The Plumbline

Times may seem bleak right now, but we can know that even when disaster abounds and emptiness seems to occupy spaces once fruitful, our hearts are filled with an everlasting peace. Empty 'barns' and lost 'flocks' may not be our worry today, but empty pantries and drained bank accounts may be our present worry. Even in the midst of these struggles, we can rejoice in the Lord. Why? He remains our strength when our weakness abounds! Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! (Habakkuk 3:17-18) Joy comes when we worship him - it actually ushers in his peace and joy when we surrender our hearts in worship. In short order, we find our strength being renewed and our peace restored. These are found in his...

Think about what we have in Christ: the encouragement he has brought us, the comfort of his love, our sharing in his Spirit, and the mercy and kindness he has shown us. If you enjoy these blessings, then do what will make my joy complete: Agree with each other, and show your love for each other. Be united in your goals and in the way you think. (Philippians 2:1-2) What is it we have 'in Christ' that we didn't have without him in our lives? For one thing, we have been given more than just forgiveness as we might think of it. When we forgive someone, do we forget the offense? No, there is a lingering remembrance. With God, there is no remembrance of the sin. When I was in grade school, the teacher would use the chalkboard all day, erasing with those black erasers. It left a tell-tale white residue on the board. At the end of the day, I enjoyed 'cleaning' the board with the soft 'shammy-like' eraser that removed all that residue and made the board look like ne...

Always be full of joy. Never stop praying. Whatever happens, always be thankful. This is how God wants you to live in Christ Jesus. (I Thessalonians 5:16-18) Regretfully, there are just some moments in life when joy is the furthest thing from the emotions we are feeling at that moment. The world seems to equate joy with happiness, though, so when anything disturbs our happiness, we might say that our joy has been stolen by the event or memory. Joy is a much deeper feeling and is not based in circumstance - it is based on the relationship we have with Jesus. Happiness is elation over something that happened - it is fleeting and isn't guaranteed to be 'evoked' all that often. Joy is the emotion that emerges when we remember we have been placed securely in the arms of Jesus, that nothing and no one can rock our world so badly as to remove us from that safe place. Some will understand it best when we say that joy is internally based, while happiness is externally stimulated. If...

You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever! (Psalm 30 11-12)  If we stop to consider what sin does to the emotions, physical body, and even our spirit, perhaps we'd describe it much as being in a state of great loss and mourning. It strips us of our joy, but it also strips us of our hope. We wallow in our downfall much as the mourner 'wallows' in the extreme sorrow over their loss. Mourning involves a deep ache for what was lost - there is an internal agony that often makes its way to the surface. Sin has a way of stripping us down - laying us bare, causing us to bemoan our losses, agonizing that we don't have a 'way back'. We might be incapable of finding our 'way back', but God has already set the 'way back' into motion - we just need to call out for his mercy. As some may...

You have changed my sorrow into dancing. You have taken away my sackcloth and clothed me with joy. You wanted me to praise you and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever! (Psalm 30:11-12 ERV) Some days I just don't feel like dancing, how about you? There are just times when the weight of all that I am feeling 'plants my feet' in one spot and I just muddle through. The more I muddle in the muddle, the more weight I feel. If you have ever walked through a particularly muddy section of land, you would likely have noted how quickly the mud attaches itself to your shoes. Before long, those lightweight shoes begin to feel like lead boots! Sin is kind of like that - we muddle through it and wallow around in it long enough and we will find we get 'weighed down' by the 'attached dirt'. The more we try to move, the harder it becomes to actually take big steps in the right direction.  God's greatest joy is when one of his children actually look down...

The earth has grown old with its burden of care, but at Christmas it always is young, the heart of the jewel burns lustrous and fair, and its soul full of music breaks the air, when the song of angels is sung. (Phillips Brooks) Most of us have all sung some form of Christmas carol at one time or another. It doesn't matter that it was or wasn't in tune, we sang out. Why? There was something about that time of year that made your heart burst into song. Jingle Bells, Noel, or O Come All Ye Faithful - the songs burst forth. We hear them on all the overhead PA systems in malls, grocery stores, and on the radio while we travel here and there. Did you know that singing praises is an expression of joy? It is the expression of the heart to God. With that in mind, let those songs rip! But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Spread your protection over them, that all who love your name may be filled with joy. For you bless the godly, O Lord;...

But he knows where I am and what I’ve done. He can cross-examine me all he wants, and I’ll pass the test with honors. I’ve followed him closely, my feet in his footprints, not once swerving from his way. I’ve obeyed every word he’s spoken, and not just obeyed his advice— I’ve treasured it . (Job 23:10-12) Devotion is the character trait which really cannot be "seen" in the way we dress, what we drive, or the things we amass around us. It is "seen" more in the people we hang around with, the way we spend our time, and the attitude of heart which is exhibited in the actions we take toward others. Devotion is just a synonym for love, evident in where we find our foundation for life, who it is we emulate in our actions, and what it is we commit to without wavering. Devotion also determines our delight - there is very little in which we take delight that does not first begin with an appeal to our hearts. Throughout scripture, devotion is linked with determination - f...

Light-seeds are planted in the souls of God’s people, Joy-seeds are planted in good heart-soil. (Psalm 97:11) Seeds are unique to the type of plant from which they come and their purpose is to bring forth growth that is the same as the plant from which they came. You cannot expect to obtain passion fruit from a grapefruit seed, nor grapefruit from a grape seed. To expect something other than what you plant is just plain silly. You might have planted some 'bad seed' and then hoped for a better outcome than what you planted, but that just isn't logical. Maybe this is why God reminds us it is reasonable to expect to harvest what we plant, and we must plant in order to harvest. The one planting seeds is as significant as the seeds being planted - not to mention "where" the seeds are planted - because the outcome is based on both. If God is the planter of the seeds, the harvest is more likely to produce the type of growth which will edify and build us up. He take...

Just before mom's passing, I found myself crying at the drop of a hat. You might just say something, then almost imperceptibly, the tears would begin to well up and there you are, leaking tears I've never been one of those individuals who "leaks" tears very often, but a good cry does something to cleanse our soul, doesn't it? The most precious tears are often shed right when I least expect them and in times of either anticipated loss, or those times when loss has occurred. Sometimes it doesn't even have to be loss that drives me to tears. I can be driving down the road, listening to the Christian station, when a song comes on which "hits" me right where I am in life. The words do more than carry me along - they minister to my heart. In turn, I might just "leak" a little! Truth is, I like to laugh much better than I enjoy crying! Yet, there are some definite "types" of tears which I think say much more than any amount of laught...

There is not one blade of grass, there is no color in this world that is not intended to make us rejoice . (John Calvin) Too often we almost pass by tremendous things of beauty and never even consider they were put there for our enjoyment! I stop to watch the inch worm make his way from one leaf to another. I observe the slowness and tenacity of the small snail in the garden. I notice the fragility of the opening bud on the hibiscus bush knowing full-well it will be short-lived, but cast such a brightness into the garden. I watch as the leaves slowly descend to the ground on a hot summer's day. These were meant for our enjoyment, not just a casual glance now and again! This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be happy today! (Psalm 118:24) This morning I wish to ask a question: "What have you only casually observed this week?" This is a tough question to answer with all honesty, but I believe it is a necessary one! It could be the very thing you have ...

2  Come before him with thankful hearts. Let us sing him psalms of praise.  3  For the Lord is a great God, the great King of all gods.  4  He controls the formation of the depths of the earth and the mightiest mountains; all are his.  5  He made the sea and formed the land; they too are his.  6  Come, kneel before the Lord our Maker,  7  for he is our God. We are his sheep, and he is our Shepherd. Oh, that you would hear him calling you today and come to him! (Psalm 95:2-7 TLB) After over half a century on this earth, I have learned a thing or two - but I haven't learned everything I need to learn! One thing I have come to realize - not everyone will celebrate Christmas with joy, nor will all welcome it as a season to be "merry and bright". There is a heaviness of heart that engulfs some and the "season" is just not all that enjoyable. Sure enough, on the outside they give a good appearance of "getting into the spirit" of Ch...

Always be filled with joy in the Lord. I will say it again. Be filled with joy. (Philippians 4:4 ERV) In modern days, we often equate happiness to joy and vice-versa. Happiness is dependent upon the circumstances. Joy is something much deeper, welling up from within. This is why scripture tells us to be "filled with" joy. When people are "favored" in some manner, by good fortune, luck, or some happening that delights them, they are said to be happy. When people are said to be joyful, it usually wells from a deep sense of contentment and fulfillment. There are subtle differences, but one is very dependent upon circumstance while the other is more of a lasting emotion. A lot of people try to give really deep meaning to one and a shallower meaning to the other, with happiness being very fleeting and joy more of a lasting emotion. The truth is that both are emotions - one can be a little longer lasting because it is based in keeping our eyes on Jesus even when the ci...

Have you ever planned for a trip, or some big event, and found yourself counting the days until that moment?  I have! In fact, I usually do a countdown till vacation simply because those moments away for refreshing and renewal are not that frequent - I look forward to them with delight.  The process of "counting down" really brings you to a place of anticipation, doesn't it?  I think that is why Advent calendars were invented - to help kids know when they could truly anticipate the time when they would unwrap their presents.  With each passing day, they could look at the calendar and come to a place of knowing how many more "sleeps" it was before the big day.  Most of us don't live with this sense of anticipation everyday, do we?  We might on occasion, but it is not a way of life for us.  I wonder how differently we might see things if we were to truly understand just how short our days on this earth are - would it change how we live each day? Tea...

There are just times when you stand back, examine the fruits of your hard labor, and declare, "Man, that is good"!  Okay, now honestly, am I the only one that has ever looked at a finished project and thought how wonderful it turned out, just admiring all the beauty in the project?  I think this is natural - to see the fruits of your labor begin to produce something kind of excites some sort of pride within you that just tickles you.  It isn't as though we want everyone under the sun to notice what we did - we just find some sense of inner delight in seeing the end result.  When does this become an issue for us?  It becomes an issue when we "thrive" on the compliments for our labors - when we "need" the attention we get from having done the job.  It is as though we aren't just saying, "Man, THAT is good," but we are saying, "Man, I AM GOOD."  Our satisfaction moves from having done the job to having been "noticed" for...

What brings you joy in life?  How is it that you experience joy?  There are many today who equate happiness with joy - if I am happy, then I will be joyful.  Joy comes when you have experienced a "deep delight" in something which you have found pleasurable.  Something exceptionally good or satisfying has been experienced and we find extreme pleasure in it - lasting, deep, and meaningful pleasure.  A silly joke makes us happy, while the experience of the birth of our firstborn may make us joyful.  One carries the idea of the emotional "response" to the situation, while the other describes the condition of the heart and soul as a result of what one has experienced.  Happiness is a little more fleeting than joy - with joy, there is a memory formed which goes a lot deeper than that of the thing which gave us a little bit of happy emotional "release". I’m overjoyed at your word, like someone who finds great treasure. (Psalm 119:162 CEB) To be overj...

As we have begun our Christmas season, I am taking time to look at some of the traditions and decor of the season we have come to just take for granted.  Today, let's explore how it is we came to enjoy the act of caroling during this season.  The practice links back to a Catholic Franciscan monk known as Francis of Assisi.  Sometime in the 13th century, this Franciscan monk was burdened with the long held tradition of the priests singing these lofty songs which the common folk could not really understand, relate to, or participate with.  In his mind, the songs should be simpler, more down to earth, and touch the people at a level they could relate to in their everyday lives.  They weren't just to be limited to the great cathedrals and church buildings, but to the streets, byways, and even the homes of those who celebrate the birth of Jesus.  His impression of the first Christmas, that of Jesus' birth on this earth, was one of celebration and great joy. ...

We are well underway with our exploration of the character traits of a child of God - those traits which actually "reflect" better than any "image" we see of ourselves in the mirror on our wall.  Today, we consider our "J" list - Justice and Joyfulness.  I have chosen a rather long passage, but I think it is rich with blessing.  Justice is really another way of saying we live in such a manner so as to display right conduct.  In dealing with others, and often ourselves, we are equitable in treating others as God has treated us.  Now, at first, this seems a little too easy for us to simply respond, "Check", and move on.  Let me assure you, living "just" lives is a lot harder than some of the other traits we have explored to date!  In fact, because it deals with the behaviors of others, often in reflection of the way they have treated us, it is one of the hardest ones to master!   Train me,  God , to walk straight; then I’ll follow your ...

Breathing Room:  The "space" we create whenever we don't fully occupy every iota of "space" in our lives with stuff!  This is as close to the definition as I could come to - something which I heard my pastor preach this last weekend. As I have returned from vacation, one thing really means a lot to me whenever I can enjoy these times away - they create some "breathing room" in my life.  As I have already shared in past blogs, the time away is really to refresh, renew, and regain what the tough schedule of work and family can take out of me.  In returning home though, I was met with a couple of tragic events right here in my immediate neighborhood.  I learned of the tragic taking of the life of my neighbor's 23-year old son and the sudden death of my other neighbor across the way.  As I heard of these events, the tragedy of a young man taking his own life and the tragic end of a "closet alcoholic's" life, it made me think about the imp...

I have some friends who seemingly cry at the drop of a hat.  You just say something, then almost imperceptibly, the tears begin to well up and there you are, them leaking tears and you standing there holding your hat in your hand!  I've never been one of those individuals who "leaks" tears very often, but a good cry does something to cleanse our soul, doesn't it?  The most precious tears are often shed right when I least expect them.  For example, I can be driving down the road, listening to the Christian station, when a song comes on which "hits" me right where I am in life.  The words do more than carry me along - they minister to my heart.  In turn, I might just "leak" a little! Crying is better than laughing.   It blotches the face but it scours the heart.  (Ecclesiastes 7:3 MSG) Truth is, I like to laugh much better than I enjoy crying!  Yet, there are some definite "types" of tears which I think say much more than any amount of ...

Be blessed,  God ;  train me in your ways of wise living.  I'll transfer to my lips        all the counsel that comes from your mouth;  I delight far more in what you tell me about living  than in gathering a pile of riches.  (Psalm 119:12-14 The Message) It is the Christmas season once again.  As I spent the day yesterday digging decorations out of the shed and erecting the Christmas tree, I began to ponder what should be under the tree this year.  As many do, my grandsons make up a list of "wants" - taking special care to list the items that they hope for the most at the top, working their way down to the things that matter, but just not as much.  At the top of the list are two Disney videos - toward the bottom are the undies and socks!   Christmas morn will come soon enough.  Stacks of brightly wrapped items will be divided at the feet of their respective recipients.  Crumbled tissue pap...