Embracing Wise Counsel on Our Spiritual Journey

 

Summary

In today's message, we explored the importance of seeking wise counsel and the role it plays in our spiritual journey. We began by acknowledging the chaos in the world and the need to look beyond it to find Jesus. Our mission as a family of believers is to grow deeper in God's love and reach out to others in Christ. This involves not only outreach activities but also nurturing relationships within our circles of influence.

We delved into the significance of listening to wise counsel, as highlighted in Proverbs. The scriptures remind us that the way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice. This wisdom is crucial because what seems right to us can lead to destruction. We examined the story of Moses and Jethro from Exodus 18, where Jethro provided Moses with valuable advice on leadership and delegation. Moses trusted Jethro because of their established relationship, demonstrating the importance of having trusted advisors in our lives.

We also discussed the dangers of ignoring wise counsel, as illustrated by the story of King Rehoboam, who rejected the elders' advice and caused a division in Israel. This serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of pride and the refusal to listen to those with experience and wisdom.

In our personal lives, we must identify who our wise counselors are and be open to their guidance. This requires humility and a willingness to accept discipline and correction. We must also be cautious about where we seek counsel, ensuring it aligns with God's word and the Holy Spirit's guidance.

Ultimately, our journey is about becoming more like Jesus, which involves change, growth, and sometimes painful redirection. We are encouraged to be grateful for the wise counsel God places in our lives, as it helps us navigate the complexities of life and grow in our faith.

Key Takeaways:

- Seek Wise Counsel: Proverbs teaches us that the way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice. It's crucial to have people in our lives who can speak uncomfortable truths and guide us in the right direction. [05:25]

- Value Trusted Relationships: The story of Moses and Jethro illustrates the importance of having trusted advisors. Moses listened to Jethro because of their established relationship, showing that trust and respect are vital in receiving wise counsel. [14:48]

- Avoid the Pitfalls of Pride: King Rehoboam's story warns us about the dangers of ignoring wise counsel. Pride and the refusal to listen can lead to disastrous consequences, as seen in the division of Israel. [36:08]

- Be Open to Correction: Receiving advice and discipline can be challenging, but it's essential for growth. We must be humble and willing to accept correction from those who care about us and have our best interests at heart. [06:21]

- Align with God's Guidance: In a world full of conflicting voices, it's vital to seek counsel that aligns with God's word and the Holy Spirit. This ensures that our decisions are rooted in truth and lead us closer to God's will. [28:54]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:09] - Seeking Jesus Beyond the World
- [00:46] - Mission Statement Month
- [01:22] - Upcoming Outreach Activities
- [02:06] - The Bible Salesman Joke
- [03:40] - Prayer for Guidance
- [03:58] - Series on Voices
- [04:47] - The Importance of Wise Counsel
- [05:25] - Proverbs on Listening to Advice
- [06:21] - Accepting Discipline
- [08:31] - Moses and Jethro's Relationship
- [14:48] - Trusting Jethro's Advice
- [17:50] - Personal Experiences with Wise Counsel
- [28:54] - Aligning with God's Guidance
- [36:08] - King Rehoboam's Mistake
- [41:43] - Invitation to Join the Church Community

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Proverbs 12:15 - "The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice."
2. Exodus 18:13-24 - The story of Moses and Jethro, where Jethro advises Moses on leadership and delegation.
3. 1 Kings 12:6-11 - The story of King Rehoboam rejecting the elders' advice.

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Observation Questions:

1. In Proverbs 12:15, what distinction is made between fools and the wise? How does this relate to the importance of seeking wise counsel? [05:25]

2. What advice did Jethro give to Moses in Exodus 18, and how did Moses respond to it? What does this tell us about their relationship? [14:48]

3. How did King Rehoboam's decision to reject the elders' advice impact the nation of Israel, according to 1 Kings 12? [36:08]

4. What are some examples from the sermon of individuals who provided wise counsel to the pastor? How did these relationships develop over time? [18:21]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. Why is it important to have trusted advisors in our lives, as demonstrated by the relationship between Moses and Jethro? How can this apply to our spiritual journey? [14:48]

2. What are the potential consequences of ignoring wise counsel, as seen in the story of King Rehoboam? How does pride play a role in this narrative? [36:08]

3. How does the sermon suggest we identify wise counselors in our lives? What qualities should we look for in these individuals? [27:25]

4. In what ways does the sermon emphasize the need for humility and openness to correction in our spiritual growth? How can this be challenging? [06:21]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you received wise counsel that significantly impacted your life. How did you respond, and what was the outcome? [14:48]

2. Identify someone in your life who serves as a wise counselor. How can you nurture and strengthen this relationship to ensure you continue to receive valuable guidance? [18:21]

3. Consider a situation where you might have ignored wise counsel. What were the consequences, and how can you approach similar situations differently in the future? [36:08]

4. How can you ensure that the counsel you seek aligns with God's word and the Holy Spirit's guidance? What steps can you take to discern this alignment? [28:54]

5. In what areas of your life do you struggle with pride, potentially hindering your ability to accept wise counsel? How can you work on cultivating humility in these areas? [06:21]

6. Think about a decision you are currently facing. Who can you turn to for wise counsel, and how will you approach them for advice? [27:25]

7. How can you become a source of wise counsel for others in your community? What steps can you take to grow in wisdom and understanding? [27:25]

Devotional

Day 1: The Wisdom of Listening to Counsel
In a world filled with noise and chaos, it is easy to rely solely on our own understanding. However, Proverbs teaches us that the way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice. This wisdom is crucial because what seems right to us can lead to destruction. By seeking wise counsel, we open ourselves to perspectives that can guide us in the right direction, even if it means hearing uncomfortable truths. The story of Moses and Jethro from Exodus 18 exemplifies the importance of listening to trusted advisors. Moses trusted Jethro because of their established relationship, demonstrating the value of having people in our lives who can speak truth and wisdom into our situations. [05:25]

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

Reflection: Who in your life can you turn to for wise counsel? How can you intentionally seek their advice this week?


Day 2: Building Trust in Relationships
The story of Moses and Jethro illustrates the importance of having trusted advisors. Moses listened to Jethro because of their established relationship, showing that trust and respect are vital in receiving wise counsel. In our spiritual journey, it is essential to cultivate relationships where trust is mutual, allowing us to be open to guidance and correction. These relationships are not built overnight but require time, effort, and a willingness to be vulnerable. By investing in such relationships, we create a support system that can help us navigate life's challenges with wisdom and grace. [14:48]

Exodus 18:24 (ESV): "So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said."

Reflection: What steps can you take to build or strengthen a relationship with someone you trust? How can you show them that you value their wisdom and guidance?


Day 3: The Dangers of Pride
King Rehoboam's story warns us about the dangers of ignoring wise counsel. Pride and the refusal to listen can lead to disastrous consequences, as seen in the division of Israel. This serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of humility and the willingness to listen to those with experience and wisdom. Pride can blind us to the truth and prevent us from making decisions that align with God's will. By recognizing the pitfalls of pride, we can choose to humble ourselves and seek guidance from those who have our best interests at heart. [36:08]

1 Kings 12:8 (ESV): "But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him."

Reflection: Is there an area in your life where pride is preventing you from seeking or accepting wise counsel? How can you practice humility in this area today?


Day 4: Embracing Correction for Growth
Receiving advice and discipline can be challenging, but it's essential for growth. We must be humble and willing to accept correction from those who care about us and have our best interests at heart. This requires a posture of openness and a desire to grow in our faith. By embracing correction, we allow ourselves to be shaped and molded into the likeness of Christ. It is through this process of refinement that we become more aligned with God's will and purpose for our lives. [06:21]

Proverbs 15:31-32 (ESV): "The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise. Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence."

Reflection: Think of a recent situation where you received correction. How did you respond, and what can you learn from that experience to better embrace correction in the future?


Day 5: Aligning with God's Guidance
In a world full of conflicting voices, it's vital to seek counsel that aligns with God's word and the Holy Spirit. This ensures that our decisions are rooted in truth and lead us closer to God's will. By aligning ourselves with God's guidance, we can navigate the complexities of life with confidence and peace. This requires discernment and a commitment to seeking God's presence in our daily lives. As we grow in our relationship with Him, we become more attuned to His voice and direction. [28:54]

Isaiah 30:21 (ESV): "And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left."

Reflection: How can you create space in your daily routine to listen for God's guidance? What practices can help you discern His voice amidst the noise of the world?

Quotes


Do you have wise counsel? Do you have people in your life that will speak to you directly? They'll speak to you uncomfortable truths. They'll speak to you when they believe you're off track. Do you have those? Do you make the mistake often that I do is listen to myself following my bright ideas can really get me in trouble from time to time. [00:04:53]

Listen to advice and accept discipline and at the end you will be counted among the wise. That's difficult isn't it to receive advice especially if it's not something that I want to hear and a lot of times I'm the one giving the advice and often times the thing that comes back when you're trying to help or guide or lead someone away from something or towards a better something who are you to tell me what to do? [00:06:17]

If you have someone in your life that's cares enough to have those kind of talks with you, you should count yourself as blessed because there's a whole lot of people out there in this world that don't have anyone that cares that much about them to speak truths to them. So if you have someone in your life and say hey wait a minute is that I heard what you said is that really what you meant someone that'll call you on your stuff. [00:07:10]

Moses trusted him enough to listen to him he valued his opinion and not only that he had good instructions about about how to choose the other men the um the ones that were not interested in ill gotten gains they were good men so he instructed him what to do how to do it and Moses is like okay I'll listen to it. [00:14:48]

We need to be teachable we need to be of the mind that we can ask people that that what do you think about this well see to be able to do that to be able to to be open to that to be able to say what do you think about this you have to trust that that person isn't really out to hurt you that they're they're not trying to hurt you that they really want to help you grow. [00:27:07]

There is a high value in this idea of wise counsel as we're sitting around the Sunday school class this morning today talking about world problems and World issues I told them I said look I'm struggling with this thing that just happened in the white house the other day and I'm I've been LED I Believe by the Holy Spirit to say both sides are wrong. [00:28:54]

Don't take your counsel from Facebook don't take your counsel from X don't take your counsel from those places they're slanted take your counsel from God from his word from the Holy Spirit and from people that you know are walking the walk that love the Lord because he's the one that's going to get us through he's the only chance that this old broken world has. [00:29:57]

King rabam was if you serve these people they'll serve you forever so in other words treat them good if you do well with these people they'll be your servants forever that was what the elders told him to do the young men that he'd been raised with told him you need to put the hammer down you need to let them know that you're the king. [00:36:08]

It's a proven fact that people don't like to be told what to do it's a a proven fact that I don't like discipline how about you are you a fan of discipline oh yeah scripture say yeah right I heard you Kenneth Kenneth says oh yeah God's word says He disciplines the ones that he loves so if you're receiving his discipline it proves his love. [00:37:21]

God's plan is change growth redirection discipline we need those things to look more like Jesus does that mean we're going to like them I hadn't figured out how to do that yet I have begun to learn to figure out how to be grateful for those times though because I do want to look more like Jesus and I am broken and I do make bad decisions. [00:39:05]

I'm so grateful that I'm not who I used to be that I'm more willing to listen to Godly Direction I'm more willing to study God's word and he's the one that helps us and he's the one that will send the ones enough that care enough to say listen here that's the title of this sermon listen here if somebody comes to you and they say listen here is it somebody you can trust. [00:40:09]

If you actually listen to the Lord study his word trust the Holy Spirit and go wait maybe I shouldn't do that maybe I should think about God will use people people to help us grow I hope you have people in your life that you trust that can say hard things to you that can help you grow help you learn help you change. [00:41:43]

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Transcript
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