“My sheep hear My voice...and they follow Me.” – Jesus (John 10:27)

“Not everyone who says, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” -Jesus (Matt. 7:21)

“Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord', and not do the things which I say?” -Jesus (Luke 6:46)

“Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice...and come forth...” -Jesus (John 5:28)

Here’s a question to ponder – If we haven’t learned to hear and recognize His voice while claiming to be filled with His Spirit on ‘this side of the grave’...what makes one so confident they will hear and recognize His voice when we find ourselves on the ‘other side’ and in the grave?

“Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion...in the day of trial in the wilderness..” (Heb. 3:7-8)

“Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.” (Heb. 2:1)

“And having been perfected, He (Jesus) became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.” (Heb. 5:9)

Does anyone else get the distinct impression from reading a few of these Bible verses... that just maybe God not only expects us to hear His voice...but to actually do... what He tells us to do? (John 2:5)

I’m guessing that there may be a few reading here today who are learning for the first time that ‘hearing God’s voice’ might actually be a reality that was meant to be experienced by all who ‘call upon the name of the Lord’. What a novel concept to even consider, right?

I mean...why did Jesus spend so much time reassuring His followers that He would not ‘leave them as orphans, but would come to them...adding that ‘while He had been with them... He would be IN them” (John 14:17-18). And this would all happen because of His Spirit that He promised to send to them, which is what we were studying the past few days here.

Let’s not forget that this ‘Spirit of truth was to lead/guide them/us... into all truth’ (John 16:13). And what is one benefit that comes from ‘knowing the truth’, according to what Jesus taught in John 8:32-36? - The truth would -  Set. Us. Free. (32)

‘Free from what’, you might be asking? Well, if you read on there, Jesus explains that ‘whoever commits sin is a slave to sin, and a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever’ (John 8:34-35). Can we all agree that a ‘slave’ is one who is in need of being ‘set free’?

So here is where it gets confusing for so many as it really does muddy up the message we’ve been called to declare to a world bound by sin and darkness. If we claim to be ‘sons/children of God’, yet continue to practice sin...are we a ‘slave’ or are we a ‘child of God’? Or were you simply taught that we are ‘saints who sin’? Which then leads to the question of...how can one tell who the children of God are? And if you want to know the answer to that, Romans 8:14 tells us exactly who they are: “those who are led by the Spirit of God...these are the sons/children of God.” (They follow the Lamb wherever He goes-Rev. 14:4)

We finished up yesterday’s message with an encouraging promise that a loving Father in heaven will give the Holy Spirit to those who ‘ask Him’. (Luke 11:13). But just a piece advice here...don’t ask for something you have no desire or interest to make use of, okay? It won’t end well for you.

As I stated the other day, God does not send or fill you with His Spirit just to make you ‘feel good’ as you go around claiming to ‘have it’. He empowers you with His Holy Spirit so you can actually go out and ‘do the will of God’, which is to pursue Him in holiness as we love others as Christ first loved us. Or, as I used to hear some say in various ‘Charismatic’ circles...”It’s not how high you jump in church, but how straight you walk when your feet hit the ground ...that matters.”

So for anyone whom this may all be new to, let me offer up some encouraging tips to help you better understand what will transpire after you receive this ‘gift’. He’s gonna ‘guide your feet into the way of peace’ (Luke 1:79) and in the ‘paths of righteousness’[doing what's right in His eyes] (Ps. 23:3). Walk in that ‘light’ as He gives it to you (1 John 2:7). And don’t be looking for ‘weird’ words of instruction, like spitting into dirt and making clay to put on blind people. How about starting with the basics. For example- that next time you feel so inclined to share some unflattering news about someone, and you hear that still small voice prompting you to forgo that temptation, no matter how badly you thought you wanted to share it...Do what He’s telling you to do (or not do).

I think a lot of us would do well to go back to practicing the basics, just like the church at Ephesus was advised to do after being told to repent after ‘losing their first love’ (Rev. 2:4-5; John 14:15). And when I say ‘back to basics’, I am often reminded of that lesson ‘Daniel-san’ had to learn from Mr. Miyagi in the movie ‘Karate Kid’. The young lad had visions of practicing some fancy karate moves to fight off his enemies, but he spent more time learning to paint and to wax cars – ‘Wax On – Wax Off’ (IYKYK). Be faithful in the ‘small things’ first (Luke 16:10-11). If it’s light you want, He will send it your way, but you better walk in it. (John 3:19-21)