6Now come and put a curse on ...

6Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed."

7The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination. When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.

- P73

8"Spend the night here," Balaam said to them, "and I will report back to you with the answer the Lord gives me." So the Moabite officials stayed with him.

9God came to Balaam and asked, "Who are these men with you?"

10Balaam said to God, "Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message:

11‘A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.’"

12But God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed."

13The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak’s officials, "Go back to your own country, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you."

14So the Moabite officials returned to Balak and said, "Balaam refused to come with us."

- P73

The fear of the Israelites has spread throughout the land. The Moabite king readies himself for impending invasion. However, instead of readying his army, he hires out a diviner who would curse the Israelites. Little does the Moabite king know whose people he is messing with, whose plans he is trying to tamper with. - P74

If this were a movie, it would probably show a powerful king leveraging the curse of a powerful diviner, and we would fear for his would-be victims. However, the reality is that there is only one Almighty, and He is the Lord. And what the Lord has planned shall come to fruition. - P74

No curse stands a chance against Him. Christian, the same God is for you today. What do you have to fear? - P74

Moab sends an envoy of elders to try and buy the curses of Balaam. But an interesting turn of events unfolds. Even Balaam the diviner understands who holds true authority. Balaam, too, answers to God. - P74

This passage might confuse us into thinking that Balaam is a prophet of God. However, we must remember that even Satan understood that he could do nothing without God’s permission, as seen in the book of Job. - P74

The Bible is clear when it comes to power: whoever seems to hold it, there is only one to whom it all belongs. - P74

We are one step ahead of Moab since we know who holds the real power, but now we face the same question: will we obey the one to whom power belongs? - P74

"If God is not sovereign, then God is not God."- R. C. Sproul. - P74

Father, You alone are the powerful one. You alone are the sovereign King. Forgive me for the times I did not trust You and tried to find shelter in other places. - P75

Help me to see You for who You are and strengthen my faith. In Jesus’ name, amen. - P75

[오늘의 한문장] 하나님의 시선

거룩한 습관을 행할 때, 그것을 의식하지 않는 상태가 될 때까지 훈련해야 합니다. 굳이 우리가 의식하지 않아도 자연스럽게 행하는습관이 될 때, 우리는 더 이상 습관을 예배하지 않을 것입니다. 하나님과 올바른관계 속으로 들어가게 될 것입니다.
한줄노트 경건한 습관의 본래 목적인 하나님과의 깊은 교제 속에 있을 때, 습관을 숭배하지 않게 됩니다. - P156

정해진 시간에 기도하거나 성경을 읽는 습관도 우상이 될 수 있습니다. "경건 습관의 본래 목적인 하나님과의 교제 대신에 서서히 습관 자체를 예배하기 시작하면서 결국 습관이 우상이 됩니다.  - P156

하나님과 함께 있는 것을 방해하는 모든 것은 우상숭배가 됩니다.  - P156

한줄노트 거룩한 습관 때문에 하나님의 마음을 보지 못한다면, 그 습관은 한날 우상에 불과합니다. - P156

Acts of the Apostles 24:16 NLT
[16] Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people.

- P157

양심이란?
챔버스는 ‘하나님이 원하시는 것‘을 알면서도 지체하지 않도록민감한 양심을 계발하라고 말합니다. "양심은 내가 아는 최상의 것에 마음의 초점을 두는 기능으로서, 사람마다 양심은 다르게 나타날 수 있습니다. 또한 양심은 영혼의 눈으로서 하나님을 향하거나 스스로 최상이라고 간주하는 것을 향합니다."  - P157

우리가 흔히 하는 ‘양심적이다‘라는 말은 우리 영혼의 눈이 하나님을 향한채로 사는 것을 의미합니다. 이와 같은 영혼의 최고 상태에서 ‘양심‘은 우리에게완전한 하나님의 법이 무엇인지를 소개합니다. 또한 우리가 무엇을 해야 할지 지시합니다. 문제는 ‘우리가 과연 양심의 지시에 순종할 것인가‘입니다.  - P157

사도 바울은 양심에 대해 이렇게 권면합니다. "믿음과 선한 양심을 가지십시오. 어떤 사람들은 선한 양심을 버리고, 그 신앙생활에 파선을 당하였습니다. "(딤전 1:19. 새번역)
한줄노트 그리스도인은 세상의 기준보다 하나님 앞에서 훨씬 더 민감한 양심을 소유한 사람들입니다. - P157

양심을 어기면
"양심을 어기지 않고 잘 지내려면 나의 양심이 예민할 수있도록 노력해야 합니다." 우리 영이 예민한 상태에서 양심은 예수 그리스도와‘일치된 상태를 유지합니다. 이때 우리가 양심을 따라 살면 하나님의 생각과 어긋나지 않습니다. ‘일치된 상태‘에서 우리 영은 어떤 상황에서도 새롭습니다. 이때 ‘새롭다‘는 말은 늘 하나님의 인도하심에 신선하게 대응한다는 뜻입니다.  - P157

우리가 성령의 세미한 속삭임을 들을 준비가 되어 있다면, 성령님은 언제나 작고사소한 부분까지 우리를 일깨우십니다. 모든 것을 내려놓고 홀로 주님 앞에 마주설 때, 주님은 아주 작은 음성으로 우리의 마음을 두드리며 말씀하십니다.  - P157

"우리의 양심을 예민하게 하는 것은 내면 세계를 언제나 하나님께 열어두는 끊임없는습관입니다. 하나님께서 예민한 양심을 통해 말씀하실 때는 ‘시비‘를 따지면 안됩니다. 양심의 소리에 불순종해 양심에 거리끼는 일을 하는 순간, 하나님과의
‘내적 교통‘에 문제가 발생합니다.  - P157

그러나 양심에 거리끼는 것은 무엇이든지 내려놓고, 우리의 내적 비전이 깨끗하게 유지될 수 있도록 마음을 지켜야 합니다.
이것이 선한 양심을 지키는 습관입니다.
한줄노트 양심을 지키는 것은 신앙을 지키고 나를 지키는 일이며, 보이지 않지만 주어진 비전을 이루는 힘입니다. - P157

자연적인 사랑이든 영적 사랑이든 하나님으로부터 공급받...

자연적인 사랑이든 영적 사랑이든 하나님으로부터 공급받지 않으면 그 사랑은 흘러가지 않습니다. 하나님께로부터 오는 사랑이 훈련에 의해 유지될 때, 비로소 우리 안에서 사랑이 가능합니다. 놀라운 사실은 사랑하기 어려운 사람일수록 우리 안에 하나님의 거룩한사랑이 유지될 수 있게 도움을 준다는 것입니다. - P155

"나를 향한 하나님의 사랑은 한이 없습니다. 따라서를 향하신 하나님의 사랑을 근거로 다른 사람을 사랑해야 합니다."  - P155

 "성령께서는 내가 사랑스러워서 나를 사랑하는 것이 아니라 그것이 그분의속성이기 때문에 나를 사랑하심을 알려주십니다." 우리의 능력으로는 발끝으로서도 도저히 그 사랑에 닿을 수 없습니다. 그런데 하나님께서는 우리가 사랑할수 없는 사람을 사랑할 수 있도록 우리에게 오십니다.  - P155

하나님은 지금까지 많은사람을 사랑하려고 애쓰고 노력했지만 지친 우리에게 오셔서 이렇게 말씀하십니다. "내가 너희를 사랑한 것과 같은 사랑으로 다른 사람에게 보이라"(요 1512).

한줄노트 쉽지 않은 ‘그 사랑‘도 성령께서 우리에게 부어주시면 가능합니다. 우리에게는 ‘그 사랑‘을실천하기 위한 훈련이 필요합니다. - P155

습관을 숭배한다면
주의를 기울이지 않는다면 ‘좋은 습관‘이 우상이 될 수도 있습니다. 우리는 작은 습관이 우상이 되는 것을 늘 경계해야 합니다. 정해진시간에 기도하거나 성경을 읽는 습관도 우상이 될 수 있습니다. "경건 습관의 본래 목적인 하나님과의 교제 대신에 서서히 습관 자체를 예배하기 시작하면서 결국 습관이 우상이 됩니다. 이때 하늘 아버지께서 얼마나 분노하실지 주의하십시오.  - P156

‘하나님, 지금은 기도하고 있으니까 주님의 말씀에 순종할 수 없어요. 이 시간은 하나님을 위해 정한 시간이랍니다." 이렇게 말할 때 우리는 경건 습관을 행하고 있지만 하나님과 함께 있는 것은 아닙니다. 우리의 습관과 함께 있는 것입니다. 하나님과 함께 있는 것을 방해하는 모든 것은 우상숭배가 됩니다.  - P156

거룩한 습관이 정작 하나님이 원하시는 일을 하는 데 방해가 될 수도있습니다. 선한 사마리아인의 이야기에서 제사장과 레위인들이 하나님의 마음을외면하고 강도 만난 자의 이웃이 되지 않은 이유가 바로 거룩한 습관 때문은 아닐까요?
- P156

한줄노트 거룩한 습관 때문에 하나님의 마음을 보지 못한다면, 그 습관은 한낱 우상에 불과합니다. - P156

예수님의 삶은 늘 우리에게 가장 좋은 모범입니다. 예수님은 어디에서나 하나님 아버지와 하나가 되어 평안했습니다. 하나님과 평안한 관계 속에서 하는 행동은 아무 문제가 없습니다. 만일 평안하지 않다면, 하나님을 우리 안에 주인으로 모셔야 합니다. - P156

34The Lord said to Moses, ˝Do...

34The Lord said to Moses, "Do not be afraid of him, for I have delivered him into your hands, along with his whole army and his land. Do to him what you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon."

35So they struck him down, together with his sons and his whole army, leaving them no survivors. And they took possession of his land.

- P69

One thing is clear from this narrative: Israel was not looking for a fightwhen they approached Amorite territory. However, the Lord their God hadsomething else in mind. Although Israel had wandered in the wilderness forforty years, these were not meaningless years.  - P70

It was in the wilderness thatthe Lord taught His son, Israel, to trust Him, and the Lord raised from thisnew generation an army of fighting men. This was all necessary for Israelto enter the promised land. This testifies to the incredible wisdom of God.
- P70

The difficulties His people encounter, and even their own failures, cannotthwart His plans. His sovereignty reaches further than our frailties. Knowing this about our God, we as His children can rest assured in His promisethat all things indeed work for the good of those who love Him, those whohave been called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28). - P70

Dear Jesus, thank you for being on our side in our battle against sin.  - P71

Remindus that You are with us and we do not need to be afraid. Show us how toencourage each other. In Your name, amen. - P71

Israel camps in the plains of Moab. King Balak, fearing their strength, sendsmessengers to Balaam the diviner, asking him to curse Israel. God comes toBalaam and forbids him to go with the messengers.  - P73

Despite Balak‘s repeatedoffers of reward, Balaam refuses to go because God has declared the Israelitesblessed. - P73

Fear and manipulation have been the go-to fraudulent formula from thebeginning. This is the basic tactic which Satan formulated against Adamand Eve. Satan impersonated God, acting as if he had Adam and Eve‘s bestinterest in mind, and he instilled in them the fear of missing out. We allknow the unfortunate end to this story.
- P75

The promises of God, however, are always characterized by securityand peace, for at the heart of God‘s promises is God Himself. Our soulsfind shelter in the fortress of His sovereignty, and we can declare with allthe saints, "Come what may, God is for me, who can be against me?" (SeeRom. 8:31). - P75

Not much has changed since then. The sinful world in rebellion againstGod is never satisfied with being in rebellion alone; it continues to enticemany with false promises of their best interest. But do not be fooled: alife that banks on the promises of the world is always marked by fear andanxiety.  - P75

10The Israelites moved on and...

10The Israelites moved on and camped at Oboth.

11Then they set out from Oboth and camped in Iye Abarim, in the wilderness that faces Moab toward the sunrise.

12From there they moved on and camped in the Zered Valley.

13They set out from there and camped alongside the Arnon, which is in the wilderness extending into Amorite territory. The Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.

- P62

Today’s passage mentions stages of Israel’s journey that Moses will elaborate on in the book of Deuteronomy, as he looks back on how God has led them. Here, only the geographical regions are highlighted. What are we to make of this account? - P64

We have learned from earlier chapters that the Israelites always set out or settled down at their God’s orders. And because God is good, how He leads is people is always good. That said, we do not always see the goodness of God’s leading in the moment; this realization often comes as we look back on seasons past. - P64

And as we look back, we begin to notice the necessity of each season. We begin to notice that God had a reason for leading us there. - P64

A special occasion is highlighted here. It was so special that it was markedwith a song of gratitude by Israel. At Beer, water was divinely providedfor the people. Water, which symbolizes nothing short of life for a peopletraveling in the desert, was given to them by their Shepherd. This is whoour God is. He knows our needs as we travel through the seasons He leadsus into. And where He leads, He will also provide.  - P64

We need only to digwells when He tells us to, and to receive when He gives. And after havingdrunk of His gracious provision, our appropriate response should alwaysbe heartfelt worship and thanksgiving. - P64

Father, it is so easy for us to forget that You are our Father. You do not give as an earthly father would, for Your goodness transcends any human goodness. - P64

Help me to trust in Your goodness, and to look to You for my every need. In Jesus’ name, amen. - P64

Israel requests passage through the land of the Amorites, offering peacefulterms. King Sihon refuses, and a battle ensues. Israel defeats Sihon, captureshis cities and occupies the land. They then move on to Bashan, where KingOg challenges them. Israel defeats Og, taking his land as well. - P69

Sitting between China and Russia, Mongolia has only experienced independence from Chinafor less than a hundred years. Since independence, the number of local believers has also beenslowly growing.  - P70

With high rates of crime, alcoholism, and prostitution, the local church has manyopportunities to unite together and minister to the unreached parts of their nation.
Prayer Points-Pray for the Holy Spirit to free those who are stuck in addiction, prostitution, and occult practices.
- Praise God for a steadily growing number of local believers who are passionate about spreadingthe good news of Jesus. - P70