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For those who are listening, God is speaking all the time. It isn’t always dramatic like an audible voice or even a dream or a vision. It might be a Bible passage that seems to come off the page or the still, small voice that speaks to our hearts. But sometimes God uses circumstances, like living parables, to teach us very valuable truths if we are willing to see them. This week, I found three such lessons involving shopping that spoke to me about how we should live our lives in these last days.

Cart Switch

This week, my husband and I went to the grocery store together. He had a small cart and spent quite some time in the produce section talking to a group of fire fighters who had come in. I was running around in other departments, getting items and putting them in the cart when we would happen to meet. When we were ready to check out, we were surprised to find squash, apples, and grapes at the bottom of the cart that neither of us had put inside, and we were missing the pack of dates and tub of buffalo chicken dip that we had actually put there.

It only took a second for me to realize that at some point, my husband had accidentally switched carts with someone else. The whole time, we were just blindly adding item on top of item without even realizing the difference. (And, either the other person didn’t notice or was too afraid to mention it because my husband is a big guy with a shaved head.)

Lesson #1: Don’t Be Deceived By Look-Alikes – Hide God’s Word in Your Heart

“And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.’”

Matthew 24:4-5

In these last days, there are many look-alikes to true Christianity. Some are easy to spot like the larger carts or the electric ones that nobody could mistake for the little cart we came in with. But some look very much like the real thing until you get up close and really look inside. That is why it is so important to pay attention and stay in the Word of God daily. The more you hide God’s Word in your heart, the more you will notice when things don’t match with it. Take everything you hear and read to the Word of God. Put on the full armor of God that starts with the belt of truth. Then pray fervently that God will keep you from deception.

Follow Closely

My kids are grown now, but when they were little, my son and daughter behaved very differently at the store. My son, Alan, would follow closely behind me, walking when I would walk and stopping when I would stop. He might look at something here or there, but he was acutely aware of my movements at all times. His highest priority was in staying with me so he didn’t get lost.

My daughter Olivia, on the other hand, was a whole other kind of shopper. Three years his junior, she would get distracted by shiny, interesting items along the way. Many times, I would look behind me, and she would be gone. I would then have to retrace my steps to find where I had lost her along the way. One time, I had the whole store of Kmart on lockdown. Security watched the doors while associates and I scoured the store for my three-year-old little girl. We found her under a clothes rack trying on shoes.

Lesson #2: Keep Your Focus and Stay Close to God

“You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.”

Deuteronomy 13:4 

Many times over the years, I have prayed to God to help me follow Him “like Alan in the grocery store.” We must keep that same heightened awareness, that same focus in following. No matter what things of this world might grab our attention in a moment, ultimately, our highest priority must be staying connected to God and His plan, His path, and His way. Yes, God will never leave us nor forsake us, but there is danger in wandering off. There is an old saying that goes, “The safest place to be is in the center of God’s will.” There is truth there, for sure. Now, more than ever, we must be alert to what God is doing and to stay close to Him.

Put the Cart Back

This weekend while I was contemplating the other lessons learned, I was wondering if it might be my blog topic for the week. I thought to myself that if I had more shopping analogy come up, I might just have myself an outline. Just a few short minutes later, I found a quote by a celebrity named Glenn Danzig about shopping carts. His theory was that the ultimate test for whether someone was a good or bad member of society was whether or not he/she put back the shopping cart after use. He reasoned that since it was the right thing to do but there was no real punishment for not doing it, good citizens did it, and bad citizens did not. And that was enough to determine the label.

Lesson #3: Always Do What Pleases God

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

Galatians 6:9

The last days are full of troubles, but we all have our parts to play for God. There are big picture items like our own personal callings and ministries. And, there are little detail items like being faithful in the things that please God. I thought of Matthew 23:23 when Jesus was talking to the scribes and Pharisees about tithing but ignoring the weightier items of the law like justice and mercy, “…you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.”

We can’t get so caught up in working for God that we are too tired to read the Bible or pray, too busy to check in on our elderly neighbors, or too distracted to notice a hurting co-worker. Doing the right thing all the time takes effort. Even when some of the things we know we should do don’t seem to have immediate benefits or even consequences for not doing them, we can’t get tired of doing things God’s way. God keeps very good records, and one day we want to hear Him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”

Shopping Lessons Learned

The Bible calls these last days “perilous times.” There are deceptions and distractions all around us, and it can be hard to maintain a solid Christian walk in the midst of them. But the cure for lies and deception is truth. We must be actively reading the Bible and checking everything we see and read against it. The solution to distraction is focus. We must stubbornly refuse to lose ourselves to the things of this world. And, the answer to weariness is keeping our eyes on the prize. We must always do what pleases God. Jesus is coming soon. Until that time, learning these three lessons will help us better navigate these last days, even in unchartered waters. 

Enjoy object lessons? Check out Spiritual Warfare: A Defeated Foe. In it, God uses a housefly to teach me about the way I should view the enemy. Or, try Message in the Moisturizer: We Can Choose Change. In that one, God shows me that we don’t have to stick with bad choices once they have been made. Please subscribe in the upper right corner (or at the bottom on a phone). Also, check out my YouTube Channel. There, I read my blogs out loud and have a playlist of hymns from my church. Far from boring, they are fast, sassy, and anointed. I hope you will be blessed listening!

Secular artist Tom Petty once sang, “The waiting is the hardest part.” Boy! Isn’t that the truth? It’s hard to wait for future solutions to immediate problems. But the Bible says we are to wait on the Lord even when it’s hard, and even when we don’t understand. His timing is not our own. The past couple of weeks, I have been experiencing some waiting. During that time, I learned the hard way that HOW we wait is just as important as the waiting itself. See, waiting on God is tied to our faith and trust (or lack) in Him. And, there IS a secret to waiting without regret.

My Waiting Story

I publish my blogs every Sunday after church, and each week I pray and ask God what He would have me to write. Sometimes the blogs are big projects with lots of research, so I will get those ideas the weekend before or by Monday or Tuesday. Sometimes, the message comes in parts, with a relevant verse or a title or a topic here or there that, like a puzzle, gets put together a piece at a time throughout the week until I have a workable outline. I just keep praying and praying until I understand (and then I pray the whole time I’m writing to be sure He is pleased with what comes out).

I have learned from experience that I just have to keep listening. It does no good for me to try to “figure it out.” In fact, one week, I was kind of straining to hear, really just trying to talk it out. That Wednesday at church, my pastor said, “You can’t hear God speaking until He actually starts to speak” or something similar. I knew it was for me, and I still laugh thinking about it. I can’t MAKE God talk to me. He does it in His time, and until then, I wait.

Last week, by that Friday, I still didn’t even have an idea. So, I started to get worried. I prayed off and on all day for my blog topic, even enlisting two of my best sister-friends in Christ to pray for me to hear. But, by Friday night when I still hadn’t heard anything, I was actually getting agitated. I knew that God had always come through for me before, but my Saturday was filled with other plans. If He didn’t hurry up, there was no way I would have time to write it and get it uploaded on schedule. Then the “what-ifs” started. “What if I did something to make Him angry?” “What if He doesn’t want me to blog anymore?” “Or What if I get the topic and I don’t have time to get it all done?”

God Came Through in His Time

Long story short, the topic popped right into my mind within just a few short paragraphs of opening my Bible for that night’s devotion. And that same night, two and a half hours after I started, I had a rough draft. All that worrying, first about not getting a topic at all and then about not having time to write was just ridiculous. God had the situation well under control. He is not in the business of hanging His people out to dry, and he wasn’t about to start with me. He also knew exactly what my schedule was like and how long it would take me to complete the project. There wasn’t a moment that was out of His control. Of course, after the fact, I felt terrible and repented for my lack of trust in Him.

Fast forward to this week. Again, I was at the end of the week with no topic. I had just learned the hard way not to question God and His timing, so I patiently waited. Friday night came and went…nothing. I refused to worry. I refused to be upset. Even when I was awake in the night, I prayed in faith that God would give me my topic in His time…and He did on Saturday morning.

We Wait Because He is Worth Waiting For 

“And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, ‘He has done all things well…’”

Mark 7:37a

The whole time I was waiting, there was never a moment when I thought to myself, “Well, I will just write something on my own.” God has given me enough wisdom to recognize that there is nothing special about me apart from Him. I don’t WANT my own way of doing things. I want only the best — and that’s Him. That goes for other areas of my life too. I pray desperately for His guidance in everything simply because He knows what’s best for me. Even when I think I know, chances are that I don’t. But He always does. How ever long it takes for Him to answer or move on my behalf, it is worth it, because if it’s from Him, it’s perfect.

Waiting is Active, Not Passive

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning— yes, more than those who watch for the morning.”

Psalm 130:5-6

Waiting on God isn’t passive, like waiting for a bus. You can’t just scroll on your phone. Instead, it involves praying and watching in faith, expecting Him to act. We know that He keeps His promises. We know that He is with us. It’s just a matter of time before we see His hand move for us. So, we can’t get frustrated or weary in well doing. We must remain confident that He has everything under control and will take care of us in the way that is best for our good and His glory. 

Psalm 27:13-14 says, “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!” Our hearts are strengthened after we see the fruit of our waiting in hope: when God is with us and works things out for us.

The Secret to Waiting on God

“Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed…”

Psalm 25:3a

In fact, that’s the secret to waiting well. We remind ourselves that God has never failed us yet. He is worthy of our faith and trust. We can look back at all the times when God took care of our needs, despite all of our worry. One practical way that I have found to do that is with keeping a journal. Every time I notice an interaction with God (an answered prayer, a supernatural blessing, a message of love), I write it down in my journal. Those few sentences here and there add up to a big blessing on days when I’m discouraged or sad. I just read through those journal entries, and I feel close to God again.

Worry, on the other hand, will never help any situation but is simply a symptom of lack of faith in God. We have to remind ourselves to behave in a way that, when we look back, we are pleased with ourselves and not ashamed. It helps to memorize and recite Isaiah 41:10. “Fear not, for I am with you. Be not dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” God is with us. We don’t have to be distressed because He calls us His own. He has promised to help us and use His power to get us through.

Waiting on God is a Blessing

“…Blessed are all those who wait for Him.”

Isaiah 30:18d

Someone once said in humor, “Dear God, please give me patience – right now!” It’s funny but painfully true. We need His help to have patience because it is a fruit of the Spirit. It’s something that we can only bear when we are abiding in Him. We do that by trusting in His character as a good and faithful God who keeps His promises even we don’t fully understand the situation. We actively wait in hope, and when the trial is over and we move from the valley to the mountain, we can look back at our experience without regret.

Enjoy articles about lessons I have learned? Check out When Obedience Is the Sacrifice in which God shows me that it is better to obey than to regret. Or, try God Answered the Prayer I Didn’t Pray. In that one, I learn the importance of leaning on God for strength. Please sign up to receive my blog in your email in-box. at the upper right of your screen (or at the bottom on a phone). Also, check out my YouTube Channel where I read the blogs out loud. I also have a playlist of hymns from my churchhave a playlist of hymns.

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” I still remember singing that song when I was little and trying with all my might to believe it. Words do hurt sometimes. They can tear you down until you feel like there’s nothing left. But, they can also make you feel comforted, lifted, enlightened, and loved. Words have power; they can help and harm. And, this week, I found out something new about words. The enemy can use them against us. Word curses are real. Time is short, and we must guard our hearts, minds, and even our mouths, in these last days.

Pride Goes Before Destruction

My story starts with a mistake I made last week at work. It was a careless touch of a button in creating one of my eleven progress grade reports for my classes at school. One little click led to a big headache for the associate principal in charge of getting all the grades done correctly and an embarrassed apology from me. Of course, I fixed things as quickly as possible and turned in my new report along with the 21 electronic grade change sheets that were required for the state to have documentation. I’ve been teaching at that school for almost thirteen years and have never made a mistake like that before, so everything was fine.

But just a few days later, I made another mistake. I was supposed to be available for a Zoom meeting for a student with special needs, but I forgot. I was trying to change my password from home, but it wasn’t working. So, I decided to take a drive up to the high school parking lot to sync my new password on the school’s Wi-Fi. As soon as I opened my laptop, I got the calendar notification that the meeting was in progress.

I hurried to get Zoom loaded and was trying to figure out what to say about being late. I couldn’t get in. The Wi-Fi was taking a minute to connect to that function. I sent a quick email from my phone to the assistant principal in charge of the meeting. I said that my Wi-Fi wasn’t working, but I was at the school trying to get into the meeting.

True Words But Hidden Intent 

Now, almost every single word of that sentence was true. The Wi-Fi wasn’t working at that moment, and I was at the school trying to get into the meeting. However, the word “but” made it sound as if my home internet wasn’t working SO I had driven to the school to try to get into the meeting. I didn’t confess to having forgotten the meeting. I guess I was still smarting about my previous mistake, so I just allowed the AP to believe that technology was the problem. At that moment, it actually occurred to me that I had spoken a word curse over myself, but I shrugged it off. I hadn’t lied. I just hadn’t told everything about the situation. People are selective all the time. If anything, I’m usually too honest and make people uncomfortable with too much information. 

I then forgot about the whole thing…until two days later, when my Wi-Fi quit working. Thirty-plus minutes with an online tech guy, a two-hour window with lots of time to think, and an in-person visit from AT&T later, and my Wi-Fi was back up and running. What had been the problem? The ground had shifted, disrupting the cable. Huh.

Repent, Rescind, and Renounce

“You are snared by the words of your mouth; you are taken by the words of your mouth.” 

Proverbs 6:2

As soon as the full weight of the situation hit me, of course I repented for my deceptive words. I also sent another (rather embarrassing) apology for missing the meeting to the AP and came clean about forgetting it. Finally, I broke the contract of my words. I came out of agreement with the curse I had spoken over myself in that situation. And then I started really thinking about what had happened. James 3:6a says, “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity…” James 3:8 says, “But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” Without me even realizing it, my words had opened the door for the enemy to attack.

Word Curses

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”

Proverbs 18:21

Words have power, especially for the children of God. The enemy has it out for us. His minions are watching for legal grounds to attack. Our words can give permission for the devil to take our spiritual rights. We can speak words over ourselves without even meaning to that can rob us of our comfort, peace, health, protection, and even life. Think about it. What binds us to Jesus? It’s faith, belief in His shed blood as propitiation for our sins. What else might BELIEF bind to us when we come into agreement with words that can cause harm?

Think about things people say all the time and the spiritual implications of them:

• “That drives me crazy!”
• “I’m so dumb!”
• “I always get sick every Christmas!”
• “I’m probably going to end up ______ just like my mother!”
• “I’m dead!” (A lot of teens say this meaning “I just died laughing”)

Proverbs 23:7a says, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…” When we speak negative words over ourselves, it can have consequences, both in our thought patterns and the ways we react in certain situations. Those words can also be accompanied by demonic spirits that can be allowed to harass us because instead of resisting them, we have received them.

Speak Life and Not Death

“There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise promotes health.”

Proverbs 12:18

Now think about the words we speak over others, especially as parents or as someone in authority over someone else. Even when the person isn’t around to hear those words, the enemy can take them and bind them to the person. That’s why the Bible talks about not gossiping or backbiting. But what if we took those same ideas and spoke life instead of death? Health instead of harm? 

Think about these common phrases and the alternative to them:

One day we will give an account for every idle word we have spoken. Matthew 12:37 says, “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” As Christians, we should be speaking blessings over ourselves and others. Stop and think before you speak negatively. If you slip, confess your mistake, repent, and take away the power with a blessing instead.

Search Your Heart and Go to God in Prayer

Lastly, think about the words that have been spoken over you by others. Did you have a parent, a teacher, or even a doctor say something negative to you that you took to heart? Do those words line up with the what Word of God says is true for His children?

For example, if someone called you stupid when you were young, does this line up with what the Word says about God giving wisdom to all who ask? Did a doctor say your illness could not be cured when the Bible says that by His stripes we are healed? (Now, God doesn’t always choose to heal, but believing in your heart that you will never be healed is the surest way NOT to receive healing.) Did you ever have a thought from the enemy that you weren’t good enough? The Bible says God’s grace is sufficient for you.

Maybe the words happened years and years ago, but you still think about them or allow them to guide your feelings, actions, and decisions. Maybe the enemy pounds them into your ears on a daily basis. Whatever the case, it’s time to submit to what God says about us and resist the devil’s lies. We must reject and break those word curses and replace them with blessing instead. There are articles online with step by step instructions on how to break word curses, but it is best to just go straight to God and allow Him to lead you through the process.

Start by asking Him to search your heart and bring to your mind any curses you might need to break that you have allowed to be spoken over you. Then follow His leading to repent, come out of agreement with curses, and speak blessings in their place. Don’t forget to forgive those who might have hurt you and ask God to bring to your mind anyone you might have unintentionally cursed so that you can replace those curses with blessings as well.

Guard Your Mouth

“Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles.”

Proverbs 21:23

Jesus is coming soon. The devil knows his time is short, and he is using all his manpower to hinder and harm the children of God. It is time to take the authority we have been given and use it to come out of agreement with word curses and instead speak blessings over ourselves and others.

If you like articles about spiritual warfare, try Spiritual Warfare: A Defeated Foe. In it, God uses a house fly to teach an object lesson about the enemy’s mind games. Or, try In Our Spiritual Battle, the Devi Has Cookies. That’s a blog about the spy system the enemy uses against Christians and the way to stay out of the enemy’s snares. Please subscribe to my blog via email in the top right corner. Also, consider visiting my YouTube Channel where I read the blogs out loud. I also have a playlist of hymns from my church’s talented 16 year old worship leader.

Balaam’s story is a cautionary tale. He was the prophet in the book of Numbers who ended up getting schooled by a talking donkey. To be honest, I’ve read the story a few times and never really appreciated just how bad this guy was. After all, he sought God and never spoke a single word that God did not tell him to speak. But on closer inspection, I see that his heart was not so much set on obeying God as it was set on getting around Him. He made a critical error that I have probably been guilty of myself on a few occasions, and maybe you have, too. It involves the 3 wills of God, and it taught me a lesson this week that I pray I will remember from now on.

Balaam the Prophet of God

The name Balaam means “foreigner.” He was a Mesopotamian Gentile prophet to the Ammonites, Moabites, and Midianites. He had a reputation as one who could bless and curse with results; he was kind of a big deal. This story takes place right at the end of the forty years the Israelites wandered the desert after Moses led them out of Egyptian captivity. The Israelites were starting to gather strength. Their numbers were concerning to the kings of the nations in this area.

In fact, as the children of Israel made their way through inhabited lands, they asked permission to pass through. The Moabite king, Balak, not only refused their request, but he conspired with the king of the Midianites against them. The plan was to send an envoy of princes to the prophet Balaam with a “diviner’s fee” to ask for help in cursing the Israelite people. For all his flaws, Balak wasn’t stupid. He knew that the battle was a spiritual one more than anything else. No amount of preparation, training, supplies, or tactics would be able to help if God was with his enemy. So, he sought to take Israel out on a spiritual level before he tried anything physical. 

Balaam’s Desire

Balaam, for his part, really wanted to help Balak. He enjoyed the prestige of being a man of respect among kings. More than that, though, he was all about the money that would go along with the job. When Balak’s princes showed up with the offer, Balaam eagerly invited them to stay even before seeking God with their request. Here was God’s reply:

“And God said to Balaam, ‘You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.’”

Numbers 22:12

That was a pretty solid no. But Balaam knew where his power came from. There was nothing else he could do but to send them away. Maybe there was something in his voice, though, that gave them hope that he would change his mind. A short while later, Balak gathered even more princes and even more money and tried again. 

Balaam’s First Mistake

Here’s where Balaam made his first grave error. Instead of sending them away immediately, he invited them to stay again and went to inquire of God a second time. This time, God told him he could go, but he would have to speak only the words He gave him. Balaam agreed and eagerly arose to go with the men. On the way, though, his donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the path and refused to move. Three times, Balaam hit the donkey for disobedience until she finally just lay down under him. 

Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth to speak. Numbers 22:30, ”So the donkey said to Balaam, ‘Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever disposed to do this to you?’” No, Balaam had to admit. She had been a pretty good donkey up to this point. Then God opened his eyes to see the Angel of the Lord in front of him with His sword drawn. The Angel, many believe a preincarnate Jesus, informed Balaam that his donkey had just saved his life. Balaam half-heartedly offered to turn back, but the Angel told him to continue with his plan but only to speak what he was told to speak.

Four Prophecies and Two Curses

Long story short, after sacrificing a total of 42 animals on three different high places (typically used for worship of other gods) in Moab, God spoke three times through Balaam, blessing Israel instead of cursing. After Balak had had enough of Balaam’s “help,” he tried to send him home empty handed. It was then that God gave one more Word through Balaam. He spoke of the birth of Jesus Christ and the coming destruction of neighboring nations, effectively cursing Moab in the process.

“I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; a Star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and batter the brow of Moab, and destroy all the sons of tumult.”

Numbers 24:17 

Balaam Didn’t Go Home

But the story didn’t stop there. See, Balaam still wanted the money. He wasn’t able to get anywhere doing it through his prophetic anointing, so he came up with another way to curse Israel without God’s help. He told the nearby Midianite women to seduce the men of Israel in order bring them into idolatry through worship of their pagan gods. We find this out later when Moses goes to war with the Midianites. Numbers 31:15-16, “ And Moses said to them: ‘Have you kept all the women alive? Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord.’

Balaam’s Death at Age 33

In the beginning, Balaam held fast to the idea that he could only do those things the Lord allowed. In the first Word given by God, he even made the statement that he wanted to remain a faithful prophet of God. He said, “Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my end be like his!” (Numbers 23:10b). But he didn’t stay faithful. His love of money pushed him to continue with the enemies of God’s people, even conspiring with them for the spiritual downfall of Israel.

When God took His revenge on the Midianites, Balaam was right there in the middle of it all. Numbers 31:8 said, “They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of those who were killed—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. Balaam the son of Beor they also killed with the sword.” Commentaries, including the Jewish Encyclopedia, say Balaam died without honor at the age of 33.

The 3 Wills of God & Balaam’s Error

Partially taken from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible, page 1066. These are the three ways that God expresses His will for people.

1. “The Will of God” – Law of God/The Word of God 

God shows us His will through the Bible. In Psalm 40:8, David says “I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart.” In Romans 2:17-18, the Apostle Paul said, “Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God, and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law.”

Balaam knew what it meant to be a prophet of God as per Deuteronomy 18:18. “I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.” Initially, he only spoke the words that God gave him to speak, but ultimately, he didn’t follow the spirit of Deuteronomy 13:4. “You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.” He might have been a gifted prophet, but Balaam’s heart was far from God.

2.  “The Perfect Will of God” – The Revealed Will 

God shows His will in His revelation of His goodness. In 1 Timothy 2:4, we learn that God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” And, in 2 Peter 3:9, Peter says it another way, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 

In Balaam’s case, God specifically revealed that His will was for Balaam to stay put (and stay pure) in Numbers 22:12. “You shall not go.” This was God’s will, and Balaam knew it. But Balaam didn’t stop there. He wanted to do what he wanted to do and thought, like a child, if he kept asking that God would change His mind. But God doesn’t change His mind. He simply changes His will. If we will not listen to His perfect will, He gives us over to His permissive will.

3. “The Permissive Will of God” — Often Contrary to the Perfect Will

God shows his will by allowing free will. Romans 1:28, “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers.” Also, sometimes, it is God’s will that Christians suffer as a test of sorts, like in 1 Peter 3:17. “For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.”

Balaam failed the test. He didn’t listen to God because he wanted the money. Even when he seemed to remain faithful on the surface, underneath, he was plotting ways to go around God to get what he wanted. His name became a lesson and a byword all throughout the Bible as God reminded people again and again of the “error of Balaam.” 

• Joshua 24:9-10: “Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose to make war against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you. But I would not listen to Balaam; therefore he continued to bless you. So I delivered you out of his hand.
• 2 Peter 2:15-16: “They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; ¹⁶ but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.”
• Jude 1:11: “Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.”
• Revelation 2:14: “But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.”

My Lesson This Week

This week, just as I was finishing Balaam’s story, I had my own situation arise that seemed oddly similar. I wanted to do something to help someone, but when I went to my husband with the idea, he told me that he didn’t want me to do it. He left it up to me in the end, but I knew what his feelings were on the matter, and it would not please him if I went against his wishes. Now, it’s God’s will in the Bible that a wife listen to her husband. 

In addition, I received a dream about the situation that was confirmed with another Bible passage that connected on the same day. The situation could cause spiritual harm if I did go through with what I had been planning to do. God’s perfect will in this situation was that I refrain from helping that person at this time. As I sat there pondering the whole thing, it occurred to me that NOTHING was more important to me than doing God’s perfect will. Nothing. God knows the future. He knows the consequences of actions far better than I ever could. If God didn’t want me to do something, I wouldn’t do it. I always want to stay in His perfect will. I rebuked the enemy’s condemnation and guilt for not helping the other person, and I renewed my resolve to always do my best to discern and follow what God truly wants in every situation.

Following God’s Will

“ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Jeremiah 29:11

Balaam’s error was is refusing to obey the perfect will of God. Even with his prophetic anointing and direct access to God Himself, he allowed rebellion and iniquity to be his downfall. He left the protection of God’s plan for material gain and died dishonorably among the enemies of God.

Our job is to learn the lesson of Balaam. God’s will is what is best for us. When God tells us “No,” we need NOT to ask again hoping for a different answer — because we just might get it. The Bible shows us the 3 wills of God, but it is up to us which one(s) we follow. When we step outside the law of God and outside His perfect will, the alternative can and will cause harm. Instead, we must hide God’s Word in our hearts, listen for God’s voice, and seek to obey Him no matter what.

Enjoy articles about obedience? Check out Chastisement And an Object Lesson About Iniquity. In it, God teaches me an important lesson about doing things God’s way. Or, try When Obedience Is the Sacrifice. In that one, I choose obedience even when it cost me to do it and learn is it is much less painful than regret. Please subscribe to my blog via email in the top right corner. Also, consider visiting my YouTube Channel where I read the blogs out loud. I also have a playlist of hymns from my church.

Judgement begins in the house of the Lord. This week, while the whole world was hunkered in houses wondering what will happen next with the coronavirus, God was taking just a moment to deal with some of His children. I, for example, was spanked but good. The worst part isn’t even that it was that for an issue that He has already addressed (I guess I’m a slow learner). The worst part is that it’s the exact problem that a big Bible character had too – and not one of the “wins in the end” ones either. When all was said and done this week, I think I finally did get the message. I also got a very disgusting object lesson about iniquity that should be a warning to us all. 

King Saul’s Partial Obedience

King Saul was Israel’s very first human king. Up to that time, God had been ruling His people through priests, prophets, and judges. But the people were unhappy with their current judge’s sons who were greedy and corrupt. They looked at the nations surrounding them who had kings and wanted to be like them. So, Saul was chosen by God to give the people what they wanted. God warned them that they wouldn’t like the reality, but they didn’t listen.

Speaking of not listening, this was Saul’s problem in a nutshell. He had a nasty habit of not exactly obeying God. Just after the Prophet Samuel  anointed him as king, God ordered Saul to completely destroy the Amalek people. In 1 Samuel 15:3, Samuel told him, “’Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’” So Saul did. Sort of. He destroyed every single person and thing of the Amalek – except the king and the best of the sheep and the oxen. When Samuel questioned him about his disobedience, Saul didn’t even get that he had done anything wrong.

1 Samuel 15:20-21: “And Saul said to Samuel, ‘But I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me…’” Okay, so far so good. “…and brought back Agag king of Amalek…” Here’s a problem. “I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.” Good.  ^“But the people took of the plunder, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.” Not good.

Saul didn’t understand the reason for God’s orders, so he obeyed the part of the order that made sense to him – and completely ignored the rest. This was my problem too. Amazingly enough, I also thought I was obeying what God had told me to do. I really did. But then God showed me that anything less than complete obedience is actually disobedience. It is error, or a turning away from the right path. It’s iniquity. (See Bible Study Tools.)

A Broken Stove and Unwanted Guests

Last May, we brought a brand new stove. Last week, it went on the fritz. Since it hadn’t even been a full year, I was sure that the warranty would cover whatever problem the flashing error “F1 EO” meant. Not so. Because the problem wasn’t a faulty part. The problem was an infestation of cockroaches that shorted out the electronic board. Gross! The cost to repair the stove was about the same price as a brand new one. My stove had been totaled.

I’m ashamed to say that my first reaction was anger…at God. “What happened to rebuking the devourer?” I exploded before I got ahold of myself. (Malachi 3:10-11: “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse…And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy…”) I thought being faithful with money was a protection against unnecessary loss. But for bugs to destroy an entire electrical board in less than nine months, that felt PERSONAL. Immediately in my spirit, the answer became crystal clear. WAS I being faithful? Sadly, I was not.

Doing Things My Way Instead of God’s Way

A year or so ago, God had impressed upon me that I was not to use my credit card. I was in the habit of charging expenses and then paying them off each month, but sometimes those charges could get very high without even a whole lot of effort on my part. So, I thought to myself: “Of course, I will still use my credit card to charge NECESSARY items that I would have to buy anyway. It only makes sense to get the free points to use toward gift cards. I will just charge them and then come right home and pay the bill immediately. That way, they aren’t on the card – because God doesn’t want me to have charges on the card – but I can still get my points. Win/win.” See what I did there?

But this month, somehow things had gotten away from me. The “necessary” charges became greater than the amount of money in my account. For two days, the balance sat on my credit card before payday. Even if that hadn’t been the case, though, the charging AT ALL was doing the exact opposite of what God had told me to do. Even if it didn’t make sense to me to forgo those free points, I should have completely obeyed God and stopped using my credit card. Period. I had pulled a Saul without even realizing it.

A Disgusting Spiritual Lesson

In dealing with the fallout from all of this, I believe God also used this situation to teach an important lesson about iniquity. A few months ago when we first saw the bugs, my husband had sprayed the kitchen. We also went through and put opened food in sealed containers and tried harder to keep the area free of crumbs that might invite them. This week when I realized that the few we actually saw were nothing to the mass it would require to be labeled an “infestation,” I went to work doing some deep cleaning in the kitchen. I emptied drawers and cabinets, and I was shocked to see the evidence of those masses underneath the items that were stored there. 

For months, we had gone about our lives oblivious to what was happening at night in our kitchen. It wasn’t until we decided to set things in order and looked deeper that we found the truth of the situation. This is a spiritual picture of the seemingly small issues that may be wrong with our spiritual walk with God. Times, for example, that we choose to do what “makes sense” to us instead of the exact directive given by God/the Bible. Times when we do what we want to do instead of what would please God.

Like vermin, maybe one might not seem like a “big deal,” but where there is one, there are usually more if you take the time to look closer. The Bible calls this the deceitfulness of sin in Hebrews 3:13 because it seems so harmless but can do so much damage to our ability to hear from and be close to God.

Time to Get Our Houses in Order

“And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”

Matthew 24:12

We are in the last days, the days of the great apostasy, and iniquity is dangerous. Some people use it as a synonym for sin, but to me it is that and so much more. Sin is black and white. The Bible says not to lie, so we don’t lie. But sometimes little white lies – not “REAL” lies but just little “variations of the truth” — are kind. That’s iniquity. The slope is slippery when we disobey God because our way seems easier, kinder, or even “better” for God Himself.

Partial obedience in any area is disobedience. We must guard ourselves so that it never has dominion, or control, over us and our actions (Psalm 119:133). We must make the decision now to set things right, to start looking deeply into our lives for evidence of problems. It is only then that we can begin to get our spiritual houses in order. 

Enjoy articles about warfare? Check out Spiritual Warfare: A Defeated Foe. In it, God uses a housefly to teach me about the way I should view the enemy. Or, try 4 Ways to Avoid Spiritual Deception. In that one, I learn important lessons from a time when I was deceived. Please subscribe to my blog via email in the top right corner and consider visiting my YouTube Channel where I read the blogs out loud. I also have a playlist of hymns from my church.