A Gentle Whisper -- Listening for the Voice of God Johnny Almond 6 years agoOctober 29, 2018

Prayer that Changes the World

While Ezra prayed and made this confession, weeping and throwing himself to the ground in front of the Temple of God,
a large crowd of people from Israel – men, women, and children –gathered and wept bitterly with him.
EZRA 10:1 NLT

I am the Awesome God who inspires reverence. The no-gods are limited; I am the Infinite One presiding over the cosmos. Idols inspire aversion; Divinity inspires awe.

I am the enemy of the proud; the humble are My favorites. So the wisest thing you can do is humble yourself before Me. Ponder the universe I have engineered—gaze into the expansive night sky and recall I whispered stars into being and direct planetary traffic patterns. Listen to reverberating thunder—then sing My praises.Resolve to live in the holy land of the broken heart—then you will not climb high and fall hard. In My Presence, humble your heart.

I am the Awakening God who inspires repentance. My Holy Spirit stirs your heart to correct evil practices and commit energy to heavenly purposes. Sin is a crying shame! It is no joking matter! Want the Devil to leave you alone? Resist him! Want to be clean? Wash your hands and purify your heart! Want to enjoy My company?Cry your heart out for the wrong you have thought and done.

If you yearn to know My joy, you must quit flirting with sin—in other words, quit it! Then you must redouble your efforts to serve Me—in other words, stop your self-service. Let heaven’s fire burn the sin from your mind and polish your life into purest gold. In My pardon, you can be holy.

I am the Almighty God who inspires revival. Confession can be contagious. Righteousness can spark a movement toward godliness. Prayer can transform nations. Earnest intercessions of the pure-hearted produce uncommon results. Just one sincere person can attract a crowd intent on seeking Me. Conviction has wonderful consequences—hope in My promises, commitment and courage to do right, confession of sin, and consecration to live above the world.

Bow down before Me and admit you really need Me, and I will take you by the hand and lift you up. In My power, you are helped.

A rock thrown into a lake causes ripples all the way to the shore. On your knees you can change the world.

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.