Musing – What is True Wealth?

Hebraic Musing – What is True Wealth?

In Psalm 49, Korach’s sons write, “Do not be overawed when others grow rich … for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendor will not descend with them” (vv.16–17).  That begs the question “What might be True Wealth?

The Sages explain that the wealth in this verse – the kind that hurts its owners – is a reference to the wealth of Korach. Korach’s wealth gave him a false sense of security and caused him to think that he was greater than he really was. But Korach’s wealth ended up his greatest enemy. It led to his rebellion and his downfall.

Sages teach that Korach’s sons stood by his side in his rebellion. When the ground opened up, it swallowed Korach, his sons, and all their possessions. However, the Sages also teach that the sons of Korach repented while they were underground, and then, they were miraculously led out of it. While they were underground they composed Psalm 49 we read above.

Imagine this profound moment of clarity as Korach’s sons stood in-between worlds, watching their wealthy father and his prominent supporters perish in an instant. Where was their money now? All the money in the world could not buy back even a moment of life. Their money was now worthless.

There is a powerful story told about a member of the famous wealthy Rothschild family. Someone asked him, “Exactly how much wealth do you have?” In response, Lord Rothschild answered, “Let me show you.” He led the man to a room and showed him many documents. They were receipts from charities that he had supported. “These,” said Lord Rothschild, “are my only true possessions. Only the money that I have given away will accompany me to the grave.”

In the end, all possessions are meaningless; only our good deeds will be with us forever. So let us convert our wealth into charity and use our possessions to do kindness. Then we will have something of true value that will be with us forever.

Point to Ponder

Where do you look to measure your wealth?

What can we do, starting today, to be truly wealthy?

May the Lord bless you and keep you in good wealth

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                     September 24, 2013

Author of two books “Hebraic Insights” and  “Biblical Marriage”

And weekly e-mails “Hebraic Musings”  Yosef1@cox.net  or  www.InsightsByYosef.com

Inspired by and excerpted from Rabbi Eckstein’s ‘Holy Land Moments’ from July 4, 2013

Hebraic Musing – Evangelism and discipleship when Understanding is lacking?

Hebraic Musing – Evangelism and discipleship when Understanding is lacking?

How to evangelize a people who totally lack understanding? 
                        Maybe discipling into manhood has to come before evangelism?

I listened to David Sawatzki describe his church-planting challenges in Russia after Communism devastated the male ego. Sometimes we automatically assume a level of understanding by those we want to evangelize. How important is understanding in order to accept my words and store up my commands?  Prov. 2:1-6 continues by calling for ‘understanding’ six times in Proverbs 2:1-6. How does one achieve understanding?     Deut. 6:7-9 tells us how to disciple -- Impress them (Father God’s Words) 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.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.  We impress them on our children, or disciples, at all times as we live life!   And if understanding comes from discipleship, how are we to disciple? 

David explained how Communism left its damage on the psyche of the Russian people, especially the men.  He found that ‘understanding manhood’ was totally, yes totally, lacking –

·         Communism had taken away man’s identity, and thus his dignity, by taking his land, tools, children, job, education, competitiveness, etc.  Man became a ward of the state.

·         Communism left men with a survival, isolationist, passive, worthless and self-destructing attitude toward himself.

·         Communism had stripped men of their identity and left virtually all of them drinking vodka and beating their wives and children. Many spent considerable time in prison.

·         Communism eliminated a loving father image to emulate.  Young men only remember being beaten and berated by their drunken fathers.  So how will they treat their own sons?  “Like father, like son.”

David referred frequently to the consumption of vodka as the result of passivity and the key cause of abuse. But I could not help but see the parallel to the beer consumption in poor countries of Latin America and the meth consumption in poorer areas of the States. The parallels to the evangelism efforts to ‘down and outers’ in the mountains of Honduras and even here in the USA were shocking. 

It was interesting that David’s ministry to the young Russian men had to start with Torah-type study “In the Beginning” and to build the case for God from scratch. Only then could the need for a savior be recognized. David had to re-build men with competitive, confident, purposeful attitudes through challenges and perseverance leading to rewards. Book learning and preaching does not build or re-build men.  The male ego-restoration requires experiential challenges and accomplishments in order to develop the attitude of a man. Challenging experiences and overcoming of obstacles gave the men understanding of what it means to be a man.

The physically and mentally challenging exercises reminded me of the 10 day rugged Quetico Provincial Park canoe trips in Canada that I did with my boys in their formative years.  That did more for them than any book learning could teach.  Similarly, Moses had the task of rebuilding the Israelites after their 400 years of slavery in Egypt and it was done by enduring life challenges and developing experiential faith.

David then conducted a ‘becoming a man’ ritual reminiscent of a Bar Mitzvah (classic ‘rite of passage’).  In so doing, the need for a Savior becomes meaningful. And ‘friendship discipling’ of a believer begins.

Points to ponder

Is discipleship a book and preaching process?   Or is it experiential?

Go make disciples.   Shalom.

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd

Hebraic Musing – Another way to look at Sabbath-keeping?

Hebraic Musing – Another way to look at Sabbath-keeping?

The fourth commandment (Third, if you are Catholic) says “Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you.  Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work,...." NIV  Deut. 5:12-14

Let's look at key statements in these verses:

·         The Sabbath is to be kept holy, or dedicated to the Lord's work. (Does stopping by the Church on your way to _______ qualify as the ‘Lord’s work’?)

·         Six days you shall labor and do all your work.  That means for six days we are to do our/man's work … and then cease whether we are finished or not.  (That is so hard to do…to cease when we are not finished.)

·         Then on the Sabbath or seventh day we let God do His work - in us and for us. (What does this mean?)

God is the one who ultimately determines what we will accomplish in our daily/weekly/life endeavors.

Points to ponder

Do you ever finish YOUR work by week's end?

Do we become more concerned about OUR work,
forgetting that He determines what we should really accomplish in life.

What could we accomplish in our God-given lives
                  if we tithed one day a week to Him, our Creator?
24 hour x 7 days = 168 hours x 10% tithe = 16.8 hours [waking hours in a Sabbath]

Shalom to your home

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                     September 10, 2013

Author of two books “Hebraic Insights” and  “Biblical Marriage”

And weekly e-mails “Hebraic Musings”  Yosef1@cox.net  or  www.InsightsByYosef.com

Musing – Since We are no longer the ‘Moral Majority’…

Hebraic Musing – Since We are no longer the ‘Moral Majority’…

When something I read rattles inside my head, I feel compelled to share it with those whom I respect.  Like many of us, I’m trying to figure out – What is the role of the Church since our nation and the world seem to be ‘going to hell in a hand-basket’?  A recent Wall Street Journal article entitled From Moral Majority to 'Prophetic Minority' by Russell Moore, leader of the Southern Baptist political arm, hit me as the answer.  He says Christians have lost the culture and need to act accordingly.

Here’s my three pages* to one synthesis of his message:

The Bible Belt is collapsing but Russell Moore doesn't seem upset. The decline may be "bad for America, but it could be good for the church."  Why?  Because "We are no longer the moral majority. We are a prophetic minority." Evangelicals need to recognize that their values no longer define mainstream American culture the way they did 50 or even 20 years ago. The idea that to be a good person you have to go to church has largely disappeared.  We should view this as an opportunity rather than as a defeat.

On issues like gay marriage, abortion and religious affiliation, evangelicals need a new strategy to attract and keep believers, as well as to influence American politics.  Christians must return to the days when they were a moral example and defenders of belief while living in a larger, unbelieving culture.

Doom-saying is not winning Christians any popularity contests, and it is not religiously appropriate either. "We were never promised that the culture would embrace us." However, we are not to turn inward and reject the larger U.S. culture. Instead, he encourages us to refocus on serving as a religious example battling in the public square on three core issues—life, marriage and religious liberty. He then provides detailed, practical, appropriate biblical views and some misconceptions regarding –

·      Protecting the unborn – technology will replace abortion centers. Adoptions are also an alternative.

·      Immigration issues - Scripture calls us to show compassion and justice for and alien among us.

·      Gay marriages - Christians don't have a real understanding of what marriage is. We’ve embraced a sexual revolution, a divorce culture, and too many believe "my marriage is my business".

·      Religious liberty - Contraceptive coverage in ObamaCare is an opportunity for the Church to unite and thus demonstrate to those outside the Church that the government is infringing on people’s rights. He says the American people will side with religious groups that protest having to act against their beliefs.

·      Separation of Church and State – We need to stand against that lie. "It is not just a liberal issue."

Mr. Moore sees these issues as an opportunity to unite believers of many faiths.  He then tells of an attempt by the state of Virginia in the 1600’s to pass a law requiring that all ministers be ordained by the Anglican Church.  Resisting Pastors were jailed!  With that history in mind, he concludes –

“History turns, but the fight for religious liberty is eternal” and "We are not going to go quietly into the night."

Point to Ponder

Did Jesus try to be Politically Correct?  Or Tolerant?

Are we willing to pay the price to speak Biblical truths?

Shalom

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                     September 3, 2013

Author of two books “Hebraic Insights” and  “Biblical Marriage”

And weekly e-mails “Hebraic Musings”  Yosef1@cox.net  or  www.InsightsByYosef.com

* The website and full article: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324769704579010743654111328.html?mod=wsj_valettop_email