Walk Of Life – Day 16, August 2022 – Thoughts From The Book Of Psalms
The Lord’s Counsel
Psalm 33:10, 11: The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
We all seek advice and man’s counsel. Be it a job or marriage or anything small or big, we ask people. We ask our friends, our parents, our elders, and so on. Look at the sharp contrast in verses 10 and 11. The Lord bringeth the plans of man to no effect but the Lord’s counsel standeth forever, and the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
Whatever you may plan, think, scheme, if it is not in God’s divine plan for your life, nothing will work. Our plans are diverse. We plan to study well, earn well, live a luxurious life, enjoy to the full, and so on. It is very important to be a systematic person and to clearly plan ahead of time. I always think of this as a secretary to an important person. Invariably all the planning is done by the secretary but the dignitary has to agree to the plans and schedule and only then it will be implemented. You can have desires and plans, but show them to Him. You may say, He already knows but still the Father desires to be told. Tell Him your plans, your ideas, your thoughts and let Him approve. If He says NO…let go because there is no point in pursuing something that will take you FAR away from the Lord. When you are in God’s plan for your life, there is no better security because His counsels will stand forever.
Seek the Lord’s will in your life for all decisions. For this it is important to always stay close to the heart of the Lord and to listen to His still small voice speaking unto you. Read the Word of God regularly and systematically. Spend time in prayer. Daily surrender to His will and tell Him that you want to be in His will always. The door which the Lord opens no man can shut, so if u are close to Him and have completely surrendered your will to Him, He will guide and lead you in whatever you do. Also, do not manipulate God’s word for your own benefit. Always ask the Lord for a confirmation of His Word. If you are not having peace or everyone is not in agreement, then it may not be the Will of God. So spend quality time in determining if it is the Lord’s counsel for your life. It is worth the time spent because there is no point in regretting wrong decisions later.
Quoting the words of Rev Billy Graham, excerpt from his book “The Journey”.
“How can we discover God’s will when we face a major decision? Let me give you six guidelines I have found helpful.
First, commit your decision to God. Make it a matter of regular prayer, asking God to guide you and make His will known to you.
Second, read the Scriptures. Does the Bible give any direct guidance about the decision you are facing? Does any principle in the Bible apply to your situation? Did anyone in the Bible ever face a similar decision, and, if so, how did they deal with it? (We can even learn from the wrong decisions some of them made.)
Third, understand your circumstances. God isn’t only working in us; He also is working around us. Often God guides us through our circumstances.
Fourth, seek godly advice. God has given some people a special gift of wisdom, and when we face a decision, it’s often helpful to seek their counsel.
Fifth, trust the Holy Spirit’s guidance. When we honestly seek His will, God often gives us an inner conviction or prompting to confirm which way He wants us to go. The Bible says, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear the voice behind you saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it” (Isaiah 30:21).
Finally, trust God for the outcome. Once God leads you to make a decision, don’t draw back. Instead, trust His leading, and believe He goes before you – for He does. The Bible says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).”
The Lord’s counsel will surely stand so ensure you walk in it always.
