The Pharisees and the Fishermen

Most people know about the ultra-religious Pharisees in the New Testament that seemed to like keeping man-made rules, and looking good in front of others, rather than having a heart full of love and compassion for others, like the apostles (mere fishermen) did. And in most evangelical denominational circles, we wouldn't dream that any kind of this spiritual pride would exist. Unfortunately, without God's daily infusion of His Spirit, and Word, it is an automatic condition that develops. We must have real spiritual food every day, to remain humble and loving every day.

You see, unless we go through the humbling process of the wilderness, we are all a mixture of both the Pharisee, and the fisherman. Until you have been beaten by your own sin, and had to cry out in utter despair and helplessness from a dark pit for God's mercy, it can be easy to look down on someone else with either more of a problem, or a different problem than we have. In our hearts, we must never forget that we are all a product of His workmanship. Like God’s word states, "Those that have been forgiven much, love much".

God not only looks at our actions, but also at the attitudes of our hearts. Do we love without selfish strings attached? Do we forgive when wronged, or do we stay bitter and resentful? Do we have compassion on someone who is struggling with sin, or do we secretly judge them in our hearts? The wilderness experience creates true humility, love, and compassion deep down through and through. We needed the wilderness to see our need for God in everything. Now we truly know, that no good thing apart from God, dwelt in us.

In the wilderness, we are shown our true self without our beauty, giftings, titles, status, possessions, praise of men, or ability to resist temptation like we used to. We endure much sorrow. We honestly see that apart from Him, we are powerless and helpless to change ourselves by ourselves. We see that our pride is worthless, and that it is totally a work of grace that saves us and keeps us day by day. He shows us the real truth about us and about Him, so that we walk in true humility. Accepting and walking in the truth about who God is, and who we really are, is humility.

It would be good for us all to remember, that when God leads us out of our wilderness, and into our promised land with all its great blessings and anointing, what we were truly like without His grace and virtue pulsing through our spiritual veins. We must understand that fishermen can become Pharisees very easily if they do not spend intimate time with God on a daily basis. He is the Vine, we are the branches. No condemnation here, just a sobering truth, that we are only as strong as our last nourishment from the Vine.

^{JN 15:5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.}

God wants us to just walk in the truth concerning all things. God wants us to love and accept ourselves and others, even with all our shortcomings, because we are all a work in progress, and we all need His help for anything and everything. And He wants us to live and walk in love, compassion and mercy everyday, remembering the great love, compassion, and mercy that He showed us while we staggered through our wilderness time.

Fishermen focus on catching fish, and good shepherds feed and protect the sheep. Soon, there is going to be a spiritual baby boom, with countless new Christians coming into the Kingdom because of the great revival sweeping over North America and the world. Try to remain gentle, humble, and merciful, even as God was with you. Stay close to the Lord, and make time every day to fellowship with Him, and to read His word. You can only feed others, what God is feeding you, so stay filled up. If you stay close to God and listen to His voice you will remain a strong fisherman, and your heart will be kept Pharisee-free.