Dear Lord, we pray you'll bless this message. We thank you, God, for our Bible. We thank you for eternal salvation by grace through faith in the blood of Jesus. Lord, we want to live right. We do pray we'll keep growing, and you'll bless this message, God, to help people be aware of the snares of Satan. In Jesus' name, amen. Title of the message is, The Back Door of Sin. the doctrine and way of Balaam. You know, an adulterer or adulteress is still an adulterer whether they go through the front door or the back door to invade the house. And the devil is going to try to tempt you, tempt all of us to try to play games with God. to try to play games with sin. And this is what happened with Balaam. And the Bible calls it the doctrine of Balaam, the way of Balaam, playing games with God. One of the texts is in 2 Peter 2, verse 10, listen to it. But chiefly them that walk after the flesh, okay, they're not following the spirit, they're after the flesh, they walk after it, in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they're not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. In other words, you will know these people, one way, is because they rail against their authorities, those they disagree with, those they're mad at. There's a spirit in them, a very wicked, biting, satanic spirit. Adam Clark says, the holy angels who are represented as bringing an account of the actions of the fallen angels before the Lord in judgment simply state the facts without exaggeration, without permitting anything of a bitter reviling or railing spirit to enter into their accusations. But the Bible goes on about these railing, very nasty in speech, people that despise government, not afraid to speak evil of dignities, that is of people in authority. Verse 15 of 2 Peter says, which have forsaken the right way. and are gone astray following the way of Balaam, the son of Bezor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness. So they go in the way of Balaam. The Bible calls it the way of Balaam. Balaam is in the Old Testament. They're gonna imitate in these last days, the way of Balaam. Balaam loved the wages of unrighteousness. What does that mean? It means that he loved getting gain, or whatever the object of his lust was, regardless of the sin, to accomplish it. He had his eyes so focused on the gain, he didn't care what he did. He claimed to care, he lied to himself that he cared, but getting the wages of unrighteousness, Accomplishing his goal was all that mattered to him. Specifically, he thought he had found a backdoor around the problem where he could outsmart God. The problem is, I don't want to directly sin before God. I don't want to do anything wrong. I want to be right with God. I always do what God wants me to do. Yet he's scheming about how to accomplish getting paid while at the same time not disobeying God. It's a game. And the way of Balaam includes luring others to sin. See, what ended up happening is Balaam gave instructions to the Moabites. And he said, listen, I can't curse these people. They're blessed by God. They're protected by God. But I tell you what, if you pay me, I'll tell you how you can accomplish your goal. You want these people to be cursed. Well, here's the deal. If you send in your women to entice them into fornication and idolatry, God will kill these people that are blessed by him. So therefore, I am free. I've washed my hands. I'm not the one doing the cursing. God's gonna curse him. That way he was able to still get paid. So it says in Numbers 25, and Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. It doesn't tell you how all of a sudden they just started to commit whoredom with the Moabites. But we learn from other scriptures is because Balaam, wink wink, told the king how he could get what he wanted, and then Balaam could get what he wanted. Our Lord speaks of this when he's talking to the pastor of the church of Pergamos. To the angel of the church of Pergamos, he says, I have a few things against thee. This is in Revelation 2, verse 14. I have a few things against thee, thee, singular, the pastor, because thou, singular, has there them, that means in the church, that hold the doctrine of Balaam, Now listen to what the Lord reveals. Who taught Balak, that's the king of the Moabites, to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols and to commit fornication. Balaam taught Balak the king to cast a stumbling block, that is his women, to tempt Israel into fornication and idolatry. or maybe the sin of the fornication is the stumbling block that provoked God to judge them. Both are true. But what we learn is Balaam was wicked. Balaam would not be openly wicked, just behind the scenes, backdoor, sneaky wicked. And this text also shows that the pastor Before the Lord Jesus has the primary responsibility to do something about these people in the church that hold the doctrine of Balaam. The Lord says, I have a few things against thee. Number one, you've got these people in that church that hold this doctrine. They're living this way. We learn from second Peter chapter two through covetousness. These people that hold the doctrine of Balaam, these people that go the way of Balaam, through covetousness, they're coveting something, shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you. They're very sneaky about their words. They're gonna lead people into sin. They're gonna lead people to do their dirty work for them so they can profit in some way and get what they want. Because of their covetousness, they use people for their own ends. They manipulate people, either to give them money or they manipulate these people, as I said, to do their bidding. What wickedness some people will do to try to hinder God's work when they've been acted upon by a manipulator. You need to always examine yourself. Have I been acted upon? Am I under the influence of somebody that has gone astray, who's manipulating me by evil surmisings and suggestions. It goes on in verse 10, we've already read it. Chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise government. These are these people that'll make merchandise of you with feigned words. In the lust of uncleanness, despise government, presumptuous are they, Self-will, they're not afraid to speak evil of dignity. They're not afraid to speak against a pastor or a father or somebody's husband. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. The angels don't act like that to people that are evil. Jude even uses the example of Satan, that Michael, the archangel, didn't even bring a railing accusation against Satan. He just said, the Lord rebuke thee. Verse 14 is going to get to the point. Having eyes full of adultery. Boy, that can cause people to do a lot of wicked things and manipulate a lot of people. And that cannot cease from sin, beguiling unstable souls. Who do they look for? People they know they can manipulate. People that are unstable emotionally for whatever reason. Maybe they're new Christians. Or maybe they're old Christians that are lazy and idle. and through whatever reason they're unstable emotionally, beguiling them, beguiling unstable souls, having eyes full of adultery that cannot cease from sin, beguiling unstable souls. A heart they have exercised with covetous practices, cursed children. They become easily manipulated by these Balaams. These are people that could have used their gifts for God. People that have probably done some great things for God, but they turned aside due to their lusts and covetousness. And they prey upon unstable people and hinder those people so these people can do their dirty work. But Peter goes on, verse 15, which have forsaken the right way. and are gone astray. The Bible's talking about people that were right, but they've gone astray. Following the way of Balaam, the son of Bozer, who loved the wages of righteousness, but was rebuked for his iniquity, the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbade the madness of the prophet. I wanna show you something. Before Balaam came up with his scheme, he had already gone the wrong way. He had already gone astray before he ever came up with his scheme. Notice it says, he was rebuked for his iniquity. They've gone in the way of Balaam, who was rebuked for his iniquity. And then it speaks of the ass speaking. This shows that the way of Balaam includes not just what he did at the end of things, but what he did right here at the beginning. He had already gone astray. Before he came up with the scheme of the Moabite women, he was already gone astray. And let's look at this. It's very, very important. Back in Numbers chapter 22, verse three, Moab, was sore afraid of the people because they were many. And Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel. And Balak, the son of Zippor, was king of the Moabites at that time. And he sent messengers, therefore unto Balaam, the son of Beor. Who is this Balaam? Why did the king, when he's worried about being taken over by Israel, Why would he go to Balaam? Because the Bible tells us in Joshua, when Balaam finally gets judged by God, it tells us in Joshua 13, verse 22, that Balaam, also the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword among them that were slain by them. He was a type of prophet. 2 Peter 2 says, the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbade the madness of the prophet. So he was a type of prophet of God, but at the same time, he was a diviner. He was into divination, witchcraft. What a strange mix we see in Balaam. You saw this in the early Renaissance. You saw a lot of people that would read the Bible, but they were also into astrology and alchemy and hermetic wickedness. Probably the ultimate fulfillment of that was Isaac Newton, who was a wizard, a magician, an alchemist. His magic writings have been found, his journals. Books call him the last of the magicians, but he also wrote commentary on the Bible. They call him the last of the magicians because they believe that after Isaac Newton, everything went into materialism. That didn't mean the magic went away. And it also forgets that in the 20th century, many of the great physicists went back to the supernatural. either became Christians or they became Eastern mystics into the occult, launching the New Age movement. So much of science is just witchcraft, regardless of whatever truth it has. This was Balaam, well known in that time. So what does the king of Moab, Balak, send his messengers to say to Balaam verse 6 come now therefore I pray thee curse me this people for they are too mighty for me for I want that he whom thou blessed is blessed and he whom thou cursed is cursed they said you've got this power we know whoever you want to curse you can curse and the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand they knew he was a sorcerer And they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak. Verse 8, He said unto 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. Balaam is professing. This idea of cursing Israel, let me see what God says. He didn't say, I don't want your money. He said, let me talk to God about this business. And God came into Balaam and says, what men are these with thee? Boy, that's an interesting question, isn't it? God wants Balaam to look at himself. This may be a question for many today. What men are these with thee? How did you get where you're at? Who are you hanging around? What are you watching? Who are you associating with? What are these men with thee? You know, Balaam should have answered, oh, they come to ask me if I will use sorcery or some other way of cursing so they can give me money. to curse Israel. And God said unto Balaam, thou shalt not go with them. Thou shalt not curse the people for they are blessed. And it says in the next verse, as Balaam often does and not in a good way, Balaam rose up in the morning and said unto the princes of Balak, get you into your land for the Lord refuses to give me leave to go with you. Well, that sounds great, doesn't it? Balaam is getting some backbone. Balaam says, no, I'm not going to do this. But of course, understand, that's just going to make Balak more desperate. And he's going to offer more money. And sure enough, this is what happened. In verse 15, Balak sent yet again princes more and more honorable than they. And they came to Balaam and said to him, thus saith Balak, the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me. For I will promote thee unto very great honor, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me. Come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people. Now, Balaam's gonna talk a good talk. He says in verse 18, Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, if Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God to do less or more. Oh, if only Balaam meant that. If only many Christians who say the same thing meant that. If only they did not have a cost. If only they did not have something they would sacrifice the truth for, they would sacrifice other Christians for, they would sacrifice their calling and their obedience before God. But the devil's gonna try to find your price. He's gonna try to find what it is that'll make you tick, make you compromise. Now, the devil will give you a way of sugarcoating your sellout. He'll try to give you a way to tell yourself what your flesh wants to hear. In verse 19, now therefore I pray you, Terry, ye also hear this night that I may know what the Lord will say unto me more. Uh-oh. Why didn't he send them away? He just said, if Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord, my God. But now you see the temptation, greed, the lust working on Balaam. He says, now stay right here tonight. Let me ask God again. See, this is sinful opportunity. There's a time when you do need to press God and continue knocking, but not in a clear case like this. Verse 20, and God came into Balaam at night. God's very merciful. And said unto him, if the men come to call thee, rise up and go with them. But yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do. God's gonna expose Balaam's greed. So he puts before him instructions that will expose that Balaam is consumed with greed. It's a form of madness. You'll see it in people. You at first think it's just great stress or something, but it turns out to be a spirit of covetousness or lust or envy or ambition, rivalry, something that consumes that person, takes them over. It overcharges their mind, their will. God plainly said, John Wesley, he says, if the men come on this condition, he was to go, says John Wesley. I like that, because very few people see what is plainly right here in the Bible. And they make it sound like God says, don't go, and then says, okay, well, you can go. That's not what happened. God says, if the men come to call thee, he shouldn't have asked God the second time. But he says, if the men come to call thee, rise up and go with them. But what does it say in verse 21? Balaam rose up in the morning and saddled his ass and went with the princes of Moab. It doesn't say they came to Balaam to call upon him first. Balaam just got up, saddled his ass. and took off. It's implied that Balaam called on them. Balaam heard what he wanted to hear. He overlooked the if. And how often even Christians in this age overlook their own ifs in the Bible. They overlook the conditions. And one reason for that is they're filled with lust, greed, ambition, envy. So they ignore the qualifications, the conditions of various promises and scriptures. They just ignore it. Jude's gonna tell us exactly what happened. He says in Jude 1 11, woe unto them, for they have gone in the way of Cain and ran greedily after the heir of Balaam for reward. Notice those words, ran greedily. What did Balaam do? God says, if the man come, then go, Balaam woke up and ran greedily, as if God had given him permission with no conditions. That's why it says in verse 22, and God's anger was kindled because he went. He didn't obey the condition. And the angel of the Lord stood. I mean, God could have put the Moabites into a deep sleep. God obviously knew what Balaam was going to do. He was going to ignore the condition. So God's anger was kindled and the angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass and his two servants were with him. See, this isn't a contradiction. Some people miss the if. And they make it sound like God's saying, he can go. And now all of a sudden God's saying, I'm angry with you because you went. And they try to play all kinds of games and have all kinds of theological loops that they go through to try to work that all out. And it's just ridiculous. No, Balaam is just like Saul. When Saul was proud of himself for obeying all that the Lord told him. Samuel said, why do I hear the bleeding of sheep then? God says not to leave anything alive. Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. You're not obeying God. You're not obeying details. And when you can't obey details of what somebody plainly says, you're not listening. It's not because he just forgot. He wanted to overlook those details. Just like Balaam wanted in his flesh to overlook the if. Same with Lot's wife. She was given four commands. She just disobeyed one. She looked behind her towards Sodom where her lust was, where her heart was. And the Lord says, remember Lot's wife. What's God telling us? He's telling us, you better be a fundamentalist, a real one, not a fake one. You better pay attention to the details of what I say. Now here's one reason people miss what God plainly said. If the men rise up to call thee. Here's why they miss that. One reason is they have an NIV, a wicked NIV. Here's what the NIV says. That night God came to Balaam and says, since these men have come to summon you, go with them. Really? Balaam got up in the morning and sat at his donkey. That's just obedience to God. According to NIV, God says, oh sure, go. I've been telling you no, but now I tell you, go ahead and go with them. The NASB is no better. Almost all of these versions make it sound like God's just telling him to go with no condition. Men like Wesley, Matthew, Henry, other commentaries, they get it right. Schofield, he just makes a mess of it. He totally misses it. Verse 23, and the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way and his sword drawn in his hand. And the ass turned aside out of the way and went into the field. And Balaam smote the ass to turn her into the way. Well, it's the wrong way, number one. But the angel of the Lord stood in the path of the vineyards. A wall being on this side and a wall on that side. And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she thrust herself into the wall and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall. And he smote her again. I tell you, when you're trying to follow your lust and you're being hindered, boy, that'll bring some anger in people. You want to see people full of wrath and hatred? You want to see them get irritated and act like madmen? It's when they have a prize. They have lust on their mind. They have adultery on their mind. They have pornography on their mind. They have covetousness or thievery. Oh my, you're going to see some hateful people. They're not going to be able to hide it. He smote her again. And anybody that gets in the way, they're gonna smite or try to. And the angel of the Lord went further and stood in a narrow place where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she fell down under Balaam. And Balaam's anger was kindled and he smote the ass with a staff. And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? What good English that donkey talks! And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me, I would there were a sword in my hand, for now would I kill thee. And the ass said unto Balaam, am not I thine ass upon whom thou has ridden ever since I was thine until this day? Was I ever want to do so unto thee? And he said, nay. I meant she made a good argument. Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way and his sword drawn in his hand and he bowed down his head and fell flat on his face. And the angel of the Lord said unto him, wherefore has thou smitten thy ass these three times? Behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me. There it is, the way of Balaam is a perverse way. It's a stubborn, crooked way. And Balaam is already perverse. He's already on the crooked way before he ever gets to his final sin, the ultimate sin in this context. Remember again, unlike what the NIV and the NASB says, his way was already perverse. He was perverse for going. He didn't obey God's qualification. Let's read 2 Peter again. He was already wrong. The angel says, the ass saw me and turned from me these three times. Unless she had turned from me, surely now I had slain thee and saved her alive. And Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord, I have sinned, for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases thee, I will get me back again. I think Balaam's missing the point here. He's missing the point. You're not getting the point. Balaam says, oh, well, if you want me to go back, I'll go back. Yeah, you're missing the point. You've already disobeyed the instructions. Your way is perverse and stubborn. Now the next words enter into a long section where Balaam gives prophecies that are good for Israel. He doesn't curse Israel. And this greatly displeases the Moabite king. It appears that Balaam is being very obedient now. Then all of a sudden chapter 25 opens with, And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods, and the people did eat and bow down to their gods. And Israel joined himself unto Baal Peor. That's the androgyny Baal God. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. And the Lord said unto Moses, take all the heads of the people and hang them up before the Lord against the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel. And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, slay you every one his men that were joined unto Bel Peor. And those that died in the plague were 20 and 4,000. And that's when Phinehas full of zeal goes and smites a fornicating couple. And God was pleased. And the Lord spake unto Moses saying, vex the Midianites. And yeah, don't go smite the Midianite. Vex the Midianites and smite them. For they vex you with their wiles, wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor. That's over in chapter 25, verse 16. God's telling us in chapter 25 of Numbers that what happened over here earlier is that they were beguiled. They were tricked into sin. They were tricked. And God's saying, go judge them for it. Go judge them. And what we're learning here is those who tempt you to sin are used by Satan, and you must deal with the tempter. They must be cut off. They must be separated from you. And here's where we find out. that although Balaam gave an obedient prophecy and didn't curse Israel directly through the front door, he slyly, moved by his greed, came up with an indirect way of cursing them. That same spirit that heard only what it wanted to hear and overlooked the if, the condition, now found another scheming way to get around the problem through the back door. He counseled the king to send the Moabite women to lure the Israelites into fornication. No, I'm not going to curse Israel. God told me not to do that. I'm obedient to God, but hey, wink, wink, here's what you could do. Send your women out. Have them dance, you know, and be a modest and whatever. And the men of Israel will go out and fornicate with them, and pretty soon you'll have them in fornication and idolatry, and then God will get angry with them and kill them. We find this out even further in Numbers 31. And the Lord spake unto Moses saying, avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites. And Moses said unto them, have you saved all the women alive? Behold, these caused the children of Israel through the counsel of Balaam to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor. And there was a plague among the congregation of Israel. We learn from the Holy Ghost The women were the ones that caused Israel to sin. They came out and tempted Israel to fornicate with them. Why did the women do that? Because Balak the king sent them to do it. Why did Balak the king send the women to go tempt Israel to fornicate? Because that was the counsel of Balaam. Send your women. Send bad women. That's why the Lord said to the pastor in Revelation 2, I have a few things against thee because thou has there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols and to commit fornication. Therefore, the way and doctrine of Balaam, which some believers are gonna walk in in the last days, consists of number one, walking after lust and greed, just following it. And I tell you what, what might have a foothold in your life can easily become a stronghold. Number two, the way in doctrine of Balaam is to rail on the authorities who are in your way, who are in the way of your lust and your plans. And number three, the way a doctrine of Balaam is in the madness of greed, not listening to God's conditions, you run greedily on in madness, hell bent on your money or adultery or your satanic prize, but the whole time telling yourself that you're obedient and crafty. You're just utilizing what the Bible calls moral lying, moral deceptions. You're even lying to yourself and you're lying to God. as if he doesn't see your scheme. It's basically saying, I'm wiser than God. I'll find a way to trick God. He can't blame me. It's like the man went and buried his talent. See, God, I didn't do anything wrong. Thus, the way in Doctrine of Balaam is when you don't directly do the dirty work, but you use unstable people who you can control through your manipulation and suggestion. And there's many applications of how that works out. But all the end result is the same. You're laying a stumbling block or teaching others to lay it so you can get money or some other object of lust and greed. It's just a roundabout way of playing games with God so you can still sin. You can still try to accomplish your goal and your goal might change a little bit somewhere along the way, but nevertheless, you're still consumed by lust and ambition Greed. Second Peter in full context, chapter two, verse one says, but there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you. They're gonna be among you. They gotta arise among you. A lot of times they're people that started out good, maybe very good. Lucifer was very good before he became Satan. And many shall follow their pernicious ways, destructive ways. It's not gonna lead to good fruit and happiness. And through covetousness, shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you." They're going to manipulate you. These false prophets, these false teachers, these people that were good, but now they're going the way of Balaam because of greed or adultery or lust. They are now going to use very careful, crafty, serpentine surmisions and accusations and manipulations to manipulate you. but chiefly them that walk after the flesh, that's what they're about, in a lust of uncleanness, despise government, presumptuous or they self-will, they're not afraid to speak evil of dignities, having eyes full of adultery, that cannot cease from sin, beguiling unstable souls, they beguile them. A heart they have exercised with covetous practices, cursed children, which have forsaken the right way and are gone astray. following the way of Balaam, the son of Bozor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness. He loved them. He loved them. That means he loved that first and foremost. He loved that money he was getting paid. He loved the honor the king was giving him, but was rebuked for his iniquity. The dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbade the madness of the prophet. Even the ass rebuked him. These are wells without water. They seem like they're going to give you so much, so much promise, but they're empty. They're motivated by something else other than the spirit of God and what's good for you. They're motivated by something else other than seeing you fruitful and obedient at the judgment seat of Christ. They're clouds that are carried with a tempest. They're blown about, they're unstable, they're here, they're there, they're changing their game plan. It's a big chess game to them, see. To whom the mist of darkness is reserved forever. Oh, the judgment seat of Christ and the terror of the Lord, the unprofitable servant. I believe in eternal security. but there is a price to pay in the millennial kingdom in that age, ever sometimes means age. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, oh, they are good with the mouth. They're good with the manipulation. They allure through the lust of the flesh. You see, the great leaders of propaganda, beginning with the serpent in the garden, They study people and they figure out what their fears are, what makes them angry, and they figure out what their lusts are. And they prey upon those emotions and those fleshly sins and desires, just like Satan studies you and me to try to know what the weakness is in our lives. So they go to these people and they say, I know how to, don't worry, I'll take care of it. Well, how are you going to get them to do your work? Don't, don't worry. I know what makes them tick. I'm going to allure them through the lust of the flesh, through much wantonness. Notice that word wantonness. Those that were clean escape from them who live in error. They take people that were right with God. And because they're getting unstable, the devil can smell it. It's like the lions and the wolves. They can sense when something is stumbling a little bit in its walk. They know when something is bleeding. That's what they go after. Same with the serpent, same with false teachers. They can tell there's emotional instability. They look around. They might even say, hey, so-and-so's having trouble. So-and-so's having some issues. And then they scratch their chin and they say, oh, I can use this. I can use this instability. And you look back and you say, how did this person get messed up? Usually it's because somebody lured you, manipulated you. but we're responsible to not let it happen. We're responsible to say, no, no, you are stirring me up to rebellion, but I'm not gonna rebel. You are stirring me up. No, I'm not gonna let you, no, you're not good for me. While they promise them liberty, says verse 19, they themselves are the servants of corruption. How can somebody that's enslaved to greed and pride and lust and covetousness, they're inflamed by it. How can they bring stability and godliness to your life? How can they bring liberty to your life? Oh, it's okay to drink. You don't have to listen. It's okay to look at the wine. It's okay to drink moderately. It's okay. It's okay to go near the strange woman's house. It's okay to do these things. Next thing you know, you're a drunkard. Next thing you know, your children are sodomites. It doesn't lead to liberty, it leads to corruption. But it happened unto them according to the true proverb, the dog is turned to his own vomit again and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. There's male and female. Both can be manipulated. Both can be manipulated by those who hold the doctrine of Balaam. That's why it was so important for the Lord Jesus Christ to rebuke that pastor and say, these people who are overcome with lust and greed, they need to be out of here. They need to be excluded. They'll hurt people. They'll hurt people. The Lord's basically telling him, that pastor, that there were already signs that you could have acted upon. Obviously, you can't exclude a wolf until you know and prove he's a wolf. And the Lord's gonna judge. The Lord's gonna be the judge of all that. So the conclusion today is flee the way of Balaam. Flee the doctrine of Balaam. You can't outsmart God. Don't lie to yourself. How did David murder? He did it through the back door, not the front door. He just put him in the heat of the battle. But what did God say? Did God say, oh, well, the Philistines killed Uriah? No, God told David, you killed him. You killed him. Just like Balaam. Balaam cast that stumbling block before Israel, because he's the one that gave Balak the council. This is secondary causation in the Bible. And it's very serious. The Bible tells us not to be a stumbling block. to anyone, especially children and young Christians, but we shouldn't stumble anybody or tell others to stumble. Dear God, we thank you. We thank you for your goodness and we do pray that you'll bless all who hear this message today. Bless us, God, with a spirit of obedience, a spirit not to play around with the devil, not to deceive our own selves, God, but to be doers of your word, not just hearers. Not play games like Balaam did. Help us, Lord, not to be consumed with lust and greed and ambition in a sinful way. Let us not have the spirit of adultery. And God, I do pray that people far and wide will be careful who they listen to. They'll be aware of subtle, manipulators. And they'll take some time to consider what spirit are you of? We thank you, Lord. Come quickly, may we be found watching and ready. Forgive us of all of our sins, Lord. Bring purity, bring peace where possible. In Jesus name, amen.