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April 6

Reading 1 - Numbers 22 & 23

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Notice throughout these chapters how often Balaam is forced to say what God wants him too hopelessly against his will. We know his will and desire from 2Pet.2:15, where an apparently throwaway line tells us. This surely gives us a great insight into the way that God has forced his word to be spoken in truth throughout the creation of the Bible as we know it. Look at 22:12, 22:18, 22:35, 23:8, 23:12, 23:19,20, 23:26, 24:13.
Peter Cresswell
We have a picture here of a man who was prepared to stand up against God. We see how the result was a blindness to God's will and a focussing only on his own desires. We need to note that this man was described as a prophet of God. This is the position from which he fell. This means it can happen to anyone. Balaam allowed his own desires to close his mind to the will of God. This is amazingly easy to do if we do not keep constant open-minded contact with His word.
Peter Cresswell
22 v. 7 Rewards of divination Acts 1:18 2 Peter 2:15 By using language which speaks of Balaam here and in 22:32 we see that Peter, in Acts 1 is expounding the death of Judas in such a way as to identify him as being of the Balaam class. It is clear that the account of the death of Judas in the gospels is different from the explanation of Peter in Acts. The difference is because Peter is providing a Scriptural explanation in Acts whereas the gospel account is a purely factual historical account.
Peter Forbes

22:3 So Balak was 'sore afraid' of Israel. The word had gone before them and so a little later the inhabitants of Jericho were in the same position. (Josh 6:1) so incredible was the event of Israel leaving Egypt almost 40 years earlier that the people of the land of Canaan were waiting in terror for the children of Israel to arrive - if only Israel had realised this!

23:23 and 24:1 Enchantment <05173> is closely related to the word translated serpent <05175> in Genesis 3 and on some other occasions. When it is used outside Genesis 3 it is often associated with false speaking (Psalm 140:3).
Peter Forbes

22:6 Balak's comment echoes what God had said to Abram (Genesis 12:3) indicating that the promises that God had made to Israel were known throughout the middle east.

ch 23 - Notice the emphasis on the fact that Balaam only spoke the words that God gave him (:5, 12, 16)
Peter Forbes

THINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS WHAT THEY SEEM.

Baalam had a faithful donkey. She had always done the work he asked for, giving him faithful service as long as Baalam was her master. But it didn't seem to occur to Baalam that when the donkey didn't behave in the way he was used to, that there might be something wrong. It seemed to Baalam that the donkey was just suddenly misbehaving, but in reality, the donkey could see things that Baalam couldn't see. If Baalam could have seen the angel standing in the way ready to kill him, I am sure he would have thought differently of the donkey's actions.

Yet very often we are just as blind as Baalam. When we see the actions or the results of some event we think we know it all. Then we jump to conclusions putting motives to the actions we see. However, it is only those who can really see in that situation that know the truth.

Maybe one day our eyes will be opened to some of the things that we have missed. The question then will be whether we will find ourselves ashamed of our actions, as Baalam was, or whether we will be pleased that we reserved judgement for the Lord.
Robert Prins

Reading 2 - Proverbs 16

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v. 1 applies the principle we have just discussed to ourselves. God has control over the things of our lives, we must try to give God control over the way we direct our tongues. After all it is going to be God's will that stands in the end whatever we do or say. Prov. 16:9, 19:21, 20:24, 21:1.
Peter Cresswell
v.5 - This phrase 'though hand join in hand' - repeated from ch.11:21 - seems to suggest something similar to the wheat and the tares - as if the eveil is hand in hand with the good and indistinguishable to man. The problem is seems is pride. This gives a lever on what to do. Pride is the opposite to humility. If we concentrate daily on God's power and grace and salavation, we will become very aware of our own position and total reliance on Him, which should, in time, bring about humility and kill our natural pride.
Peter Cresswell
v. 24 The honeycomb is likened to a number of things in Scripture. Psalm 19:10 the Word of God is like an honeycomb Proverbs 5:3 the strange woman is like an honeycomb Proverbs 16:24 Pleasant words are like an honeycomb Song of Solomon 4:11 the bride is like a honeycomb We must make a choice. Do we wish to 'taste' that which leads to death or do we wish to taste those things which belong to truth.
Peter Forbes
:25 So often men do things which appear to man to be right. Even faithful men and women do such things. This is because the heart deceives us (Jeremiah 17:9). Maybe we are counselled by friends against some action we plan to take but disregard their advice to our own hurt. This verse warns powerfully against just trusting in our own judgement.
Peter Forbes
:7 An example in the life of a man of God when his enemy was pacified by the faithful man's words is to be seen [1 Samuel 24:17] when, even though he could have killed Saul, David did not. In so doing his ways would please God's and so Saul's heart was turned towards David.
Peter Forbes
COMMIT YOUR WAY TO GOD

"Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and all your plans will succeed." (Proverbs 16 v 3)

This sounds like an easy one step method to having a successful life and at the same time doing all the things that we want to do. But as with any agreement, there are always responsibilities for both parties. God has said for his part that if we commit what we do to him, then our plans will succeed. Our part is to commit to the LORD whatever we do. It sounds easy but there is more to it than it seems. For example, if it is our intention to go out and blatantly sin - to rob a bank, for instance - we would find it hard to commit our way to the LORD, to say, "This is for your glory, be pleased with what I am about to do." We know that God will not be pleased and that he will not be glorified in our actions. So when we commit our ways to the LORD, we must make sure that what we are doing will result in what is pleasing to him, it must be something that will bring him glory.

So as we make our plans, let us make sure that our first aim is that God will be glorified and that what we plan will result in our actions honoring God. May he then bless our plans and give them success.
Robert Prins

Reading 3 - Ephesians 3 & 4

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3 v.8 - Although sometimes the utterances of men in scripture in this way seem a little extreme and exaggerated it is of utmost importance that we all come to realise just how evil we are without God in our lives. Prov.30:2,3, Rom.12:10, 1Cor.15:9, Philip.2:3, 1Tim.1:13-15.
Peter Cresswell

3 v.5 By speaking of 'prophets' Paul is showing that the New Testament prophets received revelations just like the prophets in the Old Testament times did.

4 v.3-6 The emphasis on 'one' in these verses shows that the doctrine of the unity of God is not just a first principle doctrine to be accepted. It is a doctrine which has practical implications in ecclesial life. We should be united because the Father is a unity.
Peter Forbes

3:2-13 inclusive is a digression. See 3:1 & 3:14 'For this cause'. Paul begins his point, digresses, and then returns to his point with 'For this cause'

3:2-13 Paul speaks of his call to the gospel and how that the mystery of the revelation of the gospel to the gentiles should be understood by those to whom he is writing because he is appointed a minister to those gentiles, to whom the letter to the Ephesians is sent.

4:11 The list which begins 'some apostles...' shows that there was a hierarchy of spirit gifts. See 1 Cor 12:28 for the same sort of hierarchy. Note that the bottom of the list is tongues. Rather different from the evangelical churches around who seem to put tongues first.

4:12 Notice that the 'edifying of the church' is the reason for the gifts. Edification should be the reason for every action we take. see 1 Cor 14:26.
Peter Forbes

3:6 So again we see that the purpose of God was to bring the gentiles into the bonds of the covenant. It is the same hope that Abraham had.

4:29 Notice that all things must be done to 'edifying'. That is our sole responsibility to the ecclesia. To build it up. This is done in the way that we order our lives.
Peter Forbes