This is a good that came from a friend on facebook this week.
by Tammy Phillips January 10, 2021
Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You. (Psalm 119:11 NKJV)
We try to make things so difficult, but God usually has a simple plan. His word says in Matthew 7:14, “Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
In Psalm 119:11, the way that we do not sin, go the wrong direction or miss the mark is plainly stated. We have to FACE the BOOK. We need to gets God’s word on it. We need to turn off anything and everything, television; the phone; social media including, Facebook, and FACE the BOOK. Every time we enter social media, let its very title remind us where we should be.
Facebook: FACE the BOOK
Instagram: An instant, a single thought or point, then gone. Instead, seek the ENDURING, life changing, and life giving word of God
Twitter: by definition is small, tremulous, intermitted noises; One who twits or reproaches; half suppressed laugh. Definitely, turn off this noise, and turn on the healing, encouraging, building-up word of God.
Tik Tok: Time is a wasting here.
Pinterst: Our interest and attention should be directed to the word of God
Television: Has been a box that distorted everything and allowed sin to enter our homes and lives. We need GOD-vision
Phone: How many hours have we lost on the phone? Phone God. Pray to Him.
All of these things can be used to bring glory to God. However, like anything in excess, it can be destructive. All of these media avenues can steal our time, joy and peace, if we spend too much time there and not in the truth, the word of God.
We must hide, treasure and store up His word In our heart. Simply, we should deposit what God says about a given temptation or way of life into our heart. When the temptation or trial comes our way, we can withdraw the deposits of Word in our heart and apply it to our life. As we exercise the word, it prevents us from missing the mark. It directs us on the straight and narrow way of life. It keeps us plumb and aligned.
I enCOURAGE you to hide His word in your heart every day. Treasure it! It is the only way to life and truth. Turn off all the other noise and distractions.
P.S. I think it very cool that I am located on WORDPRESS. I hope that these encouragements help you press into the word. I pray they lead you into God’s word. If you would like to follow Complete in Him posts, I would appreciate you giving me a follow by signing up for daily emails below.
Is this not the most perfectly descriptive picture of the Father’s love for us? “Hop on and let’s cruise! I got you covered!”
by Tammy Phillips January 9, 2020
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. (3 John 1:2 NKJV)
I love this verse. It shouts to me BE LOVED. I hear, “I love you so much I want the best for you!” When we look at the word prosper, our mind automatically thinks of wealth. Prosper Is the Greek word, euodoō. It means to grant a prosperous and expeditious journey; to do well on the road. John’s blessing to his friend, Gaius, could be interpreted like this: “be loved and I hope you have a good journey on this road of life.”
John also added, “be in health.” The word health does not just mean healthy in body. It also signifies being, sound, being whole, body, mind and spirit.
Johns concluded with the phrase, “just as your soul prospers.” Soul is the Greek word, psyche, meaning, the breath of life; the seat of feelings, desires, affections; mind. Simply, the soul is our breath of life. It is our mind, will and emotions. We can conclude, if our mind, will and emotions are in good shape, then our body should follow. If our soul is sick, stressing, or life has punched us and taken away our breath, it is most likely the body will follow or falter.
David Guzik said in his commentary at blueletterbible.org:
‘“Both verbs [for prosper and be in health] belonged to the everyday language of letter writing” (Stott). This phrase is so common that sometimes it was condensed into only initials, and everyone knew what the writer meant just from the initials. The abbreviation used in Latin was SVBEEV, meaning “Si vales, bene est; ego valeo – “If you are well, it is good; I am well.”’
According to the words of John…
I enCOURAGE you to BE LOVED. Have the greatest journey on the road of life. Be whole, healed and complete in Him. Get your mind in shape and your body will follow. SVBEEV, Si vales, bene est; ego valeo – “If you are well, it is good; I am well.” This is the declaration for your life today.
This is my comfort and consolation in my affliction: that Your word has revived me and given me life. (Psalm 119:50 AMP)
Comfort in affliction sounds like an oxymoron.
The two do not mix. BUT GOD…
Affliction in Hebrew is the word `oniy. It means trouble or misery. It comes from the word `anah which means depressed; oppressed; humbled; be afflicted; to be downcast.
How do we find comfort in affliction? The Word of God! The Word is Jesus. The Word revives us. The Word gives us life. Just a few minutes reading the Word, speaking the word, or listening to the Word brings life, salvation and comfort to the afflicted, the miserable and the depressed.
I enCOURAGE you to read the Word and simply do what it says. It is our consolation in any time of affliction. The Word is our comfort when there is no other comfort to be found. And it does revive and give life in ALL situations.
by Tammy Phillips from January 7, 2020 for January 7, 2021
Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, [and] rivers in the desert. (Isaiah 43:19)
I have seen or heard this verse it seems like a dozen time since the New Year. I have been asking God for the past few days, “What’s up with this word?” Tonight, as I was asking Him what enCOURAGING word do you want me to share, He chose this one. Later, as I was sitting briefly sitting on the potty, a place of solitude, where He has my full attention. He directed me to browse the pictures of sunrises and sunsets that we have shared. I was amazed.
It was as if He stepped into the room. The room became a gallery of large masterpieces, no two were alike. I heard Him say, “LOOK! I will do a new thing! Every morning and every evening, I do a new thing. From the beginning of time through eternity, no sunrise nor sunset has ever been nor will ever be the same. Trust me. I will do a new thing.”
Every day He brings a new thing to the day. It springs forth like the sunrise. He brings a new thing to our walk with him. He brings a new thing to our marriage. He brings new things to life.
Trust Him with the new thing. He will make a way in the wilderness. The wilderness does not have a road to follow, steps to climb, nor directions signs as to where to go. However, He says, He will do a new thing. He will make a way. He says He will bring rivers of life to the dessert places of life.
I enCOURAGE you to embrace the new thing that He brings into your life. In the new thing, He will make a way in your wilderness and He will bring rivers to your dessert. He is more faithful than the sunrise and sunset that He supplies each day.
“My Happy Birthday from Father God” Picture taken a top the JW Marriott from Bourbon Steak overlooking Nashville, TN, May 30, 2019
January 6, 2020
Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvelously: for [I] will work a work in your days, [which] ye will not believe, though it be told [you]. Habakkuk 1:5 (KJV)
The very first verse of Habakkuk, really, the first words of the book are about his burden. He follows up with a couple of pleas to the Lord about the burden. The Lord answers Habakkuk’s questions in verses 5 and 6. Let’s look at exactly what the Lord said:
He says, “Behold…regard…” He is saying LOOK! Look, pay attention! The Lord follows with “wonder marvelously.” In the Hebrew it reads like this, “tamahh, tamahh,” which means to be astounded; be stunned; be dumbfounded; be amazed; be astonished. The Lord was repeating himself for emphasis and saying, “LOOK! LOOK! Be amazed! Be amazed! Dude, you haven’t got a clue! I will do a work in your days and even if I told you about it, you would not believe me.” Then, the Lords explains His plan more precisely in verse 6. He is going to send the enemy to help turn Israel back to God.
Not quite the answer Hab was looking for, right?
Doesn’t God tell us the same thing He told Habakkuk in Ephesians 3:20? “Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.”
When we ask, God works above and beyond, exceedingly and abundantly! Doesn’t he still amaze and astound us with His answers? He always has and He always will because His ways are higher than ours!
I enCOURAGE you to ask the questions when you have the burden. BUT… then…LOOK! LOOK! Be amazed! Be amazed! Because he will work it out in a way that you will not believe even if he told you beforehand.
The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see. O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! [even] cry out unto thee [of] violence, and thou wilt not save! (Habakkuk 1:1-2 KJV)
Habakkuk saw a burden. A burden in this case was a bearing or a caring that could not be carried. He was so burdened for his Israel. He was not afraid to cry out to the Lord. He was not afraid to question the Lord.
What burden are you carrying? What burden do you see? God is God. He can take it. He can take the hard questions because nothing is too hard for him. He already knows the answer before we ask. He knows the burden.
I enCOURAGE you to cry out to the Lord. Follow Habakkuk’s example. Release your burden to God. Invite Him in. He never intended for you to carry it. He will answer. He may not answer the way you expect, but He will answer.
God says, “You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you!”
As I go in a new direction,
God says, “I will instruct you and teach you the way to go with my eyes on you!”
As hear Him calling me out and up,
God says, “I am with you to the ends of the earth. I will never leave you nor forsake you.
As He asks me to do some challenging things,
God says, “I AM the way! I AM the truth! IAM the Light!”
I enCOURAGE you to listen to what God says. There is no circumstance, no trial, no question, NO THING, that he doesn’t have the answer for. He is always the WAY! And He always has something to say!
Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. (Colossians 4:6 NKJV)
I read Colossians 4:6 like this: Let your speech, whether it is to someone else or to myself, be ALWAYS and at ALL TIMES with grace, seasoned with salt, that I may know how I should answer every man including myself.
Suppose the Holy Spirit is trying to further teach us how to talk and keep our mouth shut? How do we talk to others? To ourselves? Do we exercise grace in our words? Do we talk to ourself with grace? Do our words and inward thoughts provide joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, good will, loving-kindness, favor, merciful kindness? Do our words strengthen ourselves and others in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindle the exercise of the Christian virtues?
Is our speech seasoned with salt?
We season things to elevate the taste. We salt things to improve the flavor. Salt decreases bitterness and increases sweetness. HMM? Salty grace what a concept!
So, our graceful words should decrease bitterness and increase sweetness? OUCH. I suppose that I shall continue to apply invisible duct tape to my mouth! I will need to think long and hard before I remove it to speak. I better be led by the Spirit. I knew there was a reason I didn’t talk much.
My plumb line that I purchased during this journey aligned to our home. January 2, 2021
Excerpts from my Journal…
November 30, 2020
Things are different I cannot explain it. I heard the Holy Spirit say: “Time to go deeper. Dig deeper. It is harder work. It may take longer. It is a new season. Go higher. Dig deeper.” Plumb line is the word I kept hearing. I’m going back and studying it. Father: I will seek you in your word until you tell me all… December starts a new cycle. Reset. Refocus.
December 1, 2020
Good morning! God morning! Today is Your day, God. This is Your season. I commit to You …again. My focus is on You. I am Your scribe. I am Your watchman. I am Yours. I will say what You want me to say. I will pray what You want me to pray. I will do what you want me to do. I’m calmly excited an expectant.
What follows is a result of seeking God for one month in attempt to find an answer to this one question…
WHAT IS YOUR PLUMB LINE? by Tammy Phillips November 30, 2020-January 2, 2021
This question began stirring in my spirit on November 30, 2020. I have spent the last month looking for God’s answer to this question. It all started with this scripture
Thus, He showed me: Behold, the Lord stood on a wall made with a plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand. And the LORD said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said: “Behold, I am setting a plumb line In the midst of My people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore. (Amos 7:7-8 NKJV)
WHAT IS A PLUMB LINE?
A plumb line is a tool used by carpenters and builders to find true vertical, what is straight and upright. A plumb bob is a pointed weight that is suspended from a cord and gravity makes the cord hang perfectly straight. The plumb line is the standard of truth for the contractor to build up straight. It tests what is true and upright.
JESUS IS THE PLUMB LINE
How do we know if our belief system is plumb? What or who is your plumb line? I set forth that the One and Only Plumb Line that God dropped on us is Jesus.
Jesus is the Truth. Jesus said to him, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6 NKJV)
Jesus is the Word. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) He was in the beginning with God. (3) All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. (John 1:1-3 NKJV)
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1: 14 NKJV)
Jesus is the Foundation. Indeed, My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, And My right hand has stretched out the heavens; [When] I call to them, They stand up together. (Isaiah 48:13 NKJV)
For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:11 NKJV)
Jesus is the Word of God, full of truth. As followers of Christ, He is our standard. Jesus is our foundation on which our life is built upon. He is our Plumb Line. Isn’t it fitting that Jesus’ occupation was a carpenter? I think it is safe to assume that Jesus physically used a plumb line to construct his projects so that they would stand up right. He followed in His Father’s footsteps as Architect of the Universe creating everything in divine order.
Hath not my hand made all these things? (Acts 7:50 KJV)
Jesus is our Plumb Line. We could never measure up to Jesus, nor could we be obedient to every letter of the law. We are only found righteous in Him. He is “the Holy One, the Just, and the Righteous One,” spoken of in Acts 3:14. However, because of the finished work of Jesus on the cross, we are the righteousness of Christ. We are not to be conformed to the unrighteous world but transformed by the carpenter.
DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THE WORLD BUT BE TRANSFORMED
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what [is] that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2 NKJV)
Conformed is the Greek word, syschēmatizo. It means to pattern oneself like another or fashion oneself according to. It is the idea of…what you are in union with and comprising everything in a person which strikes the senses, the figure, bearing, discourse, actions, and manner of life etc. We should not be patterned after the world nor what the world says is right and just. We are to be transformed (changed into another) by the renewing of our mind. I love the Greek word for renewing, anakainōsis, which means, a RENOVATION, a renewal, a complete change for the better. This is where Jesus, the carpenter, and the Word in us goes to work.
THE RENOVATION PROJECT BEGINS
He gives us a new heart. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do [them]. (Ezekiel 36:26-27 NKJV)
He drops the plumb line of truth in us by writing His word on our new heart and in our mind. “For this [is] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. (Hebrews 8:10 NKJV)
“This [is] the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds, I will write them,” (Hebrews 10:16 NKJV)
Holy Spirit actually gives us His character. Character does count, His character. According to Websters 1828 Dictionary, character is a mark made by cutting or engraving; to inscribe; a mark or figure made with pen on paper or other material; a mark made by stamp or impression; qualities which distinguish us form others; good qualities esteemed and respected; those ascribed to a person; moral excellence and firmness. The Greek word for “write” in Hebrews 10:16 is epigraphō. It means to inscribe; to fix indelibly upon it; cause to cleave to it and to be always vividly present to it; to engrave.
The Lord literally engraves His Word, Hisverycharacter, into our new heart and mind. And then…
The body of Christ is renovated over time and trial to look more and more like the image of Christ. His character of love, joy, faithfulness, purity, truth, righteousness, and justice, written on our heart, changes us. Jesus paid for this work on the cross and completes the work Himself.
We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 3:18 NKJV)
ONE GOSPEL
There is one Plumb Line. There is one Truth. There is one Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There is one gospel. There is no other gospel. There is one word.
The entirety of Your word [is] truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever. (Psalm 119:160 NKJV)
What is our gospel? What is our truth? What word do we attend to? Who and what do we align with? Do we fall into rank with the plumb line of Jesus and the word of God? Or…do we make up our own “gospel” and truth as we go? The plumb line of Jesus is the measure of Truth. Truth often offends, pride, wisdom and the knowledge of the world. If our beliefs do not line up with the word of God, we are not in alignment with the Truth. Paul addressed the followers of Christ in Galatia about this issue:
“I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, (7) which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. (8) But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. (9) As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. (10) For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:6-10 NKJV)
We are warned about straying from the Plumb Line of Truth and the word of God.
“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20).
JESUS IS THE CORNERSTONE, MEASURING LINE OF JUSTICE AN PLUMB LINE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: “Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem, a firm and tested stone. It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never be shaken. I will test you with the measuring line of justice and the plumb line of righteousness. (Isaiah 28:16-17 NLT)
Jesus is the Cornerstone, the foundation on which we can build our lives upon. He is a firm and tested stone. He is True and Faithful. He is Righteous and Just. He proved himself by living a sinless life. He is our Measuring Line of Justice and Plumb Line of Righteousness. Are we living by faith, fear, the gospel, our own thoughts and ways or by the Plumb Line? The Word of God states multiple times that the “just shall live by faith.” (Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:16-17, Galatians 3:1 and Hebrews 10:38-39)
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:16-17 NKJV)
Just is doing right, observing and keeping the commands of God. Being just is aligning actions, thoughts, words, conduct and character to the plumb line of God, Jesus and His word. Being just is one who is such as he ought to be, upright, honest, approved of God through Christ alone, and acceptable to God. It is doing right to and for others.
The word of God says in Ecclesiastes 7:20, “For [there is] not a just man on earth who does good And does not sin.”
BUT…
“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. (Galatians 2:16 NKJV)
Justice is the Hebrew word, mishpâṭ. It means not doing unrighteousness and doing what is right according to divine and human law. Rectifying justice is mishpât. It means punishing wrongdoers and caring for the victims of unjust treatment.
We do justly when we give all human beings their due as creations of God. Doing justice includes not only the righting of wrongs but generosity and concern.
Righteousness is the Hebrew word, tsedaqah, meaning to be right; to be in the right; to be made right; to be straight; upright; things done justly.
Primary justice, or tsedaqah is behavior that if it was widespread in the world, would make rectifying justice unnecessary. Why? Because everyone would be living in “right relationship” with everyone else. Therefore, though tzadeqah is about being in a right relationship with God, the righteous life that results is all about how we live day-to-day and treat others. We are only found righteous in Him.
For He made Him who knew no sin [to be] sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV)
HOW DO WE BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST?
The correct answer will always be Jesus. We are only right through Him. How do we know if we are making the right choices? We resolve to order ourselves with the Plumb Line of Truth and His word. We imitate Jesus. Jesus was a carpenter. He built things. We are instructed in the word of God to build.
We are to build ourselves up. “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, (21) keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. (Jude 1:20-21 NKJV)
We are to build each other up. “Those from among you Shall build the old waste places; You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In. (Isaiah 58:12 NKJV)
And they shall rebuild the old ruins, They shall raise up the former desolations, And they shall repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations. (Isaiah 61:4 NKJV)
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV)
Jesus’ whole ministry was building people up and loving them well. He was God in the flesh, He is our example to follow. In Amos the Lord stood on a wall made with a plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand and dropped the plumbline in the middle of the nation. Should not we do the same? Should not we drop Jesus in the middle of our lives, the lives of others, and our nation, as a foundation to build on and our plumb line of righteousness? Shouldn’t the word of God determine what is right and wrong? What other standard do we have to build upon? What other standard is a measurement of what is right and true?
We also are to pray without ceasing. Jesus ever intercedes for us. Since He always lives to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25 NKJV)
We need to follow His example: “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:36 NKJV)
I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; They shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the LORD, do not keep silent, (Isaiah 62:6 NKJV)
We are to stand in the gap. “So, I sought for a man among them who would make a wall and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. (Ezekiel 22:30 NKJV)
Our response should be:
I will (RESOLUTELY) stand my watch And set myself on the rampart and watch to see what He will say to me, And what I will answer when I am corrected. (2) Then the LORD answered me and said: “Write the vision And make [it] plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. (3) For the vision [is] yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry. (4) “Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith. (Habakkuk 2:1-4 NKJV)
TEST EVERYTHING BY THE PLUMB LINE
Test all to see if it is plumb and true. Test everything against the word of God. What does the word say about it? What does the word say about overeating? What does the word say about drinking to the point of drunkenness? Abortion? Adultery? Gender? Sexuality? Marriage? Life? We should apply the word of God to every belief, view, decision, practice, everything we say and everything we do.
The Plumb line of Jesus and His word tests our faith. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. (22) “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ (23) “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV)
How do we do the will of God? We have to know the will of God. How do we know the will of God? It is all written in His word. We cannot do the will of God, if we do not know the word of God, what He thinks, what He says and what He commands. His words are words to live by. Once we know the word and will of God, we must measure ourselves
We cannot draw back once we know the truth. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: (37) “For yet a little while, [And] He who is coming will come and will not tarry. (38) Now the just shall live by faith; But if [anyone] draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” (39) But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. (Hebrews 10:36-39 NKJV)
Our assignment is to stand and not turn back. Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. (Galatians 5:1 NKJV)
Walk in the spirit and do not turn back I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. (Galatians 5: 16 NKJV)
The flesh opposes the spirit. The flesh wants us to turn back. The Spirit wants us to march forward. Hence, the flesh and the spirit are always at war against each other.
“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are:
Adultery: violate the marriage covenant
Fornication: sexual sins, or sex outside of marriage
Uncleanness: sexual acts, impure acts
Lasciviousness: ready and willing to sin, excess
Idolatry: worshipping anything but God (money, profession, food, drink, sports, etc.)
Sorcery/witchcraft: (Greek word- pharmakeia: use of drugs or administration of drugs, one who uses or prepares magical remedies) occult
Hatred: ill treatment of others
Variance/Contentions: strife/rivalry for prizes
Jealousies: heated rivalry, zeal
Outbursts of wrath: passion, anger, breathing hard from anger
Selfish ambitions/strife: electioneering, contention, a desire to put oneself forward, court popular applause by trickery
Seditions/dissensions: division, dissension, popular uprise, stand apart, insurrections, uproar,
Heresies: sect; act of taking or storming a city; choice, a body of men following their own tenant, sect or part; chosen opinion
Envy: ill will jealousy
Murders: kill, slaughter
Drunkenness: intoxication…. “But they also have erred through wine, And through intoxicating drink are out of the way…They are swallowed up by wine, They are out of the way through intoxicating drink; They err in vision, they stumble [in] judgment.” (Isaiah 28:7 NKJV) “Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry (drinking parties) and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to [fulfill its] lusts. (Romans 13:13-14 NKJV)
…and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told [you] in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 6:19-21)
When we walk in the Spirit, testing ourselves against the Plumb Line of Jesus, we choose not to participate in nor practice in the above list. We instead choose to exercise the fruit of the Spirit in the list below:
BUT…the fruit of the Spirit is…
Love
Joy: gladness, cheerfulness, peace, safety, security, wholeness and completeness
Longsuffering: endure, constant, steadfast, slow to anger
Kindness: moral goodness and excellence
Goodness: upright heart and life, virtuous, useful
Faithfulness: moral conviction of the truth, rely on God’s salvation and word
Gentleness: meekness, mildness
Self-control: master desires, passion, and sensual appetite, temperance and power over
Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-25 NKJV)
Walk in the above verse is the Greek word, stoicheo, which means:
to range in a regular line
proceed in a row as the march of a soldier
march in military rank
go in order
keep in step
direct one’s life
walk orderly
walk the line
What line are we walking? What line are we holding on to? What line orders our life? THE PLUMBLINE OF JESUS is the answer. We stay plumb and upright because the just…
walk just as He walked. (1 John 2:6 NKJV)
walk by faith not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)
walk in Him. (Colossians 2:6 NKJV)
we walk according to His commandments. (2 John 1:6 NKJV)
walk in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:16)
walk in Love. (Ephesians 5:2)
walk as children of Light. (Ephesians 5:8)
walk in Wisdom (Colossians 4:5)
walk in His Truth (Psalms 86:11) 3 john 1;4
walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11)
walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, (Ephesians 4:1 NKJV)
walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise. (Ephesians 5:15 NKJV)
When we walk circumspectly, what does that look like? Circumspectly is the Greek word, akribōs. It means diligently, perfectly, accurately. It derives from akribēs which means the most exact, the most precise, and the most straightest. How do we walk the most straightest? We follow the Plumb Line, which is perfectly true, straight and upright. We walk the Plumb Line. We walk by faith. We walk in the Spirit.
However…
But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: (18) how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. (Jude 1:17-19 NKJV)
There are those among us who walk according to their own way. We have a choice how we walk and who we follow. It is our choice who and what we align to and with. We have the option to choose between spirit and flesh. We have the freedom to choose between right and wrong. We make the decision to align with God’s word or not. We are in a mess today because God gave Adam and Eve free will and free choice. They elected one wrong! They resolved not to obey the one directive of God. We have the option to resolutely align with the Plumb Line, the Truth of God, Jesus, or to turn our back on Him and His word. We either believe that God is the Author of the Bible or He is not. If we cannot believe God is powerful enough to inspire men to write and correctly record His word, then how can we possibly trust Him with creation, salvation, healing or life? As Christians, Jesus is our One and Only Plumb Line. He and the word of God are the only truth in which we can align ourselves upright and the most straightest.
Blessed [is] the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; (2) But his delight [is] in the law of the LORD, And in His law, he meditates day and night. (3) He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. (Psalm 1:1-3 NKJV)
I encourage you to apply the Plumb Line of the word of God to every belief, view, practice, action, and word. Follow the example of Jesus. If it is not plumb, reject it. If it is not plumb, it will fall. However, the Plumb Line never fails!
Deal bountifully with Your servant that I may live and keep Your word. (18) Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law. (Psalm 119:17-18 NKJV)
As we begin the new year…
I pray we see like God sees.
I pray we say what God says.
I pray we do what God does
I pray we give like God gives.
I pray we live like God lives.
Most of all…
I pray we love like God loves.
I believe as the Lords opens our eyes and hearts that we will see Him, His Word, His mysteries, His purposes and plans.
I enCOURAGE you to join me and ask the Lord to open our eyes so that we may behold the Wonderful things from His Word! Father, Help us to see, say, do, give, live and love like you. Amen
Complete in Him 