Evil Never Rests

In the book of Numbers we see the people of God (Israel) approaching the Promised Land. They had just finished defeating the Canaanites, and the Amorites, and were approaching the land of Moab. 

Balak, who was the king of Moab, asks the prophet Balaam to curse the approaching people of Israel. This strategy failed. So Balak came up with a new plan. This new plan involved the cooperation of his prophet Balasm, and the key was seducing the men of Israel with the women of Moab, as then feeding them food which had been dedicated to their idols. The people of Israel fell for this scheme and the result was that God punished Israel by sending a deadly plague.

We can see from this story that the plans of evil didn't stop when the first scheme didn't work. They merely shifted their strategy. The second plan was simple, corrupt the daily choices of what God's people ate and seduce the men with the beautiful women of Moab. 

Within days God's people went from being blessed to being enemies of God. From being protected to dying without warning. From victory to despair.

Victim of the Blues

 

Listening to the radio

With his head hung low

He don't know what to do

Putting on her make-up

The girl she's not giving up

She's got a lot to do

The boy he hurts deep inside

Pain he just can't hide

He can't believe they're through

All I Need

I've got so many questions

Not sure, I want the answers

Have you ever not really known? 

And you answer in a whisper

Giving hope in the land of death

I try so hard to listen

Waiting with a anxious heart

Lord, please calm my soul

Let your Spirit reign in me

Let your Spirit reign in me

So please  . . .

Catch me when I fall

Hear me when I call

Revive the joy in me

Lord, you're all I need

Hold me when I weep

Protect me when I sleep

Give me eyes to see

That Lord, you're all I need

When life finds me on my knees

Your promises are all I can take

Trying to remember, struggling to remain

I know I’m never alone,

I will never be alone . . .

Without your love, to give me strength

My life would have taken a different course

Lord, I give you all the praise

For everything you’ve done in my life

For how you’re working in my life

So please  . . .

Repeat Chorus

Lyrics by Drew Wade and Byron Lee

Job and Eliphaz

In the 22nd chapter of Job, Job's friend Eliphaz was trying to diagnose why Job had been cursed by God (see the story of Job for all of the painful details). Like a lot of God's people today Eliphaz equated God's favor with earthly blessings. See for yourself . . . "If you return to the Almighty you will be built up; if you remove injustice far from your tents . . . then the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver."  (Job 22:23-25)

This advice didn't make God happy, "I am angry with you [Eliphaz] and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me." (Job 42:7) - It's a dangerous thing to speak untruths about the King of Kings. We can see at the end of the book of Job that God only forgave Job's friends after Job prayed for them.