the best counselot

Isaiah 9:6  NLT

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us.  The government will rest on his shoulders.  And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Some of my favorite people in this world are counselors.  They are gifted, wise and insightful people who help families and individuals find the tools to live successful lives.  Most of these people are Christian counselors that tie what they share and people need to Biblical truth.  Others are secular counselors who teach helpful skills for life.

God’s desire for each of us is success, abundance, and large amounts of His grace, and what can and will begin us on a wonderful path is God’s word applied to our lives. 

Jesus is the word of God embodied.  See John 1 for this fact.  Our best counseling begins with the Word in us.  That is Jesus in us, and that is when we take the Bible and apply it to our lives.  The old cliché “garbage in and garbage out” is very true.  What we put in or allow in is what we will get out of our lives.

Proverbs 2:6  NLT

For the Lord grants wisdom!  From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Allow Jesus to bring you peace, to be your father, and even to counsel you in the facts and facets of life.  Years ago I began reading through Proverbs on a daily basis.  What I have gained from that book has allowed me to learn how to deal with many different situations and how to lean on God through difficult times.

Hebrews 4:12  NLT

For the word of God is alive and powerful.  It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow.  It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

The Bible contains truth and is truth.  When we apply the word of God, it becomes alive in us working to make us strong and wise.  It gives us the tools to handle what life brings our way.  Those are practical tools as well as spiritual ones. 

I had the privilege not long after getting out of high school to go to a conference where some of the most of my favorite preachers of that day were speaking.  One of them was John MacArthur. 

He shared a message from Psalm 19 that has struck in my mind for more than 23 years.  There were several things that MacArthur shared that have stuck in my mind and helped shape how I apply Scripture to my life. 

He said that (and I loosely quote these things), “the Bible is like a caged lion.  You don’t have to defend it.  Just open the cage and let it work as God prepared it to do.”  Going in several different directions he noted that when the Bible speaks in the area of science or math or relationships it speaks truth that transforms lives.

My point is that our best counselor may not be the person we make an appointment to see.  Our best counselor is Jesus Himself through the Word that He has given to us.  By taking in the truth of God’s word we find strength and success, wisdom and warning, answers and peace.  That is how God works.

I am not saying that we should not go see doctors and counselors.  Those people are very important, yet as Christians we need to allow our days to be filled with what God says and to apply what God says.  The Bible is what God uses to transform our lives as it speaks with clear authority from our gracious and loving God.

Psalm 19:7-11  NLT

The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul.
 The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8 The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. 
The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living.  9 Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever.
 The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair. 10 They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold.
 They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. 11 They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them.

NOTE:

We have important meetings today about our new campus.  Pray for wisdom, finances, and open doors as the process of building out begins.