Deliberation" What is deliberation?

Deliberation is to consider all of the facts and information available on a subject and then through the process of reason deciding on the best course of action to take. The Greek word "boule" (boo-lay') means counsel, and as we will see in this lecture , you may think of the meaning as divine counsel. The wisest decisions made are based on deliberation supplied with facts and information obtained through divine counsel. The prime of "boule" is "boulema" (boo'-lom-ahee) in Greek. It is important for us to look at the prime, as well. "Boulema" means to be willing. Once we have deliberated with Father's input through divine counsel, we must be willing to take action. Failure to take action is probably man's greatest downfall. Many people spend a great deal of time and energy deliberating; however, they never quite get around to implementing the decision once it has been made. Let's open our Bibles to learn more on this subject. Proverbs 19:18 Chasten thy son while there is hope, And let not thy soul spare for his crying. You must discipline your children, or there is no hope for them. On the spiritual side, we are all children of God. Proverbs 19:19 A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: For if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again. An angry man will incur penalties or fines. If you deliver him by paying his fines without removing the anger, he will incur future fines for you to pay. Proverbs 19:20 Hear counsel, and receive instruction. That thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. As Christians, we have the best counsel and instruction available to man. That counsel and instruction comes from God's Word. Make certain your deliberations include that counsel and instruction. You will be successful, if you absorb His counsel and make decisions based on His instructions. He will be right there with you. Proverbs 19:21 There are many devices in a man's heart; Nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand. The flesh is capable of producing many schemes; however the counsel of the Lord will stand forever. After you have deliberated, don't allow your flesh to interfere. Let's turn to Isaiah. Isaiah 25:1 O LORD, Thou art my God; I will exalt Thee, I will praise Thy name; for Thou hast done wonderful things; Thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. The prophesies of the Bible have and will continue to happen exactly as they are written. Isaiah 25:2-3 For Thou hast made of a city an heap; of a defenced city a ruin: a palace of strangers to be no city; it shall never be built. (3) Therefore shall the strong people glorify Thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear Thee. This refers to Babylon. The strong people will glorify Him, and Babylon will fear Him. Isaiah 25:4-5 For Thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. (5) Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as a cloud: the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low. God is your wall of protection, if you heed His counsel. Isaiah 25:6 And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of the fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. Wines on the lees are the best. Do you know what wine this refers to? It is the sacrament you take in Communion which is symbolic of the blood of Jesus Christ.

Deliberate with His counsel. He will take care of you. Isaiah 25:7 And He will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that spread over all nations. God's counsel destroys deception. The vail, which is the spirit of slumber in Romans 11, will be removed. Isaiah 25:8-9 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces: and the rebuke of His People shall He take away from off all the earth : for the LORD hath spoken it. (9) And it shall be said in that day, "Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: This is the LORD; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation." "We have waited for Him" is stated twice for emphasis. Take God's instruction. Wait for Him. Don't be deceived by antichrist. Let's turn to Chapter 46. Mistakes are expensive. Usury is at the head of the list of mistakes. Focus on the subject. We are studying how to deliberate with God's counsel to make sound decisions. Isaiah 46:8-9 Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors. (9) Remember the former things of old: for I am GOD, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me, There is none like Him. Why would you want any other counsel? Divine counsel brings about divine intervention. Isaiah 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure.' His counsel never changes. If you will deliberate with His counsel, it will pleasure Him to bless you. Isaiah 46:11 Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth My counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it. I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it. I will also do it. Cyrus is the foreigner spoken of in this verse. God utilized Cyrus to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Isaiah 46:12-13 Hearken unto Me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness: (13) I bring near My righteousness; it shall not be far off, and My salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Isreal My glory. God offers you righteousness. He offers you salvation. How do you accept that which He offers? Load your mind with His counsel. Let's go to the New Testament. We are going to pick it up with some people trying to decide whether Paul or Apollos is the best teacher. The lesson we will learn is not to place trust in man's counsel. I Corinthians 4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Paul is telling the people not to glorify him or Apollos. They are both ministers of Christ. I Corinthians 4:2-3 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. (3) But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgement: yea, I judge not mine own self. No man has the right to judge himself, much less someone else. I Corinthians 4:4-5 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but He that judgeth me is the Lord. (5) Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, Who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. Only the Lord has the necessary wisdom and knowledge to judge. Here we have the Greek word we learned earlier "boule". The divine counsel of God brings light to those in darkness. I Corinthians 4:6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself

and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. Don't ever put a man above the Word of God. Men will let you down. Always check out what men say, and make certain what they are saying aligns with God's counsel. In closing, let's turn to Ephesians. Ephesians 1:4-5 According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: (5) Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, His will might be better translated His plan. Do you know His plan? You may be one of the nicest people on earth, but if you don't understand His plan, He certainly won't be able to utilize you to accomplish it. Ephesians 1:6-7 To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved: (7) In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace, Where would we be without the forgiveness of sins? Ephesians 1:8-9 Wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; (9) Having ,made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself; His will is not a mystery to those that love Him enough to learn wisdom from the Bible. Ephesians 1:10-11 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him: (11) I Whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him Who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will: Have you ever tried to do something your way, when it was not His will? Were you successful? Things must be done His way and with His counsel. If you deliberate with His counsel, you will be successful. Ephesians 1:12-14 That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ. (13) In Whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in Whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, (14) Which is the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory. Earnest means guaranteed. Do you know how to receive this guarantee? Get your mind in the Word. Ephesians 1:15-16 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, (16) Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; Our Father is so good to us. HIs divine counsel is written for all that are wise enough to receive it. Deliberate with His counsel. You will be equipped to make decisions based on wisdom, and He will pour blessings upon you. In His Service, Arnold Murray --