The Plumbline

I have seen some majestic waterfalls, but I know there are even more out there to be discovered. One thing that really catches my attention with these huge cascades of water is their intense sound. The thundering of the water as it cascades, falling upon rocks below, echoing throughout the canyons in which they dwell - it just roars and almost deafens one who gets too close. Have you heard the term, "Talk is cheap"? It means it is easier to talk ABOUT something than to do it! Another meaning would be it is easier to talk ABOUT someone than to do something for them. We could say talk is "cheap" in many respects - if our words aren't a sincere revelation of our motives (inner heart), they are simply have no real "force" behind them. They may 'thunder and roll', but do they carry any really power behind them? The words that 'cascade' from our lips should be to build up - not tear down. They should be to lift exalted praise to the one who h...

What or who do you listen to because you feel you "have to"? For some of us, it is our parents - we listen because we know we are to respect them and to listen to their wisdom. For others of us, it is our supervisors - because they are the ones who guide our days and provide that paycheck at the end of the week. For still others, we listen to no one and nothing, other than our own minds and hearts. How's that one been working out for you? I know it didn't work out for me! My heart and mind doesn't always know what it wants - it can be rather indecisive and vacillate with the ups and downs of what is going on around me. It isn't worth listening to sin tell us what to do - and it isn't worth thinking our own mind will actually always know how we are to respond. We need to be aware of the presence of God in our lives, learning to listen to him FIRST and foremost. Only then will we experience all the glory of the goodness he has prepared for us! But now that y...

Our challenge is NOT in having the right advice to offer - it is allowing enough time to pass for the other person to actually WANT our advice! When I was in Bible College, one of the classes we took was designed to give us the skills to "listen" - really intent, serious listening. It was probably the longest and hardest semester learning the skills of biblical counseling - beginning with the skills of listening and ending with the skills of, oh yeah....listening. What was that all about? Somewhere along the way, our professors had learned that answering before listening is both stupid and rude. People were going to want to confide in us, hard things would be shared, and answers would be sought - but we had to learn to hear them out before offering the advice we were just chatting at the bit to get out! Answering before listening is both stupid and rude. (Proverbs 18:13) The failure to listen long enough or allow the time to build the trust that would be required to real...

May the words that come out of my mouth and the musings of my heart meet with Your gracious approval, O Eternal, my Rock, O Eternal, my Redeemer. ( Psalm 19:14   VOICE ) How would you describe the "musings of your heart"? For many of us these are unfulfilled dreams, wishes for things to be a little different than how they are right now, or a change to come that would somehow "kick things into action" in our lives that seem to be at a standstill right now. Did you know the meaning of "musing" is really "meditation"? Did you know the meaning of "meditation" is really the process of spending time in quiet thought? This passage is a prayer - that God would help the one praying it to bring forth words that honor, build up rather than tear down, and reveal the right "meditation" is occurring deep in one's heart. As I get older, hopefully I am also getting wiser. One of the things I think leads us into developing wisdom in o...

Have you ever thought of God as "giving you breathing room"?  I never really thought of it this way, but our devotional times are kind of "breathing room".  The time we take to settle ourselves long enough to reflect on God's word and then to begin to allow it to impact us is also providing us with some "breathing room" from the hub-bub of everyday life.   3-5  You've always given me breathing room, a place to get away from it all, a lifetime pass to your safe-house, an open invitation as your guest.  You've always taken me seriously, God, made me welcome among those who know and love you. (Psalm 61:3-5 The Message) For some time in my life, I looked as my devotional times as "required".  It was taught to me as a "baby Christian" - take time each day to get "quiet" with God.  In those moments, I was to pray, read the Word, and if possible, get something out of the time!  Allegedly - as was reported to me as a...

12-15  How blessed the man you train,  God ,  the woman you instruct in your Word, p roviding a circle of quiet within the clamor of evil,   while a jail is being built for the wicked.   God will never walk away from his people,   never desert his precious people.    Rest assured that justice is on its way   and every good heart put right.   (Psalm 94:12-15 The Message) How blessed the man you train!  How blessed the woman you instruct in your Word!  Awesome words, huh?  Did you know that there are other words for "blessed" in our English vocabulary?  Namely, they are:  Consecrated, Sacred, Holy, Sanctified, Supremely Favored, and Blissfully Happy!  Wow!  Now that says a lot, doesn't it?  The one trained or instructed by God is really a pretty privileged individual! As I sat in English class during my high school days, one of my most favorite things I learned to do was "diagram" a sentence. ...