Today's lesson...

"I Cannot Go Beyond the Word of the Lord"
Numbers 22-24; 31: 1-16

Think about these statements and the type of person who would make them:

"If [the king] would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God" (Numbers 22:18)

"All that the Lord Speaketh, that I must do" (Numbers 23:26)

"I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the Lord saith, that will I speak" (Numbers 24:13)

My Sunday school youths came up with these qualities: Righteous, God-loving, God-fearing [yep. had a little clairification talk on that one] and Obedient.

I explained that these were the words of a man named Balaam, who professed strict obedience, but, in his heart desired eathly rewards and honors. Basically that "...their lips draw near unto me...but ...their hearts are far from me..." thang. (see Isaiah 29:13) I asked the youth, "Who is it that knows your hearts - ?" (They all seemed to have an answer for that one, too - God.)
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I further explained that this is the old testiment story with the account of where the guy's donkey actually talks to him....
"Like Shrek!?"- someone immediately offered. =) LOL! Man, I love these kids!
"Ok. Like Shrek and DON-key." I replied - in a terrible accent. I sux at sound effects and accents.
"Have you ever had an animal, maybe a pet you're close to, talk to you?" - I continued, trying to work in the lesson points and stay on task...
"My parakeet!", someone said.
"NO!" said a bunch of others.
Someone brought up America's Funniest Home Videos and the talking doggie they saw there, um, ok, that may have been me. . . sometimes I digress.
"So," I probe on... "Why do you think the guy's DON-key talked back to him?"
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(I just LOVED this!)
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(Cracked me UP, now!)
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"Because she was an ASS!" - Chimed a voice from the back row. (God love that back row!)
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O.
MY.
GOLLY.
I HAD to keep my composure as the teach, right? Forget about it - who can't chuckle over that one??? If you was ever gonna try to get away with saying something like that, outloud, in Sunday school class, and NOT get reprimanded for it, because, well, you'd be RIGHT! - THAT, Ladies and Gentlemen, was your shining 'moment'. Funnee, huh? :D

We discussed the main points of the lesson - that while Balaam had sought the will of the Lord and was clearly instructed - Balaam was tempted by the king's offer and inquired of the Lord a 2nd time (as if - God's gonna change His mind on what's the best course of action for Balaam to take!? Lot of correlations to parent/child relationships on that point - then I jumped to the end - because we generally have a tough time getting to the end of our lesson plans, on any given Sunday, with this sharp little group -lol! I asked if any knew Balaam's ultimate fate? - Then I reminded them that if we continue to push our boundry lines with the Lord, knowing full well what He has already commanded - He will, in fact, recognize our free agency and allow us to choose for ourselves, often to our own loss and or utter destruction. They were listening and participating - this was very good.)
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It got even better, when I had a couple of the students I figured would be the best at maintaining reverance, read the scriptorial account of this unique biblical event. (Numbers 22:22-35) Because, it does sound funny, reading it all out loud in Sunday school. That word 'ass' coming up repeatedly - most especially when we see that the 'ass', a 'she-ass', btw, (dumb animal) sees what the [quote] "MASTER" [end quote] (smart man?! <-yes. questionable by this point in the story.) does not see!
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Maybe you just had to be there. We had a good time and when they quieted down they were ready to listen, to ponder and to feel after the spirit and not just the letter of the law. I love feeling that good spirit with them.
God Bless them, one and all!
I pray those favors for you and I as well.
Amen and amen.