A Gentle Whisper -- Listening for the Voice of God Johnny Almond 6 years ago

A Test with Hard Questions

When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s reputation, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions.

2 Chronicles 9:1 NLT

Conduct a self-test to see if you have been accepted into kindergarten. Then you can dream of applying for graduate school. Personal faith is the basic test. Until you know Jesus Christ as Savior, you are not ready for higher education. As long as you trust in yourself—feeling you are somehow good enough to please Me—you will fail this test. As long as you depend on your imaginary self-righteousness, you will never pass the test of reliance on Christ.

With the most basic question settled, you can take the entry-level exam for the University of the Spirit. It is not necessary to endlessly repeat the basic introduction to Christian living. It is mandatory that you grow in Christlikeness and understand the connection of Truth to every life issue. There are many required courses in heaven’s curriculum for the heart—unselfish love, invulnerable joy, indefinable peace, enduring patience, understanding kindness, sacrificial generosity, unflinching faithfulness, angelic gentleness, and supernatural self-control.

Life is a test with some hard questions you will have to answer—

Are you holy? Are you faithful to Me? How is your thought life? Do your eating and spending habits honor Me?

Are you honest? Are you fair? Do you treat other people justly? Do you always choose to do the right thing?

Are you humble? Are you for real? Do you know who I am? Do you know who you are? What price tag have you placed on yourself? Do you consider yourself too good to hang out with ordinary folks?

Are you happy? Can you lighten up and enjoy life? Uptight?

Are you hard working? Planning your work? Working your plan? Zeal for My cause flagging? Warming up for a burnout?

Are you heavenly-minded? Current events sadden you? Able to see beyond earth’s turmoil to My promised bright tomorrow?

Are you hospitable? Are you friendly? Do you share what I have given you with others who have less?

Study for your final exam—score high and graduate with honors.

Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity

Johnny

Johnny R. Almond earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Drew University in Madison, New Jersey and a Diploma in Religious Studies from the University of Cambridge. After pastoring churches for a decade, he served the Air Force as a military chaplain in worldwide assignments. After retiring from the military in 2000, he began serving as pastor in Virginia. He currently serves as pastor of Hull's Memorial Baptist Church in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He and his wife, Beverly, have four sons, three grandsons, and three granddaughters.