The Plumbline

It never ceases to amaze me what Jesus did to counter the "religious" in his generation and what he still does to counter the religious in ours! A Samaritan woman, coming to draw water for her household, the time of day about noon, has a "chance encounter" with Jesus, the Great Teacher of the Jews. The Samaritans were considered to be "pagan Jews" - not exactly respected by the religious Jews simply because they chose to worship in Bethel or Dan (two places of worship established when Jeroboam was king). They were "replacement" cities of worship - replacing Jerusalem as the one place of worship. Then Mt. Gerizim became the worship center for the Samaritans. To the staunch religious Jew, this was an outrage - for God's presence dwelt within the Holy of Holies within the Temple in Jerusalem. There is not a whole lot of "good will" between the two peoples. The fact Jesus would even "bother" to speak with a Samaritan, muc...

Belief is a wise wager. Granted that faith cannot be proved, what harm will come to you if you gamble on its truth and it proves false? If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation, that He exists. (Blaise Pascal) Wager, without hesitation, that HE exists. Gamble on the truth - not just a pittance, but all you have - because truth will surely reveal much more as you lean into it. God has more for us that we often realize, but until we put our faith out there a bit, we may not see what he has for us. Faith isn't just a belief - it is the heart's drive to see what is not seen, understand what is not known, and gain what we presently do not possess fully. Words from wise people are like sharp sticks used to guide animals. They are like nails that have been driven in firmly. Altogether they are wise teachings that come from one Shepherd. (Ecclesiastes 15:11) Scripture is not given to us just to fill our minds with verse upon verse. I us...

It was Henry David Thoreau who reminded us, "Be not simply good - be good for something". I am reminded today of what it means to be good - because I see around me lots of individuals who have allowed the creation of a rewarding and fulfilling life flow within their lives. How? By inviting Christ into their lives - not as a guest - but as the one to take control, guide their steps, and fill their lives with a totally different meaning than they had known. In short - they were made good - then they were made good for something! Apart from Christ, we can do 'good actions' and even have a little 'good intent' within our hearts. With Christ in control, our lives are more than just 'good actions' - they are good to the core. Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don’t look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and wha...

Has anyone accused you of being a little 'fickle' on occasion? Maybe you know someone who is a little bit on the 'fickle' side - constantly changing their mind, not very steadfast in their determination, erratic in their choices. Fickle people are very unstable - they lack solid roots. It is easy to get a little off-course when we lack foundation - when our roots aren't firmly planted in truth. When there is an intentional 'twisting' of the truth about Christ, in any form it may come, there is a chance the 'roots' one has planted may get challenged a little. Adding anything to the perfect work of the cross of Christ is just wrong, but how many times are we guilty of 'adding to' the required 'works' a believer must do to be 'right with God'? We are being 'fickle' whenever we do! I can't believe your fickleness—how easily you have turned traitor to him who called you by the grace of Christ by embracing a variant mess...

For if you tell others with your own mouth that Jesus Christ is your Lord and believe in your own heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in his heart that a man becomes right with God; and with his mouth he tells others of his faith, confirming his salvation. ( Romans 10:9-10 TLB ) Some would say it is better to remain silent if you are not prepared to act. I would tend to agree. It is way too easy to share our thoughts and all too hard to put some actions behind those ideas and beliefs. Each time we share a thought or belief, we run the risk of rejection or dismissal, but when that idea is backed by the corresponding action it is harder to just dismiss the thought or belief. It is much harder to deny whatever has actions behind it! Those actions actually 'confirm' the validity of the thoughts.  What we take into our hearts begins with seed thoughts that are considered and concentrated upon within our minds. We might say t...

10  The Lord loves those who hate evil; he protects the lives of his people and rescues them from the wicked.  11  Light is sown for the godly and joy for the good.  12  May all who are godly be happy in the Lord and crown him, our holy God. (Psalm 97:10-12 TLB) How do we actually "crown him" Lord of our lives? I think it is in the small ways, like when we choose to be kind when a hurtful word would be easier or quicker to say. It might be in the moments when we give of ourselves unselfishly to help another who is struggling to figure something out. It could be in those moments you offer yourself for 'whatever needs to be done', knowing someone is having a hard time keeping up with the tasks at hand. It is definitely in those moments when we actively choose to worship him, but it is also in those small things that might not seem to matter all that much, but that make all the difference in the lives of another. Someone once said you can get happy in the same...

25  Jesus told her,  “I am the one who raises the dead and gives them life again. Anyone who believes in me, even though he dies like anyone else, shall live again.   26  He is given eternal life for believing in me and shall never perish. Do you believe this, Martha?” (John 11:25-26 TLB) Could we insert your name in place of Martha's for just a moment? If we were to do so, this would read "Jesus told Jane" or "Jesus told Rebecca" or "Jesus told Harry". There is much impact when we make scripture apply to us as individuals rather than just accepting that Jesus was talking to just one individual in history. Martha received these words, but we can, as well. "Anyone" can be us - short and sweet - the "anyone" Jesus came for is right there staring back at you in the mirror! Jesus may have been asking Martha if she believed he was the one who could give life - eternal life. The question is important - not just so her brother could be...

If you have been around church for any time at all, chances are you have heard the story of the woman at the well.  A Samaritan woman, coming to draw water for her household, the time of day about noon, has a "chance encounter" with Jesus, the Great Teacher of the Jews.  To some this may not seem very significant, but we must understand the differences between the staunch religious Jews and the Samaritans.  The Samaritans were considered to be "pagan Jews" - not exactly respected by the religious Jews simply because they chose to worship in Bethel or Dan (two places of worship established when Jeroboam was king.  They were "replacement" cities of worship - replacing Jerusalem as the one place of worship.  Eventually, after the Jews returned from captivity, Mt. Gerizim would become the worship center for the Samaritans.  To the staunch religious Jew, this was an outrage - for God's presence dwelt within the Holy of Holies within the Temple in Jerusalem...

Nicodemus was a "man of the Word" - he studied the Word of God and was intent on understanding the principles taught, keeping the requirements of the commandments, and living a life as an example of right-living.  As such, he comes to Jesus - curious, intent on finding out why this "great Teacher" has such insight, does such awesome things, and seems to be pretty well connected to some power from above.  His approach to Jesus is much like most of us would approach - he wanted to understand, but he sought to understand with is mind, not so much his heart.  Don't get me wrong - Jesus doesn't want a bunch of followers who trust solely in what he heart directs, but he does want us to go beyond what we can "compute" in our brains and truly begin to "rest upon" truth regardless of whether we fully "comprehend it" or not.  We may not always understand fully, but this is actually why there is this little thing called "faith"!...

When we hear an urgent news bulletin such as a tornado warning, flood alert, or forest fire warning, we sit up and take notice to see if it applies to us, don't we?  Why?  We want to avoid the damage or harm which may be associated with the warning.  This is the purpose of a warning - to gives us sufficient notice to prepare for something because a lack of preparation could result in significant harm to us.  Even when I take my car into the local auto shop to have them fill my tires with air and rotate them every 5000 miles or so, they check the tread and general condition of the tires.  This simple practice is designed to alert me to the potential of uneven wear, possible sidewall damage from road hazards I did not recognize, and the like.  They aren't trying to sell me new tires, but are concerned about safety.  They know I will come back when I recognize the need for new tires - sometimes even before I truthfully need them.  I t...

Become:  Arrive at; grow into; develop into.   If someone were to walk up to you and tell you to "Become what you believe", what would you become?  In other words, I am asking what would you "grow into" or where would you "arrive at" in your life?  This might be a very telling question for some of us.  In fact, most of us don't really have a plan for where we'd like to "arrive at" or what we truly would like to "grow into".   We simply live day by day, making the best of each moment, and wonder what the next will hold.  I don't think God expects us to "plan out" every moment of our lives, but I do think he has a unique place in our lives for the faith to believe for great things in him. As Jesus left the house, he was followed by two blind men crying out, “Mercy, Son of David! Mercy on us!” When Jesus got home, the blind men went in with him. Jesus said to them, “Do you really believe I can do this?” They sai...

I get very little enjoyment from watching TV these days unless it is a re-run of Little House on the Prairie or the Waltons.  The airwaves are riddled with all kinds of commercials advertising the need to lose weight and the "miracles" which can be accomplished with this device or the latest "medical breakthrough".  As election season is upon us, they are also riddled with all kinds of smear campaigns.  If this is not enough, the news is propagating all the "hype" about the family-owned business known as Chick-Fil-A.  Evidently, taking a stand to support marriage between one man and one woman is a crime in our country!  There have been bomb threats, people driving through the drive-thru windows taunting and ridiculing the employees, and all manner of silly debate over what has now been termed "hate food".  If I step on a few toes with this one, I will not apologize! If you find the godless world is hating you, remember it got its start hating m...

I recently had to go back to my trusty dictionary to look up an all too familiar word.  I was surprised at the primary definition, as it really was not my first impression of the word.  The word I sought out was "cynic".  The primary definition is a person who believes that only selfishness motivates human actions and who disbelieves in or minimizes selfless acts or disinterested points of view.  I thought a cynic was a nay-sayer - one who just opposed things because they had a genuinely "sour" disposition!  Maybe it was even a person who just had been "burnt" so many times they no longer believed things to be possible.   6  Cynics look high and low for wisdom—and never find it;  the open-minded find it right on their doorstep!  (Proverbs 14:6 The Message) Now, in light of the "true" definition, let's unpack our passage today.   Cynics - those who think human beings are basically motivated by selfish actions - have a hard time fi...

19-22  Gideon and his hundred men got to the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after the sentries had been posted. They blew the trumpets, at the same time smashing the jars they carried. All three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars. They held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands, ready to blow, and shouted, "A sword for  God  and for Gideon!" They were stationed all around the camp, each man at his post. The whole Midianite camp jumped to its feet. They yelled and fled. When the three hundred blew the trumpets,  God  aimed each Midianite's sword against his companion, all over the camp. They ran for their lives—to Beth Shittah, toward Zererah, to the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath. (Judges 7:19-22) The story of the battle against the Midianites has a couple of messages that might just help to guide us through our daily "battles".  Gideon was not a valiant warrior, tested on the ba...

  34 Jesus said to her, "Daughter, you took a risk of faith, and now you're healed and whole. Live well, live blessed! Be healed of your plague." (Mark 5:34) Jesus was passing through town one day on his way to accomplish a totally different thing when someone touches him and his healing power is released.  For those of you familiar with the story, you recognize this individual as the woman with an issue of blood (hemorrhage) for nearly twelve years.  I imagine she had sought every healer in the region (and perhaps beyond) in hopes of finding the cure for her condition.  She has obviously found no relief, no remedy, in these twelve years of dealing with this life-debilitating hemorrhagic condition.   For those of you who don't know the impact of such a disease process, let me lay out a picture of what this woman was dealing with.  She would be severely anemic - probably constantly bordering on being in a state of health that would have prevented her from ...

11-14 God's readiness to give and forgive is now public. Salvation's available for everyone! We're being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-filled, God-honoring life. This new life is starting right now, and is whetting our appetites for the glorious day when our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, appears. He offered himself as a sacrifice to free us from a dark, rebellious life into this good, pure life, making us a people he can be proud of, energetic in goodness. (Titus 2:11-14) New life in Christ is available to all - the simple fact is that we must choose to avail ourselves of what is right in front of us.  God stands ready to both give us his gift of grace and for forgive us in his mercy.  There have been periods of time in our growth as a society when that message came through loud and clear.  I am not so sure that God's message of salvation is as clear, or as loud as it once was - it has been drowned out by the m...