The Plumbline

The saying is true: Bad dreams come from too much worrying, and too many words come from foolish people. (Ecclesiastes 5:3) Are you a dreamer? I don't have many dreams I can recount when I awaken. Most of the time I simply have a slight memory for a short period of time and then as I fully awaken, those memories fade away as quickly as the day dawns. Yet, I have dreams - mine are just 'daytime dreams'. I think on things at night when I awaken, mulling them over and over in my mind until I find a solution to the thing I am contemplating. If I need to make something out of this or that, I think on the many 'solutions' to the 'making'. I don't create the thing while I am asleep, but rather when I am fully awake, firmly committed to the design I imagine will work, and committed to beginning to put the idea into motion.  Bad dreams - do we have these on occasion? Some people suffer from traumatic circumstances that leave them with haunting 'nightmares'

Two people are better than one, because they get more done by working together. If one falls down, the other can help him up. But it is bad for the person who is alone and falls, because no one is there to help. If two lie down together, they will be warm, but a person alone will not be warm. An enemy might defeat one person, but two people together can defend themselves; a rope that is woven of three strings is hard to break. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12) There was a day I would try to put together all that box furniture - big stuff - all by myself. I'd get someone to load it into my vehicle, but when I got home, I'd take a box cutter, slice open the box and take piece by piece into the house. That stuff was heavy! Then it would be strewn all around the living room, and I had the task of putting all the pieces together - a feat daunting in and of itself! Side one put with back one, shelf A inside side and back, wheels attached here, and stabilizing bracket attached somewhere between i

Light, space, zest—that’s God! So, with him on my side I’m fearless, afraid of no one and nothing... I’m sure now I’ll see God’s goodness in the exuberant earth. Stay with God! Take heart. Don’t quit. I’ll say it again: Stay with God. (Psalm 27:1, 13) Begin with God, and we will surely end well! I wonder what could happen within our days if we'd make a conscious effort to begin with God and then at the end of the day begin to recount the things of our day in the light of what he brought us through, showed us, and even kept us from experiencing some harshness just because of his awesome oversight? Beginnings often differ from endings, do they not? Some of us begin quite well, ending with less than stellar performance. Others begin on a little bit of a shaky footing but somehow end pretty well considering how we began. One thing I believe God wants for us is the certainty of beginning well AND the reward of ending well. If we consider there is a whole lot of "in between&q

Patience is better than strength. Controlling your temper is better than capturing a city. (Proverbs 16:32) Most of us recognize patience is a virtue, but many times we forget just how patience is learned - through trial and tribulation! It takes a little bit of the "troubling of the waters" in our lives to teach us the infinite lessons of patience. When you pray for patience, you are actually praying to have the waters stirred up with even a few waves added! That revelation might just change the course of your prayers! We have those moments when the thing we are expressing is the furthest from what we might label as the virtue of patience. Learning how to respond in patience is what some call conforming your conduct to some moral or ethical principle. I call it the divine work of the Holy Spirit in us in any area where he did not previously exist or have access! Most of us pray for strength and patience in the same breath, don't we? Yet, patience is better than st

The Lord shows mercy and is kind. He does not become angry quickly, and he has great love.  He will not always accuse us,  and he will not be angry forever.  He has not punished us as our sins should be punished;  he has not repaid us for the evil we have done. As high as the sky is above the earth, so great is his love for those who respect him. He has taken our sins away from us as far as the east is from west. (Psalm 103:8-12) I find it very good news that God does not punish us as our sins should be punished. As a parent, I often considered the ill-behavior of my children and found myself in a quandary as to how to 'punish' the ill behavior. There were even times I'd ask the offended party to name the punishment for the offending party - as though a brother or sister who was angry with the other was the right one to pick the punishment! I even tried asking the ill-behaving child to pick their own punishment on occasion. I guess I was out of options at that point - so

Invest what you have, because after a while you will get a return. (Ecclesiastes 11:1) I have frequently heard people say they have nothing to give - nothing to bring into a circumstance that THEY feel will be of any value. Instead of giving what they have and allowing God to INCREASE the value of what they bring, they just stand idly by. If we want to ever see an increase of what we have been given, we must invest it.  As a young adult, raising wee kiddos, my financial circumstances were not the best. I had a hard time making ends meet from time to time, but never went without. I trusted God to bring the increase, but I invested what I could into the process. What I had was my two hands, a strong back, and a will to work. That is what I could invest. It might have meant long hours of picking weeds for $3/hour at times and rising way before dawn to deliver papers in the dark of night, but we never went without. There are times we feel what we have won't really matter - it isn't

The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings. (Eric Hoffer) Those who gather crops on time are wise, but those who sleep through the harvest are a disgrace. Good people will have rich blessings, but the wicked will be overwhelmed by violence. Good people will be remembered as a blessing, but evil people will soon be forgotten. (Proverbs 10:5-7) Have you ever stopped long enough to think about your blessings? When you engage in this process, you will likely realize many of those 'blessings' came through very hard work. It wasn't that you 'achieved' those blessings on your own, though. God gave you both the ability and know-how to achieve them. Blessings come in the form of accomplishments, people, and even physical things we can see and touch. The greatest of blessings may just be the peace we experience each day as we settle into the arms of Jesus and enjoy just a little time in his presence. It may feel like life overwhelms us fr

Jesus said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.’ This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ These two commands are pegs; everything in God’s Law and the Prophets hangs from them.” (Matthew 27:37-40) I did a "Google" search to see how many times "love" appeared in the Bible, figuring it was probably somewhere in the thousands, right? You might be surprised to know that the King James Bible has the word "love" printed only 314 times - a whole 594 times if you throw in all the lovest, loveth, loving, and lovingkindness terms. As important as this "fruit" is, I thought it would likely be "cited" far more in the scriptures. Love is probably the most significant of the fruit we can bear in life - as all the other fruit which may become apparent are really founded on the basis of love. Don't believe me?

You will know these people because of what they do . Good things don’t come from people who are bad, just as grapes don’t come from thornbushes, and figs don’t come from thorny weeds. In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, and bad trees produce bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. (Matthew 7:16-18) If you have ever had something begin to grow in your garden and then wondered what it might be, you may have left it grow a little longer because you think it resembles a flower or perhaps a plant that may produce some type of "fruit". As it grows, you can begin to tell if it is what you thought it might be or not. When it no longer resembles what you thought it was, you pluck it up because you now recognize it as not being the "fruit-bearing" plant you imagined. I feed birds - this produces a variety of "undergrowth" in my flowerbeds because they fling seed everywhere. There is also a whol

God makes everything come out right; he puts victims back on their feet... God is sheer mercy and grace; not easily angered, he’s rich in love. He doesn’t endlessly nag and scold, nor hold grudges forever. He doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve, nor pay us back in full for our wrongs. As high as heaven is over the earth, so strong is his love to those who fear him. And as far as sunrise is from sunset, he has separated us from our sins. As parents feel for their children, God feels for those who fear him. He knows us inside and out, keeps in mind that we’re made of mud. Men and women don’t live very long; like wildflowers they spring up and blossom, but a storm snuffs them out just as quickly, leaving nothing to show they were here. God’s love, though, is ever and always, eternally present to all who fear him, making everything right for them and their children as they follow his Covenant ways and remember to do whatever he said. (Psalm 103:6-18) Memory is a powerful tool - learnin

By this time the crowd, unwieldy and stepping on each other’s toes , numbered into the thousands. But Jesus’ primary concern was his disciples. He said to them, “ Watch yourselves carefully so you don’t get contaminated with Pharisee yeast, Pharisee phoniness. You can’t keep your true self hidden forever; before long you’ll be exposed. You can’t hide behind a religious mask forever ; sooner or later the mask will slip and your true face will be known. You can’t whisper one thing in private and preach the opposite in public; the day’s coming when those whispers will be repeated all over town. (Luke 12:1-3) Give people enough to "gawk" at and they will congregate quicker than ants on honey. I fondly refer to them as "looky-loos" - they are there for the "show", not really for much else. They come interested in what they might get, not in what they might give away. What draws a crowd? Isn't it the spectacular, the unexpected, and the unusual? Jesus w

Has it ever occurred to you to actually watch the road signs on your journey home from somewhere you frequent, such as work, a visit to the family, or the trip to the theater? Most likely, you just go there, and then head back the same way. You don't even consider those road signs along the way. Why? You know the way! You have made the trip so many times you don't even have to pay all that close attention. You probably navigate by landmarks instead. If someone were to change one of those landmarks, would it be possible for you to miss your turn? Maybe, but not likely. Change your route home because there is a major traffic snafu or significant road repairs underway and you have to pay closer attention, don't you? You likely follow the traffic - you go where you see them going because they must know the way, right? Having followed a few lines of traffic through winding neighborhoods only to end up further away from my destination than I was to begin with, let me assure you f

It was Theodore Roosevelt who reminds us: "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Too many times we bemoan the fact we don't have 'enough', so we don't even start. We think we cannot, so we don't even try. We believe we are not in the right place to do something, so we just sit back and watch. Where you are, what you have, and what you are able to do are all perfectly correct when God is backing your every move! I pray also that you will have greater understanding in your heart so you will know the hope to which he has called us and that you will know how rich and glorious are the blessings God has promised his holy people. And you will know that God’s power is very great for us who believe. That power is the same as the great strength God used to raise Christ from the dead and put him at his right side in the heavenly world. (Ephesians 1:18-20) The power of God is very great in ALL who believe in him - did you hear that? ALL who believe in h

I Timothy 6:6-10 reminds us: "Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs." Let that one sink in for just a moment. We probably have all heard someone misquote this passage from time to time, telling us that money is the root of all evil. It is not what it says, though. It says the 'love of money' is A ROOT of all kinds of evils - one root, not the root - and not all evil, but many kinds of evils that can enter into a person's life. Taking this apart, Paul is really saying godly content is to

Loneliness is proof that your innate search for connection is intact. (Martha Beck) We all search for connection - some of us just don't want to admit it. We want to relate to others, but the effort takes us by surprise, and we just don't want to go that far at times. We settle for being lonely, walking without companionship or support. I have to ask - how well are you doing with that? God knows we will face fears along the way, and those fears will seem to be a little too daunting at times, but he never expected we'd face them alone.  So don’t worry, because I am with you. Don’t be afraid, because I am your God. I will make you strong and will help you; I will support you with my right hand that saves you. (Isaiah 41:10-11) If you are 'with' me, I usually know you are there, even when you aren't immediately by my side. You could be at your own home, and I would still know there is a connection we have made acting as a support to me as I go through whatever it i

So encourage each other and give each other strength, just as you are doing now. (I Thessalonians 5:11) In what ways do you need encouragement today? Maybe your family has been under attack by the enemy of God - sick family members, cats acting badly, appliances breaking down, cars demanding repairs you didn't budget for, and kiddos acting out at the worst of times. You just want to utter those words of the old TV ad: "Calgon, take me away!" Remember this - today's worries and problems are best handled in the strength of God, not in yours alone. We get our strength at the feet of Christ, but did you also consider just how much strength we get from each other? If you are like me, you have a great friend who is always there for you whenever you need that encouragement and strength. If you don't have that special relationship with anyone yet, that is where you begin - by prayerfully asking God to bring that person into your life. God never wants us to count on thei

The greater our knowledge increases the more our ignorance unfolds. (John F. Kennedy) The mind of a person with understanding gets knowledge; the wise person listens to learn more. (Proverbs 18:15) I would like us to consider if we are listening to just 'hear', or are we listening to 'learn more'? The first option is a very common occurrence in society today - someone talks, we listen, but do we really hear their heart, understand their turmoil, or experience their grief? When we listen to 'learn more' there is an investment of ourselves in the life of the one we are actually 'hearing'.  God wants to be the first person we listen to 'learn more' from in this walk we undertake each day with him. He also wants us to develop this sense of 'learning more' when we engage with others who come across our path each day. It is good to hear but hearing alone doesn't really require that much effort. We get 'knowledge' as we hear, but we

  God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. (Ephesians 3:20-21) Can God do whatever it is you need done in your life? I bet almost all of us would say, "Of course he can!" I have to ask the follow-up question - do we really believe that about everything in our lives? I think there are a whole bunch of us (me included) who say those words, but they haven't made it into our hearts and minds totally yet. We 'trust' God for the big stuff, but then we diddle around with bringing him the 'small stuff' we think really isn't all that 'significant' in his eyes. The truth of the matter is that we cannot find one portion of scripture to back up the 'belief' that God isn't going to handle the small stuff! Whatever it is you need done - think upon those words a bit longer today

Consider just how emotionally "starved" we are as a society - especially in what should be some of our closest relationships. In most relationships, there is such a tremendous amount of emotional "hunger" which goes totally unmet because we don't take the time to meet the need, we fail to recognize the need exists, or we just simply spend more time looking at our own need. Starvation is simply the feeling of a strong need or desire. When our emotional needs go unmet long enough, we begin to feel a little "starved". Sometimes we use other means to satisfy a genuine emotional hunger than what will really satisfy the hunger. Perhaps we turn to the pursuit of some pleasure - but the pleasure only lasts for a while and then we are back to the hunger again. It may be we pursue something we can possess - such as a new car, new home, or the like - but in time, the "newness" and pleasure produced in the acquisition just leaves us all hungry again.

"Things start out as hopes and end up as habits." (Lillian Hellman) There are a lot of 'habits' we accumulate over the years, some of them better than others. The ones we really want to develop may be a little harder to develop, though. We developed the habit of brushing our teeth regularly - a fairly simple habit, easily adopted, but as a kiddo, we resisted it. Some of us resist the habit of reading our Bible - a fairly simple habit which could easily be adopted, but we resist it because it takes time, some of the stuff in there doesn't make sense, and we have lots of questions about the content we read. It seems to me this is the kind of habit we may actually need most in our lives - the reward being worth the effort it takes. Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers—why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother’s milk! There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through fait

God is building a home. He’s using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home. (Ephesians 2:20-22) Irrespective of how we got here. Some of us got here by searching for something of significance in our lives, while others got here at the end of a long rope, just about to hang themselves out to dry. Regardless of 'how' we come into the family of God, we are a family and a family needs a place to dwell. We dwell in the presence of God - each of us making up 'one stone' in this great building. I used to think I could stand alone, but one stone does not make a building! Built by God - not by human hands or schemes. This is important for u

Some years ago, I saw this sign: God allows U-Turns. Profound statement, right? So many times, the roads we travel upon are marked with all kinds of restrictions - U-Turns being one of them. Isn't it good to know in God's grace, he allows U-Turns? Sometimes we don't pay as close attention to the things God tells us to focus on, getting ourselves down a road or two which don't "fit" the plan as well as we'd hoped. When we find ourselves traveling in the wrong direction, I wonder if we are bold enough to do a U-Turn? When the road is wide and no traffic seems to be coming, this seems a whole lot easier, does it not? But...get a little bit more traffic, take that road down to a two lane narrow passageway, with no shoulder or "wiggle room", and you might find a U-Turn a little more difficult. Why? Maneuvering room is limited! This is the way it is sometimes - we get ourselves on paths which allow very little maneuvering room! When we need t

The most satisfying thing in life is to have been able to give a large part of one's self to others. (Pierre Teilhard de Chardin) Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful desires will harvest the consequences of decay and death. But those who lie to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So don't get tired of doing what is good. don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time. Whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone, especially to our Christian brothers and sisters. (Galatians 6:8-10) How satisfied are you with life right now? If you can answer that one with a 'pretty doggone satisfied', then you are likely liking life right now. If the answer is 'not so well', you are probably in the process of trying to make some changes to your life. Since we all go through seasons of making change in our life, it is likely we have hit this wall on occasion. We get t

I don’t care about my own life. The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me—to tell people the Good News about God’s grace. (Acts 20:24) On occasion I am asked why I write this blog and I have to answer pretty much the way the Apostle Paul did in this passage. I want to tell people everywhere about the grace of God - in my life, available for theirs, and thriving in spite of all the evil around us. Do I always exhibit this grace in my life? No, I am far from perfect and don't always have the greatest of consistency in my walk. Do I desire my testimony of God's grace to be rock solid? You betcha! Do I know his grace is renewed each and every day? Most certainly - for me AND for you! Now I am putting you in the care of God and the message about his grace. It is able to give you strength, and it will give you the blessings God has for all his holy people. (Acts 20:32) We all mess up from time to time - some of us more frequently tha

Back in the day when I took cruises, there was one man who will stick in mind because of the importance of what he did for all the passengers on board. You may think it was the Captain, since he steered us clear of all kinds of seas which would upset our stomach due to the waves, or kept us on course just by keeping us out of certain currents. The man was a meek, mild mannered individual stationed outside the doors of the buffet each meal. His words were the same: "Washy, washy! Happy, happy!" His mission: All passengers dining within would wash their hands prior to entering. Why? To ensure the journey of all traveling on the ship would be safe, enjoy their trip and avoid the exposure to unwanted food-borne diseases. Now, that is an important job, is it not? God’s Word warns us of danger and directs us to hidden treasure. Otherwise how will we find our way? Or know when we play the fool? Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh! Keep me from stupid sins

What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you. (Ralph Waldo Emerson) I expect and hope that I will not fail Christ in anything but that I will have the courage now, as always, to show the greatness of Christ in my life here on earth, whether I live or die. To me the only important thing about living is Christ, and dying would be profit for me. (Philippians 1:20-21) What lies within you if you are a Christ follower? Good things, indeed. How many of us really live with the knowledge that Christ is revealing his greatness through us? Most of the time we bemoan that we aren't living as we know we should be - focusing more on what lies behind and what lies in front of us. We are a bit weird that way, neglecting to live in the moment while we dwell on the past or get hyper-consumed by what is in our future. Christ asks us to settle down right here, where we are today, so he can reveal bits and pieces of himself to the world through our