The Plumbline

When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn’t grow into a plant unless it dies first. And what you put in the ground is not the plant that will grow, but only a bare seed of wheat or whatever you are planting. Then God gives it the new body he wants it to have . A different plant grows from each kind of seed. (I Corinthians 15:36-38) A seed must undergo a transformation before it ever can bear fruit. It goes into the ground, but it is still not a plant capable of fruit-bearing. Until the transformation occurs that reveals roots, stem, branches, and eventually buds occur there is no real 'hope' for fruit. The seed is merely a promise of what is about to come, but if you are anything like me, your garden seeds don't always seem to sprout, much less produce! The seed 'exists' - under the soil. It just never sprouted. There is probably a whole lot of seed in our lives that 'exists' but never sprouts. We might not realize how much seed is actually 'wasted...

 But don’t let sin control your life here on earth. You must not be ruled by the things your sinful self makes you want to do. Don’t offer the parts of your body to serve sin. Don’t use your bodies to do evil, but offer yourselves to God, as people who have died and now live. Offer the parts of your body to God to be used for doing good. Sin will not be your master, because you are not under law. You now live under God’s grace. (Romans 6:12-14) To be controlled is to be dominated by someone or something. We can be controlled by 'things' as easily as we can be controlled by another person. We can also be controlled by thoughts, emotions, and even desires. Perhaps this is why it is so important to be constantly aware of who or what is exerting control over our lives - giving direction to our lives. When we are allowing control to anyone or anything other than Christ, we are in danger of being controlled by what could bring us harm. That which has 'direction over' our live...

This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people. For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you... Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory. So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect (mature) in their relationship to Christ. (Colossians 1:26-28) The message is clear - God wants us in his family. There are unrealized riches awaiting all those who say yes to Jesus. Because Christ lives in us, all that Christ possesses - his riches and glory - are shared by those who enter into this relationship. The more we hear this message, the more it should strike a chord within our hearts that reminds us just how much we are loved. We could have been abandoned to our sin, but God chose to give us the very thing that would cause sin to relinquish its control over our lives - Chris...

When asked what some of my favorite passages are in the Bible, I generally reference the people or writers I connect with for some reason. For me, the Pauline epistles and the Book of Proverbs are probably some of my most 'frequented' reading. I have found much that I connect with when studying the life of David and have learned much about how to connect with the heart of God through simple, honest sharing of my heart as he did. I have to say that the Pauline epistles speak to me about how we should live, treat others, and the hope we have in Christ Jesus. Regardless of where you find your greatest connection in the Word, the most important thing is that the Word is taken in regularly, meditated upon with much thought, and allowed to change you from the inside out. That is what God intended by giving us such a magnificent book - the Bible. This letter is from Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by ...

Begin to be now what you will be hereafter.  (William James) 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 . (Galatians 6:14-15) What will you be when you grow up? Do you remember being asked that question so many times as a kid? I have been asked that question several times as an adult, so I guess I haven't 'grown up' sufficiently for some! I have a different way to ask this question today: What will you be when Christ is fully done with you? Each and every day is another opportunity for Christ to work within our lives - transforming us into this 'new creation' he has in mind for each of us. As he moves across our lives, we are transformed, renewed, and almost 're-engineered'. W...

Some try to live like saints - others know just how much of an impossibility sainthood really is! The good news is that God can make somebodies out of nobodies - he can actually make saints out of sinners! We all bear many names such as son, daughter, mother, father, worker, foreman, leader, and even child. None of these names really defines us as God would have us defined, though. We are each individually defined by the 'new name' he writes upon our hearts the moment we say "yes" to Jesus. That new name doesn't make us who we are in Christ Jesus - it is given because of what God has done in us. We call Abraham “father” not because he got God’s attention by living like a saint, but because God made something out of Abraham when he was a nobody. Isn’t that what we’ve always read in Scripture, God saying to Abraham, “I set you up as father of many peoples”? Abraham was first named “father” and then  became  a father because he dared to trust God to do what only Go...

Times of transition can be both upsetting and thrilling at the exact same time. We get scared because of what we are seeing an end to something we have held dear or worked with for quite some time, but we are awesomely excited about what may be forthcoming as we take on the new venture. The moment we commit to take those steps forward, we are lambasted with all manner of doubt, anxiety, and maybe even a little bit too much adrenaline! The emotions evoked in transition can be undeniably hard to maneuver through, but when we move from one thing to another, there will always be a little bit of emotional 'build up' experienced in making that transition. Transition is a time of unrest for all of us. We like the familiarity of what we have come to know as "constant" and "secure" in our lives. When transition is called for, we often feel like our "legs are being pulled out from under us". This might be why we are as apprehensive in transition as we appear...

Jesus came down the mountain with the cheers of the crowd still ringing in his ears. Then a leper appeared and went to his knees before Jesus, praying, "Master, if you want to, you can heal my body." Jesus reached out and touched him, saying, "I want to. Be clean." Then and there, all signs of the leprosy were gone. Jesus said, "Don't talk about this all over town. Just quietly present your healed body to the priest, along with the appropriate expressions of thanks to God. Your cleansed and grateful life, not your words, will bear witness to what I have done ."  (Matthew 8:1-4) I have often wondered why Jesus asked this leper to NOT go all over the place, proclaiming the tremendous miracle that had happened in his body.  The natural result of being so totally healed would have been to jump for joy - maybe even shout aloud - running through the streets telling everyone willing to listen the story of one's healing.  Yet, Jesus asks him to be ...

There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly. (R. Buckminster Fuller) I think there are many butterflies waiting to emerge in this world! All the while, we are crawling around, on our way to becoming something of great beauty and majesty, but have no clue just how that will be accomplished. We do what we know to do - live the life of the caterpillar! I don't know if caterpillars "sense" the time has come for change, but I think God helps us to be able to "sense" there is a change occurring in our lives. It is his grace at work and we cannot deny something is happening, even when we don't know it is that we are taking on the beauty and freedom of the butterfly! Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think. Then you will learn from your own experience how his ways will really satisfy you. (Romans 12:2 TLB) I don't understand wh...

You will never exaggerate when you speak good things of God. It is not possible to do so. Try, dear brethren, and boast in the Lord. (Charles Spurgeon) What do you exaggerate about the most frequently? Is it your weight, age, or even your income? Is it the state or condition of your soul, telling someone you are "fine" instead of being truthful about the fact life is falling apart all around you? Is it perhaps the small things like that you'd be happy to do something for someone, all the while begrudging that they are asking for yet another favor from you? It seems we have become a society that appreciates being in-genuine instead of remaining true to our integrity. We boast about stuff we really don't control, while we remain silent about stuff we probably need to be more forthcoming with. It is far better to boast in what is true, reliable, and consistent - the grace and love of God! 14 As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lor...

8  God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.   9  Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.   10  For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.  (Ephesians 3:8-10 NLT) It always amazes me to read this passage time and time again, just to recount the truth that all our "good works" really amount to tiddly-squat in terms of "earning" us anything in the economy of heaven. All we need for life and godly living doesn't come from what we "do", but in where it is we place our trust and hope. Paul opens this letter to the Ephesians with several truths that build up to the one he gives above. Namely - we are where we are today and what we are today, not because of our own effort, but because of what God makes us "in Christ Jesus". All we exist to be or b...

I watched a nature show last week in which a bald eagle landed on some fresh black tar laid on the roadway.  It was still hot and very sticky.  He became trapped in the sticky substance, all while trying to catch a meal nearby in the same mired mess.  Sadly, neither accomplished their task - the bird of prey did not get his meal, nor did the rodent cross to a place of safety.  I believe it may have been Joel Olsteen who said something like: "No matter where you at this very moment, this isn't the place you are meant to get stuck or hang out forever.  Each of us was created to rise above that present level and begin to soar to new heights."  Those aren't his exact words, but you get the idea.  I think it goes without saying - we all get "stuck" at some level in life where we just don't really know how to break free of whatever it is we are mired in.  Those times can be the hardest, but they can also be the most rewarding because they will test our...

As I was growing up, I remember doing all manner of "things" which I hoped would have made me acceptable to some group of individuals.  Some of them were kind of insignificant, like just dressing to be acceptable to my peer group, while others were pretty much crossing the line because the actions either "broke the law" or "broke some rule".  By the actions I took, I either disregarded the clear-cut instructions of my parents or some other superior in my life, or I actually engaged in activities which put me at odds with the laws we are all supposed to live by.  I trespassed into private property, sometimes with complete disregard for the danger this could present to both me and those with me.  At other times, I found myself telling one lie to cover another, simply because I thought the truth would make me somehow "uncool" or "unacceptable" in the group I desired so much to be accepted within.  I expected my actions to somehow "ch...

I spent a few years in the theater in high school and then into the military as part of my career there.  I was not a "performer" in the theater, although I did have a small part in a production once, but it was really not my forte.  I was a "behind the scenes" kind of person - building sets, finding just the right props, etc.  I liked the challenge of taking a totally flat surface of canvas stretched taught over a frame and turning it into the backdrop resembling old structures, hillsides, or the inside of a 1930's parlor.  It intrigued me to see the sets come together and then stand back to see the "effect" they created.  Two dimensional flats gave the appearance of three dimension and took you into worlds you might not have traveled otherwise.  What made theater so interesting for others was the ability to "perform" the parts of the characters in the production.  They enjoyed the challenge of getting the role down, including the accent, a...

I have been in stores and observed tags which read, "As Is".  Whenever I see these, I chuckle a little under my breath because people are willing to buy things with "flaws", simply because they are a bargain.  The "deal" associated with the "As Is" condition of the object really doesn't matter too much - you can hide the small "ding", or use a "blemish stick" to cover over the scratch. When it comes to other human beings, we often see the "flaws" as too much to deal with!  The "dings" and "scratches" and the announced "As Is" condition really make it hard to accept them.  One of the most difficult things in life is to be who we really are - no pretense, no made-up fronts - just plain and simply "us".  Why?  It is probably a combination of things, but one of the most obvious is our sense of others not being willing to accept us "as we are". I'd like to challen...

There are two word which are similar, but have a totally different meaning when you get down to the nitty-gritty of it.  The two words:  Reformation and Transformation.  Reformation is the action of improving, but it involves altering or amending something to make it more presentable or suitable.  Transformation involves change, but it is at the core - it is the change in the very nature of the object.  Reformation involves "cleaning up" something - superficial at best.  Transformation included the exchange of on thing for another.  Any time we focus on "cleaning up our act", we are engaging in "reformational" action - any time we allow God to focus on "changing our nature" we are giving him access to do his tranformational work within us. For though you wash yourself with lye and use much soap, yet your iniquity  and  guilt are still [upon you; you are] spotted, dirty, and  stained before Me, says the Lord.  (Jeremiah 2:22 AMP) ...

There is something of great release which comes when you can finally let go of the fear of keeping the pages of your life so tightly shut - for in the opening of the pages, the "editing" can begin.  As a writer, one of the things I sometimes find the most difficult is to edit "out" content - but the pages are made the richer then I do.  Our lives are the same way - when we allow God to edit out some of the content which really doesn't lend to our lives, we find the thing produced is much closer to what the "author" intends to say with our lives! God  made my life complete  when I placed all the pieces before him.   When I got my act together,   he gave me a fresh start.   Now I’m alert to  God ’s ways;   I don’t take God for granted.   Every day I review the ways he works;   I try not to miss a trick.   I feel put back together,   and I’m watching my step.   God  rewrote the text of my life   when I opened...

Ever been somewhere, not dressed at your best, experiencing anything but your best hair day, and maybe not totally acting your normal "self", only to come face-to-face with someone you know?  How'd it make you feel?  Kind of self-conscious?  Or perhaps like you wanted to crawl under a rock?  We've all had those moments!  What did we fear the most in those circumstances?  Wasn't it that we knew perfectly well that people evaluate others by how they look and/or how they are "behaving" at that moment?  The truth is people evaluate people - don't they?  The danger is that we only see "in part" - most of what makes up an individual is actually on the inside, isn't it? Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don’t look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the ...