Moments for My Master: Receiving or Rejecting Counsel

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23-24

Beware of the usurpish counselor. Be careful to rightly steward what information comes into your heart and mind. This occurs when we rightly discern who it is we allow to speak or not to speak into our lives.

David has this to say of this matter of who was to speak into his life:

“Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities. 6 When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.” Psalms 141:5-6

The sweet Psalmist of Israel cried out for “the righteous” to bring correction and reproof into his life and not the wicked for he had already written that “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly.” (Psalms 1:1; 141:5)

Note here in this Psalms 141 passage that David, due to being in right standing with the LORD, possessed the Counsel and wisdom of the LORD which he said is “sweet.” He indicates here that the Word of God he put into the hearts of the wicked would be brought back into their minds as they come under divine judgment for being God’s enemies.

True Friends who Fear God are Qualified to Speak into Our Lives

“A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Proverbs 17:17

A good friend is one who is born again and walks with God and therefore loves his/her friends “at all times.” That good friend will not force his personal opinions, advice, or counsel on those around him. When he/she speaks, it’s the Word of God in love (Ephesians 4:15; Colossians 4:6; 1 Peter 4:11).

Have you ever noticed that most of the people who insist upon telling everyone else what to do, don’t even have their own lives in order? They don’t have the logs out of their own eyes (Matthew 7:1-4; Romans 2:1-2).

Receiving the Counsel of the Ungodly is Sin

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly …” Psalms 1:1

Have you ever considered that opening your heart and thoughts up to an “ungodly” – unsaved – person is sin? We all have family members and have a natural love for them and yet, some or many of our family members are not born again and so are considered “ungodly” in the biblical economy and therefore it seems wise that their counsel should be limited or completely cut off.

This is not to say that all counsel from family members is bad and yet, many of us can testify of horrific control that has pervaded those family members who have insisted on speaking into our lives.

Obviously our parents have a familial love for us and can give good advice at times.

Should we not beware of family members who do not fear God and therefore are not walking with Jesus who presumptuously assume the place of a counselor in our lives? Some of the worst damage of the enemy of souls can be done via this unfitting arrangement. For this reason the child of God should guard his heart with all diligence (Proverbs 4:23). Did our LORD not promise that “And a man's foes shall be they of his own household”? (Matthew 10:36)

False Obligation

What is it within us that makes us feel falsely obligated to receive counsel from everyone who comes along and wants to stick another rusty sword in our hearts?

Who is it in our lives that, according to Holy Scripture, qualifies to speak into our lives? And, who is disqualified?

Here’s a principle I believe applies here:

“The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.” 2 Samuel 23:3

Those who will lead many people or just one “must be just, ruling in the fear of God.”

Listen beloved, if you don’t know that the person who is giving you counsel is in the fear of God, loves and dwells richly in the Word of God, and has a clear manifestation of God’s love, there’s no reason to give ear to their counsel.

Jesus Christ is Your “Wonderful, Counsellor”

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end …” Isaiah 9:6-7

Here’s the groundwork: The blood-bought saint of Jesus has and needs God to be His “Wonderful Counselor.” (Isaiah 9:6-7) He’s the Most High so all other “sources” of counseling or infinitely inferior to His perfect Counsel which He had written down for us.

“The counsel (Word) of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.” Psalms 33:11

The “Prince of Peace” is also the “truth” and He alone has the ultimate, perfect wisdom for our lives and if any man ask Him for His wisdom He will give it freely to that person (Isaiah 9:6; John 14:6).

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” James 1:5

Evil Counsel Abounds

“And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;” 2 Timothy 2:17

It should be plain that in this fallen world, evil counsel abounds while divinely blessed counselors are rare. The false counsel of the two evil workers Paul named in the above verse was deadly, eating people up spiritually. The apostle Paul said that the counsel of evil men “will eat as doth a canker.” “Canker” here comes from the Greek word gang'-grahee-nah which is where we get the English word gangrene which is a deadly disease that eats the flesh. The effect of wrong counsel will eat at us and distort truth and muddy the waters of our relationship with the One whose Counsel and wisdom is “first pure.”

Take note to what God’s Word tells us about His wisdom and counsel and also how it manifests in the person who is possessed by Him:

“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” James 3:17-18

“Hearty Counsel”

“Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.” Proverbs 27:9

The child of God need not feel obligated to receive advice or counsel from relatives or friends who do not truly fear God and walk in divine love so as to have your best interest at heart. The “hearty counsel” of the God-fearing, Holy Ghost filled believers around us is more than sufficient to aid in please our LORD perfectly in this life. In fact, there are three primary and blessed ways the LORD speaks into the hearts of His people:

1. The Word of God

2. The divine Person of Holy Ghost

3. The blessed body of Christ

There is no need to pay a counselor whom in most cases will not go strictly by Holy Scripture. The paying of counselors arrangement is probably a new concept. In centuries past the body of Christ fellowshiped, broke bread, and dwelled richly in the Word of God which is the fountain of His perfect wisdom (Acts 2:42-47; Colossians 3:16). Because of this, they needed no outside counsel because they had the counsel of the Most high. Now, since 99% of modern “churches” do not teach the Bible – God’s Word only – there is a great “famine” and much spiritual anemia and destruction transpiring in the lives of many who claim to be saved (Amos 8:11). The fall out is great and many run to counselors thinking they will be the answer only to be greatly disappointed and diminished of funds.

When Christ “the Head” of the body of Christ is upheld and rightly glorified among God’s people, His divine virtue flows freely into the lives of His people.

“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power … Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.” Colossians 2:8-10; 18-19

"Someone asked me, "Do you pray for the dead?" I said, "No, I preach to them!" I think every pew in every church is death row. Think about that! They're dead! They sing about God; they talk about God, but they're dead! They have no living relationship (with God)." Leonard Ravenhill

"Fraud"

The Highest Counsel makes it crystal clear that withholding monies from workers (those you have hired) is "fraud":

"Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. 3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. 4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. 5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. 6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you."James 5:1-6

Verse 4 in this passage sets forth that it is "fraud" to keep back fair financial pay from those you have hired who have "reaped down your fields" or brought you gain.

If a person gets upset because of what the LORD said, then they have a problem with Him. Those who know and love the LORD, follow what He has given us in His Holy Word (Psalms 119:105; John 8:47).

Message Rec’d:

“Oh my Todd! I just noticed my NKJV was edited by Robert Schuller. No wonder I coudn't read it this morning and before discovering this. The Lord truly does lead us in paths of righteousness to those that are His who seek Him in spirit and in truth.”

Reply:

Amen precious sister. God is so good. Praise the LORD for His preserved, pure Word in the King James Bible.

Memorize Job 5:22 with joy. It’s time to start laughing because God will always provide for His own.

“At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.” Job 5:22

Jesus is coming soon. How do we know who is ready and who’s not ready?

“And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” 1 John 3:3

“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.” Revelation 19:7

Todd Tomasella
www.SafeGuardYourSoul.com
e: info@safeguardyoursoul.com

Links to Visit:

http://womenwhofeargod.com/