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Post by Woody Williams on Jan 31, 2024 9:07:25 GMT -5
Text for the Day -- Numbers 22:23, 31-33, 36-38 ---------- The donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand; so the donkey turned off the road, and went into the field; and Balaam struck the donkey, to turn it back on to the road.
Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road, with his drawn sword in his hand; and he bowed down, falling on his face. The angel of the Lord said to him, ‘Why have you struck your donkey these three times? I have come out as an adversary, because your way is perverse before me. The donkey saw me, and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away from me, surely I would by now have killed you and let it live.’
When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him at Ir-moab, on the boundary formed by the Arnon, at the farthest point of the boundary. Balak said to Balaam, ‘Did I not send to summon you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honour you?’ Balaam said to Balak, ‘I have come to you now, but do I have power to say just anything? The word God puts in my mouth, that is what I must say.’
Devotional ---------- When Balaam is put to the test by Balak to curse God and the Israelites, Balaam is told by the Lord to neither curse nor bless. Balaam ends up blessing Israel. Balak tries to get him to stop blessing Israel, but Balaam continues. Balak sends him away with no payment. You cannot use the power of evil against God. It is not going to work. Far better to be one who blesses rather than curses.
Prayer ----------------- Guide my heart and mouth, Lord, to bless and not to curse. Amen
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