Stranger Stories: When a Donkey Speaks

When a Donkey Speaks

Stranger Stories — The Bizarre of the Bible

October 9, 2022

Dr. Clayton Chisum

Numbers 22:1 (NLT)

Numbers 22:2-6 (NLT)

Numbers 22:7-8 (NLT)

Numbers 22:12-13 (NLT)

Numbers 22:18-21 (NLT)

Numbers 22:22 (NLT)

2 Peter 2:14-15 (NLT)

Numbers 22:22-27 (NLT)

Numbers 22:28-33 (NLT)

1. God wants your

God is fighting for your attention. With a world that is so distracting, he is so patient.

Psalm 103:8 (NLT)

Is God trying to get your attention? Do you see his correction and nudging?

Proverbs 16:9 (NLT)

2. makes you look like a

When we get mad at God, we can’t see what He’s doing.

_________ is traveling in a direction that does not honor God.

_________ has secret motives that are sinful and selfish.

3. God loves to use the unqualified and misguided to change the world

But, before God uses you, he wants your attention. You have to recognize it and respond.

Numbers 22:34 (NLT)

Numbers 22:35 (NLT)

2 Peter 3:9 (NLT)

QUESTIONS TO DIG DEEPER

THE WARM UP
What phrase best describes your personality?
• Quiet as a mouse
• Loyal as a dog
• Wise as an owl
• Sly as a fox
• Slow as a turtle
• Cunning as a rabbit
• Stubborn as a mule

GOING BEYOND THE MESSAGE
1. We talked about how God wants to get our attention, and how he often does this in a gradual way.
Does this ring true in your life, or does it seem like God uses “big moments” to get your attention?
Share personal experiences of God getting your attention through other people, situations, or even
some donkeys.
2. Another topic in the message was how we can often react to God’s direction in our life by getting
angry. There was an illustration used about a dog on a leash and how a dog will pull and fight and
resist the “guiding direction” of the owner. Does this ring true in your life as well? Have there been
times where you’ve been angry at God when he said “NO” or closed a door in your life? Being on
the other side of that situation, how do you feel now?
3. The final lesson from the message was how “God uses the unqualified and misguided” to fulfill his
purposes. How did God do that in this story? How does this truth affect you personally?
4. Which was the greater miracle to you: God opening Balaam’s eyes (Num. 22:31), or his donkey’s
mouth (Num. 22:28)? Why do you think so?
5. If you’re willing to share, is there anything in your life right now that God is directing you towards or
away from? How do you know? What steps do you need to take to respond like Balaam (Num.
22:34)?

THE WRAP UP
• Pray for and with each other
• Set next small group time