The Plumbline

While badgers are animals without many defenses, they are wise enough to make their homes in the rocky cliffs... (Proverbs 30:26 VOICE) Making one's homes in the rocky cliffs might not seem very 'safe' from our perspective, when one wants a 'defense' against predators, it might just make a whole lot of sense to be in a place not easily reached! Some of us could take a lesson from the 'badger' - especially when it comes to finding the right 'defensive line'. The ants lay up for the lean season, the locusts know they need each other and move in mass, and the lizard can go places others cannot. All four of these creatures are considered wise, giving us a lesson to learn from each of their 'traits'. The badger knows he needs a good defense against attack, as do each of us! The 'badgers' referenced in this passage were merely rabbit-sized mammal of the region that had very little in the way of its own defenses. They lack physical streng...

A tender answer turns away rage, but a prickly reply spikes anger. (Proverbs 15:1 VOICE) It was John F. Kennedy who said, "We must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." The words we live by are more than words - they are a testimony to the grace and love of God within us, or the selfishness and pride that wells up when a soul isn't serving Christ. The more we live by truth instead of just speaking it, the more we will see the lives of those around us impacted by the 'words we live'.  John Maxwell reminds us, "People may hear your words, but they feel your attitude." This is never truer than when we display an unkind or selfish attitude. The words might be 'kind' or 'understanding', but if the attitude behind them is sarcastic, they can be viewed as unkind. Sarcasm is often used because someone wants to be funny, but it can also become a weapon that brings hurt to the heart of one hearing ...

So, my friends, Jesus by His blood gives us courage to enter the most holy place... Since we have a great High Priest who presides over the house of God, let us draw near with true hearts full of faith, with hearts rinsed clean of any evil conscience, and with bodies cleansed with pure water. Let us hold strong to the confession of our hope, never wavering, since the One who promised it to us is faithful. Let us consider how to inspire each other to greater love and to righteous deeds, not forgetting to gather as a community, as some have forgotten, but encouraging each other, especially as the day of His return approaches. (Hebrews 10:19-25 VOICE) If you lack courage to face a holy God, you can find it in the person of Jesus. He made it possible for sinners like you and me to approach the throne room of God with boldness and assurance. Hearst rinsed clean of our evil, bodies clean, minds renewed. This is the work of Christ within each of us - allowing us to be strong, courageous over...

Above all else, watch over your heart; diligently guard it because from a sincere and pure heart come the good and noble things of life. Do away with any talk that twists and distorts the truth; have nothing to do with any verbal trickery. Keep your head up, your eyes straight ahead, and your focus fixed on what is in front of you. Take care you don’t stray from the straight path, the way of truth, and you will safely reach the end of your road. Do not veer off course to the right or the left; step away from evil, and leave it behind. (Proverbs 4:23-27 VOICE) Above all else - these instructions aren't to be taken lightly - we are to pay close attention to them, guarding our hearts so that they stay on course. The pure, good, and noble things of life don't come naturally when one is born with a sin nature - there must be an exchange of nature in order for these things to become the 'norm'. Let's take a closer look at the instructions we are given in this passage: - W...

If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small. (Proverbs 24:10 NLT) When you are 'under pressure', what strength do you draw from to refrain from giving into that pressure? We might feel pressure from all life throws our way, but have you ever felt 'spiritual pressure'? It is that type of 'pressure' God is exerting to get us to actually be more pliable in his hands. An artisan who works with clay will tell you it takes a bit of pressure to remove the unwanted air bubbles and clumps from the clay in their hands. Those things actually make the clay object they are creating 'imperfect' so they must be removed in order for the object to have its best form, fulfilling its intended purpose.  Perhaps you are feeling a bit of 'spiritual pressure' right now. God is dealing with a few unwanted 'bubbles and clumps' in the 'clay of your life'. He is not doing it to hurt you - he is doing it so you can take on your 'best form...

I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? (Psalm 56:4 NLT) What has God promised for your life? Peace in the midst of turmoil? Hope in the midst of fear? Provision in the midst of lack? All of these and more! We cannot underestimate the promises of God or argue that God doesn't really provide what he promises. The promises of God are without reversal - once they were given, they remained in effect! Do we fully trust God to do as he has promised? Do we recount his promises when doubt, frustration, or turmoil come our way? If we are honest here, we might just have some pretty weak faith when it comes to trusting God to do EXACTLY as he said. We think he 'might' come through, 'might' see fit, 'might' find it within his power. That is some weak trust right there!  Sometimes we add, "God, if it is your will...", to one of God's promised actions, but we are showing we don't fully trust him. For example, Go...

Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore.” (Ecclesiastes 12:1 NLT) Remember him - this whole chapter is riddled with those two words. Before our eyes fail, our legs become wobbly, or our hair fades to grey - remember him. While there is yet time, remember him. We might need that reminder this morning - to take time out of the busy day we have ahead and just remember his goodness, grace, and love. That should spark a note of gratitude from deep within our souls, bringing praise to our lips and worship from our spirit. The excitement of youth might just be the things that come into our days, filling them to capacity and sometimes beyond it. We make plans, set out to execute them, taken on more plans, and set things in motion to see those through. All the while, we forgot to take time to execute the most important plan of our day - remembering him. In this moment, if that is you, ...

Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. (Romans 12:15 NLT) We all know it is easier to be happy with someone than it might be to come alongside them when they grieve, feel under the weather, or are just plain depressed. "Sadness" is a condition that has a profound impact on our minds, bodies, and even our spirit. Unwanted life events, unexpected health concerns, and even a lack of sleep can lead a person into times of feeling more than a bit 'off' in some form, right? How do we handle those moments when they are not our own - when another isn't 'quite right'? Scripture reminds us to be there for them - to come alongside and even to feel their sadness and grief. Ups and downs come - they are part of life. We cannot avoid some of them, even if we try. Things like relationship woes might not be the easiest to deal with, but they come, don't they? Health fails us at some point, no matter how well we take care of ourselves. The eve...

But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God. (Acts 20:24 NLT) The work assigned - what is the work God has assigned to you on this earth? Now, don't go saying that you have no clue. If you have this misguided idea that only 'some' are 'called' to be used by God on this earth, you need to change your way of thinking. God has given you specific talents or abilities - use them! It doesn't have to be pulpit ministry - it could be driving a nail with a hammer. You say that is your profession, but you don't see it as a ministry - a calling in your life. Like it or not, even your 'profession' is a 'calling'! God can use you in whatever capacity he has enabled you to be used - you just need to realize it isn't the 'pulpit' that matters. Finish the work - don't be half-cocked or half-baked in your commi...

For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. (Galatians 3:26-27 NLT) Like putting on new clothes. Do you remember getting new clothes as a child? It was kind of exciting, wasn't it? You'd get those shiny new shoes, perfectly pressed outfit, and perhaps even new underwear. You'd don these with a sense of pride almost. You'd feel special. Why would it be any different when we receive Christ into our lives? It is like putting on new clothes - perfect in every way - a special gift that makes all of our life 'special'. As we place our faith in Christ's finished work on Calvary, we put off the old, dirty, shabby clothes of our sinful nature. We don the fresh, new, and perfect clothes of our new nature which only Christ can provide. We don't just get 'new clothes' though. When you got those new clothes as a child, didn't your mom o...

You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. (James 1:19 NLT) "Seek first to understand, then be understood." (Stephen Covey) Okay, who among us is quick to speak, slow to listen? Raise your hand - come on, go ahead, admit it. We can all be this way from time to time, some of us more intent on being heard than we are on hearing. As Covey indicated, we must seek first to understand - until we do, all our speaking will be in vain. They will just be words that hit the air and dissipate. The believer isn't immune to communication faux pas. We get it wrong as much as we get it right on occasion. The more we learn about how Jesus listened to people, hearing their heart, observing their actions, seeing their trust - the more he connected with them. Trust is built when we seek to understand the other person rather than imposing our thoughts and ideals upon them. The 'quick to listen' part of this instruction requires more discipline than we might...

Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. (Ephesians 4:29 NLT) "The two words 'information' and 'communication' are often used interchangeably, but they signify quite different things. Information is giving out; communication is getting through." (Sydney J. Harris) We all have tried to communicate with others, only to find what we thought we were getting through to them was actually 'lost in interpretation' somewhere along the way. They come away feeling confused, frustrated, hurt, at a loss. You thought you 'got through' only to find you added fuel to a smoldering fire or set up things for a doozie of a fight somewhere in what you were saying. Words have an impact, but God asks us to use them in such a manner so as to be helpful, encouraging, and in some way so that what is said is actually heard. I daresay that most of what we consider to be 'communicating' is nothi...

We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. (Romans 15:2 NLT) I have had both good and bad influences in my life. As a child, I was kind of a follower, doing whatever the others in my neighborhood did. As an adult, I had to reconsider some of my decisions, though. Not all of those choices were wise. Some of the people I hung around with influenced me in a very positive way, while others didn't quite have the same effect. The longer we live, the greater the chances are that we will encounter both good and bad influences. The choice as to which to follow, and thus become, is ours! We can be quick to point out when another is doing wrong with their life, making unwise choices that don't actually do much to improve their life and possibly even making it a bit worse in the end. Do we consistently do what is right in our own lives? It is likely that we struggle a bit to make wise choices from time to time. The hope is that those unwise choices aren't co...

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. (Romans 12:9 NLT) "Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you!" (Dr. Seuss) How about you? Are you free to be the 'real you' with those around you? If not, it may be that you are surrounding yourself with others who feel being 'real' isn't important. I am blessed to be around 'real people' who encourage me to be the 'real me'. Why is this important? We cannot 'pretend' our way through life - we need to be exactly who we are, all the quirks and blessings of our personality traits blended together. Pretending is putting on airs - it is speaking or acting in a way that appears to present one 'front' but is masking another set of behaviors or attitudes that we don't want others to see. It is hard to live that way for long, though. We need to be free to live genuine lives - even...

Love the Lord, all you godly ones! For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him, but he harshly punishes the arrogant. So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord! (Psalm 31:23-24 NLT) The Lord protects those who are loyal to him - does that protection extend to you? If not, there is no time like the present to come under that protection! Wherever we put our trust determines our safety in times of trouble and turmoil, doesn't it? If we trust in the bathtub over the storm cellar in a tornado, we might not do as well, right? If we trust in God with all our heart, we will do well to not only 'manage' during the storms of life but come out the other side stronger. What does it mean to be loyal to him? If we were honest here, we'd have to admit our 'loyalty' is sometimes quite divided, is it not? We trust him with the hard stuff, but the stuff we think we can figure out on our own, well we just plunge right on through that without even stop...

William Shakespeare reminded us, "No legacy is so rich as honesty." Where would we be today if this world we live in would adhere to this belief? If no one sought anything but honesty in relationships, what depth would those relationships be able to attain? If honesty was the standard by which we do business, where would the profits of a company soar? Honesty is UNDERRATED these days. The gimmick, quick cover-up, and the facade all play an active part in our society, don't they? Wouldn't it be nice if these things were no longer the way we live? The Lord detests the use of dishonest scales, but he delights in accurate weights. Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys treacherous people. Riches won’t help on the day of judgment, but right living can save you from death. The godly are directed by honesty; the wicked fall beneath their load of sin. (Proverbs 11:1-5 NLT) Honesty requires vulnerability and tha...

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. (James 3:17-18 NLT) God's presence within us brings a wisdom that helps us deal with the things of this world, including dealing with people who may be a little hard to deal with at times. It is peace loving at the very core and therefore, it takes relationships with others very seriously and sets them as a priority. We cannot be bitter and represent Christ to the world. We cannot be angry and expect others to desire his presence in their lives. It is this gentle, peace loving, yielded spirit that makes others curious about what is 'different' within us from all the others they see. God's presence within will manifest in many ways, but perhaps the most profound...

Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. (Romans 12:3 NLT) Let's be truthful today - do we really make an honest evaluation of ourselves, or is it tainted by some misguided standard or lofty goal we have set for ourselves? If we were to be totally honest, most of us have set the bar either way too high or settled for it being way too low in a spiritual sense. We have become content in our 'lukewarm' state of being "Christians" but not living like Christ is our all in all, or we have become so down on ourselves because we think we haven't 'attained' the 'level' of Christian faith we think God must expect of us. Either way, we aren't right! God accepts us as we are, not as we will become. He wants us to have him as the center of our lives, with our whole hearts devoted to him. We are not going to grow in Christ when we simply bide our time ...

Could it be any clearer? Our old way of life was nailed to the cross with Christ, a decisive end to that sin-miserable life—no longer captive to sin’s demands! What we believe is this: If we get included in Christ’s sin-conquering death, we also get included in his life-saving resurrection. We know that when Jesus was raised from the dead it was a signal of the end of death-as-the-end. Never again will death have the last word. When Jesus died, he took sin down with him, but alive he brings God down to us. From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God. That’s what Jesus did. (Romans 6:6-11 MSG) Sin speaks a dead language - that caught my eye this morning in my reading time. There are a lot of other 'dead languages' around, aren't there? Latin, Ancient Greek, and Sanskrit are just a few. Oh sure, there are Latin roots to some of our medi...

For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs. (Zephaniah 3:17 NLT) It is indeed a heartwarming thing to know God is living among us, isn't it? We don't have to do this life alone - we have his presence with us, never allowing us to be 'alone' in our struggles or our victories. It is also kind of amazing that God actually takes great delight in us as his creation - as his children, made holy and in right standing with him through the blood of Jesus. What might even be more amazing is how he comes right into the midst of our chaos and calms all our fears. What are we to fear on this earth? Nothing! Why? Jesus goes with us wherever we go. We are never alone. We have his strength always at our disposal - we just don't lean into that strength as often as we should. We try to do 'life' all on our own terms, then wh...