Musing – What is prayer? Or How to pray.

Hebraic Musing – What is prayer?   Or   How to pray.

A friend attending what he referred to as a formal, liturgical church service and he found himself scratching his head over the prayer style which he described as “READING PREPARED WORDS FOUND IN THEIR PEWS”.   So let’s do some research as to how Jesus told us how to pray in Matt 6:5-13 NIV.   And  let’s listen with ears of the times.  Jesus said in red letters to His apostles:

5 “…when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men.  I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.”   Who are the hypocrites praying to?  Other men.

6 “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.”   The recent movie “War Room” portrayed this well – setting aside a prayer closet with no clutter or distractions.  I wonder if Jesus had seen and was inspired by that movie?   :<)

7 “And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”   Jesus does want us to be persistent, but He is not counting the words.  Do we like it when our children are begging for something monotonously and repetitiously?   And we already know what they want!

9-13  "This, then, is how you should pray:  'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us today our daily bread.  Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

When the Apostles asked Yeshua “how to pray” he gave them what we now call “The Lord’s Prayer” – which is a very short summary of the Amidah.  The word Amidah literally means “standing,” because it is recited while standing. It is beautiful, but long and has eighteen or nineteen long verses to be recited three times a day.  Our Lord’s Prayer is Yeshua’s condensed version.   (In case you are interested,  the Hebraic Insight from 6 years ago is copied below as an example of the whole Amidah which the Apostles found to be laborious and monotonous.  Can you find the Lord’s Prayer in it?)

How does it feel when your beloved child just sits down and talks to you from his/her heart?  If the child’s sentences are incomplete and their voice does not remind us of “stained glass windows” we still relish these precious moments of personal relationship and  communication.  We serve a Loving Father God who loves to converse with us on a personal basis; not reciting someone else’s words.

Points to ponder

How to make prayer a personal communication?
Years ago my mother said she did not know “how to pray”. 
My wife said to her “Start by simply talking to Jesus and say ‘Thank you Jesus’”

Do you know God’s phone number?
It is Jer. 33:3 --  'Call to me and I will answer you and
tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.'

♫  What a friend we have in Jesus…

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                   July 26, 2016

Musing – Why do we always have to be right?

Hebraic Musing – Why do we always have to be right?

There is a story of a Rabbi teaching his students about life issues.  He asked a seemingly simple question – “What is the difference between adults and children?”  The students responded as you would expect with answers having to do with maturity, knowledge, experiences, etc. of adults vs. the silliness and childish behaviors of children.

So the Rabbi’s answer surprised the students.  He did not praise the adults, but had praise for the children!  His answer instead taught that adults hold grudges while children don’t.

Have you ever seen parents deal with their children after their children have been involved with a fight with playmates?  The parents get all upset with the other child’s parents, confront them and domestic abuse is about to break out.  Meanwhile the children are back happily playing with one another.  The children are more concerned with being happy, kind and having friends than they are with being right or winning the argument they had 10 minutes ago.

My classic “adult behavior” model came from a boss years ago who said proudly of his nationality – “We can hold a grudge for a life-time” as he fought a prolonged legal battle. 

Adults can go through life holding grudges for years.  Rabbi Eckstein’s examples:  

A child can tell his mother that he hates her and then 10 minutes later decide that she is the best mother in the world. On the other hand, if an adult tells you that he or she is no longer speaking with you, chances are 15 years later you are still not on speaking terms with that person. Adults can host a wedding for their child and not invite someone who was once their closest friend because of something that happened years ago.

So the rabbi followed up with another question for his students.  “Why is it that ‘mature’ adults keep grudges while ‘silly’ children are able to let go?”  Obviously children are quick to choose being happy over being right; meanwhile “mature” adults choose being right over being happy.

Could this be why Solomon wrote Proverb 26:12  “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?  There is more hope for a fool than for him.” And the Torah said it all in Leviticus 19:18  "'Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.” 

 We “mature” adults have learned to “stick to our guns” (end sarcastic font).

Is there someone in our lives to whom we owe an apology?  Or someone to whom we need to “Kiss and make up”?

Points to ponder

Why is it difficult to choose to be Happy over being Right?

Does our need to be right interfere with relationships
at home, at work or with extended family?

“But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God;
may they be happy and joyful. Ps 68:3

Let’s learn to be kind instead of having to be right.
And Shalom Aleichem will be the result

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                   July 19, 2016

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage” “Musings - A Victorious Life”  “Musings - The Torah and New Testament”
Weekly “Hebraic Musings”      www.InsightsByYosef.com

Inspired by Rabbi Eckstein’s “Choose to Be Happy Over Being Right” July 6, 2016 

Musing – Can we reclaim true friendships in a Facebook age?

Hebraic Musing – Can we reclaim true friendships in a Facebook age?

I just read that “In this sophisticated age of social networking, when everyone is supposedly ‘connected,’ we are as self-absorbed and isolated as ever. Digital technology has trivialized relationships to the point that we ‘friend’ or ‘unfriend’ a person with a click. You can have 5,000 ‘friends’ and yet be the loneliest person in cyberspace.”

What a contrast to my early Christian days – late 70’s where we joined hands after a meeting and sang   ♫ Bind us together, Lord, bind us together / With cords that cannot be broken / Bind us together, Lord, bind us together / Bind us together with love / There is only one God, there is only one King / There is only one body, that is why we can sing ... ♫

Here is a picture of the friendships that I believe Jesus intended for us.  “They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.  Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.  All the believers were together and had everything in common.  Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.  Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,  praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.” Acts 2:42-46  NIV  

Incidentally, what happened as a result of the close, supportive, togetherness and committed friendships?   “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Acts 2:47

What will stand out the most and make the biggest impression on unbelievers?  Not our sermons or church attendance or symbols; but our passionate, sacrificial love for each other.

Hmmm… How do we define and show sacrificial love?  Inviting into your home; confessing your sins; spending time face to face; giving time and whatever to their needs; take off our masks (a tough one!); forgive and mend rifts (not just ‘unfriend’); understand their point of view; break bread together; give;  pray with and for them; ….  

What can we be doing to show more sacrificial love?   Who showed sacrificial love for us?

Points to ponder

What will it take to have Godly fellowship in today’s technological age?

Of all the friends you have on Facebook, how many have you actually spent time with?

How many close friends do you have?

♫ Bind us together, Lord, bind us together,  With cords that cannot be broken ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                   July 12, 2016

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage” “Musings - A Victorious Life”  “Musings - The Torah and New Testament”
Weekly “Hebraic Musings”      www.InsightsByYosef.com

Musing – Do Americans see morality as a matter of cultural consensus?

Hebraic Musing – Do Americans see morality as a matter of cultural consensus?

I started getting concerned for our country’s perspective on morality in the early 80’s while traveling around the country.  The popular newspaper available in hotels and public areas was the new “USA Today”.  It provided easy to read summary news; HOWEVER I was always bothered by a front page graphic displaying answers to controversial morality survey questions.  Whenever I saw that section I would say to myself “They are making morality a popularity issue, ignoring the Biblical basis.”  Justification of homosexuality and co-habitation were issues that stick in my mind as frequently surveyed, and therefore I could see today’s events unfolding.  (While drafting this musing, an e-mail came in from Barna Group with this headline “Majority of Americans Now Believe in Cohabitation”.)

How are morality decisions made nowadays?  According to a study recently published by Barna Group*  57% of American adults feel “knowing what is right or wrong is a matter of personal experience”.   As if that isn’t concerning enough, the most disconcerting statistic from the study was the answer from Millennials to the statement “Whatever is right for your life or works best for you is the only truth you can know”, and 74% of the Millennials agreed; a large and growing segment of our population!

Looking more deeply, the Barna article claims “Americans pledge allegiance to the ‘Morality of self-fulfillment’.”   The statement on the morality of Self-Fulfillment was supported by 60% to 90% agreement on statements saying (paraphrased):
 - Find yourself in yourself;
 - Don’t criticize someone else’s life choices;
 - Find fulfillment by pursuing the things you desire the most;
 - Goal of life is enjoyment;
 - Believe what you want as long as it does not affect society;
 - Sexual expression between consenting adults is okay.

So the influence of millennials and non-Christians explains the high percentages; BUT unfortunately the “Practicing Christians” percentages were surprisingly close to the overall percentages!  The poll shows “Practicing Christians” agreement percentages in the 60’s and 70’s percent range! The exception was the lower 40% agreement on the ‘sex between consenting adults’ statement.   

My conclusion, we have lost our moral compass not only with the younger generation but also within the Christian churches.   What’s your conclusion?

Points and Scripture to ponder

Has Christian teaching been too focused on personal salvation
instead of corporate care for the Kingdom of God?
And on the Lordship of Jesus Christ in our lives? 
And on knowing what our Bible says?

What should we, or can we, be doing about the erosion of Judeo-Christian morality?

 “They close up their callous hearts, and their mouths speak with arrogance.” Ps. 17:10

“So I gave them over to their stubborn heart to follow their own devices.  "If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways, how quickly would I subdue their enemies…”  Ps. 81:12-14

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                   July 5, 2016

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage” “Musings - A Victorious Life”  “Musings - The Torah and New Testament”
Weekly “Hebraic Musings”      www.InsightsByYosef.com

* Barna Group – “The End of Absolutes:  America’s New Moral Code”  May 25, 2016
   The article is available on request, if interested.