The Plumbline

As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands. (Psalm 119:143) We might not be able to escape pressures in this world, much less expect to never have any stress in our lives. Stress actually helps us grow stronger. A tree needs the wind to establish deeper roots. A human body has something referred to as the cellular stress response (CSR) in which the cells of our body respond in such a way as to counter intrusions and restore health to the cell once again. If God made each cell of our body with an ability to 'counteract' stress, don't you think he'd do the same with our 'spiritual cells'? Look at what our psalmist said: "As pressure and stress bear down on me - I FIND JOY IN YOUR COMMANDS." The stress or pressures of life drove him deeper into God's Word - into his commands and directives for living. There is no better 'counteraction' than to get into God's Word because it bolsters our 'spiritual cells' an...

I have learned the secret of how to live through any kind of situation—when I have enough to eat or when I am hungry, when I have everything I need or when I have nothing. Christ is the one who gives me the strength I need to do whatever I must do. (Philippians 4:12-13) Most of us live in such a way that we have all of what we need, even though we might be wanting much more than we have. Some might actually live with more than they need. What Paul learned was contentment in lean times and in times of great advantage. He developed a 'consistency of heart' - something we all would do well to learn sooner than later. Christ is the one who gives that consistency of heart, but we have to be open to receive what he gives when he gives it. Maybe consistency really comes when we learn to be open to receiving whatever it is he has for us. Christ gives us the strength to do whatever we must do - in good times, or bad, in lean times, or times of tremendous blessing beyond measure. Leanin...