Fishing Boat Leaving the Shore for Deep WaterBible World
3:6Proverbs 3:6
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
In all parts of life and thought and responsibility God is to be acknowledged, and He will then make the course plain and lead in straight and safe paths. To acknowledge Him is to trust Him with the whole heart, commit the way to Him, and depend on Him with childlike faith as guide and strength rather than on human strength. It is to recognize His rule and providence with thanksgiving, to obey Him and walk humbly in His ways, and to consult Him in all things and be governed by counsel from His Word. He directs those who humbly seek Him by giving wisdom and understanding, guiding into truth and keeping from deception, and sustaining with peace and safety even when His purpose cannot be seen. Leaning on one's own understanding and putting confidence in man lead to failure and ruin, so guidance is sought by submitting the will, praying earnestly, studying the Bible as a lamp to the path, and moving forward step by step in trusting obedience.
What Acknowledging God Means
Acknowledging God in all ways means bringing every part of life, thought, work, and responsibility under Him, with the promise that He will then direct each path and guide the course taken. In work for the salvation of souls this means relying fully on God rather than on finite human wisdom, trusting Him as wise Counselor to give direction. Honoring Him in everything enables each person to do the work given and to stand fully equipped and ready. In every matter this calls for trusting His direction rather than following one's own will and judgment, for He honors cultivated faith and trust, and living approved by Him means obeying this counsel and walking in harmony with Him.
To acknowledge Him is to trust Him with the whole heart, commit the way to Him, and rely wholly on Him rather than on human strength, wisdom, or judgment. It is dependence with the simplicity of a child trusting a parent, making the Lord the dependence and strength and present help in every time of need, and taking Him as counselor and guide. This means looking to Him for guidance rather than depending on worldly associations or other sources of help, and not putting confidence in man or princes. Those who commit their ways to Him in this way He will not leave or forsake. Such trust is exercised by connecting the soul with God in earnest prayer, depending implicitly on divine truth, searching the Scriptures with much prayer before taking any step or forming any association or accepting any teaching, and seeking light from the Sun of Righteousness rather than following sparks of one's own kindling.
Acknowledging Him means recognizing His rule and depending on His power, acknowledging His providence in every position and business, relying on the teachings of His word, and seeking His help in prayer rather than trusting one's own judgment. It means seeing Him in all His works and recognizing Him as the giver of rain, sunshine, and every blessing, faithfully thanking and praising Him while doing daily duties. This includes thanking Him for the benefits He gives. As God fills the thoughts, there is trust for the future and freedom from the anxious care that brings unhappiness. Trusting God with the whole heart in this way lets Him guide steps with wisdom and keeps interests safe in this life and the next.
Acknowledging Him in all His ways includes faithful stewardship of what is possessed, treating all possessions not as owned but as the Lord's entrusted gift and holding them for Him. Heaps of money and gold and silver are not true riches, for without Christ as the Bread of life and the Water of salvation the rich are perishing with hunger and thirst. Faithful stewards regard all they have as His gift, are made strong by sharing strength with the weak, and make the family an educating school for the future higher grade of the saints in light.
To acknowledge Him is to follow Him wholeheartedly rather than choosing one's own way, relying on His wisdom instead of one's own, committing the way to Him, walking humbly before Him in trust, and letting Him lead and guide. It means keeping His commandments in unquestioned obedience, following the promptings of His Spirit so as not to go astray, and giving self to God to seek the good of others. Those who keep His commandments have great peace through complete trust, using entrusted talents to bring glory to God in praise and thanksgiving instead of faultfinding and criticizing, and leaving to God what cannot be cured or managed, and He then guides the life into the right path. Such trust means relying on His strength to govern self, remain patient, and keep an undisturbed mind while preparing for heaven, looking to God with hope as the Guide of youth, which keeps one humble and lowly, discreet in conversation, an example to others, and unswerved from the right. Refusing this brings loss of wisdom, scattering, humiliation, and poverty, while a childlike, teachable, submissive spirit learns from Christ and obeys Him.
To acknowledge Him is to consult Him in all things and at every step, seeking His counsel first and then following it with best judgment and practical knowledge, rather than leaning on man or human help or letting judgment be swayed by another's mind. It means bringing every plan and course of action before God, humbly trusting Him rather than relying on human wisdom alone, for He knows the outcome of every decision and His care extends to each person. It means relying on the teachings of His word, depending implicitly on divine truth, searching the Scriptures with much prayer, receiving His admonitions to govern the will and shape the life, and refusing to judge His word or follow sparks of one's own kindling. Managers and workers are thus to set aside self-will, consider one another's ideas, and accept better plans with meekness. Even when the reason for a command cannot be seen, the path is to watch for divine guidance, move forward step by step in trusting belief with eyes open and fixed on the Saviour, as Abraham showed in leaving his father's home for a strange country without knowing the future, with safe assurance that God is leading into all truth.
How God Directs Paths
He makes the way plain for those who acknowledge Him in every part of life and work, giving clear direction about what to do and say, where the post of duty lies, and what place and work each one has in saving souls. He leads in straight and safe paths, opens providence, guides practical decisions, and arranges matters so that those who trust Him can work successfully. Those who consult Him at every step, watch for His guidance, and move forward step by step in trusting belief with eyes fixed on the Saviour are guided into all truth by Him as the Alpha and Omega, the author and finisher of faith. Every church member who asks where to go and what to do for the Master will be shown the way.
He is the wise Counselor to soul-winners and all who bear responsibility, and those who humbly do their duty, use their abilities, and rely on His wisdom rather than their own limited understanding have their course directed and receive divine help. Sincere seekers who acknowledge Him rather than their own wisdom gain increased understanding, knowledge, skill, light, and counsel. Those entrusted with responsibilities are fitted to bear them when they humbly seek Him in faith and depend on His counsel, and He helps them avoid imperfect plans and failure and carries the whole weight of their responsibility.
Dependence on Him day by day guards against deception and sinful neglect of duty, keeping the soul in the path cast up for the ransomed and teaching it to meet temptation with His word. Self-reliance leads away from what is right into deception and ruin, while following the promptings of His Spirit keeps from going astray. Those who connect with Him by earnest prayer, depend implicitly on divine truth, search the Scriptures with much prayer before taking any step or forming any association or accepting any teaching, and seek light from the Sun of Righteousness rather than sparks of their own kindling or confidence in man or princes will be led in the right way, walk uprightly and securely, and be kept from false claims to truth in perilous times. In marriage decisions this same acknowledgment means considering the matter carefully and prayerfully, placing oneself in His hands, and seeking the Spirit's guidance rather than personal wishes and inclinations, since ignoring that guidance brings painful mistakes, anxiety, sorrow, and danger to the soul's salvation.
He will not leave or forsake those who commit their ways to Him, take Him as counselor and guide, and rely wholly on Him rather than human strength or wisdom. He directs every part of life, strengthens those who serve Him, teaches and comforts them, and leads those who trust Him rather than human beings to walk uprightly. Keeping the mind fixed on Him and seeking His wisdom and guidance at every step belongs to the faith that leads to perfection of character. Entrusting life and choices to Him rather than trying to control the future brings freedom from anxious care, peace, confidence, and safety for this life and the life to come, like a child relying on a guide, until at last received into glory.
He directs even when the reason for this or that command cannot be seen and the future is unknown, and those who ask for divine guidance instead of human help have safe assurance that He is leading them. Abraham leaving his father's home for a strange country without knowing the future shows this obedience of going forward in trusting belief. Life in this world is a pilgrim life without wisdom to plan itself or shape the future, so dependence day by day as Christ accepted the Father's plans day by day, committing the way to Him with childlike trust, lets Him plan, unfold His plans, make life the simple outworking of His will, and direct steps never otherwise than would be chosen if the end could be seen from the beginning and the glory of the purpose as coworkers with Him discerned. When events seem inexplicable and opportunities with company appear but means are lacking, trust means studying His will, spreading every plan before Him with fasting and humbling of soul, praying much, casting all care on Him who cares, waiting patiently and submissively for Him to open providence, and making haste slowly, for He is infinite in resources, names the heavenly host, holds the stars in place, keeps each person individually, and works for present and eternal good so the enemy will not triumph.
Trust Beyond Human Wisdom
To acknowledge God in all ways is to refuse to lean on one's own understanding, for human wisdom, strength, and planning are insufficient and nothing can be done without Him. In the work of saving souls this means depending on His wisdom rather than limited, finite human wisdom, trusting Him as wise Counselor to direct the course and give divine help as workers humbly do their duty and use their abilities. In every matter the will and judgment of self are to be set aside for trust in His direction, with cultivated faith and trust honored by His promise to direct the path. Such trust looks to Him for guidance rather than to worldly associations or other sources of help, and it could have enabled help and uplifting for the Wessels family. Confidence is not to be put in man, princes, leaders, or advisers outside God's counsel, and no human being is to outline, force, or dictate another's duty and opinions, since that obstructs the Lord's counsel. Each person is to be guided by God in personal duty, cooperating heartily with brethren in general plans yet not waiting at every step to ask an officer in authority whether this or that may be done, for no one is authorized to order brethren arbitrarily irrespective of their own personal convictions of duty. Managers of the publishing work are to set aside self-will, consider one another's ideas, and accept better plans with the meekness and lowliness of Christ. Acknowledging God in this way means trusting with all the heart, connecting with Him by earnest prayer, depending implicitly on divine truth, searching the Scriptures with much prayer before taking any step or forming any association or accepting any teaching, and seeking light from the Sun of Righteousness rather than following sparks of one's own kindling. Those who do this day by day are led in the right way, kept in the path cast up for the ransomed, guided by His counsel into success and safety for this life and the life to come until at last received into glory, while leaning to one's own understanding brings only disappointment and sorrow and leaves souls open to be drawn from God by false claims to truth in perilous times. Self-reliance and putting God last turn away from what is right into deception, distorted judgment, scattering, humiliation, poverty, failure, and ruin. Refusing to rely on His wisdom instead of one's own brings loss of wisdom, scattering, humiliation, and poverty, and dependence on human devising and human wisdom in sanitarium work in Southern California brings failure and dishonors God, whereas following the Lord's instruction puts sanitarium enterprises forward along right lines and brings His cooperation with the workers. Those who make God their dependence have safety in every step, while people in positions of influence who rely on human strength and wisdom risk distorted judgment and a fall. This danger presses especially on those in positions of honor or thought to be wise, who without humility and reliance on God to teach and guide at every step are in grave danger of falling. Trusting the heavenly Father in simplicity and faith keeps from relying on one's own plans, for when He is put last and asked for help only after one's own arrangements are made, serious mistakes result. Acknowledging Him therefore requires submitting the will and ways to Him, surrendering the mind and will, setting aside self-will, personal wishes, and preferences, and learning from Christ with a teachable, submissive spirit. His direction comes as He is humbly sought and consulted in every part of life and His counsel in His Word governs the will, for His people are not to rely on their own direction. This dependence joins humility about the limits of human understanding with active, courageous faith in taking responsibility and acting, trusting His judgment rather than one's own to direct the course. To seek His guidance in every decision is to set aside one's own will and follow where He leads, since following one's own wishes instead leads to hardship.
Seeking Guidance in Practice
Guidance is sought by earnest prayer, by watching unto prayer, and by seeking wisdom from God at every step with the mind fixed upon Him. It calls for fasting and humbling of soul, for crying to God in emergency and perplexity for clear light, and for praying together and persevering in belief that the blessings sought are received. In business and in every position, help is to be sought from God in prayer rather than trusting one's own judgment, and those who seek the Lord with all the heart obtain knowledge of duty with certainty rather than guesswork. This trust shows itself in humility and meekness, in more prayer and less talk, and in caution in plans and actions, joining divine power with human effort so the work endures.
Guidance is sought by relying on the teachings of His Word and humbly seeking counsel in it, surrendering one's own will and direction. It means searching the Scriptures with much prayer before taking any step, forming any association, or accepting any teaching, seeking light from the Sun of Righteousness rather than following sparks of one's own kindling. It means studying the Bible as His voice and bringing each case to the great Intercessor standing before the mercy seat, letting His Word govern the will, purify the affections, shape the life, and judge the life. Followed as a lamp to the feet and a light to the path, that Word shines more and more unto the perfect day, and those led day by day in this way are kept in the path cast up for the ransomed, given success and safety for this life and the life to come, while leaning to one's own understanding brings only disappointment and sorrow.
Guidance is sought by bringing every plan, undertaking, course of action, and perplexity before God and spreading them before Him, committing the way and the future to Providence. God knows the outcome of every decision and His care extends to each person, and He is infinite in resources as the Holy One of Israel who names the heavenly host and holds the stars in place. The seeker is to wait submissively and patiently for Him to open the way and open providence, making haste slowly, praying much, and casting all care upon Him who cares. Human wisdom is not sufficient for planning, so no step is to be taken without His counsel, but with faith and hope and trust instead of weak, listless faith, asking Him to lead in straight paths through every difficulty. When means are lacking even though a favorable opportunity with company appears, patience and seeking heavenly wisdom are required in trust that another equally favorable opportunity may come.
Guidance comes as the seeker watches for divine direction and moves forward step by step in trusting belief, with eyes wide open and directed to the Saviour and looking continually to Him. It means placing all trust in God rather than leaning on man or human help, consulting Him at every step, and moving in obedience even when the reason for this or that command cannot be seen. Abraham leaving his father's home for a strange country without knowing the future shows this obedience, and those who ask for divine guidance instead of human help have safe assurance that God is leading them and guiding them into all truth. Earnestly seeking Him in this way gives certainty and not guesswork and keeps souls off Satan's ground, and God teaches, leads, and impresses those who rely on Him as they move forward in faithful work. This dependence calls for humility about the limits of human understanding, alongside active and courageous faith in taking responsibility and doing the work given.
Guidance joins divine power with humble human effort, for as workers humbly do their duty and use their abilities, God directs their course and provides divine help. A person truly wise in God's sight trusts the Lord rather than personal understanding and combines human effort with divine help, walking in harmony with Him. Those who labor, especially among the churches and on important occasions, must depend fully upon God, make God their trust, and move in His strength and with His grace, for falling short here leaves the work without what it requires. This still leaves each person to look to God personally for duty while cooperating heartily with brethren in general plans, submitting will and ways to Him rather than relying on self.
Guidance for Life Duties
In soul-saving and church work acknowledging God in every part of life means depending wholly on His wisdom rather than finite human understanding, for He is the wise Counselor who teaches, impresses minds, and makes the way plain about what to do and say. Those assigned a post of duty are to seek His direction for carrying it out and for working with Christ in the great work to be done in the world. Physicians who care for the sick and seek their salvation live this same dependence by remaining in close communion with God and watching unto prayer, so that He directs their work and uses their words and prayers to reach souls.
In business, daily labor, and decisions about work, study, contracts, agreements, and purchases, the promise holds only as God's providence is acknowledged in every position, His Word is relied upon, and His help is sought in prayer instead of trusting one's own judgment. Special light is to be sought by studying each problem in earnest prayer before entering agreements or contracts, trusting Him to make what is dark plain and to guide each step forward carefully. Choices about work, study, family arrangements, and the Master's will are to be made willingly with Christ as Companion, keeping a life of usefulness and spiritual growth in view and keeping interests safe in this life and the next. Even morning and evening family worship belongs to this acknowledgment and is not to be neglected when trials arise or business presses, for faithfulness there keeps the household from being left to its own wisdom under the guidance of Him who has been its guide.
In marriage and family life the same acknowledgment means considering the matter carefully and prayerfully, placing oneself in God's hands and seeking the Spirit's guidance rather than following personal wishes and inclinations. To trust His judgment rather than one's own and submit to His will directs the course, enables help and uplift to others such as the Wessels family, and guards against painful mistakes, anxiety, sorrow, hardship, and danger to the soul's salvation. Acknowledging Him also governs possessions and money, which are not owned but held as His entrusted gift by faithful stewards who share strength with the weak, knowing heaps of money and gold and silver are not true riches without Christ the Bread of life and Water of salvation, while the family becomes an educating school for the higher grade of saints in light. In personal duties such as caring for a son, it means trusting His guiding hand and leaving the matter to the Lord rather than acting on harsh human warnings, pressure, or fears of being deceived, refusing to walk by the light of one's own eyes and the wisdom of one's own heart.
In education knowing God and His will comes first, before book knowledge, literature, trades, or art, and is secured by seeking Him with all heart, mind, and strength, obeying Him implicitly, and carrying love and reverence for Him into school life. From the first opening of a book the student is to recognize the Author of wisdom as Guide from first to last, seek His counsel at every step, submit to the Holy Spirit, make no arrangement to which God cannot be a party and form no union He does not approve, and refuse to be bound to any fixed long course apart from the Spirit's leading. Then He directs study so that knowledge from books is bound about by living faith, made fruitful, used to glorify Him, reaching through Christ the highest end of the ladder in science while character is perfected and the mind constantly enlarges and broadens. This seeking protects from temptation from every source, gives conviction in practical decisions such as where to locate a school and showing the city is not the right place, keeps from walking in finite human wisdom, makes Jesus a present help in every emergency leading in sure safe paths, and lets truth acted out exert a life-giving influence, a counsel applying also to medical students to make Him Counselor at every step.
In medical and sanitarium work physicians are to consult Him in all things with the simplicity of a child trusting a parent, making the Lord their dependence and strength and present help in every time of need rather than leaning on human support or letting judgment be swayed by any man's mind. His counsel must be sought first and then followed with best judgment and practical knowledge, since even counsel thought sound leads to serious blunders when it replaces God's counsel. Daily counsel from Christ the source of wisdom gives skill to remedy soul as well as body, deep thought and power from above for diseased bodies and ill-balanced minds, strength and wisdom for the work, and the peace of Christ in the soul. Following His direction instead of human devising puts sanitarium enterprises forward along right lines and brings His cooperation, while dependence on human wisdom brings failure and dishonors God as seen in the Southern California sanitarium work, and physicians are to serve where neglected fields call rather than work at cross-purposes with Him.
In leadership, publishing, and counsel managers and presidents are to look to God rather than their own judgment, set aside self-will, consider one another's ideas, and accept better plans with meekness and lowliness. No human being is to guide another's duty by imposing personal opinions, outlining or forcing duties and opinions, restricting action, ordering brethren arbitrarily irrespective of personal conviction, or controlling others, since that obstructs the Lord's counsel. Those entrusted with responsibility are fitted to bear it when they humbly seek God in faith like Solomon and depend on His counsel, which helps them avoid imperfect plans and failure and refuses trust in wrong counsel or in any one person's counsel. God's chosen laborers are constantly to look to Him for personal guidance about duty while cooperating heartily with brethren in general plans, not waiting at every step to ask an officer whether they may act, and church members are to pray together for the Lord's guidance and let Him direct counsels and work.
In personal need, travel, danger, illness, lack of means, and disappointment, committing the way to God means studying His will, giving up personal wish and will, and waiting submissively and patiently for Him to direct the path, open providence, and make duty clear about where to go and whether to be with loved ones. When a favorable opportunity with company appears but means are lacking, this calls for making haste slowly, praying much, seeking heavenly wisdom, casting all care upon Him who cares, and trusting another equally favorable opportunity may come. Human wisdom cannot plan life or shape the future, for life here is pilgrim life, so dependence day by day as Christ accepted the Father's plans commits the way to Him with childlike trust, and then He plans, unfolds His plans, makes life the simple outworking of His will, and directs steps never otherwise than would be chosen if the end and the glory of the purpose as coworkers with Him could be seen. Separation from human support can teach looking to God alone, and in affliction fear, anxiety, doubt, and unbelief are to be put aside in calm trust in the merciful God who cares, teaches weakness and His strength through persecution and hardship, gives hope and guidance, and prepares for emergencies, positions of trust, and the purpose for which abilities were given, even continuing a journey in trust during a child's grave illness until strength returns.
In all parts of life and thought and responsibility God is to be acknowledged, and He will then make the course plain and lead in straight and safe paths. To acknowledge Him is to trust Him with the whole heart, commit the way to Him, and depend on Him with childlike faith as guide and strength rather than on human strength. It is to recognize His rule and providence with thanksgiving, to obey Him and walk humbly in His ways, and to consult Him in all things and be governed by counsel from His Word. He directs those who humbly seek Him by giving wisdom and understanding, guiding into truth and keeping from deception, and sustaining with peace and safety even when His purpose cannot be seen. Leaning on one's own understanding and putting confidence in man lead to failure and ruin, so guidance is sought by submitting the will, praying earnestly, studying the Bible as a lamp to the path, and moving forward step by step in trusting obedience.
What Acknowledging God Means
Acknowledging God in all ways means bringing every part of life, thought, work, and responsibility under Him, with the promise that He will then direct each path and guide the course taken. In work for the salvation of souls this means relying fully on God rather than on finite human wisdom, trusting Him as wise Counselor to give direction. Honoring Him in everything enables each person to do the work given and to stand fully equipped and ready. In every matter this calls for trusting His direction rather than following one's own will and judgment, for He honors cultivated faith and trust, and living approved by Him means obeying this counsel and walking in harmony with Him.
To acknowledge Him is to trust Him with the whole heart, commit the way to Him, and rely wholly on Him rather than on human strength, wisdom, or judgment. It is dependence with the simplicity of a child trusting a parent, making the Lord the dependence and strength and present help in every time of need, and taking Him as counselor and guide. This means looking to Him for guidance rather than depending on worldly associations or other sources of help, and not putting confidence in man or princes. Those who commit their ways to Him in this way He will not leave or forsake. Such trust is exercised by connecting the soul with God in earnest prayer, depending implicitly on divine truth, searching the Scriptures with much prayer before taking any step or forming any association or accepting any teaching, and seeking light from the Sun of Righteousness rather than following sparks of one's own kindling.
Acknowledging Him means recognizing His rule and depending on His power, acknowledging His providence in every position and business, relying on the teachings of His word, and seeking His help in prayer rather than trusting one's own judgment. It means seeing Him in all His works and recognizing Him as the giver of rain, sunshine, and every blessing, faithfully thanking and praising Him while doing daily duties. This includes thanking Him for the benefits He gives. As God fills the thoughts, there is trust for the future and freedom from the anxious care that brings unhappiness. Trusting God with the whole heart in this way lets Him guide steps with wisdom and keeps interests safe in this life and the next.
Acknowledging Him in all His ways includes faithful stewardship of what is possessed, treating all possessions not as owned but as the Lord's entrusted gift and holding them for Him. Heaps of money and gold and silver are not true riches, for without Christ as the Bread of life and the Water of salvation the rich are perishing with hunger and thirst. Faithful stewards regard all they have as His gift, are made strong by sharing strength with the weak, and make the family an educating school for the future higher grade of the saints in light.
To acknowledge Him is to follow Him wholeheartedly rather than choosing one's own way, relying on His wisdom instead of one's own, committing the way to Him, walking humbly before Him in trust, and letting Him lead and guide. It means keeping His commandments in unquestioned obedience, following the promptings of His Spirit so as not to go astray, and giving self to God to seek the good of others. Those who keep His commandments have great peace through complete trust, using entrusted talents to bring glory to God in praise and thanksgiving instead of faultfinding and criticizing, and leaving to God what cannot be cured or managed, and He then guides the life into the right path. Such trust means relying on His strength to govern self, remain patient, and keep an undisturbed mind while preparing for heaven, looking to God with hope as the Guide of youth, which keeps one humble and lowly, discreet in conversation, an example to others, and unswerved from the right. Refusing this brings loss of wisdom, scattering, humiliation, and poverty, while a childlike, teachable, submissive spirit learns from Christ and obeys Him.
To acknowledge Him is to consult Him in all things and at every step, seeking His counsel first and then following it with best judgment and practical knowledge, rather than leaning on man or human help or letting judgment be swayed by another's mind. It means bringing every plan and course of action before God, humbly trusting Him rather than relying on human wisdom alone, for He knows the outcome of every decision and His care extends to each person. It means relying on the teachings of His word, depending implicitly on divine truth, searching the Scriptures with much prayer, receiving His admonitions to govern the will and shape the life, and refusing to judge His word or follow sparks of one's own kindling. Managers and workers are thus to set aside self-will, consider one another's ideas, and accept better plans with meekness. Even when the reason for a command cannot be seen, the path is to watch for divine guidance, move forward step by step in trusting belief with eyes open and fixed on the Saviour, as Abraham showed in leaving his father's home for a strange country without knowing the future, with safe assurance that God is leading into all truth.
How God Directs Paths
He makes the way plain for those who acknowledge Him in every part of life and work, giving clear direction about what to do and say, where the post of duty lies, and what place and work each one has in saving souls. He leads in straight and safe paths, opens providence, guides practical decisions, and arranges matters so that those who trust Him can work successfully. Those who consult Him at every step, watch for His guidance, and move forward step by step in trusting belief with eyes fixed on the Saviour are guided into all truth by Him as the Alpha and Omega, the author and finisher of faith. Every church member who asks where to go and what to do for the Master will be shown the way.
He is the wise Counselor to soul-winners and all who bear responsibility, and those who humbly do their duty, use their abilities, and rely on His wisdom rather than their own limited understanding have their course directed and receive divine help. Sincere seekers who acknowledge Him rather than their own wisdom gain increased understanding, knowledge, skill, light, and counsel. Those entrusted with responsibilities are fitted to bear them when they humbly seek Him in faith and depend on His counsel, and He helps them avoid imperfect plans and failure and carries the whole weight of their responsibility.
Dependence on Him day by day guards against deception and sinful neglect of duty, keeping the soul in the path cast up for the ransomed and teaching it to meet temptation with His word. Self-reliance leads away from what is right into deception and ruin, while following the promptings of His Spirit keeps from going astray. Those who connect with Him by earnest prayer, depend implicitly on divine truth, search the Scriptures with much prayer before taking any step or forming any association or accepting any teaching, and seek light from the Sun of Righteousness rather than sparks of their own kindling or confidence in man or princes will be led in the right way, walk uprightly and securely, and be kept from false claims to truth in perilous times. In marriage decisions this same acknowledgment means considering the matter carefully and prayerfully, placing oneself in His hands, and seeking the Spirit's guidance rather than personal wishes and inclinations, since ignoring that guidance brings painful mistakes, anxiety, sorrow, and danger to the soul's salvation.
He will not leave or forsake those who commit their ways to Him, take Him as counselor and guide, and rely wholly on Him rather than human strength or wisdom. He directs every part of life, strengthens those who serve Him, teaches and comforts them, and leads those who trust Him rather than human beings to walk uprightly. Keeping the mind fixed on Him and seeking His wisdom and guidance at every step belongs to the faith that leads to perfection of character. Entrusting life and choices to Him rather than trying to control the future brings freedom from anxious care, peace, confidence, and safety for this life and the life to come, like a child relying on a guide, until at last received into glory.
He directs even when the reason for this or that command cannot be seen and the future is unknown, and those who ask for divine guidance instead of human help have safe assurance that He is leading them. Abraham leaving his father's home for a strange country without knowing the future shows this obedience of going forward in trusting belief. Life in this world is a pilgrim life without wisdom to plan itself or shape the future, so dependence day by day as Christ accepted the Father's plans day by day, committing the way to Him with childlike trust, lets Him plan, unfold His plans, make life the simple outworking of His will, and direct steps never otherwise than would be chosen if the end could be seen from the beginning and the glory of the purpose as coworkers with Him discerned. When events seem inexplicable and opportunities with company appear but means are lacking, trust means studying His will, spreading every plan before Him with fasting and humbling of soul, praying much, casting all care on Him who cares, waiting patiently and submissively for Him to open providence, and making haste slowly, for He is infinite in resources, names the heavenly host, holds the stars in place, keeps each person individually, and works for present and eternal good so the enemy will not triumph.
Trust Beyond Human Wisdom
To acknowledge God in all ways is to refuse to lean on one's own understanding, for human wisdom, strength, and planning are insufficient and nothing can be done without Him. In the work of saving souls this means depending on His wisdom rather than limited, finite human wisdom, trusting Him as wise Counselor to direct the course and give divine help as workers humbly do their duty and use their abilities. In every matter the will and judgment of self are to be set aside for trust in His direction, with cultivated faith and trust honored by His promise to direct the path. Such trust looks to Him for guidance rather than to worldly associations or other sources of help, and it could have enabled help and uplifting for the Wessels family.
Confidence is not to be put in man, princes, leaders, or advisers outside God's counsel, and no human being is to outline, force, or dictate another's duty and opinions, since that obstructs the Lord's counsel. Each person is to be guided by God in personal duty, cooperating heartily with brethren in general plans yet not waiting at every step to ask an officer in authority whether this or that may be done, for no one is authorized to order brethren arbitrarily irrespective of their own personal convictions of duty. Managers of the publishing work are to set aside self-will, consider one another's ideas, and accept better plans with the meekness and lowliness of Christ. Acknowledging God in this way means trusting with all the heart, connecting with Him by earnest prayer, depending implicitly on divine truth, searching the Scriptures with much prayer before taking any step or forming any association or accepting any teaching, and seeking light from the Sun of Righteousness rather than following sparks of one's own kindling. Those who do this day by day are led in the right way, kept in the path cast up for the ransomed, guided by His counsel into success and safety for this life and the life to come until at last received into glory, while leaning to one's own understanding brings only disappointment and sorrow and leaves souls open to be drawn from God by false claims to truth in perilous times.
Self-reliance and putting God last turn away from what is right into deception, distorted judgment, scattering, humiliation, poverty, failure, and ruin. Refusing to rely on His wisdom instead of one's own brings loss of wisdom, scattering, humiliation, and poverty, and dependence on human devising and human wisdom in sanitarium work in Southern California brings failure and dishonors God, whereas following the Lord's instruction puts sanitarium enterprises forward along right lines and brings His cooperation with the workers. Those who make God their dependence have safety in every step, while people in positions of influence who rely on human strength and wisdom risk distorted judgment and a fall. This danger presses especially on those in positions of honor or thought to be wise, who without humility and reliance on God to teach and guide at every step are in grave danger of falling. Trusting the heavenly Father in simplicity and faith keeps from relying on one's own plans, for when He is put last and asked for help only after one's own arrangements are made, serious mistakes result.
Acknowledging Him therefore requires submitting the will and ways to Him, surrendering the mind and will, setting aside self-will, personal wishes, and preferences, and learning from Christ with a teachable, submissive spirit. His direction comes as He is humbly sought and consulted in every part of life and His counsel in His Word governs the will, for His people are not to rely on their own direction. This dependence joins humility about the limits of human understanding with active, courageous faith in taking responsibility and acting, trusting His judgment rather than one's own to direct the course. To seek His guidance in every decision is to set aside one's own will and follow where He leads, since following one's own wishes instead leads to hardship.
Seeking Guidance in Practice
Guidance is sought by earnest prayer, by watching unto prayer, and by seeking wisdom from God at every step with the mind fixed upon Him. It calls for fasting and humbling of soul, for crying to God in emergency and perplexity for clear light, and for praying together and persevering in belief that the blessings sought are received. In business and in every position, help is to be sought from God in prayer rather than trusting one's own judgment, and those who seek the Lord with all the heart obtain knowledge of duty with certainty rather than guesswork. This trust shows itself in humility and meekness, in more prayer and less talk, and in caution in plans and actions, joining divine power with human effort so the work endures.
Guidance is sought by relying on the teachings of His Word and humbly seeking counsel in it, surrendering one's own will and direction. It means searching the Scriptures with much prayer before taking any step, forming any association, or accepting any teaching, seeking light from the Sun of Righteousness rather than following sparks of one's own kindling. It means studying the Bible as His voice and bringing each case to the great Intercessor standing before the mercy seat, letting His Word govern the will, purify the affections, shape the life, and judge the life. Followed as a lamp to the feet and a light to the path, that Word shines more and more unto the perfect day, and those led day by day in this way are kept in the path cast up for the ransomed, given success and safety for this life and the life to come, while leaning to one's own understanding brings only disappointment and sorrow.
Guidance is sought by bringing every plan, undertaking, course of action, and perplexity before God and spreading them before Him, committing the way and the future to Providence. God knows the outcome of every decision and His care extends to each person, and He is infinite in resources as the Holy One of Israel who names the heavenly host and holds the stars in place. The seeker is to wait submissively and patiently for Him to open the way and open providence, making haste slowly, praying much, and casting all care upon Him who cares. Human wisdom is not sufficient for planning, so no step is to be taken without His counsel, but with faith and hope and trust instead of weak, listless faith, asking Him to lead in straight paths through every difficulty. When means are lacking even though a favorable opportunity with company appears, patience and seeking heavenly wisdom are required in trust that another equally favorable opportunity may come.
Guidance comes as the seeker watches for divine direction and moves forward step by step in trusting belief, with eyes wide open and directed to the Saviour and looking continually to Him. It means placing all trust in God rather than leaning on man or human help, consulting Him at every step, and moving in obedience even when the reason for this or that command cannot be seen. Abraham leaving his father's home for a strange country without knowing the future shows this obedience, and those who ask for divine guidance instead of human help have safe assurance that God is leading them and guiding them into all truth. Earnestly seeking Him in this way gives certainty and not guesswork and keeps souls off Satan's ground, and God teaches, leads, and impresses those who rely on Him as they move forward in faithful work. This dependence calls for humility about the limits of human understanding, alongside active and courageous faith in taking responsibility and doing the work given.
Guidance joins divine power with humble human effort, for as workers humbly do their duty and use their abilities, God directs their course and provides divine help. A person truly wise in God's sight trusts the Lord rather than personal understanding and combines human effort with divine help, walking in harmony with Him. Those who labor, especially among the churches and on important occasions, must depend fully upon God, make God their trust, and move in His strength and with His grace, for falling short here leaves the work without what it requires. This still leaves each person to look to God personally for duty while cooperating heartily with brethren in general plans, submitting will and ways to Him rather than relying on self.
Guidance for Life Duties
In soul-saving and church work acknowledging God in every part of life means depending wholly on His wisdom rather than finite human understanding, for He is the wise Counselor who teaches, impresses minds, and makes the way plain about what to do and say. Those assigned a post of duty are to seek His direction for carrying it out and for working with Christ in the great work to be done in the world. Physicians who care for the sick and seek their salvation live this same dependence by remaining in close communion with God and watching unto prayer, so that He directs their work and uses their words and prayers to reach souls.
In business, daily labor, and decisions about work, study, contracts, agreements, and purchases, the promise holds only as God's providence is acknowledged in every position, His Word is relied upon, and His help is sought in prayer instead of trusting one's own judgment. Special light is to be sought by studying each problem in earnest prayer before entering agreements or contracts, trusting Him to make what is dark plain and to guide each step forward carefully. Choices about work, study, family arrangements, and the Master's will are to be made willingly with Christ as Companion, keeping a life of usefulness and spiritual growth in view and keeping interests safe in this life and the next. Even morning and evening family worship belongs to this acknowledgment and is not to be neglected when trials arise or business presses, for faithfulness there keeps the household from being left to its own wisdom under the guidance of Him who has been its guide.
In marriage and family life the same acknowledgment means considering the matter carefully and prayerfully, placing oneself in God's hands and seeking the Spirit's guidance rather than following personal wishes and inclinations. To trust His judgment rather than one's own and submit to His will directs the course, enables help and uplift to others such as the Wessels family, and guards against painful mistakes, anxiety, sorrow, hardship, and danger to the soul's salvation. Acknowledging Him also governs possessions and money, which are not owned but held as His entrusted gift by faithful stewards who share strength with the weak, knowing heaps of money and gold and silver are not true riches without Christ the Bread of life and Water of salvation, while the family becomes an educating school for the higher grade of saints in light. In personal duties such as caring for a son, it means trusting His guiding hand and leaving the matter to the Lord rather than acting on harsh human warnings, pressure, or fears of being deceived, refusing to walk by the light of one's own eyes and the wisdom of one's own heart.
In education knowing God and His will comes first, before book knowledge, literature, trades, or art, and is secured by seeking Him with all heart, mind, and strength, obeying Him implicitly, and carrying love and reverence for Him into school life. From the first opening of a book the student is to recognize the Author of wisdom as Guide from first to last, seek His counsel at every step, submit to the Holy Spirit, make no arrangement to which God cannot be a party and form no union He does not approve, and refuse to be bound to any fixed long course apart from the Spirit's leading. Then He directs study so that knowledge from books is bound about by living faith, made fruitful, used to glorify Him, reaching through Christ the highest end of the ladder in science while character is perfected and the mind constantly enlarges and broadens. This seeking protects from temptation from every source, gives conviction in practical decisions such as where to locate a school and showing the city is not the right place, keeps from walking in finite human wisdom, makes Jesus a present help in every emergency leading in sure safe paths, and lets truth acted out exert a life-giving influence, a counsel applying also to medical students to make Him Counselor at every step.
In medical and sanitarium work physicians are to consult Him in all things with the simplicity of a child trusting a parent, making the Lord their dependence and strength and present help in every time of need rather than leaning on human support or letting judgment be swayed by any man's mind. His counsel must be sought first and then followed with best judgment and practical knowledge, since even counsel thought sound leads to serious blunders when it replaces God's counsel. Daily counsel from Christ the source of wisdom gives skill to remedy soul as well as body, deep thought and power from above for diseased bodies and ill-balanced minds, strength and wisdom for the work, and the peace of Christ in the soul. Following His direction instead of human devising puts sanitarium enterprises forward along right lines and brings His cooperation, while dependence on human wisdom brings failure and dishonors God as seen in the Southern California sanitarium work, and physicians are to serve where neglected fields call rather than work at cross-purposes with Him.
In leadership, publishing, and counsel managers and presidents are to look to God rather than their own judgment, set aside self-will, consider one another's ideas, and accept better plans with meekness and lowliness. No human being is to guide another's duty by imposing personal opinions, outlining or forcing duties and opinions, restricting action, ordering brethren arbitrarily irrespective of personal conviction, or controlling others, since that obstructs the Lord's counsel. Those entrusted with responsibility are fitted to bear it when they humbly seek God in faith like Solomon and depend on His counsel, which helps them avoid imperfect plans and failure and refuses trust in wrong counsel or in any one person's counsel. God's chosen laborers are constantly to look to Him for personal guidance about duty while cooperating heartily with brethren in general plans, not waiting at every step to ask an officer whether they may act, and church members are to pray together for the Lord's guidance and let Him direct counsels and work.
In personal need, travel, danger, illness, lack of means, and disappointment, committing the way to God means studying His will, giving up personal wish and will, and waiting submissively and patiently for Him to direct the path, open providence, and make duty clear about where to go and whether to be with loved ones. When a favorable opportunity with company appears but means are lacking, this calls for making haste slowly, praying much, seeking heavenly wisdom, casting all care upon Him who cares, and trusting another equally favorable opportunity may come. Human wisdom cannot plan life or shape the future, for life here is pilgrim life, so dependence day by day as Christ accepted the Father's plans commits the way to Him with childlike trust, and then He plans, unfolds His plans, makes life the simple outworking of His will, and directs steps never otherwise than would be chosen if the end and the glory of the purpose as coworkers with Him could be seen. Separation from human support can teach looking to God alone, and in affliction fear, anxiety, doubt, and unbelief are to be put aside in calm trust in the merciful God who cares, teaches weakness and His strength through persecution and hardship, gives hope and guidance, and prepares for emergencies, positions of trust, and the purpose for which abilities were given, even continuing a journey in trust during a child's grave illness until strength returns.