The Plumbline

If the highest aim of a captain were to preserve his ship, he would keep it in port forever.  (Thomas Aquinas) So roll up your sleeves, get your head in the game, be totally ready to receive the gift that’s coming when Jesus arrives. Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn’t know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.” (I Peter 1:15-16) Seafaring men would tell you a storm is no time to launch out on a journey, but when a storm erupts right smack dab in the middle of the journey, you have no choice but to navigate through! The ship has left port and it there is no time to debate what to do next - the captain urges his crew onward. In just the same manner, Jesus urges us onward in spite of the storms, rough conditions, or 'unease' we may feel with the progress we a...

Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being. (Matthew 6:19-21) It is always good to look at where we put or find our treasures, isn't it? Some are facing great loss due to fires, floods, and inclement weather of all sorts, and it is possible 'all' will be lost as a result of the terrible devastation they face. I put the word 'all' in quotes today because there are many who have put all their hope in the 'treasures' they have amassed right here on this earth and quite possibly have missed out on the greatest treasure of all. I shall not make light of the great loss so many have experienced in terms of homes, vehicles, family, and friends - their loss is tragic and beyond words. It gives all of us an opp...

Sometimes we need a reset in life – a new year is usually considered a good time to begin again what we may not have done well in the previous year. If you are anything like me, you might be having a harder time ‘beginning anew’ that diet plan. All the other stuff that I have committed to this year is going well, but that ‘healthy eating’ lifestyle change is harder after you have become accustomed to eating all those sweets over the holidays, isn’t it? Those ‘carbs’ just have a way of latching onto us and holding us captive to their allure! Sin is kind of like that in our lives, too. It has a way of appealing to some urge we might not have enough ‘inner power’ to overcome on our own. If that pull is what is keeping you from moving forward this year, perhaps it is time to revisit the issue with God. Watch what God does, and then you do it; like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Obser...

 Seek good and not evil— and live! You talk about God, the God-of-the-Angel-Armies, being your best friend. Well, live like it, and maybe it will happen. Hate evil and love good, then work it out in the public square (Amos 514-15) What we seek we frequently find. I have put things away so carefully in a cleaning spree only to find i cannot find them when I really need them! That results in a whole lot of seeking that really wasn't all that necessary. I should have remembered where it was, having been the one to put it there. We don't know all the things God has put somewhere with the intention of us finding them, do we? He puts them specifically where he shows us to seek for them. All we need to do is seek! If we knew what he had prepared, would we hesitate to seek? Not likely. We'd seek with all our heart and soul. God has prepared a deep and meaningful relationship with him, yet we seem to struggle with putting forth the effort to find that depth. We might get closer to f...

So roll up your sleeves, get your head in the game, be totally ready to receive the gift that’s coming when Jesus arrives. Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn’t know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.” (I Peter 1:13) Be Ready! This might be the words some are holding onto this year, having endured much in the past year that almost did them in, but hopeful for great things in the new year. What does a state of readiness look like? In the military, when we were told to be ready, it meant rucksack and duffle packed, all the supplies we'd need at the ready, and our schedules so flexible we could leave at a moment's notice. In the medical profession, when were put on standby, it required us to be able to respond within thirty minutes of notification we were ne...

So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective. (Colossians 3:1-2) Are you serious about following Jesus this year? The past three weeks should have cemented your determination to follow wholeheartedly, or maybe you have chosen to remain in control of your life and be a little too stubborn for your own good. Christ's call to us today is to 'get serious about living for him - stop waffling, buckle down, and 'get er done'.  Pursue the things over which Christ presides - stop shuffling along. A 'shuffler' walks that way because they are dragging their feet - they lack determination, are a little too resistant to the forward progress, or are so weighed down with life's cares ...

That is the way we should live, because God’s grace has come. That grace can save everyone. It teaches us not to live against God and not to do the bad things the world wants to do. It teaches us to live on earth now in a wise and right way—a way that shows true devotion to God. (Titus 2:11-12) As we continue our "January Journey", let's consider what it means to 'live against God'. The very thought of 'living against' anything might mean we become a little too 'assertive' or 'aggressive' in our approach to whatever that may be. It doesn't mean we don't stand up for what is right and stand against what is wrong, but we aren't going to explore that today. I would like us to consider truthfully if there is any area of our lives where we are 'asserting' our will against God's will for our lives. That might be a hard thing to admit right now, but I believe we will make no progress forward with our relationship in Christ...

Teach us how short our lives are so that we can become wise. (Psalm 90:12) You might not think this verse has much to do with making a new start in a new year, but I'd like us to read it again a few times just to grasp the full meaning of what the psalmist was asking. He asks God to 'teach him', but not with aimless education. He wants to really be aware just how limited his time on this earth may be - then he wants God to help him make the very best use of that time. There are thousands of timewasters in this world today - we barely have to look further than the TV or our cell phones to realize just how much 'wasted time' we can rack up without even fully being aware. The thing he prays for is 'awareness'. The purpose of this awareness is revelation - to get to know what is really important for him to know and forget about all the other stuff that really is just 'clutter' in his mind. Maybe that would be a good prayer for each of us this year - to ...

When anyone is in Christ, it is a whole new world. The old things are gone; suddenly, everything is new! (2 Corinthians 5:17) Suddenly? Really? It may seem to some of us that the 'whole new thing' isn't all that 'new' - some of that 'old stuff' hangs around for a while, or crops up from time to time, making it kind of hard to say everything became 'new' when we said 'yes' to Jesus. It isn't uncommon that the hurts and hangups of yesterday can creep up from time to time, all because we have both muscle memory and cognizant memory. Muscle memory is when we do something without even giving it much conscious thought. Cognizant memory is when we actually think upon it, then act upon it, oftentimes making a very 'determined' decision to pursue something we might know to be entirely wrong for us. Either way, we struggle with those things that creep up on occasion, making us wonder if this 'new us' really 'took hold' when...

If you find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere. (Frank A. Clark)  The Lord is making roads through the sea. He is making a path for his people, even through rough waters. (Isaiah 43:16) The obstacles one faces in life can sometimes be a little overwhelming - even to the point we want to find another path or just plain give up entirely. The good news is that the path God prepares may not be obstacle free, but it is prepared, provisioned, and protected. Prepared by the hand of God. Provisioned with his grace and strength. Protected by his mighty armies in high places, even when we cannot see his protection! The path without obstacles is really not all that great! The obstacles are what brings out the character of God within our lives. Those obstacles actually show us how dependent we are upon ourselves to remove each and every one of them in our own power or strength. It is when we realize they are bigger or more numerous than we can 'deal with' on ou...

They invented hugs to let people know you love them without saying anything. (Bil Keane) Forget about the wrong things people do to you. Don’t try to get even. Love your neighbor as yourself. (Leviticus 19:18) As we move on with our 'new year', perhaps it would be good to rekindle a few relationships that have grown a bit too cool over the past year. It begins with the one we have with our heavenly Father first, then it flows outward. As we recommit to spending time with Jesus each day, getting into his word, and allowing him to guide our path, we need to prayerfully consider other relationships that may need a little 'uplift'. If we haven't invested ourselves deeply, it could be that God is asking us to do so this year. I know some may feel they are being prompted to begin anew with relationships that need a bit more of their attentiveness. It may have become easy to think 'time spent together' is 'building' a relationship, but it is more than '...

Perhaps one of your new year's resolutions was to worry less and trust God more. If you made that one, you are definitely not alone. It is human nature to worry over things - what to do, where to go, who to see, when it will be done, and on we worry. The more we worry, the less we trust - the more we cast that worry on Jesus, the less it will consume our every thought, plan, and action! Don’t be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me. (John 14:1) The 'command' is pretty specific - DON'T BE TROUBLED. I imagine God emphasizing that one to us, so I made it all caps! The troubles of this world are so many and seem to mount with each passing day. It almost seems we barely get past yesterday's troubles before new ones are on the horizon. When our eyes are on the troubles we observe around us, we cannot see the glory God has laid out for us. His watchful eye sees far better than ours ever do, so maybe it is time to do as he says and stop being 'troubled' over thi...

“So you want first place? Then take the last place. Be the servant of all.” (Mark 9:45) First place - so many strive for the top marks, top awards, top positions. "TOP" - dominant, elite, preeminent, primary, leading, and principal. Thinking upon that one, any time we put ourselves as 'preeminent' or the 'primary leader' in our lives, we are bound to know some form of failure. Why? We aren't meant to assume that position - especially when we invite Christ into our lives. That is his position, not ours. First place - found by taking last place. That seems to be a bit of a conundrum, doesn't it? The one who wants first place is usually negotiating, repositioning, finding that edge. The racer will look for the tiniest of openings and take it. The company climber will look for the edge that makes their skills unique or in demand. The one who wants their way will use all manner of clever manipulation or negotiation to get it. The one who follows Christ is ...

Any concern too small to be turned into a prayer is too small to be made into a burden.  (Corrie Ten Boom) Come to me all of you who are tired from the heavy burden you have been forced to carry. I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28) There are far too many burdens being carried by people today that they were never created to carry. Some are of our own making, while others are really cast upon us because someone in our life didn't do what they were supposed to, leaving us to bear something we never thought we'd be carrying. A new year is a great time to consider what it is we have been 'carrying' that perhaps wasn't intended for us to carry. God's plan from the beginning was that every 'burden' was to be 'unloaded' at the feet of Jesus - nothing being too hard for him. What happens when we carry a burden? We all know they can make us tire easily and even make our mental capacity a little too 'crammed full' for our liking. What we may not ...

Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. (Psalm 103:1-2) Another thing to consider as we march through our new year - gratitude. Is the state of our heart one of gratitude the majority of the time, or is it consumed more by envy that leads to a greater state of discontent? Some of the hardest times we can go through involve times of 'comparison' - when we compare what we have, where we are at, what we are doing, or who we have 'become' in light of someone else's accomplishments. Perhaps this is why God warns us against comparing ourselves with others (Galatians 6:4-6). Instead, we are to turn our eyes instead toward him and the things he has for each of us. In this alone will we find the greatest contentment. Our whole heart has to buy into this idea of gratefulness, though. We cannot be 'kinda' grateful 'most of the time...

Cherish your human connections: your relationships with friends and family.  (Joseph Brodsky) Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12) As we continue on with our new year's goals, it is important to consider the status of our relationships. If you are a little bit of a loner, you might want to change that perspective this year. It may not be easy to enter into relationships because you are bit shy, introverted, or just haven't had the best of luck with others over the course of time. Whatever the reason for attempting to walk this day-to-day relationship with ...

If you're walking down the right path and you're willing to keep walking, eventually you'll make progress. (Barack Obama) Whoever abandons the right path will be severely disciplined; whoever hates correction will die.  (Proverbs 15:10) The 'right path' is usually something each of us pursues these early weeks of a new year. It is like we got a 'clean slate' at midnight on the 31st of December and now we are free to 'do over' what we didn't do so well with over the past 365 days. While that is a little exaggerated, you get the point. We all need a 'do over' from time to time, don't we? If you are anything like me, those don't need to happen just in the first month of the new year - they need to happen ALL year! The right path is laid out, the plans are made, then somewhere down the line, there is a missed opportunity or missed step and we are 'off-course' for some strange reason. The 'strange reason' is likely t...

Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom. (Charles Spurgeon) Wise words bring many benefits, and hard work brings rewards. (Proverbs 12:14) The right use of knowledge - wouldn't that go a long, long way where it applies to the words we speak about another? Gossip has a way of dragging others down - it also has a way of taking you right along with it! The wise learn the 'advantage' of guarding well the words they share - especially when they are words that may paint another in a bad light or bring another into some knowledge of the other person's character that they really had no right to know. Wisdom is the right use of knowledge - to apply wisdom to both the words we speak and the words we listen to about others is truly a 'learned art'. The 'art' is learned at...

There are two freedoms - the false, where a man is free to do what he likes; the true, where he is free to do what he ought. (Charles Kingsley) When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.  (Proverbs 29:18) Two freedoms - one false, the other living and thriving. Which would you choose? So many people choose the false sense of freedom, believing that being able to do as one pleases, unfettered by any form of rule to live by is some sort of 'heaven on earth'. I would suggest to us that 'heaven on earth' is not as good as life gets, though. Earthly gladness or glee is just that - earthly, fleeting, and eventually will pass away. The freedom to do as we ought, as laid out for us in the set of 'rules' we call the living word of God, now that is true freedom. Some see 'rules' as fettering, but God sees them as protection for a soul that may not know how to choose wisely all the time! One of the biggest struggl...

 Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies. (Mother Teresa) “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities." (Luke 16:10) Faithfulness in the little things may seem like a bit too much when you are struggling to get the 'big things' right at the moment, but it is the cumulative effect of the little things that actually helps you to get the 'big things' right! The often overlooked 'little things' in life are the ones we should spend our time on, not just the big ones. This might be the time we spend in prayer, thinking prayer has to be a certain amount of time on our knees, lifting holy words to Jesus, but prayer is so much more. It is the simple ones that add up throughout the day. The moment you express one thought of gratitude for some blessing you enjoy is a moment of prayer. The simple 'God help the...

Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither. (C.S. Lewis) Better to have little, with fear for the Lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil. (Proverbs 15:16) Back in the day, we watched wholesome programming depicting the 'ideal family'. Leave It to Beaver, My Three Sons, and Happy Days seemed to depict people all getting along, easily resolving any kind of conflict that might arise, and working together on projects to see the best of life emerge. How many of us realize that 'real life' isn't all that smooth, people don't always work together well, and conflict is almost inevitable? Inner turmoil is the outcome of striving for what we don't have, probably don't need, and almost certainly don't have the best of motivation in seeking in the first place. Aim is important - without proper aim, we could hit almost anything, but 'anything' may not be what we really want! God's plan is to put him f...

Forgiveness is the final form of love. (Reinhold Niebuhr) Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends. (Proverbs 17:9) While it might seem odd to begin a new year with the intention of focusing on 'faults', let me assure you there are probably more than a few who brought relationship hurts into this year, as they have in years past. It has become a weight around their necks, dragging them down, but from which they cannot figure out how to be free. The truth of the matter is that forgiveness might not begin in the 'other guy's court' as much as it needs to begin in ours! Love prospers when hurts can be quickly mended. Whenever we allow our hurts to become huge, gaping holes in our hearts, we will find it harder and harder to let go of that hurt. It festers long after the one who inflicted it has left the scene.  What may see counter intuitive to some is that forgiveness often begins with the one who is offended, not the one who ...

How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these. (George Washington Carver) ...may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. (Ephesians 3:18-19) We cannot know the full depth or breadth of God's love. It is something that transcends human imagination. We can learn of his love, appreciate how it works, and then seek to participate in that love more and more each day. We cannot neglect it, for God's love has done great things on our behalf already. We shall not escape it, for God's love is a seeking and tenacious force. We can enter into it - becoming more...

 Character is the ability to carry out a good resolution long after the excitement of the moment has passed. (Cavett Robert) You have tested my thoughts and examined my heart in the night. You have scrutinized me and found nothing wrong. I am determined not to sin in what I say. I have followed your commands, which keep me from following cruel and evil people. (Psalm 17:3-4) Determination is good - without it, we might just wander this earth without a care in the world, but with very little to show for all the wandering in the end. Character is forged in the times we might not 'want' to do something, but 'choose' to do it anyway. Obedience is nine-tenths determination and one-tenth action. We must overcome the desire to just 'lollygag' through life and focus on what God desires for us. When our focus is determined, our actions are more likely to be less 'idle' or 'aimless'! We anticipate the new year with some hope things will be different as we ...

 From a small seed a mighty trunk may grow. (Aeschylus) The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life; a wise person wins friends. (Proverbs 11:30)  We may not realize the 'value' inherent within a single seed, but when we consider all the lives that may be touched by that which is 'born' of the seed, we might just plant a few more seeds! Whether the seed produces nourishment for our bodies, shelter for our heads, or encouragement for our spirit, seeds are never without a purpose - to reproduce. The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life - how many of those seeds will you plant this year? Gardners and farmers alike will tell us the 'value' inherent within the seed requires more than a casual 'flinging' of the seed. There is much purpose behind the simplest of planting. We each have been given 'seed' to plant, but sometimes we find the preparation takes longer than the planting. Once planted, we might get a little discouraged by the time it tak...

Jim Rohn reminded us, "It is the set of the sails, not the direction of the wind that determines which way we will go." Really think upon that one for a moment. What 'direction' is being taken based upon the 'set of your sails' today? It is my understanding from my limited knowledge of sailing that sailors 'set the sail' in order to catch the wind that will carry them toward the destination they desire. If there is a contrary wind, they pull down the sails for a while, navigating by the rudder to remain as close to course as possible, until the winds are favorable again to raise the sails to 'catch the wind'. Perhaps one of the greatest things we can do is be aware of which way the 'wind' is blowing in our lives, taking particular notice of when it is time to take the sails down a bit, allowing the 'navigation' of our lives to be controlled by the 'rudder' of the Spirit when those winds are totally contrary to the direct...

Oswald Chambers reminded us, "The whole point of getting things done is knowing what to leave undone." Perhaps a good start to our new year would be to look at the things we have labeled as 'important' in our lives but are really not all that important after all. When we begin to look at some of the stuff that has consumed our time, talent, energies, and finances, we might just conclude these have been a bit too focused on one thing at the exclusion of perhaps a myriad of other things. The most beneficial thing we can do at times is to evaluate where our priorities have 'drifted'. I use the term 'drifted' because we usually don't even realize we have been investing so much into something that isn't really all that good for our lives in the first place. ...let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on...

When the grandboys were little, I recall my daughter painting some stones golden color, then burying them just beneath the surface in their sandpit. In a short while, the grands began to dig, discovering all the 'hidden treasure' just beneath that sand. Excited to discover their 'pirate booty', they giggled, dug, and showed off their 'find'. Wouldn't it be great if we approached God's word in just that way? With anticipation for what we'd find next, excited to share what we had found, and digging even harder each time we went back to it.  Your laws are my treasure; they are my heart’s delight. I am determined to keep your decrees to the very end. (Psalm 119:111-112) What do you treasure more than God's word? That could be the hardest question for us to answer today because anytime we value the advice of man, the chances are that we will be putting the cart before the horse! God's word contains very practical advice for living, but we some...

I am going to ask a very telling question today. When was the last time you actually picked up your bible, opened it, and read it with 'purpose'? We rely upon others to give us nuggets of truth from time to time, like when we attend church on Sunday, but are we really relying on God to show us his truth, make it alive within us, and help us to overcome some of the things that plague our thoughts or emotions? I recently sent a great many of my 'collected bibles' to donation. I had gathered probably ten or so throughout my lifetime, in Bible College, and along the way. I really only needed just a couple, so I paired down to the ones I most commonly read. Unfortunately, there are some who are 'collectors' of bibles, but seldom actually read what can be found within their pages! I have refused to walk on any evil path, so that I may remain obedient to your word. I haven’t turned away from your regulations, for you have taught me well. How sweet your words taste ...

I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. (Philippians 3:13-14) Focus determines destination. As Denis Waitley puts it, "Don't dwell on what went wrong. Instead, focus on what to do next. Spend your energies on moving forward toward finding the answer." Too many times, we get muddled in what 'went wrong'. All we can focus on is the error and not see what can become of the error. I crochet as a hobby - not well, but it occupies my mind and time. When I miss a stitch, or only part of the yarn was pulled through on a stitch, I usually don't realize it until somewhere into the next several rows. As I turn the work, I can see that some 30 to 100 stitches back, something went awry. Do you know what I could do? I could just ignore the error. If I want the finished item to look the way it should, I pul...

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning. (Albert Einstein) History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. Sometimes people say, “Here is something new!” But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new. We don’t remember what happened in the past, and in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now. (Ecclesiastes 1:9-11) History merely repeats itself. If we are honest here, the 'history' of our own lives is kind of repetitive - at least until we ask Jesus to help us stop repeating the same mistakes! Einstein was right - we never should stop questioning - in the questioning, we often discover something we have been believing or doing that really isn't all that good for us. When we question where we are with taking the steps God asks us to take, we are merely asking God if we are moving in the right direction. There is nothing wrong with a little...

Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. (Philippians 2:14-15) As I start a new year, I always try to find a passage of scripture that I might hold onto for the year that will give me direction for what lies ahead. I claim today's passage for this year - looking forward to being a shining light in a world that seems to only get more and more perverse. We will face uncertainty - will Christ be our anchor? We will encounter hardships - will Jesus be our trusted companion as we walk through them? We will find many things we could criticize - will God's will be the choice we make when faced with compromise all around? Do everything without complaining or arguing - we certainly live in a time when controversy is amplified by media, groups take up issues in protest of this or that, and a sense of unease can kick off violent...