The Plumbline

I always remember that the Lord is with me. He is here, close by my side, so nothing can defeat me. (Psalm 16:8) If anyone sees my BFF and I walking together, it is me on the right and my BFF on the left. Why? She hears me better on the right! So, I have learned to position myself on her right because that is her "better ear". Now, to the "unknowing" this may seem like a little oddity they might notice about the two of us, but to those who have come to know us well, they understand perfectly why we "position" ourselves this way. One thing remains true no matter whether we are at work around the house or on vacation together - closeness matters! We want to spend time together because we learn from each other, are encouraged by the strength the other possesses, and just plain enjoy the company of one another. I think our heavenly Father might just want us to come to this same realization about what life is like when we have Christ as our "nearest

Most of the time, we glance over words as we read text - mostly because our brains are good about picking them up, interpreting them quickly and then moving us onto the next ones.  We don't have to read each individual word to get the "gist" of what is often being said, but we may miss out on something if we don't!  This is why I insist on taking scripture "in context", rather than pulling out a verse or two and hanging my hat on it.  The "context" gives us the substance we'd otherwise just "glance over".  In the 5th chapter of the Second Letter to the Corinthian church, Paul lays out the basis of hope in Christ Jesus.  He begins the chapter with a discussion about a particular hope we all have: resurrection.  In fact, he goes so far as to proclaim we get new bodies!  I don't know about you, but having one free of aches and pains seems pretty awesome to me!  Then he reminds us we don't get to "see" this "transit

  How well God must like you— you don't hang out at Sin Saloon, you don't slink along Dead-End Road, you don't go to Smart-Mouth College. Instead you thrill to  God 's Word, you chew on Scripture day and night.  You're a tree replanted in Eden, bearing fresh fruit every month, never dropping a leaf, always in blossom.  You're not at all like the wicked, who are mere windblown dust—without defense in court, unfit company for innocent people.   God  charts the road you take. The road they take is Skid Row. (Psalm 1) The Message Bible really makes several truths in this Psalm plain - let's look at just a few: God respects the choices we make.  We can either choose our own path, or his.  The simple fact is that it is OUR choice - and he honors it.  If we choose to hang out in places or with people that present opportunities for compromise in our lives, we may.  If we choose to be in the place where God can bless us, he honors that choice.  This does not mean th