Tag Archives: Proverbs 15:22

Many Advisers

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 57 - Proverbs 15:22 - Many Advisers - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 57 – Proverbs 15:22 – Many Advisers – Growing As Disciples

Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. Proverbs 15:22 (NIV)

Wise Counsel

Do you want to receive wise counsel? Will you listen to trusted advisors? Those are two questions that seem very easy to answer. But you aren’t so sure of your answers, are you? No, I am not. Why is that? I know that it is easy, in theory to say that I want wise counsel and that I will listen to trusted advisors. So, saying yes in theory is much harder than saying yes in your actual practice, is that correct? The difficulty is correct. My answer, however, is not correct. I would like to hear more from you on this subject. As you know, I have been stubborn. I have been filled with pride. I have tended to follow my own advice and listen to my own counsel. Yes, that comes as no surprise to me. I have observed you in action. Keep talking, I’m listening. Well, because I have not received wise counsel from trusted advisers, I have experienced many setbacks. I have suffered many defeats. I have had to retrace my steps. I have had to start over. Fortunately, you have always allowed me to begin again. You are the God of second chances, there is no doubt about that. You have forgiven my sins. You have cleansed my unrighteousness. You have shown me your kindness and mercy and love. You have even allowed me to learn from my mistakes, missteps, and sins. That is a painful way to learn, don’t you think? Yes, it is. What would you like to do differently? What changes are you willing to make? I am willing to listen attentively to you. I am willing to slow down and quiet myself before you, so I can hear from you. I am willing to set aside my thoughts and plans and goals. I am willing to let go of my agenda. Why are you willing to do all these things? I want to know your will. I want to walk in your ways. I would much prefer your thoughts and plans, and goals. Why is that? Your ways are so much higher and better than mine. I want to accomplish your purposes and fulfill your plans. That is very good.  Tell me what you know about trusted advisers. They are valuable. They are rare. They may not offer wise counsel without being given permission. Explain what you mean. If I send off signals that I will not receive wise counsel from trusted advisers, I will be unlikely to hear any. That’s true. Will you seek wise counsel? Will you listen to trusted advisers? Yes, I will. That’s good, because I have been and will continue to bring them into your life.  Thank you, Lord. 

Lord, in times past, I have not sought out trusted advisers. I have relied on myself by following my own counsel. What a mistake. I have suffered unnecessary setbacks. Plans have failed. I have experienced defeat. Now, I will listen to trusted advisers you give to me. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Promises – Day 57 – Proverbs 15-22- Many Advisers – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Many Advisors

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Wisdom - Proverbs 15:22 - Many Advisors - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Wisdom – Proverbs 15:22 – Many Advisors – Growing As Disciples

Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. Proverbs 15:22 (NIV)

Your Plans

When will I ever learn? When will you ever learn what? When will I ever learn to seek advice, and listen to wise counsel. That is a good question. Why haven’t you sought advice and listened to wise counsel? Pride is the obvious answer. I have thought that I didn’t need to seek advice or receive wise counsel. I thought that I had enough wisdom in myself that I didn’t need to ask for or listen to wise counsel. That is a problem, isn’t it? It’s much more than a problem. It has led to one disaster after another in my life. I have made so many mistakes. I have taken so many missteps. I have made some very costly mistakes. I have wasted time, talents and resources.  I’ve noticed. I’m not sure what is worse, to not seek advice or refuse wise counsel that has been given to me. The end result is the same. I guess so.

Has all been lost? What do you mean by that? Have you learned anything by not seeking advice or accepting wise counsel? I’m learning some things very slowly. Like what? I don’t want to have my plans end in disaster. I don’t want to devise plans that are not yours. I don’t want to go where I should not go. I don’t want to do what I should not do. I don’t want to waste time, talents and resources. I want to know and do your will. I want to walk in your ways. I want to join you in the work you are doing. I want to do the good works you have prepared in advance for me to do. Those are all very good desires. Those are valuable lessons to have learned. So, all is not lost? It doesn’t look like it to me, does it to you? No, I guess I am learning. Yes, you are.

What do you want to do differently? How will you go about seeking advice and receiving wise counsel? I will wait. I will watch. I will listen. I will draw near to you. I will seek your advice. I will listen to your wise counsel. I will receive your instructions, I will follow your guidance. I will stop thinking that I know it all. I will give up on the idea that I have great plans that I must pursue. I will stop relying on myself. Instead I will rely on you. I want your plan. In faith, I will ask for your wisdom to guide my life. That will be very good. 

Lord, I have rushed forward to implement a plan. I have raced ahead of you. I have not sought out advice or listened to wise counsel. I have been proud and independent. I have also meet with disaster. No More. I will seek your counsel and listen to your advice. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional study guide click here:

Wisdom – Proverbs 15-22 – Many Advisers – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Lack Of Counsel

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Plans - Proverbs 15:22 - Lack Of Counsel - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Plans – Proverbs 15:22 – Lack Of Counsel – Growing As Disciples

Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. Proverbs 15:22 (NIV)

Plans Fail

I have been proud. I have thought that I did not need wise counsel. I have made plans without seeking your advice. I have not listened well. I have not heard all that you had to say to me. I have not heeded your warnings. I have raced headlong to implement my own plans. I have wanted to achieve my own purposes and fulfill my own goals. I have experienced failure. I have suffered loss. I have gone through painful experiences because I thought I knew it all. What mistakes I have made. What missteps I have taken. Oh, how I have wasted time and expended energy going in the wrong direction to do what was not your will or plan for my life. All has not been wasted. All is not lost. I have used your mistakes and missteps. Your painful experiences have taught you valuable lessons. You have been humbled by your own pride. Was there any other way for you to learn? Hasn’t it been important for you to see the error of your own ways? In your pain and suffering you have cried out to me. You are now ready and willing to ask for my help. I have your attention. You are willing and able to listen to my voice. You are seeking my guidance. You want my plan. You want to fulfill my purposes. Yes, I want your plan. Yes, I want to fulfill your purposes. It is true, you do have my attention. My eyes and ears are focused on you. I am watching and waiting for your guidance. I welcome your instruction. I want your advice. I will go no further. I will not take another step without your wisdom and counsel guiding my life. That is very good.                                                                 

How do you think I will speak to you? How will I give you my wise counsel? How will you receive my advice? I know that you will speak to me through your word. I know that your Holy Spirit will take your word and apply it directly to my life. That’s right. How else? You will bring wise counselors into my life. You give me people to see what I cannot see. You will use others to help me to know what I do not know. You will speak to me in and through the circumstances of my life. That is also true. What do you most need in order to hear from me? I will need humility. I will need to continually remember that I desperately need wise counsel. I cannot get along without your advice. What will humility cause you to do? Humility will cause me to listen. Humility will cause me to seek wise counsel and accept advice. Will you listen carefully to my wise counsel? Will you accept my advice? Yes, Lord, I will. That will be very good.

Lord, I know that I do not know it all. I have blind spots. There are things that I do not see or understand. Instead of rushing ahead with my own plans I will seek your counsel and that of trusted advisors you have placed in my life. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Plans – Proverbs 15-22 – Lack Of Counsel – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com