SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 3/23/2013
11:39 AM
My Worship Time Focus: Counsel
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Studies in
Proverbs
Message of the
verses: We have been looking at
different aspects of Christian growth that are found in the book of Proverbs,
and in particular at this time from Proverbs 3:5-6. Today we will look at the word “counsel.”
4. Counsel
Proverbs 20:18 states, “Plans are established by counsel;
By wise counsel wage war.” The object to
this verse is that if experience generals are to seek counsel before going into
war shouldn’t we seek counsel for the battles of life that we face? One of God’s attributes is wisdom and James
states the following about wisdom: “5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask
of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given
to him. 6 But he must ask in faith
without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea,
driven and tossed by the wind (James 1:5-6).”
As believers when we run into difficult problems, be it
spiritual problems or family problems which can also be spiritual problems we
are to seek out the counsel of wiser believers who have perhaps gone through
similar problems and can give good counsel to us. Paul writes the following 3 ¶
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who
comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who
are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by
God (2Cor. 3:5-6).” Paul states that
when believers go through difficult times that the Lord can use them to help
others who are going through difficult times of their own.
In relationship of getting wise counsel for other
believers we can look at Proverbs 12:15 to show us this is the correct way to
get it: “The way of a fool is right in
his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.” We don’t want to get counsel from a fool do
we?
Christian parents are the first source to get wise
counsel: “Listen to your father who
begot you, And do not despise your mother when she is old.” “A wise son heeds his father’s instruction,
But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke (Pr. 13:1 NKJV).” I realize that all of us have not had the
privilege to be raised in a godly home, but God will provide substitute parents
who are godly if we are young believers, especially in a good church we attend.
Next we can look for Christian counsel from Christian
friends. “Oil and perfume make the heart
glad, So a man’s counsel is sweet to his friend (Pr. 27:9).” I realize that there are times when we do not
get the sweet smelling advice from our friends that Solomon is talking about in
this verse, we may even get bad advice.
I have been there and done that. Dr. Wiersbe quotes Proverbs 27:17 to
make a point here “Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another.” He goes on to say, “The sparks may fly, but
God will give us the light that we need, ‘Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy. (Pr. 27:6).’”
Dr. Wiersbe writes “How we accept and apply rebuke is a
test of how devoted we are to truth and wisdom and how sincere we are in
wanting to know God’s will. ‘He who
listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise (15:31
NIV). ‘He who desdains instruction
despises his own soul, but he who heeds rebuke gets understanding’ (Vs. 32
NKJV). Friends who flatter us and avoid
telling us the truth are only doing us harm.
‘He who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favor than he who has a
flattering tongue. (28.23, NIV; see 29:5).”
I know we all realize that not all friends are good counselors
“The purposes of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding
draws them out (Pr. 20:5 NIV).” We read
in Jeremiah 17:9 the following “"The heart is more deceitful than all else
And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?” Then we read in Hebrews 4:12b “the thoughts
and intentions of the heart.” This is
speak of the Word of God and the Word of God can teach us what the motives of
our hearts really are if we study it and then listen to it. If we don’t want to see it then we probably
won’t.
There are several verses in Proverbs that teach us that a
multitude of counselors are good, that does not mean that we should run from
friend to friend asking for advice. I
believe that if we pray about these types of situations and then trust the Lord
to lead us to the right person to help us with them along with Bible Study that
we will receive good counsel.
Dr. Wiersbe concludes this section with the following
advice: “In seeking counsel, we must be
sincere, because a loving and wise friend can often see dangers and detours
that are hidden from us. IT’s best to be
accountable to another believer and submit to the authority of the spiritual
leaders in our church. During more than
forty years of ministry, I’ve witnessed the painful downfalls of several ‘Lone
Ranger’ Christians who though they didn’t need anybody’s counsel. ‘A man who
isolates himself seeks his own desire; he rages against all wise judgment’ (Pr
18:1, NKJV). Christians are God’s sheep,
and we need to flock together. As members
of Christ’s spiritual body (1Cor. 12), we belong to each other, and we need
each other.”
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: I have had three
real Pastors who I have set under since I have become a believer and I have
received good counsel from all of them when I asked for it. I thank God for all of them, of which two of
them are now in heaven with the Lord receiving their rewards for a job well
done.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Trust the Lord to not give up on me when I
make mistakes, but to lead me to His Word and wise counsel to get me back on
the track.
Memory verses for the
week: Psalm 32:1-7
1 How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered! 2 How blessed is
the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is
no deceit! 3. When I kept silent about
my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon
me; my vitality was drained away like the fever heat of summer. Selah. 5 I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity
I did not hide; I said “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”; and You
forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah. 6
Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be
found; surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him.
7 You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble;
You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.
Answer to yesterday’s
question: “David” (1 Samuel 17:45)
Question for Today: “Where did David reign for thirty three years?’
Answer in Tomorrow’s SD
3/23/2013 12:45 PM
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