Revelation 2:12-17 Letter to Pergamum and You

Revelation 2:12-17 NIV
The letter to the church in Pergamum promises that to the one who is victorious, God will give some of the hidden manna and a white stone with a new name written on it. What this means, I, honestly, cannot tell you for sure.

What I know is that God gave the Israelites manna to eat when they were wandering in the wilderness hungry. The manna would be found and gathered in the morning and then was made into a cake-like bread for the nourishment of their bodies.

Jesus is the bread of life. He is our spiritual nourishment. As, we wander through the wilderness, God has given us this spiritual nourishment that we might not only survive through the world's trials and temptations; but, thrive in His Holy Kingdom for all eternity.

This white stone with a new name that is promised is a puzzle. I can tell you that Jesus is the stone which the builders rejected. (Acts 4:10-12) is the "rock of our salvation" (Psalm 18:2) and "that at the name of  Jesus every knee will bow." (Philippians 2:10-11)

Do not seek to please the world; rather, seek to do what will please God. Balaam was willing to give in to the enticements of Balak to curse Israel. But, God intervened for His people. He will intervene. He will feed all of His children with the bread of life.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Open Our Ears To Hear - Listen!

Numbers 22 - 24

Now here's a familiar story to many Sunday School children.  The story of Balaam and the talking donkey... But, there is more to the story.  I'm asking you to read all 3 chapters today so that you can get the more of the story.

First off, Balaam does not appear to be an Israelite, one of God's chosen people.  Otherwise, wouldn't he be with the rest of the crew wandering around in the wilderness?  Instead, he's off to do the bidding of Israel's enemy.  Balaam is a diviner of sorts.  To put it plainly:  Balaam is a false prophet.  But, even this false prophet knows that when the LORD speaks to him, he'd better listen.  Instead of cursing the Israelites as Balak has commanded him, Balaam blesses them as the LORD commanded him to.

Balaam, the gentile listens - at least he attempts to hear.  That doesn't necessarily mean he worships God.  Doesn't even mean that he expected to hear the LORD Himself talk to him.  He may have been expecting another voice.  Scripture doesn't say - purely conjecture on my part.  But, when God does speak, he has enough good sense to do as he is told.  Course, even though his ears may be open, his eyes are shut to the angel of the LORD.  The donkey can see the angel, but Balaam cannot - at least not until the LORD opens his eyes. 

Open our eyes Lord that we may see.  How many of us go around and never see.  Our youth at Zion are doing a play during Advent based on the story of the Christmas Guest, a poem written by Helen Steiner Rice, which was actually based on the short-story "Where Love Is, God Is" written (retold) by Leo Tolstoy.  It's the story of a man who is expecting the LORD to come and visit him.  It turns out that he gets three visitors in need, whom he helps.  At the end of the day, the man is still waiting for the LORD to visit only to find out that the LORD had already been there in the three visitors he has helped.  His eyes could not see the LORD while they were present with him.  But, God opened his eyes after he had helped them.  "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in..." (Matt 25:35 NIV) 

Open our ears Lord, that we may hear.  When was the last time that you were actually still enough, quiet enough, to hear the voice of the LORD, if He chose to speak to you?  I think that part of our noise pollution problem comes from the fact that we're afraid that if left alone in sheer silence (1 Kings 19:11-13) we might hear actually hear what the LORD is trying to say to us.   Do we fear that we might hear and then, like Balaam, be compelled to do as we're directed - because it is God asking?  Would you really tell God no?  It's much easier, I think to avoid hearing God's will by cranking up the television or the music.  It is better to be blind and deaf - then we don't have to do anything.  We won't have to acknowledge His presence in our lives or in the lives of others.  We won't have to acknowledge His will for us.  Do we hope the sound of the television and our choice (or not so choice) music will drown out the sound of God's voice that might be heard as a whisper if there were silence?

I wish that more often the whole story of Balaam would be told to our children.  Balaam, who was not one of God's chosen people, when confronted by God - even Balaam had enough sense to listen.

Open our eyes, our ears, and our hearts Lord so that we might see and hear and know you.