Balaam

And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus. And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the LORD spoken? And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor: God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it. (Numbers 23:16-20 KJV)

On the surface, this reads as though Balaam followed God’s directions. However, Peter didn’t think much of Balaam.

Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; (2 Peter 2:15 KJV)

Neither did Jude.

Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. (Jude 1:11 KJV)

John didn’t hold back, either.

But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. (Revelation 2:14 KJV)

So what was so bad about this man that from Moses to Jesus, Jews remembered and wrote about him? He was a prophet – but most likely not an Israeli prophet, from Numbers 22:5, since Balak called upon him to curse the Israelites. In verse 6, Balak explained that the blessings or curses of Balaam had proven true in the past. Balak wanted the best. In verses 9-13 we read of God’s discussion with Balaam and His direction to him.

And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed. (Numbers 22:12 KJV)

An example of God speaking with and dealing with others than the Children of Israel. That’s good for us! However, we need to play close attention to what happens when we do not follow His directions. It appears Balaam was seeking a way to achieve the value of verse 18. He put a price on his words.

Through chapters 23 and 24, Balak seeks a curse and Balaam provides God’s truth. So, why then does his name not appear among heroes?

And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: (Genesis 12:3a KJV)

Balaam’s blessings were also a warning to Balak to thwart God’s plan. Numbers 25 tells of Israelites becoming unequally yoked in marriage, turning away from God, joining with the Moabite god, Baalpeor. Thus Balaam is mentioned in disrespect in Deuteronomy 23:4-5, Joshua 13:22, 24:9, Nehemiah 13:2, and Micah 6:5, where more of his story is told. None of it good.

Balaam appeared to follow God, but worked against His will. Others have done so, too.

Balaam and his Ass by Rembrandt van Rijn, 1626 (Wiki Commons)

Cheroots

I was recently reminded of how quoting someone should be taken seriously and with great care. When I worked with journalists on corporate newspapers, videos, news releases, it taught me to proofread with attention to detail.

I remember an instance with a new sportswriter on a local newspaper. He interviewed a coach and quoted him as saying, “That’s all cheroot.” Nothing in the article referred to cigars. The photo of the coach did not show him smoking a cigar. I believe the coach used a phrase unfamiliar to the young man, “That’s all she wrote.” It means that is the entire story – everything has been said, there’s nothing more.

It’s a good reminder to check quotes. If this is a news article, be certain the quote is accurately written and attributed. There’s an entire Wikipedia page listing common misquotes.

The Bible is often misquoted. How many people look upon money as being the root of all evil? We need to look closely to find that’s not true:

But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1 Timothy 6:9-10 KJV)

I do not know of a person who has memorized the entire Bible. I do know a number of preachers who prepare their sermons and can quote quite well the verses they reference. I prefer the way our preacher does it, having us turn with him to the scriptures and read them ourselves.

When I post scriptures here, they are copied in their entirety from e-Sword, along with the version citation. I don’t want to make a typo bringing them into a document. Not adding to nor taking away. That’s important to me.

I also look up the scriptures I point to. My memory isn’t too good. Just recently I answered a quiz and made an error on a relationship. The word I remembered was in the scripture reference, but it was only a part of the relationship. To be certain, I should have looked up the scripture regarding Mordecai’s relationship to Esther. Instead, a remembered word flashed along synapse in my brain and an incorrect answer was given.

As well as we know the Roman Road verses, it is much better to read them from the Bible as we witness. That teaches that we depend on His word, that we use His word and that His word is important enough to pass along to others.

When the words are contested, do as the Bereans were described in Acts 17:11 – check to see whether these things are so. For example, some versions use the word “virgin” in Isaiah 7:14, others use "maiden" or "young woman." Thus some look upon this as confusing, conflicting or a reason for disbelief as a prophecy of Jesus’ birth. A serious look at the culture of the time tells of deadly consequences for extra-marital sex. Proof of virginity was sought and displayed in tribal cultures, thus a young unmarried woman would synonymous with virginity, unless proven otherwise.

Never accept what I write without looking it up yourself. I could be wrong. It is my firm belief that God’s word is not.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV)

Pew Report on Religious Knowledge

I was reading MSNBC’s article “Atheists Most Knowledgeable About Religion” and agree. Many atheists were raised in religious households and they know why they don’t believe. Many Christians cannot tell what they do believe. Can you?

Another result was interesting:

"The study also found that many Americans don't understand constitutional restrictions on religion in public schools. While a majority know that public school teachers cannot lead classes in prayer, less than a quarter know that the U.S. Supreme Court has clearly stated that teachers can read from the Bible as an example of literature."

Students may pray, openly in school. Individually, they may say grace over their meals. As an extension of government, school employees cannot force students to pray, but neither can they restrict a student’s prayer. There are several legal organizations prepared to battle in court for these rights. Teachers, as employees of a government agency, cannot impose their religion, or their lack of it, upon their students. It takes involved parents to protect their children’s rights in school.

A recent series of articles by MSNBC focused on home schooling: “Though such students represent an estimated 3 percent of the population, evidence suggests that home-schooling is a growing trend in America. While most say faith is their primary motivation, others choose this path for a variety of reasons that include dissatisfaction with the local school system, caring for special-needs kids, safety concerns, flexibility to travel and the chance to spend more time with their children.”

“Faith is their primary motivation.” I think perhaps that’s part of a “dissatisfaction with the local school system” where dress codes are non-existent, drugs are and teen pregnancies are not unusual. It is not, however, necessary to confine faith-based teachings to one’s home. A simple reading of our nation’s founding documents displays faith in a Creator. American democracy builds on an even older document, the Magna Carta, which also displays faith in God.

These foundations go back to Christ’s words.

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:37-40 KJV)

Which referred to the Law given to Moses, which is based on God’s action.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1 KJV)

If you wish to find out where your own religious knowledge base fits, the Pew Forum offers a non-survey quiz where you answer questions given in the national telephone poll. Learning is a good thing.

Oh, how did I do on the quiz? Well, the answer is in the above graphic. I missed one. How did you do?

Rosebud

Often times I really am the last kid on the block and I receive something new to me in e-mail that appears in over 65,000 places on the web. I know this for a fact because I Googled “unfold a rosebud”.

If you haven’t read it, Google and you’ll find the poem as its author said was quoted from an older pastor to a younger one. The poem is lovely, as is the concept that human hands cannot unfold a rosebud without destroying it.

I see the application in lives around me. We know so much about what is best for others and we endeavor to get them to follow what we have in mind. My readers see that in me – since Bible reading means so much in my life, I would love to have every reader join in on a regular basis. I do believe that is God’s plan, to reach people through His word. He makes promises for those who read it, and for those who follow it. I believe those promises.

Some do not.

Except for the written words here, I can do no more to attempt to open the rosebud of their understanding. What I have written is to their rosebud but a little light. Much more must shine on it before it opens itself to God’s will in its existence. Will it open in beauty, spreading fragrance to be enjoyed by others?

Amanda McBroom could have been thinking of such as she wrote the lyrics for “The Rose.”

“That with the sun's love, in the spring
Becomes the rose”

Bette Midler’s recording comes in second best – a soloist in a Disciples of Christ church in Bethany, Oklahoma sang it a cappella the Sunday our preacher used it for his sermon on God’s love. It was beautiful. But not as beautiful as the message that God’s love is available for the asking.

His love, His will, His plans will open our rosebuds into beautiful bouquets. Then we will match the lilies of His fields.

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. (Matthew 6:28b-29 KJV)

Do we fail because we lack faith? Not a problem, He knows that.

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? (Matthew 6:30 KJV)

He told us what He expects.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33 KJV)

Bloom beautifully where you are planted.

Reconciliation

And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; (2 Corinthians 5:18 KJV)

Do you believe that?

Even though the Bible tells us that all things work together to bring good to those who love God (Romans 8:28), should we really believe that all things – good, bad, indifferent – all things are of God? When we read the newspapers, watch television, in so many places just walk the streets and see how badly one person can treat another, can we see God’s love?

Yes, through those who have been reconciled to Him. We’ve been given the same ministry that Paul was given – reconciliation. That’s the goal of each of the ministries of our church, show how we made our decisions to follow Him instead of taking that wide path that leads away from Him.

It doesn’t stop at the church door. What we believe is reflected in our lives. What we say, what we write, what we do reflects how seriously we take the ministry. It is so much easier to say that it belongs in the hands of those trained to lead a church. It belongs to those who are called to his service, as Paul mentioned in Romans 1:1.

Nope. Those who follow Christ are all called.

Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: (1 Corinthians 1:2 KJV)

Once we turned away, repented, from the list of sins in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, we are sanctified.

And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11 KJV)

Our Lord came to minister. He said so, as He told us what to do.

But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:26-28 KJV)

So, as God restores us to harmony and fellowship with Himself, we should be praying for others that same changed relationship.

Really, Christians, aren’t we happy enough about our relationship to God to share that with others?

Sometimes we're not, because we would have to be reconciled to and change our relationship with some people we really don’t like, right? We can’t have it both ways. If we accept Christ’s reconciliation, we cannot in all honesty hold grudges, anger or animosity to anyone else. Take a look, and clear the decks for your ministry to go forward.

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:20 KJV)

Hands of God and Adam, detail from the Sistine Chapel fresco, Michelangelo, 1509 (Wiki Commons)

Neglected Promises

I understand what the disciples were saying, even though Christ questioned them after their statement. It is a question we should ask ourselves when we live through adversity.

His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God. Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe? (John 16:29-31 KJV)

The disciples were saying that no one should ask for a sign to prove Jesus came from God. He had done enough, said enough, that it was obvious He came from the Father.

Yet, He asked them, “Do you believe?” They just said they did, why question them?

For the same reason we need to be questioned when we quail in front of difficult times.

God never promised us another Garden of Eden. Our lives are to be spent laboring among thorns and thistles for sustenance. We’ve been told there will be adversity, but Christ provides strength to get through it, and peace while in it.

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33 KJV)

Did you notice that I skipped verse 32? We would like to skip over the hard parts, moving from our confession of faith right to the peace and good cheer. Reality tells us there are bad things in between. Jesus knew what would happen, that His disciples would scatter and forsake Him, and He told them so.

Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. (John 16:32 KJV)

Matthew remembered this time with a bit more detail, recalling Peter’s strong denial.

Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. (Matthew 26:33 KJV)

Matthew also records Peter’s bitter memories.

And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly. (Matthew 26:75 KJV)

Will we also weep because we neglected His promises, strengths and peace? You know, the ones we believed when we chose Him as our Lord and Savior. Are they with us now? Do we use them to stay close to Him, remember that He is with us always? Oh, yes, there were a few other things in that promise:

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20 KJV)

Someone is learning from you. What are we teaching?

Detail from Brooklyn Museum's "Jesus Discourses with his Diciples" by James Joseph Jacques Tissot ca 1890 (Wiki Commons)

Sound Doctrine

What was the last sermon you heard? Not just the subject matter. What were the scriptures? How did they relate to what you are doing now?

I remember an illustration given of a man who met a preacher he had heard years earlier. That sermon planted the seed that grew to the point the man accepted Christ as his savior years later. When the preacher asked about the sermon, the man said, “I don’t remember what it was, but I’ll never forget it.”

He remembered enough that he kept searching for answers.

So, how much do you remember about the last sermon you heard? The best way to remember is to make notes. We provided our Sunday School students small journal-type notepads. It is so heartening to see the girls use them to take notes in class. They keep their prayer lists in them, too, and in church they write down the scriptures the pastor uses in his sermons.

OK, not all of them do.

But the ones who are learning do. The ones who want to know more, to look up the scriptures afterward, to memorize them. Those are the ones that take notes and delve more deeply. Those are the ones who ask questions, not taking for granted what we tell them is true. Those are the ones building strong foundations for their faith.

These are the ones who know the Lord is with them always (Psalms 23), that Christ came because He loved them (John 3), that Jesus is eternal (Genesis 1:1, John 1:1) and that the end of the story has been written (Revelation).

These girls know Jesus had doctrine (Luke 4:32; John 7:16-17; 18:19) and His doctrine is spelled out in His words. His beliefs, his teachings, should be in the sermons given from Christian pulpits, and we should study to know them as truth. If we are not hearing them, studying them, taking notes to take away with us, what sustains us in the dark valleys we encounter in life?

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalms 23:4 KJV)

Where’s the comfort in His word – if His word is not with us?

A beautiful example of this concept was written by Paul to Timothy. Paul, who counted himself a Hebrew of Hebrews (Philippians 3:5 KJV), asked that he hold fast to the sound words of belief, of doctrine.

Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 1:11-13 KJV)

Why would we do less?

Detail from painting "St. Peter Preaching" ca 1424 (Wiki Commons)