The Plumbline

In light of all this, here’s what I want you to do. While I’m locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences. (Ephesians 4:2) Walk, better yet, run! How many of us have barely figured out how to walk with Christ, let alone actually run well? This walking with Christ thing isn't as easy-peasy as 'snap your fingers and make it so', is it? We actually have to take some steps in the 'training' of our lives to be able to 'work up to' running with him. We all have a road to travel - at first by just taking some consistent steps forward - eventually learn...

Here's how we can be sure that we know God in the right way: Keep his commandments. If someone claims, "I know him well!" but doesn't keep his commandments, he's obviously a liar. His life doesn't match his words. But the one who keeps God's word is the person in whom we see God's mature love. This is the only way to be sure we're in God. Anyone who claims to be intimate with God ought to live the same kind of life Jesus lived. (I John 2:2-6 MSG) Pretty plain, isn't it? If we claim to know him well, we will keep his commands. Period. No arguing the fact - our life needs to match our words. We all have probably heard the saying, "Do as I say, not as I do". No wonder we are confused about this "life matching words" concept! God isn't all that excited when we talk the talk, but then neglect to walk the walk! If the image we behold the most is contrary to what we aspire to be, is the pattern we are following a great one f...

I am learning to build stuff from wood, but trust me on this one, the design may be good, but the execution of the measurements may not always be. Hence the little saying in woodworking: "Measure twice, cut once." I have made some stuff that looked great, but when we went to use it as it was designed, it was too narrow, too wide, too long, or too wobbly. All the work that went into it was grand. I took great care to sand, stain, and finish the piece, only to find it didn't 'measure up'. I wonder how many times we think we are building "good stuff" into our lives, only to look back and see how little we actually "built" that was all that 'good'. We always seem to think the endeavors of our lives are totally worthwhile - but in retrospect, how many of them really produced what we originally believed possible? The most amazing thing happens though when we set out on an endeavor with God - usually MORE than we believed possible happens! I...