The Plumbline

You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. (Galatians 6:7-9 NLT) When God uses an 'absolute' in his Word, I try to pay attention closely to what he is saying. It is as though he is adding exclamation marks and asking for us to focus on what he is saying. The absolute? ALWAYS. You will ALWAYS harvest what you plant. To that end, I think he is saying we are to do good, not some of the time, or when the urge hits you a certain way, but all the time, even when it doesn't feel good or easy. ALWAYS. Our own desires and that pesky sinful nature will attempt to convince us to do otherwise, but when we commit to the ALWAYS of God's commands, we will reap a great ha...

Be faithful in the small things because it is in them your strength lies. (Mother Teresa) Rick Warren reminds us, "If you are alive, there is a purpose for your life." Luke 16:10 tells us, "If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones." Faithfulness is 'measurable', is it not? The things we do with repeated commitment are considered to be the things we are 'faithful' to, such as flossing our teeth daily or taking a morning walk. Consider for a moment the things God is asking you to be 'faithful' to this year. It could be that he has challenged you to get into his word and discover what he has for you there. Perhaps he is asking you to put aside some of your 'leisure' pursuits and spend more time with your family, investing in their lives. Whatever he asks for your faithfulness in, be there and be committed to it. As Mother Teresa said, our commitment to the small things really matters because it adds a ...

None are more unjust in their judgments of others than those who have a high opinion of themselves. (Charles Spurgeon) Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall. (Romans 14:12-13) We may not like to hear this, but God's command is clear - we each will give a personal account before God, so there is absolutely no room for any of us to judge another. Our behavior differs from another's, but when we choose to criticize another for their behavior, our behavior moves from good to bad in that very instant. None of us can 'hide' our faults or failures, hurts or hangups. We might try but it is quite impossible to hide such things from the eyes of God. As we come before Christ, will we be judged on our own merit? Our lives will indeed be evaluated as 'sins forgiven, slate wiped clean' if we have accepted him as our Lord and Sav...

 Mother Teresa reminds us to "be faithful in small things because it is them that your strength lies." Jesus told his disciples, "If you are honest in the small things, you will be honest in the big things." (Luke 16:10) Faithfulness isn't always the easiest things - consistency to always do the small things is hard, isn't it? I remember to dust the TV console because the dust is quite evident. I don't always remember to dust the picture frames - because they are smaller, out of my immediate line of sight, and easier to 'forget about'. It is like the rungs on the kitchen chairs - I can completely ignore them until one day the light reflects on them just the right way and I realize just how badly they need my attention! There are things in our lives we attempt to ignore just a bit and they could be the very things that need the biggest part of our attention right now! What are some of the small things God is asking you to pay attention to today? Y...

I wonder how many of us could say we have done well with Mother Teresa's challenges to "b e faithful in the small things because it is in them that your strength lies ." Our strength lies not in the greatness we achieve, but in the faithfulness we manifest in doing the things that it is likely nobody will notice! I think that is what Jesus had in mind when he challenged his disciples to tell them what they had spent so much time arguing about while on a journey one day. It was right after they had been out on a mission with Jesus, listening to him teach, seeing him work miracles, observing great deliverance from lifelong disease and demon-possession. They find themselves right where we find ourselves many times - wondering who will be the greatest among them - who will be the 'most favored' of all the disciples Jesus. Isn't it strange that we worry about who will 'rise to the top' more than we think about all that can be accomplished just by being fait...

Those who spend their lives teaching will tell us the ability to learn a subject is directly influenced by our specific desire to learn that subject - if we don't find the subject interesting or useful, we often discount the learning opportunity, making it more difficult to ever get much from what is being taught. We often miss out on some of the most profound (yet insanely simple) lessons in life simply because we don't want to take the time or energy to apply ourselves to that learning. There are also times when we feel that we don't "need" to learn the lesson being offered - seeing ourselves as above the lesson - already having knowledge about a particular subject and feeling as though we didn't need to learn anything else. Both scenarios are dangerous ground to tread, for learning happens only when hearts are open. If you love learning, you love the discipline that goes with it— how shortsighted to refuse correction!  (Proverbs 12:1) It is shortsighted to ...

Good people are like budding palm trees.   They grow strong like the cedar trees of Lebanon.   They are planted in the house of the  Lord .   They grow strong there in the courtyards of our God.  Even when they are old,  they will continue producing fruit like young, healthy trees.  They are there to show everyone that the  Lord  is good.   He is my Rock, and he does no wrong.   (Psalm 94:12-15 ERV) Martin Luther said, "Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I'd still plant my apple tree." Tomorrow may not be assured, but what we can do today is still in front of us. We must take advantage of what is right in front of us and not be so focused on what lies ahead that we ignore the tasks or responsibilities right in front of us. Luther reminds us we may not always see the fruit of our labors, but today's labor may be the very thing that produces tomorrow's harvest! The moment we sacrifice what is right ...

" No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man ."  (Heraclitus)  Ponder that one for a moment or two and you will likely see the wisdom in these words.  We often think the things we are going into (or through) are just like they were the last time we went into (or through) them.  Sometimes when you actually take the time to look closer you see what once was is now different - including you!  It might come as a shock to some, but "the same" is never really "the same" in life.  There is always going to be some type of difference - even when it comes to the stuff we think we have already learned! Forever, O Eternal One, Your word stands in heaven, firm and resolute.  Your faithfulness endures to every generation; You founded the earth, and it remains .  (Psalm 119:89-90 VOICE) There is something which never differs or changes from what we could call "time past" to all of  time into et...

Do you take for granted things like the consistency of the sunrise or the predictability of the phases of the moon?  Most of us probably do unless we make our living predicting something based on their predictability.  If we were to stop for just a couple of minutes and consider what the scriptures declare about the sun and moon, we might just be amazed all over again at the next sunrise, sunset, and the phases of the moon!  Why?  They are simply doing what they were designed to do - to keep telling the wonders of God and declaring boldly what he has done!  They declare his creative power and his ability to sustain all things with nothing more than the sound of his voice!  This should give us cause to pause for just a few moments to consider his greatness and to bask in his brilliance! The heavens keep telling  the wonders of God,  and the skies declare  what he has done.    Each day informs  the following day;  each ...

This life would be made a whole lot easier at times if Jesus just came right out and said, "Let me ask you something..." - wouldn't it?  We wouldn't have to ask if the little voice we hear "mulling things over" in our minds was just us or if it was his Spirit speaking with us.  We wouldn't have to ask, "Is that really you, Lord?"  We might just take steps forward with more confidence, step back when danger is imminent, and be so in tune with God's next steps that we never are out of touch with what he is doing.  There are probably more times when we are found asking if God is really speaking to us, if we can trust what we are hearing or sensing, and if this really applies to us in our present circumstances!  Why?  Maybe it is because our minds just have a hard time wrapping themselves around this idea of God talking with mortal man; or maybe we just don't quite "buy into" what he is saying and doing in our lives, so we stand ...

There are very few things in this life we can actually be sure of - most of which are totally out of our control as Benjamin Franklin once said in the old adage:  "Nothing is certain but death and taxes."  If we were to be totally honest, I think we might just be able to add a third one to this list:  Mistakes. It is totally human to make mistakes, so it stands to reason we can count on it as a "given" in life - something we can count on happening.  If there are things we can know for sure will happen, we have a different mental focus about them, don't we?  For example, I don't even think about the taxes coming out of my paycheck until someone asks me about them, or I go to prepare my income tax statement every year.  Why?  They are a "constant" I can count on, so no amount of worry will ever change the fact they are coming out of my paycheck.  It is as though they just "happen" - they are out of my control.  I can try to manage them by ...

I have been considering the life of Moses and his leadership over Israel in my recent studies.  One thing I want us to see about Moses is just how God made him a gifted leader.  He didn't just "get" magically awesome answers from God in the spur of the moment - he spent time in God's presence and this connection is what allowed him to receive the "magically awesome answers" to his prayers!  Maybe this seems like it should go without saying, but keep company with God and he will keep company with you.  Most of the world doesn't get this, though.  They choose to keep company with anything BUT God and wonder why they don't have the answers they need when the times seem to challenge them.  All success in life is a matter of this connection - apart from it, there can only be fleeting success.  Today we will consider the things God uses to change our world. Moses led Israel from the Red Sea on to the Wilderness of Shur. They traveled for three days th...

How many of us can truly say we are true to our word?  Not just some of the time, but each and every time?  I don't imagine it is many of us - for we all struggle with this at times - no matter how much we live in a manner which consistently follows through on what we say we will do.  In fact, most of the time, we struggle with the "promises" we make God more than we do the ones we make to our fellow man.  Today, we look at two inter-related character traits:  Faithfulness and Fullness.  I think we will begin to see how much these two are really intertwined - for learning to be faithful leads to quite a full life! You  are  right and you  do  right,  God ; your decisions are right on target. You rightly instruct us in how to live ever  faithful  to you. My rivals nearly did me in, they persistently ignored your commandments. Your promise has been tested through and through, and I, your servant, love it dearly. I’m too yo...

Is:  To exist or live; to occupy a place or position; to continue or remain as before.  A small word, but it tells us much, doesn't it?  One that "is" really is one who exists and lives - occupying a placement or position unlike any other.  The most amazing part of the definition of "is" can be found in the last part - the concept of continuing or remaining as before - unchanged by what has come or what lies ahead.  This is the definition of the character of God - unchanged by what has been - what is today - or what will come in the future.  Solomon spends a great deal of time outlining all the accomplishments of a man on a quest - getting more of everything, living without restraint, not held back by anything.  He even tells us of his tremendous struggle with "accumulating" all (wisdom, houses, wives, lands, personal property - you name it).  It comes at a price - after all is said and done, time spent and body worn, nothing really all that satis...

Some of the Psalms of David are filled with all kinds of things which seem to be said not once, but multiple times in the same psalm - kind of like a chorus or refrain in a song.  Maybe this is because so many of his psalms were indeed set to music!  As he begins this particular psalm, he lays out the "words of the refrain" - " God, the one and only— I’ll wait as long as he says. Everything I need comes from him,   so why not?   He’s solid rock under my feet,      breathing room for my soul, a n impregnable castle:   I’m set for life."  (vs 1-3 MSG)   This refrain, or the crux of it, is repeated not less than three times in as little as twelve total verses!  So, it must be important, right?  Here's what is sandwiched right in the middle of these refrains: My help and glory are in God —granite-strength and safe-harbor-God—s o trust him absolutely, people;  lay your lives on the line for him.   God is a safe place to...

11-12  Now  God , don't hold out on me, don't hold back your passion.  Your love and truth are all that keeps me together.  When troubles ganged up on me, a mob of sins past counting, I was so swamped by guilt I couldn't see my way clear.  More guilt in my heart than hair on my head, so heavy the guilt that my heart gave out.  (Psalm 40:11-12) David starts this psalm with the words, "I waited, and waited, and waited for God..."  Have you ever been in the position of just waiting, and waiting, and waiting - all the while growing more fearful and frustrated that nothing is happening?  If you have walked with Christ for more than an hour, I think it is safe to assume that you might have experienced this kind of agony in waiting!  We don't understand the delays and we don't remember the next time how long of a wait it was the last time! David's next thoughts are, "At last he looked; finally he listen...