The Plumbline

Gonna meddle a bit this morning, but who doesn't meddle once in a while? How many times do we see someone struggling and then turn the other way, ignoring the struggle because it would get 'too messy' if we got in the middle of their muddle? How about the times we see someone about to jump off some cliff in life that you know will just leave them all messed up and we just shake our heads as we watch them take the leap? If we are to be honest here, we have all likely been in the position of seeing someone about to 'fall into sin' and then found it has become fodder for 'gossip' and 'poking fun' at that individual. Why do we point out the sin of others instead of stepping in to help them be restored? It could be us there one day, my friends. How would you like someone to respond if the tables were turned? Just a little food for thought here, but I think we all might like to have someone come to our aid rather than poke fun at our failure or find fault ...

Leonardo da Vinci reminds us, "It's easier to resist at the beginning than at the end." Thinking on that one for a moment, we all probably could benefit from keeping that in mind because most of us try to resist closer to the end than at the beginning of the temptation. We go to the store hungry - then wonder why we are tempted to buy all the things we aren't supposed to be snacking on if we are to maintain our healthy lifestyle. Now, if we had planned a little better, having a nice breakfast before we head out to do the shopping, we are likely going to stick closer to the shopping list and avoid those unhealthy choices! Why? We resisted by planning on the temptation to be there! So give yourselves to God. Stand against the devil, and he will run away from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. You are sinners, so clean sin out of your lives. You are trying to follow God and the world at the same time. Make your thinking pure. Be sad, be sorry, and cry!...

Praise the Eternal!  All of you who call yourselves the children of the Eternal, come and praise His name.   Lift Him high to the high place in your hearts .  At this moment, and for all the moments yet to come, may the Eternal’s name ascend in the hearts of His people .  At every time and in every place— from the moment the sun rises to the moment the sun sets—may the name of the Eternal be high in the hearts of His people .  (Psalm 113:1-3 VOICE) What does it truly mean to be an overcomer?  I was listening to a gal share an article from her AA magazine which described a transition in thought and practice which occurs when you are finally "overcoming" your addiction.  It described the situation of being in line at the checkout counter, finding yourself constantly counting the items the individual has on the belt in front of you to see if they "really" qualify to be in the line - judging others.  As you first begin to overcome the addictio...

Toby Mac is a Christian artist, but he also has some pretty profound posts which appear periodically on my Facebook feed. This weekend one came across I'd like to share: "Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent." I once heard it said a stepping stone is a great thing until it becomes the thing we stumble over. Someone once told me it is pretty doggone hard to actually fall down until you are willing to get up. In other words, you cannot just sit there and actually get anywhere - sometimes it takes a few stumbles, downright falls, and a hand to help you up to get you to the next destination in life! Two are better than one because a good return comes when two work together.  If one of them falls, the other can help him up. But who will help the pitiful person who falls down alone?  In the same way, if two lie down together, they can keep each other warm. But how will the one who sleeps alone stay warm against the nig...