In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of seeking divine guidance from God. He encourages listeners to start by humbling themselves before God and asking Him what His will is for their lives. The preacher shares personal experiences of how God tested and guided him, including losing a loved one and seeking guidance through prayer. He also mentions a specific incident where he prayed for guidance and was led to live with a couple who mentored and trained him in his ministry. The sermon highlights the significance of relying on God's guidance and trusting in His plans.

Returning to our subject this evening, and you can see that we're at number 15, I think we've got the numbers corrected now. For the past 14 weeks we have been looking at the Eternal Spirit, and we're at what I have called Guidance this evening. Guidance by the Spirit of God, having our lives directed by the Spirit of God, or you can say Guidance through the power of the Spirit of God. You remember the great text that's in the Old Testament that says, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy path. And that's what we're talking about this evening. That word paths I was pointing out the other Sunday morning, is the exact same word as ways that's there, of course you know that paths and ways are the same. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy ways, if you like. But there's an old translation that says, In all thy pathways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy pathways. And for the businessmen and the travelers that are here, and there are many of you, there's another translation, In all thy journeys acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy journeys. We're talking about having our ways, our pathways, our journeys through life, directed. That's guidance of course, another word for guidance. This old book says that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. We're talking about guidance, we're talking about having our pathways directed, we're talking about having our steps ordered. And when our Lord Jesus Christ was talking about the coming of the Spirit of God, he said to the disciples, It is expedient for you that I go away. If I go not away the Comforter will not come. But if I go I will send him unto you, and when he is come he will guide you. Into all truth. So this is what we're about this evening. How we get guidance in life, how we get our pathways directed, how we get our steps ordered, how we get our minds guided into the truth so that we know exactly where God is taking us and what it's all about. We're talking about guidance, you see. Now before we come to that we've got to differentiate between guidance for God's people in the past and guidance for God's people in the present. You see, I'm afraid that you fellows are going to leave out the dispensations, I'm afraid there's going to be a problem. Guidance in the old economy was quite different, for now if you look at your notes you'll find that I have said that guidance in the past was first of all by sight. You see, God guided Israel in a pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night. But we don't have anything like that, you know. No, we don't walk by sight in this dispensation, we walk by faith. You can't see the difference, I can't help you. You see, guidance was first of all by sight, and then it was by signs. You can see how many of these people were hunting after signs, because this was something that was in Jewish nature and character, that Jews seek after the signs all the time. And you know, I hear young people even yet, you know, coming round and saying, you know, I'm like Gideon, I put out my fleece last evening, didn't you know? It's a great pity of you. Well, we fellows says, I know I'm bound to miss and feel, I know I'm bound to be there. I says, how do you know? He says, I played last week, I got three pound in the net, I'm gone, and I got three pound this morning. I says, the devil can get you. I think we work by sight, that's what I think. I wonder what we have the Holy Ghost for, and the book for. The way we work it, don't we? You'd think you were living in the old economy, but you're not, you know. We slight the Spirit of God by doing these things. We're living in the day and generation when the Holy Ghost has come. And he has come to guide you. And you'll need faith for this thing. You see, in the old economy, God guided the nation of Israel, the children of God they were called by sight. And there were some of the servants were guided by signs. And the Urim and the Thummim in the breastplate of the high priest was used, I know all about it. Sometimes the prophets came. And remember, the prophets were holy men who were moved to speak by the Spirit. Don't forget that. Because you can take up all the prophets, you can take Isaiah, and Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, and Daniel, Uzziah, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Macca, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Gad, Zechariah, Malachi. Right through and into the New Testament, John the Baptist is the last of the New Testament prophets. And you can hear what they had to say, what they were saying to the nation. Talking to the nation. Don't make any mistakes of that. We're not living under the prophets. We're living in a far more glorious day. The Holy Ghost is coming. You're not looking for an old fellow with a beard on, you see. The Holy Ghost is coming. I think it's time we recognized and realized He is coming. Not only has the Holy Ghost come, all that God has to say to you has come. It's in the book between two covers. And there's no more to be added. And God pity Him that takes anything away. I think we've got to differentiate the principles of God's guidance for God's people in the past and the principle of God's guidance for God's people in the present. And I shall just deal lightly with the past so that we'll get the whole story complete this evening. Now let's turn over to the book of Exodus. And we're at chapter 13. Book of Exodus. And we're at the 13th chapter. Now you know right back in chapter 12 that the lamb was slain and the blood was applied to the lintel and the side posts of the door and when God came round well, wherever the blood was applied. God said when I see the blood I will over over use the actual word. Yes. God was going to protect that particular home. And that night God set Israel free from bondage. Through shed blood and His almighty power and He was bringing them up. They were a redeemed people now. And God was going to lead them to the promised land. And you'll find this, verse 20, we're at Exodus chapter 13. And they took their journey from Succoth and encamped at Etham in the edge of the wilderness. Just about to step into the wilderness. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of the clouds to lead them the way. And by night in a pillar of fire to give them light to go by day and by night. He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night from before the people. God was leading them on. And I think we need to get this quite correct you know. That that is the old economy. Just keep that in your mind and that's how God was doing it. And this pillar of cloud they could see day by day. And when the pillar of cloud moved, land. Sometimes we say the Lord knows the way through the wilderness and all I need to do is follow Him. Sometimes I think you're mixing up the dispensations but I don't want to start an argument here. I think there's just a little bit more to it than that. Because I think that sometimes we don't recognize nor see nor know nor trust the Holy Ghost Himself. And I think it's time we did. Because I believe you're going to find out that's how you're going to get guidance. And that's how your steps are going to be directed. And that's how the whole way before you will be insured. You know when we come to chapter 14. And the Lord speak unto Moses saying, speak unto the children of Israel that they turn. You know God knows all the turns. And encamp before Pihahairoth between Migdol and the sea over against Balthephan. Before it shall ye encamp by the sea. Now for those who don't know the geography or the land. Pihahairoth was a mountain on that side. And Balthephan was a mountain on that side. And when God brought them out of Egypt and into the wilderness and turned them. He turned them into this valley in between the mountains. Here they are just turning into this valley. And before them was the Red Sea. It just turned into a big wilderness cul-de-sac. He's doing it. There's no way out. The Red Sea is there. And the mountains are there. And the mountains are there. And just when this redeemed people got in between in the valley facing the sea. They can hear the rattle of the chariots of Pharaoh coming behind them. 600 chariots. Chosen warriors. Going to handle them. Yes. That's true. Because God's going to test them out you know. Because even though you are redeemed by blood God will test you you know. Sometimes God tests us very severely. You can lose a loved one you know very early in life. When so many things can take place. And you find you are in a tight corner. Being tested. And it says here. Have a look at this. We're at 14. Let's go way down to 19. Verse 19. And the angel of God. Which went before the camp of Israel. Removed and went behind them. And the pillar of the cloud went from before their face. And stood behind them. And it came between the camp of the Egyptians. And the camp of Israel. And it was a cloud of darkness. To the Egyptians. But it gave light by night to these. So that the one came not near the other. All the night. You know God was looking after them just the same. All I want to stress is that this was the kind of guidance. And I'll tell you you'll look for a long time for it down here just now before you get it. We're going for a job tomorrow. There'll be no pillar of cloud before you as far as I know. But I'll tell you another way of doing it in the ministry. We need to learn how God dealt with his people in the Old Testament. And then we need to learn what he wants to do with us today. And we need to see the differentiation. If you know God gave them signs. I know that he gave them signs. Let's come to the book of Judges just for a moment. And we're at Judges chapter 6. Book of Judges. And we're at the 6th chapter. And this is Gideon. Verse 36. Book of Judges chapter 6 verse 36. And Gideon said unto God. If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand as thou hast said. Did God say he would save Israel by Gideon's hand? Yes he did. And you know I think you're really pushing it when you say to God. Well if you're going to do what you said. I think we need to learn to take God at his word. You're not allowed to question God even if you are Gideon. Sometimes God puts up with us when we do things like this. How gracious he is. He says if thou wilt save Israel by mine hand as thou hast said. Behold I will put a fleece of wool in the floor. And if the dew be on the fleece only and it be dry upon all the earth beside. Then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand as thou hast said. And it was so that he rose up early of the morning. Fluffed the fleece together. And wringed the dew out of the fleece. A bowl full of water. God had put up with him. God had answered by a sign. Now you can see how trying he was. And Gideon said unto God let not thine anger be not against me. He must have knew what he was playing with. And I will speak but this once. Let me prove I pray thee but this once with the fleece. Let it now be dry only upon the fleece. And upon all the ground let there be dew. And God did so that night for it was dry upon the fleece only. And there was dew upon the ground. I can't understand Christians who run back to this and say you know I put out my fleece last night. And I did this and I did that and I did the other. They don't understand it. I told you about this person coming to me and saying they were going to the mission field. And they had put up this fleece that if I get three pound in the letter I'll know that God is sending me. I wouldn't like to be going to the mission field on that foundation. And I pity you for doing so. I shall tell you this. That the person who went didn't stick it six months in their home and work in a factory no. And they should have stuck in the factory. For God's sake don't play with God like that. Oh I shall show you that there's something more wonderful than sending them about like that. And even did him was gone the second mile and why God might have had righteous indignation with him. For to look into God's face and say if you keep your word locally just do this to prove it. And then when God did it to say it again. I wouldn't like to be like that. I don't think that's trusting God at all. I think that's tempting. And there's too much much of it goes on. And it's all put out as if it was genuine honesty. All in all we're going to find out there's something more wonderful than that. Because you know that God did give signs through the Urim and the Thummim for so many young ones. Have a look at this. This is the book of Exodus. And it's chapter 28. And we've spent nights at this in this place. And you know all about it. But there's always somebody who needs to learn something more isn't there. This is the book of Exodus chapter 28. And God is talking to Moses. And he's telling him about making the high priest's garments. And in verse 4 he said, And these are the garments which they shall make. And the first one he mentions is a breastplate. And he gives him all the details of the breastplate in verse 15. And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work. And you need to stop and ask Christ what's called the breastplate of judgment. In what way was the breastplate that the high priest of Israel wore in what sense was it connected with judgment. Why is it called the breastplate of judgment. And if you look down the chapter a little bit you see verse 30. God is still talking to him about the breastplate. And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim. Now these are two unusual words. Actually they're the names of stones. You see if you can visualize the high priest with all his glorious garments on. And right on the forefront on his heart was the breastplate with 12 stones with the names of all the tribes of the children of Israel. Because all the children of Israel were represented on the high priest's heart. But in the breastplate there was a little pocket and down in the pocket there were two stones. One is called the Urim and one is called the Thummim. And according to the Hebrew word that's there one was light and the other was dark. One I think was a white stone and the other was a black one. They were both the same size. Now when the high priest wanted to get the direction from God about something or to get counsel from God about something. He should put his hand in here and he doesn't know which stone he has in his hand. He just waits there until the Lord helps him to bring one out. Now the one will give him the answer. Now let me make you sure about this because I'm not wanting to waste time here. Let's go to the book of Numbers chapter 27. Book of Numbers chapter 27. Book of Numbers 27 verse 18. And the Lord said unto Moses. The Lord is talking to Moses. Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay thine hand upon him. The time is coming you see for Moses to die and God is going to appoint a new leader. And set him before Eliezer the priest. And before all the congregation and give him a charge in their sight. And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient. And he shall stand before Eliezer the priest who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim. See that? Because he's going to stand before the high priest. And the high priest is going to ask the question, is this God's man? And there's a storm in the ear who will say yes to the whole congregation. And he'll be given the counsel after the judgment of Urim. That's why it's called the breastplate of judgment. The word judgment is not in the sense of wrath coming down. Sometimes I'm asked to give my judgment on something. And what people are looking for is counsel. And here is the word. He shall give counsel after the judgment of Urim. Now God did use that in days gone by. We are not playing about with stones tonight. We have no priest, neither popish nor protestant. Not a bit of us. Nor do we want to be. We haven't two stones, we've got two books. They are eternal. And all that God wants to say to me is in here somewhere. And there's only one who can find the truth for me. He's a holy ghost. And I need to take time with him. I need to go and stand before him or lie before him or kneel before him, whatever way you like. I've got to get the truth from him. And all my life he's guided me. Yes, I want you to get the hold of that, you know. Let's look at this. I think we must connect this together. First Samuel. And it's chapter 28. First book of Samuel. And it's chapter 28. And Saul was the king in those days. And that first king of Israel, King Saul, got away from God. Got away from God. And we're at chapter 28 and it says, verse 3. Now Samuel was dead. The old prophet wasn't there at his side anymore. And all Israel had lamented him and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits and the wizards out of the land. And the Philistines gathered themselves together and came and pitched in Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel together and they pitched in Gilboa. And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid. And his heart greatly trembled. And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. God wasn't talking to him anymore. And you know, it's a terrible thing in your life if God becomes silent to you. That's an awful thing. You know, there are people on this planet tonight and God has talked to them again and again and again. And they have put God from them. And they have stamped on us words. And they have shut their ears against the truth. And God has left them. And what a plight it must be for them. David said, be not silent unto me. Lest I become like those that go down into the pit. Please don't argue with plain truth. You may debate with me as much as you like and you can say whatever you like when you get out against me. It matters not to you. But if God talks to you, and it's plain and unmistakable, and you know, and you harden your heart. If today you hear his voice and you harden your heart, God can let you sit there. For unless you're in, you'll get no guidance. Here's Saul at the end of his day. God answers him not. So you can see. This is how God was guiding. Sometimes he used dreams. Don't you get off on that foot now. If you take cheese and onions from the bag, you'll dream all right. And God alone knows what you'll dream. Yes. No, we're away from the day and hour of dreams. And we're away from the Urim and the Thummim. And we're away from signs. We're in the day and hour of the Holy Ghost. Let's make sure of that. And he has come. And he has come to guide us. You know, when the Savior was here, in the days of his flesh, you know, for the time being, he was the guide to the disciples. Of course, he was the great shepherd of the sheep, and he was the good shepherd that would lay down his life. And of course, eventually, he will come again as the great shepherd, as the chief shepherd. While he was here, he was guiding them. And you know, I think that we can learn lessons from that, when we apply it, of course. You see, sometimes we just look around at all this and say, come on, let's go for the other side. He's got an affair, you know. And everybody clambers into the boat. You've seen those little boats down at Galilee, have you? Some of you who go. And they all get in and they're all smiling, because the Lord is guiding them. They're in the center of the will of the Lord. And you know, sometimes people get the idea that once you're in the center of the will of the Lord, and the Lord is ordering and directing, well, it must be a blue sky all the way. Well, not in your life, it's not. Oh, no. He hadn't gone far from the shore when the storm broke. The Lord leads you into the storm sometimes, just to see what you're made of. Just to test you. And once more, when he led them into the storm, he was fast asleep in the handle part of the boat, as if he didn't care to listen. Sometimes the Lord tests you. And the best people that ever lived on this planet, for God, have all been tested. And tested very severely. And I don't need to go over them all, do I? God said, if Job could look at the devils in us, they're considered my servant, Job. There's none like him in all the earth. Perfect and upright. One that fears God and escheweth evil, keeps away from evil. This one man kept away from evil. Oh, what a story. Sometimes when the Lord's leaving, you know, he takes you to places where you don't want to go. Samaria. He must needs go through Samaria. Once he crossed the border of Samaria and was leading this crowd, they must have murmured to one another. They'd never been in Samaria in their lives. The Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans. Actually, tradition has it that if you got the soil of Samaria on your shoes, you'd be almost condemned for life. They wouldn't go in there. Yet the Lord leads them in there. He didn't only lead them into this storm and into Samaria. You know, he led them into this corn of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. How they looked down their nose at him. Set him at knots, as it were. Yes, and you have to stand outside the camp bearing his reproach to you. He was the leader. But the Lord's gone and he sent the Holy Ghost. He's come to lead us and to guide us. And I think that this is something we need to learn all over again. So, we're just going to start now. I don't want to go on into this. I want to talk about obedience, guidance today. This very day, this very night. For you, and me, and all of us believers here. The Holy Ghost has come. Now, this is the dispensation. And at the beginning of this dispensation, when the Spirit came, You know, the Lord used Apostles and Prophets, and let's get that phrase in that order, Apostles and Prophets. Because if you find the phrase in this book, when it talks about Prophets and Apostles, you will know that it's talking about Old Testament Prophets, and New Testament Apostles. But when you get Apostles first, and then Prophets second, we're talking about New Testament Prophets. And they're quite different from Old Testament Prophets. You see, when the Holy Ghost came, and took all those individual followers, and baptized them into one body, and the Church of Jesus Christ was formed on earth, you know, there was no New Testament. It wasn't written. And Paul wrote fourteen letters in our New Testament, and he wasn't even saved. He wasn't saved for a lot of years after that. So then it was quite a lot of years before he began to write these letters, and it was quite a lot of years before they were all gathered together, and put into the New Testament. And when you think that the book of the Revelation was written somewhere about 1896, you know the Church had to go a year or two, quite a number of years, without a New Testament. And without a head book. And without a building. Without an organ, or without a piano, or without anything. Yes it was. I don't see why we should despise these things if they help us to worship the Lord. We can take the newly printed Bibles and all the rest of it. I've got the big one before me here, and it fits me very well, because it's just newly printed in this really big print, and I'm delighted to see it. Because if it's just some tiny little thing, then I can't see it. But you see, in those days when there was no New Testament, and all the saints met on the Lord's Day morning, on the first day of the week to break bread, you know the apostles were there. And then these New Testament prophets were there. And these New Testament prophets could stand up and teach Church truth that would be eventually in the New Testament to an assembly who had never seen or thought about a New Testament. But then you see that in the time when the apostles passed on, and the apostles and prophets who were guiding the Church by the Spirit in its early days, and the foundation. We built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, but they're gone. And now we're left with pictures. And we're left with a complete revelation. So that we have got pictures that God has given us, and we've got a complete revelation. And this is how we get guidance today. I want you to get the hold of this. Let's go to the Acts of the Apostles, and we're at chapter 16. The Acts of the Apostles, chapter 16. And just at this time we're talking about Paul coming to Lystra. And he's coming there to preach, and he's got a whole crowd with him. And it says, verse 4, And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number did. Now when they had gone through out Persia, and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia. I want you to get this word forbidden. And they were forbidden of the Holy Ghost. You see, Paul and his company, were just about at that time, to turn their feet into Asia. And had they been allowed to do so, then the Far East would have had the gospel long before we had. They weren't allowed to do so. Now, Paul might have argued that the Lord Jesus said, go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. But you see, although this worldwide commission is given, God has the sovereign right to direct his servants exactly where he wants them to be. And so it seems that the message was brought to Paul, maybe on a Sunday morning, maybe by some of the prophets that God raised up, and is forbidden, not allowed to do. Now watch this bit. Verse 7, After they were come to Nicaea, they affirmed to go into Nicaea, but the Spirit suffered them not. It's the same word again. You see, they're being directed and controlled and moved and hindered by the Spirit of God all the time. You see, this is the Spirit applying his gifts in the church to bring light to all his servants, and this happens all the time. Now, that's at the early days of Nicaea. Let's get down to today, where we are today. We've got a full revelation before us, with a full stop at it. And God has said all he wants to say. And the Holy Ghost is with us, just at this very moment. The Holy Ghost is here to guide us and to lead us. Now, how do we get divine, most sure guidance from God for every single detail we want the guidance for today? Well, I believe it begins like this. I believe it begins with you, on your knees, saying, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Now, I want to say something, because I know I have young men and I have preachers before me, and I have so many who are just looking for guidance in so many ways. Let me say this to you. I have never in my life stopped any truth from God. Never! And I never will. But if something comes to me, if somebody comes and says, well, we would like you to do this, then I've got to see whether God is in it or not. And I think we try to look things up here. But God says, leave it to God. There are always plans. I believe that's leaning on your own understanding. I think we want to trust God. I've never stopped anything. I've never stopped a meeting. I've never stopped a place. I've never stopped a job. I've never stopped anything. I know my true self, seeking anything. It's not a bit of me. Yes, I think when it comes to you, it's time to get down before God. Now, we need to be honest today. You see, it's no use for you getting down before the Lord and saying, Lord, Lord, what about this thing? You know, I used to go to a prayer meeting in Newton House. I was there on this very night. You know, this is not something that is just trumped up. Yes, I was there, big man of the meeting. I remember him breaking down, weeping. He says, Lord, Lord, I need a partner in life. He's looking for a woman now. Funny place to go to the prayer meeting. He says, Lord, Lord, I need a partner in life. I'm pleased with the said one, but Lord, make sure it's Mary around the corner. And it all worked out. He didn't need God. That's what that is. He might be around the corner after a while. They'll let him in. You don't go before God like that, no. You know, you're not honest at all if you're doing those sort of things. You're going before God and closing your eyes and pretending to ask God about something, and all the time, in the back of your mind, you want it to be this way. I'm afraid it's not right. I don't think you're going to get guidance. I think you have to be very honest about this. There must be an honestness in your prayer and in your purpose. And then, of course, there must be a readiness in your heart. You see, if you get down honestly before the Lord and you shut your eyes and you're looking into God's face alone and you're not worried about anybody, and you say, Lord, Lord, you see this thing that's put up to me? You see this offer that's made to me? Lord, what would thou have me to do? That doesn't make a matter what the wife wants you to do. No, it doesn't make a matter what the church wants you to do. And this is the most important bit of it. It doesn't make a matter what you want to do. Lord, what would thou... Now, if there's an honestness, backed up, backed up with a readiness. I'm ready. Remember, when the angel came to the Virgin Mary and said, Blessed are thou among women. Thou shalt conceive in thy womb. Bring forth a son. And she knew exactly what that meant. God was going to take her body and he was going to use it and he was going to bring forth a Messiah. Now, she knew exactly what that meant. That meant that she would be misunderstood by Joseph. That meant that she would be misunderstood by a million more. That meant that she would be ridiculed by people like Superman and a whole lot of others. Yes, misunderstanding. You see, God might ask you to do something that's not very nice, you know. You see, if you come before God and you're honest, you know, he might say, Go home to thy friends. Go home to your mother in the house at home and tell them a great thing they all have done to you. And you really want to do that. Send the man home, you know, from his home. Yes, beginning with Jerusalem is a terrible thing. Or you know, he might send you into Judea. Beginning at Jerusalem and then Judea. Yes, if you went to preach Christ in Judea, they could take your life and you might descend to some part of this world where they would take your life very quickly. Prepare for it. Or you might descend to Samaria where you would be despised. Or you might descend to some distant place to the far ends of the earth. It just has to be a readiness. You know, I want you to get the hold of this and you've got to do something, maybe that I shouldn't do, and yet I think for the sake of young people seeking real guidance, I should show you how to do it. You see, when I was saved about 44 years ago, of course I was a drunkard and I was in rags. I went to the meeting just because I was saved. And I enjoyed the meeting. I enjoyed the meeting, enjoyed the hymn, enjoyed the path of preaching. Whether it was good, bad or middling, I enjoyed it. I always got something out of it. And you know, the Lord blessed me as I started to read this book. I could see things in this book. I think that some of my friends just didn't see it. And then I would preach at meetings and tell the folks these things. You know, it was being noised abroad here and there. But the Lord was blessing me. And I was so stupid, I hardly knew it. I thank God for that stupidness. Never thought I knew that God was making a man out of me. Just didn't know. You don't know the difficulties that I've been in. I've dined with millionaires and lords and ladies. You didn't know what thought you took. You know, it's a terrible situation for a fellow to be in. You want to be there, you know. But I remember at $3, even dining the first time with four lords and four ladies. And it was lobster they put on the plate. And I didn't know why you screwed this thing up. Sitting there, you know, looking at this thing. And this lady beside me, she was a nice woman. And I said, Do you know this thing? I don't know a thing about this. She said, what do you mean, I don't know a thing? You just follow me. I'll do everything for you. And if she had left the plate, I would have... So you see who I was and you see where I was, don't you? I'm doing this very honestly for you now. And here I was. The Lord was blessing me. And I was working in Dixon's in the rose field one day when a professor, very, very important one too, maybe one of the greatest in the place. I stepped into the field and he said to me, Do you know who I am? I said, yes, sir, I do. He said, I want you to come to work for me. I said, I have to ask an order by that person. Oh, he says, I don't know all about you and the Lord. He said, you just ask the Lord. And if the Lord tells you to come, then you come. And so I asked the Lord about this and he offered it to me. And I can remember praying and I remember the word that the Lord gave me. Go forth. I said, this is going forth. All right, I'll go forth. So I went to live with this man. And his wife is alive tonight. And she was the greatest lady that ever lived, I think. And she took me on the road in for training, just how to live and how to live and a whole lot of things. It was all of God, of course. I was getting paid for it. It was all of God. And she treated me up and we became great friends. And for many years I was there. And of course, all the time, you see, I was going out preaching. And there were little revivals. Sometimes at a little mission in Porto Verde, there were 60 fishermen there. Sometimes there were maybe 20 there at one meeting. And I wasn't making appeals. I was just taking the road the Lord gave me along and I was getting fine. But God was really blessing me. And then one day, into the garden where I was working about that particular day, Frank Forbes of the Irish Baptist Mission and old James Shields was with him. He was an old warrior of the Lord. And looking down the garden slowly and James Shields said, You know, I'm afraid you'll have to leave this. What for, I said? You know, it's time you were full time out in the world. You've got a great gift and God has blessed you. We're prepared to take you on. And I said, you know, I've never been to school. He said, we're not going to do it that way, see. You're ready to come. You're ready to teach. You're made for it. You're made for it. He said, we need to talk that over with the Lord. Now, this is how he brought about it, you see. They're offering me full time service for the Lord. And I knew a thing or two now about guidance, you see. I knew I hadn't thought this. But I dropped a gun on my knees and cried to the Lord. And the professor owned some racehorses and some hunting horses. And I used to go to feed them in the morning. I'd pick hay there in the back of the moat all the way up into the mountains. An old mountain. And I used to go to feed the horses. And I was up on the mountain this morning. And I felt I was being pressed about this. And I got down on my knees in the mountain and I said, The Lord, you want me to do it. I'm ready for anything that you're ready for. But I'll wait to know. And you need to tell me. You need to tell me if they will work. Now, here's what happened to me. Have a look at the book of Deuteronomy. And without the second chapter. And I had an old Bible in my pocket. And as I got down on my knees in the mountain. I broke my socks and this is where I opened it. And this is the first word I read. Verse 2. And the Lord speak unto me saying. Deuteronomy chapter 2 verse 2. And the Lord speak unto me saying. Ye have come past this mountain long enough. Turn you northward. And I could hardly believe the reading. And I said, Lord are you talking to a fellow like me. Where have I been long enough on this mountain. And when I stood up and I knew my bearings. I knew north, south, east and west. I turned northward. And as I looked through the cross northward. It was looking as dead as could be. Right into the Baptist Union offices. God was guiding me. God the Holy Ghost was taking the word of God. Giving me clear direction. God was guiding me. You see I went there and I worked there for a long time. And then Brunfield Baptist Church in Belfast. Came down one day and said. You know we've had weeks of prayer meetings. And we think you should come. And then I'm being approached. And again. I went down on my knees before the Lord. And Frank Forbes and James Field heard about this. And came round to me. Said Willie. Are you thinking about this thing. I said yes I am. I've got to think about it. They've come along and asked me. And James Field said this to me. We will try to shut this door in. Oh well I said if you shut the door it will be alright. I will take it that way. And as I prayed. This is what the Lord said to me. I was sitting in a motor car. Waiting on Frank Forbes coming. When I was leafing through my Bible. And I came to this. Have a look at it now. And this is first. And this is the book of Revelation. And it's the third chapter. And this is verse eight. And the Lord is saying I know thy works. I have set before thee an open door. And no man shall shut it. That was pretty clear wasn't it. That's why James Field that evening said to me. May the Lord open the door for you. You may shut it. So I'm getting guidance. Not seeking anything. Just seeking the Lord when it comes. And you know. God blessed me at Bloomfield until the church was overflowing. And the old church outside was full to overflow each evening. We had two churches filled. And then one evening. Mr. Russell is the only one that's left here now. For three men that came from this place. He's very mad. He was all bothered. And these three men came down to see me. And if I'm right I think he was a Scotsman. He says you know they've been praying at Logan. He would like you to come and take a look over there. And you know. I just didn't feel like leaving Bloomfield. That was me a Scotsman. And yet I gave these men my word that I would seek the Lord's face. And as I sought the Lord's face. One morning I was just down on my knees. When the Spirit of God said to me. Look at the Acts of the Apostles. Chapter 10. Have a look at it do you see. It spills into my. Acts chapter 10. And this is where I was reading. Verse 19. Acts 10, 19. While Peter spoke in the vision. The Spirit said unto him. The Spirit said unto him. Behold three men secretly. Arise therefore. And get thee down and go with them. Don't think nothing. For I have sent them. You don't like to go back on that would you? I walked from the room into the kitchen and said. There's more bread in the world. Are you sure about this? I said I'm sure about it. I'm very sure. So I'm 25 years here now. I don't know where the next shift of the glory or work will be. But he will guide won't he? Are you seeking guidance about something? Don't be working nonsense now. The Holy Ghost is here. And the book is here. And he can take any part of the book and he can apply it to you. And he'll guide you. May God bless you.