The Plumbline

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

“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in me this way, just as the Scripture says.” (John 7:38) Today, we find Jesus unfazed by the opposition of the religious leaders of the day - teaching in the Temple, as was his custom. The religious leaders are appalled at how much of the Law Jesus knows and how well he explains it. In fact, they are engaged in a heavy discussion about where he received his "credentials" to preach when Jesus responds to their curiosity with a simple statement: "I didn’t make this up. What I teach comes from the One who sent me. Anyone who wants to do his will can test this teaching and know whether it’s from God or whether I’m making it up. A person making things up tries to make himself look good. But someone trying to honor the one who sent him sticks to the facts and doesn’t tamper with reality. It was Moses, wasn’t it, who gave you God’s Law? But no

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

Jesus replied, “I am the Bread of Life. No one coming to me will ever be hungry again. Those believing in me will never thirst." ( John 6:35   TLB ) What makes you hungry? As I catch the fragrant aroma of baking cookies or fresh bread, I get hungry! Walk into the putrid smell of old pine cleaner in a musty bathroom and that appetite just takes a hit in the old nostrils! It is amazing how we can be so hungry one moment and then have that hunger almost turn to a sour stomach in such a short period of time. How it is that happens? In the natural sense, hunger is made up of many 'senses' - smell, taste, texture, not to mention hormones triggering the desire to eat, etc. We can realize tremendous hunger, and then there are times we can ignore that hunger to the point it becomes a devastating thing to our physical bodies. In a spiritual sense, it is possible to ignore hunger so long we just don't realize we are becoming malnourished! Hunger is satisfied as we partake -

Jesus:   I am the bread that gives life. If you come to My table and eat, you will never go hungry. Believe in Me, and you will never go thirsty.   ( John 6:35   VOICE ) One of my favorite things in life is a good loaf of crusty French or Sourdough bread - especially if it is hot from the oven and slathered in butter! It has been almost six months since I have "indulged" in such a treat because I made a conscious decision to watch what I allowed into my body. I have not gone on any radical diet or anything - just good choices and more reasonable portions. I still like bread and even long for it on occasion - but I haven't really given into that longing because I know once I get started, I will want more! That is kind of how it is with Jesus - get one good "taste" of his grace and you just keep going back for more! I live in the desert, so you can understand why I appreciate a good drink of cold water. Yet, I have visited more exotic places, rich with island

" Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither. "  (C. S. Lewis)  I have frequently commented about each of us having an "aim" or "purpose" in this life - without one we are kind of set adrift without any real destination in mind. As Lewis said, when our aim is correct, we realize blessings beyond our imagining - when it is limited by what we can see in the natural sense, we might just not ever be able to enjoy all the things God wants us to experience. If I were to ask you what God wants you to experience today, what might you answer? If you could not really answer that, or you gave some "cookbook" kind of answer, you might just want to take a few moments to reconsider your aim - maybe it isn't high enough! We all know that when there’s a race, all the runners bolt for the finish line, but only one will take the prize. When you run, run for the prize! Athletes in training are very strict with themselves,

Have you ever stopped to consider just how emotionally "starved" we are as a society?  In most relationships, there is such a tremendous amount of emotional "hunger" which goes totally unmet because we don't take the time to meet the need, we fail to recognize the need exists, or we just simply spend more time looking at our own need.  Starvation is simply the feeling of a strong need or desire.  When our emotional needs go unmet long enough, we begin to feel a little "starved".  Sometimes we use other means to satisfy a genuine emotional hunger than what will really satisfy the hunger.  It may be we turn to the pursuit of some pleasure - but the pleasure only lasts for a while and then we are back to the hunger again.  It may be we pursue something we can possess - such as a new car, new home, or the like - but in time, the "newness" and pleasure produced in the acquisition just leaves us all hungry again.  No pursuit of pleasure, possession

Ever feel like you have a "personal enemy" just lurking at your back?  You know, that eerie feeling that you just cannot escape some sense of doom and gloom that hangs heavy over your head?  Yep, we all go through that on occasion - no matter how "spiritual" we are!  Guess what - we DO have a personal enemy - he is called Satan.  His mission in life is to make our life miserable as much as possible - especially if we have committed to living by the principles laid out in scripture and entered into the grace God extends through the life of Christ.  He makes it his point to muster his forces to attempt to dissuade us from that pursuit.  Here's the good news - you'd not be the object of his attacks if you weren't living the way Jesus wants you to! Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same wit

There are a whole lot of character traits I could choose for my "H" List - things like humility, honor, honesty, hopefulness, and holiness.  Yet, I choose to focus on one character trait today:  Hunger.  You see, if hunger is one of your character traits, humility will follow, honor will be your adornment, honesty will be your way of doing business, hopefulness will spring from your heart, and holiness will be evident in your words and actions.  So, hunger really is an all-encompassing character trait for our "H" List today! 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 MSG) This passage is taken from the Sermon on the Mount.  I'd like to back up a little to get some perspective though.  First, we find Jesus climbing a small mountain or up onto a hillside.  Why?  The crowds were gathering and this gave him position to speak to the vast crowd - his voice would carry since what

Enough:  adequate for the want or need; sufficient for the purpose or to satisfy desire.    Desire:  a longing or craving for something which brings satisfaction or enjoyment.  Have you been so desperate for something that absolutely nothing else enters your mind?  You just cannot turn your attention from whatever it is you long for, craving it with such intensity, nothing else will satisfy.  Wouldn't it be awesome if you could honestly say this about God?  He - the object of your longing or craving - would be the center of your focus so much that nothing else would satisfy!  I wonder how we get to the place where God becomes the object of our desire more than anything else in this world? God—you’re my God!   I can’t get enough of you!  I ’ve worked up such hunger and thirst for God,  traveling across dry and weary deserts.  (Psalm 63:1 MSG) David tells us the secret.  It comes in "working up a hunger and thirst for God".  Where is this hunger and thirst "worked

My soul is starved and hungry, ravenous!— insatiable for your nourishing commands.  (Psalm 119:20 The Message) Most of us have never really experienced starvation or intense hunger in the physical sense.  Yes, we might have missed a meal or two, but the intensity of being "under-nourished" for weeks on end is something we rarely experience in most developed societies today.  In fact, what we call "hunger" is simply a "reminder" from our brain that regular intake is required! To be hungry means that we have a desire or craving for intake.  To be starved takes it one notch up - it carries the idea of being on the verge of perishing from being under-nourished.  The idea of being ravenous speaks of intensity - to be intensely eager to be satisfied.  Now, let's break that down a little.   David lays out three different "states" of soul condition here.  The first is the simple "niggling" within our mind, will, and emotions that we nee

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 The Message) I once heard it said that you know that you are living the way God intends when you find that you are taking what you see and hear in the Word of God and begin to live by them.  I think it goes beyond that - to actually living UPON them - they become foundational to all you think and do.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus repeatedly begins a number of statements with the words, "Blessed are you when..."  In the scripture, I found that we are blessed when we exhibit a poverty of spirit, hunger for his righteousness, experience sorrow, and in moments of persecution when we are reliant on nothing more than Jesus to pull us through.  Okay, now that is not a list of "stuff" that I would automatically add to my Christmas wishlist! How many of us can honestly say that we have worked up a good appetite for God?  Most

'Come near to  God . He's heard your complaints.' (Exodus 16:9 The Message) Yesterday, we began to look at the fact that we can turn our complaints from a negative thing into a positive thing - simply by choosing how we choose to use the opportunity of complaining to examine our motivation.  Today, I'd like us to continue in that thought and expand upon it a little.  The people of Israel have been complaining because they are just about out of food - they are hungry!  Truth be told, I complain a little more when I am hungry, too!  There are two lessons I'd like us to see today from this passage.  First, WHO we take our complaints to really does matter.  Second, hunger is a strong motivator. Moses is faithful to take the concerns of the people to God.  He makes a beeline to the one and only one that he knows will be able to handle the complaint of the people.  Israel has just began to experience the tremendous power of their God (having seen the plagues of Egypt an

20  It pays to take life seriously;    things work out when you trust in God.  (Proverbs 16:20) Ever get accused of taking life too seriously?  Guess what...when someone tells you that, they are actually paying you a high compliment!  According to scripture, taking life seriously is something that will find us reward, honor, and integrity.  I have been told on more than one occasion that I am way too intense in how I interpret life.  I guess that really doesn't bother me - in fact, rather than being put off by that insight, I want to learn how to have that intensity without putting people off by it. Quiet reflection is often the "norm" for a believer who is given to "taking life seriously".  There are dedicated times of reflection - times to think things through and run them through the various "filters" we have been given.  Sometimes people interpret this kind of "reflective" time as delaying a response or not being concerned about what i