 If you ever find yourself in a place to where you feel like you know what I really don't have The spirit moving in me, I don't feel God I feel alone. I feel like I'm out of God's will I don't feel I don't sense or feel the presence of God That's possible as a believer. It's possible to where you find yourself where It doesn't seem like I'm being heard and so you asked yourself or you wonder God Where are you? Well, let me put it to you this way. Have any of you ever ever and I'm pretty sure you have gone to school Many of you have been given instructions by a teacher and when given the test Or when given instructions by a teacher, they'll take you through all the things you need to know They might they'll have you read this page read that page. They'll give you homework assignments things to do They'll give you quizzes as you go They may say read pages 37 and 38 and write a report or that do by such and such time And then they're gonna have times when you can ask questions You can do extra extra homework do bonus assignments and things like that to kind of get your grades up and so forth The teacher is there trying to prepare you even though you might not like what he or she is taking you through But there's a point there's a goal to grow you to get you to where he or she wants you to be to develop you Now there comes a point in time though when you don't get a chance to hear the teacher's voice There's a time when you want to ask questions and the teacher is not going to respond There's a time when you want some answers to a question or you're having some trouble some difficulty understanding and You don't hear the teacher's voice. There's a time when the teacher is absolutely silent You know when that is The time when the teacher is absolutely silent is when you have been given a test The teacher's not gonna talk to you then at that point in time It's up to you to recall what you've been taught It's up to you to bring up all the lessons that you've gone over all the homework assignments all the things that you've been trained to do And so don't think that because right now I feel like I can't hear the Lord then he's not listening He's not I'm not I'm out of his will no Even people who are in his will are going to have these period of times where there is silence from the Lord Why because he's testing you the teacher is not going to talk to you then if you are in the test Well, you think back the time that I should have asked questions The times that I should have been talking to God the time that I should have been searching his word The time that I should have been studying the time that I should have been even having group assignments In other words fellowshiping with others that time was in the past now It's time to apply what I'm doing and so you might find yourself in a time where it's just kind of silent You're not feeling anything. You're not sense anything. You don't it almost feel like the Lord is not there with you But I promise you if you are his he's there with you, but he's trying to grow you Can I give you some scriptures to help you go along with that the Bible tells us James tells us in chapter 1 verse 3 He says for you know that the testing of your faith Produce steadfastness and let the steadfastness have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing Peter puts it this way He says in this rejoice in this you rejoice though now for a little while if necessary You have been grieved by various trials so that the tested Genuineness of your faith more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire May be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ And so my friends if you are a believer you are going to go through these periods of times where you're going to be tested Now I want to ask you guys a question. I want you to think about this for a second when you were tested If you did not pass the test one of two things happened Either you were flunked but in more more than likely you were given an opportunity to retake the test where you're not now Here's the problem. But here's the problem When does the teacher retake or give you an opportunity to retake the test? Will it be the next day? Could be would it be next week? possibly Maybe the next time to take this test though is next year It can be a week a month a year It can be 10 years We don't know when God is going to give you an opportunity to retake the test We do know this though that he's trained you for it. He's prepared you for it He's given you the instructions on what to do So I would say it would behoove you and me that every time you get the opportunity to take the test Then you better pass it now what happens if you feel like not taking the test What happens if you rebel? Well, if you're God's guess what you're gonna take this test You don't think I'm telling the truth think back to our brother Jonah Jonah was told by God told by God to arise and go to never Jonah is a prophet Jonah has walked before the Lord has spoken with the Lord the Lord has spoken with him and He's given a command to do something Jonah didn't feel like doing it often times many of the problems that we have is that we don't feel like doing What we're being asked to do no one likes taking a test no one likes reading no one likes studying We like to have as a matter of fact most of us had decided we would rather watch the movie than read the book We would rather get the cliff nose or get the audio version than the actual do the put the time in and study No one really likes it that well will we do it for the joy of what it is we're doing But I can promise you this if the Lord has given you a test I can promise you this that test you will take now whether you pass it or not He's got all day He's gonna be the teacher no matter what no matter whether you take it or not with you pass it or fail it I can promise you not taking the test is the same as failing the test So what happened with Jonah Jonah decided not only am I gonna fail the test? I'm not taking it. And so what does God say? Oh, yes, you are Jonah's thinking. Oh, no I'm not God saying. Oh, yes. Y'all as a matter of fact I've got a school bus to come and take you take this test now This school bus appears in the form of a great fish And so where was Jonah crying and complaining and welling to the Lord lamenting the fact that I wish I would have taken This test while now he didn't know what the Lord is gonna do with him And so what does the Lord do and this is the good part guys when the Lord decides? Okay, Jonah, I think maybe you've learned your lesson time to retake this test now notice God tells Jonah to go to Nineveh Jonah says no Jonah gets in the boat and goes the opposite direction and so God sends his school bus in the form of a great fish and Takes him to take the test. However, notice where the fish did not take Jonah Let's go to this passage in Jonah Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah second time After now this is after the fish vomit him up on water But look what God says in Joe in Jonah chapter 3 verse 1. He says verse. He says the word came to Jonah a Second time a second time meaning was told before and look what he says the exact same thing He said the first time a rise go to Nineveh that great city and call out against Call out against it the message that I tell you Jonah and wonder the second the first time the second time Jonah is more than happy But notice though again God did not place him where he was supposed to go God put him back. I'm thinking probably right where he left off. No, I'm not gonna advance you I'm not gonna get you any closer to where I told you to go I'm gonna put you back where you left off and I tell you what get up and go so now again guys It would behoove you when you get this test when you are told to go somewhere when you're told to do something in The middle of the test you're gonna find that God is quiet because notice when Jonah was in the well in the belly of the fish God wasn't speaking to him quiet Silence the same thing happens with us now that could be because of punishment Or it could be because he is trying to make sure that you are going on the direction Now he knows what you're gonna do but to prove you it grows you Now go back and look in the scriptures You'll see over and over people who have been tested the Bible says that Joe was tested the Bible says that Abraham was tested Paul talks about being tested and so all of us are going to be tested and guys The truth of the matter is when you are tested in the middle of the test There's gonna be silence the teacher is not gonna speak to you You can pray and ask for guidance, but he's gonna want you to rely on what you've been taught what you've been told how you've been molded and Now here's a good news also once you pass the test. What is he gonna do? He's gonna graduate you he's gonna promote you now there might be another test after that, but it's okay though The next test you should be able to handle You know why because you've built up a resume a passing test of taking tests and passing those tests And so when God is silent Or you think he's silent it's only because he's waiting for you to pass the test So my friends do me a favor do yourself a favor do us all a favor the test that you've been given Make sure that you pass the test But before then make sure that you study that you've spoken with the teacher that is God and then watch him Graduate you to the next test. Amen