AVOID

There are some words that we need to eliminate from our vocabulary.  Some words just do not fit who we are and the goals we have for our lives

When I married Pam over 41 years ago, we decided to elimnate the word divorce from our vocabulary.  The word just did not fit our dream of living a marriage as the image of God in the world.  Eliminating the word divorce did not make our marriage work, but it eliminated a thought that could have easily undermined our marriage.

Jesus told his first followers that they would need to carry a cross if they intended to follow Him and be one of His disiples.  He warned them that the narrow path He was leading them down would involve the pain that always accompanies the delivery of real love.

"Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them,  “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple."  Luke 14:25-27

To follow Jesus and to carry our cross we need to eliminate from our vocabulary the word  "avoid".   We simply cannot be what He calls us to be if we live by avoiding the cost of loving others.

People who are always trying to avoid things because they are hard or painful miss the narrow path Jesus walked.  They also miss the joy which that the narrow path leads us toward.

I remember telling Pam early in our relationship that I would never be a missionary.  I was absolutely convinced the missionary's life for me should be avoided if at all possible.  If I had avoided God's call to missions I would have lost so much that I now count as precious.  Thank God I eventually eliminated the word avoid when it came to God's call to missions!

If you are tempted to avoid things because they may be hard or painful, think again.  On the other side of the things we often avoid are the great adventures of life and love.

Discipleship and the word avoid just do not match.

Bud McCord

Abide International

Jesus, Risk and Love

"Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil."

Matthew 4:1

Everything Jesus said and did  while living among us involved risk. Jesus did not get a pass on the risk of being human and loving in this world. Jesus as a human being had to make real choices that involved enormous risk to himself and to the human race. Jesus' temptations while loving us were real and risky. To love in a fallen world is to take a risk.

I loved watching all of my children compete in sports. Not all of them loved to compete but I loved to watch them in action. I remember telling them, "If you are going to make a mistake while playing in a game, risk making a big mistake because you were trying so hard to get it right."

Everything Jesus did was done while running the risk of having His love proven wrong or weak.  He took this risk on purpose and He took it as a human being not as a Divine being who didn't have to face the tempations we face when we love.

Jesus entered the battle for the future of humanity as a man in whom the Father was living.   He risked making earth shattering mistakes and I believe the risk was as real for Him as it is for us.  Jesus did not get a pass on taking love's risks. Jesus had to get every detail of love right so He could truthfully say "He who seen Me has seen the Father."

When Jesus was living as a  carpenter in a small Jewish town he was taking an enormous risk of not being able to be just a simple carpenter whose daily life was as boring and as daily as your life or mine. To love is to risk boredom.

When He was choosing His disciples he took the risk of associating Himself with men who could cast a really bad shadow on His reputation or even betray Him. To love is to risk the embarrassing  errors of others.

When He died on the cross He took the risk of letting God orchestrate His suffering and pain.  To love is to risk pain that is planned for us.

Jesus knew what God would do for HIm and in Him and he faced every risk with this one confidence. By faith in His Father's love He faced the possibility of human failure on a scale that would never be able to be corrected.

Jesus not only survived the risk, He overcame the risk, redeemed us and rescued us! How is that for taking a big, loving risk and getting it perfectly right!

Without Jesus taking the risk to love us, we would not be inspired to take the risk to love as He loved. Go ahead, take the risk and love because Jesus abides in you!

Bud McCord

Abide International

The Baptism Waters-- Deeper Than We Think

Among Jesus' final words were these:

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. Matthew 28:18-20

These very special words have sent thousands of missionaries around the world and these words have sent millions of new believers into rivers, lakes and baptistries to be immersed in water.

The physical baptismal waters are never too deep. They are just deep enough to picture a death, a burial and a ressurrection.  Even so, when  understood spiritually there is no water in the universe any deeper than baptismal waters.

Jesus said we were to be baptized in water in the name of the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.  He said we are to be immersed in God's name.  We are to be planted deeply and forever into who God is and what God does for us in Christ.

Jesus did not say to baptize them in the "names". He said to baptize them in the "name".  God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are three persons but only one name.  God is One.

A name says who we are.  Over time a name also says what we do for others.  Being baptized in the "name" is to be forever planted in who God is and what God has done for us. Being planted deeply and forever in who God is and what God has done for us raises us to live in newness of life.

The baptismal waters are as deep as who God is and what God has done for us.  No matter how deeply you look into the baptismal waters you will never find the bottom.  Just when you think you know who God is and all God has done for you there is always more.
 

Bud McCord

Abide International

Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit

And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’” Having said this, He breathed His last. Luke 23:46

As He lived among us and as He died at Calvary for us Jesus gave away everything he had in order to love us and save us.  The only thing that He could not give away as He saved us was His Spirit.  His Spirit belonged only to God.

The individual human spirit was made to be in continuous connection to God alone.  When we as humans live this continuous spiritual connection we escape the power of the flesh and become truly human. 

"Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh;" Galatians 5:16-17

No one on earth should ask another human being to submit their spirit to them for any reason. The spirit of any individual should be given in submission only to God through Christ.  Our spirit belongs only to God and never to men. Our love belongs to God and to all men.

Secular or religious leaders who ask people for their spirit are asking for something that cannot and should not be theirs to control.  People in authority over others can legitimately ask for many things. They can ask for cooperation, submission, obedience, sacrifice and respect. They must never ask a human being to connect their spirit to the leader's spirit in order to live and to be.

"For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,"

I Timothy 2:5

The Caesars demanded that the early Christians give them their spirits. The early disciples lovingly gave everything else but refused to give up their spirits to the Caesars who claimed to be gods.  For this refusal the early Christians died by the thousands.

Cult leaders even today demand the spirits of their followers and the result is always slavery and death for those who give their spirits to such men.

Even well meaning religious leaders ask for the spirits of their followers to build their empires.  In the end, these same empires destroy the leaders, oppress the followers and inhibit the flow of love.

The temptation to ask for the spirit of human beings is very strong among spiritual, secular and religious leaders. Leaders know that the spirit of a man or a woman is the true energy of life in a human being.

Only God in Christ has the right to ask for my spirit. The only man to whom I can safely give my spirit is Jesus Christ because through the Cross He offers me His life and love first.

Leaders must not ask for the control of the spirit of any man or woman. Christians must be willing to follow God inspired leaders and even to die in order love others.  Even so, they must be willing to die to all men, including leaders,  before they give their spirit to anyone except God.

As always Jesus is our example.  He was willing to give all He had in order to love us, but he commited His spirit into the hands of God alone.  We must do the same.

"But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him." I Corin. 6:17

Bud McCord

Abide International

The Words of Jesus

Author and Psychiatrist M. Scott Peck says in his book  The Road Less Travelled that there are four disciplines for learning how to suffer and how to grow.

"What are these tools, these techniques of suffering, these means of experienciing the pain of problems constructively that I call discipline?  There are four: delaying gratification, acceptance of responsibility, dedication to truth, and balance"
Pg. 18  The Road Less Travelled

He goes on to say that the learning of these disciplines is to be best found in stable family life.  I couldn't agree more!

His discussiion of delaying gratification really caught my attention. He defines delaying gratification as

"a process of scheduling the pain and pleasure of life in such a way as to enhance the pleasure by meeting and experiencing the pain first and getting it over with.  It is the only decent way to live." pg.19 The Road Less Travelled

When I read an author like M. Scott Peck I admire how passionate and caring people like Dr. Peck are. He has helped thousands live as better people.  People like Dr. Peck desire to bless and to help.  They are inspiring people!    Even so, I always take what any author says to Jesus' words to see if their words resonate with Jesus.

When I took these quotes to Jesus' words I felt a resonating and a discord.  The resonating was in Dr. Peck's call to deal with the pain first.  The discord was with the idea that I need to schedule my pleasure and my pain.

Resonating....
I hear Jesus telling me to delay gratification through the pain of cross bearing as I get on with first loving those I need to love.  Loving others will most certainly require the delay of gratification in most cases.

Discord....
I hear Jesus telling me that His Father will schedule the pain and the pleasure according to His will and not mine. Scheduling pain or pleasure on my own is beyond my grasp of all that is happening in God's plan.  I can't hear Jesus saying  "Wait!  This is the time I scheduled for pleasure!"   I can hear Jesus saying "If love requires that I suffer first and then find pleasure, I will."

I agree with Dr. Peck that the inability to delay gratification is deadly to life and to love.  I think the four disciplines Dr. Peck uses to help hurting people solve many of the problems of life really do help.

Even so, I always take my words or any other person's words to Jesus' words and listen for resonance or discord.  Jesus must be the final word on all of our words if we ever hope to be healthy, loving human beings.

"My sheep hear my voice..." John 10:27

Bud McCord

Abide International

The Satisfying LIfe in Brazil

Teaching here in Brazil is a privilege.  The Brazilian people are so open to learn and grow in their faith.  It is a beautiful moment in the life of the churches.

I recently had the privilege of teaching the course The Satisfying LIfe to over 120 members of the Christian Community Church in the city of Cianorte in southern Brazil.   During three consecutive nights of intense instruction the entire group showed up on time and stayed until 10 PM.

Led by a dynamic young pastor named Bruno this 7 year old church is reaching its city through social ministries like their ministry to men addicted to drugs.  I was also privileged to speak to the 21 men who are spending 9 months in their  program of recovery at a small farm near the city.

The total membership of the church is over 500 and  they opened a new church location in there city while I was there.

Tomorrow, August 16 I head to a small city called Catu in northern Brazil for four days of teaching.

Pray that this openness will continue here in Brazil.  Bud McCord

Becoming the Real You

"The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want...."
Psalm 23:1

How many different ways has this passage been interpreted down through the centuries!  In my brief years on earth I have heard this passage quoted as much or more than any other in the Bible. It is powerful, but what does it really mean?

Just the other night I preached a sermon on these words and a woman here in Brazil told me she put these exact words on her car 16 years ago and then cancelled her car insurance as a statement of faith!  Her car was stolen.

She told me her story because she realized after hearing my sermon that she had not understood what the words really meant.  Sixteen years is long time to wait to get these words right!

Since David says we are God's flock it is clear that this passage is not a statement of material wealth or a promise God will guard our car.  Sheep don't accumulate things or drive!   It is a statement that says we will not lack anything to become the kind of sheep the Shepherd wants us to become. The statement says you will be given by God whatever you need to become the real you.  God will provide for you to become truly human!

So, if we can figure out why humans exist and what it means to be truly human then the verse becomes clear.  As always in any seach for understanding humans we must begin with Jesus!  He is what God intended and still intends for humans!

When we start with Jesus' statement in Luke 10:26-28 that says we humans exist to love God and love our neighbors, then we can say based on Jesus' words and on Psalm 23 that we will never lack what we need become people who can love those we are called to love.  We shall not want for the resources and abilities that we need to love God and love our neighbor. We exist to love and God will make able to do this.

This makes perfect sense.   A Shepherd would never knowingly fail to provide for his flock whatever it needed to become what he wants the flock to become.  Why  bother caring for sheep without providing for them what is needed to reach the goal you have  in mind for them?

God has in mind for us that we would be able to love Him and love our neighbor like Jesus did. This is why we exist.  He will provide what it takes for this to happen.  Jesus is God's provision for us and in us so we can becomel this kind of human being!

Truly, humans who are the sheep of His pasture will have all they need to become what He has in mind.
 

Luke 12:32 "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

Bud McCord

Abide International

Love--Our Only Argument

"All of God lives in Christ fully" Col. 2:9
"God is love" I John 4:16

There are no shortages of arguments in the world. People are on edge and very, very quick to disagree.  Though this is not new to humanity it is our time to deal with this human tendency toward arguing.

It takes a revelation from God in Christ to finally show us the way forward in a world that only wants to argue.  The way forward is to make love our only argument. Love is the only argument God uses.  This is a revelation we find only in Jesus.

Reading about Jesus' life it appears at times that He is oblivious to the arguments swirling around him. At times He seems completely detached from the political and social realities around Him.  To be honest, at flrst glance He seems to be almost uncaring.

A man shouted out to Jesus and ordered Him to tell His brother to do the right thing by dividing an inheritance with Him. Jesus says...."Who made Me a judge or arbitrator overy you?"  He doesn't agree to help.  He doesn't offer to pray.  He tells the man to be careful with greed which would destroy his soul and stop his love.

Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.  But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” Luke 12:13-14

To follow Jesus is to make love your only argument. It is not as if we have nothing to say as disciples. We all do!  It is just that we can only say it with love if we will be like Jesus.

When I think of all the things I want to say about the reality of this world my blood boils and I am ready for an argument.

When Jesus thought of all the things He wanted to say about the reality of this world, He shed His blood.

Jesus is God's final statement about everything. It should be mine as well.
 

Bud McCord

Abide International

Leisure

"God gives us the vision, then He takes us down to the valley to batter us into the shape of the vision, and it is in the valley that so many of us faint and give way. Every vision will be made real if we will have patience. Think of the enormous leisure of God! He is never in a hurry. We are always in such a frantic hurry. In the light of the glory of the vision we go forth to do things, but the vision is not real in us yet; and God has to take us into the valley, and put us through fires and floods to batter us into shape, until we get to the place where He can trust us with the veritable reality. Ever since we had the vision God has been at work, getting us into the shape of the ideal, and over and over again we escape from His hand and try to batter ourselves into our own shape."  Oswald Chambers

As a disciple God has given you a vision of the person you could be in Christ.  He has placed in you a desire to be a different, better kind of person.  You are in a hurry about this.  He is not.

It is really hard for us to adjust our lives to "the enormous leisure of God".  We live as if we are a temporary, fast project of His will.  He works on us as permanent, eternal project of His will.

The other day I was asked by my wife Pam if I had considered just how patient God is with us as He works on the restoration of our overdeveloped souls.  I jokingly replied,  "Well, we aren't going anywhere, so why should he be in a hurry?" 

I meant the reply as a joke, but as soon as the words left my lips, I knew that I was talking about something very true.  God"s leisure is enormous because He knows we are not going anywhere and neither is He.

In this world nothing and no one seems to be permanent.  Perhaps this is why leisure is so hard for us as humans.  We can't relax and experience leisure because everything seems to be moving away from us too fast.  We are all living some kind of hurry.

Perhaps the sabbath in the Old Testament was about God's enormous leisure and man's tendency to always be in a rush.  Perhaps Jesus ability to have only twelve disciples points to His enormous leisure about doing His Father's will.

Remember the dream or vision God gave you about yourself?   Calm down.  You are not going anywhere and neither is God.  You are already on your way to becoming the vision He gave you.  You can afford to develop a godly leisure, too.  If fact, godly leisure
(called soul rest)  is a requirement for you to become the vision God gave you.  God has all the time there is.

Be at rest.
 

Bud McCord

Abide International

An Overdeveloped Soul

In the Classic book The Normal Christian Life, Watchman Nee describes in chapter 12  the fall of humanity in the Garden of Eden as permitting the "overdevelopment of the human soul." "But—and here we come to the point—the fruit of the tree of knowledge made the first man overdeveloped in his soul."  Watchman Nee According to Nee, Satan's temptation of mankind and the subsequent eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil tore the soul of man from the Spirit of God and set in motion human souls growing beyond their intended role. Man's soul went wild. Nee describes this overdevelopment of the human soul as the result of the human spirit no longer being directly connected to and continuously inspired by the Spirit of God. In the place of God's inspiration and man's voluntary cooperation there is now a continuous stimulation of the human soul by sin and Satanic influence. This "overdevelopment of the human soul" produces what the Scriptures call the "works of the flesh." These works are destructive to the person practicing them and to those in relationship with them. (See Galatians 5:19-23 to see a comparison of the overdeveloped soul called  "Flesh" and the properly developed soul called "Walking in the Spirit) The Apostle Paul describes this tormenting overdevelopment of the human soul in Romans 7 as he says: 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. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it isno longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.   Romans 7: 14-17 Under the instruction of God's perfect law, which describes how a human being behaves with a God developed spirit, soul and body, Paul could envision what the "normal" human life was meant to be at creation.  Paul could see himself with a soul that was not overdeveloped by sin abiding in him and by constant Satanic influence. Paul could envision himself with a spirit connected to God's Spirit and a soul properly developed for love. Sin in him and Satanic influence all around him, however, would never allow this to happen so he says in Romans 7:24:  "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" I recently watched a documentary filmed in 2007 about the tallest woman in China. She was nearly 8 feet tall.  This young woman's pituitary gland would not allow her body to function normally. No matter how much she envisioned being a normal height and doing what she longed to do, she could not stop the actions of her rebellious pituitary gland and her body was the evidence of an over abundance of growth hormones. It was a tragic story of overdevelopment of the body.  It hurt just to watch her struggle! The overdevelopment of the human soul is far more tragic. The overdevelopment of the human soul due to the absence of God's Spirit, the presence of sin in us and the constant inspiration of Satan makes the story of the human soul one of death and more death. The fruit of the separation of man's spirit from God's Spirit and the overdevelopement of his soul is clear to see and always brings a premature and sad death. It hurts just to watch humans struggle with the size of their souls! There is good news in Jesus! We can begin again in the Spirit of Christ. We can receive into our spirit the Spirit of Christ and the process of the restoration of our soul to its intended size and function can begin in us. This begins in what is called being "Born Again" and then continues as  "spiritual formation,"  "Christ formed in us" or "discipleship".  (Read Romans 8 to see this amazing change in action.) Our souls must be reduced in size to love again. Our pride must go first and poverty of spirit must take its place. The normal activities of the overdeveloped soul called "flesh" must be put off like excess size and we must learn to live and walk lightly in the Spirit. We must enter into the "yoke" with Jesus and finally find rest for our souls. "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."  Mateus 11:28-30 Nothing short of a new beginning in the Spirit can bring rest (right size, function and weight) to the overdeveloped souls of men and women. This new beginning must be lived moment by moment and day by day abiding in Christ until our soul becomes a willing servant of God's Spirit. When this happens we will be perfected or made into what God originally intended in Eden. "He must increase and I must decrease" takes on a new meaning in light of our overdeveloped souls!  When we finally love like He does, our souls are the right size again and the heavy burden will be gone Bud McCord Abide International

Itching Ears and Anointing

ITCHING EARS and ANOINTING 2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers. 1 John 2:27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. People who do not learn to abide in Christ develop "itching ears". Their "itching" for inner peace becomes so intense that they become addicted to "itching ear" teachers. A clear sign a church is in spiritual decline is their nearly insane craving to be taught by Christian experts. There is, however, a Divine cure for this itch. The cure is abiding in the anointing you have received from Him who abides in you. Christ in you can take away your itching ears. Christ within by the Holy Spirit will personally teach you and take away the itch. The first of all sound doctrines is Christ and Christ crucified.  The sound doctrine of Christ and Christ crucified when ministered to us by the Holy Spirit's anointing takes away the itch for forgiveness and for acceptance. When this anointing comes to us in our inner life by the Holy Spirit the itch for forgiveness and the itch for acceptance immediately stops. Now we must learn to abide in this inner anointing moment by moment so the itch stays gone. If we abide in Christ the itch stays gone. If we do not abide in Christ, then the itch returns.  When the itch returns so do the teachers who charge for the temporary relief they bring.  Under the care of these teachers the itch always returns and they are glad it does! They live from our itching ears! They actually try to cause the itch by suggesting Jesus in us is not enough and that is why we need them! Under the anointing of the Holy Spirit in Christ, the itch is permanently replaced with a state of inner rest and satisfaction. When a Chrisitan is at rest, teaching is clear and to the point.  It is sound doctrine with no itch.  When a Christian is not a rest, look for the itch teachers to be close by complicating everything! If your itch returns, remember this: " I have an anointing. The Holy Spirit is my teacher.  I shall not want for perfect teaching."The Holy Spirit always teaches us for free and the itch always goes away. Bud McCord Abide International

Is Jesus Enough?

"If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.  Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory." Colossians 3:1-4. Throughout history all forms of the Christian Church have faced one constant temptation. It is the temptation to add something to Jesus so Christianity will work better. It seems the church cannot  be as satisfied with Jesus as the Father and the Holy Spirit are.  How tragic for all of us if Jesus is not enough! I often challenge believers to read the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John as if they were being read for the first time. I encourage them to listen to the absolutely breathtaking statements that Jesus makes about Himself from beginning to end. Then I challenge them to ask this question: Did Jesus think who He was and what He did was enough for us?  Then I ask them to ask this second question:  Did the Father and the Holy Spirit agree with Jesus' certainty about Himself? You may be saying "Of course Jesus is enough! Of course the Father and the Spirit agree!  That is obvious!"  Is it? Just watch how much energy and effort has gone into making Christianity a  "Jesus plus" activity.  Once it was Jesus plus Jewish laws and rituals.  Once it was Jesus plus the effort of the priests for men.  Once it was Jesus plus Mary's loving intervention. Once it was Jesus plus baptism.  Whatever "Jesus plus" once was it can easily become again in any of our lives and in any church. "Jesus plus" seems like a terrible case of the flu which the church cannot shake. A lot of people have gained power, wealth and control with a new "Jesus plus" plan. Perhaps that is why this tendency is so tenacious. Perhaps in the spiritual realm this is where the real battle is fought and it is the Devil's only real plan to slow the church if he cannot stop the church. It is clear from the Scriptures that the Father and the Holy Spirit affirm Jesus as perfectly enough for the redemption and restoration of mankind. This is why the focus is clearly on Jesus in the New Testament. If the Trinity is in agreement that Jesus is enough for us, why can't we just rest in the perfect Jesus the Father sent and the perfect Jesus the Spirit reveals in us? Live this day moment by moment knowing Jesus is enough. Experience the freedom of His perfection for you and in you moment by moment. The Father and the Holy Spirit want Jesus for you because they are one with Jesus yesterday, today and forever. To the Father and the Spirit wanting Jesus for us is giving themselves to us in Him. Bud McCord Abide International

Let It Never Be Said of Us

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’  Matthew 7:21-23 People who truly know Jesus and are known by Jesus never say "Lord, look what we did for you!" Once  disciples come to really know Jesus the idea of independent human action and results worthy of pride vanishes from their vocabulary. People who know Jesus are heard saying words like  "It was not us but the grace of God at work in us."   People in whom Christ is formed clearly understand Jesus' words in John 15 "Without Me you can do nothing." Humans were created for receptivity and cooperation with the source of every good work.  Humans were created to receive from God, rejoice in what is received from God and release everything with God as continuous love. The true Christian experience is called "oneness" and there is no room in oneness for independent action for which we expect to be rewarded. A failure to see all we are and all we do as being one with God is lawlessness.  Let it never be said of us that we did it alone.  "In your name"  is not enough.   Abiding in Him is the way.   Bud McCord Abide International

Looking For Jesus

"Christ in you the hope of glory." Col. 1: 27b Where did you look for Jesus this morning?   Did you search for HIm in the pages of your Bible?  Did you search for Him in the annointing of some preacher?  Did you search for Him in a daily devotional?  Did you search for Him in you? Jesus lives in you right now.  He is never far from you.  He is never far from any believer. He lives in you so you can live His life.  He wants far more than your best attempt to imitate Him.  He wants nothing less than your willingness to live Him. When Jesus said in John 15 "Without Me you can do nothing" He was calling you to abandon imitation and embrace incarnation.  Living Him right now is the goal not imitating Him right now. Living Him begins the moment you awaken each day.  How you decide to look for Him defines whether you can or will live Him.  Looking for Him anywhere else except in you will mean you will be at best an imitation of Jesus. The world needs to see Him alive today in you.  Even our best imitation of Jesus is never enough for the glory of God to appear among men.   Bud McCord Abide International

Having Begun

Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?  Galatians 3.3 Every true believer in Christ has begun in the Spirit. They have begun in the discovery of God's continuous generosity in Jesus. They have begun by simple receptivity. They have begun by faith. All any believer has ever done for forgiveness and salvation is believe. All that came to them from God came to them as they simply opened their spirit to God's Spirit and received. When believers begin in pure receptivity no matter how little they understand about receiving from God they find the true spiritual nature of all things. They find that God is the source of all that is perfect and all that perfects and He is generous to those who simply receive. It is easy to believe there must be more than receptivity. As is common among all believers the Spiritual beginning is so wonderful, but the journey into continuous spiritual receptivity is a battle to unlearn and put off the stubborn habits of the flesh.  The flesh is the opposite of receptivity. The flesh is human activity inspired by Satan who is the spirit of negativity to God's' activity. The flesh (human activity) lusts against the Spirit (God's activity ). This is the battle every Christian faces each day: Our daily question is: Will I receive moment by moment from God's activity the perfection I need to love perfectly or will I make another attempt to perfect myself and my love with my own mental, emotional and volitional activity? Jesus told the famous woman at the well in John 4 that she could be done with her iiresome drawing of daily water with a bucket and rope.  She could be done, but she would have to learn to drink from a fountain of living water instead of a bucket she controlled. Bucket and rope is work. Drinking from a fountain is receiving. Bucket and rope is flesh. Fountain is Spirit. Learning to drink from moving, bubbling abundant water is a new skill for all humans who come to Christ. The truth is, the continously generous fountain of God in Christ by the Spirit has made its home in every believer. Even so, many believers refuse to let go of their bucket and rope in their search for satisfaction and perfection in their own efforts. It is time to throw the bucket and rope out and learn to drink deeply of the living water which is Christ in you the hope of glory.  And when those bucket and rope salesmen come back to your door, just smile and tell them your satisfied with the fountain you have in Jesus   Bud McCord Abide International

Opportunities

Opportunities It is hard to measure the value of an opportunity.  What is it that makes an opportunity valuable?  Is it the number of people involved?  Is the the sum of the results obtained? Is it the way one feels when the opportunity has come and gone? Is it a great opportunity because I say it is?  Is it great because people say it is? When I say I have an opportunity which of these measures am I using to judge that opportunity?  Can I really judge the value of an opportunity?  I believe I can. I have come to believe that Jesus in me is the measure of every opportunity.  That fact that Jesus is willing to be with me whatever my opportunity is makes the opportunity great.  If the opportunity were of little value, why would He go with me all the time?  His presence in me and with me defines every moment I live as a great opportunity to live Him. This is what I have come to believe.  It is not yet what I have come to feel.  Sometimes what I believe and what I feel take a while to meet. I know and believe that every moment with Christ in me makes even being alone a great opportunity.  I know and believe that speaking to one person is a great opportunity. I know and I believe.  Sometimes I even know and believe and feel this!  That is spiritual progress. I recently had an opportunity to spend 4 days in northern Brazil.  It was a great opportunity. I knew it was.  I believed it was. I even felt it was.  Then I boarded the flight home and spent 9 hours getting home by myself on airplanes.  Just Jesus and me on  planes and in airports for 9 hours.  It was a great opportunity.  I knew it was. I believed it was.  I just didn't feel it was.  I just wanted to get through it quickly. It is the mark of a truly mature saint when they can just be with Jesus and think that is a great opportunity.  I will get there!  I will know it, believe it and feel it! Matthew 28:20b  I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen   Bud McCord Abide International

Either, Or or In the Middle

Either, Or or In the Middle “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:  “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.  So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,I will vomit you out of My mouth. Revelation 3:14-16 In our moment by moment spiritual life we have three possible states of being. We are either walking in the Spirit, walking in the flesh or we are in the middle between the two. To walk in the Spirit is to be entirely focused on and receptive to the inspiration that comes to us internally from God in Christ through the Spirit.  Walking in the Spirit is the only way we can absolutely enjoy victory over the flesh.  This is described as being in a state of intense, inner spiritual influence or being “hot.” To walk in the flesh is to be entirely focused on and receptive to the inspiration that comes from spiritual forces that do not wish us well and receptive to the desires for satisfaction found in whatever our own minds, emotions and will put before us.  This is described as being in a state of intense spiritual influence that does not come from God or being “cold”. To walk in the middle of these two states as if we cannot decide between either is to be entirely focused on and receptive to neither. This makes us useless for either.  This is described as being in a state of indecision or being “lukewarm.” At any moment we are in one of these three states. Unfortunately most believers are in the middle or lukewarm.  God demands by his reaction (vomiting!)  we be either/or and never in the middle. We must be able to discern which state is ours moment by moment.  We must choose which one is to be our way of life.  God in Christ has made this choice ours to make and make it we must. If we find ourselves in the cold or middle state spiritually, the quickest way to return to walking in the Spirit is to know well the works of the Spirit, to know well the works of our flesh and to know well the works of our indecision. When the works of the flesh or indecision appear we must reject them (not fight them), submit to God and focus on our continuous spiritual, inner union with Jesus. To enjoy this return to faith, focus and inspiration in Christ’s Spirit, use a phrase like “Jesus, I am entirely yours!”  or  “Jesus, you are welcome in my life!”  No matter how many times a day you must use this phrase or another like it, do not stop in the middle!  Choose again and again. James 1: 5-8 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.  But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.  For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. Moment by moment. Hot or cold.  Either or.  Choose now and choose again and again.  Walking in the Spirit will become your continuous choice over time.   Bud McCord Abide International

The Exempt

The Exempt One of the most frustrating things for me in the human experience is to see exemptions being given to some people who see themselves as above the rest of humanity. Many people see themselves as exempt from the laws that govern others. The more exemptions given in a culture the weaker the social structure becomes. I have seen this fact in action and it is ugly.  Chaos is not far away when exemptions are the norm. To see this process in action, just go to the nearest airport and watch how people begin to exempt themselves from everything from where they park, how long they stay in a no parking zone, how long they are willing to stay in line without looking for a way out and how frustrated they become being treated like everyone else. If an airport is too far away, just go to a poplular restaurant and pay attention.  For a once in a lifetime illustration visit the halls of any government just after a law is passed. As soon as laws are passed in any country the exemption process kicks in for the people who think they are above the rest.  Slowly but surely what is law for all becomes exemption for some.  Exemptions sow the seeds of future revolution. The good news is that God's Kingdom allows no exemptions.  It is a Kingdom of univeral love and grace but no exemptions.  The difference is amazing.  Just a taste of  love and grace instead of exemptions is liberating. Recently I was once again very frustrated by the culture of exemptions that one sees where we live.  I was complaining loudly about the driving habits of the exempt and my wife Pam calmly said  "No one gets a pass on glorifying God."  What a relief to my soul!   As a sinner, I don't want people punished. I just want to believe that the culture of exemptions will someday die and be replaced by a culture better than law with exemptions. Romans 3:23 tells us we all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God.               "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." There are no exemptions in this verse. All means all.  No matter what happens God will not play the exemption game with me or anyone else when it comes to our personal responsibility of living in such a way that we each continuously reveal God's glory which is continous love.  Since none of us lives  continuous love we all fall short of God's glory. Once again, there are no exemptions allowed in God's Kingdom. There has been, however, a universal payment for our failing to glorify God.  This payment is called grace in Christ and it is for all.  Seek no exemption in God's Kingdom.  Seek and find grace. Now, once you find it, stay there and forget exemptions!  Become a servant like Jesus.  He never sought an exemption on loving anyone!  Thank God! When Pam reminded me that no one gets an exemption on glorifying God, I immediately calmed down and had hope.  Now, if I can just remember to live in God's grace in Christ as I am in traffic this week with so many seeking exemptions! Bud McCord