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.
Meaningful message, today, marked by the graveside photo of Oskar Schindler. Be well today, fellow saints in the Lord. May our God bless you and keep you. Amen.
The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
In the River Lyric Video – Jesus Culture / Let It Echo (Live)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvCQozJQZLc
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
Winning into Freedom
By Oswald Chambers
© 2020
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.
This morning’s reading from Oswald Chambers:
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
Winning into Freedom
By Oswald Chambers
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.
© 2020
My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers
Amen, Amen
Amen Beverlee. Good reading .
I haven’t been able to read the blogs lately but checked late last night and was sorry to hear about Beverlee’s and Edward’s fall.
I pray that God will protect you, going forward and touch you now. May the pain and damage be very minimal.
My husband, Joseph, will start chemo and radiation treatments on November 24.
Would appreciate your prayers that he will not get any adverse side effects and that every bit of cancer will be gone from his body.
May you all be blessed!
Luisa: I will pray for Joseph that he till not get ANY side effects from his treatments. Will continue to pray for you as his caregiver that the Lord will sustain you and confront you everyday.
He is a great God and His Mercies are new every morning and great is His faithfulness.
I appreciate your prayers for Edward, he is feeling a little off today, however, he is doing ok..
Blessings to all, Eleanor M.
Oops typo, comfort you not confront. Also will not till.
Thank you Luisa and I will continue to pray for Joseph and you, particularly on November 24th, his first treatment; for strength, rest, healing and courage. It will be well.
Father God, thank You for Your eternal Word and for Your Spirit. Thank You for Your grace. Guide us in Your ways, Lord, and help all our loved ones in all their battles, in Jesus’s name, amen
Amen Rob.
Praise our God Almighty in whom we trust, Amen.
Amen
Amen…. I hope you do not mind ‘using your prayer as it suited my prayer as well.
Blessings
YES, AMEN, ROB
Praying for Luisa & Joseph. “I will never leave you or forsake you”. – He will be with you every step of the way. My son has a special meeting tomorrow which is very important to him & to our community. I pray that the Lord will help him to relax in Him & to be at ease. May the Lord be glorified in this matter. Amen
Amen Doreen.
Amen
Amen Doreen
Praying for your son, Doreen.
Amen
Yes AMEN, Doreen
Prayed for you, Beverlee, this morning.
If you are going to fall again, I’ve asked for God to send angels to hold you up, so you will not hurt your foot upon a stone. From Psalm 91.
God bless
Thank you, Nan. One of my favourite Psalms.
Prayers for Luisa and Joseph and for your son Doreen. May all go well, in Jesus Name, Amen!
I have always thought President Carter was undervalued. while he was president.Thank you David for this testimony. I too met Carter st a Habitat for Humanity house building.
God answer all our bloggers prayer requests
In Jesus Name
Amen
Love you All!!!
Prayed David’s prayer
Amen to all the prayers for the bloggers. May you all feel the presence of the Holy Spirit in your lives.