The Plumbline

God’s readiness to give and forgive is now public. Salvation’s available for everyone! We’re being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-filled, God-honoring life. This new life is starting right now, and is whetting our appetites for the glorious day when our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, appears. He offered himself as a sacrifice to free us from a dark, rebellious life into this good, pure life, making us a people he can be proud of, energetic in goodness. (Titus 2:11-14 MSG) This passage has so much in it, but here are just a few nuggets of truth we should really latch onto: 1) God stands ready to give salvation to all who ask, as well as extending forgiveness as it is sought with a sincere heart. The offered gift is for everyone, but one must reach out to accept a gift - it doesn't just happen without engagement on our part. When a seeking heart is open to receiving the gospel message and leans into the truth that their sins c...

The mystery is that people who have never heard of God and those who have heard of him all their lives (what I’ve been calling outsiders and insiders) stand on the same ground before God. They get the same offer, same help, same promises in Christ Jesus. The Message is accessible and welcoming to everyone, across the board. (Ephesians 3:5-6 MSG) On the same ground. Those words indicate what some refer to as a level playing field. In other words, there is no difference between human beings. No status, race, religion making any man better or worse than any other. In modern terms, the situation is similar for all people - we ALL are sinners, ALL are in need of a Savior, ALL are incapable of being made right with God on our own, ALL must confess our sins and be made right with God through Christ Jesus alone. No other path exists. Right-living begins and ends in Christ Jesus. The same offer, same help, same promises in Christ Jesus. This should give us a sense of hope and encouragement as ...

As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so a life well spent brings happy death.  (Leonardo da Vinci) Mortals make elaborate plans, but God has the last word. Humans are satisfied with whatever looks good; God probes for what is good. Put God in charge of your work, then what you’ve planned will take place. (Proverbs 16:1-3 MSG) Whatever a man pursues with purpose and passion will determine the outcome of that course of action. If the course of action is 'flawed' in any manner, the plan may have been good, but the outcome may not be as planned. The man or woman who desires a 'positive' outcome to life choices must first submit one's life to the leadership of Christ Jesus, then be committed to submitting their choices to him prior to launching out on their journey. The elaborate plans of man to find some 'good' in life are as varied as the sands of the sea. Mankind has always looked for ways to 'do things themselves' but that hasn't always wor...

See, God has come to save me. I will trust in him and not be afraid. The Lord God is my strength and my song; he has given me victory.” With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation! In that wonderful day you will sing: “Thank the Lord! Praise his name! Tell the nations what he has done. Let them know how mighty he is! (Isaiah 12:2-4 NLT) When a person gives their lives to the Lord, asking him for the forgiveness of their sins, there is something that begins within them - sanctification. That is just a big word that means your life is about to change for the better. The things that gave you so much worry and angst will not immediately be gone in a magical poof of smoke, but your perspective will change until one day you gradually see those things no longer as threats to your peace or security. The Lord's strength becomes our strength - an exchange that is definitely no equal in any measure! The things we used to attempt to do on our own are no longer ours to 'mu...

Everybody walking away from the world’s ways is on the way to life, but the one who insists on holding on to his life just as it is ends up losing it. (Matthew 16:25 MSG) In other translations, this passage presents us with what seems to be a bit of an oxymoron: If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. (NLT) The more we attempt to 'hang on to' the way of living according to this world's standards, the further we get from living in close, intimate relationship with Jesus. Forsake those ways of living and draw closer to Jesus in every way. The desires or ambitions of this life here on earth are nothing compared to what Jesus has planned for those who are willing to lay those desires and ambitions at his feet. All our 'worldly attachments' may not seem like much at first, but if any of them interfere with developing a deep and intimate relationship with Jesus, they are hurting us. We form 'att...

As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died. It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God. (Galatians 6:14-16 NLT) Our interest in this world went to the cross the moment we said yes to Jesus - it was nailed there once and for all. We don't have to struggle with this world's temptations and influence if we truly believe all that 'old stuff' of our lives before Christ was actually dealt the final blow of death. We try to complicate this new life in Christ will all manner of things, rituals, and 'systems'. Truth be told, the world only complicates things through 'religion'. All 'belonging to a denomination' will ever...

Eventually, we’re all going to end up kneeling side by side in the place of judgment, facing God. Your critical and condescending ways aren’t going to improve your position there one bit. Read it for yourself in Scripture: “As I live and breathe,” God says, “every knee will bow before me; Every tongue will tell the honest truth that I and only I am God.” So mind your own business. You’ve got your hands full just taking care of your own life before God. (Romans 14:10-12 MSG) We humans spend a whole lot of time comparing ourselves to other humans, don't we? Even in the 'church circles' that we live within, we go about comparing ourselves with others - ones not as 'holy' and ones 'holier than us'. In turn, they are doing similar comparisons. The more we do this, the less we take time to really find out how God sees us.  All will bow before him - all will give an account for their actions while on this earth. None is without excuse - none is going to be so '...

Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness. (I Peter 2:2-3 NLT) Newborn babes cry out when they are hungry, don't they? Having an empty belly as a baby is cause for concern, causing them to raise their cries in order to have their need met. In much the same way, we might just realize we are 'spiritually' quite hungry, running on almost empty, desperately needing a 'refill' of our 'spiritual tank'. We might find ourselves 'crying out', hungry for more of God's presence, desperate for a touch from him. When we cry out, do you think God hears us? Does he have the exact 'resource' we need in order for our 'hunger' to be met? Is he going to ignore our need and give us something entirely different? He hears, he responds, and he has exactly what we need, even when we don't realize...

“Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. (Joel 2:12-13 NLT) Turn to me now. This is the time. This is the place. There you will find rest. There you will find peace. There you will find hope. When all else around is in disarray and calamity awaits at every turn, there is no other place to turn than to God himself.  Give me your hearts. So many times, we try to give God everything else other than our hearts. We want him to take our sins, but do we want to seek his righteousness as equally as we desire to be free of their shame? We want to have our lives in order, but do we invite disorder by the things we listen to, watch, or pursue with the heart God so desperately wants to inhabit? The one who wants G...

For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” (2 Corinthians 5:19-20 NLT) Come back to God... The message is clear. One cannot escape the truth - God's message is one of reconciliation, not condemnation. His desire goes beyond judgment of sin to the means by which one can actually be forgiven of that sin and find the grace to dwell in his presence.  Reconciling the world to himself... There is no other pursuit worthy of our attention right now than to be ambassadors for Christ. The message the world needs to hear clearly is that God wants for all to know Christ. To come into that close, bonded relationship with him. Sins no longer counted against us... We cannot imagine a life free of sin until we say yes to Jesus. We might try to live according ...

But Lord, be merciful to us, for we have waited for you. Be our strong arm each day and our salvation in times of trouble. The enemy runs at the sound of your voice. When you stand up, the nations flee! (Isaiah 33:3-4) If you have ever faced an enemy too fierce, too strong, or too intimidating, you know just how much you take great delight when you see the Lord step in, take control, and send the enemy packing. The more we observe what is going on around us in this world today, the more we realize we need a Savior more than anything else. We need a deliverer, a strong army, and all the hosts of heaven on our side, don't we? Every so often, we get a little too focused on what our enemy is doing, and we forget to look at what our Redeemer is doing. Chances are, we might just miss his movements because we are too overly concerned with those of our enemy! Waiting on the Lord to 'move' or 'act' on our behalf is likely one of the toughest things for some of us who are ...

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. (Romans 3:23-24) All really doesn't mean there are any exclusions - it means ALL have sinned, no one is exempt. That may be hard for some to palette, but it is an inescapable fact. God set a standard - we fall short of it each and every time we attempt to even approach it, so we needed his Son to do it for us. Grace has been and is still being extended to all who would trust him for this great gift of redemption. Redemption is a big word that really means we are made right with a holy God by trusting in the finished work of Jesus. He bridged the gap between our imperfection and God's perfect holiness. We are able to come boldly into his presence now because we have received his grace. The standard was met in Christ - we just need to meet Christ in order to receive grace...

I mean that you have been saved by grace because you believed. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God. You are not saved by the things you have done, so there is nothing to boast about. God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us new people so that we would spend our lives doing the good things he had already planned for us to do. (Ephesians 2:8-10) Sometimes I think we honestly believe we can 'work our way' into God's good graces, but if that were possible, there would have been no need for Christ to come to this earth, sacrificing his life on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins, and then battling death, hell, and the grave to redeem us from ourselves. A gift is given - then it must be received - period. There are no strings attached, nothing the one receiving the gift must do in order to receive it. If that were the case, it would be 'earnings' and not a 'gift'! When I was working, I earned a paycheck. I put in my 40-50 hou...

My soul gave up all hope, but then I remembered the Lord. I prayed to you, and you heard my prayers in your holy Temple. “Some people worship useless idols, but those statues never help them. I will give sacrifices to you, and I will praise and thank you. I will make special promises to you, and I will do what I promise.” Salvation only comes from the Lord! (Jonah 2:7-9) We might think there is no hope in our current situation, but God isn't afraid of the darkness, nor is he one to abandon his children. He gives us all the 'space' we require in order to come to the end of our 'selfishness' and 'rebellion', but he doesn't leave us there forever. When we call upon him, he hears - because he has never left us! Jonah realized the God he served wasn't just some useless idol, but the One True God. His covenant with those whom he loves is forever. Most importantly, he realizes salvation comes no other way. Salvation is more than the deliverance from the pen...

I am the path, the truth, and the energy of life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you know Me, you know the Father. Rest assured now ; you know Him and have seen Him. (John 14:6-7) Pathways don't just 'become pathways' out of the blue. The first set of footprints across that path leaves small impressions where your foot came to rest with each step. The more the same steps are followed - either by your own movement or that of others - the more a "path" begins to be worn. The original footprints are still there, but they are underneath all the others which have passed over the same spot. This a path - the route which has become the place of movement and passage. I want us to begin to think of what Christ did on our behalf as he took the first steps into an eternity of grace on our behalf. Eternity's "grace" path began with one set of footprints, and down through the ages, by others following in those footprints, eternity's ...

If we say that we share in life with God and keep on living in the dark, we are lying and are not living by the truth. But if we live in the light, as God does, we share in life with each other. And the blood of his Son Jesus washes all our sins away. If we say that we have not sinned, we are fooling ourselves, and the truth isn’t in our hearts. But if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away. (I John 1:5-9) Sharing is a concept parents teach their kiddos from an early age. Sharing is really the action of each taking part in the use or enjoyment of what one of the parties in the group has. In some cultures, all things are put into common storage and then are distributed from the common resources to meet the needs of everyone in the community. We may consider "sharing" as what we do when we have a little of what someone else doesn't have, giving it to them so they can get use of it or enjoy it as much as we have. Either wa...

For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:19-21) For God... The message is clear - God made the provision, did all that needed to be done, and now we stand 'reconciled' through faith in Jesus. It is indeed good news that my sins are no longer counted against me, and this should be good news for anyone who has said 'yes' to Jesus. The message is clear - we needed Christ's sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection in order to realize forgiveness of sins and the removal of all the guilt associated with them. God makes his appeal to others through us... We may not believe it, but God ac...

For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” (2 Corinthians 5:19-20) Christ did the work of redemption, but he uses ordinary, everyday folks who have given their hearts to him to invite others to serve him, as well. We bring the message: "Come back to God" - he does the work of preparing the heart to hear and respond to the message. Sometimes I think we might believe pastors, preachers, and Bible teachers are responsible to deliver that message, but nothing could be further from the truth. WE are called - WE are made ambassadors of reconciliation - WE are instruments of his grace to a hurting world. God makes the appeal, but do we 'seal the deal'? Nope! Even that is God's work - we just bring the message. Does the message have ...

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” (John 8:12) If you were in a dark room and someone offered to turn on a light for you, would you just continue to stumble along, feeling your way around obstacles, risking bumping into things as you did? It is likely that you'd accept the invitation to have light brought into the room because you don't like stumbling aimlessly! Obstacles abound in life - many of them of our own making. Why would we choose to just stumble around in the dark, running into those obstacles repeatedly, when we are offered light to help us avoid them completely? Jesus offers us light - light that dispels all manner of evil in our lives, pointing out obstacles and stumbling points so we don't run into them needlessly. Yet so many refuse to allow the light in. It seems to me that we get a little too used to this idea o...

You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. (Colossians 2:13-15) We might use a phrase such as, "I am dead to this world", at the end of a busy day. We have hurried here and there, stood way longer than we anticipated, waited longer than we wanted, got involved in tasks we did not plan, and we are bordering on sheer exhaustion. To 'be dead to this world' has a different meaning in a spiritual sense, though. It means we actually take on 'new life'. The first way of thinking says we are about to get some rest for our weary bodies, while the second one anticipates a 'rest' of a whole different kind! Paul is speaking with the chur...