Lessons from Balaam | Senior Pastor Kenneth Carpenter by Kenneth Carpenter First Apostolic Church of Maryville (Maryville, TN) Kind: sermon Scripture: Numbers 22:1-8, Numbers 22:12, Numbers 22:15-20, Numbers 23:5-10, Mark 13:31, Romans 8:31, Psalms 27:1-4, Numbers 24:12-17, Isaiah 40:8, Acts 2:38 Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/kenneth-carpenter--lessons-from-balaam Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page. Free to copy and share with attribution. ------------------------------------------------------------ making your way back to your pew. And those of you that could stand and would stand for the reading of God's word, in honor of the reading of God's word, the book of Numbers, chapter 22, we're going to read eight verses. verses 1-8 of numbers chapter 22. Let me say as conclusion of the reading of scripture, we'll have prayer. How many has a need in your life this morning that you want Jesus to take care of today? You know, I want to acknowledge him. I want to give him the acknowledgement that I need him today. Please, we've had several um that have taken a fall this week. Sister Callaway is in Fort Sanders Hospital. She fell and um she has some broken bones and we need to remember Sister Callaway in prayer. Mother Lee, she fell this week and we do thank God there was no broken bones, but she did take a she did take a bad fall. Uh, Sister Sheila Jeter was telling me that Sister Callaway's daughter Sharon while at the hospital uh there with her mother, she took a fall and several broken bones and she is there now in the hospital. Let's remember Sharon uh in our prayer. Let's also remember Mother Zender and Brother Zander. Let's remember sister Rhonda Meyers, brother Patrick Campbell, and brother Seth Jeter sent me a text today. He was on his way to the ER with excruciating pain. And let's let's remember them today. And if I if I have forgotten any other name, I'm glad the Lord never forgets. Amen. >> If you're glad he never forgets. He never He never forgets. And so we pray this morning. Let me say, let's pray over my family today. Um Sister Carpenter, yesterday was her birthday, Fourth of July. And uh she said as a little girl growing up she always thought fireworks were about her and uh until she came of the age and she realized that it was it was not about her but her um she don't ask for much and that's the truth. Sister Carpenter she don't she don't ask for much but she asked she said I want to be in Washington DC and watch the fireworks on the 250th uh birthday or anniversary of our country. And so she doesn't ask for much. And we made that we made that happen. And and uh they uh they were they were there. My entire family is there. That's why I went over that front pew was so lonely this morning. I went over and got a bunch of young men. I said, "Come come be my family today. Come." And so I appreciate that. But my brother Ericson is a part of a group called Kufi. And that stands for Christians United for Israel. and uh they have meetings starting today and uh tomorrow and Tuesday. And so my entire family, my entire family is is is there. And uh so we'll pray for we'll pray for their safety as they make their as they begin to make their way home. I know they're all watching today and uh they uh they would love for me to be there, but they know that on Sundays I turn into the old grouch. All right? So they said, "You need to go to church on Sundays." So here I am. Here I am at church on Sunday. I love the house of God. I make no bones about it. I I I just love the house. I love the house of God. You've been standing for a moment. Let's pray. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we come before you today. Lord, you have heard all the names, God, that I have I have read today and all the needs behind these hands. Lord, first and foremost, God, I I pray that our faith never fails. Lord, you said to Peter, you said, "I I'm praying for you that your faith fell not." And Lord, I pray for the faith of all these people, God, that are in sickness, God, that are in trials right now. God, I pray that your their faith, God, will be maintained in you. You are our healer. You're our way maker. You're our God. And Lord, I ask you this morning, Lord, that you would anoint my lips of clay that I may speak the word of God over this congregation today. That I may speak the word of God to give to give a compass. that Lord that I may speak the word of God to someone today Lord that needs direction Lord most importantly God that I may speak the word of God to somebody that needs to be born again Lord that you would touch them in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. I know you've been standing for a moment. Would would you give the Lord another hand clap and another praise? A vocal praise. Come on. I can't hear you. Would you give him a vocal praise this morning? Would you remain standing? I have not read my text yet. And the children of Israel set forward and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho. And Bailac the son of Zapor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. Moab was sore afraid of the people because they were many. Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel. Moab said unto the elders of Midian, "Now shall this company lick up all that are around about us, as the ox lickth up the grass of the field. And Bale the son of Zapor was king of the Moabites at that time. He sent messengers therefore unto Balam the son of Bior to Por which is by the river of the land of the children of his people to call him saying behold there is a people come out from Egypt. Behold they cover the face of the earth and they abide over against us. Come now therefore I pray thee curse. Everybody say curse. Curse me this people, for they are too mighty for me. Per adventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land. For I wrought, that means I know. For I know that he whom thou bless blessth is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed. The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of deonation in their hand. They came unto Balam and spake unto him the words of Baal. And Ba and Balam said unto them, lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the Lord shall speak unto me. And the princes of Moab abode with Balum. Everybody say, "Amen." You may be seated. For a few moments today, I want to minister to you on lessons from Balum. Lessons. Lessons from Balum. That's my title. Now, I find it very needful to introduce the three main characters of the scripture reading today. There's three main characters, and it'd be really good to to to make sure that you're going to understand the main characters. Number one is Bale. Bale. B A L A K. Bale. Bale is the evil king of the Moabites. These Moabites are haters of the children of Israel. They are they uh throughout scripture you will find throughout scripture you will find that the um Moabites are always they're always causing they're always causing trouble for the children. They're always causing trouble for the children of Israel. So, Ba, everybody say >> Bale, >> he's the evil king of the Moabites, haters of God's children. Everybody say Balum. >> Balam, who is a psychic. He is a psychic. He is a fortune teller. He is a palm reader. All right? And he is what I would call the mystery man. You know, years ago, uh, the actress de the actress singer Dion Warwick had a psychic hotline in California. True story. True story. And, uh, people would call in this psychic hotline number and, uh, it went bankrupt and their advertisement was due to unforeseen circumstances. So, Balum is a is like a psychic. He's like a fortune teller. He's a palm reader. But he's a mystery man. All right. Now, I'm gonna tell you why he's a mystery man is that you'll find in the reading that he does get in touch with God. He does get in touch with God. Now, no one needs to get overly um inflated of themselves when God uses you. All right? Because God has been known to use a lot of things that you might not want to identify with, >> right? And we're going to find in a story in just a few moments that he's going to use. He's going to use a donkey. But Balam is this psychic. He's the fortune teller. He's the palm reader. He's the mystery man. And the main character of which we give praise and honor and glory. The main character is a faithful, merciful, patient God. Don't you love that main character today? Love that main character. Patient who has a good future plan for his people. God has a good future. God had a good future plan for Israel. And not only did God have a good future plan for Israel, but I'm thankful that God still today has a good plan for his people. God has a good plan for his people. God's people, Israel, had been delivered from 400 plus years in slavery to the Egyptians. And God made them a promise. Time doesn't erase God's promises. Time is irrelevant to God. He is the eternal God. And God made a promise to his people that he would bring them out of bondage and he would bring them to a land flowing with milk and with honey. And can somebody help me today? But God always keeps his word, doesn't he? >> God always keeps his word. >> God always keeps his word. As a matter of fact, I love Gospel of Mark chapter 13 verse number 31. It simply says, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." We refer to someone that has died and we'll say, "They have passed away." And I tell you, everything in this world, everything you and I own, every tangible thing that we own, our houses, our cars, our clothes, the money in the bank, whether it be paper money or electronic money, everything that we see is going to pass away someday. But I'm so thankful there's something this morning that will never pass away. God's word >> will never pass away. And hear me today. Not only delivered, not only delivered. I'm glad to be delivered from sin. Aren't you? >> I'm glad to be on the process of being delivered from sin. But I'm going to tell you something. Don't build you a monument where you got delivered. because I'm not only delivered, but I'm heading to the promised land. >> This whole world is not our home, church. We're just passing through. I'm heading to the promised land. We don't listen. We don't need to try to work and have a better earth. This earth is coming to an end one day. But we need to work. We need to dedicate our lives to God to where that we're going to walk on streets of gold and gates of pearl and walls of jasper. And we're going to live eternally. Not some set number of years, but we're going to live eternally. I don't know about you, but I'm going to a land that flows with milk and honey. I'm going to a place called heaven. No more death, no more tears, no more pain. I'm not only delivered, but I'm heading to the promised land. I'm heading to the land that's flowing with milk and honey. And on our way to the promised land, there's no devil that can stop us. >> There's no obstacles too big to hinder us to to stop us. There's no chain that God can't break. There's no problem that God can't solve. Can I get a witness? There's no problem. There's no sickness. There's no pain. There's no valley too deep, nor mountain too high, or ocean so wide that can stop the child of God. Oh, I love I love Romans 8:31. Don't you? I love Romans 8:31. What shall we say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? I preached a message one time on the who is you. Amen. That's the who that can be against you. Because if you don't want to go in, you're not going in. If you don't want to be blessed, you're not going to be blessed. But you're looking at some people today that have gathered on a Sunday morning and we have said, "We want the blessings of God. We want the promises of God to be fulfilled if God be for us." Oh, the psalmist would write about it in Psalms 27 verse number one. Look at the Psalm of David. The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even my enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat of my flesh, they stumble and fail. You see, too many people get discouraged when they see the enemy coming. God never promised you you wouldn't see the enemy come. But he did make you a promise that right before he grabs you, he'll stumble and fall. It might come not it might it might the enemy might come and look like they're about to get us. But just when David said they were reaching for me, they stumbled and they failed. Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. The war shall rise up against me, in this will I be confident. One thing, everybody say, one thing, >> have I desired of the Lord, and that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. Can I tell you, wars, problems, foes, enemies, sicknesses, unexpected this and unexpected that, but I'm gonna tell you, there's one thing that I desire. If I can just make it to the house of God. If I can just make it to the people of God. No sad songs around here. No defeated messages around here. We are not people that are working to victory. We are people that are working from victory. We have the higher ground. We have the Calvary ground. We are working from the advantage point of victory. Wait a minute. I've been delivered and I'm on my way to the promised land. I've been delivered and I'm on my way to the promised land. But listen, it's very this really crucial here. But you always got to remember every delivered person has a devil after them. >> Don't Don't The very reason you have a devil after you is because you've been delivered. Well, if I can just get to the Lord and get delivered, the devil's after me. know the devil's not trying to keep you from being delivered. He's after you because you are delivered. All right? So, let's don't think it's strange. Let's don't think it's strange that with every delivered person, there is a devil after them. There's a devil. The only time the only the only time in your life that you're going to be without a devil is when you get to heaven. All right? That's when we going to be without a devil. But the devil, and let me introduce to you to the devil of this story. The devil of this story is none other than the king of Moab, Baal. Ba is the devil here. He gets so stressed out because he sees the delivered people of God. He watches as Jericho falls. He watches as the walls of Jericho crumble. He watches as every enemy that that comes against Israel begins to fall. And Bailac knows one thing. I don't have the strength to overcome them on my own. The only way I can fight against them and win is for them to be cursed. For them to be cursed. Let me tell you a simple definition. The word cursed is just simply a simple definition of the word cursed is without the protection of God. Without the protection of God. Now in Baal, Baal believe in multiple gods, false gods. And so what Bale wanted to do, he said we we have got to get them without their god. We we've got to curse them to where they have no god because evidently their god has brought them out of Egypt. Their God has brought them through the Red Sea. Their God has defeated the Egyptians. Their God has fed them with mana. Their God has brought water out of a rock. Their God has brought them across the Jordan River. Their God has caused the Jericho walls to fall down. We have got to get them without their God. We have got to curse them because I'll never be I'll never be able to defeat them. Listen to Moab talk. I'll never be able to defeat them unless they're cursed. If I can get them cursed, I can defeat them. So now this this other character comes in the story. His name his name is Balum. Remember the psychic, the fortune teller, the palm reader, the mystery man. All right? Now he had a reputation and he grew evidently wealthy that he could curse people. He could curse people. He could speak words over them and they would be without their God. Or he had the reputation that he could bless people and that a god would come and a god would come and would favor them. He had this he had this reputation throughout the land. So bail bail sends messengers with money in their hand to go to Balum. And they go to Balum. They go to they they they go to Balum and they begin to tell Balum that there's a group of people. They're very large. They're coming through the land. They're coming through the land. And we need you, we need you to curse this people. And of course, Balum. Uh this is where it gets a little mystic or mysterious here. Um, Balum Balam says, "I will go and uh I will I will u I I will inquire I will inquire of the gods and and we will see if they can be cursed." But when Balam goes to inquire, God speaks to him. All right? God God speaks to him. And uh we find this we we find this um in numbers 22 verse number 12 he goes and God verse 12 said unto Balum thou shalt not go with them thou shalt not curse the people. Can we all read the rest of that verse right there? What's God say about them? >> For their what? >> You can't curse them. Why? because they're blessed. You you you can't curse them because they're blessed. Let's see what Balam does. Balam rose up early, rose up in the morning and said unto the princes of Ba, "Get you into your land, for the Lord refuseth to give me leave to go with you." And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Baal, and said, "Balam refuses to come with us." Now, I'm going to show you a lesson from Baal here. Let's look let's learn a lesson. Balam doesn't tell them all the truth. All right. Balam doesn't tell them all the truth. Well, what he what he missed out on? God said, "Balam, you can't c you can't curse them because of what? >> They're blessed." But what did Balam come back to the to the princes of Moab and say, "I can't go with you. God doesn't God won't let me go. God won't let me go with you. Now, I want you to know something that might just seem like I'm making something more than what it is today, but I I I got I got I got news for you right now. Balam should have told them them blessed people. >> But after all, someone that embraces all the things that he embraces, who's interested in telling all the truth? >> I want all the truth in my life. Cuz an almost truth is all is always a lie. >> I don't want to be almost saved. >> I don't want to be almost in because almost in's all the way out. >> He should have come and said, "Hey, they're blessed." But he just came and blamed it on the Lord. He said, "The Lord won't let me come." He should have understood. He should have said, "Hey, number one, he should have said, I want to be a part of something that is blessed." >> It doesn't really take a rocket scientist to figure this out. I don't want to be a part of anything that's cursed. >> But I want to get on the bus, the train, the plane, or whatever you're riding in. If it's blessed, I want to get on it. I want to get on it. Do you know the Bible says this gospel is blessed? I'm glad that we are not serving a cursed gospel. That would be a gospel without a God. >> I'm glad we're serving a blessed. We're believing a blessed gospel because it has the power of an almighty God. It has the power of an almighty God. The Bible is blessed. The word of God, the word of God is I can't go with you. God won't God God won't let me come with you. So they come back and they tell Bale. They tell the devil. All right. They tell the devil. it. They said he refuses to come with us. He he he says the Lord told him the Lord told him not to come. And so here's what Ba does. All right. He's a persistent devil. You got to get ready for this. He's a p he's a persistent devil. You hear me? Any of you ever had and please please if you chew gum, keep it in your mouth. Keep in your mouth. I'd rather you wouldn't even chew gum here in in in the auditorium because it gets in your it drops out of your mouth and gets on the carpet. It's almost it's almost not impossible to get it out of the carpet or if you spit it out in the parking lot and I'm going out to my car and I step on it. You ever stepped on gum and and and I don't care. You can go over to the curb and you could do this all you want to, but for the whole rest of the day when you walk it, oh man, can I tell you? We can go to Strong Terror Youth Camp. We can get that old devil off our shoe. Boy, I shouted. I run. I did all this. I praised him. I I did all this. But I got news for you. He is a persistent devil. >> He'll come right on back. Well, hey, I didn't get it that way. Hey, let me try this. Well, watch it. Watch it. Watch it. Watch it. Numbers 22 and verse number 15. And Baleo sent yet again princes more and more honorable than they. He said, "Let me let me let me send some more people. Let me send some more money. Let me let me get some more people to go." They came to Balam and said to him, "Thus sayaeth Bale the son of Zapor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me, for I will promote thee under very great honor, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me. Come, therefore, I pray thee, curse me, this people." Balam answered and said unto the servants of Baal, "If Bale 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." Now therefore, and you see it all stopped right there and it all stopped right there. But you see, oh, Balum has got some things in his heart. It should stop right there. But listen to him. He said, he said, said, "If he gave me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord to do less or more." He didn't mean what he said. If he meant what he said, he was said, "Go home and tell Bale that God's people are blessed." God's people. You see, now just hang with me for a moment because watch this in verse 19. Now therefore I pray you tear ye also here this night that I may know what the Lord will say unto me more wait a minute lessons from Baleo lessons from Balum excuse me Balam doesn't have the absolutes of God's word >> God doesn't change we change culture change but God doesn't change It started on the day of Pentecost baptizing in Jesus' name for the remission of sins. That's been over 2,000 plus years ago. Religion has changed it. But God doesn't change. It's still what a baptism in Jesus' name. It's still the infilling of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. It's still that there's one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. It's still without holiness, no man will see the Lord. It's still faithfulness to the house of God. >> Balam, he doesn't believe in the absolutes of God's word. Man, we're in a culture today, aren't we? We're in a culture that doesn't believe in absolutes. If they do, it's absolutely nothing is essential. >> If you want to believe you're a cat, you're a cat. You want to believe you're a dog, you're a dog. If you don't believe you're a a squirrel, you're a squirrel. That's crazy. That's crazy. But we have a world of no absolutes. No absolute morals. If it's not sin, hey sister, if it's not sin to you, it's not sin. It, you know, I know it says it in here, but Balam doesn't believe in the absolutes. Balam said, "Let me go back and check with God. Let me go back and check with him." Verse 20, go all the way down to verse 20. And God came unto Balam at night and said unto him, "If the men come to call thee, rise up and go with them." That's what God saying. He said, "Now, if they come again," he said, go with them. But yet the word which I say unto thee, thou shalt do. And Balam rose up in the morning and saddled his ass and went with the princes of Moab. And God's anger was kindled because he went. And the angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him. And the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, his sword drawn in his hand, and the ass turned aside out of the way and went into the field. And Balam smoked the ass to turn her into the way. Now, this sounds confusing because Balam goes and says, "God, these people have come back." And God says, "All right." Says, "Just just go with them. Just go with them. Go with them. But whatever I put in your mouth, you better speak." And then Balam gets up the next morning, saddles the donkey, and takes off. And the Bible said, "And God was angry with him because he went." Now, I get you told him to go, "Did you?" No. Here, here it is. God knew it was in his heart to go. And sometimes some of us hard-headed people have already got the answer God told us, but we just have to go back again. And I believe God just says, "All right, just go do it. You're not listening to me. Go go go. It's in your heart to do it. Just you're going to have to eat your own sour grapes until you're going to believe my word. I don't know about you, but I don't want to have to go through a curse to appreciate the blessings. Come on. Are y'all hearing me today? I I heard somebody years ago I heard they wasn't my saint but I heard somebody year they wouldn't anybody here that that I heard somebody years ago preach and they said you know I think it would be good for our young folks to be prodical and that way they would appreciate what they've got. I think that's the most stupidity I've ever heard in my life. >> I don't want to have to go out and find out I you need to take the word of God. You need to take just look at what's going on out there and you tell me that you think it's out there and and and let's use common sense for just a moment. If it's out there, why are people coming in here to get rid of what's out there? >> I'm glad for what's in here. I I don't have to go through a valley of cursing for me to appreciate the blessings of God. I I just appreciate what God and God got angry. God got angry. The angel of the Lord came down. Balam just riding. Boy, he going to go get more money. He going to go. He going He going to go be Mr. Save the Dave. Balam. He going to go. And all of a sudden, God opened the eyes of that donkey. And that donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the pathway with a sword in his hand. And he's going to cut Balam off the top of that donkey. He's going to And that angel, fiery angel stand there. That old donkey looked that old donkey looked and saw that. Now Balam pride got Balam blind as a bat. He couldn't recognize God if God sent him a registered letter. He's blind. Greed's got him blind as a bat. And here that donkey looks and that donkey said, "No, he ain't going that direction." That donkey cut off through the field. Man, that donkeyy's acting awful strange, baby. He got his stick out. Wham! Wham! He he he started to be the donkey. Wham! Get back. He got him back in the road traveling a little bit. Brother Justin all of a sudden boom, the donkey went the donkey went down through a vineyard and bum, "What in the world's wrong today? What what in the world?" Now, he had owned this donkey for some time. Bible tells us he he had owned this donkey for a while and and and that donkey cut down through it. What in the world's going on? And he he he got in a vineyard and there was a stone wall and that old donkey just leaped as hard as he could to the left or the right and he crushed old Balam's foot. He crushed his ankle and and Balam I mean he's taking his stick and he's wearing that donkey out and and then that donkey come down an aisle like this right here in that vineyard where you didn't have much space on the left and much space on the right and that old donkey blessed God that old donkey just sat down. He folded his legs up. Balam had all the he got off that and he started wearing that donkey out with that staff and all of a sudden the Lord opened the mouth of that donkey and that donkey said why are you beating me? Haven't I been a good donkey for you ever since the day you bought me? He said yeah you've been a good but today you're acting awful strange. I'm going to tell you there's a lot of things here I first thing it would have blowed my mind. I mean, if my dog comes in my bedroom and says, "Breakfast is ready." I've done passed out. All right. I'll tell you why I'm hitting you. You done crushed my foot. You won't stay on the right road. He said, "Ha, have haven't I been a good donkey for you all these years?" Uh, and then the Bible says, "The Lord opened the eyes of Balum and he saw the angel of the Lord." And the angel of the Lord said, "What you're beating the daylights out of has saved your life." What you're beating the daylights out of, said, "Had your donkey, had had I not opened his eyes and he seen, you'd be dead." But now God said, "Cuz I'd have cut you off the top of that donkey and I'd let that donkey go on its way." Said, "You better let me tell you something. Too many times the devil convinces people to beat up on the wrong thing. If we're going to be critical, let's criticize the world. If we're going to be critical, let's criticize the ways of sin. If we're going to be critical, let's criticize everything. But for the love of God, don't criticize the word of God. And don't criticize the ways of God. I'm going to tell you, if it wasn't for his mercy, most of us wouldn't be here today. We'd already be drugged and we'd already be grazed. We'd already be gone if it wasn't for the mercies of God. Lesson from Balum. When things in life that ordinarily worked well begin not to work well, you might want to you might want to try to listen to the donkey and see if the donkey can't help you. Well, my life was going good. My family was going good. Everything was going good in our life. We had it all together and was all together and now it's all falling apart and it's all this and that. Can I can I ask can c can can I talk to you for a minute? Can I talk to you and I can I just talk to you today? Uh I I I'm the the Bible uh uh uh likens shepherds to dogs. Um it said my my prophets are uh dogs that cannot bark. And and I guess that's where we get hush puppies from. But uh u if if I could be likened to a dog, I could be likened to a to to a to a donkey today. I guess I could be likened to that. Don't don't don't anybody smile too wide at that. I could be But could you could could I talk to you for a minute? Could I ask you normal things working good now life's falling apart, how's your church attendance? >> How's your prayer room attendance? How's your Bible study? How's your Bible reading time? How's your faithfulness to the house of God? How's the honoring of God with tithe and offerings doing? You see, when anything that used to work well is now starting to run out in the field. It may be trying to talk to you. It may be trying to tell you, "Hey, it's time to get up in the morning and go back to establishing that morning prayer life. Hey, it's time to get up in the morning and go back to reading a few verses of scripture. Hey, it's time when you get up on Wednesday, you get up on Wednesday to plan their Bible study on Wednesday night. Hey, it's time when church gets out on Sunday morning, go get you a bite to eat. Go home, take you a nap. We call it lamb before the Lord. Go home and get you a nap. But come on back Sunday night. Come on back Sunday night and let's have some Let's have some good church. Well, I' I've had enough church. Well, it's not all about you. It may be somebody that you're going to help pray through. It may be somebody that you're going to encourage. I I I don't know about you, but an empty building is not very uh encouraging to a sinner or a prodal, but give me a quail full of people worshiping and praising God. Y'all still with me today? >> He said, "Uh, Balam, I want you to get up. I want you to get back on that donkey and I want you to go. But whatever I put in your mouth, whatever I put in your mouth, Balum, whatever I put in your mouth, you better you you you you better you better speak. It's amazing. Just for time sake, let me let me just paraphrase. Here come Balum. Here come Balum u limping. probably see sometimes we're better we're better witnesses God sometimes have to make us limp a little bit here he come limping and old bail said why did you not come the first time I called for you why did you not do this I could I could promote you and all this he said I'm here now and whatever God puts in my mouth I want you to know Mr. Devil I want you to know Mr. Devil, whatever God puts in my mouth, I'm going to speak. That's why when the devil came to Jesus in the go in the temptation in the wilderness, what did Jesus do? He quoted the word of God to the devil. Satan is written. And so he said, "Bay, devil, whatever God puts in my mouth is what I'm supposed took him up to high mountain and showed him all of Israel. Showed him the whole camps of tribes. Showed him every showed him everybody. And he said, "Uh, all right." And Balam said, "I tell you what I need you to do. I need you to build me seven altars." And Bao built seven altars. And he said, "I need you to put all these animals on these altars." And he put all these animals on the altar. And as the animals were being sacrificed, Balam said, "I'm going to go here and talk to God." And uh he went and talked to God. And God began God God and Numbers 23:5. And the Lord put a word in Balam's mouth and said, "Return unto Bao, and thou shalt thou speak." And he returned unto him, and lo, he stood by the burnt sacrifice he and all the princes of Moab. And he took up his parable, and said, Ba, the king of Moab, have brought me from Aram out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me, Jacob, and come defy Israel. How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed? Or how shall I defy whom the Lord hath not defied? For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him. Lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob, and number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last beh like he is. And Bale, Bale, the devil. Bail said unto Balam, "What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse my enemies, and behold, thou hast blessed them all together. Can Can I tell you something? That song says, "You can't stop me. You can't stop me. Roll back. Roll back Jordan, part Red Sea, fall down Jericho. You can't stop me." Do you understand that? When God blesses you, it doesn't matter how hard the devil is working to get you cursed. If you'll stay with the right thing, he's come down. He says, "No, it's a holiness group. It's a nation all to themselves. And it's it's it nobody can count you. You think you've seen them that you can't even count their dust." And and and the bail, I can see his hands up around his head. Wait a minute. I hired you to curse him. And you've blessed them alto together. That's right. I don't care how hard you're under the attack of the devil today. Can I tell you something? You can do nothing against the truth but for the truth. And when God allows the enemy to come into your life, and sometimes we open the door and we're getting our just dues, but there's other times that God mentioned Job and Peter, there's sometimes God allows Satan to come in. And if God has allowed the enemy to come into your life, it's just to make you finer. It's just to process you and make you stronger and make you more wise. I it's just to develop something in you that you don't have right now. And so you you you you have blessed them. That's right. And then he said, "Well, come on. Come on again and I'll try to rush through this." He said, "Come on, Ba. Ba, you because he's a Did you do you hear me tell you today he's a persistent devil?" >> So he gets him down there and he says, "All right." writing said, "Let me take you to another place." He said, "Now," Bailo said, "now here's what we need to do. I'm not going to show you all of Israel. I'm just going to take you to a mountain where you can just see a small part of them. Just a little group of them." And said, "Curse the little group. Just curse the little group." And so, he went up. He he went up and and uh he saw just the little group. And uh he he uh he he said, "Well, I'm going to just tell you I'm just going to tell you what the Lord I'm just going to tell you what the Lord has said." And of course, he comes back because here's what Balum the devil wants to do. If he can't get the whole youth group, he'll take one. All right? If he can't get you all at once, now please hear this now. If he can't get you all at once, he'll just work on a small part of your life. be because the devil working in you is like cancer. All right? It's like like like cancer. Just you know, nobody ignores that. I don't care how minute, how small it may seem, nobody nobody ignores that cancer because cancer has a way of spreading. If the devil can't get us all at once, he'll just try to get one. He'll just try He'll just try to get one part. He'll try to get one part of your walk with God. He'll try to get one part of your dedication. He'll try to commit you. If I could just Let me tell you something. If you give the devil an inch, he'll take he he'll he he'll he he he'll he he'll take a foot. If he'll get a if you if you if you give the devil a toe hold. All right. It ain't long he'll get a foothold. And if you give him a foothold, it's not long until he's got a stronghold. So Balum Bail said just just just just curse a little part of him. Will he come back down the mountain? He said no. He said even the small parts of them are blessed. And then I come to the conclusion. He comes and he brings him. And numbers chapter 20 4 and uh verse number verse number 12. Balam said unto Ba, "Spake I not also to thy messengers, which thou sentence unto me, saying, If bail would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord to do either good or bad of my own mind. But what the Lord saith, that will I speak." And now, behold, I go unto my people. Come therefore, I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days. He said, he said, Devil, don't don't go very far. Bailo, don't go very far. And he took up his parable and said, Balam the son of Bior has said, the man whose eyes are open has said, now listen this real closely. He said he has said which heard the words of God and knew the knowledge of the most high which saw the visions of of almighty falling into a trance but having his eyes open. Listen to this. I shall see him but not now. I shall behold him but not nigh. There shall come a star out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise up out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of sheep. Can I tell you what Balum said? And this is where Bailo, the devil, the Bible said, Bailo went his way and Balam went the other way. He said, I got an eye open. And we have the most beautiful prophetic voice of this this man called Balum as he talks about a star coming out over over the holy land and a star. That's why the wise men were looking for a star. They said we have seen his star in the east and have come to worship him. Why? Because the star was connected to the scepter and the scepter was connected to a king. And among the heathen people, they believed that a king would be born one day and that a star would announce his birth and that the king would have a scepter and would reign and rule. Can I tell you something? One thing that we can live for God is not preaching that he came, but preach that he is coming again. For if he kept his promise to be born in Bethlehem, he's going to keep his promise to come again. You're going to hear a blessed message today. The rapture of the church is a blessed message. The coming of the Lord is a blessed coming. The the the heaven is a blessed place today. Do you realize that only Jesus Christ has the power? Only God has the power to curse or the power to bless. Only God has the power of cursing and only God has the power of blessing. And yes, even blessing what was cursed. He saw a fig tree, did he not? He saw a fig tree that had leaves on it that promised but never delivered. And what did he do when he saw that fig tree that had nothing but leaves and no fruit? What did he do? He cursed it. He talked to it. The Bible says he spoke to it. He spoke to it. He said unto it, "Curse to you. No man shall eat fruit from you forever. You're cursed." He spoke it from his mouth. The next day when the disciples walked by, I I would imagine the same thing with Bo Balam and the donkey talking to each other. They looked over and saw Jesus talking to a tree. He looked at the tree and he said, "You're cursed. No man will eat fruit from you forever." And the next day they walked by and Peter said, "Master, the fig tree which you cursed, it is withered from the roots. It is toppled over. It has withered so quickly from the roots. How did this happen? And Jesus made a statement. Just have faith in God. Can I preach to somebody today? Some of you that may be in the valley of decision. Some of you that are in in a state of confusion. Some of you that spiritually speaking, you're waiting on God and you and you don't really know why God hasn't come and you've prayed and you've prayed and you prayed. Can I cry one thing out to you today? Have faith in God because he's the only one that can curse and he's the only one that can bless. >> He's the only one that Oh, do do we do we realize? Do we realize today the power? He walks into the synagogue and there was a man in the synagogue that had a withered hand. Part of the curse. Part of the curse. God never created cancer. God never created blood disease. God never created death. cancer, death, every physical and mental issue is the result of sin, the curse. But God, but God has the power of blessing what has been cursed and causing the curse to have to lose hold. This man's got a withered hand. He's in the synagogue with a withered hand, part of the curse. But Jesus comes in and Jesus says words, "Stretch forth your hand." And he stretched it forth and that which had been cursed and withered begin to straighten out and it worked as well as the other. I believe today that I'm preaching to somebody that may be in a season of curse in your life right now. He may be in the season of that curse. And the best thing you could learn today from Balam's blessing, what God hath blessed, no man can defy it and no man can curse it. Do you realize that the gospel of Jesus Christ, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the promise of his soon return is the greatest blessed word that you could ever hear in all of your life. Come on. It's the greatest thing you could ever hear. Jesus is coming. Jesus is coming. This world is not our home. Come on. Let's get on our feet. This world is not our home. Jesus is coming. I'm more than a conqueror. I can do all things through Christ. >> I wish somebody shout yes. >> I wish somebody shout yes. >> They watched him. They watched him whether he would heal. Stretch forth your hand. He stretched it forth the curse. He was made a curse hanging on a tree for us. But after he died for our sins and after he rose again on the third day, it becomes a blessed Jesus. It becomes a blessed gospel. Even the coming of the Lord is referred to in the Bible as our blessed hope. The grass witherth, the flower fadeth. Isaiah 48. But the word of our God, hear me now. I'm closing as our musicians would come. Hear me now. The grass with us. Won't we read it all together? Won't read it all together. The grass. Now, now I didn't I I didn't say bedtime. Read it like you believe it. The >> word, >> but the word of our God. >> Let's read it again. Don't that build faith in you? >> Don't that build faith in you? We look around, things are withering around us. But when we look around at the temporal, we don't need to lose sight of the eternal. Let's read it again. The grass witherth, the flower fadeth, but the word of our God shall stand forever. That's why there's power in the word of God. I said there's power. There's power in the word of God. Read the word of God. Trust the word of God. Believe the word of God. Oh, friend, let's get delivered from scrolling on our phone. And let's get into the word of God. And let's begin to scroll through the Bible. >> >> Can I tell you? Here's one of the most blessed verses you'll ever hear. Are you ready? Then Peter said unto them, "Repent and be baptized." Oh, I know that's a 2,000 year old. I've heard that and heard that. You might have heard that and heard that. But it doesn't matter how many times you hear it. It's not taken away from its potency. It's not taken away from its power. Then Peter said unto them, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin, and you shall receive the gift." Why don't you act on it this morning? Won't you act? Some of the most beautiful human words you'll ever hear are tethered to that word. Robbie Couch, upon the profession of your faith and in obedience to the word of God, we did baptize you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and you had already received the gift of the Holy Ghost and we baptized you. Do you know that's some of the most blessed words you'll ever hear? >> If you're here this morning and you've not been baptized, we're ready for you. If you're here this morning and you've not yet received the Holy Ghost, we're ready for you. If you're here this morning, well, brother Carbon, I've been baptized. I got the Holy Ghost, but boy, I sure am going through a tough time. Can Can I tell you some more blessed word? I will never leave you. Somebody help me now. I will never leave you. Lo, I'm with you always, >> even to the end of the world. >> Did it Did the scripture end there? No, it didn't. Amen. I'm with you always. You going through a trial this morning? Never been baptized this morning? Why don't you step forward right now? Come up around this altar. Never receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Won't you step forward this morning? Come to the altar. Going through a trial right now, confused as confused can be. Loving God, but you're in a blind. You're you're blind right now when it comes to understanding him. He's just not God's just making no sense to you right now. You just don't realize. You just don't can't figure it out why it ain't worked out. Can't figure it out why God didn't come. Can't can't figure it out this or that. Why don't you just come today and just begin to worship God. Lord, you're a good God. Lord, you're a mighty God. Lord, your word is so true. Balam will die. Bail will die. But God, your word is everlasting. God. Oh, God. My life, God. Things were going normal, God, but now they're out of whack, God. I I want to come today to get my life back in line with you, Lord. Oh, God. I want to come this morning, God, to get my life back in line with you right now. Oh, God. I want to come, God. Lord, I want to gather around this altar this morning, God, to get my life straight. God, I want to gather around this altar just one more time to tell you. To tell you that I love you. To tell you that I need you, Lord. I never want to lose what I have. Oh, I never want to lose what I have right now, God. Oh, God. I never want to lose what I have right now. Come on. Come on. Could we respond to the word this morning? Oh, could we respond to the word this morning? Oh, God. Your word is alive. Oh, your word is alive. Push up around the altar a little bit. We want to get everybody in the altar today. God, I need you, Lord. I need you, Lord. Oh, yes, God. Lord, blessed assurance. Jesus is mine. He's been my fourth man in the fire time after time. Born of his spirit, washed in his blood. And what he did for me on Calvary is more than enough. And I trust in God, my savior, the one who will never fail. He will never fail. >> I trust in >> I trust in God. I say you're the one who will never fail. You will never fail. Perfect submission. All is at rest. I know the other tomorrow for my s. This is my story. >> This is my story. >> This is my song. >> This is my song. Praising my king. I trust in God. I trust in God. My savior. >> >> I trust you. Heat. Heat. Heat. He will never fail. I cried to the Lord and he heard from his holy. And I saw the Lord and he heard and he answered. I saw the Lord and he heard and he answered. And I saw the Lord and he heard and he answered. That's why I trust him. That's why I trust him. I saw the Lord heard any I see. Heat. Heat. Yeah. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. >> >> He will never again myior one. I do now indeed baptize you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost in Jesus name. Jesus said I trust in God who will never trust you. Heat. Heat. Heat. >> >> I saw the Lord. I saw the Lord. That's why I That's why I >> >> That's why I trust you. That's why I trust you. My sior will never trust in my savior. >> >> He will never trust in my trust in my savior. The one >> who will never >> who will never fail. He will never fail. >> I trust him. I trust in God my savior. The one who will never fail. He will never fail. >> Blessings. Jesus is mine. He's been my fourth man in the time after time. Born of his I've been washed in his blood. And what he did for me on cow is more than enough. I trust in God. I say the one >> >> I trust in God. I trust in God. I say you're the one who will never perfect submission. All is at rest. >> I know the author of tomorrow. >> This is my story. >> This is my story. >> This is my song. >> This is my song. Praising my rising myior will never trust Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Yeah. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. >> >> I trust in you God. My savior the one you will never fail. He will never fail. I trust in God. >> I trust in God. My savior, the one >> who will never fail. >> Who will never fail. >> He will never fail. >> He will never fail. >> I trust in God. >> I trust in God. >> I say Oh, let's sing it together. The one who will never fail. >> Oh yes. Sing it now. >> He will never fail. >> I trust I trust in God my savior. The one >> who will never fail. >> Oh thank you Lord Jesus. Thank you Lord Jesus. Thank you, Lord. >> Oh, thank you, God. Oh, thank you, God. Father, we thank you for today. We thank you, Lord, for your word that never fails. God, we thank you today, Lord, for your blessings that no curse can overcome. God, we thank you today, Lord, for the blessings, God, that can be renewed and can be restored. God, we speak to every cursed thing in our lives. God, we speak to every cursed thing around us, Lord. We speak blessings, God. We speak blessings, oh God, over the people today, for they are your people, Lord, just as Israel, God, was your people, Lord. We, your church, are your people today. The blood of an animal was slain in the Old Testament, but your blood was slain in the New Testament, God. We are your people today, called by your name, Lord. Lord, I speak blessings over this group today. I speak blessings over them in all the areas of their life. I speak blessings over them in physical needs. I speak blessings over them in spiritual needs. Right now, I speak blessings over their marriages. Right now, I speak blessings over their children. Right now, I speak blessings over their lives. Right now, God, we are your people God. And the blessing cannot be overcome by a curse. Jesus mighty name. And everybody said, "Amen." >> God bless you today. Thank you so much for being here on this wonderful July the 5th. Tonight at 5:30, be in the prayer room at 5:30. 6:00, another great evangelistic service starts. Shake hands and hug next. You're dismissed in Jesus name.