Dance with Your Heart! with Dr. Shirley Cheng

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Inspiration from a Blind: Your Road to Glorification

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

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

Stage 1: Justification

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

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

Stage 2: Reconciliation

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

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

Stage 3: Adoption

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

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

Stage 4: Sanctification

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

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

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

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

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

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

"For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which will devour the adversaries. A man who disregards Moses’ law dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will he be judged worthy of, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, 'Vengeance belongs to me,' says the Lord, 'I will repay.' Again, 'The Lord will judge his people.' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Hebrews 10:26-31)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stage 5: Glorification

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Question: Why did God grant us with free will?

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

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

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

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

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

Study the Bible in depth in 2012!

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

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

· The study will progress in your own pace.

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

· Your personal Bible-related questions will be answered.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Best regards,

Dr. Shirley Cheng

Award-Winning Author with 27 Book Awards

Founder of Ultra-Ability Ministry

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

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

Board member of World Positive Thinkers Club

http://www.shirleycheng.com

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

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Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Inspiration from a Blind: Wormy Good Fruits?

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

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

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

Jesus Christ said, "Every good tree produces good fruit; but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit. A good tree can't produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit. Therefore by their fruits you will know them." (Matthew 7:17-18, 20, WEB)

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

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

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

Charitable Giving

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

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

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

Prayers

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

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

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

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

Fasting

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jesus wishes all Christians to achieve this oneness, as he indicated in his prayer to the Father:

"Holy Father, keep them through your name which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are." (John 17:11)

"Not for these only do I pray, but for those also who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that you sent me. The glory which you have given me, I have given to them; that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that you sent me, and loved them, even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am, that they may see my glory, which you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world. Righteous Father, the world hasn't known you, but I knew you; and these knew that you sent me. I made known to them your name, and will make it known; that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:20-26)

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

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

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

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

Study the Bible in depth in 2012!

· The study will progress in your own pace.

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

· Your personal Bible-related questions will be answered.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Best regards,

Dr. Shirley Cheng

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Inspiration from a Blind: Whose Slave Are You?

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

Whose slave are you?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Make 2012 the year of service. Cheers!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

~*~A Biblical Wisdom Nugget~*~

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Best regards,

Dr. Shirley Cheng

Sunday, December 11, 2011

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

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

Why is knowing about God important? Accurate knowledge about Him is vital to our salvation. Read on...

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

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

Jesus wishes all Christians to achieve this oneness, as he indicated in his prayer to the Father: "Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name--the name you gave me--so that they may be one as we are one." (John 17:11) Please also carefully read John 17:20-26, which says:

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

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

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

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

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

The Father

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

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

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

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

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

Jesus calls Yahweh both "my Father" and "my God." For example, before returning to his Father's side in heaven, Jesus said to Mary from Magdala, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" (John 20:17, NIV)

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

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

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

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

Finally, Jesus calls the Father "the only true God." Accurately knowing both the only true God and Jesus himself is vital to our salvation! "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." (John 17:3, NIV)

Note that in his prayer to God, Jesus said, "...that they may know you, the only true God." The "you" here refers to Yahweh. So Jesus specifically and exclusively identified his Father as "the only true God." Jesus did not say, "that they may know us, the only true God." Jesus did not use the word "us" to refer to the only true God; instead, he used "you." So only his Father is God.

The Son

Yahweh calls Jesus "my Son."

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

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

Yahweh also called Jesus "my servant."

Foretelling of Jesus' first coming to Earth, Yahweh said, "...behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch." (Zechariah 3:8, ASV) And "Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations." (Isaiah 42:1, NIV) Jesus is God's servant. Would God call Himself "my servant"? Yahweh calls Jesus His "servant" because He is greater than Jesus.

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

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

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

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

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

"For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him." (Colossians 1:16)

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

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

Jesus himself said, "For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:38, 40)

After Jesus died and was resurrected, he returned to his Father's side, where Yahweh "seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." (Ephesians 1:20-23) What a glorious reward Yahweh has bestowed upon His dearest Son, who no doubt deserves all the honor and glory!

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

Jesus will come to Earth for the second time to bring God's gift of salvation to the children of God and co-heirs of Jesus. Jesus will be our King for one thousand years.

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

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

Amen!

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

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

The Holy Spirit

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Inspiration from a Blind: Tempted and Want a Way Out?

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

On a wintry morning, shoppers scuffled through the streets of New York, wining in and out of crowds. Amid the crowd was a young woman walking along the shops with a slight frown. She looked at the toys displayed in the windows, but quickly turned away with a sigh. She just did not have the money to buy them for her two kids, not even for this Christmas season. After her ex-husband had walked out on her, she could only provide food on the table; and at days, even that had been hard to do. Then something from the corner of her eye caught her attention. She moved toward the brown object lying by an Italian restaurant. A wallet. She opened it, and blinked. A wad of cash. She fingered through it and calculated that it could pay off this month's rent; maybe even the next month's. If nothing else, it would be able to supply more than decent presents for her kids. She rummaged through the wallet and found a drivers license, which showed an address in a wealthy community. She could take some of the money and drop the wallet off with the police; the owner of the wallet definitely wouldn't miss his missing money. What a great temptation she held in her hands!

What would you do if you were in her shoes? Would you be overcome by the temptation and take the money, or would you overcome the temptation and give back every penny to the rightful owner?

As you think it over, let's talk about temptation. "Temptation" is something or someone that entices or allures someone to do something that is against God's will. People can be tempted due to their personal want or need. A temptation can be harmless in itself, such as the wad of cash in the wallet that the woman found in our story. At other times, a temptation can be evil in itself, such as pornography.

The Bible says, "Let no man say when he is tempted, 'I am tempted by God,' for God can't be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each one is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death." (James 1:13-15, WEB) This tells us:

a) God never tempts anyone to do evil

b) Only the person who gives in to temptation is to blame

c) A person is tempted when something entices his desires or lusts. But if he ignores his lusts, he will not commit any sin. However, if his lusts overcome him and he falls for the temptation, then he has sinned. Then the sin leads to spiritual death (separation from God). So if the woman in our story took some money from the wallet, she would be overcome by the temptation, thus committing the sin of stealing (Exodus 20:15). However, if she returned the wallet without taking a dime from it, she would overcome the temptation and remain acceptable in God's eyes.

Every one of us has faced temptation at least once in our lives. There is no unique temptation, even though our situations may be unique; all types of temptation are common to humanity (1 Corinthians 10:13). But just because all of us encounter temptations does not mean that we will always be overcome. In fact, "God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." (1 Corinthians 10:14)

So how can we overcome temptations? To help us answer this question, let us see how Jesus Christ overcame his own temptations, so we can learn from the example he has set for us. Jesus' account is found in Matthew 4:1-11:

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry afterward. The tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread."
But he answered, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'"
Then the devil took him into the holy city. He set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, 'He will put his angels in charge of you.’ and, 'On their hands they will bear you up, so that you don't dash your foot against a stone.'"
Jesus said to him, "Again, it is written, 'You shall not test the Lord, your God.'"
Again, the devil took him to an exceedingly high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory. He said to him, "I will give you all of these things, if you will fall down and worship me."
Then Jesus said to him, "Get behind me, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.'"
Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and served him.

Here, we have three recorded temptations that Jesus victoriously overcame. The lessons we can learn from them are:

1) The first temptation involved human need, the strongest force that pulls a person into a temptation's trap. After Jesus fasted forty days, he was naturally very hungry. Taking advantage of his hunger, the devil tempted Jesus to turn stones into bread to satisfy his need. Since Jesus was to live a life solely dependent on God, to meet his needs on his own by turning stones into bread would be against God's will for him. But Jesus overcame the temptation by focusing his true need on God and God's Word. To fight off the tempter, he quoted from the Scriptures: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4 from Deuteronomy 8:3)

When our strongest needs for life's necessities, such as for food and clothing, tempt us to do something against God's will, such as stealing or committing robbery, we must turn our attention from our physical needs to our spiritual needs: the need to obey God's will. Our spiritual need is the true need, because when we are able to satisfy this need, we will be satisfied eternally, for those who do the will of God will have an eternal sacred relationship with God that no one and nothing can take away from us. On the other hand, to satisfy a physical need by disobeying God is to satisfy a temporary need in the expense of our spiritual need. When we satisfy our physical need by doing something against God's will, we will jeopardize our relationship with God. Thus, if we are placed between the choice to meet our temporal needs and the choice to meet our eternal spiritual needs, we must choose to meet our spiritual needs over our physical needs. Of course, if we can meet our physical needs without having to fall for a temptation, then there's absolutely nothing wrong with it.

2) The second temptation involved faith in God. Jesus was tempted to throw himself down from the pinnacle of the temple in order to express his faith in God. But as pious as it seems, this is actually an act to put God to the test, to see just how faithful God is when it comes to saving His people. Testing God is a grave sin. Does what is created have the right to test its Creator? Even though God promises to help us overcome our temptations, we have no right to test His promise. Thus, Jesus quoted from another verse of the Scriptures: "You shall not test the Lord, your God." (Matthew 4:7 from Deuteronomy 6:16)

When we face a temptation, we must not head straight into it, thinking that God will save us. We have the responsibility to live with common sense, caution, and prudence. To live a reckless life and expect God to save us regardless of how irresponsible we act is to put God to the test. Thus, if we purposefully go to a certain place that we know will tempt us to commit sins, such as going to a strip club where people engage in fornication, and expect God to protect us, we would be testing God, something we must avoid doing at all times. So whenever possible, we must avoid things and places that greatly tempt our lusts.

3) The third temptation involved one's ultimate devotion and worship of the only true God. Jesus was tempted with the world's kingdoms, which would belong to him if he bowed down to the devil only once. However, he knew that "You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only," which he quoted from God's Word (Matthew 4:10 from Deuteronomy 6:13). Since there's only one true God, and that's Yahweh, then only He should be worshipped, exclusively. Thus, Jesus gave up the world's riches when he refused to perform a single act of worship of the tempter. He overcame the temptation by focusing on his ultimate purpose in life: to glorify God alone, not the devil, and not even himself.

If we are given the chance to receive great material riches in the expense of the exclusive worship of the true God Yahweh, then we must choose God over the riches. No worldly riches can ever surpass the value of the eternal wealth: a sacred relationship with God and Jesus in God's forthcoming Kingdom on Earth.

Now, notice that there's a common thread running throughout Jesus' defense in all three temptations. Can you tell what it is?

That common thread is the Word of God. Each time, Jesus used the Word of God (the Bible) to fight his temptation...and won. Thus, whenever we meet a temptation, we must remember what God's Word says, and apply that to our situation. Even though the Bible was written thousands of years ago (the earliest portion is about 3,500 years old), its principles are ageless, and therefore, they can be applied to any circumstance no matter where we are or what we do.

Tempted to steal? Remember: "Let him who stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need." (Ephesians 4:28)

Tempted to insult someone back for insulting you? Recall: "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander, be put away from you, with all malice." (Ephesians 4:31)

Tempted by a married woman's charms? Heed Jesus' words: "I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart." (Matthew 5:28)

Yes, God's Word is "the way of escape, that you may be able to endure" and prevail over your temptations, anytime! (1 Corinthians 10:14) So next time when you're tempted, you'll know to where to turn. :)

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

Question: How do we know that we can trust the Bible as the Word of God?

Answer: We can trust the Bible as the Word of God because the Bible is proven to be:

1) Historically accurate: Archeologists have unearthed evidences of certain people, places, and events described in the Bible, and historians have attested to the Bible's historical accuracy.

2) Scientifically sound: The Bible stated certain scientific facts thousands of years before scientists proved them. No contradiction between Bible accounts and scientific facts exists.

3) Prophetic: Hundreds of prophecies in the Bible have been fulfilled exactly as they were foretold hundreds and thousands of years before the events actually took place. Only a handful of prophecies are yet to be fulfilled, and they concern all of humanity.

Biblical prophecies are downright amazing. And we shouldn't be surprised at this because we can't expect anything less than amazing from the Creator of the universe. Here are just a few examples of literally fulfilled prophecies (again, there are hundreds of prophecies in the Bible that have been fulfilled to the letter so far):

a) Isaiah 13:19-20 accurately prophesied the eternal destruction of Babylon about two hundred years before it happened. What was once the world power lies in ruins to this date, exactly as the Bible foretold. It was something unimaginable when the prophecy was given, because it is like saying that the crowded New York City or Shanghai will be totally uninhabited forever in a month from now. Not only was the destruction of Babylon prophesied, but also by whom and how the city would be destroyed and conquered were foretold. About 200 years later, after the ruining of Babylon was prophesied, Persian King Cyrus captured the entire city by complete surprise, finding its own gates wide open--exactly as foretold (Isaiah 45). In addition, the Bible prophesied Cyrus releasing Israelites from Babylonian captivity to rebuild Jerusalem, and it came true.

b) Daniel 8:20-23 foretold the reigns of Media-Persia and then Greece, prophesying that four kingdoms would come from the first mighty king after his death (referring to Alexander the Great), but those kingdoms wouldn't experience the power that the first king had. All came true exactly. Keep in mind that this prophecy was given during the reign of Babylon. (Also foretold in Daniel 11:3-4.)

c) The book of Nahum foretold the utter destruction of Nineveh.

d) Daniel 9:25 prophesied the exact year that Jesus would be anointed as the Messiah about five hundred years before it took place.

e) The book of Obadiah prophesied the eternal destruction of Edom.

f) Daniel 11:6-31 foretold several historical events that took place exactly as prophesied. Here's a very brief outline of the foretold events:

Ptolemy Philadelphus gave daughter Berenice to Antiochus Theos in marriage.

Laodice, Antiochus Theos' ex-wife, murdered Antiochus, Berenice, and her son, and put her own son, Seleucus II Callinicus, on the throne.

Ptolemy Euergetes, Berenice's brother, captured Syria, and took much booty back to Egypt.

Antiochus the Great defeated Egypt.

The short reign of Seleucus Philopator.

Antiochus Epiphanes, who became a ruler through flattery, received much glory from his advances against Egypt, but his second campaign against Egypt failed. Then he invaded Jerusalem, robbed the temple, set up an idol of Jupiter in the temple, and destroyed any copies of the Scriptures that he found.

The ability to accurately prophesy events hundreds and thousands of years in advance is the striking trademark of the Bible, a feature unique only to this book.

Since all prophecies of events that should have come to pass now have indeed come to pass, wouldn't it be wise to heed its messages about our future and how we should respond to them? Since all scientific statements in the Bible made thousands of years ago are now proven to be accurate, wouldn't it be smart to trust it? If a weather forecaster has been 100% correct from the beginning, wouldn't it be in our best interest to heed his tornado warning for tomorrow?

Therefore, when we receive the Word of God, we accept it "not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe." (1 Thessalonians 2:13)

The Bible is "God-breathed," (2 Timothy 3:16) because God Himself authored the entire Bible through about forty men, who acted as secretaries, in a period of 1600 years. The Bible's historicity, scientific soundness, and fulfilled prophecies, among other unique characteristics, attest to its divine origin, setting it apart from all other books. No other book has the credentials the Bible has.

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

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My friend Heidi is currently looking for someone to be the new webmaster of her great site www.everythingblind.com as well as her newsletter Inspirations, as she has lots on her plate now, being a happy newlywed and all. Thus, if you're interested in taking over the site and newsletter, please e-mail me and I'll get you in touch with her. Thanks!

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

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

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

Best regards,

Dr. Shirley Cheng

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Inspiration from a Blind: The Death That Brings Life

A November hello from Inspiration from a Blind brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com!

Here's a riddle for you: what death brings life?

Answer: the death of Jesus Christ in our place.

But how could Jesus' death bring anyone life? Why did particularly Jesus have to die in our place? Why die in our place at all? Finally, how should we personally respond to his death? Our eternal destiny entirely lies in knowing the answers, so let's discover them together.

First Man, First Law, First Sin, First Penalty

God, whose personal name is "Yahweh" in the Hebrew language, created two people--Adam and Eve--who were perfect and sinless. Back then, God established that death will be the penalty for sin. (Sin is an offense we commit against God, just as a crime is an offense we commit against one another. Many crimes are actually sins, too, because God doesn't want us to treat one another badly. When we treat one another in a bad way, we are actually sinning against God.)

Yahweh gave Adam and Eve--and all humans after them--a precious gift called "free will." That means we have the absolute freedom to make moral decisions for ourselves on our own, to choose between right and wrong. If God hadn't given us free will, we would be robots, doing the will of God, not our will.

Along with free will, Yahweh established one simple rule for Adam and Eve. The rule gave them the opportunity to exercise their free will. How they use their free will and the extent of their obedience would demonstrate the extent of their loyalty and love for God. That single command was to not eat from only one tree, out of the numerous fruit trees in the Garden of Eden where they lived. If they kept it, they would live forever; if they didn't keep it, Yahweh told them that they would certainly die. God could have made any other law to give them the opportunity to express their obedience to Him. He could have commanded, "Don't jump for five days," if He wanted to. Was jumping itself evil? No, but when it became a law not to jump, then breaking that law would result in sin. Likewise, the tree itself was not evil; but when it became a law not to eat from that tree, it would result in sin if humans broke the law.

Unfortunately, Adam and Eve broke God's single law by eating from the tree, so God punished them with death just as warned. To not punish them the way He warned would make Him a liar. God promises both blessings and curses; He always keeps His word according to what He promises. Enforcing promised disciplines is how He can get His messages and orders taken seriously.

After Adam and Eve sinned, all their offspring and their descendants to this date have followed in their footsteps by sinning as well; consequently, everyone dies since death is the penalty for sin. So "sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin; and so death passed to all men, because all sinned." (Romans 5:12, WEB) (For more on the spread of sin, read the Q&A section below.)

Will sin and death poison the human race forever? Thank God, the answer is a definite "no!"

The Solution for a Sinning World

Sin is humanity's gravest problem. It's worse than our most feared diseases, because sin is the root cause of death; if humanity hadn't sinned, no cancer or heart disease would be able to take away our lives. We grow old, get sick and die only because we have sinned.

Worse yet, sin alienates us from God. Yahweh is a holy God; He cannot live among a sinful world, so sins separate us from Him. We cannot have fellowship with Him as long as we are sinning. Every person is a sinner with no exception, so all deserve God's eternal wrath and condemnation. We all are hopelessly doomed! But wait, this is where God's pure grace kicks in:

Yahweh has made provision for everyone's forgiveness through His Son Jesus Christ: Jesus' death in our place to save us from sin and the penalty of sin--eternal death.

Why Did Jesus Have to Die in Our Place?

It is necessary for Jesus to die and shed blood in order for us to be forgiven, to save us and give us eternal life after our future resurrection. But why? And why particularly Jesus, and not anyone else?

How could Jesus' blood let our sins be forgiven and give us eternal life? To understand this, we need to know how God's sacrificial system works. The books of Exodus and Leviticus in the Bible extensively talk about sacrificing livestock, such as cattle and sheep, to cleanse the people of their sins so God could forgive them. Animals used in the sacrifice must be without any defects (they must be physically perfect), and priests must perform specific steps during the sacrifice, including pouring out their blood upon the altar for atonement.

Why is the pouring out of blood necessary? What is important about blood? Yahweh answered this question in the Bible: "For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes atonement by reason of the life." (Leviticus 17:11) Blood represents the life of a human or an animal, so when the life of a perfect sacrifice is poured out, the sacrifice dies in your place and pays the penalty for your own sins. Simply put, the substitution dies so you won't need to die for your own sin. This is called substitutionary death for atonement, the forgiveness of sin.

Hence, in order to wash away the sins of a great multitude, God chose His Son to die in sinful humanity's place. No other man ever lived could be perfect enough to take our place, because no one is perfect or sinless as Jesus. This was why Jesus had to be our substitutionary sacrifice: only he was perfect enough. Ultimately, the life--Jesus' blood--was poured out as a ransom to redeem our own lives.

The sacrifice for salvation had to be perfect for another reason. In Yahweh's justice system, the restitution had to be of equal value as the original (Leviticus 24:17-20). Therefore, when Adam was a perfect human being, another perfect human being had to be sacrificed to set things right.

Even so, after an explanation of God's sacrificial system, you still may not comprehend it fully; you may find it too extreme for God to have sacrificed Jesus, and to me, it was. But as mere creations, do we have the capacity to completely understand Yahweh and His ways? Yahweh Himself best said it: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Salvation: How You Can Receive It

Now, we're left with the most important question: how can we have our sins forgiven and receive eternal life. Yes, Jesus died in our place, but does that automatically give us a ticket to eternal life?

While Jesus' sacrifice for us is the most important thing he has done for us, his sacrifice doesn't automatically ensure us salvation. Each person has to personally respond to it. A person is saved the moment they 1) repent of anything bad they have ever done and 2) accept Jesus as their Savior and Lord. Accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord means to accept his teachings and diligently apply them to our lives. Simply believing in Jesus (a passive belief without works) does not give us salvation. If belief is all that's needed, then Satan can be saved, too!

Once a person comes to trust in Jesus alone as their Lord and Savior for their salvation, believing that he is the Son of God who came to Earth, died for our sins, was buried, resurrected on the third day, and ascended back to heaven, God will forgive that person of all their sins, impute Jesus' righteousness on them, and give them the Holy Spirit that helps them live a whole new life that's pleasing to God. Then in the future, all True Christians will be resurrected whereupon they will live forever with God and Jesus in God's Kingdom of sheer bliss, love, and security. On the other hand, those who willfully reject Jesus as their Lord and Savior will also be resurrected, but they will be judged and then sentenced to eternal death, with no chance of a resurrection ever again. Without Jesus, every person is lost, helpless, hopeless, and destined to eternal death.

As you can see, each person's eternal destiny is up to that person. Each of us has one decision to make: eternal life or eternal death? This decision is the most important decision we'll ever make, as it determines our eternal destiny. We mustn't delay, for upon our passing or when Jesus returns (whichever comes first), the door of opportunity for us to decide and repent will close.

What decision will you make? Will you accept Jesus as your Savior and Master?

Jesus died for us and was resurrected unto eternal life so we can die and be resurrected unto eternal life as well. This is the precious gift he has given us. Will you accept his gift?

Will Jesus' death bring you life? That's entirely up to you.

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

Question: Why is every person a sinner?

Answer: To answer this question, we need to understand how sin entered our world by reviewing the spiritual condition before and after the first man, Adam, sinned.

When the first man Adam was made, he was perfect and sinless since he was made in the image of God. His spiritual condition was "very good." (Genesis 1:31) So he was sinless before he broke God's law. But when he broke the law by eating from the forbidden tree, he sinned. This sin is called the "original sin." After he sinned, Adam no longer was spiritually perfect. His spiritual condition was smudged. The spiritual likeness he had of God got ruined, yet not destroyed. Think about a brand new car. When it was first manufactured, it was perfect. But when the driver of the car crashed it, the car got dented. It no longer was perfect, yet it was not destroyed either. Likewise, Adam's spiritual condition got "dented" when he sinned. That dented spiritual condition is a sinful spiritual condition. Now, he possessed a sinful nature, and reflected God's likeness imperfectly.

When Adam had children, he passed down his sinful spiritual condition or nature to all of his offspring. Then his offspring passed down that sinful nature down to their own offspring, and so on. So every one of Adam's descendants, from his firstborn to you and me, has inherited his sinful nature. We inherited this sinful nature from our parents in just the same way we inherited physical features (like the color of our eyes) from our parents.

This sinful nature we inherited causes us to commit sins. The sins we commit are different from one person to another. Some people are liars, while others are thieves. This sinful nature is very powerful. We sometimes are overwhelmed by it, even when we really want to do good and ignore the sin nature inside us. Daily, we struggle with our sinful nature (Romans 7:15-24).

Since everyone has inherited a sinful nature, every person on Earth, past, present, and future, is a sinner. A person does not need to commit any sin to be a "sinner." A person is a sinner because he was born a "sinner." Therefore, a newborn baby is a sinner, even though he has not committed any sin.

In conclusion, every person is a sinner for two reasons:

a) We inherited a sinful nature, making us sinners at birth

b) And our sinful nature causes us to commit sins, making us sinners who commit sins

What a terrible situation we are in! But thank God for providing us a way out of our miserable condition! Anyone who trusts in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will be rescued from our misery. A Christian, once resurrected in the future, will be sinless, and will live forever, for the penalty of sin (which is death) will no longer have power or control over Christians. This is why the Gospel message is so important and urgent. If we don't spread it and if people reject it, people will die in their sins and will never receive eternal life. Instead, they will all perish (die) forever. So the Gospel message is a matter of life or death--eternal life or eternal death. "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

Romans 5:12 summarizes the passing down of the sinful nature to the whole human race from Adam: "Sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin; and so death passed to all men, because all sinned." This single statement sums up everything, that 1) sin passed down to everyone from Adam, 2) that everyone dies because of sin, and 3) that everyone sins.

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

Want autographed books to give as holiday gifts for booklovers in your life? Then stop by http://www.ShirleyCheng.com

To those of you who are following me on Twitter, you're probably wondering where I've been. Well, ever since they switched to the new Twitter, I've not been able to make a single tweet. And lately, I've not signed in to even try again, as I'm busily enjoying teaching the Bible. Therefore, the best way to keep in touch with me now is via e-mail. Thank you for being my loyal followers for the past couple of years!

~*~A Biblical Wisdom Nugget~*~

"Has Yahweh as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Yahweh? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim." (1 Samuel 15:22, 23)

God is happy with us so long as we attend church regularly, sing psalms to praise Him, and donate to church activities...or is He? Does our church activities alone please God, or does He require something else from us? We can learn the answer to this question by seeing how God Himself feels about religious rituals without a godly lifestyle to back it up.

In ancient Israel, people regularly performed religious rituals that God had asked of them. Each day, after they fulfilled their ritual requirements, they resumed their normal lifestyles, which consisted of bribery by the judges, dishonest dealings by merchants, adultery by men and women, and even murder by kings. While committing all such sins, they felt immune from God's judgment because they had performed all the necessary rituals. Certainly, God must be pleased by their pious customs, right?

Wrong! This was how God Himself responded to their religious yet ungodly lifestyles:

"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)

Yes, our religious and worship rituals are all vain to God if we do not obey His commandments or do His will. Our religious performances will not and do not grant us permission or the right to live our lives however we want in rebellion to God's will. When we go to church on Sundays and lie and cheat on our employees, friends, and family during the other six days of the week, would God nod and smile just because we have paid Him respect on Sunday? If we think our religious obedience alone make us God's good buddies, then we must think again!

Do you truly want to worship Yahweh? Then worship Him the way He wants to be worshipped. Worship Him in His way, not in our way, however clever that may be. For proper worship, heed God's words:

"I am Yahweh your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way that you should go. Oh that you had listened to my commandments! then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea." (Isaiah 48:17-18)

Worship should be the life we live, seven days of the week. Seeking justice for the wronged, caring for needy family members, and showing respect to others equally, are all forms of worship that God desires from us. When we do such will of God, we glorify Him. This is true worship.

So whether we eat, or drink, or whatever else we do, let's do all to the glory of God! (1 Corinthians 10:31) Amen.

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

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

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

Best regards,

Dr. Shirley Cheng