Have you ever been a counselor of God? Who was God's counselor?

[soberxp]

The Book of Isaiah
40:13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?

40:14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?

So does anyone think they can give advice to God?

If someone thinks they have a good suggestion, they can tell God. Please give an example.Then we'll discuss it.

@Lambano

 

[Wrangler]

See also Ps 82.

If I may take this thread into a larger direction, what purpose of praying serve if God absolutely rejects on principle any counsel we may give him in our life?

 

[marks]

I believe God desires our participation with Him in conducting the affairs of this world. This is one of His ways of conforming us to His image.

Much love!

 

[marks]

The Book of Isaiah
40:13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?

40:14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?

So does anyone think they can give advice to God?

If someone thinks they have a good suggestion, they can tell God. Please give an example.Then we'll discuss it.

@Lambano

Advise God? No. Make our requests? Yes.

Much love!

 

[lforrest]

The Book of Isaiah
40:13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?

40:14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?

So does anyone think they can give advice to God?

If someone thinks they have a good suggestion, they can tell God. Please give an example.Then we'll discuss it.

@Lambano

The closest thing I could find was this scripture.

Exodus 32:10
Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”

But this isn't taking council, in my opinion. Moses is acting as a friend and is standing in the gap as a friend would do when trying to prevent a fight.

 

[Lambano]

So does anyone think they can give advice to God?

I'm sure the Almighty will give my recommendations about how the universe should be run all due consideration.

 

[Lambano]

Do we presume to tell God what he needs to do as if he didn't know?

Have you ever been a counselor of God?
Who was God's counselor?

For those coming late to the party, the context of the OP's question was a sister's request for prayer and another brother's very specific prayer request on her behalf.

Now, I've known Christians who say they never ask God for anything, except maybe "thy will be done", and that sounds nice and pious.

And if you have low expectations, you can avoid the disappointment when God says "no".

 

[Lambano]

Here's some of the applicable scripture:

... for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matthew 6:8b; Q.T.'s point.)

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? (Matthew 7:7-10; in case anybody is worried about being punished for asking.)

In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’....For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will give here justice, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says; And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:3-8; it's about faithfulness and trust.)

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)

You do not have because you do not ask God. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. (James 4:2b-3)

 

[Lambano]

So, Jesus (and Paul and James) says God WANTS us to talk to Him, even though He already knows what we want and what we need. Prayer is about relationship, and relationship requires good communication. The relationship is more important than the actual getting of what we ask. (Believe it or not!)

Would the relationship be better if we "knew our place" and didn't tell God what we want Him to do? We might as well be completely honest to God and tell Him exactly what we want, because He already knows. He also knows when we're BS'ing Him. Prayer time is when we can take off the masks and be completely transparent.

 

[amigo de christo]

The closest thing I could find was this scripture.

Exodus 32:10
Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”

But this isn't taking council, in my opinion. Moses is acting as a friend and is standing in the gap as a friend would do when trying to prevent a fight.

Yes indeed my friend , Moses was acting as an intecessor for them . But not counsler to GOD .
Speaking of intercessor , The one true intecessor for man , CHRIST JESUS , is being denied more and more for a harlots love .
And i have to say I shudder in all out and upmost terror for those who do so .

 

[Wrangler]

OTOH, giving advice to God seems presumptuous, like we know better than him.

Semantics. Advice is better grasping what a meaningful prayer life should be. Yes, ‘thy will be done’ sounds pious but is superficial, becoming robotic, awaiting input commands. This is NOT the relationship God wants us to have.

OTOH, God wants an intimate relationship with him. Although he knows, he wants to hear our voice talking to him. I most often do not pray for specific outcomes but ask God deliver people from their plight s that the result is transformative.

 

[soberxp]

I was, but I am fired.

 

[Taken]

Have you ever been a counselor of God?

Ha…No.

Who was God's counselor?

God IS:
His own counselor….
His own word…
His own truth…
His own life…
His own power…
His own spirit…
His own soul…
His own glory…
His own holiness…
His own seed…
His own maker…
His own giver…
His own taker…
His own servant…
His own justice…
His own judge…
His own king…
His own God…

He has no need for rock, paper, scissors to settle contested disputes


Glory to God,
Taken

 

[quietthinker]

Here's some of the applicable scripture:

... for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matthew 6:8b; Q.T.'s point.)

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? (Matthew 7:7-10; in case anybody is worried about being punished for asking.)

In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’....For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will give here justice, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says; And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:3-8; it's about faithfulness and trust.)

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)

You do not have because you do not ask God. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. (James 4:2b-3)

The ask, seeks and knocks Jesus is referring to is about an accurate understanding of his Fathers character. With that understanding comes 'rewards' like peace, inner security, a sound mind/ mental health etc.
Jesus is not saying if you ask seek and knock you'll get the Ferrari, the Woman or any other covetous desire.

 

[Jack]

"Who was God's counselor?"

Why would God need a counselor? lol

 

[PinSeeker]

The Book of Isaiah
40:13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?

40:14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?

So does anyone think they can give advice to God?

<chuckles> Paul quotes Isaiah's words here at the end of his letter to the Romans. To your question, of course the answer is no, but a lot of folks even on this forum think they "know better" than God on some really big things, like love and justice. <smile>

Grace and peace to all.

 

[Scott Downey]

Paul is referring to a rhetorical question, the answer is God answers to none but Himself.

Bible Gateway passage: Daniel 4:34-36 - New King James Version

Nebuchadnezzar Praises God - And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom is from generation to...

www.biblegateway.com

34 And at the end of the [a]time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever:

For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
And His kingdom is from generation to generation.

35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing;
He does according to His will in the army of heaven
And among the inhabitants of the earth.
No one can restrain His hand
Or say to Him, “What have You done?”

36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me.

 

[Scott Downey]

Bible Gateway passage: Ephesians 1 - New King James Version

Greeting - Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Redemption in Christ - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us...

www.biblegateway.com

Greeting​

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,

To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Redemption in Christ​

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He [a]made us accepted in the Beloved.

7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace

8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and [b]prudence,

9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,

10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, [c]both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.

11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,

12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

14 who[d] is the [e]guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Prayer for Spiritual Wisdom​

15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your [f]understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality[g] and [h]power and [i]might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.