“God said to Balaam, ‘You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.’ So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, ‘Go to your own land, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.’” – Numbers 22:12-13

If Balaam had just held firmly to this, his story would have ended just fine. He might not have made it into the pages of the Bible. His donkey might not have talked to him. But he would have been OK. He’d asked God an honest question, received a clear answer, and obeyed it. All good! Balaam went wrong when he decided he should check to see if God had changed His mind. After all, more money and prestige was on the table for Balaam. Surely the Lord might have changed His mind. NOT! So, one thing led to another and Balaam did the opposite of what God told him to do here. It didn’t go well for anyone involved.

If God has given you a clear answer about something, don’t keep asking the same question. Don’t be a Balaam. Accept God’s answer. Be thankful for the clarity. Live by His answer. Don’t keep going back to God just because you didn’t like His answer. Just because you really, really want a different answer. Eventually you will persuade yourself that it’s a good idea to do whatever you wanted to do in the first place, regardless of what God said. And it won’t go well. It never does.

God isn’t fickle. He doesn’t change His answers on a whim or because YOU got new information or a better offer. He always knew. His answer was right the first time. It was best the first time. And the more often you ask, the more likely you are to confuse your own voice for God’s. The more susceptible you will be to listening to the devil’s voice rather than the Lord’s. Don’t continue asking if God has already answered. Live out His answer, whatever it is, in peace and with trust that God’s answer is best. #FollowJesus

“And the Lord said to Aaron, ‘You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the people of Israel.’” – Numbers 18:20

The priests and Levites didn’t receive permanent land in the promised land. They weren’t to receive family property that would secure their livelihood for generations or build their earthly wealth. Instead, they were receiving something infinitely greater – the Lord Himself. He is their portion and inheritance. Their unique privilege was being near to Him and being able to devote themselves to His service. They got to experience more of the fullness of His glory. And had the experience of being provided for by Him through the giving of God’s people. Their inheritance was deeper dependence on God and the faithfulness of His people.

To materially-minded people, this might not seem like a good gift. For those who recognize the infinite greatness of God, it’s infinitely more precious than having land, crops, and earthly wealth. To be able to dwell in the presence of the Lord. To live in utter dependence on Him and to see, on a daily basis, His unlimited capacity to provide, that’s a blessing beyond compare!

Here’s the thing…. For followers of Jesus, we’re in exactly this same situation. We have no guarantees on earth. We may prosper financially or we may struggle terribly. We may have much or we may have little in the eyes of the world. None of that compares to what we actually have in Christ, if we’re willing to embrace the truth and delight in it. For those who have entrusted their lives to Jesus, we have the Spirit of God living in us. Christ is in us and we are in Him. God IS our portion at all times. He is our inheritance that never ends. Never gets lost. Never gets stolen or ruined. Not here on earth. Not in heaven. Not in the new heaven and the new earth.

Every follower of Jesus is a priest. Regardless of what we have in an earthly sense, we all have God in us and with us. If Jesus is your Lord, then Lean into this truth. Meditate on it. Pray and praise God for it. Sit with it. Let this reality empower you for faithful service. Let it drive you to pursue the holiness that is yours in Christ. Come to understand how much greater and more wonderful what you have in Christ is than anything else you could ever have on earth. He is your portion and your inheritance! #FollowJesus

“And Moses said to Korah, ‘Hear now, you sons of Levi: is it too small a thing for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do service in the tabernacle of the Lord and to stand before the congregation to minister to them.’” – Numbers 16:8-9

Do you want to do great things for the Lord? A “holy ambition” to serve and glorify God is generally a good thing. Unless it keeps you from actually serving and glorifying God in the way He has appointed. The Levites had been appointed to help in and near the Tabernacle. It was a vital and sacred service, but also one that involved a lot of manual labor. It was considerably less glamorous than the priest’s work. That didn’t sit well with Korah and his followers. They wanted better work for the Lord. They wanted to be priests. In the end, it cost them everything.

If God has called you to serve Him in some particular way — a specific ministry or role in your church or community — do that service faithfully. Be consistent. Be effective. Be excellent. Do it with joy, rejoicing that the Lord has prepared it for you. Don’t let yourself get to a place where you’re wishing God would call you to something bigger, better, or more glamorous. Or worse, trying to make that happen without the Lord’s blessing or permission.

Serve faithfully and then let God lead as, and when, He chooses. Do everything for God’s glory. It’s a biblical principle that we must usually demonstrate sustained faithfulness in small things before being directed by God into bigger things. Don’t try to skip past those small things. Serve well, seeking to please and glorify God. After serving faithfully, God may call you to something different. Or He may help you experience His pleasure, joy, and satisfaction through continued faithful service in that area. Regardless, don’t be so busy looking toward “the next big thing” that you forget to worshipfully fulfill “this small thing”. #FollowJesus

“And whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, after that the people of Israel set out, and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the people of Israel camped.” – Numbers 9:17

Most sincere followers of Jesus wish that God still led His people in a manner this clear and obvious. If only He’d visibly show us when and where to go and when and where to stop and settle in. In our yearning for this crystal clarity, we often miss God’s leading altogether. We get stuck where we’re comfortable rather than going where God calls us. Where is God leading you? What is He calling you to do?

In a general sense, God’s will for you is extremely clear as a follower of Jesus. He’s laid it out in the Bible. Love God with every bit of your being. Love your neighbors (ALL of them) the way you love yourself. Make disciples. Seek to live a holy life. Take up your cross, denying yourself to follow Jesus every single day. Obey Jesus and share Jesus in the character of Jesus. All of this is critically important! But have you devoted the time needed to discern what that specifically looks like for you?

How has God gifted you for making disciples? Is there a particular group, age, or stage to which you’re called? What does that disciple-making look like? What does sacrificially loving YOUR neighbors look like? What is the most impactful way for you to do that? What is the next step of obedience that God’s Spirit is prompting you to take? What is the next aspect of your life God wants to renovate for greater holiness?

Have you been asking God these questions? Are you listening for answers as you read Scripture? Are you intentionally trying out different ways of serving and ministering to discern where God might be calling you to pour out your life for His glory? Are you discussing God’s direction and next steps with wise, mature Christian friends? If you haven’t been doing these kinds of things, get started! Make time to pray and meditate. Try different ways of serving and sharing. Discuss what others see in you and really listen to what they say. Meditate on how God has gifted you and where He is stirring your heart. Then take that next step. Follow God’s lead. As you do, it will get easier to discern the step after that one. #FollowJesus

“And when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the Lord, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim; and it spoke to him.” – Numbers 7:89

Moses heard the audible voice of God speaking from the mercy seat above the ark. Incredible! It’s impossible to imagine how awesome and overwhelming it must have been to hear. While you won’t have the opportunity to hear God’s voice from the mercy seat in the Tabernacle, don’t let that keep you from listening for God’s voice. God still speaks to His people.

First and foremost, He speaks through His written word, the Bible. As you read the Bible, pray for God to speak to you through the Scriptures. Expect to hear from the Lord as you read and think carefully about what you read. Expect insights relevant to your life, the events going on, and decisions that need to be made.

God speaks through prayer. As you spend time in prayer with God, not just talking but also listening, He will lay unexpected ideas or impressions on your mind. These must be tested against Scripture since we like to talk to ourselves about ourselves. Nonetheless, as you draw nearer to God, you will begin to discern the promptings of the Holy Spirit as Jesus promised.

God speaks through His people. As you discuss things with wise, mature fellow believers listen, for insights about yourself or your course of life you may not noticed otherwise. God also speaks through circumstances. When you find yourself in unexpected, unplanned, or even unpleasant circumstances, seek God in prayer. As doors suddenly close or open, is there something about what’s going on that may represent God impressing something upon your mind?

Once you hear God speak and have tested that you have heard accurately, it’s important to act on what God says. Whether that’s repentance or a new ministry, reconciliation or moving out on mission, obedience to God has a tremendous impact on how easily you hear and recognize God’s voice in the future. #FollowJesus