The Plumbline

The Lord replies, “I have seen violence done to the helpless, and I have heard the groans of the poor. Now I will rise up to rescue them, as they have longed for me to do.” The Lord’s promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over. Therefore, Lord, we know you will protect the oppressed, preserving them forever... (Psalm 12:5-7) The oppressed cry out - the Lord hears and answers. This has been the plight of civilization from the beginning of time. Mankind gets off-kilter, God intervenes to restore balance once again. What does it mean to be 'oppressed' as it is used in this passage? It is important to see that God doesn't mind when we 'complain' to him about our plight - having encountered evil on every side, feeling a little bit persecuted, or maybe even a little like they need to be 'vindicated' in some manner. God is attentive to our circumstances, even when it seems like evil is prevailing. Deceit almost always begi...

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. (Colossians 3:12-15) Chosen by God to be the 'holy people he loves'. Uhm...has God seen how little 'holiness' some of us actually have incorporated into our lives? I am included in that number of the 'unholy' because I still struggle to keep him central in my life and with choices that should be a 'no-brainer' for someone given such an important 'position'. Far be it from me to point a finger at anyone else without first taking a good...

Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. (Colossians 3:10) Paul instructs to 'set our sights', 'think about the things of heaven', and 'put to death sinful deeds', all representing a 'putting off' and 'putting on' type of action. We 'put off' one set of actions while 'putting on' another. Maybe this is where we go so wrong in trying to make lasting change in our lives. We go about the work of 'putting off' but neglect the important work of 'putting on' something God desires in its place. We eat less chocolate, but we don't eat more kale. We stop biting our nails, but don't address the underlying anxiety that causes the nail biting. We cancel subscriptions to streaming services that have distracted us so much, yet we spend no more time in his Word or in Christian fellowship than we did before. It is indeed good to make the change but change without 're...

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.  (William Arthur Ward) But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God. (Psalm 50:23) Keeping to God's path may seem a little fraught with potholes and tripping points at times. We set out well but soon encounter 'stuff' that gets in our way. We wonder where all that 'stuff' came from - why it is blocking our way on God's path. It is likely that we have gathered all that 'stuff' at some point in our lives, tucking it away ever so carefully, and now we must deal with it. The 'stuff' I am speaking of is not physical stuff tucked away in garage cabinets and storage sheds. It is the 'stuff' that we have tucked away in other 'cabinets' like our emotions, memories, and spirit.  When those things get in the way of us traveling the straight path with God, it is hard for us to give t...

We swallow greedily any lie that flatters us, but we sip only little by little at a truth we find bitter.  (Denis Diderot) They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. (Romans 1:25) Have you ever been guilty of 'trading truth for a lie'? I think we have all done that a time or two. We aren't all that 'flattered' by truth at times, are we? If I ask you how I look in a particular outfit and you tell me the truth that it does nothing to improve my appearance, will I be flattered by your comment? Not usually, but if the truth keeps me from looking frumpy, cheesy, or a little under/overdressed for the occasion, I will appreciate that you were honest with me. I might have to change a few times to get it right, but your honesty 'improved' me in some way. In much the same way, God's truth may not always 'flatter' our ego, but it certai...

My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins. (James 5:19-20) If you have heard the term "backslider", then you are likely familiar with the idea of once a follower of Christ, now caught up in the same sin or worse than they were involved in before coming to Christ. Most of the time we think of a backslider as one totally away from Christ, but did you know that the term also describes those who continue to follow Christ, but with less fervor and a lack of obedience that once may have been evident in their lives? Look again at the passage today and you will observe "if someone among you WANDERS AWAY from the truth". Wandering isn't always intentional - it is more or less because one has taken their eye off the target! It is possible to never turn your back entirely ...

Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5, 8) The longer I walk with Jesus, the more I find the struggles with the things that once plagued me don't seem to anymore. Why is that? Could it be that there is some truth to this 'remaining in me' thing? Those who 'remain in me' are assured that Christ will remain IN THEM. The things that gave us such heartache and anxiety earlier in life 'apart from Jesus' don't stand a chance when we are living 'in him' and 'he in us'. Apart from Christ suggests that a connection must be maintained. Once attained, it must be maintained. I have a vehicle - maintenance required. I can go sit in it day after day, expecting it to take me places I need to go, but if that maintenance isn't done, the drive won't be without issues. Tires need inflation, gas tank needs filled, oil needs changing, an...

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. (James 5:16) The power of confession is often untapped by Christians today. We have become a society that would rather 'cover-up' something than admit it, seek forgiveness for it, and learn to live above it in our lives. While I am definitely not a proponent of 'confessional type' practices where an individual goes to the man in the black suit to confess their sins, I am a strong proponent of sharing your struggles with a trusted believer. Why? It helps to create an undergirding of prayer and counsel in our lives. I believe this is what God wants for his church - followers who will take each other to the throne of grace and who will continue to undergird each other in prayer, wise counsel, and emotional support when our own is weak or lacking in some way. Confession is uncomfortable to most of us. We...

Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor? (James 4:11-12) He alone - those two words put all our criticism of each other's faith, or lack of it, into perspective, don't they? We have no right to judge whether the other person is 'following Christ' as they should. We are admonished to pray for one another, bear one another's burdens, and to ask God to fill each of us with all wisdom and knowledge.  Are we guilty of judging whether a particular point in scripture is to be obeyed or not? If we exclude some portions, or even approach it with 'that applied then, but it doesn't now' kind of attitude, we might just be crossing over into territor...

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. (James 4:7-8) Resist - we are told that in order to deal with the devil's wiles, we need to assert ourselves. Isn't that what resistance really is? It means we take an active stand, especially when we are faced with an adversary or a morally challenging choice. We 'oppose' evil by standing strong against it.  Come close - as we resist (push back) on one hand, we come close (are drawn in) to God's tender care and protection. When faced with opposition beyond our ability to handle, we need to draw close to the one who gives us the ability to withstand the attack. Sometimes we try to stand in our own power, forgetting that the greatest strength comes in admitting where we are the weakest.  We don't admit that to our adversary. We confess it to God, acknowledging that we know we need his help to overcome the enemy's attack. There is nothing smart about trying to han...

If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. (James 3:13-16) Did you realize there is a way to 'measure' if you are being wise and understanding God's ways? It is proven by the life we live! If it is honorable in all ways, we likely are growing closer to God each day. If it is a bit too jealous, filled with bitterness, and self-seeking, we likely aren't growing as close to him as we should! Disorder and evil of every kind abound whenever people aren't seeking God. We have seen that from the beginning of time. We need only look into the...

A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love. (Saitt Basil) What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. (James 2:17-17) A man by his deeds - what we do matters more than whatever it is we 'plan' to do, doesn't it? We make all kinds of grand plans, but we seldom carry them out to fruition, at least not to full fruition. The small plans acted upon lead to greater plans, until one day, we see 'full fruition' of the plans we have submitted to God and listened...

But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir. (Galatians 4:4-7) Made his heir - I don't know how you feel about what you have 'inherited' in Christ Jesus, but it makes me feel pretty doggone great! It isn't monetary, or physical property, but what we have inherited in Christ Jesus is so much more valuable than anything else. Eternal life, being made right with God, that is what really matters and it is a gift we receive as a child of the King of Kings. Freedom is paid for with a price. That has been the 'mode of operation' since the beginning of time. There is no freedom without a...

By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that’s not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise. (Romans 5:1-2 MSG) Just in case there remains any question, faith isn't us making our way to God's open door - it is him opening the door for us, drawing us in, and making us feel welcome right there in his presence. We enter in, but he draws us in. We don't open the door, he does. As we enter into this relationship with him, we must open the doors of our heart, mind, and spirit to him. Any one of those areas that remain closed to him will keep us from experiencing fully the grace and love of Jesus in our lives. We ar...

Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. (I Timothy 4:7-9) Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales. How many 'myths' do we buy into in our lifetime that really have no foundation in truth? Mom used to say a baby with an uncovered head to bare feet would catch a death of a cold, but today you see very few parents actually using baby bonnets to cover their child's head and those wee ones have had little to no sickness! She also told me if I swallowed gum it would stay in my body for something like seven years, but science has debunked that myth. There are tons of myths we buy into, yet they have no real basis in reality. What is most important is that we don't buy into myths about how we should...

“Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise: Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer; hyraxes are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags; locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks; a lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings’ palaces." (Proverbs 30:24-28) Four creatures of this earth that may just hold a lesson or two for us: Ants - tiny creatures, but oh so very industrious and important. If we were to learn only one lesson from the ant it would have to be that of planning ahead. The ant gathers while sustenance may be found, packing it away carefully. Leaving his tunnel over and over again many times each day, in search of what he needs, seeking until he finds. Could this describe the attitude of heart, mind, and spirit that God desires of his children? We might just be more prepared for whatever storm comes our way if we'd take time to plan ahe...

There is more hope for a fool than for someone who speaks without thinking. (Proverbs 29:20) As a young person, I would respond without thinking, often getting myself into things that I didn't need to be involved in, all because I was a little bit too 'quick on the draw'. I'd get into arguments, opening up the proverbial 'cans of worms' that I never knew existed. I'd volunteer myself for stuff I had absolutely no time to do but now was committed to by my quick reply. I'd injure the feelings of others because my words were sarcastic and cutting, all in the hopes someone would find my reply funny. It took a while to realize my words mattered; speaking them too quickly or without thinking really wasn't the best way to operate. Indeed, there was more hope for a fool than for someone (me) who spoke all those words without thinking! As I have grown up a bit, I have come to realize my opinion doesn't always need to be spoken, nor do my thoughts alway...

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds. Exult in his holy name; rejoice, you who worship the Lord. Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him. (I Chronicles 16:8-11) Let the whole world know what he has done. Those words struck me today as I was doing my morning reading. When we 'proclaim' the greatness of our God, we do it with a 'filled heart'. In Hebrew, 'qara' holds the meaning to call out or summon; in Greek, 'kerusso' holds the meaning to announce or preach. Either way, we are instructed to both call out and announce the greatness of our God. There is a sense of urgency in either term - so when we call out or proclaim the greatness of our God, it is to be done with a heart eager to bring forth the message. Exult in his holy name. The term 'exult' means we will do so with a sense of extrem...

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end. (Seneca) “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." (Isaiah 43:18-19) When we 'begin' we seldom think of the ending. We imagine it will go one way, but when all is said and done, we really had no idea what we'd encounter along the way. When a beginning must come to an end, it is because something new is about to begin. To some, the idea of 'beginning again' is kind of frightening. The imagination plays out all kinds of scenarios, some grand and others worse than what just ended. God's words to us: "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past." The past is gone - we cannot get it back, nor can we recover any of the moments that are already past. We can look forward, seeing that God is about to do a 'new thing' and trust that...

  "Faith is not belief without proof, but trust without reservation." (D. Elton Trueblood)  Trust without reservation - those words really hit home with me today because I have moments when I kind of 'reserve the right' to be fearful of things. How about you? Do you ever have 'reservations' about what God will do, what he is doing, or that he is even concerned about whatever it is you need right now? I think we all have those little 'battles' with faith on occasion, not really doubting God's love or kindness toward us, but seeing the issue before us and being overwhelmed by it rather than the presence of God in the moment. Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen. (Hebrews 11:1-3) The reali...

If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the Lord will reward you. (Proverbs 25:21-22) We know Jesus told us to turn the other cheek, but what does this 'heaping burning coals on their head' thing have to do with forgiveness? As we almost assuredly know, when wrong is done to someone, revenge is the usual response, not forgiveness. When we show compassion and kindness to those who have offended us, refusing to 'retaliate' for the wrongdoing, it might just confuse our enemies! If we are fortunate, it will cause them to examine their own heart in the matter and perhaps even come to the conclusion that a different behavior on their part would have been better. Back in the times this passage was penned, coals were shared with each other as a means of starting and maintaining a fire for warmth and cooking. To 'heap them upon their head' didn't mean...

At moments when all seems to be going well, we don't value our strength. When things don't go as well as they should, we suddenly feel very weak, unable to handle the pressure, and even unwilling to go on. The pressure moments frequently reveal 'whose' strength we are reliant upon, don't they? If it is our own, we 'feel' the pressure in ways that can actually bring harm to our bodies, and even more so, to our spirit. As scripture says, "If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small." (Proverbs 24:10) It isn't our strength that we should be reliant upon, although this seems to be a very hard lesson to learn! If you fail under pressure - it isn't if 'God fails you under pressure', but if YOU fail under it. I have come across people who got themselves so deep into stuff they are weighed down under, hearing them complain that God 'hasn't come through'. Could it be that God didn't want them to get into the mes...

Commit yourself to instruction; listen carefully to words of knowledge. My child, listen and be wise: Keep your heart on the right course. (Proverbs 23:12, 19) Commit yourself to instruction. The word 'commit' carries the meaning of 'binding yourself' to a specific course of action. The course of action God asks for us to 'bind ourselves' to is the study of his Word. Why? It will keep our heart on the right course! There we find wisdom in our daily choices, but we also see what it means to choose unwisely. As I began to get into God's Word as a teenager, I was surprised that God put the stories about 'wrong choices' people made right along with the ones about those who made better ones. It kind of took me by surprise to see some of the 'wrong choices' I was making already having been made by others! Truly, as God's Word reminds us, there is nothing new under the sun. Listen and be wise. Our heart is 'kept' when we listen an...

A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. (Proverbs 22:3) Prudent - one who takes the time and makes the effort toward future outcomes. Frances of Assisi reminded us: "We must not be wise and prudent according to the flesh. Rather, we must be simple, humble and pure." The future outcomes will be much different when we aren't making choices that merely please our fleshly desires. A humble heart, one that desires purity, will seek God's direction in daily choices - not just the big ones. The Greek historian Thucydides said, "Few things are brought to a successful issue by impetuous desire, but most by calm and prudent forethought." The 'issue' of our day is defined by the forethought we have put into it, isn't it? Plan well, with God's direction guiding us, and our day's 'issue' will be much more fruitful than it would if we just 'flew by the seat of our p...

Ears to hear and eyes to see— both are gifts from the Lord. The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way? (Proverbs 20:12, 24) The more we try to understand things sometimes, the more they can become kind of 'muddled' in our minds, especially when we don't know the motives behind the actions or events. They don't make sense on the surface, so we look deeper, hoping to find something that will give us an awareness that we didn't possess before. Ears to hear, eyes to see, direction from God - all are good gifts, but do we always hear, see with clarity, or know for certain we are headed in the right direction? God's promise is that he WILL direct our steps. The more time we spend walking with Jesus, the more confident we become in knowing we don't ever walk alone. Our steps are 'ordered' - they are arranged, there is a 'method to the madness' that surrounds us at times even when we don't understand what is...

Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes. (Proverbs 19:2) Have you ever jumped into some commitment and then had what some refer to as 'buyer's remorse'? I know I have done that on more than one occasion, regretting my impulsivity. Impulse is good to a certain extent, such as when we sense danger coming our way and dodge to get out of the way. We heard or saw something that made us take notice and we avoided injury as a result of our quick action. Those types of 'quick actions' are warranted. There are other 'quick actions' that actually bring us more trouble or harm than they do good! Haste makes mistakes. Those three words really tell us a great deal. Haste - excessive speed or urgency - isn't always warranted. There are times when we need to stop to consider. I don't buy automobiles impulsively. I take my time, researching my options, looking at the details of what is offered at each price, and then I don't even act on th...

Wise sayings often fall on barren ground, but a kind word is never thrown away. (Arthur Helps) Fools’ words get them into constant quarrels; they are asking for a beating. The mouths of fools are their ruin; they trap themselves with their lips. Rumors are dainty morsels that sink deep into one’s heart. (Proverbs 18:6-8) A fool's words often create the ripe environment for gossip and untruths. The fool focuses on the volume of his words, not the wisdom of them. He rushes toward the 'juicy tidbits' he can glean from anyone that he may use to make himself look important. Unfortunately, the fool doesn't 'fact check' his words before repeating them. He launches into the retelling and the 'reinventing' of those words all too quickly. I am a strong proponent of 'fact checking' whatever is being put forward as truth. This culture is too quick to spread malicious gossip, things that aren't entirely true, but that put someone in a bad light as much a...

Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions. (Proverbs 18:2) If you have ever been around some individuals who seem to only care about their own opinion, or how they see the situation at the exclusion of how anyone else sees it, you are likely listening to someone who has no real interest in understanding. As you can see from our passage, scripture calls them fools. It is indeed foolish to not listen to anyone else's opinion or advice, for a great many things can be learned when we stop to see things from another's perspective. God doesn't want us to be the fool, nor does he want us to submit to the foolish way of thinking that some may have adopted. He does want us to consult him in all matters and to consider his wisdom as found in the Word of God when we don't have a clear understanding of a situation. Lest we be 'played the fool', we need to see things as he sees them. Our own perspective may not always be from a place o...

Now I’m returning to you. I’m saying these things in the world’s hearing so my people can experience my joy completed in them. I gave them your word; the godless world hated them because of it, because they didn’t join the world’s ways, just as I didn’t join the world’s ways. I’m not asking that you take them out of the world but that you guard them from the Evil One. They are no more defined by the world than I am defined by the world. Make them holy—consecrated—with the truth; Your word is consecrating truth. In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world. I’m consecrating myself for their sakes, so they’ll be truth-consecrated in their mission. (John 17:13-19) Make them holy - consecrated - with the truth. If you want to know what Jesus asked his Father on our behalf, there it is. His greatest hope was that each of his followers would be guarded in this world from all the evils of this world. How are we guarded? By truth! The truth he gi...

Those who only praise God because he DOES them good should rise to a higher note and give thanks to him because he IS good. (Charles Spurgeon) Thank God because he’s good, because his love never quits. (Psalm 118:1) God's love never quits. His lovingkindness toward us never fails. What is lovingkindness anyway? Most would say it is tenderness and consideration toward another. The Hebrew term is CHECED, and it means God's covenant loyalty. In most places in scripture, the term 'lovingkindness' describes God's character. It actually is used to describe God's heart toward those he calls his own. We are told to see and consider his kindness and the steadfastness of his love toward his children. Then we are to give him praise because that kindness and steadfast love never quit! The most important thing we can remember is that his lovingkindness toward us never quits. It never fails. It never gets outdone by anything we do. It will always reach out for us when we fail...

You may think everything you do is right, but the Lord judges your motives. Ask the Lord to bless your plans, and you will be successful in carrying them out. (Proverbs 16:2-3) I have made plans, only to have them fall flat at the last moment. You have likely planned something, then been a little disappointed with the outcome, as well. The more we 'plan', the more we need to run those plans through the Holy Ghost filter. The Lord doesn't always want us to go in the direction we are headed, even when those plans seem pretty 'legit' on the surface. Sometimes he has something better for us, or safer. We need to trust him to expose any impure motives that might be directing us toward something, especially when our spiritual, emotional, or physical safety may be concerned! It isn't enough to just ask God to bless our plans, though. This passage makes it sound a bit like we can just throw them out there, ask God to put his stamp of approval on them, and then trudge on...