Pray the Word with David Platt is a resource from radical.net.

Numbers chapter 22, verse 21.

So Balaam arose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.

In this story, Balaam is going to Balak

but he's going with a greedy

heart. He's basically looking

for material gain

through the word of God.

It's a picture of wanting

to take advantage of a situation for material gain and using the

word of God toward that end.

Now, I think about this in light of, well, pastors, church staff who have material gain, like material provision for life and family

through the church, through ministry of the Word of God.

And we see that picture in Scripture.

We see this picture in the Old Testament and the New Testament of God's people supporting

workers who are devoted to the building up of God's people.

So there is obviously good there, but there's also a fine line between manipulating, using the word of God with a greedy heart to get more and more and more and more.

And so in a sinful world where the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil,

those who are supported by the church

need to pray all the more seriously

against this temptation.

And those who are in the church

...