TEXT: Isaiah 9:6
Pele - Too wonderful for words.
The biblical meaning of this word means that Jesus is:
• beyond anything we have ever seen, singularly unique
• extraordinary, so vast that we can’t understand the full meaning
• that Jesus would be beyond the bounds of all human expectations.
Yaats - To advise, to counsel, to guide; it denotes one of honorable rank; one who is suited to stand near princes and kings as their adviser. It is expressive of great wisdom, and of qualifications to guide and direct the human race.
A counselor is someone who advises. This person will help you sort through issues in your life. Sometimes that may not be pleasant but it is for your own good.
He is the sum total of all knowledge. All wisdom, all guidance, all direction, all truth, all counsel and insight…He knows everything about everything and is never wrong.
All knowledge of the past present and future, of all things, of all purposes and plans belongs to Him. He even knows what is in your heart!!
Everyone needs a counselor at sometime, someone to talk to, and someone to bounce off ideas off of.
Think about what it means that Jesus is a counselor. He could be YOUR counselor, YOUR advisor!
HE KNOWS THE DEPTHS OF SCIENCE…He made the atom, the atom awaits His order every day to keep going.
HE KNOWS THE DEPTHS OF CREATION…he knows exactly how big the sun needed to be, how hot and how far away from the earth so that we don’t freeze of burn. He created the eyeball…the heart…he knows all this stuff
HE KNOWS THE DEPTHS OF TRUTH…he is the truth! Truth is unchanging and unwavering and never plays favorites. The truth doesn’t care how you feel about it, it just stands and works and cannot be denied.
…even if the government outlawed the truth it changes nothing!
HE KNOWS THE DEPTH OF TIME…the past, present and future He is there already.
HE KNOWS THE DEPTH OF OUR HUMAN CONDITION…he knows about our weakness.
HE ALREADY KNOWS THE PLANS OF ALL MEN AND DEVILS…His counsel is so good because He takes into account what is going on in places and conversations that He hears but you have no idea about.
We can expect Jesus to be our “Top Advisor.”
The president of the United States has all kinds of advisors. Within the current Obama administration there are all kinds of people whose sole job is to counsel and advise the president on his plans of action.
Counseling today is at an all time high in our society. From Dr. Phil, to Oprah Winfrey people are seeking advice. There’s certainly nothing wrong with seeking advice and counseling when you have a particular need in your life – in fact the Bible encourages it. However,
we must not lose sight of the fact that we, as believers, have access to most wonderful counselor imaginable – Jesus Christ.
What makes a Wonderful Counselor?
1. He knows you.
Hebrews 4:15 (HCSB) – “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tested in every way as we are, yet without sin.”
“This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin” (NLT).
“For our high priest is able to understand our weaknesses. When he lived on earth, he was tempted in every way that we are, but he did not sin” (NCV).
Jesus gets it. He understands it. He can relate to you. Sometimes when we are going through a difficult situation and someone says, “I understand what you are going through…” it seems empty because unless they have been through the same situation how can they possibly understand our problems. But Jesus does understand. He knows exactly what you are going through. When you come to him in need of counsel he knows your situation. He knows your heart and He knows your mind.
Have you ever been betrayed? He has. Have you ever been wrongly accused? He has. Have people ever gossiped about you? Have you ever suffered physical pain? Have you ever been in physical need? Have you ever felt lonely? Have you ever suffered loss? Have you ever been afraid? Have you ever felt that you have reached the bottom and there is no way up? He understands.
2. He cares about you.
1 Peter 5:7 (CEV) – “God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to Him.”
“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you” (NLT).
Some counselors only care as long as you can pay the bill. Not Jesus! He cares about you as a person. He cares about your character. He cares about your spiritual growth and emotional welfare. He cares about the pain you suffer. He considers you of value and of worth. Look at what it says in Matthew chapter six and verse twenty six - Jesus is speaking and He says: “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:26).
Aren’t you worth more than the birds that fly around? God thinks so! He thinks you have value – He thinks that you have worth. He thinks that you are worth a lot. He thinks so much of you that He sent His son to die for you – to rescue you from your pain and suffering – to give you new hope, new life and salvation. God cares for YOU!
He cares so much that He will help you with your problems. He will help you deal with them. That’s why He is called Wonderful Counselor. He’s not going to leave us to fend for ourselves. You have probably heard it said, "God helps those who help themselves." The truth of the matter is when you have reached the bottom - "God helps those who can’t help themselves." When you see no way out - God steps in - if you call on Him. In Matthew chapter eleven and verse twenty eight He gives us this promise: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
We can tell Jesus, the Christ, about our struggles - about our stresses - about our relationships - about our grief - about our temptations; and, anything else that we happen to be dealing with!
3. He is committed to you.
John 10:27-28 – “27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”
Did you know that when you commit yourself to God – He commits Himself to you! When you give yourself to Him - He promises to hold on to you. Look at John chapter ten and verse twenty eight again. Circle the words: “No one will snatch them out of My hand.” When God says “no one” He means “NO ONE”. God will not allow anyone to keep you away from His love.
Paul understood this fact when he wrote in the book of Romans:
Romans 8:38-39 - 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Nothing can separate us from the love of God – because if you have committed yourself to Him - He has committed Himself to you.
How do I get the most out of my counseling Appointment?
1. Be brutally honest with the Counselor.
Psalm 55:22 – “Cast you cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.”
“Pile your troubles on God's shoulders — he'll carry your load, he'll help you out. He'll never let good people topple into ruin” (MSG).
2. Listen to the Counselor’s voice.
Mark 9:7 – “Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him” (NLT).
How does He speak to us?
Through The BIBLE
Look at what it says in Psalm 119:105 - “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
God speaks to us through His written word.
Though the HOLY SPIRIT
Look at what it says in John chapter sixteen:
“When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth.” John 16:13 (HCSB)
He speaks through GODLY COULSEL
Did you know that Moses had a big problem? Back when he was leading the nation of Israel through the wilderness – he was wearing himself out. He was busy, busy, busy. Jethro, Moses father-in-law came to him with some advice. He said Moses, “Here is what you need to do – select some good men and delegate some of your authority to them. Put some in charge of a thousand. Put some in charge of a hundred. Put some in change of fifty and put some in charge of ten. If you do this God will honor you.” (Exodus 18:19-21)
Do you know what Moses did – he listened! He took Jethro’s advice!
Proverbs chapter fifteen says this:
“Refuse good advice and watch your plans fail; take good counsel and watch them succeed.” Proverbs 15:22 (MSG)
3. Do what the Counselor tells you to do.
John 10:27 – “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”
James 1:22- “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
“But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves” (NLT).
