Tag: Counsel

Serving God His Way

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              God equips each of us in a unique way to serve Him and to glorify Him. In His infinite wisdom He molds us through our troubles in order to strengthen us for our journey. When troubles come into our lives, our first instinct is to run to our friends and family for counsel or consoling. That can be useful some of the time but we must use discernment with their advice. The important thing is that we give God’s Word precedence over all other counsel. This all became clear when I was reminded of the story of David fighting Goliath.

                David came to the army camp to bring lunch to his brothers. They were not accommodating to him when he came to them. He then hears the army’s trouble with a giant Philistine named Goliath. David approaches King Saul while all of the other soldiers are afraid to fight. The king reluctantly says ok to this undersized minor fighting the giant. Saul then proceeds to give David his armor and weapon to fight. The problem was David could not use Saul’s weapon or armor (advice) to approach the battle God had for him. He had to use the skills of a shepherd to fight the way God had equipped him. He approached the Philistine with the power of the God of Israel made whole in David’s faith and weakness. David trusted God and ignored the advice of his brothers to return home and his king to use a sword. In his obedience to God he glorified the Lord and solidified his own place as the future king.

                Listen to the wisdom of those around you and accept their love. But in those moments of weakness give the highest position to God and let His power be made complete in your weakness. Discern the counsel of the people around you and lean always on God’s word always faithful to His word made flesh in Christ.

What is a Leader? (5 of 9)

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Discerning of Counsel (Let God determine what is taken to heart) – Good leaders have become good at discerning wise counsel through experience. We must run counsel through a Godly filter so that we can find what that advice really looks like. Some of the best counsel may be spoken by the least likely person as God uses the people around us to guide us. The opposite can also be true. A person we thought would be the best counsel could give us ideas that we are not meant to work with. We must seek counsel and let scripture and God’s Spirit what finds its place in us. (1 Timothy 6:20) Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” for by professing it some have swerved from the faith.

 

Instead of God’s Kingdom (6)

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Control

God doesn’t override our free will. Even when that will is to take control from Him. Its human nature to try and use our own power to control what happens around us. God is always in control but when we forget to let Him lead us, we fail to reach our full potential. That potential is found in the counsel of God and the guidance of Jesus. There are people who thrive on that control and go so far as to control other people. We are called to lead the blind and our jobs have us managing those placed in our care. This speaks to something dangerous for us. Some people put themselves into a position where they require control and then wonder why they fall short and are left emotional unfulfilled. They miss the abundance found in Christ but due to the hardness of their heart pursue other avenues including stronger pursuits of more control.(Ephesians 1:11)  In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will

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As a follower of Jesus there is a decision to be made. Do we seek earthly rewards and pleasure or the abundance that awaits in heaven? This question pertains to many things: 1) possessions, 2) status, 3) recognition, 4) affection, 5) acceptance, 6) control and 7) longevity. This list is limited but should suffice in awakening the senses to the other ways people seek this world over eternity in paradise.