22 THEN CAME THE FEAST OF DEDICATION AT JERUSALEM. IT WAS WINTER,

23 AND JESUS WAS IN THE TEMPLE AREA WALKING IN SOLOMON'S COLONNADE.

24 THE JEWS GATHERED AROUND HIM, SAYING, HOW LONG WILL YOU KEEP US IN SUSPENSE? IF YOU ARE THE CHRIST, (THE MESSIAH) TELL US PLAINLY.

25 JESUS ANSWERED, I DID TELL YOU, BUT YOU DO NOT BELIEVE. THE MIRACLES I DO IN MY FATHER'S NAME SPEAK FOR ME,

26 BUT YOU DO NOT BELIEVE BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT MY SHEEP.

27 MY SHEEP LISTEN TO MY VOICE; I KNOW THEM, AND THEY FOLLOW ME.

28 I GIVE THEM ETERNAL LIFE, AND THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH; NO ONE CAN SNATCH THEM OUT OF MY HAND.

29 MY FATHER, WHO HAS GIVEN THEM TO ME, IS GREATER THAN ALL; NO ONE CAN SNATCH THEM OUT OF MY FATHER'S HAND.

30 I AND THE FATHER ARE ONE.

31 AGAIN THE JEWS PICKED UP STONES TO STONE HIM, 32 BUT JESUS SAID TO THEM, I HAVE SHOWN YOU MANY GREAT MIRACLES FROM THE FATHER. FOR WHICH OF THESE DO YOU STONE ME?

33 WE ARE NOT STONING YOU FOR ANY OF THESE, REPLIED THE JEWS, BUT FOR BLASPHEMY, BECAUSE YOU, A MERE MAN, CLAIM TO BE GOD.

AND MAY GOD ADD BLESSING TO THE READING OF HIS HOLY WORD.

MOST OF US HAVE SEEN THE COMMERCIAL ON TV FOR VERIZON WIRELESS. YOU'LL REMEMBER THAT THERE IS A MAN WHO IS USING HIS CELL PHONE IN PLACES YOU WOULDN'T EXPECT IT TO HAVE RECEPTION. (ALTHOUGH THEY NEVER CAME TO BRACKNEY-DID THEY?) HE GOES FURTHER AND FURTHER INTO REMOTE AREAS AND HE CONTINUOUSLY IS ASKING THE QUESTION, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?

OBVIOUSLY THE COMPANY IS BRAGGING ABOUT HOW WELL THEIR PHONES AND SERVICE WORK.

SOMETIMES WE, AS CHRISTIANS, GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN'T HEAR GOD. WE’RE STILL A PART OF HIS FAMILY, BUT WE'VE LOST OUR CONNECTION TO HIM. OFTEN, THIS IS CAUSED BY SOMETHING SINFUL THAT WE’VE DONE OR EVEN SOMETHING WE'VE FORGOTTEN TO DO.

SINCE THE FIRST MAN AND WOMAN WALKED ON THIS EARTH, GOD HAS WANTED EVERY ONE OF US TO WORSHIP HIM AND APPRECIATE ALL THAT HE HAS DONE FOR US. BUT--IF WE DON'T SPEND TIME WITH HIM IN WORSHIP, PRAYER AND READING HIS WORD, WE HAVE A PROBLEM UNDERSTANDING WHAT HE HAS TO SAY TO US.

OVER AND OVER GOD SENDS US HIS MESSAGE, BUT SOMEHOW WE DON'T HEAR THE PHONE RINGING OR HIS VOICE ASKING, CAN YOU HEAR ME, NOW?

GOD IS VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN US AND IS STILL SPEAKING TO US AND TO THE WHOLE WORLD, BUT UNFORTUNATELY VERY FEW ARE LISTENING TO HIS IMPORTANT MESSAGE OF FORGIVENESS, LOVE AND PEACE.

IF WE ARE A FORGIVEN, HEADED FOR HEAVEN, CHRISTIAN, HE HELPS US ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, TO MAKE THE IMPORTANT LIFE DECISIONS WE NEED TO MAKE.

GOD DOESN'T WANT HIS CHILDREN TO BE LESS THAN THEY CAN BE, BUT MANY OF US ARE. MANY OF US SAY WE TAKE HIM SERIOUSLY, BUT OUR ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS PROVE OTHERWISE.

REMEMBER HOW WE REACTED (IF YOU'RE YOUNG IT'S STILL HAPPENING), WHEN MOM CALLED US TO COME IN AND WE SORT OF IGNORED HER UNTIL SHE FIRMLY AND LOUDLY SAID, KENNETH BRUCE GARNSEY, I WANT YOU HERE RIGHT NOW AND IF YOU DON'T COME, I'LL TELL YOUR FATHER!

THOSE WERE THE RIGHT WORDS TO GET ME MOVING. THE SAD ENDING OF THE STORY IS THAT SHE ALWAYS TOLD MY DAD AND YOU'LL UNDERSTAND THAT I WAS MUCH MORE WORRIED ABOUT HIM THAN MY MOM.

WE DO RESPOND TO THE VOICE OF AUTHORITY, BUT GOD RARELY EVER USES AN AUTHORITATIVE VOICE WITH US BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS THAT HE USES A STILL SMALL VOICE TO CALL US. BUTDON'T BE FOOLED, THAT QUIET VOICE HAS MORE AUTHORITY TO IT THAN ANY OTHER VOICE YOU WILL EVER HEAR.

LISTENING TO GOD SPEAK TO YOU IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN MOM OR DAD, THE BOSS, YOUR SCHOOL TEACHER OR PROFESSOR OR EVEN WITH MORE AUTHORITY THAN A MILITARY DRILL INSTRUCTOR OR POLICE OFFICER.

HE USED THAT AUTHORITY TO COMMAND THE WORLD INTO EXISTENCE. MOSES HEARD THAT VOICE COMMAND HIM TO TAKE OFF HIS SANDALS IN FRONT OF THE BURNING BUSH. ALL OF THE MOURNERS HEARD THAT VOICE WHEN JESUS COMMANDED THE CORPSE OF LAZARUS TO RETURN TO LIFE.

GOD SPEAKS TODAY WITH THAT AUTHORITY, BUT MANY OF US IGNORE OR DON'T HEAR HIM SPEAK TO US.

MY GRANDMOTHER GARNSEY LIVED IN A HOUSE, IN PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y.--WITH A RAILROAD TRACK JUST BEHIND IT. THE FIRST AND SECOND NIGHT I SLEPT THERE TRAINS GOING BY WOULD WAKE ME UP, BUT BY THE 3RD NIGHT I WAS ABLE TO SLEEP THROUGH THE NOISE.

OVER THE YEARS, MANY OF US HAVE BECOME ABLE TO TUNE OUT GOD'S VOICE AND DO WHAT WE WANT INSTEAD OF WHAT WE KNOW HE WANTS US TO DO.

OTHERS OF US ARE LIKE THE 4 YEAR OLD WHO PUTS A FINGER IN EACH YEAR AND SHOUTS, I CAN'T HEAR YOU. GOD IS SPEAKING, BUT WE'RE THE ONES WHO REFUSE TO HEAR.

WE LIVE LIFE LIKE THE PERSON WHO THINKS THE BIBLE IS JUST FOR BAD PEOPLE TO LEARN HOW TO BE GOOD OR LIKE THE PERSON WHO THINKS PRAYER IS WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU'RE IN TROUBLE.

GOD CREATED ADAM AND EVE SO THAT HE HAD COMPANIONSHIP. HE CREATED MANKIND SO THAT HE COULD HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH OF US, BUT IN A WORLD OF 6.6BILLION PEOPLE VERY FEW HEAR HIM CLEARLY AND OBEY HIS AUTHORITY.

WE ARE VERY BUSY MAKING A LIVING AND HAVING A GOOD TIME. WE ALL WANT TO GO TO HEAVEN, BUT WE AREN'T TOO EXCITED ABOUT WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS WE SHOULD DO TO PLEASE GOD ON OUR JOURNEY THERE.

A MAJORITY OF OUR NATION'S CHURCHES ARE SHRINKING IN NUMBERS. AS YOU KNOW, MANY ARE CLOSING. WHY? PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THAT PEOPLE IN TODAY'S SOCIETY AREN'T MOTIVATED TO WORSHIP GOD, EVEN THOUGH THAT'S MENTIONED AND ORDERED THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE.

IT'S HARD TO KEEP ANY PROGRAM ALIVE AND GROWING WHEN THERE ISN'T ENTHUSIASM OR BELIEF IN THE ORGANIZATION. WE ALL KNOW THAT MANY ACTIVITIES AREN'T WORTH A LOT AND SO THEY DISAPPEAR. SOME ARE JUST TRENDS OR ARE CREATED AS A REACTION TO A SPECIFIC SOCIAL NEED OR NEWS EVENT. OTHERS MEET THE NEED OF SOCIETY FOR AWHILE AND GO OUT OF EXISTENCE WHEN SOCIETY CHANGES.

STILL OTHERS ARE THE IDEA OF A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE AND WHEN THOSE PEOPLE MOVE ON, THE ORGANIZATION DRIES UP DUE TO LACK OF LEADERSHIP.

BUT, THOSE SITUATIONS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH GOD. HE IS THE SAME FROM CREATION UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD AND BEYOND. ALL AROUND US WE SEE HIS INCREDIBLE CREATION THROUGH THE BEAUTY OF NATURE.

THE TRUTH IS THAT WE HAVE NO EXCUSE FOR NOT HEARING GOD. WE LIVE IN A COUNTRY WHICH HAS UNPRECEDENTED FREEDOM IN SPIRITUAL AREAS.

IN THE 1980S THE WORLD SAW AMAZING TELEVISION IMAGES FROM POLAND. POPE JOHN PAUL II WAS VISITING HIS NATIVE LAND AND REPORTERS TOLD US THAT PEOPLE WALKED OVER 200 MILES EACH WAY JUST TO SEE HIM FOR 30 SECONDS. MORE THAN 1 MILLION TRIED TO ATTEND HIS OPEN AIR MASS. REPORTS WERE THAT 90% OF THE POLISH PEOPLE ATTENDED CHURCH ON SUNDAY TO HAVE THEIR FAITH RENEWED AND TO BE REMINDED THAT, ALTHOUGH THE COMMUNISTS WERE RUNNING THE GOVERNMENT, THEY WEREN'T REALLY IN CHARGE. IT TOOK 10 LONG YEARS, BUT COMMUNISM COLLAPSED AND FAITH WON OUT. GOD WAS GIVEN PRAISE AND THE WORD MIRACLE WAS USED OVER AND OVER.

SO WHY, IN A COUNTRY OF GREAT FREEDOM AND WEALTH, HAVE WE LOST OUR INDIVIDUAL AND NATIONAL ENTHUSIASM FOR GOD?

WHY DOES IT TAKE THE MURDER OF 5 INNOCENT, CHRISTIAN AMISH GIRLS TO BRING OUT SUCH AN OUTPOURING OF FAITH AND UNITY AMONG CHRISTIANS? WHY DON’T WE LISTEN FOR HIS VOICE IN THE GOOD TIMES? WHY DOES IT TAKE TRAGEDY TO GET OUR ATTENTION?

JESUS SAYS IN THE SCRIPTURE WE READ A FEW MINUTES AGO, MY SHEEP (MY CHILDREN) HEAR MY VOICE AND THEY KNOW ME. WHEN YOU KNOW SOMEONE AND CARE ABOUT THEM, THEN YOU LISTEN FOR THEIR VOICE AND BECOME EXCITED WHEN YOU HEAR IT.

ANOTHER TIME JESUS WAS TELLING HUNDREDS OF FOLLOWERS HOW THE CHRISTIAN LIFE WOULD BE HARD AND HOW THEY NEEDED TO BE A PART OF HIM TO PLEASE GOD. JOHN 6:60 SAYS, ON HEARING IT, MANY OF HIS FOLLOWERS SAID, ‘THIS IS A HARD TEACHING. WHO CAN ACCEPT IT? IN VERSE 66 WE READ, FROM THIS TIME MANY OF HIS DISCIPLES TURNED BACK AND NO LONGER FOLLOWED HIM. THEN HE TURNED TO THE 12 DISCIPLES AND ASKED, YOU DO NOT WANT TO LEAVE TOO, DO YOU?

SIMON PETER ANSWERED HIM, LORD, TO WHOM SHOULD WE GO? YOU HAVE THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE. WE BELIEVE AND KNOW THAT YOU ARE THE HOLY ONE OF GOD.

AS WE LIVE OUR LIVES, WE BECOME VERY BUSY. WE DO GET DISTRACTED AND WE OFTEN BECOME DISTRESSED AND SOMETIMES EVEN DEPRESSED AT WHAT LIFE THROWS AT US. IT'S AT THOSE TIMES WE ESPECIALLY NEED TO BE STILL AND KNOW WHO GOD IS. AS WE SIT QUIETLY, PRAYING AND MEDITATING, WE CAN HEAR HIS VOICE.

WE HEAR HIM SAY, (MATTHEW 19:29) COME TO ME, ALL YOU WHO ARE BURDENED DOWN WITH CARES.AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST I AM THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFESEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GODAND ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU.BE ANXIOUS FOR NOTHINGFEAR NOT, FOR I AM WITH YOU; DON'T BE UPSET, FOR I AM YOUR GOD. I WILL GIVE YOU STRENGTH. YES, I WILL HELP YOU. I WILL UPHOLD YOU WITH MY RIGHTEOUS RIGHT HAND.

A NEW COMMANDMENT I GIVE TO YOU, THAT YOU LOVE ONE ANOTHER; AS I HAVE LOVED YOU, THAT YOU ALSO LOVE ONE ANOTHER. BY THIS ALL WILL KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES, IF YOU HAVE LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER. (JOHN 13:34-35)

YES, GOD IS SPEAKING TO EVERY ONE OF US, BUT HAVE WE TUNED HIM OUT? ARE WE AFRAID OF WHAT HE IS ASKING US TO DO? HAVE WE LOST OUR FAITH? HAVE WE BECOME APATHETIC TO THE EXCITING KNOWLEDGE OF WHO GOD IS?

RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING OF TIME GOD HAS LOVED US AND GUIDED US. HE HAS THE AUTHORITY AND DESIRE TO HELP US TO BECOME THE BEST WE CAN BE, BUT WE HAVE TO LISTEN TO WHAT HE HAS TO SAY.

WE HAVE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW SPIRITUALLY. OUR CHURCH OFFERS BIBLE ORIENTED WORSHIP SERVICES. OUR CHURCH LIBRARY HAS LOTS OF SPIRITUAL INFORMATION FOR US. WE ALL HAVE BIBLES TO READ AT HOME. WE HAVE CHURCH BIBLE STUDIES TO HELP US UNDERSTAND. THERE IS A PASTOR WHO WILL DISCUSS AND HELP YOU FIND ANSWERS AND PRAY WITH YOU.

GOD SPEAKS IN SO MANY WAYS.

IF YOU'RE QUIET AND LISTEN FOR HIS VOICE YOU CAN HEAR HIM SADLY ASKING, CAN YOU HEAR ME, NOW?