“There is no counsel like God’s counsel. No Comfort like His comfort. No wisdom more profound than the wisdom of the Scriptures.”
Charles R. Swindoll
Passage
19A man of great anger will bear the penalty, For if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again.
20Listen to counsel and accept discipline, That you may be wise the rest of your days.
21Many plans are in a man’s heart, But the counsel of the Lord will stand.
Proverbs 19:19–21 (NASB95)
Background
Quote-Charles Rozell Swindoll /ˈswɪnˌdɒl/ (born October 18, 1934) is an evangelical Christian pastor, author, educator, and radio preacher. He founded Insight for Living, headquartered in Frisco, Texas, which airs a radio program of the same name on more than 2,000 stations around the world in 15 languages.
He attended Charles H. Milby High School in Houston where, as a member of the school marching band and orchestra, he learned to play all of the instruments in the woodwind section. Swindoll then fulfilled his military service obligation with the United States Marine Corps, first in San Francisco, then on the Japanese island of Okinawa.
After his honorable discharge in 1959, he attended Dallas Theological Seminary, where he graduated magna cum laude four years later. Swindoll was ordained into the ministry in 1963 and served in Dallas at Grace Bible Church, under J. Dwight Pentecost, for two years. He has since held senior pastorates in Waltham, Massachusetts (1965–67), Irving, Texas (1967–71), and Fullerton, California (1971–94). He started his current senior pastorate in Frisco, Texas in 1998. On June 18, 1955, Swindoll married Cynthia Ann Parker, who used to be the pianist at a Baptist Church in Galena Park, Texas.[5] Together, the couple has four children, ten grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Passage-The genre of Proverbs is mainly “Proverbs” as the name describes, there are also some Parables and Poetry. This book was written mainly by Solomon, the wisest king ever to rule. It was written during Solomon’s reign 970-930 B.C. He asked God for wisdom to rule God’s nation and He granted the request.
The main purpose of this book is to teach wisdom to God’s people. These are things which are typically true, however, not always. They deal with life, principles, good judgment, and perception. They often draw distinctions between a wise man and a foolish man with parable type examples.
Opening Statement
We can declare all we want that, “The Lord is my Shepherd.” However, if we refuse to listen to Him, do we really follow Him?
Ask: As it relates to our individual lives are we the shepherd or the sheep?
Point: The question is what “should” we be and in that regard we should be the sheep.
Ask: As a Christian, what does it mean to “be the sheep?”
Point: It means to obey the Word of God. Please read the following:
1How blessed are those whose way is blameless, Who walk in the law of the Lord.
2How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, Who seek Him with all their heart.
3They also do no unrighteousness; They walk in His ways.
4You have ordained Your precepts, That we should keep them diligently.
5Oh that my ways may be established To keep Your statutes!
Psalm 119:1–5 (NASB95)
Ask: How do we then let God establish his statues as “my ways?”
Point: By listening less to the World and more to God.
Ask: How do we limit how much we listen to the world so we can listen more to God?
Point: By avoiding the ways of the world and the things we want from it. Please read the following:
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
24Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
26Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.
Galatians 5:22–26 (NASB95)
Ask: That’s hard to do, so where do we start?
Point: By first not being ashamed to accept the counsel of the Lord in His Word. Please read the following:
15So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.
16For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
17For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”
Romans 1:15–17 (NASB95)
Ask: What if we get it wrong and lead others down the wrong path?
Point: That is a valid concern and one that carries serious consequences. Please read the following:
1But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.
2Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned;
3and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
4For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;
2 Peter 2:1–4 (NASB95)
Ask: What about those who are already off the path or leading people astray?
Point: That price has already been paid by the Shepherd and He welcomes us back, regardless. Please read the following:
21For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,
22who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth;
23and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;
24and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
25For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.
1 Peter 2:21–25 (NASB95)
Ask: If we have been called, then what should we do?
Point: Learn to listen better. Please read the following:
16However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”
17So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
Romans 10:16–17 (NASB95)
Ask: So what then should we do?
Point: Those good things we are each called to do with that which overflows from our cup. Please read the following:
20Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord,
21equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews 13:20–21 (NASB95)
Ask: What if we don’t think we have the things we need to do the things we think we are supposed to do?
Point: What if what we think we are supposed to do isn’t what the Shepherd wants us to do? Please read the following:
24The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
25Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me.
26“But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep.
27“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;
John 10:24–27 (NASB95)
Closing Statement
Maybe what you think you are supposed to do is what you are supposed to do, but you still have some things yet to be “equipped.” Maybe the place isn’t right, the time, or the people, or even you still need some changes. Who can tell? God can tell. Pray. Ask God to guide you. Slow down in your rush to find His answers, and His counsel will settle on your heart. 6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6–7 (NASB95)
Questions for the Week
Question 1 Do you have peace on your heart? If not consider why or what your worry is and give it to God to direct a response.
Question 2 Pray asking God to send His counsel to you concerning what is in your life at this moment.
Question 3 List all the ways you listen to hear God’s responses when you pray.
Question 4 In addition to being open to God’s answer to your specific prayer, this week be open to new ways God might be trying to communicate His counsel to you.
Definitions
counsel
koun-suhl
noun,plural coun·sel for 3.
1. Advice; opinion or instruction given in directing the judgment or conduct of another.
2. Interchange of opinions as to future procedure; consultation; deliberation.
3. Law. (used with a singular or plural verb) the advocate or advocates engaged in the direction of a cause in court; a legal adviser or counselor: Is counsel for the defense present?
4. Deliberate purpose; plan; design.
5. Theology. One of the advisory declarations of Christ, considered by some Christians as not universally binding but as given for aid in attaining moral perfection.
6. Archaic. A private or secret opinion or purpose.
7. Obsolete. Wisdom; prudence.
verb (used with object), coun·seled, coun·sel·ing or (especially British) coun·selled, coun·sel·ling.
8. To give advice to; advise.
9. To urge the adoption of, as a course of action; recommend (a plan, policy, etc.):He counseled patience during the crisis.
verb (used without object), coun·seled, coun·sel·ing or (especially British) coun·selled, coun·sel·ling.
10. To give counsel or advice.
11. To get or take counsel or advice.