Thursday, March 19, 2009

Sermon Refresher/Prayer Request

Please remember Baby Zoe today as she is undergoing extensive surgery to remove a cyst on her forehead. Please pray for her family and for wisdom for the doctors.

Last Sunday we heard a relevant message on Biblical counseling.

Here are six questions to help us with the counsel we give and receive.

1. Is it Biblical? We can only discern Biblical wisdom by knowing God's Word. Personal opinions do not give true counsel, only the Bible is the source of true counsel and wisdom.

2. Is it factual? Check out and know all the facts about the situation. Don't go on assumptions.

3. Is it necessary? Use very few words, sometimes the best counsel is given by just being there as a support to someone.

4. Is it teachable? Lessons learned from previous experiences can be passed on or shared.

5. Does it acknowledge the imperfection of human counsel? The wisest counsel may be to acknowledge that we do not know everything. Only God is perfect.

6. Is it spoken in love? If advice given is Biblical, factual and necessary, it will never be listened to if it is not spoken in love. God's Word tells us to "speak the truth in love." Without love, our words are compared to a clanging symbol.

Hurting people long for answers and many times, answers are hard to come by. In times of difficulty, we can go to God's Word. It provides comfort and strength that we can draw from. Look to Him for direction always.

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