Counsel

Job 37:9 Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north.

Job 37:10 By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened.

Job 37:11 Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud: he scattereth his bright cloud:

Job 37:12 And it is turned round about by his counsels: that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth.

Job 37:13 He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy.

Job 37:14 Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.

My son Michael called me a few weeks ago. He had been studying to teach a lesson as a substitute Sunday School teacher. He wanted to tell me that the word "plan" is not in a King James Bible. That has been the springboard for the last two posts that dealt with "intent", and with "purpose", as well as this one dealing with the word "counsel".

For most of my Christian life, I have heard of "the plan of God". Instead of a "plan", the Lord has purposes which he declares. He lets us know of his intents, and he gives us his counsels. He gave us a perfect bible in which we can be shown his purposes and wherein we can see his intentions and wherein we can read of his counsel.

We can see from the opening verses that even the actions of the weather happen by the counsel of God. It is a blessing to any man when he follows the counsel of God; I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons, Psalm 16:7. What will happen throughout endless ages of time will happen according to the counsel of God; In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will, Ephesians 1:11.

To be a preacher of the word of God is to make known the counsel of God; For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God, Acts 20:27. His counsel cannot be changed; Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath, Hebrews 6:17.

The trouble we get into is often because we either reject the counsel ,of God, or we fail to seek it.

Proverbs 1:25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:

Proverbs 1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

Proverbs 1:27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

Proverbs 1:28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

Proverbs 1:29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

Proverbs 1:30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.

Proverbs 1:31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

The hope for our churches is that we speak as the word of God speaks. I have found that the more I sanctify my preaching and my teaching to speak with the words of God, the more effectual it becomes. Search out the counsel of God. Learn it, teach it, and preach it.