Good Intentions, Wrong Motives
In the book of Numbers chapter 22, you will find a story centering on King Balak, and a man named Balaam. King Balak was fearful of the Israelites, and wanted to use Balaam as a hireling to curse the Israelites, and he would be rewarded for doing so. King Balak sends his messengers to Balaam, and Balaam invites them to stay the night so that he could inquire of the Lord what he is to do. The Lord tells him not to go back with the messengers, and immediately he (Balaam) tells them that the Lord told him not to go. King Balak sends another round of messengers to Balaam, expressing that the reward would be even greater. Once again, he tells them to spend the night so that he may inquire of the Lord what he is to do. The Lord tells him to go, but under one condition, he is to speak what the Lord tells him to speak. How many of us are willing to eagerly compromise our relationship with God for the sake of wealth. You may say, God told him to go. Yes God did tell him to go, but Balaam was going for the wrong reasons. He was more interested in the reward offered to him, then what the Lord wanted him to say. If God is your God as you say He is, then you follow Him, and not your selfish desires. There may be someone you know who is an enemy to someone in your church, and they will go to any extreme to get you to work against that person. RUN, as fast as you possibly can, it is not worth jeopardizing your relationship with God. It's a funny thing, that Balaam's donkey (which represents stubbornness)had more sense than his master. He tried turning away from going down the wrong path. Balaam was blinded by his greed, so much that he could not see the way of his error. When someone ask you to do something that does not settle well with you, ask yourself a few questions.
Is what I am about to do going to honor or dishonor God? Am I walking in or out of the will of God? Or better yet, what would Jesus do? The choices we make is a reflection of the type of relationship we have with the Lord. If God is first and foremost in our lives, we will consult Him in all situations and circumstances. Temptation is a powerful tool that satan uses. It's not being tempted that's the sin, it succumbing to the temptation, that's the sin. The Bible says if we submit to God, resist the devil, he will flee from us (Ja 4:7) Just as God told Cain that sin lied in wait for him to make a decision, the same is no different for us. A struggle will pursue (continued.....)