Musing – How to Study the Bible.

Hebraic Musing – How to Study the Bible.

First and most important question – Why study the Bible?  Think of how you would respond to hearing a voice from heaven speaking directly to you.  Should we read/study the Bible with the same reverence?  

Might we be studying the Bible for the wrong reasons?  Guilt!?  Or, we need arguments against other perspectives?!  Are we only looking for material in preparation for a Bible study, sermon or message?!  Do we just want to be able to show off our knowledge (Competitiveness)?

Why did God give us the Bible?  Maybe God wants us to know who He is?!?!  As our creator He wants his role known.  And maybe God wants us to know ourselves and how we are to get along in this world.  Actually the “Law” or the Torah (first 5 books) is better called a “Teaching.”  The Torah is about more than just Do’s and Don’ts; it’s about how to live a righteous life.  Furthermore, our Loving God and Creator wants us to be living a Godly life, and He told us that!  “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Tim.3:16-17  NIV

God also wants you to have a relationship with Him.  Simply reading the Bible does draw us closer!  God the Father wants to tell us how and why we need a relationship with His Son.   The need to do so is evident from the opening of Genesis to the ending of Revelation.

God also want us to prepare us for our God-given mission.  He planned this for Abraham’s children (♫ “I am one of them, and so are you…”) right from the beginning.  “…and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Gen.12:3    So today… “We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.”  2 Cor. 5:20    

Do you want to know the “Mind of Christ”?  Every time you open your Bible prepare yourself for an encounter with your Creator.  “…But we have the mind of Christ.” 1 Cor. 2:16

Do you want to grow in your knowledge of Him?  “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” 1 Peter 2:2-3  How does a newborn baby seek its milk?

Should we pray before studying the Bible?  And maybe we should also pray after reading it!  Psalm 119 is long but full of phrases demonstrating the Psalmist’s yearnings.  Examples: “I will seek you with all my heart.” and “teach me your decrees.” and “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.”

Do we believe and obey everything the Bible tells us to do?  Was the world and cosmos created in six days?  Do we obey everything we are told to do?  Are we challenged to put away the misdeeds?  “For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”  Rom.8:13-14

Do we let the Bible change us?  My favorite verse (one of many) is James 1:22 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”  God expects us to be transformed when we read His Word! 

Points to ponder   or   RSVP

So when you read your Bible, do you get “Marching Orders”?

True religion is not about what we know;
                          it’s about how well do we put God’s Word into practice?

Is there a voice from heaven trying to speak to you?

♫  Read your Bible. Pray every day. And you’ll grow, grow, grow.  ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                          October 29, 2019

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

Note – Inspired by and excerpted from Francis Chan’s “MULTIPLY – Disciples making disciples” Part III.

Musing – Do we know how to recognize what is UNGODLY?

Hebraic Musing – Do we know how to recognize what is UNGODLY?

This is a message I delivered to the International Assembly of the FirstBorn as a challenge to recognize, know and avoid the Ungodly ways that are drawing the Church away from Righteousness.  My starting point for understanding the degradation in society is that we have gotten away from Biblical Marriages; and the family unit that God desired that was based on a Biblical Marriage*.  The enemy is using the Emasculation of the Man of the House contrary to God’s Biblical hierarchy provided in 1 Corinthians 11:3 “Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man…”  And as a result, less than 10% of school children go home to both their original parents.**  So we now have –
      - School shootings - Identity & discipline is learned from the gang, not from Dad.
      - Anti…  ANTIFA!  Anti-Trump!   Blue vs Red!  BLM!   Lack of respect for Elders!
      - Rebellion instead of Respect – Hong Kong, BLM, Brexit, California/NY/NH/MN/MI
The Bible says “For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.” 1 Sam. 15:23

We were told this would happen in Jude 18-20 “They said to you, ‘In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.’ These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.”  This is being played out today in ways I never imagined growing up 60+ years ago?!?!

·      Vaping & Drugs – Vaping is now being encouraged, coming out of drug culture.  It’s escapism; also found in Virtual Reality Games; youngsters are not living in the real world God created for “His Kids”!

·      Gambling/casinos – Greed vs earning a living.  Prov.11:6 tells us “The righteousness of the upright delivers them, the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.”

·      Debt – Seeking immediate gratification.  Why is it called a “MASTER Card”?  “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.” Prov.22:7 

·      Gender Confusion – “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Gen.1:27

·      Abortion, Euthanasia and Suicides –  Deut. 5:17 “You shall not murder (…God’s image).”

·      Evolution teachings ignore science as a way to avoid acknowledging Our Creator God!!!  “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Gen.1:1

·      Education has been abdicated to the State thus No Prayer or 10 Commandments or History being taught.  God told the men, the fathers – “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up…” Deut. 6:6-7   Where are the fathers today?

·      Co-existence with other religions & beliefs, and with “Peaceful” Muslims!  Jews recite their beloved Shema three times daily!  “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” Deut. 6:4

·      No Freedom of Choice & No “Free Speech” – Anti-constitution rhetoric.  But “Choice” is God’s gift to us.        “But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, ….But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Josh.24:15 

·      Divorce, Co-habitation, Free Love, Broken Homes – We have a total breakdown of God’s plan for “Family.”  “I hate divorce,” says the LORD God of Israel,” Mal.2:16   Divorce and Living Together is now commonplace and has replaced Biblical Marriage*!  Youth are saying “Why get married?”  God commands us to "Honor your father and your mother, ...” but where is “Dad” in broken homes?  And who is at home to “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Prov.22:6

·      Socialism & Public Ownership & Anti-Capitalism & Entitlement Mentality are being preached.  “The wicked man earns deceptive wages, he who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.” Prov.11:18   The Bible expected private ownership (If public, no one has to care for it)!  “You shall not steal…You shall not covet your neighbor's house.”  Exod.20:15-17    Government is not our savior – God wants a Theocracy!  “On his robe …he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” Rev.19:16

Points to ponder   or   RSVP

How can we restore “Biblical Marriages”?

How to recognize and support the important role of the masculine American male?

How can we reach out to the Ungodly in our society?
God still loves them.  “You see, at just the right time,
when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6

“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you…” Josh.1:7

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                        October 15, 2019

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
* “Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”      Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

**  That was 35 years ago! Now we have kids from broken homes parenting kids in broken homes!