Hearing God, Through Advice and Counsel

Through the Advice and Counsel of your fellow Brothers and Sisters in Christ.

Why should we go to Church?

"Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety." {Proverbs 11: 14}

We are not in this alone. We have a Family. They are our Fellow Brothers and Sisters in Christ. In the Family of God.

"The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice." {Proverbs 12: 15}

We can help each other and strengthen each other. Protect and Teach. Celebrate with, and Morn with. Your Strengths maybe my Weaknesses. My Strengths may be your Weaknesses.

"Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand."{Proverbs 19: 20-21}

I know things you do not. Sorry, not bragging here, just stating a fact. You know things I do not. You have Gifts that I do not have. I have Gifts you do not have. Paul explained it this way..

1 Corinthians 12:

1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.

2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.

3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

14 For the body is not one member, but many.

15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

That is why it is so vitally important that you Pray about, and go to, The Church that God Leads you to. He does have a Plan and Purpose for you. He wants to Adopt you into His Family. That means, you all of a sudden have Brothers and Sisters, Mothers and Fathers, not to mention THE Father, that love you and are now there for you.

Look what Jesus said when they came to Him saying "Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee."

"And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it."{Luke 8: 20-21}

Jesus wants us to come together. He even told us this..

"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."{Matthew 18:20}

Then Jesus tells us that the Church should be involved in nearly every aspect of our lives. Remember when He was telling Peter to forgive, He told him, and all of us, that if need be, we should bring our problems to the Church.

Matthew 18:15-17

15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

Just like your earthly Family, in God's family you have Babies. Those that just heard the Truth and have allowed the Truth to set them free. They know next to nothing, and are in need of being fed, taught, ETC. You have teenagers. Those that are more knowledgeable, not yet ready to go out on their own. They can certainly help in the raising of the young.

Then you have the Moms and Dads. Those that have grew up, put away childish things, and are in a position to Teach, Encourage, Love, and Guide in the way both the Teenagers and Children should go. These are the Elders of the Church.

Of course, you have the earthly Father, who is the head of the Church. The Pastor. The one that should be guiding the rest of the Family. The one that is responsible for communicating whatsoever the Spirit, Jesus, or God himself tells him.

I have faults. No doubt about it. I have a temper. No question about it. At times, I find it difficult to suffer fools. Others in the Church have far more compassion than I. Others in the Church have far more patients than I. Others in the Church have different Gifts than I. I different than them. My weaknesses are their strengths. Just like in your earthly Family, we can lean on each other and strengthen each other. Learn from each other. Teach each other.

"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ."{Galatians 6: 1-2}

Some say that once you become a Child of God, you receive the Spirit of God, and since "greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." {1 John 4:4 } And since it is the Holy Spirit that will "teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." {John 14:26} We no longer have a need for Church. This is simply not true.

Hebrews 10:

22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Think about this, if you forsake the coming together with like minded and with fellow Children of God, who are you coming together with? You become the company you keep. Do you want people in your life that suck the life out of you? Do you want people in your life that are negative influences? Or would you rather have people in your life that will lift you up. Strengthen you. Keep you safe?

When we forsake the coming together, and there are SO many reasons to miss Church. I've use most of them myself. Because we are a little tired, our Child has Team Practice, or there is a TV show we just can't miss. Or we walked outside and Sneezed. Think about this. When we do this, are we saying that God comes absolutely first in our lives? Seriously. Think about that. Would we skip Work on a regular basis for the same reasons? Do you think your Boss would be as understanding? When we fail to to come together on Sundays or Wednesdays for reasons like these, we are saying to God, and those all around us, those that watch us, that God is not the Number One Priority in our lives.

Also, think about this. When we forsake coming together, we are saying to our Bothers and Sisters in Christ that we don't love them like the Bible says we should. One of the purposes of coming together as Children of God, like the Family we are, is to Edify, Encourage, and Support one another. We cannot give the support, or receive it, if we are not present.

Then for you Parents out there. Keep this in mind as well. When we forsake coming together, we are saying to our children that Worshiping God is not that important. Parents have the Spiritual responsibility of "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." {Proverbs 22:6} Trust me, they learn FAR more watch what you do, than listening to what you say.

All throughout the Word, Kings seek Counsel and Advice from those they know are more in touch with God than they. Advice and Counsel are used to strengthen everyone from Kings to Paupers, from Children of God, to Heathens. However, there are two very different types of Advice and Counsel. That of which comes from God, and that of which, don't. Make sure that you understand the difference.

Next time we will be talking about Hearing God through a simple Sense of Knowing. {Think inner peace.} God can, and often does, use Advice and Counsel to talk to His Children. However, you must first become a Child of God to understand it. Are you? Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray..

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}