Abiding Thoughts

Avoiding Hell

2009-11-11T03:04:00.000-08:00

I have been following the Ft. Hood murders from Brazil. It is interesting to see the way these events are covered in another country. For most, americans are people who are suffering and need compassion. For some, americans are violent and in love with guns. For others, americans are a culture in decline. For a small few, americans are getting what they deserve.

One thing that never comes up in the news report concerning radical Islam here or from the USA is the question of hell and how a radical Muslim thinks he can avoid going there.

Most people in the USA hardly believe in hell these days. Even evangelical Christians hardly talk about hell. People in radical islam clearly believe in hell, talk about it repeatedly and want, at all costs, to avoid it.

I remember reading a comment from C.S. Lewis that I have never forgotten. He said that people in England and America stopped burning witches at the stake many years ago. For some this is a sign of human progress and enlightenment. For C.S. Lewis it was more a sign that people in the USA and England don't believe in witches any longer. He went on to say that a return to truly believing that the woman next door can curse and kill your children would start the fires sooner than we think.

I found it interesting that the man who killed the Fort Hood soldiers went to strip clubs before he went on his killing spree. Here is a man who is desperately trying to please God and end up in heaven. Even so he is taking his last moments indulging in behavior his religion condemns. This man is in trouble if he does not find a way to cover his sins.

What this says to me is that this man was down to his last hope of heaven which would be to kill God's enemies to prove his worth to God and guarantee heaven instead of hell. He could not live up to his religions basic laws against lust and liquor so only a radical action of submission to his God could guarantee heaven.

I don't think we will understand radical Islam until we understand that they truly believe in hell and we as a culture in the west do not. If we believed in hell like they do and we thought the only way for those desperately trying to avoid it was killing God's enemies, I believe we would be surprised just how quickly the gun sales would go up in the west.

When the choice in man's mind is heaven or hell and not just the USA against its enemies, you can be sure people who believe in hell will choose avoiding hell and going to heaven over an oath to defend their nation.

Abide Retreat in English

2009-11-08T14:47:00.000-08:00

We have just completed our very first english Abide Retreat in Brazil. It was wonderful and very strange. Teaching here in English seemed so out of place for me.

Brazilians love to learn. When you offer a great spiritual retreat about abiding and add the opportunity to perfect a second language, Brazilians get interested very fast.

I never cease to be amazed at how open Brazilians are to spiritual things. They make significant sacrifices to add to their spiritual lives by learning new things. I am am spoiled by how easy they are to teach.

I am praying that my dear american brothers and sisters in Christ will begin to invest more seriously in spiritual formation, too. It seems at times that my friends in the USA are too busy to make the investment in a two day retreat. That is sad and I am praying the day will come when taking two days to focus on Jesus as our true Vine will be seen a a great investment.

Consider this example. We had four people attend this retreat that came from southern Brazil. They took a ten hour all night bus ride and then another 1 and 1/2 hour bus ride just to get to the retreat. As I am writing this blog they are on a bus for another all night ride back. They have to work tomorrow when they get back to the city of Londrina. One of them was 73 years old! She has a class to teach tomorrow morning at 9:30 A.M. (This lady is near the center of the group photo on the front row)

This kind of effort is humbling and inspiring. I believe God is at work here in people's hearts in a very deep way. Pam and I are so thankful to see this moment in Brazil. We are also burdened for our dear USA. So much pain and so much anger. Our prayer is that we will all abide.

(Click on photos to enlarge.)

Caixias do Sul--Southern Brazil

2009-11-01T11:08:00.000-08:00

I am just completing an abide weekend in the very beautiful city of Caixias do Sul in the southernmost part of Brazil. I am almost in Argentina.

This is Brazil's vineyard country. The church that invited me has only 70 members but they were so excited to learn about abiding that I accepted their invitation. I am glad I did. Over 50% of the member spent the weekend doing the Abide course with me and we have experienced a wonderful time.

I never cease to be amazed at how powerful it is to tell people that the entire Christian life they will ever live already abides in them. When this thought takes root, it is truly powerful for changing how a believer sees their potential. Nothing makes this more clear than John 15. It is an honor to tell thousands, to tell dozens or to tell one. The joy is the same.

These folks understand vineyards far better than I do! They took me on a tour today. I have a lot to learn. I am already making plans to come back very soon.

MIssions Conference

2009-10-24T04:10:00.000-07:00

We are having a great time at our missions conference. This wonderful group of pastors and leaders gathered to hear about what God is doing around the world. God is at work in Brazil!

Lesser truths

2009-09-25T04:35:00.000-07:00

Everyone's day is filled with moments of truth. Some moments of truth take our breath away. Other truths just come and go.

For instance, here is a truth that will take our breath away--You have cancer.
Here is a truth that will come and go---I am out of printer ink.

What makes a truth powerful is its staying power or its resistance to other truths. A truth will only come and go when we can find a greater truth that makes the lesser truth move out of the way so we can do what we must do.

When I discover I need printer ink, the greater truth of the Office Depot on the corner makes it move out of my mind as a greater truth.
When I discover I have cancer, what can make that truth move out of my mind as the greater truth?

Only taking all current truth captive to a greater truth can keep us moving forward in life doing what we must do. If we cannot find a greater truth than our cancer, we stop at the truth of our cancer that has claim on our mind right now.

Two of our friends here in Brazil recently heard the words "You have cancer". Both are in the process of dealing with this powerful truth. Both are looking for the greater truth that will keep them moving forward with their lives. This finding the greater truth in all circumstances is what Christians call taking every thought captive to Christ.

II Corinthians 10:5 "...casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ"

As believers we must remember to take every thought captive to Jesus. He is always the greater truth that keeps us moving forward in our lives. "Follow Me" means to make Jesus the greater truth--greater than anything from printer ink to cancer.

Jesus said in John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth and the life..." He is the greater truth-always.

I have never heard the words "You have cancer". If I do, I pray that I will also hear the words "I will never leave you or forsake you." If I do not, then the lesser truth--cancer--will be my greater truth until I do. No matter what I hear today, I pray it will give way the the greater truth--"Christ in me the hope of glory."

For the Christian every lesser truth must give way to the greater truth until all truth gives way to the final truth-Jesus.

Total Depravity

2009-09-23T01:24:00.000-07:00

The United Nations is in session as I write this blog. The most powerful critics of the USA come to the USA to criticize the USA and go shopping. It is somewhat comical and somewhat sad but this is our world where some see evil in only some, not at all in some others and certainly not in themselves.

The missing element in the UN these days and in our world is an old Protestant doctrine called "Total Depravity". This terrible sounding doctrine is a declaration of a truly terrible reality. All men are fundamentally bent toward evil and getting worse not better. That is, all men are incapable of doing what their highest and most noble aspirations tell them they should do no matter how much they want to or how hard they try..

This doctrine about man's bent toward evil comes most clearly from the Apostle Paul's writings in Romans where he tells us we should not judge the sinners he describes in Romans 1 by concluding in Romans 2: 1 "Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself: for you who judge practice the same things" Hugo Chavez needs to read this verse this morning and so do I.

Paul goes on to say that "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23 That is, we all fail to reveal the quality of love that God is all the time. This fact makes us " totally depraved". Don't compare yourself to dictators to get off the hook of total depravity. Compare yourself to Jesus and you will see you "fall short". Falling a little less short is no victory just like drowning in two feet of water is no victory over the person who drowned in 30 feet of water. Both are wet and dead.

If you need further convincing of this teaching on human depravity read Romans 7 and you will hear the Apostle Paul say of his own attempt at the highest of human aspirations "For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice, but what I hate, that I do." Romans 7::14-15

If you need further convincing just watch every idealistic government for the people that rises up with no limits on its power end up abusing its power and people over time.

If you need further convincing just make up your mind that you will only love others like Jesus did and God commands and then try to live that out for a few days. Start trying to love Hugo Chavez if you are an American who loves America. Start trying to love George Bush if you are from Europe or Harvard and you think George Bush is the Anti-Christ.

The doctrine of total depravity properly understood in Europe and the USA due to the Protestant reformation birthed modern democratic behaviors like free press, limited power, term limits, free speech, separation of powers, etc. When the doctrine of total depravity is not understood and taught as a universal fact you will see these very democratic behaviors begin to disappear in the name of good people in charge of depraved people.

Watch these democratic behaviors that limit how much power some can have over others begin to disappear and you will see another characteristic emerge. We begin to call other men or governments Satan. Of course when we do call others Satan or evil, we reveal we do not believe we are totally depraved or evil, too.

Listen to the UN speeches this week and you will hear those who do believe in total depravity and those who do not. Those who do not believe in total depravity will most powerfully condemn the most democratic nations while at the same time claiming they lead revolutions that are fighting for true democracy even if it means going to war with the great Satans of the planet at the "temporary" but "necessary" expense of their own people's democratic freedom.

By the way, trying to turn the current US President or any other political leader into Satan to better oppose him politically does not fit well into reformation thought that birthed democracy. It certainly does not fit at all with Paul's words in Romans 2:1 the helped birth the reformation. Be very careful with anyone who helps you see others as fundamentally more depraved than we all are. Stay away from any teaching that does not put Jesus and Jesus' words at the very center of the debate. Jesus said "Judge not that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged, and with what measure you use, it will be measured back to you." Matt. 7:1-2 He also said "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." Matthew 5:44 Does this include the week they come to the UN to speak and shop?

What we need to do is to preach total depravity again in our churches so all Christ followers are the first to know we all need limits on our personal power until Jesus is formed in us and truly becomes our personal limit which must become sustained love. When Jesus is our true limit we even sustain love toward our enemies during UN week.

Loving our enemies is really hard when they come to the UN and bash one's country while shopping in our stores! It is hard when they call one's leaders evil and then say "But protect my speech and let me finish my shopping."

Until Jesus is everyone's limit we need limits on all of us--especially those of us who have power over others.

By the way, believers in Jesus do have power over others in this world. It is the power of love and we would be wise not to trade the power of love for the power world leaders use. Jesus is our example and He wins because He loved. He was the only human who was not depraved and His perfectly sustained love proved it!

If anyone sees Hugo Chavez or me this week read both of us Paul's words in Romans 2:1 and Jesus' words in Matthew. We need it equally because without Jesus formed in both of us, we are totally depraved.

Pray for me as I listen to the speeches. I need God's grace!

Instant response

2009-09-21T03:09:00.000-07:00

The internet creates a nearly instant response from around the world. This can be good or bad. This morning it was very good.

To get the picture, here is the morning devotion that went to our Abide International list.

Believe or Belief?

"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

I spent several years of my life in a Bible College environment learning to be a pastor. They were important years in my leadership formation. I thank God for those who blessed me in this process. During those years a great deal of emphasis was put on the correct beliefs about Jesus. I was even tested on my beliefs quite regularly at Bible college. I got nearly all "As" in belief. I got a diploma based on my beliefs. I was ordained according to my beliefs. I easily concluded that better beliefs make better pastors. I don't recall ever getting a grade on believing at Bible college.

So much emphasis was put on the list of beliefs that I was tempted to see my job as a pastor as defending these beliefs. I became pretty good at inspecting other people's beliefs along the way. I was like a teacher giving others grades on their beliefs just like I had been given grades on my beliefs in Bible College.

I have not abandoned any of the essential beliefs that I learned so many years ago. I think I could basically pass the exams again today with little or no problem. The list of beliefs I was tested on has stood the test of time. They do point pretty well to Jesus.

What I have abandoned is the idea that the key to true Christian living is my excellent list of beliefs. I know now that the key to my life blessing any other life is believing in Jesus. Lists of beliefs are only as good as their accuracy in describing Jesus and His perfect intentions. He measures the lists. The lists do not measure Him. Believing better in Jesus should be the goal of the list. When believing in Jesus is constant then the list did its only job which is to point to Him. Lists of beliefs should be for better believing in Jesus rather than trying to test how Christians think about Jesus.

Some lists of beliefs are certainly better than others, but no list is Jesus. No one should think the river of living water will flow from their list of beliefs about Jesus. The river flows from the real Jesus, not someone's really well organized list of beliefs about Jesus.

There was a certain spiritual dryness I experienced in my Bible College years. I think it came from the lists and the tests. That dryness always accompanies focusing on a list of beliefs instead of focusing on where the list should be pointing.

A river is not birthed from a list. A river is birth from a spring. Jesus is that spring and no list can ever do Him justice. Only drinking from the spring tells us what the spring is really like. Believing in Jesus is what does Him the justice He deserves and wants from us. The real test is believing and the passing grade is the real river of life flowing from Him through us.

This e-devotional went out at about 5 A.M. in the USA. People in Europe got it at about 12 noon due to the time difference.
I am in Portugal as I am writing this blog so I got this response instantly after I read the e-devotional myself here in Lisbon.
Confused? Welcome to the small planet!

Read the response and you will see that one of our new abiding friends in Germany really got the message I hoped to deliver and responded instantly with the same joy Pam and I have in learning to simply "Believe Jesus."

Hi Carlos (Bud)

Wow ! Reading your devotional just really got me !!! :=)

Not just because of the content, which I love, but because it reminds me of a big crisis I had the other day, when all Truth from the Bible, cherished Christian books, web site Christian messages, sermons at Church, etc etc kind of made my head spin. I felt like throwing away all theology books .... but I didn't, because I understood that my crisis wasn't there. It was simply my approach to reading, learning: Today, when reading theology books, surfing the Christian net etc, even my reading, studying the Bible, is first of all to knowing HIM better, WHOM I believe.

I think I have been led by God's Grace to re-phrase my "belief". If someone would ask me today what I believe in, I would simply say "I believe Jesus". Full stop. I tend to even leave the "in" out. This is my Faith, summoning up EVERYTHING.
This is it !

I am dancing with joy :=) :=) :=) and send my greetings to you & Pam with joy

Every Blessing

This new friend's words gave Pam and me instant joy. "Christ is all and is in all" Colossians 3:11

I believe Jesus!

Azores Islands

2009-09-15T09:07:00.000-07:00

Never in my wildest imagination did I think I would be holding an abide retreat on an Island chain called the Azores. Situated about a four hour flight from Boston, these incredibly beautiful islands are home to over 250,000 people who are a part of Portugal. Much like the Hawaiian Islands are part of the USA, so, too, these islands and their people trace their history back to Portugal.

Much of life in the Azores islands has remained pretty much unchanged. The local residents say their world is the "old Europe".
That is most clearly seen by the dominance of the Catholic faith on the islands. Santo Miguel island, where we ministered, is home to about 140,000. The Evangelical population is about 500 on that island. Being separate from the Catholic church is to be separate from the island's culture.

A new church is being started on this island and Pam and I were guests of the two families who are leading this challenge.
The task they have before them is truly one that will require abiding moment by moment in Jesus for satisfaction and fruit.

Enjoy a few pictures of these fine people and their beautiful island home.

The power of a Metaphor

2009-09-10T01:29:00.000-07:00

People often ask me why I believe the metaphor of the Vineyard is such a powerful way to communicate how the Christian life works for ever believer in every place at all times. The reason I believe this is because Jesus used this metaphor on the last day of His life before he was crucified. Metaphors allow us to see clearly and they allow us to see the together as one.

If you ever come to Portugal for a visit, you will find that the Catholic churches of the past 500 years of Portuguese history are the heart and soul of any tour that would attempt to explain Portuguese history. Take away the influence of the Catholic church in Portugal and you cannot understand their history.

Right in the middle of the Portuguese Catholic history is the influence of Mary as the Catholic metaphor for how God solves human needs. Mary is the most prominent and consistent feature in the Portuguese history. Mary has been for centuries the most important metaphor of God's activity among the Portuguese.

About 100 years ago three children claimed to have seen an appearance of Mary. From this dramatic testimony Portugal's most famous holy site was born. This is the power of a metaphor. We people begin to see the same thing clearly and as one then things will begin to happen on a bigger and bigger scale.

Whenever you enter a Catholic Cathedral in Portugal you will most easily find Mary. Finding Jesus is not as easy as finding Mary.
That, too, is the power of a metaphor that becomes the main metaphor for explaining God's love to people.

We must choose our metaphors of God's dealings with us very carefully. If Jesus is not the metaphor that is easiest to find it could take centuries to give to Him the preeminence he should have.

The metaphor of the Vineyard is one sure way to keep Jesus clearly seen by all. That is why I encourage people to go back to the vineyard and find the vine.

(The photos of the large church square are taken at the shrine of Fatima where the children claimed to have seen Mary. The three children kneeling are at the entrance to the Seminary we have called home for the past 13 days. The grapes are growing in the back yard of a missionary family who served us dinner last night. Finding Jesus in their home was easy.)
Click on photos to enlarge

Progress!

2009-09-07T03:27:00.000-07:00

The true hope of being able to disciple thousands of Brazilian Christians is in multiplying leaders and teachers who see the abiding life as the normal Christian life. This multiplication is beginning to happen. We now have 5 pastors and leaders in Brazil who are developing their own network of retreats and teaching opportunities.

One of our abide leaders has already given the 8 hour abide course to over 300 believers in the Rio de Janeiro area in the past 15 months.

Enjoy a few pictures from Pastor Walter and his wife Karine who are our Abide team in the northern Brazilian city of Recife. They just completed their second retreat. They are the best!

More Portugal 2009

2009-09-05T15:00:00.000-07:00

Ministering the course Six Metaphors of a Happy Marriage to missionaries and pastors was a special opportunity this weekend of September 4-6. Though the number of evangelical believers in Portugal is very small compared to Brazil or the USA, their love for Jesus is second to none.

Their openness and willingness to learn is impressive. On Saturday we started at 8:30 A.M. and ended at 10 P.M. They stayed engaged in every moment.

Surely there is hope for a time of spiritual harvest with disciples like these.

Portugal 2009

2009-09-01T15:30:00.000-07:00

September 1st, 2009. Pam and I spent the day getting to know a little more about Portugal and a lot more about the city of Lisbon. Pastor Paulo Pascoal was our guide as we visited the historic downtown area with a special visit to a monastery that was built in the 1600s. The great explorer Vasco de Gama is buried in the church.

We also stood on the river where the Portuguese ships set sale to discover new lands around the world. Our teaching and retreats get underway soon. It was good to have these two days to see this wonderful city.

Historic Moment

2009-09-01T15:11:00.000-07:00

August 26th, 2009 marked the beginning a new phase in the Abide Brazil ministry. We officially became what is called in Portuguese a "Pessoa Juridica" which is a 501c3 non-profit entity. This means we have an official identity before the Brazilian government and, more importantly, we have a very Brazilian identity.

It has always been our goal to see the Abide ministry in Brazil become sustainable and more and more led by Brazilians who have a passion for the abiding life and message. God has given us a governing council of 9 and we could not be happier or more motivated.

For all of you who are dreaming this dream with us, rejoice with us over this new phase.

Enjoy these pictures until you can come and meet these incredible people personally.

Bud and Pam

Food For Love

2009-08-29T05:25:00.000-07:00

Sin feeds on Law. Love feeds on Grace.

Romans 7:8 "But sin taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead."

It is an enormous mistake to think telling people what is right will slow sin and feed love. It will not. Sin feeds on law. As much as we might like to think that the Ten Commandments will slow or stop sin, they cannot. The problem is much deeper than clearly seeing what is right by the law.

Romans 5: 20-21 "Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Grace is God giving to us what he demands of us. God demands the perfect fulfillment of the law which would be continuous love for God and for all mankind. Jesus is this grace fulfilled and given to us. Jesus is this living grace and reality in every believer. If I would truly love--fulfill the true intent of God's law--I must feed on grace not law. The table of grace is set within us in Jesus moment by moment. Will we eat and be strengthened by His grace to continuously love?

This is why Jesus said in John 6:35 “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." We must feed on grace in order to have the strength to love.

Sin feeds on law. Love feeds on grace. Notice where in the world law is made to be the ultimate solution and you will find brutality and suffering on the rise. Sin increases when it is well fed. Notice where the grace of God in Christ is known as the only solution and you will find that brutality and suffering are in decline. Now look at your own life and ask which food is yours. You, too, will see that your brutality and the suffering you cause others are declining when your food is grace not law.

Legalism of any kind may be built on a proper view of reality, but as food the law in and of itself brings no power to the human soul to overcome sin by love. Only Jesus sets the table within us for love to eat and grow strong through us.

The speed of sin and speed of faith

2009-08-27T04:50:00.000-07:00

It is easy to follow our thoughts into the darkness. Before we realize it we are back in that old darkness where we once lived and sought relief from pain and our dissatisfaction.

We stay in the darkness for awhile. We know we should leave but we do not want to. We know we have left the light. His voice has followed us into the darkness but we ignore it. If we listen to His voice even for a moment, we know the darkness will lose its grip on us and we will have to go back into the light. Strangely, we want to stay at least for awhile in the darkness even though we know it is no longer our place.

Finally the darkness grows tiring as it always does and our spirit begins to sense that this is no longer our true home. The taste of the darkness is growing sour in our soul and we turn back toward the light as we hear His voice again.

We leave the darkness and Jesus is there. We are embarrassed. What do we say?

Do we confess what we did in the darkness? Is that enough? Is that the real issue?

Perhaps it is good to say what we did but it is not enough to say only that. We need to say that our faith was on hold as we entered the darkness. What led us into the darkness was when we stopped believing Him and hearing His voice. It was that other voice from the darkness that we wanted to hear instead.

Our confession should be deeper than the deeds. Our confession needs to get to the root. The root for us as humans is always faith.

"Jesus, I left you." " Jesus, I stopped hearing you." "Jesus, I didn't want to hear you." "Jesus, I deliberately ignored your presence" "I stopped abiding and I went into the darkness again." "Jesus, I am so sorry."

Yes, it is easy and fast to enter the darkness. We enter at the speed of sin. It is even easier and faster to leave. We enter by the speed of sin but we leave at the speed of faith-the speed of light. When you are in the dark, just say "Jesus, I need you" as a cry for help and you are already back to Him in the light. The light is always just a name away. That name is Jesus when called in faith.

Speaking His name in faith brings the light to you and you to the light. This coming back by faith is the victory that will eventually lead to not going in the darkness at all.

"For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith." I John 5:4 "... for whatever is not from faith is sin." Romans 14:23b

Sin stops love. Let us weep.

2009-08-22T06:31:00.000-07:00

Sin stops love.

This is why sin is so horrible. Sin is not horrible because it is the breaking of a law. Sin is horrible because every law of God exists to show us when and where human love stops. Love stopping is what is horrible. Laws cannot keep love flowing because sin in us stops love from flowing from us. Read Romans 7 and you will see that all attempts to keep love flowing through law are destined to failure. Law informs, but law cannot inspire and sustain love because of sin. Only Christ in us can keep love flowing. Sin stops love but Jesus' love stops sin.

I read this morning that the a major american denomination voted to approve homosexuals as leaders and pastors. The reactions on the blog where this news appeared are pretty consistent. Those against say " Homosexuality is not Biblical." Anyone who knows and believes the Bible can see this Biblical truth as clearly as the noon day sun. Homosexuality is truly sin.
To redefine homosexuality as not being sin does not change it. Sin stops love. Homosexuality will mean less Divine love delivered not more love delivered.

What is interesting is the fact those who voted in favor of approving homosexual leadership did so in the name of increasing love in their group. They went on record voting for homosexuality in the name of more love not less. Their vote said "Love is more important than sexual orientation." Love is more important than sexual orientation. That is why true love must say what sin is. Changing standards of sexual orientation to fit our culture diminishes love. Diminishing love is why the Bible says homosexuality is sin. Homosexuality stops God's love from being properly delivered. All sin does the same.

This entire debate is profoundly tragic not because this vote is simply unbiblical. This is profoundly tragic because homosexuality is clearly the stopping of love as God designed love to be delivered. Marriage between a man and woman for life is God's delivery system of love for humans. Whenever we alter this system in any way, we stop the effective delivery of love to humans. The Bible makes this clear. Whether the Bible had said this or not, time would show that homosexual behavior stops the true flow of God's love among humans. The fact that the Bible says it so clearly simply allows us to know in advance where this decision is headed. Sin stops love. This vote for more love will actually produce less love. This is a Biblical fact, but it is a fact that exists where Bibles or denominations don't even exist.

It is one thing to weep and be angry that this denomination disobeyed the Bible. I think the real reason to be angry and weep is because we know in advance that they did not advance love as they intended. They are contributing to less love not more. That is truly a tragedy for them and all they lead. Don't be angry at them because they are Biblically wrong. Be angry and weep because love will be less among them not more. "Be angry and sin not". Don't let their Biblical error become the stopping of love in you toward them. If you do, you, too, break God's law.

We can get all fired up about this because we are Biblically right--and we are-- or we can say "This means we will need to deliver more love than ever since this decision will stop this group from truly delivering love as God intended."

We need to remember that when things were at their very worst for mankind, God sent Jesus as His delivery system of eternal love. God didn't send a written law to stop sin. He sent the law fulfilled as love in Jesus. Now He is sending us. Will we love or just be right? There are Biblical commands about love, you know. Will we obey these words or find a reason not to like this group so tragically did?

Matthew 5: 43-44 “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,"

Sin stops love until love stops sin. Jesus stopped sin for us and now He must stop sin in us and through us. This is Biblical and it is real. I weep not because a law has been broken by this group. I weep because love will be less not more. I weep when I see this in me and I weep when I see it in them. Less love is a loss for all of us and for the glory of God.

Patience

2009-08-07T04:22:00.000-07:00

Luke 21:19
By your patience possess your souls.

We possess our souls by patience. The soul is a marvelous creation of God. The soul is where we think, feel and resolve to do. It is from this invisible place that love must be received and released. A disturbed soul is terrible to live with and is useless for sustaining love. A soul at rest in God is a marvelous tool for love.

According to Jesus, the duty to possess our souls is ours. Our soul is our responsibility. That is, we must be sure that what takes possession of our soul is what we truly want to be. Patience is our personal grip on our own soul. Our soul can get away from us.

Possessing the soul goes back to the idea that "whatever gets your attention gets you." When something gets your attention that something gets some level of possession of you soul. The may be for a brief moment or it may be for a prolonged time.
Even demonic possession of a soul is real and the effect of demon possession is the total stopping of love and the delivery of evil in its place.
The thing that gets our attention turns our soul where that thing wants to go and we can literally lose possession of our soul when we focus on things that do not synchronize with God's good intentions.

Imagine that you are in a traffic jam and you are getting upset. What is at stake? You soul is at stake and so are other drivers because upset drivers do very stupid things. Imagine that you go to a town hall meeting on healthcare and you think President Obama's plan is terrible. Be careful. More than healthcare is at stake. Your soul is at stake, too.

How many people sit in prisons today because they gave the possession of their soul to something other than God for just a moment? How many families have been ripped apart because dad gave his soul to another woman for just a moment?

Patience is a virtue that comes from God in Christ. The source of patience lives in you right now. In Him you have the perfect patience to possess your soul for love. Turn your attention to Jesus the moment you feel impatience rising in you. Your soul is at stake and so is your ability to love.

To do this, use a simple phrase like "Thine only" or "Jesus, your will be done". This gives you back the possession of your soul as you give yourself back to Him.

James 1:4
But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Let My People Go

2009-08-18T09:49:00.001-07:00

Men have a tendency to use other men to sustain their own comfort and advantages. Men enslave other men. Usually religion is used to justify the slavery. God steps into such distortions and injustice and says "Let my people go."

Who are the people of God? They are the ones He has chosen for His purposes. His purpose is sustained love not slavery. God releases slaves of men to become slaves of God--slaves of love. As Augustine said "Slavery to God is perfect freedom."

God's true people see their only choice as being the choice to love. Men, even religious men, see enslaving other men as one of their choices. God's people should never see another human being as existing to create or sustain comfort and advantage.

Many modern religious systems exist to sustain the comfort and advantage of the leaders of those systems. These leaders have created a "pyramid scheme" that protects those at the top from the reality of those at the bottom. These leaders promise those at the bottom that they, too, can climb to the top but they must help those at the top stay there. Pyramid builders always promise freedom that never really comes.

The Egyptians invented the original pyramid scheme and it was a place of death. Pyramids of any kind are tombs or places where others were sacrificed to false gods.

We would do well to remember that according to Jesus we are called to build vineyards not pyramids of comfort and advantage for a few. At this very moment there are millions upon millions of people being used to build pyramids for the few. This is done in the name of dozens of religious leaders and religions. It is done in the name of God.

Even so, the voice of God continues to say "Let my people go." We would be wise to exit pyramids and enter the vineyard.

Abide Retreat August 2009

2009-08-17T04:19:00.000-07:00

The most effective way of communicating the joy of Abiding in Christ has been our weekend retreats. When a group of believers is focused on the perfect presence of Christ for three days, the results are amazing.

We are completing our third year of retreats and we have learned much about spending this time with people from all walks of life. In our August retreat we had visitors with us from Memphis, Tenn. (Dale Shows), from Senegal, Africa (Missionary Ivonete) and Angola, Africa (Zorobabel-a university student).

During the first 9 months of 2008 we had hosted 80 people in our retreat center in the mountains near our home here in Brazil. During the first 9 months of 2009 we have received over 160. Our goal for 2009 is to host 300.

We will host an English only abide retreat Nov. 6-8, 2009. Book your flight now! We will pick you up in São Paulo! No kidding!

(Click on photos to enlarge)

The Narrow Path

2009-08-04T04:31:00.000-07:00

Imagine that you are awakening for a deep sleep to welcome a new day. You know that there is a purpose for this day in the plans of God. You know that there is a path that God has for you. How do you find this path?

Do you make a list of things to do and people to see? Do you awaken your common sense and lean on all the past wisdom you have attained? Do you call for some anointed Christian leader to give you your path?

I believe the path is not a set of tasks, common sense or following the anointed leaders of the day. The path is a Person. Find this Person and you find the perfect path for you. Miss this Person and you miss the path.

Paul tells us to understand what the will of God is. The will of God is explained in the scriptures and the scriptures point to the Person of Jesus. The will of God is Jesus.

When I awaken each day I find the path. Author Mike Wells taught me to awaken each day with the words "Jesus, you are welcome here!" This is finding the path that few find. The path waits within you each morning. Truly we live from the inside-out. We must be renewed day by day. When we set our foot on the path that is Jesus, we are renewed by His presence.

This path is narrow because the purposes of God in Christ are narrow. Imagine that you are beginning your day shoulder to shoulder with Jesus at the beginning of the path. Look carefully into His eyes. Do His eyes look like those of man with singleness of purpose or those of man wondering what comes next? Look carefully at the language of His body. Is He nervous, anxious, tired or lacking direction. Take your cue from Him. He is your perfect path.

This path is difficult because the entire world is walking thousands of individual paths that go nowhere. The confusion is so great and the competition so fierce that the path that is a person seems crazy and foolish. To walk this path is to confront the other paths and this always causes a negative reaction because men are proud of their paths.

My only hope must be to learn to narrow my purpose to one Person not many. When my focus narrows to Jesus as my path, then I will love as I should. When my focus narrows to Jesus alone, I see the path to love others in the most effective way for God's glory. When nothing matters to me but Jesus, then everyone else will matter as they should today. This is my path.

Your perfect path waits for you every day no matter where you are as you awaken. Begin from within with Him.

Matthew 7: 13-14
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Spiritual warfare

2009-08-01T05:49:00.000-07:00

Exactly what can the devil do to me?

Revelation 2:10 "Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. "

This shocking verse says the devil can throw me into bondage that is a spiritual test. A test of what? A test of what it is that truly stimulates me to live as I live.

How far can this test go? It can go all the way to "death", which is the end of physical stimulation for our body. To not fight to defend my "right" to continuing stimulus for my body, is to say I have another source that is more important to me.

Why would God allow me to experience such a "throwing" into bondage if He truly loves me? Because He knows that His Son in us is capable of inspiring life in such bondage. This satanic "throwing" is a test of "Christ in us the hope of glory." This is not a test based upon what God thinks we can do. It is a test of what God knows Christ in us can inspire us to do.

I often ask Christians if they think God loved His Son. They always say "yes." Then I repeat the question with a little more force.
"Do you really think God really loved His Son?" They hesitate and say "yes." Then I ask them "Do you want God to love you like He loved Jesus?" They grow quiet as they remember how Jesus was treated while being loved by His Father.

We need to know that right now we have brothers and sisters in prison because the devil threw them there using human hands. We need to pray for them. We, too, may find ourselves in a some satanic prison where we are being tested. Jesus is enough--"do not fear any of these things which you are about to suffer."

All I can say to this is "Jesus, increase my faith in you!"

Spiritual warfare is the test of who and what inspires us to live as we live. "For to me to live is Christ" is more than a statement of a contemplative monk hidden away in a mountain retreat. It is the battle cry of one who knows what it is to be thrown by the devil into prison.

There is a war going on. Expect your inspiration to be tested. Do not be afraid.

Inspiration-Spiritual warfare

2009-08-01T04:43:00.001-07:00

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.' John 15:5

Here is how I hear these words of Jesus speaking to me today. "Bud, as My follower everything you want to do that is worthy to be My fruit, I must inspire you and give it to you or it will not happen."

I might like to think I am independent and autonomous, but I am not. I am a creation of God that was designed to be inspired. I cannot even control the sources of inspiration that are competing for my attention. What I can do is choose which source is getting my attention. Faith is choosing which source will inspire me. The fruit of being like Jesus is the proof I choose Jesus.

Abiding in Christ is to be inspired by Christ in order to produce the fruit that He is and He wants. Abiding is true spiritual warfare. Abiding is the only weapon I have against the other sources that want to use me for their ends. My abiding in Jesus is the only thing the enemy of my soul fears.

We are continuously in a war of competing inspirations. Everyone is inspired from some source other than themselves even if they think they are independent and autonomous. Satan's chief way of inspiring us to evil is to convince us we are our own inspiration.

"Whatever gets your attention gets you." Author Mike Wells gave me this wonderful statement about inspiration. It is absolutely the truth. We are held and used for good or for evil by the source that inspires us. We could also say "Whatever inspires you, becomes your life." Paul put it like this "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me." Galatians 2:20

Even depressed people are being inspired. They are being inspired to quit, to stop, to devalue themselves. Behind the symptoms lies a source of inspiration that must be located, refused and replaced with the inspiration that frees which is Jesus.

Jesus said that we would be free when we abide in His words. Jesus said we would move mountains when we have faith.
Freedom and power depend on the right inspiration. In spiritual warfare the army that wins is the army that is best inspired.
Jesus is the inspiration that equips and overcomes the world, the flesh and the devil.

Do not underestimate your dependence on Jesus. Remember “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." With Him you can do all things. It is always a question of inspiration and the Spirit of Christ is that inspiration for living moment by moment like Jesus.

If you find your inspiration in this world, you have lost your life. If you find your inspiration in Jesus, you have found eternal life.

Forgiveness-Don't hold your breath

2009-07-25T06:22:00.000-07:00

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Matthew 6: 14-15

These words have always been tough for me to understand and tough to live. For years these words seemed to be at odds with God's grace. Not any more because I can now see through nature what Jesus meant.

By the way, anyone who thinks hearing the voice of Jesus and following it is easy is in for a surprise. Jesus asks for everything because He is everything. Resisting Jesus is like trying to resist nature. That is why nature does speak of Jesus.

One thing that nature demands of us is that we never hold our breath permanently. One thing Jesus asks of us is that we never hold our relational breath permanently. Here is what I mean.

To live as we were meant to live physically we need to breathe and never stop breathing. To make this constant activity work God has given us all a set of lungs and the physical mechanisms to take in and release air. God created nature in such a way that nature keeps continuously producing oxygen for us to breathe. This system depends on our participation in that we get to choose when to breathe in and when to breathe out. Bad things automatically happen if we make a choice to stop receiving or releasing air. So, how long can you function without receiving new air? How long can you hold your breath?

God created humans with the capacity to love and deliver grace into relationships. This was meant to be our nature. To God this releasing love and grace is more important than anything humans do. One of the things we need to receive and release in order to be alive spiritually is God's grace. We need to breath in the grace and love of God constantly and release it as grace and love to others. Humans were meant to be the source of God's grace and love on earth just like nature is the source of oxygen.

God is the source of grace and love that should flow through humans just like God is the creator of the oxygen that nature so generously releases . There is no shortage of oxygen--thank God! There is no shortage of grace and love in God's kingdom either and there can be no shortage of grace and love on earth if humans will receive it and release it as they were created to do. That is what "Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" means.

If I insist on holding my last breath (oxygen), nature will not give me another breath. This is not punishment. This is the reality of the system that keeps me alive. We must release what we have received to receive what we need to keep living physically. We are oxygen dependent creatures moment by moment and forever.

In the same way spiritually, If I insist on holding the forgiveness and grace I am constantly receiving from God, then God will not give me more forgiveness and grace until I stop holding my spiritual breath. This is not punishment. This is the reality of the spiritual system that keeps me and every other human spiritually alive. We are love and grace dependent creatures moment by moment and forever.

Bad things happen to those who hold their breath in nature. They faint and then they breathe again. To voluntarilly hold our breath is not physically deadly for humans. God designed us to faint so we will breathe again. This, too, is grace.

Bad things happen to Christians who hold the breath of God's grace and love and fail to release it as forgiveness. They faint and then they breathe again. To fail to forgive is not eternally deadly for Christians. Not forgiving others will not stop God's love for us in Christ. Even so, God makes Christians who fail to forgive faint so they will breathe again. This is grace, too.

How long have you been holding your spiritual breath? How long can you remain truly alive spiritually while withholding forgiveness? Do you feel faint yet? That is God's grace coming to rescue you and help you breathe again.

Don't faint. When you fall you might hurt yourself or others. Release and Receive. Breathe!

First Love and First Works

2009-07-24T05:16:00.000-07:00

Read carefully one of the most sobering warnings in the New Testament and notice that the "first love" we have for Jesus must be maintained for our light of love to shine on.

Revelation 2:4-5
Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.

What then is "first love?" It is the connecting of two lives in such a way that their attention toward each other is constant and their desire is that they would remain so forever.

Anyone who has fallen in love knows how powerful this level of connection and attention is. Anyone who has fallen in love began immediately to practice the "first works" of "first love."

What then is "first works"? These are the natural behaviors that always emerge when one is experiencing first love. These are human capabilities that are consistently manifested as this first love connection continues.

I have identified in my own life and in observing people at least 8 "first works" that emerge when a "first love" connection occurs.

1. Listening
2. Appreciating or valuing.
3. Thanking
4. Confessing faults
5. Affirming the relationship
6. Desiring the full success of the one loved and the relationship with them.
7. Seeking benefits for the one loved
8. Acting together in harmony

The eight habits of "first love" are also a list of what are called "Spiritual disciplines". Spiritual mentors always lead new believers into these spiritual habits for full spiritual formation.

1. Listening to the word of God and the voice of God.
2. Worship
3. Thanksgiving
4. Confession
5. Affirming our identity in Christ
6. Intercession
7. Petition
8. Acting as one.

The next time you are listening to a love song on the radio, listen for these habits being described. Those of us who are older may find the music so passionate we think it is comical. There is, however, a lot of truth about "first love" in those songs. Our first love may lose some of its exclamations and youthful euphoria, but to remain "first love" it must always grow deeper even if it grows quieter.

When was the last time you felt the signs of "first love" between you and Jesus? It may be time for you to repent and listen to Him, praise Him, thank Him, confess to Him, affirm your relationship to Him, desire His success, seek benefits for Him and act as one with Him. If not, the light of your relationship will be of no use in this world.

Do these works of the "first love" sound strange or hard? Remember, He is the bridegroom and we are the bride. Every human being knows how to feel and do these eight things just as surely as ever person who falls in love automatically does them. The key to "first love" is to see Jesus every day like you saw Him the first day.

When you begin each day, pay attention to Jesus because he is your "first love". This love will determine how every other love goes in your life.

If you need a reason to begin your day with Jesus it is "first love."

Made for Love

2009-07-16T04:48:00.001-07:00

"We are created by love, to live in love, for the sake of love." Gerald May

Imagine that you awaken each morning and at the foot of your bed is a backpack with your name on it. Next to the backpack is a note that reads "Deliver everything in this backpack that is for the people I have arranged for you to meet today. I love you, Father."

As you lift the backpack and put it on you find that it is not a burden, but It settles onto your shoulders and back with a weight of deep seriousness. The feeling of this weight causes you to lift your head and look toward heaven asking for the power to deliver all the contents during the day.

As the day progresses you meet dozens of people and you find that there is something special and precious for each one of them. You reach into the backpack and simply give to each person asking nothing in return. As you do, you sense a connection with them, with life and with your Father. There is a pain associated with the delivery, but the joy is greater.

By the end of the day you are weary but with a joy that is new and different. You fall into a deep sleep and awaken the next morning with the same backpack filled again and with an identical note lying next to the backpack. Off you go again to deliver what the Father has given to you for others.

Gerald May would be very proud of you. I am proud of you. Jesus is proud of you, too.

You exist to deliver the Father's love. Have a great day delivering. Don't forget the backpack!