1. TEXT: NUMBERS 22:1-6 23:21a 23:21b 23:8 2. I. BASED ON THE GOOD WITH THE LORD (Num.23:21a) II. BASED ON THE OF THE LORD (Num.23:21b) III. BASED ON THE OF THE LORD (Num.23:8) 3. WHAT IS A GOOD RELATIONSHIP? HOW DOES ONE OBTAIN SUCH A RELATIONSHIP? I. THE BELIEVER HAS A GOOD WITH THE LORD (Num.23:21a) THREE KINDS OF RELATIONSHIPS A. DIRECT B. DISTANT C. DISTINCT LUKE 16:11-32 1JOHN 1:8-9 4. II. THE OF THE LORD IS WITH HIM (Num.23:21b WHAT IS THE PRESENCE OF GOD? Honor and majesty are [found] in His presence; strength and joy are [found] in His sanctuary. ~ 1 Chronicles 16: 27(AMP) You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16: 11 You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. ~ Psalm 31: 20 Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. ~ Psalm 51: 11 5. III. BASED ON THE BY GOD (Num.23:8) What is a blessing? EULOGO EU-LOGOS EU-LOGOES JOB 1:1-8 6. New Living Translation (2007) But how can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I condemn those whom the LORD has not condemned? 7. King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.) He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them. iniquity perverseness 8. King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.) He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them. 9. Nu 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? Nu 23:20 I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot change it. 10. How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the Lord has not denounced? 11. I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot change it.