Advice, we need it!

Proverbs 9:9 Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;teach the righteous and they will add to their learning. (I hesitated several times to share that first verse because I am in no ways wise, please do not think that I am putting myself in that place, just using it to make the point of my writings.) Proverbs 12:15 The way of fools seems right to them,but the wise listen to advice. Proverbs 19:20 Listen to advice and accept discipline,and at the end you will be counted among the wise. Proverbs 20:18 Plans are established by seeking advice; so if you wage war, obtain guidance. There are so many one man shows out there these days. They are Christians who say they only listen to God, they don't care what anyone thinks and they don't need anyone but God. They are baby Christians looking to make a name for themselves whether they realize it or not. I was 18 years old when I was asked to go and speak at a youth camp. I was honored and nervous because I didn't know what I was headed for that week. I knew with God, and doing God's will it would be great and there was no doubt God wanted me there that week. I had wanted to be a youth pastor for quite some time, even seeking ways to go to school for it. I had even served somewhat as a youth pastor in my church as a teenager in several different capacities and loved it. But it just wasn't solid, it was a great feeling, something I enjoyed but that was it. I still enjoyed playing sports(not as much as serving God but close), I still enjoyed drag racing and many other things. During the next to the last night of the camp it all came together for me. I was speaking during the days and another was speaking during the nights. That night, he was speaking and I was sweating, more than the usual pit stains. I felt like I was catching a fever, so I sat in teh back kind of away from everyone so that I didn't draw any attention to myself. Then, during the closing of the message and during the invitation my heart started to beat so loudly I was sure everyone in the whole auditorium could hear it. It started racing like I had just ran a marathon(I have no idea what that feels like to be honest, but if Jeff Gatlin ran a marathon and actually finished it at even a brisk walk his heart would be pounding) and there was no denying God was speaking to me. I rushed over to my childhood and teenaged youth pastor and started talking to him. He shared some scriptures and then prayed with me. One of the main things I remember him telling me as we talked later was that no matter how close I got to God, no matter how strong I felt to always seek guidance from other strong believers. Sure there will be those moments where people give good advice but let me tell you. If you surround yourself with Christians who are praying and reading GOd's word God is going to use them to mold you and make you into who you should be. I will never forget that advice, yes I am a Pastor now with a church entrusted to me. You will never hear me call it my church, because it isn't. It is God's church and I am just lucky enough that when God called me into the ministry at 18 he planned to use me at Freedom, I love my Freedom family and everyone in it. I spend a lot of my time giving advice, sharing my heart, and helping others as an undershepherd of Jesus Christ but I also take time to listen to advice from those who love me and more importantly love Jesus Christ. The false prophet, the one man shows, and the weak will all claim that they don't need to listen to anyone else but God, I tell you I first and foremost listen to God, and I also listen to those who God placed in my life to make me the whole person he wants me to be for Him. Thanks for reading and GOd Bless!