The Plumbline

I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back. So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you’ll see it yet! Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it. (Philippians 3:12-16) Dewey reminds us, "Arriving at one goal is the starting point to another." A life lived without goals, a target in mind, is kind of like being set adrift on the open sea - hoping for the best, but totally unprepared for the worst! When I have large projects in mind, I usually write out a 'pick list' of sorts - telling m...

You know I have to ask, and I am not meddling, I just want to do a little 'check-in' this morning. How are all those New Year's Resolutions going so far? How many have we already given up on? How many are we just putting forth half an effort toward? How many have we seen become a very consistent and ingrained part of our lives? If you are like the majority of 'resolution making' individuals, you have probably broken at least one! According to what I could find in research, approximately 40% of us make resolutions, while nearly 25% of those who made them will quit them within the first week! Sadly, only about 10% keep them long-term. I think that speaks very clearly to our 'resolve', doesn't it?  So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sin...

Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him. (I Chronicles 16:11) " Desire is the key to motivation, but it is determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the success you seek ." (Mario Andretti) Imagine a race car driver assuming the position behind the wheel of a highly powered auto, revving the engine several times, buckled in, watching intently for the flag to drop signifying the start of the race. What sense would it make for the driver to rev and rev, then putt-putt away from the starting line, lagging behind all those who are out lapping him? He has all the power he needs - he just doesn't tap into it! He knows the goal is the finish line, but he doesn't seem to be committed to the goal, just the ride.  God needs individuals who are more than along for the ride - he needs those who will tap into the power he provides - using it fully to see they cross the f...

Obstacles are things a person sees when he takes his eyes off his goal.  (E. Joseph Cossman) The goal - what is it you have laid out before you as today's goal? Maybe you are a bigger thinker and have even set out goals for the month and year, or even a five or ten year plan. I am not that big in my thinking and really don't set very long-range goals other than saving well so I will some day be able to retire. In my retirement, I want to do a fair amount of fishing in the streams and lakes around the state. I guess that is a longer range goal. Most of us set some goals, even very small ones, because we have come to realize without goals there is no aim. The problem is that some of our goals are kind of 'out there' - they aren't always easily recognized. They will require consistency, hard work, and even a little bit more than a smidgen of faith. My BFF and I have a goal of starting a small business from our homes that allows us to stay busy into retirement, but also...

I once heard it said that disappointment is the fertile breeding ground of discontent - the more we hope for something that may not ever happen or takes way longer to happen than we imagined, the more discontent we become in the circumstance we are living. It is because we are so focused on the object of our hope that we lose sight of the many blessings already right here in front of us. It is possible to be too "future focused" - hoping continually for something "better" in the future - that we forget just how blessed we are right now. The blessing of the Lord makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.   (Proverbs 10:22 NLT) My pastor spoke this past weekend about the realization of goals - getting from "here" to "there". As he made his point, he reminded each of us of the dangers of getting somewhat off-course "on the way" by the things that distract us somewhere in the midst of that journey. As he put it, "You wi...

12  I’m not there yet, nor have I become perfect; but I am charging on to gain anything  and everything  the Anointed One, Jesus, has in store for me— and nothing will stand in my way  because He has grabbed me  and won’t let me go .  13  Brothers and sisters,  as I said,  I know I have not arrived; but there’s one thing I am doing: I’m leaving my old life behind, putting everything on the line for this mission.  14  I am sprinting toward the only goal that counts:  to cross the line,  to win the prize, and to hear God’s call  to resurrection life found exclusively  in Jesus the Anointed. 15  All of us who are mature ought to think the same way about these matters. If you have a different attitude, then God will reveal this to you as well.  16  For now, let’s hold on to what we have been shown  and keep in step with these teachings . (Philippians 3:12-16 VOICE) Walt Whitman's words caught my...

None of us is exactly what God wants us to be, are we?  We all struggle with just a little bit of the same things - we may just call them different names. Regardless of what we call the things which keep us from being entirely what God wants us to be, we haven't reached our goal.  What is that "goal"?  Many times we go through life without ever asking that question - where am I headed, why is it important for me to get there, and what will it take for me to realize the goal?  For a long time, I saved money, but had no idea how to invest it, or how much I'd actually need to save in order to reach some goals, such as paying off the house mortgage or being able to retire from a full-time job.  It took me a while to realize without a goal, I'd just continue to be half-hearted in my saving.  It took a plan.  God has plans for our lives and he is quite willing to share those plans with us - to know where we are headed, why it is important for us to get ther...

Have you ever just chased your tail?  The harder you seem to work at something, the more difficult it seems to become.  You never seem to "catch up", never seem to fully "grasp" the goal.  In the end, you just stand there in total frustration, more in a muddle than you were when you first began.  Just as quickly as we started, we find ourselves out of energy to continue to journey!  We stop short of the goal - never really crossing the finish line.  What a waste. Paul writes to the Philippian church, reminding them of the importance of staying focused.  His honesty in the first part of this chapter just thrills my heart.  He recounts the various degrees he has obtained, lists the various "things" the world looks upon as measures of success, and reminds us of the senselessness of relying on any of these to give us prominence or importance in the Kingdom of God.   His honesty is recounted in these words:   " I'm not saying that I have ...