We need to face the fact that we need Divine intervention and that God often leads and delivers us through the ministry of other believers in the local church. This NOTE addresses this issue. Don't miss out on all that God has for you, by neglecting or rejecting God's leading through spiritual guidance and Biblical wisdom from other members of the local body.
DEPENDENCE ON GOD AND INTERDEPENDENCE ON OTHER BELIEVERS
OUTSIDE FACTORS
Throughout the years, I have had great numbers of people who were much smarter than I was, concerning many different issues, situations, areas of life. Certainly they were much more informed about their own areas of expertise. However, life is more than the fundamentals. Let me use an example from nature. One plus one does equal two (mathematically), but it can equal three or four or more, biologically. In other words, when an outside factor is added, it can change the formula and the outcome.
GOD’S PROVISION
In the natural realm, people can have the natural answers to the natural issues of life. However, the problems of life sometimes require more than a natural solution. This is where the wisdom of God enters. The wisdom of God can come through...
* spiritual awareness of Divine enlightenment (as with the Three Hebrew Children and Daniel),
* or it can come through the Divine light, contained in Holy Scripture,
* or it can come through personal leading of the Holy Spirit,
* or it can come through the counsel of a mature believer, whether a parishioner or pastor.
WORKING TOGETHER WITH GOD
On many occasions I have had intelligent, well informed, spiritual believers come to me, seeking spiritual counsel concerning guidance in a personal decision. They knew more about the subject and the circumstances than I did, but God gave me wisdom and understanding that added insight beyond the natural grasp of the person seeking help.
A MIRACULOUS LIFE
As a result, I have seen people experience Divine intervention, beyond the scope of human knowledge and ability, through pastoral counsel. After all, isn't the Christian life a life of Divine intervention and miraculous power and guidance? Isn't the Christian life a life of interdependence with other believers? Since when is the Christian life a private and self oriented endeavor?
HUMILITY
People who realize the Biblical concept of local church family and body life will readily seek help from spiritual elders and will yield themselves to leadership. When we succeed through Biblical unity and submission to others, we demonstrate the Divine factor and we are less likely to think that we succeeded in our own power or by our own wits.
CHOOSE CAREFULLY
We have seen body life and mutual interdependence in the local church break down in recent years. We have seen spiritual unity and fellowship and submission diminish greatly in the past several decades. Therefore it is not surprising that so few people have any idea about spiritual counsel and Divine intervention. When we choose to solve the problems of life with our own understanding and our own spiritual growth (even the basic problems of life) aside from special Divine leading and counsel through mature believers (including pastors), then we are resting in our own abilities, rather than submitting to God's provision.
DEPENDENCE ON GOD AND INTERDEPENDENCE ON OTHER BELIEVERS
OUTSIDE FACTORS
Throughout the years, I have had great numbers of people who were much smarter than I was, concerning many different issues, situations, areas of life. Certainly they were much more informed about their own areas of expertise. However, life is more than the fundamentals. Let me use an example from nature. One plus one does equal two (mathematically), but it can equal three or four or more, biologically. In other words, when an outside factor is added, it can change the formula and the outcome.
GOD’S PROVISION
In the natural realm, people can have the natural answers to the natural issues of life. However, the problems of life sometimes require more than a natural solution. This is where the wisdom of God enters. The wisdom of God can come through...
* spiritual awareness of Divine enlightenment (as with the Three Hebrew Children and Daniel),
* or it can come through the Divine light, contained in Holy Scripture,
* or it can come through personal leading of the Holy Spirit,
* or it can come through the counsel of a mature believer, whether a parishioner or pastor.
WORKING TOGETHER WITH GOD
On many occasions I have had intelligent, well informed, spiritual believers come to me, seeking spiritual counsel concerning guidance in a personal decision. They knew more about the subject and the circumstances than I did, but God gave me wisdom and understanding that added insight beyond the natural grasp of the person seeking help.
A MIRACULOUS LIFE
As a result, I have seen people experience Divine intervention, beyond the scope of human knowledge and ability, through pastoral counsel. After all, isn't the Christian life a life of Divine intervention and miraculous power and guidance? Isn't the Christian life a life of interdependence with other believers? Since when is the Christian life a private and self oriented endeavor?
HUMILITY
People who realize the Biblical concept of local church family and body life will readily seek help from spiritual elders and will yield themselves to leadership. When we succeed through Biblical unity and submission to others, we demonstrate the Divine factor and we are less likely to think that we succeeded in our own power or by our own wits.
CHOOSE CAREFULLY
We have seen body life and mutual interdependence in the local church break down in recent years. We have seen spiritual unity and fellowship and submission diminish greatly in the past several decades. Therefore it is not surprising that so few people have any idea about spiritual counsel and Divine intervention. When we choose to solve the problems of life with our own understanding and our own spiritual growth (even the basic problems of life) aside from special Divine leading and counsel through mature believers (including pastors), then we are resting in our own abilities, rather than submitting to God's provision.
