The Wonderful Counselor

Welcome to this week's message from the church at Chelsea Westover.

Our core values are vibrant worship, intimate fellowship, fulfilling service, and clear biblical truth.

We pray that this message changes your life.

Let's tune in to today's message and see what God has in store for you.

I want you to turn with me this morning in your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 9, verse 6.

Isaiah 9:6

If you do not have a worship guide this morning, we're out.

Okay?

That's good.

That's a good thing.

Means we've got a lot of people.

Do we have anyone that does not have a worship guide, though?

Anyone?

Because we've got two or three.

Anybody?

All right.

Right back here.

Right there.

Okay.

We're ready.

Amen.

It's going to be a great mini-series out of Isaiah chapter 9.

Isaiah 9 · chapter mention

I've preached this verse not by itself, but I've used it over and over again during the Christmas season.

And so, brand new, hot off the press, I decided, and I've got so many Christmas messages that I could go back and redo, you know.

But I said, no, God, teach me.

I said, you know, I've been thinking about this for a whole year.

Because I used this verse last year in one of the messages.

And if you recall, I even said, because he's a wonderful counselor, because he's the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

And I said he takes care of all the dullness of our life.

He takes care of all the decisions of our life.

He takes care of all the demands of our life.

And he takes care of the duration of our life.

And he also takes care of all the disturbances of our life.

If you remember that, I'm sure you do a whole year ago.

But I went back and I thought to myself, we use those words, and we use them sometimes not really understanding the true meaning of each of those attributes of God.

So God laid on my heart, I said, God, I want to do something.

I've always wanted to just go back, take this one verse, and preach a message on each one of those words.

And so this is hot off the press.

So I'm enjoying it as much as you are.

We're going to learn what it means.

In fact, what I love about this in Isaiah 9.6, it says, For unto us a child is born.

And in the context here, they had been in major captivity and terrible through the Assyrians.

I mean, they were in a horrible place at this time when God makes this powerful statement, a prophecy.

This is a prophetic utterance that is still yet to come.

But yet the application is for all eternity, starting now.

And then, as we look at three things today, we're going to look at powerful insights.

But we see that this remarkable prophecy concerning Christ's first coming that we find right here in the Old Testament, it's a majestic title of the Lord Jesus Christ, the pre-Sistic Son, was born into a human family in order that he might become the wonderful counselor, the mighty God, the Prince of Peace, the everlasting Father.

On Christmas morning, that's what was given to us.

Wow.

But yet, the fulfillment of this ultimate prophecy is yet to come when Jesus Christ will come back and set up his millennial reign for a thousand years.

But the principles are applicable as they were the day he spoke it to the day he fulfills it.

They're applicable right now.

Right now.

So, with that said, let's look at it.

Unbelievable.

Jesus, the mighty God, the wonderful counselor, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

When he says, For unto us the child is born, there we see his humanity.

Just like any other baby is born.

Jesus Christ was born just like any baby that's born today.

He was, here we see his humanity.

He was as much man as Danny Lovett's man.

He was, hey, he's as much man as any man is.

And then the next phrase he says, for unto us the child is born, then unto us the son is given.

There we see his divinity.

God gave his only begotten Son.

That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

So we see the God man.

He was as much man as man ever will be, but he was also as much God as God ever will be.

He was the God man in this little baby.

And not only was he the God man, but then he goes on and he explains who this God man really is.

But he also explains what his duty is.

And notice the next phrase he says, and the government of this world shall be upon his shoulders.

In other words, here's what he says.

And that's why when this election, probably the worst election for is just mess stuff.

But you remember I kept telling you it's okay.

We've read the last chapter of the last book, the Bible, and we win.

We know it's okay.

And now we see when God's liberating and about to comfort his people that's in darkness and doom right now, he says, Don't worry, because yes, you think those Syrians are in charge.

You think that the government that you're now submitting to and under this tyranny is in charge.

No, I'm in charge.

And that I will execute the government.

So I got good news, folks.

Hey, don't worry about this election.

It's okay.

Because he's in charge.

Amen.

Say this with me, he's in charge.

He's in charge.

Say this with me.

God's in charge.

Yes.

So, and then he goes into the attributes.

One of the most, I think, beautiful words ever spoken that's really incomprehensible and unexplainable is when he says he's called what?

The wonderful counselor.

Now, a lot of theologians, some will try to separate the words, but I think it's really better together, and most theologians believe that as well.

So we're going to use it as wonderful counselor.

Oh, today the title of the message is wonderful counselor.

And we're going to look at three things.

And the first thing we're going to look at are the attributes of this wonderful counselor.

But let me just tell you something about this wonderful counselor.

First of all, the word counselor and counseling.

You know, we're one of the most popular words of the hour across our Western civilization is counseling.

Do you realize we have more people going to more counselors than we ever had in history?

Everybody's going to counselors.

Everybody needs counseling.

In fact, it was kind of interesting.

I found this article from the New York Herald Tribune and listen to what it said.

They published a series of articles on the subject.

How mentally fit are New Yorkers?

Well, now don't laugh.

Because the survey and the eight-year survey and the eight-year really test found out that it wasn't just the New Yorkers.

It really was across the whole United States.

And then I thought for a minute, and I thought about me and Darren, and I said, yeah, that's true.

Because notice what it says in this article.

An eight-year study by a five-man team at New York Hospital Cornell Medical Center.

It was concluded that only one out of five is mentally well.

Hello! I know I'm not one.

Don't laugh too much, you're not either.

Only one out of five is mentally well.

Now, watch this.

There's only about 30 people with a growth.

I know.

That's right.

Hey, then one out of four is so psychologically disturbed as to be impaired in his social relations.

In other words, one out of four, they can't even get along with anybody.

I thought that might be a little more than that.

I mean, really.

The rest have some symptoms of psychological illness, but they do not interfere with their relationships.

That means the other three.

The researchers were quick to add, now watch, the frequency of symptoms does not appear to be any different or any, hey, or much different in any other part of the United States.

Huh.

In the light of such facts, how comforting and reassuring to be able to turn to one who is described as the wonderful counselor.

You got any problems today?

About eight of us?

I'm gonna say that again.

I'm gonna ask that question again.

Do you have any problems today?

And the one that didn't raise a hand, you should have because you might be the problem.

Ha ha! Hello.

Amen.

The one that thinks he doesn't have any problems.

Do you know why he thinks that?

Because he's the problem.

So as we look at this powerful truth, I want you to look at the word wonderful.

The word wonderful is pele.

It's the Hebrew word pele.

And it literally means extraordinary.

It literally means marvelous, incomprehensible, unexplainable.

That's what it means.

Unbelievable.

And then the word counsel is yahatz.

It's the Hebrew word yahatz.

And it literally means to advise, to consult, to give a purpose, to counsel, to counsel with a purpose.

That's really the definition.

To counsel with a purpose.

So as we look at this wonderful counselor today, oh, we realize that he is beyond understanding.

Can I get an amen?

Folks, you can't figure God out.

But he's figured you out.

Amen.

His ways, his knowledge, his judgments are past finding out.

Romans 11:33 tells us that.

Romans 11:33

But we see here this unbelievable, miraculous understanding.

In fact, I love it behind this thought that you and I have an unbelievable, unexplainable, incomprehensible counselor for our own personal purpose.

Now that blows my mind.

And you know what?

You don't have to pay him$75 an hour.

He's free.

His counsel's free.

And man, as I thought about that, in fact, he tells us in the scriptures, I will bless the Lord who counsels me.

Psalm 16, 7.

And then he says in Psalm 73, 24, Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel.

Now watch.

And after that, receive me into glory.

In other words, he will guide us every step of the way through this life and then take us home.

Now, folks, that's comforting.

When, hey, everybody walks out, he walks in.

And he says, if you follow me and take my instructions and let me guide you, I will bring you home.

Now that's good.

And boy, is that comforting.

So notice what Paul said.

Paul said that Jesus was the only one.

In fact, he says in Romans 11, 34, for who has known the mind of the Lord?

Who has become his counselor?

The apostle sums up the attributes of this wonderful counselor by, hey, best describing him.

Watch this in Colossians.

In Colossians chapter 2, verses 2 and 3.

Colossians 2:2

Listen to what he says.

Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Wow.

And then verse 3 says, In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom.

Did you hear that?

Not some, but all.

God has everything you and I need, hey, all wrapped up in his counsel.

Amen.

Wow.

So I want you to look at two things.

The attributes of the wonderful counsel.

Number one, Christ is full of wisdom.

James tells us, now look at James chapter 3, verse 17.

James 3:17

This is a powerful verse.

I want you to see it.

He tells us what this wisdom is.

Watch.

This wisdom that is from above, he defines where it's coming from.

He's saying it's not earthly wisdom, it's not worldly wisdom, it's not Danny, your pastor's wisdom, it's not the Pope's wisdom, it's not the president's wisdom.

It's God's wisdom.

It's from above.

He says it's from above.

And then notice what he says.

First, it's pure, then it's peaceable, then it's gentle, willing to yield.

Boy, that's a powerful little phrase.

That means you're willing to give up your will for somebody else.

Now, how many of us willing to do that?

Not many.

Now you understand why there's so few that really don't need counseling.

The problem most of us, the reason most of us have major problems is right here.

We're not willing to give up our will.

We want it our way or no way.

Regardless if it's God's way.

And that brings major problems for the Christian.

Major.

Major.

My daddy used to say, You made your bed and I lay in it.

I never understood that till I got older.

And not on my own.

Amen.

So notice what he says.

Then it's full of mercy.

Aren't you glad?

And good fruits without partiality, without hypocrisy.

What a contrast to earthly, sensual, devilish wisdom of this world.

In fact, the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 3.19, the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.

Observe carefully that it describes as what?

Pure.

It's not tainted by worldliness or selfish gain at all.

It is not contaminated by our own ideas.

Rather, it is characterized by the very life, light, and love of God.

Wow.

It is God's absolute love, his light, and his life to us.

Anyone can give advice.

And most of us do.

Amen.

Most of the time it's okay advice.

But a lot of times it's not pure advice.

Because you know why?

We all shade it our way.

Don't look at me like that.

Oh, I'm always honest.

Yeah, you're always honest your way.

Hello, you okay out there?

How do you know that?

Because I am too.

I'm a little prejudiced my way.

Oh, I'm fair.

Yeah, you are.

Fair your way.

I understand that.

That's why you don't understand that.

Because you see it your way.

And that's okay.

But that's not God's way, and it's not the pure way.

Anyone can give advice, but how seldom is their counsel right and pure?

Man, you and I have the opportunity to have right and pure guidance.

Man, that's awesome.

That's why Jesus came.

That's why he was born in Bethlehem on Christmas morning.

To give us a wonderful counselor.

God gives wisdom.

Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.

Proverbs 2, 6.

Now notice what else.

It is wisdom that is peaceable.

Whoa.

When people have the right answer, you know what I've learned?

When people have the right answer, usually they give it in the wrong way.

It's called attitude.

They have the right answer with a bad attitude.

Or they have the right answer with their attitude.

That's me.

That's the way I am.

I think my way, hey, my way's right.

Well, why not?

I'm the preacher.

You know what?

You know what my girls used to say when I'd say, I am your pastor too, not just your daddy?

Hey, so what?

And I'm sure you said that about me too.

So what?

I understand.

But let me tell you when you have the right counsel.

Hey, it's peaceable.

It's pure.

And it's not brought with an argumentative attitude.

You know, right counsel, you know what it is.

You don't have to force.

I'm terrify I my wife says, I got it.

And I keep going.

I got it.

And I keep going.

How many times do you gotta tell me?

Do you do it?

Wrong attitude.

Not a peaceable attitude.

Not a pure attitude.

You know what a peaceable, pure attitude is?

It gives the truth in love and it lets it lay.

I can't force my ideas on you.

Guess what?

You can't force yours on me.

So, but what I can do is in a loving way tell you what God's word says.

Because that's what the wonderful counselor is.

He's a person that brings wisdom with love and peace.

And notice what else?

In fact, uh, when we turn to Christ, he always speaks peace to our disturbed spirits.

You know when I can tell a person's walking with the Lord, his spirit is calm.

Now I didn't say you couldn't be enthusiastic.

Watching that football game yesterday, there was not anything calm about me.

Especially Brett, when Florida took that ball and went right down to scores.

I thought I said, I just got all messed up.

But by the third quarter, I'd calmed down.

But but but but seriously, peace.

You know when I know when some when I'm walking with the Lord, let me use me, it's when all hell can be coming against me, but I have the peace of God that passes all understanding that's keeping my heart and my mind through Christ Jesus.

Because I know He's in charge.

I know He's gonna see me through it.

It doesn't matter what's coming, He's gonna help me through it.

And I'm just I'm chilled.

Now I don't get that way very often.

I have two speeds.

Wide open and dead.

But really, I'm serious.

And when you really know that you got, hey, the wonderful counselors in charge of your life and giving you the right counsel is when every when you're in your worst situation, there's a calm.

Amen?

There's a calm.

Absolutely.

And notice what he said.

Do you know throughout the New Testament, I saw this as I was putting this word together, throughout the New Testament, you know what Jesus was always telling people?

Go in peace.

We need to start saying that when we're leaving each other.

Go in peace.

Wouldn't that be a great way to depart?

Go in peace.

Jesus said in John 14, 27, Peace I leave with you.

My peace I give unto you.

Not as the world gives.

Give I unto you.

Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Don't let this Christmas season get you in a tizzy.

And I'm going to be the first one, probably get in the tizzy.

Don't let it get you in a tizzy.

Go in peace.

Notice what else it says.

Wisdom that is gentle, willing to yield.

Oh my.

Jesus Christ was the most approachable person who ever lived.

He was the perfect gentleman.

His enemies omitted it.

The sin sick souls of the crowded people around him omitted it.

And little children sought him out.

To sit on his knee and to talk with him.

They loved him.

He was a gentleman.

And then, as Darren you said, notice what else?

Wisdom is full of mercy and good fruits.

Willing to yield.

Folks, let me tell you something.

We need to this Christmas be willing to yield our rights for other people's rights.

Christmas ought to be a time of peace and giving and yielding.

Not what I want, but what do you want?

Yielding to other people.

Is that not sweet and precious?

That's what we need to do.

And then it's mercy.

A lot of times our approach to people is critical.

Overbearing.

Unforgiving.

I'm just describing me sometimes.

I can get critical if I'm not careful.

Real quick.

And why is that?

Have you ever wondered?

All right.

Well, this is gonna get me in trouble.

Have you ever wondered why you're so critical?

Well, that's just the way I am.

Well, bless God, change.

Have you ever, though, I'm I'm gonna help you.

God taught me this this week.

Do you know why I'm critical?

I can tell you why I'm critical.

Because I want it done my way.

Or I think my way's the best.

Huh?

Are you listening?

This is the part that God's taught me.

It's that part of not yielding.

It's not yielding.

I want it my way, and I want you to do it my way.

Husband and wives understand that.

Can I get a know-me?

Children and parents understand that.

Can I get a know-me?

Don't be looking at each other.

You're guilty.

So, not so when we come to Jesus in all our needs and brokenness.

We have mercy and we have good fruits.

Man, that's beautiful.

That's beautiful.

Hey, you know what I saw?

What God taught me?

Hey, not only does God forgive our sins and we should forgive others of their sins, He regenerates us through His Spirit.

He gives us joy.

He quickens us.

He gives us peace.

He gives us confidence.

He gives us joy.

In fact, he places hatred with love.

He places sorrow with joy and unrest with peace.

Now that's the wisdom of God.

And then he goes on to speak wisdom that is without partiality.

Uh-oh.

It is humanly impossible to be impartial.

I'm going to say that again.

It is humanly impossible to be impartial.

Why?

Because of our flesh.

Can't do it.

Can't do it.

However objective we may try to be in making our judgments, invariably, and I wrote this to myself, my own feelings and my own prejudices enter into our counseling.

If we're not careful.

Amen.

So the wisdom from heaven, which is embodied in the Lord Jesus Christ, never takes sides.

Wow.

The Lord Jesus Christ's wisdom never takes sides.

Don't you love that?

Never.

Except against sin.

He takes sides against sin.

For the wages of sin is death.

But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Hey, he's impartial.

He's not judging.

And then notice the other thing: wisdom is without hypocrisy.

It is free from doubts, wavering, and insincerity.

This is never true of our wonderful counselor.

God is never an actor.

When he speaks, he does so genuinely, sincerely, and transformingly.

What a glorious attribute that is.

We are so good about putting on masks.

We really are.

I'll never forget this.

This really happened at Open Door.

When I was pastoring, I came out of Northwood Lake where we lived, and a lot of our people lived over that air, and I pulled up to the red light.

And there was this young couple in front of me.

And son, she was giving him down the road.

I mean, she was, she had already gotten across from her pastor's seat, almost in his seat, doing this, doing this, and doing this.

Now they didn't see me.

And so I I backed up and I kind of, well, I didn't back up, but I just didn't pull forward.

I kind of laid back and followed them to church.

And we pulled in the church, and I always had my place.

I went back behind the building so I wouldn't take up a parking place.

And I ran in because I'm always the first one to greet everybody just like I do here.

And here they are.

They start coming, and I can tell she gets out, bam! And she just like a little whip puppy behind her.

And I called, I'm sitting, I'm standing there, and sure enough, I said, hey, and I called him by name.

Hey, how y'all doing?

Now God is my witness.

She went from this to this.

Oh, how Pastor Ho, we're just having such a beautiful day.

And I thought to myself, you may be, but he ain't.

If I told you the name, you'd know who it.

You already know.

And I took everything I could to keep from laughing.

No, it wasn't David and Christie.

And it wasn't Sonia and Carrie.

Go ahead and clear the air.

But anyway, again, ladies and gentlemen, we got to be who we are.

Let me tell you the worst.

Let me tell you what's wrong with the church today.

We have hypocrisy in the church.

We claim to be something that we don't live outside these walls.

And I'm not being mean, I'm not being judgmental.

I'm talking to all of us.

We gotta be real, not perfect.

We all, but bless God, we can have his wisdom and his counsel and his peace and his love and his kindness and his gentleness.

We can do that through the power of the Holy Spirit of God.

Who dwells within us.

We can do that.

Then the second attribute is he's full of knowledge.

While wisdom refers mainly to spiritual insight.

Now, watch this.

Knowledge in this context has to do with the saving gospel.

In other words, Jesus not only knows all about us, but he has the answer to all our problems.

Can I get an amen?

So basically, and I've always said this, my definition of wisdom versus knowledge is this.

Wisdom is knowing what God wants us to do, and knowledge is applying that wisdom that we know what to do and putting it into action.

That's the gospel.

That's what the gospel is.

It gives us the answer to our sin problem.

And then his grace gives us the answer to our everyday problems.

Makes sense?

Isn't that pretty simple?

And that's exactly what he's talking about right here.

Paul declared it this way: God, in 2 Corinthians 4, 6, who commanded light to shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

There it is.

He will be our wonderful counselor and guide and direct us through everything that we face if we allow him.

Lord will prove himself as counselor both wise and good, George Mueller said every time.

Let me repeat that.

The Lord will prove himself a counselor both wise and good every time.

Which brings me to number two.

The attractiveness of this wonderful counselor.

His name will be called Counselor.

Of the increase of his government, verse 7 says, and peace there will be no end.

Each of these titles in this verse emphasizes the supreme ability our Savior has to administer the government which is placed upon his shoulders.

In other words, he's going to win.

In fact, he's won.

And what I love about it, right here, just as the queen of Sheba came from far to test out the wisdom of Solomon, now listen to me.

So people of every tongue and nation under heaven will converge around the throne of the greater Solomon one day to claim that he is Lord of all.

Every tongue's gonna confess, every knee's gonna bow that Jesus Christ is Lord.

What a baby! What a baby! What a counselor, full of knowledge, full of knowledge.

He's the counselor to the church and he's the counselor to the nation.

That's what makes him so attractive.

In describing this magnetism of Jesus Christ, look at what Mark says.

They came to him from every quarter.

Mark 1.45.

He was attractive.

He was a magnet.

He drew people to himself.

Now let me show you what I saw.

Are you ready for this?

This is powerful.

Jesus said in Matthew 11, 28, Come to me, all ye that labor and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

You want rest today?

Do you want rest for this Christmas season?

Come unto him.

I didn't say just come say a prayer.

I said come give your life to him.

No, I'm talking about everything.

What's wrong with a lot of us?

We'll give him about 80%, but we want to hold on to 20%.

You got to give him all.

What good is a counselor if you don't do what he says?

Amen.

Now watch.

Watch this.

Number one, he attracts people wherever they are.

Man, this is beautiful.

Prophetic language describes it this way to him shall be the obedience of the people.

Genesis 49, 10.

I thought about that for a minute.

You know, it is a historical, real fact that while religions of all kinds, a multiplicity over thousand different religions and counting, have failed.

But Christianity has never failed, folks.

Christianity has never failed.

It's still alive and well today.

It's never failed.

Think about that.

It's never failed.

Christianity has never failed to strike root wherever the gospel has been worthily preached.

Thus, Jesus appeals.

Hey, it's everywhere.

They told us that you couldn't build a church in uh Westover.

Out here, they called it the boonies.

Nobody's out here.

Looks like we got a pretty good group this morning.

Hey, it appeals.

The gospel appeals wherever you, hey, preach it and present it.

Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

Why?

It's a magnet.

It's a magnet to those who really, hey, really are in a situation that they know they don't have the answer, but somebody does, and they're looking for the right answer, and guess what?

Jesus is the answer.

He's the answer.

He's the answer.

But notice secondly, he attracts people whoever they are.

Woo-hoo! John 12, 32, and if I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself.

Men sought his counsel, women sought his counsel, children sought his counsel.

Theologians sought his counsel.

Sinners sought his counsel.

Rulers sought his counsel, even though most of them didn't obey it.

Almost, thou hast persuaded me, Pilate said.

Almost.

Wow.

And then thirdly, it attracts people, whatever they are.

I love that.

God shows no partiality.

Aren't you glad?

Theologians sought his wisdom.

Sin sick souls came to him for counsel, and when his enemies attempted to trap him in his own words, they all came back saying, No man has ever spoke like this man.

Benjamin R.

Hambi wrote this.

Who is he?

The people bless for his words of gentleness.

Who is he to whom they bring all the sick and sorrowing?

Tis the Lord, a wondrous story.

Tis the Lord, the King of glory.

At his feet we humbly fall, crown him, crown him Lord of all.

That's what Christmas is all about.

Amen, church.

Amen.

And on that Christmas morning, that's what we'll do.

We'll come and we'll kneel and we'll crown him Lord of all as we partake of the Lord's Supper together.

What a day.

And then the last thing the ability of the wonderful counselor.

His name will be called Wonderful Counselor.

Some scholars translate this to read as this as a counselor, he is a wonder.

That's true.

That is to say, whenever he counsels, miracles happen.

I like that.

Whenever he counsels, miracles happen.

Transformations take place, supernatural things happen.

This is why there's a sense in which the word wonderful should never be used except to describe the wonder-working power of Jesus.

Amen.

Is that not good, church?

It's kind of like the word awesome.

When God gave me that, oh, 30 years ago, Jesus is awesome.

The only word awesome really should be used is about Jesus.

Same context in today's vernacular as the word wonder in this time.

Jesus is awesome.

Jesus is what?

Awesome!

Oh come on.

Oh, mercy.

Satan asleep on the roof, he would still be snoring.

Jesus is what?

Awesome!

Yes.

That baby that was born in Bethlehem is awesome.

He's awesome.

He did change the world.

The ability of this wonderful counsel.

Wherever he extends his government counsel, there is lasting peace.

Now watch this, and I'm through.

This is powerful.

I've built you up to the climax of the message.

I want you to see this.

As wonderful counselor, he has the ability to analyze the condition of men and women.

Now watch this.

In John chapters 3 through 5, we see this analysis in three different situations.

John 3 · chapter mention

Analysis number one, as a counselor, he is a wonder beyond all human perception or comprehension.

Now wait, take for example, here they are.

Ready?

John chapter 3, a theological professor came to see him and started the conversation with a remarkable eulogy.

John 3 · chapter mention

Here's what he said.

John chapter 3, verse 2.

John 3:2

Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God.

For no one can do the signs that you do unless God is with you, with him.

Now watch this.

This is powerful.

You may want to jot this down.

Jesus recognized instantly.

Now watch this.

This is powerful.

He recognized instantly that this man was a man of religion without life.

He had religion, but he didn't have life.

Amen.

Do you hear me?

Religion without life.

How many of us have religion without life?

How many of thousands of people go through their rituals every week, but yet there's no life.

There's no abundant life.

There's no fullness of God in them.

That I might know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering being made conformable unto His image.

The fullness of God.

Folks, let me tell you, when you have the fullness of God, you've got the wisdom and the knowledge of God.

Then we turn to chapter four.

There's a woman at a whale who knew every trick in the book on how to avoid analysis.

Oh did she?

Oh, did she not?

But Jesus saw through her.

And discern that behind her charming and attractive personality with a sordid, frustrated, and uh defective immoral lifestyle, Jesus said to her in verse 16 in John 4 Go, call your husband and come here.

Then what did she say?

This at once revealed that this woman had been married five times and was living with the man at the time.

Young people, young ladies, let me help you.

No man's gonna satisfy your needs.

Only Jesus.

Amen.

Only Jesus.

Only Jesus.

So you know what he saw?

He saw a woman with passion, but no power.

Now into him to do that does exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask, according to the power that worketh in us.

She didn't have the power of God, she didn't have the wonderful counselor in her.

And then we go to John chapter 5.

John 5 · chapter mention

We have a man who suffered with an infirmity of 38 years.

Time and again he sought to have the healing virtues of the pool of Bethsaida, but had been disappointed.

But when Jesus saw him, he detected a sick man without hope.

He saw a woman with passion, with no power.

He saw a religious professor with education but no life.

Very quickly.

And you know what he said to him?

He said to the woman at the well, come and drink of this lasting and living water.

And then he said, Of the man that was sick for 38 years, listen to what he said.

Do you want to be made well?

John 5, 6.

My question this morning, do you want to be made well?

Do you really?

You can.

If you come to the master.

What a picture.

The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.

Who can know it?

Jesus.

I the Lord search the heart, try the ways to give to anyone according to the work they do.

Number two, he has the ability to apply the correction.

Woo! Watch, this is important.

He analyzes the situation, but he takes it a step further.

Listen, he has the ability to apply the correction to men and women.

He's a counselor, but he's a wonder.

He's hey, he's a doer.

Jesus was never satisfied with analyzing people, he always applied the correction.

Hallelujah.

For example, I love it.

While we thank God for Christian psychiatrists, doctors, even pastors who are able to provide help to sin sick souls, there is no guarantee for success.

I can't guarantee you.

But I got good news for you.

Hey, but Jesus, there is never any chance of failure with Jesus.

Glory.

None.

None.

None at all.

None.

He told Nicodemus.

John chapter 3, verse 9, you must be born again.

John 3:9

Oh, you got a problem.

Except a man be born again, he shall not see the kingdom of God.

And Nicodemus, but how can I be born?

Can I enter into my mother's womb and be born the second time?

He said, Oh, no, no, no.

Except a man be born of water, physical birth, and of the spirit, he shall not be saved.

He answered him, he gave him the correction.

And then when we get to the woman of the well, John 4, verse 10, if you knew the gift of God and who it is who says to you, give me a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.

John 4:10

And then the man with the infirmity, two started verses both and walk.

Oh, you did label.

I will give you rest.

I will give you rest.

Oh, folks.

The wonderful, hey, counselor.

Hey, he's wonderful in his works, in his ways, in his words.

Let us never be, hey, afraid to expect miraculous things when we come to the wonderful counselor.

He's got the answer to your problem.

Every one of us raised our hand this morning.

We got problems.

Amen.

Some have problems with your children, some have problems with your husband.

Don't say amen to that.

But sir.

Hey, I mean, but we all have problems.

I got good news.

I've got a counselor whose name wonderful, incomprehensible, miraculous.

That'll change your life today.

If you'll let him.

But you gotta come.

And you gotta come willingly.

Willingly means to accept his counsel, not yours.

Can I get an amen?

Willing to do it his way, not yours.

Can I get an amen?

Now, if you're willing to do that, there will be a miraculous transformation in your life, in your home, in your work, in your school, in your family.

But 98 and a half won't do, won't do.

God wants a hundred percent, and he wants you and you and you and you and you.

What about you?

Will you come this morning?

Thanks again for tuning into this week's message.

We pray that your life has been changed.

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We hope you have a wonderful day and again, God bless you.