Note 2.0

A Thought for Today (c) by Pastor Johnny Almond

     You will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  Matthew 24:6-7a NLT

     Hamas’ attack on Israel October 7^th killed over a thousand people. Israel’s response of a daily barrage of missiles into Gaza has reduced buildings to rubble and killed over four thousand people. Iran is using proxies to fire drones and missiles toward Israel. Prime Minister Netanyahu says if Hezbollah launches a war against Israel and invades, “it will make the mistake of its life.” Terrorists are targeting American forces stationed in the Middle East. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the United States is ready to get involved in the Israel-Hamas war if “a line is crossed.”

     Images of the effects of war are heartbreaking—widespread carnage; innocents, many children, killed; apartments, homes and hospitals razed; mourners grieving loss of family and friends. Martin Luther wrote “Cannons and fire-arms are cruel and damnable machines. I believe them to have been the direct suggestion of the Devil. If Adam had seen in a vision the horrible instruments his children were to invent, he would have died of grief.”

     In Ukraine and on other battlefields today death is rampant. Human history is tarnished by the blight of combat. Benjamin Franklin said “There never was a good war or a bad peace.” Deep in our heart we know that our world cannot be patched up, that shuttle diplomacy only brokers a temporary truce. Leaders try their best to end chaos of unsettled nations, but calm is perpetually elusive. Romano Guardini, Catholic priest, wrote: “After we have done our utmost to defeat war, the realization breaks through that only God can truly do something about it. And the longing swells for the coming of that which not only can turn all things to the good, but also leads into the new: the end of time, which is the breakthrough of the eternal.”

     “After that the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after abolishing every ruler and all government and power. He must be King until He puts all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be subdued is death.” (1 Corinthians 15:24-26 MLB) The King of kings alone can obliterate war (Revelation 19:11). Finally swords will be hammered into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks, and “nation no longer fight against nation nor train for war anymore.” (Isaiah 2:4) The Prince of peace promises to come very soon (Revelation 22:20). God speed the day!

Verse of the Day: Lev. 23:36-37

36 Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein.

37 These are the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, everything upon his day:

• The Drink-offering: "If any man thirst" (John 7:37)

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Do not neglect to do good and share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God - Hebrews 13:16
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Verse of the Day: Lev. 16:15-17,27

15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:

16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.

17 And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.

27 And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall one carry forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung.

• Prefigures Christ's once-for-all death (Hebrews 9:7-14 )
• Suffering outside the Camp (Matthew 27:33; Heb. 13:11, 12)

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Do not neglect to do good and share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God - Hebrews 13:16
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Verse of the Day: Lev. 14:11

And the priest that maketh him clean shall present the man that is to be made clean, and those things, before the LORD, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:

• The leper cleansed-Sign to priesthood (Luke 5:12-14; Acts 6:7 )

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Do not neglect to do good and share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God - Hebrews 13:16
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Verse of the Day: Lev. 1:2-9

Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock. If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD. And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces. And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire: And the priests, Aaron's sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar: But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

• His sacrifice a sweet smelling savor unto God (Ephesians 5:2)

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Do not neglect to do good and share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God - Hebrews 13:16
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You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. 

A second is equally important: “Love your neighbor as yourself”

                                     Matthew 22:37-39 NLT

You need to get over and beyond yourself—

     self-love shrivels your soul and detracts from allegiance to your King.

Falling in love with yourself leads to a fall and a difficult recovery.

Falling in love with Me leads to fruitfulness and a delightful relationship.

If you doubt that I really love you, remember what I have done for you.

     God became a man; the Creator became your Savior;

     the King of kings became a slave; the Shepherd became a Lamb.

If you ponder My unfailing love, you will love Me with all you are.

Love the King of hearts with all the passion of your innermost being.

Avoid false gods of the heart—allow Me to completely captivate you.

I have made your heart My home—permit Me access to all the rooms.

Love the Lord of all with your entire personality and conscious life.

Make living for your King your number one goal and noblest purpose.

Take a heavenly perspective—do not obsess over transient matters.

Love the Master of wisdom with all your intelligence and thoughts.

You are not what you think you are; but what you think, you are.

Do not misuse your mind—do not dwell on thoughts that dishonor Me.

Love the Manager of the Universe with all your strength and energy.

Your body is a temple of My Holy Spirit—keep it clean and strong.

Love Me wholeheartedly—never get over your love for Me.

Love others like you do yourself—care about someone other than you. 

Start with your family—they are heaven’s gift to solve loneliness. 

Have a heart—neighborliness is nicer than narcissism.

I am love—I proved it by sending Jesus to the world to die for sinners.

Do you love Me? Prove it by giving Me your entire heart and soul.

© by Pastor Johnny R. Almond                Gentle Whispers from Eternity

Verse of the Day: Ex. 33:19

And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.

• His Character-Merciful (Luke 1:72 )

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Do not neglect to do good and share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God - Hebrews 13:16
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Verse of the Day: Ex. 17:6

Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

• The Spiritual Rock of Israel (1Corinthians 10:4 )

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Do not neglect to do good and share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God - Hebrews 13:16
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Verse of the Day: Ex. 15:2,11

 “The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him. Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?”

• His exaltation predicted as Yeshua (Acts 7:55, 56 )
• His Character-Holiness (Luke 1:35; Acts 4:27)

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Do not neglect to do good and share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God - Hebrews 13:16
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Verse of the Day: Ex. 12:3-6, 13, 21-27, 46

• 12:3-6 - The Lamb presented to Israel 4 days before Passover (Mark 11:7-11 )
• 12: 5 - A Lamb without blemish (Hebrews 9:14; 1Peter 1:19)
• 12 : 13 - The blood of the Lamb saves from wrath (Romans 5:8 )
• 12:21-27 - Christ is our Passover  (1Corinthians 5:7 )
• 12:46 - Not a bone of the Lamb to be broken (John 19:31-36)

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Do not neglect to do good and share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God - Hebrews 13:16
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         When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us:
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
                                       Galatians 5:22-23 NLT

Sacrificial love results when serious disciples set out to walk in My steps.
    A compassionate life toward others is the way Jesus lived on earth.
    Why be content with merely going around? Go around doing good.

Invulnerable joy results when believing souls draw near My heart.
     A cheerful life is the surest sign of My presence with you.
     Why be satisfied with cheap thrills? Celebrate My inexpressible joy.

Incomprehensible peace results when desperate people kneel before Me.
    A calm life is the consequence of letting God do what you cannot.
    Why wring your hands in panic? Fold them in prayer.

Enduring patience results when trusting hearts believe My promises.
     A courteous life keeps your light shining when you have blown a fuse.
     Why rush like it all depends on you? Resign from My job and relax.

Empathetic kindness results from getting in synch with My Spirit.
    A cordial life reflects your humble gratitude for My love for you.
    Why run people down? They have battles to fight, just like you.

Lavish generosity results from sharing My resources with the needy.
     A charitable life is what I expect of all who receive My care.
     Why be stingy? The more you give, the more you are blessed.

Tenacious faithfulness results from focusing on My cross.
     A consistent life is possible if you will rely on My reinforcing grace.
     Why quit? I never give up on you—do not ever give up on Me.

Christlike gentleness results from accepting My invitation.
     A considerate life is the hallmark of those who serve Me.
     Why be harsh with others? I treat you with tenderness, so pass it on.

Supernatural self-control results from yielding to My Holy Spirit.
     A controlled life is only possible if I am in the driver’s seat.
     Why crash and burn? Surrender to My guidance—get safely home.

© Pastor Johnny R. Almond             

Day 343, Gentle Whispers from Eternity

Verse of the Day: Ex. 3:13-15

“And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?

 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.”

• The Great "I AM" (John 4:26; 8:58 )

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Do not neglect to do good and share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God - Hebrews 13:16
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Verse of the Day: Genesis 49:10

"The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be."

• The time of his coming (Luke 2:1-7; Galatians 4:4 )
• The Seed of Judah (Luke 3:33 )
• Called Shiloh or One Sent (John 17:3 )
• Messiah to come before Judah lost identity (John 11:47-52)
• Unto Him shall the obedience of the people be (John 10:16 )

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Do not neglect to do good and share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God - Hebrews 13:16
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              God gave the people all these instructions.
                                  Exodus 20:1 NLT

     Live joyfully by trusting Me. Do not worship in pragmatism’s pantheon, adding Me to your list of material preoccupations. Bowing to earth’s no-gods disappoints. I am the Only Absolutely Reliable Spot in the universe.

     Live wisely by worshiping Me. I brook absolutely no rivals. Allegiance to the
Sovereign God is indivisible. First place belongs only to Me. Keep away from false gods of the heart.

     Live humbly by lovingly speaking My Name. Do not misuse My Name. I am not amused by the flippant phrase “Oh my God.” Irreverent voices thoughtlessly toss My Name around in curse or jest, but I am your God. 

     Live healthfully by recreating your zest for living. Creation took six days, then I rested. So why do you think you do not have time for re-creation? Take a one-day vacation every week. Get out of fast-forward mode—push the pause button. Take a deep breath every Saturday morning, then you can breathe easy all day.    

       Live fully by honoring your parents. Respect your father and mother. 

     Live harmoniously by deleting sarcasm from your vocabulary. Do not kill with angry looks. Do not murder with verbal arrows.    

     Live purely by running from all sexual temptation. Avoid mental adultery. Evil fantasies will weaken your character.   

     Live honorably by refusing to steal. Be honest at all costs. Thievery takes what belongs to another; it also robs you of self-esteem.  

     Live kindly by squelching gossip. Never tell lies. Do not let your tongue idle while your mind is still in neutral. Hearsay always wrecks the neighborhood. 

     Live contentedly by humble gratitude. Learn to be satisfied with what I give you, and be genuinely rich. 

     I have never revised My publication on relationships. I write commandments, not suggestions. Breaking My rules breaks you. Compliance fosters tranquility between us and between you and others.  

     When you cannot seem to get life together, try following My directions.

© by Pastor Johnny R. Almond                     Day 49, Gentle Whispers from Eternity

Verse of the Day: Genesis 28:12, 14

“And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.”

• The Bridge to heaven (John 1:51)
• The Seed of Jacob (Luke 3:34 )

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Do not neglect to do good and share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God - Hebrews 13:16
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Verse of the Day: Genesis 26:2-5

“And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;

And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”

• The Seed of Isaac promised as the Redeemer (Hebrews 11:18 )

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Do not neglect to do good and share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God - Hebrews 13:16
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                 May God Almighty give you mercy as you go before the man.
                                                 Genesis 43:14 NLT

 
     It is a good thing I have a heart or you would not stand a chance. If I took up arms against your moral insurrection, you would be devastated. If I ripped off your mask of counterfeit integrity, your face would fall. You should be very thankful you do not receive what you deserve. If I corrected you in anger, you would be reduced to nothing. If I dealt with you severely, you’d survive less time than a dandelion in a windstorm. If I shut off mercy, you would be disgraced.

     To your great relief, between My overwhelming holiness and unbending law is a mercy seat. I am the Fountainhead of pity, with sole authority to extend clemency to condemned prisoners. 

     Guilt is a burden you cannot manage on your own. Hide it, and you will drive it deeper into your psyche, to erupt later in embarrassment and shame. I am far easier on you than you are yourself. The way I deal with sin is better than any method you invent. Cover your sin, and I will uncover it to your dismay; uncover it honestly before Me, and I will cover it with the blood of My Son. Jesus is your Merciful High Priest in My Presence, Defense Counsel pleading your case to Me.

     In no situation will I ever destroy you. Your Creator is infinitely compassionate. Listen carefully and you will hear morning echoes of My unfinished symphony of mercy. I cannot bring Myself to punish you for all your mistakes.  I erased your rebellion from My memory as far as east from west—infinitely dividing your iniquity and My perfection.

     I know you are made of dust, not steel. I understand your inability to live sinlessly.  I see you there standing at a distance, not even daring to raise your face to heaven. I hear your heartfelt prayer, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

     Come closer. Confidently approach My throne—it is made of mercy, not marble. Humbly lift your eyes and observe kindness in Mine. Unworthiness makes you tremble at the thought of standing before Me. However, when you enter My Royal Presence, I will order angels to seat you at My banquet table of gracious dining.  The celebration feast will be greater than any you have attended. The wine of joy will flow freely. Do not worry about being included—you are already on My guest list. Relax—you are at My mercy.

                                               © by Pastor Johnny R. Almond                          

 Day 30  Gentle Whispers from Eternity

Verse of the Day: Genesis 22:8,18

“ V.8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering. So they went both of them together. v. 18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.”

• The Lamb of God promised (John 1:29 )
• As Isaac's seed, will bless all nations (Galatians 3:16 )

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Do not neglect to do good and share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God - Hebrews 13:16
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Guest Post ~ Three Ways to Seek the Wekfare of Our Cities

By Jim Denison 

Peter called his fellow believers “sojourners and exiles” (1 Peter 2:11). The former describes someone who is a foreigner or stranger; the latter refers to temporary residents. Taken together, they remind us that this world is not our home and that we are only here for a short time.

How are we to live in this foreign land?

The Lord’s letter to his Jewish exiles in Babylon is instructive (Jeremiah 29). It was preserved in Scripture because it has value not just for its original readers twenty-six centuries ago but for all readers across all times and cultures.

It begins: “Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce” (v. 5). This is the opposite of what they might have expected. Rather than finding temporary shelter, they were to construct lasting structures in which to “live” (the Hebrew is literally translated as “sit down and remain”). Creating gardens takes time, but they were not only to plant them but to “eat their produce” in the years to come.

In addition, they were to “take wives and have sons and daughters” to fulfill God’s call that they “multiply there, and do not decrease” (v. 6). Rather than allowing their nation to wither in exile, they were to seek to grow and prosper.

Now comes the most shocking instruction of all: “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lᴏʀᴅ on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare” (v. 7). “Seek” means to “run diligently after”; the “welfare” of the city refers to its peace, prosperity, health, and success. The exiles were to do all they could to promote the Babylonian city’s welfare and then to “pray to the Lᴏʀᴅ on its behalf” that he might do what they could not.

The reason was simple: “In its welfare you will find your welfare.”

Three ways to “seek the welfare” of our city

One response to the brokenness of our secularized culture is to withdraw into spiritual “huddles” with little concern for those outside our circle. But this ignores our commission to “go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). And it impoverishes us while denying others the good we can offer them in Christ.

What are some biblical ways we can “seek the welfare” of our broken culture?

One: “Show kindness and mercy to one another” (Zechariah 7:9). As the sign-holding man in Jacksonville reminds us, we cannot know the larger impact of a single act of encouragement and affirmation.

Two: “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another” (1 Peter 4:10). John Grove argues persuasively in Public Discourse: “We do not need more self-conscious crusaders for the nation or even for Western Civilization, but instead more priests, teachers, businessmen, artists, writers, and parents who perform their own activities faithfully, serving . . . as ‘leaven for the whole lump.’”

Three: “Bring salvation to the ends of the earth” (Acts 13:47). Paul was “not ashamed of the gospel” because it is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). According to Tim Keller, “The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.”

How to love well

Christians have a unique gift for our culture today: we alone can demonstrate the kindness of Christ by offering our best service to hurting souls while sharing the good news of God’s love. But we cannot love well until we embrace the fact that we are well loved.

To that end, let’s close with this intercession from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer: “Help us so to know you that we may truly love you, and so to love you that was we may fully serve you, whose service is perfect freedom.”

Will you join me in offering these words from your heart to your Father today?

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