ALL

“Jesus is all…”
 

The Father decided that the fulness of God would abide in Jesus.   All that God intends to give to mankind is in Jesus.  Jesus is all.

The Father decided that every disciple would receive all He is willing to give by the Spirit of Jesus within each disciple.  Jesus in us is the revelation of the mystery of all of God’s generosity.  Jesus is all.

It is not Jesus plus something else that we need in order to be the church.  It is all of Jesus that we need for the church to be the church.  Jesus is all the church needs and all the church will receive.  Jesus is all.

It is not Jesus plus a great, annointed leader that we need to be what God expects us to be.  Jesus is all the leader we need to be what God expects us to be.  Jesus is all.

Since Jesus is all, we can rest and stop trying to add to Jesus anything or anyone else.
Cooperate with Jesus and you will find you have all you need to be everything God wants you to be and to do.  Jesus is all.
 

Bud McCord

Abide International

Which Water Am I?

Human beings fill the earth with what comes from within them.

In Noah’s time this was true.

And God said to Noah,

“The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled

with violence through them; and behold,

I will destroy them with the earth.” Genesis 6:13
 

In Jesus’ time this was true.

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me,

as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

John 7:37-38
.

In our time this is true.
 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?  Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”  Matthew 5:43-48

Water is present in the story of Noah and Jesus.  In Noah’s time the water came to destroy.  In Jesus’ time  the water came to give life.  In my time which water am I?
 

Bud McCord

Abide International

Jesus, God's Wisdom

God deliver me!

Jesus is much more than just a very wise man.  He is literally the wisdom of God.

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” I Corn. 1:30-31

In Jesus all the wisdom of God is hidden and that same wisdom is now hidden in every disciple because Jesus abides in every disciple.

For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  Col. 2:1-3

May God deliver me from arguments that are convincing but are not Jesus’ wisdom.
May God deliver me from the idea that I am wiser because I studied theology.
May God deliver me from the conviction that I gained wisdom from leading churches.
May God deliver me from the subtle desire to be wiser than Jesus by explaining what He meant instead of simply saying what He said.
May God deliver me from trying to find a single subject where I can be wiser and more intelligent than Jesus.
May God deliver me from my own wisdom.

When God really does deliver me from all that convinces me except Jesus, I will be free to live the wisdom which is hidden in Jesus who is abiding in me.

Bud McCord

Abide International