Divine Guidance

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Divine guidance. What does that mean to you? Boys, it's a very important topic. It's something that we just have to get hold of and live by.

Now, in today's program, we're going to ask you to call in and tell us a meaningful experience that you've had where you just knew God was guiding you. A situation where you knew you missed the leading of God and things did not turn out well.

Now, I'm your guest host. I'm Dr. Greg Hennett, and we're just going to get into this topic right off the bat here with a primary scripture that tells us what we need to know. Romans 8:14 says, For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Now, the New Century Version says this. I like this translation. The true children of God. Are those who let God's Spirit Lead them. Hmm.

Well What about Christians that don't let God's Spirit lead them? What about that?

Well, the implications aren't too good, are they? It means that we're not living as a child of God. We're not living like the Son of God lived. We're not living like He wants to, so we're grieving Him.

Now, I know you don't want to do that. I don't either. We want to be pleasing to the Lord. Once that we've been saved by His grace, we want to learn to be conformed to His image. That's the mission of the Holy Spirit.

And so this is something that should be very important to us all.

Now, today we want to hear from you at 1-866-348-7884. Be sure to call us and give us an example of an experience that was very precious to you where you just knew God was leading you or a loved one.

Some major change in your life that was spurred by the clear guidance of the all-wise Holy Spirit.

Now, you know, while I'm waiting for you to call, I want to share a couple things with you today, some very important truths about divine guidance that I think may change your life. For instance, behind all divine guidance, is God's own preparation. He goes before you and me. in Deuteronomy 31, 9 Moses said to Joshua, The Lord, he it is who shall go before thee. That means today, when you walk into this day, God has already been here.

He's been waiting for you. When you go into new circumstances, God's already been there preparing a blessing for you, or preparing a lesson for you to learn, preparing a way for you to minister.

So behind God's guidance is His wonderful preparation. also his love. When you live a life that's divinely led, you're living in the center of His love. He has planned your next steps. In His benevolence, the love of God.

Oh, that's wonderful. None of us want to depart from walking in the love of God. And then there's the wisdom of God. God's guidance is conceived and designed for you and I with the utmost wisdom. No wisdom is greater than His.

Your smarts and my smarts are the smarts of the most intelligent people in the world, or not half as wise as God on His worst day.

So divine guidance is birthed out of divine wisdom. And then there's divine provision. when God leads you? He provides for you. If you lead yourself, if I lead myself, well, we might just shortchange ourselves and be without the full provision of God.

And then behind divine guidance is divine protection.

Now we know the angels guard us. Psalm 91 tells us that. But when we're in the center of his will, we have a different degree of protection that we don't have when we get out of his will. And of course, All of these factors That are involved in divine guidance are there to keep us in the center of the center. of the will of God.

My friend, that's the place of safety. That's the place of deep peace, that shalom of God, that powerful, complete rest. That you know, that you know That you're where God has put you. That is so important.

Now, again, let us hear from you. We're just dying to hear from you today at 1-866-348-7884 for you to tell us an experience that was important to you in your life where you know God was leading you. And um You know Also, it's so important because God always will answer your prayers and mine. When We want his will more than ours. That's interesting, isn't it?

Sometimes because of that old nature in us, that's still with us while we're in this body. We want our will. More than he is.

Now you know that, and so do I. This is something that the Lord is trying to train us out of.

So that we say in every situation, and we mean this, not my will, Lord, thine. be done. We had that Gethsemane theology. Boy, do we need it. That'll keep us in the center of God's will.

So when you're praying about the will of God, remember, If you want his will more than yours, you're definitely going to find out what he wants for you. and what he doesn't want. You know, there was a fellow named George Mueller who was a quite influential figure in the nineteen hundred in the nineteenth century. He was the head of an orphanage and numerous ministries in Bristol, England. He was a German immigrant.

And he was an amazing man of faith. I think he had the special gift of faith.

Okay. And he prayed, and because of his prayers, millions of dollars were brought into the orphanage which he ran and all the ministries which he had. I think he supported up to 187 missionaries. Can you believe that? And all the money came in through prayer.

But George Mueller gave some instructions on how to ascertain the will of God. And the first point was, in his words, Get yourself into a condition Or you have no will. of your own. And he said, this is about 90% of the problem with us: that our will is in the way. But if you can truly say, Lord, you know.

I want this or I want that. But I want your will far more. Far more. Than anything else. Because I want to live in the center of your will.

I want my steps to be. Prepared steps. You've gone before me. I want to know that you're leading me in your love, that divine love is leading me into this next act or this next work or this next ministry or this next season of my life. Or that your wisdom is guiding me.

And so no wisdom is going to be greater than that. And that your provision will always be there when I'm following your guidance in the will of God. I'll never lack. I can say with David in the Psalms, the Lord. is my shepherd, and I shall not Want.

Now again, let us hear from you now at 1-866-4666. Three four eight seven eight eight four. Yeah. Um You know, the Bible gives us some of the most beautiful examples of divine guidance.

So beautiful. And I can think of none greater than Israel in the wilderness when they were being led by that pillar of cloud in the day and fire in the night. Numbers 9:21 through 23 just gives us the story. It's an amazing story. I'm sure you know it, but let's read it again.

Sometimes the cloud stayed only overnight. and lifted the next morning. But day or night, When the cloud lifted, the The people broke camp. and they moved on. Whether the cloud stayed above the tabernacle for two days, a month, or a year, the people of Israel stayed in camp and did not move.

But as soon as it lifted, they broke camp and moved on. We'll be back in just a few moments to continue talking about this amazing example of divine guidance.

Now don't forget, we're waiting to hear from you at 1-866-348-7884. Truth talks. You're listening to the Truth Network and TruthNetwork.com. Divine guidance is our subject today. We're just having a great time talking about the leading of the Holy Spirit, how vital it is, how life-changing.

Now, but before we have, we have a caller here, but before we get to this caller, let me just mention this. Stu wants me to tell you about two incredible speakers on one incredible night, and the date is July 15th, 2025. That means just next week. $37 per couple. It's at Salem Baptist Church on South Broad Street here in Winston-Salem.

And Dr. Gary Chapman, the author of the Seven Love Languages, and Dr. Clarence Schuler will be there sharing their wisdom that God has given them on marriage. They're just awesome marriage teachers and counselors. We encourage you to attend this event.

Again, $37 per couple. But you know, what's that when it could change your life and greatly enhance your marriage?

Now, we have. We have a caller here. We have Jamal from Winston-Salem. Jamal, you're on Truth Talk Live. Hey, Doctor, good to hear you on the radio.

How are you doing today, sir? Doing fine. Doing fine. Good to hear from you. Likewise, likewise.

Well, this is going to be a little bit of a stretch.

Okay. Um I I can't really go into how I'm led and you know, have like a step by step. I mean, he's he's he's always led me, but Either not. A very dramatic or a very enthralling story.

So, you mean you didn't see a cloudy pillar? No, no, no. Night tiller, no fire by night tiller. That's all right. His guidance comes very quietly and subtly, many times.

I'd say most of the time. But it's still strong guidance. Absolutely. The one I was going to mention was Mr. Lee Stroble.

The case for Christ. Yes, Case for Christ and several other books, not too much different like yourself, sir, with your eighteen books and counting. Um so Mm-hmm. I was, you know, kind of Somewhat fence-sitting, it was my faith, and I prayed to God that gave me instruction on where to go. And I was one of those evidence-based guys.

Well, uh, through Truth Network and other resources, I heard of a guy called East Grobel, like said the case for Christ. In former atheists, he worked for a newspaper, so he was an evidence-based guy. Yes. But. The evidence as an atheist led him to Christ.

Oh, yeah. I said, I got to check this guy out. I got to see what it's all about. Yes. Also, through Truth Network, I was able to meet him several times.

Wonderful. And the guy is amazing. His books are amazing. His videos, his conferences, his debates or discussions are amazing. And now I feel like I have a whole lot of ammunition or a lot of tools in the tool shed to help grow my faith and also help defend my faith.

You know, that's so important, Jamal, because so many young people in our generation now, you know, they're just not satisfied with a pat answer. I mean, they want to know the truth. They want to know why it's that way or why something else is false and wrong. And they're not going to stop asking questions until they get that satisfaction.

So it's wonderful that you have a well-reasoned explanation for your faith and against heresies. Definitely, definitely. And I just want to thank you for your show. And, guys, check him out. He's going to be doing a lot more great things later on.

Dr. Hennett, he's a good one, and I'm glad he's on Tooth Network.

Well, thank you there. Thank you there, my friend. God bless you. And, you know, I will mention to the listeners now that, yes, in two weeks from today, or from Saturday, I will be beginning a new program. It will air at 2:30 in the afternoon on Saturday, and it will be called In Class with Dr.

Greg Hennett. These will be broad-ranging biblical studies to help you build a closer walk with Christ, go through your daily testing, and be ready when Christ comes.

So keep that in mind. 2:30 is on Saturday beginning in about two weeks.

Now, we also have a caller. Mike is calling from Dayton, Ohio. Hello, Mike. Hi, I like Jamal's call. I always do, and I hope you're still listening, Jamal.

Um Here's my question. I've been led by God all my life, I felt. You know, of course, I walked off the path a couple of times back. Yes. Yeah, you know.

I'm sure we all have at one time or another. Yeah, I almost feel like a pastor's son because I was raised in the church and. You know, I mean, you know how you have that rebellion. Yeah, a PK, a preacher's kid. I know about that.

Yeah, I'm not, but you know, I felt like one because we were, we were, if the church was open, our family was there, and um. And um I I grew up, went in the Marine Corps. You know, I felt led to go there by God. God led me there. Um, you know, I met my wife in in different places.

I prayed for my prayed for a wife. You know, I can see the story that God has led me through my life, you know. And I think I'm in a new chapter. Yeah. Yes.

And I'm retired, almost retired, you know, and I'm and I'm having grandkids, and I'm trying to be led by God. And I you know, I'm saying, okay. God's really hurting on me. You know what I mean? Yes.

You know, he's a. He's, um, he's. I've been praying, I've been studying, I've been. Listening, I I I've been fellowshipping. You know, and I just feel like that God is calling me to do something else, and I don't know what it is yet.

All right. And I mean, yeah. And I'm open to it. And I wish there was a cloud or a lightning bolt that would tell me which way to go. You know what I mean?

And I've been praying about it. And I've been seeking God. Yes. And I've been humbling myself, you know. And it's not easy, you know.

Uh, yeah, it's not easy, and um, you know, I've been uh turning to righteousness and virtual, being virtuous, yes, and and. And uh doing things that um You know, that a, you know, a godly man would do, you know, and um. You know, God was a god-man, and I want to be a godly man. Right, right. You know, and.

And I'm denying myself a lot, which is. Yes. You know, it's not easy. You know what I mean? And I'm I'm Practicing what I've been preaching to people.

Well, you know what? That's great, Mike. You're really sounds to me like you're on the path. You know, sometimes fasting helps us. develop an ear That more easily hears that still small voice of God.

You know, and also separating from worldly distractions of every kind that just fill our lives with noise. And, you know, when we really seek his face and fast and seek him in the early morning when it's quiet, and seek him in the word. And the Holy Spirit will lead you often through the text of the Bible to something that parallels the need or situation in your life. And that's the way he will guide you. But I want to encourage you because often, in fact, I would say most of the time, the will of God unfolds slowly.

You know, we just want everything instantly and we want it yesterday. But God just has his own speed and modus operandi. And often his will unfolds step by step, segment by segment.

So I would encourage you to be patient, get close to him. You're doing that already. Stay close to him and continue to talk to him as if he were there with you, just like a child. You know, Lord, I'm not sure what your will is. How about showing me?

Make it clear to me. And I promise you, as we said earlier, when you want his will, whether you want your will, you cannot miss the will of God.

So be patient. And I know he's going to show you what that next step is, and it's going to be great. It's going to be wonderful. It'll be a blessing not only to you, but you'll be a blessing to many people because. You obeyed the master.

You know, with obedience, I've seen God's work in my life. You know what I mean? We're. You know, crazy things, you know, not crazy, that's not crazy to God, but you know, but you know, I push cars out of the way.

Well, the other day, you know, I am dead tired from work. I'm exhausted, and I'm like, oh my gosh, there's a broken car in an intersection, and I know how to do it with a seatbelt thing. And I push this car out of the way. And I get out, I pull my car over, and I do this thing. I'm sorry, go ahead.

Well, that's all right. Appreciate you. Just hold on right there, Mike, and we'll be back with you in just a moment after our break. We're so glad that you called. And this that you're going through is not unique to you.

This is something that I bet thousands of our hearers have been through or are going through right now. Truth talks. Why? You're listening to the Truth Network and TruthNetwork.com. Divine Gardens.

Being led by the Holy Spirit of God, the third person of the Trinity who never errs.

Now, we still have Mike on the phone. Mike, tell us some more about your situation. Yeah, um yeah, I was saying that, you know, God is um, you know, is Is this led me into doing some things for him, you know, like pushing the car out of the intersection? Yes. And, you know, I'm 60 years old and I'm tired and I work hard in construction.

And here I am, I have to deny myself because God wants me to push this car out of the intersection and witness the people inside.

Well, you know, I was just about to say that often our simple good works open the door to share the gospel. It surely does. And yeah, and then denying yourself every day. Is not easy because you know, uh, because you you're just afraid that uh somebody's gonna not like you or they're they're gonna be mean to you, right? Or, yo, I don't want that Christianity thing.

I've been that a couple of times, you know what I mean? And um My thing is, you know, you can tell that God's Is going to do something great in your life, but then you're sitting there waiting for it. Mm-hmm. You just want it. Right.

And the more, the more I think that God is kind of crazy about that. I think He really, this is what I feel in my heart. I'm just being out open. Yes. Um.

I really think that God really wants you to be wanting Him. Right. He does. He does. He wants Himself and your closeness to Him, your fellowship, to be more important even than His will.

Even then ministry. Nothing could be sweeter. Nothing could be sweeter than that fellowship with him. That's why Jesus first call on the apostles said not to go. It was to Come to him.

In Mark 3, verses 13 through 15, out of the larger crowd of disciples, he called the twelve that they should be with him, that he might. Send them forth to preach and have authority over sicknesses and over demons. And then it wasn't until two chapters later, which was probably about six months, ten months later, that he in Mark 6, verse 7 began. to send them forth. By two and two.

So for that time, they were just with him. That's all they did. They were with him. Why? Because that way, when they went for him.

They went with him. They knew his doctrine and they knew his lifestyle. And so they imbibed Jesus. And then everything they said and did just flowed Jesus out to the needy people. And that's the kind of minister I'm sure you want to be.

Yeah, I mean, I mean, if you walk with God, I mean, why wouldn't you? Right. You know, I mean, God is so awesome. Yes, He is. I mean, He really is.

He just does things for you all the time. You know what I mean? Yes. He humbles you. You know what I mean?

Right. He just takes care of you. He does. when you when you didn't expect it. You know what I mean?

That's right. He just comes spontaneously. You know what I mean? Yeah. He died for us, that's for sure.

And, you know, and he ain't going to mess around and let us go. No. If he died for us, we received that. You know, one more thing, Mike, I want to share with you that might be an encouragement to you or to our listeners. You know, sometimes God is waiting for us because of disobedience or carnality or something like that.

And so we keep God waiting. But at other times, God is keeping us waiting because he's working all things together. You know, Romans 8, 28, he causes all things to work together for good.

So he's working something, like we said earlier, ahead of you. He's going before you. And he's preparing it so that when you get there. When this waiting time ends, Something wonderful happens and transpires. Suddenly, everything comes together.

And another reason he sometimes keeps us waiting is that he's waiting for the next move of his spirit among his people. And I can tell you, Mike, we are at hand with that. Matthew 25, 6 and 7, the awakening of the ten bridesmaids just before the coming of the bridegroom. And I don't mean. Literally a day or two, but I mean in a span just before he comes.

That's where we are. And so, you know, all the people he's going to use worldwide. I'm sure many of them right now are going through waiting periods of some kind or another, where they're waiting for the next thing that they should do in the will of God, and He will reveal it.

So be of good courage. He's going to reveal it, but He's bringing a thing bigger. larger. than we can conceive of together. Yeah, amen.

You know, I love David in the Bible. I love how God just kept he didn't become king for a long time. He ran around years. You know, he was anointed by God, but then, you know, he never got there for a long time. And uh it finally got there and then, you know but uh yeah, I And you know, it's interesting it's interesting, Mike, that when he did become king of Judah, if you'll remember there, he was not king over all of Israel for uh seven more years.

And he was just king over Judah.

So, what was God doing? Why didn't he just go ahead and give him the whole realm?

Well, because he was perfecting his leadership skills, he was deepening his devotion. He was carving out that character, that wonderful character that we look at and we thank God for today. That man who had a heart after the heart of God. Yes, he sinned. We know he sinned a couple of times, but immediately it confessed and got right back up on the path of God.

So he was going through special training and he became Israel's greatest king.

next to the King of Kings. Amen. Amen. Well, thank you for your time.

Well, Mike, thank you so much for calling. We appreciate you calling. And now I think Randy wants to add something to us here. Go ahead, Randy. What do you got on your mind there?

Hey, Mike. My name's Randy. I normally answer the phone. I'm on the other side of the mic. Hmm.

What you're describing to me sounds like a a s talk that I heard Oh my heavens, 35 years ago. Yeah, I'm retired too. But in this talk, one of the phrases that just stuck with me is. The Gospel According to Me So, you are a walking, talking, living version of the gospel. And what you present to other people shows.

Your faith. You're sh demonstrating your faith, but in this case by Acts. It's not necessary. We know that we've been forgiven. We know that we're in good shape with Jesus.

But what you're doing is an act of kindness. And the gospel is just glowing through those acts, those times when you stop on the road to help someone get their car out of the way. Absolutely. That is just fantastic. It's nice to talk to you on this side of the mic, Michael.

Yeah, that's great. That's great. You know, it reminds me of the Good Samaritan. Reminds me of Jesus asking the woman for a glass of water when he was thirsty and tired. And then he offered her living water.

Yeah. And it's just so important that we be ready to give, as Paul says, and not just give with money, but give with our time, give with our ears, listening to people, give with our hands, helping them in their tasks. And that's the way the Son of God was and is. Matthew 20, 28, Jesus said, The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many. But think about that: to minister and to give.

You know, when we go out into the day looking for people to minister to us, We're going to have a bad day. Whatever our circumstances, we're going to have a bad day because that's a self-centered day. But when we get up in the morning and say, Lord, you know, I just yield my day to you and to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Yes, I like to do this, I like to do that, but not my will, thine. You just lead me in the path you've chosen.

And then we go out to give, to give to the people in our family, to give to our neighbors, to give to those we're working with. Hey, that's a different mindset. That's being spiritually minded. And Paul said to be carnally minded is death. Oh, you just cut yourself off from the flow of the wonderful Holy Spirit in His fullness.

But to be spiritually minded. Is life. Then we live life alive. And you know, everyone who's listening right now, I know that you want to live life alive. You don't want to live life dead.

That's the way we used to live life before.

Some of the deadest people I know are Christians who are not letting Christ have his way with them. Should that be? Oh, no, it should not be. Theologically, that sounds errant, but yet when you put it to the test of life, that's the way some Christians are living. You don't have to.

Let me tell you, friend, you can be led by the Holy Spirit and be flowing in the river of God all day long. Yes, that's possible. Not just in your devotional hour with the Lord in the morning, but. all day long. That is the goal of divine guidance.

By the way, we didn't mention earlier, but when you walk in the steps the Holy Spirit put puts before you every day, my friend, you are walking with Jesus Just as those two are the Amass Road. They were walking with him and their hearts were burning as he opened the texts of himself from the Scripture. And you know, I wouldn't trade divine guidance for anything because I want to know that when I'm going through my day, whether I'm having natural success or a hard time, I want to know that Jesus is right there by my side.

Now you say, you know, Dr. Hennett, what are you talking about? Of course, Jesus is with you, but I'm talking about having a real sense, a permeating peace that comes from knowing you're in the center of his will. That's what I want. I'd rather have that than all the gold in Fort Knox.

That is, if we can find the gold that's in Fort Knox. I'm not sure we can now.

So let us hear from you at 1-866-348-7884 with your questions or with you telling us an experience you have had in your life where you just know you were led by the Holy Spirit or an experience that happened in your life because you were not led by the Holy Spirit. I want to share with you one more thing, too, here again for our listeners: that there's going to be two incredible speakers, but one incredible night next Tuesday at 7 to 9 p.m. at the Salem Baptist Church. On South Broad Street here in Winston-Salem. It's $37 per couple, but you're going to enjoy the wonderful teaching of Dr.

Gary Chapman, the author of the. Five love languages and Dr. Clarence Schuller. He also is expert in marital counsel. These two giants of counsel will help you and your spouse grow closer together and have a more wonderful marriage.

And that, of course, will contribute to you as a servant and minister of Christ. You never know who you can answer. Boy, this marriage issue is so important that those of us who are married have wonderful, healthy marriages. And so I would encourage you to attend that session. You will not regret it.

Now, before we were talking about some places in the Bible that give us wonderful examples of divine guidance, and again, I can think of none better than Israel when it was in the wilderness. And there, we learn in Numbers 9 that the children of Israel followed the cloud wherever it went. That presence of God, if He moved during the night, they got up in the night. If he moved in the morning, they got up in the morning and moved. They let him Control them, and it was a blessed control with greater peace every day.

We'll be back in just a moment to talk about divine guidance, but in the meantime, give us a call at 866-348-7884. Truth talks. You're listening to the Truth Network and truthnetwork.com. Divine guidance, being led by the Holy Spirit. That's our topic today.

We want to hear from you. We want you to tell us some experience that you had in your life that was meaningful when you just knew you were being led by the Spirit of God. Give us a call at 1-866-348-7884 here at Truth Network. We were talking before the break here about examples in the Bible of divine guidance. We have so many wonderful examples that are clarifying and exemplary for us.

Another one was Eleazar. Eleazar was a servant of Abraham, and in Genesis 24, we see him being sent by Abraham to find the bride who was Rebekah. Find that bride for Isaac. And there's a wonderful allegory here of the Father, Heavenly Father, sending his Son. Send the Holy Spirit into the world on a mission to find and retrieve a bride for his son, Jesus.

But in this story, in verse 27, Eleazar has prayed and asked that he be led to the choice for his master's son, not just some nice woman, but the exact one that God has chosen. By the way, you know, God is still the matchmaker. He was the one who brought Eve to Adam. And said it is good? And he's still in the matchmaking business.

Now, if you're listening to my voice and you're waiting for divine guidance in the way of finding a mate, let me urge you: don't settle for second best. Let God. Let God have His way, and He'll bring you the right spouse for you.

So, anyway, in this case. Eleazar was praying, and he finished his prayer, and he looked up, and behold, there was Rebekah right in front of him at the well. She was beautiful. She was a virgin. And she was from Abraham's family.

Just exactly what he had prayed for.

So he said, I, being in the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master's brethren. Oh, he was so thankful. What a wonderful experience that was. You know, Isaiah says that before they call, I will answer. And while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

That's a millennial text, but it's applicable for us today, too. If we're a sold-out Christian, God is answering our prayers often before we even pray them, and while we're praying, the answer often is on the way.

So Eleazar said, I being in the way, the Lord led me.

So look for His leading as you are in the way. of a New Testament disciple. You know, there are certain disciplines that we're called to live in as a disciple. And if you're going to be in the way, you're going to have to learn the way of devotion, how to seek God every day, the way of self-examination, how to confess your sins quickly.

So that you maintain your fellowship with the Lord. Sin doesn't change your relationship if you're a born-again child of God, but it will break your fellowship.

So, learn to walk in the light and the discipline of prayer, to learn to have. A time of prayer and have prayer all the time. Paul said, pray without ceasing. Let prayer be your breath to God.

So you're. Breathing in God and exhaling your prayers to God constantly. And you live in these disciplines, and it's going to be easy as you are in the way for God. lead you Then there was Ruth. We know the story in the Book of Ruth, a beautiful story.

Ruth was a Moabite. She was not in the Israelite. She was of a people of shame, who were born to incest. And yet, God chose her. And he brought her in among the people of Judah, and brought her into the very royal line of the house of David.

But now when she came to Judah, she didn't come on a golden chariot. She came in poor and lowly and destitute, trying to help her um her widowed mother in law, Naomi. And when she came into Judah, the Bible says that she just happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech.

Now Boaz is the type of Christ, our Goel, our Redeemer kinsman. But I just love this phrase where she just happened to come upon that field. You know, my friend, listen carefully. You may not think you're being led by God now, but if you're in fellowship with Christ, You're where he puts you. You're doing what he has told you to do.

You are being led. And just the places you happen to go, just those places are. are the places he is leading you for some purpose. That is important to him.

So stay close to him and believe that as you go about your way, God is leading you. I think Oswald Chambers said that the Christian who abides in the Lord is the will of God incarnate. And so sometimes we're looking for the will of God, we're already in it. If you are able to pray with peace and seek God in the morning, and you're having fellowship with Christ in the Word of God, then you are in the center of His will, so don't fret or be anxious about it. Just continue on as you are, living in the way.

Then you know Paul on his first apostolic mission. He was forbidden by the Holy Spirit to go to Asia. That's unusual. Why would the Holy Spirit forbid a teacher, and no mean teacher, I would add, The greatest apostle in the history of the church from going to Asia Minor, particularly Ephesus, which was the fourth largest city in the Roman world at that time. Why in the world, Randy, would he tell Paul not to go there?

Well, we don't know specifically, but if you read the story, and this is in Acts 16:6 through 10, he gives a very explicit leading by vision in the night to Paul that he should go to Macedonia. He goes and eventually winds up at Philippi. Philippi was a Roman colony, and that became the place of a great church, the first known church in Europe. Europe.

So apparently, at that time, and timing is so important in the leading of God. The people in Philippi were ready for the ministry of Paul, but the people in Asia Minor, specifically Ephesus, were not quite ready.

Now just a few years later, Randy, you know this, that Paul did go to Ephesus and had his most amazing ministry there for a total time of three years, but two years of intense ministry, where he ministered out of the lecture hall of one Tyrannus. And he preached the gospel. The converts came there. He discipled them. He sent them out of those well-established Roman roads.

And the seven churches of Asia that Jesus spoke to in A.D. 95, those churches were founded then under Paul.

So he had his greatest ministry there because he waited for the time of the leading of the Spirit of God. You know, you know, it's very interesting, this whole concept of time in my warped theology. We have human time and then we have God's time. Oh, there you go.

Now, every now and then, those two will intersect. Right. Let me give you an example. This was, oh my heavens, 40 years ago. If I say it fast, it doesn't hurt.

But 40 years ago, I had just finished graduate school. I had a fresh doctorate, and I was on my way back to North Carolina. and it was raining cats and dogs. I mean, I was looking for an ark on the side of the road. It was it was terrible.

But when my wife and I arrived at our destination, God's time interre intersected with ours because there was no rain at that spot. All right. So God was definitely smiling on that decision, and it was. Um You know, you walk in to your new position, and if you dedicate your work to God at that point, good things happen. Always, always, 'cause nothing but good comes out of the will of God, and nothing but bad comes out of our own guidance.

And we just mentioned during the break, uh, Randy, that the real cause of that so often is just simply Obstinates. I think it's fair to say that if a Christian has any perception or even the slightest desire to do the will of God, they're always going to find out what His will is. The problem is We always Don't do it. We always, or at least I do. I tend to try to take it back and help God come with a solution.

One of God's little helpers. That's right. We think God needs our help, and we all think that way. Yeah, absolutely.

So it's so important to let God have his way and to let all things be done in God's time. You know, there's a discipline that's shown in the life of Jesus that we must do God's will. in God's way. And in God's time. And I think the God's time part is often the most difficult part.

Because you see, Jesus was being trained as a man, as Son of Man. He was being trained in Nazareth. He was born of a woman, and I think trained no doubt by Mary and Joseph until Joseph passed. And then when he was 12 years old, he was at the festival, and he stayed behind talking with the doctors of the law. These were the scribes who were expert in the Torah.

Oh, they were experts, and they were amazed at his answers and his question. You know, and this brings up the point that sometimes God's leading is strange. Because if we had been there, And we knew that there was this Jesus fellow, this prodigy. we would have immediately I'm sure he would have Stu would immediately have him on Tuoth Talk Live. He'd have his own program, radio, television.

We'd have promoters having him all over the country, then to other nations, because, of course, he has such knowledge, but not the father. The father sent him back To Nazareth. Nazareth? Yeah, the old home town, you know, where nobody really gives you a second thought or second glance. You're just another fellow.

They know where you came from, you know, they know your mom and your dad and where you went to school. Yeah, the father sent him back there. for eighteen more years. To work out the word of God. What does that tell us, Randy?

That tells us that to God, Doing the Word of God, practicing the Word of God is more important than merely knowing it. And I find it interesting, too, that Jesus referred to himself as the bread of life. Absolutely. Well, if you take that and you look at where Jesus was born and you look at the Hebrew in there, Beth means house in Hebrew, and Lehem means bread.

So I find it fascinating that the bread of life was born in the city of bread. Absolutely. No coincidence, was it? Not at all. Divinely guided.

Yes. Fulfillment of the word.

Well, we're really glad that you've been with us today on Truth Talk Live. I'm Dr. Greg Hennett. And you just remember what we've talked about: about the leading of the Holy Spirit. You can never go wrong with His leading, and you can never go right without it.

God bless you. Truth talks. Why