Work, for the Night Cometh

The works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. John 5:36.
The signs of the times fulfilling all around us show us that the end of all things is at hand. Intense earnestness should take possession of us. Our slumbering energies should be aroused by persevering effort.
Consecrated workers should go forth into the field, and move understandingly forward, clearing the King’s highway, obtaining victories in new places. Let the Lord’s workers labor in faith and trust. Some for whom they work will listen to the message and accept the truth. Let them do what God has commanded them to do. Proportionate to their faith will be their success. The Scriptures declare: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord” (James 1:5-7).
How strange it is that those who have had the light of truth for so many years have not carried the torch of truth into the dark places of the earth. The whole world is astir. The Lord calls upon His people to awake out of sleep. My brethren and sisters, stop criticizing others, but criticize severely your own words and motives. We have no time to spend in using the enemy’s methods…. Envy, malice, hatred, unbelief, which have been growing into sturdy plants in the garden of the soul, are to be uprooted and cast out, and their place supplied by love, patience, forbearance, kindness, benevolence, tenderheartedness, meekness….
While the men of the world are idolizing money, and making it their trust, the Lord in His providence has brought forth from His treasure house a precious treasure, and has placed it within the reach of all. He has given His people an opportunity to take to their friends and neighbors and to strangers a book [Christ’s Object Lessons] containing the precious lessons of Christ….
Christ has placed upon His church a sacred charge, the fulfilling of which calls for self-denial at every step. When those who believe in Him are seen lifting the cross and bearing it after Him in the path of self-denial, willingly doing all in their power to bring blessing to those for whom Christ died, witness will be borne to the power of Christianity, and in the hearts of many now unbelievers will spring up faith in Him who gave His life to save a guilty world from eternal ruin.—Letter 43, March 6, 1903, to Lucinda Hall, one of Ellen White’s closest friends.
The Upward Look p. 79
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Prayer Requests
—-Pray for reconciliation between my husband and I. Angela
—-Pray for my new grand baby I would appreciate it her name is Willow, also pray for the parents. BP
—-Please pray for my friend Pam. She has advanced stages of Parkinson’s disease. John
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Dear Friends,
Although not an Israelite, Balaam was a worshipper of the true God. Even more than this, he was a prophet. All was going pretty well for him. He was recognized for his prophetic abilities and many people came to him for counsel.
One day princes of Balak, king of Moab, arrived at his door. They brought gifts that Balaam desired. He treated them with hospitality and told them “Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.” Num 22:8
That night, God told Balaam, “Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.”
Balaam thought of all of those riches he could have had and he was not happy to send the princes back to Balak, but he did it. In the morning he told them that the Lord refused to let him go with them. He did not explain that Israel had been especially favored and blessed by God. He was chafing under the prohibition.
Because he did not explain everything, the princes got the wrong signal. They told their king, “Balaam refuseth to come with us.” vs 14 Balak decided that he just had not honored the prophet enough and sent higher ranking officials with greater gifts.
When Balaam saw that Balak again sent more honorable princes and greater gifts, he coveted the gifts and the high honors he would receive if he cursed Israel. He pictured himself as a great man in their kingdom. He saw himself as sitting beside the king receiving kingly honors.
He should have told the men, “I’m sorry, but as I told you before, the Great God of the Universe, the only True God, Maker of Heaven and Earth has blessed these people. I cannot come with you to curse those whom the Lord has blessed.” This would have brought honor to God and Balak would have been afraid to proceed with his plans. Even more, Balaam had the opportunity to teach the king and his princes about the One Who had given them life, but instead he helped them in their rebellion.
Instead of shutting his mind to the temptation, Balaam toyed with sin. The more he toyed with it, the more he desired it. The more he desired it, the stronger became the temptation. He again went to God and begged to let him go to Balak. Finally God gave him a sign that if the princes called him in the morning, he could go Instead of waiting for that to happen, “Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.” vs. 21.
Sometimes if we persist in wanting our own way, God gives it to us, but there are grave consequences. We all know what happened next. As Peter said, “Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.” 2 Peter 2:15,16 God taught Balaam a lesson that he should have been thankful for, but instead it brought forth a spring of rebellion.
Balak was happy to see the prophet and took him with great ceremony to the top of a hill where he could see Israel. Balaam explained that he could only say the words God gave him and blessed Israel three times. Moreover he prophesied Israel’s future victories.
The king chased Balaam from his sight. Balaam went back home, but that spring of rebellion that had taken root grew and grew. He murmured in his heart. Finally those honors and gifts meant more to Balaam than did his service to the only True God. He saddled his donkey and made the journey back to Moab. There he counselled Balak to send women into the camp of Israel and lure the men into sin. (Num 31:16)
This worked well. Because there was sin in the camp, God could not bless His people. Finally the sinners were purged from the camp and God directed Moses to fight against their enemies. Balaam never got to enjoy all of the riches and honors that he coveted. He was slain in the battle. As he was perishing, he must have wished that he had not toyed with sin. He must have wished that he had shut out the first temptation that had come into his mind.
Paul tells us, “Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” 1 Cor 10:11
Let us be careful not to toy with sin. Let us shut out the first whispered temptations of the evil one. Let us keep our eyes upon our Dear Saviour, Who loves us so.
Rose