Dear Members and Friends of IBCZ,
Having a good a friend, a real friend is a gift of God. Someone said, and I have heard it quoted in different forms, “If you can count real friends on one hand and you can fill up one hand, you’re a rich man/woman.” I am sure we all have many friends at various levels, but what is meant by this is that a real friend is one with whom you could share your deepest thoughts, your weaknesses, your struggles, your fears. However, within that handful of friends, if you have one or two who are wise and can give you wise counsel about all kinds of matters, you are really blessed. It’s huge if we have someone in our lives who can give us great spiritual, biblical wisdom and loves us dearly. The friendship of David and Jonathan had with each other is just such an example. (1 Samuel 18:1-4)
There is one friend who never makes a single mistake, and His counsel is always right and good and He’s a friend that sticks closer than a brother in adversity. His name is Jesus! ( John 15:15) He can take you out of every pit into which you may fall, out of every mess into which you may come. He is the answer. His name is Wonderful, Counselor. He’s not only our advocate in heaven, if we are believers (1 John 2:1), but He also gives us wise counsel from heaven by His Spirit, by His power and by His grace. Someone illustrated it this way. He said a man fell into a pit and couldn’t get himself out. A Pharisee came along and said, “You know, only bad people fall into a pit.” A legalist came along and said, “Well, you deserve the pit.” An optimist walked by and said, “Well, things will get better.” A pessimist walked by and said, “Things will get even worse.” Then Jesus came along and reached down and took the man’s hand and pulled him out of the pit with almighty power. That’s the kind of wise counsel we have in Jesus.
This Sunday we want to look at the name Counselor from the prophecy about Christ in Isiah 9:6. I hope that you will join us at 10:30 for praise and worship, a Bible-centered message and fellowship after the service.
Yours, Rejoicing in the Lord,
Bruce, Interim Pastor/Elder