Balaam Quotes

• Scripture itself is not systematic; the New Testament shows the greatest variety. God has shown us that he can use any instrument. Balaam's ass, you remember, preached a very effective sermon in the midst of his 'hee-haws.'

  C. S. Lewis

  Use, Systematic, Scripture

  Source: www.teachingbooks.net

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• A man's personality is matured only when he appropriates the truth, whether it is spoken by Balaam's ass or a sniggering wag or an apostle or an angel.

  Soren Kierkegaard

  Angel, Men, Personality

  "Søren Kierkegaard's Journals and Papers: Autobiographical, 1829-1848". Book by Søren Kierkegaard and Gregor Malantschuk, p. 226, Journals IV A 87 (1843), 1978.

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• I had a professor one time... He said, 'Class, you will forget almost everything I will teach you in here, so please remember this: that God spoke to Balaam through his ass, and He has been speaking through asses ever since. So, if God should choose to speak through you, you need not think too highly of yourself. And, if on meeting someone, right away you recognize what they are, listen to them anyway'.

  Rich Mullins

  Thinking, Class, Meeting Someone

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• [On refusing to be silenced:] I do not pretend to be John the Baptist rebuking the Pharisees. I do not claim to be Nathan upbraiding David. I aspire only to be Balaam's ass, castigating his master.

  Katharina Zell

  Speaking Up, Baptists, Pharisees

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• In the Bible, God uses brothel owners, pagan kings, murderers and mercenaries as instruments of good; at one point God even speaks to a guy named Balaam through his donkey.

  Shane Claiborne

  Kings, Guy, Use

  "Plotting goodness together: An interview with Shane Claiborne". Interview with Jonathan Merritt, religionnews.com. May 22, 2013.

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• Truth is truth, whether from the lips of Jesus or Balaam.

  George MacDonald

  Jesus, Lips, Truth Is

  George MacDonald (1867). “Unspoken Sermons”, p.103

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• God spoke to Balaam through his ass. I believe God still speaks through asses today. So if God should choose to speak through you, you needn't think too highly of yourself.

  Rich Mullins

  Believe, Thinking, Today

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• In all common ordinary cases, we see intuitively at first view what is out duty, what is the honest part. This is the ground of the observation, that the first thought is often the best. In these cases, doubt and deliberation is itself dishonesty; as it was in Balaam upon the second message.

  Joseph Butler

  Views, Doubt, Firsts

  Joseph Butler (1839). “The Whole Works of Joseph Butler ...”

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