The Plumbline

Three things I wish for you this new year:   1) That you might enjoy the freedom of living in genuine love;  2) That you might learn what it is like to live with a good conscience; and 3) That you would have true faith through and through. They may not seem like much at first, but these are the sum total of what I think can keep us on the right path this year, if we will embrace the value of each of these gifts. You must teach people to have genuine love, as well as a good conscience and true faith. (I Timothy 1:5 CEV) Genuine love brings a freedom like nothing else.  If you have ever been around those who claim to love, but then you find all manner of strings attached to their love, you have experienced love by man's terms or conditions.  Genuine love has no strings attached - it gives and gives, without "holding out".  This is why God emphasizes his kids coming into the place of realizing the freedom of his love - it sets us free, but it als...

If you have studied along with me for any length of time, you will realize I speak often of mercy and grace.  It isn't because this is the only "theme" I see in scripture, but because I need it so frequently to be extended into my life!  I don't know about you, but every now and again I just need to stop to consider how marvelous God's love really is and how great is his grace extended on my behalf.  One of the amazing things we discover as we peruse the scriptures is this central theme of grace - unmerited favor of a holy God toward an unholy bunch of sinners.  I love the reminders about how man will fall into some temptation which is only common to us sinners and how God will faithfully stand by with a means by which we can return again to our restored state of grace before him.  No matter how far - his love reaches beyond the distance.  No matter how deep - his love reaches into the darkest depths. No matter how all-consuming our fall - his grace envelo...