Musing - Do we kick against the Goads?

 Hebraic Musing - Do we kick against the Goads?

Ever heard of someone being Goaded on?  I recently read the familiar description of Paul’s conversion in Acts.  We’ve all read it many times but this particular reading caused a single word to jump out at me.  We should never sit down with the Word of God without first asking the Holy Spirit to help understand and clearly see what Scripture is trying to say.  Sometimes I have to read a passage several times and patiently meditate on it for a time, sometimes days.  But the answer faithfully comes forth. 

In this instance, the word in Acts 9:4 of “Me” caught my attention.  This is also repeated in Acts 22:7 and Acts 26:14.   We all know that Saul of Tarsus was journeying to Damascus to persecute and imprison followers of Jesus, the Nazarenes whom he was convinced were blaspheming Jehovah and corrupting the Law of Moses.  Saul’s fervent and sincere passion to defend his God came from a deep love and commitment to the holiness of the Jewish faith and temple.  He thought he was doing the right thing!

Here is Saul plodding along a dusty road in broad daylight when a bright light suddenly hits him, blinding him, and a voice addresses him saying, “Saul, Saul!  Why are you persecuting Me?” Acts 9:4 NKJV   Jesus was speaking directly to him.  What struck me was that Jesus didn’t ask him, “Why are you persecuting my followers?” which is exactly what Saul was engaged in doing.  Rather, Christ took the persecution personally.  Why?  The answer forthcoming from the Holy Spirit was that Jesus was claiming all who believe upon Him as His own.  He possesses and claims personal ownership of us.  Scripture tells us frequently in Saul’s/Paul’s later letters that we are “in Christ” and Christ is “in us.”  Christ owns us -- every bit of us from the air we breathe to the cells in our body and the life force that inhabits them.  When we claim Him, He claims us.  Jesus once taught His disciples/us that whatever they would to the “the least” of them… “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did unto Me.” Matthew 25:40.  So, Jesus took it very personal!

We are adopted.  We are part of His family, with the same Father.  Christ shares an allegiance with us that is sealed in covenant and cannot be broken.  Hence, he takes the persecution of His followers as an attack upon Himself.

There is one more part of this Scripture in Acts that is often sidestepped -- Jesus’ comment about it being “hard to kick against the goads.”  In Acts 9:5 “Then the Lord said, ’I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’”NKJV  A goad is a sharp, pointed prod used to steer and motivate cattle and sheep along, giving rise to our expression of “goading someone into it.”  Jesus was saying to Saul that when you resist the Lord’s prompting and interfere with His plan and efforts, you will find it difficult.  Saul, sitting there, blinded, had just gotten a taste of what happens when one “kicks against the goads.”

Do we “kick against the goads” that God has placed in some of our experiences?  Have we discovered that it’s just easier to trust Him and let His promptings unfold in His way and His time in our lives?  Paul found out that it was just easier to trust and go along with God’s directions through the Holy Spirit’s quiet guidance than to try to create his own path and run into difficulties and resistance.  To be sure, Saul ran into many obstacles and problems in his ministry, but those were the enemy’s doing, not God’s.  The Lord’s power guided Saul through all of them and at the same time allowed him to preach the Gospel to all he encountered, including his enemies, fulfilling his divine purpose.

How many “goads” are we kicking against in our daily walk?

Points to ponder

When we kick against the goads, do we recognize the goads are there for our benefit?

Who is goading us into stubbornness, laziness, non-compliance, etc.?  

How are we goaded by His Holy Spirit?

♫  Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me. Break me, melt me, mold me, fill me. ♫

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

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

Musing – How to distinguish between Critical and Arguable ‘Truths’?

 Hebraic Musing – How to distinguish between Critical and Arguable ‘Truths’?

Christianity has certain foundational doctrines to determine if a person, church, denomination is truly Christian.  I propose that the only critical doctrinal belief issues are – (1) Full deity and humanity of Jesus; (2) Authority of Scripture; (3) Justification by Faith; (4) Triune nature of Our God; and (5) Birth, Death, bodily Resurrection and ascension of Jesus.  Folks may disagree with some of these, but I hold these as non-arguable, foundational truths.  They represent the undeniable, unarguable, defining distinctives of Christianity.

However, Denominations, Pastors and even some Churches hold some other distinctive beliefs or tenets that are defended, debated, argued and become strongly held beliefs.  These beliefs become known as Denominational Distinctives; and they become cause for division in fellowship among Christians.  But should they?  “But God has combined the members of the body … so that there should be no division in the body….” 1 Corinth. 12:24-26 NIV

Denominations have been known to differ on issues of Beliefs, Practices, Social issues, Ethical issues, Theology and Worship Styles.  Here is just a sample of Denominational Distinctives.  Are any of these worth losing fellowship over?

·         Baptism as infant or adult

·         Baptism by sprinkling or immersion

·         Ordinations of Women pastors

·         Confession to Priests as intercessors

·         Significance of Mother Mary

·         Infallibility--of Pope or Denomination

·         Teachings of a Mega-Church pastor

·         Torah as Law or guide or irrelevant

·         Sabbath or Sunday worship

·         Pre or Mid or Post or Pan-Trib

·         Salvation – Secure or worked out

·         Which Bible version is Authorized

·         Role of the Holy Spirit (or Ghost)

·         Nature and role of Angels

·         Views toward other denominations

·         Alcohol consumption

·         Rules for Communion

·         And on and on the list goes….

I repeat the question - Are any of these worth breaking fellowship over?  I am not trying to diminish the importance each of the above issues, but maybe we should spend more time understanding where our Brothers in Christ are coming from.  Being multi-denominational myself, it has been an adventure!  If you disagree with someone, can you state their position and reasoning?  That is only being fair.

At my Father’s funeral, I became the patriarch of the family.  My siblings, seven of them, represent a variety of denominations and sought me out for understanding.  While flying home at 35,000 feet, I thanked the Lord for all the different denominational ways He gave me to bless Him.  Then the Lord spoke to me almost audibly – “Joe, those are all the ways I have to bless you.” 

My son has suggested that each denomination reflects the different characteristics and nature of Our Almighty God.  So, in a multi-denominational Bible study we had each person share their denominational background – and we identified the strength, blessing and Godly nature of each their denominations.  How uplifting it was to experience God’s perspective!

Points to Ponder

Can we have Christian Unity while discussing non-critical, non-salvific differences?

BTW - If you do find the perfect church, it will no longer be perfect when you join!

Do any Denominations or Churches live in ‘glass houses’? 
Besides ‘Crystal Cathedral’    :<)

I really would like to hear your opinion on these points!

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                         May 12, 2026   (First published February 18, 2014) 

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”     www.InsightsByYosef.com

 

Musing – Do we still have Pharisees in Our Churches?

Hebraic Musing – Do we still have Pharisees in Our Churches?

Are there Pharisees in our Churches?  How would we know?  Or, how would we know if we are one of them?  To stir our thinking – would we have also become frustrated with Jesus when we saw Him hanging out with hookers, criminals and other morally sketchy people?  I would probably have questioned him as well; which puts me in the company of the Pharisees.  How about you?  (BTW – The Sadducees were even more self-centered!  That is why they are sad, you see.)

I’ve come to realize that maybe I am one of the chief Pharisees?  Here are some signs I have to watch for –

I like to show off; whether it’s the number of FB friends, the car, the fashions, musical or other skills, etc.  Do we find ourselves in church drawing focus on ourselves instead of serving God and His people?

I tend to think my theology is better than theirs.  We know we are right and they are wrong.  When we contend we are less sinful, or got it more together, or smarter and wiser than the other guy or his church, then we might have become a Pharisee!  Remember, the Pharisees insisted they were right.

My love of money and the control of “My Money” messes with my priorities. How?  Have you ever found yourself excited about what the money is doing for you, and lost sight of what it could be doing for one of God’s mission efforts?   If so, we’ve crossed a line.  Whoops, I forget who the money really belongs to!

I have too little compassion, while forgetting that Yeshua’s act of compassion is why I am a Christian. Jesus was frequently moved with compassion, and he rebuked the Pharisees for their lack of it.  Matt 9:11-13 starts with “When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?..."   All too often I find myself listening to the popular radio station WIIFM (What’s In It For Me) instead of caring for others.  I once defined “others” as the 7 billion people in the world; and my pastor publically corrected me by saying – “No Joe, “others” is 7 billion minus one.”

I expect others to do what I don’t always do?    Do I practice what I preach?  Do I “Walk the Talk”?  And not just at church but at home also?!?!  And as we teach, directly and indirectly, I have to remember that those who teach are held to a higher standard; so I have to teach with fear, trembling and humility.

I think of myself as closer to God than those around me.  In Matt 23:15 Jesus admonishes the Pharisees – “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.” NIV
And then I remember Prov. 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”   Ouch!

I become jealous of others in the church and other churches.  When ministries of others are more effective, I feel a spirit of jealousy creeping in; when I know I should be publicly praising them and celebrating with them.  John the Baptist understood this challenge when he admitted “He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30-31 NKJV   What John did was to say it out loud.  He gave public recognition and praise to Jesus.

While all this is said in first person, it is my hope and belief we can all work to recognize the pharisaical tendencies that creep into our thinking and hinder our witness.

Points to ponder

Interesting Bible study topic – “Jesus and the Pharisees” (Notes available)

Do we listen to WIIFM too often?

How does Pharisaical thinking diminish our effectiveness as witnesses for Jesus Christ?

"Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.”  Luke 12:1

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                   May 5, 2026 (First published March 14, 2017)

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage”  Weekly “Hebraic Musings”    www.InsightsByYosef.com

Note – Inspired by Carey Nieuwhof, ChurchLeaders.com, 7 Signs the Pharisees Are Running Your Church. Feb. 2015