A Good Death

This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.  John 15:12-13

Friendshhip is a beautiful form of love.  Friendship is so powerfujl as love it can even create a good death.

As friendships develop in this hostile world life expands into more and more beautiful moments and possibiliites.  At the same time life is expanding threats to that life expansion appear.  Great friendships will arouse the attention of evil.  Evil hates love.

When evil comes against great friendships hard choices among friends must be made.  To move evil’s attention and power away from  friendship a willingness to die must appear.

There comes a time in love and friendship where not everyone can continue on.

When that moment comes great love will inspire one of the friends to say  “Keep going on expanding our love and friendship.  I will stop here because I love seeing your love keep expanding.”

A good death is one that keeps love expanding.  A good death is unforgettable among friends.  The friend who dies so we can love is never forgotten.

Bud McCord

Abide International

I Am

God is one.  God is Trinity.  So simple. So profound. So wonderful.  

The Father, the Son and Holy Spirit are together the One great I AM.

The Father is the One who Intends.

The Son is One who Acts.

The Spirit is the One who Moves.

As One they are the three who together Intend, Act and Move .

When holy Intention,  holy Action and  holy Movement are One then Love exists forever.

Now  in Jesus the great I AM has made human lives the sanctuary of Divine life and Oneness.

So simple.

So profound.

So Wonderful.

“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will[e] believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, arein Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” John 17:20-23

Bud McCord

Abide International

The Life of Jesus Then and Now

Has there ever been a better life lived than the life lived by Jesus? Has any greater demonstration of giving been offered? Has any greater teaching been heard? Is there another story of forgiveness that comes close to his forgiveness? Who on our planet today even comes close to Jesus? If every person took seriously the entire story of Jesus during one year could they dismiss him as irrelevant? Could they easily move on to someone better for next year's study? Would living all of Jesus' commands reveal that they still fit in every human situation today as they did when he first taught? Is loving better ever irrelevant? Would seeing his commands lived inspire the kind of behavior we long to see in our neighbor and in ourselves? Is his call to love our enemies still revolutionary now as it was then? Do his words still move us to be more human, more loving? Does anyone today offer anything more than Jesus? Some say Christianity has had its day and it belongs to the past. Can the same be said of Jesus? Jesus is the humanity and divinity we all hope exists. Believing in him is affirming humanity and divinity do exist. Living Jesus now is inviting others to meet humanity and divinity with us today. There is no better life than Jesus' life lived right now in every believer. Jesus' life is still here. Every disciple is so close to Jesus they can still live His life right now. Live the Jesus from back then right now. "Christ in you the hope of glory." "For to me to live is Christ." "It is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me" "Christ is all and is in all." Bud McCord Abide International

A Christ Centered Life

“For to me to live is Christ…” Phil. 1:21

What constitutes the center of a Christian life well lived?

Is the center accumulated Biblical knowledge?

Is the center disciplined Chrisitan thinking about life?

Is the center cultivated Christian discipline?

Is the center obeying Christian principles that match the design of the universe?

Is the center passion for social justice in the world?

Is the center a retreat from the outer world?

Is the center death to self?

Is the center action for the cause of Jesus?

Is the center the church I attend?

The center of the Christian life is a living Person.

The center of a Christian life well lived is continuous cooperation with Christ who is the Christian life within every believer. The center of a Christian life well lived is Christ in us.  He is the source and hope of all Christian living.

As disciples we lose our way when anything or anyone else except Christ is our center.   We lose our way, the circumference of our love shrinks and God’s glory is not seen when Christ is not our life.

The Christian life well lived is living Jesus well.

Bud McCord

Abide International