May 14

Numbers 23 “Lend me $50.00. I will pay you back by the end of the month.” A co-worker of mine pleaded with me to help him out. In 1976 that was a lot of money for people like we who were working for minimum wage. It was half of a week’s wage. He was married. I was single. He had an unexpected expense. I was living with my parents and had few expenses apart from earning college tuition. Against my better judgment, I loaned him the money. He did not pay back the money, and he soon went to work elsewhere. One could say that he lied, or one could say that he changed his mind, or one could say that he reneged on a promise, or one could say that he had spoken and not made it good. In my mind, I let it go. Three years later, I was married and was in need of some cash. Providentially he began working at a convenience store about two blocks from my house. I reminded him of the debt, and told him that I could really use the cash. He paid me back a week later. One could say he made it good—maybe. Three years late is not all that good. Balaam placed Himself between a rock and a hard place. God had unmistakably communicated to him that he should say only what He told Balaam to say concerning Israel. Balaam was hoping that God would change his mind and allow him to earn a large sum of money from the King of Moab by cursing Israel. The incident with the death angel and the donkey had kept Balaam from cursing. Balaam, a prophet of God was only now learning this about God! Now he had to produce a curse for the king, but he couldn’t. Maybe God could be manipulated. . . 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? That is the negative side of things. But think about it on the positive side. If God gives you a promise, you can bank on it! You can trust in it. It will happen, as you go forward in faith. Be careful that you are not trying to manipulate God into doing what you want, or you will end up as did Balaam. God had once blessed Abraham and his descendants. He would bless and would not curse them. It is final. God is unchangeable in His nature and His promises. He will not promise one thing and then do another. What He promises to me, He will perform. It is interconnected with His glory! I don’t have to remind Him three years later. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today! --Pastor john