No accounting was required from the construction supervisors,

because they were honest and faithful workers.

2 Kings 12:15 NLT
 

The basis of credibility is integrity. Trustworthiness hinges on truth. Supervisors of Temple repairs were uncompromisingly honest, so no accounting was required of their expenditure of funds. They gave clear evidence of reliability, so normal accounting procedures were waived. They acted faithfully, so they were not required to account for the money entrusted to them.
 

My uncommon policy of honesty is superior to the commonplace policy of deception. Blood of Truth redeemed you from dishonesty. As your Supervisor, I demand veracity in business dealings with others. My scales are absolutely accurate—they weigh your deepest thoughts. I measure true feelings, placing My tape around your heart.
 

I check to see if your ethical standards measure up to heaven’s. I care about honesty in the workplace. Your vocation is to honor Me in everything you do—report to work on time, give a full day’s work for a full day’s pay, above all be transparent and honest in everything you do. You represent Me to coworkers, so do your best for heaven’s sake!
 

It is senseless to attempt a cover-up of dishonesty. Your life is an open book before My eyes. Someday you will give an account of your actions and attitudes to Me. Does contemplating your appointment with Me make you nervous? Does the idea of standing in My Holy Presence make you feel you might be embarrassed by the way you have lived? Even if you do not live truthfully now, one day you will tell Me the truth—does this fact make you want to change the way you do business? There is still time to make adjustments. Get serious!
 

Be very careful how you manage the building project of your life. Renovate rooms of your character that have fallen into disrepair. Replace dilapidated walls of lies with strong buttresses of truthfulness. Keep a close eye on policies and procedures; watch your p’s and q’s—then no one will have to check up on you, and you will not have to hang your head in shame when I conduct your performance evaluation. In view of the sobering reality of your interview with your Boss, let Me teach you to be totally honest.
 

Honesty is not just the best policy—as far as I am concerned, honesty is the only one!
 

© 2013 Johnny R. Almond

Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity

 Wholeheartedness

Jehu paid no attention to walking in the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart.

2 Kings 10:31 THE AMPLIFIED BIBLE

A graph of your spiritual course would show a recurring pattern of three steps forward, two steps backward, three steps forward. Sometimes you are half-hearted in your commitment to Me; at  other times your heart is undivided in devotion. The anonymous poet could have been describing your own fickleness: “Coward and wayward and weak, I change with the changing sky; today so eager and brave, tomorrow not caring to try.”

You mirror Jehu. You go from being careful to being careless. You are often more concerned with externalities than what matters most. You are sometimes beside yourself about how you look to others, worrying more about your reputation than your character. Decrying others’ shortcomings, you neglect to wage holy war against your own sins. In the process, you miss the victory celebration.

Jehu-like, you are an iconoclast and idolater simultaneously. You get all fired up about straightening other people out, then worship the golden calves of convenience yourself. You are good at leading crusades to recover holy land from people you consider pagans, yet you yourself fail to live in the holy land of the broken heart.

You make a big deal about devoting yourself to heaven’s service—then turn around and disobey Me! Not fully committed to your King, you refuse to give up honoring false gods of your heart. Conducting inquisitions to root out heresy and heretics, you yourself miss the Truth right under your eyes in My Word and so miss the personal joy of a transformed life.

Let Me remind you that your relationship to Me is more important than anything in the world.

Let Me encourage you to spend more time scouring greed and self-indulgence from inside the cup of your life, and less time trying to impress others with gleaming superficialities.

Do more than follow the letter of My law—be My servant.

Do not be content with busy work—passionately serve Me.

I love you with all My heart. Is that the way you will love Me?

© 2013 Johnny R. Almond

Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity

Divine Hospitality

 Let’s make a little room for him on the roof and furnish it with a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp.

Then he will have a place to stay whenever he comes by.

2 Kings 4:10 NLT

I am your Shepherd—All You Ever Really Need in life. Since you have unlocked heaven’s treasure chest with faith’s key, personal relationship to the Infinite One guarantees plentiful resources. My supply standard is not your idea of enough, but My generous heart. I am your Host providing cordial reception, taking care of room and board—and more. I always welcome you and treat you as My honored guest.

You have Me to thank for shelter. Whatever your address, I am your Home. Because I am the Architect and Builder of your life, your home is fit for a King. I put a roof over your head in regal fashion. I am your Shelter in devastating high winds, Hiding Place in fearful thunderstorms, and High Ground in catastrophic flash floods.

You have Me to thank for sleep. After a tiring day of work, I let you rest in serene green meadows and sleep beside peaceful streams. My Spirit sings you to sleep with a lullaby of love, keeps you safe through the night, and wakes you up to a brand new day of possibility. Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man had no home of His own. Yet I always provide for you a comfortable bed at day’s end.

You have Me to thank for sustenance. I satisfy the hunger and thirst of all living things. I prepare a feast to renew your strength, in full view of your spiritual enemies. I set your table with far more than enough to keep body and soul together. I reserve a place at My table especially for you—there is no need to go hungry. Do not wring your hands about your next meal—today’s manna will be provided in the morning.

You have Me to thank for support. When life’s battle wears you out, I invite you to take a seat and relax. Your resting place will not always be an easy chair, and it will rarely be a recliner; sometimes it will be a straight-backed plain chair. But I promise to provide what you need right when you need it.

You have Me to thank for Scripture. My Word is a lamp in the lonely night to encourage you, and a flashlight to help you make your way through the dark world.

You live in a world that can be inhospitable, yet Love unfailingly accompanies you. Until you live forever with Me in My house, enjoy My perfect hospitality! I give you good things now—and I am saving the best for later.

© 2013 Johnny R. Almond

Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity

Searching for God

He took the cloak that had fallen from him and struck the water with it.

“Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked.

When he struck the water, it divided to the right and the left, and he crossed over.

2 Kings 2:14 NIV

I am the God of History—Lord of past, present, and future. Do you wonder where I am now? Do you feel I am long-ago-and-far-away dramatic headlines on old pages of yesterday’s news? Do you think of Me as merely an obsolete used to be, or the awesome I Am?

I am discoverable in your present situation. I have not changed from what I was to Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Isaiah, Daniel, John the Baptist, and Paul the apostle. I still challenge you to move in faith, revere My holy law, bravely confront evil, listen for whispers from heaven, surrender to My purpose, pray relentlessly, pave the way for Christ’s entry into human hearts, envision My Kingdom, and preach My Word from the pulpit of your personality.

I am the One Who Will Always Be Who I Have Always Been—Lord of Love. I am the same yesterday, today, and forever. I have not changed—have you? Take the cloak of history and strike the “uncrossable” river flowing before you, and you can go across to My magnificent future.

I am the God of Help—Lord of your strength. The fire of My power is still available to earnest seekers. Miracles are not just a thing of the past, never-to-be-repeated events of ages gone forever. If you cry out to Me with all your heart, you can expect supernatural assistance in your impossible situations. If you pray humbly and sincerely, I will listen and march to your rescue.

You are unable to resist temptation or serve Me on your own. In fact, without Me you can accomplish absolutely nothing. The wisest course of action is to stay near My throne—pleading for power to say no to sin and say yes to Me. Child of weakness, watch and pray—make Me your Center of Gravity and find in Me the strength you need to carry out My assignments and be ready for anything tomorrow brings.

I am the God of Holiness—Lord of transformed hearts. People wonder where the God of Elijah is; I wonder where the Elijahs of God are—unreservedly surrendered to Me, enthusiastically serving Me, boldly challenging others to radical decisions, wearing a prophet’s mantle, preaching a message that softens hearts and enriches relationships.

I promise you will find Me when you really mean business. Put your heart into the ultimate search—searching for God.

 © 2013 Johnny R. Almond

Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity