The Plumbline

But the wisdom that comes from God is like this: First, it is pure. It is also peaceful, gentle, and easy to please. This wisdom is always ready to help people who have trouble and to do good for others. This wisdom is always fair and honest. People who work for peace in a peaceful way get the blessings that come from right living. (James 3:17-18) Right living is not always what we see modeled around us, is it? At times, we observe others and know their actions are going to create havoc. There are even times we can feel ourselves 'winding up' and know very well that the outcome of that 'wind up' will not fare well for us! Confucius once said, "By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest." We often revert to imitation because it is the easiest, but I also know from my own personal growth, experience has played a big part in how I view and r

Do what is good and run from evil so that you may live! Then the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will be your helper, just as you have claimed. Hate evil and love what is good; turn your courts into true halls of justice. Perhaps even yet the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will have mercy on the remnant of his people. (Amos 5:14-15) We all face the enemy, but he doesn't always use the same attack for each of us. His attacks are all aimed at the same thing - getting us to turn our backs on righteousness. James 4:7 reminds us to "...humble ourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from us." Amos tells us to actually run from evil - either way, we are supposed to put some distance between us and our enemy! It is this 'distance' that can give us the time to regain right perspective in the midst of the battle. Without the 'distance', we could be overcome by the chaos of the attack! How do we 'create distance' in our lives? If we are always livi

Dwight L. Moody reminds us, "Where one man reads the Bible, a hundred read you and me." Truth be told, our actions are being 'read' each and every day by more people than we may realize. Jesus was talking with his disciples one day and reminded them, "When you pray, don't be like those show-offs who love to stand up and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners. They do this just to look good. I can assure you that they already have their reward. When you pray, go into a room alone and close the door. Pray to your Father in private. He knows what is done in private and will reward you." (Matthew 6:4-6) What reward will we have if all we do is 'show-off' for others, but neglect the importance of our relationship with Jesus? Moody also told us to 'take care of our character' as it affects how others will perceive us. We may not realize this, but how others perceive us may not be the way we see ourselves! We need God's perspective

I’ve told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world. (John 16:33) Anyone live in a world that seems to shake all around them? Things are looking up one day - making it easy for you to let down your guard, but then down the next, making 'holding on to God's promises' more difficult on those down days. Trusting God when things are shaking all around you is kind of hard - we don't always feel 'assured', much less 'deeply at peace' with all the garbage going on around us. Our peace isn't in any 'thing' - it is in a person: Christ Jesus. Our assurance isn't based on what man knows, but rather on what God knows. There will always be times when we need to remind our hearts (and minds) to 'take heart' - because as long as we on this earth, we will be 'riding' those 'shaking w