Stay in his will and be led
November 20, 2025
Turn in your Bibles, if you would, to Acts chapter number 16. Acts chapter number 16. We have been going through the book of Acts. On Wednesdays, of course, last week we were visiting grandchildren halfway around the world in Oregon, and we were in church with the grandchildren there in Oregon.
We’re glad to be back home with you all tonight. Anybody been busy today? Anybody been busy today? Anybody like that? I thought maybe it just seemed like we’re kind of here. We’ve got to gather our folks, get them in here a little bit. Good deal, good deal. And good, good. Anybody tired out there tonight? Anybody tired? We’ve got some of those. Yeah, yeah. This side’s tired. Nobody on this side. Everybody’s on this side. Anybody’s on this side. Any man over here tired? Miss Amy says, well, okay, got a couple of hands over there.
Brother Trey’s ready to run a marathon back there. He’s ready to go. And a good deal, good deal, good to see everybody here. And a little tough getting here at 6th on Wednesday. I appreciate you putting the effort forth and being faithful on Wednesday nights. But touch different tonight. Typically we have you stand when we read the text. I think we’re going to do it just to touch different on that tonight.
Last time we were here on Wednesday, we finished at the bottom of chapter number 15 of Acts, where remember Paul and Barnabas, they had been butts. And God used Barnabas greatly in Paul’s life, but they, remember they had the argument, and they had sharp contention. Man, they had it out. Both good Christians.
And last time we covered the book of Acts, we really talked about how to handle it when two Christians do fight. I know you’ve never saw two Christians fight. I know you’ve never, ever saw that, you know, never. I see you’re shaking. Every once in a great while that will happen. And how do you handle that? And that does happen. It happened here in the Bible. And they split their weights. And Barnabas took John Mark. Remember it was over John Mark.
Barnabas took John Mark, they went back over the island of Cyprus, and Paul took Silas, and they started going back a little bit the same track. They went on the first missionary journey, and that’s where we’re picking it out tonight. Tell you what, Brother Josh, if you just put that map up, we’re going to cover this a little bit as we read it in the Bible. And…
This is really what most would call Paul’s second missionary journey. And we’re going to be covering the first part of that tonight. Here we go. And so as we get there, we’re going to get there.
Tell it to Jesus. All right, we finish that. All right. There we go. Good. I had to finish the song. That’s what it was, you know. But here’s the second missionary journey. Of course, remember, down here in Jerusalem, they had the Jerusalem Council. And then on up. It really starts at Antioch, all right. And that’s where they’re setting out. And Paul and Barnabas, they had their division over John Mark. And they split their ways.
And Barnabas takes John Mark down here, this island. And Paul and Silas, they start traveling up this way, all right? And that’s where we’re at. All right. Now, let’s get over here to Acts 16. And we’re just going to start verse number six. We’re going to be kind of going back from the Bible to the map and whatnot. That’s why we’re not standing as we usually do here at the beginning. All right, we’re trying to get somewhere. I feel like God would have us talk about just one particular subject.
That is illustrated here in their lives. We’re in verse number six. Acts 16, verse number six. If you’re there tonight, would you say amen? Good, good. You’re on board now. Good. I appreciate that. That’s good. Verse number six, now when they had gone through Fergira, all right? All right. Let’s see where that’s that. Oh, we’re coming on up, up into here. And somewhere along in here, we’re here, all right?
By the way, remember the Antioch of Syria, Antioch of Bacidia, two different places. And so now when they had gone through Vergara and the region of Glacia, all right, so that’s here, all right, that’s all along here, the right along there, let’s find out what happens while they’re there. This is Paul and Silas. What’s what it says, verse number six, and we’re forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia. Wow.
I mean, that’s a great commission. That’s what we’re supposed to be busy doing. They were doing the what of the will of God. They were getting the gospel out. That’s what we’re supposed to be doing. But they really weren’t sure of the where of the will of God. By the way, when you do the what of the will of God, God, is there a be up there or something?
About three ladies just freaked out over there. So anyway, where were we at? Where were we at? Oh, so they’re here. They’re trying to get the gospel out. And God says, this isn’t it. This is not where. Yeah, you ever feel like you’re trying to do something right and you just get closed doors over where you go? That’s what’s happening to. They’re trying to do the right thing.
And God says, no, no, don’t want you to preach the word in Asia. Now look at verse number seven. After they were coming to Micea, all right, so they’re traveling on up here. They’re all the way now over here to Micea. He said, don’t preach the word in Asia. They were kind of along in here. And don’t preach the word in Asia. And now they’re here. Let’s see what happens now. And after they were coming to Micea, they assuade or they were planning on to go into Bethenia.
Now, Bethenia is up here. They said, well, we can’t preach the word here, so maybe God wants us to go up north. We’re going to go up here. All right, you’re with me? Let’s watch what happens. But the spirit suffered them not. That’s their second note. You ever just feel like, man, I’m trying to do the right thing, but I’m just getting closed doors. No, no, no, no, no.
Let’s keep reading what happens. And they passing by Mycia came down to Troas. So they just weren’t really sure. They got all these no’s. They came over to Troas right here by the coast. And watch what happens. Verse number nine, in a vision appeared to Paul in the night.
And there stood a man of Macedonia. This is often called the Macedonian call. We sing that song. You know the song? Oh, what is it? We have heard the Macedonian call today. Send the line. That’s where it’s from. That’s what’s talking about that song. Right, right here. He’s got this vision. Appeared to Paul in the night, and there stood a man of Macedonia. By the way, Macedonia is over in here is what we call mostly we would think of as Europe. And he’s having this vision, this man in Macedonia, and prayed him saying, come over into Macedonia and help us.
And after he had seen the vision immediately, he said, praise Lord, finally got some light, and I went over to go, and no one was supposed to happen. But he didn’t wait. Boom, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, or surely gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. Therefore, loosing from Troas, we came a straight course to Samanthacia.
Oh, it’s up in here, and where else? And the next day to Minneapolis over here. They just landed there. And verse number 12, and from thence to Philippi, oh, it’s over here. By the way, that’s where we got the Philippian church, the book of Philippians, writing a letter to there. I mean, God begins to bless in a great, great way.
Verse number 12, from thence to Philippi which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia and a colony and we were in that city certain abiding certain days. Now you just follow this this second missionary trip remember they had a no had another no and here God gives them some light they head up over here and boy great churches started
And Thessalonike, another great church is started. And, boy, so many things. Some say, Paul, God used him to start over 20 churches. Berea, boy, they wanted to hear the Word of God there. They received it with gladness. They were interested in what the Word of God down there. And then the church at Corinth. And, boy, just that he’s writing Bible verses or Bible books, letters to the church at Corinth.
Started the second missionary trip. The church at Ephesus already started somewhat but really got established during this missionary trip. I’m trying to say after they got the light, great things happened. I mean, just revival happened. It was amazing what God did. But just for a bit, I want to just kind of think about they had two no’s.
And they were kind of wondering around. We’re trying to do God’s will, but we don’t know exactly where. And it’s frustrating because we just get these closed doors, these no, no, no, no, no. And but when God gave them the light, wonderful things happen. Now, I’m going to turn these lights on. We’re going to pray. And just for a bit, focus on this thing about the will of God. I believe God will have us talk about it for just a bit tonight. Would you pray with me that God would speak to our hearts, your hearts, about knowing God’s will and God leading you in His will? Let’s pray, Father.
I do believe you have led for us to discuss this thing about your will and your leadership, Lord. Father, would you encourage people tonight? Father, would you increase our faith in your leadership? Lord, if maybe we are in the stage where you’re saying no, that you would encourage us to keep our faith in you and keep going forward, waiting on you. Lord, would you bless tonight in those areas? Bless masters, covers the meeting, nursery, all these things. And Father, well, thank you for what you do. It’s in Jesus, and we pray, amen.
Three things, from a Baptist preacher, three things. Number one, God will guide you. He will guide you. Look, if you will, over in Proverbs 3:6. A very familiar passage, you’ll know it, but he has promised to guide you. And he will always honor his word. Won’t you just see verse number six? A lot of times we’ll put five and six together. We’ll do that later on tonight. Just look at verse number six. What does he say there?
Now, I want you to notice this about this verse here. There’s 12 words in verse number six, just 12 words. The first half, the first six words, are what you and I are supposed to do. And then the last six words of this verse is what God promises to do. By the way, it’s encouraging for me one day when I really just kind of dissected a little bit those first six words, and I realized it wasn’t quite as hard as I thought it was for us to do our part. As well, our job, we do our part, God will do his part. What’s the verse? Look at it right there. Proverbs 3, verse number 6. He says, “In all thy ways acknowledge Him.” That’s our job. That’s all you have to do. Does it mean you’re going to be perfect? No, nobody is perfect. But in all your ways, all your ways, every area of your life, acknowledge Him. God, you’re God. You know better than I. You’re inhabited turrets. You know what’s going to happen tomorrow. And I acknowledge you, your God. I’m seeking your leadership. I want your will to be done. In all our ways, acknowledge Him. That’s our job. What happens? What’s the last part of the verse? “And he shall direct thy paths.”
I learned this years ago from Brother Humphrey, a good man in our church at the time. If the Bible says will, you can bank on it, it’s going to happen. But if the Bible says, shall, it’s even a little bit stronger. It’s just, it’s going to happen will, but even shall is just like, you, it’s going to happen. Double dog dare you try to disagree with it. It’s going to happen. And in all thy ways, acknowledge him, and he shall direct. He promised it. He promised it.
Now, there are going to be times when you’re wondering around thinking, well, is God’s word true? Is it going to guide me or not? Friend, that was the stage for Paul and Silas. And if you live for the Lord very long, you’re going to go through those stages. But you count on it, you bank on him. You keep acknowledging him, and he shall direct thy path. He will. He always does. You can just bank on it, friend. It’s going to do that.
Look over if you will over in Psalm 78. This has been a great verse for me the last month or two. I just, I love this verse because a certain part of it, I want you to see it, Psalm 78 and verse number 72. And I’ve been hanging on to this thing. It’s a great promise. I was talking about what he had did for the children of Israel, but he’s not a respect to persons. And if he did it for them, he’ll do it for you and I. And we’re adopted in the family of God. We’re a child of God. We’re the one of his chosen. So look what he says here. Psalm 78. And look at that verse number 72. Psalm 78 in verse number 72. “So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.” Man, I like that. I don’t know about you, but I’m banking on, it’ll be true, his word, him guiding us by the skillfulness of his hands. I mean, you talk about a guy.
We were with the grandkids at one of these trampoline places, you know. They were spending all our money. My goodness. Before we even got there, my wife’s buying all these presents. I was like, hey, we’re not even there. You know, I’m a grandma, you know. I only get to see them once a year. So, you know, so we get there, and, of course, I never, ever gave them anything they asked for, right?
My wife says, hey, come on now, you know. And one of them, I can’t remember what wanted a ball. You know, where at this trampling place, you know, they got that hand, and you put it, and you put it right, and it goes down and grabs it and wanted a ball, you know, and man, I’m not good at all. You know, my dad, boy, you’re not going to waste, back of the day was a quarter, boy, you’re not going to waste a quarter on that stuff, you know, so I never did that stuff growing up. So we’re like spending our money, and I’m like, John, you do that. You know how to do that. That’s my son. You do that. Get that boy a ball, you know, and I paid for it, you know. But, you know, those young, all the young folks, they know how to do that. They can get that stuff, you know. But I trusted his hand above my hand to guide that. By the way, we got, I think they ended up getting two balls. I remember that. One or two, I can’t remember.
They got a little bit of everything out of us folks. We had to come home because they’re going to be broke. We should stay over there too long. By the time we left, they did have the gimmies. I’ll tell you that. Pray Lord for a son and honor and all. They’re like, Dad, we’ll get them back in line for about a week. Probably a lot of spankas. But they’ll get it back in line. I mean, you know. But anyway, I trusted his hand. And, boy, I trust God’s hand a lot better than my own. Guided them by the skillfulness of his hand. He’ll guide you.
The devil’s going to tell you that God’s not giving your leadership, but he’s not going to tell you what to do. But you mark it down, friend. First of all, he’s a liar, the devil is, and God will guide you. You’re wanting, you’re sincerely seeking his will, wanting to know his will. He will guide you. It is interesting. Look at verse number nine. We read this. Acts 16. We’ll keep going back a little bit here, I think, but Acts 16. Look at verse number nine. I want you just notice something. A little phrase in there is interesting how it happened, how the Bible tells us about it. Verse number, Acts 16, verse number nine. “And a vision appeared to Paul.” What’s the next three words? “In the night.”
Isn’t that interesting? You remember when Peter, he went up at lunchtime and he all had the vision, the middle of the day, but there’s times in the night. I think just maybe a little bit, just something about it. Sometimes you’re in the night kind of wondering, what’s God’s will for my life? Where am I supposed to be at? Everything’s kind of dark. You just feel like you’re walking and it’s just pitch black and you’re trying to do God’s will. By the way, when you’re doing the what of the will of God is when he shows you the where of the will of God. By the way, if you’re not doing God’s will, you know, the what, good chance he might not show you to the where. What does the Bible say? “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.” Not the setting down, but the steps. You keep trying to do God’s will wherever you’re at. The steps of a good man will be ordered by the Lord. I think of it this way sometimes. It’s hard to steer a ship that’s not moving.
My sister-in-law, I wouldn’t plan on town a lot of these stores, but my wife’s sister, she was dating a guy that had a jet ski, and she didn’t realize to steer a jet ski, you’ve got to give it gas. And she was flying towards his boat, and she let off the gas as she got there, thinking, I’m going to turn around. But you can’t steer that thing unless you’re going. And she crashed right into his boat for it. I mean, it costs a bunch of money to fix that thing. He didn’t date her anymore. No, I’m joking about that.
But they were just, they kept going. Amen, in the night. They’re kind of wondering, where’s God’s will? We’re doing the what of the will of God. We’re winning souls. We’re preaching the gospel. But while they’re doing the what of the will of God, God gives them a vision in the night. But God works.
Now, let me just say something here. This is one of the things that Satan will use against you and I. He’ll say, well, God had a perfect will for you and you messed up. You sinned. By the way, all of us. All of us ask. Here’s the wonderful thing about God. God always, always, always has a perfect will for you.
He said, well, I messed up. Yeah. And when you confess it, he’s faithful and just for giving, cleansing. And he says, all right, we’ve got a perfect will from here on out. He always does. Here on out. Sometimes when somebody’s rededicating their life, I say, all right, now you’re after God’s perfect will for your life. What does that mess that up? That’s done. He’s got a perfect will for today. He always does. And I say that, don’t listen to the devil say, well, it’s all shot. No, it’s not all shot. If it was all shot, you’d be in heaven. He’s got a perfect will for you from today on. And he’ll guide you in that. And he says, hey, I shall direct.
Some of those presents my wife got for the grandkids before we even left Tennessee. Man, then you’ve got to try to get it in luggage to get it out there to Oregon to visit grandkids. But she had got these little drawing pads, and then you plug it in and it lights up what the grandkids are drawing. You know, it’s got these markers on there, you know. And it’s got an eraser, but the eraser didn’t work as good as we thought, you know. So grandkids, you know.
Uh three years old, Everly, she’s—well, she loved it. Ryan’s five, but Everly’s the main one. But they had a hard time erasing it. So we spent about half our time, some period of it, just erasing what they’re done so they can write more. And we all mess up the will of the will of God. But praise the Lord, God says, have to start over, and he’s always, always, always got a perfect will for you.
Always. And that’s what you’re after. And the Lord will guide you. He’s promised to guide you. And it may be the night season that you get the vision, the Macedonian call that God will guide you.
Now, number two, that was number one. Number two, here’s the hard part of it all. Here’s the hard part of it all. It’s always in his time. I have tried to get God to work on my timetable about a million times, and you know how many times he’s worked on my timetable? Never. That’s the hard part of it. That’s what it requires faith. The just shall live by what? By faith. One day it’ll be sight, but right now it’s faith.
Friend, if you’ve not figured this out yet, God values patience. He don’t like it. I’ve got no patience. Boy, I feel sorry for you. You better, you better start learning. God’s been trying to teach that for a while. God values patience. Look, if you will, just look at it. There’s so many verses. Look over in 1 Timothy 6.
And we’re just going to look at a couple of verses real quickly. We’re going to just kind of wrap in fire for just a second. Turn as quick as you can. There’s so many more that we can look at. But we’ll just look at a couple of them real quick. 1 Timothy chapter number 6 and look in verse number 11. 1 Timothy 6 and verse number 11. What does it say? “But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after…” So these are the things we’re supposed to be following after: righteousness, godliness, faith, love. What’s the next word? Patience. Yeah.
Look over, if you will, in Titus chapter number two. Just a couple books over. Titus chapter number two. And let’s look and see. We’re just a couple of verses. There’s so many about this word patience. Titus 2 and verse number 2 of God’s word. “That the aged men, so someone older, supposed to be wiser, they’re grown mature in the Lord, that the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in what? In patience.” Yeah. Well, I don’t want any patience where you’re going against the will of God because God wants you to have patience.
Look at Hebrews chapter number 6, Hebrews chapter 6. Hebrew chapter six, look what he says, Hebrew 6. And look in verse number 12, would you please, Hebrews 6 and verse number 12. “That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and what? Patience inherit the promises.” Look in verse number 15. Speaking of Abraham right here, I like this verse. Hebrews 12, verse number 15. “And so after he, that’s Abraham, had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.” If you’re going to attain the promises of God, you’ve got to have patience.
Look over in chapter number 12, chapter 12. And look in verse number two. Hebrews 12, very familiar passage. Hebrews 12. And look, if you will, I’m sorry, in verse number one, verse number one, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with what? With patience the race that is set before us.”
Look over in James. We could go on all night, we won’t do it, but we’ll get a couple more in here. James chapter number one. Look in verse number three, James one, verse number three. “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh what? Patience.” Verse number four. “But let what? Let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” One more passage. Look for it in 2 Peter, 2nd Peter.
I’m not here, but I would like to grow and get to these higher levels of the Christian life. And he lists them out here in 2nd Peter. And I think it’s the series. I think you’ll get to the top level and then you start all over. It’s to the next level of the top tier. But I want you to notice this. How are we going to grow? The top level is charity. I think charity all has to do you’re about other people, not about you anymore. No, no, God’s beating your needs. You’re all about other people. I like to get there. I think a lot of us Christians never reached a level of love of charity. And not about us anymore. No, no, it’s about others, about others. How do you get to that top level? Well, let’s look at this saying here, verse number six, 2nd Peter 1, verse number six, “And to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, what’s the next thing? Patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity.” See, if I don’t get that patience, he won’t be able to add on top of that. It’ll all tumble down. I’ll never reach that level of charity for other people like God wants us to get to. Patience.
I don’t like patience either, but it’s part of God’s plan. And if I’m going to grow and become what I ought to become for the Lord Jesus Christ, then I have to say, hey, I’m just going to put my big boy britches on and learn to have patience. Come on. It’s just biblical. Patience is God values patience. Can I say this? And I can say it by experience. It’s very frustrating trying to get God to work on your timetable. Very frustrating.
Sunday morning we use this thing as the illustration. Pray Lord I hadn’t put it up yet, amen. But we use this illustration of a yoke. And we get the yoke with Jesus. And of course, we got Garrett up here and Oscar up here. And, you know, Jesus, of course, is much mightier and big and strong, he’s the big ox, if you will. And you know that little ox? If he tries to get in front of the big ox, he’s going to have all the weight pulling the weight, and then he’s going to have to try to pull the heavy ox too. And when I’m not patient, just waiting on the will of God, it’s very frustrating. More often than not the thing God’s trying to teach us is patience, which leads to faith, the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Oh, friend, just, all right, I’m going to stop my, my, I’m going to stop all that. Not my nature to be patient, but I’m going to learn to just, God will show me when he’s ready. He’s promised me to show me, he’ll show me. I’m going to stop getting mad at everybody and everything and just, all right, God, and in your time in the night, the vision comes. Boys are great Macedonian call. Great revivals and things happening. Oh, after that.
Here’s a good, how do you wait? Look over in Lamentations chapter 3 tonight. Lamentations chapter 3. Y’all still with me tonight? Good deal, good deal. We’re going to, we won’t be too much longer tonight. I see someone yawning out there. Man, that always, goodness Christ, what in the world, you know? Pray Lord, here’s what I got to say about it.
Lamentations chapter 3 and look in verse number 26. It’s a great verse. Lamentations 3. Look at verse number 26. “It is good that a man should both hope and watch this. And how are you supposed to wait? And what? What kind of? And what? Quietly.” I’ve not been good about that in the past. Well, Lord, when are you going to do something? I’ve been praying and praying. I’ve got to have an answer right now. God said, no, no, no, no, no. It’s good for me to hope and quietly wait. Yeah, that’s a good thing. God’s going to guide this time. I’m going to keep trying to do the what of the will of God where I’m at. He’ll guide this time. Hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. You know when God says no, more often than not, he’s got a whole lot better yes a little bit down the road. But if I’m not following his will and staying in there and just saying, all right, Lord, I’m going to keep serving you in the night. I won’t get all upset down the road there.
You know, I was thinking about this, but God’s giving us that radio station. You know, years ago, AT&T was trying to put a cell tower out back here, the back of our property. Some of you remember that. And they were being very good to us, and they’re going to pay us money to put their cell tower on our property. And we have to pay monthly residual income. Hey, come on now, you know. And we said, can we get a radio antenna? We want that to ride, and we put an antenna on that. Yeah, they were going to do all that. And the county was just giving them a fit. Finally, AT&T said, man, the county playing hardball. We’re fighting fooey on that. We’re not in the cell tower business. We’re in the cell phone business. We’ll use someone else’s. Lord, thought you were going to give us one, you know. And God did. But it was years later. Years later.
Many of you know, we tried to build right here in this property, and we, it doesn’t perk, and we tried for about a year and a half, every angle we could. We hired soil scientists, spent money, begged down the county. We got to stay down here. We got everybody out here. Nothing perked. And we just tried, we tried to connect in the city sewage. We tried to get annexed. Every angle we tried at all. And, you know, God, this time, he had a much better plan. Property over there is so much better. I’m just saying, usually when God’s saying, no, hang on, he’s got something better down the road.
I think about this. It’s kind of funny. I can’t remember the year, but a couple years ago, Vision Banquet. We thought we were going to build this year. And remember, most of you were there, we gave out the bricks that had something about building. We were planning on building that year. We still haven’t truly broke ground yet. But it’s going to happen. It’s going to be the Lord’s time. By the moment, it seems, it seems God’s starting to put some of the pieces together. I’m excited about what he does a little bit more about sharing more with you, but it’s always on God’s time.
And number three, number one, we said he will guide. He will guide. Number two, it’s in his time. Number three, while you’re in the holding pattern, just trust him. Don’t get bent out of shape. Don’t get mad. Don’t quit. “Well, God’s not showing me in the angle reading the Bible. I’m not going to pray. God’s not answering my prayer.” Just hang in there. It’s going to come in his time.
We have a plaque. Miss Louise got it for us. And it’s in her hallway. I was going to bring it tonight, but my wife has like nailed or glued or something to the wall. I don’t know. But I said, well, I’m going to leave that on. But I wanted to bring it in. I love it. It’s like an old barn door, just just I don’t know, it’d be something like this right here. It’s in our hallway. This is what it says: “Until God opens the next door, praise Him in the hallway.” And it’s in her hallway. He’ll open that next door in his time. Don’t get mad, being out of shape. Okay? Always does. He’s promised to.
By the way, isn’t it interesting? We’ve already looked at it. You know the verse many of it. Over them, Proverbs, we looked at Proverbs 3:6, and all the ways to acknowledge him, and he’ll direct the path. But you know the verse before? “Trust the Lord with all thine heart; lean not unto thine own understanding.” I think he’s talking about in the nighttime. You’re trying to figure out, what am I supposed to do? Lord, what am I supposed to go? Just trust it. And in the nighttime, God gives the vision. Man, they end up having a great, that second missionary journey, God did so much.
Hey, praise the Lord. God bless you back there. Garrett, I mean, Miss Stacy, I don’t know if he’s got some of the back of your head back there, what now, you know, I heard that all went from up here.
I keep talking about her trip, but we flew out last Monday morning. We, you know, we’re just gone from Monday to Thursday. We flew out Monday morning early from Nashville. And we were supposed to be in Oregon about noon on Monday. We didn’t get into Oregon until about midnight on Monday. That wasn’t the government shutdown. That wasn’t a problem. There actually was some snow in Nashville that morning. And so they said they had to de-ice the planes. Well, you know, we’re not Buffalo. We’re not used to de-icing, you know, a bunch of planes all of a sudden here. So we sat in that plane for maybe about two hours before we actually took off. And then Salt Lake City is where we’re supposed to catch the next flight over there, and we missed that one. And so we got stuck in Salt Lake City. I don’t know from… 10, 11 o’clock that morning until about 10 o’clock that night. We took off something like that. Got in about midnight over there.
And we don’t always do everything right, but excuse me, my wife does. I don’t, you know. And we said, well, we’re going to be here all day. We’ve been wanting to check out Salt Lake City anyway. So let’s rent a car. Man, we went, you know, we’re trying to find the cheapest car rental. And one of them said, we’ll give you an upgrade for $10 more. Well, man, I’m like, you got a convertible for $10? No, we don’t have that, but they had a BMW. And it was one of those fancy ones. I can’t remember. Some of you car guys will know. Garrett’s back there. He probably knows. Brother Barlin, was it was it was it M-50 or something like that? I don’t know what it was. One of these fancy ones had every—the only thing you had so many bells and whistles I couldn’t figure them all out. I’m a country boy from Tennessee, you know. And I do know this: it would go, man. I’ll tell you that for sure. I was ready to race, man. Come on now, you know.
And we went to the Mormon Tabernacle Temple. They were rebuilding. It’s under construction. Joseph Smith is out of sync, you know. I’ll tell you what, I’m joking there a little bit, but it is—it’s under construction. We went to check everything out. And then we went over to Park City. Park City, where they had some of the Olympics there, you know. Beautiful, beautiful. And rode around, rode out some just on the mountain, just beautiful country. And we’ve been wanting to do it anyway. They’re like, well, that’ll save us some money. Man, we got a trip inside of a trip.
And actually, we really did enjoy our time in Salt Lake City. Tammy converted to Mormonism. I got her converted back. Take that off the CD or off the Internet. Well, we had a good time. Here’s my thing. You know what? Your plane doesn’t always land when it’s supposed to. The will of God’s not always going to be shown to you when you want it to be shown to you. Don’t get mad, being out of shape. Say, you know what? That’s where God has me. I’m going to try to win a soul here. Trying to make a difference wherever I’m at. Try to live for the Lord. Try to rejoice in the Lord where I’m at. And God in his time when he’s ready. By the way, it wasn’t just one no for them. It was two no’s.
God in his time over in Troas in the night, the Macedonian call, the vision from the Lord. Hey, the Lord will guide you. In the meantime, just trust him. He’s got it all in control. He’s promised. He’s not a God trying to play tricks on you. He’ll guide you when you need it. You just trust him. You just trust it.
Would you bow your heads and close your eyes, please? Our heads are bowed and eyes are closed.
Maybe you’re here tonight. You say, preacher, I’m just going to do the best I can just to trust him. There’s some things I’m seeking him. I’m praying for. I’m wanting to know his will about some things. I don’t have the answer right now, but I know his word is true. And God spoke to my heart about that tonight. That you just let me in, preacher. That’s me. God bless you. God bless you. Oh, I’m there in several things in my life for sure. God bless you, God bless you. Thanks for letting the Lord work in your heart.
Maybe you’re here tonight. You say, well, preacher, you know, you said if you do the what of the will of God, that’s when God guides you on the where of the will of God. I’ve not been doing the what. I’ve let down. Maybe witnessing these guys who are spreading the gospel. Maybe it’s that. Maybe it’s in your prayer closet. Maybe it’s in your Bible reading. Whatever may be, but I need to get back in some area doing the what of the will of God and wait for him to show me the where of the will of God. It spoke to my heart about that. That’s you tonight. You slip your hand. That’s me. God bless you. God bless you. It’s good. It’s important. It’s important. God bless you.
Would you please stand? We’re going to have word of prayer. You spend some time with the Lord. Be obedient. I recall you to do it. You’ll be obedient to him. Thank you, Lord, for the great example in your word about Paul and his missionary team. And Lord, thank you for that. Help us to wait. Lord, you promise to guide. Help us to patiently wait for your leadership. Well, thank you, Lord, for what you do. It’s in Jesus, and we pray, amen.
Is there an instance, please? Would you just spend some time with the Lord? Have you called you? You just, you just be obedient to him. “All thy ways to acknowledge him, and he shall direct my path.” You’ve got to believe it. He’ll guide you in his time. He knows what you need to know. It’s never late, never late. Always on time. Even in revealing this, we’re always on time.
We missed it, but, you know, during that time where the no’s and they didn’t know of the God’s will, you know, Luke, the one that God used to pen the Book of Acts, Luke joins them. Before verse number nine, it was always they, they, they. At verse number 10, it changes us always, we, we, we. And Luke joined them in that missionary journey. So when God’s kind of waiting, not showing you, he’s doing something. He’s getting the right people in place. He’s moving. He’s working. He’s got it all together. And when he’s ready, that Macedonian call. And well, that’s when God works in a great, great way.
Original File: 2025-11-20 - Pastor Paul Chisgar ＂Stay in HIS will and HE will lead you to the where＂ - Wednesday PM 11⧸19⧸2025