Gifts and Talents

          Balak was the King of Moab. He hired Balaam to curse Israel. This was just before Israel was to go into the promised land. God told Balaam not to curse Israel. The second time Balak asked Balaam to curse Israel, he blessed them Bountifully. The third time Balak asked Balaam to curse Israel, Balaam said that he had received a command from God to bless Israel. He said that God has blessed and he could not reverse it.

      In 1533 Queen Elizabeth I was born. Her father (Henry VIII) wanted a boy so much that he cursed her birth. The Pope declared her illegitimate because her father was divorced. Her half sister falsely accused her and had her imprisoned in the Tower of London. All of these people came against her from her childhood. She became Queen of England at 24 years of age. She went on the reign for 44 years. She spoke 9 languages. From her teenage years and throughout her life she translated works in Latin and Greek by numerous classical authors. She developed programs to help the poor and the elderly. She reformed the justice system so people could have a fair trial.

      What God has blessed, no man can change. We all like to be blessed. Sometimes we ask for a blessing, and God will bless us. But we need The Blessing not just a blessing. When we have The Blessing everything we do will be blessed. God said that all of these blessings will come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––

      New King James Version
Numbers 22:9 Then God came to Balaam and said, "Who are these men with you?"
10 So Balaam said to God, "Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying,
11 `Look, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the earth. Come now, curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to overpower them and drive them out.'"
12 And God said to Balaam, "You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed."

      New King James Version
Numbers 23:11 Then Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and look, you have blessed them bountifully!"

      New King James Version
Numbers 23:18 Then he took up his oracle and said: "Rise up, Balak, and hear! Listen to me, son of Zippor!
19 "God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
20 Behold, I have received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.

      New Century Version
Numbers 14:28 So tell them, 'This is what the LORD says. I heard what you said, and as surely as I live, I will do those very things to you:

      New King James Version
Deuteronomy 28:2 "And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God: