Quiet Time Notes

Notes from my daily Quiet Times with God

Proverbs on Advice - Seek Help

September 26th, 2011
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Proverbs 15:22 - Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

Gettysburg was the turning point of the Civil War.
  • It was the Union’s first decisive victory over the Army of Virginia led by General Robert E. Lee.
  • He had led his forces into the northern states taking an offensive posture in the war.
  • When the Union army followed him into Pennsylvania, he found a spot on the map where several roads joined at an intersection called Gettysburg.
  • General Lee did not know the number of Union soldiers he was facing.
  • These numbers should have been discovered and reported by his cavalry leader Jeb Stuart, but he was nowhere to be found.
  • Stuart, without orders from General Lee, had decided to go on a raiding expedition.
  • The cavalry was the eyes of the army. Without the counsel of his cavalry leader Lee was blind.
  • Unprepared, Lee went on to lose the battle at Gettysburg. It was just the victory Lincoln had been looking for

Proverbs 11:14 - For lack of guidance a nation falls but many advisers make victory sure.

In the life of a disciple we need eyes all around us (we are in a spiritual battle, not against flesh and blood but against the dark forces of this world).
  1. We need our cavalry “brothers & sisters” giving us advice and counsel
  2. They tell us where the enemy is and how strong his forces are.
  3. They help equip us to do battle with the enemy.
  4. They fortify us when we’re lacking in zeal
  5. We need these people in our lives.

Five lessons to learn about advice...

1. Seek Advice

Proverbs 14:12 - There is a way that seems right to a man but in the end it leads to death

Proverbs 18:15  - The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, the ears of the wise seek it out

If we were going to buy a car for the 1st time, most of us would seek a lot of advice.
  • We would ask others what kind of interest rate we should look for, how many miles per gallon, the resale value, look at consumer reports, etc…
  • We go to counselors for help (family & career), therapist, on and on
Question: Why do we seek out spiritual help in our lives like we do in so many other areas?

If we need help in other areas (that’s good) surely our spiritual life is more important because it has an eternal destination (good or bad)
  • We need to find people who are spiritually mature and gone through such experiences in life
  • These men and women can give us godly advice that will help us mature spiritually
Discipling relationship isn’t just a good idea it’s one key to our spiritual victory
Key Phrase: In a spiritual battle, we need eyes all around us