Tag: Rebuked

  • Do You Love the Wages of Unrighteousness?

    For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
    Matthew 6:21

    Have you ever encountered one called a Christian, who chooses the ways and riches of this present world instead of walking a Christ-like life? This brings to mind a very real man named Balaam from the book of Numbers in the Old Testament.

    Balak, king of Moab, (along with all of the Moabites) were afraid of the Israelites, God’s people. Balak sent for Balaam. He wanted Balaam to curse God’s people. Balak had heard that whomever Balaam cursed was cursed, and whomever he blessed was blessed. Balak sent money with men to give Balaam as payment to come to him and curse the Israelites. God spoke to Balaam and told him not to go with the men and not to curse God’s people, for they were a blessed people. Balaam told the princes of Balak to go home. God would not allow him to go with them.

    Balak sent more men to tell him not to let anything keep him from coming to him – even giving promises of great honor. “And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more” (Numbers 22:18). Yet Balaam told the men to stay the night, and wait to see what God would tell him that night. “And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do” (Numbers 22:20).

    God had already told Balaam not to go. God’s people were only to be blessed, for they were a blessed people. Yet when Balaam was offered honor, a house full of silver and gold, he told the men to wait. Why is that? Do you think he was hoping God would let him go so he could have all of that honor and gold? That night, God told him to go. Do you think that maybe this could have been a test to see what was in Balaam’s heart? Balaam went. “And God’s anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him …” (Numbers 22:22a). Balaam heard what God said, but he was not listening to what God had told him. God was angry with him for going.

    Balaam rode his donkey, heading to see Balak, king of Moab. The donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, but Balaam did not. The donkey understood that he was not to continue forward. Balaam was angry at his donkey, and began to hit the donkey when it sat down (Numbers 22:23). The donkey was trying to save his master’s life. God opened the mouth of that donkey, and he spoke to Balaam. And Balaam answered the donkey. He told the donkey that if he had a sword in his hand, he would kill him. “Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face” (Numbers 22:31). The angel told Balaam that if it hadn’t been for the donkey, he would have been killed. Why? “behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me” (Numbers 22: 32b). Balaam was not supposed to go to speak with King Balak. The angel of the Lord told Balaam to go on to see King Balak, but only speak the words God gave him to speak. Balaam went, told King Balak God’s Words, and blessed God’s people.

    If the events ended here, it might have seemed good. Nevertheless, at some point, Balaam gave King Balak counsel of the way to cause the Israelites to trespass against the Lord (Numbers 31:16). Balaam had not obeyed God. He was to have only spoken the words God gave him to King Balak. He chose to do disobey God, apparently greedy for reward and wages.

    Read the insight about the life of Balaam in the New Testament: “15. Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16. But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet. 17. to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. 18. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness 19. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage” (2 Peter 2:15-19). He loved the wages of unrighteousness, and people like him allure through the lusts of the flesh, wantonness, promising liberty, but they are servants of corruption. They end up in bondage. 

    Another insight we read in the New Testament about Balaam: “10. But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. 11. Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. 12. These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots” (Jude 1:10-12). It declares that Balaam was in error and went after reward. His end was described as “twice dead, plucked up by the roots.”

    Would you want to be remembered as one who loved the wages of unrighteousness, ending up twice dead?

  • The Just Shall Live by Faith

    For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
    Romans 1:17

    Have you ever been afraid?

    One cannot help but remember back to an event that took place in the Bible. Jesus had been going about preaching and healing many. The disciples who were with Him, recognized that he was a great teacher. They had witnessed many people come to Jesus with sicknesses that He healed. Jesus even healed Peter’s mother-in-law who had been sick. They saw many possessed with devils that Jesus cast out. Yet when these fishermen (who were used to being on the water) were in a ship in the sea and a storm arose, they were afraid. Yet Jesus was asleep in the ship. “25. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. 26. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. 27. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!” (Matthew 8:25-27). Even these men who had witnessed Jesus do many great things were afraid in the storm! They did not yet understand just who Jesus was, and that He would take care of them. They had “little faith.”

    We can learn many things about the faith that is to be found in a Christian life. Is it good when one relies upon his own ability? “Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4). Each Christian is to learn to live his faith in Jesus. When we hear of the faith by which Christians are to live, what are we to do? “Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 1:13). A Christian must “hold fast” to the things that are to be learned from the Bible. Once we learn these things and begin to live by them, what happens to that Christian life? “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17). The righteousness of God is then revealed in that Christian’s life.

    Many Christians become afraid at some point. We do not see the preventions God has in place to hold the enemy (or things that cause us to fear) at bay; for these things can come so close and no further than God permits. God only allows some of these things to go so far in the affecting of our lives. He prevents many of these instances from reaching one who stays in the midst of the path God has for that Christian. Often times these occurrences are allowed to be there to test one’s faith (remember Job).

    Understand what happens if a Christian becomes fearful and does not move forward in their Christian walk by faith. “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him” (Hebrews 10:38). God is not pleased when a Christian does not continue forward in their Christian walk but draws back (this means they go into apostasy – forsaking the ways and truths of God’s Word).

    Once a Christian understands how to live and walk by faith, what will they have? “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). These things should help every Christian understand the importance of living by faith and not forsaking the teachings found in God’s Word. Why is it important to live by faith? “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:7).

    Have you learned to trust God, not be afraid, and walk by faith?