Musing – “I Love Fishing!”

Hebraic Musing – “I Love Fishing!”

I love fishing just as much as catching.  Before I knew Jesus, a mentor taught me to love fishing; then when I found Jesus in 1977, Jesus built on that love when He said “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”   A fisherman’s objective is to catch as many and as big a one as he can.  Jesus does not expect us to know how to fish for fish, but might there be some techniques and understandings about fishing for fish that apply to fishing for men?  Here’s how my fishing experience has helped me in fishing for men. 

·      Know the water, how deep, shallow, muddy, clear, etc.  (Where are you fishing for men?)

·      Know what kind of fish you are fishing for.  (Educated, home-less, tradesman, young & green, old & wise?)

·      Know the time of day           (feeding time, water temperature, how are they feeling….)

·      What kind of bait will they strike?    (What might strike their interest?)

·      What kind of rod, reel or “line” is needed to attract them; and to “reel” them in?

·      How to work them into the boat/shore once they strike.  (You don’t want to lose them after they’re hooked!)

What challenges might a fisherman face when fishing for fish (or men)?  Snakes, rough water, impatient partners, short of right bait (insufficient Bible knowledge), weather conditions, not enough years of experience,…   It is challenging; especially since Satan does not like fishers of men!

Through maturity and experience a fisherman learns the nature of different varieties, and how to appeal to each.  Men have different religious beliefs, professions, philosophies, characteristics, attitudes, ages, educations, cultural backgrounds, etc.  And consider the range of their socio-economic status, social circles and speech types.  Each of these requires different baits and presentations.  And every man is facing his own unique issues which determine the bait and presentations that will get his attention.

I like this quote – “Teach your people to love fishing rather than catching.  If they love fishing, they will catch, but if they love only catching, they will never really love fishing.”  Where and how do we learn how to become “fishers of Men”?  Here’s the good news!  Jesus did not say “You will become….”, He said “I will make you…”.   Then Jesus proceeded to spend three years teaching those fishermen how to become “fishers of men.”  If we love fishing, we will also love learning in order to become proficient.  Realistically, fishing can become challenging and tiring; sometimes even the best can get “skunked” and discouraged.  So learn to love fishing!

How many ways are there to fish?  From a boat, from shore, nets, snorkeling, spearing, snagging, etc.  But fishing is different from hunting; hunting is aggressive pursuit while fishing is done by patiently drawing fish to you.

The classic advice for successful fishing – put lots of lines in the water: many bobbers, or 4-5 trolling lines to increase chances of a strike while remaining patient.  Here’s seven of trolling “lines” to use as “fishers of men”?
 - Living a life of truth and righteousness and justice,
 - Reaching out to help others in time of sickness, hardship or need,
 - Demonstrating forgiveness, compassion, mercy and other acts of love,
 - Answering people’s questions about God and His Word with honesty, boldness and courage,
 - Proclaiming the message of the gospel, including the testimony of your personal faith,
 - Standing boldly for principles and truth when such are attacked,
 - Walking in faith and praying constantly as we go out sinking our nets in the water.

Solomon gave us wise advice in Prov.11:30 – “…and he who wins souls is wise.”

Points to ponder   or   RSVP

Which is more fun and rewarding…fishing for fish?   or    Fishing for men?

How successful will we be if we keep using the same bait (presentation) in all situations?

And after a fishing trip, are you ready to clean the catch?  A.K.A. “discipling”

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…” Matt. 28:19

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                     March 31, 2020

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

*  Inspired & excerpted from “Mysteries of the Bush” Ch.10  by        Dr. Paige Patterson, past pres., SW Theological Seminary.

Musing – What Can We Learn from Plagues in the Bible?

Hebraic Musing – What Can We Learn from Plagues in the Bible?

Is Father God displeased with His children and has He put us in a “Time-out”?  God has done that before; this is not the first plague He has allowed by simply taking away His protection!  Plagues have been judgments on secular cultures throughout Bible times!  Plague(s) are mentioned 94 times in the OT; with three major plagues in the book of Revelation.  

For example, in Exodus 10-12 alone there 10 plagues released in Egypt before the Pharaoh “let the people go”.  They represented direct attacks on the 10 gods Egyptians were worshipping; and all of them were designed to glorify the Almighty God.

Plagues are mentioned 75 more times in the OT!  And then we get to the three rounds of plagues in the book of Revelation:

1.      Seven Seals - Rev. 6-7  Four horsemen appear “given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.” 

2.      Seven Trumpets – Rev. 8-10 starts with thunder, rumblings, lightning and an earthquake; and “woes” descend on the earth.  And John is not allowed to write in his own book the last woe that the seventh thunder would reveal!

3.      Seven Bowl judgments in Rev.16 begin with Painful Sores; then the seas and rivers become blood; then heat and darkness before the final judgment of Tribulation and “Widespread Destruction”.

What are these plagues, and why will God send them?  Actually He simply allowed them!  How many false gods does the world and America worship?  Economy, Money, Nature, Careers, Sinful behaviors, Convenience, etc.    Instead, America should be worshipping their Creator!

The answer harks back to the last of the 10 plagues on the Egyptians.  Dt.12:12-13  “On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn—both men and animals—and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD.   The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.”  NIV   There are many messages and foreshadowings in that early passage; like the role of the FirstBorn; Judgment on the false gods of the world; need for innocent blood to be shed; provision for protection from the destructive plague(s) to come; and Egypt (or the world) will be struck.

·         How important is it that the world needs to acknowledge the Blood of His Son, Jesus Christ?

·         How much ungodliness and unrighteousness does our Omnipresent & Omniscient Father God see?

·         When will Father God finally say “enough is enough”?

America has had two “awakenings”.  First was in the 1700’s before the Revolutionary War and led by Jonathan Edwards and George Whitfield.  The second was 150 years ago, in the 1850’s, resulting in the end of slavery and created a unique National culture which resulted in America becoming a great nation!

How will America respond to this “time-out”?  Will America wake up?  How will you respond? 

Points to ponder   or   RSVP

Is the wrath of God justified if we have rejected our Creator?

As parents, can you remember thinking or acting when “Enough is enough!”?

Has everyone in the world made their decision, their final choice?

Do you know someone who needs to choose “Jesus as Lord” before the “Final Judgment”?

♫  Oh Victory in Jesus, My Savior Forever … ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                     March 24, 2020

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

*    Inspired & excerpted from Pastor Tom Hatley’s E-Message during our church shutdown, Sunday March 22, 2020

Musing - What Does the “Mark of the Beast” Really Mean?

Hebraic Musing - What Does the “Mark of the Beast” Really Mean?

What does the Bible say about the “Mark of the Beast”?  “So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth; and it became a loathsome and malignant sore on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.” Rev.16:2 NASB    A little later in Rev.19:20  “And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire…”  Who were the deceived and why?  And who were they worshipping?!?!

We don’t necessarily have to interpret this passage to mean that one day all people will be forced to undergo a medical procedure in which a “chip” will be inserted under human skin of their hand or forehead.  The book of Revelation was written and read with full awareness of first-century Jewish context and with the Torah on their minds and hearts; so let’s look at the meaning of seemingly odd phrases in their context.  What did this mean to first century Christians? 

The “mark of the beast” was clearly an expression in opposition to the commandment to worship the God of Israel alone.  The “Evil Beast” is obviously an enemy of God’s people.  And we understand Rev. 13:16-18 to claim that Christ-followers will be excluded from participating in the “world’s” economy unless they agree to place the mark of the beast upon their forehead and right hand.  We need to recognize the Jewish background in order to understand the meaning of this “mark of the beast” in the culture of that day.  The central text that Jews were to recite two or three times daily declares, “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one.”  The next part is less famous but also essential, “You shall bind them (God’s commandments) as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.”

Thus male Jews wore phylacteries as reminders of God and of the obligation to keep the Law during daily life.  They were fastened on the back of their hands and on their foreheads to comply with Deut. 6:4 & 8 above which Moses repeated in Dt.11:18 ““You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.” And this was repeated in Exod. 13:9&16.

Christ-followers in the first century wondered deeply about the nature and limits of this commandment in their Torah.  They considered whether it was possible to publicly honor some Roman deities while privately maintaining their worship of Israel’s God through the Jewish Christ.  If that were possible, it could ensure their economic survival and prosperity under the watchful eye of the Roman authorities.  However, the book of Revelation advocates an unapologetically Israelite, anti-Roman position – only the worship of the one true God of Israel is permitted.    And “No other gods before me.”

Points to ponder   or   RSVP

Are we supposed to also be monotheistic?

Do we find ourselves tempted to worship the ungodly things of this world?
And in so doing could that be interpreted as accepting and
therefore identifying with (and being “Marked”) by the ungodly “Beast” of the world?

 Are there forces seeking Globalization, Socialism or the “New World Order”
trying to overcome the foundational National Sovereignty of our nation?

Who’s driving the Globalization movement? 
Is Shinar trying to rebuild the Tower of Babel?   Or is there a “Beast”?

Is persecution coming to those refusing to honor the “World” system?

“It is written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD AND SERVE HIM ONLY.” Luke 4:8

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                     March 17 2020

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

Musing – What Happens When a Nation Turns Away From Knowing God?

Hebraic Musing – What Happens When a Nation Turns Away From Knowing God?

Are we still the Christian nation we once were?  Where are we now?  How is our nation turning from God?

What does the Bible have to say about turning our back on God?  We need to distinguish between an individual turning his/her back on God vs. a nation turning away and going against God’s will.  Salvation is for an individual, based on their own choosing. 

Is America rejecting God?   In the recent musing about recognizing what is UNGODLY we identified Drugs, Gambling, Debt, Gender confusion, Abortion, Suicides, Evolution teaching, Education abdication, Religious Co-existence, Freedoms of Choice & Speech, Free Love, Broken families and Entitlement mentality.  How are we shedding innocent blood?   Abortion clinics; innocent witnesses “commit suicide”; foreign ambassadorial staff slain; destroying individuals’ reputations through unsubstantiated accusations.

But what are the consequences for a rebellious nation?  According to the Bible, three things happen when a nation rejects God and sheds innocent blood.  If America is guilty, what might America expect?  

1. Rulers who hate us –  A summary of Psalm 106:33-42 says the Israelites rebelled against the Spirit of God, disobeyed, worshipped idols, adopted customs of other peoples, shed innocent blood and defiled themselves.  And in the final verses 41-42  “He handed them over to the nations, and their foes ruled over them.  Their enemies oppressed them and subjected them to their power.” NIV   Our Judeo-Christian heritage is under attack at many levels.  Other nations and ideologies are infiltrating our society, wanting to take over in order to destroy the God fearing nation of America as we once knew it!

2. Laws that enslave us – Ezekiel 20:24-25  “because they had not obeyed my laws but had rejected my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths, and their eyes [lusted] after their fathers' idols.  I also gave them over to statutes that were not good and laws they could not live by” NIV   How many laws do we now have that are enslaving us or preventing us from freedom of expression or obeying God’s laws?  Today’s laws no longer apply to the likes of Epstein, Clintons, Bidens and other politicians, etc.  And we are subject to laws requiring us to be “Politically Correct” rather than “Biblically Correct”!

3. Rights taken from us – Isaiah 5:20, 23, 24b  “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.… who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to the innocent.… for they have rejected the law of the LORD Almighty and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel.” Why do homosexuals want to be called “Gay”?  Why is sex now “free”?  Bibles & prayer no longer allowed in schools!  Speech must be PC, or else!  Women’s rights pre-empt newborn rights!  And on and on!  We Christians in America are becoming surrounded by an arrogant, militant paganism.  National sovereignty is Biblical but socialism/globalization is taking over.  WAKE UP AMERICA!

Jeremiah warned the Israelites.  (Does this apply to us?)  “But if you turn away and ally yourselves with the survivors of these nations that remain among you and if you intermarry with them and associate with them,  then you may be sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become snares and traps for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land, which the LORD your God has given you.”  Joshua 23:12-13   Is America guilty?

Timothy warned us of these days.  “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”  2 Tim. 2:3-4

Points to ponder   or   RSVP

Do we see the forces seeking Globalization, socialism and/or the “New World Order”
trying to overcome the God blessed sovereignty on which our nation was founded?

Who is driving the Globalization movement? 
Could it be someone from Shinar who wants to rebuild the Tower of Babel?

 “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray…” 2 Chron.7:14

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                          March 10, 2020

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

Note – Some excerpts from “3 Terrible Consequences when a Nation Rejects God”; https://benhambrothers.com/

Musing – How to Have an Abundant Harvest?

Hebraic Musing – How to Have an Abundant Harvest?

The bible mentions “Harvest” 87 times and Jesus challenges us to be looking for the harvest.  Jesus was a carpenter by trade, so why did He talk about harvesting so often?  He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Matt.9:37 NIV  And Jesus made a memorable statement in John 4:35  “…I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.”    Why is this important in today’s times?  We are in days of upheaval and confusion; people are losing purpose and direction as they get caught up in ungodly activities lacking morality.  Jesus wants us to be harvesters!  And the fields, the world, is ripe for harvest.  So, how do we get an abundant harvest? 

What has to take place before the farmer can start harvesting?

·         Preparation of the soil – Living a righteous life is our testimony to the lost.  As Jesus said “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” John 13:15

·         Planting – The parable of the sower comes to mind – “A farmer went out to sow his seed.  As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.  Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.  But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.  Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.  Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.  He who has ears, let him hear. ”  Matt.13:3-9   Ever notice that just because some seed fell on the path, or the rocks, or shallow soil, or among thorns, that did not discourage the sower; he just kept on sowing.

·         Growing –  Paul understood the harvesting cycle. “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.  So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” 1 Cor. 3:6-7   Note that God is counting on us to prepare the ground and plant the seeds and continue ministering.

·         Tending – In OT times the farmer would sleep in the fields to keep birds, varmints and thieves away, especially when the harvest is getting close.  Does this mean we are to be in the world (but not of it) in order to tend to the recipients of the seeds?   But ministering and tending to a flock or a garden is hard work!  Paul knew that and reminded us - "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Gal.6:9       We find ourselves living amongst the unsaved.  Saints and Sinners, saved and unsaved, living and worshipping side by side.  Yet Jesus says “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up (the weeds)?  No, he answered, because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them.  Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn. ” Matt. 13:28-30  
In other words, let’s not be too quick to judge those around us.  That’s God’s job.

·         Harvesting (the goal) – Spiritually speaking, we are looking for a fruitful harvest in the form of New Creations.  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Cor.5:17    “We are therefore Christ's ambassadors…” 2 Cor.5:20  We are living in a foreign land as His representatives!

·         Follow Up/Discipling – We need to follow up in the care of “the crop”; however we have good news.  Jesus promised us help – “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.  He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.”  John 16:13-14

Points to ponder   or   RSVP

To avoid coming off as “Holier than Thou” since we too sin, let’s remember…
we are like a beggar telling another beggar where to get something to eat.

♫ Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves, We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves,….♫   

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                      March 3, 2020

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

Note – Inspired by Pastor Tom Hatley’s February 9, 2020 message – “The Growing Season”