Standing in God's council

Jeremiah 23:²¹ "I did not send the prophets,
yet they ran;
I did not speak to them,
yet they prophesied.
²² But if they had stood in my council,
then they would have proclaimed my words to my people,
and they would have turned them from their evil way,
and from the evil of their deeds.

John 19:¹¹Jesus answered him, "You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin."

I just had a strange dream. The part where I woke up, I was telling a young, Filipino girl about Jesus. She was very attractive and quite worldly. Supposedly, she also was a good dancer. She made a small comment about purity and suddenly I was filled with this passion to tell her about Jesus and just how fulfilling a relationship with Him truly is. I started explaining to her all about how God and marriage and sex all tie together and how there can be purity in a burning desire for God. I was telling her how desire shouldn't and doesn't have to be all about sex. Then, I started waking up. Soon after, I heard Lion stirring and so I picked him up and fed him. Then, when he went back to sleep, I felt like I was supposed to do my devotion. Lately, I've been feeling like doing my devotions in the early morning hours isn't productive anymore because I need the rest. However, I felt like God was really speaking to me, telling me to stay up and read His word. I'm glad that I did so.

In Jeremiah 23, I am interested in the fact that there where prophets at the time who were not prophesying the word of the Lord. God says that they could have very well stood in His council, among other people who hear from God, and heard from Him. If they had done this, people truly would have turned from their evil ways and repented. Instead, prophets and priests were saying what people wanted to hear. They spoke out of their own dreams instead of God's appointed council. I somehow feel this is related to what Jesus tells Pilate in John 19. Pilate tells Jesus that he is the one with the authority to save or destroy Jesus' life, but Jesus tells Pilate that he only has authority to crucify Jesus because God gave him that authority. The one who has the greater sin is Caiaphas, the high priest, because he is in a high position and yet he delivered Jesus over to Pilate wrongly.

What God is speaking to me about this morning is that as a Christian, I have a responsibility to hear from God. I should only be speaking what I have heard from His council. I need to communicate with others who hear from the Lord and see if I am really hearing correctly. I should not be quick to give an interpretation of my dream or anyone's dream. Also, if my heart is to truly bring others to repentance, then I must rely on God's word alone. I am not helping anyone, nor will I have authority, if I go off on my own and try to minister to others. It will not be prosperous. It will be just words that people want to hear. This is why it is so important for me to study the Bible and to be an active member in church. I think before, I was all about just experiencing God and not very passionate about understanding Him. When I witnessed to others, all I spoke of was my own, personal experience. It had the basic message of, "This worked for me, but is may or may not work for you." But the Bible says that He has made Himself known to us so that we may know and understand and believe in Him. I think God is telling me that I am ready to step it up in my relationship with Him. Before, I thought studying the Bible was too hard or only for people like my husband who are called to be pastors. But now, I have a new heart, given to me graciously by God, to want to know Him. To want to understand Him. I want to be on the same page as others who are hearing from God. I want to stand in God's counsel and council. I'm so excited. The dream I had may not have been prophetic, but it was exactly the dream I needed to have to stir up a desire in me to seek God's word. God is so good. I'm excited for this new season of my learning about Him more.

Heavenly Father, thank You for placing this passion inside of me. Lord, forgive me for being so complacent in the past. Forgive me for speaking outside of Your counsel. Please use all that I foolishly did and said for Your good will and purposes. Lord, may my mouth be dedicated to speaking only that which You have counseled me in. Please keep me from uttering things that I really have no understanding of. Lord, I desire to learn more about Your word. Please take what I am and make it pleasing to You. I love You, Lord. I am so excited for this new season! I pray all these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.