Counsel

Throughout the Bible we read of those who were given good, and bad, counsel. I thought I'd take a look at some examples.

2 Chronicles Chapter 10

Rehoboam reigned in his father's (King Solomon's) place. Now King Rehoboam looked for advice in a certain situation. He told the people to go away and come back in three days time. He then consulted with the elders who had stood before his father Solomon, in which he rejected their counsel. He then consulted the young men who had grown up with him, and took the advice given to him by them. 

2 Chronicles Chapter 24

Joash was seven years old when he became king. He reigned for 40 years.

Now what's interesting, is verse 2. He did what was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest. 

But if we now read from verse 17, we see that after Jehoiada's death, the leaders came and worshiped King Joash, and the king listened to them, and they turned and started worshiping and serving wooden images and idols. 

God sent them prophets, to bring them back, but they would not listen to God's prophets. 

2 Chronicles Chapter 26

Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king. He reigned 52 years.

Now what's interesting, is verse 5. He sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God; and as long as he sought the LORD, God was with him. 

Often, though, when kings become strong (strong in wealth, strong in stature, strong in dominion, strong in following, strong in academia, strong in culture,...), their heart is lifted up, and pride sets in. There is temptation, to start believing that they (themselves) have been instrumental in becoming strong.  

2 Chronicles Chapter 28

Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years. 

Verse 23 tells us that he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him, saying, "Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me." But they were the ruin of him and of all Israel.

2 Chronicles Chapters 29-32

Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years. And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father David had done. 

We can read all about his reign in 2 Chronicles Chapters 29-32. 

Looking at 2 Kings Chapters 18 & 19 (& Isaiah Chapter 36), we see the following. 

In the fourth year of King Hezekiah, Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria and besieged it, and took it at the end of three years. Then, in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them. King Hezekiah then appears to plead with the king of Assyria and then offers to pay up anything that the king of Assyria imposes on them. Perhaps in a panicked desperate way. (2 Kings 18:14-16.) 

(The children of Israel had no strength left to bring about victory. They were spent. They couldn't raise themselves to even think about this massive difficulty in front of them. (2 Kings 19:3.))

King Hezekiah comes to realise that he needs to focus less on what the kings of Assyria have done, and more on what the LORD will do. (That's why the king of Assyria sent his offices to keep declaring out loud in the hearing of all the people who assembled in that place about Assyria's conquests, confidence, and their great army; to make them focus of what they had done and what they were capable of.) 

King Hezekiah sends his servants to Isaiah the prophet, to inquire of the LORD. We read of the word that was rec'd, in 2 Kings 19:5-7. It's important to read on to what happened next. King Hezekiah has just rec'd word, through the prophet Isaiah, that the king of Assyria will return to his own land and die. We then read in the very next verse that the king of Assyria sent messengers again to Hezekiah saying... (2 Kings 19:10-13). So what does Hezekiah do? It's interesting what he does do. He takes the letter into the house of the LORD, and spreads it out, and prays (2 Kings 19:14-19). We then read of the LORD's word to Hezekiah through God's prophet Isaiah (2 Kings 19:20-34). The death and defeat of Sennacherib the king of Assyria ends the chapter.   

Psalm 33:10-12 NKJV

The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.
The counsel of the LORD stands forever,
The plans of His heart to all generations.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.

Proverbs 19:20 & 21 NKJV

Listen to counsel and receive instruction,
That you may be wise in your latter days.

There are many plans in a man's heart,
Nevertheless the LORD's counsel - that will stand.

Isaiah 9:6 NKJV

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, 
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

***

More on King Hezekiah

In 2 Chronicles 32:25 we read that his heart was lifted up. Pride. 
But then he humbled himself for the pride of his heart, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come upon them in his days. Verse 26.

We also read of an interesting account of what happened, in 2 Kings Chapter 20. There are some very interesting things in this chapter, but the one I want to focus on, is Hezekiah asking for the shadow on the sundial to go backward ten degrees. He says that it's an easy thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees (which is to speed up time). He continues: "no, but let the shadow go backward ten degrees." This was the sign that God would heal Hezekiah so that he could have 15 more years. 

Whose Righteousness?

Whose righteousness do we seek and even rely on?

• Our own?
• Political parties/members/government?
• Spiritual leaders?
• Professionals?
• Activist leaders?
• Even the human race?

There's just one VERY BIG problem. Everyone is falliable. Every single one of us, no matter, how much schooling we've had, how soft our heart is, how important we are in society, how much we donate, how many selfless acts we carry out,... 

Falliable: capable of making mistakes or being wrong. (Google).

There is only One Who is infalliable. God our Maker. 

Infalliable: incapable of making mistakes of being wrong. (Google).

Matthew 6:33-34 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. NKJV

There is self-righteousness. 
There is righteousness in the eyes of man. 
But verse 33 clearly reads that we are to seek His righteousness.

When our world is in chaos; Whose Righteousness do we seek? His!

How do we seek God's Righteousness? 

The answer is relationship - we seek God Himself. 

His Name is THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, 
which is YHWH Tsidkenu in Hebrew. Jeremiah 23:6, 33:16.

Worship, reading the Word, praise, prayer time, writing to Him...

Carrying God's Vision

Let's look at some people, from the times in the Bible, and even one in more recent years, who carried God's vision, from conception, to birth. 

Mary, the mother of Jesus

Mary listened to the word of God, that was given her. Luke 1:26

There's a verse that I have proclaimed many times in regards to my new land (that which I feel that God has shown me), being Luke 1:45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord. NKJV.

When I continue to proclaim these things that I believe has been told me by the Lord, then I am on my journey to eventually arrive at the birthing stage.  

We find the announcement to Mary made in Luke 1:26-38. The words Mary spoke (verse 38) are so very important. She was aligning with the word of God. She aligned. She believed. And, in time, she delivered. 

When the shepherds came and shared what they had seen and heard, all those who heard it marveled. Luke 2:8-20. 

And what did Mary do? 
Kept all these things and pondered them in her heart (vs 19). 

Mary kept all these things which were told her, in her heart and thought about/reflected on them. In the very early days of her pregnancy (before showing signs of being pregnant) she kept that word from God alive. She carried God's vision. 

Noah

Now let's look at Noah. Both Mary and Noah kept a vision that was told them, alive, even before they started to manifest. 

Noah is advised to make this MASSIVE ark of gopher wood to God's exact blueprint. It is to house all those who decide to walk up that plank (open door), plus a remnant of the WHOLE animal kingdom. Wow!!! 

So what did Noah do, even though there was no rain on the nightly weather forecast? 

He carried God's vision and set about to build what God had given him the blueprint for. Even if he and his sons had hired help, it still would have taken quite a time to build. And then on top of all this, they didn't have a boat trailer! And what about all the different kinds of animals that had to board and get settled in. And don't even mention the gathering of all the food. 

We've got to put aside our 'this isn't possible' human earthly way of thinking, for anything to manifest on earth. Luke 1:37.  

Moses had to carry the vision of God's people being set free from slavery and bondage. 
Joshua had to carry the vision of entering the Promised Land.
And, of course, there have been so many others.

What are some of the things that we need, to carry a vision:

• Remembrance: Don't put it away; keep it out and in view. Be creative 'to see it to pray it'. Paint or draw it and place it in a photo frame and put it in a prominent place, or Keep a note in your Bible (perhaps even your own hand-made bookmark with the vision either written on it or drawn/painted on it). Have it come up on your phone/computer/laptop (or any other device) regularly as a prayer reminder. Or if you're like me, have an old-fashioned notebook kept on my bedside table. 
• Prayer: This is closely related to 'remembrance', but it's the actual action of praying it in, not just the remembering of a vision. For example, let's say God reveals to you that you'll be working with teens, then you could pray regularly in alignment with this, to have it manifest. A prayer of declaration could be something like: Dear Father, I declare the words in Luke 1:45 in regards to what you have revealed to me regarding working with teens. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.  
• Courage: Let's look at someone who hid her son for three months, and then placed him in an ark of bulrushes in the reeds by a river's bank. Exodus Chapter 2. This mother's name is not even mentioned in this passage of scripture, but she was a very courageous woman. Not just courageous for hiding her son, but even more so, for letting her son go so that he could live.
• Persistence: It takes persistence not to give up when things don't come easily. 
• Perseverance: It takes perseverance not to give up when things don't come easily or quickly.
• Sacrifice: Let's look at Hannah. Hannah gave up her firstborn, for God's ministry. We too often have to make sacrifices, to carry God's vision. It may be, our wants, our desires, our ambitions, our time, our plans, our ...

Someone of more recent times in history: 

Harry S. Truman 33rd President of the United States of America

https://www.jpost.com/opinion/he-man-from-missouri-who-helped-change-jewish-history-627970

Credit: The Jerusalem Post

Correct me Father

I had a dream some years ago in which I got excited and started planning things about it - my interpretation. Then my friend had a dream in which I was pushing a pram with a baby in it who's name was Will. I didn't understand it at first, but I then came to understanding that, I was pushing my own will. 

This was God's gracious and loving warning. 

We need to continually be in a place of having an open heart and an open mind to be corrected. And be thankful for the correction.

POST: Correct me Father

King David decided he wanted to build God a House. This can be us. We might think it would be nice to build something for God. Now this was a beautiful gesture. But we learn that even gestures need to come up before God. The prophet Nathan agreed to David's gesture without consulting God because Nathan had seen that God was with King David. But we learn in scripture that King David couldn't build this house for God because: 

• He had shed much blood and had made great wars, and shed much blood on the earth in God's sight. 

2 Samuel Chapter 7. 1 Kings 5:3. 1 Chronicles 22:8, 28:3.

Revelation: If you think or feel to do something, ask God first, and then wait on Him. And if He says yes, ask Him who's to build it (physically and/or spiritually). And even if we get a 'yes', we need to then wait on God for further instructions such as, when, who, where...

Now let's look at Jonah.

The fish was mercy. His near death experience, was Jonah's wake-up call. 

(Jonah wasn't born 'to be' a prophet. He was born a prophet. This was his life calling, not his 'adult' life calling. You don't become a prophet, rather; you grow, as a prophet. There is no age limit to a gift/calling of God. Yes, we need to grow and mature in our gift, but we don't need to wait until we reach a certain age to start walking in it. 

At the age of 40, when I became a Christian, I started having a keen interest to write, and a love of words, sayings. It was in my spiritual DNA. I wasn't born to be a writer; I was born a writer. It was already within me, but I was too busy and occupied and lost and... to even be aware of it. When I came to Jesus, and was then in Jesus, it just bloomed. John 15:4.   

Samuel was walking in his gift/calling from a very early age.)

Back to Jonah and that fish. Jonah was born a prophet. God had specific work for him to do, as Jonah the prophet. There are many prophets, there are many teachers, there are many musicians to praise the Lord. But we each, every individual one of us has a specific, song or tune or gift of an instrument, book to be written, a warning to be proclaimed or shared privately, a prayer to be prayed, a declaration to be declared, a painting to be painted, a helper to help, ....

Some years ago we bought our son a brand new 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle. When he finished it, lo and behold, it was missing a piece. It was strange. It was there to look at, in all it's 999 pieces. But one piece was missing. It made this beautiful colourful jigsaw incomplete. The 999 pieces couldn't compensate for this one missing piece. It was an individual piece that completed the picture.

Revelation: Each one of us has a unique gift that we've been given for a specific time and place. If Jonah hadn't fulfilled his specific work, then there would have been more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who could not have discerned between their right hand and their left - and much livestock that would not have received compassion through Jonah and the warning that God had instructed him to give. 

Now let's look at one last thing for this post - God's rod and staff, as comfort to us. Psalm 23:4(c).

Why is God's rod and staff a comfort to us? Because they correct and protect. The title of Psalm 23 is 'The LORD the Shepherd of His people'. 

A shepherd uses their rod and staff for different reasons, from, guiding their sheep in which way they should go, to stop them from going to a certain area, to stop them from wandering off alone, to warding off predators, AND TO KEEP THEM CLOSE TO HIM.

Revelation: Overall, a rod and a staff, is used for protection. In our case, spiritually (and sometimes physically). But they are only comfort if one chooses to be, guided, corrected, aligned, and in our Shepherd's presence continually. 
      



Psalm 37:23-24 
The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, 
and He delights in his way. 
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; 
For the LORD upholds him with His hand. 

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, 
And lean not on your own understanding; 
In all your ways acknowledge Him, 
And He shall direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:11-12
My son, do not despise the 
chastening of the LORD,
Nor detest His correction;
For whom the LORD loves He corrects,
Just as a father the son in whom he delights.

2 Timothy 3:16-17
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 

All verses are NKJV.   

Jesus asks Martha a question...

John 11:25-26 NKJV (Emphasis mine)
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"

What does Jesus mean by, though he may die, he shall live?

The well known song, 'It is well with my soul' was written by a man who had known much heartache. But Horatio Spafford knew that it was well with his soul. 

Jesus has risen! He has risen indeed! 

And, it is well with my soul.

The Virtuous Wife (verse 31)

Proverbs 31:31 NKJV

Give her of the fruit of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates.

The Virtuous Wife (verse 30)

Proverbs 31:30 NKJV
Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the LORD,
she shall be praised.
Charm: the power or quality of delighting, attracting, or fascinating others. (Google.)
Passing: the passage of something, especially time. (Google.)
Fear: reverential awe.

This wife knows that charm is insincere, and that (external) beauty suffers from the passage of time. She knows that fearing the LORD is the best thing to be praised for.