Program 98: The gift of fear

More than just a negative emotion, fear is an important survival skill. Your reaction to fear reveals what is in the heart.

Welcome to WLC Radio, a subsidiary of World’s Last Chance Ministries, an online ministry dedicated to learning how to live in constant readiness for the Savior's return.

For two thousand years, believers of every generation have longed to be the last generation. Contrary to popular belief, though, Christ did not give believers “signs of the times” to watch for. Instead, he repeatedly warned that his coming would take even the faithful by surprise. Yahushua urgently warned believers to be ready because, he said, “The Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” [Matthew 24:44]

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.

Part 1: (Miles & Dave)

Miles Robey: Greetings and welcome to WLC Radio! I’m your host, Miles Robey.

Dave Wright: And I’m Dave Wright. Thank you for joining us.

Miles: I’m really excited about the program we have planned for you today. It’s about an emotion we’ve all experienced at one time or another, and that’s fear.

There are actually two ways people respond to fear. Dave’s got some exciting new thoughts about the gift of fear that he’s going to be sharing with us.

Before we get into that, though, I want to explain for the benefit of those joining us for the first time that you’ll be hearing us use some words that may be new to you. At WLC, we always use the personal name of the Heavenly Father, which is Yahuwah or Yah. The name of the son is Yahushua.

Dave: The Father’s name is actually used throughout Scripture. It’s just been covered up in our modern translations by having the generic titles of “lord” or “god” substituted instead. And that’s a real shame because the name of Yahuwah itself is a powerful promise.

“Yahuwah” comes from the verb-of-being, hayah.

Miles: You can find that word throughout Genesis 1. In our modern Bibles, it’s translated as “Let there be light. And there was light.” But in the original Hebrew, it was simply: Light be. Light was.

Dave: It’s perfectly fitting that the self-existent One who was, and is, and is to come, would take for His name all the verbs of being. And what this teaches us, is that Yah’s name, when said in combination with your need, becomes a powerful promise you can claim!

You’re in danger and need protection? Call on His name!

“BE protected!”

And you are protected.

Remember that: His name + your need = a powerful promise to claim by faith.

Miles: That’s truly what it means to “call upon the name of the Lord;” to call upon Yahuwah.

So. Fear. We generally tend to view fear as a bad thing. But it can actually be a good thing. It lets you know when to be cautious.

Dave: You’re right. When I was in university, I knew a man that worked as a guard in a federal penitentiary. Apparently, there was a prisoner there that had no sense of pain.

At first glance, you might think: “Cool! Never get hurt again!” But lacking that sense of pain was actually very dangerous. He might get stabbed by another prisoner, he might even get a life-threatening injury, and he wouldn’t know the danger because it wouldn’t hurt. He could only tell by looking if something were really wrong.

And that’s the purpose of fear. It lets us know when we’re in danger so we can do something about it.

Miles: Reminds me of something my father told me after one of my … youthful, uh …

Dave: Indiscretions?

Miles laughs: Adventures, thank you very much!

Dave: So what did he say?

Miles: He said: “Courage isn’t a lack of fear. It’s the wisdom to recognize danger and then act responsibly. The village idiot can appear very brave because he’s too stupid to be afraid of danger.”

Dave laughs: Ouch!

Miles: Yeah, he had a way with words, my dad. But he got his point across.

Dave: And you still remember it! A wise man, your father.

Miles: Yeah, well, based on stories my mum tells, I tend to think his wisdom came from life experience rather than any innate good judgment he was born with.

Dave laughs: So could you say he learned to fear and this increased his wisdom?

Miles: Yeah, that would be fair to say.

Dave: Earlier, you referred to fear as a gift: the gift of fear. I want to enlarge on that because fear really is a gift. Let’s start by reading Isaiah 59—

Miles: Okay, hold on just a second. I called it the “gift of fear” because that’s what you’d said it was. But what do you do with 2 Timothy 1 verse 7? Here: let me read it. It says: “For Yah hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Dave: All right. Let’s look at that. The word that’s translated into English as “fear” comes from the Greek word deilia. Quoting Strong’s Expanded Dictionary, this is defined as: “timidity … The word denotes cowardice, unmanliness, and timidity.”

So, Paul’s right: Yah has not given us a spirit of cowardice, unmanliness and timidity.

Miles: I take it that’s not the word you’re talking about.

Dave: No: Completely different word; completely different language.

The fear we’re going to be talking about today comes from the Hebrew word, yârê. Here. Would you read what Strong’s Expanded Dictionary has to say?

Yeah, bottom of the page.

Miles:

Yare’ means “to be afraid, stand in awe, fear.” Basically, this verb connotes the psychological reaction of “fear.” Yare’ may indicate being afraid of something or someone … This is not simple fear, but reverence, whereby an individual recognizes the power and position of the individual revered and renders him proper respect. In this sense, the word may imply submission to a proper ethical relationship to [Yah]. …

Yare’ can [also] be used absolutely (with no direct object), meaning “to be afraid.”

Hmm. Interesting.

Dave: So, you can see, it’s a completely different word. Connotations tend to get lost in translation.

So now let’s turn to Isaiah 59 and read verses 19 to 21. Listen for the word fear as you read it.

Miles: It says:

So shall they fear the name of Yahuwah from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun; when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of Yahuwah will lift up a standard against him.

“The Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,” Says Yahuwah.“ As for Me,” says Yahuwah, “this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants,” says Yahuwah, “from this time and forevermore.”

Dave: Fear has two purposes and both are for our benefit. The first is to reveal what’s in the heart. The second is to produce and grow faith.

Now, when I say—end of the world, time of trouble, seven last plagues—what mental image do most people get?

Miles: Uh … chaos and strife. Political upheaval. Turmoil. Anarchy. Famine and pestilence. Suffering. Death.

Dave: Rather dark future. And when you think about this, what is your gut-level reaction? What do you feel?

Miles: Well, fear. Don’t want to think about it. Just want to escape from it.

Dave: Sure! That’s a normal reaction to feeling fear. Now, depending on what is in the heart, the response will be different. Yahuwah allows dangers to come so that we can see what is in our own hearts.

This is an important point. We need to know what’s in our hearts!

Miles: How else can we know what’s in the hidden heart?

Dave: Exactly.

Let’s take a look at Joel 3. Joel, chapter 3, verses 11 to 14. What does that say?

Miles:

Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Yahuwah. Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of Yahuwah is near in the valley of decision.

Dave: This applies now. Today, there are three groups in the world:

• A small group of those who are Yah’s;
• A larger group of those who are Satan’s;
• And a really huge assembly of those who haven’t yet made their final decision.

Miles: I’ve noticed that the first two groups are getting larger, while the third group is steadily decreasing.

Dave: People are making their choice! They’re being … solidified, if you will, they’re being hardened into whichever side they’ve chosen.

Miles: It’s true. You can see it in how they treat others.

Dave: You can see it in their response to truth!

Now, though, people are still making their decision. And one method Yah uses to reveal what is in the individual heart is fear.

Miles: But how? I’m not seeing how fear can be used that way.

Dave: It’s the person’s reaction to fear that reveals what’s in the heart.

Miles: What do you mean?

Dave: How a person reacts to fear reveals to himself what is in his heart: whether that is trust, or cowardice.

For example, let’s take the “seed of the serpent.” To a man who clings to known sin, to a woman who doesn’t want to surrender her will to Yahuwah, fear sets off a chain reaction.

First, you’ve got panic. That’s the emotional, gut-level response to danger. You panic.

Miles: And we all know, with an emotional response like panic, logic flies out the window. You quit thinking and just start reacting.

Dave: Exactly! That’s why this reveals the hidden heart.

In someone who wants to continue sinning—he doesn’t want to give up that cherished sin; she doesn’t want to surrender and obey—panic then becomes a reason to compromise.

Miles: And when you compromise on truth, you’re going to surrender, or give up your principles. You’re not going to stand firm on the word of Yah alone if you compromise. The two are mutually exclusive.

Dave: They are, and that leads to the next link in this chain reaction. Compromise will produce sin.

When you compromise your principles, sin will lose its sinfulness in your own mind.

Miles: Of course. None of us like cognitive dissonance: that tension we feel when our beliefs, or our beliefs and wants, contradict themselves. It makes us uncomfortable.

Dave: So what happens? People end up choosing to modify their beliefs or behavior in order to reduce that tension.

Miles: Obviously, that’s something Yah’s true-hearted people will never do.

Dave: No, but lots of people do. This compromise then leads to sin. That’s why Satan tries so hard to get people to give in. It’s why he arranges circumstances: the loss of a job, the fear of ridicule—whatever the reason. He arranges it to try and compel people to compromise because he knows that once they’ve adjusted their beliefs because it’s more convenient to give in, they will sin. Compromise always brings sin.

And then sin produces evil without guilt. They’ve already adjusted what they know to be right in order to have temporal ease, so their consciences become hardened.

Miles: I can see that and that’s exactly what Paul warned about in 1 Timothy, chapter 4, verses 1 and 2. Give me just a second to look this up.

Here it is. He says: “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.”

Dave: This is the unpardonable sin. It’s the sin against the spirit of Yah because once you harden your heart enough, you can’t even feel those gentle nudges to choose the right anymore.

This is what fear does to the unsanctified heart. The revelation of that fear is to lead us in repentance to the Father. If, when you’re facing the threat of losing your job because of your stance on the Sabbath, when you’re, maybe facing the loss of friendship because of your beliefs, if your first reaction is to compromise rather than stand firm for Yah, that’s a revelation of what’s in your heart.

It says your job, your friends, your reputation is more important than obeying Yah and doing His will.

Miles: If that’s the case, we need to know that about ourselves!

We’re going to take a short break and when we return, I’d like to hear about how fear affects those who are loyal to Yah.

We’ll be right back.

* * *

Advertisement

Most Christians today have been taught that the law of Yahuwah was nailed to the cross. This, in turn, becomes the justification for breaking the fourth commandment, no longer observing Yahuwah’s feasts, eating unclean meats, embracing pagan holidays, and a whole host of other practices forbidden in Scripture.

Certainly, something was nailed to the cross, but it wasn’t the divine law! All governments rest on the rule of law. They have to, or there would be chaos, and the government of Heaven is no different.

To understand precisely what was—and what was not—nailed to the cross, visit our website! On WorldsLastChance.com, click on the WLC Radio icon. Scroll down to the episode entitled: “What was really nailed to the cross.”

Learn the truth! It’s may surprise you, but it’s beautiful and, what’s more, consistent with the rest of Scripture. Once again, look for the episode entitled “What was really nailed to the cross.” You can also listen to it on YouTube!

* * *Part 2: (Miles & Dave)

Miles: For anyone just tuning in, we’ve been talking today about the gift of fear: how Yahuwah uses it to reveal what is in the heart.

For those whose hearts are not right with Yah, their reaction is to panic and compromise. Compromise of your beliefs, values, and principles invariably leads to active sin. Indulged sin then produces evil in the heart but without guilt.

Dave: Which, ultimately, will eventually turn into the unpardonable sin.

Miles: So if that’s how those who are lost respond to fear, how do Yah’s people respond?

Dave: They turn to Him! Sure, they may be afraid. They may even panic. But in the midst of that fear and panic, they turn to Yah for deliverance.

Would you turn to Psalm 56 and start reading at verse 1?

Psalm 56 provides a perfect illustration of how the righteous respond to fear.

Miles: “Be merciful to me, O Yah, for man would swallow me up; Fighting all day he oppresses me. My enemies would hound me all day, For there are many who fight against me, O Most High.” [Psalm 56:1-2]

Dave: That’s the danger. That’s the bad situation they’re in. Now, read the next two verses. Let’s see what their instinctual reaction to fear is.

Miles: “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In Yah (I will praise His word), In Yah I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?” [Psalm 56:3-4]

Dave: This is the response of the person whose heart is right with Yah.

When you’re afraid, when it seems like your life is falling down around your ears, and you’re starting to panic, one sure way to turn that panic into trust, rather than compromise, is to remind yourself of how the Father has helped others like you in the past.

Miles: Like the gospel hymn says: “What He’s done for others, He’ll do for you.”

Dave: And the next line says: “With arms wide open He’ll pardon you. It is no secret, what God can do.”

So, yeah. Focusing on His past mercies, the way He’s blessed you and others in the past will inspire confidence that He’ll do the same for you: “What He’s done for others, He’ll do for you.”

Miles: I remember reading a story once that’s really stuck with me. These two young men were driving somewhere. I don’t remember where, but they got stuck in traffic somehow. Lots of vehicles, gridlock. They weren’t going anywhere.

So, you know what happens: they’re feeling under stress, they’re not going to make their appointment in time, the blood pressure starts to rise.

Dave: Been there. Done that. Not a good feeling.

Miles: Well, stuck in traffic ahead of them was a truck that was loaded down. It looked like the people were moving or something. It was packed. As the morning hours wore away, people in the long line of cars got more and more impatient. The young men got out of their car. They were hot, bored, and hungry. But there weren’t any stores around and they hadn’t anticipated getting stuck on the freeway for hours on end.

About this time, a couple climbed out of the truck ahead of them. The man dug around in the back of the truck and pulled out a camp stove. The woman opened a cooler. They started chatting with the young men and ended up inviting them to join them for lunch.

Dave: That was nice of them.

Miles: The thing the guys noticed was how happy the couple seemed. While the husband chatted with the men, the wife fixed lunch while humming happily.

As they were eating lunch, come to find out, the couple were homeless. Hurricane Katrina had just hit New Orleans in the United States a few days before and they had lost everything. All they owned was in the back of their truck.

Dave: Wow. Okay, this would have been … 2004? Two-thousand five?

Miles: Two-thousand five, actually. It was bad. Over 1,800 people lost their lives. A lot of homes were destroyed. It still ranks as the costliest natural disaster in US history.

This couple was headed north to stay with their daughter while they tried to get back on their feet.

Dave: And she’d been singing?

Miles: Yes, but what she was singing goes along with what you’ve been saying. She was humming the old gospel song, “His Eye is on the Sparrow.”

The first verse goes:

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,

Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,

When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me …

And then, the chorus goes:

I sing because I’m happy.

I sing because I’m free.

For His eye is on the sparrow.

And I know He watches me.

Dave: And this was the song this woman was humming while preparing lunch by the side of the road.

Miles: Yeah! When I read that story, the thought that flashed through my mind was: She’s singing to strengthen her faith. She’s singing to remind herself that Yah is still in control. It was a beautiful demonstration of faith.

Dave: That’s beautiful. And I think you’re right: that’s exactly what she was doing. She was strengthening her faith and confidence in Yah by reminding herself of His goodness, and omnipotent strength.

This is what the righteous do when faced with overwhelming difficulties, with situations they don’t know how to resolve. We all need to learn how to react this way.

Miles: And we need it to be a reaction. Actions are thought out; reactions aren’t thought out. They’re just instantaneous responses.

Dave: That’s why it shows what is in the heart.

For a person who believes in Yah, what is he likely to do? How will she respond?

Miles: Well, I’d imagine by thinking of times Yah has delivered people from starvation in the past.

Dave: Right! There’s Elijah by the brook, Cherith. Yah sent ravens to feed him. Then, once the brook dried up, Yah sent him to a poor, starving widow in the village of Zarephath, where another miracle sustained him, the widow, and her son, for the rest of the years of no rain.

Miles: It’s more than “an other” miracle. Yah made sure the widow’s well didn’t run dry, and He supplied them with enough flour and oil to feed them each day—and those miracles continued throughout the famine!

Dave: That’s a story I’d want to remember when facing famine, too.

All right: disease. A person whose heart is right with Yah, will strengthen his faith by remembering all the instances in Scripture where people were healed. The New Testament is full of such stories.

Miles: The healing of the 10 lepers in Luke 17 where Yahushua told the one who returned to thank him: “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.” [Luke 17:19] You can see how those words, claimed by faith, would really inspire confidence in someone who is sick in the days ahead.

Dave: That is exactly the point. To reveal to the individual what is in the heart. Is he going to trust in Yah’s ability to heal just as He did in ancient times? Or, in order to buy medicine, will he compromise his beliefs?

One person trusts Yah; the other doesn’t.

This is what fear is designed to reveal while we still have time to repent.

Let’s read that passage in Isaiah 59 once more. Isaiah 59, just verse 19. Notice what happens when someone fears the name of Yahuwah.

Go ahead.

Miles:

So shall they fear the name of Yahuwah from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun; when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of Yahuwah will lift up a standard against him.

Dave: Those who fear Yahuwah in the sense of reverencing Him, those recognize His power and position and give Him the proper respect, in turn receive a tremendous blessing.

What does the spirit of Yahuwah do for him?

Miles: Uh … “When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of Yahuwah will lift up a standard against him.”

Dave: This is the believers defense. When we’re in danger and feeling panicked, when we choose to trust in Yah anyway, based on evidence of previous deliverances, then our faith is inspired to claim the promises.

This, in turn, sets a chain of events into motion. As we claim the promises, the spirit of Yah lifts up a standard against the enemy for us, and in our own lives, we begin to see and experience miracles for ourselves!

These aren’t stories that happened to others long ago. These are our experiences.

Miles: Experiencing your own miracles is a feeling like no other.

Dave: You feel grateful! You can’t help but feel grateful. The gratitude you feel increases your love. And your love, in turn, inspires still more faith. And the cycle continues.

This is why Yah allows bad things to happen to good people. It’s not so they’ll be destroyed. It’s so their faith and confidence in Him and His love for them. And as their faith grows, their gratitude and love grow, which only increases their faith.

It’s an incredibly beautiful cycle of transforming grace.

Miles: That’s powerful. When you explain it that way, it really sheds light on 1 Thessalonians 5, verses 16 to 18. I’ve got it here; let me read it really quickly. It says: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks for this is the will of Yah in Christ Yahushua for you.”

Dave: There’s another, very practical aspect of giving thanks in all circumstances. When you’re grateful, you see possibilities. When you’re griping and complaining, it only increases your fear and you miss out on the many opportunities that surround you.

Miles: Reminds me of the story Corrie ten Boom used to tell. During World War II, she and her sister, Betsie, were put into a concentration camp. Now the barracks they were assigned was crawling with fleas.

Corrie was really upset. This was too much!

Now, interestingly enough, just that morning, the sisters had read this same passage in 1 Thessalonians. With Corrie so upset by the fleas, Betsie reminded her that they were to give thanks in all circumstances.

So they began. Betsie prayed first: “Thank you, Father, that we’ve been assigned to the same barracks. Thank you that we still have our Bible. Thank you for the fleas—"

Dave: The fleas!

Miles laughs: Yeah, that was Corrie’s response when Betsie said that. But Betsie said, “It doesn’t say to give thanks in pleasant circumstances. It says to give thanks in all circumstances and fleas are part of this place where Yah has put us.”

Dave: That takes faith!

Miles: But you know what? The sisters decided to be thankful for the fleas—by faith, that’s the only way you can be thankful for fleas—and you know what they discovered?

Dave: What?

Miles: Not a single guard ever entered their barracks. It was known to be flea-infested and every last guard refused to step foot in the place.

Dave: That’s beautiful.

Fear really is a gift, folks. It reveals what’s in the heart. And if what is in the heart is love and reverence for Yah, then His spirit will raise up a standard against the enemy for us.

We really don’t need to be afraid. We just need to trust.

Miles: Stay tuned! Up next is our daily mailbag.

* * *

You are listening to World's Last Chance Radio.

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.

* * *Advertisement

A popular teaching in Christianity is the idea that the divine law was “nailed to the cross” with Yahushua. This is interpreted to mean that the divine law no longer needs to be kept.

And truthfully, something was nailed to the cross . . . but it wasn’t the 10 commandments! WLC invites you to do a careful study of Colossians 2. Learn the truth of what was nailed to the cross, what was not, and the significance for Christians today.

Go to WorldsLastChance.com and read “What Was Nailed To The Cross: An Examination of Colossians 2.” Again, that’s “What Was Nailed To The Cross” on WorldsLastChance.com. Because what you don’t know, can hurt you.

* * *Daily Mailbag (Miles & Dave)

Miles: The question from our Daily Mailbag comes from Iago Fonseca in Colombo, Brazil. He writes: “What is your opinion on Christians seeing a psychiatrist or psychologist? Is it Biblical or does it show a lack of faith?”

Dave: Thanks for the chance to answer this question! In many countries, there’s a certain social stigma attached to mental health issues, and there really shouldn’t be.

Miles: Before you go on, let’s clarify the difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist.

Dave: Good idea. You have a quick and easy explanation for us?

Miles: Well, I’d say it’s the difference between biological versus behavioral. Psychiatrists are medical doctors. They went to medical school and focus on the treatment of mental, emotional and sometimes even behavioral disorders. The treatment often involves certain drugs.

Psychologists, on the other hand, may have their doctorate, but it would be a PhD degree, rather than a medical degree. They focus on the mental and emotional processes that influence a person’s behavior or decisions.

Dave: Well said. When a person has a mental health issue, psychiatrists and psychologists often work together: the psychiatrist using various drugs applicable to the disorder; the psychologist using counseling and talk therapy.

Miles: What do you think of this idea among Christians that there’s no such thing as “mental illness”? That it’s all due to, I don’t know … personal sin? A lack of faith? Maybe a spiritual attack?

They claim all you need to do is pray and you’ll be healed.

Dave: And then, of course, if you’re not, it’s your own fault because it’s a faith issue: you lack faith, right?

Miles: Yeah, that’s the basic message. What are your thoughts?

Dave: That that’s an over-simplification of a complicated issue and we aren’t helping anyone by binding a burden of guilt on someone who is already struggling.

Isaiah 42 describes the Saviour’s mission of mercy by saying, “A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench.” [Isaiah 42:3] Meaning: Yahushua’s mission was to encourage and uplift, not kick-you-when-you’re down.

Miles: Good point. I remember one university professor saying that “mental illness” didn’t exist in the sense of having a cold or the flu. However, the disorders we call “mental illnesses” could—9 times out of 10—be traced to the brain’s reaction to unremitting stress or what he called “complexity.” When there’s no relief, no reprieve from depression, or extreme stress, or a confusing admixture of the two, there’s going to be a blow out, a reaction to that. And that’s what appears as the various disorders we call mental illnesses.

Dave: That’s certainly a factor. And life is getting harder. The demands and pressures of modern life are much worse today than they were 200 years ago. In such instances, a psychologist can help someone develop healthy coping mechanisms. If there’s been any level of abuse in childhood, a psychologist can also help a person deal with those issues in a healthy, healing way.

Miles: What about psychiatry? If it’s all stress- or behavior-based—

Dave: I didn’t say that. In fact, there’s a very good reason to never condemn anyone who needs to see a psychiatrist and that is the very real possibility that there may be a chemical imbalance in the brain.

I’m all for natural remedies being the best approach to take. But there are certain things that need more intervention. If your brain has a chemical imbalance, you’re probably not going to be able to fix the problem by adding more kale or spinach to your diet.

Miles: Or Brussels sprouts!

Dave: Beets. Definitely beets won’t help!

Dr. Eric Johnson is a Christian and author of a book called Foundations for Soul Care: A Christian Psychology Proposal. He has a unique way of looking at this issue. He explains that, quote: “the whole body can be affected by human fallenness.” Unquote.

Miles: That really makes sense. We’re fallen. It’s been thousands of years since the human race had access to the tree of life, so it makes sense that there could be any number of issues arising out of that.

So he’s saying it’s a result of the sin condition, not the faith condition?

Dave: Well, I pulled up a quote here, I’d like you to read. It’s from an interview he gave The Christian Post.

Miles: "There's reason to believe that the human brain can also be impacted by human fallenness and that things can go wrong at the genetic level, at the embryological level during development in utero, as well as through the rest of the lifespan."

Dave: This, right here, is why we should never judge someone else. We’re all sinners in need of a Saviour. There’s nothing inherently sinful about seeking medical help or help from a psychologist or councilor.

Now, a Christian may very well feel more comfortable working with a psychologist who is also a Christian simply because our worldviews are more similar. But even Yahushua acknowledged the need for doctors when a person is sick when he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” [Matthew 9:12]

Miles: A godly physician can be a real blessing. With my wife’s last pregnancy, there were some issues. We were blessed to have a doctor who was a committed Christian. I remember one appointment in particular after an emergency trip to the doctor’s office, he came in and prayed with us. That meant a lot to both of us.

Dave: I’m sure it did. And remember, Yahushua is the Great Physician. When He went around and healed people, He was healing legitimate physical and mental maladies. He didn’t just say: “Give up that secret sin you’ve been hiding from everyone and go pray some more and you’ll be fine.”

Mental illness should not be viewed as a character flaw: a breakdown of the spiritual life. We’re not called to judge that way.

Miles: That’s breaking a bruised reed, isn’t it?

Dave: It really is. It’s not a weakness in the Christian’s character. It’s likely due to an underlying medical cause. It could be something as simple to treat as a brain chemical imbalance that will get better by supplementing the brain’s natural chemistry with the right medication.

Miles: It could be due to a brain injury, even.

Dave: Absolutely. Or any number of other causes. Our role is to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ. We’re to encourage them and strengthen their faith, not set ourselves up as judge and jury. We can safely leave that up to Yahuwah who reads the heart.

Miles: Okay, we’ve got another question here maybe you can address briefly. It kind of … sort of? Goes along with this?

It’s anonymous. I don’t know where it’s coming from, but this person writes: “Last week, my daughter, who is in her 20s, informed me that she is transgender. My heart is broken. I have been reading everything I can to try and understand what is going on. I turn to my faith for comfort but it seems that the Christian perspective on the subject of transgenderism is even more judgmental and unloving than anyone else’s. Do you have any counsel for how I, as a Christian parent, can act in this situation?”

Dave: What you do as a Christian parent is what every Christian should be doing: You love your child, accept your child, and leave the judging to Yah.

Miles: That’s it?

Dave: That’s it. Like we just said with the last question: it’s been thousands of years since the human race has had access to the Tree of Life. Birth defects are going to occur.

For example, take babies born intersex—what we used to call a hermaphrodite. Did you know that if we take into account all the different forms this birth defect takes, that 1 in 1500 to 1 in 2000 babies are born intersex?

They’re born that way! Statistics suggest that 4% of the world’s population may be intersex in some way.

Miles: Yeah, but that’s intersex. That’s different from someone deciding he (or she) is transgender.

Dave: Is it? On October 25, 2016, an article was published on Harvard University’s website that referred to a number of different studies done that seemed to show a biological difference between transgender people, and people whose biology was in agreement with their gender identity, or “cis-gendered” people.

Two different studies showed that brain scans of transgender individuals were similar to the straight individuals of the sex with which they identified, rather than their biological bodies.

My point is: With all of the additives and preservatives in the food, the extra-hormones released from plastics, etc., etc., etc., we shouldn’t be surprised that our bodies, formed in the image of Yah, are failing.

This doesn’t mean that a person is lost. It doesn’t mean Yah doesn’t love them. He does.

And that’s what we’re supposed to do, too: love them and leave the judging to Yah.

Miles: It’s the principle of Matthew 22: “Yahushua said to him, ‘You shall love Yahuwah your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Dave: Amen.

Miles: Well, that’s all we’ve time for today. If you’ve got a question or comment, send us a message. Just go to WorldsLastChance.com and click on Contact Us. It’s quick, easy … and we enjoy getting your messages!

* * *Daily Promise

This is Elise O’Brien with your daily promise from Yah’s Word.

It’s never fun to go through unexpected trials, but these difficulties, stressful as they may be, are usually our greatest faith-building opportunities. It was by going through one such ordeal that the Chew family discovered there is power in the divine name!

Aaron was the Chew’s 15-year old son. One spring day, he got permission to visit a friend, hopped on his moped, and set off. Not far from his home, a large van traveling in front of Aaron, stopped at the entrance to a public garden, waiting to turn.

Aaron didn’t see that the van had stopped, and plowed full speed into the back of the van. He broke both legs in the accident, but worst of all, suffered severe head trauma. Bystanders called an ambulance which rushed him to the hospital where he was immediately taken into emergency surgery.

When Aaron’s family finally learned of his accident and rushed to the hospital, they found their son battling for life in the Intensive Care Unit. The neurosurgeon on his case bluntly informed them that the survival rate for Aaron’s type of injury was only 50%. Furthermore, even if Aaron did survive, the head trauma was too great to expect him to regain full cognitive function.

Aaron’s injuries were extensive and he had lost a lot of blood. For 5 days, he lay in the Intensive Care Unit, unconscious. But, as Mrs. Chew recalled, “Prayer isn’t something we do on our own.” Family and close friends gathered close. They called on the name of Yahuwah Rophe—Yah who heals—to save Aaron’s life and restore him to health.

It was a time of unremitting stress. Even minor setbacks become major obstacles when a body is so badly injured. One day, Mrs. Chew withdrew to a quiet corner by herself. She had been praying that Yah would heal her son. Now, she surrendered Aaron’s life entirely to the Father. She had dedicated her son to Him before, but now she fully submitted to Yah’s will, whatever it might be, regarding Aaron’s life.

Aaron spent a week and a half in ICU and a full month in the hospital. It took months of recovery and physical therapy, but the teen made a full recovery. At his final doctor’s appointment, Aaron’s doctor told his mom: “It wasn’t medicine that healed your son.”

She knew that already. It was Yahuwah-Rophe—Yah who heals—that had fully restored her son’s health.

Jeremiah 30, verse 17 says: “For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith Yahuwah.”

We’ve been given great and precious promises. Go, and start claiming!

* * *Part 3: (Miles & Dave)

Miles: I have to say, this has been a really interesting take on fear. I’d never really thought of it as a gift intended to reveal our hidden hearts, but I can really see that.

One response to fear leads to compromise with sin and, unless the person repents, being lost.

The other response to fear leads to increased confidence in the Father and His love, which increases our own love and gratitude, which makes our faith still greater.

Dave: This understanding also explains a verse in Revelation that used to really bother me. Revelation 22, verse 15. Would you read that for us? Let’s … uh, read it in context. Read verses 14 and 15. Here the reward awaiting the different responses to fear is presented.

Miles:

Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

Dave: Those whose fear response drove them to seek Yah’s face, who used it as a reminder of all the times Yah had delivered His children in the past, those who let these reminders inspire their faith, are the same ones who will stay faithful to Yah regardless of the cost.

They’re going to remember the three worthies facing down an angry king for refusing to worship his golden image.

Miles: I can really see that. And the opposite holds true, too.

Those whose response to fear has always been to compromise and give in, will keep doing it. They’re cowardly. They’re too afraid to trust Yah, so they give in and are lost.

Dave: Yes. This fear is a conjugation of the same Greek word we talked about earlier that connotes cowardice. Remember? 2 Timothy 1:7? “Yah hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Miles: What an incredible difference from those who let their fear draw them close to Yah! Then, as they experience for themselves His deliverance, their gratitude overflows, their love increases, and their faith strengthens! They’re not afraid any more.

They’ll have the same confidence Paul had when he said: “I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.” [2 Timothy 1:12]

Dave: That is the confidence all the redeemed will have. They’ll trust Yah because they love Him, and they love Him, because they know Him.

I’d like to close with a final verse. It’s found in 1 John chapter 4, verses 17 to 19.

Miles: I’ve got that here. It says:

Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.

Dave: I just want to make an appeal to everyone listening.

Make it a habit to spend time with Him every morning. Meditate on the promises throughout the day. To know Him, is to love Him. So, get to know Him! You’ll have the confidence to face the days ahead, because your confidence won’t be in yourself. It will be in Him who loves you.

Miles: Join us again tomorrow, and until then, remember: Yahuwah loves you . . . and He is safe to trust!

* * *

You have been listening to WLC Radio.

This program and past episodes of WLC Radio are available for downloading on our website. They're great for sharing with friends and for use in Bible studies! They're also an excellent resource for those worshipping Yahuwah alone at home. To listen to previously aired programs, visit our website at WorldsLastChance.com. Click on the WLC Radio icon displayed on our homepage.

In his teachings and parables, the Savior gave no “signs of the times” to watch for. Instead, the thrust of his message was constant … vigilance. Join us again tomorrow for another truth-filled message as we explore various topics focused on the Savior's return and how to live in constant readiness to welcome him warmly when he comes.

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.