I'm John Carter in Moscow. 00:00:02.06\00:00:04.60 In Havana, Cuba. 00:00:04.63\00:00:07.30 Now in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. 00:00:07.34\00:00:10.57 I'm John Carter in Petra. 00:00:10.61\00:00:13.44 Right here in Communist China. 00:00:13.48\00:00:16.41 Reporting from India. 00:00:16.44\00:00:18.51 Hi, I'm John Carter in the Solomon Islands. 00:00:18.55\00:00:21.48 I'm John Carter in Soweto. 00:00:21.52\00:00:24.05 From El Salvador. 00:00:24.09\00:00:26.29 I'm John Carter in Sydney, Australia. 00:00:26.32\00:00:29.36 John Carter will help you today in discovering God's will. 00:00:29.39\00:00:33.06 I've had lots of people 00:00:37.10\00:00:39.23 over my lifetime come to me and say, 00:00:39.27\00:00:42.60 "How can I really know 00:00:42.64\00:00:46.27 that I'm doing what God wants me to do?" 00:00:46.31\00:00:50.38 We're gonna talk today 00:00:50.41\00:00:51.75 about a really important question 00:00:51.78\00:00:53.35 in the lives of millions of people. 00:00:53.38\00:00:55.32 And that is 00:00:55.35\00:00:56.95 discovering God's will for your life. 00:00:57.02\00:01:00.39 Most people, 00:01:04.23\00:01:06.29 deep down inside, 00:01:06.33\00:01:08.16 really want to do what God wants them to do. 00:01:08.20\00:01:11.80 It's a very, very good question and wise people ask it 00:01:11.83\00:01:15.27 because it's not safe outside His will. 00:01:15.30\00:01:20.68 You know what I'm talking about. 00:01:20.74\00:01:23.08 If you get outside the will of God, 00:01:23.11\00:01:26.92 it's not safe at all. 00:01:26.98\00:01:28.88 Now there're some good stories in the Bible about this. 00:01:28.92\00:01:31.42 One is the story of Abraham and Sarah. 00:01:31.45\00:01:34.69 You all know the story of Abraham and Sarah. 00:01:34.72\00:01:38.29 Apparently even when she was getting old, 00:01:38.33\00:01:40.70 she was still a very beautiful woman. 00:01:40.76\00:01:44.40 And God told them to go down to the land of Egypt. 00:01:44.43\00:01:47.07 And so Abraham said, 00:01:47.10\00:01:51.14 and he got his wife in on this act, 00:01:51.17\00:01:53.84 "She's my sister." 00:01:53.91\00:01:55.24 When you think about it, 00:01:55.28\00:01:56.61 it's pretty dangerous thing to do. 00:01:56.64\00:01:59.48 And Sarah said, "Hey, that's right. 00:01:59.51\00:02:02.32 He's my brother." 00:02:02.35\00:02:04.35 And then you know the story in the Book of Genesis 00:02:04.39\00:02:07.86 how Sarah is seen by the Pharaoh, 00:02:07.89\00:02:12.13 she must have been a... 00:02:12.16\00:02:16.43 Well, I better not say, you know, 00:02:16.46\00:02:18.70 but she must have been 00:02:18.73\00:02:20.20 extraordinarily beautiful. 00:02:20.24\00:02:23.87 And she was not a girl 00:02:23.91\00:02:27.34 because Pharaoh got her and put her in the harem. 00:02:27.38\00:02:32.15 And then, 00:02:32.18\00:02:33.52 God sent along a message to Pharaoh. 00:02:33.58\00:02:35.88 And it turned out all right 00:02:35.92\00:02:38.02 but it could've turned out very bad. 00:02:38.05\00:02:41.26 Abraham could've been killed 00:02:41.29\00:02:44.13 and Sarah could've been violated. 00:02:44.19\00:02:47.96 It's not safe outside the will of God. 00:02:48.00\00:02:50.40 Some people say, 00:02:50.43\00:02:51.77 "They're not bothered by lying." 00:02:51.80\00:02:55.30 Abraham was a good man, 00:02:55.34\00:02:56.87 but he was not a perfect man. 00:02:56.94\00:03:01.11 And it doesn't matter who you are, 00:03:01.14\00:03:02.91 when you lie, 00:03:02.94\00:03:04.61 you go down the path of perdition. 00:03:04.65\00:03:09.12 God took a lifetime to teach Abraham 00:03:09.15\00:03:12.12 that lying is bad, 00:03:12.15\00:03:14.29 is bad, is bad. 00:03:14.32\00:03:18.73 And so if you're a person who lies, 00:03:18.76\00:03:20.93 then, my friend, you are in a very dangerous situation. 00:03:20.96\00:03:25.50 God never condones lying. 00:03:25.53\00:03:28.80 But Abraham was a slow learner. 00:03:28.84\00:03:31.14 You think he would've learned his lesson. 00:03:31.17\00:03:33.48 "She is my sister. He is my brother." 00:03:33.54\00:03:36.91 When you come to Genesis 20:2 and 3, 00:03:36.95\00:03:43.18 you read a sequel. 00:03:43.22\00:03:44.55 Genesis 20:2 and 3. 00:03:44.59\00:03:50.93 Genesis 20:2 and 3 in the scriptures. 00:03:50.96\00:03:56.40 "Now Abraham said of Sarah, his wife, 00:03:56.43\00:03:58.57 'She is my sister.'" 00:03:58.60\00:04:01.37 This is few years later. 00:04:01.40\00:04:03.51 "And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. 00:04:03.54\00:04:06.68 And God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, 00:04:06.71\00:04:09.18 and said to him, 'Indeed you are a dead man 00:04:09.21\00:04:13.92 because of the woman whom you have taken 00:04:13.95\00:04:16.08 for she is a man's wife.'" 00:04:16.12\00:04:19.92 Therefore, apparently, it seems to me 00:04:19.95\00:04:23.83 that the Almighty God has a healthy respect 00:04:23.86\00:04:29.00 for the institution of marriage. 00:04:29.03\00:04:32.30 And God is dead opposed 00:04:32.33\00:04:35.44 to the dreadful sin of lying 00:04:35.47\00:04:39.87 which is such a dangerous thing. 00:04:39.91\00:04:43.31 Sarah could've been harmed. 00:04:43.35\00:04:44.95 Abraham could've been killed. 00:04:44.98\00:04:47.88 So we need to discover God's will for our lives. 00:04:47.92\00:04:53.42 It's never safe to walk outside the will of God 00:04:53.46\00:04:56.83 and it's good to ask, 00:04:56.89\00:04:59.03 "Lord, what do You want me to do?" 00:04:59.06\00:05:03.50 So today, we're here to ponder 00:05:03.57\00:05:05.50 and answer this profoundly important question, 00:05:05.53\00:05:09.30 which is, how does a person... 00:05:09.34\00:05:11.71 How does God show me His will? 00:05:11.74\00:05:14.91 And many have asked this question. 00:05:14.94\00:05:16.95 "Should I take this job? 00:05:16.98\00:05:18.75 But does God want me to have this job. 00:05:18.78\00:05:20.85 Should I get another job? 00:05:20.92\00:05:23.52 Should I sell my house?" 00:05:23.59\00:05:25.42 Beverley and I are thinking right now 00:05:25.45\00:05:28.46 selling our house in the Thousand Oak. 00:05:28.49\00:05:30.63 So we got some people coming 00:05:30.66\00:05:33.26 to spiffy it up a bit next week. 00:05:33.29\00:05:36.63 "Should I marry this person?" 00:05:36.67\00:05:39.50 That's a question I've ever been asked ever. 00:05:39.53\00:05:43.20 Because people, when you come to marriage, 00:05:43.24\00:05:45.91 know what the will of God is. 00:05:45.94\00:05:48.64 They know exactly what they're going to do 00:05:48.68\00:05:51.45 because how they feel is the will of God. 00:05:51.48\00:05:56.99 "Should I send my children to such and such a school?" 00:05:57.05\00:06:00.59 It is never safe outside the will of God. 00:06:00.62\00:06:04.36 It is always safe and secure, and secure inside His will. 00:06:04.39\00:06:08.90 Now come with me in the Bible 00:06:08.93\00:06:10.57 to Ephesians 5:15 down to 17. 00:06:10.60\00:06:14.84 Ephesians 5:15 and onwards. 00:06:14.87\00:06:18.54 "See then that you walk circumspectly, 00:06:18.57\00:06:22.14 not as fools but as wise, 00:06:22.18\00:06:25.75 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 00:06:25.78\00:06:29.68 Therefore do not be unwise, 00:06:29.72\00:06:32.32 but understand what the will of the Lord is," 00:06:32.35\00:06:35.99 so the Bible says. 00:06:36.02\00:06:37.79 And these are rather strong words, 00:06:37.83\00:06:40.10 the Bible doesn't pull it, it punches. 00:06:40.13\00:06:42.10 The Bible says, "Don't be a fool." 00:06:42.13\00:06:45.40 And the Bible says, 00:06:45.43\00:06:46.80 "Understand what the will of God is." 00:06:46.84\00:06:49.67 Now here is a great statement. 00:06:49.70\00:06:51.07 I wish you could just get this down 00:06:51.11\00:06:52.67 inside the molecules of your mind. 00:06:52.71\00:06:54.81 Here it is. 00:06:54.84\00:06:56.31 "The will of God will never take you 00:06:56.34\00:06:59.71 where the grace of God cannot keep you." 00:06:59.75\00:07:03.05 Want you to think of this. 00:07:03.08\00:07:04.42 "The will of God will never take you 00:07:04.45\00:07:06.42 where the grace of God cannot keep you." 00:07:06.45\00:07:09.56 And so, if you are in the will of God, 00:07:09.59\00:07:13.83 then the grace of God will keep you safe. 00:07:13.86\00:07:18.33 The will of God will never take you 00:07:18.37\00:07:19.87 where the grace of God cannot keep you. 00:07:19.90\00:07:21.64 But if you get outside the will of God, 00:07:21.67\00:07:24.21 my friend, you are not safe. 00:07:24.24\00:07:27.68 I had an old theology teacher. His name was Nelson Burns. 00:07:27.71\00:07:31.48 He taught us this. 00:07:31.51\00:07:32.85 "You are immortal until your work on earth is done." 00:07:32.88\00:07:38.29 This has been a great comfort to me down through the years. 00:07:38.32\00:07:41.19 You are immortal until your work on earth is done 00:07:41.22\00:07:46.59 because my work has taken me 00:07:46.63\00:07:48.66 into many, many dangerous places. 00:07:48.70\00:07:51.70 I remember when we were running a big evangelistic campaign 00:07:51.73\00:07:55.60 in Harare, Zimbabwe. 00:07:55.64\00:07:57.91 It used to be called Rhodesia. 00:07:57.94\00:08:01.14 But then, of course, 00:08:01.18\00:08:02.51 with independence it got changed, 00:08:02.54\00:08:04.28 Harare, Zimbabwe. 00:08:04.31\00:08:06.41 And I was invited up to the television station 00:08:06.45\00:08:09.48 out in the jungle. 00:08:09.52\00:08:10.85 And I went out there, innocence abroad, 00:08:10.92\00:08:14.19 only to walk into a trap 00:08:14.22\00:08:16.39 where my life was placed in danger. 00:08:16.42\00:08:20.03 And I was marched off in the jungle, 00:08:20.06\00:08:22.70 down a jungle road as the sun was going down 00:08:22.73\00:08:26.97 with these soldiers with their guns in my back. 00:08:27.04\00:08:31.37 It's a comfort to know that the will of God 00:08:31.41\00:08:33.58 is not going to take you 00:08:33.61\00:08:34.94 where the grace of God cannot keep you. 00:08:34.98\00:08:36.85 And you are immortal 00:08:36.88\00:08:38.68 until your work on earth is done. 00:08:38.71\00:08:40.92 So nothing can touch you. 00:08:40.95\00:08:43.49 Nothing can harm one hair of your head 00:08:43.52\00:08:48.96 until God says so. 00:08:48.99\00:08:52.69 And I could tell you the story about it. 00:08:52.73\00:08:55.73 As they marched me off down the jungle road, 00:08:55.76\00:08:59.27 and as this terrorist 00:08:59.30\00:09:00.97 who was escorting them in his Peugeot car 00:09:01.00\00:09:04.24 was saying, "Get rid of this man. 00:09:04.27\00:09:06.21 Get rid of this white man." 00:09:06.24\00:09:08.14 As he turned around 00:09:11.81\00:09:13.95 leaving it to the soldiers to kill me, 00:09:13.98\00:09:17.02 they cried out one by one, 00:09:17.05\00:09:18.45 "Pastor Carter, we come to your meetings. 00:09:18.49\00:09:22.72 We come to your meetings. You're safe with us." 00:09:22.76\00:09:25.79 They got me to the meetings on time. 00:09:25.83\00:09:30.07 So you are immortal 00:09:30.10\00:09:31.90 until your work on earth is done. 00:09:31.93\00:09:35.30 The thing we have to fear 00:09:35.34\00:09:37.31 more than anything else is fear. 00:09:37.34\00:09:41.61 You hear this? 00:09:41.64\00:09:44.05 You're safe in His will. 00:09:44.08\00:09:45.41 So how can I know God's will for my life? 00:09:45.45\00:09:47.32 I'm going to give you a number of points. 00:09:47.35\00:09:48.72 If you're taking notes, 00:09:48.75\00:09:50.09 this is the time to start taking notes. 00:09:50.12\00:09:51.45 Number one. 00:09:51.49\00:09:52.82 God never leads me to break His commandments. 00:09:52.85\00:09:56.73 And so you don't need to pray and say, 00:09:56.76\00:09:58.36 "Well, should I break the commandments of God?" 00:09:58.39\00:10:01.56 God never leads me contrary to His commandments. 00:10:01.60\00:10:04.23 Isaiah 48:17 and 18. 00:10:04.27\00:10:07.24 Isaiah 48:17, 00:10:07.30\00:10:09.17 "Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, 00:10:09.20\00:10:11.47 the Holy One of Israel, I am the Lord your God, 00:10:11.51\00:10:13.88 I'm Yahweh Elohim, 00:10:13.94\00:10:15.74 who teaches you to profit, 00:10:15.78\00:10:17.11 who leads you by the way you should go. 00:10:17.15\00:10:19.88 Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! 00:10:19.91\00:10:22.58 Then your peace would have been like a river, 00:10:22.62\00:10:25.89 and your righteousness like the waves of the sea." 00:10:25.92\00:10:29.02 If you walk in God's commandments, 00:10:29.06\00:10:31.36 you are going to be in the will of God. 00:10:31.39\00:10:36.40 Let me read you this statement 00:10:36.43\00:10:37.77 from a famous German theologian. 00:10:37.80\00:10:42.17 "The moral laws are just as stable 00:10:42.20\00:10:45.04 as the law of gravitation. 00:10:45.07\00:10:47.74 Every fuzzy human chicken 00:10:47.78\00:10:51.91 that is hatched into this world 00:10:51.95\00:10:54.05 tries to fool with those laws. 00:10:54.08\00:10:56.45 Some grow wiser in the process and some do not. 00:10:56.48\00:10:59.05 We talk about breaking God's laws. 00:10:59.09\00:11:01.49 But after those laws have been broken several billion times 00:11:01.52\00:11:04.86 since Adam first tried to play with them, 00:11:04.89\00:11:07.60 those laws are still intact 00:11:07.66\00:11:10.23 and no seam or fracture is visible in them, 00:11:10.27\00:11:13.90 not even a scratch on the enamel. 00:11:13.94\00:11:18.67 But the lawbreakers, that is another story. 00:11:18.71\00:11:21.88 If you want to find their fragments, 00:11:21.91\00:11:23.45 go to the ruins of Egypt, 00:11:23.51\00:11:25.65 of Babylon, of Jerusalem, 00:11:25.68\00:11:28.15 study statistics, read faces, 00:11:28.18\00:11:31.89 keep your eyes open, visit Blackwell's Island, 00:11:31.92\00:11:37.39 walk through the graveyard 00:11:37.43\00:11:38.86 and read the invisible inscriptions 00:11:38.89\00:11:42.00 left by the Angel of Judgment, for instance, 00:11:42.03\00:11:45.60 'Here lie the fragments of John Smith, 00:11:45.63\00:11:48.90 who contradicted his Maker, 00:11:48.94\00:11:51.27 played football with the Ten Commandments, 00:11:51.31\00:11:54.44 and departed this life at the age of thirty-five. 00:11:54.48\00:11:58.11 His mother and wife, they weep for him. 00:11:58.15\00:12:01.45 Nobody else does. 00:12:01.48\00:12:03.89 May he rest in peace!' 00:12:03.92\00:12:05.25 "Professor Walter Rauschenbusch. 00:12:05.29\00:12:09.82 So God never leads you to violate 00:12:09.86\00:12:13.90 the commandments of God. 00:12:13.93\00:12:16.46 If you are thinking of leaving your wife 00:12:16.50\00:12:20.80 for another woman, 00:12:20.84\00:12:22.44 you don't need to pray about it. 00:12:22.47\00:12:24.11 You know the story of David with Bathsheba? 00:12:30.45\00:12:33.58 Huh? 00:12:33.62\00:12:35.32 A beautiful, voluptuous woman, 00:12:35.35\00:12:40.12 and the king who had tremendous power. 00:12:40.16\00:12:44.63 And she was taking a bask on the top of her house 00:12:44.66\00:12:50.00 just below the king's window. 00:12:50.03\00:12:52.30 Don't tell me she was innocence abroad. 00:12:52.33\00:12:56.94 Have you thought of the consequences 00:12:56.97\00:12:58.61 of what happened here? 00:12:58.64\00:13:01.44 Amnon 00:13:01.48\00:13:03.68 who raped his sister Tamar 00:13:03.75\00:13:08.02 and Absalom who killed him in response, 00:13:08.05\00:13:13.49 and then, there was a general mutiny and rebellion. 00:13:13.56\00:13:17.99 And the end was two dead, 00:13:18.03\00:13:21.50 Amnon, Absolom. 00:13:21.53\00:13:23.26 One woman raped and left a desolate woman 00:13:23.33\00:13:27.97 and thousands and thousands, 00:13:28.00\00:13:30.77 tens of thousands of dead soldiers. 00:13:30.81\00:13:35.38 Why? 00:13:35.41\00:13:39.85 Because the king didn't keep the commandments of God. 00:13:39.88\00:13:43.02 He gave into his lust. 00:13:43.05\00:13:44.69 He got outside the will of God. 00:13:49.69\00:13:51.79 He got outside the safety zone. 00:13:51.83\00:13:53.76 As soon as he got outside the Ten Commandments. 00:13:53.80\00:13:57.13 Look at 2 Corinthians 6:14 and 15. 00:13:57.20\00:14:01.14 Here's another why people get outside the commandments 00:14:01.17\00:14:05.24 and outside the will of God. 00:14:05.27\00:14:06.61 2 Corinthians 6:14 and 15. 00:14:06.68\00:14:09.51 Now I'm almost scared to read it to you 00:14:09.54\00:14:12.11 because not many people here believe this anymore. 00:14:12.15\00:14:15.32 "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. 00:14:15.35\00:14:20.19 For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? 00:14:20.26\00:14:24.33 And what communion has light with darkness? 00:14:24.36\00:14:27.40 And what accord has Christ with Belial?" 00:14:27.50\00:14:30.57 Now look at this. 00:14:30.63\00:14:31.97 "Or what part has a believer 00:14:32.00\00:14:34.40 with an unbeliever?" 00:14:34.44\00:14:39.24 The Bible says, who believe it says... 00:14:39.27\00:14:42.64 The Bible says, 00:14:42.68\00:14:44.01 "Believers should not get connected 00:14:44.05\00:14:46.55 and tied up with unbelievers." 00:14:46.58\00:14:49.88 There was one person I greatly respected 00:14:49.92\00:14:53.52 even though we would not agree on every bit of theology. 00:14:53.56\00:14:57.39 And that was Dr. Billy Graham. 00:14:57.43\00:15:00.63 And I heard him preach with a Bible in his hand. 00:15:00.66\00:15:04.17 A preacher of God, 00:15:04.20\00:15:06.63 not a whispering hope, 00:15:06.67\00:15:08.44 not a wimp, 00:15:08.47\00:15:10.31 not a coward. 00:15:10.34\00:15:12.91 Not a compromising, ecclesiastical politician. 00:15:12.94\00:15:19.61 The church today is full of those individuals. 00:15:19.65\00:15:22.58 Billy preaching said, 00:15:22.62\00:15:24.62 "If you're going with an unbeliever, 00:15:24.65\00:15:28.42 young lady, drop him and drop him quick." 00:15:28.46\00:15:33.70 And, of course, Billy was right. 00:15:33.73\00:15:37.33 But we don't preach these things today 00:15:37.37\00:15:39.43 because these things will offend the congregation. 00:15:39.47\00:15:43.20 I say, "Offend them." 00:15:43.24\00:15:46.07 Where are the preachers today? 00:15:46.11\00:15:47.78 We don't need to pray about 00:15:47.81\00:15:49.14 what God has already revealed in His Word. 00:15:49.18\00:15:51.35 A man came to me, a businessman. 00:15:51.38\00:15:53.38 He said, "Pastor Carter, pray for me." 00:15:53.42\00:15:55.72 I thought he's going to give a big donation. 00:15:55.75\00:15:57.35 I said, "Certainly. 00:15:57.39\00:15:59.12 How long do you want the prayer to be?" 00:15:59.15\00:16:03.66 Now let me be serious. 00:16:03.69\00:16:05.16 He said to me, "My business partner..." 00:16:05.19\00:16:08.10 He said, "I shouldn't have joined up with this man 00:16:08.13\00:16:11.17 because he is a complete unbeliever 00:16:11.20\00:16:14.14 and he's robbed me of $60,000." 00:16:14.17\00:16:19.64 I said, "I will certainly pray for you. 00:16:19.67\00:16:21.64 Of course, I will that you'll get the money back. 00:16:21.68\00:16:24.98 But you violated the law of God. 00:16:25.01\00:16:27.15 How can you expect God to bless you?" 00:16:27.22\00:16:29.68 God says, "Don't be unequally 00:16:29.72\00:16:31.32 yoked together with unbelievers." 00:16:31.35\00:16:33.66 You don't need to pray about a situation 00:16:33.69\00:16:35.99 that will involve us in lying, cheating, stealing, 00:16:36.02\00:16:40.70 committing adultery, et cetera, et cetera. 00:16:40.73\00:16:45.43 So the first point is this. 00:16:45.47\00:16:47.20 God never leads me in a situation 00:16:47.24\00:16:49.80 where I will be breaking His commandments. 00:16:49.84\00:16:55.04 Number one. Number two. 00:16:55.08\00:16:57.61 God reveals His will to us by opening and closing doors. 00:16:57.65\00:17:03.12 This is something that is very precious 00:17:03.15\00:17:04.95 to the early Americans. 00:17:04.99\00:17:06.32 It is called the providence of God. 00:17:06.35\00:17:09.09 I believe in the providence of God. 00:17:09.12\00:17:11.79 I believe God leads us by opening and closing doors. 00:17:11.83\00:17:16.03 Let me give you a story. 00:17:16.06\00:17:18.20 You know the story of Abraham. 00:17:18.23\00:17:21.20 And he had a son by the name of Isaac. 00:17:21.24\00:17:24.64 He said, "I do not want my son to marry a daughter 00:17:24.67\00:17:29.68 of an unbeliever." 00:17:29.71\00:17:32.41 Because marriage between believers and unbelievers 00:17:32.45\00:17:36.05 is forbidden in the Word of God. 00:17:36.08\00:17:38.32 If you don't believe this, 00:17:38.35\00:17:39.69 it's because you don't believe the Bible. 00:17:39.72\00:17:43.22 So Abraham said to his servant, 00:17:43.26\00:17:45.76 "I want you to go back to my father's house 00:17:45.79\00:17:48.70 and find a girl 00:17:48.73\00:17:50.97 who'll be suitable for my son, Isaac." 00:17:51.00\00:17:55.94 And you know the story. 00:17:55.97\00:17:57.31 The man who would be Isaac's servant one day, 00:18:01.48\00:18:05.95 or Abraham's present servant 00:18:05.98\00:18:08.42 sets out for the land of Mesopotamia. 00:18:08.45\00:18:13.25 It's a great story. 00:18:13.29\00:18:14.62 If you look at Genesis 24:27, 00:18:14.66\00:18:19.76 dear hearts and gentle people, 00:18:19.79\00:18:21.80 Genesis 24:27. 00:18:21.83\00:18:24.50 "And he said, 00:18:24.53\00:18:25.87 'Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, 00:18:25.90\00:18:29.60 who has not forsaken His mercy 00:18:29.64\00:18:31.84 and His truth towards my master. 00:18:31.87\00:18:34.38 As for me, being on the way, 00:18:34.41\00:18:37.45 the Lord led me to the house of my master's brethren.'" 00:18:37.48\00:18:41.22 So he sets out and he says, 00:18:41.25\00:18:43.22 "God, I don't know what to do. 00:18:43.25\00:18:46.29 But I just pray that You're going to lead me. 00:18:46.32\00:18:49.16 I pray that you're going to guide me." 00:18:49.19\00:18:51.63 And he gets there at the time of the day. 00:18:51.66\00:18:53.80 He gets to the village well and all the women, 00:18:53.83\00:18:57.17 and all of the young women 00:18:57.23\00:18:58.87 are coming there to draw water. 00:18:58.90\00:19:02.54 You know the story. 00:19:02.57\00:19:04.71 He says, "God, what am I going to do? 00:19:04.74\00:19:07.68 What am I going to do?" 00:19:07.71\00:19:09.04 He says, "God, could You lead me, 00:19:09.08\00:19:11.05 could You open a door, could You close a door." 00:19:11.08\00:19:13.85 Could it be that the maiden who says, 00:19:13.88\00:19:16.52 "Would you like a drink?" 00:19:16.55\00:19:18.29 And I'll pour some water for your camels? 00:19:18.32\00:19:22.22 Might it be that this is a sign? 00:19:22.26\00:19:24.79 This will be an opening providence. 00:19:24.83\00:19:28.43 You read about this in Genesis 24:12 to 14. 00:19:28.46\00:19:34.40 It is a great and wonderful story. 00:19:34.44\00:19:38.47 Genesis 24:12 to 14. 00:19:38.51\00:19:43.55 "Then he said, 00:19:43.58\00:19:44.91 'O Lord God, Yahweh Elohim of my master Abraham, 00:19:44.95\00:19:49.15 please give me success this day, 00:19:49.18\00:19:51.69 show kindness to my master Abraham. 00:19:51.72\00:19:54.89 Behold, here I stand by the well of water, 00:19:54.92\00:19:59.16 and the daughters of the men of the city 00:19:59.19\00:20:00.96 are coming out to draw water. 00:20:00.96\00:20:04.03 Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, 00:20:04.07\00:20:06.60 'Please let down your pitcher 00:20:06.63\00:20:08.94 that I may drink, and she says, 00:20:08.97\00:20:10.87 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink,' 00:20:10.91\00:20:14.44 let her be the one 00:20:14.48\00:20:16.91 You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. 00:20:16.95\00:20:19.71 And by this I will know 00:20:19.75\00:20:21.65 that You have shown kindness to my master.'" 00:20:21.68\00:20:25.29 And you know exactly what happens. 00:20:25.32\00:20:29.36 The girl comes out. Her name is Rebecca. 00:20:29.39\00:20:33.70 Listen carefully to this 00:20:33.76\00:20:35.40 because those of you who are spiritually minded 00:20:35.43\00:20:39.43 will understand this. 00:20:39.47\00:20:42.50 The servant of Abraham, 00:20:42.54\00:20:45.94 a believer in Yahweh Elohim, 00:20:45.97\00:20:49.71 was in the right place 00:20:49.74\00:20:53.45 at the right time 00:20:53.48\00:20:56.22 for the right person. 00:20:56.25\00:20:59.29 So God was opening doors, 00:20:59.32\00:21:02.29 and God was closing doors. 00:21:02.32\00:21:04.96 Therefore, I say to you, 00:21:04.99\00:21:06.90 "Watch for the providences of God." 00:21:06.93\00:21:09.36 Let me tell you some stories. 00:21:09.40\00:21:12.57 We're shortly going to the great city of Manila. 00:21:12.60\00:21:14.77 By the grace of God, 00:21:14.80\00:21:16.14 it has been tremendously difficult 00:21:16.17\00:21:18.47 working in the Philippines. 00:21:18.51\00:21:20.14 Why are we going to Manila? 00:21:20.18\00:21:21.88 Let me tell my Australian friends, 00:21:21.91\00:21:24.28 let me tell my American friends. 00:21:24.31\00:21:26.45 We are going to Manila because I still believe. 00:21:26.48\00:21:31.72 I'm a pastor who still believes that Jesus said, 00:21:31.75\00:21:36.62 "Go into all the world and preach the gospel." 00:21:36.69\00:21:38.39 I believe this. 00:21:38.43\00:21:40.96 I can't see in my conscience. 00:21:40.96\00:21:43.43 I can't compromise my conscience. 00:21:43.50\00:21:45.93 I believe this. 00:21:45.97\00:21:48.57 David, my son, and I went there in January. 00:21:48.60\00:21:52.44 We went there for a week. 00:21:52.47\00:21:54.24 We were butting our heads up. 00:21:54.28\00:21:55.94 It seemed against every war, it was difficult. 00:21:55.98\00:21:59.01 We couldn't get a place. 00:21:59.05\00:22:01.08 And then later on, 00:22:01.12\00:22:02.45 we decided that we would try to get 00:22:02.48\00:22:03.99 this great and famous place not as big as we wanted. 00:22:04.02\00:22:06.65 It is called 00:22:06.69\00:22:08.02 the Philippine International Convention Center. 00:22:08.06\00:22:10.53 I've run meetings there before. 00:22:10.56\00:22:12.03 It is magnificent, and it is the premium theater 00:22:12.06\00:22:15.76 in that part of the world. 00:22:15.80\00:22:17.47 But we couldn't get the bookings made. 00:22:17.53\00:22:20.00 Blocked every way. 00:22:20.04\00:22:22.17 Is it available? Well, may be. 00:22:22.20\00:22:24.51 Can we get it? Well, may be. 00:22:24.54\00:22:26.07 So I sent Pastor Harker 00:22:26.11\00:22:28.04 and even though he was recovering 00:22:28.08\00:22:29.91 from a serious operation, 00:22:29.94\00:22:31.88 he got on a plane and flew from Sydney 00:22:31.91\00:22:34.28 eight hours up to Manila 00:22:34.32\00:22:35.65 even though he was suffering. 00:22:35.68\00:22:37.09 And he spent a week there. 00:22:37.15\00:22:39.19 And he made some progress 00:22:39.22\00:22:40.82 and we saw doors start to open a little bit more. 00:22:40.86\00:22:44.89 And then I sent 00:22:44.93\00:22:46.36 Dr. John Hammond from Australia. 00:22:46.39\00:22:48.96 These are my great friends. 00:22:49.00\00:22:50.40 This is a providence of God that I have these friends. 00:22:50.43\00:22:53.47 And he met up there in Manila with a pastor, 00:22:53.50\00:22:56.27 whose name is Pastor June 00:22:56.30\00:22:58.17 and they worked together. 00:22:58.21\00:22:59.61 And after months and months of frustration, 00:22:59.64\00:23:02.94 we finally signed a contract and we got it. 00:23:02.98\00:23:07.78 This is not for the faint of heart. 00:23:07.82\00:23:10.49 You've gotta believe 00:23:10.52\00:23:12.49 that God is with you and God is opening doors. 00:23:12.52\00:23:15.49 Now, this is true in our lives. 00:23:19.06\00:23:21.36 In Moscow, 1991, we ran a very successful campaign 00:23:21.40\00:23:25.07 in the city of Moscow. 00:23:25.10\00:23:27.50 The first ever public evangelistic campaign 00:23:27.54\00:23:31.67 by a foreigner in the history of Russia, 00:23:31.71\00:23:35.38 the Soviet Union. 00:23:35.41\00:23:37.68 And after that campaign, the Russian people came to me 00:23:37.71\00:23:40.52 and they said, "Would you have enough faith to rent 00:23:40.58\00:23:45.22 the whole of congresses in the Kremlin?" 00:23:45.25\00:23:49.76 These were heady high days. Revolution was going on. 00:23:49.79\00:23:54.46 So we put a booking on it. 00:23:54.46\00:23:56.40 And we secured the Kremlin Auditorium 00:23:56.43\00:24:01.10 for a great evangelistic series. 00:24:01.14\00:24:06.24 But it never happened. 00:24:06.27\00:24:07.61 I'm not gonna tell you the story, 00:24:11.01\00:24:14.05 but was taken from us. 00:24:14.12\00:24:15.58 This was a bit of disappointment for me, 00:24:19.42\00:24:22.49 but was good for me 00:24:22.52\00:24:23.96 because it taught me not to trust in people 00:24:24.03\00:24:27.76 but to trust in God. 00:24:27.83\00:24:30.63 Because people even those who profess godliness 00:24:30.67\00:24:35.97 will let you down. 00:24:36.00\00:24:37.37 In 1992, 00:24:37.41\00:24:38.74 because we were not allowed to go to the Kremlin 00:24:38.77\00:24:40.64 after we paid all this money, 00:24:40.68\00:24:42.51 we were sent to Nizhny Novgorod. 00:24:42.54\00:24:45.38 And that was a close city. 00:24:45.41\00:24:47.08 We went from the whole of congresses to this place. 00:24:47.12\00:24:51.69 But there we saw as never before 00:24:51.72\00:24:54.99 in the history of Russia, 00:24:55.02\00:24:57.19 the power of God. 00:24:57.23\00:24:59.33 Thousands, thousands, 00:24:59.36\00:25:01.46 tens of thousands coming to God. 00:25:01.50\00:25:03.50 Russia had never seen anything like it before. 00:25:03.57\00:25:06.94 And because of these meetings, 00:25:06.97\00:25:12.61 Danny Shelton came with me to support me 00:25:12.64\00:25:15.08 and to stand with me. 00:25:15.11\00:25:16.61 It's good to have a friend. 00:25:16.64\00:25:19.05 These are pictures of the baptisms. 00:25:19.08\00:25:21.18 Thousands are being baptized. 00:25:21.22\00:25:24.72 History. And then Danny got the vision. 00:25:24.75\00:25:28.49 And the Spirit of God came upon him. 00:25:28.52\00:25:30.36 And he established this 3ABN center 00:25:30.43\00:25:36.13 in Nizhny Novgorod, 00:25:36.16\00:25:38.00 which is the largest Protestant building in all of Russia. 00:25:38.03\00:25:43.20 You say, "Never heard of it." You will. 00:25:43.24\00:25:44.84 And I'll be back soon 00:25:49.64\00:25:52.18 with more amazing stories. 00:25:52.21\00:25:55.28 Finding the providence of God, 00:25:55.32\00:25:57.95 walking in the will of God, 00:25:57.99\00:25:59.69 and knowing that you are safe. 00:25:59.72\00:26:02.56 Hello, friend. 00:26:21.54\00:26:22.98 I'm John Carter. 00:26:23.01\00:26:24.35 Behind me is the great city of Manila, 00:26:24.38\00:26:28.22 the capital of the Philippines. 00:26:28.25\00:26:30.49 Did you know, this is quite amazing. 00:26:30.52\00:26:32.32 There are more people living in this area 00:26:32.35\00:26:34.56 than in New York City. 00:26:34.59\00:26:36.52 And Christ died for these people. 00:26:36.56\00:26:39.33 We came here, oh, long time ago back in 1984. 00:26:39.36\00:26:45.30 What's that, 34, 35 years ago, 00:26:45.33\00:26:48.27 and we came here with a team of young people 00:26:48.30\00:26:50.67 and we came to the PICC. 00:26:50.71\00:26:53.74 It is our intent to come here, 00:26:53.78\00:26:56.11 hire the biggest hall that's available, 00:26:56.14\00:26:58.28 the greatest outdoor stadium, whatever it takes. 00:26:58.31\00:27:02.62 You've got more than 20 million souls out here. 00:27:02.65\00:27:07.62 And I say it again. 00:27:07.69\00:27:09.02 These are people for whom Christ died. 00:27:09.06\00:27:11.73 I'm asking you to pray 00:27:11.76\00:27:13.09 for the people of the Philippines. 00:27:13.13\00:27:15.26 Please pray for the people here in Metro Manila. 00:27:15.30\00:27:19.13 And please write to me, John Carter, P.O. Box 1900, 00:27:19.17\00:27:23.71 Thousand Oaks, California 91358. 00:27:23.74\00:27:27.08 In Australia, 00:27:27.11\00:27:28.44 write to me at Terrigal, at the address 00:27:28.48\00:27:30.45 that is now showing on the screen. 00:27:30.48\00:27:35.22 We're back in Manila, 00:27:35.25\00:27:37.29 and we're back with a message from God, 00:27:37.32\00:27:39.99 that message is, 00:27:40.06\00:27:41.62 Christ died for you. 00:27:41.66\00:27:45.19 And Christ is coming again soon. 00:27:45.23\00:27:50.57 Please support us. 00:27:50.63\00:27:51.97 Write to me today, P.O. Box 1900, 00:27:52.00\00:27:54.94 Thousand Oaks, California. 00:27:54.97\00:27:56.87 And also write to me at Terrigal in Australia. 00:27:56.91\00:28:00.91 Thank you for your support. 00:28:00.94\00:28:03.48 And God bless you. 00:28:03.51\00:28:04.85 For a copy of today's program, 00:28:19.59\00:28:21.66 please contact us at P.O. Box 1900, 00:28:21.70\00:28:25.10 Thousand Oaks, California 91358. 00:28:25.13\00:28:29.37 Or in Australia, contact us at P.O. Box 861, 00:28:29.40\00:28:34.38 Terrigal, New South Wales 2260. 00:28:34.41\00:28:38.71 This program is made possible 00:28:38.75\00:28:40.55 through the generous support of viewers like you. 00:28:40.62\00:28:43.49 We thank you for your continued support. 00:28:43.52\00:28:46.55 May God richly bless you. 00:28:46.59\00:28:48.42