The Plumbline

If someone were to give you guidance on how you are to live this Christian lifestyle, what do you imagine it might be? Wouldn't it be nice to be completely sure that we were living as we should, making the right decisions, staying on track and not getting waylaid by Satan's schemes? Paul prayed for those who were believers in the region of Colosse that they'd have this ability, and this prayer applies to all believers worldwide today: This is what we pray: that God will make you completely sure of what he wants by giving you all the wisdom and spiritual understanding you need; that this will help you live in a way that brings honor to the Lord and pleases him in every way; that your life will produce good works of every kind and that you will grow in your knowledge of God; that God will strengthen you with his own great power, so that you will be patient and not give up when troubles come. (Colossians 1:9-11) Completely sure of what God wants for our lives. That is our goa...

And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God. (Ephesians 3:17-19) The Apostle Paul had been instructed to take the gospel message to the Gentile nation (those who were not part of the Jewish faith). He was told to teach them about the work of Christ on their behalf – to tear down any dividing wall between Jew and Gentile and to welcome all into the family of God. To this end, he asks God to help those who have welcomed Christ into their lives to know the intensity and integrity of God’s love. Intensity because God’s love is deeper than any human form of love. Integrity b...

Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2) Those who enter...that means we just don't sit around an expect Jesus to make everything good for us all around us. Sometimes we have to put 'feet to our faith' - we need to take steps in the right direction and then we see God's work happening. Why is that? I think it is because God never desired robots or puppets. He created us to be in active relationship with him - willingly submitting our will to his - taking one step after another in the right direction because of how much we want to honor him with our lives. When we put God in first place in our lives - we are honoring him - giving him the esteem he rightfully deserves. What is the opposite of...