Bible Teaching

Calvary Temple Teaching Library

Divine Guidance Pt.4

Let's turn to the book of Acts. We'll pick up where we left off on Sunday. Looking at divine guidance, we mentioned the fact that just in the title alone, we understand that number one is God's involvement in the course of our lives. He said He'd never leave us nor forsake us. Our lives aren't subject to fate. There's a course that we're put on and the steps of a good man, the Scripture says, are ordered by the Lord. A man devises a way, but the Lord directs our steps, so we have that confidence that the will of God is working in us right now. It's an exciting thing to know that every moment of the day God is orchestrating His will in your life. Are you approaching the day that way, or are you just kind of enduring and waiting for five o'clock so that you can head out onto the beltway and fight traffic and limp back home for another evening, or do you realize that every moment of every day is an opportunity to effect the will of God until the Lord comes? How many of you think your day would go better if you looked at it that way? We realize then that we are ordered of the Lord, that He set us right exactly where we're supposed to be. As believers, we can't despise the vocation that we find ourselves in, the fact that we have to roll out of bed and head to work in the morning. God has ordered our steps. That is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. It just gives us an ability to go refreshed and in the power of His might.

We were talking about some of the specific directions of the Lord and, of course, we looked at Psalm 23, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." That pretty much says it all, doesn't it? We're not going to lack for anything on this course that we're in if we walk by faith and not by sight. The Scripture says that it's our Father's good pleasure to give us His Kingdom. He's the giver of every good and perfect gift, praise God. We just rest in His integrity and His character and realize, then, that there is no want to those of us that are journeying here on this highway called holiness, separation to God. This highway of holiness is a separate way. Nobody else is on it. Nobody in the world, nobody you rub shoulders with that's not a true citizen of the Kingdom of God is on the same path that you're on. God is orchestrating your steps. We heard it already tonight that we're in this world, but we're not of it. We're going straight through this thing, and God has a purpose for each one of our lives.

The whole world is caught up in self-esteem and individualism, and we have the assurance of what our worth is. The masses are looking for worth, and we realize that our worth is the fact that we've been accepted in the beloved, amen? God loved us and He died for us. He purchased us and redeemed us back to Himself with His precious blood. What an exciting life we're living here in the Kingdom of God! As we're journeying, we're talking about guidance; and we want to talk about the general guidance, and the specific guidance. The general guidance is based upon the revelation of the Word of God. We know what the moral statutes are and then we understand that God also, with His nation Israel, gave directives or guidance concerning the Levitical ordinances. Those people didn't have to worry about praying, what was to be partaken and what wasn't and what they were going to do on the Sabbath. It was already established for them, so guidance was set forth by the commandments of God, and it's still the same today. The general guidance for every one of our lives is set by the commandments of God. That's what He expects us to walk in before we can look to the more specific guidance in our lives. If that one area of general guidance is not in place, then you're going to constantly be in error in pursuit of the specifics. If general obedience is not ruling in your life, you're going to be in error in specific directions. It's very important that we give that the priority that it needs. This is why it's so important.

The one thing that each one of us here has to do is to spend time saturating our spirits with the Word of God. As we go on into this study, one of the twelve means that God directs us is conscience. I'm going to spend a little bit of time when we get to conscience. I'm probably going to leave it as the last category so I can expand it a little bit. There's an outstanding book that's out by John McArthur called The Vanishing Conscience. It's a good book. It has to do with where we find ourselves today in our society and understand that conscience is something that's really been totally suppressed in our society and, tragically, within the church. People are not purifying their conscience. They're not building and strengthening their conscience, and because of that, they can't hear the voice of God, since conscience is one of the primary methods that God's speaks to us.

The word "conscience" in the Greek just literally means co-knowledge. Co-knowledge. Knowledge along with God to where we're able to hear the Word of the Lord. It's important then that we establish our hearts and our minds constantly in the Word of God. It's a lamp unto our feet, the Scripture tells us. If we're going to know the direction of the Lord, we're going to have to know the general purpose, the general will of God. We're going to talk about that a little bit later. I want to finish up on where we were Sunday night. We referred a little bit Sunday morning, Sunday night, as we were talking again to the fact that each one of us has a tendency to think that somehow God is going to speak to us through some of these more spectacular methods.

Many of us would really--and if we're truthful, even after hearing some of the teaching--we would still respond tonight and say, "I really would rather have an angel speak to me than you." If we were truthful, we would rather have an angel appear. We would rather hear an audible voice. We would rather, many of us, and we're talking about the natural man, we would somehow think that that would make it more supernatural. We begin to see that the majority of God's people were directed by spiritual authority, by divine order, than they were by special specific visitation.

Turn back to Acts 10, where we left off Sunday night. Do you remember we were talking about all the spectacular things that were happening in the life of Cornelius? This was pretty cool. I mean, this guy was having some great visitations. This was a man who prayed always. This was a man who had a testimony in the heavens. The Word of the Lord came to him and an angel appeared to him, and the conclusion of this visitation was in verse six. It said when you send for Peter who "lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the seaside." What specific guidance! This is kind of neat stuff when you get to hear this. Very frankly, most of us don't really get to hear those kinds of directives. Even when we have, we talked about how ironic it was. Even when we have very specific directives to bring us to a certain point, we still don't have the full picture.

We kind of laughed as we got into this incident a little further. We saw that Cornelius said, "We've heard from the Lord. We've gathered everybody together, and now, what is it that you have to say to us?" Peter said, "Well, the Lord appeared to me, and He told me to come with you, but I don't know." They're both standing there, having had great specific visitations, and still not knowing at that moment what God was doing in their lives. Faith. "For we walk by faith, not by sight." If you have to know the specifics, all of them, you're probably going to end up in error. We made the statement Sunday that if you can understand it all, it's probably not God. Here's what the angel said to him in verse 6. "[Peter] shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do." Interesting, isn't it? The guy had been having all of these special visitations, and what is the method that God used to speak to him but an anointed vessel. When we talk about an anointed vessel, we're primarily just talking about someone that God is using at that moment. Don't think that anointed vessels have to have a set of credentials that are this long.

You'll know the voice of God when He speaks to you. His sheep know His voice and another they will not follow. They're not going to hear. What am I saying to you? "Out of the mouth of babes...." Be quick to hear. Listen to what the Spirit's saying, but... (What does the Scripture say?) "Prove all things." That's why you need to know the Word of God. I want to tell you something. God can speak to you through your children. He can speak to you through the most carnal person here--Brother Donkey--whoever it might be. I mean Balaam may have ridden you in here tonight, and God can use you to speak. We can't despise the gifts of God. So many times we have criteria. "If it was Moses, I'd listen to Moses. If it was Paul, I'd listen to Paul." Who is Moses, and who is Paul? They're nobody without the anointing. We realize then that to Cornelius here, the Scripture says, "Peter will tell you what you ought to do." We see, then, that this is one of the great methods that God uses.

Turn over to Exodus for just a second, and let me show you another example of this. I've always thought this was a great example of how God speaks to us through instruments that we wouldn't necessarily expect or even give great credentials to. This is one of the great directives in the Old Testament that established the covenant people under the order of divine authority. The Scripture tells us very clearly in Psalm 77 that the Lord led Israel in the wilderness like a flock, and the Lord led them--and then isn't it interesting what He says--How? By Moses and Aaron. The Lord, by Moses and Aaron. Isn't it interesting? I don't know about you, but I would rather follow the pillar of fire around. Anybody else here like me? How many of you would choose the pillar of fire over Moses? Come on, truthfully, how many of you would rather have the fire and it's moving. It's knocking chariot's wheels off and all this, and the cloud! It's the Shekinah! Not one person in here would doubt that that Shekinah was leading them the wrong way. We would follow in faith the Shekinah, wouldn't we? By Moses and Aaron. Why didn't God just lead them around with the Shekinah the whole time? What is it in guidance that God chose this method of divine order? Surely it's inferior. Of course, it's inferior if you take out the factor of faith, that God is able to set things right, that He's in charge regardless of the instrument that He's using. Yes, fallible. Yes, finite. Nevertheless, chosen of God.

It's very important if we're going to be in proper guidance as we continue on in our lives that we understand this. Very frankly--listen to me--in the last days one of the greatest methods that the spirit of antichrist is going to use is going to be signs and wonders, the spectacular, the false prophets that are going to arise that are going to lead many astray. You'd better have an understanding, a relationship, know the Word of God, and know those that labor among you, or you're setting yourself up as a candidate for this supernatural deception in the days that are to come.

Look over here for a second at the eighteenth chapter of Exodus. As you read through here, there are some very interesting things that are taking place. Chapter 18, verse 13, says, "And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from morning unto the evening. And when Moses' father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even? And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God: When thy have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws. And Moses' father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good. Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone. [Listen] to my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee." Who is this guy Jethro? This guy's a cipherin' demon here, Jethro Bodine, and he's giving advice. Who is Jethro? Who is he to speak for the household of faith? Who is this man, and is God using him? Let's watch and see what the verdict of this thing is. "I'll give you counsel, and if you'll do what I tell you, you're going to be successful. I will give you counsel and (say it with me) God shall be with you."

Listen clearly whether your counselors are exalting themselves or God, whether they're getting you to trust them or God. Who is the focal point in the counsel that we're receiving? You'll be able to know the origin of the messenger. "And God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God. And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do. Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; [See, here are some of the credentials to being in roles of authority and having oversight, hating covetousness. You can't be bought. You're going to tell the truth to everybody. There's no respect of persons.] and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens; And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge" (Exodus 18:13-22). We see this wisdom that's coming from Jethro. This wisdom that's coming from God. Of course, that helps you understand that this is why we operate in our fellowship the way we do. This is the wisdom of God. This is how He does things.

I want you to see what the next verse says. "If thou shalt do this thing.... [Now, check it.] If thou shalt do this thing and [look at the next phrase; say it with me. And what?] God command thee so [who's the counselor pointing to as the authority? God. If you do this thing, this is the Lord. If you do it, God confirms it. If you understand this is the voice of the Lord. If you acknowledge if what's being spoken to you is God, and you choose to do it] then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace. So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said" (Exodus 18:23-24). "And Moses [verse 27] let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land." When someone speaks a word to us, are we dependent upon them for the rest of our lives? No, God chooses different vessels at different seasons to speak into our lives. There's not only one voice that we listen to. There's not only one counselor who is God's substitute that speaks, but it so happened at this particular moment that God chose Jethro, his father-in-law, to speak these words of wisdom. Moses recognized them as the Word of the Lord, the wisdom of God. Jethro said that if you agree that this is God, what I'm telling you is God, and you do it, then you're going to get fruit that remains. Of course, we all know the wisdom of it. Moses recognized it, and it was God's ordained method of overseeing.

We saw the elders that were chosen and anointed, and Moses, the Scripture says, put his spirit into these men, and they were able then to carry forth ministry to the rest of the body. It was no longer necessary that the Shekinah was the thing that was the only focal point of this community, but we now have God leading them like a flock with Moses, Aaron, and the eldership. We see again that this is the method that God uses. The reason we're spending so much time on it is because of the natural tendency in us to think that somehow we have to have this understanding, the revelation. It has to be something that comes directly to us. You'll know the wisdom of God when it's spoken to you if you're one of the flock. You'll know when a husband speaks to you, a parent speaks to you, a counselor speaks to you, or a prophet speaks a word in season. You'll know that's the Word of the Lord. That's primarily how He's going to speak to each one of us and not individually, specifically, by audible voices, visions, dreams, et cetera.

It's exciting when it happens. I shared part of the testimony of how we came back here years ago through the different supernatural circumstances. You could see the different methods that were being used at that particular time. Conscience was a part of that which was taking place and I was no longer able to function in the position that I was in. What had happened was there was a jealousy. It was almost like a David and a Saul situation. The pastor of that particular church, God was using them in a great way. It was an exciting thing as He opened up opportunities for us to minister. I shared the story with you of how God delivered us out of the military. I was telling the men the other day. It was an interesting thing. I happened to be watching a television program that was about, (I can't even remember the title, but it had something to do with super carriers, et cetera.) Basically, what it did was it showed the accident at sea with the USS Enterprise and how it almost sank. What had happened was one of the tow vehicles backed up to a jet and the exhaust ignited a bomb. The bomb went off on the deck, blew a hole in the deck. It set off other planes. The bombs blew a bigger hole in the deck. The fuel line burst. It began to pour five or six decks into the hull of the Enterprise. Everything was on fire. In the process, it blew the water main, so they couldn't fight the fire. The ironic thing, the reason I said this is interesting is (as I was watching this, I'd never seen it before) right where that hole was was where my bunk was supposed to be. I was assigned to the USS Enterprise. I knew where I was going to be. I knew what my department was. That's where we were going to be at that particular time, and 24 hours before the Enterprise left port, God discharged me from the military. I sat on the dock of the bay and watched the Enterprise pull out. Fabulous, from Treasure Island, that you can sit there and see. As I was sitting there, I watched it and the Missouri both come in, the battleship and the carrier coming into port and watched them dock and was able to watch them pull out. From Treasure Island, you can look down from the Golden Gate and just a beautiful, beautiful area. I should have been there. Would I have been one of those that were killed? I don't know that for sure, but I believe our steps are ordered by the Lord, don't you? I'm watching; it was kind of a strange thing to see it. It was the first time I'd ever seen video of it, watched them as they fought this fire, and thinking back about the Lord ordering our steps.

As I was discharged, it was just a few days later that this man opened opportunity for us to minister full-time, and we felt impressed to leave Bible College and go into the vineyard and prayed about different things. Should I finish Bible School? Should I finish and make sure I get my degree and get finished here? Felt impressed that God was directing us in this other way. I said, "Well, I'll just finish up school later." We all know how that goes, don't we? (Well, we did or whatever it was, thirty years later; but we did finish. Always been a little slow.) We realized that God ordered our steps, and we went down; and this man was being used mightily of God. What a privilege to come in. As we went in, God started blessing what we put our hand to and, very frankly, it went something like this. Dave has killed his thousands and Bob his ten thousands. That doesn't always set real well. I shared about how there was a jealousy that was arising. In the midst of all of this with the jealousy, his daughter was very carnal so I kicked her out of Youth Group. The pastor's daughter. Just so you understand I've always been like this. Let God be true, amen? Anyway, we put her out, and he didn't like that. There were a lot of different things that were going on.

I was promoted into a position in the district. He was trying to get into position in the District and the recognition, and I wasn't; and I got put in by the elders and put into this very prominent position. That didn't go real well. Then I began to experience the fact that there was an undercurrent within the community. I thought, "I can't stay here. This is going to cause strife and confusion." I resigned. I didn't have anywhere to go. Guidance--you see the thing that was guiding me--the integrity of the upright shall what? What was guiding me was integrity. It was character. It was obedience. It was the fact that I didn't agree with what this man was doing. I didn't stay to fight it. God put him there. I'm not going to fight God's anointed. I'm not going to cut the hem of his garment off. You're not going to find me fighting the anointed of God. I'm going to back out of this thing. What a golden opportunity! You're going to walk away from it? God will open doors, praise God. If God's for you, nobody can be against you. I resigned, and as the story went--most of you have heard it--I resigned; and they said where are you going to go? I said, "I don't have a clue." That's exciting!

Now, I shared with you that at that time how things were going, and we were making about 300 dollars a month, 1973. We were making 300 dollars a month gross. All I can say is that it's a whole lot better than nothing. When we resigned, we were looking at nothing. I thought $300 was not much, but nothing was less. To try to condense the story--I've shared the story a number of times over the years--but in the process, we were solicited to some of the bigger ministries in Los Angeles. We had a reputation at this time, and the solicitations began to come. Eventually--as I shared the story with you before--the one church, the largest church in Southern California, the most dynamic church that was growing at that time offered us carte blanche. Our last meeting was, "Look, we want you to come. You tell us what you want us to pay you." I said, "I just don't believe God's in this thing." I just didn't have peace. God established early in our lives for our own understanding that we were not hirelings, not for sale. Money's not what it's about. I thank God that it was something that was established early. I might share with you that it's not a once for all victory, amen? It's something we battle constantly, but thank God I've won every battle as it pertains to those areas. Lost them in other areas, but that's one of the areas that we understand is the destruction of so many of God's messengers. The other is women, and that's why you've never seen me travel alone. I'm never alone. (When you're this good looking you can't afford it.) You give no place, and you try to guard your heart, and let God work character in you in these different areas. We turned that opportunity down and didn't have a clue where we were going. We're talking about the spectacular and the supernatural.

I shared with you then how Ron Walrobe, a friend of ours, came into town. He stepped off the bus, and as he did, God gave him a word of knowledge. He says, "You just resigned; didn't you?" I said, "Yeah." He said, "The Lord just spoke to me." He said, "Look, I'm going back to Virginia, a place called Herndon. Why don't you come back and work with me." I said, "Let me pray about it. See what God says." So I went home. I begin to pray. Ron told me, "Now, look. It's a little tiny church. I don't know if we'll even have enough to pay you more than a few months, but we'll believe God, and whatever." I said, "I'll pray about it." We went home and began to pray. Los Angeles, Herndon. Los Angeles, Herndon. Tell us what you want us to pay you. I don't think we have enough money to pay you. Not my will, Father, Thy will be done. Amen? The Lord confirmed in our hearts, and so I told him, I said, "Yeah, we'll come." Praise God, we loaded everything up and headed for Herndon. What an exciting time, what a venture of faith going not knowing where we were going, truly!

I shared the story with you how a few months later--I can't remember what it was--16 months after we'd gotten here. Maybe not that long, I can't remember what it was. I was in prayer, and the Lord spoke to me and said, "Ron's resigning the church." I went upstairs to his office, I said, "Lord just told me you're resigning." He said, "Yeah, that's right." He said, "What are you going to do?" I said, "I believe I'm supposed to stay." He said, "Well, praise God." We stayed, make a long story short. We were voted in. As soon as that was done, Ron shared with me and said, "You know, I didn't want to share with you until after everything was done, but do you remember that day at the bus stop? You took me to the motel." I said, "Yeah." He said, "I went and laid down for a nap and Jesus appeared to me." He said, "I've never had the Lord visit me before, but the Lord appeared to me." Not an angel. He said, "The Lord appeared to me and He told me, 'You're not the pastor. You're the vehicle I'm using to bring that man to do My work.'" Aren't you glad for God's vessels? Aren't you glad for a man that says, "Hey, why don't you come back to Herndon and work with me? Let's try it; what do we have to lose?" You see, how unspecific it can be? Yet, as things begin to unfold, how supernatural it can be that the Lord had appeared and spoken to him, but after the fact.

You'll find out many times that after you would go into a journey, and you begin to follow through in obedience, you'll begin to hear the testimonies of the supernatural things that had gone on behind the scenes and orchestrated and lives that were affected, as we were just in the way, and God was ordering our steps. Exciting, but the fact of the matter is most of us are never going to experience those kinds of visitations. I've never had the Lord speak directly to me in that way. I'm open. I've experienced an angelic visitation one time. I'm aware of angels appearing that I was aware and actually observed them. In 30 years, that's it. Never heard any audible voices. No visions or dreams. Just in the way, understanding Bible principles and trying to be obedient, listening to the counselors that have been around, and men that have heard from God, trying to receive my wisdom from Moses and Paul, and understanding that the position that God has placed us in, places us in a position to where we hear their testimony. It's applicable to my life because of the responsibility that God's given us. At the same time, able to see it fulfilled through the more sure Word of prophecy and never seeking the more spectacular because of the awareness that it can bring deception and delusion along with it. I thank God for the counsel over the years in my life of men like Jethro that have spoken to me and will speak just a word in season, and you can hear and know that that is the wisdom of God and numerous effects it's had in our lives. Don't despise the messengers that God puts into your life and how unspectacular it can appear at the moment, because it can, in fact, be totally supernatural.

Look over with me, if you would, to Hebrews, the 13th Chapter. As we're looking at this relating to our lives, we saw how Moses was counseled by Jethro. We see how Cornelius heard the Word of the Lord from Peter, and it was the Word of the Lord to him. We saw in Acts 16, you remember.... As you're headed to Hebrews, stop off in Acts for just a second. Do you remember, we were talking about the counsel that had gone forth to the entire party as Paul had his vision? In verse 10, then the assurance, he said, "We were assuredly aware that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel in Macedonia." Those passages are just phrases that are spoken in the book of Acts, and yet, most people can miss the principles and the truths. We look for doctrine, and we miss the application of the doctrine so many times that is just casually spoken throughout the Scriptures. It's phenomenal! If you'll just flip through the Scriptures, how often you can see these principles in effect! Throughout the whole ministry of the apostolic team, you'll see it as something that is constantly taking place in the life of Paul as he's directing the whole company. Each one of them understanding that that was God speaking to their lives. Take a little time and read through those chapters that deal with Paul's missionary journeys, and mark down how many times the company was directed by the man. They saw it as the establishing of the purpose and the will of God in their lives.

Hebrews, look at it for just a second. Chapter 13, we'll look at verses 7 and 17. Again, we're talking about the practical aspects of guidance and how God wants to speak to us. So often we're looking for the spectacular, and verse 7 says, "Remember them which have the rule over you...." Interesting word, "rule." We talked about it before. In its strongest rendering, this word "rule" means to lead. What is it basically saying? Remember or recognize those that are leading your life. How do they lead your life? Look at the next phrase, "...who have spoken [what?] unto you the word of God: whose [say it with me] faith follow, considering the end of their [lifestyle.] Jesus Christ the same yesterday, to day, and for ever." I love the way that that's packaged together.

He's saying, "Look to those that are leading you. Follow their lives. Be followers of those who through faith and patience are inheriting the promises. Know those that labor among you and are over you in the Lord. Watch their lives. Find out whether this thing's working or not. See whether or not it's the assurance and the lordship of Jesus. Are they representing the doctrine of God at all times? Are they leading you according to their wisdom, according to their whims, or are they speaking unto you, verse 7, the Word of God?" That's how we begin to establish it. It doesn't matter who the messenger is, the vehicle, are they bringing to you and me the Word of God? In watching their life, their example, are we looking at Jesus Christ, Lord of their life, unchanging, the same yesterday, today, and forever? It's the same path. It's the same course. It's the same direction, praise God. Not people that are being tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine. What do they believe this week? Through constant leadership of those who are following Jesus. Follow those who through faith and patience are inheriting the promises. Paul said, "Follow me as I follow Christ."

Verse 17, he goes on, and we see the admonition. He says, "Obey them that have the rule over you." There's that word "rule" again--those that are in charge of leading your life, of guiding you. When it comes to spiritual things, how is God going to speak to you most of the time? Think about it. Is an angel going to appear to you? How about an audible voice, dream, or vision? What we see here, then, and the thing that so many of us look at, we go, "Oh, man, does this mean that I'm not responsible to hear from God on my own?" Of course not. Was that Moses' response? "What, I'm not responsible to hear from God? Who do you think you are? Jethro? When's the last time you talked to God in a burning bush?" What was Moses' response to that counsel? What was Jethro's statement to him? Jethro said, "You don't have to take what I'm saying as the Word of God, but if you confirm, and you hear it as the Word of God, and you believe that it's the Word of God, and you do it, here are the consequences. Here's the fruit that's going to come out of your obedience." It's obvious. God's going to speak to us most of the time by spiritual leadership. It's not going to be by Balaam's ride,

"Praise God. Who do you seek for your counsel?" "I seek the dumb donkey for my advice. Who do you seek?" "I go to the children. The Bible says a child shall lead, so I always go to the Toddler's room for my guidance." We know that that's not the general method that God has established. We don't despise those methods. In humility, then--which is one of the primary character traits of being able to hear and be led by the Spirit of God--the meek will He guide with His eye. We realize that humility gives us the ability to hear from God. We're people who are meek. We don't think we know it all. The wise people are those that are seeking wisdom and counsel and are ready to hear and ready to act and looking for the Word of the Lord to come to them. It's confirmed in their spirit, and you rise up and say, "That's God, praise God! There's no question in my mind." "Obey them that have the rule over you, [those who have been set by God in a spiritually Biblical role to oversee your life] and submit yourselves." That's an interesting word. The word "submit" usually means a ranking under. In this particular application, it's an interesting word. It means withdraw yourself. In other words, don't oppose. "Yeah, but...." It's talking about the understanding that this is, in fact, the Word of God. For these are a people that "watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing [desiring] to live honestly [before God]" (Hebrews 13:18).

As we finish up this portion of the teaching, we've taken a long time trying to hammer it home, trying to hammer it into our understanding that the majority of us are not going to get specific spectacular guidance. We're going to probably have the majority of our lives orchestrated by counselors who are speaking to us the wisdom of God, the Word of God, who are bringing to us the statutes that are a lamp unto our feet, the more sure Word of prophecy. If we can rest in that and see how valuable that is to each one of our lives, then that puts us in place--and this, of course why we start with the established principles--because God may--and we'll talk about these in the next session--God may speak to you in these other ways. When you have a dream, when you have a vision, when that voice does speak to you, when the opportunity arises, do we just jump right into that; or do we go to whom? We go to our counselors and say, "Guess what? Here's an open door. What do you think, praise God? This looks like God. Do you have any wisdom? Is there a word that you have to speak? What do you believe God is doing at this particular time?" That's the safety, then, that comes to us through this multitude of counsel in our lives. You're going to have to understand. It doesn't make any difference. Corinthians makes it very clear--we'll deal with some other passages, of course--makes it very clear, it doesn't make any difference if it's a dream, if it's a vision that you've had. It is subject to proof by the more sure Word of prophecy. Always be ready to have your revelations judged. So many of us have the tendency to think that is the supreme. These spectacular things are supreme. No, the more sure Word is the supreme form of guidance and is the final authority in our lives. That's the confidence that we have to have in the Word of God.

Turn over to 2 Kings for just a second. Let me show you that authority of the Word of God. That's what we want to look at for these next couple of minutes. 2 Kings, Chapter 22, you're responsible to "study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15). Why? So when you hear from the counselor, you'll know whether it's the Word of God or not. You are responsible to be as noble as the Bereans, to search the Scriptures, to find out whether these things are so. You have a responsibility to know God's Word. 2 Kings, Chapter 22, verse 13. You remember Josiah finds the Word of the Lord, verse 8 tells us, in the temple. He said, "I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord," verse 8. I really like that passage, don't you? "I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord." Tragically, though, it had been run down and had not been referenced for a long time. Our churches today are full of psychology, humanism, the "self-esteem" gospel, that dominates churches today. The refusal to address sin in the lives of individuals today. The mockery of the Word of God in evangelical churches today through calling it infallible, God-breathed, and yet living their lives by situational ethics, existential thought.

This is where Israel found themselves in their carnality, and every man was doing what was right in his own eyes. Josiah finds the Word of the Lord, as Hilkiah, the priest, brings it to him. "And it came to pass that when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he [repented, he] rent his clothes" (2 Kings 22:11). And then listen to what he says, "Go ye, enquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book to do according unto all that which was written concerning us" (2 Kings 22:13). We realize, then, that the final authority is not the covenant that was cut with Abraham, not the fact that at this particular point they were still preserved as a people through Levitical ordinances, but now, individually, they had to choose to do the Word of God. Every one of us is going to be faced with this decision in our lives. What are we going to inquire about God? So many of us want to inquire concerning, as we talked before, the temporal. What job? Who should I marry? Should I buy this new house? Whatever it is. I want to tell you something, beloved. When the Word of God becomes the focal point of your heart, you're not going to be spending your time praying about houses and cars and relationships. One thing is going to direct the course of your life: What more can I hear from God that I might do that would be pleasing in His sight? As we seek the Kingdom, His righteousness, so many of those other things that we spend our lives looking for direction on are just automatically added to us.

Father, we thank You for the wisdom of God. We thank You for those that You've put in our lives: husbands, parents, counselors, Father, ministry gifts that have been set there for one specific purpose. To say "This is the way; walk in it." Cornelius stood with an open heart, for the Word of the Lord said, "He'll tell you what you ought to do." How about those who are over you in the Lord? What have you done to know the testimony, the voice, whether it's of God or men? Do you have a mandate from God? Have you heard from the Lord? Are you a man that's as meek as Moses that can hear the fine tuning of God's purpose through Jethro? You may have had a burning bush experience in your life. You may have held the staff of God and seen the signs and wonders, but you don't know it all. Moses was a meek man, always ready to hear more from God, always ready to refine the way of the Lord, to do it more perfectly. The meek will He guide with His eye. "Well, bless God. I've had a burning bush experience. Jesus spoke to me!" Well, now you're blind, and God supernaturally orchestrates His vessel to come and lay hands on you, Saul, that you might see again, and to tell you all things that you're going to suffer for His name's sake. You may have had some great visitations, but God's not through talking to you yet. Are you humble enough to hear the word of His messengers? Moses was. Paul was. Cornelius was. The company of the missionary tour were people that knew when God spoke to Paul, He had ordered their steps. Then who are we? Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, and in due time, He will exalt you, praise God.

Let's stand before the Lord tonight. Over the years, one of the most dangerous things I've seen are those people who had one type of visitation and thought that somehow made them a "special" individual. They no longer had to listen to men because they had heard from God. We just saw it in the life of Moses. We just saw it in the life of Paul. We saw it in the life of Cornelius. You see it in the life of Silas. He was a prophet. He heard from God, and the majority of his ministry was spent listening to Paul. Think about it. So who are you? It's the most dangerous natural tendency, it's the most dangerous spirit that you'll oppose in being able to hear clearly the Word of the Lord. If you can be as humble as Silas, if you can be as humble as Paul, if you can be as humble as Moses, you will hear the Word of the Lord. Speak to us, Father. It's our desire, in Jesus' name.

As Gary plays for us, we'll take just a moment and allow the Lord's presence to refresh us. What an exciting journey we're on! The majority of us here won't have to do what some of us have done. The majority of you will never have to experience the forsaking of all of the natural things, but you will need the same spirit of obedience and humility. If you prove yourself faithful in the small things, He'll make you a ruler over the great ones. I've shared with you that a number of years back, Willard pressed real hard for me to leave the church here and go to San Jose. I respect all that God's done in our brother's life and his wisdom, so I listened very clearly. I listened very intently to what he had to say. I've always looked for the aged and their wisdom. All the reasons that were given were contrary to what the Lord had spoken He was doing in our lives here. I was very conscious that the work wasn't finished that Father had for us as a people. I don't think any of us are aware yet of the consequences of this tiny nucleus and what affect it can have in these last days as the spirit rages against the church. Every thing we do is consciously trying to build a godly seed and a generation that will stand in this last day. The majority of every decision we make for this fellowship has nothing to do with the immediate; it has to do with the future. How can we leave a stronger people to combat the enemy that is to come?

As I go into conscience, we want to share our hearts along those areas of the vexation that we experience on a daily basis and how to guard our hearts and strengthen our consciences. A strong conscience is the opposite of what you think it is. A strong conscience is not legalism that says, "I can't do that. Don't eat meat offered to idols." That's a weak conscience. Now, we watch and we tend to our weaker brothers, and we don't offend them, but your conscience can be strengthened. No, not liberty. Not license to the flesh. A conscience that isn't moved out of fear. A conscience that isn't moved by emotion but only dictated to by the Word of God. You see, what happens in most weak consciences is that it is emotion and tradition that guide them. With a strong conscience, only the Word of God is sufficient. That's why your children need to know that when you speak to them, it's the Word of the Lord. Their conscience has not yet been developed. You can't let them make their own decisions. You guide them in the establishing of a sound mind. The first thing we do is teach them to listen to the counselors and then to seek the counselors. You see, the immature have to have counselors come to them. The mature go to the counselors. Then the counselor seeks to establish the conscience, and then sends them forth saying, "You'll hear the voice. You'll know that what I've shared with you is the Word of God." That's walking in the Spirit.

Let's sing it together, and just thank the Lord for His presence tonight. "Let Me Be a Sacrifice." Thank You, Jesus. We thank You, Lord. We thank You, Jesus. Hallelujah! Father, we do seek to worship You and to honor You in everything that we do and say. Cause us to be a people fulfilling our role to understand that You've placed us according to Your divine order. You've placed us as it pleases You. If You're pleased, we are. We just rejoice in the way that You've governed our lives, that You've brought us to this place. Now, we just ask You, Lord, to finish the work in us. Strengthen us to do what's pleasing in Your sight. We'll give You the praise in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.

One of the things you want to do as a counselor, as a parent, is don't make your children or those that you counsel dependent upon you. Make them confident in you so that they'll come. You bring direction, you give guidance, you lead them, you demand the course, but you're transparent. You always make them aware of their need to grow, to hear, to where they're seeking confirmation. Not dependence, but now confidence where they come and say, "I believe I've heard from God. What do you have to say?" What a safety! What a relationship that's built when God's order is established! Before you go, turn to somebody next to you, say, "The meek He guides with His eye." Amen. Go in peace; God's love go with you.

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