More love...

"Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." (1 Corinthians 8:1, NIV)

I had just flipped on the radio in the car when that verse came out of the mouth of some preacher on FM 94.3 the other day. I hadn’t thought of those words in who knows how long. I wasn’t expecting them at all when I punched preset four. But there they were and there God was, speaking his word to me. I jabbed the power button, silencing the radio, snatched up a notebook and, keeping one eye on the road, scribbled down two short sentences after the words of the verse and a partial reference.

"Enough knowledge! People need more love!"

I remembered that incident this week and, after checking the wrong notebook first, found my note on a slip of paper at the back of my planner.

"Enough knowledge!"

That’s not an anti-intellectual rant. Trust me, I believe every Jesus follower needs more knowledge of God’s word. I encourage you to study Scripture more, not less. Go to Sunday School. Join a Bible study group. Listen to faithful teachers and preachers. You need to understand what God says about creation and salvation and right living. You need God’s opinion on sin, not your own. You need his views on life, not your friend’s. You need the truth.

Ignorance is not bliss. In spiritual matters it’s dangerous. Those with little knowledge of the Bible are easily swayed by religious shysters and their bent theologies. They are readily deceived by naturalistic scientists and their hole-ridden theories. They are quickly confused by worldly philosophers and their far out teachings. They are unwittingly distracted by know-it-all celebrities and their twisted views of morality. Just because Oprah says it’s so doesn’t make so.

Know what God says. Test everything anyone else tells you against his truth. Examine the Scriptures like the Bereans did. (See Acts 17.) Make sure that what is said is true. Don’t blindly trust my words. Check out what I say.

Now you know what I don’t mean by "enough knowledge!" Let me tell you what I do mean.

I’m saying enough to the kind of knowledge that causes religious folks to smirk at the downfall of sinners. I’m denouncing the kind of knowledge that causes church people to write off their pagan neighbors as unsalvageable. I’m condemning the kind of knowledge that causes Bible-toters to think too highly of themselves. The Pharisees and teachers of the law in Jesus’ day had this kind of knowledge. They were overbearing, hateful, haughty, judgmental men. They only loved those who agreed with their views on the law 100%. Rule followers. Whistle blowers. They only hung out with those as "holier-than-thou" as themselves. Fault finders. Finger pointers. They saw the law and their manmade traditions as clubs to bludgeon miscreants with, not as shepherd’s crooks with which they could gently redirect wandering sheep.

Does your knowledge of God’s word cause you to repent of your own sin or point out the failings of your neighbor? Does your knowledge of Jesus’ teachings cause you to plead for mercy or call down fire from heaven on others? Does your knowledge of the Bible cause you to humbly kneel before God or proudly look down on the lost?

Enough!

"More love!"

Shall I start with what I’m not saying again? I believe with all my heart that Jesus’ followers must judge sin as sin. I am not encouraging you to pussy-foot around touchy issues. Gossip is an abomination. Rage is loathsome. Abortion is murder. Pride comes before destruction. Homosexuality is damnable. Idolatry, including greed, is sin. Coveting brings condemnation. I could go on, but this isn’t a message about specific sins. I just want to make sure this point is made clear: wickedness in all its various forms are not overlooked by love. Love does not cancel knowledge. Love changes its aim.

Jesus is the best example of what this love looks like. While our love will never measure up to his, we can learn from him. And trusting him for help, we can grow to be more like him. We can have more love for our families, our friends, our neighbors, even our enemies.
Watch him as our Master as he loves properly.

"At dawn [Jesus] appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.

"‘In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?’ They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

"But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’

"Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.

"Jesus straightened up and asked her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’

"‘No one, sir,’ she said.

"‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’" (NIV)

More love. Love confronts those who judge others, but do not deal with their own sins. Love forgives those who sin, even those who sin grievously. Love does not condemn sinners, rather it commands them to leave their sin.

"Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up."

Time for another heart check. Do you love others enough to gently correct their wrongdoing? Do you love others enough to forgive them when they repent? Do you love others enough to urge them to leave their lives of sin?

I close with these words from the beginning of Galatians 6. "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." (v. 1-NIV)

That’s the proper balance between knowledge and love. Know God’s word. Restore gently. Watch yourself. Carry each other’s burdens.

To receive my once or twice weekly message via email and join the "webmessage" discussion group, send a blank email to webmessage-subscribe@associate.com. Past messages (there are well over 100) are available at www.associate.com/groups/webmessage.

Night of the Living Delay

It's almost done. Really. A few more chapters and some serious editing and Night of the Living Celery, a veggie-chilling murder mystery, will be ready for consumption. It's nearing its climax now, but chapter one won't be posted on the 13th as I had hoped. I won't make any more release date predictions, but it shouldn't be long.

Here's a little more from the story to tide you over...

"I wonder," Herb began, but he was interrupted.

"Sir!" came a voice from his radio. "I found that green onion."

"Parsley?! That you?" Herb was surprised the man had found the runaway store clerk so quickly. "Where are you?"

"I’m two blocks east of your location," came the reply. "Hazel and Filbert. I followed the smell. Onions really stink when they’re sweating."

That's all for now. Happy waiting!

Scary me!

I was talking with my nephew in Iowa, the one who was bugging me about finishing up Night of the Living Celery, on Skype and he (or maybe it was his brother) pointed their webcam at the monitor. The picture you see here was the result. Frightening. I look like a monster from some freak show with blood dripping from my lips after a kill. The effect is better with a bigger file, but hey! I'm probably the only one who cares two hoots about this post anyway.

(Okay, I did a little editing to emphasize the eyebrows and teeth, but otherwise what you see is what we got.)

I can only imagine...

Imagine heaven. Pause before the gates of pearl. Look at the sparkling foundations, bejeweled and bright. The walls, the streets, you see them – pure gold, transparent as glass. Enter now and bow before God’s throne. See the sparkling emerald rainbow encircling your King. Gaze at the dazzling beauty of the crystal sea. Can you see it? Now taste! Drink the cool, clear water of life. Feel it splashing your feet, soothing them as you dip your cupped hands in the river’s rushing flow for another draught. Savor the succulent fruit from the tree of life, no longer guarded by angels with fiery swords.

And now see Jesus as he comes to you. Can you can see his face? His eyes. Look! They’re dancing as they gaze at you. He’s in love, smitten. Your heart is undone. What do you do? What can you say?

“Surrounded by your glory what will my heart feel? Will I dance for you, Jesus or in awe of you be still? Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall? Will I sing hallelujah? Will I be able to speak at all? I can only imagine.” *

And I will. Will you? Find joy in your glorious inheritance today. Imagine!

* I Can Only Imagine, Words & Music by Bart Millard / ©1999 Simpleville Music

To receive my once or twice weekly message via email and join the "webmessage" discussion group, send a blank email to webmessage-subscribe@associate.com. Past messages (there are well over 100) are available at www.associate.com/groups/webmessage.

Waffles...

Oatmeal Waffle Haiku

Waffles are tasty.
Oatmeal makes them really good.
Try this recipe.

Oatmeal Waffles

1 1/2 cup Quick Cooking Oats
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 cups Buttermilk
2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1 Egg

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl or measuring cup. Pour into preheated waffle iron. Take the waffles out when the steam stops coming out the size...or, if you're blogging and not paying attention, until a distinct burnt waffle smell reaches your nostrils. Top with butter, peanut butter, honey, syrup or whatever floats your boat. My favorite is peanut butter and syrup. Happy eating! (You can recite the haiku above as you make these delicious oatmeal waffles...or you can just make the waffles and be uncouth.)

By the way, you can make your own buttermilk by adding a little vinegar to regular milk and you can make your own syrup by combining equal amounts of water, brown sugar and sugar in a glass measuring cup and microwaving it until it boils then adding maple flavoring.

The ultimate glorious rescue...

How Great Is Our God
Chris Tomlin

The splendor of the King,
Clothed in majesty
Let all the earth rejoice,
All the earth rejoice

He wraps himself in light,
And darkness tries to hide
And trembles at his voice,
And trembles at his voice

How great is our God,
Sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great, How great
Is our God

Age to age he stands
And time is in His Hands
Beginning and the End,
Beginning and the End

The Godhead, Three in one
Father, Spirit, Son
The Lion and the Lamb,
The Lion and the Lamb

How great is our God,
Sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great, How great
Is our God

Name above all names
Worthy of our praise
My heart will sing
How greatIs our God

How great is our God,
Sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great, How great
Is our God

How great is our God,
Sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great, How great
Is our God

Copyright 2004 worshiptogether.com Songs/sixsteps Music/ASCAP (adm. by EMI CMG Publishing)/ Alletrop Music/BMI

We sang this song at my 49-year-old brother's memorial service last November. At the time, I saw it as a great testimony to my sister-in-law's faith. Here she was asking us to "sing with me...our God is GREAT."

Later as I meditated over the words, God gave me another picture of what happened with my brother. You see, he was found after being lost in the remote mountains of Montana after 36 hours, having died of hypothermia. All my broken heart could imagine is the darkness of that night and what he must have gone through.

And then I really studied those words one night during Worship Choir practice: "He wraps himself in light and darkness tries to hide and trembles at his voice." I had a picture in my mind of God coming down on the mountain for a stroll, meeting my brother there and saying, "Gordon, it's late and my home is closer than yours. why don't you come to my house tonight," taking him by the hand and leading him to heaven. But the scene was dark and cold and awful. Then I saw it.

When God came, there must have been light. Now when I think of that awful time on the mountain, I can see my brother, bathed in the light of God's presence, perhaps even angels attending near by. It wasn't dark...how could it have been if God was there! Then the words: "from age to age he stands and time is in his hand, the beginning and the end." and I envisioned God standing there, with Gordon's beginning (birthday) and his end (death) and he knew it all. we just didn't know. God knew!

That night at the end of practice, Brian, our worship pastor read the benediction he would give on Easter, which was in a few weeks. "So then, may you go out from this place blessed because he is present with you, strong because he is powerful in you, joyful in trouble, faithful in testing. May you be witnesses to His truth and carry his glorious rescue into this day and every tomorrow. For by His power you have been raised to walk in a new way of life."

The words "glorious rescue" jumped out at me. At first I think of how great it would have been for Gordon to have experienced the "glorious rescue." I can only imagine and smile as I think of the story he would be telling on Easter, telling his story as only Gordon can tell a story! How he loved a good story. And it makes me sad. Yet, I know the phrase is referring to a spiritual glorious rescue.

Then it comes to me - Gordon has experienced the ULTIMATE glorious rescue.

God wrapping himself in light

As he comes calling Gordon's name.

The darkness trying to hide.

The darkness trembling at His voice.

And God standing there from age to age

With time held in his hands.

Holding the beginning (of Gordon's life) in one hand

AndThe end (of Gordon's life) in the other hand.

He sees both the beginning

AND the end.

And the best thought of all, My little brother experiencing

The Ultimate Glorious Rescue!

Guest Blogger, Carol