Discipleship Network Forum

Change Agent

© by Pastor Johnny R. Almond  

At that time the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you with power,

and you will prophesy with them. You will be changed into a different person.

1 Samuel 10:6 NLT

There is plenty about you that needs to be changed! You are grumpy and cantankerous at times and need to learn how to be more optimistic and patient. You are arrogant and self-centered now and then and need to be more humble and concerned about others’ needs. You fume and fret about your uncertain tomorrows and need to develop one-day-at-a-time faith that I will take good care of you. You indulge in sinful pleasures at times and need to crucify your ego and find satisfaction in a pure heart and a right relationship with Me.

You have tried to change yourself by compulsive rituals and dogged resolve, but nothing has drastically changed. Sinful nature sabotages noble intentions. Perfection is an elusive goal in your strength. If you are going to be changed into a different person, you desperately need heaven’s help. Without Me, you are powerless. With Holy Spirit anointing, transformation can happen. Life on My terms is the solution.

If your words and actions are going to be revolutionized, you need divine inspiration. If you want to become radically new and be rid of the old, identify with Christ. Without God you cannot approach good. The Holy Spirit is your Change Agent. Behavior modification occurs from the inside out. I do infinitely more than make a great deal of difference—I make all the difference in the world!

Become a different person in your attitudes. Submit to My Internal Guidance System and become more compassionate, enthusiastic, serene, kind, generous, loyal, gentle, and self-controlled. Christlike character traits develop as by-products of My being in charge.

Become a different person in your actions. Do not just say you live by the Spirit—keep in step with the King’s cadence. Think My thoughts. Perpetually pray. Wield the Spirit Sword in combating sin. Conscientiously avoid evil. Make music to Me in your heart. Thank Me in everything. Never stifle My Spirit. Follow My life map for a change!

When people ask what has come over you, tell them I have!

Johnny R. Almond

Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity – Book available on Amazon

Harper’s Ferry – Shenandoah River

Heaven Help us!

© By Johnny R. Almond

Samuel then took a large stone and placed it between the towns of Mizpah and Jeshanah.

He named it Ebenezer (which means “the stone of help”),

for he said, “Up to this point the Lord has helped us!”

1 Samuel 7:12 NLT

Slow down in your human race long enough to ask yourself—“How on earth have we made it this far?” Remind yourself of both your journey and My joy.

I have granted you the pleasure of My company. I have blessed you with victories over temptation. When you seriously drew near Me, and proved it by demolishing idols, I cascaded joy through your heart. When you centered your worship on Me and served Me alone, I delivered you from Satan’s power. Every time you concentrated on deepening our relationship, I came closer. Seeking a quiet place, silence calmed your noisy heart and enabled you to hear gentle whispers from eternity.

You have experienced a few difficulties, but I have never deserted you. My Presence has been your soul’s delight. In quicksand circumstances, I have been your

Dependable Foundation. You have had tough times some describe as “impossible”, but the Rock of Ages has been your stability. Life’s roller coaster has not thrown you, because I am your Seatmate.

Up to now, I have helped you—otherwise, you would never have made it to this day. Only with heaven’s help have you survived.

Your help does not originate from the mountains; it flows from the Maker of mountains. I help you surmount every obstacle, so you can serve Me faithfully and fruitfully. I reinforce you with supernatural power 24/7, so you can do everything I ask of you.

Reflect on how I have helped you in your yesterdays—bow your head in gratitude. Celebrate how I am helping you today—I am your Complete Salvation, Victorious Strength, and Theme Song. Tune your heart to sing My grace day by day, and trust Me to help you as you step into tomorrow. Let all I have done for you encourage you to trust Me with the unknown. I will not let you stumble in the dark—I will always leave the light on.

How on earth can you hope to make it through life’s future challenges? The answer is—with heaven’s help.

Heaven has been on your side—and it still is! Take My hand—I will be your Helper on your life path, one stepping stone at a time.

Johnny R. Almond

Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity

Book available on Amazon

I was recently at a gathering of disciple-making leaders, and one of the leaders said this; “Many of our churches are doing addition, when we need to be thinking about multiplication when it comes to making disciples.”  What he was saying is that we add people to our church, but we don’t expect them to reproduce themselves. Why? Do we communicate the expectation of reproduction to the people in our churches?  For many I believe this is a foreign concept, and if we want to see healthy churches it is something that needs to change.  Jesus had expectations of His disciples, and reproduction was one of them.  Jesus clearly told the disciples to go and make more disciples (Matthew 28:18-20).

I will say that I’ve been encouraged by the number of churches that are starting to recognize the need for a change, and because of this I’m starting to get a lot of calls asking me to come and help them develop an intentional disciple making process.  Most of these churches begin their disciple making process in groups, and this is an effective (and biblical way) to do this, but I’d like to share with you why I believe churches should also implement a one-on-one disciple making process as well.

1. The Friendship Factor – let’s be honest, following Christ’s example can be hard at times, and there is something about knowing that you’ve got a friend by your side that is comforting.
2. Individual Care – this is one key advantage over groups. When you’re meeting one-on-one with another believer you can provide a level of personal care that is especially needed by a new believer, this can be a great help when you’re on a new journey.
3. Flexible schedule – when you’re meeting with a group you expect there will be times when someone in the group will be sick, have a sick child, or another commitment that makes them miss the meeting, and when this happens the rest of the group continues to meet. When you’re meeting one-on-one, you can decide together on another date that works and meet then.

These are just a few reasons, and I’ll share some other reasons in part two.  As always, if this is an area that I can help you with, please don’t hesitate to contact me at dludwig@brnonline.org

Worthwhile Worship

© by Pastor Johnny R. Almond

The next morning the same thing happened—

the idol had fallen face down before the Ark of the Lord again.

This time his head and hands had broken off and were lying in the doorway.

Only the trunk of his body was left intact.

1 Samuel 5:4 NLT

I am the God above all gods. Sooner or later, the uselessness of idols comes to light. Substitutes for Me are lifeless things, non-gods, religious frauds, clever facsimiles. It is stupid to depend on anything except Me to comfort you in your hurts or rescue you from desperation. Idols are totally worthless. Blind to your plight, deaf to your prayers, insensitive to your pain—they are never any help.

I am the God of power and might. Wrecking idols is no problem for My omnipotence. They are zero compared to Infinity! The ark toppled the Philistines’ national god, spread a terrifying epidemic, and threw deluded idolaters into a state of panic. Your collection of idols cannot assist you in the storms of life. A mere breath of My Spirit Wind blows counterfeit gods away. If you erect a shrine to your ego, or bow down to any other force except Me, you will invariably be red-faced. Whatever you enthrone, I easily knock to the ground and shatter. Be careful that you allow nothing to take the place in your heart I alone deserve—first place!

I am God your Father. Worshiping Me—the Infinite One—is encouraging and exciting. Acknowledge Me with joy, singing, humility, gratitude, and praise. Desert all detestable idols you have known and devote yourself entirely to Me. Fall on your face before My throne of mercy. I will recapture your heart and mind—only then will your life make sense, your outlook be optimistic, and your lonely dirge become a festive dance.

I am God your Provider—richly providing for your needs. I am your Sovereign—working behind the scenes to orchestrate circumstances for your good. I am your Teacher—instructing you in the best way to live. I have made your body sacred space—you do not own yourself. Sail under My captaincy, and I will keep you on an even keel. Hold My hand, and I will steady your step. Worship Me with every heartbeat, and you are set for eternity.

Pastor Johnny R. Almond

This devotional is Day 136 of Gentle Whispers from Eternity

Book available on Amazon

G – In 2010 LifeWay Research set out to discover what were the essentials in churches that were seeing Spiritual Transformation take place.  One thing that consistently showed up was the importance of living in a healthy Christian community.  Churches that are intentional about seeing people get connected to other believers (LifeWay termed this as relational Intentionality) were also seeing believers maturing and growing in their faith.  A few years later, Ed Stetzer and Eric Geiger co-authored a book that expanded on this called “Transformational Groups”, I highly recommend it.

In their book, Geiger and Stetzer write that “Group involvement makes attendees more likely to be intentional in spending time with other believers”, and the result is seen in spiritual growth.  Being involved in a small group (community) allows a person to not just hear God’s word, but apply it in our daily lives, and experience others doing the same.  I believe this is the church that we read about in Acts 2, and the church that God desires for believers today.

How do you live out this kind of community? In the “one-another” passages we can find examples, and here are a few:

• Love one another (John 13:34-35)
• Confess your sins and pray for one another (James 5:16)
• Care for one another (1 Peter 5:14)
• Bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2)

And others… you get the point, God never intended us to live life in isolation, we are designed to live and serve in community!

Every day, every minute, every second, we make choices, and because we live in a time where there are so many choices, it can be hard at times to decide what’s important and how to best use our time and resources. We all face this challenge, at home, in school, at work, wherever and whoever we are.  That’s why setting priorities is so important.

I want to be clear up front, I am not an expert on this topic, in fact, I am a fellow struggler just like many of you.  So, the words that I’m sharing are for me too.  When it relates to time, here are three areas that I believe every follower of Christ should prioritize.

1. God first. I hope you knew this, as a follower of Jesus Christ there should be no greater priority. God is our everything. (Romans 11:36) As the psalmist reminds us, “You are my Lord; I have nothing good besides you.” (Psalm 16:2 CSB) Placing God first means that we place prayer and His Word, the Bible, first in our lives, and set aside time every day to hear from Him.
2. Prioritize the order of other relationships. Leaders have differing opinions on this one, but one thing they all agree on is that not everyone should get equal attention. I believe that next to our relationship with God should be the priority of yourself. The reason I place self ahead of others is because if you don’t take care for yourself, there may come a time when you’ll not have what you need to be able to take care of someone else. That means making exercise a priority (ouch), prioritizing your money, and having what I like to call some “me time” as well. If you’re married; your spouse should be next, and then other members of your immediate family.
3. The priority of rest. This goes right along with the previous one, and rest is just as important as exercise. No one can do this for you, so it’s important that you schedule down time and learn how to say “no” to the things that you can. In the long run you’ll have more time and energy to do the things that matter most.

This list could be a lot longer, and I know that I barely touched the surface on the topic of prioritizing. I hope this has caused you to think about your own priorities, and if they in the right order? Are you scheduling time for God, self, and family?  If this is an area where you’d like help, I’d be glad to talk with you and point you to some resources that I’ve found helpful. You can contact me at dludwig@brnonline.org

Reciprocal Honor

© by Johnny R. Almond

I will honor only those who honor me.

1 Samuel 2:30 NLT

I have established a proportionate relationship between consecration and celebration—the nearer we are, the greater your joy. Stay close to Me, and I will stay close to you.

Prove you love Me by conscientiously and radically obeying Me, and I will be far more to you than a good idea or a noble ideal—I will be your Ultimate Reality and your Center of Gravity.

Focus on Me, and I will fill your heart with invulnerable joy, tranquility transcending circumstances, and contentment in inner-stances. Heaven’s bliss is unavailable on earthly markets. Nothing in the world comes close to the ecstasy of fellowship with God.

Listen to My hope melody, and I will transform despair into singing, sighing into praise, hunger into satisfaction, barrenness into birth, lethargy into exuberance, poverty into plenty, rags into royalty, defeat into victory, worry into confidence, and humiliation into honor.

Take My hand by faith, and I will teach you some new dance steps. Worship waltz will be your honor badge. The jig of joy will be your delight.

Pour your heart out to Me, and I will change you from inside out. Things around you may not change, but you will!

Rely on Me, and I will reinforce you with supernatural strength, so you can survive all situations and thrive in accomplishing My sweet will.

Be open to Me, and I will bless you to be a blessing to others.

Learn and live the principles of truth, and I will honor you by conferring on you the grand privilege of serving Me.

Keep trying to be like Jesus, and I will sculpt you into His likeness. I will keep working in you until My dream for you comes true.

Stay unflinchingly on My path until you attain the heavenly goal. Persevere through severity, focusing on Christ—I will get you safely home. Obey your Commander and win life’s battles. Listen to your Coach, and you will finish the Faith Marathon. Give your King undivided allegiance, and I will crown you with righteousness.

Reciprocal honor is the drumbeat of life—stay in step.

Pastor Johnny R. Almond

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity

This devotional Day 135 - book available on Amazon

Not all the lessons from my recent sabbatical in New Zealand and California would be relevant to your life, and some things are probably too personal to share. But I wanted to at least offer a few insights I think you’ll find beneficial.

There’s no place like home. Even though New Zealand and San Diego are two of the most beautiful places in the world, sometimes I could relate to Dorothy’s experience in “The Wizard of Oz.” Despite the dazzling colors and fascinating characters she encountered in the Land of Oz, she surprisingly found herself missing her home in Kansas. After traveling to the ends of the earth, I eventually felt the same way about returning to my hometown, Charlotte, North Carolina. I hope you feel the way about the place you call home. Even Kansas can be a glorious place if that’s where God wants you to be!

Gratitude is ALWAYS a good thing. Why do I find it so easy to grumble about my life? The psalmist declared, “It is good to give thanks to the Lord” (Psalm 92:1). God is good all the time, and it’s always good to give Him thanks. The Bible says this is the key to entering into His presence and His blessings (Psalm 100:4), so why is complaining a much easier habit than gratitude? It’s amazing that Adam and Eve could find a reason to be discontented in paradise, while the apostle Paul found reasons to rejoice even while stuck in a Roman jail cell. Which of these examples are YOU following?

God loves us even when we accomplish nothing. By its very nature, a sabbatical is a time of rest and reflection rather than productivity (note the root “sabbath”). But this is extremely difficult for a person like me, whose self-image is often tied to my accomplishments. To be honest, I didn’t “accomplish” a whole lot on my sabbatical. Yes, I wrote a few blogs along the way, and my daughter Molly secretly arranged for me to preach at the San Diego Dream Center. Yet weeks went by when I “produced” absolutely nothing—and it was eye-opening to realize my Heavenly Father loved me anyway.

God used a song from Bethel Worship to drive home this life-changing realization. Here are a few of the lyrics from the song “Given” (“There Is No Striving”), but I encourage you to watch the YouTube video and listen for yourself (http://bit.ly/2szTSEv):  

You never ask that I earn Your affection.

I could never earn something that’s free.

I never have to fight for Your attention,

Because Your eyes are ever on me.

You have given everything my heart could ever need,

And all You ask is I believe.

I am resting safe inside Your promise to provide,

And nothing could ever change Your love.

If you are still striving to gain God’s approval and affection, I strongly encourage you to give it up! As the Bethel song says, you can’t earn something that’s free. Your Heavenly Father is crazy about you, but His love has nothing at all to do with your accomplishments.

God wants to give us new zeal, not just new instructions. Before leaving for New Zealand, I changed the password on my computer to “New Zeal” (but please don’t hack me!). Although I greatly desired a fresh set of instructions from the Lord about my future, it became increasingly clear that He was far more concerned about my heart than my guidance. So if you’re seeking divine direction today, remember that it’s not likely to come in the form of an impersonal email or ticker tape from God. Instead, guidance is the natural by-product of drawing closer to the Lord as your Shepherd and the King of your heart (Psalm 23). And when you ask Him to change your circumstances, don’t be surprised if He first changes your perspective instead.

We’ll never arrive at our intended destination without focus and intentionality. In both New Zealand and San Diego, I saw beautiful sailboats, and they provided me with an important lesson. A boat’s captain can’t just sit there and hope a wind blows in his desired direction. He must set his sail to catch the wind and must firmly adjust the rudder toward where he wants to go. Without intentionality, we will drift aimlessly through life instead of fulfilling our purpose. And even if we originally started in the right direction, we will still need to regularly assess whether we’re on course.

Thankfully, I came away from the sabbatical with some new vision for my life and ministry. However, I’m well aware that I’ll inevitably sink right back into all the same ruts unless I make a firm commitment to purse the necessary changes. And in addition to holding myself accountable, I will need accountability partners to challenge me if I drift off course.

“Mr. Holland’s Opus” was right all along. You’ve probably seen the 1995 movie, “Mr. Holland’s Opus.” Glenn Holland was a high school music teacher chronically frustrated by his inability to complete his life’s passion—writing a renowned orchestral score that would one day make him famous. As the years passed, it became unlikely his dream would ever be realized. His day job and family were simply too taxing.

Hey, I feel his pain. Similar to Glenn Holland, I’ve said for years that I want to get more of my own books in print. But, as happened to him, other responsibilities have seemed to get in the way.

On his final day as a teacher, Mr. Holland entered the school auditorium and was shocked to find hundreds of his present and former students gathered to honor him. One of his musically challenged students had even gone on to become governor of the state of Oregon. Together his students performed the opus he’d been working on all those years.

But it turned out that Mr. Holland’s real achievement was not writing the world’s greatest orchestral piece, nor will mine be writing best-selling books. The most important accomplishment any of us can have is to touch the lives of people.

In the midst of his frustration and shortsightedness, Glenn Holland had failed to realize his greatest “opus” was the impact his life had, day by day, on his students and family.

What an incredible lesson as we seek to fulfill our dreams and impact the world. While some of your dreams may remain unfulfilled at the moment, your greatest accomplishment may be simply to show people around you the love of Jesus in tangible ways. No matter what kind of “opus” you’ve been striving to produce, in God’s eyes people are always the product that matters most.

Let me know if you can relate to any of these takeaways from my sabbatical. And I would love to hear about the lessons God is showing YOU these days!

“Praying Hands” by Albrecht Dürer

A Good Listener

By Pastor Johnny R. Almond

Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord.

“I am very sad, and I was pouring out my heart to the Lord.

I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.”

1 Samuel 1:15, 16 NLT

I am willing to listen when you are hurting.

Philosophers are not always wise. Epicurus said if there were gods, they did not care for people. He was mistaken on both counts. I am the Only God, and I care about what happens to human beings. Aristotle said it would be eccentric to claim Zeus loved a person. Zeus never loved anybody, because Zeus is not God. I am Love. I love everybody, including you.

When you are crying the blues, I am available for counseling. When you are troubled, so am I. I have been down in the dumps Myself. Your tears grieve My heart. When you are discouraged and restless, trust Me. My shoulders are soft enough to cry on, strong enough to carry all burdens.

When the Sun of Righteousness rises with healing in His wings, warming rays of light on your face will make you kick up your heels like a calf let out to pasture—earth’s dirge transformed by eternity’s jazz in your soul. Praise will dawn again in your soul. Unfailing Love will see you through. When midnight sadness mutes your song, I will give you a new melody. I am your Face-Healer, removing all sad wrinkles.

I am willing to listen when you are humble.

Pour out your soul to Me, and I will pay close attention. Reverently approach, and you will gain a receptive audience with your King. Seek Me sincerely, and I will hear every word of your prayer.

I am willing to listen when you are heartfelt.

When you pray in anguish and grief, I feel your pain. When your prayer is heartfelt, I honor your request. Crying your eyes out lets you see Me clearly.

I am the Best Answer to Prayer. Walk close beside Me and deepen your relationship with Me. I am your Greatest Friend—All You Ever Really Need in life. Whatever else you pray for, make intimacy with Me your highest desire—I will take care of everything else.

Submit to the Omnipotent God—I can handle desperate situations. Pray sincerely to the Omniscient God—I am aware of your problems and I know solutions. Pour out your soul to the Omnipresent God—I wait to hear you out, wherever you are.

I am a Good Listener—you can talk to Me.

© 2013 by Johnny R. Almond

Day 134 Gentle Whispers from Eternity

Reveling in Redemption

By Pastor Johnny R. Almond

Praise the Lord who has given you a family redeemer today!

Ruth 4:14 NLT

Rejoice in your Redeemer—conquer loneliness by My love. I have not left you to your own devices, struggling to find a way through life’s lonely labyrinth—I grant you mercy in the maze. I have always loved you. Eternal Love charmed you to My heart. Unfailing Love accompanies you—My Spirit is your Counselor, Comforter, Encourager, and Defense Counsel. I will not orphan you in life’s storms. You can rest assured I will see you through difficult days and long nights, gently whispering to your heart that I am your Greatest Friend.

Rest in your Redeemer—turn from your hopeless effort to achieve human perfection, and triumph in the delight of My holiness gift. Relax in heaven’s embrace of grace. I have not deserted you in your dilemma of despair—I died for you! Tender Love paid the bloody price to purchase your spiritual freedom and redeem you from sin’s slave market. The ransom I paid was not money, but the innocent lifeblood of Jesus. You are not tyrannized by sin, because your Shepherd condescended to become a Lamb.

Rely on your Redeemer—give up your guilt and glory in grace! I have not rejected you in your rebellion and ruin—I redeemed you from your misery by My mercy. I am the Initiator and Enabler of a personal relationship with Christ. Identifying with Him by faith, you enjoy blessings beyond words! Faith in the One who is Truth personified gives you the key to timeless treasures of wisdom and critical knowledge of the universe. Clinging to the Sinless Savior who became the perfect offering for sin, you are on good terms with your Creator and have nothing to fear when you finally stand in My Presence. Sensitive to Holy Spirit promptings, steer clear of sin and live a self-controlled life. Ransomed from cruel addiction to sin, celebrate magnificent out-of-the-world freedom. Pull out all the stops! Celebrate My love all day!

Johnny R. Almond

Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity

As a workaholic, I never cared much for solitude.  Oh, I knew about it and my need for it, but I just never made time for much of it.  I could quote Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God” and even learned the NASV translation, “Cease striving and know that I am God.” Even when I taught this as a part of discipleship, I quickly added, “Do as I say, not as I do.”  Workaholics think very little of solitude and workaholics who are also perfectionist think even less. But we who are defined as such, grow older and to some extent at least, wiser. As the body slows down, the mind finds time for quiet reflection.  Now, rather late in the journey, I’m learning about the benefits of solitude.  I’m learning that the best time to rest is when I don’t have time for it.  Socrates warned to, “Beware the barrenness of a busy life.”  A little bit later, Robert Louis Stevenson wrote, “He who sows hurry reaps indigestion.”  More recently, Ralph Marston, Owner and Writer of the internet based, “The Daily Motivator” wrote, “Rest when you're weary. Refresh and renew yourself, your body, your mind, your spirit. Then get back to work.”  So having acknowledged solitude and its benefits, please excuse me – I need to get back to work

Present Tense Living

By Pastor Johnny R. Almond

The man won’t rest until he has followed through on this. He will settle it today.

Ruth 3:18 NLT

I am—I did not say I was or I used to be. I am the God of today. Today is the day of salvation; it is also the day of service. Right now is your golden opportunity. You have a long list of good intentions that need to be translated into initiatives. Follow-through improves golf, and life. It is a sin to know what you ought to do and not do it! Procrastination is more than laziness; loitering is sin. Idleness is the Devil’s workshop—when you fool around, he will go to work and attack you.

“Someday” you plan to speak kindly to one emotionally distant. “Someday” you intend to encourage one of your friends who is down. “Next week” you will spend more time with your spouse and children. “Tomorrow” never comes. That tomorrow you have been thinking about has arrived—it is today! Quit dawdling!

There is no time like the present. In fact, there is no time except the present!

Time is My gift—a present for you. Whatever else you use this day for, remember I made it for rejoicing. It is fine to be busy, but do not forget to be merry while you are at it. Whistle while you work.

Daylight hours are no time for long naps. Now is no time for mulling over plans for noble tasks. Do not just stare up the steps—step up the stairs. You have memorized your Commander’s orders; for heaven’s sake, obey!

You intend to be all I want you to be—tomorrow. You hope to be braver and kinder—tomorrow. But if you do not get on the move, you will disappear from the scene, with nothing left when your living is through but a mountain of things you intended to do—tomorrow. You will not pass this way again. I only give you one life. Be decisive in good deeds, so you can cross eternity’s threshold without outdated to-do lists.

Do things right—own up to sins, repent of ignoble purposes, and begin today to live rightly.

Do the right things—review your activities and cull the good that is distracting you from the best. Plan your work.

Do the right things right away—keep in mind life is not a dress rehearsal. You are on the eve of victory. Do not lie down to rest on plains of hesitation, or you may die there! Waiting for perfect conditions accomplishes zero. Work your plan.

I made this workday for a reason. You can get some rest after sunset—get to work!

Time is ticking away …

Pastor Johnny R. Almond

Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church-Friends on a Journey of Faith

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity

The first call came when I was out of the country. It was a request for prayer. I promised not only to pray but make a visit as soon as I returned home. The second call came in less than a week - from his sister – one year ago this past week. Unfortunately, my promised visit would be to conduct his funeral. When I was fourteen years old my pastor-father changed churches and I was not happy - leaving my friends, changing schools, changing churches, etc. I dutifully went to Sunday School on the first Sunday and took a seat in the only empty chair in the room of unfamiliar boys. The one next to me said, “Hi, I’m Jimmie Don.” Thus began a friendship that lasted sixty years – through baseball & basketball, car-pooling, double dating, groomsman at my wedding, Vietnam, his post -Vietnam marital difficulties, car sales (him to me), phone calls, birthday calls every year on Pearl Harbor Day with a comment of how easy it was to remember his birthday, High School reunions, prayer times, long conversations about life and eventually about death. Jimmie Don Ulrich was my friend. I miss him. Friendships are a wonderful part of life, often taken for granted until it is too late to appreciate them. Proverbs 29:9 speaks of the sweetness of friendship. So if you have a really close friend, recognize them as such, communicate with them, and appreciate them. Enjoy the sweetness of friendship – while there is yet time to do so.

Lifetime Commitment

By Pastor Johnny R. Almond

Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back.

I will go wherever you go and live wherever you live.

Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.

I will die where you die and will be buried there.

May the LORD punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!”

RUTH 1:16, 17 NLT

Undying love is rare. Most people turn back from commitment in favor of convenience, forsaking commitment to enjoy personal comfort. Orpah returned to her people and gods, but Ruth stayed close to her mother-in-law and was determined to accompany her. She extended her trust in and love for Naomi to trust in and love for Me.

“Until death do us part” determination is hard to find. Marriages dissolve because of petty arguments, me-first demands, or sexual unfaithfulness. Few marriages go the lifetime distance. Promises are made only to be broken far short of the sworn goal. People do not always mean what they say. Minds change because hearts are not committed.

Ruth’s words paint a picture of how to make marriage last—traveling the same route, not going separate ways emotionally; living in the same residence, not separating a while to think things through; interacting with each other’s relatives, not snubbing those you do not like; worshiping the same God, not kneeling at different altars.

Know where your spouse is going. Pay close attention to the emotional and spiritual journey of the one you love most in the world. Demonstrate your love by listening. Cultivate meaningful relationships with your spouse’s relatives. Do not ignore or write them off—get to know them and enjoy their friendship. Pray with your spouse. Share your deepest desires with the one I gave you to be your partner for life.

Seek My blessing on your marriage. Depend on My Presence to enable you to keep your wedding vows. As long as you breathe, be faithful to your loving and wonderful spouse. Be grateful for the one I sent your way. Count your companion a blessing from the skies—see the touch of heaven in your mate’s eyes. You have given your heart—make sure it is forever.

You and I are inseparable. Death cannot kill My love for My bride. The Bridegroom has gracefully embraced you and will never let you go. Be true to Me until your last breath, and I will be true to you even after that.

Johnny R. Almond

Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity

Someone asked me an important question when I told them I was going on a sabbatical to seek direction for my life. Looking me in the eyes with great earnestness, they said, “What makes you happy, Jim? That’s what you should be doing.”

My reply probably surprised them, for many people would have cited romance or worldwide travels as their expected source of happiness.

“The thing that makes me the happiest is to have an impact on others,” I said without hesitation. “And the more impact I’m having, the happier I am.”

Although I don’t really think life is all about “the pursuit of happiness,” this conversation really got me thinking. What, exactly, would my ideal life look like?

I encourage you to ask this question for yourself, because your answer probably won’t be the same as mine. If you’re not fully satisfied with your present life, what are some things that would bring you greater fulfillment and joy?

After some soul-searching, I’ve identified four primary ingredients necessary to bring me the greatest joy in life. They all start with “I,” so I’m calling this my “I-deal” life.

1. INTIMACY with God and people. The Bible says “fullness of joy” can only be found in the presence of the Lord (Psalm 16:11), so that must be the starting point in my ideal life. But it’s also clear that close relationships with people are necessary in order to experience lasting joy. By “intimacy,” I’m not referring to romance or sex, but simply the ability to open your heart to others on a deep and vulnerable level. Do you have relationships like that with family and friends? I do, and it’s a blessing I’m profoundly thankful for.
2. IMPACT. As I told the friend who asked about my happiness, impact is very important to me—perhaps even too important. I believe we’ve been put on earth not just to be “successful” or just to “hang out” with people. We’re called to make a tangible difference in the lives of others. Of course, we each have different ways to bring about impact. My personal mission statement is “To change the world through the written and spoken word.” That means I love to write and preach, and those are two of the ways I can touch people’s lives. In my remaining years, I also want to find more ways to pour myself into the next generation. But you may have completely different gifts and passions. If you haven’t already done so, I encourage you to find your own God-given calling in how to make the world a better place.
3. INCOME. I’m not retired yet, so income is still an important part of the equation for me. It’s easy to talk in glowing terms about such lofty objectives as intimacy and impact, but we all must find ways to pay the bills as well. If you’re making lots of money but falling short in things like intimacy and impact, I challenge you to make some changes. However, some of my friends have been so intent on their spiritual and social pursuits that they’ve neglected the basic necessity of having adequate financial provision for themselves and their family. Financial stress can really undercut your pursuit of a happy life.
4. I-CARE. Sorry, but this is the only “I” word I could come up with to mean self-care. Of all the ingredients in my ideal life, this is perhaps the most difficult one for me. Although I’m passionate about impacting others, in the process I often neglect taking care of myself. In the coming season of my life, I must give a much greater focus to my health and fitness. I also need to take more time for rest and recreation, and I must reassess the margins in my work-life balance. As I was departing for my sabbatical, a friend told me, “Have fun!” Sadly, I had to admit that “having fun” is an element of self-care I really need to work on.

Identifying the elements of your ideal life won’t automatically answer all the questions you face concerning your future—but it’s a great place to start. So set aside some time, find a journal to write in, and get started in the process of defining what the life of your dreams really looks like. And don’t forget to solicit the input of trusted friends who can help you deal with any blind spots.

I love the GPS on my phone. How did we ever get anywhere without electronic navigation to point the way for us?

However, my GPS has sometimes led me astray. More than once, I’ve found myself at a dead end, even after carefully following the GPS instructions.

Life is like that. Sometimes the journey goes smoothly, but at other times we find ourselves at a dead end we never envisioned.

There are various kinds of dead ends in life. Relationships or jobs may end. Dreams and ambitions may die. And old seasons of life must end before new ones fully begin.

Lately I’ve been thinking about some of the “dead end” stories in the Bible. They not only provide interesting lessons on how to navigate such situations, but they also illustrate that an apparent dead end may not be the “end” of the story at all.

      ABRAHAM and SARAH. For decades, these servants of God had held on to His promise to give them a son. But as Abraham approached 100 and Sarah 90, they finally came to a dead end. Time had run out, for Sarah had been barren many years, and Abraham’s body was “as good as dead” (Romans 4:19, Hebrews 11:11-12).

What happens to your faith when God has given you promises, still unfulfilled, but you’ve run out of gas on a dead-end road? If you’re like me, it takes a while before you quit relying on your own strength and admit that your own efforts are “as good as dead.” Sometimes you just plain need a miracle, and that’s exactly what God did for Abraham and Sarah.

      THE ISRAELITES. On several occasions, God’s people seemed to reach a dead end in their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. The first dead end occurred at the Red Sea, with the Egyptian army bearing down on them from behind (Exodus 14). Forty years later, they came to another impasse, when the Jordan River was at flood stage, seemingly impossible to cross (Joshua 3).

In both cases, God made a way where there seemed to be no way. But in each instance, a step of faith was required: Moses stretching out his rod over the Red Sea and the priests stepping into the flooded Jordan River.

These episodes are a great reminder that when we come to a dead end, the Lord will give us instructions for what to do. Instead of moaning and groaning about our circumstances, dead ends present us with an opportunity to listen for God’s plan in moving forward.

      PAUL. Sometimes our dead end will seem likely to take the form of an actual physical death. Those who survive cancer or some other life-threatening condition often describe experiencing a new lease on life.

For example, the apostle Paul was so badly injured in Acts 14:19-20 that people thought he was dead and dragged him out of the city. But through this and other experiences, Paul discovered more of God’s amazing resurrection power, able to transform even the bleakest of circumstances:

It was so bad we didn’t think we were going to make it. We felt like we’d been sent to death row, that it was all over for us. As it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened. Instead of trusting in our own strength or wits to get out of it, we were forced to trust God totally—not a bad idea since he’s the God who raises the dead! (2 Corinthians 1:8-9 MSG).

Can you relate to Paul’s description here? He felt like he’d been given a death sentence, but instead it was a resurrection sentence! It turned out to be incredibly beneficial, forcing Paul to “trust God totally” instead of his “own strength or wits.”

A Promise to You from God

If you find yourself at some kind of dead end today, these stories should provide great hope. Based on these Biblical accounts, reaching a dead end may signal that something WONDERFUL is about to happen! Why? Because when we come to the end of ourselves, we’re just at the beginning of supernatural enablement from God.

The Lord never promised us that life would always be easy. But He DID promise to be with us through it all:

When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you.
    When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down.
When you’re between a rock and a hard place,
    it won’t be a dead end—
Because I am God, your personal God,
    The Holy of Israel, your Savior (Isaiah 43:2-3 MSG).

What great news! Even when it looks like “you’re between a rock and a hard place,” it will no longer be a dead end when the Lord comes to act on your behalf.

Take time to ask Him for His instructions today. Then get ready to watch Him turn your dead end into a new beginning!

Idolatry and Irritability

By Pastor Johnny R. Almond

He replied, “You took the gods I made, and my priest, and went away.

What else do I have? How can you say, What’s the matter with you?”

Judges 18:24 NIV

Micah’s mistake—crafting idols and designing his private religion—sadly echoes in your life if you congratulate yourself on being self-made and worship your creator! Without his idols and priest, Micah had nothing. Self-exaltation forms a spiritual vacuum.

I am the Creator and Manager of heaven and earth. I made you—not the other way around! I warn you of idolatry’s idiocy so that you will not get sick with Micah’s madness. Fools manufacture their own worthless gods. Blockheads worship blocks of wood. Deluded fools feed on ashes and trust inanimate objects that are no help. Thinking happiness comes through tangible possessions, people make things into gods.

Idol makers are destined for disgrace—true worshipers are destined for glory. Praying to gods who cannot save, idolaters waste time and injure eternity. Seeking My face, believers find significance in time and invest in eternity. Trusting My Son, you anticipate a delightful destiny beyond the threshold separating pain and paradise.

If all your idols—money, prestige, success, possessions, career—were taken away, what would remain? An empty shell? Depend on Me, and you can be sure I would still be there, even if all things were removed. Even without everything else, I would be more than enough. Without Me, you would always be in want. In Me alone do you have everything you need. Christ is your Defining Center of Gravity.

Rely on so-called gods, and their disappearance will make you irritable. Dethrone your dearest idol from the throne of your heart. Irritability will change to serenity if you stay as close to Me as a branch to a vine.

Let Me be your High Preeminence—the Heartbeat of your life. Stay away from all false gods of the heart, all rivals for My affection, all clever and cheap counterfeits. Avoid idolatry!

Let Me be your Holy Purpose—use all you own to honor Me. Give freely to communicate your faith to a watching world. Avoid insanity!

Let Me be your Helpful Priest—merciful in your transgressions, and mighty in your struggles with temptation. Avoid insecurity!

Let Me be your Happy Peace—enjoy the sweet blessing of genuine contentment, wanting nothing more. Avoid irritability!

Johnny R. Almond

Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity

Just one week into my much-needed sabbatical, one thing is abundantly clear: I find it extremely hard to fully relax without feeling guilty and unproductive. As an addict to the world of deadlines and to-do lists, “productivity detox” is a difficult and painful process.

Perhaps you’re a performance addict too. But you’ll never know for sure until you take time to break free from your dependence on activities and accomplishments—the “drugs” that enable you to feel good about yourself.

For years, friends have assured me that God’s love for me is not based on anything I can DO for Him. But I’ve been so busy trying to do His will that I’ve never really been able to test their theory.

If you’re a performance addict, you live in fear of what would happen if you suddenly stopped performing. Having carried the world on your shoulders for so long, you’re terrified that a moment’s rest might cause everything around you to come crashing down.

And what would people think if we no longer were performing and producing? It turns out we’re not only addicted to our accomplishments, we’re also addicted to the quest to look good in the eyes of our peers.

Amazing Benefits

My sabbatical has brought me face to face with my need to WAIT for God’s empowerment and direction when they don’t come immediately. I’ve discovered that resting and waiting often go hand in hand, as King David described: “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him” (Psalm 37:7).

I’m not sure which is more difficult for me, resting or waiting. I’m poor at both of them. Why? Because nothing productive seems to be accomplished while I’m resting or waiting.

Yet the Bible gives some magnificent promises to those who learn to wait on God. Those who take time to wait on Him will be…

• Free from shame (Psalm 25:3, Isaiah 49:23).
• Strengthened and encouraged (Psalm 27:14).
• Enabled to expand into new territory (Psalm 37:34).
• Assured of His provision (Psalm 104:27).
• Able to receive divine guidance and counsel (Psalm 106:13).
• Recipients of supernatural blessings and breakthroughs (Proverbs 8:34, Isaiah 64:4).
• Strengthened to mount up with wings like eagles (Isaiah 40:31).
• Blessed with a revelation of God’s goodness (Lamentations 3:25).
• Recipients of fresh vision from the Lord (Habakkuk 2:3).

This is just a small sample of the amazing promises given to those who wait on the Lord. So why is this so difficult for many of us?

God’s Waiting Room

Lately I’ve tried to put myself in the shoes of Jesus’ disciples when they were told not to DO anything after His ascension, but rather “to WAIT for the Promise of the Father” (Acts 1:4). The whole world needed to be saved, yet they were instructed to wait in Jerusalem.

It turned out that these faithful believers only had to wait 10 days before the Holy Spirit was poured out on Pentecost. But while they were waiting they didn’t know this would be the timetable. When God puts us in His “Waiting Room,” we’re seldom told how long the wait will be. We just have to trust Him that the resulting blessings will be worth the wait.

So are you willing to join me in the difficult process of breaking our addiction to activity and accomplishments? Are you ready to enter into God’s rest and patiently wait for a fresh breakthrough of His power and guidance?

Like a heroin addict who goes cold turkey, breaking our performance addiction is never easy. Our self-image is at stake, after all. And when we fully rest and patiently wait, we’re likely to make a horrifying discovery: Our self-image has been based more on our accomplishments than on recognizing God’s unconditional love for us.

But imagine the joy and freedom you’ll experience when you realize your Heavenly Father loves you even on the days when you haven’t accomplished a thing. Yes, He loves you more than you’ll ever know, and your performance has absolutely nothing to do with it.

So go ahead and thank Him. And breathe a huge sigh of relief.

Many decades ago, I discovered the reality of Jesus’ teaching that it’s more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). So I became a giver, and I’ve received many blessings as a result.

But, as with most truths, there’s another side to this principle: Healthy relationships are reciprocal. When one person in the relationship does all the giving and the other does all the taking, the bond inevitably becomes twisted and toxic.

Sadly, I’ve been rather slow in learning this. Giving has always been a natural part of who I am, but receiving is much more difficult for me. I don’t like asking people for their help, even when I need it. And the thought of being a burden to someone else is horrifying.

So, when I give, I seldom expect anything in return. Based on Jesus’ words in Luke 6:34-35, I’ve always thought this was the godly way to relate to people. But once again, I’ve often missed another important component of the relationship equation. Too often, I’ve been willing to continually give and give, while the other person received and received. Although this made me feel good at first, it was a prescription for codependency, certainly not a healthy relationship.

The apostle Paul seemed to face this kind of situation with the Corinthian church. He had poured his life into them and opened his heart wide. While this kind of imbalance was fine in their infancy, he said it was now time for them to grow up and open their hearts to him as well (2 Corinthians 6:11-13).

Monitoring Your Account

If we don’t ever monitor our checking account, we run the risk of overdrawing it from time to time. Our relationships need to be monitored and assessed in much the same way.

I’ve found that when our emotional bank account is full and overflowing, it’s very easy to be a giver. But if the other person never puts anything back into the relational bank account, we eventually discover that the account is empty or even overdrawn.

Have you ever experienced this? If you’re a chronic giver like me, I’m sure you have. And then you find yourself resenting the very people you joyfully gave your life to for so long.

If you are willing to do all the giving, you’ll have no trouble finding people willing to do all the taking. Even with that imbalance, everything is likely to seem fine until the relational bank account finally runs dry.

This is a hard lesson, but you’re not doing people any favor if you allow them to become a leech instead of a healthy contributor to the relationship. They may not be able to contribute as much as you do, and that’s okay. But they need to contribute something.

Making Changes

Recently I’ve had to say “NO” to several people who wanted to make a withdrawal from my emotional bank account. Why? Because, over the course of time, they had never put anything into the account.

When people face times of crisis, it’s natural to want to help them. But what about a situation where someone always seems to be in crisis mode? And how should you respond those who never make any deposit into your account even when times are good for them? It may seem harsh, but sometimes the imbalance is so great that the wisest thing to do is to shut the door on the relationship altogether.

In contrast, I’ve found that it’s always a great joy to give to those who’ve taken time to make a deposit of some kind into my life. Whatever they need, I’m happy to give it if I can.

So I hope you’ve discovered the joy in being a giver. But I also hope you’ve learned to develop healthy, reciprocal relationships, where both of you are putting something into the account.

If, like me, your relationships have often been off-balanced, perhaps it’s time for some frank discussions with your friends and family members. Don’t wait until the account is totally overdrawn to request some changes.

One More Thing…

Even as we learn the importance of cultivating reciprocal relationships, where both parties make contributions into the account, there’s another vital principle we must never forget: The ultimate source of love is God Himself, not any human relationship.

“Let us love one another,” we’re told in 1 John 4:7, “for love comes from God.” If we look to any other source, we’re certain to face disappointment.

You see, we’re much more likely to be hurt by our human relationships when we allow our love relationship with the Lord to run dry. When His love is overflowing in our lives (Psalm 23:5), we’re far less likely to be offended by the failure of people to make deposits into our emotional account. That doesn’t let them off the hook, but it means we can abide in God’s peace and joy even when people let us down.