“The Wisdom/Counsel Factor”
(The Fatherhood of God Pt 6)
Review
Dads play a vital role in our development. Many of the talents or traumas we have today stem from our interaction with our fathers. Scripture employs the image of a father as one way to explain God’s relationship to His creation. 2 Corinthians 6:16-18
In spite of historical and personal experiences of disastrous fathers, Scripture portrays God as our great loving heavenly Father. Jesus introduced the disciples to this intimate view of God in His model prayer. He addressed God not as Yahweh (the Great I AM) or Adonai (Lord or Master) or Elohim (Almighty God) but FATHER. There are a number of characteristics we all longed for in a father. Many can be found in our Heavenly Father.
I. The Likeness Factor
II. Unconditional love and acceptance factor
III. Protection and security Factor
IV. The Presence Factor
V. The Wisdom Factor
A. Our Father’s Wisdom
Life in a broken world can be difficult; even excruciating. Life in a broken world often becomes twisted, complicated and confusing. What shall we do? Where do we turn? How shall we live? How do I handle life’s difficulties? As a loving heavenly Father God stands ready to provide wisdom for living. After all, He is the all-knowing God. He knows everything about everything everywhere in every age. He knows actuals and possibles. He knows what was and what might have been, what is and what will be. Paul called Him the “God only wise.” Paul offered up this most powerful praise for God’s wisdom. Romans 11:33-36
Not only does God know about all things in general. He also knows all there is to know about me personally. Psalm 139:1-6 Hebrews 4:13
Our Heavenly Father knows everything about you and yet still loves you. My sin, my sorrows, my thoughts, my intents, my dreams, my failures and successes, my frustration, my pain, my confusion, my struggles. He not only knows but encloses me in His loving care and directs my life with His loving hand.
B. Our Father’s Direction and Counsel
We would expect a good father to provide direction for life in a complicated and scary world.
Our Heavenly Father is such and father who provides personal direction in life.
Proverbs 3:5-6; Psa 31:3
God directs us to Himself. God directs us to particular geographic locations. God directs us to influence and be influenced by certain individuals. God directs us to particular ministries and tasks. Set aside Paul and Barnabas. God prepares the stage for particular events to occur. God provides specific wisdom for particular decisions and circumstances.
James 1:5-8 Psalms 73:24 Proverbs 16:9
God communicates with us personally. John 10:27-28
So where do we get this council of God?
1. The Counsel of Scripture
Scripture provides a framework for understanding the world of nature, people, events, the spirit world and the world of the future. Scripture may not address every issue we may face, but it certainly provides the framework for understanding the issues and the necessary principles for making God honoring choices. It is not outdated. It contains the necessary tools for dealing with life in every generation. The Scriptures offer insight into life that allows us a greater perspective. Don’t expect God to tell you what to do if He has already clearly spoken on the subject. God’s apparent failure to provide direction may in fact be caused by something beyond our present understanding. The Proverbs provide general wisdom and counsel related to living life in a broken world. Proverbs 1:1-7; 6:22-23 2 Timothy 3:14-17
God communicated the truths necessary for life in this world and then supernaturally superintended their written form for us to study today. God also speaks to life situations called the “rhema” of God. This is the application of truth to a particular situation. God speaks His direction. It is His word to us. It may happen in a sermon, through a song, reading a verse, hearing a testimony. God provides a particular personal application to a current issue.
2. The Counsel of the Holy Spirit
Besides the Scriptures, the continual presence of Christ through the Holy Spirit offers wisdom, insight, direction, truth and encouragement as needed along the way. God is a very present help in time of trouble. John 14:16-17 1 Corinthians 2:10-16
At times, God will specifically speak to our heart. It is not necessarily an audible voice but an internal witness, a divine prompting to our spirit with specific direction. This internal witness is not infallible because our ability to hear is not infallible. We all know examples of those who justify their actions by timing the Lord told them. God’s internal communication may be blocked or misinterpreted by our own inability to discern His voice. Such direction must always be crosschecked with other factors. It will never contradict the clear teaching of the written word and must be evaluated Biblically. God will confirm His direction with additional sources of direction and counsel.
3. The Counsel of Earthly Parents and mentors
God may pass on His wisdom and counsel through our godly parents. Proverbs 1:8-9; 2:1-6
God may even supply direction through unbelieving parents. Again, all counsel must be evaluated according to clear Biblical principles.
4. The Counsel of Spiritual leaders. Heb 13:17
5. The counsel of other people
6. The Counsel of Life’s Circumstances
God may use life’s circumstances to point us in a particular direction. Satan also uses life circumstances to entice us in a particular direction. Good outcomes do not necessarily determine godly direction. Listing pros and cons from a human viewpoint may not always indicate God’s direction. God’s ways are not always the most attractive or the most lucrative.
The apparent lack of opposition may not necessarily be an indicator of God’s approval.
The presence of difficulty may not necessarily be an indicator of God’s disapproval.
C. The absence of God’s direction
What about when God is silent? What about the times God doesn’t seem to provide specific direction? Just as there are struggles when God’s protection and presence fall short of OUR expectations, we do not always get the counsel and direction we seek when we want it.
1. God already spoke
Saul desperately wanted a personal word from God. His link to God through Samuel had been cut off by Samuel's death. Saul’s desperation for direct counsel drove him to seek out a medium to try to get in touch with Samuel again. Interestingly you solved it not ask to talk to God directly. God apparently allowed Samuel himself to come back from the dead and talk to Saul but the message communicated to Saul earlier still didn’t change. The reason God provided no further direction is because He had no further message than what had previously been delivered to Saul through Samuel.
2. God expects us to be filled with spiritual wisdom and make wise choices
God expects us to make good choices as the result of a lifetime of interaction with his word.
He wants us to live in wisdom. He wants us to live according to the true as he is already communicated.
3. We may have no intention of following His direction- Rebellion
God may not give specific direction because he knows that our heart is hard and unwilling to receive the direction that he gives.
4. We may not be listening for His direction
God may allow a drought in our life to get our attention. 2 Chronicles 7:13-14
Pride - “I know better!” Fear - “He’ll send me to a scary or uncomfortable place!” Selfishness - “It’s all about me!” The writer of Hebrews urges us to respond to his voice when he speaks. The implication is there maybe a day when he stopped speaking because we stop listening. Such was the case for Israel in spite of God's longing to bless them. Psalms 81:8-16
5. Lack of awareness due to a heart dulled by sin
Jacob said “Surely the Lord was in the place and I didn’t know it.” The Holy Spirit left Samson and he didn’t even realize it. Again the writer of Hebrews laments the fact that there were truths he was unable to communicate because of the dullness of their heart. (Heb 5:11-14)
6. God may have no particular preference one way or another
Should I buy the blue car with a red car? Should I buy a car at all? Should I go to the school or at school? Should I eat chicken or beef for dinner tonight? It is always a good policy to consult the Lord as to whether he has a particular direction or not. But in the absence of a clear direction it may be because God has no particular preference. In some cases a particular choice may make a big difference in the overall plan. Ultimately God will bring about his desired character development through whatever choice we make. However we may save time, energy and frustration by consulting the Lord and following his particular direction.
7. God’s silence leads us into deeper trust and dependence
Will we trust Him in the dark? Will we continue to trust him even in the absence of direct communication or immediate gratification?
8. It is not time yet. Need to know basis. (400 years of silence)
God may be orchestrating a whole string of events and therefore the time is not yet ready.
God communicated the great plan of salvation in stages. Some of the prophets didn't even understand all that he was communicating.
9. We wouldn’t understand the answer if it gave it to us. (We’re not ready)
We must remember that our thoughts are not his thoughts in our ways are not his ways. It is pure arrogance to think that God answers to us or must answer all of our questions. It's like dumping all the information about our reproductive system to the six-year-old who asked where babies come from when all he wanted to know is what hospital he was born in. Life still holds many mysteries. Not everything in life fits in a nice neat explainable box or outline.
It was God’s silence in suffering that finally got to Job. God refused to answer his barrage of why questions. Job arrogantly demanded answers (direction) from God. When God finally answered, He launched a volley of pointed questions of His own Job’s way. Most of them focused on who was in charge and whether Job would trust Him even in the dark places.
Job 38:1-7
Yes, our Heavenly Father promises counsel, direction, wisdom, insight, understanding and He encourages us to continue to ask for wisdom. There are times however when heaven seems unbearably silent that we need to realize…
He may be silent but He is not unsympathetic.
He may be in the darkness but He is not in the distance.
He may be unresponsive but He is not unloving.
He may seem absent but He is not unaware.
It is during those times that we are encouraged to trust our Heavenly Father to ultimately work all things together for good. It is he who works all things after the counsel of His own will. Eph 1:11-12
APPLICATION
In need of direction, wisdom, counsel from a loving Father?
? First you have to decide that His counsel is the only counsel. “Father Knows Best!”
Isaiah 55:6-9 Psalms 32:8-9
? Be a student of what He has already communicated.
? Ask Him for specific direction.
? Listen to those He sends your way.
? Pay attention to life around you.
? Accept His council and follow his direction.
David floundered every time he failed to seek and to follow the Lord’s direction.
Proverbs 1 reminds us of the serious consequences of rejecting God’s direction and counsel.
Proverbs 1:23-33
Feel lost in the dark without direction.
? Wait on the Lord.
? Continue to seek His wisdom and will.
? Seek the encouragement of others.
? Don’t become demanding but be content to trust him without all the answers.
? Trust His heart when you can’t trace His hand.
