Sensitive to the Counselor's Leading - Counsel Chap 6

 

When the buzzer begins to sound it alerts the potential receivers.  They need to be aware of the shorts, the longs, the number of buzzes and in incessantness of the buzzes.  "Message" received, the recipients must act upon it.  The listeners must also be alert for whom the particular message tolls.

This is similar to listening to the Holy Spirit's message.  What is He saying and for whom is the message?  Another name for the Holy Spirit is 'Counselor'.  When counseling a friend in need, the believing counselor-friend must be sensitive to the counselor's guidance in any one particular situation with one's friend.

Counseling ones friend in need from a Biblical standpoint is the criteria for a believer.  Our Holy Spirit Counselor will direct the believer to God's Word - hopefully the believer has prayed and sought His guidance beforehand but certainly can ask again during a time of listening to the friend.  In addition to being directed to a passage from God's Word, the Holy Spirit Counselor can help the human counselor friend to a particular element and/or root cause in the friend in need's situation that could help unlock the troubles needing to be addressed.

A root cause may well be a sin in a person's life.  This is essential to discover if one is to effectively help and counsel.  If there is a long-standing (or even a short one) root cause that perhaps has even been masked for the friend in need, ferreting out and dealing with such causes will begin to bring better understanding and healing.

Hopefully ones' medical doctor will not just deal with symptoms but will test and examine possible sources of those symptoms.  For example, for a broken leg, the doctor won't just give painkillers.  No, he will take an x-ray, set the bones as best he can in proper alignment and apply a plaster cast to keep the bones as immobile as possible until healing can take place.

As for the physical body, so too for the soul and spiritual health of any given person.

Having said all this, I certainly believe that a Christian counselor will be able to enable a more positive outcome for his or her friend.  If you want a soul and spirit solution, God's Word and the Holy Spirit are the convicting 'tools' to be applied to the root causes.

However, I do concede that not all the friend's needs are due to particular sin in their life but it is a good place to start and consider.  But cautiously.  There could have been abuse caused by another person's sin perpetrated upon that friend.  Empathy and patience is of utmost need.

Listening to the friend's story, having empathy, praying and listening for the Holy Spirit Counselor's leading are vitally indispensable to the human, lay-person counselor.  When one's friend in need speaks of relationship problems, problems with the emotions and/or addictive behavior, find your counseling guidelines from God's Word and sensitivity to the Counselor He gave you.  Then pray for good success in your friend's healing process.  May our Heavenly Father bless your efforts as you work together with your friend in need.

Father God, we always need Your help in any one given human situation.  We are weak but You are strong and know everything about each and every one of us.  You know what we need to help our healing.  Give us the will and perseverance to not just talk about healing but to actually actively work towards that healing.  Thanks so very much for the gift of Your Holy Spirit and Word of God who gives us the help.  Give us the wisdom and discernment we need to help our friends in need.  I ask in Your Son Jesus' most precious name, amen.

                                               ~ ERC January 2025 ~

Based on Chapter 6 - Counseling "By The Book" or By THE Book? in Counseling Friends in Need by Harold J. Sala and Hebrews 4:12 and John 14:16.  This entry is somewhat of a summary of the Chapter 6 as well as answering discussion questions that come at each chapter's end.  A helpful way to review what was read and hopefully find 'digestion'.

Sing, Come All You Heavey Laden, along with Engage Worship.

Shamrocks and the Trinity

What do shamrocks and the Trinity have in common?  One sister wrote in one of 'Our Daily Bread" entries that a shamrock is 

"a helpful symbol because it's one plant made of the same substance with three distinct leaves".

Isn't that so simple yet profound! God created flora to help us understand Him and His persons of the Trinity for us.  Other people like scientists dealing in chemistry may use H2O as a symbol.  In its three states of solid, liquid and gas a.k.a. ice, water and steam, its composition is still H2O.  At least, that's what I learned in school.

When Jesus came up out of the baptismal waters, He was still God the Son.  God the Holy Spirit was seen coming down from hearven "like a dove," wrote the Daily Bread sister, and God the Father's voice was heard saying, "You are my Son".

It rejoices my heart to ponder upon my Heavenly Father God, His Son Jesus, who is my Savior and His Holy Spirit who indwells me and leads, guides and counsels me.

Almighty God and Father, in You I put my trust.  Thank You for Your Son Jesus who is my Savior and Friend.  Indeed, I'm so grateful for Your Holy Spirit too, who guides and counsels me when my ear is obediently attuned to His leading.  Thanks too for the 'symbols' inserted in nature to help us limited human beings understand You better.  In Jesus' name I give You my thanks.  Amen.

                                                  ~ ERC  January 2025 ~

Based on Mark 1:1-11 and Our Daily Bread Sept/Oct/Nov 202 - 2 Sept entry by Lisa M. Samra.

Sing, Three In One, along with Sovereign Grace.

                                                      

Lord's Day Devotion - Kindness

We always want people to be kind to us.  It touches our heartstrings when they are.

King David was very kind to Mephibosheth.  He was his best friend Jonathan's son.  He was also his worst enemy King Saul's grandson.  By rights, for those ancient times, all of the previous king's progeny would be exterminated.

However, due to David and Jonathan's promise to each other, David showed kindness upon kindness to Mephibosheth.  Not only did he keep Mephibosheth alive, he brought him to Jerusalem, allowed him to sit at his table as if he was one of the king's sons, and he restored his lands to him, among other kindnesses.

Mercy and grace joined hands once again in David's actions of kindness.  It often takes that for us to be kind.  We are asked to be kind to one another.  Humility, love, mercy and forgiveness are often intertwined when it comes to being kind.  It's not aways so easy to do.

The apostle Paul, who wrote much of the New Teatament, penned to the Ephesians,

"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you" (Ephesians 4:32 ESV).

Ah, that's the key for us followers of Jesus Christ ... "... as God in Christ forgave you ...."  Jesus is always our perfect, exemplary example of how to live kindness.

To Titus, Paul wrote,

"But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us ..." (Titus 3:4 & 5).

In humility, Jesus came from heaven to earth, suffered, bled and died to bear the penalty of our sins.  His mercy and grace prepared the way for God to forgive those of us who by faith, repented of our sins and accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives.  God's goodness and kindness in action.  He took my (and your) place on the cross.  Jesus is our hiding place, made so by His kindness towards us.

Praise and thank our Lord and Savior for His extreme kindness this Lord's Day as you partake of the broken bread and drink of the cup of wine in rememberance of Jesus' death and resurrection on our behalf.  Then go out to show our gratitude by being kind (and including all that entails), to another brother or sister-in-Christ, and to all you meet in the run of a day until He comes. 

 Perhaps, today.

Thank You, Jesus.  Your loving kindness is better than any human life and love that could ever be bestowed upon me.  

                                                       ~ ERC January 2025 ~ 

Based on 2 Samuel 2 and 9; Ephesians 4:32 and Titus 3:4-5 ESV.

Sing, Thy Loving Kindness is Better Than Life, along with Maranatha Singers and Hiding Place, along with Desparation Band.

A Better Listener - Counsel Chap 5

Listening is so important when another person is sharing deeply about personal issues and situations.  Listening, not only with your ears but also with your eyes and mind.  The heart needs to be engaged,  showing your care, respect, compassion and empathy by listening intently.

If your mind is wandering, wondering when the person will be finished, or of what to cook for dinner or where you will go for a drive on the weekend, you are hearing the sound of your friend's voice but you are not listening.

When the listener is using her eyes she will be able to discern whether the sharer is happy, sad, angry, in pain, irritated and so on.  Maintaining eye contact will show the sharer you are indeed listening and do care.

The listener will be able to discern to a certain extent how much truth there is in the person's story.  Is the person's problem physical, emotional or spiritual or a combination thereof?  The observant, listening couselor a.k.a. friend, who has prayed and asked the Lord to give her wisdom before hearing out her friend, will be Spirit - led, most often, towards a discerning diagnosis.

God has a plan for each of our lives.  When we run counter to it, trouble will inevitably ensue.  Our sin will find us out (see Numbers 32:23).  

Godly counsel is needed to help the friend in need to find God's will in the midst of their pain and consequences.  Although I'm quick to insert here, not all suffering is the consequence of our particular sin but of The Fall, in general.  Or, it could have been from someone else's sin against the one telling the 'story'.

If it has been from sin in the person's life then guidance towards repentance will be needed.  Counciling from God's perspective and Word rather than society's 'fixes' and general beliefs, and although some of them could also be helpful, the God-centered guidance is best.  This can set the person in stress, distress and angst on the road to greater healing and health.

A personal relationship with Jesus Christ is a good place to start.  Repentance in general and then specific scenario.  Remember that as Harold J. Sala remarks in his book Counseling Friends In Need that the emotional, physical and spiritual aspects of a human being inter-relate and spill over into each other similarly as to how osmosis operates.

When a person is sick physically, the emotions often become affected.  This in turn affects the spiritual.  And so it spirals round and round and down.  So as one listens to one's friend, ask the Lord to show you where and/or how this vicious cycle started.  Finding the root cause will help.

Alluding to society's thoughts, is this person thinking money, power or sex or other such desires are solutions?  Has the fulfillment of a dream that is important to him or her become elusive?  They had been promised dream fulfillment was important and well, fulfilling.  Alas, it had all been a disappointing illusion for them.

There are many facets to listening intently to your friend in need.  May our Lord guide you into all truth for the good of your friends as you become a better and better listener.

                                                ~ ERC  January 2025 ~

Based on Chapter 5 - Diagnose the Problem But Treat the Whole Person from the book Counseling Friends In Need by Harold J. Salas.  See also Proverbs 19:20, Matthew 11:15 and Revelation 2:29 and 3:22.  If you have ears to hear, let them hear.

Sing, I'm Listening, along with Chris McClarney and The Jesus Way, along with Phil Wickham.

Cross-Cultural Angst

 

Are you a thorn in the flesh or an odd one out in a group you join regularly?  Do they have to accommodate you to some extent?  Is the effort for joining that group worth it, to begin with?  Why do you stay if it is SO difficult, angst producing and certian ones even criticize you for your clumsiness and supposed lack of participation in the group?  What is your motivation for even being there?  Does it outway the negative input?

So many questions flit through the mind.  Missions and cross-cultural missions are a tough call - to say the least.  Peter made it look easy when he got his call to go to Caesarea to visit Cornelius the Gentile.

He had visions and the timing of Cornelius' men knocking at Simon the Tanner's door in Joppa clinched any of Peter's hesitation.  It dovetailed.  Peter lets them in, gives them food and a night's lodging.  Jew meets and greets Gentiles up close and friendly.  

Bing!  Bang!  Boom!

This was HUGE!  A cross-cultural, mammoth breakthrough spearheaded by Peter the Jew.

Peter goes to Cornelius' house where so many more Gentiles await him.  Cornelius explains why he summoned Peter.  Peter explains the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Cornelius and those in the household accept Christ.  The Holy Spirit automatically comes upon them.  Peter orders them to be baptised.

In reality most such experiences are not so 'easy'.  It's tough, teeth-gritting work, full of misunderstanding on the part of both parties.  On top of that there is often the spiritual warfare aspect as the believer trods upon Satan's territory.  

But for the sake of the gospel, here's another question to ask:  In what ways can I become involved in the advancement of the gospel worldwide that could be considered going to "the ends of the earth"?

Pray for God's guidance, and your willingness and obedience to go as Peter did.  Persevere no matter the odds.  God's got you covered.

                                                     ~ ERC January 2025 ~

Based on Acts 10.

Sing, For the Cause, along with Keith and Kristyn Getty.

Fallow Fields

 

"Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the LORD, that He may come and rain righteousness upon you"  (Hosea 10:12 ESV).

Commands for the people of Hosea's day were to sow, reap, and break up fallow ground because it was time to do so.  This was not ordinary fallow ground.  I believe it was the peoples' hearts.  The 'seeds' to be sown were 'righteousness'.  They would then reap 'steadfast love'.  It seems the people had neglected to seek the LORD so had to be told to do so.  The benefits were that He would come and rain righteousness upon them.

In the middle of farm country where I once took some daily strolls, there was a huge field lying fallow.  My walking companion who had some memory issues, would repeatedly ask, "Why isn't the farmer planting that field?"  It really irritated him that the farmer was being seemingly slack.

But what farmer needs to be told to sow, reap or even the time to do so?  They have their reasons for letting a field be fallow.  Reasons such as allowing the soil to replenish its fertility, to raise soil pH and even to break pest and disease lifecycles.  If you research it on the internet you'll see some other reasons as well.  There is one warning-like precaution, however.  If the ground is left fallow for too long, the soil can turn to dirt.  It becomes useless and unproductive.

I believe this is what God was getting at through Hosea to His people Israel.  The more wealth they had, the more they let the things of God go fallow.  Their material wealth showed more and more but evil increased.  There was corruption, evil and even hatred in the house of God (see Hosea 9:8 ESV).

God had done so much for Israel, bringing them out of Egyption slavery, through the wilderness wanderings and gave them their gift of the Promised Land.  He had nurtured them, wanting His chosen people to be a righteous nation.  A nation that all other nations would look up to and respect, drawing them to the God the Israelites worshiped.

BUT, look at them now in Hosea's time.  They were immersed in luxury but also evil.  They had turned to dirt - so to speak.  

God tries again and again.  Fallow land is land that has actually been plowed and readied for sowing.  It was like God had done the plowing and readying but the people of Israel had to do the sowing.  

Note God's sovereignty vs man's responsibility here.  Our heavenly Father does not force us to do what He commands.  He wants willing hearts.  Sadly, the people were not interested.  There was no righteousness being sown, nor steadfast love being reaped, even though it was past time to do so.  There were none, or at least precious few, like Hosea, who were seeking the Lord.  If only there were, righteousness would then have rained down upon them!

Instead the very opposite had rained upon them.

Our day and age is similarly going to dirt but we personally do not need to let our lives as individuals, or as a Christian household or as a church, go to dirt.  No, we can be the watchmen, or like the prophet Hosea who continued to seek the Lord and His righteousness even though it seemed no one else was.

Don't let the fallow fields of our hearts turn to dirt.

Abba Father, may I always seek You because I know then, that I'll find You.  In times of rest and fallowness, may I remember to sow and reap at the right time.  May Your righteousness rain upon me.  I ask in Jesus' name.  Amen.

                                                   ~ ERC  January 2025 ~

Based on Hosea 10:12 ESV.

Sign, Hymn of Heaven, along with Phil Wickham.

Lord's Day Devotion - Salvation Belongs to the LORD

 

David's mockers said there was "no salvation for him in God".  What a taunt when David was down and out, and vulnerable once again.  This time he was fleeing from his own son Absalom.

Absalom, who was attempting a coup to take over the throne of David, his father.  David was no longer a spring chicken by this time, unlike when King Saul was seeking his demise years earlier.

It wasn't that David didn't fear for his life this round.  He did.  That's why he fled but reading Psalm 3 shows how he put his trust in God.

He penned that the LORD was a shield to him.  He also cried aloud to Him.  If you are a fugitive, trying to hide, you don't make loud noises.

But he believed God had him covered.  He had peace and confidence that the LORD heard his cries.  He had entrusted his plight and put it into the LORD's hands so then He could rest.  He could sleep and awake refreshed because "the LORD sustained" him.

Even though so many were against him and his living conditions were definitely NOT up to palace standards he believed God would save him.

This psalm does not touch on David's actual rescue but you can see the trust he put in the LORD that his enemies would be struck on the cheek and that his salvation did indeed belong to the LORD.

Through Jesus, we in our day, can be saved through similar faith and confidence in Him.  He is Someone who has earned our trust, so to speak.  We can rely on Him even in dangerous situations or through other troubles we may face.

Certainly our salvation does come from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household" (Acts 16:31 ESV), Paul and Silas told the Philippian jailer.

Those of us who have done just that and have become followers of Jesus Christ know personally, that our salvation comes through Him.  We now have forgiveness of sins, everlasting life and a bright future with Him in glory to look forward to.

However, as we journey through life, we can experience other times that salvation belongs to the LORD as David did, over and over again.

As we sit around the table this Lord's Day, reaching for the broken bread and drinking from the cup of wine in remembrance of Jesus' action that brought and bought our salvation on the cross, give thanks, as you remember salvation certainly does belong to Him.

It may well be easier said than done but let's realize He is worthy of our trust, so trust Him.

                                                   ~ ERC  January 2025 ~

Based on Psalm 3 (ESV).

Sing, Thou Art Worthy, along with Blood Covenant and Salvation Belongs To Our God, along with Christ Covenant Church (Jeremy Fisher).