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

Life Instruction Manual

                                                            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

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.