The Plumbline

Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. (Psalm 103:1-2) Another thing to consider as we march through our new year - gratitude. Is the state of our heart one of gratitude the majority of the time, or is it consumed more by envy that leads to a greater state of discontent? Some of the hardest times we can go through involve times of 'comparison' - when we compare what we have, where we are at, what we are doing, or who we have 'become' in light of someone else's accomplishments. Perhaps this is why God warns us against comparing ourselves with others (Galatians 6:4-6). Instead, we are to turn our eyes instead toward him and the things he has for each of us. In this alone will we find the greatest contentment. Our whole heart has to buy into this idea of gratefulness, though. We cannot be 'kinda' grateful 'most of the time...

I remember you while lying on my bed. I think about you in the middle of the night. That is because you are the one who helps me. It makes me happy to be under your protection! I stay close to you, and you hold me with your powerful arm. (Psalm 63:6-8) There are many ways to remember God, aren't there? We can do something quit formal such as journaling his accomplishments in our lives, or raising our hands in corporate worship. In the stillness of the night hours there are times when his goodness and grace will just flood in. In those moments, the praise is a little less like raising hands and voices in corporate worship, but more of a stillness and peace that just overwhelms you. Did you realize settling into that peace is actually one way we bring praise to him? God's work in our lives is evident in big ways, such as when he helps us avoid a car wreck, but he is also working when we may not even see it. In the stillness of the night hours, it is often the time when God can st...

Let your hearts fall under the rule of the Anointed’s peace (the peace you were called to as one body), and be thankful. (Colossians 3:15) "When you enter his presence with praise, he enters your circumstances with power." (Author Unknown) We see stuff with our eyes, hear it with our ears, and even get it into our minds okay, but getting it to actually affect our hearts takes some doing. When we enter - we bring all manner of worry and heartache with our precursor of praise, don't we? When we enter - we bring all manner of emotional upheaval and depth of need, don't we? All we are called to do is enter - with praise on our lips - and then he does the rest! It may seem hard at times to really praise God, especially when the circumstances are beyond our understanding, or the weight of our burdens has become too great for us to bear up under. Scripture reminds us to enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise (Psalm 100:4), but honestly, it is prett...

Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s! (Psalm 103:2-5) Praise God will ALL your heart - mind, will, and emotions. There are just times when we don't 'feel' like worshipping, aren't there? Hit your thumb with a hammer and your thoughts may gravitate toward complaint and your emotions are probably all over the board. Get a bill you didn't expect just when you were planning to make that purchase of something you really wanted, and your mind will start racing to see just how you can fenagle both! Mind, will, and emotions can get caught up so easily at times, but then when it comes to spending time with God, we might just find ourselves dragging our feet a bit, taking our 'dear sweet time' to 'get into' that time! To...

What can I offer the Lord for all he has done for me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and praise the Lord’s name for saving me. I will keep my promises to the Lord in the presence of all his people. (Psalm 116:12-14) We all have those moments when we want to offer something to God, but whatever it is we seem to come up with just doesn't seem like enough. God doesn't ask much from us - he gives us so very much, but he asks little in return (or so it seems). If you have ever tried to keep your promises that you have made to God, you might have discovered it can be a little harder than you first thought! As our psalmist points out, there are a few things we can 'offer the Lord'. If you have also tried to share your faith with another, you are doing one of the things he outlines. The testimony God gives us is actually a 'gift' we can share with others. That hope he places deep within our heart and the sense of freedom he brings into our lives is not easily co...

I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart. Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together. (Psalm 34:1-3) As with all actions, praise is a choice. As Paul tells us, "...let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name." (Hebrews 13:15) I don't think it is unusual for us to allow circumstances or situations outside of our control to influence our choices - we all likely do it on occasion. There is one choice that must be made with a full awareness of what is involved in that choice: Praise. We are determining to praise no matter what difficulty we face - we will not allow those things to control our attitude. Could it be possible that praise is really an attitude? It just might be! Life's tough issues are bound to come to all of us and what we choose to dwell upon in those times will deter...

Honor the Lord, you heavenly beings; honor the Lord for his glory and strength. Honor the Lord for the glory of his name. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness. (Psalm 29:1-2) Honor is something we give to another, but we should never seek it for ourselves. When it comes to God, we first recognize he is worthy of all honor, then we 'ascribe' it to him - we declare it in our minds, hearts, and even our actions. Unlike us humans, he actually deserves that honor! Unlike humans, his 'right' for honor never fades and it is not 'circumstantial'. In other words, he deserves it because he is always consistent, never changing, and divine through and through.  How or when do we honor God in our lives? I think it could begin the minute we begin to speak with him about anything at all. When we consider the words of prayer, are they filled with honor? Do we exalt his name and honor him with our words? Even our songs should bring honor to his name. This is why it ...

As the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.” When people commend themselves, it doesn’t count for much. The important thing is for the Lord to commend them. (2 Corinthians 10:17-18) How many times do you hear someone brag about what they have accomplished and wonder why they find it necessary to boast so much about such a small thing? Truth be told, I have been amongst the braggarts on occasion! Not a pretty sight. Boasting is really for the purpose of calling attention to oneself. As a young person, I thought unless people were always paying attention to you, they didn't like you. My bragging actually drove them away, not closer! Now, it goes without saying, if I catch the big fish on that next fishing outing, I am holding it high, but I don't do it to 'call attention' to my 'angling expertise'. I am just jazzed to have snagged one! Sometimes we 'call attention' to our accomplishments in quite an innocent fashion, while at ...

Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him. (Psalm 95:1-2) What is a psalm? We know there is a book of those things in the middle of our Bibles, but what exactly is the purpose of a psalm? In Old Testament times, they used poems and songs in worship, known as psalms. They were often recited or sung while a stringed instrument (similar to a harp) was played. I don't play a musical instrument, but I am capable of raising my voice in worship to the Lord. Does all my worship sound like a 'poem' or 'psalm'? Not always, but even words of thanks are words of worship! We are instructed to 'shout joyfully' to the Rock of our salvation. Ever just feel like you needed to express something to God, but didn't know how? Maybe you just needed to let loose with a good old, "Wahoo", or the like! What did David show us in the Book of Psalms? He share...

Hallelujah! Sing to God a brand-new song, praise him in the company of all who love him. Let all Israel celebrate their Sovereign Creator, Zion’s children exult in their King. Let them praise his name in dance; strike up the band and make great music! And why? Because God delights in his people, adorns plain folk with salvation garlands! (Psalm 149:4) If God were to hear you sing to him - just to him - what would that song be today? Would it be a lamenting tune, focusing on all the woes of the world around you? Would it be a cheerful, warm, and happy tune, focusing on all God is doing to take care of you at this very moment? Would it be a worshipful song - one in which the focus is not so much what God is or has been doing, but on who he is? His name is worthy of praise. He is to be exalted - not for what he does, but for who he is - our Savior. Celebrating God may seem foreign to some who have not grown up in a home where God was in the center of all that transpired. It may not be th...

But the time is coming—it has, in fact, come—when what you’re called will not matter and where you go to worship will not matter. “It’s who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That’s the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly [humble] themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration.” (John 4:24) Who you are - a believer in Christ, as evidenced by the way you live - that is what matters - not the church affiliation you proclaim. It is clearly a matter of who we worship, not where we worship. Do we worship the Christ, the living Son of God? Do we serve him with our full devotion? If the answer is yes, then we are on the right path! It is a measure of how 'engaged' your spirit is in the pursuit of truth - not that you have the 'onl...

On your feet now—applaud God! Bring a gift of laughter, sing yourselves into his presence. Know this: God is God, and God, God. He made us; we didn’t make him. We’re his people, his well-tended sheep. Enter with the password: “Thank you!” Make yourselves at home, talking praise. Thank him. Worship him. For God is sheer beauty, all-generous in love, loyal always and ever. (Psalm 100) I have a 'password keeper vault' in order to keep track of all the passwords I use - how about you? There is on password that I will never need to enter into that vault, though - the one that gives me access to the presence of God! Saying 'yes' to Jesus opened the access - grateful heart expressing all manner of praise and worship gives me freedom to enter into his presence time and time again. Well-tended sheep - doesn't that conjure up a great picture? I walk through some small 'white fence farms' around me and there is this one place that uses sheep to 'tend' the yard....

The purity of silver and gold is tested by putting them in the fire; the purity of human hearts is tested by giving them a little fame. (Proverbs 27:21) Praise is definitely one of the things which always puts to the test the integrity of a man or woman. Too much and they could get big heads, making it almost impossible to live with them. Too little and they will have issues with their self-esteem, often forming resentment towards those who receive praise instead of them - like bears woken from their slumber, they will lash out. Just enough and the individual seems to flourish. We all need praise - but do we handle it as we should? We all give praise - but is it sincere? Praise can either be an expression of appreciation, approval, or admiration. With praise, we express our respect, and often our gratitude, for others. When we praise God, we are often showing him both respect and an expression of our thankfulness for all he does and has done for us. When we praise someone...

The Lord will send His loving-kindness in the day.  And His song will be with me in the night, a prayer to the God of my life.  (Psalm 42:8) How would you describe the Lord's 'loving-kindness' in your life? As a kid, I would have described it as the nice home I lived in, the neat toys I had, or even the super-speedy bike I rode. As a young adult, I would maybe have thought about the ways God provides for my needs such as a good job, food on the table, and freedom from disease or injury. As an older adult, I now look back over my life and begin to recount the loving-kindness of God in a much different manner. I'd have to say it was known in the embrace of a loving father, the gentle hand hold of a dedicated mother, and the warm hugs from a close friend. It is the 'thank you's' from you kids and grand-kids when you just shared a good meal, or the happy look on your grandson's face when he was the first one to catch the fish on that day outing. Loving-kindn...

How much time do you spend "pondering"? Pondering is way more than just letting your mind wander here or there. Pondering carries with it the idea of considering something so carefully that we are going through the mental process of weighing all the details, with an attentiveness to the details that help us to not miss a thing. God actually commends those of us who spend time in such a manner! This is how God wants us to be considering his actions on our behalf. There is nothing more rewarding than to truly begin to consider God's love and grace in action - it has a way of refocusing our attention and directing our attitude away from "me, me, me" - something we need more help with than we might want to admit. We are very 'me' focused individuals - even if we don't see it, others can attest to this fact! We pondered your love-in-action, God, waiting in your temple: Your name, God, evokes a train of Hallelujahs wherever it is spoken, near and f...

I bless the holy name of God with all my heart.  2  Yes, I will bless the Lord and not forget the glorious things he does for me.  3  He forgives all my sins. He heals me.  4  He ransoms me from hell. He surrounds me with loving-kindness and tender mercies.  5  He fills my life with good things! My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!  6  He gives justice to all who are treated unfairly. (Psalm 103:1-6 TLB) What "glorious things" has God done for you lately? If someone asked you that question today, how would you answer them? What is the first thing that would come to mind as something he has "done lately" on your behalf? Many of us would fall back on the old rote answer of having saved our souls and keeping us from all harm, but how could we be more specific in our account? Many times we find the easiest answer comes in the form of those generalized comments, lacking the true thought or consideration behind it. God isn't stingy in his ...

The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known.   ( Psalm 19:1-2   NLT ) Scripture describes the accolades that are raised as Jesus enters Jerusalem just before he is crucified, with throngs of people laying down garments and palm branches to make a pathway for his entrance, all the while calling out praises to God for all the miracles they had been witnesses to as Jesus ministered on this earth. The religious leaders are none too excited Jesus is receiving all this "attention", so they tell him to rebuke these followers for the things they are saying. Jesus simply turns and pointedly says, "If they keep quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!" All of creation is meant to praise the eternal God, even the majestic skies, roaring seas, and soft babbling brooks. As a kid on hot summer days, I'd find a semi-shaded spot and just "sky gaze" while luxuriating in the coo...

Praise the  Lord  from the earth,   you creatures of the ocean depths,  fire and hail, snow and clouds,   wind and weather that obey him,  mountains and all hills,   fruit trees and all cedars,  wild animals and all livestock,  small scurrying animals and birds,  kings of the earth and all people,  rulers and judges of the earth,  young men and young women,  old men and children.   (Psalm 148:7-12 NLT) I had the privilege of enjoying a solid week with my BFF away from the busy schedules of work life with both of being able to just "settle into" the beauty of nature and the peacefulness of the cool pines. It was enjoyable to take walks among the tall pines and take in the wonder of huge boulders balancing precariously one upon the other. The gentle lapping waters of the lakes and the sound of tiny scampering feet as the squirrels made their way from one "stash" to the other just has a way of relaxing the soul and ...

I know there is nothing better for us than to be joyful and to do good throughout our lives;  to eat and drink and see the good in all of our hard work is a gift from God.   I know everything God does endures for all time. Nothing can be added to it; nothing can be taken away from it. We humans can only stand in awe of all God has done.    What has been and what is to be—already is. (Ecclesiastes 3:12-15 VOICE)   Hard work - we use that term to describe the fruitful endeavors of our hands, the back-breaking labor of our energies exerted in some task needing to be finally accomplished, and the exhaustion of our minds as we settle back to rest our weary bodies after a long day at the "salt mine" we call "work".  Hard implies we had to put some effort into it - maybe it was more than just physically fatiguing because it was troublesome for us to accomplish.  I have undertaken some projects on occasion which game me more headaches and soreness in my mus...

Oprah Winfrey made a comment once which kind of struck me:  "The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate."  I think there is something about celebrating the things in life which God has done in our lives which gives us a deeper awareness of his presence, develops a deeper sense of gratefulness, and just gets us closer to his heart when we do.  It isn't US celebrating what WE have done, but rather us celebrating what HE has done.  Friedrich Nietzsche was a German philosopher who often wrote and spoke of the "death of God".  In his mind, a God who had to be praised all the time was not "worth" believing in.  What a sad state of mind to think a God who does so much for mankind, from creating man to creating all that mankind enjoys, is not worth praising!  Maria Mitchell was a female astronomer (rare in her days) who discovered a comet which eventually was named the "Miss Mitchell's Comet".  She was th...