This leads us to a peculiar and somewhat troubling aspect of contemporary society. Much of what we encounter consists of partial truths, fragments that fail to convey the full picture. You would be astonished at the level of opposition I have faced regarding the concept of aligning our thoughts with God's thoughts. It is truly shocking to witness the extent of deception, even among church leaders. The Bible is not a text up for negotiation. It does not present us with a menu of options from which to choose. Rather, the Bible is life itself. It provides the foundational words that shape reality. Unfortunately, many people teach as if the Bible is merely a collection of personal experiences rather than divine instruction from the Holy Spirit. When I engage with individuals like Jim, I am not focusing on what I think he should do. Instead, I use the Word to discern motives, as the Bible claims to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. It does not change behavior by introducing elements we do not already possess. The Bible is not a self-help book offering a checklist of flaws to be corrected. Instead, it has the power to destroy evil and bless sinners who are in Christ. To elaborate further: the crux of my argument is that counsel is fundamentally doctrinal. In contemporary society, there is an abundance of advice and guidance on what one ought to do. However, within the framework of my definition of biblical counseling, you will notice its deliberate narrowness. I do not adhere to the notion that transformation occurs by simply adopting new actions or compiling a list of dos and don'ts. Instead, true transformation arises from aligning our thoughts with God's thoughts. Many fail to recognize the significance of offering counsel. The Bible does not distinctly separate counsel from prophecy. Consequently, counsel is not mere advice; it places an individual in a position where they either revert to bondage or attain freedom through the concept of rekindling the spirit. Hence, erroneous counseling is akin to false prophecy, causing spiritual harm to the individual. This is precisely what Jesus condemned about the Pharisees. He observed that their leadership brought judgment upon their generation. They imposed heavy burdens on the people without offering any relief. As false prophets, they did not impart life but rather destroyed souls. This occurred because their study of the law did not ignite a passionate fire within them; instead, they treated it as a rule book, extinguishing the spiritual fervor of others. As stated in Galatians, "You began with the Spirit; why are you now turning back to the law?" In other words, the Galatians had experienced salvation and were filled with life and vigor, but the Pharisees' works-based doctrine sought to extinguish their zeal for God. Therefore, counseling is indeed a matter of life and death.

A meticulous examination of the man's utterances in this specific Psalm reveals a profound interconnection with the comprehensive guidance presented within the wisdom literature. By delving deeply into his proclamations, we can discern a significant relationship between his words and the overarching teachings and insights embedded in the corpus of wisdom texts. This relationship elucidates the enduring and universal principles that these works seek to impart, thereby enhancing our comprehension and valuation of the wisdom tradition in its entirety.