The Plumbline

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. (Galatians 5:16 NLT) While none of us is immune to 'cravings', we can do a great deal to 'curb' them. Do a simple Google search and you will find all kinds of ways to 'curb' cravings depending on which type of craving you have. People share their insights into food, substance, or habit cravings in order to help others eliminate their own. It is always wise to learn from others who have gone through and come out the other side of some form of craving, isn't it? Then why would we neglect the guidance of the Holy Spirit in helping to curb the cravings of our sinful nature? It is futile to think we can just 'ignore' sinful cravings. Our sin nature makes those desires known over and over again. We don't know how to curb them on our own, so we need the assistance and wisdom of the one who knows not only what will 'curb' them, but what will a...

Few things are brought to a successful issue by impetuous desire, but most by calm and prudent forethought. (Thucydides) A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. (Proverbs 22:3) Thucydides said it well: "Calm and prudent forethought" wins out over those things we do or say out of impetuous desire or the lack of any forethought at all. As scripture reminds us, the 'prudent person' can actually foresee danger and is ready to take precautions. Why? They have spent time with Jesus giving those things a little forethought and 'forward-planning' in order to avoid the impetuous, unthinking actions of sin. We are guilty at times of moving too quickly - making rash decisions that end up in less than desirable results. Some call it falling headlong into a trap set in crafty fashion to trip us up. While we give the devil a whole lot of credit for things he doesn't actually do, we might want to...