The Plumbline

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. (James 4:7-8) Resist - we are told that in order to deal with the devil's wiles, we need to assert ourselves. Isn't that what resistance really is? It means we take an active stand, especially when we are faced with an adversary or a morally challenging choice. We 'oppose' evil by standing strong against it.  Come close - as we resist (push back) on one hand, we come close (are drawn in) to God's tender care and protection. When faced with opposition beyond our ability to handle, we need to draw close to the one who gives us the ability to withstand the attack. Sometimes we try to stand in our own power, forgetting that the greatest strength comes in admitting where we are the weakest.  We don't admit that to our adversary. We confess it to God, acknowledging that we know we need his help to overcome the enemy's attack. There is nothing smart about trying to han...

I’m sure now I’ll see God’s goodness in the exuberant earth. Stay with God! Take heart. Don’t quit. I’ll say it again: Stay with God. (Psalm 27:14) Whenever things are repeated in scripture, it is so we will know God wants us to pay particular attention to the details he is expressing. Just some stats here:      35 times we are told to draw near to God     32 times we are told to be watchful because there might be something we'd miss or be duped by     25 times we are told not to quit, but to keep pressing forward If God cares enough to remind us of the importance of drawing near, being ever vigilant in our attentiveness, and not to get tired of pressing on, we had better pay attention! God's goodness will be seen, even when we don't see any evidence of it right now. There can be all manner of turmoil or chaos around us, but God tells us to take heart - he will reveal his goodness all around us if we are watchful and never stop seeking him. Don't quit...

Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. (Philippians 4:6-7) What is your purpose in life? If you are like me, you spent quite a bit of time in your youth and young adult life just trying to figure that one out. Some of you may not even have a clue yet! It is only after we understand our purpose in Jesus that we can begin to live a meaningful life. Our main purpose in life is to follow Christ with our whole hearts - allowing him to be the central part of our lives. All the other 'stuff' we pursue as some form of 'purpose' in our lives really is an outflow of his grace in our lives. As this chapter unfolds, we find the reminder: "and the peace of God, which surpasses all u...

Distress that drives us to God does that. It turns us around. It gets us back in the way of salvation. We never regret that kind of pain. But those who let distress drive them away from God are full of regrets, end up on a deathbed of regrets. (2 Corinthians 7:10) There are many in our world today who know too much distress - anxiety, great pain, acute physical and mental suffering. They are subjected to pressure from all sides, stressing and straining to keep it all together, embarrassed and exhausted by the strain. It may seem too simplistic to say this, but what we need more of in this life is 'destress' not 'distress'. To become less anxious, under less pressure, able to let go of the weight we are carrying on our own. That one simple letter changes a whole lot, doesn't it? Too many times we don't allow our 'distress' to drive us toward God - we allow it to carry us further from God. We find ourselves caught up in the things that push against us on a...