L ife's L ittle I nterruptions

Balak - : Balak
Torah: Numbers 22:2-25:9
Haftarah: Micah 5:6-6:8
Gospel: John 13-14

T hought for the Week

If Elohim can speak through a donkey, He can speak through anything and anyone. A
person should always be attentive to the words of others, always listening for the voice of
YHVH.

B alaam

he angel of YHVH appeared on the road with a

drawn sword to stop him. To Balaam the angel was
invisible, but the donkey on which Balaam was riding
could see the angel.
To avoid the angel with the drawn sword, the donkey veered
from the road into a field. Irritated with his steed, Balaam struck
the donkey to force her back onto the road.

A second time the angel appeared in front of the donkey.

Balaam still did not see it, but the donkey did. This time the
donkey was carrying Balaam through a narrow street between
two vineyard walls. There was not much room between the walls. To avoid the angel, the
donkey pressed against one wall, crushing Balaam's foot in the process. Irritated and in
significant pain, Balaam struck the donkey again.
A third time the angel appeared in front of the donkey. This time the way was so narrow
that there was no room for the donkey to turn to the left or the right. So the donkey lay down.
Still unable to see the angel, Balaam was so angry that he thrashed the poor beast with a
stick. In his blindness, Balaam did not realize that the irritating behaviour of his donkey
was actually saving his life. YHVH said, "If she had not turned aside from me, I
would surely have killed you just now, and let her live" (Numbers 22:33).

ife is full of irritating obstacles that get in the way of our

plans. Throughout any given day, a person
experiences countless distractions and
complications. It is easy to become impatient and
upset with the things and people that get in the way of what we
are trying to accomplish. Sometimes, things just seems to be
chaotic and dont want to work out. We should learn a lesson
from Balaam.

hose irritating obstacles might be from YHVH. Elohim

may have other plans for us. Rather than get upset
when our plans are derailed, we should seek YHVH's
direction. This action is also known as seeking His
Will. In Balaam's life, Elohim was in the midst of the
interruptions. The next time the car breaks down or the flight
is cancelled or some other unforeseen interruption rears up,
rather than get irritated, remember the story of Balaam.
People of faith sometimes speak of Elohim opening and closing
doors. This is an idiom that refers to Elohim's divine direction in
life. For example, suppose a person set out to take a job in a
certain field. He submitted an application for a position for which
he was fully qualified. He was confident that the job would be his.
Mysteriously, he did not get the position. A person like Balaam
would become frustrated, angry and bitter over the disappointment. A person of faith would
say, "YHVH closed that door. He knows what is best. I will look elsewhere." When seeking
direction in life, a person needs to keep an eye on the donkey to see what YHVH might be
saying. We should consult YHVH for every big decision we make, so that our lives could be
in line with His Plan.

T he Will of the Father vs. My will

n the same way, we should seek the will of our Father in heaven, and not our own
fleshly wills. You will never be content with what you have if your flesh dictates your
needs.

Mat 6:19-21 Do not lay up treasures on earth for yourselves, where moth and
rust corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. (20) But lay up treasures
in Heaven for yourselves, where neither moth nor rust corrupt, and where thieves
do not break through nor steal. (21) For where your treasure is, there will your
heart be also.

Which treasures are we talking about? Money, a

better car, a beautiful house, material things, hobbies,
electronic gadgets, beautiful things, status, your job,
entertainment, friends, sport, vacations, est.
How do I recognise my treasure? The things you
spend most of your time on, or the things you constantly
talk about. Whatever is in your heart, it is that which will
flow from your mouth like a stream.
All these are driven from fleshly needs and if you focus on these things all the time, your
heart will be in it, and you will not be where YHVH wants you. His will should take
preference over your will and you need to learn to submit under Him. Women who submit
under their husbands will know what Im talking about.
Joh 5:30 I can do nothing of My own self. As I hear, I judge, and My judgment is
just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of the Father who has
sent Me.

shua is our example and He said that He did nothing of Himself but He only did the
will of the Father. Are you as dedicated as Yshua in every area of your life? Do you
ask His will before you go and do as you think?

Mat 7:21 Not everyone who says to Me, Lord! Lord! shall enter the
kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven.
To seek the will of the Father in every matter is important and this means that you no longer
live, but Messiah lives within you, and you do not do as you please, but do as His Spirit or
His Word directs you. If you have this approach, then you are doing the will of the Father
and then you will secure your salvation.
Mat 26:42 He went away again the second time and
prayed, saying, My Father, if this cup may not
pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will
be done.
Yshua obeyed His Father, even unto to death, and He
pleaded for the will of His Father to be done, even when
He knew it would cost Him His life. We have to take
note of this; if lifes pressures have trapped you in a
corner, you have to plead that the will of the Father be
done, even if it cost you your life. Do not follow your own logic or fleshly desires. Following
Yshua can kill you and you need to die to the flesh anyway. So get with the program and
help get that flesh of yours in line with the Fathers Will so that He can use you to reach
other people. This is the time to really pray and seek the will of our Father so that He will
give us the outcome for every obstacle in our way that is not in line with His Will.
Rom 5:3-5 And not only this, but we glory in afflictions also, knowing that
afflictions work out patience, (4) and patience works out experience, and
experience works out hope. (5) And hope does not make us ashamed, because the
love of Elohim has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit given to us.
Jas 1:2-3 My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into different kinds of
temptations (troubles), (3) knowing that the trying of your faith works
patience.
Praise YHVH when afflictions come, for then you prove that you have faith in Him. If you
fear your situation or your enemy that means that you fear them more than you fear YHVH.
Love cast out fear and if you truly love and fear YHVH, you will have faith in HIS WILL and
HIS OUTCOME. Pray for His will to be done and His Kingdom to come in your life, then you
will have victory and you will experience His provision and blessings.
Jas 1:12-14 Blessed is the man who endures temptation, because having
been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has
promised to those who love Him. (13) Let no one being tempted say, I am
tempted from Elohim. For Elohim is not tempted by evils, and He tempts no one. (14)
But each one is tempted by his lusts, being drawn away and seduced by them.

P ray for w isdom.

f you fail the test you will write it again. Be one

step ahead and ask your Father for the answers
to the questions of your life. It is like an open Book
test. You will pass if you ask His will and follow His
instructions.
Jas 1:5-8
But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of
Elohim, who gives to all liberally and with no
reproach, and it shall be given to him. (6) But
let him ask in faith, doubting nothing. For he who doubts is like a wave of the
sea, driven by the wind and tossed. (7) For do not let that man think that he
shall receive anything from YHVH; (8) he is a double-minded man, not
dependable in all his ways.
Perfect wisdom is the best and most effective solution to the most difficult problem. YHVH
designed life and the world and everything in it; He knows how everything works to the finest
detail. Your problem is insignificantly small compared to His Greatness and He is willing to
help you, you only need to ask and believe.
Problems are not there to torture us but to test our faith so that we can be made strong and
be ready for the day you really need it. When there is breath in your lungs, there is hope.
Only ask and never give up, turn to YHVH instead of your own insight or the wisdom of man,
and He will fix the problem for good.
Mat 7:7-8 Ask and it shall be given to you, seek and you shall find, knock
and it shall be opened to you. (8) For everyone who asks receives, and he
who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened.