A Wise Man Once Said

This is the Truth Network. Welcome to Running with Horses, a podcast devoted to inspire you, concerning a relationship with Almighty God that empowers you to accomplish things you never thought possible. Shirley Weaver wants to take you there.

And now, here's today's episode. Hey, you know, humanly speaking, we all behave better when someone is watching. Spiritually and practically, we benefit when someone who cares about our best interest and future success, they watch for us.

The principle is basic to, in the family, I believe it's the way parents watch for their children. But it's also basic to making disciples within the church, within the kingdom of God, because the disciple, the believer who chooses to follow Jesus as a disciple becomes the mentee, that word is M-E-N-T-E-E, or the one who is mentored or coached. This disciple has two tents or coverings to choose from.

Two tents or coverings to choose one from. One tent is truth, of course, a covering, because it's God's proven truth. And in this sense, this truth is expressed by those who personally have proven truth in their own lives. And, and this is an important and, have paid a price for truth embodied in and manifested in a significant way within their own lives. So they've personally proven truth in their own lives, and you've seen that they've paid a price.

In other words, compromise is the least road of resistance, of least resistance, but there's a price to be paid, really at a victory won, you know? That's another message too. So, but as watchers, as watchers, those who care for us and who lead us with their own lives, as they cover us, they're not ruling over us, they're not dominating, not controlling, but rather theirs is to supply wisdom, and they encourage and strengthen us from a place of wisdom. And again, this incredibly important principle of a proven life. We are the epistles that are read by those around us. Our lives tell a story. So one tent is truth, and it is expressed and offered to the one who wants to be a disciple, as a mentor would offer to a mentee, a watchfulness, a caring.

And then the second covering that we can choose from here is really one that's more philosophical. It's a man-conscious, you would say, approach, and this is something that Isaiah the prophet warned very strongly against. His words. What sorrow awaits rebellious children, says the Lord. You make plans that are contrary to mine. You make alliances not directed by my spirit, thus piling sin upon sin. For without consulting me, you have gone down to Egypt for help. You have put your trust in Pharaoh's protection. You have tried to hide in his shade. But, Isaiah says, by trusting Pharaoh, you instead will be humiliated. And by depending on him, you will be disgraced.

Humiliated, disgraced. That's Isaiah 30, 1-3. I was reading from the New Living. So just by a word of explanation here, biblically, you know, Egypt represents the world and Pharaoh represents the world system and its ways.

The world system and the world's ways. So, he says, he warns, don't go down to Egypt. Don't go down.

Don't go down to Egypt. And if you're already headed that way, or you're thinking about going that way, turn around. Change your mind. Return to godly wisdom, asking the Lord to cover you. You want to go back to that tent of being watched for. In all your decision making, remember this, seek out wise people, wise men and women.

Submit what you're thinking, what you're planning to their counsel before you go any further. Guard against wrong words. Verbally agree with words the Lord has already spoken concerning you and anything that concerns you, your household, whatever. Choose restraint according to his word. Pay the price for truth. You have to pay the price for truth and choose not to go down to Egypt. You know, you might say at this point, but if I trust someone with something this precious to me that I am guarding really privately, they could be disloyal or could misrepresent me somehow.

Yes, that is possible. I have experienced that. If you're alive and breathing air today, you have experienced that. Human nature is that way unfortunately sometimes, but not always. And this is why I want to emphasize wise men and women whose life, their life tells you the story, tells you what you need to know. You see in them, when you see them, if you look in the mirror of their life, the message that comes back to you is the image that you can trust and also look up to.

Don't go down to Egypt. Look up, look up, upward. Your redemption draws nigh, the word says. And in speaking about these two tense, you know, you might say, a wise man once said, don't, don't trust in the wrong tent. You have two tents to choose from.

And then the last word here. Some people like to go in and out of those tents. One minute they're in the tent of the Lord with watchers who care for them.

And the next minute in that philosophical man conscious approach that just loves Egypt and really doesn't really mind conforming to Pharaoh. Okay, listen, instead of going in and out and back and forth between the tents, remain in the Lord's tent. Go there, stay there. You can trust it.

You'll be glad you did. I promise you because the rewards are rich, they're eternal and they'll serve you every day of your life. That is a promise. And hey, how supernatural is that? How divine is that?

Pretty much, right? God bless. See you next time. Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode and you'd like to help support this podcast, please share it with others. Post about it on social media or leave a rating and review. Don't forget to check out the show notes or visit acleartrumpet.org where you can subscribe to Shirley's email list. Download the ministry app and purchase your very own copy of Shirley's 365-Day Devotional, Running with Horses. Thanks again and we'll see you next time.