1 00:00:14,119 --> 00:00:17,359 Welcome to the Lansdale Life Church podcast. 2 00:00:18,379 --> 00:00:24,100 If you're seeking a closer relationship with Jesus Christ, this podcast is for you. 3 00:00:24,660 --> 00:00:26,679 Thank you for joining us today. 4 00:00:35,659 --> 00:00:36,520 All right. 5 00:00:37,619 --> 00:00:40,859 Lord, we thank you that you're the life giver. 6 00:00:41,939 --> 00:00:47,380 That we can fellowship around you, not a personality or a cult 7 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:49,719 or an idol 8 00:00:50,620 --> 00:00:52,219 or a job 9 00:00:53,519 --> 00:01:00,420 or things that are nefarious to our spirits, but, Lord, that we can rally around and enjoy your presence. 10 00:01:01,799 --> 00:01:06,739 Thank you for teaching us, Lord, to live by your principles, 11 00:01:07,780 --> 00:01:10,939 to love you, to follow you, Lord, all the days of our life. 12 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:17,900 So we pray, Father, as we get into the teaching tonight that you'll open our ears. 13 00:01:18,959 --> 00:01:21,640 Help me articulate what I think you have given me. 14 00:01:22,340 --> 00:01:29,000 And that you would be glorified tonight, above all, in the name of Jesus. And everybody said, Amen. 15 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:30,180 All right. 16 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:32,439 Very interesting subject. 17 00:01:33,519 --> 00:01:36,640 All of us probably know the story of Balaam. 18 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:43,719 We can identify with a lot that has gone on in his life with regard to 19 00:01:44,439 --> 00:01:50,659 back and forth and up and down, but what I'd like to do is maybe bring a little bit of a different perspective 20 00:01:50,659 --> 00:01:55,900 to what happens when God controls our human intentions. 21 00:01:58,019 --> 00:02:04,599 what I'm going to do in this outline, like I usually give you, is I'm just going to read 22 00:02:04,599 --> 00:02:10,919 excerpts from it so we can get through it without dwelling on it. And all that I'm reading is just the red print. 23 00:02:11,979 --> 00:02:14,439 So Baloch, which was the king of Moab, 24 00:02:15,060 --> 00:02:19,379 seeks help from Balaam, asking him to curse Israel. 25 00:02:20,340 --> 00:02:23,900 Isn't that interesting that a diviner 26 00:02:24,579 --> 00:02:26,439 can curse God's 27 00:02:26,439 --> 00:02:27,800 loving nation. 28 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:29,599 He seeks 29 00:02:30,299 --> 00:02:33,120 help from Balaam, and 30 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:35,400 the elders of Baloch 31 00:02:36,019 --> 00:02:38,520 bring messages with payment. 32 00:02:39,819 --> 00:02:44,939 And the Lord forbids him to curse Israel, as was asked by Baloch. 33 00:02:45,659 --> 00:02:49,699 And Balaam refuses to go to Moab, and he sends them home. 34 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:58,039 And Baloch sends more princes with greater promise of reward, and Balaam again consults God. 35 00:02:58,740 --> 00:03:03,240 God allows him to go, but only to speak what he commands, and of course that's blessing. 36 00:03:04,759 --> 00:03:11,259 The next elements are God's anger burns because Balaam goes with selfish intent. 37 00:03:12,319 --> 00:03:18,659 The angel blocks his path three times, the donkey sees the angel, and then turns aside each time. 38 00:03:20,020 --> 00:03:23,819 And Balaam strikes the donkey. God opens the donkey's mouth to speak. 39 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:31,699 Balaam's eyes are opened. He sees the angel with the drawn sword, and the angel permits him to go. 40 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:35,759 And Balaam again greets Balaam 41 00:03:35,759 --> 00:03:40,360 at the Moabite border. And Balaam then 42 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:46,460 can only speak what God puts in his mouth, and Baloch offers sacrifices. 43 00:03:47,639 --> 00:03:53,500 So my question to you is this. What happens when a person tries to follow God outwardly, 44 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:56,460 but holds on 45 00:03:57,080 --> 00:04:01,659 to the selfish desires that are inside, as Balaam did? 46 00:04:02,939 --> 00:04:10,080 What's that look like? What happens to that person ultimately when they will not relinquish that control? 47 00:04:11,139 --> 00:04:13,539 They will not yield to God. 48 00:04:14,860 --> 00:04:16,600 What ultimately happens? 49 00:04:19,819 --> 00:04:28,579 Disobedient. Okay, is that all? Just being disobedient? Is there more to that? Is there a path? 50 00:04:29,199 --> 00:04:30,819 You wreak havoc on your own life. 51 00:04:32,439 --> 00:04:33,839 So how do we do that? 52 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:37,600 We're born of the Spirit. 53 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:43,680 We come into the love of the Lord. We follow the Lord. 54 00:04:45,459 --> 00:04:50,060 The Spirit of God is dwelling in us, and 55 00:04:50,060 --> 00:04:52,540 as we turn away, 56 00:04:53,759 --> 00:04:59,519 what happens to the Spirit of God in our life becomes less influential. We're not listening. 57 00:05:01,060 --> 00:05:06,379 He's there. He wants to speak, but we're not yielding. So eventually, 58 00:05:06,379 --> 00:05:12,639 as that happens, what do we end up with? Destruction of the Spirit within us. 59 00:05:13,399 --> 00:05:20,000 Now, I'm not saying death. All I am saying is that we can be, at some point in time, callous enough, 60 00:05:21,420 --> 00:05:25,680 unyielding enough that the Spirit just is dormant in our life. 61 00:05:26,819 --> 00:05:29,920 So consequently, we then have a commission 62 00:05:30,699 --> 00:05:31,759 to look 63 00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:37,560 for God and everything that we do. So let's graphically put this out. So what happens 64 00:05:38,079 --> 00:05:40,220 when ultimate destruction comes? 65 00:05:40,819 --> 00:05:41,980 Obedience becomes 66 00:05:41,980 --> 00:05:46,759 self-hearted. 67 00:05:47,819 --> 00:05:48,459 Outwardly, 68 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:54,240 everyone appears to be faithful, yet inwardly, they are negotiating with sin. 69 00:05:55,579 --> 00:05:57,779 You know, you're playing with it's not too bad, whatever. 70 00:05:58,780 --> 00:06:01,100 Spiritual vision then becomes clouded. 71 00:06:03,220 --> 00:06:08,279 Can't see. Can't see clarity. It becomes easy to make personal ambition, 72 00:06:09,220 --> 00:06:13,899 mistake personal ambition for God's will, because you're not seeing the Spirit. 73 00:06:15,079 --> 00:06:21,660 And then they open themselves to compromise, so you see how it begins to drift. So inward desires, 74 00:06:22,139 --> 00:06:25,680 for gain, can twist one's purpose in life. 75 00:06:26,280 --> 00:06:28,579 See, we all started out with the same deal. 76 00:06:29,019 --> 00:06:34,079 We want God, and then all of a sudden as we progress, these things lose 77 00:06:34,079 --> 00:06:40,600 their traction. The loss of spiritual integrity and peace becomes common in that life. 78 00:06:41,300 --> 00:06:45,939 You cannot serve both God and self without tearing your spirit apart. 79 00:06:47,180 --> 00:06:54,180 And then eventually destruction follows and then happens. When we hold on to selfishness, and that's what it is, 80 00:06:54,180 --> 00:07:01,680 the kingdom of self versus the kingdom of God, we risk losing the very blessing that we sought to preserve. 81 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:09,560 Why I say these things is basically this. It says in Matthew 6, no one can serve two masters. 82 00:07:10,500 --> 00:07:12,620 Which is it? Which you're going to choose? 83 00:07:13,339 --> 00:07:16,060 Now, if you're starting in the orange column, 84 00:07:16,519 --> 00:07:22,259 it's not so bad because you can still maneuver and you can hear, but as you progress in 85 00:07:22,259 --> 00:07:29,180 selfishness, you end up losing the very spirit of God that you came to the Lord in the first place. 86 00:07:30,620 --> 00:07:32,839 So we have this decision and choice. 87 00:07:33,620 --> 00:07:35,139 So let's get back to Balaam. 88 00:07:36,739 --> 00:07:39,699 And he was a diviner from Pothor. 89 00:07:40,459 --> 00:07:43,259 So let's set some background for you. 90 00:07:44,079 --> 00:07:46,920 Pothor was located in the heart of Mesopotamia. 91 00:07:47,399 --> 00:07:54,540 It was a region that was steeped in divination, astrology, omen reading, which is basically predicting the future. 92 00:07:55,459 --> 00:08:01,060 You ever see, do you ever go down the road and see these palm reader hands, you know, they'll read your palm, you know. 93 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:09,939 I wonder, you know, when I see the lot with cars in it, I know that people are resorting to that. 94 00:08:10,100 --> 00:08:12,560 And that's the only thing that they feel that they have. 95 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:17,899 So Pothor represented the worldly center of occult wisdom. 96 00:08:18,500 --> 00:08:26,439 This was the Mecca center, a system of religion that mixed the truth about God with false spirituality. 97 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:29,220 So there was a mix there. 98 00:08:30,860 --> 00:08:39,759 This area had prophets and seers who combined pagan divination with reconciliation of a supreme deity. 99 00:08:40,460 --> 00:08:49,500 Now, in our mind here in Chrysodom, it's hard for us to get a hold of that dualistic approach to what they walked in. 100 00:08:50,059 --> 00:08:58,899 But Pothor shaped Balaam's understanding of that world, a man of spiritual insight, but with corrupted motives. 101 00:09:00,039 --> 00:09:01,399 He was there for the take. 102 00:09:02,159 --> 00:09:04,500 Remember, he was asked to do this. 103 00:09:05,259 --> 00:09:07,279 He refused because God said no. 104 00:09:07,460 --> 00:09:11,220 And then all of a sudden, look, we'll give you more money. 105 00:09:12,700 --> 00:09:15,759 Balak sent more princes, promise of success. 106 00:09:17,659 --> 00:09:19,480 And consequently, he did yield. 107 00:09:20,419 --> 00:09:29,700 So he was trained to hear the Gods, but in his greed and ambition, he tried to use the true God for profit. 108 00:09:30,220 --> 00:09:32,600 And that was not uncommon in those days. 109 00:09:33,460 --> 00:09:47,299 Balaam's character is this, he was a diviner for the higher who acknowledged Yahweh's authority, but practiced pagan forms of spiritual manipulation. 110 00:09:47,659 --> 00:09:48,860 So he was for the higher. 111 00:09:51,700 --> 00:09:53,539 That was very common in those days. 112 00:09:54,059 --> 00:09:55,980 Balaam was not an Israelite. 113 00:09:56,639 --> 00:09:59,700 He was not a priest and he was not a prophet of Israel. 114 00:10:00,259 --> 00:10:02,659 He was an outsider asked to do this. 115 00:10:03,879 --> 00:10:13,220 So my question now arises that what does Balaam's life teach us how our environment can shape us? 116 00:10:14,879 --> 00:10:16,240 Think about your environment. 117 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:20,679 Think about how you were raised. 118 00:10:21,879 --> 00:10:32,059 And if you were raised in an environment like that without God, the high probability is that you would be influenced greatly. 119 00:10:33,220 --> 00:10:33,519 How many? 120 00:10:34,120 --> 00:10:34,460 Go ahead. 121 00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:38,899 I was just going to share that one verse, that bad company corrupts good morals. 122 00:10:39,279 --> 00:10:43,539 You know, and just thinking of who you hang out with is who you become like. 123 00:10:44,139 --> 00:10:45,799 Yeah, great influence. 124 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:47,940 And you think it's a friendship basis. 125 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:52,299 My, my father used to tell me, you know, you can't run with those guys. 126 00:10:53,419 --> 00:10:53,860 Why? 127 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:55,080 What's wrong with that? 128 00:10:55,340 --> 00:10:56,700 You know, I soon found out. 129 00:10:57,480 --> 00:11:00,419 So consequently, there is a price to pay for that. 130 00:11:00,580 --> 00:11:01,159 So what else? 131 00:11:01,840 --> 00:11:05,899 So we, we hang out with people that influence us suddenly, directly, indirectly. 132 00:11:06,220 --> 00:11:06,659 What else? 133 00:11:11,500 --> 00:11:14,039 How does that begin to shape our thinking? 134 00:11:14,819 --> 00:11:23,559 We think like those individuals that we assimilate that information because our mind is always going. 135 00:11:23,759 --> 00:11:24,659 We assimilate it. 136 00:11:25,179 --> 00:11:31,659 And after a while we are directed and convinced oftentimes that that way is the right way. 137 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:37,100 You know, I used to street race when I was young, my father used to tell me, you shouldn't do that. 138 00:11:37,860 --> 00:11:39,340 So I'd go out and do it anyway. 139 00:11:39,759 --> 00:11:41,600 And I almost had an accident one time. 140 00:11:42,059 --> 00:11:42,759 And that was enough. 141 00:11:43,439 --> 00:11:51,120 The axle came out of the back of my 37 Ford and I was racing down the road and the wheel and the axle went, went ahead of me. 142 00:11:51,220 --> 00:11:53,539 I thought, oh, and the car started to go like this. 143 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:56,720 Oh, Lord, my father's speaking to me. 144 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:01,139 So, you know, I, I soon gave that up for a little bit. 145 00:12:01,759 --> 00:12:02,080 All right. 146 00:12:02,179 --> 00:12:05,620 The surrounding circumstances feed temptation. 147 00:12:06,839 --> 00:12:09,159 We reflect what we stay around. 148 00:12:09,820 --> 00:12:11,600 Jill, you did a very good job on that one. 149 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:15,019 And God's voice can be drowned out by our surroundings. 150 00:12:16,220 --> 00:12:21,419 So now let's look at the internal battle of this fella. 151 00:12:21,779 --> 00:12:22,779 We know he's conflicted. 152 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:25,700 He wanted to do something for hire. 153 00:12:26,179 --> 00:12:30,559 God came to him, he visited him, and yet he has these desires. 154 00:12:31,899 --> 00:12:35,259 So there was a disregard for God. 155 00:12:36,139 --> 00:12:40,879 This is a statement that does affects most people, most men. 156 00:12:41,519 --> 00:12:48,179 When men go against their conscience with strong passions and brute force of their 157 00:12:48,179 --> 00:12:56,299 will within prevails over the principle of rationality. 158 00:12:56,600 --> 00:12:57,379 Let me read that again. 159 00:12:57,580 --> 00:13:01,860 When men go against their conscience with strong passions, the brute force of their 160 00:13:01,860 --> 00:13:08,639 will within prevails over the principle of rationality, right versus wrong. 161 00:13:09,519 --> 00:13:13,080 You know, I'm going to do it anyway, and I'll be successful. 162 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:15,399 You will that into existence. 163 00:13:16,759 --> 00:13:20,620 Greed, Balaam saw with his eyes the authority of God. 164 00:13:21,340 --> 00:13:27,779 He absolutely was forbidden to curse Israel for the sake of a reward. 165 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:30,720 He thought he wanted to do that. 166 00:13:30,779 --> 00:13:37,059 He was drawn because he had that environment to pay for what my services are. 167 00:13:37,860 --> 00:13:40,500 And he had a strong inclination to do these things. 168 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:41,240 Very strong. 169 00:13:41,659 --> 00:13:43,179 Lord, let me go to the Lord. 170 00:13:43,340 --> 00:13:43,759 Let him go. 171 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:49,360 He at least acknowledges God in the situation because of his conscience. 172 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:59,100 And again, remember God speaks to us through his word, which then influences 173 00:13:59,980 --> 00:14:06,379 the spirit for direction, which influences our conscience, which helps us live rightly. 174 00:14:07,439 --> 00:14:15,600 But the conscience that he had, he was dealing with these equivocal situations, 175 00:14:16,419 --> 00:14:19,159 absolutely denying to curse Israel. 176 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:24,720 He wouldn't do that, but he was not totally hard and callous to the impressions 177 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:27,080 of God because he talked with God. 178 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:31,860 God told him these things and passion then overrules his reason. 179 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:34,480 The state of Balaam's mind was this. 180 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:39,639 He wanted to do what he knew was very wicked in his heart because he was 181 00:14:39,639 --> 00:14:46,299 going to get paid for it and contrary to the express command of God. 182 00:14:46,860 --> 00:14:48,120 And this is the dilemma. 183 00:14:48,639 --> 00:14:52,820 How many have ever been in the, in, into the middle of a decision? 184 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:55,159 Is it the Lord? 185 00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:58,179 Is this, or do I want this or is it me? 186 00:14:58,960 --> 00:15:00,620 Well, there's a conflict within. 187 00:15:00,620 --> 00:15:06,700 Here is a very conflicted man under a deep sense of God's having talked with him, 188 00:15:07,059 --> 00:15:12,159 but yet persisting in his wickedness, he resisted his inward checks and 189 00:15:12,159 --> 00:15:15,120 constraints, the conscience speaking to him. 190 00:15:16,059 --> 00:15:21,899 So again, the question that I ask is how do we recognize when our conscience 191 00:15:21,899 --> 00:15:26,320 conflicts with God's spirit rather than aligned with it? 192 00:15:26,740 --> 00:15:27,720 How does that work? 193 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:33,720 How do we recognize that when our conscience is conflicted? 194 00:15:35,820 --> 00:15:37,139 Ah, good hand. 195 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:38,360 All right. 196 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:45,460 Uh, one big way is if we don't feel at peace in the decision. 197 00:15:45,779 --> 00:15:49,559 That's, that's a very good, that's one of the signs he, he came for what? 198 00:15:49,740 --> 00:15:53,700 Righteousness, peace and joy when we don't have peace, we don't have the Lord. 199 00:15:54,159 --> 00:15:54,659 Yeah, right. 200 00:15:54,919 --> 00:15:55,139 Okay. 201 00:15:55,620 --> 00:15:56,179 Anything else? 202 00:16:01,220 --> 00:16:02,019 All right. 203 00:16:02,139 --> 00:16:03,980 Oh, yes. 204 00:16:05,620 --> 00:16:09,440 When you have the, when you have the immediate doubt, like right away, 205 00:16:09,460 --> 00:16:11,019 your consciousness is kind of telling you. 206 00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:15,019 And then the more you think about it, you can sort of start to change the way 207 00:16:15,019 --> 00:16:16,299 your conscious, conscious thinks. 208 00:16:16,659 --> 00:16:18,159 So that's what, yeah. 209 00:16:18,419 --> 00:16:21,559 So, but when you have that initial thought, like, Hey, maybe I shouldn't do 210 00:16:21,559 --> 00:16:23,980 this, you should act on it kind of right away. 211 00:16:24,500 --> 00:16:28,019 That's very good because what we tend to do is suppress it. 212 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:30,700 And then when it comes up again, we suppress it. 213 00:16:30,759 --> 00:16:33,440 And after a while, like I said, if you do that long enough, that, 214 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:34,740 that voice won't be there. 215 00:16:35,299 --> 00:16:35,399 Yeah. 216 00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:36,919 Good, good stuff. 217 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:38,620 All right. 218 00:16:42,319 --> 00:16:47,259 The idea that Balaam wanted to do these things is not uncommon. 219 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:48,539 Second question. 220 00:16:48,759 --> 00:16:52,480 What does the inner conflict reveal about the nature of the human heart? 221 00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:56,320 The nature of the human heart is what dark. 222 00:16:58,580 --> 00:17:00,139 Oh, I have a loving heart. 223 00:17:00,259 --> 00:17:00,379 Yeah. 224 00:17:00,399 --> 00:17:04,400 That's because God gave you opportunity to walk in that understanding. 225 00:17:04,980 --> 00:17:06,940 But in each man's heart, there is darkness. 226 00:17:07,200 --> 00:17:12,099 And what we do, we allow God to come in and slay that and we live in purity. 227 00:17:12,680 --> 00:17:13,200 Okay. 228 00:17:14,140 --> 00:17:17,359 Now Balaam had a deceitful heart. 229 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:21,700 We know that, but first Balaam suffered from self-deception. 230 00:17:22,559 --> 00:17:26,039 He thought he could serve God and greed at the same time. 231 00:17:26,099 --> 00:17:27,240 That's what his thoughts were. 232 00:17:27,539 --> 00:17:32,900 He knew God's will, but kept asking and hoping that God would change his mind. 233 00:17:34,339 --> 00:17:34,980 Oh, come on, God. 234 00:17:35,079 --> 00:17:36,299 Did you ever ever argue with God? 235 00:17:37,279 --> 00:17:37,720 Oh yeah. 236 00:17:39,299 --> 00:17:41,019 You know, Lord, I want to do that. 237 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:43,240 Don't do it. 238 00:17:43,740 --> 00:17:48,799 Second, Balaam was double-minded because he was torn between two masters. 239 00:17:49,720 --> 00:17:56,519 His inner conflict came from believing this illusion that he could serve the two 240 00:17:56,519 --> 00:17:57,000 masters. 241 00:17:57,920 --> 00:18:00,220 And third, he was hypercritical. 242 00:18:01,039 --> 00:18:05,279 His outer mask tried to maintain the illusion before others. 243 00:18:05,779 --> 00:18:11,539 He showed faith outwardly while concealing compromise within his own heart. 244 00:18:12,900 --> 00:18:16,099 Jesus, while on the earth, called out the hypocrites. 245 00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:22,000 Their eyes were blinded and their hearts were darkened for the love of sin. 246 00:18:22,079 --> 00:18:23,799 And I just brought out several things. 247 00:18:23,900 --> 00:18:29,799 I'll read them quickly to you in keeping the Sabbath, the hypocrites, those that 248 00:18:29,799 --> 00:18:37,119 were in the rabbinical service, but without mercy and love of, and love of 249 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:43,980 God in religious washings for the appearance of holiness in long prayers, 250 00:18:43,980 --> 00:18:46,400 without drawing near to God within their heart. 251 00:18:46,819 --> 00:18:52,299 And this really gets you in going to the Passover to be purified while they 252 00:18:52,299 --> 00:18:56,440 determine that they would shed the innocent blood of Jesus. 253 00:18:56,980 --> 00:19:03,240 So they were very hypocritical and he called out them as such in being 254 00:19:03,240 --> 00:19:08,119 forbidden to enter the Gentile judgment halls, which they didn't go in. 255 00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:12,940 They urged a heathen governor to crucify the one they know was innocent. 256 00:19:13,580 --> 00:19:14,519 Go ahead, you do it. 257 00:19:15,019 --> 00:19:16,319 You take care of it. 258 00:19:17,799 --> 00:19:18,599 Think about this. 259 00:19:19,500 --> 00:19:24,420 Judas the Iscariot was also very wicked, but walked with the disciples 260 00:19:24,420 --> 00:19:27,099 with no suspicion of his deception. 261 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:29,119 Isn't that something? 262 00:19:30,420 --> 00:19:32,500 And he was deceiving himself as well. 263 00:19:33,319 --> 00:19:37,779 And you know, that's played out very much in the, in the, uh, the 264 00:19:37,779 --> 00:19:40,140 movie that we all saw, what was the name of that? 265 00:19:40,319 --> 00:19:40,920 Oh my gosh. 266 00:19:41,460 --> 00:19:42,460 Yeah, right. 267 00:19:42,940 --> 00:19:49,119 So proverbs four 23 says above all else, guard your heart for everything 268 00:19:49,119 --> 00:19:51,119 that you do flows from it. 269 00:19:51,319 --> 00:19:52,680 So how do you guard your heart? 270 00:19:53,079 --> 00:20:00,920 You protect it from corruption, idolatry, and those things that cause 271 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:05,599 you to be led astray and the heart or the thoughts, the desires, 272 00:20:05,619 --> 00:20:06,960 and the motives and the will. 273 00:20:07,700 --> 00:20:11,579 So we're, we're going back and forth in this issue. 274 00:20:12,299 --> 00:20:13,380 Now here's interesting. 275 00:20:14,039 --> 00:20:18,660 Balaam is such an example for us that the new Testament talks 276 00:20:18,660 --> 00:20:20,240 about him several times. 277 00:20:20,799 --> 00:20:26,880 It says in second Peter two 15 and 16, Balaam is again, condemned 278 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:33,880 as one who loved the wages of unrighteousness, but was rebuked by his 279 00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:39,519 donkey used an example of false teachers driven by greed. 280 00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:46,759 So let's look at the focus of that greedy false teachers love money over obedience. 281 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:49,319 That was nothing new in the new Testament. 282 00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:53,079 So there was a carryover human life is what it is. 283 00:20:54,160 --> 00:20:58,680 The second one is Jude one 11 mentions the error of Balaam for profit, 284 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:03,200 comparing him to those who corrupt truth for personal gain. 285 00:21:04,039 --> 00:21:08,299 The focus then, and that is the corrupt religious motives with that 286 00:21:08,299 --> 00:21:09,759 profit driven heart. 287 00:21:10,519 --> 00:21:11,599 Again, that division. 288 00:21:12,599 --> 00:21:16,880 And then the last one in revelation two 14, it says Jesus rebukes the church 289 00:21:17,619 --> 00:21:23,039 in Pergamum for following the teaching of bail who led Israel into idolatry 290 00:21:23,039 --> 00:21:28,240 and immorality, and the focus of that is spiritual compromise, trying 291 00:21:28,240 --> 00:21:30,359 to mix the compromise with faith. 292 00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:33,519 So that's what we have question. 293 00:21:34,380 --> 00:21:41,359 How can we know God's voice, speak his works, his words, and still be 294 00:21:41,359 --> 00:21:45,480 corrupted and be, and be compromised? 295 00:21:46,539 --> 00:21:47,339 How can that happen? 296 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:51,599 Go ahead. 297 00:21:52,599 --> 00:21:53,299 Let me give you the mic. 298 00:21:53,539 --> 00:21:59,759 So everybody here's, how can we know God's voice, speak his words, and be 299 00:21:59,759 --> 00:22:01,000 corrupted and compromised wall. 300 00:22:01,559 --> 00:22:05,200 You can know God's voice doesn't necessarily mean you're following it. 301 00:22:05,759 --> 00:22:08,039 You know, you can speak his words. 302 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:09,940 It doesn't necessarily mean you believe it. 303 00:22:10,500 --> 00:22:13,880 And then that enables you to great. 304 00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:16,180 We can't see people's hearts. 305 00:22:16,180 --> 00:22:18,079 Can we only God can do that? 306 00:22:19,039 --> 00:22:25,660 You know, Danny here, you know, he, we, we, we know that, that, um, Danny 307 00:22:25,660 --> 00:22:30,660 was one of the two, two, I guess, individuals that I, uh, I met. 308 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:37,279 Early on and, uh, hope that God works in your life and in doing so, I see 309 00:22:37,279 --> 00:22:41,160 you develop and grow and I mean, that's wonderful that you're doing those things. 310 00:22:41,420 --> 00:22:41,920 Yeah. 311 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:43,059 All right. 312 00:22:43,160 --> 00:22:44,680 Um, what else? 313 00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:54,480 All right. 314 00:22:55,180 --> 00:22:59,240 God sometimes answers our careless prayers and wishes. 315 00:22:59,460 --> 00:23:00,420 You think about that. 316 00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:07,279 There are no greater dangers than that of God answering a man according 317 00:23:07,279 --> 00:23:08,839 to the desires of his heart. 318 00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:10,559 I'll give you an example of that. 319 00:23:11,579 --> 00:23:15,960 In business, I had one organization I started out with. 320 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:20,099 I developed that into two separate organizations under the same umbrella. 321 00:23:20,779 --> 00:23:25,240 And there was a third organization that I thought would be advantageous 322 00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:29,920 to our business scheme and a model of what we wanted to do. 323 00:23:31,019 --> 00:23:35,839 Uh, the opportunity came out because the, the, the particular company didn't 324 00:23:35,839 --> 00:23:39,599 have enough management skills and, uh, sales. 325 00:23:40,039 --> 00:23:42,140 So I thought, okay, this is an opportunity of bargain. 326 00:23:42,259 --> 00:23:48,420 So I prayed about it and I asked my wife about it and she said no, but 327 00:23:48,420 --> 00:23:49,380 I wanted to do it. 328 00:23:49,940 --> 00:23:53,559 And so here comes this guy, you know, in light of all these 329 00:23:53,559 --> 00:23:57,359 things in front of him, you know, and I prayed about it again. 330 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:02,920 You know, the Lord, I believe he didn't want me to do it. 331 00:24:03,119 --> 00:24:05,059 In fact, just looking back now, I know he didn't. 332 00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:08,900 So I went ahead and did it and boy, did I pay for that thing. 333 00:24:09,380 --> 00:24:12,640 It took me about a year and a half to turn this thing around. 334 00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:16,279 And if anybody knows about business, there's capital investments that 335 00:24:16,279 --> 00:24:20,759 you have to have to sustain your payroll, your inventory and so forth. 336 00:24:21,519 --> 00:24:25,579 And it was very difficult to work out of that, but boy, did I 337 00:24:25,579 --> 00:24:28,720 learn a lesson in just a practical sense. 338 00:24:28,980 --> 00:24:33,259 When God says, don't do something, don't do it because it was a financial 339 00:24:33,259 --> 00:24:34,740 drain for a period of time. 340 00:24:35,819 --> 00:24:40,000 So in looking at life, and I think we can all exemplify with these things 341 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:42,680 in some form or another, when you want to do what you want to do. 342 00:24:44,019 --> 00:24:48,519 So in Ezekiel 14, four, it says this, tell the people of Israel that if they 343 00:24:48,519 --> 00:24:53,920 sinned by worshiping idols and then go to a prophet to find out what I say, 344 00:24:53,920 --> 00:25:01,160 I will give them the answer their sins, desire and deserve in scripture. 345 00:25:01,440 --> 00:25:06,700 It says this in Psalm 106 15, he gave them their request, but sent 346 00:25:06,700 --> 00:25:12,599 leanness to their soul so he can let you go down this path a bit. 347 00:25:12,920 --> 00:25:18,980 First Samuel eight, Israel demanded a King and God listened to their voice, 348 00:25:19,640 --> 00:25:21,880 but warned them of the consequences. 349 00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:23,700 The King will take your money. 350 00:25:23,900 --> 00:25:26,579 He'll take your young people for soldiers. 351 00:25:27,019 --> 00:25:30,839 He'll tax you and so forth and so forth, but they insisted they wanted a King. 352 00:25:31,720 --> 00:25:39,519 So God gets displeased with us, but in his mercy, he bids us go and 353 00:25:39,519 --> 00:25:41,740 enjoy what you feel you want. 354 00:25:42,079 --> 00:25:46,799 Let me see and hope that there is a lesson to be learned there, even 355 00:25:46,799 --> 00:25:48,839 though our conscience is speaking the truth. 356 00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:52,140 First Kings 18 21, Elijah's challenge. 357 00:25:52,579 --> 00:25:55,680 How long will you waver between two opinions? 358 00:25:56,839 --> 00:26:01,460 So we have this again, identification with Balaam. 359 00:26:01,799 --> 00:26:06,019 What is the difference between God's sovereign will and his permissive will? 360 00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:08,460 Now we get into dangerous territory. 361 00:26:10,039 --> 00:26:10,819 What, okay. 362 00:26:12,019 --> 00:26:18,339 Just brought to mind about King Hezekiah and he was a good King. 363 00:26:19,059 --> 00:26:22,559 And God came to him and said, okay, it's time for you to get your affairs 364 00:26:22,559 --> 00:26:24,559 set in order because you're going to die soon. 365 00:26:25,660 --> 00:26:28,000 And he pleads with God, please don't let me die yet. 366 00:26:28,019 --> 00:26:29,180 I'm not ready to go yet. 367 00:26:29,380 --> 00:26:30,200 Please let me live. 368 00:26:30,980 --> 00:26:36,079 So God said, okay, but this is where we need to learn to trust God, even 369 00:26:36,079 --> 00:26:40,880 in things like that, because during the time that he had extended life, 370 00:26:41,740 --> 00:26:45,839 Manasseh was born and Manasseh was the worst King of Israel ever. 371 00:26:46,200 --> 00:26:47,039 Wicked, wicked, wicked. 372 00:26:47,839 --> 00:26:51,920 And that never would have happened if Hezekiah's life had not been extended. 373 00:26:54,259 --> 00:26:55,279 Anything else come to mind? 374 00:26:56,640 --> 00:27:04,619 See, when you yield to God and walk in his providence, his sovereignty, 375 00:27:05,660 --> 00:27:12,700 you fulfill God's desires, whatever they may be, your ministry, if it's 376 00:27:12,700 --> 00:27:15,420 prophetic, if it's teaching, whatever the case may be. 377 00:27:16,120 --> 00:27:20,759 When you walk in the permissive will of God, he'll let you do those things. 378 00:27:21,819 --> 00:27:27,880 And some interesting elements of life will come to you that will reconcile 379 00:27:28,580 --> 00:27:29,960 what he wants in your life. 380 00:27:30,039 --> 00:27:33,720 But you have to go through difficulty to get there or opposition, 381 00:27:34,180 --> 00:27:35,599 whatever you want to call that. 382 00:27:36,039 --> 00:27:39,960 So there's the desire that God has for you. 383 00:27:40,480 --> 00:27:47,700 And the desire will be fulfilled when you give yourself to him. 384 00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:53,059 And then his permissive will will allow what you want to happen. 385 00:27:53,279 --> 00:27:55,339 And he'll work through that individual. 386 00:27:55,940 --> 00:27:59,359 Now, what did I learn in that situation about taking that other company on? 387 00:27:59,819 --> 00:28:06,920 I learned that unless God speaks definitively to me, I won't do anything 388 00:28:06,920 --> 00:28:09,599 else as far as expanding the business is concerned. 389 00:28:10,480 --> 00:28:17,099 And I was then safe when all that happened and understood I learned the lesson. 390 00:28:17,819 --> 00:28:22,500 So I would hope that we all learned the lesson in the sense of what it is 391 00:28:22,500 --> 00:28:26,779 that God wants, another question, how can we discern whether God's 392 00:28:26,779 --> 00:28:28,660 yes is a blessing or a warning? 393 00:28:29,819 --> 00:28:30,880 How do we do that? 394 00:28:31,720 --> 00:28:32,839 What's that look like? 395 00:28:35,079 --> 00:28:40,039 All right, let's first examine the motive behind our request. 396 00:28:41,140 --> 00:28:42,779 What is the motive? 397 00:28:43,779 --> 00:28:45,839 Is it going to be me or is it the? 398 00:28:46,559 --> 00:28:47,299 What's the motive? 399 00:28:47,500 --> 00:28:52,180 James four, three, you ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly 400 00:28:52,180 --> 00:28:54,279 to spend it on your own passions. 401 00:28:57,339 --> 00:29:02,519 Another one, test the results against God's character and word. 402 00:29:03,759 --> 00:29:05,000 What's that look like? 403 00:29:05,160 --> 00:29:09,700 First, John one five, God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. 404 00:29:10,119 --> 00:29:16,460 And Danny would talked about the idea of peace blessing aligns with God's 405 00:29:16,460 --> 00:29:18,079 holiness, truth and righteousness. 406 00:29:18,400 --> 00:29:21,740 The warning is it leads toward compromise, worldliness and sin. 407 00:29:22,359 --> 00:29:27,400 So you can begin to see the evidence of these things as they unwind before you. 408 00:29:27,819 --> 00:29:31,960 Observe the inner fruit, peace or restlessness. 409 00:29:32,519 --> 00:29:34,200 Is there chaos in a situation? 410 00:29:34,440 --> 00:29:38,799 Have you ever gone into some people's homes or situations and oh my gosh, 411 00:29:38,859 --> 00:29:40,200 there's chaos all around. 412 00:29:40,819 --> 00:29:43,480 You know, the peace of God isn't there Lord. 413 00:29:43,839 --> 00:29:47,140 First thing I do is I want to get out, but you know, if he's called you there 414 00:29:47,140 --> 00:29:53,019 to be, to be a missional example or a proclaimer of his love, you work 415 00:29:53,019 --> 00:29:58,720 through those things, but you soon know and understand that the peace of God 416 00:29:58,720 --> 00:30:04,460 is something that affirms or helps us affirm where we are going. 417 00:30:05,140 --> 00:30:08,940 So one story comes to my mind about the story of Abraham and Sarah. 418 00:30:09,579 --> 00:30:13,880 When God said that, you know, through your, uh, uh, there's going to be a child, 419 00:30:13,980 --> 00:30:18,400 you know, but they want to do their real and they have the, um, the other 420 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:21,700 child, I forgot the name of the Hagar as well. 421 00:30:21,880 --> 00:30:23,480 Yeah, but God blessed him too. 422 00:30:23,480 --> 00:30:31,160 But, but the promise was, uh, Isaac, Isaac, Isaac, he went up and down, didn't he? 423 00:30:31,680 --> 00:30:35,839 Can you imagine telling the King that this wife that you, that you 424 00:30:35,839 --> 00:30:37,039 took is not your wife. 425 00:30:37,700 --> 00:30:40,380 I mean, he went to, he went to terrible lemmings. 426 00:30:42,640 --> 00:30:45,900 Yeah, there was, I can imagine, I wonder what that conversation 427 00:30:45,900 --> 00:30:49,319 between him and Sarah were like, you know, I don't know. 428 00:30:49,319 --> 00:30:55,160 A very good example to me as a woman that we're supposed to ultimately 429 00:30:55,160 --> 00:31:00,460 trust God and obey our husbands and allow them to make their mistakes 430 00:31:00,460 --> 00:31:02,900 because God is still in control over them. 431 00:31:03,920 --> 00:31:07,059 And so whatever happens, it's not our responsibility. 432 00:31:07,380 --> 00:31:09,619 It's their responsibility before God. 433 00:31:09,900 --> 00:31:14,599 And they're the ones that are going to reap the chaos, but we have to trust 434 00:31:14,599 --> 00:31:19,160 God above all, even our husbands and just be obedient to them as they 435 00:31:19,160 --> 00:31:19,759 are under God. 436 00:31:20,599 --> 00:31:24,660 Learning that lesson is extremely important in the co-equal situation. 437 00:31:25,819 --> 00:31:30,559 You know, if, if, if you as a man and men basically are lazy by nature, 438 00:31:32,180 --> 00:31:36,279 don't bother me, just leave me rest, give me peace. 439 00:31:37,780 --> 00:31:42,019 And when your wife gets frustrated enough, she'll want to jump in. 440 00:31:42,019 --> 00:31:46,779 And eventually if it's not worked out, she'll become the leader of the home. 441 00:31:46,799 --> 00:31:48,299 And that's upside down. 442 00:31:49,160 --> 00:31:53,960 So consequently, it's for us and the requirement to leave the home, to 443 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:58,099 understand what priestly ministry is in behalf of our wife and our children. 444 00:31:59,359 --> 00:32:00,319 And you are right. 445 00:32:01,220 --> 00:32:04,759 If change is going to happen, it's going to happen with me first. 446 00:32:05,240 --> 00:32:11,500 So whomever you are, woman or man, you make the change and let God begin 447 00:32:11,500 --> 00:32:15,579 to work in their life and he surely will because you are obedient. 448 00:32:15,579 --> 00:32:21,359 And I've seen many situations where, you know, they, there's one individual 449 00:32:21,359 --> 00:32:23,599 that we had worked with for some time. 450 00:32:23,960 --> 00:32:28,319 She just couldn't get the idea that if she left go of the reins, that 451 00:32:28,319 --> 00:32:29,319 things would fall apart. 452 00:32:29,440 --> 00:32:31,559 And I said, if you do that, God will honor you. 453 00:32:31,660 --> 00:32:33,640 And she left go of the reins and things fell apart. 454 00:32:33,859 --> 00:32:38,900 But the man eventually understood his position in life to be the leader 455 00:32:38,900 --> 00:32:42,480 of the home, to understand what he had to do. 456 00:32:43,160 --> 00:32:46,480 So that's a difficult lesson, but it has to, it has to be learned 457 00:32:47,140 --> 00:32:48,579 in the kingdom of God. 458 00:32:51,400 --> 00:32:53,420 Watch the outcome over time. 459 00:32:53,819 --> 00:32:58,880 Proverbs 10, 22 says, the blessing of the Lord makes rich and he adds no 460 00:32:58,880 --> 00:33:01,859 sorrow with it and what's the blessing. 461 00:33:02,059 --> 00:33:06,480 It leads to lasting fruit, growth, wisdom, and joy that glorifies God. 462 00:33:06,940 --> 00:33:07,819 And what's the warning? 463 00:33:07,819 --> 00:33:12,440 It brings regret, loss, and being spiritual barrenness to our souls. 464 00:33:13,920 --> 00:33:14,299 All right. 465 00:33:14,720 --> 00:33:18,440 Let's take a look at some principles that we have worked with now. 466 00:33:19,039 --> 00:33:20,740 The principle basically is this. 467 00:33:20,839 --> 00:33:23,980 God cannot be manipulated by human schemes. 468 00:33:24,599 --> 00:33:25,640 That's unequivocal. 469 00:33:26,140 --> 00:33:28,119 There's no if, ands, or buts about that. 470 00:33:28,539 --> 00:33:33,460 The application for us then, again, attempts to use God for selfish 471 00:33:33,460 --> 00:33:38,059 gain always fails no matter what it fails. 472 00:33:40,500 --> 00:33:45,680 God may allow our plans to move forward for a time, but in the end, it 473 00:33:45,680 --> 00:33:49,680 always brings frustration, exposure, and loss. 474 00:33:50,880 --> 00:33:51,900 So that's one principle. 475 00:33:52,359 --> 00:33:53,859 The second principle is this. 476 00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:58,420 Spiritual gifts require obedience more than talent. 477 00:33:59,259 --> 00:34:03,119 And that was the fallacy of the charismatic movement. 478 00:34:04,059 --> 00:34:09,340 And of the Jesus movement years ago, it was the personality cult that 479 00:34:09,340 --> 00:34:13,860 often was elevated above because of supposedly the gifts in these 480 00:34:13,860 --> 00:34:19,780 individuals, but the application is that spiritual gifts require moral 481 00:34:19,780 --> 00:34:24,480 integrity and a heart purity waiting, wanting to serve God. 482 00:34:26,119 --> 00:34:32,719 A person may be gifted and yet lack integrity without a pure heart. 483 00:34:32,719 --> 00:34:35,400 The gift can become distorted and misused. 484 00:34:35,840 --> 00:34:39,719 That's why it's so often when it's when the Bible talks about not putting 485 00:34:39,719 --> 00:34:44,059 responsibility on young men until they get seasoned to some point in time 486 00:34:44,059 --> 00:34:48,099 in their life where they can handle the, the, the calling of God. 487 00:34:48,679 --> 00:34:53,500 Another lesson, God can use unexpected means to achieve his purpose while 488 00:34:53,500 --> 00:34:58,420 protecting his people, such as Balaam, the donkey in Israel, he can use 489 00:34:58,420 --> 00:35:03,019 anything if he wants to get that particular point across to you. 490 00:35:04,019 --> 00:35:06,460 Trust God's sovereignty, not human schemes. 491 00:35:07,320 --> 00:35:08,599 Don't resort to something. 492 00:35:09,079 --> 00:35:10,820 Well, Lord, I waited long enough. 493 00:35:10,880 --> 00:35:13,480 If you don't act in the next 24 hours, I'm going to do. 494 00:35:14,340 --> 00:35:16,400 You know, that's not, that's not the way we do. 495 00:35:16,500 --> 00:35:21,539 Sometimes, you know, the Lord could give us the answer like that, but 496 00:35:21,539 --> 00:35:26,980 does he seldom he does because there's a waiting process and an 497 00:35:26,980 --> 00:35:33,139 understanding process of who you are in God to bring you to some point of 498 00:35:33,139 --> 00:35:37,760 trusting him and that is patience and understanding and waiting for him. 499 00:35:38,820 --> 00:35:41,000 You know how I pray for an intercede for people. 500 00:35:41,199 --> 00:35:43,519 I don't, I don't ask the Lord to do now. 501 00:35:43,880 --> 00:35:47,780 I just pray for that individual and begin to say, okay, God, open the 502 00:35:47,780 --> 00:35:49,099 windows of heaven for them. 503 00:35:49,159 --> 00:35:53,039 Or in some cases I feel Lord, whatever it takes to bring them. 504 00:35:53,139 --> 00:35:54,900 And we have some of those that we pray for. 505 00:35:54,900 --> 00:35:58,940 Lord, don't bring destruction to them, but if you have to bring 506 00:35:58,940 --> 00:36:00,380 hardship, bring them to the Lord. 507 00:36:01,420 --> 00:36:05,539 So consequently, trust in God's sovereignty, not human schemes. 508 00:36:06,280 --> 00:36:11,340 Even when our circumstances appear chaotic or people act unjustly, 509 00:36:11,960 --> 00:36:13,920 God is still in control. 510 00:36:14,239 --> 00:36:15,380 Don't forget that. 511 00:36:16,380 --> 00:36:20,019 You know, what we see with our eyes, is it necessarily what's going on? 512 00:36:20,019 --> 00:36:25,460 It's the spiritual battle behind that, that is again, part of the 513 00:36:25,460 --> 00:36:27,780 process that has to be worked out. 514 00:36:28,119 --> 00:36:32,000 He uses human failures and opposition to fulfill his will. 515 00:36:33,420 --> 00:36:36,760 I had a situation that was interesting. 516 00:36:37,300 --> 00:36:42,719 I, I had been working with one individual in, in Meadowwood and he's 517 00:36:43,259 --> 00:36:48,400 in his mid to late eighties and he was a traveling vagabond, all his 518 00:36:48,400 --> 00:36:53,059 married life, he did installations for Sperry Univac and he used to go 519 00:36:53,059 --> 00:36:54,559 country to country with his team. 520 00:36:55,159 --> 00:36:58,380 Didn't spend a lot of time at home and very successful. 521 00:36:59,039 --> 00:37:03,239 And we had been dialoguing back and forth for about a year and a half. 522 00:37:03,420 --> 00:37:07,539 And he said not so long ago that he really felt that he needed to 523 00:37:07,539 --> 00:37:08,900 get closer to his wife. 524 00:37:09,019 --> 00:37:10,739 And I said, you know, you're blessed. 525 00:37:11,019 --> 00:37:13,739 I said, even to think that you should be doing that as a Christian, 526 00:37:13,840 --> 00:37:14,980 he was a new believer now. 527 00:37:15,460 --> 00:37:19,199 So we talked about that and I gave him pointers about how he should be 528 00:37:19,199 --> 00:37:22,960 interested in, in the things that his wife does and, you know, make 529 00:37:22,960 --> 00:37:26,360 conversations and he says, I'm not much of a conversationalist. 530 00:37:26,500 --> 00:37:30,000 I said, well, you know, you need to get, get on with that and begin to do it. 531 00:37:30,719 --> 00:37:35,579 And then he called me and I know when he calls, he said, John, we have to meet. 532 00:37:36,179 --> 00:37:38,019 So this was about four weeks ago. 533 00:37:38,239 --> 00:37:41,139 And, and I just, I said, Lord, I said, make this thing happen. 534 00:37:41,139 --> 00:37:45,860 And he needs to talk these things out, not in front of his wife because 535 00:37:45,860 --> 00:37:46,900 she's a non-believer. 536 00:37:47,780 --> 00:37:50,219 So I give him, you know, kudos for that. 537 00:37:51,059 --> 00:37:56,860 So I, I make mention of this last Sunday in our small group that please pray 538 00:37:56,860 --> 00:38:02,360 for, and I won't mention the name man's name and I don't know who prayed or 539 00:38:02,360 --> 00:38:06,679 whatever prayed, but, but Monday night I got a call, it was Jean. 540 00:38:06,880 --> 00:38:07,960 He said, can you come over? 541 00:38:08,300 --> 00:38:09,000 I said, yeah. 542 00:38:09,360 --> 00:38:10,460 He said, Pat's not here. 543 00:38:10,460 --> 00:38:11,000 I said, okay. 544 00:38:11,139 --> 00:38:11,900 I said, I'll be over. 545 00:38:12,019 --> 00:38:15,599 So I put my shoes on, walked over there and we had a blessed time in the Lord. 546 00:38:16,019 --> 00:38:21,860 Just reinforcing again, those things and those providential issues that come 547 00:38:21,860 --> 00:38:27,019 about that God leads you and God brings opportunity if you're walking in his will. 548 00:38:28,800 --> 00:38:29,360 Okay. 549 00:38:30,420 --> 00:38:34,420 Even spiritual insight can be corrupted by the love of reward. 550 00:38:35,380 --> 00:38:40,840 When our motives are mixed, even clear revelation becomes clouded. 551 00:38:41,099 --> 00:38:46,139 Sometimes the love of reward rather than, uh, whether it's money, recognition, 552 00:38:46,340 --> 00:38:50,719 influence, or favor can twist the way we interpret God's word. 553 00:38:52,860 --> 00:38:55,880 And the last one, then God's plan is unstoppable. 554 00:38:57,679 --> 00:39:02,920 Prophecies and blessings will come to pass despite opposition. 555 00:39:03,440 --> 00:39:05,980 When God says something, it's going to happen. 556 00:39:06,139 --> 00:39:07,559 Be rest assured of that. 557 00:39:08,860 --> 00:39:12,619 And the presence of opposition doesn't mean God's promises are in danger. 558 00:39:12,820 --> 00:39:14,980 It often confirms that his hand is at work. 559 00:39:16,119 --> 00:39:20,320 So let's take a look quickly at Balaam and the issue with the 560 00:39:20,320 --> 00:39:22,440 sword and the angel's hand. 561 00:39:23,519 --> 00:39:27,480 Let me read this numbers 22, 22 through 31. 562 00:39:28,480 --> 00:39:33,659 God's anger was kindled because he went, meaning Balaam. 563 00:39:34,380 --> 00:39:40,900 The angel of the Lord stood in the way as the, as the adversary against him. 564 00:39:41,840 --> 00:39:46,500 When the Lord opened Balaam's eyes, he saw the angel of the Lord standing in 565 00:39:46,500 --> 00:39:49,900 the way with his drawn sword in his hand. 566 00:39:50,579 --> 00:39:55,019 And he bowed down, meaning Balaam, his head and fell on his face. 567 00:39:55,659 --> 00:39:55,920 Question. 568 00:39:57,099 --> 00:40:01,940 What does this drawn sword in Balaam's life teach us? 569 00:40:02,920 --> 00:40:04,360 What might that be? 570 00:40:08,719 --> 00:40:08,840 Yes. 571 00:40:09,820 --> 00:40:12,440 I have demonstrative warning, right? 572 00:40:12,960 --> 00:40:14,239 It's not that subtle in there. 573 00:40:14,380 --> 00:40:15,119 It's graphic. 574 00:40:15,940 --> 00:40:16,559 It's there. 575 00:40:17,199 --> 00:40:21,320 It's a, it's a stark warning that you're living in dangerous territory. 576 00:40:21,500 --> 00:40:22,920 You're going the wrong way. 577 00:40:22,920 --> 00:40:33,199 So in light of that, God had to use Balaam's donkey, spiritual blindness 578 00:40:33,199 --> 00:40:36,360 as a result of a divided heart before God. 579 00:40:36,539 --> 00:40:40,519 We said that God's mercy is shown in his warning before destruction. 580 00:40:41,699 --> 00:40:47,360 And again, fear alone cannot save only the repentance and surrender can save. 581 00:40:48,120 --> 00:40:53,300 So then why did God open Balaam's eyes? 582 00:40:54,739 --> 00:40:55,739 Why did he do that? 583 00:40:57,239 --> 00:40:58,079 There's the goal. 584 00:40:59,719 --> 00:40:59,820 Gail. 585 00:41:00,300 --> 00:41:07,840 I think it was God's way of showing grace to actually let him know why, why he 586 00:41:07,840 --> 00:41:11,760 couldn't move forward because God was trying to stop him to keep him from 587 00:41:11,760 --> 00:41:13,820 doing anything further that was wrong. 588 00:41:14,420 --> 00:41:17,719 And he was putting that defense there against him. 589 00:41:17,960 --> 00:41:21,639 And finally he let him see what that defense was to stop him. 590 00:41:21,679 --> 00:41:23,119 So the stark warning came. 591 00:41:23,800 --> 00:41:26,019 He didn't understand why he beat his donkey. 592 00:41:28,000 --> 00:41:30,420 The donkey was wise, Balaam wasn't. 593 00:41:31,079 --> 00:41:37,739 God opened Balaam's eyes and it is at that moment then God exposed Balaam's 594 00:41:37,739 --> 00:41:43,159 spiritual blindness to Balaam, which was caused by self-deception and greed. 595 00:41:43,880 --> 00:41:47,699 Balaam only saw the truth of his error after his eyes were opened. 596 00:41:47,860 --> 00:41:50,599 He said, Oh my gosh, he reacted to that. 597 00:41:51,579 --> 00:41:53,800 Now this is the lesson for all of us. 598 00:41:54,860 --> 00:42:00,219 God can use anything, anything, anything, or anyone to get our attention. 599 00:42:01,539 --> 00:42:05,679 And if you'll notice the progression, it becomes stronger and stronger and 600 00:42:05,679 --> 00:42:12,719 stronger while we are in that dilemma, that inward turmoil, he'll let you 601 00:42:12,719 --> 00:42:17,960 go, he has a rope around your neck, he'll reel you in when time comes. 602 00:42:19,119 --> 00:42:24,300 But the idea that he wants to get our attention is always forefront because 603 00:42:24,300 --> 00:42:27,079 he loves you, he doesn't want to destroy you. 604 00:42:27,960 --> 00:42:34,440 Balaam was a pagan seer whom God temporarily used to pronounce his truth. 605 00:42:35,980 --> 00:42:36,780 Think about that. 606 00:42:36,780 --> 00:42:42,920 He wanted a curse, but he couldn't, and he blessed the nation Israel. 607 00:42:44,039 --> 00:42:48,119 Question, has God ever spoken to you in different and odd ways in the past? 608 00:42:49,360 --> 00:42:52,760 Now, if you tell me that his donkey spoke to you, I will be impressed. 609 00:42:55,019 --> 00:42:57,739 How has God spoken to you in different ways? 610 00:42:58,679 --> 00:43:00,159 What's that look like in your life? 611 00:43:01,039 --> 00:43:03,019 I mean, I'll put myself out of the limb. 612 00:43:03,659 --> 00:43:10,980 Normally, God gives me in the intentions of what he wants as an impression in my heart 613 00:43:10,980 --> 00:43:13,619 and my spirit, and then I yield to that. 614 00:43:14,019 --> 00:43:18,780 But there are different times that I have seen visions of what God wants, and they 615 00:43:18,780 --> 00:43:24,139 are cherished because he outlines very definitively A to B to C to D, but not 616 00:43:24,139 --> 00:43:28,980 always, he speaks in the innermost concepts and recesses of the heart. 617 00:43:30,240 --> 00:43:33,239 So I have had visions. 618 00:43:33,980 --> 00:43:41,260 There was one particular time when God spoke to me audibly, and it was cherished. 619 00:43:42,219 --> 00:43:51,300 My wife was failing in her MS fight for health, and we lived in a very large house, 620 00:43:51,579 --> 00:43:52,719 five bedrooms, three beds. 621 00:43:52,980 --> 00:43:55,179 It was, you know, the dream house that we had built. 622 00:43:56,639 --> 00:44:00,699 And it was not affordable with one income. 623 00:44:02,079 --> 00:44:05,219 You know, when we moved in and my wife said, we have to buy drapes, I thought, 624 00:44:05,260 --> 00:44:11,840 Oh my gosh, all these rooms, you have to, we spent thousands of dollars in landscaping. 625 00:44:12,760 --> 00:44:14,039 And it was interesting. 626 00:44:15,599 --> 00:44:21,159 And as she got to the point in time where she could not work, the Lord 627 00:44:21,159 --> 00:44:23,179 told me, you have to move. 628 00:44:24,179 --> 00:44:26,059 And what he said is just move. 629 00:44:26,980 --> 00:44:28,880 So I said, okay, what's that look like? 630 00:44:29,480 --> 00:44:32,079 So I hunted around for a house with no steps. 631 00:44:33,579 --> 00:44:34,539 Can you imagine that? 632 00:44:34,719 --> 00:44:35,099 No steps. 633 00:44:35,739 --> 00:44:39,179 There was one house in Montgomery County that was about four 634 00:44:39,179 --> 00:44:42,900 miles from where we lived with one little three inch step. 635 00:44:43,119 --> 00:44:46,119 Then I put a riser up on that so she could get her wheelchair in and out. 636 00:44:47,119 --> 00:44:48,519 And that house was pink. 637 00:44:49,740 --> 00:44:53,219 That house had carpet on the kitchen floor. 638 00:44:53,320 --> 00:44:54,500 That was terrible. 639 00:44:56,079 --> 00:45:01,460 The, the plastic flamingos in the bathroom were falling off the wall with 640 00:45:01,460 --> 00:45:05,480 green tile on the floor and my wife couldn't see through that. 641 00:45:05,619 --> 00:45:06,519 She started to cry. 642 00:45:06,659 --> 00:45:08,199 It's just what we're going to come down to. 643 00:45:08,480 --> 00:45:10,360 I said, I can fix all this stuff. 644 00:45:10,860 --> 00:45:14,940 The walls were 13 inches thick and it was a good house. 645 00:45:15,039 --> 00:45:17,500 It's just the characteristics of what happened. 646 00:45:17,500 --> 00:45:19,800 So we started to rip that thing apart. 647 00:45:20,900 --> 00:45:26,099 And before that I said, okay, this is, this is what God provided for us. 648 00:45:26,460 --> 00:45:27,019 Yada, yada, yada. 649 00:45:27,119 --> 00:45:31,719 So the story goes on and, and what I did, she had roses. 650 00:45:31,880 --> 00:45:33,239 She said, well, what about my roses? 651 00:45:33,400 --> 00:45:35,019 She had long, long stem roses. 652 00:45:35,239 --> 00:45:35,820 She loved them. 653 00:45:35,940 --> 00:45:38,760 They were out in the garden about, I said, we'll take care of them. 654 00:45:38,920 --> 00:45:40,559 So settlement came, it was November. 655 00:45:41,960 --> 00:45:44,599 I said, Oh my gosh, what do we do with these roses? 656 00:45:45,159 --> 00:45:46,320 I said, I would move them. 657 00:45:46,320 --> 00:45:53,559 So I went around to Home Depot, all the outlets, and I brought frozen potting soil. 658 00:45:53,860 --> 00:45:54,980 And by that time it was cold. 659 00:45:55,579 --> 00:46:01,320 So I loaded it in the truck, came home, hacked it all up, made a flower bed, went 660 00:46:01,320 --> 00:46:03,400 over, dug the roses up, brought them back. 661 00:46:03,880 --> 00:46:08,179 And she said, Oh, she said, now I feel at home, but she didn't like the green 662 00:46:08,179 --> 00:46:12,519 flamingos or the, or the pink flamingos in the green floor. 663 00:46:12,679 --> 00:46:14,219 So we started the bathroom first. 664 00:46:14,219 --> 00:46:20,500 But the idea here is when God spoke, he understood what my needs were because at 665 00:46:20,500 --> 00:46:24,679 that point in time, she was working part time and she just couldn't keep up 666 00:46:24,679 --> 00:46:31,619 because of her disability and moving from that situation, taxes high, you know, 667 00:46:31,619 --> 00:46:34,320 all the stuff that goes with this down to this little house. 668 00:46:34,500 --> 00:46:42,300 And it was, I think 4,200 square feet or 3,800 square feet down to 1200 square feet. 669 00:46:42,860 --> 00:46:44,000 Yeah, it was a little house. 670 00:46:44,500 --> 00:46:47,420 It was pink on the outside too. 671 00:46:48,059 --> 00:46:49,699 It looked like a Bermudian house. 672 00:46:50,239 --> 00:46:52,860 That's a, the next thing I did the summer is paint it. 673 00:46:53,320 --> 00:46:57,300 But you know, we came to understand that that's what God's providence was. 674 00:46:57,400 --> 00:47:01,820 And we made it our home and things changed so that one word changed our 675 00:47:01,820 --> 00:47:08,019 entire environment and life move, but that's the only time now, what else did 676 00:47:08,019 --> 00:47:14,960 God interestingly do for you in your life that was new and different or something 677 00:47:14,960 --> 00:47:18,199 unusual, if anything, I mean, I, maybe not. 678 00:47:20,500 --> 00:47:22,320 Dottie, what's that going to put you on the spot? 679 00:47:25,579 --> 00:47:26,539 I am. 680 00:47:26,800 --> 00:47:28,719 I just don't can't think of any particular one. 681 00:47:29,139 --> 00:47:29,480 I'm sorry. 682 00:47:29,519 --> 00:47:33,340 I just can't, uh, no, nothing comes to mind right now. 683 00:47:33,599 --> 00:47:35,480 Just impressions on what God, okay. 684 00:47:36,119 --> 00:47:36,219 Yes. 685 00:47:36,820 --> 00:47:44,539 I would say, uh, through unbelievers, you know, like people who wouldn't realize that 686 00:47:44,539 --> 00:47:50,420 they're even being used by God to tell me something and they don't realize that 687 00:47:50,420 --> 00:47:52,420 they're part of a message from God. 688 00:47:53,719 --> 00:47:58,219 And, uh, you know, it's really peculiar, you know, 689 00:48:00,860 --> 00:48:05,860 yeah, depending on thinking of a couple of different scenarios. 690 00:48:05,860 --> 00:48:13,559 So it could be a rebuke, like here's this pagan telling me something that I know is 691 00:48:13,559 --> 00:48:20,780 from God and he's telling me to, you know, he's rebuking me through this person or, 692 00:48:21,340 --> 00:48:24,000 or just other things that are just making it real clear. 693 00:48:24,059 --> 00:48:25,579 Cause he's done it a lot of times. 694 00:48:26,320 --> 00:48:28,860 You wouldn't think that you would think that that would come 695 00:48:28,860 --> 00:48:29,800 from a fellow Christian. 696 00:48:30,099 --> 00:48:30,320 Right? 697 00:48:31,079 --> 00:48:31,099 Yeah. 698 00:48:31,400 --> 00:48:31,699 That's good. 699 00:48:32,019 --> 00:48:32,059 Yeah. 700 00:48:32,159 --> 00:48:33,760 Kind of like him using a donkey, right? 701 00:48:33,760 --> 00:48:34,099 Yeah. 702 00:48:38,199 --> 00:48:39,760 You can get away with it. 703 00:48:42,079 --> 00:48:48,199 But not, were you the donkey or was it just anything else? 704 00:48:48,860 --> 00:48:49,400 Any thoughts? 705 00:48:50,920 --> 00:48:51,599 Yeah, go ahead. 706 00:48:52,800 --> 00:48:58,199 Um, he, God has used his word a lot of times when I'm reading and I'm questioning, 707 00:48:58,340 --> 00:49:02,420 I might, while I'm journaling, I might be asking for an answer for something or 708 00:49:02,420 --> 00:49:11,679 confirmation, and, um, I sometimes find it's, um, a word like, like the word go, 709 00:49:11,840 --> 00:49:16,719 you know, and you see it three times, you know, and, and it's like, it gets 710 00:49:16,719 --> 00:49:22,019 impressed that the situation comes to mind right away and I wasn't even thinking 711 00:49:22,019 --> 00:49:24,360 about it and so he'll use this word. 712 00:49:26,679 --> 00:49:27,139 All right. 713 00:49:27,280 --> 00:49:27,559 That's good. 714 00:49:27,880 --> 00:49:28,159 One more. 715 00:49:29,119 --> 00:49:30,119 That's our own little thing. 716 00:49:30,300 --> 00:49:30,599 Here we go. 717 00:49:31,119 --> 00:49:37,840 No, but, uh, also, no, another one is like really when like situations happen that 718 00:49:37,840 --> 00:49:42,719 like sometimes like you see, like you've been like wanting to know what direction 719 00:49:42,719 --> 00:49:50,320 to go in and suddenly you see like doors closing and you realize like, well, I 720 00:49:50,320 --> 00:49:54,719 don't want to fight this because maybe this is God saying, go this direction. 721 00:49:55,360 --> 00:49:58,380 And you realize, you know, I don't want to like force. 722 00:49:58,380 --> 00:50:02,420 I don't want to like push it and try to get my way in that because obviously 723 00:50:02,420 --> 00:50:05,519 this is God saying, I don't want you to go that direction, you know? 724 00:50:05,760 --> 00:50:10,000 So I guess circumstances, you know, business wise and otherwise. 725 00:50:10,719 --> 00:50:10,780 Yeah. 726 00:50:10,780 --> 00:50:13,420 Why didn't I know you when I went for the third business, huh? 727 00:50:14,139 --> 00:50:17,260 You told me anything else? 728 00:50:17,500 --> 00:50:17,800 Yes. 729 00:50:18,119 --> 00:50:23,019 I just thought of something, uh, years ago, I think it was just as I 730 00:50:23,019 --> 00:50:25,780 became a grandmother, I think it was, it was many years ago. 731 00:50:26,219 --> 00:50:31,239 And, um, I remember a girlfriend and I, we were saying, our grandmother's, 732 00:50:31,320 --> 00:50:31,960 what are we going to do? 733 00:50:32,719 --> 00:50:38,079 And I just really, uh, I just, it was like the Lord told me that I was 734 00:50:38,079 --> 00:50:40,480 to really, to just now, I had time. 735 00:50:40,679 --> 00:50:43,900 I had now to surrender my life and totally give my life to the Lord. 736 00:50:44,079 --> 00:50:49,880 And, and to let him just really, uh, uh, begin to, uh, do a new work in me. 737 00:50:50,699 --> 00:50:52,500 And I didn't really obey. 738 00:50:52,659 --> 00:50:53,440 I didn't listen enough. 739 00:50:53,760 --> 00:50:54,920 I just saw, well, it'd be nice. 740 00:50:54,920 --> 00:50:58,260 Maybe I, what I, what I thought I would do would be to maybe do 741 00:50:58,260 --> 00:51:00,099 something different than him. 742 00:51:01,980 --> 00:51:04,119 And I wanted to, so I started a business. 743 00:51:06,099 --> 00:51:07,360 Yeah, I started a business. 744 00:51:09,139 --> 00:51:11,880 Well, what, no, where do you, well, you know what? 745 00:51:12,000 --> 00:51:15,940 It ended up that it was, that's what I got convicted of after five years of it. 746 00:51:16,320 --> 00:51:17,119 And, uh, yeah. 747 00:51:17,199 --> 00:51:18,940 And I tried the thing that was so weird. 748 00:51:19,199 --> 00:51:19,639 It wasn't weird. 749 00:51:19,820 --> 00:51:21,019 It was really rebellion. 750 00:51:21,619 --> 00:51:24,420 I'm trying to myself and I confess this. 751 00:51:25,000 --> 00:51:31,519 I tried to cover it up with giving to the poor works. 752 00:51:32,539 --> 00:51:33,219 I did. 753 00:51:33,980 --> 00:51:36,980 And I should have taken that time more for studying in the word and doing 754 00:51:36,980 --> 00:51:40,280 things that God was calling me to do at the intro for five years. 755 00:51:40,780 --> 00:51:42,599 And finally at the end, it really did. 756 00:51:42,719 --> 00:51:45,940 I had to just repent and say, Lord, I really, all these years, I really 757 00:51:45,940 --> 00:51:47,860 didn't do what you called me to do. 758 00:51:48,480 --> 00:51:49,960 Well, boy, I listened to that these days. 759 00:51:49,960 --> 00:51:57,260 Now I tell you, yeah, it really, uh, opens your eyes. 760 00:51:58,760 --> 00:51:59,199 Yes. 761 00:51:59,659 --> 00:52:00,559 Yes, go ahead. 762 00:52:04,339 --> 00:52:09,599 So a couple of years ago, I was doing an interview for a job and I didn't 763 00:52:09,599 --> 00:52:13,239 know if this was the job for me, if the Lord wanted me there and I just 764 00:52:13,239 --> 00:52:17,199 prayed and I was like, Lord, like show me a sign. 765 00:52:17,199 --> 00:52:22,420 Like if this is a job you want me to be at, um, like, so my football 766 00:52:22,420 --> 00:52:23,860 number in high school was 71 out. 767 00:52:23,940 --> 00:52:25,840 So I was like, show me the number 71. 768 00:52:26,880 --> 00:52:31,400 And they were like, so we have a couple of numbers of parking passes 769 00:52:31,400 --> 00:52:36,380 for you to choose at, and they gave me the option of 70 and 71. 770 00:52:37,039 --> 00:52:41,260 So I was like, okay, that must be, this must be the job that I'm at 771 00:52:41,260 --> 00:52:41,960 for this season. 772 00:52:42,280 --> 00:52:44,659 So, and that was definitely one time the Lord spoke. 773 00:52:45,199 --> 00:52:51,780 Yeah, situations, environments, anything else? 774 00:52:53,119 --> 00:52:53,539 All right. 775 00:52:53,940 --> 00:52:54,000 Yeah. 776 00:52:54,280 --> 00:52:54,320 Scale. 777 00:52:55,260 --> 00:52:56,420 Do we have time? 778 00:52:58,380 --> 00:53:00,039 I'm in four minutes. 779 00:53:00,199 --> 00:53:01,679 I'll be over, but okay. 780 00:53:02,500 --> 00:53:03,659 I'll try to make it brief. 781 00:53:04,780 --> 00:53:09,239 So years ago, this is like eight, eight or nine years ago. 782 00:53:09,739 --> 00:53:14,380 Um, I had been down to visit my grant, my grant, my son, and I, 783 00:53:14,380 --> 00:53:18,719 in the process I was visiting with my grandchildren and my one granddaughter 784 00:53:18,719 --> 00:53:22,480 who was about 16 at the time was going through a real hard time. 785 00:53:22,619 --> 00:53:24,820 And she was going through depression and everything. 786 00:53:25,840 --> 00:53:31,000 And I was just really, you know, I was like, what can I do to help her? 787 00:53:31,079 --> 00:53:33,659 What can I do besides talking to her? 788 00:53:33,860 --> 00:53:37,559 And then I came home and a friend of mine had her daughter was going 789 00:53:37,559 --> 00:53:38,980 through a series of depression. 790 00:53:39,179 --> 00:53:41,519 And so I'm like, okay, Lord, what should I do? 791 00:53:41,599 --> 00:53:42,079 What should I do? 792 00:53:42,159 --> 00:53:43,719 What can I do to help these young women? 793 00:53:43,719 --> 00:53:48,320 And he said, get a certificate in counseling is like this voice audibly in my head. 794 00:53:48,380 --> 00:53:52,179 And I was like, what, what are you talking to me? 795 00:53:53,599 --> 00:53:57,159 And yeah, the next thing I knew I was going to seminary and getting 796 00:53:57,159 --> 00:54:00,800 a certificate in counseling and, but the Lord did it. 797 00:54:01,039 --> 00:54:04,039 I couldn't have done it because it had been over 40 years since I'd been to 798 00:54:04,039 --> 00:54:09,599 school, but it was just the, yeah, the Lord, if he really wants you to do 799 00:54:09,599 --> 00:54:12,519 something, he will really impress it on your heart and he'll even sometimes 800 00:54:12,519 --> 00:54:15,280 speak it to you, but yeah. 801 00:54:18,380 --> 00:54:21,159 How many times did he have to do that once? 802 00:54:23,079 --> 00:54:23,260 All right. 803 00:54:23,420 --> 00:54:23,739 That's good. 804 00:54:24,920 --> 00:54:24,980 Yeah. 805 00:54:25,340 --> 00:54:26,360 All right. 806 00:54:26,900 --> 00:54:27,340 Okay. 807 00:54:28,800 --> 00:54:29,559 What have you? 808 00:54:33,079 --> 00:54:37,659 Um, years ago, my friends and I were going to go down to the city to celebrate 809 00:54:37,659 --> 00:54:43,239 Christmas and we're going to visit, um, the Christmas village in, um, the 810 00:54:43,239 --> 00:54:44,780 city hall, like Dilworth park. 811 00:54:45,820 --> 00:54:50,699 And the plan was to go, go see the village and then go get some meat. 812 00:54:50,920 --> 00:54:53,639 And I'd tell my friends, now I'm really hungry. 813 00:54:54,320 --> 00:54:55,679 All of a sudden I just got hungry. 814 00:54:55,820 --> 00:54:56,780 My appetite kicked in. 815 00:54:57,380 --> 00:54:58,239 I really need to eat. 816 00:54:58,519 --> 00:54:58,780 Right. 817 00:54:59,260 --> 00:55:02,699 And they were like, no, let's let's have some fun. 818 00:55:02,980 --> 00:55:04,099 No, I got to eat. 819 00:55:04,199 --> 00:55:04,760 I'm so hungry. 820 00:55:04,760 --> 00:55:11,159 We go get food and we find that we go back to the, the Christmas village after, 821 00:55:11,679 --> 00:55:15,239 and it was all shut down and we're asking the vendors what happened. 822 00:55:15,480 --> 00:55:21,820 And there was like a shooting and I think, I think God spoke through 823 00:55:21,820 --> 00:55:25,000 my, my appetite saved my life there. 824 00:55:26,559 --> 00:55:31,000 I mean, it's, isn't it wonderful that you can see the hand of God in these 825 00:55:31,000 --> 00:55:36,679 things, you know, if you take this as a secular event outside of the church, 826 00:55:37,239 --> 00:55:38,760 oh, that's happenstance. 827 00:55:38,880 --> 00:55:39,880 That just happened. 828 00:55:40,840 --> 00:55:43,079 It, things like that don't just happen. 829 00:55:43,639 --> 00:55:45,699 God's providential in everything. 830 00:55:46,300 --> 00:55:51,500 The movements of Balaam through his issues in your life, eating, he 831 00:55:51,500 --> 00:55:53,400 speaks in the practical to you. 832 00:55:53,599 --> 00:55:56,920 He doesn't pull something out of the ethereal that you have to debate on. 833 00:55:57,559 --> 00:56:00,539 You were, your stomach started to growl, right? 834 00:56:00,539 --> 00:56:02,400 And turn hungry nuts. 835 00:56:02,400 --> 00:56:02,800 Good. 836 00:56:02,920 --> 00:56:03,699 Very good. 837 00:56:03,920 --> 00:56:04,980 Anything else? 838 00:56:06,219 --> 00:56:06,800 All right. 839 00:56:08,420 --> 00:56:11,699 I think we got a couple lines here and then we'll finish up. 840 00:56:16,059 --> 00:56:16,360 All right. 841 00:56:16,480 --> 00:56:22,420 Balaam looked, was looked upon as an extraordinary person whose blessings 842 00:56:22,420 --> 00:56:26,699 or curses were thought to always be effectual. 843 00:56:26,840 --> 00:56:28,159 And of course they weren't. 844 00:56:28,159 --> 00:56:32,579 But a gifted person is not necessarily a Godly person. 845 00:56:32,880 --> 00:56:38,260 Understand that spiritual gifts, insight, or power do not equal 846 00:56:38,260 --> 00:56:40,460 righteousness or true obedience. 847 00:56:41,239 --> 00:56:45,199 It can be deceptive application. 848 00:56:45,659 --> 00:56:50,440 We must not confuse spiritual ability with spiritual maturity or faithfulness. 849 00:56:51,280 --> 00:56:52,320 Don't look at the outside. 850 00:56:52,500 --> 00:56:53,099 Look at the heart. 851 00:56:53,679 --> 00:56:57,019 Balaam story becomes a spiritual warning throughout the whole new Testament. 852 00:56:57,699 --> 00:57:03,159 In his life, which represents a symbol of spiritual compromise, greed, and moral 853 00:57:03,159 --> 00:57:07,179 corruption is an example to all of us who claim to serve the Lord. 854 00:57:08,360 --> 00:57:12,019 So Lord, we thank you for discussion tonight. 855 00:57:13,079 --> 00:57:16,719 We ask Lord that we have learned something about your scripture. 856 00:57:17,780 --> 00:57:23,259 Father, it's interesting how you speak in the old Testament and the 857 00:57:23,380 --> 00:57:28,500 principles are brought forth and exemplified in the new Testament. 858 00:57:29,199 --> 00:57:36,179 What continuity you have, Lord, in the lives of our brothers and sisters and 859 00:57:36,179 --> 00:57:41,300 what inspiration and stories that were there, Lord, they're just not stories, 860 00:57:41,460 --> 00:57:47,920 but they're examples, Lord, of your living, active impartation and guiding 861 00:57:47,920 --> 00:57:51,059 of people, Lord, drawn into the new Testament. 862 00:57:51,779 --> 00:57:57,880 And Lord, we thank you for each heart in here tonight that we're followers of you 863 00:57:57,880 --> 00:58:00,320 and Father, bring your revelation to us. 864 00:58:00,900 --> 00:58:08,400 Let us not ever be in a situation where we have Balaam written on our forehead 865 00:58:09,259 --> 00:58:14,940 that we're compromising and yet on the outward side, we're acting spiritual 866 00:58:14,940 --> 00:58:16,860 and doing the things we think are right. 867 00:58:17,660 --> 00:58:21,539 Father, keep us with a tender heart and a pure heart. 868 00:58:21,679 --> 00:58:25,900 We pray these things in Jesus name and everyone said, Amen. 869 00:58:26,739 --> 00:58:27,380 God bless you. 870 00:58:27,780 --> 00:58:28,559 Thank you for coming. 871 00:58:32,559 --> 00:58:37,980 Thanks for joining us at Lansdale Life Church as we praise God and discuss his word. 872 00:58:38,699 --> 00:58:42,820 Don't forget to join us for worship live Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. 873 00:58:43,039 --> 00:58:44,159 Eastern on YouTube. 874 00:58:44,159 --> 00:58:47,260 Be blessed and have a great day.