The Plumbline

People who are ruled by their desires think only of themselves. Everyone who is ruled by the Holy Spirit thinks about spiritual things. If our minds are ruled by our desires, we will die. But if our minds are ruled by the Spirit, we will have life and peace. Our desires fight against God, because they do not and cannot obey God’s laws. If we follow our desires, we cannot please God. You are no longer ruled by your desires, but by God’s Spirit, who lives in you. People who don’t have the Spirit of Christ in them don’t belong to him. But Christ lives in you. So you are alive because God has accepted you, even though your bodies must die because of your sins. Yet God raised Jesus to life! God’s Spirit now lives in you, and he will raise you to life by his Spirit. (Romans 8:5-11) Some desires are easily fulfilled, while others are the things we chase after repeatedly and find no satisfaction in ever obtaining. Never forget the "hold" desires place on us as we pursue whatever it i

It was an Iranian poet by the name of Saadi who said, "I fear God and next to God, I mostly fear them that fear him not." Ponder that one for just a moment and it might ring true in your ears today. Those who don't fear God are all around us, oftentimes creating such upheaval and havoc that the world has no chance to be at rest for any length of time. Ray Comfort once said, "When men don't fear God, they give themselves to evil." There were no truer words spoken.  Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! Fear the Lord, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need. Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing. (Psalm 34:8-10) The lack of reverence some show toward our holy God is sometimes hard for me to understand. How can they look around at all that he created and not see his profound goodness? How can they strive for some 'goodness

Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing. (Psalm 34:10)  David said, "“You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from you.” (Psalm 16:2) Every good thing comes from you - I don't have anything of 'goodness' or 'value' apart from you, God. Because of his relationship with God, he lacks (has no need that is unmet) nothing. Whatever is good or 'beneficial' for us, God provides. Nowhere in scripture does it say all our 'wants' will be met, but we will never lack what God has determined to be of 'value' or 'benefit' for our lives.  Sometimes we complain because we see something as 'beneficial' for us, but then we don't ever come to realize it in our lives. We forget that God might see it differently! He might actually be withholding that thing from our lives because it is far from 'beneficial' or 'good'! Now I have gone to meddling, haven&#

It’s better to enjoy what we have than to always want something else, because that makes no more sense than chasing the wind. (Ecclesiastes 6:9) I enjoy a really good meal, quality time with a close friend, and hugs from my grandsons. I also enjoy rainy days, a good book, and a happy movie. You could probably make a list of things you enjoy, like a sporty car able to zip on down the road with wind blowing wistfully through your hair, or perhaps a long walk on the beach at sunset. Some of what we enjoy is because of where we are or what we possess - the car or beach make the occasion. For others, it is about who we are with that gives us the greatest enjoyment factor. The company I keep makes all the difference in how much I enjoy the moment! I am "single again" - meaning I was married but have been without a spouse since the divorce. These years have done more to "cement" my relationship with Jesus and brought me much enjoyment in the process! I am not advocat

I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God. For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from him? God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please him. (Ecclesiastes 2:24-26) Solomon was known to be one of the wisest men alive, yet he made decision after decision to follow every whim and fancy of his heart, all in the name of looking for 'meaning' in life. Many times, we go through life looking for 'meaning', but it is in the pursuit of wealth, fame, amassed things, relationships, and even our careers. After a while, pursuit after pursuit, all seem meaningless. What gives meaning to life? Could it be that this ONE relationship we have with Christ gives the most 'meaning' to our lives - making every pursuit we undertake 'meaningful' because he has orchestrated it? Even the pleasures of working hard at what you enjoy the most is somethin

Life Hack #19: It is part of our make-up to be drawn to that which pleases our senses, isn't it?  As little babies, we were fascinated with all things sparkly and bright colored. The slightest hint of gleam and we'd direct our attention toward the object. Smell the wonderful aroma of freshly baked bread and your mouth begins to water for the enjoyment of savoring a warm slice lathered in rich butter. Hear the tender notes of some melody and your toes will start tapping with the beat. Our bodies respond to stimulus from without, but that response begins on the INSIDE of us in response to the thing we are "taking in" through one of our senses. Learning "temperance" is a difficult thing in this life, but if we don't exercise a little self-control over our "sensual intake", we will find ourselves in places we'd probably not like to be! Today's life hack is not about alcohol, but rather the 'appeal' of things to our senses and how w

The feelings I get when I see the high mountain ranges—stirrings of desire, longings for the heights—remind me of you, and I’m spoiled for anyone else! Your beauty, within and without, is absolute, dear lover, close companion. (Song of Solomon 7:5-6) If you have ever been "in love", you might just understand this intense longing just to enjoy the "presence" of the one you love so dearly. When separation occurs - whether by choice or because of something out of your control - the longing builds. What many describe as "stirrings" for the presence of their loved one is really similar to how God feels about each of us - longing to just hold us close, gently stroking our backs with the tenderness of his hand, and then encompassing us with the warmth and protection of his full presence. How long has it been since you have experienced the "stirrings" in your heart for the presence of your "first love" - God himself? It could be we need to &

Be delighted with the Lord. Then he will give you all your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him to help you do it, and he will. Your innocence will be clear to everyone. He will vindicate you with the blazing light of justice shining down as from the noonday sun. (Psalm 37:4-6) A heart's desires can be many - no doubt your desires differ from mine, but if we were to list them all, our lists would be long! I desire for my children to know and serve the Lord Jesus Christ. My delight will be to see my two grandsons to grow up to be morally strong, obedient to the commandments of Christ, and to trust him fully with the control of their lives. My desire to see both my children and grandchildren realize their dreams burns deeply with. I desire health, so I do what I can to preserve it wherever possible. I delight in time in the Word of God, good worship music, and the freedom to share my heart in open communion with my Lord. A heart's desires and delights

Follow My teachings and learn from Me. I am gentle and do not have pride. You will have rest for your souls. For My way of carrying a load is easy and My load is not heavy.” (Matthew 11:29-30) We all have moments when we see needs, but we have no clue how to meet them. Things upset us, these things are right there in our face, many times making us mad, sad, and desiring to see something different as a result of some action we may take. When we are disturbed on behalf of God, we are oftentimes moved in the most significant ways. We may even embrace a calling in life as a result of the burden we bear over the matters that upset us. When we are bothered by something - the need is right there before us - we are likely going to see God impact the lives of people IF we put ourselves out there. We don't have to have a formal position to meet a need if we possess a God-given passion over the need around us. We will make a difference if we follow the burden God places in our hearts. Seek Go

God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. (Psalm 23:1-3) I don't need a thing - how many of us can speak those words with our heart bearing full and total agreement with them? Most of us will give lip service to the idea, but deep down inside we desire things we don't have, look for ways to acquire what we think we 'need', and are always on the search for 'more' of something, aren't we? Our desires stem from what we feed the most - it creates an appetite within us for what we desire. If you had never tasted chocolate in your lifetime, you likely don't have any type of craving for it. Indulge yourself with a couple of pieces of rich chocolate and that 'taste' will create a desire for more. Why? Appetite has more to do with our thinking than it does the need to correct an imbalance of some v

How lovely are Your tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul yearns, yes, even pines and is homesick for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out and sing for joy to the living God. Yes, the sparrow has found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young—even Your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are those who dwell in Your house and Your presence; they will be singing Your praises all the day long. (Psalm 84:1-4) We have all kinds of "longings", don't we? If the day just seem to drag on and on at work, we "long" to be home or out pursuing some other activity. If the laundry is piled high and the sun is shining, we long to be outside enjoying the weather, not scrubbing away yesterday's stains. If the traffic jam keeps us barely inching along, we long for another passenger in our car so we can take the high-occupancy lane! There are all kinds of "longings"

Be generous with me and I’ll live a full life; not for a minute will I take my eyes off your road. Open my eyes so I can see what you show me of your miracle-wonders. I’m a stranger in these parts; give me clear directions. My soul is starved and hungry, ravenous!— insatiable for your nourishing commands. (Psalm 119:18) If you have ever been in a situation where you kind of feel like it is 'foreign' to you, you probably felt a little like a fish out of water. You flopped around, struggling to find a way back to where you felt comfort and ease. I know moments like these cause most of us some angst, increasing our anxiety level more and more as we wander around a little lost and insecure. Being a 'stranger' isn't easy to deal with, probably because as 'sojourners' in this place of discomfort we find it hard for us to  move from stranger or foreigner to being at ease dwelling where we are placed. God isn't immune to our discomfort - he has a plan for it!

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 said, “Why, yes, Master!” He touched their eyes and said, “ Become what you believe .” It happened. They saw. (Matthew 9:27-29) 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 right here and now? 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. 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" in a spiritual sense, much less a physical or emotional sense. We simply live day by day, making the best of each moment, and wonder what the next will hold. I don't think God

It is that time of year when kids everywhere begin to write out their wish lists for Christmas. At first, the new bike or gaming system is all they want, then the list begins to grow and grow and grow. We actually encourage our kids to 'complete' this wish list task by writing a letter to Santa. As the list grows, so does the discontent - the more we want the more discontent we become with what we have. Discontent can produce positive outcomes in life - such as when we are no longer content just barely being able to button our jeans and we begin a concerted effort to avoid the cookies and put in a little more exercise everyday. Discontent can also have a very negative outcome when it drives us to compare what we have with what another has, then begin to complain about what we don't have in this life. What makes the difference between the positive and negative outcome with discontentment? I believe it is where we turn with our discontent - turn in the right direction toward

Do you barter with people? When I visited Nogales, Mexico, the advice I received from others who had visited there before me was that I should never pay full price for what a vendor is asking when I wanted to purchase something. I was to 'barter with them' until I felt a fair price was met. For example, I wanted this blanket marked at however many Pesos and I was supposed to say what I was willing to pay for it. Usually the vendor would meet my request with great resistance and shake his head vigorously that he was opposed to such an offer. Part of the 'bartering' was that I was to walk away as though I were no longer interested. If you have ever done this, you know they follow you asking you offering you some reduced rate, but still not what you desired to pay. If all goes well, you will 'wear them down' to a reasonable price you both can agree upon. In turn, you walk home with the blanket, feeling very good about the 'bargain' you just found. Truth be

Most kids today don't have a clue what a Sears or J.C. Penney's catalog looked like. They have immediate shopping options via the World Wide Web, making these bound 'manuals of dreams' a thing of the past. When we got the latest version of the catalog, we'd pour through it over and over again, admiring the latest fashions, dreaming about the shiny appliances promising to make our life easier, and finding out just how 'empty' our toy boxes were in comparison to what was displayed within those pages. If it wasn't in the catalog, you never knew it existed. The catalog was the place you turned when you were in need of something. Yet, it wasn't 'complete', was it? You couldn't buy your groceries through the Sears catalog, nor could you buy a horse, cow, or goat (at least I don't think you could). As "complete" as that catalog was, it didn't contain all we needed. It just made it convenient to find basic things. The more compl

For a great many of us, prayer is a kind of "hey, God, it is me again" approach. We find ourselves going to him repeatedly for much the same thing, maybe laying it all out again in just a slightly different manner, but doing so because we just "need" something that only he can provide. There are also times when we simply pussy-foot around the whole matter that is niggling at our brains and pulling at our heartstrings because we aren't entirely comfortable talking to him about it. Regardless of our reluctance to actually lay those things out before him openly and honestly, he knows what they are, so all our pussy-footing around isn't really helping the matter. There is just something that comes when we are open, direct, and totally honest with ourselves and him in prayer - it is often referred to as "he answers"! Jesus came down the mountain with the cheers of the crowd still ringing in his ears. Then a leper appeared and went to his knees before

You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.   (Matthew 5:6) There are various types of hunger and desire. We have "appetites" for different things at different times in our day. We don't necessarily want a bag of M&Ms for breakfast, but by our two-o'clock slump we might fancy them - then again, I have been known to down one for breakfast! There are times we eat just because the clock says it is time to eat, or the opportunity is before us. There are other times when we work so intently, caught up in the task at hand, only breaking to find nourishment when we finally realize an intense sense of hunger and fatigue in our bodies. There is appetite and hunger - both pretty similar in meaning. APPETITE: An inherent craving. A preference. A taste for something. That which we strive after. HUNGER: A craving, or urgent need, for that which will satisfy. A longing. Then the

Most of us want things to turn out 'all right' in life. We strive for this outcome - not really wanting to endure any type of failure at all. Why? Failure isn't comfortable - it costs us something - we don't always regroup after it very well. Have you ever been accused of taking life too seriously - of being 'too afraid' to fail? Guess what...when someone tells you that you take life seriously, they are actually paying you a high compliment! According to scripture, taking life seriously is something that will find you a great reward, significant honor, and integrity that stands the test of time. I have been told on more than one occasion that I am way too intense about life - I am not afraid to fail, but I like to think things through before I take that first step - making others think I am just a little bit scared of the next steps. I guess that it really doesn't bother me - in fact, rather than being put off by that insight, I want to continue to have that

Scripture outlines six things God hates, and if six were not enough, God adds just one more (kind of like the cherry on top) that God has some pretty serious feelings about (in fact, we might call it a total loathing for that thing). Hate carries the idea of a very intense, passionate dislike of something. Loathing carries a sense of disgust and gives one the idea that God is repulsed by the type of action he is observing - actions not 'befitting' a person who calls himself a child of God. In total, seven things God asks us to take notice of in our lives and then seek his help to break free of them so we can live in a manner that shows we are engaged with him on this journey of 'right-living'. Our eyes get us into so much trouble - almost as much as our mouth - so it should come as no surprise that the 'top two' things God hates have to do with these two! Here are six things God hates, and one more that he loathes with a passion: eyes that are arrogant, a tongue