100:00:00,480 –> 00:00:11,800There will always be some men, whose gifts are more than their character. And when gifts200:00:11,800 –> 00:00:17,200outrank character, the ship is ready for a plunge to disaster.300:00:17,200 –> 00:00:22,600Welcome to, Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith, I’m David Pick. Glad you could be with400:00:22,600 –> 00:00:28,000us today, and Colin, gifts are important but so is character, wouldn’t you say?500:00:28,200 –> 00:00:33,599It really is. You know, I quote in the message today from Robert Murray Macshane.600:00:33,599 –> 00:00:38,500He’s one of my great heroes of the faith. Died at the age of 29 and was used700:00:38,500 –> 00:00:41,200greatly by God in his very short life.800:00:41,400 –> 00:00:46,500He saw revival in the city of Dundee and perhaps his most famous quote is this.900:00:46,900 –> 00:00:52,599He said, as a pastor, my people’s greatest need is.1000:00:53,200 –> 00:00:56,099And I often think now, how would would you end that sentence?1100:00:56,200 –> 00:01:00,799As a pastor, I imagine you might say great preaching or vision or leadership.1200:01:00,799 –> 00:01:02,200Yeah, and none of these.1300:01:02,200 –> 00:01:07,800He said my people’s greatest need is my personal holiness,1400:01:08,500 –> 00:01:12,699my own Godliness, my own walk with God that has had a profound shaping1500:01:12,699 –> 00:01:17,800influence on my life, a sense of calling more than anything else.1600:01:17,800 –> 00:01:21,800I must walk with God because whatever gifts are given to a person,1700:01:21,800 –> 00:01:27,000its character that is going to determine usefulness in the hands of Christ.1800:01:27,000 –> 00:01:29,400Now that is true of every one of us,1900:01:29,400 –> 00:01:34,599and we’re going to see how that works out in the life of a very gifted man2000:01:34,599 –> 00:01:36,199by the name of Balaam.2100:01:36,199 –> 00:01:40,300He was very gifted but he lacked when it came to character.2200:01:40,300 –> 00:01:43,699So join us if you can in your Bible in the book of Numbers2300:01:43,699 –> 00:01:45,800as we continue the message live2400:01:45,800 –> 00:01:48,300what you believe here’s Colin.2500:01:48,300 –> 00:01:52,400And Balaam knows what God has said, but he’s struggling2600:01:52,400 –> 00:01:59,599because he knows that there are great rewards if you’ll say something different.2700:01:59,599 –> 00:02:02,500And so he’s desperate to find a way of accommodating2800:02:02,500 –> 00:02:04,599what Balak is asking for him.2900:02:04,599 –> 00:02:07,199And he says to these folks, well look, I’ll go and pray about it.3000:02:07,199 –> 00:02:09,000You stay the night and I’ll go and ask God.3100:02:09,000 –> 00:02:10,199Now that sounds spiritual3200:02:10,199 –> 00:02:11,199doesn’t it.3300:02:11,199 –> 00:02:14,899Oh, let me pray about it.3400:02:15,600 –> 00:02:17,699But in actual fact it’s the most unspiritual3500:02:17,699 –> 00:02:21,600and rebellious thing he ever said for this reason.3600:02:21,600 –> 00:02:25,000When God has said a thing,3700:02:25,000 –> 00:02:29,399you do not need to pray about it.3800:02:29,399 –> 00:02:33,600When God has revealed his will in scripture,3900:02:33,600 –> 00:02:39,199praying about it and questioning it further is not a Mark of Spirituality.4000:02:39,199 –> 00:02:42,300It is a mark of rebellion.4100:02:42,300 –> 00:02:45,500I’m praying about whether I should marry this girl.4200:02:45,500 –> 00:02:46,899Is she a believer?4300:02:47,000 –> 00:02:50,500Oh, no, does God speak about that in his Word?4400:02:50,500 –> 00:02:52,800Yes. Why are you praying about it?4500:02:52,800 –> 00:02:54,199There’s nothing to pray about.4600:02:54,199 –> 00:02:56,800You do what he says.4700:02:56,800 –> 00:02:59,399I am praying about whether I should be baptized.4800:02:59,399 –> 00:03:00,600Doesn’t it sound spiritual?4900:03:00,600 –> 00:03:04,100I’m praying about it. Was God spoken about being baptized?5000:03:04,100 –> 00:03:06,800What is he said? If he’s spoken clearly,5100:03:06,800 –> 00:03:08,119what is there for you to pray about?5200:03:08,119 –> 00:03:12,199The only issue is to pray for strength to do what he has said.5300:03:12,199 –> 00:03:14,300Not to go on questioning endlessly,5400:03:14,399 –> 00:03:16,300as if there was going to be some other way5500:03:16,300 –> 00:03:18,300that would be revealed to you that would work around5600:03:18,300 –> 00:03:20,500what God has already revealed in his Word.5700:03:23,199 –> 00:03:24,800My wife, Karin, as some of you know,5800:03:24,800 –> 00:03:26,699teaches preschool children.5900:03:26,699 –> 00:03:29,000This was a tough week because it was so cold.6000:03:29,000 –> 00:03:31,600So playtime, the break, was canceled.6100:03:31,600 –> 00:03:34,600They had to stay in the classroom for that.6200:03:34,600 –> 00:03:38,000And one little boy found this very, very hard to accept this week.6300:03:38,000 –> 00:03:40,699He kept coming everyday back and back again.6400:03:40,699 –> 00:03:43,000Please, can we go out to play today?6500:03:44,399 –> 00:03:47,100Please, Mrs. Smith, why can’t we go out to play?6600:03:47,899 –> 00:03:49,600Because it is very cold.6700:03:50,300 –> 00:03:52,800But we will put our coats on, Mrs. Smith.6800:03:53,800 –> 00:03:58,500Well, his continual asking is a sign of his immaturity, isn’t he?6900:03:58,500 –> 00:04:02,899He can’t accept what has been said and decided in his own good.7000:04:04,100 –> 00:04:07,800Now when a person like Balaam just keeps coming back7100:04:07,800 –> 00:04:11,699and trying to renegotiate with God what he’s already said,7200:04:11,699 –> 00:04:13,399that’s not spirituality.7300:04:13,399 –> 00:04:15,199However, dressed up you put it,7400:04:16,100 –> 00:04:20,100that’s simply resistance and an inability to accept7500:04:20,100 –> 00:04:21,600what God has already said.7600:04:21,600 –> 00:04:24,459Now if you do that, how will God respond?7700:04:26,299 –> 00:04:29,899You see, God will not treat you as a preschool child7800:04:29,899 –> 00:04:32,600because we are not preschool children.7900:04:33,899 –> 00:04:38,700He has given to you the gracious capacity of choice.8000:04:39,500 –> 00:04:41,899He does not lock us up as it were in the classroom.8100:04:42,000 –> 00:04:44,399He gives us his word,8200:04:44,399 –> 00:04:47,200but then there are real choices for you to make.8300:04:48,200 –> 00:04:50,160So when Balaam goes on and on asking,8400:04:50,160 –> 00:04:52,959sure enough God gives him what he wants.8500:04:52,959 –> 00:04:54,279At first sight it looks as if8600:04:54,279 –> 00:04:56,200God might be contradicting himself,8700:04:56,200 –> 00:04:57,920but of course that is not the case.8800:04:57,920 –> 00:05:02,239Notice in verse 12 God says don’t go to curse,8900:05:02,239 –> 00:05:05,079but in verse 20 God says you may go,9000:05:05,079 –> 00:05:08,799but only to do what I say, you may go only to bless.9100:05:08,799 –> 00:05:10,839And what God was allowing9200:05:10,880 –> 00:05:12,660was that Balaam would go9300:05:12,660 –> 00:05:15,559though he would live with the consequences9400:05:15,559 –> 00:05:18,299of pushing against God’s best for him.9500:05:19,799 –> 00:05:22,980And we’ll see the pain that that brought to him.9600:05:22,980 –> 00:05:24,600But nothing that he would ever do9700:05:24,600 –> 00:05:28,299could ever change the blessing of God9800:05:28,299 –> 00:05:30,480upon his people.9900:05:30,480 –> 00:05:31,839When you know what God has said10000:05:31,839 –> 00:05:33,899and you are desperate to find a way around it,10100:05:33,899 –> 00:05:35,480God may just give you10200:05:36,679 –> 00:05:37,679what you want.10300:05:38,519 –> 00:05:40,140Okay, I’ll let you go,10400:05:41,200 –> 00:05:43,119but you will live with the pressures10500:05:43,119 –> 00:05:47,720and the consequences from which I wanted to protect you.10600:05:48,720 –> 00:05:50,959Well, Balaam thinks to himself, great.10700:05:50,959 –> 00:05:52,779And off he goes.10800:05:52,779 –> 00:05:54,760And what happens next as we follow the story,10900:05:54,760 –> 00:05:56,339I’ll just cover it very briefly,11000:05:56,339 –> 00:05:58,679is absolutely extraordinary.11100:05:58,679 –> 00:06:02,480Balaam rides on his donkey on this 400-mile journey11200:06:02,480 –> 00:06:04,619down to the area of Moab.11300:06:04,619 –> 00:06:07,160And while he’s making this journey,11400:06:07,179 –> 00:06:10,700the donkey experiences a theophany.11500:06:10,700 –> 00:06:12,880I mean, this is an extraordinary story.11600:06:12,880 –> 00:06:13,899There are many occasions,11700:06:13,899 –> 00:06:15,679as you know, in the Old Testament11800:06:15,679 –> 00:06:20,160where God makes himself visibly present to a person.11900:06:20,160 –> 00:06:22,779They actually saw the invisible God.12000:06:22,779 –> 00:06:25,500A theophany, he took on visible form,12100:06:25,500 –> 00:06:27,559but this is the only occasion in the Bible12200:06:27,559 –> 00:06:30,459where a theophany was given to an animal.12300:06:30,459 –> 00:06:34,859But Balaam’s donkey saw the angel of the Lord12400:06:34,880 –> 00:06:38,160standing right in the road with a sword in his hand.12500:06:38,160 –> 00:06:43,160The presence of God was made visible to this dumb animal.12600:06:43,779 –> 00:06:45,380And it happened three times.12700:06:45,380 –> 00:06:48,880The first time the animal sees this alarming sight12800:06:48,880 –> 00:06:50,619of the presence of the Almighty,12900:06:50,619 –> 00:06:53,579standing in the road, veers off into a field.13000:06:53,579 –> 00:06:57,380Second time, lurches against a wall crushing Balaam’s foot.13100:06:57,380 –> 00:06:59,380Third time, sinks into the ground.13200:06:59,380 –> 00:07:01,459And every time the animal reacts13300:07:01,820 –> 00:07:04,100to seeing the presence of the Lord,13400:07:04,100 –> 00:07:06,760and Balaam’s eyes are kept from seeing the Lord.13500:07:06,760 –> 00:07:08,859Balaam doesn’t understand what’s happening13600:07:08,859 –> 00:07:11,619so he beats this animal trying to drive it forward.13700:07:11,619 –> 00:07:14,399And of course he’s frustrated because he gets nowhere.13800:07:16,299 –> 00:07:17,140Poor animal.13900:07:18,019 –> 00:07:20,799God was in this way, giving a picture14000:07:20,799 –> 00:07:24,799of the position Balaam had chosen for himself.14100:07:26,059 –> 00:07:29,220On three occasions, he would be pushed forward14200:07:29,220 –> 00:07:30,559by Balak the king,14300:07:30,559 –> 00:07:34,980urging him to do something that God resisted.14400:07:34,980 –> 00:07:37,760Eventually God enables the donkey to speak.14500:07:37,760 –> 00:07:41,000Another extraordinary incident in the Old Testament.14600:07:42,140 –> 00:07:45,739This must’ve humbled Balaam and it was an unusual event14700:07:45,739 –> 00:07:48,459with a very specific purpose.14800:07:48,459 –> 00:07:52,839You see, here is this marvelously gifted prophet.14900:07:53,760 –> 00:07:58,820This man who speaks the word of God,15000:07:59,980 –> 00:08:00,940and God’s saying to him,15100:08:00,940 –> 00:08:04,019and this humbles every preacher, I’ll tell you.15200:08:04,019 –> 00:08:06,119Don’t you get too carried away with the fact15300:08:06,119 –> 00:08:07,619that you speak the word of God.15400:08:07,619 –> 00:08:09,820You think that’s so marvelous, people praise you for that?15500:08:09,820 –> 00:08:13,579I can put my word in any old donkey’s mouth.15600:08:15,559 –> 00:08:16,420And that’s true.15700:08:19,519 –> 00:08:24,100Eventually, Balaam sees the presence of the Lord.15800:08:24,779 –> 00:08:28,880Balaam, your donkey had more spiritual discernment15900:08:28,880 –> 00:08:29,720than you did.16000:08:31,140 –> 00:08:33,020He could see what I was saying, no,16100:08:33,020 –> 00:08:36,080and you have been one who’s just charged on regardless.16200:08:37,700 –> 00:08:38,700And so he did.16300:08:40,099 –> 00:08:41,659Eventually, he arrives in Moab,16400:08:41,659 –> 00:08:43,799and they get down to the business16500:08:43,799 –> 00:08:45,320for which the money is to be paid,16600:08:45,320 –> 00:08:47,119and Balak takes him to a mountain16700:08:47,119 –> 00:08:51,619and encourages him to pass this curse on Israel.16800:08:51,900 –> 00:08:55,900Balak gets ready to speak some words of prophecy,16900:08:55,900 –> 00:08:57,239and words come to him.17000:08:58,239 –> 00:09:00,580They’re words from God.17100:09:00,580 –> 00:09:02,299We don’t know whether he was in a trance17200:09:02,299 –> 00:09:04,219or whether this was ecstatic speech,17300:09:04,219 –> 00:09:06,539but clearly he was overwhelmed by words17400:09:06,539 –> 00:09:08,979and he spoke words that were nothing other17500:09:08,979 –> 00:09:12,119than words of blessing on God’s people.17600:09:12,119 –> 00:09:13,900Balak must have been absolutely furious.17700:09:13,900 –> 00:09:16,359This is the very opposite of what we’re paying you for.17800:09:16,359 –> 00:09:19,159So he takes him to another mountain.17900:09:19,159 –> 00:09:20,760Again, driving him forward,18000:09:20,820 –> 00:09:24,239and again, God stands in the way, gives words of blessing.18100:09:24,239 –> 00:09:27,039Then to a third mountain and the same thing happens again18200:09:27,039 –> 00:09:29,140until Balak has to concede defeat.18300:09:29,140 –> 00:09:31,679It is absolutely useless.18400:09:31,679 –> 00:09:34,900I’m getting nowhere pushing against18500:09:34,900 –> 00:09:37,880the word that God has given to me.18600:09:40,799 –> 00:09:43,200But then there was one more thing that happened18700:09:44,280 –> 00:09:49,260that we only discover when we get to the New Testament.18800:09:49,299 –> 00:09:51,619And you might like to turn to one cross-reference today18900:09:51,619 –> 00:09:53,960that’s in Revelation chapter two,19000:09:53,960 –> 00:09:58,539and verse 14, Revelation 2, verse 14.19100:09:58,539 –> 00:10:02,539You remember that the risen Lord Jesus Christ19200:10:02,539 –> 00:10:07,539gave messages from heaven, particularly to seven churches.19300:10:07,780 –> 00:10:10,340And in the message to the church at Pergamon,19400:10:10,340 –> 00:10:14,219the Lord Jesus Christ himself tells us something19500:10:14,219 –> 00:10:16,419that we don’t learn from the Old Testament19600:10:16,419 –> 00:10:17,619about the story of Balaam.19700:10:17,679 –> 00:10:22,099It’s an extra detail that adds to filling out the picture.19800:10:22,099 –> 00:10:23,380Revelation 2, 14.19900:10:24,460 –> 00:10:27,900You have people there that’s in the church of Pergamon20000:10:27,900 –> 00:10:31,640who hold to the teaching of Balaam,20100:10:31,640 –> 00:10:36,640who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin.20200:10:39,020 –> 00:10:44,020Balaam taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin.20300:10:45,099 –> 00:10:46,020In other words,20400:10:46,039 –> 00:10:49,119Christ says, there was some point20500:10:49,119 –> 00:10:51,820at which Balaam evidently turned to Balak20600:10:51,820 –> 00:10:53,219and he said, it’s no use.20700:10:53,219 –> 00:10:56,299I’m sorry, you want to pay me this money,20800:10:56,299 –> 00:10:59,820but I can’t do what you’ve asked me to do.20900:10:59,820 –> 00:11:02,020What you’ve asked can’t be bought.21000:11:02,020 –> 00:11:03,539I cannot curse them.21100:11:03,539 –> 00:11:07,320I cannot turn God against His people.21200:11:09,099 –> 00:11:11,400But if you want to bring them into defeat,21300:11:11,400 –> 00:11:13,099which is your ultimate objective,21400:11:13,099 –> 00:11:15,340there is another way you could approach this.21500:11:16,380 –> 00:11:19,940You can’t turn God against His people,21600:11:19,940 –> 00:11:23,299but you could turn the people against God.21700:11:26,580 –> 00:11:29,080Balaam made a suggestion to Balak21800:11:29,080 –> 00:11:31,000as to how he might do this.21900:11:32,099 –> 00:11:33,820And you’ll read what happened back in Numbers22000:11:33,820 –> 00:11:36,460in Numbers chapter 25,22100:11:36,460 –> 00:11:38,979while Israel was staying in Shittim,22200:11:38,979 –> 00:11:42,780the men began to indulge in sexual immorality22300:11:42,780 –> 00:11:45,119with Moabite women,22400:11:45,119 –> 00:11:49,859who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods.22500:11:49,859 –> 00:11:52,500The people ate and bowed down before these gods.22600:11:52,500 –> 00:11:56,500So Israel joined in worshiping the Baals of Peor22700:11:56,500 –> 00:11:58,739and the Lord’s anger burned against them.22800:12:00,900 –> 00:12:04,700Balaam became the Judas of the Old Testament.22900:12:04,700 –> 00:12:08,380He sold out the people of God.23000:12:08,380 –> 00:12:11,059He betrayed the people of God.23100:12:11,059 –> 00:12:13,640And he died we read later as an enemy23200:12:13,640 –> 00:12:16,859of the Lord and of His people.23300:12:16,859 –> 00:12:18,219It’s a tragic story.23400:12:20,619 –> 00:12:22,539I expect he was paid well23500:12:23,380 –> 00:12:25,719for that critical piece of advice23600:12:25,719 –> 00:12:28,799as to how the people of God could be undermined23700:12:28,799 –> 00:12:30,460and their strength could be drawn.23800:12:33,059 –> 00:12:37,059But he took a plunge to disaster.23900:12:37,059 –> 00:12:38,559You’re listening to Open the Bible24000:12:38,559 –> 00:12:41,140with pastor Colin Smith and a message called24100:12:41,140 –> 00:12:43,020Live what you believe24200:12:43,020 –> 00:12:46,280it’s part of our series Deck Chairs on the Titanic24300:12:46,280 –> 00:12:48,179and if you ever missed one of the series24400:12:48,179 –> 00:12:50,200or if you want to go back and listen again24500:12:50,200 –> 00:12:52,580you can do that by coming to our website24600:12:52,580 –> 00:12:55,359openthebible.org.uk24700:12:55,359 –> 00:12:57,460or by following us as a podcast24800:12:57,460 –> 00:12:59,760and those are on all the main podcast sites24900:12:59,760 –> 00:13:01,719search for OpenTheBibleUK25000:13:01,719 –> 00:13:04,599or follow the link from our website25100:13:04,599 –> 00:13:05,700Back to the message now25200:13:05,700 –> 00:13:07,140we’re in the Book of Numbers25300:13:07,140 –> 00:13:08,380here’s Colin25400:13:08,580 –> 00:13:10,020Now the question we’re obviously facing25500:13:10,020 –> 00:13:13,320as we try to apply this story to ourselves is25600:13:13,320 –> 00:13:14,239how then25700:13:15,320 –> 00:13:20,320can we avoid Balaam’s plunge to disaster.25800:13:20,440 –> 00:13:23,080I want to draw three things from this story25900:13:23,080 –> 00:13:25,179that I think speak to us very powerfully26000:13:25,179 –> 00:13:26,840incisively26100:13:26,840 –> 00:13:27,820and personally.26200:13:29,000 –> 00:13:32,239First in relation to the matter of gifts26300:13:33,559 –> 00:13:36,539make sure that you cultivate character.26400:13:37,380 –> 00:13:42,380Now spiritual gifts, natural gifts, are wonderful things,26500:13:44,799 –> 00:13:49,799but gifts without character are useless26600:13:50,880 –> 00:13:55,880at best and dangerous at worst.26700:13:55,960 –> 00:13:58,440See Balaam was so gifted,26800:13:59,760 –> 00:14:02,799so gifted that his ministry was four hundred miles away.26900:14:03,340 –> 00:14:07,260and yet at the end of his life27000:14:07,260 –> 00:14:10,739the net contribution of this most gifted man,27100:14:10,739 –> 00:14:12,500spiritually gifted man,27200:14:12,500 –> 00:14:14,000to the advance of the kingdom of God27300:14:14,000 –> 00:14:16,020was a great big zero.27400:14:16,020 –> 00:14:19,140In fact the people of God27500:14:19,140 –> 00:14:21,880would have been better off without him.27600:14:21,880 –> 00:14:24,820The man whose ministry could have been27700:14:24,820 –> 00:14:26,820such a blessing to God’s people27800:14:26,820 –> 00:14:29,099became a burden to God’s people.27900:14:29,179 –> 00:14:32,539He was useless28000:14:32,539 –> 00:14:35,719despite being so wonderfully, wonderfully gifted.28100:14:38,500 –> 00:14:40,739And that can be an issue in the church today.28200:14:41,979 –> 00:14:44,719To have great gifts28300:14:44,719 –> 00:14:48,919but never to develop the character28400:14:48,919 –> 00:14:52,239that will give you the wisdom to use them well.28500:14:53,380 –> 00:14:56,260So instead of being a blessing to God’s people28600:14:56,260 –> 00:14:58,280such folks become a burden.28700:14:59,099 –> 00:15:03,239But the church would be better off without them.28800:15:05,299 –> 00:15:07,799Always remember just a pertinent phrase.28900:15:07,799 –> 00:15:09,659You know sometimes a phrase just strikes.29000:15:09,659 –> 00:15:11,979I was at seminary at the times many years ago29100:15:11,979 –> 00:15:15,500and the news came on of a well-known evangelist29200:15:15,500 –> 00:15:20,119to a national reputation who had committed immorality29300:15:20,119 –> 00:15:23,140as a great scandal and it was a tragedy for the church.29400:15:24,099 –> 00:15:26,580I remember one of my professors just saying this to me,29500:15:26,580 –> 00:15:28,200that will always be some men29600:15:30,080 –> 00:15:34,260whose gifts are more than their character29700:15:36,179 –> 00:15:38,460and when gifts outrank character,29800:15:40,299 –> 00:15:43,940the ship is ready for a plunge to disaster.29900:15:43,940 –> 00:15:46,539Now, this church, this congregation right now30000:15:47,979 –> 00:15:50,140is full of multi-gifted people.30100:15:50,140 –> 00:15:52,380This is a wonderful thing.30200:15:52,380 –> 00:15:57,380Fantastic and I’m reminded of what the apostle Paul said30300:15:58,140 –> 00:15:59,479when he wrote to the church at Corinth.30400:15:59,479 –> 00:16:01,659He said, I want to thank God30500:16:02,780 –> 00:16:05,859that among you there isn’t a single spiritual gift30600:16:05,859 –> 00:16:07,900that’s missing, they’re all there.30700:16:09,299 –> 00:16:11,020I think about this congregation30800:16:11,919 –> 00:16:15,940and it is a congregation of multi-talented,30900:16:15,940 –> 00:16:19,039mega-gifted people, it’s a wonderful thing.31000:16:21,059 –> 00:16:22,460But then I want to remind you31100:16:22,460 –> 00:16:24,380of what Paul said to that church.31200:16:24,380 –> 00:16:25,880You’ll know these words well.31300:16:28,299 –> 00:16:32,619If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels31400:16:33,979 –> 00:16:35,440but have not love,31500:16:36,960 –> 00:16:41,320I’m only a resounding gong and a clanging cymbal.31600:16:42,960 –> 00:16:45,979And if I have the gift of prophecy,31700:16:45,979 –> 00:16:48,239that’s what Balaam had, wonderful gift.31800:16:49,859 –> 00:16:52,799And even if I could fathom all mysteries,31900:16:52,799 –> 00:16:55,119could write books on theology.32000:16:55,880 –> 00:17:00,880If I have not love, I am nothing, nothing, nothing.32100:17:04,180 –> 00:17:07,660See, that was Balaam’s problems, multi-gifted man32200:17:07,660 –> 00:17:09,760but he doesn’t love God’s people.32300:17:11,000 –> 00:17:12,540He doesn’t love God.32400:17:14,119 –> 00:17:16,459Balaam is simply in love with himself32500:17:16,459 –> 00:17:18,760and his own gifts and his own ministry.32600:17:18,760 –> 00:17:22,160And that sets him up for a plunge to disaster.32700:17:22,619 –> 00:17:27,619Second, in regards to money, practice integrity.32800:17:28,040 –> 00:17:30,800There’s no doubt that the great stumbling block32900:17:30,800 –> 00:17:32,979in Balaam’s life was this whole issue of money.33000:17:32,979 –> 00:17:36,959The Bible identifies that twice for us, very clearly.33100:17:36,959 –> 00:17:38,739Jude, verse 11.33200:17:38,739 –> 00:17:40,319It speaks about false teachers33300:17:40,319 –> 00:17:42,839who rushed for profit into Balaam’s error.33400:17:42,839 –> 00:17:46,160Peter also tells us that Balaam loved33500:17:46,160 –> 00:17:48,239the wages of wickedness.33600:17:48,239 –> 00:17:51,859It was money that really pulled this gifted man off track,33700:17:52,479 –> 00:17:54,180no doubt about it.33800:17:54,180 –> 00:17:56,180And Jesus spoke very clearly about this.33900:17:56,180 –> 00:17:58,239No man can serve two masters,34000:17:58,239 –> 00:17:59,979you’ll either end up hating the one34100:17:59,979 –> 00:18:02,020and loving the other or you’ll be devoted to one34200:18:02,020 –> 00:18:03,619and he’ll despise the other.34300:18:03,619 –> 00:18:07,180You cannot serve both God and money.34400:18:08,119 –> 00:18:09,979In other words, you have to decide.34500:18:09,979 –> 00:18:11,439And the earlier in your career34600:18:11,439 –> 00:18:13,260you make this decision, the better.34700:18:14,540 –> 00:18:17,760Is the first thing in your life pleasing God34800:18:17,760 –> 00:18:18,979or making money?34900:18:18,979 –> 00:18:20,540You have to make that decision.35000:18:21,479 –> 00:18:23,380Because somewhere along the line,35100:18:23,380 –> 00:18:25,800God will put you in the position where like Balaam,35200:18:25,800 –> 00:18:27,839you have to choose between the two.35300:18:28,979 –> 00:18:31,239You don’t have to choose between the two all the time,35400:18:31,239 –> 00:18:33,979but sometime God will put you in the position35500:18:33,979 –> 00:18:35,939where you do have to choose between the two.35600:18:35,939 –> 00:18:38,500And that’s where who you are will be revealed.35700:18:41,000 –> 00:18:42,540God will put you in the position35800:18:42,540 –> 00:18:45,420where you have an opportunity of making money35900:18:45,420 –> 00:18:49,459if you find a way around to something36000:18:49,660 –> 00:18:51,219that you know he’s clearly said.36100:18:54,040 –> 00:18:55,520And Balaam’s problem is very simple.36200:18:55,520 –> 00:18:58,099He just couldn’t let go of the money.36300:18:59,699 –> 00:19:04,540And when he couldn’t make the prophecy to curse Israel,36400:19:04,540 –> 00:19:07,640he found another way of getting around the problem.36500:19:09,959 –> 00:19:13,579See, here’s a man who discovers that there’s big money36600:19:13,579 –> 00:19:15,000in a different message.36700:19:16,579 –> 00:19:18,180And everything within him36800:19:19,540 –> 00:19:21,099is drawn in that direction.36900:19:24,099 –> 00:19:25,040And at the end of the day,37000:19:25,040 –> 00:19:26,660God will not measure your life37100:19:26,660 –> 00:19:28,780by the amount of money you’ve accumulated.37200:19:30,540 –> 00:19:33,060He will measure your life by the faithfulness37300:19:34,020 –> 00:19:34,920that you’ve shown.37400:19:38,060 –> 00:19:40,540The last thing is this in relation to faith.37500:19:41,819 –> 00:19:43,180Live what you believe.37600:19:44,699 –> 00:19:45,839See, I find this extraordinary.37700:19:45,839 –> 00:19:47,219Think about it.37800:19:47,479 –> 00:19:50,660Balaam had extraordinary spiritual experiences.37900:19:50,660 –> 00:19:54,579Imagine hearing the voice of God, seeing God.38000:19:54,579 –> 00:19:57,099I mean there isn’t a greater privilege than this.38100:19:58,680 –> 00:20:01,040He spoke the Word of God,38200:20:02,719 –> 00:20:04,099but he did not live by it.38300:20:05,760 –> 00:20:08,160And that, of course, is the great challenge for us today.38400:20:08,160 –> 00:20:11,619You see, for many of us in this congregation,38500:20:11,619 –> 00:20:13,800we decided what we believe a long time ago.38600:20:13,800 –> 00:20:15,400The issues for us today are not38700:20:15,540 –> 00:20:17,339the decisions about what we believe.38800:20:18,280 –> 00:20:22,260For many of us, we can honestly say,38900:20:22,260 –> 00:20:24,939I believe in God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.39000:20:24,939 –> 00:20:27,339I believe that Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary.39100:20:27,339 –> 00:20:29,280He died on the cross for our sins.39200:20:29,280 –> 00:20:30,479He rose again on the third day.39300:20:30,479 –> 00:20:31,640He’s coming again in glory.39400:20:31,640 –> 00:20:33,199We’ve decided that we believe it.39500:20:33,199 –> 00:20:35,239The decisions about belief have been made,39600:20:35,239 –> 00:20:37,160but the decisions that are really going to count39700:20:37,160 –> 00:20:40,579for you this week are decisions about behavior.39800:20:40,780 –> 00:20:45,780And that was the problem for Balaam.39900:20:46,079 –> 00:20:49,880There was a great chasm between what he believed40000:20:49,880 –> 00:20:50,920and how he behaved.40100:20:50,920 –> 00:20:54,260His convictions were one thing, his conduct was another.40200:20:54,260 –> 00:20:57,060He spoke the Word of God, and he went out40300:20:57,060 –> 00:20:59,500and lived a life that was an utter contradiction.40400:21:02,040 –> 00:21:04,040That’s why he took a plunge to disaster.40500:21:05,319 –> 00:21:06,619That’s what James was talking about40600:21:06,619 –> 00:21:08,280when he said, you talk about your faith,40700:21:08,280 –> 00:21:09,400well that’s all very well.40800:21:09,420 –> 00:21:11,400The devil believes these things also,40900:21:11,400 –> 00:21:13,400and shudders when he thinks about them.41000:21:14,439 –> 00:21:19,359But faith without works is dead, it’s a sham.41100:21:21,079 –> 00:21:21,900It’s nothing.41200:21:24,020 –> 00:21:25,800That’s what Jesus was speaking about41300:21:25,800 –> 00:21:29,300when he said a man who hears my word,41400:21:29,300 –> 00:21:32,359and Balaam heard the Word of God directly,41500:21:32,359 –> 00:21:35,319but does not put it into practice.41600:21:35,319 –> 00:21:37,060It’s gonna be like someone who’s building41700:21:37,180 –> 00:21:39,459the house of their lives on sand,41800:21:39,459 –> 00:21:42,680and one day, one day though everyone41900:21:42,680 –> 00:21:44,979in the church thinks, oh, this is a marvelously gifted42000:21:44,979 –> 00:21:47,319and spiritual person, one day the storm will come,42100:21:47,319 –> 00:21:49,739and that house will collapse,42200:21:51,979 –> 00:21:53,339and so how am I to live?42300:21:55,160 –> 00:21:57,780If you hear my Word, says Jesus,42400:21:59,140 –> 00:22:01,979and you put it into practice,42500:22:03,819 –> 00:22:05,819then you will be like someone42600:22:05,819 –> 00:22:08,199who builds a house on a rock,42700:22:09,500 –> 00:22:11,520and storms will come,42800:22:13,500 –> 00:22:14,380but when they do,42900:22:15,699 –> 00:22:18,859that house will stand firm.43000:22:20,660 –> 00:22:22,479You’ve been listening to Open the Bible43100:22:22,479 –> 00:22:23,900with Pastor Colin Smith,43200:22:23,900 –> 00:22:26,719and a message called Live What You Believe,43300:22:26,719 –> 00:22:29,920a reminder from the story of Balaam in Numbers,43400:22:29,920 –> 00:22:32,380that even though you might have spiritual gifts,43500:22:32,380 –> 00:22:35,260it’s important that you have godly character43600:22:35,300 –> 00:22:36,619to go with them.43700:22:36,619 –> 00:22:38,219The message is part of our series,43800:22:38,219 –> 00:22:40,060Deck Chairs on the Titanic.43900:22:40,060 –> 00:22:42,060And if you ever miss one of the series,44000:22:42,060 –> 00:22:44,099come to our website and you can go back44100:22:44,099 –> 00:22:45,459and listen again.44200:22:45,459 –> 00:22:47,300Those are available anytime44300:22:47,300 –> 00:22:49,660after the broadcast has taken place,44400:22:49,660 –> 00:22:52,800and you’ll find it at openthebible.org.uk,44500:22:54,260 –> 00:22:56,000or look for us as a podcast,44600:22:56,000 –> 00:22:57,939those are on all the main podcast sites,44700:22:57,939 –> 00:23:01,060search for Open the Bible UK and subscribe44800:23:01,060 –> 00:23:03,219to receive regular reminders.44900:23:03,239 –> 00:23:06,160While you’re on the website or looking at podcasts,45000:23:06,160 –> 00:23:08,719why not check out Open the Bible Daily?45100:23:08,719 –> 00:23:10,439That’s a series of short two,45200:23:10,439 –> 00:23:12,739to three minute daily reflections45300:23:12,739 –> 00:23:14,540based on Pastor Collins teaching45400:23:14,540 –> 00:23:17,520and read in the UK by Sue MacLeish.45500:23:17,520 –> 00:23:19,339You know, Open the Bible is supported45600:23:19,339 –> 00:23:20,760entirely by our listeners.45700:23:20,760 –> 00:23:23,339And if that’s something you’ve been considering doing45800:23:23,339 –> 00:23:25,060but haven’t done up until now,45900:23:25,060 –> 00:23:27,020this month, if you’re able to support46000:23:27,020 –> 00:23:28,819Open the Bible financially46100:23:28,819 –> 00:23:31,619in the amount of five pounds per month or more,46200:23:31,619 –> 00:23:34,300or a one-off gift of 50 pounds or more,46300:23:34,300 –> 00:23:35,699we’d love to say thank you46400:23:35,699 –> 00:23:38,540by sending you a copy of Colin’s book,46500:23:38,540 –> 00:23:41,500Heaven How I Got Here, the Story of the Thief on the Cross46600:23:41,500 –> 00:23:45,380and also, the booklet, How Can I Be Sure of Heaven?46700:23:45,380 –> 00:23:49,140And a special Open the Bible pen and bookmark.46800:23:49,140 –> 00:23:50,660Colin, how will people be helped46900:23:50,660 –> 00:23:53,300by reading Heaven, How I Got Here?47000:23:53,300 –> 00:23:56,219It’s a small book, very easy to read47100:23:56,219 –> 00:23:58,619and it tells the story of the thief on the cross47200:23:58,619 –> 00:24:00,119in the first person.47300:24:00,160 –> 00:24:04,119And the mission of the book, the reason for writing it47400:24:04,119 –> 00:24:07,479is that this story really explains grace47500:24:07,479 –> 00:24:11,339better than any story that I know or could think of.47600:24:11,339 –> 00:24:13,500Many people have the idea47700:24:13,500 –> 00:24:15,959that if you’re going to get into heaven,47800:24:15,959 –> 00:24:18,040you’ll do that by living a good enough life47900:24:18,040 –> 00:24:20,400and obviously the thief on the cross didn’t do that48000:24:20,400 –> 00:24:24,640and he did get into heaven and he got there by God’s grace.48100:24:24,640 –> 00:24:29,239So for anyone who needs to grasp what the grace of God is,48200:24:29,239 –> 00:24:32,839this is a very simple story that explains that.48300:24:32,839 –> 00:24:35,260And so this is a book that you can read and enjoy48400:24:35,260 –> 00:24:37,640and I hope a book that you’ll think about passing on48500:24:37,640 –> 00:24:40,000to a friend who needs to discover God’s grace.48600:24:40,000 –> 00:24:42,260Well, This book, Heaven How I Got Here,48700:24:42,260 –> 00:24:44,560along with a booklet, How Can I Be Sure of Heaven,48800:24:44,560 –> 00:24:47,719and a special Open the Bible pen and bookmark48900:24:47,719 –> 00:24:49,780are our thank you gift49000:24:49,780 –> 00:24:51,760if you’re able to set up a new direct debit49100:24:51,760 –> 00:24:55,020in the amount of five pounds per month or more49200:24:55,020 –> 00:24:57,160or a one-off gift of 50 pounds or more49300:24:57,160 –> 00:24:58,880to the work of Open the Bible49400:24:59,079 –> 00:25:00,280in this month.49500:25:00,280 –> 00:25:01,780For full terms and conditions,49600:25:01,780 –> 00:25:04,040and to give online come to our website49700:25:04,040 –> 00:25:06,780openthebible.org.uk49800:25:06,959 –> 00:25:08,280For Open the Bible,49900:25:08,280 –> 00:25:09,500and Pastor Colin Smith,50000:25:09,500 –> 00:25:10,859I’m David Pick.50100:25:10,859 –> 00:25:12,239I’m glad you’re with us today50200:25:12,239 –> 00:25:15,160and I hope you’ll be able to join us again tomorrow.50300:25:19,760 –> 00:25:21,119There are five things50400:25:21,119 –> 00:25:24,839that can easily cause frustration in any group.50500:25:24,839 –> 00:25:26,180Find out what they are,50600:25:26,180 –> 00:25:28,319next time on Open the Bible.