WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:18.879 It is an honor and a privilege to be able to be with you today. 00:00:19.839 --> 00:00:24.560 So first, my church is in Toronto, Canada. 00:00:24.679 --> 00:00:26.460 It's actually right outside of Toronto. 00:00:26.660 --> 00:00:27.019 It's Hamilton. 00:00:27.019 --> 00:00:30.559 And we just call it Toronto because no one knows where Hamilton is. 00:00:31.059 --> 00:00:37.320 But what's really neat and special to me about this service is that we started at a new location three weeks ago. 00:00:37.420 --> 00:00:41.539 This is our first service at a public university that has 30,000 students. 00:00:42.119 --> 00:00:48.260 And so right now, as I'm preaching here, we're also live streaming to my church in Toronto, Canada. 00:00:48.820 --> 00:00:50.239 And so this is a combined service. 00:00:50.239 --> 00:00:55.899 And so thank you so much for hosting us and letting us be a part of this amazing mission conference. 00:00:57.020 --> 00:01:02.140 You know, so many people ask me the question, I was in Mississippi as a pastor for a decade. 00:01:02.140 --> 00:01:17.099 How did I go from being a Mississippi pastor for a decade, three children, life, to all of a sudden I'm in Toronto, Canada, Hamilton area, starting a brand new church? 00:01:17.939 --> 00:01:18.620 What happened? 00:01:18.620 --> 00:01:27.600 And so what I wanted to do today is really just kind of show you from God's word and from my own experience to answer a question that I hope we all have. 00:01:28.160 --> 00:01:30.740 It's the question that's, how do you find God's will? 00:01:32.320 --> 00:01:34.140 Because it's a question that we all need to know. 00:01:34.620 --> 00:01:35.960 It doesn't matter where you're at. 00:01:36.000 --> 00:01:38.080 It doesn't matter what situation you're in. 00:01:38.140 --> 00:01:39.380 It doesn't matter your age. 00:01:39.420 --> 00:01:42.380 It doesn't matter if you're retired, if you're a grandparent. 00:01:42.379 --> 00:01:45.019 It doesn't matter if you're young and starting out. 00:01:45.119 --> 00:01:50.019 If you're trying to find a new job, you're constantly asking that question or should ask that question. 00:01:50.739 --> 00:01:53.140 How do I find God's will? 00:01:53.840 --> 00:01:57.500 And so this morning we're going to be looking at Genesis chapter 24. 00:01:58.239 --> 00:02:01.640 Genesis chapter 24, if you have your Bibles, I'm going to read that in just a moment. 00:02:02.159 --> 00:02:08.000 I'm going to be looking at the story of Isaac and also looking at my own story, how to find God's will. 00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:11.620 But first I want to really give you three things about God's will because this is what I get a lot. 00:02:12.379 --> 00:02:15.379 Three myths about God's will. 00:02:16.280 --> 00:02:21.340 The first myth of God's will is called the missionary myth. 00:02:22.219 --> 00:02:25.919 The missionary myth is basically that God has a plan. 00:02:26.400 --> 00:02:28.620 He has a purpose for missionaries. 00:02:29.139 --> 00:02:32.579 But for the normal person, maybe you're sitting there thinking, 00:02:32.579 --> 00:02:39.079 but for the normal person, God doesn't have some amazing special plan and purpose for me. 00:02:39.080 --> 00:02:44.440 I call that the missionary myth because God has a plan and purpose for each of you. 00:02:44.980 --> 00:02:50.640 Every single one of you, it doesn't matter your age or your gender, God has an amazing plan for your life. 00:02:51.240 --> 00:02:55.560 The second, not only do I hear people talk about missionaries only having it, 00:02:55.600 --> 00:02:57.880 but then the second is the misery myth. 00:02:58.540 --> 00:02:59.900 And this is what I get a lot too. 00:03:00.640 --> 00:03:01.660 They'll say, well, here's the thing. 00:03:01.740 --> 00:03:02.960 I'm scared of God's will. 00:03:02.960 --> 00:03:12.439 Well, I'm scared of it because if I surrender to God's will, I'm going to be miserable and he'll do something crazy and just ruin my life, wreck my life. 00:03:13.319 --> 00:03:15.719 Well, here's what God's word says about God's will. 00:03:16.200 --> 00:03:17.600 It says that it's three things. 00:03:17.659 --> 00:03:17.900 You ready? 00:03:18.439 --> 00:03:20.480 Good, pleasing, and perfect. 00:03:21.600 --> 00:03:26.180 God's will for your life is good, it's pleasing, and it's perfect. 00:03:26.180 --> 00:03:29.300 There is no misery in God's will. 00:03:29.659 --> 00:03:33.599 And then third is the missed it myth, the missed it myth. 00:03:34.060 --> 00:03:38.800 That's where so many people, they'll say, you know, I hear this a lot in the seniors, the older people. 00:03:39.379 --> 00:03:45.840 They'll say, you know what, whenever I was young, you know, God called me to fill in the blank, but I missed it. 00:03:46.379 --> 00:03:47.620 I missed my opportunity. 00:03:47.920 --> 00:03:49.140 I sinned too much. 00:03:49.200 --> 00:03:50.420 I messed up too much. 00:03:50.500 --> 00:03:52.960 I went down the wrong path, and I missed it. 00:03:52.960 --> 00:04:06.140 I want to tell you today, God's a God of second chances, and if you're still feeling the spirit of God move in your life, if you're still breathing, God has a plan and a purpose for you. 00:04:06.939 --> 00:04:12.740 Okay, so with that background of those myths out of the way, let's turn to God's word in Genesis chapter 24. 00:04:13.360 --> 00:04:19.040 Genesis chapter 24 describes a man who desperately needed God's will. 00:04:19.040 --> 00:04:25.000 And so we're going to examine this text to learn the steps for finding God's will. 00:04:25.360 --> 00:04:29.460 Genesis chapter 24, I'm going to read verses 1 and following. 00:04:30.260 --> 00:04:30.460 It says, 00:04:30.459 --> 00:04:36.379 Now Abraham was old and advanced in age, and the Lord had blessed Abraham in every way. 00:04:37.339 --> 00:04:41.919 Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had been in charge of all that he owned, 00:04:42.579 --> 00:04:49.259 Please place your hand under my thigh, and I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, 00:04:49.639 --> 00:04:56.179 that you shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live. 00:04:56.180 --> 00:05:02.959 But you will go to my country and to my relatives and take a servant and take a wife for my son Isaac. 00:05:03.480 --> 00:05:08.360 The servant said to him, suppose the woman's not wanting to follow me to this land. 00:05:08.740 --> 00:05:11.480 Should I take your son back to the land from where you came? 00:05:12.360 --> 00:05:16.620 Then Abraham said to him, beware that you do not take my son back there. 00:05:17.139 --> 00:05:21.819 The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my birth, 00:05:21.819 --> 00:05:26.860 and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, to your descendants I will give this land. 00:05:27.240 --> 00:05:32.500 He will send his angel before you, and you will take a wife for my son from there. 00:05:33.099 --> 00:05:37.180 But if the woman's not willing to follow you, you'll be free from this oath. 00:05:37.579 --> 00:05:39.939 Only do not take my son back there. 00:05:40.560 --> 00:05:44.259 So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of Abraham, his master, 00:05:44.819 --> 00:05:48.360 and swore to him concerning this matter. 00:05:49.100 --> 00:05:49.719 Will you pray with me? 00:05:51.819 --> 00:05:56.219 Dear Heavenly Father, Lord, I thank you so much that you're an unchangeable God. 00:05:57.199 --> 00:06:02.459 Lord, that you are a God that is the same yesterday and today and tomorrow. 00:06:03.240 --> 00:06:08.159 I thank you, Lord, that your word is living, it's active, and it applies to us today. 00:06:08.980 --> 00:06:12.120 Lord, give us ears to hear, heart that understands. 00:06:12.360 --> 00:06:16.279 Lord, help us to understand how we can know your will. 00:06:16.279 --> 00:06:24.959 Lord, there's people here today who are broken, hurting, discouraged, and hopeless. 00:06:25.959 --> 00:06:32.579 And they need to be reminded that there is a God who sees them and has something amazing for them. 00:06:32.579 --> 00:06:36.060 Pray this now in Jesus' name. 00:06:37.479 --> 00:06:37.800 Amen. 00:06:39.240 --> 00:06:43.519 This particular passage, it's interesting when it starts out. 00:06:43.519 --> 00:06:47.199 Because you basically have a situation of a dad. 00:06:48.019 --> 00:06:50.180 So you can kind of put yourself in that situation. 00:06:50.680 --> 00:06:56.479 He was a dad, and he was trying to find a spouse for his son. 00:06:56.480 --> 00:07:03.720 And so I'm used to the church plant that I'm part of in the Hamilton area. 00:07:04.939 --> 00:07:06.259 A little bit more interactive. 00:07:06.379 --> 00:07:08.140 So help me feel like I'm back at home, okay? 00:07:08.240 --> 00:07:10.660 So if I ask a question, it's not a rhetorical question. 00:07:11.060 --> 00:07:12.840 I don't ask rhetorical questions. 00:07:12.900 --> 00:07:14.660 So if I ask a question, please answer. 00:07:15.100 --> 00:07:16.140 I don't want to be embarrassed. 00:07:16.319 --> 00:07:16.819 Help me out. 00:07:17.259 --> 00:07:17.480 All right. 00:07:17.560 --> 00:07:20.160 So with that being said, I want to know who my audience is. 00:07:20.680 --> 00:07:20.880 All right. 00:07:20.920 --> 00:07:26.180 So if you are married, I would say happily married, but I get fewer hands. 00:07:26.240 --> 00:07:28.420 If you are married, just raise your hand. 00:07:28.880 --> 00:07:29.220 All right. 00:07:29.580 --> 00:07:30.800 So we've got a lot of married folks. 00:07:30.880 --> 00:07:31.020 Okay. 00:07:31.620 --> 00:07:31.900 All right. 00:07:31.920 --> 00:07:35.440 If you are widowed, raise your hand. 00:07:36.580 --> 00:07:36.780 Okay. 00:07:37.440 --> 00:07:37.680 All right. 00:07:37.879 --> 00:07:41.580 If you are single, raise your hand. 00:07:42.960 --> 00:07:43.280 All right. 00:07:43.680 --> 00:07:44.040 All right. 00:07:44.040 --> 00:07:50.140 So with that being said, so all of us can really understand that the realness, 00:07:50.160 --> 00:07:51.640 of this text. 00:07:52.360 --> 00:07:58.600 It was a dad who just wanted a godly spouse for his son, and he wanted God's will. 00:07:59.620 --> 00:08:01.360 And it's something we should all want. 00:08:01.600 --> 00:08:05.260 We should want God's will when we're making a big decision. 00:08:05.900 --> 00:08:06.540 So here he was. 00:08:06.600 --> 00:08:09.780 He was trying to make a big decision, and you've got to realize how hard it would have 00:08:09.780 --> 00:08:11.680 been to find a good spouse back then. 00:08:12.160 --> 00:08:14.460 So right now, I looked at this stuff last week. 00:08:14.459 --> 00:08:22.259 The average marriage right now, 2025, somewhere between 60 and 70% of people who are married 00:08:22.259 --> 00:08:25.379 right now meet their spouse online. 00:08:26.859 --> 00:08:27.979 Huge percentage. 00:08:28.439 --> 00:08:28.659 All right. 00:08:29.099 --> 00:08:30.939 It used to be like church and work. 00:08:31.060 --> 00:08:32.720 Now, number one is online. 00:08:33.379 --> 00:08:37.319 And so you've got to realize, all right, so we're going back thousands of years ago. 00:08:37.399 --> 00:08:38.579 There was no online, right? 00:08:38.980 --> 00:08:40.120 There's no social media. 00:08:40.879 --> 00:08:45.000 And so here, this servant had this brutal task. 00:08:45.680 --> 00:08:50.139 Hey, go, and he's not even bringing the dude with him, right? 00:08:50.280 --> 00:08:52.139 So he didn't even have a picture of Isaac. 00:08:52.639 --> 00:08:56.860 It would just say, servant, you go and find a wife for my son. 00:08:56.960 --> 00:08:57.900 We're staying here, though. 00:08:58.740 --> 00:08:59.639 Huge job. 00:09:00.240 --> 00:09:00.660 Huge job. 00:09:00.740 --> 00:09:01.540 Huge decision. 00:09:01.540 --> 00:09:02.840 And so maybe you're there today. 00:09:03.660 --> 00:09:04.900 You have some decision. 00:09:05.040 --> 00:09:05.700 You have something. 00:09:05.700 --> 00:09:10.540 You're just trying to figure out, all right, God, what is your will in fill in the blank? 00:09:10.700 --> 00:09:11.320 What do you do? 00:09:11.759 --> 00:09:16.460 I'm going to give you four steps for finding God's will according to this text. 00:09:16.540 --> 00:09:17.300 The first is this. 00:09:17.400 --> 00:09:18.320 How do you find God's will? 00:09:18.420 --> 00:09:21.879 Number one, God's will is found in his word. 00:09:23.460 --> 00:09:26.460 God's will is found in his word. 00:09:26.840 --> 00:09:27.600 Look at verse 7. 00:09:28.920 --> 00:09:30.580 This is what Abraham said to him. 00:09:30.580 --> 00:09:45.340 It says, the Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my birth, and he spoke to me and swore to me, saying, to your descendants, I'll give the land. 00:09:46.800 --> 00:09:47.580 So he remembered. 00:09:48.280 --> 00:09:49.900 He wanted to know God's will. 00:09:50.360 --> 00:09:52.280 So where did he go to try to find God's will? 00:09:52.780 --> 00:09:55.379 He remembered the word of the Lord. 00:09:55.960 --> 00:09:59.520 God's will for your life is always found in the word of God. 00:09:59.519 --> 00:10:00.939 I'll put it another way. 00:10:01.720 --> 00:10:05.679 God's will never contradicts his word. 00:10:06.500 --> 00:10:07.759 Never contradicts it. 00:10:08.340 --> 00:10:12.460 And so there's something in your life and you're praying about and you're wondering, is it God's will? 00:10:13.279 --> 00:10:16.220 And it goes completely against some scripture by default. 00:10:16.379 --> 00:10:17.120 You know it's not. 00:10:18.399 --> 00:10:19.279 You know it's not. 00:10:19.360 --> 00:10:20.899 You don't even have to pray about it. 00:10:21.980 --> 00:10:24.539 There are some situations you don't even have to pray about. 00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:27.840 Some of you are looking at me like I'm a heretic, all right? 00:10:27.840 --> 00:10:28.799 So let me explain that. 00:10:28.799 --> 00:10:39.439 All right, so if you have a situation, like let's say you have a young man and he's found this young woman and he's like, look, she's fine, all right? 00:10:39.519 --> 00:10:41.099 Like I like that girl. 00:10:41.759 --> 00:10:43.899 And like I'm going to ask her out. 00:10:44.419 --> 00:10:48.699 But he's a young Christian and he finds out that she's not. 00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:51.819 He doesn't even have to pray about it. 00:10:51.820 --> 00:10:58.020 He doesn't even have to pray about it because God's word says you shall not be unequally yoked with a non-believer. 00:10:58.879 --> 00:11:00.960 All right, so there's some things you don't even have to pray about. 00:11:01.240 --> 00:11:05.000 If it goes against God's word, it goes against God's will. 00:11:05.700 --> 00:11:07.220 All right, so how do you find God's will? 00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:09.580 Well, starting out, it's just simple. 00:11:09.720 --> 00:11:11.680 It's God's will is found in his word. 00:11:11.679 --> 00:11:17.319 And so for me and my family, it started, I was a pastor for 10 years in Mississippi. 00:11:17.879 --> 00:11:24.359 And then in 2019, I was pastoring at a church in Vicksburg, Mississippi. 00:11:24.739 --> 00:11:29.279 The great church is one of our primary partnering churches, our sending church. 00:11:29.279 --> 00:11:33.480 And I had just started a PhD program. 00:11:34.539 --> 00:11:36.519 And I'll be honest with you, I was tired. 00:11:37.559 --> 00:11:39.480 That's really how this whole story started. 00:11:39.620 --> 00:11:42.319 The whole journey to Canada started because I was tired. 00:11:43.120 --> 00:11:49.980 All right, so don't underestimate when you're tired and God's breaking you because that's when God can use you. 00:11:50.059 --> 00:11:53.259 When you're full of pride and things are going well, you miss it. 00:11:53.600 --> 00:11:58.720 But when you're at a point of brokenness and hopelessness and exhaustion, that's when you will seek God more. 00:11:58.720 --> 00:12:01.220 Okay, so I was broken. 00:12:01.420 --> 00:12:02.139 I was tired. 00:12:02.279 --> 00:12:04.660 I was pastoring a church, writing sermons. 00:12:04.879 --> 00:12:07.040 And so I'm thankful for your pastor. 00:12:07.240 --> 00:12:09.100 I'm thankful that he preaches the word of God. 00:12:09.600 --> 00:12:17.519 Just so you know, it takes a lot of work to write sermons, a lot of heartache to study God's word and to do it faithfully. 00:12:17.700 --> 00:12:19.259 And so I'm thankful for your pastor. 00:12:19.580 --> 00:12:23.000 And so there I was trying to write sermons, working on my PhD program. 00:12:23.320 --> 00:12:24.100 I'm exhausted. 00:12:24.220 --> 00:12:25.080 So I thought, you know what I need? 00:12:25.120 --> 00:12:25.800 I need a break. 00:12:26.259 --> 00:12:27.639 How does a pastor get a break? 00:12:27.639 --> 00:12:29.259 I need a break by having a Bible study. 00:12:29.980 --> 00:12:30.220 All right? 00:12:30.519 --> 00:12:34.059 So a little behind the scenes, what pastors do when they do a DVD Bible study. 00:12:34.240 --> 00:12:35.419 They give themselves a break. 00:12:35.799 --> 00:12:39.379 So I decided, all right, I want as long of a break as I can have. 00:12:39.799 --> 00:12:44.080 So I found this Bible study that was written 30 years ago. 00:12:45.039 --> 00:12:49.000 The name of the Bible study, the only reason I picked it is it was 12 weeks. 00:12:49.399 --> 00:12:53.460 So that meant if we did a Bible study on Sunday night, I got 12 weeks off. 00:12:53.659 --> 00:12:54.500 This is going to be awesome. 00:12:54.500 --> 00:12:58.360 All right, the name of the Bible study was Experiencing God. 00:12:59.220 --> 00:13:03.340 Now, out of curiosity, and again, raise your hand, interact with me a little bit. 00:13:03.500 --> 00:13:06.620 How many of you have actually done the Experiencing God Bible study? 00:13:06.700 --> 00:13:07.120 Raise your hand. 00:13:07.879 --> 00:13:08.980 All right, you got a few of you. 00:13:09.299 --> 00:13:12.600 All right, I do encourage you at some point, lead your church through this Bible study. 00:13:12.600 --> 00:13:19.899 But I will tell you this, be prepared for that Bible study to wreck you. 00:13:22.060 --> 00:13:24.420 Because that's what it did for me and my family. 00:13:25.399 --> 00:13:26.480 It wrecked us. 00:13:28.120 --> 00:13:35.399 I remember five weeks in, fifth week of not having to preach Sunday night. 00:13:35.440 --> 00:13:37.019 I love preaching, but I was just tired. 00:13:37.139 --> 00:13:37.879 I needed a break. 00:13:37.879 --> 00:13:42.360 I was sitting over there on the left side, because apparently that's just where, I don't know. 00:13:42.600 --> 00:13:43.679 It's a Baptist thing. 00:13:43.820 --> 00:13:45.019 Pastors just sit over there. 00:13:45.139 --> 00:13:46.399 You know, you have that assigned seating. 00:13:46.799 --> 00:13:47.620 So I'm over there. 00:13:47.759 --> 00:13:48.679 I'm with my wife. 00:13:49.460 --> 00:13:53.200 And Henry Blackaby started preaching from a familiar text. 00:13:53.299 --> 00:13:54.120 I've heard it. 00:13:54.159 --> 00:13:55.059 I've preached it. 00:13:56.399 --> 00:14:00.439 But have you ever had those moments when you read the Bible and it's just like the words just jump off? 00:14:00.939 --> 00:14:03.980 Or you hear a sermon and it's like the pastor just speaking to you. 00:14:04.580 --> 00:14:05.220 That's how it was. 00:14:05.220 --> 00:14:06.240 We were just there. 00:14:06.820 --> 00:14:10.040 We were listening, just watching this 30-year-old DVD study. 00:14:10.180 --> 00:14:11.560 I mean, it's almost like black and white. 00:14:11.620 --> 00:14:12.220 So dated. 00:14:12.600 --> 00:14:15.920 But that's the thing about the Word of God is that it's fresher than tomorrow's newspaper. 00:14:16.460 --> 00:14:17.440 It doesn't return void. 00:14:18.060 --> 00:14:25.420 And so as he's preaching by DVD 30 years ago, this was his text, that we need to be willing to leave everything behind and follow Jesus. 00:14:26.620 --> 00:14:27.220 Leave your mother. 00:14:27.360 --> 00:14:27.980 Leave your father. 00:14:28.120 --> 00:14:29.840 Leave your brother, your sister, and your farms. 00:14:29.840 --> 00:14:33.320 I remember just sitting there on the front row. 00:14:34.399 --> 00:14:39.920 And it's just the Word of God was just so real in that moment. 00:14:40.759 --> 00:14:47.080 I remember my wife just reached over and just squeezed my hand because we just knew that God was about to do something. 00:14:47.080 --> 00:14:52.240 So after the service was over, we released everyone. 00:14:53.220 --> 00:14:54.420 And it was just me and my wife. 00:14:54.500 --> 00:14:55.700 We were just in the sanctuary. 00:14:56.840 --> 00:14:59.720 And she said, Charlie, have you ever considered church planting? 00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:02.240 That's just a fancy term for starting a brand new church. 00:15:03.040 --> 00:15:06.120 Well, I didn't know anything about church planting. 00:15:06.220 --> 00:15:09.200 The only type of church planting I knew was church splits. 00:15:09.580 --> 00:15:11.860 Because that's kind of how Baptists start new churches. 00:15:12.020 --> 00:15:15.000 You split and then a group gets mad and they start a new church. 00:15:15.000 --> 00:15:16.879 That's all I knew about church planting. 00:15:17.480 --> 00:15:18.659 So I was like, I don't, yeah. 00:15:19.279 --> 00:15:22.759 She said, do you feel like God is calling you to plant a church? 00:15:22.820 --> 00:15:24.480 And I said, yeah, I do. 00:15:24.559 --> 00:15:28.059 I said, right now, for the first time ever, it's all I can think about. 00:15:28.899 --> 00:15:31.559 And that conversation just started. 00:15:33.159 --> 00:15:38.879 So that in mind, that happened on a Monday night. 00:15:39.500 --> 00:15:41.120 It just started with the Word of God. 00:15:41.960 --> 00:15:42.519 Word of God. 00:15:43.100 --> 00:15:44.139 Listening to the Word of God. 00:15:44.139 --> 00:15:45.299 So how do you find God's will? 00:15:45.519 --> 00:15:47.220 It starts with the Word of God. 00:15:48.100 --> 00:15:52.759 Then we see this continue in Genesis chapter 24, 10 through 14. 00:15:53.699 --> 00:15:53.939 It says, 00:15:54.019 --> 00:15:57.100 Then the servant took ten camels from the camels of his master, 00:15:57.539 --> 00:16:01.159 and he set out a variety of good things from his master's hand. 00:16:01.679 --> 00:16:04.639 And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. 00:16:04.860 --> 00:16:10.100 And he made the camels kneel down outside the city of the well of water at evening time, 00:16:10.100 --> 00:16:13.840 the time when women go out to draw water. 00:16:13.940 --> 00:16:14.600 Now, that's significant. 00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:15.379 We'll come back to that. 00:16:15.960 --> 00:16:18.120 And he said, he prayed this prayer. 00:16:18.279 --> 00:16:19.120 Listened to this prayer. 00:16:19.620 --> 00:16:20.000 He said, 00:16:20.000 --> 00:16:22.120 Oh, Lord, the God of my master Abraham, 00:16:22.120 --> 00:16:24.659 Please grant me success today, 00:16:24.659 --> 00:16:27.460 and show loving kindness to my master Abraham. 00:16:28.460 --> 00:16:30.120 Behold, I'm standing by the spring, 00:16:30.379 --> 00:16:33.720 and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 00:16:34.340 --> 00:16:37.360 Now may it be that the girl to whom I say, 00:16:37.700 --> 00:16:40.320 Please let down your jar so that I might drink. 00:16:40.659 --> 00:16:41.480 And he answers, 00:16:41.779 --> 00:16:42.259 Drink! 00:16:42.980 --> 00:16:44.439 And I'll water your camels also. 00:16:45.159 --> 00:16:48.340 May she be the one whom he's appointed for your servant Isaac. 00:16:48.720 --> 00:16:53.340 And by this I will know that you have showed loving kindness to my master. 00:16:55.500 --> 00:16:56.139 All right. 00:16:56.259 --> 00:16:58.080 So, here was his strategy. 00:16:58.159 --> 00:16:58.939 He had a good strategy. 00:16:59.819 --> 00:17:00.000 All right. 00:17:00.019 --> 00:17:01.539 So, he's looking for a woman. 00:17:02.419 --> 00:17:03.720 He goes where the women are. 00:17:04.039 --> 00:17:04.279 Right? 00:17:04.339 --> 00:17:06.119 That's a pretty good strategy. 00:17:06.400 --> 00:17:09.400 And we as Southern Baptists, we love our strategy. 00:17:09.400 --> 00:17:12.800 I mean, if you've been a part of a Baptist church for any number of time, 00:17:12.940 --> 00:17:15.120 you're going to have strategy after strategy. 00:17:15.460 --> 00:17:19.280 You're going to go to this event and, you know, learn how to grow a church, 00:17:19.420 --> 00:17:21.840 how to do this, and strategy, strategy, strategy. 00:17:22.140 --> 00:17:23.380 I'm not against strategy. 00:17:23.560 --> 00:17:24.620 I like strategy. 00:17:25.140 --> 00:17:27.160 However, this is what I've found, 00:17:27.280 --> 00:17:30.519 especially being in a cross-cultural place for five years, 00:17:31.040 --> 00:17:34.000 is that culture eats strategy for breakfast. 00:17:35.140 --> 00:17:37.560 You can have so much strategy, it will not work. 00:17:37.559 --> 00:17:41.960 But what always works is dependence on the power and spirit of God. 00:17:42.859 --> 00:17:44.599 And so, here was the man who had a strategy, 00:17:44.940 --> 00:17:48.940 but he invited the spirit to come in and disrupt his strategy. 00:17:49.279 --> 00:17:52.940 So, have a plan, but let God move in that plan. 00:17:53.480 --> 00:17:54.799 So, his plan was to find a woman. 00:17:55.960 --> 00:17:56.960 Where did he go? 00:17:57.700 --> 00:17:58.799 He went where the women are. 00:17:59.399 --> 00:17:59.659 All right. 00:17:59.700 --> 00:18:00.700 That's a good plan. 00:18:00.839 --> 00:18:03.500 But when he got there, he had a problem 00:18:03.500 --> 00:18:05.579 because there was tons of women. 00:18:05.579 --> 00:18:09.099 So, if you're a guy, you're thinking, man, that's not a problem. 00:18:09.240 --> 00:18:10.679 Okay, but it was a problem. 00:18:10.819 --> 00:18:11.039 Okay. 00:18:11.179 --> 00:18:12.839 It was a problem because he only needed one. 00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:16.899 So, he needed one woman, but there was multiple women. 00:18:17.960 --> 00:18:19.439 And that's the problem we have in life, 00:18:19.500 --> 00:18:20.919 is that we'll have multiple decisions. 00:18:21.439 --> 00:18:23.579 It's like we always pray, God, close all the doors. 00:18:23.779 --> 00:18:24.759 And sometimes he does, 00:18:24.819 --> 00:18:27.639 but a lot of times we just have various options. 00:18:28.299 --> 00:18:30.720 So, what do you do when you have various options 00:18:30.720 --> 00:18:33.019 and you're trying to find God's will? 00:18:33.319 --> 00:18:34.279 Well, notice what he does. 00:18:35.039 --> 00:18:38.140 He prayed a specific prayer. 00:18:39.000 --> 00:18:41.799 A big, bold, specific prayer. 00:18:42.380 --> 00:18:42.920 This is what he said. 00:18:43.000 --> 00:18:46.259 Lord, let the right girl be the girl 00:18:46.259 --> 00:18:49.100 who not only offers to give me something to drink, 00:18:49.319 --> 00:18:54.259 but also offers water to my ten camels. 00:18:54.259 --> 00:18:57.059 All right, so how do you find God's will? 00:18:57.140 --> 00:19:00.119 Number one, God's will is found in his word. 00:19:00.619 --> 00:19:02.839 Number two, God's word is found 00:19:02.839 --> 00:19:05.379 through praying specific prayers. 00:19:06.740 --> 00:19:09.019 Specific prayers. 00:19:09.240 --> 00:19:10.879 Now, I feel like the reason 00:19:10.879 --> 00:19:14.420 many times we don't pray specific prayers 00:19:14.420 --> 00:19:16.640 is because we're scared to. 00:19:16.640 --> 00:19:21.240 We're afraid that God won't answer 00:19:21.240 --> 00:19:24.580 or we're afraid he will. 00:19:26.240 --> 00:19:27.800 So, for us, 2019, 00:19:29.020 --> 00:19:31.380 we knew, we felt like God was calling us 00:19:31.380 --> 00:19:32.200 to church planting. 00:19:32.640 --> 00:19:35.740 The natural question became where, right? 00:19:36.280 --> 00:19:37.620 I mean, we're in Mississippi. 00:19:38.100 --> 00:19:40.460 We could have gone anywhere in the planet. 00:19:41.640 --> 00:19:42.280 Where? 00:19:42.920 --> 00:19:43.420 Why? 00:19:44.100 --> 00:19:45.360 Why did you go to Canada? 00:19:45.359 --> 00:19:47.359 On a Monday night, 00:19:47.759 --> 00:19:49.819 I'm sitting in my kitchen with my wife 00:19:49.819 --> 00:19:51.719 and she said, 00:19:51.799 --> 00:19:52.259 all right, Charlie, 00:19:52.399 --> 00:19:54.559 if God's calling us to church planting, 00:19:54.939 --> 00:19:56.159 where should we go? 00:19:58.500 --> 00:20:00.699 And I just said, honestly, I have no clue. 00:20:01.059 --> 00:20:03.479 Like, I'm still trying to get my mind around this whole 00:20:03.479 --> 00:20:05.599 maybe God's calling us to something type thing. 00:20:05.779 --> 00:20:06.799 I have no clue. 00:20:07.479 --> 00:20:08.279 And this is what she said. 00:20:08.339 --> 00:20:08.939 She said, Charlie, 00:20:09.159 --> 00:20:11.639 I just can't get Canada out of my mind. 00:20:13.579 --> 00:20:14.699 Now, you gotta remember, 00:20:14.700 --> 00:20:16.740 this was before the whole Trump thing, 00:20:16.880 --> 00:20:18.319 51st state thing, okay? 00:20:18.519 --> 00:20:19.240 So, this wasn't, 00:20:19.500 --> 00:20:21.180 Canada wasn't on the news all the time, 00:20:21.340 --> 00:20:21.600 all right? 00:20:21.640 --> 00:20:22.220 This was just like, 00:20:22.279 --> 00:20:23.720 no one was talking about Canada. 00:20:24.200 --> 00:20:24.940 But she just said, 00:20:25.299 --> 00:20:28.240 I just can't get Canada out of my mind. 00:20:29.160 --> 00:20:30.480 And this is what I said to her. 00:20:31.480 --> 00:20:32.580 I said, Canada? 00:20:33.940 --> 00:20:34.299 Canada? 00:20:34.299 --> 00:20:34.419 Canada? 00:20:35.419 --> 00:20:36.899 I said, that's missionary stuff. 00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:38.639 That's missionary stuff. 00:20:38.659 --> 00:20:39.419 I'm not a missionary. 00:20:39.740 --> 00:20:41.859 I'm just a pastor in the South. 00:20:43.180 --> 00:20:44.599 And her being a good Southern woman, 00:20:44.720 --> 00:20:46.099 she just kind of bucked up and said, 00:20:46.159 --> 00:20:48.639 well, that's just what I think God wants me to tell you. 00:20:49.019 --> 00:20:51.099 And she politely stormed off. 00:20:53.899 --> 00:20:54.879 So here I was, 00:20:54.919 --> 00:20:56.559 just left in the kitchen 00:20:56.559 --> 00:20:59.839 with a word from the Lord from my wife. 00:21:00.759 --> 00:21:02.480 And so I just went into the living room 00:21:02.480 --> 00:21:03.599 and just started praying. 00:21:04.919 --> 00:21:05.859 And this is what I prayed. 00:21:05.959 --> 00:21:06.379 I said, God, 00:21:06.480 --> 00:21:08.459 I'll go wherever you want me to go. 00:21:08.980 --> 00:21:10.799 And I'll do whatever you want me to do. 00:21:11.139 --> 00:21:12.039 But make it clear. 00:21:13.079 --> 00:21:14.059 If you make it clear, 00:21:14.279 --> 00:21:14.919 I'll go, 00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:15.759 I'll go wherever. 00:21:17.179 --> 00:21:18.119 Or I'll stay. 00:21:18.419 --> 00:21:18.539 Like, 00:21:18.740 --> 00:21:20.759 I love being a pastor. 00:21:21.079 --> 00:21:22.759 I loved being a traditional pastor. 00:21:23.199 --> 00:21:24.639 I loved walking with people 00:21:24.639 --> 00:21:26.359 through hardship in life. 00:21:26.419 --> 00:21:27.119 I loved it. 00:21:27.439 --> 00:21:29.059 Some pastors that I can't get away, 00:21:29.059 --> 00:21:31.339 I loved being a traditional pastor. 00:21:31.779 --> 00:21:32.119 And I said, 00:21:32.159 --> 00:21:32.379 God, 00:21:32.460 --> 00:21:34.319 I'll stay here or I'll go. 00:21:34.440 --> 00:21:36.440 You just make it crystal clear. 00:21:37.099 --> 00:21:38.240 We had that whole conversation 00:21:38.240 --> 00:21:40.000 on a Monday 00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:43.059 in April 2019. 00:21:44.419 --> 00:21:45.480 Six days later, 00:21:45.480 --> 00:21:47.200 the following Sunday, 00:21:48.039 --> 00:21:48.659 all of a sudden, 00:21:48.919 --> 00:21:50.899 I preached at my church. 00:21:51.839 --> 00:21:52.679 One of my good friends, 00:21:52.740 --> 00:21:54.240 another pastor in Mississippi, 00:21:54.919 --> 00:21:56.099 his name is Jonathan Bryant, 00:21:56.519 --> 00:21:57.819 he sent me a text message 00:21:57.819 --> 00:21:58.939 after the service was over. 00:21:59.079 --> 00:21:59.539 And he said, 00:21:59.639 --> 00:21:59.779 hey, 00:21:59.899 --> 00:22:00.159 Charlie, 00:22:00.279 --> 00:22:01.980 be praying for me and my wife. 00:22:03.000 --> 00:22:04.919 We feel like God's doing something. 00:22:05.039 --> 00:22:06.639 He's stirring in our hearts. 00:22:06.700 --> 00:22:06.939 He said, 00:22:06.980 --> 00:22:08.079 I don't want to talk about it, 00:22:08.240 --> 00:22:09.480 but will you pray for us? 00:22:11.039 --> 00:22:12.200 The timing was bizarre, 00:22:12.299 --> 00:22:12.679 wasn't it? 00:22:13.720 --> 00:22:14.960 So I just messaged him back. 00:22:15.019 --> 00:22:15.240 I said, 00:22:15.299 --> 00:22:16.359 I'll pray, 00:22:16.740 --> 00:22:17.779 and I don't want to pry. 00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:19.419 I really did want to pry. 00:22:19.420 --> 00:22:21.519 I don't want to pry, 00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:24.279 but does this have anything 00:22:24.279 --> 00:22:25.240 to do with church planting? 00:22:27.039 --> 00:22:27.660 And he said, 00:22:27.720 --> 00:22:28.060 yes. 00:22:28.279 --> 00:22:28.700 He wrote back, 00:22:28.740 --> 00:22:28.960 yes. 00:22:29.880 --> 00:22:30.400 I said, 00:22:30.500 --> 00:22:30.759 where? 00:22:32.440 --> 00:22:33.440 And he texted back, 00:22:33.519 --> 00:22:33.920 Toronto, 00:22:34.120 --> 00:22:34.400 Canada. 00:22:36.420 --> 00:22:37.620 I remember I just looked 00:22:37.620 --> 00:22:40.039 at that text message, 00:22:40.080 --> 00:22:41.840 and I just showed it to my wife, 00:22:41.980 --> 00:22:43.120 and she just started laughing. 00:22:44.440 --> 00:22:44.960 She said, 00:22:44.980 --> 00:22:45.720 I told you. 00:22:46.079 --> 00:22:47.579 I told you it was Canada. 00:22:49.339 --> 00:22:52.600 And I just went into our closet 00:22:52.600 --> 00:22:53.980 and just started sobbing 00:22:53.980 --> 00:22:57.400 because I knew that the life 00:22:57.400 --> 00:22:58.319 that I had planned, 00:22:58.400 --> 00:22:59.539 I knew the trajectory 00:22:59.539 --> 00:23:01.900 that I was making for my life 00:23:01.900 --> 00:23:03.319 was going to be vastly different. 00:23:05.299 --> 00:23:06.380 That's how it all started. 00:23:08.200 --> 00:23:10.700 How do you find God's will? 00:23:10.700 --> 00:23:12.740 It always begins with God's word. 00:23:12.920 --> 00:23:13.819 It's not a mystery. 00:23:14.620 --> 00:23:15.400 It's not. 00:23:15.720 --> 00:23:16.400 It's clear. 00:23:16.500 --> 00:23:17.700 If you're truly seeking God, 00:23:17.799 --> 00:23:18.819 he will make it clear. 00:23:19.079 --> 00:23:20.440 It's found in his word. 00:23:20.640 --> 00:23:20.880 Second, 00:23:21.339 --> 00:23:22.339 it's found by praying 00:23:22.339 --> 00:23:24.000 specific prayers. 00:23:25.000 --> 00:23:26.420 I want you to continue 00:23:26.420 --> 00:23:27.240 in this story. 00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:29.500 Notice how the text continues 00:23:29.500 --> 00:23:31.740 in verse 15 through 18. 00:23:32.940 --> 00:23:35.079 How did God respond 00:23:35.079 --> 00:23:36.799 to that big, bold prayer 00:23:36.799 --> 00:23:38.039 that this man prayed? 00:23:38.360 --> 00:23:39.259 Look at verse 15. 00:23:40.299 --> 00:23:40.559 It says, 00:23:40.559 --> 00:23:42.200 Before he had finished speaking, 00:23:42.200 --> 00:23:43.420 behold, 00:23:43.420 --> 00:23:43.440 behold, 00:23:43.519 --> 00:23:43.980 Rebecca, 00:23:44.480 --> 00:23:45.620 who is born of Bethel, 00:23:45.700 --> 00:23:46.500 son of Michal, 00:23:46.880 --> 00:23:48.480 the wife of Abraham's brother, 00:23:48.580 --> 00:23:48.920 Naor, 00:23:49.580 --> 00:23:50.640 came out with a jar 00:23:50.640 --> 00:23:51.500 on her shoulder. 00:23:52.299 --> 00:23:53.259 The girl was very beautiful, 00:23:53.400 --> 00:23:53.779 a virgin, 00:23:54.180 --> 00:23:56.180 and no man had relations with her. 00:23:56.880 --> 00:23:57.640 And she went down 00:23:57.640 --> 00:23:58.340 to the spring 00:23:58.340 --> 00:23:59.680 and filled her jar 00:23:59.680 --> 00:24:00.640 and came up. 00:24:01.500 --> 00:24:02.080 Now the servant 00:24:02.080 --> 00:24:02.940 ran out to meet her 00:24:02.940 --> 00:24:03.720 and said, 00:24:03.779 --> 00:24:04.140 please, 00:24:04.299 --> 00:24:05.299 let me drink a little bit 00:24:05.299 --> 00:24:06.420 of water from your jar. 00:24:06.420 --> 00:24:07.620 And she said, 00:24:07.700 --> 00:24:07.920 drink, 00:24:08.039 --> 00:24:08.480 my Lord. 00:24:09.039 --> 00:24:09.759 And she quickly 00:24:09.759 --> 00:24:10.600 lowered her jar 00:24:10.600 --> 00:24:11.279 in her hand 00:24:11.279 --> 00:24:12.480 and gave him a drink. 00:24:13.380 --> 00:24:14.320 And when she had finished 00:24:14.320 --> 00:24:16.140 giving him a drink, 00:24:16.220 --> 00:24:16.620 she said, 00:24:16.700 --> 00:24:17.860 I will draw also 00:24:17.860 --> 00:24:18.880 for your camels 00:24:18.880 --> 00:24:20.259 until they have 00:24:20.259 --> 00:24:21.120 finished drinking. 00:24:21.779 --> 00:24:22.680 So she quickly 00:24:22.680 --> 00:24:23.400 emptied her jar 00:24:23.400 --> 00:24:24.100 through the trough 00:24:24.100 --> 00:24:25.100 and ran back 00:24:25.100 --> 00:24:25.700 to the well 00:24:25.700 --> 00:24:26.840 and she drew 00:24:26.840 --> 00:24:27.980 for all of his camels. 00:24:28.680 --> 00:24:29.080 Meanwhile, 00:24:29.779 --> 00:24:30.800 the man was gazing 00:24:30.800 --> 00:24:31.920 at her in silence 00:24:31.920 --> 00:24:32.620 to know whether 00:24:32.620 --> 00:24:33.700 the Lord had made 00:24:33.700 --> 00:24:35.100 his journey successful 00:24:35.100 --> 00:24:36.460 or not. 00:24:38.819 --> 00:24:39.960 I love the timing 00:24:39.960 --> 00:24:40.559 of this. 00:24:40.880 --> 00:24:41.519 I love the timing 00:24:41.519 --> 00:24:42.100 of that text. 00:24:42.180 --> 00:24:42.799 Notice what it says. 00:24:43.660 --> 00:24:45.380 While he was still 00:24:45.380 --> 00:24:46.319 speaking. 00:24:48.480 --> 00:24:49.360 So he had a word 00:24:49.360 --> 00:24:49.900 from God. 00:24:50.700 --> 00:24:51.960 He prayed a specific prayer. 00:24:52.880 --> 00:24:54.279 While he was still 00:24:54.279 --> 00:24:55.360 speaking, 00:24:55.880 --> 00:24:56.340 this happened. 00:24:56.420 --> 00:24:56.519 Now, 00:24:56.680 --> 00:24:57.500 I do want to kind of 00:24:57.500 --> 00:24:58.220 time out. 00:24:59.660 --> 00:25:00.059 Sometimes, 00:25:00.480 --> 00:25:01.360 God will answer 00:25:01.360 --> 00:25:02.200 your prayer right away. 00:25:02.700 --> 00:25:03.319 And it's awesome 00:25:03.319 --> 00:25:04.079 when he does that. 00:25:04.839 --> 00:25:05.779 But most of the time, 00:25:05.879 --> 00:25:06.379 it's not. 00:25:07.099 --> 00:25:07.659 Most of the time, 00:25:07.740 --> 00:25:10.000 there's a long delay. 00:25:10.960 --> 00:25:12.779 God's delays 00:25:12.779 --> 00:25:14.519 don't mean denials. 00:25:15.759 --> 00:25:16.019 All right? 00:25:16.139 --> 00:25:17.679 And so if you're praying, 00:25:17.839 --> 00:25:18.559 keep on praying. 00:25:19.119 --> 00:25:20.000 It might be months. 00:25:20.059 --> 00:25:21.159 It might be years. 00:25:21.879 --> 00:25:22.599 But prayer, 00:25:23.039 --> 00:25:24.240 pray that specific prayer 00:25:24.240 --> 00:25:25.939 and then watch 00:25:25.939 --> 00:25:26.720 and see. 00:25:26.919 --> 00:25:27.319 So that's what 00:25:27.319 --> 00:25:28.179 this man did. 00:25:29.059 --> 00:25:30.059 Pray that specific prayer. 00:25:30.159 --> 00:25:30.359 Lord, 00:25:30.359 --> 00:25:31.299 let it be the one 00:25:31.299 --> 00:25:31.939 who offers me 00:25:31.939 --> 00:25:32.700 something to drink 00:25:32.700 --> 00:25:33.360 and then offers 00:25:33.360 --> 00:25:34.480 to water my camels 00:25:34.480 --> 00:25:34.920 as well. 00:25:35.400 --> 00:25:35.580 He said, 00:25:35.640 --> 00:25:35.700 well, 00:25:35.700 --> 00:25:36.380 what was significant 00:25:36.380 --> 00:25:36.900 about that? 00:25:37.319 --> 00:25:38.299 What was significant 00:25:38.299 --> 00:25:39.860 was that in that culture, 00:25:40.240 --> 00:25:40.940 it would be common 00:25:40.940 --> 00:25:41.539 for a woman 00:25:41.539 --> 00:25:42.500 to give a man 00:25:42.500 --> 00:25:43.360 something to drink. 00:25:43.740 --> 00:25:45.019 It was not common. 00:25:45.140 --> 00:25:46.120 It just wasn't a thing 00:25:46.120 --> 00:25:47.120 to offer 00:25:47.120 --> 00:25:48.380 to water all the camels. 00:25:49.319 --> 00:25:49.940 Notice the text 00:25:49.940 --> 00:25:50.319 tells us 00:25:50.319 --> 00:25:51.240 how many camels he had. 00:25:52.039 --> 00:25:52.720 It says he had 00:25:52.720 --> 00:25:54.279 10 camels. 00:25:54.960 --> 00:25:55.160 Now, 00:25:55.340 --> 00:25:56.279 I looked this up. 00:25:56.360 --> 00:25:57.200 The average camel 00:25:57.200 --> 00:25:57.960 drank somewhere 00:25:57.960 --> 00:25:58.840 between like 25 00:25:58.839 --> 00:26:00.359 and 30 gallons 00:26:00.359 --> 00:26:01.679 of water. 00:26:02.819 --> 00:26:03.339 All right, 00:26:03.379 --> 00:26:04.740 so a well 00:26:04.740 --> 00:26:05.679 in that culture 00:26:05.679 --> 00:26:06.500 would have a, 00:26:06.500 --> 00:26:06.679 you know, 00:26:06.720 --> 00:26:07.139 a pitcher 00:26:07.139 --> 00:26:08.839 and that pitcher 00:26:08.839 --> 00:26:09.619 would hold 00:26:09.619 --> 00:26:10.279 about two to three 00:26:10.279 --> 00:26:11.119 gallons of water. 00:26:11.779 --> 00:26:12.619 So this woman, 00:26:12.879 --> 00:26:13.539 after giving him 00:26:13.539 --> 00:26:14.259 something to drink, 00:26:14.459 --> 00:26:14.919 would have had 00:26:14.919 --> 00:26:15.879 to go to the well, 00:26:16.839 --> 00:26:18.599 lower the pitcher, 00:26:19.099 --> 00:26:20.299 get two or three gallons, 00:26:21.259 --> 00:26:22.759 pull it back up, 00:26:23.480 --> 00:26:23.839 empty, 00:26:24.339 --> 00:26:24.699 empty, 00:26:25.259 --> 00:26:25.519 empty. 00:26:25.519 --> 00:26:26.619 One commenter 00:26:26.619 --> 00:26:27.299 said it probably 00:26:27.299 --> 00:26:28.359 took two to three 00:26:28.359 --> 00:26:29.579 sweaty hours 00:26:29.579 --> 00:26:31.759 for this young girl 00:26:31.759 --> 00:26:33.500 to water all those camels 00:26:33.500 --> 00:26:34.519 for someone she didn't know. 00:26:35.119 --> 00:26:36.180 And the entire time 00:26:36.180 --> 00:26:36.420 you say, 00:26:36.480 --> 00:26:36.519 well, 00:26:36.539 --> 00:26:37.480 what's the servant doing? 00:26:38.440 --> 00:26:39.019 It says that he's 00:26:39.019 --> 00:26:40.059 just stepped back 00:26:40.059 --> 00:26:41.900 and just examining 00:26:41.900 --> 00:26:43.259 the circumstances 00:26:43.259 --> 00:26:44.579 to see if God 00:26:44.579 --> 00:26:45.339 has answered 00:26:45.339 --> 00:26:46.240 the prayer. 00:26:47.379 --> 00:26:48.279 So how do you find 00:26:48.279 --> 00:26:48.839 God's will? 00:26:48.940 --> 00:26:49.339 Number one, 00:26:49.420 --> 00:26:50.099 God's will is found 00:26:50.099 --> 00:26:50.619 in his word. 00:26:51.039 --> 00:26:51.460 Number two, 00:26:51.579 --> 00:26:52.220 God's will is found 00:26:52.220 --> 00:26:54.079 in praying specific prayers. 00:26:54.500 --> 00:26:55.339 Number three, 00:26:56.039 --> 00:26:57.359 God's will is found 00:26:57.359 --> 00:26:58.779 through examining 00:26:58.779 --> 00:27:01.960 God-ordained circumstances. 00:27:03.160 --> 00:27:05.440 God-ordained circumstances. 00:27:05.839 --> 00:27:06.279 Here's something 00:27:06.279 --> 00:27:07.319 I learned a long time ago. 00:27:08.160 --> 00:27:09.660 There are no coincidences 00:27:09.660 --> 00:27:10.859 in the kingdom of God. 00:27:11.639 --> 00:27:12.200 There are none. 00:27:13.400 --> 00:27:14.400 And so that thing 00:27:14.400 --> 00:27:15.359 you've been praying about 00:27:15.359 --> 00:27:15.960 that all of a sudden, 00:27:16.299 --> 00:27:17.379 oh, it just happened 00:27:17.379 --> 00:27:18.259 to be that way. 00:27:18.500 --> 00:27:18.900 No. 00:27:19.759 --> 00:27:20.720 It was God interrupting 00:27:20.720 --> 00:27:21.259 your life. 00:27:22.660 --> 00:27:24.019 God interrupts 00:27:24.019 --> 00:27:24.740 our lives. 00:27:25.519 --> 00:27:27.039 So here we were, 00:27:27.799 --> 00:27:28.519 2019. 00:27:30.000 --> 00:27:30.980 Word of God, 00:27:31.059 --> 00:27:31.500 we felt like 00:27:31.500 --> 00:27:32.879 he was calling us. 00:27:33.720 --> 00:27:34.599 All of a sudden, 00:27:34.740 --> 00:27:35.660 we feel like maybe 00:27:35.660 --> 00:27:36.779 God's calling us to Canada. 00:27:36.940 --> 00:27:38.500 So we did as 00:27:38.500 --> 00:27:39.819 Southern Baptists. 00:27:40.119 --> 00:27:41.079 We have an amazing 00:27:41.079 --> 00:27:42.180 denomination here. 00:27:42.279 --> 00:27:42.539 It's called 00:27:42.539 --> 00:27:43.460 Southern Baptists 00:27:43.460 --> 00:27:45.079 here in the States 00:27:45.079 --> 00:27:45.619 in America. 00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:47.839 The Canadian branch 00:27:47.839 --> 00:27:48.420 is called 00:27:48.420 --> 00:27:49.639 the Canadian National 00:27:49.639 --> 00:27:50.539 Baptist Convention. 00:27:50.539 --> 00:27:52.000 They changed the name 00:27:52.000 --> 00:27:53.399 just a couple of years ago 00:27:53.399 --> 00:27:54.180 because when you're 00:27:54.180 --> 00:27:54.659 in Canada 00:27:54.659 --> 00:27:55.240 and you say 00:27:55.240 --> 00:27:56.700 you're Southern Baptist 00:27:56.700 --> 00:27:58.019 and they call themselves 00:27:58.019 --> 00:27:59.059 the True North, 00:27:59.259 --> 00:28:00.279 it's a little bit confusing. 00:28:00.619 --> 00:28:01.700 So they just changed the name, 00:28:01.779 --> 00:28:02.359 but it's the same. 00:28:02.519 --> 00:28:03.159 We're all connected. 00:28:03.639 --> 00:28:03.779 All right? 00:28:03.859 --> 00:28:04.700 So if you're interested 00:28:04.700 --> 00:28:05.680 in starting a church, 00:28:05.960 --> 00:28:06.980 you go through the, 00:28:07.059 --> 00:28:08.500 it's called the Sin Network, 00:28:08.700 --> 00:28:09.680 North American Mission Board. 00:28:10.220 --> 00:28:11.119 You do an assessment, 00:28:11.259 --> 00:28:11.799 and the purpose 00:28:11.799 --> 00:28:12.619 of that assessment 00:28:12.619 --> 00:28:14.579 is to see if they believe 00:28:14.579 --> 00:28:15.319 that you and your family 00:28:15.319 --> 00:28:16.639 are qualified 00:28:16.639 --> 00:28:17.500 and called 00:28:17.500 --> 00:28:19.079 and will survive 00:28:19.079 --> 00:28:21.299 starting a new church. 00:28:22.379 --> 00:28:23.439 So in 2019, 00:28:24.059 --> 00:28:25.639 I'm there with my wife. 00:28:26.259 --> 00:28:26.720 At that point, 00:28:26.759 --> 00:28:27.740 we had three children. 00:28:28.579 --> 00:28:29.500 Our youngest daughter 00:28:29.500 --> 00:28:30.779 was 18 months, 00:28:30.939 --> 00:28:32.119 had a five-year-old 00:28:32.119 --> 00:28:33.200 and had a seven-year-old. 00:28:34.159 --> 00:28:36.179 And Mississippi pastors 00:28:36.179 --> 00:28:39.679 in a non-multicultural church, 00:28:40.099 --> 00:28:40.559 and we said, 00:28:40.639 --> 00:28:41.759 we feel like God's calling us 00:28:41.759 --> 00:28:42.500 to Canada 00:28:42.500 --> 00:28:43.939 to reach the nations 00:28:43.940 --> 00:28:45.620 in a multicultural place. 00:28:46.299 --> 00:28:47.880 And so we had this long video chat, 00:28:48.259 --> 00:28:49.900 and basically what they told us 00:28:49.900 --> 00:28:50.259 is, look, 00:28:50.340 --> 00:28:51.740 we sensed your calling, 00:28:52.080 --> 00:28:53.680 but the question is this, 00:28:53.700 --> 00:28:54.980 not if you're called. 00:28:55.160 --> 00:28:55.980 The question is, 00:28:56.059 --> 00:28:57.380 are you called now? 00:28:58.519 --> 00:29:00.140 Are you called now? 00:29:00.380 --> 00:29:02.299 Because you have young children. 00:29:03.400 --> 00:29:03.700 Because, 00:29:03.980 --> 00:29:04.720 and I didn't know this, 00:29:04.860 --> 00:29:05.420 you have to raise 00:29:05.420 --> 00:29:06.740 all your own funds. 00:29:07.600 --> 00:29:08.100 They said, look, 00:29:08.140 --> 00:29:09.080 this is going to be 00:29:09.080 --> 00:29:10.000 the hardest thing 00:29:10.000 --> 00:29:10.779 you've ever done. 00:29:11.500 --> 00:29:12.900 And to be honest with you, 00:29:12.900 --> 00:29:14.240 many people go through 00:29:14.240 --> 00:29:15.580 this process, 00:29:16.060 --> 00:29:17.100 and it will wreck 00:29:17.100 --> 00:29:17.740 their marriage. 00:29:18.740 --> 00:29:19.300 It'll wreck 00:29:19.300 --> 00:29:19.920 their children. 00:29:20.900 --> 00:29:22.380 It'll ruin everything 00:29:22.380 --> 00:29:23.759 if God's not in it. 00:29:24.560 --> 00:29:26.200 So make sure God's in it. 00:29:27.019 --> 00:29:27.280 They said, 00:29:27.460 --> 00:29:28.160 take the weekend 00:29:28.160 --> 00:29:29.340 just to pray 00:29:29.340 --> 00:29:30.400 and make sure 00:29:30.400 --> 00:29:31.580 God is in this 00:29:31.580 --> 00:29:33.340 so you don't ruin your lives. 00:29:34.980 --> 00:29:36.060 So we got off 00:29:36.060 --> 00:29:36.820 on Thursday night 00:29:36.820 --> 00:29:37.460 of that meeting 00:29:37.460 --> 00:29:38.600 honestly frustrated 00:29:38.600 --> 00:29:40.080 and discouraged. 00:29:40.079 --> 00:29:42.000 but after being in Canada 00:29:42.000 --> 00:29:42.699 for five years, 00:29:42.759 --> 00:29:43.259 I get it. 00:29:44.319 --> 00:29:45.059 I get it. 00:29:45.099 --> 00:29:45.559 It's hard. 00:29:46.039 --> 00:29:46.879 It's hard soil. 00:29:48.339 --> 00:29:48.699 So, 00:29:48.960 --> 00:29:49.980 what do you do? 00:29:50.059 --> 00:29:50.379 All of a sudden 00:29:50.379 --> 00:29:50.980 we needed to know 00:29:50.980 --> 00:29:51.639 God's will 00:29:51.639 --> 00:29:53.359 and we needed to know it now. 00:29:53.619 --> 00:29:54.460 We needed clarity. 00:29:55.799 --> 00:29:57.559 And this text, 00:29:57.659 --> 00:29:58.639 the idea of this text, 00:29:59.240 --> 00:30:01.079 just praying specific prayers 00:30:01.079 --> 00:30:02.139 came to mind. 00:30:02.199 --> 00:30:03.220 We'd already seen God 00:30:03.220 --> 00:30:04.500 answer one prayer request 00:30:04.500 --> 00:30:05.139 about Canada, 00:30:05.359 --> 00:30:05.740 so it's, 00:30:05.879 --> 00:30:06.059 all right, 00:30:06.179 --> 00:30:07.359 let's pray again. 00:30:08.219 --> 00:30:09.259 And while we were praying 00:30:09.259 --> 00:30:10.719 and while we were seeking God, 00:30:11.119 --> 00:30:11.979 Leslie mentioned that 00:30:11.979 --> 00:30:12.819 one of the men 00:30:12.819 --> 00:30:13.959 that was interviewing us, 00:30:13.979 --> 00:30:14.699 he said this, 00:30:15.099 --> 00:30:15.419 he said, 00:30:15.459 --> 00:30:15.740 Charlie, 00:30:16.099 --> 00:30:17.379 sometimes God needs to 00:30:17.379 --> 00:30:18.199 just hit you in the head 00:30:18.199 --> 00:30:18.959 with a two by four. 00:30:19.779 --> 00:30:20.879 It's an odd thing to say, 00:30:21.039 --> 00:30:22.179 but he said it. 00:30:23.319 --> 00:30:23.679 So, 00:30:23.879 --> 00:30:25.359 we're praying 00:30:25.359 --> 00:30:26.579 about what to pray 00:30:26.579 --> 00:30:27.939 because we needed to know 00:30:27.939 --> 00:30:29.579 specifically in four days. 00:30:30.319 --> 00:30:30.899 And so on that, 00:30:31.579 --> 00:30:31.899 last point, 00:30:31.959 --> 00:30:32.799 it's Friday morning 00:30:32.799 --> 00:30:34.819 or Thursday 00:30:34.819 --> 00:30:36.000 right before Good Friday. 00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:38.859 I'm praying 00:30:38.859 --> 00:30:39.960 about what I need to pray. 00:30:40.140 --> 00:30:41.200 She mentioned the two by four 00:30:41.200 --> 00:30:41.519 and I said, 00:30:41.599 --> 00:30:41.740 all right, 00:30:41.779 --> 00:30:41.940 honey, 00:30:42.079 --> 00:30:43.180 let's do this. 00:30:43.319 --> 00:30:44.680 And let me just first say 00:30:44.680 --> 00:30:45.559 kind of a note. 00:30:46.759 --> 00:30:48.279 It's not that I don't recommend this, 00:30:48.319 --> 00:30:49.720 it's just going to sound strange. 00:30:50.500 --> 00:30:50.900 All right? 00:30:51.299 --> 00:30:52.000 And so, 00:30:52.380 --> 00:30:54.099 trust the word of God. 00:30:54.400 --> 00:30:56.019 Let me just say that 00:30:56.019 --> 00:30:56.880 before I share this story. 00:30:57.140 --> 00:30:57.319 So, 00:30:57.539 --> 00:30:58.640 we were desperate. 00:30:59.480 --> 00:31:00.279 And here's the thing, 00:31:00.339 --> 00:31:01.279 when you read stories 00:31:01.279 --> 00:31:02.220 of men in scripture 00:31:02.220 --> 00:31:03.160 right before God 00:31:03.160 --> 00:31:04.299 just does something amazing, 00:31:04.420 --> 00:31:05.259 it's desperate people. 00:31:05.940 --> 00:31:06.900 It's broken people, 00:31:06.980 --> 00:31:08.000 it's hopeless people. 00:31:08.240 --> 00:31:09.099 And that's where we were, 00:31:09.200 --> 00:31:09.579 broken, 00:31:09.879 --> 00:31:10.180 hopeless, 00:31:10.359 --> 00:31:11.019 felt called, 00:31:11.099 --> 00:31:11.720 but felt like 00:31:11.720 --> 00:31:12.680 there was just no way 00:31:12.680 --> 00:31:13.839 we would actually be able to go. 00:31:14.640 --> 00:31:14.900 And so, 00:31:14.940 --> 00:31:15.519 whenever she mentioned, 00:31:15.619 --> 00:31:15.740 hey, 00:31:15.920 --> 00:31:16.920 sometimes God needs to just 00:31:16.920 --> 00:31:17.720 hit you in the head 00:31:17.720 --> 00:31:18.680 with a two by four, 00:31:18.740 --> 00:31:19.700 I just had this idea, 00:31:20.019 --> 00:31:20.539 two by four. 00:31:21.740 --> 00:31:22.240 I said, 00:31:22.279 --> 00:31:22.440 all right, 00:31:22.460 --> 00:31:22.599 honey, 00:31:22.640 --> 00:31:23.480 this is what we're going to do. 00:31:23.799 --> 00:31:24.579 We're going to pray 00:31:24.579 --> 00:31:26.299 that between now and Monday, 00:31:26.859 --> 00:31:29.460 God will give us 00:31:29.460 --> 00:31:30.539 a literal, 00:31:30.819 --> 00:31:32.879 a real two by four board. 00:31:33.880 --> 00:31:34.600 And she just kind of 00:31:34.600 --> 00:31:34.980 looked at me, 00:31:35.020 --> 00:31:35.320 kind of like, 00:31:35.380 --> 00:31:36.220 y'all are looking at me like, 00:31:36.360 --> 00:31:36.520 what? 00:31:37.300 --> 00:31:37.500 Like, 00:31:37.500 --> 00:31:38.040 what are you talking about? 00:31:38.660 --> 00:31:39.000 I said, 00:31:39.020 --> 00:31:39.240 all right, 00:31:39.300 --> 00:31:39.520 all right. 00:31:39.560 --> 00:31:39.740 I said, 00:31:39.780 --> 00:31:40.240 hear me out. 00:31:40.600 --> 00:31:40.800 All right, 00:31:40.820 --> 00:31:41.240 hear me out. 00:31:41.920 --> 00:31:42.220 I said, 00:31:42.260 --> 00:31:42.940 this is what we're going to pray. 00:31:43.160 --> 00:31:43.720 We're going to pray that 00:31:43.720 --> 00:31:45.720 between now and Monday, 00:31:45.720 --> 00:31:47.300 if God wants us to go to Canada, 00:31:47.520 --> 00:31:49.140 he will give us a two by four board. 00:31:49.400 --> 00:31:50.520 If he does not give us 00:31:50.520 --> 00:31:52.120 a two by four board by Monday, 00:31:52.220 --> 00:31:53.200 we will not go to Canada. 00:31:53.660 --> 00:31:54.060 I said, 00:31:54.100 --> 00:31:54.580 but we got to have 00:31:54.580 --> 00:31:56.420 some parameters around this. 00:31:56.820 --> 00:31:57.060 I said, 00:31:57.100 --> 00:31:59.480 three rules for this specific prayer. 00:31:59.480 --> 00:32:00.559 Number one, 00:32:01.559 --> 00:32:03.099 we can't go looking for a two by four. 00:32:04.339 --> 00:32:04.559 Right? 00:32:04.620 --> 00:32:05.420 So you can't just like 00:32:05.420 --> 00:32:06.299 go to Home Depot, 00:32:06.860 --> 00:32:07.960 walk down the wood aisle 00:32:07.960 --> 00:32:08.440 and be like, 00:32:08.839 --> 00:32:09.220 ta-da, 00:32:09.640 --> 00:32:11.559 like hundreds of two by fours 00:32:11.559 --> 00:32:12.279 God answered. 00:32:12.920 --> 00:32:13.099 Right? 00:32:13.120 --> 00:32:14.120 We can't go looking 00:32:14.120 --> 00:32:15.539 for the two by fours. 00:32:16.240 --> 00:32:16.980 Number two, 00:32:17.400 --> 00:32:18.160 they can't be attached 00:32:18.160 --> 00:32:18.740 to anything. 00:32:19.839 --> 00:32:20.599 You can't just be driving 00:32:20.599 --> 00:32:21.579 down the road and, 00:32:21.839 --> 00:32:22.000 hey, 00:32:22.059 --> 00:32:22.259 look, 00:32:22.339 --> 00:32:22.920 there's a deck 00:32:22.920 --> 00:32:23.720 right over there. 00:32:24.120 --> 00:32:24.680 Decks are made 00:32:24.680 --> 00:32:25.740 by two by fours. 00:32:25.740 --> 00:32:25.980 Like, 00:32:26.059 --> 00:32:26.740 it's God. 00:32:27.339 --> 00:32:27.559 No, 00:32:27.559 --> 00:32:28.299 it can't be attached 00:32:28.299 --> 00:32:28.839 to anything. 00:32:29.119 --> 00:32:29.960 And then three, 00:32:30.960 --> 00:32:31.720 it has to be somewhere 00:32:31.720 --> 00:32:32.559 it's not supposed to be. 00:32:34.579 --> 00:32:35.559 That's the parameters. 00:32:36.700 --> 00:32:36.859 So, 00:32:37.000 --> 00:32:37.259 okay. 00:32:38.179 --> 00:32:39.039 Because here's the thing, 00:32:39.119 --> 00:32:40.839 and I'm more convinced 00:32:40.839 --> 00:32:42.019 of this than ever before, 00:32:42.279 --> 00:32:44.059 that God is an unchangeable God. 00:32:44.700 --> 00:32:45.539 He's characteristic. 00:32:46.519 --> 00:32:47.379 He's unchanging. 00:32:47.899 --> 00:32:48.940 He's the same yesterday, 00:32:49.119 --> 00:32:49.500 today, 00:32:49.559 --> 00:32:50.339 and tomorrow. 00:32:51.220 --> 00:32:52.179 So the stories 00:32:52.179 --> 00:32:53.759 that we read about God 00:32:53.759 --> 00:32:54.539 in Scripture, 00:32:55.019 --> 00:32:56.339 He's still alive. 00:32:56.339 --> 00:32:57.240 He's still moving 00:32:57.240 --> 00:32:58.259 through His people 00:32:58.259 --> 00:32:59.500 today, 00:33:00.000 --> 00:33:00.779 in 2025, 00:33:01.079 --> 00:33:02.119 the same way 00:33:02.119 --> 00:33:03.419 that He was then. 00:33:04.299 --> 00:33:04.519 All right, 00:33:04.579 --> 00:33:05.819 so we prayed that prayer. 00:33:06.939 --> 00:33:07.659 But here's where people 00:33:07.659 --> 00:33:08.339 go wrong 00:33:08.339 --> 00:33:09.179 when they're seeking 00:33:09.179 --> 00:33:09.779 God's will. 00:33:10.459 --> 00:33:11.679 They don't tell anyone. 00:33:13.339 --> 00:33:14.240 They don't tell anyone. 00:33:14.359 --> 00:33:15.319 So they say, 00:33:15.439 --> 00:33:15.519 okay, 00:33:15.559 --> 00:33:15.859 God, 00:33:16.000 --> 00:33:17.139 I'll do this, 00:33:17.259 --> 00:33:18.220 I'll do that, 00:33:18.279 --> 00:33:19.259 I'll go there, 00:33:19.399 --> 00:33:20.679 but you don't tell anyone 00:33:20.679 --> 00:33:21.559 and then you have 00:33:21.559 --> 00:33:22.179 no accountability. 00:33:24.000 --> 00:33:24.839 And so what I did 00:33:24.839 --> 00:33:24.959 just, 00:33:25.079 --> 00:33:25.819 me and Leslie 00:33:25.819 --> 00:33:27.279 prayed Thursday morning. 00:33:27.919 --> 00:33:29.220 I get in my truck. 00:33:30.619 --> 00:33:32.179 My truck to the church 00:33:32.179 --> 00:33:33.019 that I pastored 00:33:33.019 --> 00:33:34.839 was about a five-minute drive. 00:33:35.359 --> 00:33:36.240 And so I called up 00:33:36.240 --> 00:33:36.699 my friend, 00:33:36.859 --> 00:33:37.139 Jonathan, 00:33:37.259 --> 00:33:37.759 the other pastor 00:33:37.759 --> 00:33:38.259 in Mississippi, 00:33:38.439 --> 00:33:39.159 for accountability. 00:33:39.879 --> 00:33:41.220 I called him, 00:33:41.299 --> 00:33:41.439 I said, 00:33:41.480 --> 00:33:41.579 hey, 00:33:41.619 --> 00:33:41.959 Jonathan, 00:33:42.779 --> 00:33:44.299 do you believe in prayer? 00:33:45.139 --> 00:33:45.519 And he said, 00:33:45.559 --> 00:33:45.720 yeah, 00:33:45.839 --> 00:33:46.000 I believe, 00:33:46.099 --> 00:33:46.259 you know, 00:33:46.259 --> 00:33:47.480 Baptist pastor, 00:33:47.559 --> 00:33:47.939 what is he supposed 00:33:47.939 --> 00:33:48.159 to say? 00:33:48.179 --> 00:33:48.399 Yeah, 00:33:48.519 --> 00:33:49.699 I believe in prayer. 00:33:50.019 --> 00:33:50.319 I said, 00:33:50.359 --> 00:33:51.079 pray for a two-by-four. 00:33:51.960 --> 00:33:52.759 And once again, 00:33:52.839 --> 00:33:54.199 he had that silence 00:33:54.199 --> 00:33:54.779 on the phone, 00:33:54.859 --> 00:33:55.059 like, 00:33:55.119 --> 00:33:56.399 what are you talking about? 00:33:56.759 --> 00:33:57.480 Explain the whole thing. 00:33:58.019 --> 00:33:58.259 All right, 00:33:58.299 --> 00:33:58.500 God, 00:33:58.579 --> 00:34:00.079 this is what we're praying for. 00:34:00.899 --> 00:34:02.139 You can't be attached 00:34:02.139 --> 00:34:02.819 to anything, 00:34:03.059 --> 00:34:03.379 you know. 00:34:03.659 --> 00:34:05.059 And while I'm talking 00:34:05.059 --> 00:34:06.159 to him on the way 00:34:06.159 --> 00:34:07.599 to church, 00:34:07.599 --> 00:34:08.579 right before Good Friday, 00:34:08.679 --> 00:34:09.000 getting ready 00:34:09.000 --> 00:34:10.299 for our big Easter service, 00:34:11.159 --> 00:34:12.480 I see a board 00:34:12.480 --> 00:34:14.860 on the side of the road, 00:34:15.039 --> 00:34:17.739 right on the yellow line, 00:34:17.739 --> 00:34:20.279 about 100, 00:34:20.399 --> 00:34:21.079 200 feet 00:34:21.079 --> 00:34:21.779 from the church. 00:34:23.319 --> 00:34:23.859 And I said, 00:34:23.899 --> 00:34:24.379 hold on a second. 00:34:24.479 --> 00:34:24.739 I said, 00:34:24.859 --> 00:34:27.199 I'm pulling off right now, 00:34:27.239 --> 00:34:28.019 I see a board. 00:34:28.239 --> 00:34:28.659 And he's still, 00:34:28.839 --> 00:34:29.179 he's like, 00:34:29.239 --> 00:34:29.519 a board, 00:34:29.579 --> 00:34:30.219 what are you talking about? 00:34:30.439 --> 00:34:30.619 He's like, 00:34:30.659 --> 00:34:30.759 just, 00:34:30.979 --> 00:34:32.239 get out. 00:34:32.299 --> 00:34:32.599 And I said, 00:34:32.639 --> 00:34:32.799 look, 00:34:32.839 --> 00:34:33.559 if this board's not 00:34:33.559 --> 00:34:34.039 a two-by-four, 00:34:34.099 --> 00:34:34.759 it means nothing. 00:34:35.759 --> 00:34:36.699 I got out, 00:34:36.819 --> 00:34:38.399 and I picked it up, 00:34:38.899 --> 00:34:40.759 and it was a six-foot 00:34:40.759 --> 00:34:42.019 two-by-four board. 00:34:43.699 --> 00:34:44.579 And so I'm holding 00:34:44.579 --> 00:34:45.579 that two-by-four board, 00:34:45.659 --> 00:34:46.239 and I'm on the phone 00:34:46.239 --> 00:34:46.539 with him. 00:34:46.539 --> 00:34:47.380 And I said, 00:34:47.440 --> 00:34:47.579 man, 00:34:47.619 --> 00:34:49.039 I'm holding a two-by-four 00:34:49.039 --> 00:34:50.079 board right now. 00:34:50.900 --> 00:34:51.759 And he said, 00:34:51.880 --> 00:34:54.039 remind me what that means again. 00:34:55.279 --> 00:34:55.960 And I said, 00:34:55.980 --> 00:34:56.159 brother, 00:34:56.219 --> 00:34:57.099 it means that we're 00:34:57.099 --> 00:34:57.940 going to Canada, 00:34:58.699 --> 00:34:59.719 and we're going right now. 00:35:00.739 --> 00:35:00.980 And you see, 00:35:01.039 --> 00:35:01.460 that's the picture. 00:35:01.659 --> 00:35:03.079 So I was in a 00:35:03.079 --> 00:35:05.179 old pickup truck that day, 00:35:05.920 --> 00:35:07.679 driving to my church, 00:35:08.119 --> 00:35:09.619 and there's the board 00:35:09.619 --> 00:35:11.960 that God used. 00:35:12.800 --> 00:35:13.079 Now, 00:35:13.940 --> 00:35:15.139 I'll tell you that, 00:35:15.139 --> 00:35:16.519 and it still feels weird 00:35:16.519 --> 00:35:17.379 telling that story. 00:35:17.500 --> 00:35:18.559 And so here's what I don't 00:35:18.559 --> 00:35:19.440 want you to take away. 00:35:19.859 --> 00:35:20.940 I don't want you to take 00:35:20.940 --> 00:35:21.440 from that, 00:35:21.739 --> 00:35:22.599 that you need to be praying 00:35:22.599 --> 00:35:23.400 for all these signs 00:35:23.400 --> 00:35:23.879 and wonders. 00:35:24.400 --> 00:35:24.559 Okay? 00:35:24.739 --> 00:35:25.679 Jesus said, 00:35:26.019 --> 00:35:26.339 you know, 00:35:26.400 --> 00:35:28.299 that the Gentiles 00:35:28.299 --> 00:35:29.059 pray for signs. 00:35:29.259 --> 00:35:29.480 Okay? 00:35:30.000 --> 00:35:30.400 But, 00:35:31.199 --> 00:35:31.759 God 00:35:31.759 --> 00:35:32.980 is a God 00:35:32.980 --> 00:35:33.639 who hears 00:35:33.639 --> 00:35:34.379 our prayers 00:35:34.379 --> 00:35:35.339 and our cries. 00:35:36.199 --> 00:35:37.379 And so in those moments 00:35:37.379 --> 00:35:38.259 of desperation, 00:35:38.639 --> 00:35:39.379 and the Bible also 00:35:39.379 --> 00:35:40.159 tells us that 00:35:40.159 --> 00:35:41.259 the Holy Spirit 00:35:41.259 --> 00:35:42.139 will intercede 00:35:42.139 --> 00:35:43.219 intercede for us 00:35:43.219 --> 00:35:43.859 when we don't know 00:35:43.859 --> 00:35:44.420 what to pray. 00:35:44.839 --> 00:35:45.839 And so this isn't a 00:35:45.839 --> 00:35:46.980 prayer of, 00:35:47.179 --> 00:35:47.199 hey, 00:35:47.420 --> 00:35:48.699 pray for signs and wonders. 00:35:48.819 --> 00:35:49.420 It's just, 00:35:49.900 --> 00:35:50.739 God answers prayer. 00:35:51.219 --> 00:35:52.000 That particular day, 00:35:52.039 --> 00:35:52.900 I just happened to pray 00:35:52.900 --> 00:35:54.299 for a two-by-four board. 00:35:54.699 --> 00:35:55.819 And so in your life, 00:35:56.299 --> 00:35:57.339 in your situation 00:35:57.339 --> 00:35:58.819 that's unique to you, 00:35:59.159 --> 00:35:59.879 and you're seeking 00:35:59.879 --> 00:36:00.539 God's will, 00:36:00.599 --> 00:36:01.059 and you're wondering, 00:36:01.179 --> 00:36:02.319 how do I find God's will? 00:36:02.500 --> 00:36:03.480 Start with God's word. 00:36:04.339 --> 00:36:05.779 What is God's heart? 00:36:06.440 --> 00:36:07.420 God's the creator 00:36:07.420 --> 00:36:08.179 of the universe, 00:36:08.379 --> 00:36:09.440 and this is his instruction 00:36:09.440 --> 00:36:10.639 manual for your life. 00:36:10.639 --> 00:36:11.940 What is God's will 00:36:11.940 --> 00:36:12.819 for your life? 00:36:13.039 --> 00:36:13.739 It's in his word. 00:36:15.960 --> 00:36:16.920 Pray specific prayers. 00:36:17.679 --> 00:36:18.900 Examine the circumstances. 00:36:20.000 --> 00:36:20.339 Then I want you 00:36:20.339 --> 00:36:21.219 to notice last, 00:36:22.619 --> 00:36:23.440 notice how this man 00:36:23.440 --> 00:36:24.039 responded. 00:36:25.099 --> 00:36:25.900 Verse 26. 00:36:27.079 --> 00:36:27.259 It says, 00:36:27.339 --> 00:36:29.219 And the man bowed low, 00:36:30.019 --> 00:36:31.259 and he worshiped the Lord. 00:36:32.940 --> 00:36:33.639 And he said, 00:36:33.699 --> 00:36:34.659 Blessed be the Lord, 00:36:34.719 --> 00:36:36.199 the God of my master Abraham, 00:36:36.480 --> 00:36:37.579 who has not forsaken 00:36:37.579 --> 00:36:38.559 his love and kindness, 00:36:38.839 --> 00:36:39.539 and his truth 00:36:39.539 --> 00:36:40.420 towards my master. 00:36:40.639 --> 00:36:41.460 As for me, 00:36:42.239 --> 00:36:43.639 the Lord has guided me 00:36:43.639 --> 00:36:45.059 in the way to his house 00:36:45.059 --> 00:36:46.900 of my master's brother. 00:36:49.059 --> 00:36:49.779 All of a sudden, 00:36:49.879 --> 00:36:50.159 this man, 00:36:50.279 --> 00:36:51.539 after examining everything, 00:36:51.839 --> 00:36:53.219 after praying this big, 00:36:53.359 --> 00:36:54.619 bold, specific prayer, 00:36:55.279 --> 00:36:57.259 he just had this peace of God 00:36:57.259 --> 00:36:59.359 that led him to worship. 00:37:00.659 --> 00:37:01.239 So four, 00:37:01.400 --> 00:37:02.719 how do you find God's will? 00:37:03.519 --> 00:37:05.039 God's will is found 00:37:05.039 --> 00:37:06.420 through the Spirit's peace. 00:37:06.420 --> 00:37:08.800 God's will is found 00:37:08.800 --> 00:37:09.980 through the Spirit's peace. 00:37:10.460 --> 00:37:11.680 You go through that process, 00:37:11.880 --> 00:37:13.900 and if it's of God, 00:37:14.119 --> 00:37:16.400 you'll just feel the Spirit 00:37:16.400 --> 00:37:17.059 just saying, 00:37:17.519 --> 00:37:18.740 this is right. 00:37:19.079 --> 00:37:20.200 This is the way of the Lord. 00:37:20.300 --> 00:37:21.059 Walk in it. 00:37:21.639 --> 00:37:22.559 But if you have a check 00:37:22.559 --> 00:37:23.340 in your spirit, 00:37:24.220 --> 00:37:25.500 just don't live forward. 00:37:25.820 --> 00:37:26.760 Just hold up. 00:37:26.980 --> 00:37:28.519 Just keep on praying. 00:37:28.519 --> 00:37:32.500 Henry Blackaby, 00:37:32.860 --> 00:37:35.960 who went to be with the Lord 00:37:35.960 --> 00:37:36.900 a couple years ago, 00:37:37.960 --> 00:37:38.739 whenever he was writing 00:37:38.739 --> 00:37:39.559 that Bible study, 00:37:39.599 --> 00:37:40.380 over 30 years, 00:37:40.500 --> 00:37:40.840 I think it's, 00:37:41.719 --> 00:37:42.019 man, 00:37:42.280 --> 00:37:43.139 it's probably closer 00:37:43.139 --> 00:37:44.860 to 35, 40 years ago now. 00:37:45.199 --> 00:37:45.800 When he was writing 00:37:45.800 --> 00:37:46.519 that Bible study, 00:37:46.579 --> 00:37:47.659 he had the whole Bible study 00:37:47.659 --> 00:37:47.980 written, 00:37:48.440 --> 00:37:49.320 but he hadn't picked out 00:37:49.320 --> 00:37:49.960 a name yet. 00:37:50.400 --> 00:37:50.539 You know, 00:37:50.579 --> 00:37:51.320 he didn't know 00:37:51.320 --> 00:37:53.099 what to name this Bible study, 00:37:53.179 --> 00:37:54.300 this book that he had written. 00:37:55.039 --> 00:37:56.019 And so he came to Lifeway, 00:37:56.100 --> 00:37:56.680 and he presented 00:37:56.680 --> 00:37:58.100 the Bible study, 00:37:58.180 --> 00:37:58.539 and he said, 00:37:58.620 --> 00:38:00.680 what should we call this study? 00:38:01.200 --> 00:38:01.580 And he said, 00:38:01.600 --> 00:38:02.060 oh, we know. 00:38:02.560 --> 00:38:03.580 You should call it 00:38:03.580 --> 00:38:04.660 Knowing God, 00:38:05.360 --> 00:38:06.519 because you learn so much 00:38:06.519 --> 00:38:07.260 about God 00:38:07.260 --> 00:38:08.680 in this study. 00:38:09.700 --> 00:38:10.880 And here's what Henry said. 00:38:10.920 --> 00:38:11.300 He said, 00:38:11.660 --> 00:38:13.019 I don't want people 00:38:13.019 --> 00:38:14.340 to know God, 00:38:15.180 --> 00:38:15.700 because that's just 00:38:15.700 --> 00:38:16.500 head knowledge. 00:38:16.920 --> 00:38:18.200 We as Southern Baptists, 00:38:18.200 --> 00:38:19.140 we know God. 00:38:19.860 --> 00:38:20.340 We do. 00:38:21.140 --> 00:38:22.160 Our problem is that 00:38:22.160 --> 00:38:22.980 we're educated 00:38:22.980 --> 00:38:24.280 beyond our obedience level. 00:38:25.300 --> 00:38:26.260 This is what he said. 00:38:26.320 --> 00:38:26.660 He said, 00:38:27.220 --> 00:38:29.440 we want to have people 00:38:29.440 --> 00:38:30.800 experience God. 00:38:32.240 --> 00:38:33.580 In the same way 00:38:33.580 --> 00:38:34.900 that people experience God 00:38:34.900 --> 00:38:35.480 in the Bible, 00:38:35.780 --> 00:38:36.519 I want people 00:38:36.519 --> 00:38:38.120 to experience God now, 00:38:38.180 --> 00:38:39.120 because he's unchanging. 00:38:40.320 --> 00:38:40.780 Name it, 00:38:40.900 --> 00:38:42.580 Experiencing God. 00:38:45.320 --> 00:38:47.160 These last five years 00:38:47.160 --> 00:38:48.480 have been incredibly difficult 00:38:48.480 --> 00:38:50.600 for me and my family, 00:38:51.080 --> 00:38:52.460 but it has been amazing. 00:38:52.460 --> 00:38:54.220 And I can tell you 00:38:54.220 --> 00:38:55.940 we have experienced God 00:38:55.940 --> 00:38:56.920 in amazing ways. 00:38:59.920 --> 00:39:00.900 The will of God, 00:39:01.000 --> 00:39:01.460 it's good, 00:39:02.240 --> 00:39:02.900 it's pleasing, 00:39:03.019 --> 00:39:03.659 and it's perfect. 00:39:05.079 --> 00:39:06.079 And when I look out 00:39:06.079 --> 00:39:07.159 and I see you, 00:39:07.280 --> 00:39:08.820 I just see a group 00:39:08.820 --> 00:39:10.039 of men and women 00:39:10.039 --> 00:39:11.860 and children and youth 00:39:11.860 --> 00:39:13.720 of people who aren't perfect, 00:39:14.720 --> 00:39:15.480 are fallen, 00:39:15.820 --> 00:39:16.159 broken, 00:39:16.420 --> 00:39:16.720 hurting, 00:39:17.000 --> 00:39:17.380 struggling, 00:39:17.380 --> 00:39:18.360 and that tells me 00:39:18.360 --> 00:39:18.920 that's exactly 00:39:18.920 --> 00:39:19.720 who God wants. 00:39:20.840 --> 00:39:21.360 That's you. 00:39:22.320 --> 00:39:23.619 Because if you're sitting there 00:39:23.619 --> 00:39:24.220 and you're saying, 00:39:24.340 --> 00:39:24.780 oh man, 00:39:24.880 --> 00:39:25.820 I'm amazing, 00:39:26.039 --> 00:39:26.579 I'm awesome, 00:39:26.700 --> 00:39:28.119 I'm exactly who God wants, 00:39:28.300 --> 00:39:29.000 he doesn't want you. 00:39:30.099 --> 00:39:31.880 He uses the most unlikely people 00:39:31.880 --> 00:39:33.019 so that he gets the glory. 00:39:34.480 --> 00:39:35.099 And so I don't know 00:39:35.099 --> 00:39:36.579 where God's calling you, 00:39:36.579 --> 00:39:37.579 I don't know your story, 00:39:37.679 --> 00:39:39.519 I don't know what God's will 00:39:39.519 --> 00:39:41.079 is for your life, 00:39:41.819 --> 00:39:42.619 but he's good. 00:39:43.579 --> 00:39:44.179 He's good. 00:39:44.940 --> 00:39:45.819 People need the gospel 00:39:45.819 --> 00:39:46.639 here in Mississippi, 00:39:47.400 --> 00:39:49.099 people need the gospel 00:39:49.099 --> 00:39:49.599 in Canada, 00:39:49.719 --> 00:39:50.440 people need the gospel 00:39:50.440 --> 00:39:51.319 to the ends of the earth. 00:39:52.960 --> 00:39:54.819 People need the Lord. 00:39:55.719 --> 00:39:56.960 I invite you to come 00:39:56.960 --> 00:39:58.440 and just surrender your life 00:39:58.440 --> 00:39:58.920 to the Lord 00:39:58.920 --> 00:39:59.259 and say, 00:39:59.340 --> 00:39:59.519 Lord, 00:39:59.860 --> 00:40:00.360 I'm in. 00:40:01.239 --> 00:40:01.679 Whatever, 00:40:02.000 --> 00:40:02.319 wherever, 00:40:02.320 --> 00:40:04.140 I'm all in 00:40:04.140 --> 00:40:05.940 and you'll experience God 00:40:05.940 --> 00:40:06.820 in amazing, 00:40:07.019 --> 00:40:08.300 amazing ways. 00:40:09.059 --> 00:40:09.820 Will you pray with me? 00:40:11.860 --> 00:40:12.480 Dear Heavenly Father, 00:40:12.600 --> 00:40:13.740 I thank you so much, 00:40:13.880 --> 00:40:14.000 Lord, 00:40:14.059 --> 00:40:16.200 that you are unchanging. 00:40:17.660 --> 00:40:18.660 I thank you, Lord, 00:40:18.700 --> 00:40:20.200 that we can read these stories 00:40:20.200 --> 00:40:21.360 with excitement 00:40:21.360 --> 00:40:23.019 knowing that you haven't changed. 00:40:24.120 --> 00:40:24.280 Lord, 00:40:24.300 --> 00:40:25.920 people try to convince us 00:40:25.920 --> 00:40:26.760 that you've changed, 00:40:27.140 --> 00:40:28.620 that society has changed, 00:40:28.720 --> 00:40:29.019 that, oh, 00:40:29.080 --> 00:40:29.180 well, 00:40:29.180 --> 00:40:30.880 that's how it used to be, 00:40:30.960 --> 00:40:31.860 but your word says 00:40:31.860 --> 00:40:32.760 that hasn't. 00:40:33.579 --> 00:40:35.640 Help us to have bold faith 00:40:35.640 --> 00:40:36.900 to take your promises 00:40:36.900 --> 00:40:38.820 and stand on them 00:40:38.820 --> 00:40:41.920 so that we can truly see 00:40:41.920 --> 00:40:42.900 a movement of God. 00:40:44.380 --> 00:40:44.820 Lord, 00:40:44.860 --> 00:40:46.380 be with those who heard today 00:40:46.380 --> 00:40:48.099 who are wrestling right now 00:40:48.099 --> 00:40:49.180 with what they've just heard. 00:40:51.039 --> 00:40:51.880 Some of them, 00:40:52.039 --> 00:40:52.160 Lord, 00:40:52.240 --> 00:40:54.140 you are reminding them 00:40:54.140 --> 00:40:54.820 of a promise 00:40:54.820 --> 00:40:56.519 that they made to you 00:40:56.519 --> 00:40:58.440 maybe yesterday, 00:40:58.660 --> 00:40:59.980 maybe last week, 00:41:00.059 --> 00:41:01.340 maybe 50 years ago. 00:41:01.860 --> 00:41:03.160 And they're sitting there 00:41:03.160 --> 00:41:03.480 thinking, 00:41:03.680 --> 00:41:03.880 no, 00:41:04.019 --> 00:41:04.260 no, 00:41:04.400 --> 00:41:04.760 that's, 00:41:05.400 --> 00:41:06.300 I've missed it, 00:41:06.380 --> 00:41:07.039 not me, 00:41:07.340 --> 00:41:08.440 it's all wrong. 00:41:09.980 --> 00:41:11.420 But let them feel the spirit, 00:41:11.539 --> 00:41:12.960 let them hear the voice 00:41:12.960 --> 00:41:14.539 of you calling out. 00:41:15.620 --> 00:41:16.760 People need the Lord. 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:19.140 The harvest is plentiful, 00:41:19.240 --> 00:41:19.579 the weak, 00:41:19.860 --> 00:41:21.280 the workers are few. 00:41:22.360 --> 00:41:23.320 But this church, 00:41:23.519 --> 00:41:24.280 First Baptist, 00:41:24.920 --> 00:41:25.079 Lord, 00:41:25.140 --> 00:41:25.780 help it to be 00:41:25.780 --> 00:41:27.280 ascending field 00:41:27.280 --> 00:41:28.220 so that people 00:41:28.220 --> 00:41:29.680 from every nation, 00:41:29.820 --> 00:41:31.019 every tongue, 00:41:31.120 --> 00:41:31.960 every tribe 00:41:31.960 --> 00:41:33.080 can hear the gospel. 00:41:34.740 --> 00:41:36.240 From Mississippi 00:41:36.240 --> 00:41:37.620 to Toronto 00:41:37.620 --> 00:41:39.000 to the ends of the earth. 00:41:40.860 --> 00:41:41.900 Thank you for letting us 00:41:41.900 --> 00:41:42.700 be a part of that. 00:41:44.740 --> 00:41:46.480 Praise you for using 00:41:46.480 --> 00:41:47.380 ordinary, 00:41:47.700 --> 00:41:48.200 broken, 00:41:49.320 --> 00:41:50.260 hopeless, 00:41:50.560 --> 00:41:51.360 sinful people 00:41:51.360 --> 00:41:52.320 for your good. 00:41:52.320 --> 00:41:54.140 Lord, 00:41:54.140 --> 00:41:55.400 we love you 00:41:55.400 --> 00:41:56.380 and we praise you. 00:41:57.300 --> 00:41:58.019 I pray this now 00:41:58.019 --> 00:41:58.960 in Jesus' name. 00:41:59.460 --> 00:41:59.760 Amen. 00:41:59.760 --> 00:41:59.860 Amen. 00:41:59.860 --> 00:41:59.920 Amen. 00:41:59.920 --> 00:42:00.180 Amen. 00:42:00.180 --> 00:42:00.260 Amen.