Have Counsel??
Who’s my counselor.
Psalm 16:7
I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart
instructs me.
I can echo those words of David. I know what it is to have access to the Lord’s counsel.
I have come to value the counsel of the Lord through His WORD above that of ALL human wisdom. People in time will always fail us when we put our stock in them—-But God never fails His sons and daughters.
The Lord has shown me so many times in my own experiences of failure and lack of obedience that I now know and trust that the Lord’s counsel is perfect and reliable. I just need patience to wait on HIM because HE has my Best interest in mind.
In the book of Isaiah, the Lord is described as a wonderful counselor, a counselor who is on a level higher than that of:
* human wisdom,
*human insight,
* or human knowledge.
I’m so glad that we all have access to the Lord’s counsel through His Word. All counsel needed is available in His word through the Holy Spirit’s direction.
Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
And I can echo, too, those words that David utters in the next line in psalms 16:
“Even at night my heart instructs me.” So many times when I have an unresolved problem and I go to sleep and commit it to the Lord, in the night the Lord awakens me. And in the innermost depths of my heart, in the stillness of the night, with that still, small voice, He speaks to me. He shows me the answer to that problem.
Oh, it’s so good to know that we have access to the counsel of the
Lord:
* when we come to the END of our own ability
* when we reasoned everything out and it doesn’t make sense.
*When we are at an impasse in our life and we don’t know which way to turn.
****Remember, the Lord is the wonderful counselor.
Go to Him, commit it ALL to Him and in His own wonderful way He will show you the answer.
In Proverbs 13:12a, the writer tells us “hope deferred makes the heart sick”.
There is a place in life where life becomes so discouraging and hopeless that we lose all hope, and it can actually make us sick. I have been at this place; it is a scary condition. It brings you to the edge of despair. It’s so lonely there.
BUT for counsel we through the Holy Spirit HAVE ALL TRUTH of the Word where we can know Jesus has spoken:
Matthew 11:28″Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Why does God withhold deliverance at times?
*It is in order to bring greater glory from the situation.
**It isn’t because He doesn’t care.
* It is because His plan for mankind is resting in these events.
*It is a finely tuned plan that involves many people and situations – ALL operating at the same time. It can seem cruel at times.
BUT God knows that His children cannot worship Him if they are in bondage and lose all hope.
He won’t allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear, so He has a plan of deliverance for each of us.
This plan is not always the kind of deliverance we might think is best. It sometimes has PAIN surrounding the deliverance.
God heard their cry. He sent someone to bring them out of slavery “SO THAT they might worship God” (see Ex. 8:1). Interesting that God didn’t say, “to serve Him.” Above all else, God desires our worship.
A person cannot enter into true worship of God while still in slavery and bondage.
“You must not let the circumstances destroy you! Too many in the Kingdom are counting on you to come through this because of the CALLING on your life!” Those were the words spoken to me by a friend one time when I was in the midst of a very difficult business and personal circumstance that was threatening to destroy me emotionally as well as financially. This person saw what GOD was doing and the fruit that GOD wanted to bring from these circumstances. That gave me Hope!
Sometimes we need others around us to push us through the difficult times. If you find yourself in a difficult place today, see where you can sow some seed. Soon you will be reaping songs of joy.
Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. “He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him” (Ps. 126:5-6).
God is telling us that if we will do what is unnatural for us in our circumstances, He will make sure that what we sow in tears will return in joy.
Don’t be afraid to take a break and relax. Your intensity in finding solutions to the problems you face on your own- will not even come close to the benefits of quiet rest in the Lord’s presence and trusting the Lord to give you the necessary wisdom for breakthrough. This day and age is not a time to tough it out in the strength of your own soul; it is a time to exercise resolute faith in the Lord’s ability and willingness to counsel you and to bring you through every trial in victory. Only believe!
Psalm 107:28-31 Then they cry out to the LORD in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm, so that its waves are still. Then they are glad because they are quiet; so He guides them to their desired haven. Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!
Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
Amen