Day 320: When God Blocks...

Numbers 22:21-34

So the next morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started off with the Moabite officials. 22 But God was angry that Balaam was going, so he sent the angel of the Lord to stand in the road to block his way. As Balaam and two servants were riding along, 23 Balaam’s donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. The donkey bolted off the road into a field, but Balaam beat it and turned it back onto the road. 24 Then the angel of the Lord stood at a place where the road narrowed between two vineyard walls.25 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it tried to squeeze by and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So Balaam beat the donkey again. 26 Then the angel of the Lord moved farther down the road and stood in a place too narrow for the donkey to get by at all. 27 This time when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down under Balaam. In a fit of rage Balaam beat the animal again with his staff. 28 Then the Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak. “What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?” it asked Balaam. 29 “You have made me look like a fool!” Balaam shouted. “If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!” 30 “But I am the same donkey you have ridden all your life,” the donkey answered. “Have I ever done anything like this before?”

“No,” Balaam admitted.

31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the roadway with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam bowed his head and fell face down on the ground before him. 32 “Why did you beat your donkey those three times?” the angel of the Lord demanded. “Look, I have come to block your way because you are stubbornly resisting me. 33 Three times the donkey saw me and shied away; otherwise, I would certainly have killed you by now and spared the donkey.” 34 Then Balaam confessed to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I didn’t realize you were standing in the road to block my way. I will return home if you are against my going.”

Sometimes we blame the devil for what God is doing because it doesn’t go the way we want it to. Whatever ‘it’ may be. We tend to think that when things don’t go the way we think they should then the devil’s hand is in it. Sometimes it’s God’s doing. Sometimes God is the one putting a block in our path. Sometimes God is the one stopping us from doing the very thing that we think is right. That’s what’s going on here, God is stopping Balaam from doing the very thing He is telling him not to do.

To give a bit of background of what is going on here, Balaam is approached by the King of Moab telling him to come curse the people that have just arrived from Egypt. God’s like, “No Balaam you will not go and curse the people I’ve blessed.” So Balaam relays that message to the king he’s all like, “God said no, go home I can’t go with you.” So the king sends his people more than before, and the king is like, “Please don’t let anything stop you from coming, I will pay you good money, just come.” Hold on, let’s unpack this. So Balaam is obviously a man of God and the king knows this, instead of honoring the fact that Balaam is listening to God, the king says “Don’t even let God stop you from coming, I will give you a lot of money”. As if his money is greater than God. Some of us have people in our lives that do not care about our relationship with God. Meaning they do not understand what God means to us so they are in a way trying to tear us apart from Him. Don’t let that happen to you. God is greater. Don’t allow the people God is trying to block you from, block you from God.

Back to the story, Balaam tells the king's people that he has to see what God says. So God is like, “Since they came to get you go ahead, but only do what I tell you, nothing else. On his way there God tries to stop him by sending an angel to block his path, but only the donkey sees him. This is the part I want to get to. Sometimes we miss the signs, we don’t see what God is putting right in front of us, and sometimes refuse to listen to the people or things God uses as vessels to warn us. The donkey saw the angel in the road and stopped every time. Each time the donkey stopped, Balaam who was trying to get to where he was going got angrier and angrier because the donkey was putting a dent in his plans. How many times are we like this with God’s people. When things don’t go our way we get into a bad mood, taking it out on everyone else as if it’s there fault. But if we open our eyes and see what God is doing we will understand that sometimes God is the ery one blocking our path. Sometimes He is the one who stops is from going into our own destruction. Everything is not the devil’s work, God works a million times more than satan. We as humans tend to give the credit to satan because we don’t  like what God is doing. Sound familiar?

All this to say, God is always working on our behalf even when we think He’s not. When God blocks something in our lives allow it to be blocked because when God closes a door please believe He’s opening another one for us. When God blocks something in our path it is never without reason. He knows what He’s doing.

Reflection

1. Have you ever felt like God was stopping you from doing something but you continued to do it anyway?
2. HOw many times have you found yourself blaming the devil for something God is doing?

Prayer Time

Allow your answers to the above questions guide your prayer. Take the time to reflect on what we talked about today and respond in whatever way you feel led.

I love you and I hope you have an amazing day or evening! Be sure to share this with someone and come back tomorrow for Day 321!

Day 63 :The Cost of the Cross

Galatians 3:13-14

Christ bought us with His blood and made us free from the Law. In that way, the Law could not punish us. Christ did this by carrying the load and by being punished instead of us. It is written, “Anyone who hangs on a cross is hated and punished.”  Because of the price Christ Jesus paid, the good things that came to Abraham might come to the people who are not Jews. And by putting our trust in Christ, we receive the Holy Spirit He has promised.

Some of my favorite lyrics come from a worship song I was introduced to a few years ago. The song says, “I’ll never know how much it cost, to see my sin upon that cross”. These beautifully profound words struck me so hard, as I started to think about what it would have been like to be there. Seeing this innocent man beat unmercifully, nailed to a cross, and died the death of a sinner. Though he was not the sinner, I was. I tried to imagine what it would have been like knowing that He took the punishment that was meant for me, and He did it willingly. For that I am forever grateful and filled with so much gratitude. When I think of the crucifixion i think of the sacrifice and image of an innocent man dying the worst death known to man, for me. I am forever indebted to Him. He gave His life to save ours. It was the ultimate sacrifice.

That could have been us on that cross. It would have been us if Jesus had not come to save humanity, This was  pure act of love, the greatest display of public affection known to man. He took on the sin of all humanity and conquered it. He’s like the friend that takes all the blame so that we would get into trouble. He did so that we wouldn’t because that is where we were heading. God could not stand to let our sin kill us, so He gave a way for us to be reconciled with Him, to be wrapped up in His love. He sent His son to calvary in our place.

We don’t like to take the blame for anyone that isn’t a friend or family member. Jesus too the name for all of humanity, He made a way for all of us to have salvation. He gave up everything, His life, His honor, as He died the death of a criminal. But His love for us runs so deep that He was willing to be nailed to that cross so that we could live. Jesus is willing to die so that we could have an abundant life, and be reunited with Him in eternity.

Although these words sound very simple they are all very profound, Once we break them down we will start to understand the importance and significance of being bought by the blood of Christ, and  The blood of Jesus was the only thing able to wash us from our sin. Another thing to note is that Jesus was fully human, he felt what we felt, saw what we saw, went through the same things. He was a man, a carpenter before He started ministry. He was born like us, grew up, he was a teenager at one point, a toddler. Jesus had to learn to walk just like the rest of us. He is human. I can’t imagine the physical pain He was in, as He endured and survived the beatings and torture. As thorns and nailed were pushed through His skin, and He was beat all night.  

Matthew 22:42-44

42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Jesus was in so much agony that it says His sweat hit the ground like drops of blood. Do you know how much agony you have to be in for that to happen? A LOT! He asked if this bitter cup could pass from Him, but only if it be the will of God. Saving us meant so much to Him that even in His agony, and asking if the cup could pass Him by, Jesus knew that there was a bigger picture. For which He was willing to pay the price.

I think something we must realize, and even find joy in is that His love kept Him on the cross. When it all boils down to it, everything is rooted in His love. For Johns 3:16 states that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life”. There were no regrets, Jesus gave up His life for us, it wasn’t taken (John 10:18). He could have come off that cross but He had a mission to complete and a world to save.

That’s something to find comfort in. Love save us. We might not ever know what it was like to witness everything firsthand, but we know that 2500 hundred years later the cross is still our source of salvation. We are still reaping what He sewed centuries ago.. He payed for us with His life and His blood, even though He knew that it would be 2500 years in the future, and that some people would never grow to love Him in return.

LOVE WINS!

John 15:13

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.

Reflection/Prayer time

Take some time to sit in silence and think about the sacrifice Christ made, and how much He went through to secure our salvation. Thank God for His love and His want to be in relationship with His people. Thank Jesus forgiving up His life. Just talk to God about this great act of love, and submit your life to Him. If you don’t have a relationship with God, maybe now is the time to start one, maybe you want to give your life to Christ. It’s simple, all you have to do is believe in Heart and confess with your lips.

Romans 10:9

If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

If you made that decision today, congratulations! Say this prayer with me:

God I am so grateful for your love, today I give my life to you as I confess with my mouth and believe in my heart that Jesus is Lord and he was raised from the dead. I ask that you forgive me for my sins and be with me for the rest of my days. In you mighty name I pray, Amen.

You just made the best decision of your live, if you would like to understand a bit more about what this decision means or have any questions, do no hesitate to contact me, TheDyamondJBackup@gmail.com and IAmDyamondJ on all the social media sites. I love you and I hope you have an amazing day or evening. Make sure you share this with someone and come back tomorrow for day 64!

Enjoy is song!