Thoughts for reflection. . . (Counsel)

Who and what am I listening to?

Our level of victory (knowing experientially the will and purposes of God as revealed in His Word) in every area of our life and character will be significantly influenced by the counsel (guidance/advice) that we allow to lead and direct us.

Most every day we are faced with decisions we need to make and situations to which we must respond. Living in such a way that my choices and responses bear the right fruit will be achieved by carefully choosing the counsel I listen to.

We should not limit our definition of counsel only to specific forms of instruction we receive from a given source but need to recognise that it can include anything we expose ourselves to which can influence our way of thinking, our opinions and our lifestyle.

There are many voices from the world clawing for our attention, and seeking to influence us: the media, the entertainment arena, the fashion industry to name just a few. Combined with this we face an enemy that will use any means to try and deceive, distract and infiltrate our lives by getting us to adopt his counsel. Consequently we must heed the Scripture in Ps 1.1 that says, 'Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord. . .'. We must continually guard ourselves from taking on attitudes, opinions and lifestyles that are influenced by these voices in the world.

Our objective should always be to know God's counsel in all things and be aligned to that counsel in all our ways. It is God's counsel that always prevails (Ps 33.11, Prov 19.21, 21.30), and as we therefore come under the shadow of that counsel we will partake of the benefits of it.

The counsel of the Lord is always available to us as followers of Christ through the Scriptures and the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives (John 16.13, 1John 2.20,27). It just requires us to recognise the greatness of our need to be led of God and to set our hearts daily in the direction of seeking His counsel and wisdom.

May we so love God's Word that like the Psalmist we can say 'Thy testimonies are my delight and my counsellors' (Ps 119.24). And be tuned to the Holy Spirit's working that we may experience what God promised His people Israel '.. thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left' (Is 30.21).

- sent from Palm T|T3