The Plumbline

There is a lot of emphasis today on getting education. We start children in educational opportunities as early as pre-preschool and encourage advancing our education by adding advanced degrees to fill the period after the end of our college days, as well. Trade schools have risen all over the place, offering degrees to those who want to simply better themselves in one particular field of study without going the long route of learning all that other stuff the 'regular' colleges and universities require for a degree. Education is at a premium in our society. Why is it then that we scoff at the wisdom God offers - at the education he provides in his Word? Give advice to a wise person, and he will become even wiser. Teach a righteous person, and he will learn more.  (Proverbs 9:9)  Show me how you work, God; school me in your ways.  (Psalm 25:4) King David was adamant that the one thing he wanted in his life was to know how God works - to be schooled in God's w...

Many of us have a tendency to listen, but be less than attentive to what we are hearing - something which quite honestly results in a little less than "perfect obedience" when it comes to us listening to God.  It should not surprise us God puts these concepts of "listening" with "obedience" and "learning" with "living".  What we hear, we are to respond to in a prompt manner.  What we come to know, we are to live out.  It is repeated over and over in scripture.  In fact, James warns against being a "hearer" and not a "doer" of the Word -  Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other.  Act  on what you hear! Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like . (James 1:22-23 MSG)  This "in one ear, out the other" thing runs...

1-2  When Abram was ninety-nine years old,  God  showed up and said to him, "I am The Strong God, live entirely before me, live to the hilt! I'll make a covenant between us and I'll give you a huge family." (Genesis 17:1-2 The Message) Two things popped out to me from this passage - God's call is never too late, and his expectations are quite extensive!  Abram (Abraham) was nearly a century old when God placed the call on his life.  Imagine that in today's life-span and it was late into life that he received his call.  There are times that I hear more mature Christians saying that God cannot use them any longer.  That is hog-wash!  God's call is irrespective of age, natural talent, or financial means!  His call transcends our physical limitations, infuses us with talents we never thought we'd possess, and makes miraculous provision for every inch of the journey! The Lord spoke with Abram and gave two very specific expectations to him: ...