The Plumbline

Like it or not, we will not always see eye-to-eye. There will be disagreements, some quite peaceful, others not so much. We will spend precious time debating the merits of someone else's decisions, lack of 'good judgment', or unwise actions, all while they are debating ours. What good does that do anyway? We could spend endless hours criticizing the ones who get into political office, head up our churches, or even lead us in the work arena, but what good comes of all that criticism and debate? It would benefit us much more to heed the advice to think upon the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; and things to be praised, not the things we could curse! Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw ...

People who live following their sinful selves think only about what they want. But those who live following the Spirit are thinking about what the Spirit wants them to do. If your thinking is controlled by your sinful self, there is spiritual death. But if your thinking is controlled by the Spirit, there is life and peace. (Romans 8:5-6) Thinking or not thinking - both can present problems we might not want to deal with. If we think upon things that are not honorable or will bring dishonorable actions into our lives, we get the resulting problems associated with those sinful thoughts. If we fail to think before we act, relying only upon what feels good to us at the moment, we will reap the results that will not always be very rewarding or wonderful. Thinking must be controlled - it cannot just be willy-nilly. If we are to live upright lives, we need a 'thinking partner' in this walk. That is why Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to live within us. We need his presence to help us fil...

 And because you belong to Christ Jesus, God’s peace will stand guard over all your thoughts and feelings. His peace can do this far better than our human minds.(Philippians 4:7) Those who belong - do you 'belong'? Some perceive 'belonging' as having the 'proper credentials', such as when you 'belong' to the country club in your local town and can get the benefits of that 'membership'. Others might think of 'belonging' as 'being properly placed' - having a specific purpose in what you do somewhere for someone. The oldest meaning of this world indicated a certain 'dependence' upon one another or someone with a 'greater position' than you had. If we think of 'belonging' to Christ as 'having a relationship' with one who holds a 'superior position', we might just be a little closer to how this word is used in scripture. To 'belong' to Christ suggests a relationship of willing service to ...

You formed the way I think and feel. You put me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because you made me in such a wonderful way. I know how amazing that was! (Psalm 139:13-14) If you ever want to discount your feelings, don't! God made those emotions, and he knows how you will respond with them when life gets tough, sends a surprise your way, or gets you excited for something new you are about to experience. He formed the way we think AND the way we feel. In other words, he knows how we will 'interpret' the things we are experiencing. To think God doesn't know the way our brains work is a really silly belief. To imagine God doesn't want us to acknowledge our emotional responses to life's moments is also very foolish. He made both and he isn't 'put off' by how we think or what we feel. He may want to help us think a little clearer and have less fluctuation in our emotions on occasion, but he isn't surprised by either! The way we think can b...

Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. (Romans 8:5-7) There are philosophies out there that propose 'positive thinking' is all we need to overcome even the worst of things going on around or within us. The truth of the matter is that humans can 'think positively' all they want, but as long as the mind hasn't been surrendered to Christ, negative thoughts will continue to emerge, as will negative actions. It is more than a 'mind game' that we play - it is a difference in who is in control of our minds! Let the Spirit of God control your mind and you will soon begin to understand the power of God's presence in y...

People who are ruled by their desires think only of themselves. Everyone who is ruled by the Holy Spirit thinks about spiritual things. If our minds are ruled by our desires, we will die. But if our minds are ruled by the Spirit, we will have life and peace. Our desires fight against God, because they do not and cannot obey God’s laws. If we follow our desires, we cannot please God. You are no longer ruled by your desires, but by God’s Spirit, who lives in you. People who don’t have the Spirit of Christ in them don’t belong to him. But Christ lives in you. So you are alive because God has accepted you, even though your bodies must die because of your sins. Yet God raised Jesus to life! God’s Spirit now lives in you, and he will raise you to life by his Spirit. (Romans 8:5-11) Some desires are easily fulfilled, while others are the things we chase after repeatedly and find no satisfaction in ever obtaining. Never forget the "hold" desires place on us as we pursue whatever it i...

Your own mind is a sacred enclosure into which nothing harmful can enter except by your permission. (Arnold Bennett) Bennett also reminds us "it is easier to go down a hill than up, but the view is from the top" - something we'd do well to consider when we are just 'coasting through life'. We oftentimes take for granted the things we allow to 'penetrate' our minds, almost without any real thought to it at all. It is as though the process of things 'getting into our minds' can be a little 'passive' when we are not 'on guard' to keep out unwanted influences and misguided half-truths. Maybe the one thing we can do to 'guard' our minds seems a bit too easy, but in allowing the Word of God to begin to penetrate our minds more and more, we are actually 'setting up the guard'. Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life. (Proverbs 4:23) Indeed, our thoughts dictate so many of our actions - both good and b...

Isn’t it obvious that conspirators lose out, while the thoughtful win love and trust? (Proverbs 14:22) Some of the most 'obvious' things in life can be the most 'elusive' to us. Stop for a moment to consider what 'obvious' really means - available, accessible, discernable. Now, why is it that the stuff that is so easily available, quickly accessible, and totally discernable is hard for us to actually get our minds around? I think it might be that the enemy of our souls just doesn't want us to get hold of this stuff that God provides because he knows just how powerful it will be in our hands! The thoughtful win love and trust. The mind is the starting point for all action - we have established that already in our studies together. If we want to know where we are headed, we need only look as far as our most dominant thoughts. Whatever it is we think the most upon is the direction our actions will be taken. Every now and again I think some thoughts that take m...

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he...  (Proverbs 23:7) Whatcha thinking? It is a common question, but maybe the better one is, "Where you even thinking?" There are all kinds of things that "vie" for attention in our mind. The "loudest" voice is often the one heard the best. Just as much as there are things that demand our attention in our thought life, our emotions are constantly being "played" by the events of our days. Depending on what it is that is running through our thoughts at the moment, our sometimes up-and-down emotions can be manageable, or completely out of control. Therefore, learning to "manage" our minds, or our thinking, goes a significantly long way in learning to live with an emotional "balance" in our lives. Our mind really has two "sides" to it: the totally present and evident conscious side, and the less recognizable, but ever present unconscious. The conscious side of our mind is pretty...

Rene Descartes said, "It is not enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to use it well." How many times do we use our minds as they are intended to be used? I daresay that we probably 'daydream' a little too much at times, veg out on some meaningless TV program, or lull ourselves into blissful repose by counting sheep - all use our minds, but when pursued for way too long, we might not be using our minds as well as we should. The mind is meant to be active - at least a good part of our day - but in activity that is honoring to God. It is meant to consider, concentrate, calculate, and create. It is made to prompt action and stimulate appreciation. A mind focused on self all of the time is indeed wasted - it is indeed not what God intended. Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God’s action in them find that God’s Spirit is in them—living...

The development of habits, thoughts and behaviors comes through both ongoing discipline and repeated instruction. We become proficient at something through the repetitive "doing" or "experiencing" of that task or behavior. God's training of our lives encompasses many aspects, but none so soul-liberating as the ordering of our thought life. The training of God that is directed toward our thought life, bringing into alignment our thoughts with his mind, allows us to develop behaviors that actually build our character on a solid foundation. Train me, God, to walk straight; then I'll follow your true path. Put me together, one heart and mind; then, undivided, I'll worship in joyful fear. (Psalm 86:11-12) The ability to walk the path God has laid out for us comes as we are submissive to the training God brings into our life - especially as it applies to our thought life. When I say "submissive" I am not referring to some mamby-pamby kind of respons...

There is great frustration in communication that does not accomplish the intended purpose. It is like talking to the air, receiving no acknowledgement of what is said, no indication that anyone listened at all. There are times when I share very important information with others, only to have them say they don't remember it, or worse yet, they never even looked at what I sent. I know others of you have the same issue from time to time. We are reminded today that well-spoken words bring satisfaction - these are words spoken in the right season, with the right intention, in the right spirit - the words that accomplish their purpose. Yet, there is not always a clear indication that these words, though spoken well, have accomplished anything - because the revelation of what has been accomplished in the speaking of those words may be delayed until a different season - the hearing  or acknowledgement of the words comes much later. Well-spoken words bring satisfaction; well-done work has i...

Remember how fretting and worrying wears us down and brings us into a place of paralysis in our faith? There is a lot of power behind our thoughts - our way of thinking has a great deal to with how it is we perceive a situation and how it is we will approach it. There are very specific things we are supposed to be thinking on - allowing these types of thoughts to become fertile ground in our minds can go a long way to keeping us from fret and worry. Remembering that there is  first the need to "put off", then to "put on", we can conclude that some thoughts are meant to be left behind and others pursued. For some of us, the thoughts we have been mulling over for some time have become almost habitual with us - maybe not even the best of habits for us to have!  You have to put off a bad or less desirable habit, and in turn, you put on a better one.  When God tells us to have no other gods before him, he also says to honor him with our entire hearts, minds and souls.  W...

Aristotle reminds us, "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." I might add it is equally important to be connected to the one mind that knows what is right to accept and what needs to be rejected! That mind? The mind of Christ. The connection? Found when we say "yes" to Jesus and his Spirit enters that space in our lives reserved just for him. Truthfully, that is when the "real" education begins! Bless me with life so that I can continue to obey you. Open my eyes to see wonderful things in your Word. I am but a pilgrim here on earth: how I need a map—and your commands are my chart and guide. I long for your instructions more than I can tell. (Psalm 119:17-20 TLB) The wonderful things contained in God's Word aren't there by accident - they are purposed to be there because we need to hear and incorporate them into our lives. There are lots and lots of thoughts that come our way each day, but kn...

Marcus Aurelius was an emperor of Rome during the second century, but is noted for being one of the "last good ones" of that era. His main "call to fame" are his writings or "meditations" on dedicated service and uncompromising duty - being a great warrior and temperate leader himself. He was what has been coined a philosopher of stoicism - living with a strong commitment to self-restraint, the heartfelt respect of others, and a compelling duty to one's country. He was known as the ruler who lives a temperate life and was pretty much uncompromising in his principles. One of his statements pretty much sums up his philosophy of living: " How much more are the consequences of anger than the causes of it ." His understanding of this truth may have made him one of the last "good emperors" of his time - because those who came after him actually didn't adhere to some of the valued principles he upheld. One of my favorite quotes from hi...

Eleanor Roosevelt once remarked, "With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts." It is not always the case, for some thoughts can linger for a good while, giving us many a worry or concern just because they are ever there in the recesses of our minds. We have a way of ruminating on those things sometimes without even knowing we are doing it - it just "happens". Cows actually "ruminate" on their food - chewing and chewing it until it is mashed into oblivion. It is where we get the term "chew the cud". Some thoughts are worth mulling over repeatedly, like those that focus us on God's goodness and his grace. Others are not worth our repeated effort to "dissolve" or "change". They just need to be spit out! Let your heart overflow with praise to the Eternal, for He is good, for His faithful love lasts forever. Let your heart overflow with praise to the True God of heaven, for His faithful love lasts forever. (Psalm 136...

Who can see into a man’s heart and know his thoughts? Only the spirit that dwells within the man. In the same way, the thoughts of God are known only by His Spirit.    You must know that  we have not received the spirit of this  rebellious and broken  world but the Spirit that comes from God, so that we may experience and comprehend the gifts that come from God.    We do not speak of these  gifts of God  in words shaped by human wisdom; we speak in words crafted by the Spirit because our collective judgment on spiritual matters is accessible to those who have the Spirit.    But a person who denies spiritual realities will not accept the things that come through the Spirit of God; they all sound like foolishness to him. He is incapable of grasping them because they are  disseminated,  discerned,  and valued  by the Spirit.    A person who walks by the Spirit examines everything , sizing it up and seeking...

If the heart of man is made up of mind, will, and emotions - the place where we make choices, decide which "voice" sounds the most "credible" at the moment, and what it is we will hold onto when times get a little challenging - then we had better figure out pretty quickly what is IN our heart and what CONTROLS it.  If the right stuff is IN there and the right ONE is controlling our heart, then we stand a better chance to have consistency in our lives which is reflected in our correct choices and wise responses. We may think we are doing the right thing, but the Lord always knows what is in our hearts. (Proverbs 21:2 CEV) I enjoy pleasing you. Your Law is in my heart. (Psalm 40:8 CEV) God knows how many times we set out to "do" the right thing, but then somewhere along the way we get distracted by something which influences our thoughts, will, or emotions just enough to get us pursuing something else entirely.  It may not have been our ori...

We all go through life with hundreds upon hundreds of things being input into our brain activity each and every day.  Those things can be the purest of thoughts to the most awful of sights, sounds,  and opinions.  How we manage to "filter" out the stuff we should be letting go of and not spending much time actually considering too deeply or allowing to affect our inner peace is something which takes each of us a little time and effort to actually develop.  Sometimes we don't allow our "filters" to work all that well, with things getting past those filters, and then beginning to affect our inner peace.  When this happens, we begin to latch onto things which may not have much rational basis, but we come to hold onto them nonetheless.  It is important to recognize when things are irrational - but equally as important to recognize the rational "inside" the irrational.  For anything to be even remotely "accepted" by our brains as factual or worth...

Repent (metanoeo):  To change one's mind and subsequently one's actions. The idea of repentance in scripture is not always fully understood, but when Peter preached to the Jews gathered in Jerusalem after Jesus was taken up into heaven following his death, burial, and resurrection, he told them to change their hearts and lives.  The idea of repentance is that of change.  Change is something we all kind of struggle with, ranging from all out determination to not let go of the past to an eager desire to be rid of what weighs us down, but without the wherewithal to actually let go.  The biggest thing we need to recognize about the biblical definition of repentance is this idea of a changed mind.  All change in life begins at the point of our thinking - without a change of mind, we will eventually return to the same conclusions and patterns of action we once pursued. People who live following their sinful selves think only about what they want. But those who live...