Post by Woody Williams on Jan 31, 2023 10:11:01 GMT -5
Text for the Day -- Numbers 22:23, 31-33, 36-38
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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 onto
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 just now I would 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 honor 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 finally 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 neither
bless nor curse Israel. But Balaam keeps blessing Israel. Balak sends
him away with no payment. You will not win if you try to use the
power of evil against God or his people. It is not going to work. Far
better to be one who blesses rather than curses.
Prayer
-----------
Guide my mouth and heart, O Lord, that I may bless and not fall into
the temptation to curse. Amen
----------
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 onto
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 just now I would 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 honor 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 finally 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 neither
bless nor curse Israel. But Balaam keeps blessing Israel. Balak sends
him away with no payment. You will not win if you try to use the
power of evil against God or his people. It is not going to work. Far
better to be one who blesses rather than curses.
Prayer
-----------
Guide my mouth and heart, O Lord, that I may bless and not fall into
the temptation to curse. Amen