Musing – According to Paul, Are We in the Last Days?

 Hebraic Musing – According to Paul, Are We in the Last Days?

Paul begins 2 Timothy Chapter 3 with an ominous, or prophetic, warning for us to watch for.  “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:” NKJV   Thankfully, Paul also describes what to expect in those “last days.”  As I read, listen and digest the daily news, I find all too many events, attitudes, lusts, sins, etc. that make me cringe as I continue reading Paul’s warnings.

What are we to watch for according to Paul?  “For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.” 2 Tim.3:2-5a NKJV   Are all those problems rampant in today’s news (in America as-well-as in the International World)?   To what extent has today’s technology become Omniscient, Omnipresent and Omnipotent?  Might Almighty God become jealous?

In Today’s culture we have politicians being bought because of pride, power and love of monetary rewards.  They blaspheme subtly against Christianity.  Respect for parents and elders is disappearing.  Children and youth and younger generations have not learned respect for authority, parental responsibility and self-control (an oxy-moron).  The populous is spoiled with the pleasures afforded by today’s economy.  We have many who claim to be Christians, but their behavior betrays their claim; they have denied the power of our LORD!  The prevalence of ”Woke” and “Cancel” cultures has drawn the world away from a God-centered approach to social justice, to a man-centered approach to social justice.  

·         man-centered approach sees government in the role of savior, seeking utopia through government policies. 

·         God-centered approach sees Christ as ultimate Creator and the Savior who will bring heaven to earth when He returns to restore perfect justice.  Until then, we Christians are to choose to express God’s love and justice by showing kindness and mercy to those less fortunate.

How are we to react?  Paul continues to tell us what to do; and he also reveals the techniques of the enemy.  “And from such people turn away!  For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 2 Tim.3:5b – 7   We have the popular “Woke” movement being aggressively promoted which is contrary to the Bible and undermines much of what we old-timers were taught growing up.

The Solution is not easy, and the problem gets worse!  Paul warns of a price we will pay in vs.12 -13.  “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.  But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.”  Is our faith strong enough to actually desire to submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ knowing that that desire will lead to persecution?

Available Solution!  Paul continues in v.14 “But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”  

How important is our Bible?   “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  2 Tim.3:16-17   This advice reminds me of a song my children learned in Sunday School.  ♫  Read your Bible. Pray every day. And you’ll grow, grow, grow.  Don’t read your Bible. Forget to pray. And you’ll shrink, shrink, shrink. ♫   

Points to ponder

Us old-timers grew up with respect for God, country and one another. Where is that respect now?
Does “Cancel Culture” encourage loving one’s neighbor?

Does the LORD expect us to fight unrighteousness by relying on His Holy Word?

Is our desire to be an overcomer strong enough to withstand the inevitable persecution?

♫  I shall not be, I shall not be moved. Just like a tree that's planted by the water, I shall not be moved ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                          January 31, 2023
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith”
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”    insightsbyyosef.blogspot.com

Musing – There is Evil in Our Culture; How to Deal With It?

 

Hebraic Musing – There is Evil in Our Culture; How to Deal With It?     

Satan is very active in our world today, so we need to choose to either deny, enjoy, fear, rationalize, avoid, accept, or accept Satan’s impact(s); OR we need to do Spiritual warfare.   The Holy Spirit has given us believers the Biblical “gift” of discernment of evil.  As a result, we all too readily see the evil impact on our culture in America, as well as the rest of the world.  Here’s a few obvious examples of Satan’s strategies:
  - Denial of male and female, with children choosing their gender.
  - Corrupt government seeking to de-populate the world and take-over God’s role as Supreme Creator.
  - Critical Race Theory; WOKE thinking; Racism, white privilege condemned so others feel like victims.
  - Society’s de-masculinization of men with leadership positions given to women.
  - Young adults no longer feel marriage is important.
  - Children raised by day care and schoolteachers, thus becoming “wards of the state”.

God gave mankind, that’s us, freedom of choice, therefore, we Christians need to choose to either “go along to get along” OR we need to choose to “fight the good fight!”   Will we be able to repeat Paul’s departing words?  “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Tim.4:7  NIV   Since we are expected to “fight the good fight”, the Bible provides examples on how to “fight the good fight” with Satan:

·      Jesus sent disciples out and “The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” Luke 10:17  And in v.19 Jesus tells why they overcame the enemy.  “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.”   Don’t we still have that same authority?

·      Jesus gave us examples of dealing with unclean spirits.  “If you can'? ... Everything is possible for him who believes.”  Mark 9:23    Then in v.25 Jesus simply “rebuked the evil spirit. ‘You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.’”  Can’t we also do that?

·      When Jesus encountered a man with an unclean spirit amongst the pig-herders in the Gerasenes, He simply said to the spirit “Come out of this man, you evil spirit!” Mark 5:8     Don’t we have that same authority?

·      What should we be doing?  We are commanded to “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.” AND then what can we do?   “...Stand firm ... belt of truth ...  breastplate of righteousness ... feet fitted with the readiness ... from the gospel of peace.  ..., shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one... helmet of salvation ... sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. ....” Eph.6:11-18   Do we have the faith to put these on, take a stand and pray in the Spirit?

·      If we are bothered by the evil in today’s world, then we are expected to utilize the GIFTS we’ve been given -  listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8-11, especially v.10 – “...to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.”   Have we unwrapped and utilized all these “gifts” from the Holy Spirit?

·      To say that believers aren’t affected by evil forces is a lie.  Be careful that evil confrontations don’t deprive us of the Fruit of the Spirit – “... love, joy, peace, ...” Galatians 5:22-23   And what does it continue to say in v.24?  “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.” 

FINALLY, we are told to “Be strong and courageous.” Deut.31:6  (and 11 more times in Dt.31:7, 23; Josh. 1:6, 7, 9, 18, 10:25; 1 Chron. 22:13; 28:20; 26:17; 32:7).  And we’re told “Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Points to ponder

Why did God have to give us the Holy Spirit at the moment of our salvation?  (Acts 2:38)

Do we tend to underestimate the Power of Prayer?
Do we tend to underestimate the Power of our Tongue?

♫   Be bold, be strong, For the Lord your God is with thee. I am not afraid (Oh No) ... not dismayed (Oh No!)
      Come on and walk in faith and victory.   For the Lord your God is with thee. ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                       January 24, 2023
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”      InsightsByYosef.blogspot.com

Note – Inspired by and excerpted from teaching by Johanna Hocker; & “Pigs in the Parlor” by Frank Hammond.

Musing – According to Jesus, When Should We Expect the “End Times”?

 raic Musing – According to Jesus, When Should We Expect the “End Times”?

When the disciples came to him privately in Matthew chapt.24 Jesus described to them the “Signs of the End of the Age”.  They were concerned because Jesus had just prophetically described the desolation of the Temple.

Jesus prefaced his response to His disciples with a warning.   “Watch out that no one deceives you.  For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.” Matt.24:4&5 NIV   History and religiosity has already provided false leaders and religions.  So, might His warning also apply to us today?  

His next warning sounds like today’s news; although it could be any historical time period.  “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.” v.6   So today’s alarming news is not the alarm.

His next prophetic statement sounds even more like today’s news!  “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.” v.7   Wars did not end with “the war that ended all wars”, WWI.  Let’s face it, the Kingdom of God has been in the “Battle of the Ages” ever since Satan won the right & dominion over the world in the fall of man as described in Genesis 3.

How are we to understand these current events. “All these are the beginning of birth pains.” v.8   As bad as they sound, these events are just “birth pains,” not the real thing yet.

Jesus warns us about some things that will happen first, before the end.  “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.” v.9   Jesus is talking to His disciples, and all the apostles were faithful to the end.  We call ourselves “His disciples”; are we prepared? 

Now Jesus delivers serious warnings that could apply to the Church folks who call themselves faithful Christians.  “At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other,” v.10   How many professing Christians have enough faith to withstand the persecution we may need to endure? 

What might cause Christians to lose or deny their faith?  Jesus answered that in v.11  “and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.”  Do all “professing Christians” have a sufficient, defendable understanding of their faith to withstand preachings that tickle ears?

The daily news confirms Jesus next explanation.  “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,” v.12   The wheat and the chaff will be separated.  What did Jesus mean by the word “most”?

Considering these challenges that we faithful will be facing, what are we to do?  “but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” v.13   Jesus anticipated the need for this encouraging answer to give us hope and definition.  He wants us to “be strong and courageous” and to “stand firm” until the end!

So, in order for the end to finally come, what has to happen?  “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” v.14   Might this be why Satan does not want the Christians to be evangelizing, witnessing, missionarying and spreading the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth?  Jesus final words were – “...and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8 KJV

Points to ponder

How many professing Christians are not even willing to profess their faith in order to witness?

Are neighbors in the “uttermost part of the earth”?

Are we prepared to be strong and courageous to the end?

Are we really a disciple of Christ if we are not evangelizing?

How to preach the Gospel to all nations and to the “uttermost parts of the earth”?

♫  Go, tell it on the mountain, Over the hills and everywhere. 
            Go, tell it on the mountain That Jesus Christ is born. ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                      January 17, 2023
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith”
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”    insightsbyyosef.blogspot.com

Musing – Does Moses’ Advice to Joshua Apply to Us Today?

 Hebraic Musing – Does Moses’ Advice to Joshua Apply to Us Today?

We are living in uncertain days and it is getting harder to keep trusting Almighty God.  At the end of Deuteronomy we see that the LORD had Moses tell the people of a major event about to take place. “The LORD your God Himself crosses over before you; He will destroy these nations from before you, and you shall dispossess them.” Deut.31:3 NKJV   I have to wonder how the Israelites, and Joshua, were thinking; but Moses continued in v.6 – “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” 

And then in v.7 Moses tells Joshua - “Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it.” Deut.31:6&7   Moses is telling Joshua an assignment and a responsibility that could cause Joshua to be a bit concerned!  But he and the Israelites were repeatedly encouraged by the LORD to “be Strong and Courageous“ at least 20 times.

And Moses gave them further encouragement in vs.22-23 – “Therefore Moses wrote this song the same day, and taught it to the children of Israel.  Then He inaugurated Joshua the son of Nun, and said, “Be strong and of good courage; for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land of which I swore to them, and I will be with you.”

In the Book of Joshua the LORD spoke directly to Joshua.  “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.  Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.” Josh.1:5-6

The LORD also tells Joshua how to make this all happen.  Could this also be advice for us?!?!  “Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. (And the result...)  For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Josh.1:7-9 

And the Israelites answered Joshua.  “All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.  Just as we heeded Moses in all things, so we will heed you. Only the LORD your God be with you, as He was with Moses. ...  Only be strong and of good courage.” Josh1:16-18

Later, the Israelites faced a serious challenge and Joshua said – “Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.” Josh 10:25 

And David had to say this to give his son Solomon the reassurance he’d need to build the Temple. “Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God—my God—will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.”  1 Chron.28:20

If you have made Jesus LORD of your life, then it is all about your work in His Kingdom; it’s not about you.

Points to ponder

How did Joshua feel as he realized the job ahead?
What is your assignment in the LORD’s Kingdom?
How do you feel about your calling?

Would our LORD give us an assignment or calling without supporting us?

Is the LORD with us when He tells us to “Go into all the world and ... ”

♫  Be bold, be strong, The Lord thy God is with thee... Do not be afraid, Do not be dismayed,
       Walk in faith and victory, For the Lord thy God is with thee. ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                      January 10, 2023
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith”
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”  Weekly “Hebraic Musings” http://insightsbyyosef.blogspot.com

Note – Inspired by, excerpted from JS Hocker’s email, “The Biblical Admonition: Be strong and courageous!”

Musing – Is America being Bedeviled by a Series of Disasters?

 Hebraic Musing – Is America being Bedeviled by a Series of Disasters?

In years gone by we have had presidents who seemed to get more than their share of unlucky problems.  An analyst has made the point that “Biden’s problems are disasters... but only a few (presidents) have problems of their own making.”*  And the analyst lists the myriad of current problems/decisions which are of the Executive Branch’s own making!  Are these problems the result of chance or deliberate actions?  Who is behind this, who is the ruling class driving these non-common sense issues?  Has this ever happened before?

Here's a quick recap of what’s in today’s news:

High inflations; Dwindling retirement portfolios; Energy crisis; Violent crime wave; Surge in Fentanyl deaths; Supply chain disruptions; Illegal migrants crashing our borders; Mentally ill people walking the streets; Embracing CRT; WOKE Military; Left-wing classroom indoctrination; High rates of anxiety, depression & suicide among youth; Distrust of the media; Parental rights under fire; Children encouraged to question sex; Emboldened & aggressive China & Russia; etc.  to name just a few current problems & crises.

In the Old Testament, in Isaiah 3:1-26 we read of a time somewhat like this when the LORD had to intervene.  Isaiah 3 describes how the corrupt leadership brought about the collapse of the social condition of Jerusalem.   God’s judgment on Judah, at this point, includes taking away their food (stock and the store) and water.  God also brought judgment on Jerusalem and Judah by depriving them of godly, competent leaders on every level: the mighty man and the man of war, the judge and the prophet, and the diviner and the elder; the captain of fifty and the honorable man, the counselor and the skillful artisan, and the expert enchanter. Instead of wise, competent leaders, God will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them. (Summary of Isaiah 3:1-7)*   BTW – How old or mature are some of the advisers to the White House?

The conditions Isaiah is observing in Jerusalem & Judah, are suspiciously parallel to what America is experiencing right now; and the deliberateness and swiftness by which this is happening, indicates it is being driven by Satanic direction. 

Does Isaiah’s prophetic message in 760BC sound like today’s news?  “1 See now, the Lord, the LORD Almighty, is about to take from Jerusalem and Judah both supply and support: all supplies of food and all supplies of water,  the hero and warrior, the judge and prophet, the soothsayer and elder, the captain of fifty and man of rank, the counselor, skilled craftsman and clever enchanter.  I will make boys their officials; mere children will govern them.  People will oppress each other— man against man, neighbor against neighbor. The young will rise up against the old, the base against the honorable.”  Isaiah 3:1-5 NIV

And eventual fulfillment of this prophecy is found in 2 Kings 24:14.  “He carried into exile all Jerusalem: all the officers and fighting men, and all the craftsmen and artisans—a total of ten thousand. Only the poorest people of the land were left.”  Could this ever happen to the U.S.A.?

We are told to expect history to repeat itself.  “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” Eccl.1:9 NIV

Points to ponder

How might the LORD intervene this time?

Is this an American problem?  Or World-wide?

Has God taken away the wise men and given us children as princes?

Could Satan be using ungodly billionaires to influence White House decisions?

“Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Winston Churchill

“If history repeats itself, and the unexpected always happens,
     how incapable must Man be of learning from experience.”   George Bernard Shaw

♫  Let God arise and his enemies be scattered, Let God, Let God arise! ...  ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                        January 3, 2023
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”      InsightsByYosef.blogspot.com

* Inspired by & excerpted from Newsweek Magazine, Dec. 2022, by Craig Shirley, a presidential historian.