When we actually trusted our enemies more than we trust our friends.The king was told of a plot to kill him but said he trusted in his enemies more than his friends-Jeremiah40.When we receive counsel, how do we treat it.do we pray and subject it to test and allow the word of God to speak to us as touching that?No wonder the bible says in Icorinthians13, love believes all things but it did not say love act on all things or love implements all counsel.So even at that, there is need for believers to subject all counsel to appropriate tests through spiritual discernment of good and evil, prayers, inner witness and even if possible the opinion of more matured believers-of course not all counsel from fellow believers are godly.Take the case of prophet Nathan simply replying David to build the temple when the Lord has not okayed it.Of course Nathan simply assumed(what a costly assumption) it is right.Please never assume it is right when the Lord has not given a clear pass.If a counsel for instance says your wife is cheating on you or is it right to co-habit or dating/courtship which one is right?-For the first counsel, are you both believers(husband and wife), born again, if yes, then you just call your wife and ask her and if she says nothing like that is happening, what do you do?-Well, love believes all things will apply.You pray over it together and that is the end.Even when she lies and plot your death, maybe she is backslidden and you know nothing of it and God has not told you about it.You shall be called blessed in heaven.On the two other counsels i cited, the bible is the final authurity.Thou hast not so learnt Christ.For the modern day heretics, the Kingdom of this world is different from the Kingdom of God.What you need to do is to consider the scriptures and pray about it for nothing i say here will convict and convince the yes-sayers.But my counsel is, that is Co-habitation and Dating as against courtship is not the biblical language.THANKS...YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

alolatee:
When we actually trusted our enemies more than we trust our friends.The king was told of a plot to kill him but said he trusted in his enemies more than his friends-Jeremiah40.When we receive counsel, how do we treat it.do we pray and subject it to test and allow the word of God to speak to us as touching that?No wonder the bible says in Icorinthians13, love believes all things but it did not say love act on all things or love implements all counsel.So even at that, there is need for believers to subject all counsel to appropriate tests through spiritual discernment of good and evil, prayers, inner witness and even if possible the opinion of more matured believers-of course not all counsel from fellow believers are godly.Take the case of prophet Nathan simply replying David to build the temple when the Lord has not okayed it.Of course Nathan simply assumed(what a costly assumption) it is right.Please never assume it is right when the Lord has not given a clear pass.If a counsel for instance says your wife is cheating on you or is it right to co-habit or dating/courtship which one is right?-For the first counsel, are you both believers(husband and wife), born again, if yes, then you just call your wife and ask her and if she says nothing like that is happening, what do you do?-Well, love believes all things will apply.You pray over it together and that is the end.Even when she lies and plot your death, maybe she is backslidden and you know nothing of it and God has not told you about it.You shall be called blessed in heaven.On the two other counsels i cited, the bible is the final authurity.Thou hast not so learnt Christ.For the modern day heretics, the Kingdom of this world is different from the Kingdom of God.What you need to do is to consider the scriptures and pray about it for nothing i say here will convict and convince the yes-sayers.But my counsel is, that is Co-habitation and Dating as against courtship is not the biblical language.THANKS...YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

This was a burden to me as i read Jeremiah40....what do Nairaland Christians think?

alolatee:
When we actually trusted our enemies more than we trust our friends.The king was told of a plot to kill him but said he trusted in his enemies more than his friends-Jeremiah40.When we receive counsel, how do we treat it.do we pray and subject it to test and allow the word of God to speak to us as touching that?No wonder the bible says in Icorinthians13, love believes all things but it did not say love act on all things or love implements all counsel.So even at that, there is need for believers to subject all counsel to appropriate tests through spiritual discernment of good and evil, prayers, inner witness and even if possible the opinion of more matured believers-of course not all counsel from fellow believers are godly.Take the case of prophet Nathan simply replying David to build the temple when the Lord has not okayed it.Of course Nathan simply assumed(what a costly assumption) it is right.Please never assume it is right when the Lord has not given a clear pass.If a counsel for instance says your wife is cheating on you or is it right to co-habit or dating/courtship which one is right?-For the first counsel, are you both believers(husband and wife), born again, if yes, then you just call your wife and ask her and if she says nothing like that is happening, what do you do?-Well, love believes all things will apply.You pray over it together and that is the end.Even when she lies and plot your death, maybe she is backslidden and you know nothing of it and God has not told you about it.You shall be called blessed in heaven.On the two other counsels i cited, the bible is the final authurity.Thou hast not so learnt Christ.For the modern day heretics, the Kingdom of this world is different from the Kingdom of God.What you need to do is to consider the scriptures and pray about it for nothing i say here will convict and convince the yes-sayers.But my counsel is, that is Co-habitation and Dating as against courtship is not the biblical language.THANKS...YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

Counsels come in various forms.Take the counsel to a christian to change church for instance.Already the scripture is not silent on such matters-John17vs21...says make them one or better put, keep them one just as i and the father are one.The church of God in the eyes of God are one and not divided, fragmented or opposed to one another.
If the suggestion to leave your church is the over-zealousness of the individual to populate his church and not for any known spiritual reason, the answer should be a knowing that the church of God is one and no gates of hell can prevail against it-Church will not take anyone to heaven it is your christian character.You want to know the definition of a christian?Check Colossians1vs27b...Christ in you, the hope of glory.Simple. Case closed.But, if the counsel is so to help the individual address his weakness spiritually as his current church do not believe all the counsel of the bible, then he needs to think of certain factors.
These are:
(1).Do i believe the bible or some certain aspects that favour me?
(2).Why is the life of my friend whose life is a shining example of a christian changed and mine at the worst?
(3).Do i hope to make heaven with the life i live in my present church?
(4)Are members of my friends church living a life of chastity, brotherliness and Godly lives as against my current church?
(5). Do they believe in and celebrate miracles more than they do the saving of soul(s)?
Questions as these and many others if well answered and considered and one can see Christ in the life of his friend as against what obtains in his/her life, then the road is clear to leave your church and truely come to the light as your friend wished.
We'll meet again toconsider other issues.
Your comments are welcomed!

[quote author=alolatee post=48832008]
Counsels come in various forms.Take the counsel to a christian to change church for instance.Already the scripture is not silent on such matters-John17vs21...says make them one or better put, keep them one just as i and the father are one.The church of God in the eyes of God are one and not divided, fragmented or opposed to one another.
If the suggestion to leave your church is the over-zealousness of the individual to populate his church and not for any known spiritual reason, the answer should be a knowing that the church of God is one and no gates of hell can prevail against it-Church will not take anyone to heaven it is your christian character.You want to know the definition of a christian?Check Colossians1vs27b...Christ in you, the hope of glory.Simple. Case closed.But, if the counsel is so to help the individual address his weakness spiritually as his current church do not believe all the counsel of the bible, then he needs to think of certain factors.
These are:
(1).Do i believe the bible or some certain aspects that favour me?
(2).Why is the life of my friend whose life is a shining example of a christian changed and mine at the worst?
(3).Do i hope to make heaven with the life i live in my present church?
(4)Are members of my friends church living a life of chastity, brotherliness and Godly lives as against my current church?
(5). Do they believe in and celebrate miracles more than they do saving soul(s).
Questions as these and many others if well answered and considered and one can see Christ in the life of his friend as against what obtains in his/her life, then the road is clear to leave your church and truely come to the light as your friend wished.
We'll meet again to consider other issues.
Your comments are welcomed[Quote]


I once told a friend on Facebook not to antagonize or share messages criticizing the Roman Catholic Church or the Pope because in my opinion, the Catholic church is not the problem of the Church as a unit or Christians and moreover if he keeps saying they worship Mary and are idol worshippers not different from Muslims, they would not even listen to his epistles and become twice hardened.Thank God he yielded my advice as I have not seen such posts emanating from him for a long time.I would rather say, if God is leading you, you can reason with such denominations from the bible.You must also be knowlegdeble of the bible for you to reason with other believers who you believe are not following the bible.When Paul got to where the Ephesians were sacrificing to the a deity god, he used this god captioned as the 'unknown God' to preach to them by saying they are ignorant of the God they serve which created the heavens and the earth.And God used the foolishness of his preaching to convert them.If a believer wants to preach about worship to another, scriptures such as Acts10vs25-26, where Peter stopped cornelius from worshipping him but the creator-God rather than him a man.In Revelation19vs10, John the revelator was stopped by an angel from worshipping him being an angel but rather to worship God.You can worship whosoever and not be known to God as his child.Other scriptural references are Colossians2vs18 and Hosea13vs4.Also, angels are servants to the saints and in the ranking of which God is first, then Christ Jesus, Man, Woman, angels and the Devil is last.....
Therefore, all you need do is to pray for any group of believers and leave the rest for God because even the lost sheep of Isreal will return and in the parable of the prodigal son, he returned to the embrace of the father, also the lost coin was found as well as the lost sheep as against the rest 99 which Jesus says he came for the lost sheep of one in 100.
Your commenst are welcomed.

Let me state that what am about to share: Why pray again?is not exactly my original thoughts but a sharing from one of the groups i belong on facebook-RTEM(revelation of truth evangelical ministries) but i have added some of my thoughts also which i think is useful to our discussion on Counsel.Feel free to comment please.
Yes, why pray again?-Probably you have fasted genuinly and prayed for a situation in your life or an individual to experience the better but no, it is as if it is getting worse. The more you prayed, it gets worse.It is even as if when you stop praying it gets better then when you are about thanking God, it gets worse again.And you now begin to think it cannot be better again and no hope from the Lord things will be good.
This situation may be in the area of a protracting sickness to you or a loved one.Probably the salvation of the soul of an individual( a loved one or your family) or even bad addiction.Well, the answer is in more prayers without relenting.Be instant in prayer, pray without ceasing, ask or pray until your joy is full are little what the bible says.
I remember my late brother who had a sickness then.Each time we prayed, the sickness persists.But each time we do not even pray for months he might not have the attack, only for us to thank God and lo and behold he is struggling with it again.I have sought answers then but i have not been able to understand until this sharing on Facebook through this group.
The solution is in James5vs17-Elijah was a man like us(i.e with human limitations and weakness like us, with even unbelief like us)...remember that after cleansing the land of Isreal of Baal, and even executed the prophets of Baal but ran away from a common witch like JEZEBEL...YET, HE PRAYED THAT IT MIGHT NOT RAIN AND IT RAINED NOT for three and have years....Now notice the following verse and HE WHEN HE SAID THERE SHOULD BE RAIN, IT RAINED.That is to show us that after we must have prayed and fasted, the solution is in our MOUTH.We decree for it is written we shall decree a thing and it shall be established(settled) in Christ Jesus.
Your comments are welcomed.

Today, we will look ata counsel which is: Should I Look Back?...Luke9vs62 KJV says....whosoever puts his hands on a plough and looks back(Good News Bible says:..Keeps looking back) is not fit for the kingdom of God.
It is a dangerous thing to look back or keep looking back because: (1)there might not be a chance to repent again.I believe Lot's wife must have started looking back or backslid before the eventual final disobedience where she became a reference point in history for disobedience to disregard an angelic warninng.
(2).Grace may not stop jugdement even instant Judgement as Eli's children were killed by God's anger against wickedness of man.Remember Annanias and Saphirra died for lying against the Holy Ghost.So many believers actually think God cannot be angry against them because of grace purchased through the blood of Jesus.God's cover over judgement are only for the faithful, the called and chosen who obey him consistently not those whose heart is not right wholeheartedly with God.
Actually, God will jugde even His people who are disobedient to his commands.
(3).Human heart is evil and desperately wicked so he would not want to turn to God.The human heart wants an independence off God.No wonder Adam and Eve abused their free-will and yielded to satan they could not even pray to God.I read however that when Nehemiah( in Nehemiah2) was to answer the King when he was sullen sad, he preayed silently unto God before he continued his conversation with the King.And God heard.Also David prayed to render the counsel of his former friend Ahitophel foolishness.God heard him too.At that moment where we are about to make that evil or disobedient decision that looks disturbing what if we make the small heart cry unto Him that is able to save and to save unto the uttermost.
Shallom.
Your comments are welcomed.

A counsel may come to say, should i pay my Tithe(a Tithe is 10% of all incomes or gifts) or give it rather to charity because my Pastor is rich and I do not trust their accountability.
My reply is a counsel given by my former Pastor in my parents church.He said give to God and turn back never bother how it is being spent.This has been my philosophy and belief ever since.
Also, the bible says we should give without compulsion but willingly not grudgingly -2 Corinthians9vs6-end....and that sowing or giving will make us reap.
And for those saying if a believer refuses to give his Tithe no devourer will attack his income because the devourer has been stripped of his power already at the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.Well, for these modern cheap grace preachers, I say hope they recognize that believers who sin are just like those Job described as 'those who break the hedge, the Serpent will bite'.Yes the devil is stripped of his powers but that does not mean believers who sin are under the cover of Christ.NEVER! Read also Ezekiel18vs30...it says....'Therefore O house of Isreal, I will JUDGE you, each one according to his ways declares the Sovereign LORD.Repent!Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall'-NIV.He is speaking to Isreal which represents believers today and he likewise urge them to repent.Unless those grace preachers are saying Born again believers don't need to confess their sins(note, not habitual but occasional sin) again because of the death of Christ on the cross.

Here is another counsel to aspiring ministers of the gospel....When will my time come to minister in the church? Or Where is my pulpit? The answer is, the whole world is your parish...keep doing the good work.For he has called us to do the good work of His kingdom which is Evangelism and Discipleship-Matthew28vs19-20 and Mark16vs15-18.THE BIBLE SAYS THE KING'S COMMAND REQUIRED A HASTE.THE GREAT COMMISSION HAS A HASTE...The commission is in two phases, EVANGELISM and DISCIPLESHIP.What the church should be doing should be in two phases, massive evangelism(which should be outside the church for so were the apostles of old doing) and church discipleship(this should be a training not on rules and doctrines but on scriptures inside the church).The church could also win souls of those who are lost through preaching maybe on meeting days but this is not the focus of the church.The bible says of the old apostles that they gathered to bake bread(bread of what? THE WORD).
So, if you are being overlooked from your pastor or leaders while others seem to get their attention, know for sure that the world is your PARISH TO PREACH CHRIST JESUS.Jesus said if you are being persecuted in a place because of the gospel go elsewhere for you would not have reached the whole world until HE COMES.Therefore put on your shoes and fan into flame what is remaining of you to share with the lost the eternal message that brings liberation to all men for Paul says in Titus2vs14....Who gave up himself that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works'.
Brethren, be zealous of good works and do the works of an EVANGELIST.
Your comments are welcomed.

alolatee:
Here is another counsel to aspirireng ministers of the gospel....When will my time come to minister in the church? Or Where is my pulpit? The answer is, the whole world is your parish...keep doing the good work.For he has called us to do the good work of His kingdom which is Evangelism and Discipleship-Matthew28vs19-20 and Mark16vs15-18.THE BIBLE SAYS THE KING'S COMMAND REQUIRED A HASTE.THE GREAT COMMISSION HAS A HASTE...The commission is in two phases, EVANGELISM and DISCIPLESHIP.What the church should be doing should be in two phases, massive evangelism(which should be outside the church for so were the apostles of old doing) and church discipleship(this should be a training not on rules and doctrines but on scriptures inside the church).The church could also win souls of those who are lost through preaching maybe on meeting days but this is not the focus of the church.The bible says of the old apostles that they gathered to bake bread(bread of what? THE WORD).
So, if you are being overlooked from your pastor or leaders while others seem to get their attention, know for sure that the world is your PARISH TO PREACH CHRIST JESUS.Jesus said if you are being persecuted in a place because of the gospel go elsewhere for you would not have reached the whole world until HE COMES.Therefore put on your shoes and fan into flame what is remaining of you to share with the lost the eternal message that brings liberation to all men for Paul says in Titus2vs14....Who gave up himself that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works'.
Brethren, be zealous of good works and do the works of an EVANGELIST.
Your comments are welcomed.

Also, Evangelism is what Mark16vs15-end preaches...go into the world and preach while Matthew 28vs19-20 preaches Discipleship... To complete the great commission....Don't be like those that were asked by Jesus(Matthew20vs5-6) - the Householder what they were doing to which their reply was, 'NOBODY HIRED US'. Thank God for the gracious master who enlisted them into the work force and they worked for just an hour compared to those who had been working all day and earned same wages as they that worked all day.
A song writer says ' work for the night is coming, work afternoon day and night.Shalom

Another counsel may be a thought coming from the devil asking, what miracle have you received from God since you are born again?The answer is, every genuine child of God born again has received 'First Miracle' from God when they were saved.
In Luke5vs20-26, Verse 20 says 'man thy sins are forgiven thee.JESUS first of all healed him of his sins(First Miracle).What happens to a believer before he enjoys other blessings or even the firstfruit of gifts given unto us-The Holy spirit is that, he is healed of sins...Then Jesus in Verse24 says 'Arise, and take up thy couch and go into thy house'-he now healed him of his disease or sickness.That is exactly how believers are brought to Christ.The first miracle in which a man becomes a living soul(healed of his sins or first miracle) is what is demonsrated here in scriptures.Gen2vs7 says man became a living soul when a breath from God came into him(salvation of the soul or first miracle) then he now enjoys other blessings accompanying salvation.
A question may arise why are so many people not being healed in a church programme or convention during a programme?The answer is;
1.People want miracle of the body more than the first miracles of salvation of the soul when the man becomes a living soul.In Luke17vs11-19, 10 leprous men came to Jesus to be healed but only one went back to give thanks to Jesus.He was the only one who went whole.Others want healing on Credit
2.People want healing on credit.If statistics are taken of those that come to be healed in conventions/programmes are to be taken, many will want a quick fix but will not want to serve the God that healed them after getting to be healed.Wheras Jesus wants people who will praise him for saving them even though they are not healed in body, but have experienced the first miracles(which is being saved and becoming a living soul).
3. Most people looking for healing in their bodies, will not be like the three Hebrew children who said though our flesh may perish, yet our spirit & soul will make it to heaven.Most of those seeking for miracles of the body cannot praise God for healing their soul(salvation or first miracle).
Getting healed on credit is similar to what Jesus said when an evil spirit leaves a man, he gathers up other spirits wicked than he and will come into that man and the last state of the man is worse than the first state.When you are healed and do not come to give thanks, will not make the individual whole when he does not come back to give thanks-Luke17vs11-19.

I humbly never knew i preached this.atimes it is after i finished preaching i know the word has come out.Please encourage me to write more Nairaland Christians.let this post hit front page.THANKS IN ADVANCE.