11.p. “No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the LORD.”

Nahum 1:9   What do you plot against the Lord? He will make a complete end; trouble will not rise up a second time. For they are like entangled thorns, like drunkards as they drink; they are consumed like stubble fully dried. From you came one who plotted evil against the Lord, a worthless counselor. Thus says the Lord, “Though they are at full strength and many, they will be cut down and pass away. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more. And now I will break his yoke from off you and will burst your bonds apart.”

Psalms 2:1-4   Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying,  “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”  He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.

Ezekiel 38:10-11    “Thus says the Lord GOD: On that day, thoughts will come into your mind, and you will devise an evil scheme

Isaiah 8:9-10    Be broken, you peoples, and be shattered; give ear, all you far countries; strap on your armor and be shattered; strap on your armor and be shattered.  Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing; speak a word, but it will not stand, for God is with us.

Proverbs 21:30    No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the LORD.

Who knows the hearts of man, but God?  Who knows the intents of actions taken by man, but God? Who speaks with worldly wisdom and knowledge to give counsel to a man that leads them astray?  Why is it that man chooses to listen to and follow these worldly leaders giving false promises?  Each person chooses to listen and follow after that which fills their heart.  The sad part of this is most choose to deny God and willfully will not follow after Him.  Proclaiming God does not exist does not free anyone from the consequences of denying to honor, follow, trust, obey and rely on Him.  Proclaiming and believing God is love and all mankind will go to heaven upon death will lead many straight into hell.  Wide is the doorway to hell and the path is lined with everything to falsely satisfy the earthly soul, totally apart and separated from God.  When there is no conviction of sin in the heart of man, there will be no need for a savior, redeemer, and forgiver.  When there is no preaching of sin and the need for repentance there will be neglect, complacency, and lukewarm following after and trusting in Jesus Christ.  There will be no humble thanksgiving for the atonement and forgiveness of sin.  When there is no hunger and thanksgiving for God’s Word and to know and understand the grace, mercy, and love of Jesus Christ more and more, people will become shallow in their belief, understanding, and application of God’s Word in their lives.  Hearts and minds that choose to walk in blind, limp, and shallow commitment to Jesus Christ will easily be taken in by those who distort the truth or deny the active power of Jesus Christ in the world today.  We do not have to look very hard at the things that are happening in the world today to know the return of Jesus Christ will come and the end is fast approaching.   Denying we are in the end times does not make it so, just like denying sin and the need for Jesus Christ does not make it so, just like denying each man will be judged by God does not make it so.  If you listen to news media for any short period of time you will seldom or never hear the need for God.  You will not hear of living to humbly serve Him.  What you will hear is worldly counsel, plots of man, fear, division, confusion, and utter lack of the fear of God.   I wonder what our lives would be like if we spent as much tie in God’s Word as we do listening to the meaningless drivel on local and national news.  Would our lives be changed?  Yes, they would.

And they turned back

“ If they were wise, they would understand this; they would discern their latter end!”

John 6:66  After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.  So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?”  Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,  and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

2 Timothy 4:10    For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.

Timothy 1:15    You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.

Hebrews 10:38    but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”

2 Peter 2:20    For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

1 John 2:19   They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.

Many of His disciples turned away and no longer walked with Him.  Scripture today gives examples of those who once had the appearance of walking with Jesus but deserted Him.  How would you like to go down in history with your name in the bible for turning away.  Worse than this is hearing “Depart from me for I never knew you”.  Being complacent and negligent in humbly serving, honoring, following and obeying God does not end well.  There is too much distraction if we don’t place Him first in our life.  When I say first I am not saying the first you come to when in a trial or situation but rather the first one you think of when you awake and your heart, soul and mind are seeking to know Him deeper every moment.  Your heart seeks to see His hand at work in your life and your ears are open seeking to hear His leading for you each day.  Open His word and feast on it.  What is God speaking to your heart about through what you have read.  Think about it through out the day.