welcome to today's encouragement from our daily bread reading titled no cursing was written by Tim Gustafson
 William Shakespeare was a master of the insult a quality that actor Barry crafted definitely leverages with his Shakespeare insult generator the clever book consists of obscure insults drawn from Shakespeare's plays for instance you might disparage someone by saying the house or Sonika loggerheaded rampelli in which is so much more creative than saying you brag a lot and you're not very smart you scoundrel crafts light-hearted book is in good fun but an ancient king of Moab try to pay mysterious Prophet not merely to insult the Israelites but to outright curse them, and put a curse on these people kingbay lacked old Balaam and numbers 20 to 6 instead Balaam and rage the King by blessing the Hebrew people multiple times one of his blessings included this prophecy in chapter 24 I see him
 but not now I Behold Him but not near clearly the individual and view is not yet on the scene but just who is Balaam talking about the next line hold the clue I star will come out of Jacob a scepter will rise out of Israel the star Would One Day lead wise men to the promise Christ child and ancient Mesopotamian Prophet who knew nothing of the Messiah of the world to a future sign declaring his arrival from an unlikely Source I'm not cursing but I think
 today's our daily bread devotional scripture reading is from Numbers chapter 24 verses 10 through 19
 then balax anger burned against Balaam he struck his hands together and said to him I summoned you to curse my enemies but you have blessed them these three times now leave at once and go home I said I would reward you handsomely but the Lord has kept you from being rewarded
 Balaam answered balak did I not tell the messenger as you sent me even if they lack gave me all the silver and gold in his Palace I could not do anything of my own accord good or bad to go beyond the command of the Lord and I must say only what the Lord says
 now I'm going back to my people but come let me warn you of what this people will do to your people in days to come then he spoke his message the prophecy of Balaam son of the you're the prophecy of one whose eyes sees clearly the prophecy of one who hears the words of God who has Knowledge from the most high who sees a vision from the almighty Who falls prostrate and whose eyes are opened I see him but not now I Behold Him but not near a star will come out of Jacob a scepter will rise out of Israel he will crush the foreheads of Moab the skulls of all the people of shot Edom will be conquered see are his enemy will be conquered but Israel will grow strong a ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city
 let's pray God please give us eyes to recognize when you are working in unexpected ways and through unexpected people give us eyes to see your hand at work in all things
 thank you Lord in Jesus name we pray amen
 thanks for listening today I'm Steve and then today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries