The Plumbline

Imagine receiving a commission from the Lord to lead his people - taking them into vast new areas, experiencing tremendous blessings, and facing 'giants' and 'difficulties' like they had not faced before. Now, imagine being a little overwhelmed by it all, kind of doubting your abilities, and fearing what was ahead of you on that mission. You are probably wondering if those who will follow you will continue to do so even if you mess up from time to time. You might even be second-guessing your every move up to this point, even though God says he will be with you. You aren't alone in your doubts, fears, or 'mess up' moments, my friends, but when God calls, he also equips. To hear from God is both a privilege and a tremendous responsibility. We must take both very seriously. After the death of Moses the Lord’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said, “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these peo...

The Lord spoke to Jonah son of Amittai: “Nineveh is a big city. I have heard about the many evil things the people are doing there. So go there and tell them to stop doing such evil things.” But Jonah tried to run away from the Lord. He went to Joppa and found a boat that was going to the faraway city of Tarshish. Jonah paid money for the trip and went on the boat. He wanted to travel with the people on this boat to Tarshish and run away from the Lord. (Jonah 1:1-3) Is it possible to run from God's calling in your life? Yes! Can you do it with a clear conscience? Nope! The truth of the matter is that we cannot outrun God, nor can we deny his calling in our lives. Those whom he calls are also equipped. The calling may not 'measure up' to what we 'desire' in our lives, such as when Jonah was called to go to an evil city, filled with all manner of sin, to bring them the message of salvation. His desire was likely to see them burn for their sins rather than go right in...

If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.   (Romans 12:7-8) God has a plan for each of us, even though some of us think God isn't able to use us, or that we have no 'calling' on our lives. We might be 'gifted' in ways that aren't really obvious as 'God's calling' on our lives, but just because it isn't something obvious such as preaching from the pulpit doesn't make the gift any less needed or important. Are you a giver? Do you equate that to a 'calling'? If we read this passage correctly, it is indeed a 'calling', especially when one has learned to give abundantly and without selfish purpose. All of God's gifts are meant to be used - but have you stoppe...

Do God's plans ever change? It is a question I have often asked when things seemed to be going one way and then all of a sudden, they are all headed the opposite direction. Is it possible the 'turn of events' that happened was really all of the original plan? Could it be that I just didn't see the 'whole plan' when I set out on the journey? Is it possible God's plans for us include much more than we see right now? Perhaps God has things more 'under control' than we might think because he frequently reminds us that even before we were born, the plans for our lives were already marked out. Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5) But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. (Galatians 1:15-16) Home birth or h...

Compared to ............ I am like ........... This is a pretty open-ended statement, but one we run over and over in our brains, most of the time without even being aware that it is happening! Why do we find it necessary to compare - to put things within our lives on a scale against what another has, does, or is on the opposite side of that scale? I guess we will never learn that God has a purpose for each of us - independent of what another does, is, or has! Comparison is often the very thing that erodes at our faith and brings decay into what we refer to as contentment or fulfillment. We need to guard against this erosion and decay, but how? It makes little difference to me how you or any human court passes judgment on me. I even resist the temptation to compare myself to the ever-changing human standard. (I Corinthians 4:3) If we spend today looking at ourselves in the mirror, what will we see? Will we see exactly what is there - no more, no less? Not likely - because we w...

I can recall many 'camp meetings' and 'youth conferences' in which young people flocked to the altar, responding to the evangelist with a commitment to the 'call' on their lives. Very few of those who responded actually went into what we might call 'full-time' ministry, though. In the course of time, those who had not yet counted that cost when they made that commitment backed out. They began to discover the demands of ministry were great and the rewards may be equally great, but the calling was a pretty hard one! When we consider the prophet Jeremiah, we might just see one of those individuals who tries very, very hard to NOT accept the calling on his life - because he isn't quite sure he wants it! "Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you.  Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you: A prophet to the nations—that's what I had in mind for you."  But I said, "Hold it, Master God! Look at me.   I don...

Ever wonder if there is a particular way we should be acting in the face of those with the many needs we see around you?  Jesus chose twelve - sent them out - not to be observers, but to participate in the mission he was on.  We often find ourselves in the position of observer when we are called to act.  Often it is because we really don't know "how" to be on mission with Jesus - we complicate it so much! He gave them power to kick out the evil spirits and to tenderly care for the bruised and hurt lives.  (Matthew 10:1 The Message) Jesus chose twelve - none of them were the most stellar of citizens, the most educated, or the most "qualified" for their "calling".  Yet, each of them possessed something Jesus was looking for - obedience!  Willingness to do as instructed - even when they did not fully understand all which was involved in their calling. Why did Jesus choose these twelve?  It was in response to the needs around him!  Look at...

28  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  29  For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.  30  And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. (Romans 8:28-29) What a joy it is to come to the place where we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is at work in our lives - doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.  Paul says that we "know" - we have come to recognize, understanding completely, become so familiar with God and his ways that we don't question his plans or purposes.  This comes through experience - there is no substitute for seeing God work in our lives - no substitute for the manifestation of his purpose. What is it that we come to know about God and how he works? ...