A Gentle Whisper -- Listening for the Voice of God Johnny Almond 5 years agoAugust 26, 2019

Compass Heading–Reality

I’ve already run for dear life straight to the arms of GOD.
So why should I run away now when you say, “Run to the mountains”?
Psalm 11:1 THE MESSAGE

When you are honest to God, you admit there are times when you feel like running away. Sometimes it seems the values you thought would always be respected are ridiculed, and your nation’s wholesome influence in the international community is deteriorating rapidly. When foundations of law and order crumble, what is a believer to do? When you need a storm cellar for your soul, where can you turn?

No matter how uncertain circumstances are, one thing is for sure—you do not have to tremble; you can trust. You do not have to turn into a jigsaw puzzle—going to pieces every time you face a problem. You do not have to wring your hands in terror—you can fold your hands in trust and let your tranquil life be a testimony to the pleasure of My company. Your situation may be shaky ground, but your soul can be serene when you are resting on the Solid Rock.

Synthetic foundations—prestige, materialism, pleasure, money—will collapse; but you can always lean confidently on Me. Other hiding places are papier-mâché compared to Me. Human advice may be that the best thing for you to do is escape, but experience keeps teaching you that running anywhere else except to My heart is a useless exercise. With heavenly assistance available, why seek shelter elsewhere?

You do not need to resort to psychological defense mechanisms—turn to the Eternal One. You do not have to be paralyzed by fear—move out by faith. Tough times do not come down to either fight or flight; there is a third option to resolve your dilemmas—FAITH. When you go out on a limb, I will be your Guide so you will not perish in the ravine of uncertainty below. Rather than hiding from your problems, hide in My promises. Instead of panic, enjoy My peace. You might think you would like to live trouble-free, but there is something far better—getting to know Me as you and I go through trouble together.

I am the Divine Psychiatrist—calming your inner being when chaos encircles. I enable you to stay on an even keel on the high seas of a crazy world. Refuse to be discouraged by signs all around you that earth is the insane asylum of the universe.

Søren Kierkegaard was right—life is not a problem for you to solve; it is a reality for you to face.

Do not run from reality—run to Reality!

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.