The Plumbline

But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.   For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror.   You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.   But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. (James 1:22-25) We sometimes forget God's Word is more than a message we merely hear. We must take it a step further - obedience. Obedience to God's Word may seem to be a bit 'unconventional' to the majority who surround you, but it doesn't make it okay to ignore it. It is not obeyed in bits and pieces, but in its entirety. It was given to us to help us know God, understand how he works and moves, and to pattern our lives accordingly. Whenever we ignore God's Word, we might not think it will matter all that much, especially when it is ignor...

I don’t mean that I am exactly what God wants me to be. I have not yet reached that goal. But I continue trying to reach it and make it mine. That’s what Christ Jesus wants me to do. It is the reason he made me his. Brothers and sisters, I know that I still have a long way to go. But there is one thing I do: I forget what is in the past and try as hard as I can to reach the goal before me. I keep running hard toward the finish line to get the prize that is mine because God has called me through Christ Jesus to life up there in heaven. (Philippians 3:12-14) All of us can truthfully say that we ae not exactly what God wants us to be - we haven't fully reached that point where we have done all we should do, developed all the character traits God wants us to develop, or completely been the person he wants us to be to reach others for him. The best we can admit to being is one that is 'continuing on' - doing what we are asked to do, learning from the instruction we receive, and ...

How does love blossom and mature? Perhaps it grows through time spent together, doing the little things that make the moments special. It might also be the pursuit of things important to the other person, considering their wants and needs above your own, and laying down your life for theirs. Spending time together is a whole lot easier than this idea of considering another's needs above our own, or being sacrificial in our time, energies, or talents. Yet, the more closely we allow love to be based on the pursuit of things important to the other person, learning to consider their needs above your own, and giving out of our lives in a sacrificial manner, the closer we are coming to emulating the love Jesus has for his children! I pray that your love will keep on growing and that you will fully know and understand how to make the right choices. Then you will still be pure and innocent when Christ returns. And until that day, Jesus Christ will keep you busy doing good deeds that brin...