Musing – What to do Before You Panic?

 

Hebraic Musing – What to do Before You Panic?

While journeying across the desert, the Lord said to Moses “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroy you. Now take off your ornaments and I will decide what to do with you.'”  If Almighty God said that to you, you could justifiably have a “Panic Attack.”  Have you ever had a dire situation?  What can we learn from Moses’ response to this dire situation? 

“Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the ‘tent of meeting.’  …  And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent.  As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses.”  Exod.33:7-9 

So, when Moses was frazzled by the idolatry of the children of Israel, he “took his tent and pitched it outside the camp.” This wasn’t the famous Tabernacle, which would be built later. This was an ordinary tent, or as Corrie Ten Boom called it “The Hiding Place.”** 

Basically, Moses took his tent and pitched it outside the camp.  And it is clear that the LORD spoke to Moses in that designated “tent”!  And BTW, all the people knew that Moses was listening to the LORD in that tent.  What can we learn from this?  Might reading Exodus Ch. 33 carefully help us understand how to depend on the LORD?

David Jeremiah* saw a parallel with this cute little story:

When a creative mother in Chicago noticed her son was anxious during the pandemic, she came up with a biblical solution.  Together they made a prayer tent—a homemade pup tent—and set it up in a corner of the boy’s bedroom.  Whenever he felt afraid, he could go there, read his Bible or kids’ devotional book, pray, and feel enclosed in safety.

As children of God, can we utilize this mother’s solution to her child’s problem?  Should we literally build a prayer tent for our children; or maybe we need them for ourselves!  Actually, any quiet spot where we can get away from the distractions of the world and enter God’s presence in prayer is a special place of refuge and safety.  

What did Jesus tell us to do?  “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matt.6:6   I wonder if Jesus learned that from Moses, or did Moses get that advice from Jesus?  Or did they both get it from the Holy Spirit?

Almighty God, creator of the whole universe, longs to hear from us!  And even more amazing, He is always listening!  AND He really wants to answer our prayers.  He loves His children.  So talk to Him.

Points to ponder

Christian, what are you afraid of?

When your children call on you, don’t you drop everything to listen?

What distracts you while trying to pray?  What can you do about it?

♫  You are my hiding place, You always fill my heart With songs of deliverance.
                Whenever I am afraid I will trust in You.  ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                    May 25, 2021
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith”
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”  Weekly “Hebraic Musings” http://insightsbyyosef.blogspot.com/

*   Inspired by and excerpted from David Jeremiah’s -“The Prayer Tent” May 19, 2021

**   When my daughter was in Europe she was actually allowed to crawl into “The Hiding Place.” 
            Her reaction – “How did that many people fit in that tiny space?”

Musing - Do We Need God’s Help to Deal with Our Human Nature?

 

Hebraic Musing - Do We Need God’s Help to Deal with Our Human Nature?

What is Human Nature?  What does the Bible say about our Human Nature?   “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” Psalm 51:5 NIV    

The Bad News: In Ephesians 2:1-3 Paul describes how that sinfulness impacts us to this day.  “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.  All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful Nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by Nature objects of wrath.”  NIV

Is it a blessing or a curse that our “Human Nature” makes us distinctly human?  Here’s a hint of good news!    Our Human Nature is distinct from that of the animals and the rest of creation in that we can think!  The chief distinction between human beings and the rest of creation is our ability to reason.  No other creature has this ability, and there’s no question that this is a unique gift bestowed on us by God; best described in Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him…”  And thus our ability to reason enables us to reflect on our own Nature and the Nature of God and to derive knowledge of God’s will for us, His creation.  We are the only ones in God’s creation that has a Nature capable of reason, to make choices!

The fact that we are created in God’s image means He has enabled us to have some understanding of Him and of His vast and complex design.  Our Human Nature reflects God’s attributes, although in a limited way.  We love because we are made in the image of the God who is love (1 John 4:16 “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.”).  Because we are created in His image, we can be compassionate, faithful, truthful, kind, patient, and just.  In us however, these attributes are distorted by sin, which also resides in our Nature.

Originally, our Human Nature was perfect by virtue of having been created so by God.  We were created “very good” by a loving God (Genesis 1:31), but that goodness was marred by the sin of Adam and Eve and entire human race fell victim to the sin Nature.  

The Good News is that at the moment a person trusts in Christ, he receives a new Nature.  Second Corinthians 5:17 tells us, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” Sanctification is the process by which God develops our new Nature, enabling us to grow into more holiness through time.  This is a continuous process with many victories and defeats as the new Nature battles with the “tent” in which it resides—the old man, the old Nature, the flesh.  “For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.” 2 Corinthians 5:4

And for how long do we groan in our “tent”?  Not until we are glorified in heaven will our new Nature be set free to live for eternity in the presence of the God in whose image we are created.  Meanwhile “… because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,  made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”  Eph.2 4-5

So we are doomed before we even began life.  BUT there is hope.  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 NIV

Points to ponder

Am I groaning in my tent because I now have to continually confront my sin Nature?

Do we fully appreciate the Godly nature Father God gave us when He created us?
 to reason      to reflect       to derive knowledge of God’s will     to make choices

Do you feel redeemed by Father God?

♫ I’m a new creation, I’m a brand new man. Old things are passed away, I’m born again.
      More than a conqueror, That’s who I am.  I’m a new creation, I’m a brand new man. ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                      May 18, 2021
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith”
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”  Weekly “Hebraic Musings”   insightsbyyosef.blogspot.com/

Note – Inspired and excerpted from “What Are We? Three Views on Human Nature” by James Anderson

Musing - God Hates Sin, but does God Love Sinners?

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Hebraic Musing - God Hates Sin, but does God Love Sinners?

How often have we encountered someone committing an obvious sin or living a sinful lifestyle?  And to comfort them and avoid confrontation, we say “God hates sin, but He loves the sinner.”  But is that true?

What do the Psalms say?  (Here’s a few to start, read more Psalms to see what God has to say about sinners.)  

·      “The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong.  You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors.”  Psalms 5:5-6  NIV

·      “For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” Ps.1:6

·      “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way…”  Ps.2:12

·      “Deliver me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.” Ps.3:7

Right after the oft quoted John 3:16, we are viewed by Jesus himself as “Condemned” in v.18b.  “…whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.”  And the final result is in v.36 - “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him.”

When Jesus was going into the Garden of Gethsemane Matthew reports “Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.’” Matt. 26:39   The “Cup” is not reference to the wooden cross; He was referring to divine judgment, the cup of God’s wrath.

Does the Gospel call us to “accept Him”?  Or to fully recognize who He really is?  “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'”  Matt. 7:21-23  Who really does the “Will of the Father”?  

In his book “Radical” * David Platt makes this statement – “Our American dream radically differs from the call of Jesus and the essence of the gospel.  This differentiation is heightened when we contrast trust in the power of God with reliance on our own abilities.”  Our DIY nature wants to take over!

And David Platt goes on to say we have a problem with our modern day gospel which tells us “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.  Therefore, follow these steps and you can be saved.”  HOWEVER the Biblical gospel says “You are an enemy of God, dead in your sin, and in your present state of rebellion, you are not even able to see that you need life, much less to cause yourself to come to life.  Therefore, you are radically dependent on God to do something in your life that you could never do.”  Which “Gospel” sells books and which one saves souls?

We live in a culture, especially in America, that exalts self-sufficiency, self-esteem and self-confidence.  We are taught that if we set goals and work hard we can achieve anything our heart desires.  These are good attributes; BUT do we leave room for God to have a role in the result? 

Has the church reduced Jesus to someone who simply needs to be accepted?  Or is He to be our LORD, BOSS and MASTER?

Points to ponder

After all, who is God anyway?!?!

Do we really trust in God’s Omniscience, Omnipresence and Omnipotence?

If hard work and diligence gets our heart’s desire, why do we need God?

“These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” John 5:39-40

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                      May 11, 2021
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith”
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”  Weekly “Hebraic Musings”   insightsbyyosef.blogspot.com/

*  Inspired by, excerpted from “Radical – Taking back your faith from the American Dream” by David Platt.

Musing – Are We Supposed to be Building Our Church?

 

Hebraic Musing – Are We Supposed to be Building Our Church?

If we are busy building our churches, who is building the Kingdom of God?  Many in the pews of our churches would agree that we “ought to be building Our Church” and they are busy doing just that – decorating the building, designing programs to attract nickels and noses, inviting, supporting the building program, etc.  

Jesus took his disciples on a field trip to the region of Caesarea Philippi where many different gods were being worshipped.  “He asked His disciples, saying, ‘Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?’  So they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’”  Matthew 16:13-14  NKJV    Doesn’t that sound like today’s world?   If you ask people who Jesus is, you get a variety of answers!

Then Jesus got in their face and asked the most important question in v.15 - “But who do you say that I am?”    Impetuous Peter answered in v.17 - “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”   So Jesus complimented Peter with “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.”

Then Jesus explains to them the reason for this field trip to the North-East corner of Israel.  (BTW – I think He is speaking to us also.)  “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.  And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Mt. 16:18-19  NKJV  

What did Jesus reveal to His 12 disciples and to us?

·      Peter, your answer shows your faith and it is solid as a rock.  So on this rock I will build My church, on that Rock of Faith. (Not Our church, HIS CHURCH, built on the faith of believers)

·      Jesus also told Peter that there is a kingdom of heaven and He is giving to Peter, and to you, the keys to HIS Kingdom with access to all the privileges.

Consider that Jesus mentions the word “church” only twice in the Gospels (Mt.16:18 & 18:17); that’s all!  But Jesus refers to the “Kingdom” over 50 times in Matthew alone.   Toward the end of Matthew 6 Jesus describes the things we people desire and need and then in v.33 He concludes - “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”   

The Jews were a lot like us, worrying about politics, nations, kingdoms and rulers.  So in Acts 1:6 the Jews  asked  “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”  Wrong focus!  Shouldn’t we all be working to restore the Kingdom of God here on earth?  In fact, Jesus tells us where we should all put our focus.  “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:7-8 NIV 

Points to ponder

Would you rather have the keys to your church; or the keys to the Kingdom of God?

If we are His witnesses to the uttermost parts of the earth, will that grow the Kingdom of God?

What a thrill it is to introduce members to His Church!

What can we unlock with the keys He has given us to His Kingdom?

♫ Seek ye first the Kingdom of God And His righteousness And all these things shall be added unto you Allelu Alleluia Ask and it shall be given unto you  Seek and ye shall find  Knock and it shall be opened unto you ♫ 

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                      May 4, 2021
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith”
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”  Weekly “Hebraic Musings”   insightsbyyosef.blogspot.com/