The Plumbline

Life Hack #24: A person who plans evil will get a reputation as a troublemaker. The schemes of a fool are sinful; everyone detests a mocker. (Proverbs 24:8-9) We all have come across the kind of people who just love to sit around, planning some kind of misbehavior, waiting for the moment to spring it on someone. Most of the time, it is in jest, but that is not always the case. A troublemaker is anyone who causes difficulties, distress, or worries - kind of out of habit and with a desire to bring injury, harm, or suffering to another. This individual makes a habit of making life miserable for others. Not the kind of people we want to associate with on a regular basis! They are the "instigators" - wherever trouble seems to be brewing, you can pretty much be assured they had something to do with it! Avoid these individuals as much as possible - because the end they desire differs from the end God desires for your life! The troublemaker has a heart bent on evil.  The differenc...

I've heard there are troubles of more than one kind; some come from ahead, and some come from behind. But I've brought a big bat. I'm all ready, you see; now my troubles are going to have troubles with me! (Dr. Seuss) Wouldn't it be nice to always live in a "Dr. Seuss" world where everything rhymes and all in life is whimsical and free? News Flash: The world isn't 'Dr. Seuss' compatible at times! Some troubles come from ahead, some from behind - this is reality. I have to ask - are you ready for those troubles? If you are like me, they sometimes catch you a little off-guard! You 'think' you are prepared, but when they hit you full-force, are you really? A moment of true confessions here - I'm not! In fact, I find myself kind of mulling over the muddle I am in and then realize I am gonna need some help! We are glad for our troubles also. We know that troubles help us learn not to give up. When we have learned not to give up, it shows we ...

Gonna meddle a little here this morning. Do you ever get into trouble? I mean the kind where you just aren't really sure there is any way out of it - the trouble you make or that is made by those you associate with that is just about to bury you alive. The truth is that most of the time we make our own trouble - we don't need the help of others to really do a good job at finding and meddling around with trouble. Trouble isn't a thing - it is a set of actions that lead to a result we probably will find a little undesirable. I joke from time to time that I am 'making trouble' when someone asks me what I am up to, but if I were honest here, the times when I am really 'making trouble' in my life are not a joking matter! I was in trouble, so I called to the Lord for help. The Lord answered and made me free. The Lord is with me, so I will not be afraid. No one on earth can do anything to harm me. ( Psalm 118:5-6 ERV ) As kids, we'd ask our friends if t...

Right now in our country, there is a great deal of discussion, or perhaps debate over the issue of who should hold the highest seat of political office in our government. There are supporters on each side of the debate, but it is hard to tell which way the issue will end. The two parties oppose each other - one trying hard to have an impact on the other until whoever finally 'wins'. Have you ever wondered if your life could ever make an impact - if you could ever be a positive influence in the lives of others? Perhaps you have listened to people of your past or present who repeatedly belittle you, tearing you down every chance they get, making any hope of "impacting" the world in a positive manner a little less than a 'probable' vision for you. Maybe you have tried to make an impact, having ventured out in one area or another, only to find yourself running into brick walls and resistant forces.  Impact can be positive or negative - two possible outcomes exis...

"Here comes Trouble, with a capital T". Trouble is different for everyone - there is no set definition of trouble because it can morph into so many different paths depending on the individuals involved. Some of us seem to "find it" without even looking - it is like we are a magnet and trouble is some form of metal. Others seem to "make it" as though it were some natural outcome of everything they put their minds to doing. Still others seem to do everything they can to "avoid it", regardless of the cost - sometimes even avoiding all manner of living because if they didn't, it would find them. Trouble cannot be avoided sometimes - but we can find a good way to deal with it when it comes! Take a good look at my trouble, and help me—I haven't forgotten your revelation. Take my side and get me out of this; give me back my life, just as you promised. (Psalm 119:153-154) To trouble something or someone is to disturb the mental calm or conte...

In our Christian walk, there are moments when we wonder what is happening - to the best of our knowledge, we are living in obedience, making right decisions, doing exactly what God has asked us to do - then out of the blue, testing and trial seems to come our way. What is up with that - where did we go wrong? There are going to be time when, even in our 'best obedience', we are going to see testing come! The disciples were heading to the opposite shore one day in a boat there were pretty sure would take them safely to their destination - something the Lord had asked them to do - and in a moment of time, their circumstances change. In their obedience, their testing moment comes. As soon as the meal was finished, he insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he dismissed the people. With the crowd dispersed, he climbed the mountain so he could be by himself and pray. He stayed there alone, late into the night. Meanwhile, the boat was far...

" I've heard there are troubles of more than one kind; some come from ahead, and some come from behind. But I've brought a big bat. I'm all ready, you see; now my troubles are going to have troubles with me !" (Dr. Seuss) Could it be that maybe some of us just need a bigger bat?  I pose that question because it seems like there are some in our lives who just don't ever seem to get past or away from those problems which "come from ahead" or "come from behind".  It could even be one of us who just doesn't ever get truly "free" of the things which have come as "troubles of more than one kind". I challenge us not to think about those troubles, but the size of the bat we have been given to help us deal with them once and for all! When the upright need help and cry to the Eternal, He hears their cries and rescues them from all of their troubles. (Psalm 34:17 VOICE) Peter Marshall had a great perspective on the ...

Do you know any troublemakers?  You know, the kind of people who just love to sit around, planning some kind of misbehavior, waiting for the moment to spring it on someone?  In the most literal sense, a troublemaker is anyone who causes difficulties, distress, or worries - kind of out of habit and with a desire to bring injury, harm, or suffering to another.  The point here is that this individual makes a habit of living to life miserable for others.  These are definitely not the kind of people we want to associate with on a regular basis! Another word for this individual is "instigator" - wherever trouble seems to be brewing, you can pretty much be assured they had something to do with it! So, out of respect for yourself, you might want to learn how to avoid these individuals as much as possible - because the end they desire differs from the end God desires for your life! A person who plans evil   will get a reputation as a troublemaker.   The schemes...

Take a good look at my trouble, and help me— I haven't forgotten your revelation.   Take my side and get me out of this;  give me back my life, just as you promised.  (Psalm 119:153-154 The Message) We probably have heard the say, "It is Trouble, with a capital T".  Trouble is different for everyone.  Some of us seem to "find it" without even looking.  Others seem to "make it" as though it were some natural outcome of everything we do.  Still others seem to do everything they can to "avoid it", regardless of the cost.   When I looked up the word "trouble", I came across the very first definition and stopped to ponder it a while.  Take a moment to think on this:  Trouble is to disturb the mental calm or contentment of; to worry ; bring distress ; or a gitate .  Hmmm....in the Hebrew language, we'd put a "Selah" after this so as to "stop and consider" what this says to us. First, when we...

I'm too young to be important,  but I don't forget what you tell me.  Your righteousness is eternally right,  your revelation is the only truth.   Even though troubles came down on me hard,  your commands always gave me delight.   The way you tell me to live is always right;  help me understand it so I can live to the fullest. (Psalm 119:141-144 The Message) Is there really an "age" when you are too "young" to be important?  Sometimes I think we "discount" our potential based on our chronological age!  God doesn't!  He sees potential in the words of a child just learning to speak and the aged who share from a vast wealth of accumulated knowledge.  The "potential" one has is really determined by the "yielded-ness" of one's spirit and heart. Do we all have days when it seems like trouble is chasing us?  You bet!  There are days when I don't know if I have seen my tail coming or going because I have bee...

18  If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed.  (Proverbs 29:18  The Message Bible) This same passage can be translated: " Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint;   but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction."  (NIV)  The idea is that we are often people that seem to require being "in the know" as it applies to what is coming next in our lives.  As we well know, this seldom happens.  W e plan and prepare, but often the best of plans becomes nonsensical when dealing with the things that present themselves at our doorstep demanding our attention and energies.  This passage considers the idea of "revelation".  For us to understand the passage, we must understand that word. First, revelation carries the idea of disclosing something that had otherwise or previously been hidden.  It is common in church cir...