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Day 87, or March 28. Too many opinions can spoil your guidance. Our thoughts today are

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rooted in 2 Samuel chapter 17 verse 6. When Hushai came to him, Absalom said,

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Ahithophel has given this advice. Should we do what he says? If not, give us your opinion.

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And now the big picture surrounding this verse. David gets his kingdom back, but he is far from

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happy. God answers his prayers that his old advisors give contrary advice to Absalom.

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And the decision to accept the guidance of Hushai proves fatal. Of course, this didn't make David

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sad, but what happened next did. Absalom was a particular favourite of David, and he gave

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clear orders that he may be captured but not killed. Sadly, the orders were ignored when Absalom was

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found dangling by his long hair, caught up in a tree. He is murdered, and David painfully cries out,

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I wish it had been me. And now to-day's action step. As Absalom attempts to establish his position

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as king, he continues to seek advice from his father's advisors. He seeks the advice of the

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two main ones who give opposite advice. Asking advice too many times can be counterproductive.

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When I study the Scriptures, I go to the Bible text first, and then to commentaries later.

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I want to know what God says first, and then what some people say later. I try to use this

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principle in life as well. My wife and I need to be one before we take any action.

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First guidance from the Bible, then other people, in that order. Too often you can be blown off track

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by hearing the opinion of others. When we moved to Frinton-on-Sea in 1982, we didn't discuss it

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with anyone else until the call to move was clear. The leaders then told us at our church in the

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northeast of England that they were considering making a call to us too. When we look back,

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it would have been even more difficult to leave and move south if we had been given a choice.

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We knew then and know now that we made the right move, and we thank God that we didn't confuse the

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issue by seeking other opinions. Be confident in what God tells you.