servant," while Jesus calls Yahweh "my God." Would God call Himself (or anyone else for that matter) "my God?" If He would, then "His God" is higher than He--so how could God be God? But the truth is that Yahweh is the most supreme Being in the universe, "the only true God," as Jesus said (John 17:3), while Jesus is His Son. "Father" and "son" are never the same person.
The worst kind of idolatry is switching the identity of Yahweh with Jesus Christ or saying that Yahweh and Jesus are one and the same. This is also the number one idolatry that most churches are committing today. To make it easier to confuse Yahweh with Jesus, church leaders have altogether removed the name "Yahweh" from their vocabulary, so every time they mention God, they either leave Him nameless or call Him "Jesus." But this grave sin falls heaviest on the shoulders of the translators of our modern English Bible versions for replacing all nearly-7000 instances of God's name with the generic title of "Lord" and "God." Yes, whenever you come across "Lord" in the Old Testament, know that ninety-nine percent of the time it was originally "YHWH," from which we get "Yahweh" and the English transliteration of "Jehovah."
How would you feel if you were the president of a country and you send an ambassador to represent you but people call him by your name and treat him as the president instead? So how do you think God would feel when we worship his servant, Jesus, in place of Him?
nor my praise to engraved images." (Isaiah 42:8, WEB)
Yet, we have given His glory to His Son. This has become our biggest spiritual engraved image in our heart, which we must cast away.
A while back, I introduced to you the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; to refresh your memory of their unique attributes, positions, and responsibilities, read the archived newsletter issue at:
http://drshirleycheng.blogspot.com/2013/04/inspiration-from-blind-prepare-to-meet.html
d) Worshipping other than Yahweh
If your family or friends encourage or order you to do something that is against Yahweh's will, whom will you heed, them or God? If you witness a loved one committing a crime, would you do the right thing in accordance with God's will by reporting it to the police, or would you keep quiet as a silent accomplice? In your life, what is your goal: to please those around you, yourself, or your Creator? What is your dream: to make lots of money in order to retire in luxury or spend your time to serve God by serving humanity?
If you choose anyone or anything above God, then you are committing spiritual idolatry. Yahweh should sit on the topmost shelf in our hearts. But many of us have shoved Him to the bottom drawer, underneath all the junks in our lives. We pull Him out only when we need His help--if we can even remember Him at all. And once we got what we wanted from Him, we shove Him back under our rubbish.
Is this how we should worship our Creator? Are we not rather worshipping ourselves, others, and other things in our lives?
So my friend, do you have an idol in your heart? Will you submit to Yahweh's sovereignty and will and praise all of His holy attributes, or will you recreate Him and worship your own creation? Will you love Yahweh with all your heart, mind, and strength, or will you love yourself more?
Any idol you set up in your heart is a stumbling block. It prevents you from having a fulfilling relationship with your Creator. It offers only a false sense of security, where you feel that you are worshipping the true God and will receive His blessing when in fact the opposite is true.
Only when you surrender yourself wholly to Yahweh with all the attributes He has revealed to us and set Him on the number one spot in your heart will you be able to serve Him properly. The question is: will you?
~*~Q&A with Dr. Shirley~*~
Question: What's the point in telling God our desires when they are not according to His will and therefore He will not answer our prayer?
Answer: Yahweh wants an open communication with us where we share with him our desires even if they are not according to His will. We may not get what we ask for, but our reason for telling Him our desires is not to have Him fulfill our desires, but to simply share with Him.
Let's think about it: when you speak with your friends and tell them your problems, do you expect them to be your problem-solvers? If not, then why do we tell our friends our problems since they couldn't really help us? We tell them simply because they are our friends and we need to share our hearts with them. Likewise, one reason we pray to God should simply be for the sake of sharing, as between friends. We shouldn't go to God only when we expect Him to help us. We should go to God in prayers for all reasons and for "no good reason." We should share our joy and our sorrow with Him. He's a Friend who's always there to listen to us. We shouldn't just view Yahweh as our Problem-Solver, but a true Best Friend. This will motivate us to pray to Him, and for the right reasons.
We need to study Jesus' short prayer to his Father before his arrest and execution. He prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; nevertheless, not what I desire, but what you desire." (Matthew 26:39) Here, Jesus wished that he would not have to suffer what he was about to suffer, and made his desire known to his Father. However, he yielded to his Father's desire (will). If God didn't want Jesus to avoid his suffering, then Jesus would accept his Father's will, not his will. Likewise, we can tell our Father what we desire, but still say, "But let your will be done, not mine, if my desire contradicts yours."
~*~Dr. Shirley's Corner~*~
For a limited time only, the Kindle edition of my book, "Do You Love Jehovah? God Almighty's Infinite Love & Wisdom to Propel You to Greatness" is available on Amazon for only $2.99, down from $6.99! If you don't have a Kindle--no problem, Amazon has free Kindle Apps so you can read any Kindle ebooks on your smartphone, tablet, and computer. So grab an electronic copy of "Do You Love Jehovah?" at:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009VNMZ46
On that page, you have the option to give the book as a gift, where the ebook will be delivered to the recipient. Father's Day is coming up; why not give your Dad a book that will introduce to him the Source of true wealth and joy: Yahweh?
More about the book...
Ever wondered where you came from and where you will go? Is your life more than the cradle and grave? Your origin, purpose, and future do not have to be enigmas. "Do You Love Jehovah?" the inspirational Christian book by blind and physically disabled author Shirley Cheng, will help you discover your purpose and gently direct your way to align with the most sacred will: that of your Life-Giver, Jehovah (Yahweh).
Besides answering life's colossal questions, "Do You Love Jehovah?" clears up some of the most commonly misunderstood teachings about the Bible, such as:
• Who is God? Who is Jesus Christ? How about the Holy Spirit?
• What happens after we die? Do we have an immortal soul?
• Since Jesus died for us, does that mean we will automatically enter the Kingdom of God?
• Are we predestined?
• Why does God allow suffering and wickedness?
• What will happen to the wicked? Will they burn for eternity in hell?
"...this book deserves to sit on the shelf next to the Bible...Shirley has all of the properties, emotions, logic and spiritual being that (Jehovah) was hoping to instill in each one of us. Shirley may be in a wheelchair, but has walked the universe. She may be blind but see's the true color and beauty in the world..." -Jan Hayner, Professional Organizer, Motivational Speaker and Personal Coach
"(Shirley) could preach a sermon with the best of the 18th century preachers." -Laura Evans, United Methodist Church Pastor’s Wife, Certified Instructor
"In poetic prose Shirley describes the nature of God and the character of Christ with clarity, emotion, and passion. She boldly addresses traditional church doctrine giving her own personal insight and interpretation logically, using a common sense analysis. In a concise, yet complete, Bible summary, Cheng covers important events and a review of the important themes of the entire Bible from Genesis through Revelation." -Dr. Richard R. Blake, Former Instructor at Bay Cities Bible College
"Do You Love Jehovah? is well worth considering for Christian readers." -Midwest Book Review
"Do You Love Jehovah?" has garnered seven book awards, including:
Gold – Mom’s Choice Awards – Spirituality/Religion
Finalist – 2010 International Book Awards – Christian Inspirational
Finalist – National Best Books 2009 Awards – Christianity
Finalist – National Indie Excellence 2010 Awards – Religion
Second Place – 2010 Written Art Awards – Religion/Spirituality
Honorable Mention – Reader Views 2009 Literary Awards – Religion (Eastern/Western)
Are you interested in obtaining in-depth knowledge of God's Word to help you deepen your understanding of God and His plans and develop a sacred relationship with your Heavenly Father? If so, you are more than welcome to sign up for the In-Depth Ultra-Ability Bible Virtual Class via e-mail.
· You will study the Bible in depth from Genesis to Revelation in order.
· The study will progress in your own pace.
· You will work one-on-one with me via e-mail only.
· Your personal Bible-related questions will be answered.
· Although the virtual class has no financial cost, it will require your dedication and diligence. There will be lessons to complete and tests to take for all Bible chapters. All assignments are in short question and answer format.
· The only textbook for this program is the Bible. If you do not have a copy of the Bible, you can read it online for free at www.BibleGateway.com.
· The class is non-denominational and is not affiliated with any church or ministry.
· You have no obligations; you may pause or stop anytime, though you are strongly encouraged to complete the study.
Interested? Then fill out the form at http://www.ultra-ability.com and we'll get started. I look forward to our study time together!
May the grace and peace from Yahweh God and Jesus Christ be with you.!
Content Copyright by Dr. Shirley Cheng; All rights reserved
You are permitted to only give out or link to this website or post; all other distribution and copying is prohibited without the prior written permission of Dr. Shirley Cheng. Contact Shirley at www.shirleycheng.com
Would you like to receive Inspiration from a Blind via e-mail monthly? Then sign up at http://www.shirleycheng.com/contact.html
Read previous issues of Inspiration from a Blind at blog.shirleycheng.com
Best regards,
Dr. Shirley Cheng
Award-Winning Author with 27 Book Awards
Founder of Ultra-Ability Ministry
Proclaimer of Yahweh God's Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ
Author/Contributor/Editor of 35 books by age 27, Bible Teacher, Poet, Motivational Speaker, Self-Empowerment Expert, Advocate
Board member of World Positive Thinkers Club
http://www.shirleycheng.com
"Although I'm blind, I can see far and wide; even though I'm disabled, I can climb high mountains. Let the ropes of hope in Yahweh God haul you high!"
Please sign the Parental Rights in Children's Medical Care: Give Parents the Right to Say No Petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/parentr7/petition.html
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Inspiration from a Blind: Are You a Sheep or a Goat?
Happy May to you from Inspiration from a Blind brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com!
Are you a sheep or a goat? When Jesus Christ returns to Earth to judge and reign over humanity, he'll separate the "sheep" and the "goats," putting the sheep (true Christians) on his right, and the goats (false Christians) on his left.
So what I'm asking is: Are you a Christian? Do you know what actually makes you a Christian? Does going to church every Sunday, wearing a golden cross on your necklace, donating to charities, and praying to God nightly or even three times a day make you a Christian?
Let's see what makes a Christian "Christian." A Christian...
a) Believes in the only true God, Yahweh, of the Bible
The Bible, both the Old and New Testaments, is the primary source that introduces to us the all-knowing and all-powerful only true God, who has made His name known to us as YHWH in Hebrew (Biblical Hebrew has no written vowels), from which scholars produce "Yahweh," and "Jehovah" in English. Since the Bible has been proven historically accurate, scientifically sound, and prophetic, we can trust it as the Word of God, from where an accurate knowledge of God can be obtained. Therefore, if you do not believe in the God described in the Bible, but instead a "god" from a different source, then you might as well believe in Santa Claus or the tooth fairy--simply put, a god of your own imagination.
b) Believes in the Son of Yahweh God, Jesus the Christ ("Anointed One")
If you only accept Yahweh, but not His only begotten Son, Jesus the Christ, then you cannot be a Christian, as the name "Christian" implies a follower of Christ, which means the "Anointed." Even if you believe that Jesus existed and that he was a great prophet but don't believe that he is the only begotten Son of God, then you aren't a Christian, either. A true follower of Christ accepts who he is and all the works he has done for humanity.
c) Actively loves Yahweh and Jesus
So you believe in Yahweh and Jesus? Well, that's no big deal. Even the demons believe in the true God and His Son (James 2:19; Mark 3:11), but does this make them Christians?
The ultimate test whether you are a Christian is if you love God and His Son. Believing in them is the easy part; loving them is the hard part.
Moses exhorted God's people, the Israelites, "Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God; Yahweh is one: and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might." (Deuteronomy 6:4-5, WEB) Jesus confirmed this as the most important commandment of all (Mark 12:29-30).
What does loving Yahweh God really entail? How should you love Him?
In the Bible, "love" is more of action, rather than emotion. It's not about a warm, fuzzy feeling we have inside. Biblical love is doing God's will, as opposed to Biblical hatred, where you do not do God's will.
But what is doing the will of God?
Doing God's will equates with obeying His moral commandments, such as for us not to steal, not to commit adultery or fornication, not to cheat our government of our taxes due, not to dishonor our parents, and not to tell lies or spread rumors. Doing God's will is NOT performing external religious duties all the while abandoning God's moral Law. So if you go to church weekly and pray to God nightly, Yahweh will ignore your prayers and not heed the gifts or donations you give to the church. Note what Yahweh said to Israel:
"What are the multitude of your sacrifices to me?
I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams,
and the fat of fed animals.
I don't delight in the blood of bulls,
or of lambs,
or of male goats.
When you come to appear before me,
who has required this at your hand, to trample my courts?
Bring no more vain offerings.
Incense is an abomination to me;
new moons, Sabbaths, and convocations:
I can't bear with evil assemblies.
My soul hates your New Moons and your appointed feasts.
They are a burden to me.
I am weary of bearing them.
When you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you.
Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear.
Your hands are full of blood.
Wash yourselves, make yourself clean.
Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes.
Cease to do evil.
Learn to do well.
Seek justice.
Relieve the oppressed.
Judge the fatherless.
Plead for the widow." (Isaiah 1:11-17)
Israel thought that they had Yahweh's approval when they kept their worship rituals and offered Him many sacrifices and prayers, yet at the same time living a sinful lifestyle. But God was--and is never--mocked. He will not ignore our wicked deeds done outside the church building. It's only when we obey His Law will He look with favor upon our prayers and worship rituals.
When we obey Yahweh to follow His commandments, that means we love Him. When we disobey Him, that means we hate Him. That's how God judges whether we love or hate Him, not by how we feel for Him (2 John 6; Exodus 20:5-6). A Christian can "feel" love for God, but God will not see it as true love if the person fails to do His will. So it's a matter of passive love (a feeling of love) vs. active love. We should have an active love, just as we should have an active faith (trust). It's an active faith (trust) in Christ that saves us (James 2:14-26). A passive faith is the faith of demons, and is therefore fruitless (James 2:19).
Thus, if you do not do Yahweh's will despite believing in Him, it does not make you a Christian. At best, it just makes you a hypocritical one. However, if you actively do His will, then it shows that you love Him, which makes you a genuine Christian. And when you love Him, you will also love His Son, for whoever "loves the Father also loves the child who is born of him." (1 John 5:1)
d) Actively loves fellow human beings
True love for God means that we love what belongs to Him. If you say, "I love God," and hate your brother, you are a liar; for "he who doesn't love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother." (1 John 4:20-21)
So you must love fellow human beings in deeds, not just in words, and this will prove whether your love for Yahweh and Jesus is genuine, for God commanded us to love our neighbors as ourselves (Leviticus 19:18), and Jesus confirmed this as the second most important commandment of all (Mark 12:31).
Now, add up your score. Do all four points above apply to you? If so, then you are likely a Christian, though final judgment lies in Yahweh's hands through Jesus Christ, who will return to judge all the sheep and the goats.
On that day, King Jesus will say to the sheep on his right hand, "Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in. I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me."
Then the sheep will answer him, saying, "Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you a drink? When did we see you as a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you? When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?"
The King will reply, "Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." Then he will turn to those on his left hand and say, "Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you didn't give me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink; I was a stranger, and you didn't take me in; naked, and you didn't clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn't visit me."
The goats will ask, "Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn't help you?"
The King will answer, "Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you didn't do it to one of the least of these, you didn't do it to me." These goats will receive eternal punishment, while the righteous sheep eternal life. (Matthew 25:31-46)
If Jesus returns today, will you be identified as a sheep or a goat?
~*~Q&A with Dr. Shirley~*~
Question: What holds people back from obeying Yahweh?
Answer: Pride is what holds most of us back from obeying God. Many of us believe that we are smart and wise enough to make our own rules and govern our own lives; but are we really? Our modern motto is "Follow your heart!" but God's Word says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9, WEB) Look around us and see what we have done to our lives when we have followed our hearts: corruption after corruption of every kind imaginable. Did the Boston marathon bombers not follow their hearts recently? I bet they did, and actually believing in their hearts that they were doing the right thing.
The first sin of humankind, committed in the Garden of Eden, partially stemmed from pride; Adam and Eve felt they could be on their own without God, and that they were good enough--or deserved--what God did not allow them to have: the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the middle of the garden. They only focused on what they wanted, not on what God wanted, just as the apostle Paul wrote, "Those who live following their sinful selves think only about things that their sinful selves want. But those who live following the Spirit are thinking about the things the Spirit wants them to do." (Romans 8:5, NCV)
Question: How does a hypocritical Christian impact others inside and outside the Christian community?
Answer: Paul warned, "Be careful! 'Just a little yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise.'" (Galatians 5:10) In the Bible, sin is often compared to yeast. Just as a little bit of yeast can silently spread throughout the dough, a bit of sin can silently spread to the whole community if left unchecked. Therefore, a hypocritical Christian can negatively affect not only the church (the body of Christ) but outside it as well.
In the body of Christ, members are often role models to one another, good or bad. When a Christian acts hypocritically, others may follow in his or her footsteps, either thinking it is acceptable (i.e. "If he did so and so, then I can, too"), or doing it out of sheer rebellion against God. If the hypocritical person continues living in sin without others correcting them, then their actions may be mirrored by a large number of people.
Outside the body of Christ, hypocritical Christians can and do turn many people away from Christianity, making nonbelievers think that what these "Christians" are doing is a characteristic of the true Christian faith. For example, our Christian faith preaches against stealing, cheating, fornication, and adultery, but are we all living what we teach? No, so for this reason, many nonbelievers are ignoring Christianity--it, to them, is like any other religion available. Why would they need to adhere to Christian teachings if even Christians themselves do not? And what is so special about this particular religion if its followers are not doing what they teach? Hence, hypocrisy is a dangerous yeast that can spread to the ends of Earth, and it will unless each and every Christian stops it as soon as possible.
~*~Dr. Shirley's Corner~*~
Just to remind you that you can now read all of my Kindle ebooks for free if you are a Premier Member of Amazon. Browse all my titles at http://www.amazon.com/author/shirleycheng
However, if you are like me who loves to hold an actual book in her hands and read the words on its crisp pages (of course I haven't been able to do that since I lost my eyesight at age seventeen), you can get physical copies of my books on Amazon, too. Better yet, grab an autographed copy from my site: http://www.shirleycheng.com
Are you interested in obtaining in-depth knowledge of God's Word to help you deepen your understanding of God and His plans and develop a sacred relationship with your Heavenly Father? If so, you are more than welcome to sign up for the In-Depth Ultra-Ability Bible Virtual Class via e-mail.
· You will study the Bible in depth from Genesis to Revelation in order.
· The study will progress in your own pace.
· You will work one-on-one with me via e-mail only.
· Your personal Bible-related questions will be answered.
· Although the virtual class has no financial cost, it will require your dedication and diligence. There will be lessons to complete and tests to take for all Bible chapters. All assignments are in short question and answer format.
· The only textbook for this program is the Bible. If you do not have a copy of the Bible, you can read it online for free at www.BibleGateway.com.
· The class is non-denominational and is not affiliated with any church or ministry.
· You have no obligations; you may pause or stop anytime, though you are strongly encouraged to complete the study.
Interested? Then fill out the form at http://www.ultra-ability.com and we'll get started. In our study, you'll learn all the essential principles and precepts of God that will lead you to becoming a true sheep of Christ! I look forward to our study time together!
May the grace and peace from Yahweh God and Jesus Christ be with you.!
Content Copyright by Dr. Shirley Cheng; All rights reserved
You are permitted to only give out or link to this website or post; all other distribution and copying is prohibited without the prior written permission of Dr. Shirley Cheng. Contact Shirley at www.shirleycheng.com
Would you like to receive Inspiration from a Blind via e-mail monthly? Then sign up at http://www.shirleycheng.com/contact.html
Read previous issues of Inspiration from a Blind at blog.shirleycheng.com
Best regards,
Dr. Shirley Cheng
Award-Winning Author with 27 Book Awards
Founder of Ultra-Ability Ministry
Proclaimer of Yahweh God's Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ
Author/Contributor/Editor of 35 books by age 27, Bible Teacher, Poet, Motivational Speaker, Self-Empowerment Expert, Advocate
Board member of World Positive Thinkers Club
http://www.shirleycheng.com
"Although I'm blind, I can see far and wide; even though I'm disabled, I can climb high mountains. Let the ropes of hope in Yahweh God haul you high!"
Please sign the Parental Rights in Children's Medical Care: Give Parents the Right to Say No Petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/parentr7/petition.html
Are you a sheep or a goat? When Jesus Christ returns to Earth to judge and reign over humanity, he'll separate the "sheep" and the "goats," putting the sheep (true Christians) on his right, and the goats (false Christians) on his left.
So what I'm asking is: Are you a Christian? Do you know what actually makes you a Christian? Does going to church every Sunday, wearing a golden cross on your necklace, donating to charities, and praying to God nightly or even three times a day make you a Christian?
Let's see what makes a Christian "Christian." A Christian...
a) Believes in the only true God, Yahweh, of the Bible
The Bible, both the Old and New Testaments, is the primary source that introduces to us the all-knowing and all-powerful only true God, who has made His name known to us as YHWH in Hebrew (Biblical Hebrew has no written vowels), from which scholars produce "Yahweh," and "Jehovah" in English. Since the Bible has been proven historically accurate, scientifically sound, and prophetic, we can trust it as the Word of God, from where an accurate knowledge of God can be obtained. Therefore, if you do not believe in the God described in the Bible, but instead a "god" from a different source, then you might as well believe in Santa Claus or the tooth fairy--simply put, a god of your own imagination.
b) Believes in the Son of Yahweh God, Jesus the Christ ("Anointed One")
If you only accept Yahweh, but not His only begotten Son, Jesus the Christ, then you cannot be a Christian, as the name "Christian" implies a follower of Christ, which means the "Anointed." Even if you believe that Jesus existed and that he was a great prophet but don't believe that he is the only begotten Son of God, then you aren't a Christian, either. A true follower of Christ accepts who he is and all the works he has done for humanity.
c) Actively loves Yahweh and Jesus
So you believe in Yahweh and Jesus? Well, that's no big deal. Even the demons believe in the true God and His Son (James 2:19; Mark 3:11), but does this make them Christians?
The ultimate test whether you are a Christian is if you love God and His Son. Believing in them is the easy part; loving them is the hard part.
Moses exhorted God's people, the Israelites, "Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God; Yahweh is one: and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might." (Deuteronomy 6:4-5, WEB) Jesus confirmed this as the most important commandment of all (Mark 12:29-30).
What does loving Yahweh God really entail? How should you love Him?
In the Bible, "love" is more of action, rather than emotion. It's not about a warm, fuzzy feeling we have inside. Biblical love is doing God's will, as opposed to Biblical hatred, where you do not do God's will.
But what is doing the will of God?
Doing God's will equates with obeying His moral commandments, such as for us not to steal, not to commit adultery or fornication, not to cheat our government of our taxes due, not to dishonor our parents, and not to tell lies or spread rumors. Doing God's will is NOT performing external religious duties all the while abandoning God's moral Law. So if you go to church weekly and pray to God nightly, Yahweh will ignore your prayers and not heed the gifts or donations you give to the church. Note what Yahweh said to Israel:
"What are the multitude of your sacrifices to me?
I have had enough of the burnt offerings of rams,
and the fat of fed animals.
I don't delight in the blood of bulls,
or of lambs,
or of male goats.
When you come to appear before me,
who has required this at your hand, to trample my courts?
Bring no more vain offerings.
Incense is an abomination to me;
new moons, Sabbaths, and convocations:
I can't bear with evil assemblies.
My soul hates your New Moons and your appointed feasts.
They are a burden to me.
I am weary of bearing them.
When you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you.
Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear.
Your hands are full of blood.
Wash yourselves, make yourself clean.
Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes.
Cease to do evil.
Learn to do well.
Seek justice.
Relieve the oppressed.
Judge the fatherless.
Plead for the widow." (Isaiah 1:11-17)
Israel thought that they had Yahweh's approval when they kept their worship rituals and offered Him many sacrifices and prayers, yet at the same time living a sinful lifestyle. But God was--and is never--mocked. He will not ignore our wicked deeds done outside the church building. It's only when we obey His Law will He look with favor upon our prayers and worship rituals.
When we obey Yahweh to follow His commandments, that means we love Him. When we disobey Him, that means we hate Him. That's how God judges whether we love or hate Him, not by how we feel for Him (2 John 6; Exodus 20:5-6). A Christian can "feel" love for God, but God will not see it as true love if the person fails to do His will. So it's a matter of passive love (a feeling of love) vs. active love. We should have an active love, just as we should have an active faith (trust). It's an active faith (trust) in Christ that saves us (James 2:14-26). A passive faith is the faith of demons, and is therefore fruitless (James 2:19).
Thus, if you do not do Yahweh's will despite believing in Him, it does not make you a Christian. At best, it just makes you a hypocritical one. However, if you actively do His will, then it shows that you love Him, which makes you a genuine Christian. And when you love Him, you will also love His Son, for whoever "loves the Father also loves the child who is born of him." (1 John 5:1)
d) Actively loves fellow human beings
True love for God means that we love what belongs to Him. If you say, "I love God," and hate your brother, you are a liar; for "he who doesn't love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother." (1 John 4:20-21)
So you must love fellow human beings in deeds, not just in words, and this will prove whether your love for Yahweh and Jesus is genuine, for God commanded us to love our neighbors as ourselves (Leviticus 19:18), and Jesus confirmed this as the second most important commandment of all (Mark 12:31).
Now, add up your score. Do all four points above apply to you? If so, then you are likely a Christian, though final judgment lies in Yahweh's hands through Jesus Christ, who will return to judge all the sheep and the goats.
On that day, King Jesus will say to the sheep on his right hand, "Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in. I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me."
Then the sheep will answer him, saying, "Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you a drink? When did we see you as a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you? When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?"
The King will reply, "Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." Then he will turn to those on his left hand and say, "Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you didn't give me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink; I was a stranger, and you didn't take me in; naked, and you didn't clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn't visit me."
The goats will ask, "Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn't help you?"
The King will answer, "Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you didn't do it to one of the least of these, you didn't do it to me." These goats will receive eternal punishment, while the righteous sheep eternal life. (Matthew 25:31-46)
If Jesus returns today, will you be identified as a sheep or a goat?
~*~Q&A with Dr. Shirley~*~
Question: What holds people back from obeying Yahweh?
Answer: Pride is what holds most of us back from obeying God. Many of us believe that we are smart and wise enough to make our own rules and govern our own lives; but are we really? Our modern motto is "Follow your heart!" but God's Word says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9, WEB) Look around us and see what we have done to our lives when we have followed our hearts: corruption after corruption of every kind imaginable. Did the Boston marathon bombers not follow their hearts recently? I bet they did, and actually believing in their hearts that they were doing the right thing.
The first sin of humankind, committed in the Garden of Eden, partially stemmed from pride; Adam and Eve felt they could be on their own without God, and that they were good enough--or deserved--what God did not allow them to have: the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the middle of the garden. They only focused on what they wanted, not on what God wanted, just as the apostle Paul wrote, "Those who live following their sinful selves think only about things that their sinful selves want. But those who live following the Spirit are thinking about the things the Spirit wants them to do." (Romans 8:5, NCV)
Question: How does a hypocritical Christian impact others inside and outside the Christian community?
Answer: Paul warned, "Be careful! 'Just a little yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise.'" (Galatians 5:10) In the Bible, sin is often compared to yeast. Just as a little bit of yeast can silently spread throughout the dough, a bit of sin can silently spread to the whole community if left unchecked. Therefore, a hypocritical Christian can negatively affect not only the church (the body of Christ) but outside it as well.
In the body of Christ, members are often role models to one another, good or bad. When a Christian acts hypocritically, others may follow in his or her footsteps, either thinking it is acceptable (i.e. "If he did so and so, then I can, too"), or doing it out of sheer rebellion against God. If the hypocritical person continues living in sin without others correcting them, then their actions may be mirrored by a large number of people.
Outside the body of Christ, hypocritical Christians can and do turn many people away from Christianity, making nonbelievers think that what these "Christians" are doing is a characteristic of the true Christian faith. For example, our Christian faith preaches against stealing, cheating, fornication, and adultery, but are we all living what we teach? No, so for this reason, many nonbelievers are ignoring Christianity--it, to them, is like any other religion available. Why would they need to adhere to Christian teachings if even Christians themselves do not? And what is so special about this particular religion if its followers are not doing what they teach? Hence, hypocrisy is a dangerous yeast that can spread to the ends of Earth, and it will unless each and every Christian stops it as soon as possible.
~*~Dr. Shirley's Corner~*~
Just to remind you that you can now read all of my Kindle ebooks for free if you are a Premier Member of Amazon. Browse all my titles at http://www.amazon.com/author/shirleycheng
However, if you are like me who loves to hold an actual book in her hands and read the words on its crisp pages (of course I haven't been able to do that since I lost my eyesight at age seventeen), you can get physical copies of my books on Amazon, too. Better yet, grab an autographed copy from my site: http://www.shirleycheng.com
Are you interested in obtaining in-depth knowledge of God's Word to help you deepen your understanding of God and His plans and develop a sacred relationship with your Heavenly Father? If so, you are more than welcome to sign up for the In-Depth Ultra-Ability Bible Virtual Class via e-mail.
· You will study the Bible in depth from Genesis to Revelation in order.
· The study will progress in your own pace.
· You will work one-on-one with me via e-mail only.
· Your personal Bible-related questions will be answered.
· Although the virtual class has no financial cost, it will require your dedication and diligence. There will be lessons to complete and tests to take for all Bible chapters. All assignments are in short question and answer format.
· The only textbook for this program is the Bible. If you do not have a copy of the Bible, you can read it online for free at www.BibleGateway.com.
· The class is non-denominational and is not affiliated with any church or ministry.
· You have no obligations; you may pause or stop anytime, though you are strongly encouraged to complete the study.
Interested? Then fill out the form at http://www.ultra-ability.com and we'll get started. In our study, you'll learn all the essential principles and precepts of God that will lead you to becoming a true sheep of Christ! I look forward to our study time together!
May the grace and peace from Yahweh God and Jesus Christ be with you.!
Content Copyright by Dr. Shirley Cheng; All rights reserved
You are permitted to only give out or link to this website or post; all other distribution and copying is prohibited without the prior written permission of Dr. Shirley Cheng. Contact Shirley at www.shirleycheng.com
Would you like to receive Inspiration from a Blind via e-mail monthly? Then sign up at http://www.shirleycheng.com/contact.html
Read previous issues of Inspiration from a Blind at blog.shirleycheng.com
Best regards,
Dr. Shirley Cheng
Award-Winning Author with 27 Book Awards
Founder of Ultra-Ability Ministry
Proclaimer of Yahweh God's Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ
Author/Contributor/Editor of 35 books by age 27, Bible Teacher, Poet, Motivational Speaker, Self-Empowerment Expert, Advocate
Board member of World Positive Thinkers Club
http://www.shirleycheng.com
"Although I'm blind, I can see far and wide; even though I'm disabled, I can climb high mountains. Let the ropes of hope in Yahweh God haul you high!"
Please sign the Parental Rights in Children's Medical Care: Give Parents the Right to Say No Petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/parentr7/petition.html
Monday, April 1, 2013
Inspiration from a Blind: Prepare to Meet Your God!
Happy April to you from Inspiration from a Blind brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com
Do you know the One in whom you believe? If you believe in God, do you really know who He is, along with His Son and His Holy Spirit? Why is even accurately knowing about God important?
The entire Bible clearly supplies all the information we need in order to know about God, , His Son, and His Holy Spirit, so here, I will briefly outline the basic and fundamental facts from the Bible, God's final written authority for us. Accurate knowledge about God and Jesus is vital to our salvation. Read on...
God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit comprise what we call the "Holy Trinity." The Holy Trinity is a spiritual unity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are "one" in a spiritual sense. To understand this oneness, we need to understand what the Bible says about marriage. It says that when a man and woman marry, they become "one flesh": "Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh." (Genesis 2:24, WEB) That doesn't literally mean that they become one person. What it means is that they become "one" in spiritual unity. In the same way, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are "one" in spiritual unity; they are not literally "one God" in a physical sense. They share the same purpose, goals, and they work together harmoniously to achieve their plans.
Jesus wishes all Christians to achieve this oneness, as he indicated in his prayer to the Father: "Holy Father, keep them through your name which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are." (John 17:11)
Please also carefully read John 17:20-26, which says:
"Not for these only do I pray, but for those also who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that you sent me. The glory which you have given me, I have given to them; that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that you sent me, and loved them, even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am, that they may see my glory, which you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world. Righteous Father, the world hasn't known you, but I knew you; and these knew that you sent me. I made known to them your name, and will make it known; that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I in them."
The above passage helps us understand the concept of "oneness" or spiritual unity. Just as the Father (Yahweh) and the Son (Jesus) are "one," all believers are to be "one" with the Father and the Son. Did Jesus ask that all believers be literally one person? Of course not; that would be absurd.
The concept of "oneness" is described in two different ways in the Bible: 1) we are one, and 2) you in me and I in you. For example, John 10:38 says, "The Father is in me [Jesus], and I in the Father." This verse often confuses people because they don't understand this spiritual oneness concept; they think that John 10:38 means that the Father (God) and the Son (Jesus) are the same Person. On the contrary, it simply means that God and Jesus are "one" in a spiritual sense, not a physical sense. So if you see either kind of this wording in the Bible ("we are one" or "you in me and I in you"), you'll know that it means the same thing.
Now, let us identify each member of the Holy Trinity using the Holy Scriptures.
THE FATHER
The Father is the one and only true God Almighty, whose personal name is Yahweh ("Jehovah" in English, from "YHWH" in Hebrew). Yahweh said: "I am Yahweh, and there is none else. Besides me, there is no God." (Isaiah 45:5)
The name "Yahweh" means "He who chooses to become," meaning that He can be anything and do anything He wants. He indicates Himself as "I am that I am" for this reason. (Exodus 3:14) Simply put, He is Almighty.
Yahweh is the most supreme Being of the universe: "that they may know that you alone, whose name is Yahweh, are the Most High over all the earth." (Psalm 83:18)
Yahweh is the Creator of everything in the universe, both visible and invisible: "I am Yahweh, who makes all things; who alone stretches out the heavens; who spreads out the earth by myself." (Isaiah 44:24)
As in any father-son relationship, the Father is greater than Jesus, as Jesus said: "…the Father is greater than I." (John 14:28, ASV)
For this reason, Jesus calls Yahweh both "my Father" and "my God." For example, before returning to his Father's side in heaven, Jesus said to Mary from Magdala, "Don't hold me, for I haven't yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers, and tell them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" (John 20:17, WEB)
After he was back at his Father's side in heaven, Jesus continues to call God "my God," as in: "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will go out from there no more. I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God, and my own new name." (Revelation 3:12)
The apostle Paul confirmed this relationship between God and Jesus by urging us to glorify "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 15:6) Yes, Yahweh is the God and Father of Jesus.
Paul also indicated that "the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God," and that we belong to Jesus and that Jesus belongs to God: "you are of Christ, and Christ is of God," therefore Yahweh is above all and the Father of all. (I Corinthians 11:3, WEB; 1 Corinthians 3:23, NIV)
Finally, Jesus calls the Father "the only true God." Accurately knowing both the only true God and Jesus himself is vital to our salvation! Jesus said to his Father, "Now This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ." (John 17:3, WEB) From this prayer, we learn three important things:
1) Our eternal life (salvation) is dependent on an accurate knowledge of God and Jesus Christ. Think about it: if we believe in the wrong God, we might as well believe in Santa Claus or the tooth fairy; it won't make much of a difference what we believe if we don't have an accurate knowledge of God. Salvation is given to those who accept and believe a) in the death and sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and b) the One who initiated the salvation plan: Yahweh.
However, simply knowing that Yahweh God and Jesus Christ exist does no one good. Remember, even the demons believe in God and they shudder, but are they going to receive eternal life? (James 2:19) No, unless they repent!
So our knowledge of the only true God and His Son Jesus Christ should be knowing them intimately as friends. We need to know their wishes, desires, commandments, personalities, and then properly respond to our knowledge by showing our love for them.
2) Note that in his prayer to God, Jesus said, "...that they should know you, the only true God..." The "you" here refers to Yahweh. So Yahweh is the "only true God," no one else, not even Jesus. Notice that Jesus did not say, "that they may know us, the only true God." Jesus did not use the word "us" to refer to the only true God; instead, he used "you." So Jesus is not God Almighty; only Yahweh is God Almighty. So who is Jesus? Look at number three:
3) Note that Jesus said, "...and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ." Jesus referred to himself as the one whom "you," (God) had sent. Jesus was sent by Yahweh; Jesus did not send himself. Jesus is the Son of God, our Messiah, Savior and Master, commissioned and sent by Yahweh to do His will.
THE SON
Yahweh calls Jesus "my Son."
Yahweh said to Jesus: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." (Mark 1:11)
"Thou art my son; This day have I begotten thee." (Psalm 2:7, ASV)
The Bible adds to Jesus' position by telling us that Jesus is God's "only begotten Son," so Jesus is far higher than any sons of God, whether angels or humans. No other being has this special position as the only begotten Son of God. (John 1:18)
Yahweh also called Jesus "my servant."
Foretelling of Jesus' first coming to Earth, Yahweh said, "...behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch." (Zechariah 3:8, ASV) And "Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delights--I have put my Spirit on him. He will bring justice to the nations." (Isaiah 42:1, WEB) Yahweh calls Jesus His "servant" because He is greater than Jesus, who works for Him and under Him.
The saying "Like father, like son" couldn't be more accurate and fitting to describe this holy Father-Son relationship. Jesus is "the image of the invisible God." (Colossians 1:15) He is spiritually like his Father in every way. To know him is to know God.
Like his Father, the Son never changes: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8)
Jesus played a major role in the world's creation:
"All things were made through him. Without him was not anything made that has been made." (John 1:3)
"...Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds." (Hebrews 1:2)
"For by him all things were created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and for him." (Colossians 1:16)
How is this so? Well, Yahweh alone created the world by Jesus, just as He alone led Israel out of Egypt "by the hand of Moses and Aaron." (Psalm 77:20) In all events, Yahweh is the Boss, the Director, and the Supervisor, who uses agents to carry out His works. God is the Mastermind, and Jesus is His partner in creation.
Prior to his arrival on Earth through a miraculous virgin birth, Jesus lived with his Father in heaven as a mighty Spirit Being. He was sent down by God to do God's will.
Jesus himself said, "For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. This is the will of my Father who sent me, that of all he has given to me I should lose nothing, but should raise him up at the last day. This is the will of the one who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son, and believes in him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:38-40)
After Jesus died and was resurrected, he returned to his Father's side, where Yahweh "made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all." (Ephesians 1:20-23) What a glorious reward Yahweh has bestowed upon His dearest Son, who no doubt deserves all the honor and glory!
"Jesus" in Hebrew means "Yahweh Is Salvation." "Christ" (Messiah) means the "Appointed One." So Jesus is the one appointed by God to provide us salvation, while salvation ultimately comes from Yahweh: "I myself am Yahweh; and besides me there is no savior." (Isaiah 43:11) (If you have questions about what salvation is all about, you can read my article here: http://tinyurl.com/ylaafno)
Jesus will come to Earth for the second time to finalize God's gift of salvation to the children of God and co-heirs of Jesus by resurrecting them unto eternal life. Jesus will be our King for one thousand years.
After Jesus' millennial rule, he will return the Kingdom back to his Father so "that God may be all in all." (I Corinthians 15:28, ASV)
"Christ will rule until he puts all his enemies under his power, and the last enemy he destroys will be death. When the Scriptures say that he will put everything under his power, they don't include God. It was God who put everything under the power of Christ. After everything is under the power of God's Son, he will put himself under the power of God, who put everything under his Son's power. Then God will mean everything to everyone." (I Corinthians 15:25-28, CEV)
Amen!
THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is Yahweh's dynamic active force, His creative power, which He uses to perform any and all tasks. For example, He used the Holy Spirit to make the virgin Mary conceive so she could give birth to Jesus. (Luke 1:35)
The Holy Spirit played a very important role in Jesus' earthly ministry. Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit to perform miracles:
"…Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him." (Acts 10:38)
Yahweh also used His Holy Spirit to resurrect Jesus from the dead. Likewise, we will be resurrected by the Spirit in the same manner. In the meantime, the Holy Spirit dwells in each child of God to give power and life: "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwelleth in you." (Romans 8:11)
While dwelling in us, the Holy Spirit develops godly quality in us called the fruit of the Spirit: "...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control; against such there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23)
Besides developing the fruit in us, the Holy Spirit also empowers us to be powerful witnesses of the Gospel: "But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." (Acts 1:8) Without the power of the Holy Spirit, we would be powerless in and against all things, not just in our ministry.
Since the Holy Spirit is Yahweh's active and creative power, the Spirit is involved in countless other activities, including the restraint against Satan, the giving of spiritual gifts to all Christians, the provisions of the revelation and wisdom required to understand the Bible, guidance and protection, the demonstration of God's love and power, among others.
If you'd like to learn more about Yahweh God Almighty, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, I strongly advise you to pick up a copy of the Bible and carefully read and study it on a regular basis. This is how you can begin to develop an intimate relationship with Yahweh. A relationship with God is the most sacred and fulfilling of all relationships, so don't delay; start deepening your knowledge about your Heavenly Father today!
~*~Q&A with Dr. Shirley~*~
Question: How do I have an intimate relationship with Yahweh? I feel He is so far and distant from me.
Answer: The Bible says, "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you." (James 4:8, WEB) Yahweh strongly desires to have a sacred relationship with us humans. He created us for that very purpose! It is WE who have distant ourselves from Him and His love. Throughout the history of humankind—even from the start—we have terribly rebelled against our Heavenly Father. We do things that He repeatedly told us to avoid. When we sin, it greatly grieves Him and breaks His heart. Despite all we do against Him, He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die for us. Through Jesus, everyone has a final chance to have a relationship with God. Yahweh "desires all people to be saved and come to full knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:4) Yahweh delays His final judgment because He wants to give enough time for people to repent: "The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)
The moment we trust in Jesus, we are justified, meaning that we are put in right standing with Yahweh. Then we must walk according to His will in a process called progressive sanctification (progressive "setting apart as holy" for God). During our walk, our relationship with Him should grow deeper and deeper. Our walk should begin with regular Bible studies and prayers. When we read the Bible, we get to know the great personality of Yahweh. The more we know Him, the more we love Him. Think about it: when you first met your spouse or your best friend, you didn't know him or her well, so you didn't love them as much, right? But after you two got to know each other, didn't your love and bond grow? It is the same case with our relationship with God. However, our relationship with Yahweh has a gigantic head start: God loved us first! So the relationship we seek is a relationship that Yahweh has desired from the very beginning, even before we were born! He already loves us dearly (everything He has done for us more than enough proves it), so it is OUR turn to love Him back.
Yahweh is not far away; it is we who have been far away. Yahweh is a true Gentleman; He will never force anyone to love Him. All He does is patiently wait for us to seek Him. When we diligently desire to be His friends (imagine being God's friends!), then He will gladly open His arms wide (His arms have actually been open wide for a very long time already). We are exhorted to "seek Yahweh while he may be found; call you on him while he is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." (Isaiah 55:6-7)
So it is up to you and me. The question to ask yourself is: do I want a relationship with Yahweh? If, from the depths of your heart, you answer yes, then that sacred relationship is waiting for you! Just repent, trust in Yahweh and Jesus for all things, study the Bible, walk according to God's will, and pray whole-heartedly, asking God into your life.
A sacred relationship that lasts forever will not be achieved overnight; we have to be faithful and remain faithful to God unto death. And Yahweh will greatly help us achieve this relationship with Him; ask Him for the Holy Spirit, which will sanctify you and make you into the person God intends you to be. Remember, it is God's Holy Spirit that develops the fruit of the Spirit in us, from love to temperance.
To live a life acceptable to Yahweh, we must clean up ourselves in both our flesh and spirit. "Defilement of flesh" refers to wrong things we do in our body, such as fornication, murder, lying, slandering and gossiping, cursing and dirty talking, and stealing. Defilement of the spirit includes sins we commit in our innermost selves, including pride, hatred, lust, selfishness, greed, and jealousy.
Our motivation for living a holy life should stem from the "fear of God," which refers to reverence fear, a fear that is based on love, not one that is based on threat. We should fear of breaking our Heavenly Father's heart. By living a life He approves of, we show Him respect, honor, and love. Surely, it's the least we can do for Yahweh who has given us our very lives, and Jesus who died for us! Our ultimate aim in life should be to bring them joy.
If you'd like to get started on establishing a sacred relationship with Yahweh and would like a friend to study His Word together with you, then I'd love to be Bible buddies with you! Just sign up to my free Bible study class at http://www.ultra-ability.com
May the grace and peace from Yahweh God and Jesus Christ be with you.!
Content Copyright by Dr. Shirley Cheng; All rights reserved
You are permitted to only give out or link to this website or post; all other distribution and copying is prohibited without the prior written permission of Dr. Shirley Cheng. Contact Shirley at www.shirleycheng.com
Would you like to receive Inspiration from a Blind via e-mail monthly? Then sign up at http://www.shirleycheng.com/contact.html
Read previous issues of Inspiration from a Blind at blog.shirleycheng.com
Best regards,
Dr. Shirley Cheng
Award-Winning Author with 27 Book Awards
Founder of Ultra-Ability Ministry
Proclaimer of Yahweh God's Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ
Author/Contributor/Editor of 35 books by age 27, Bible Teacher, Poet, Motivational Speaker, Self-Empowerment Expert, Advocate
Board member of World Positive Thinkers Club
http://www.shirleycheng.com
"Although I'm blind, I can see far and wide; even though I'm disabled, I can climb high mountains. Let the ropes of hope in Yahweh God haul you high!"
Please sign the Parental Rights in Children's Medical Care: Give Parents the Right to Say No Petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/parentr7/petition.html
Do you know the One in whom you believe? If you believe in God, do you really know who He is, along with His Son and His Holy Spirit? Why is even accurately knowing about God important?
The entire Bible clearly supplies all the information we need in order to know about God, , His Son, and His Holy Spirit, so here, I will briefly outline the basic and fundamental facts from the Bible, God's final written authority for us. Accurate knowledge about God and Jesus is vital to our salvation. Read on...
God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit comprise what we call the "Holy Trinity." The Holy Trinity is a spiritual unity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are "one" in a spiritual sense. To understand this oneness, we need to understand what the Bible says about marriage. It says that when a man and woman marry, they become "one flesh": "Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh." (Genesis 2:24, WEB) That doesn't literally mean that they become one person. What it means is that they become "one" in spiritual unity. In the same way, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are "one" in spiritual unity; they are not literally "one God" in a physical sense. They share the same purpose, goals, and they work together harmoniously to achieve their plans.
Jesus wishes all Christians to achieve this oneness, as he indicated in his prayer to the Father: "Holy Father, keep them through your name which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are." (John 17:11)
Please also carefully read John 17:20-26, which says:
"Not for these only do I pray, but for those also who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that you sent me. The glory which you have given me, I have given to them; that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that you sent me, and loved them, even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am, that they may see my glory, which you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world. Righteous Father, the world hasn't known you, but I knew you; and these knew that you sent me. I made known to them your name, and will make it known; that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I in them."
The above passage helps us understand the concept of "oneness" or spiritual unity. Just as the Father (Yahweh) and the Son (Jesus) are "one," all believers are to be "one" with the Father and the Son. Did Jesus ask that all believers be literally one person? Of course not; that would be absurd.
The concept of "oneness" is described in two different ways in the Bible: 1) we are one, and 2) you in me and I in you. For example, John 10:38 says, "The Father is in me [Jesus], and I in the Father." This verse often confuses people because they don't understand this spiritual oneness concept; they think that John 10:38 means that the Father (God) and the Son (Jesus) are the same Person. On the contrary, it simply means that God and Jesus are "one" in a spiritual sense, not a physical sense. So if you see either kind of this wording in the Bible ("we are one" or "you in me and I in you"), you'll know that it means the same thing.
Now, let us identify each member of the Holy Trinity using the Holy Scriptures.
THE FATHER
The Father is the one and only true God Almighty, whose personal name is Yahweh ("Jehovah" in English, from "YHWH" in Hebrew). Yahweh said: "I am Yahweh, and there is none else. Besides me, there is no God." (Isaiah 45:5)
The name "Yahweh" means "He who chooses to become," meaning that He can be anything and do anything He wants. He indicates Himself as "I am that I am" for this reason. (Exodus 3:14) Simply put, He is Almighty.
Yahweh is the most supreme Being of the universe: "that they may know that you alone, whose name is Yahweh, are the Most High over all the earth." (Psalm 83:18)
Yahweh is the Creator of everything in the universe, both visible and invisible: "I am Yahweh, who makes all things; who alone stretches out the heavens; who spreads out the earth by myself." (Isaiah 44:24)
As in any father-son relationship, the Father is greater than Jesus, as Jesus said: "…the Father is greater than I." (John 14:28, ASV)
For this reason, Jesus calls Yahweh both "my Father" and "my God." For example, before returning to his Father's side in heaven, Jesus said to Mary from Magdala, "Don't hold me, for I haven't yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers, and tell them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" (John 20:17, WEB)
After he was back at his Father's side in heaven, Jesus continues to call God "my God," as in: "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will go out from there no more. I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God, and my own new name." (Revelation 3:12)
The apostle Paul confirmed this relationship between God and Jesus by urging us to glorify "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 15:6) Yes, Yahweh is the God and Father of Jesus.
Paul also indicated that "the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God," and that we belong to Jesus and that Jesus belongs to God: "you are of Christ, and Christ is of God," therefore Yahweh is above all and the Father of all. (I Corinthians 11:3, WEB; 1 Corinthians 3:23, NIV)
Finally, Jesus calls the Father "the only true God." Accurately knowing both the only true God and Jesus himself is vital to our salvation! Jesus said to his Father, "Now This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ." (John 17:3, WEB) From this prayer, we learn three important things:
1) Our eternal life (salvation) is dependent on an accurate knowledge of God and Jesus Christ. Think about it: if we believe in the wrong God, we might as well believe in Santa Claus or the tooth fairy; it won't make much of a difference what we believe if we don't have an accurate knowledge of God. Salvation is given to those who accept and believe a) in the death and sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and b) the One who initiated the salvation plan: Yahweh.
However, simply knowing that Yahweh God and Jesus Christ exist does no one good. Remember, even the demons believe in God and they shudder, but are they going to receive eternal life? (James 2:19) No, unless they repent!
So our knowledge of the only true God and His Son Jesus Christ should be knowing them intimately as friends. We need to know their wishes, desires, commandments, personalities, and then properly respond to our knowledge by showing our love for them.
2) Note that in his prayer to God, Jesus said, "...that they should know you, the only true God..." The "you" here refers to Yahweh. So Yahweh is the "only true God," no one else, not even Jesus. Notice that Jesus did not say, "that they may know us, the only true God." Jesus did not use the word "us" to refer to the only true God; instead, he used "you." So Jesus is not God Almighty; only Yahweh is God Almighty. So who is Jesus? Look at number three:
3) Note that Jesus said, "...and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ." Jesus referred to himself as the one whom "you," (God) had sent. Jesus was sent by Yahweh; Jesus did not send himself. Jesus is the Son of God, our Messiah, Savior and Master, commissioned and sent by Yahweh to do His will.
THE SON
Yahweh calls Jesus "my Son."
Yahweh said to Jesus: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." (Mark 1:11)
"Thou art my son; This day have I begotten thee." (Psalm 2:7, ASV)
The Bible adds to Jesus' position by telling us that Jesus is God's "only begotten Son," so Jesus is far higher than any sons of God, whether angels or humans. No other being has this special position as the only begotten Son of God. (John 1:18)
Yahweh also called Jesus "my servant."
Foretelling of Jesus' first coming to Earth, Yahweh said, "...behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch." (Zechariah 3:8, ASV) And "Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delights--I have put my Spirit on him. He will bring justice to the nations." (Isaiah 42:1, WEB) Yahweh calls Jesus His "servant" because He is greater than Jesus, who works for Him and under Him.
The saying "Like father, like son" couldn't be more accurate and fitting to describe this holy Father-Son relationship. Jesus is "the image of the invisible God." (Colossians 1:15) He is spiritually like his Father in every way. To know him is to know God.
Like his Father, the Son never changes: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8)
Jesus played a major role in the world's creation:
"All things were made through him. Without him was not anything made that has been made." (John 1:3)
"...Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds." (Hebrews 1:2)
"For by him all things were created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and for him." (Colossians 1:16)
How is this so? Well, Yahweh alone created the world by Jesus, just as He alone led Israel out of Egypt "by the hand of Moses and Aaron." (Psalm 77:20) In all events, Yahweh is the Boss, the Director, and the Supervisor, who uses agents to carry out His works. God is the Mastermind, and Jesus is His partner in creation.
Prior to his arrival on Earth through a miraculous virgin birth, Jesus lived with his Father in heaven as a mighty Spirit Being. He was sent down by God to do God's will.
Jesus himself said, "For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. This is the will of my Father who sent me, that of all he has given to me I should lose nothing, but should raise him up at the last day. This is the will of the one who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son, and believes in him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:38-40)
After Jesus died and was resurrected, he returned to his Father's side, where Yahweh "made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all." (Ephesians 1:20-23) What a glorious reward Yahweh has bestowed upon His dearest Son, who no doubt deserves all the honor and glory!
"Jesus" in Hebrew means "Yahweh Is Salvation." "Christ" (Messiah) means the "Appointed One." So Jesus is the one appointed by God to provide us salvation, while salvation ultimately comes from Yahweh: "I myself am Yahweh; and besides me there is no savior." (Isaiah 43:11) (If you have questions about what salvation is all about, you can read my article here: http://tinyurl.com/ylaafno)
Jesus will come to Earth for the second time to finalize God's gift of salvation to the children of God and co-heirs of Jesus by resurrecting them unto eternal life. Jesus will be our King for one thousand years.
After Jesus' millennial rule, he will return the Kingdom back to his Father so "that God may be all in all." (I Corinthians 15:28, ASV)
"Christ will rule until he puts all his enemies under his power, and the last enemy he destroys will be death. When the Scriptures say that he will put everything under his power, they don't include God. It was God who put everything under the power of Christ. After everything is under the power of God's Son, he will put himself under the power of God, who put everything under his Son's power. Then God will mean everything to everyone." (I Corinthians 15:25-28, CEV)
Amen!
THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is Yahweh's dynamic active force, His creative power, which He uses to perform any and all tasks. For example, He used the Holy Spirit to make the virgin Mary conceive so she could give birth to Jesus. (Luke 1:35)
The Holy Spirit played a very important role in Jesus' earthly ministry. Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit to perform miracles:
"…Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him." (Acts 10:38)
Yahweh also used His Holy Spirit to resurrect Jesus from the dead. Likewise, we will be resurrected by the Spirit in the same manner. In the meantime, the Holy Spirit dwells in each child of God to give power and life: "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwelleth in you." (Romans 8:11)
While dwelling in us, the Holy Spirit develops godly quality in us called the fruit of the Spirit: "...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control; against such there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23)
Besides developing the fruit in us, the Holy Spirit also empowers us to be powerful witnesses of the Gospel: "But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." (Acts 1:8) Without the power of the Holy Spirit, we would be powerless in and against all things, not just in our ministry.
Since the Holy Spirit is Yahweh's active and creative power, the Spirit is involved in countless other activities, including the restraint against Satan, the giving of spiritual gifts to all Christians, the provisions of the revelation and wisdom required to understand the Bible, guidance and protection, the demonstration of God's love and power, among others.
If you'd like to learn more about Yahweh God Almighty, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, I strongly advise you to pick up a copy of the Bible and carefully read and study it on a regular basis. This is how you can begin to develop an intimate relationship with Yahweh. A relationship with God is the most sacred and fulfilling of all relationships, so don't delay; start deepening your knowledge about your Heavenly Father today!
~*~Q&A with Dr. Shirley~*~
Question: How do I have an intimate relationship with Yahweh? I feel He is so far and distant from me.
Answer: The Bible says, "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you." (James 4:8, WEB) Yahweh strongly desires to have a sacred relationship with us humans. He created us for that very purpose! It is WE who have distant ourselves from Him and His love. Throughout the history of humankind—even from the start—we have terribly rebelled against our Heavenly Father. We do things that He repeatedly told us to avoid. When we sin, it greatly grieves Him and breaks His heart. Despite all we do against Him, He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die for us. Through Jesus, everyone has a final chance to have a relationship with God. Yahweh "desires all people to be saved and come to full knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:4) Yahweh delays His final judgment because He wants to give enough time for people to repent: "The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)
The moment we trust in Jesus, we are justified, meaning that we are put in right standing with Yahweh. Then we must walk according to His will in a process called progressive sanctification (progressive "setting apart as holy" for God). During our walk, our relationship with Him should grow deeper and deeper. Our walk should begin with regular Bible studies and prayers. When we read the Bible, we get to know the great personality of Yahweh. The more we know Him, the more we love Him. Think about it: when you first met your spouse or your best friend, you didn't know him or her well, so you didn't love them as much, right? But after you two got to know each other, didn't your love and bond grow? It is the same case with our relationship with God. However, our relationship with Yahweh has a gigantic head start: God loved us first! So the relationship we seek is a relationship that Yahweh has desired from the very beginning, even before we were born! He already loves us dearly (everything He has done for us more than enough proves it), so it is OUR turn to love Him back.
Yahweh is not far away; it is we who have been far away. Yahweh is a true Gentleman; He will never force anyone to love Him. All He does is patiently wait for us to seek Him. When we diligently desire to be His friends (imagine being God's friends!), then He will gladly open His arms wide (His arms have actually been open wide for a very long time already). We are exhorted to "seek Yahweh while he may be found; call you on him while he is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." (Isaiah 55:6-7)
So it is up to you and me. The question to ask yourself is: do I want a relationship with Yahweh? If, from the depths of your heart, you answer yes, then that sacred relationship is waiting for you! Just repent, trust in Yahweh and Jesus for all things, study the Bible, walk according to God's will, and pray whole-heartedly, asking God into your life.
A sacred relationship that lasts forever will not be achieved overnight; we have to be faithful and remain faithful to God unto death. And Yahweh will greatly help us achieve this relationship with Him; ask Him for the Holy Spirit, which will sanctify you and make you into the person God intends you to be. Remember, it is God's Holy Spirit that develops the fruit of the Spirit in us, from love to temperance.
To live a life acceptable to Yahweh, we must clean up ourselves in both our flesh and spirit. "Defilement of flesh" refers to wrong things we do in our body, such as fornication, murder, lying, slandering and gossiping, cursing and dirty talking, and stealing. Defilement of the spirit includes sins we commit in our innermost selves, including pride, hatred, lust, selfishness, greed, and jealousy.
Our motivation for living a holy life should stem from the "fear of God," which refers to reverence fear, a fear that is based on love, not one that is based on threat. We should fear of breaking our Heavenly Father's heart. By living a life He approves of, we show Him respect, honor, and love. Surely, it's the least we can do for Yahweh who has given us our very lives, and Jesus who died for us! Our ultimate aim in life should be to bring them joy.
If you'd like to get started on establishing a sacred relationship with Yahweh and would like a friend to study His Word together with you, then I'd love to be Bible buddies with you! Just sign up to my free Bible study class at http://www.ultra-ability.com
May the grace and peace from Yahweh God and Jesus Christ be with you.!
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Best regards,
Dr. Shirley Cheng
Award-Winning Author with 27 Book Awards
Founder of Ultra-Ability Ministry
Proclaimer of Yahweh God's Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ
Author/Contributor/Editor of 35 books by age 27, Bible Teacher, Poet, Motivational Speaker, Self-Empowerment Expert, Advocate
Board member of World Positive Thinkers Club
http://www.shirleycheng.com
"Although I'm blind, I can see far and wide; even though I'm disabled, I can climb high mountains. Let the ropes of hope in Yahweh God haul you high!"
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