The Plumbline

26  And in the same way—by our faith—the Holy Spirit helps us with our daily problems and in our praying. For we don’t even know what we should pray for nor how to pray as we should, but the Holy Spirit prays for us with such feeling that it cannot be expressed in words.  27  And the Father who knows all hearts knows, of course, what the Spirit is saying as he pleads for us in harmony with God’s own will.  28  And we know that all that happens to us is working for our good if we love God and are fitting into his plans. (Romans 8:26-28 TLB) Most days I need someone's help - if not "human help", I certainly need the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit. What is so certain is that we have DAILY problems. They aren't occasional, once in a great while, in the by and by kind of problems that emerge - they are DAILY. Sometimes we don't recognize them as problems, but they are nonetheless. Problems demand a solution - ignore them and they just get bigger. Sometimes the

Robert Schuller once said, "Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines." Many times we look at a problem as something that will stop us right in our tracks - impeding our ability to move any further until that problem is removed. The "removal" of the problem may be a whole lot bigger than the progress we would actually make by removing it, though! I have a corner fireplace that is brick from floor to ceiling. It takes up a great deal of "space" in the room and makes that corner basically non-functional since we don't burn fires. I'd much rather "remove" it and have the space to spread out the furniture in the room, but to do so would be so much more work than the added square footage would benefit me! What little I'd gain by "removing the problem" wouldn't actually be worth the expense or the effort. There are times when the problem is best left and we just allow ourselves to be "guided" in how we deal wi

Problems have a potential to destroy those who don't get up time and time again with a renewed determination to face them, deal with them, and be finished with them!  We can get pretty down if all we do is focus on the problem.  When we get our focus outside the problem, into the arena of considering the solutions, we have a chance to actually deal with the issues and get it fixed for good.  Yesterday, we looked at the ways we perceive our problems as influencing what we do with them.  When we see them as opportunities for our growth rather than challenges to do us in, we face them differently, don't we?  I heard a friend once say, "Problems have to be handled on a different level than they were created."  That stuck with me all these years - there is more truth in those words than some may think.  As long as we remain firmly rooted in the problem, we have no chance to get free of its hold.  We find the solutions to the problem on a different "level" than th

Have you ever heard the saying, “I was going the wrong direction, but I sure was making good time”?  In life, we have a lot of different directions – only one really produces the best outcome - - - all the rest are a poor substitute or just plain wrong.  If you have ever seen a corn maze, you know there are a lot of tall corn stalks growing in the field – some have been removed to make a series of paths for you to traverse through.  In the midst of the tall green stalks, you might get a little twisted around and end up back where you started.  If you have ever seen the “birds-eye” view from a helicopter above, you can see plainly the design of the maze.  You know which turns will end in dead-ends and those which will just loop you around to the same spot you started.  The maze is designed to confound you a little.  Guess what?   Life is designed to confound you a bit at times, too!  There are turns which will dead-end us, sometimes after a whole lot of effort getting there.  There are

Ever heard that little verse:  Don't Worry, Be Happy?  Well, try that one on for size and you are likely a little like me - worrying is just a part of life and it is kind of "Pollyanna-like" to just think you can shut it off and "Be Happy".  One thing I know for sure - God wants his kids "happy" - but we get this word "happy" confused with a state of mind or euphoria.  Instead, we need to learn to think of this as a lifestyle - one of being blessed, even in the midst of conflict.  If we consider some of what we have heard to be true about God, we might just begin to see how this is actually possible.  First, he is listening. Now, one of the things which contributes to anxiety more than anything else is the belief no one knows the situation we are in.  It is comforting to know God hasn't forgotten to listen to our needs.  Second, he is ready to rescue.  If we are worrying, we aren't looking for a rescue, but are looking for a way to re

Problems:  A matter involving doubt, uncertainty, or difficulty; a question proposed for solution or discussion; an obstacle.  For most of us, life is riddled with all kinds of problems.  Some are easier than others, but they come and go as surely as the wind will come and go.  The issues this week will not likely be the same issues we face next week or the one after that.  They are new, but really most of the problems we face have similar roots - they just put on different appearances.  It is probably pretty hard for us to imagine a problem as an opportunity for growth.  In my line of work, I have a particular role of identifying the problems, assisting the teams to analyze those problems and then attempt to come up with a solution so the problem doesn't arise again.  One thing I have found is the truth of "recurring problems" - some of these issues we "think" we fix today really just come back again and again - the "fix" was just not long-lasting.  I

'Come near to  God . He's heard your complaints.' (Exodus 16:9 The Message) Yesterday, we began to look at the fact that we can turn our complaints from a negative thing into a positive thing - simply by choosing how we choose to use the opportunity of complaining to examine our motivation.  Today, I'd like us to continue in that thought and expand upon it a little.  The people of Israel have been complaining because they are just about out of food - they are hungry!  Truth be told, I complain a little more when I am hungry, too!  There are two lessons I'd like us to see today from this passage.  First, WHO we take our complaints to really does matter.  Second, hunger is a strong motivator. Moses is faithful to take the concerns of the people to God.  He makes a beeline to the one and only one that he knows will be able to handle the complaint of the people.  Israel has just began to experience the tremendous power of their God (having seen the plagues of Egypt an