Be Good At Love

If you want to be good at anything, be good at love.  Love is the only human endeavor that lasts.  We were made to be good at love.

Success may look like control of circumstances, but love is success.  Jesus dying on the cross was not an attempt to control His unpleasant circumstances created by the Romans and the religious leaders of His day.  His death was a demonstration of the love He came to deliver.

Success may look like accumulation of money or power, but love is success.  Jesus died penniless and nude on a cross.  Even so, there was never a moment in human history where love was more clearly visible in a human life.  His lack of money or human power was overshadowed by His love. He died powerfully clothed in love.

Success may look like living a long life and retiring well, but love is success.  Jesus did not live long and His plan for retirement here was non-existent, His “early” death was perfectly timed love.

If you want to be good at anything, be good at love.

Bud McCord

Abide International

What Love Does

There is nothing more life improving than being deeply and truly loved by someone who sees what God has in mind for us.  There is nothing that makes people better people than someone loving them back into God’s beauty.
That is what love does.

The Apostle Paul tells husbands in Ephesians 5 to love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her.  He tells husbands that Christ loved the church so “He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”  Love takes away the “spots”, “wrinkles” or “any such thing”  that life in this troubled world leaves on our souls.

That is what love does.

So, when I say to my wife “I love you.”, I am saying I will give her the best of me so I can one day I see the kind of beauty God intends for her . I will love her for a lifetime to remove from her mind, emotions and will the “spots” and “wrinkles” or “any such thing” that distracts from her God desired beauty.  I will love her in such a way that “spots”,  “wrinkles” or “any such thing” disappear because of my love.
That is what love does.

Love restores original beauty over time.

 

Bud McCord

Abide International

The Presence of Christ

“Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
John 8:58

The Presence of Christ was "in the Beginning"

The Presence of Christ was "in the Garden of Eden"

The Presence of Christ was "in the world since the fall".

The Presence of Christ was “with God’s people In Egypt”.
 
The Presence of Christ was “with Israel in the Desert”.

The Presence of Christ was “with Israel throughout its history”.
  
The Presence of Christ “became flesh and dwelt among us”.

The Presence of Christ by the Spirit “filled the church at Pentecost”.

The Presence of Christ “abides in every believer”.

The Presence of Christ “is in me and sends me into the world to love for God's glory”.

Every good thing that has every happened to mankind is from His Presence.

Abide in His Presence right now!

Bud McCord

Abide International