I know waiting on the Lord and listening carefully for His will in every matter is death to the flesh. I know this is death to the carnal mind. I know people will criticize us for seemingly being passive and not rushing out to do the Lord's work because the "doors are closing."

"The King's business requires haste" and all that jazz.

God knows precisely what He is doing. No doors will ever close in the face of God. God is waiting for the Christian workers to slow down until they can hear what He is saying in the present hour.

The programs and plans go on and on. The only difference is that today they are computerized.

I saw a cartoon once of a well dressed young minister rushing down the street carrying his briefcase. The Lord Jesus was standing by the side of the road watching him go by.

Who is waiting to hear what the Lord is saying, not what other people are saying but what the Lord is saying? Not many of us it seems.

Are the blind leading the blind?

The Lord Jesus did nothing except what the Father showed Him. Are we greater than Christ?

The Apostles in the Book of Acts followed the Holy Spirit. Are we greater than they?

If God says strike the rock are we speaking to it?

If God says speak to the rock are we striking it?

Do we know for certain what God is saying?

"But we have the Bible, Brother Thompson, and that tells us what to do."

So did the Pharisees but they missed the Lord.

No one but no one has a higher reverence for God's written Word than I do. But I'll tell you this: the sons of God are not led by the Bible but by the Spirit of God.

The purpose of the Bible is not to lead you but to provide a framework of truth against which you can judge the spirits. But if you can't hear the voice of the Holy Spirit how can you go forth to minister? You don't know what you are doing!

There is a story about a farmer who saw the letters P C in the sky. He thought it meant he was supposed to preach Christ but it turned out he was to plant corn.

Think about the Scriptures, Old Testament and New. How much took place that was not directly ordered of the Lord? Very little. And when the Apostles chose Matthias by lot nothing came of it. God had Paul in mind.

God is well able to speak. God spoke in time past to the fathers and now He has spoken to us by His Son.

The Son through the Holy Spirit guides us in ministry. Sometimes we just have to do what is in front of us. But in many instances we would get Divine help and guidance in the smallest of details if we would pray and expect the Lord's Presence. How much more then will God help us in the ministry?

Suppose a carpenter took his toolbox and went to a construction site. He chose a level piece of land and began to build a house. Pretty soon the foreman came over to him and said, "What do you think you are doing?"

"I'm building a house. Isn't this a housing development? I'm a carpenter and I'm building a house. When is payday?"

The foreman would say, "Are you crazy? We have plans for this entire development. The place you are building on is for a recreation center. If you want a job go over to the trailer and fill out an application."

To be continued.