In yesterday’s sermon, Pastor Sam spoke on the story of Balaam (found primarily in Numbers chapters 22 through 25). Balaam was a curious figure in Scripture. He was a prophetic man who knew how to offer sacrifices and how to petition the LORD, but Balaam was also a man who considered the voice of man above the voice of God. Further, Balaam’s “worship” of God was actually a form of sorcery, a means of attempting to bribe God into executing the desire of man.
Sadly, the spirit of Balaam is alive and well to this day. Are we personally indicted in this matter? Are our petitions to God actually attempts to move God into doing
our will?
There is a sentence we say in the Lord’s Prayer:
“May Your kingdom come; may Your will be done on earth at it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10) If our worship is not filled with adoration of our Christ and a longing for the evidences of the desires of God being manifested in the earth, then we are actually operating against Him. Self-serving worship is an action no Christian should be found engaging.
Balaam, instead of seeking to execute the will of God, sought to use many sacrifices and offerings in an attempt to “get permission” to curse Israel, even though he knew such action was against the will of God. If you are doing, or seeking to do, things that you know go against the will of God, now is the time to repent and stop fighting against God.
For today, let us reflect on a few questions:
- The kingdom of God is described as “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Is my life submitted to the Holy Spirit?
- When people see me, do they see a life of holiness, a life of peace, and a life of joy?
- When God looks at my heart, what motives does He see behind my external acts of worship?
Whose mission are you busily executing?
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