BALAAM
Today’s Reading: Numbers 23-24
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).
The Grave of Oskar Schindler is in Jerusalem just south of the Zion Gate on the south side of the Old City wall. Stones are placed on the graves by visitors and loved ones as a sign of respect in lieu of flowers.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that He should lie,
Nor a son of man, that He should repent.
Has He said, and will He not do?
Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
Schindler saved the lives of many Jewish people during the Second World War. He was buried in a Gentile graveyard in Jerusalem with honour. The descendants of those he saved come annually to place stones of remembrance on his grave. Israel honours those who have honoured them. Balaam was one such person. Moses wrote Balaam’s story and prophecies in Holy Scripture. We believe that God is, and that “He is a rewarder of those who dilligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). If necessary, God will speak in most unusual ways, as in the case of Balaam’s donkey. There are others, not from the chosen people, to whom God has spoken. Cornelius, commanding officer of the Italian regiment of the armies of Rome, is a prime example (Acts 10). We’ll arrive at the story of this outstanding man on December 1st. Numbers 21:17 encourages the singing of “Spring Up, Oh Well” (click here to sing along to a ukelele rendition of the song).
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Speak to me today, Lord God; I need to hear from You. You did it for Balaam, and dozens of others throughout the Bible record. I’m listening. Lord Jesus, You said, “My sheep know My voice.” Thanks for not restricting Your voice only to spiritual giants but also to us average people. I pray this and praise You for revealing Your thoughts to me. Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
In Jerusalem people say, “Pray… it’s a local call from here.” God has spoken most often in that “still small Voice.” There was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me during the last ditch effort by U.S. President Carter to save the Camp David Accords, the peace agreement between President Sadat of Egypt and Prime Minister Begin of Israel. I was one of hundreds of reporters with credentials to cover Carter’s speech in the Israeli Parliament in 1978. Carter said, while looking directly at Begin, “The people want peace.” In other words, “Begin, you don’t really want peace.” Carter walked off the stage, requested Air Force One readied and his bags taken from the Hotel to the airport. Buses gathered to transport the reporters to cover Carter’s departure. My associate, Jay Rawlings, and I stayed behind where we were approached by two live radio hosts, one Jew and one Arab. They asked, “Do you think there will be peace?” (it was translated into Arabic and Hebrew). Suddenly I heard God speak through me. Balaam knew what this was like. I said, “Yes, for the first time leaders of three different countries and three different religions prayed to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He has heard the prayers of many people and there will be peace between Egypt and Israel.” There is power over the evil in the world through a prophetic utterance. Carter stayed behind, went again to Egypt. The rest is history. Many years later, I had the privilege of working beside Carter in a Habitat for Humanity building project. I wept as I told him this story. He patted me on the back and said, “There, there.”
Yours for hearing from God and speaking, while praying for wisdom, what God wants out there in the fight against evil and for the good of all His people,
David
P.S. Below is a photo of one of the groups Norma-Jean and I led to Israel touring the land of the Bible! This photo was taken on the Mount of Beattitudes.
My Utmost for His Highest
by Oswald Chambers
November 18:
If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. —John 8:36
“If there is even a trace of individual self-satisfaction left in us, it always says, “I can’t surrender,” or “I can’t be free.” But the spiritual part of our being never says “I can’t”; it simply soaks up everything around it. Our spirit hungers for more and more. It is the way we are built. We are designed with a great capacity for God, but sin, our own individuality, and wrong thinking keep us from getting to Him. God delivers us from sin— we have to deliver ourselves from our individuality. This means offering our natural life to God and sacrificing it to Him, so He may transform it into spiritual life through our obedience.
“God pays no attention to our natural individuality in the development of our spiritual life. His plan runs right through our natural life. We must see to it that we aid and assist God, and not stand against Him by saying, “I can’t do that.” God will not discipline us; we must discipline ourselves. God will not bring our “arguments…and every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5)— we have to do it. Don’t say, “Oh, Lord, I suffer from wandering thoughts.” Don’t suffer from wandering thoughts. Stop listening to the tyranny of your individual natural life and win freedom into the spiritual life.
“If the Son makes you free….” Do not substitute Savior for Son in this passage. The Savior has set us free from sin, but this is the freedom that comes from being set free from myself by the Son. It is what Paul meant in Galatians 2:20 when he said, “I have been crucified with Christ….” His individuality had been broken and his spirit had been united with his Lord; not just merged into Him, but made one with Him. “…you shall be free indeed”— free to the very core of your being; free from the inside to the outside. We tend to rely on our own energy, instead of being energized by the power that comes from identification with Jesus.”
Praise God for Oskar Schindler. Brings tears to my eyes thinking about the beautiful Jewish people suffering in the concentration camps, created by a man of hate. Hitler did not deserve to be called a man, and yet he sure was threatened by a God he claimed not to believe in and defied by killing His precious children. That, in itself, is a testament to the truth that God is real–on earth as it is in heaven. Saints, be blessed, today. Praying for everyone’s safety.
As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness (PS 17:5). Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us[a] that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen (HE 13:20-21 ESV).
Hosanna – Hillsong with lyrics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoM0AT8fBvs
God bless you Beverlee Kay! TY for posting beautiful songs!
Words and prayer well spoken. It is wonderful when God speaks to us. How blessed we are. How blessed Balaam was!! He heard the Lord and in obedience the prophecy the Lord gave him.
“spring Up O Well” was very popular when I first gave my Life to Jesus/
Thank you Beverlee for those words by Oswald Chambers and the worship music by Hillsong.
blessings to all this day!
Praise & Thank the Lord for this day; please pray for friend DAW; had good job;something happened;pray the Lord has something bigger & better planned for DAW; Thank You Lord for providing all the needs of DAW;
please pray the Lord will send the “right” person to rent out back room;reminded last night of some of the very nice people who lived here;a person from Iran, then the Prairies,then my home town; started up a business, very successful;brought family over then opened 2 more businesses in other towns, TY Lord;Lord You know the right person;I trust You Lord to bring this to pass,must pay down loan; thank you Lord IJNWPA
TY Lord for a good sleep; bless our families;our neighbours;Christians; may the Holy Spirit fill the hearts with knowledge of the Saviour Jesus Christ….amen
Praying to our Heavenly Father for a good renter for your back room, Sah. I believe this will come into fruition very shortly. God bless you.
Agreeing in prayer with Beverlee for Sah
TY Beverlee Kay & Irene for your prayer support!
Pray for our children, pray for parents to attend church services, Bible Studies, pray with children.
God bless our country, our leaders,
God forgive us for our selfishness and anger;
We Thank and Praise the Lord God Almighty for His unconditional love.
in Jesus Name we Pray amen
Dear Beverlee Kay God bless you keep praying…..
Does anyone know what David’s prophecy meant when he said “three different countries and three different religions prayed to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob…”? I’m so curious what religions his prophecy refers to.
Carla, he is referring to US President Jimmy Carter ( Christianity), Israel’s Prime Minister Begin ( Judaism) and Egypt’s president Sadat ( Islam, I think)
Thanks! That is fascinating!