The Strength of Quietness Proverbs 17: 27,28

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                            (He that hath knowledge spareth his words; and a man of understanding
                          is of an excellent spirit)

                         (Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that

                         shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.)

                         Stand in awe of God.  (Psalms 4: 4, 38: 8, 119: 161)

                       

            1.          Quiet expression emphasizes the truth.

                         We certainly live today in a day of cheap talk, of verbal expression with

                         great confidence, great swelling words spoken of in 2 Peter 2: 18 and in 

                         Jude 16.

            2.          Quiet expression eliminates excesses, flattery and embellishment.

                         Proverbs 20: 19, 26: 28; Ecclesiastes 4: 6

            3.          Quiet expression chooses right words to communicate.

                         1 Thes 4: 11

            4.          Quiet expression speaks with a heart of understanding.

                         Isaiah 30: 15; 32: 17

            5.         Quiet expression is a protection against entanglement of speech.

                        The enemy delights in entanglement.            Psalms 35:20

                        Ecclesiastes 9: 17, 18

            6.          Quiet expression helps the heart.

                         Psalms 4: 4 …’  Psalms 131: 2

v.28      7.          Quiet expression protects where knowledge is immature.

The Enemy's Deception Numbers 23: 5-13

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v.4 1. Presupposes he may converse with and influence God.

(And God met Balaam: and he said unto Him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram.)

v.5 2. Remains unaware of the overruling power of God over his conduct.

(And the Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, Return to Balak, and 

                thus thou shalt speak.)

v.6 3. Expectations of ruling over God persist.

(And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and 

                all the princes of Moab.)

v.7 4. The enemy’s friends promote conduct which supports their evil intention.

(And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought 

                me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me 

               Jacob, and come, defy Israel.)

v.7 5. The enemy  attempts to deny and defy God; He comes against the people

                of God.

(Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.)

v.8 6. The enemy is forced to honor truth.

(How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? …)

v.13 7. The enemy doesn’t easily yield his place of deception.

(And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, 

                from whence thou mayest seeth them: thou shalt see but the utmost part 

                of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence.)

But, he will yield to the power of God.

A Walk in the Word of God 2 Peter 1: 4

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1. Pray.                       

2. Allow your needs to encourage your search of scripture for truth speaking to those needs.

Allow the much reading of scripture to speak to the needs of your life.

3. Ask for the Holy Spirit to guide you to truth in the Bible.

Psalms 119: 18

4. Study the passage, verse, Bible story …

Learn its context, its application, its teaching, its principles of truth, history, …

This may require the consulting of other Bible aides.

5. Ask the Lord if there is application and teaching to your life and need.

6. Respond as the Holy Spirit prompts.

If instruction is given there is truth to obey.

If correction is given there is change to follow.

If reproof is given, a halting to hear and a quickness to cease and a promptness to obey should follow.

If doctrine  is taught your foundation of truth will be built up and your life strengthened.

7. Study the passage(s) again carefully for Holy Spirit clarity, to be sure you are not misapplying the passage.

Be certain of what God is communicating to your spiritually.

Be sensitive to any other passage(s) God may add to your learning.

8. Believe and follow God's promptings.

Continue to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and remember God's declared truths.

We can partake even when a Bible is not in front of us.

9. Trust God's word to be a guide to your path.

Psalms 119: 81,89,103,105,107,114,125,130,133,140,160, 162

123-136- note the word; 137-144, 145-152, 154-

John 15: 7;            Romans 10 17;            Revelation 19: 13

10. Make praise a vital part of your walk in the word of God.

Psalms 119: 162,164,165,167,168,170,171,172,174, 175

Strong’s  Concordance:

Statutes- 2706- appointed bounds, decree, measure,

Testimonies- witness

Commandments= 4687- ordinance, enjoin, command

Law- 8451-            Pentateuch, books of law

Precepts- 6490- a mandate of God, a charge

Judgments- 4941- a verdict pronounced judicially; a sentence or formal decree; divine law; charge, determination,

Where God's Word Will Not Go Numbers 23: 4-12

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v. 4 1. To satisfy the enemy and his claims and intentions.

(And God met Balaam: and he said unto Him, I have prepared seven altars, 

                and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram.)

v.5 2. To contribute to the enemy’s gain.

(And the Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, Return to Balak, and

                thus thou shalt speak.)

v.7 3. To deceive or to turn God against His people.

(And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought 

                me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me 

                Jacob, and come, defy Israel.)

v.8 4. To oppose the covenant of God.

(How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy whom 

                the Lord hath not  defied?)

v.9 5. Where God is concealed or hidden.

(For from the top of the rocks I see Him, and from the hills I behold Him; )

v.10, 6. Where there is an impairment on God’s blessing of those He chooses to bless.

    11 (Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of 

                Israel?)

(And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to 

                curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.)

v.12 7. Where God will not fulfill His promises.

(And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the 

                Lord hath put in my mouth?)  24: 5-9

Ministering to Children Matthew 18: 2-6

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V 2 1) Learn from your children

(and Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,)·

Simplicity of obedience

V 3 2) Keep your principles of faith simple

(Become as little children )

v3 3) Be kingdom conscious

(ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.)

For yourself and your children.

V 4 4) Be of humble heart

(humble himself as this little child)

Humility does not weaken authority, it only reveals its strength.

V 5 5) Love children as Jesus loves them.

(whosoever shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.)

Encourages patience

The issue is not the might of man but the might man is trusting in.

V 5,6 6) Cooperate with God's will in a child's life.

(receive one … offend one)

Not first cooperating with the child's will; his ways are naturally foolish

V 6 7) Approach your ministry to children with dedicated respect balanced with caution regarding neglect of misguiding their faith.

(whosoever shall offend one of these little ones who believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depths of the sea)

What a responsibility. What a need to depend upon God.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2018&version=KJV

A Word From the Lord Numbers 23: 4-10

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v.4 1. God is not silent with the enemy.

(And God met Balaam: and he)

v.5 2. God can easily rule over the enemy, dictating his path.

(And the Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, Return to Balak, 

                and thus thou shalt speak.)

         

            

v.5 3. God’s word is a governing word of authority, speaking to the need of His

people, often refuting the enemy’s tactic.

v.5 4. The word of God will not lend itself to the will of man.

(How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how …)

v.8,9 5. The word of God is true to God’s desire and purpose.

(…lo, the people shall dwell alone and shall not be reckoned among the nations.)

v.9 6. Wherever God’s word is declared from, it is the same. In it we see Him.

(for from the top of the rocks I see Him, and from the hills I behold Him, …)

v.10 7. The word God speaks contains vision, inspiration, control, promise, and

evidence of His authority over all.

(Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of 

Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like 

his!)

God in Control Exodus 14: 20-28

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v.19,            1.            God is between His people and the enemy.

   20                           (And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel,
                                  removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went 
                                  from before their face, and stood behind them:)  

                                  (v.20- And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp
                                  of Israel; and it was)

v.20            2.            The enemy cannot get near God’s people unless God allows it.

                                 (and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night
                                 to these, so that the one came not near the other all the night.)

v.20            3.            The enemy cannot stay God’s hand.

                                 (it was a cloud and darkness to them,)

v.22            4.            God gives sufficient time and protection for His will to be brought to
                                 pass.

                                 (And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the
                                 dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right
                                 hand, and on their left.)

v.24            5.            The enemy is always in full view of the Lord. God sees by
                                 righteousness.

                                 (And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the Lord looked
                                 unto host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the 
                                 cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians.)

v.27,            6.           The doom of the enemy lies in God’s hand.

  28                            (And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, …)

v.28            7.            When God’s wrath falls, the enemy is fallen.

                                 (…there remained not so much as one of them.)

Preparation Before the Enemy Numbers 23: 1-3

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v.1            1.            The enemy is an imitator of God’s way, but does not know God or His way.

                        (And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here

                         seven oxen and seven rams.)           

                        Seven, the perfect number.

                        Sacrifices, God’s way, if done correctly.

                        God is the source of perfection; He is the believer’s perfection in trust and

                        faithfulness.

                        A true believer will acknowledge God as His source, following God’s true way.

v.2            2.            Corroboration between enemy servants does not make the plan of the

                        enemy any more effective.

                        (And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam)

                        The enemy’s precision adds nothing of spiritual value.

v.2            3.            Increasing the frequency of the offerings does not add spiritual 

                        significance when the offering is not acceptable to God.

                        (And Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.)

                        God looks for the sacrifice of obedience and surrender from His child.

v.3            4.            The enemy has no certainty of truth to follow, only error of estimation.

                        (And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go:

                        peradventure the Lord will come to meet me: and whatsoever)

                        The believer has truth as his guide.

v.3            5.            The enemy is attempting to use God.

                        (peradventure …)

v.3            6.            The enemy knows he is bound by the truth of scripture.

                        (and whatsoever he sheweth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high

                        place.)

            7.                 God is at work protecting His own, when they have no awareness of His 

                       working through human instruments, defending and guarding the opportunities 

                       of truth for His people.

                        Balak’s involvement is no testimony to Balak but rather to God’s sovereign

                        authority.

God's Purpose in Trial Psalms 66: 10

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   (For thou, O God, hast proved us:  thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.)

            1.            God is affirming our faith in Him.

            2.            God is building us up, not tearing us down.

            3.            God is increasing our strength.

                           We will need it in the future.

            4.            God is perfecting His vessel.

            5.            God is increasing my dependency upon Him.

            6.            God is showing me ways of Himself I would not otherwise know.

            7.            God is heightening my joy.