Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked

Debbie has started a brand new devotional series from the Poetry and Wisdom Books of the Bible, entitled "Time to Take a Breather." She will be posting these devotionals three times a week on this special page of her website. I thought the first one was particularly meaningful for our own Blessings for Life family, and have decided to feature it in place of her column this month... be blessed!

Time to Take a Breather

"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked..."

~ Psalm 1:1a NIV ~

I doubt that we'd ever meet anyone who didn't want to be blessed. When we realize that the word literally means to be happy, fortunate, prosperous and enviable, it would be a very strange person who said, "Don't bless me! I don't want it!"

We may never say it, but I wonder how often our actions send that message?

Here we are right at the start of the Book of Psalms and straight away we're shown the things to avoid if we want to have a life that has the blessing of God on it.

First cab off the rank is that we shouldn't "walk in the counsel of the wicked".

The King James Version uses the term "ungodly", and that basically says it all. Yet how often do Christians look to ungodly people for advice? Worse still, how often do they follow it and then find their lives worse off than when they began? The answer, unfortunately, is far too often!

God's desire is that if we must seek counsel from man, that we go to men and women who are mature in their faith and living in a way that's surrendered to Jesus Christ.

But the real desire of His heart is that we might turn to Him direct. After all, every Christian believer has within them the Holy Spirit, who is our Comforter, Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate and Strengthener.

With Someone like that available to us 24 hours a day, why on earth would we ever turn anywhere else?

Something to Think About

Are there times that you seek "ungodly counsel" for help with your problems? It may be with a friend you meet in the supermarket, or perhaps a workmate at the coffee machine, or maybe even just through Self-Help Books.

Before jumping to apply their "wisdom" to your life, take time to weigh it against the pure wisdom found in God's Word.

Father God....

Thank You so much that in You I have the perfect Counselor.

Thank You for brothers and sisters in Christ who are able to speak Your wisdom when I'm not hearing your gentle whispers for myself.

Forgive me for those times that I've turned to everyone else for counsel, instead of to You.

Help me Lord to always make You my first source of direction, wisdom, guidance and comfort.

In the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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