Numbers 22
Balak – king of Moabites – afraidverses 1-4
And the children of Israel set forward
and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho
And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites
and Moab was sore afraid of the people – BECAUSE they were many
and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel
And Moab said unto the elders of Midian
Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us
as the ox licks up the grass of the field
And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time
Balak sends messengers to Balaamverses 5-6
He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor
which is by the river of the land of the children of his people
to call him saying
BEHOLD – there is a people come out of Egypt
BEHOLD – they cover the face of the earth
and they abide over against me
Come now therefore – I pray you
curse me this people
For they are too mighty for me
peradventure I shall prevail
that we may smite them
and that I may drive them
out of the land
For I wot that he whom you blesses is blessed
and he whom thou curses is cursed
Messengers take money to Balaamverses 7-12
And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the
REWARDS of divination in their hand
and they came unto Balaam
and spoke unto him words of Balak
And he said unto them – Lodge here this night
and I will bring you word again – as the LORD shall speak unto me
and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam
And God came unto Balaam – and said
What men are these with thee?
And Balaam said unto God
Balak the son of Zippor king of Moab – hath sent unto me saying
BEHOLD – there is a people come out of Egypt
which covers the face of the earth
come now – curse me them
Peradventure I shall be able to overcome them
and drive them out
And God said unto Balaam
You shall not go with them – you shall not curse the people
FOR they are BLESSED
Balaam tells messengers NOverses 13-14
And Balaam rose up in the morning – and said unto the princes of Balak
Get you into your land
FOR the LORD refuses to give me LEAVE to go with you
And the princes of Moab rose up – and they went unto Balak – and said
Balaam REFUSES to come with us
Balak sends more messengers to Balaamverses 15-17
And Balak sent yet again princes – more – more honorable than they
and they came to Balaam – and said unto him
Thus says Balak the son of Zippor
Let nothing – I pray you – HINDER you from coming
unto me
FOR I will PROMOTE you unto very great honor
and I will do whatsoever you says unto me
come therefore – I pray you
curse me this people
Balaam consults God againverses 18-19
And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak
IF Balak would give me his house FULL of silver and gold
I cannot go beyond the WORD of the LORD my God
to do less or more
NOW therefore – I pray you – tarry ye also here this night
that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more
God tells them to go but only with HIS messageverses 20-21
And God came unto Balaam at night – and said unto him
IF the men come to call thee – rise up – and go with them
BUT yet the word which I shall say unto you
that shall you do
And Balaam rose up in the morning – and saddled his ass
and went with the princes of Moab
Angel of LORDverses 22-27
And God’s anger was kindled because he went
and the ANGEL of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary
against him
Now he was riding upon his ass – and his two servants were with him
and the ass saw the ANGEL of the LORD standing in the way
and HIS sword drawn in his hand
and the ass turned aside out of the way
and went into the field
and Balaam smote the ass – to turn her into the way
BUT the ANGEL of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyard
a wall being on this side – and a wall on that side
And when the ass saw the ANGEL of the LORD
she thrust herself unto the wall
and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall
and he smote her again
AND the ANGEL of the LORD went further – and stood in a narrow place
where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left
And when the ass saw the ANGEL of the LORD
she fell down under Balaam – and Balaam’s anger was kindled
and he smote the ass with a staff
Donkey given ability to speak by the LORDverses 28-35
AND the LORD opened the MOUTH of the ass – and she said to Balaam
What have I done to you
that you have smitten me these three times?
And Balaam said to the ass
BECAUSE you have mocked me
I would there were a sword in mine hand
FOR now would I kill you
And the ass said unto Balaam
Am not I your ass – upon which you have ridden
ever since I was your to this day?
Was I ever wont to do so to you?
And he said
Nay
THEN the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam
and he saw the ANGEL of the LORD standing in the way
and HIS sword drawn in HIS hand
and he bowed down his head
and he fell flat on his face
AND the ANGEL of the LORD said to him
Wherefore hast thou smitten your ass these three times?
BEHOLD – I went out to withstand you
BECAUSE your way is PERVERSE before ME
And the ass saw ME and turned from ME these three times
unless she had turned from ME
surely now also I had slain you
and saved her alive
And Balaam said unto the ANGEL of the LORD
I have SINNED – FOR I knew not that YOU stood in the way
against me – now therefore – IF it displease YOU
I will get me back again
And the ANGEL of the LORD said unto Balaam
Go with the men
BUT only the WORD that I shall speak to you
that you shall speak
So Balaam went with the princes of Balak
Balak talks with Balaamverses 36-41
And when Balak heard that Balaam was come
he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab
which is in the border of Arnon
which is in the utmost coast
And Balak said unto Balaam
Did I not earnestly send unto you to call you?
wherefore came you not unto me?
am I not able indeed to PROMOTE you to honor?
And Balaam said unto Balak
Lo – I am come to you
have I now any POWER at all to say anything?
The WORD that God puts in my mouth – that shall I speak
And Balaam went with Balak – and they came unto Kirjath-huzoth
and Balak offered oxen and sheep – and sent to Balaam
and to the princes that were with him
And it came to pass on the morrow – that Balak took Balaam
and brought him up into the high places of Baal
that thence he might see the utmost part of the people
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 6 Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blesses is blessed and he whom thou cursest is cursed. (779 “cursest” means to invoke divine harm or evil upon someone or something, inflict with a curse, to bind with a curse, or invoke harm or injury by means of a statement, by means of the power of deity)
DEVOTION: Here we have one group of people that are afraid of what would happen to them if the nation of Israel came to their land to conquer their land. They wanted them to be cursed, so that, this would not happen. Even today we seem to think that if we use language to hurt our enemies, we can have more power over them.
Too often we don’t understand the power the LORD can have in our lives over those who would like to hurt us. Too often if someone says something bad about us we want to give up and not fight even a righteous battle against them.
God wants us to realize that we have power through HIS name. We can ask for help from HIM over much stronger enemies then ourselves because HE is stronger than all. Our prayer life means we can have power to give us victory each day if we turn to HIM in prayer and ask for power to overcome.
CHALLENGE; Are we asking for this power each day as we face the battles we face from the world, the flesh and the devil?
: 9 And God came to Balaam, and said, What men are these with you? (935 “came” [bow’] means to move towards, to enter, lead in, gather in, travel toward, approach someone, arrive, or to go)
DEVOTION: Does God know the answers to the questions HE asks HIS people? When HE asked Adam and Eve the question, “Where are you?” Did he know the answer?
Yes HE knew the answer. HE wanted them to tell HIM what was going on in their life. HE knew that they had eaten of the fruit of the tree that HE told them not to eat of.
Now HE is asking Balaam as simple question. Why did HE ask the question? It was because HE wanted to know what Balaam would answer HIM. Would he lie to the LORD? Would he tell HIM what the men wanted him to do? The answer to all the questions is yes God wanted Balaam to explain in his own word what was going on in his life and in his thinking.
HE does the same to us. When we have a decision to make regarding obedience to HIM or sinning, HE gives us time to make us think through our decision. HE wants us to choose obedience.
Balaam is hard to understand because we don’t have a reference point regarding his real relationship with the LORD. We don’t know when he heard about the LORD. We don’t know why he could curse a people and they would be cursed or how he could bless a people and they would be blessed.
We have that ability when we are obedient to the LORD. We can bless people love the LORD and we can curse people who are disobedient to the LORD. We might not use the word “curse” but we have the ability to tell others that certain individuals don’t represent the LORD well or at all.
Discernment is important. Here we have Balaam confronted with a time when he had to discern what was right to do and what was wrong to do. These decisions come our way often.
My grandchildren have a choice as to whether they will obey their parents or not. Most of them are at the age where they can discern what is right to do and what is wrong. Choices affect their relationship with the LORD and with their parents.
CHALLENGE: God is asking us the question: Who are these individuals you are talking with right now? Should you be talking with them?
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 12 And God said to Balaam, YOU shall not go with them, you shalt not curse the people for they are blessed. (1288 “blessed” [barak] means to praise, filled with strength, to have divine favor invoked or enacted upon, praised, or filled with power)
DEVOTION: Here we have Balaam being talked to by the LORD. HE informs him that the children of Israel are blessed of HIM. HE told Balaam to not go with the elders of Moab and the elders of Median.
The problem was that these people had brought Balaam the rewards of divination. The money was too must for him to refuse to help the Moabite and people of Median. He wanted the money.
So even through the LORD told him not to go he didn’t like the fact that he would lose the money. So he went to help the Moabites.
Does the LORD warn us not to do something but we see that that something seems to be good to do from our perspective. So we go and do what the LORD tells us not to do either through the Word of God or through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives or through the teachings of a good Bible teacher.
God warns us through these types of ministries as to what we should do and what we shouldn’t do. Sometimes we listen and other times we don’t. However, we don’t like the consequences of our actions after we do what the LORD has told us not to do.
We have a choice just like Balaam. We need to make the right choices in the areas where the LORD warns not to go.
CHALLENGE: It is not easy to obey the LORD at times but the consequences of disobedience cause us pain and sometimes others pain if we disobey. Obedience is key.
: 18 And Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more. (5674 “go beyond” [‘abar] means to pull along, to go on one’s way, move through, to act in disregard of laws, commandments or promises, to pass on, to violate, or extend)
DEVOTION: It is easy to make bold statements when we are not making a final decision. Sometimes we mean business when we say NO but other times we can be persuaded to change our mind.
We know the end results of what Balaam did to gain the money. However, here he is making a statement that no matter how much money you offer me I will not curse the children of Israel.
He makes a second statement that he doesn’t keep later that he will not go beyond what the LORD tells him to do or say. He will not say more or less. Sometimes we can talk too much.
So when confronted with a choice to make will money never affect our Christianity? Will we never give in to the temptation to earn more money even if it is at a job that would not honor the LORD?
Do we say more than we should when it comes to doctrinal statements regarding the Bible? Is our final authority the Word of God?
Balaam was tempted to curse God’s people. Could we find ourselves in a position of not being an encouragement to our fellow believer if it would profit us to say something wrong about the individual?
Can we one day make bold statements regarding our following the LORD no matter what and then something or someone comes along and challenges us and we back down?
CHALLENGE: Make sure you can back up your statements regarding your firm stand with the LORD.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 38 And Balaam said to Balak, Lo, I am come to you: have I now any power at all to say anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak. (1697 “word” [dabar] means advice, answer, work, or commandment)
DEVOTION: Have we ever asked God for something and HE has said NO? Do we go back to God and ask again? Have we ever gone and done something that God has told us not to do?
Balaam believed in Jehovah. He went to HIM when the messengers came to him form Balak. Balak was offering money to him. He told the messengers that he had to go and meet with the LORD. He met with the LORD and HE told him not to go. The messengers of Balak left.
Balak sent other messengers. These messengers were more important individuals. It seems that Balaam liked to have honorable men come and ask him for a favor. He went a second time to the LORD regarding going with them. The LORD said Go! However, the LORD knows the heart of man. HE knew that Balaam was tempted to give Balak what he wanted.
Now we have the account of the trip to Balak. The donkey sees the Angel of the LORD with a sword drawn. She prevents him from coming into contact with the Angel of the LORD. Balaam doesn’t see what the donkey sees. He is mad. He strikes the donkey three times.
God opens the eyes of Balaam. He sees the Angel of the LORD. The Angel of the LORD speaks to Balaam and warns him not to say anything that the ANGEL OF THE LORD doesn’t tell him to say. Note that when the Angel of the LORD speaks. he says “I shall speak unto thee” in verse 35. HE doesn’t say what the LORD shall speak unto thee. That gives us the idea that this is a theophany of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. Remember that the Father never appears in human form but the Son does. It informs us of the fact that Christ is eternal like the Father.
Balaam told the princes of Moab that the LORD was his God. Balaam was not of the children of Israel. God spoke to Balaam in the night twice. HE seemed to give Balaam permission to go to Balak. However, on the way it seems that Balaam had the wrong idea of what God was giving him permission to do.
HE sent the Angel of the LORD to warn him concerning his mission to Balak. God spoke with him and worked through him. Further into the Old Testament and in the New Testament we learn that Balaam wanted the money and fame. God had told him once not to go. The second time God told Balaam to go ahead and go but was angry when he went.
Balaam wasn’t thinking straight and God used his donkey to help him think straight. What does God use to help us think straight? We need to only say what God tells us to say. We need to stop asking after the LORD gives us a definite answer regarding a question, we ask HIM. HE is the one who closes doors and opens doors. We sometimes want to go through a CLOSED door. Listen to the LORD!!!
CHALLENGE: When praying, be sure that you will accept the answer the LORD gives you. Paul gave up after three times of asking the LORD to remove his “thorn in the flesh.” God sometimes gives us a “thorn” to keep us humble. Otherwise we could fall into the trap that Balaam fell into in the next chapters.
: 41 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high place of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people. (1120 “high place” [Bamowth] means Bamoth, great high place, BamothBaal, place in Moab, or heights of Baal)
DEVOTION: In the days of the children of Israel’s travels there were placed dedicated to a god. There were places dedicated to the ONE TRUE GOD, Jehovah but there were many false gods that had places dedicated to them as well.
So here is Balak taking Balaam to a place dedicated to a false god while he is supposed to be representing Jehovah. It was a moment in time when Balaam had to make a choice as to what god he was going to serve. The one true God who gave him commandments regarding what he was to do and say or the false god who Balak was offering money to Balaam to represent.
Money can change some people’s convictions. Here was an opportunity to see which conviction he would follow. Would he follow the money or the commands of the LORD?
There are times in our life when we might be taken to a place where someone offers us enough money to make us rich but at the same time require us to deny the LORD we serve. We can serve either God or money not both.
The children of Israel were coming toward Balaam and he had to make a decision. There are sometimes in our life when we are going to be offered a choice regarding our dedication to the LORD or to something else. We have to be ready for these types of choices at any time or place.
CHALLENGE: Balaam had a choice to make regarding his loyalty to the LORD. We have the same choice to make on a regular basis. Make the right choice.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SOUL
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Balaam worships LORDverse 31
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD (Jehovah)verses 8, 13, 18, 19, 22-28, 31
God (Elohim)verses 9, 10, 12, 18, 20, 22, 38
Word of the LORD my Godverse 18
Anger of Godverse 22
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
Angel of the LORD (Theophany)verses 22-27, 31, 32, 34, 35
Theophany- visible appearing of deity in Old Testament
I will speak
Adversaryverse 22
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Moabverses 1-6, 8, 10, 13-17, 21, 35-41
Plains of Moab on the side of Jordan by Jericho
Balak – king of Moab: son of Zippor
Princes of Balak
Sore afraid
Distressed
Curse Israel – request to Balaam
Sent second group to Balaam
Promises more money
Kirjath-huzoth
City of Moab
High places of Baal
Amoritesverse 2
Elders of Midianverse 4
Balaam – son of Beorverses 5-41
rewards of divination
God tell him not to go
Refuses to go at first
Second time God says go only saying what LORD says
Doesn’t see angel of LORD
LORD opens eyes
Life saved by his ass
Talks to the angel of the LORD
Say only what God puts in my mouth
High places of Baal
Egyptverses 5, 11
Vision of assverses 23-30, 33
Saw the angel of the LORD
Turned aside
Thrust herself into the wall
Fell down under Balaam
Smote by Balaam
LORD opened mouth of ass
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Curse verses 6, 11, 12
Way was perverseverse 32
Sinnedverse 34
Displeasing the LORDverse 34
Promote to honorverse 37
High place of Baal (false god)verse 41
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Obedience to command of LORDverses 12, 13
Cannot go beyond word of the LORDverse 18
Say only the word of the LORDverses 20, 35
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Children of Israelverses 1, 3
Cover the face of the earthverse 5
Blessed of the LORDverse 12
LORD opened mouth of donkeyverses 28-30
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
34–35 The words of Balaam to God, “I have sinned” (v.34), lead us to think that he is truly repentant. Only the later outcome of the story shows this to be false (see chs. 25, 31). There is the confession of error, but it is a confession that falls short of the repentance of saving faith. Doubtless, he spoke with one eye on the sword that menaced from above.
The Lord tells Balaam to continue on his journey but to “speak only what I tell you” (v.35). This is the point of the whole chapter: Balaam the pagan mantic will not be able to speak cursing as he had planned. Instead, he would be the most surprised of all; he would be the most remarkable instrument of God in the blessing of his people, Israel. The one great gain was that Balaam was now more aware of the seriousness of the task before him; he would not be able to change the word that the Lord would give to him (see 23:12, 20, 26). (Allen, R. B. (1990). Numbers. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers (Vol. 2, p. 894). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
22:29–35. Balaam’s only reaction was anger. He had been publicly humiliated and if he had a sword, he said, he would kill the donkey on the spot. But the donkey replied that since she had never done such things before there must be a hidden explanation for her behavior. Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes—gave him spiritual perception—so he could see the Angel in the path, standing with a drawn sword. At this, Balaam fell on his face and heard the Lord rebuke him for having come on a reckless mission. This implies that Balaam’s intentions were not in line with the Lord’s wishes. Balaam was alive even then only because the donkey had seen the Angel and turned aside. Balaam therefore acknowledged his sin in opposing the Lord and not seeing divine direction in the donkey’s behavior. He offered to return home to Pethor, but the Lord told him to go provided he spoke only what God commanded (cf. v. 20). (Merrill, E. H. (1985). Numbers. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 242). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
The angel’s revelation (vv. 31–35). The same God who opened the donkey’s mouth and eyes also opened Balaam’s eyes so he could see the awesome angel standing in the road, his sword in hand. Balaam finally did something right and fell on his face before the angel who told him that his beast had saved his life. The angel warned Balaam that he was rushing headlong and recklessly on a wrong path that could only lead to ruin, and Balaam offered to return home.
His words, “I have sinned,” were not evidence of sincere repentance. Pharaoh (Ex. 9:27), King Saul (1 Sam. 15:24, 30; 26:21), and Judas Iscariot (Matt. 27:4) all uttered these words but didn’t turn to God for mercy. What good is it to say pious words if your heart goes right on sinning? Listen to David (2 Sam. 12:13; Ps. 54:4; 2 Sam. 24:10, 17; 1 Chron. 21:8, 17) or the Prodigal Son if you want to hear real confession.
In His permissive will, God allowed Balaam to continue on his journey, but He cautioned him to speak only the messages that God gave him. For the first time, Balaam realized that there was more involved in this adventure than cursing a nation and making some money. As the Lord used the donkey to rebuke her master, God would use Balaam to reveal great truths about Israel and Israel’s promised Messiah. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1999). Be counted (pp. 104–105). Colorado Springs, CO: Chariot Victor Pub.)
35. Go with the men] A command, not a permission merely. Balaam, no longer a faithful servant of God, was henceforth overruled in all his acts so that he might subserve the Divine purpose as an instrument. (Barnes, A. (1879). Notes on the Old Testament: Exodus to Ruth. (F. C. Cook & J. M. Fuller, Eds.) (p. 234). London: John Murray.)
Ver. 35. And the angel of the Lord said unto Balaam, go with the men, &c.] Which was not a command, but a concession, or rather a permission, leaving him to go if he would, suffering him to follow his own heart’s lusts, and giving him up to them to his own destruction; and besides, it was not his going barely that was displeasing to God, but his going with such a bad intention: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak; which expresses not only what he ought to do, but what he should be obliged to do, even to bless the people against his will, when his mind was to curse them, it being for his worldly interest; and therefore it is suggested he had better not go at all, since he never would be able to carry his point, yea, would be brought to shame and confusion before Balak and his nobles: the angel speaking in the same language as God did before to Balaam, ver. 20 shews that not a created angel, but a divine Person, is here meant: so Balaam went with the princes of Balak; whom after this he quickly overtook, or they him, or they met together at some appointed place, and proceeded on in their journey. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 1, p. 819). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
The CHURCH in an age of CRISIS by James Emery White
The men of Issachar didn’t simply know those signs, they knew how to then live in light of them. They had a sense of what to think, how to act, and the manner in which to respond. Real wisdom is always more than knowledge, it is living according to that knowledge in the most appropriate way. (p. 11)
I mean we live in a country that is increasingly losing any memory of what it means to even be Christian. (p. 19)
The heart of the secular religion is moral relativism, a functional atheism, if you will, that holds that how life is to be lived is dictated by a particular situation in light of a particular culture or social location. (p. 19)
Years earlier, another sociologist, Peter Berger, quipped, “If India is the most religious country on our planet, and Sweden is the least religious, America is a land of Indians ruled by Swedes.” (p. 21)
Christ is the image of the invisible God and the Head of the church.
INSIGHT
On the surface, it is pretty difficult to explain why you believe in God. No one has seen Him face-to-face, touched Him, or smelled Him, yet His fingerprints are everywhere. You must get beneath the surface where the intangible becomes tangible. God is made visible through Jesus Christ. Paul writes that Jesus is “the image of the invisible God” (v. 15). If you want to know about God, learn about Jesus. If you want to see God, look at Jesus. If you want to please God, follow Jesus. He is God in the flesh! (Quiet Walk)
WHAT IS PRAYER?
And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
1 John 3:19
What is prayer? Well, I cannot think of a better way of describing it than these two words that we have at the end of 1 John 3:19: “Hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.” That is prayer; prayer is coming before Him. Now we are always in the presence of God—“in him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28)—and we are always under His eye. But prayer is something still more special. Prayer is having a special audience and going immediately and directly to Him—“before him.” Prayer is something in which we turn our back upon everything else, excluding everything else, while, for the time being, we find ourselves face to face with God alone. There is a sense in which one cannot expound it further; it is just that.
We have to realize that is exactly and precisely what we do when we pray. Obviously, therefore, in a sense the most vital thing in prayer is the realization that we are before Him. And you will find that the saints have always talked a great deal about this. That is the difficulty; thoughts will keep on obtruding themselves, and our imaginations will wander all over the world, and certain ideas and proposals and wants and needs will intrude. But all that must be dismissed, and we must just start by realizing that we are actually and literally in the presence of the living God. “Before him.”
Now, says John, this whole question of brotherly love is of importance because of that. It is when you come there, when you are before Him, that you begin to realize the importance of what you are doing with the rest of your life and with the rest of your time. It is when you come there that you begin to see the relevance of this.
A Thought to Ponder: We must just start by realizing that we are actually and literally in the presence of the living God.
(From Children of God, p. 122, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
Complete in Him
“And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” (Colossians 2:10)
The term pleroo simply means “to fill up.” We are “complete” with the power that “worketh in us” (Ephesians 3:20).
Many passages amplify and reiterate this concept. Once we are “born again” (John 3:7), the creation miracle that is the second birth is sufficient for “all things that pertain unto life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). As “newborn babes,” we must “desire the sincere milk of the word that [we] may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2). There is no instant maturity to be had, but the resources are innate to the “new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
The key to understanding and applying both the authority and the ability of this “complete” resource is “use.” That is, confidence grows as our senses are “exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:14). All too often we apply the declaration “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17) only to the salvation moment. But that principle is the operative power throughout our lives.
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments” (Psalm 111:10).
“I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts” (Psalm 119:100).
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).
We are “filled up” because “all fulness” dwells in Christ (Colossians 1:19). We have been given “exceeding great and precious promises: that by these [we] might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:4). (HMM III, The Institute for Creation Research)
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The picture made me laugh out loud. Crowds had lined a Mexican avenue, waving flags and throwing confetti as they waited for the pope. Down the middle of the street strolled a stray puppy, appearing to grin as if the cheering was entirely for him. Yes! Every dog should have its day, and it should look like this. It’s cute when a puppy “steals the show,” but hijacking another’s praise can destroy us. David knew this, and he refused to drink the water his mighty warriors had risked their lives to get. He had wistfully said it would be great if someone would fetch a drink from the well in Bethlehem. Three of his soldiers took him literally. They broke through enemy lines, drew the water, and carried it back. David was overwhelmed by their devotion, and he had to pass it on. He refused to drink the water, but “poured it out before the Lord” as a drink offering (2 Samuel 23:16). How we respond to praise and honor says a lot about us. When praise is directed toward others, especially God, stay out of the way. The parade isn’t for us. When the honor is directed toward us, thank the person and then amplify that praise by giving all the glory to Jesus. The “water” isn’t for us either. Give thanks, then pour it out before God. By Mike Wittmer REFLECT & PRAY |
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God, may words of praise to You be continually on my lips. You alone deserve the praise! What praise for yourself or others did you hear today? How did your heart respond? (Daily Bread) |
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