Yes and No

Many of you who have known me for a long time know that I do not like to fly. Actually, I could live forever without getting on another plane and still be happy.

I am not sure if my fear is a control problem (I want to be the pilot) or a thinking problem (I have seen too many movies). Either way, I have been tormented by the fear of flying--or crashing.
The crazy thing is, I fly all the time. I have never been one to run from things that cause me fear, but I have been one to suffer due to the fear. I also make others who fly with me miserable.

Recently I have begun to discover a new spiritual truth that has helped me immensely with the flying and fear issue. It is what I call "Yes" and "No" deciding with Jesus. Here is how it works.

In the sermon on the mount Jesus says that our "yes should be yes and our no should be no." He goes on to say that anything that is beyond "yes" and "no" is of the evil one or the devil. I have spent years and years meditating on the words of Jesus and I have found that I very often try to make His words make common sense. They do not. They need to be obeyed to be understood and experienced. They are supernatural and they are for grace, peace and love not for giving me control or intellectually satisfying reasons.

So, I have begun to fly "yes" and "no" with Jesus. I simply begin the entire flying experience by asking Jesus, who abides in me, if He wants me to fly. So far, the answer has be "yes" every time. Instead of trying to fight the fear by reasoning, discipline and will as I normally do, I just go with the "yes". When turbulence hits during the flight, I ask "Jesus, should I be afraid?" Every time the answer is "no." Peace immediately comes. No kidding!

This may sound like a mind game, but I believe I am being released from fear by "yes" and "no" relationship with the only One who really knows me and my fear.

I have begun to use this same approach to all kinds of situations that I find troubling, irritating or frightening. It works.
"Jesus, should this person make me so irritated?" "No." As soon as the "no" comes I am released. It is as if asking Jesus takes the person's irritating behavior away as my main stimulus and in its place Jesus' peaceful "no" takes over. "Jesus, should I fear this person's rejection?" "No." Peace comes.

Paul said in the book of Colossians that we let the peace of Christ "rule" in our hearts. Rule means submitting to another as the final word. I guess "yes" and "no" is about a final as one can get and it certainly brings peace when we trust the one in charge.

This all may sound humorous, but for one fearful flyer it has made an enormous difference. What are you afraid of? Maybe asking Jesus for a "yes" or a "no" instead of figuring it out on your own is your answer, too. I believe it is.

Love's delivery system

There is no shortage of love in the universe.
Think about that for a moment. Could that really be true? If there is no shortage of love then what is wrong with our world?
There is certainly a shortage here.

The problem is not in the supply, it is in the delivery.

The pending global food crisis that is in the news is a similar case in point. There is ample technology and land to produce ample food for the world's 6.5 billion people. The problem is in the delivery system. Protectionism, corruption, greed, wars and ignorance create barriers to what is abundant. If these kinds of mindsets and barriers were gone, the food crisis would be on its way to an end.

I have no degree in economics and I am certainly not a farmer. What I know is that the earth is abundant because God created it to be abundant for us. The food of the human spirit and soul is love. It, too, is abundant but it must be delivered. That is why Jesus said to His first followers. "Abide in my love...."

Jesus is the restoration of love's delivery. Every Christian is a restored delivery system (a branch) for love if we will abide. To the extent we do not abide, we impede the delivery of love. There is a global love crisis and every believer is a part of the solution.

Personal protectionism (fear), corruption, greed, war and ignorance must be destroyed in me for love to flow to those who need it. Only satisfaction found in Jesus moment by moment can overcome these barriers to love.

Abide Peru

One never knows where the Lord will lead us as we abide. We truly become citizens of the kingdom and the entire world becomes a possible place for delivering the love of God.

I never dreamed that God would allow me to find a place to serve in Lima, Peru. It is amazing to watch the Lord put together more and more connections for the Abide ministry.

Together with our sending church Pastor, Russell Johnson, the past six days have been busy with teaching and conversations all across this enormous city of over 14 million. Nearly half the population of Peru lives in this town where it never rains. You can imagine the challenge it is to have this many people in one place and never have rain. To say the least dust is a problem.

Even so, the hearts of the people are open and ready for the message of Jesus' perfect presence. We have been loved and cared for every step of the way.

From taxis with cages to protect the driver or the passengers to wonderful views of the Pacific ocean, life for one who abides is never ordinary or boring. Be sure abiding in Christ will take you to places you never dreamed you would see.

Pastors

One of the most interesting things I have experienced over the last three years here in Brazil is seeing pastors from all denominational backgrounds grasp the abide message. I have learned to say to pastors "We may not have all the exact same doctrines, but we have the same problems." We do.

Pastors are all having difficulty making disciples and, in some cases, being disciples. The Abide Metaphor of John 15 gives them great hope and a great new vision for what is possible.

This past weekend I spent three days in a city that is part of the greater Rio de Janeiro area. The entire area has over 9 million people and it is an enormous social challenge. In many places it borders on chaos. While I was there they were facing 1000 cases a day of dengue fever from mosquitos. Over 50 had recently died from disease. Pastors and their church members face these challenges daily and they long for a comprehensive view of discipleship that fits these ever changing circumstances.

The message of Jesus' perfect presence in us 24/7 and moment by moment is the comprehensive answer to almost insurmountable odds. As I teach these wonderful truths in such places, my own faith is tested again and again. It is only when I focus on Jesus that I can see the plan fitting all of us in all places. Truly Jesus is enough.

The pictures are from the weekend event at the church near Rio.

VIP Visit

Some people bring with them a very special kind of presence. Some people have what I call a Very Inspired Presence. They are people who are Inspired by the Presence of Jesus in their lives. A recent visiter to our home and to the Abide Center in Campos do Jordao was just such a VIP. His name is Greg Gregory.

Greg came into our lives back in 2000 through Hollywood Christian School. Problems in the public school in South Florida led Greg and his wife Zully to put their children into Hollywood Christian which is a ministry of the First Baptist Church of West Hollywood. Problems led Greg, Zully and family into a community of people inspired by Jesus. Now Greg, Zully and their entire family are all Very Inspired People. They are all inspired by the presence of Jesus in their lives. They are VIPs.

Greg has business interests in 17 countries. Among those countries are Brazil and Argentina. We reaped the blessing of two days that Greg had open during his business trips to Brazil and Argentina. Next time we hope Zully can come, too.

For now his presence was a VIP moment for Pam and me. Thanks Greg.

First Abide Retreat 2008

The weekend of March 7-9 marked the beginning of our monthly Abide retreats in our Abide Retreat Center in the mountain city of Campos do Jordão. The retreat was exactly what we dreamed it would be nearly 5 years ago when we began to see this vision from the Lord.

There is something very powerful about focusing a willing group of people on the abundance of having the living presence of Jesus in us 24/7. Remarkable things happen to those who dare focus their mind, emotions and will on the perfection Jesus within. The Light really goes on!

The retreat allows this happen as we "coach" others to seek the abundance of Christ within moment by moment. Once they learn that this possibility exists for them and for every believer moment by moment, it is the beginning of learning to receive this joy in the much noisier world they will meet when they go back to the valley where they live and work.

Taking the state of soul one gains in an abide retreat back into the very real and turbulent world of day to day living is the goal.
True Christian life is not designed to run from reality. It is taking the calm of Jesus right into the center of the storm.

Just like surfers look at large waves as a wonderful challenge, so, too, those who abide see the "waves" of life as a challenge the abiding soul can face with joy found in Jesus' perfect presence moment by moment.

Souls at rest can surf the waves of life.

Legalists

I continue to be fascinated with the idea that evil is the development and defense of a list of people I have been given permission not to love. I am evil to the extent that I keep a list of people who deserve less than the best I am and the best I have.
Jesus had no such list. The sermon on the mount is designed to show us how a person without a list would behave in the most pressing realities of the world.

This morning during my devotional time the word "legalist" came to mind. I had not noticed that the word "Legalist" communicates the idea that a Legal List can be developed. How interesting!

Religious evil is always about a legally justified list of unlovable people. Political evil is always about a legally justified list of unlovable people. Personal evil is also legalized lack of love. I personally write the law of love in my own heart as my personal evil. It only takes one Legal list to make a legalist.

Jesus is the end of the law for righteousness. Jesus is the new law written in our hearts. Jesus is the kingdom where their are no Legal Lists. The laws one used to make legal lists are not needed since Jesus kept every law for all mankind so no more lists should be made to stop love.

Watch out for any Legal Lists of unlovable people. They are everywhere and very well written. Watch out for the most dangerous Legal List of all. That is the one you write within your own heart.

A Small World

I was deeply touched by this e-mail from our sending pastor Russell Johnson. God is good and God is in control.

Bud,

One of our Spanish men has been deployed in Afghanistan since early December. I received a note from him today telling me that they have put him in charge of the Spanish chapel service each week. The first week no one came, so he went back over our Men's prayer lists since 2004 and just watched how God had answered so many prayers, and those we still are praying for. The second week two guys showed up and they had a wonderful time in Luke 24. Here is the part that will bless you - Next week he is going to begin with "The Satisfying Life" We sent the DVDs and a book with him and he is going to begin sharing it with his Spanish speaking group. I'm not sure, but I don't believe that country was on your radar screen, but the vine keeps extending out!

Just thought you would want to know.

Russell


God is using each of lives to deliver fruit as we abide.

The Christian Life

If someone asked you to tell them where the Christian life is, where would you direct them? Would you dare point to yourself and claim to possess the entire Christian life?

It is amazing to me how reticent we are to claim for ourselves what Jesus said is ours. He said He is our life (the only Christian life) and we still refuse to believe it and behave as if it is true. The truth we often will not own is that every Christian has the entire Christian life. That entire Christian life is the perfect presence of Jesus in us right now. If we look for the Christian life anywhere else we will look in vain. All the Christian life we will ever have is in us from the moment of our new birth.

Like the DNA we live our physical lives with from conception, Jesus is all the Christian life we will ever have and all the Christian life we will ever need.

The Apostle Paul said "for to me to live is Christ...". He also said that he no longer lived but Christ lived in Him. He also was concerned that the Christian life would not be "formed" in all those in whom that life dwelt. He wasn't concerned they did not have the Christian life. He was concerned that life would not occupy its rightful place of influence and stimulus. Clearly Paul looked at every believer as possessing the entire Christian life since Jesus was abiding in them. Do we see every Christian like Paul did?

As I have struggled to believe I have the entire Christian life already in me, I have sensed that my own pride is what keeps me from surrendering to this profound yet simple way of seeing. I don't want a finished and perfect life in me because that means I will have to live exclusively by grace from now on. Grace means I didn't produce anything. Grace means I simply receive from the resources of another. That offends my desire to contribute something additional to the source of my life other than faith.

We cannot and must not add to the cross of Jesus or we will distort the Gospel. We cannot and must not add to the life of Jesus which is the Christian life. Both Christ crucified and Christ are to be received as perfect and gracious from the moment of receiving by faith.

Little by little I am learning to stop making excuses about the qualify of my Christian life. My Christian life is perfect since my Christian life is Jesus. I have the perfect Christian life right now. I don't need to go looking for it or try to produce it. I need to receive it, rejoice in it and release it.

The next time someone asks you to help them find the Christian life, don't take them to a bookstore or even a pastor. Tell them you know right where the Christian life resides 24X7. Tell them that same life can be theirs the same way you received it-by faith.

"For by grace are you saved and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God."

Oh, the unimaginable patience of God with me. He gives me the entire Christian life and I still live as though Jesus is not enough.

Back In Brazil

Pam and I arrived safely back in Brazil this morning the 21st of February. Our flight was great and we were greeted at the São Paulo airport by Tom and Diana Turley along with their daughter Charity. We felt truly welcomed home.

Tomorrow I begin a three day retreat with the people of the First Baptist Church of Jacareí. We are off and running.

A special thanks for all who made our stay in the USA such a wonderful time. Here are a few pictures of the great time we had while in the USA.

Marriage Seminars

Pam and I are headed back to Brazil on the 20th of February. Our time in the USA and in India have been wonderful. We are living the promise of Jesus that said we would have houses and lands everywhere if we would follow Him. We have only spent a few nights in hotels in the past two months. We personally own no home in the USA or Brazil, but we sure have stayed in some wonderful places that felt like home. God is good.

We have also experienced the great joy of presenting the seminar "Six Metaphors of Happy Marriage" in Riverdale, Maryland and in Houston, Texas. This 5 to 6 hour course on marriage is being greatly used to challenge couples to do a spiritual diagnosis of their marriages. We are extremely gratified with the way this material is being received in Brazil and the USA.

A special thanks to all who made their home our home. A special thanks to all who love us in Jesus' name.

The Question of Evil

Have you ever thought of yourself as being evil? I have to admit I have reserved the title "evil" for the really bad people of history.
People like Hitler and Stalin come to mind for my evil list.
As usual, the words of Jesus recently challenged my habit of personally excluding myself and other "good" people from the list of evil. Jesus said in Matt. 7: 11 "if you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!"
Jesus' words "you, being evil" really hit me hard at the exact moment I was thinking of a person who had hurt some people I deeply love and I heard myself saying "He is evil."

So, I asked Jesus to explain the meaning of evil to me and that set in motion some days of intense connecting of Bible verses and Jesus' use of the word evil. Here is what finally came together for me and I have had to extend my evil list to include me.

Evil is the creating of a list of people I give myself permission not to love.

Jesus said we are all able to create a list of people we choose to love. "...being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children"
The children made it on my personal list so they receive the best I am and the best I have.

I know that the Devil is on our list of evil beings. I am beginning to see that the Devil was expelled from heaven because he wanted to be like God. The devil is not a creator. The devil is not omnipresent, omniscient or omnipotent. So, what was the devil wanting that only God is? I think the devil wanted to decide who he would love. I don't think God was really concerned with any other power the devil might grasp for except the power to lead others to live with a list of God's creatures who did not deserve to be loved.

Instead of loving all, the devil wanted to reserve the right for himself and his followers to create a list of people or beings that did not deserve to be loved. This, then, is the birth of evil. Jesus is the birth of the cure for evil among men.

Jesus' birth is the arrival of the first man who would never have a list of who should be loved. Jesus had no list. "For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son..." John 3:16 Jesus' arrival is the arrival of the Kingdom of God. A Kingdom with no list.

I am evil whenever I keep a list of who deserves my love. When I have such a list I am competing with God for the one thing I can do that only God should be doing. God has already decided who is worthy of love and the list is everyone so I don't need a list at all.

Whenever we insist of keeping a list of who deserves the best of us and the best we have, we compete with God's decsion that love is for all.

Jesus had no list. That is what infuriated the devil, the pharisees and the romans. They all had lists and wanted Jesus either to adopt their list or end up on their list. The no list Jesus even upset the apostles shortly before the crucifixion as Peter tried to stop Jesus from going to His death. Jesus confronted that interference with God's love with the words "Get behind me Satan."

To be a disciple is give up our list of who deserves the best we are and the best we have. Read the sermon on the mount with that thought about evil in mind and verses like "go the second mile" or "turn the other cheek" or "love your enemy" will suddenly seem completely in tune with a kingdom that allows no lists.

The person I was calling evil is evil to the extent that they actually promote lists of who should be loved. The problem is, their evil was leading me to create a list, too. Evil is closer to me than I wanted to admit. "You, being evil" fits us all when we grab our pen to add a new name to our list.

Abide Houston

One of the most amazing things about the Abide message and ministry is the way it connects people. When we focus on Jesus an amazing connection occurs among believers.

Recently here in Houston, Texas Julie and "Dada" Sahmel opened their home to their Sunday School class for an abide brazil dinner. The class has begun to support the Abide Brazil ministry and they have faithfully prayed for me and for Pam for over a year. The evening was wonderful as we enjoyed Brazilian food and spoke of the perfect presence of Jesus in our lives.

Truly we are seeing a abiding network of friends growing worldwide from India to Texas to Iowa to Florida to Brazil. Focus on Jesus and soon you will be surrounded with others who love to do the same.

Permission Granted

"You are now free to move about the country." So ends a great T.V. ad from Southwest Airlines. Television can be amazingly bad but still some of the ads really stay with you. The Southwest airlines ad is among my favorites for 2007.

The ad opens with someone having a very, very bad moment due to some ridiculous mistake they have just made. After they have made the mistake a voice says...."Need to get away?" Then the airlines makes the pitch that they give permission to get away from ridiculous reality. The ad obviously works because the ad keeps running and running.

I don't think Southwest Airlines meant for the ad to be a theological statement, but it has become that for me. I can't get the phrase "You are now free to...." out of my mind. Let me explain.

Religions give people permission to behave a certain way. That is why religion matters. Whoever or whatever gives people permission to behave in a certain way matters. People like to say we can separate religion from politics or from public life but that is simply not true. A person's religion grants them permission to behave as they do. People may not always behave as their religion says they should behave, but they learn from their religion how they ought to behave.

This became abundantly clear to me in India as I watched people avoid eating meat, letting cows wander free in the cities and walk past poverty and pain as if it was inevitable and deserved. It became clear as I saw men who never cut their hair and women who cover their faces in public. Religion gives permission.

It has become even more clear as I have watched the U.S. presidential candidates make their case to the American public.
Each candidate tries to walk a tight line as they say they are religious but their religion won't impact their ability to govern.
That is is a tough sell! Religion does impact everything. Even no religion is a religion. Since Mitt Romney is the first mormon to run for President, I want to know what his religion tells him he can do and not do. This will impact his way of governing if he lives his faith.

Here is what I have come to see. My true religion is whatever or whomever gives me permission to move about life as I do..

Take Osama Bin Laden for an example. His form of radical Islam gives him permission to hate Jews, so he does. His form of Islam gives him permission to enlist suicide bombers, so he does. When he justifies his actions, he always cites his religion.

There was a time in the U.S. when the prevailing Christian religion (as distinct from true faith in Jesus) gave Americans permission to own slaves, so they did.
There was a time in the U.S. when the prevailing Christian religion gave Americans the permission to read the Bible in public schools and open each day in prayer.
The prevailing religion in the U.S. is no longer the Christian view, so the permissions to move about life in the U.S. are being changed almost daily.

Ask yourself where you go to get permission to move about life and you will discover your true religion. This is a great question to ask people if you want to discover what their true faith is in.

Read the sermon on the mount and you will see Jesus saying "You are now free to move about life acting only this way." If Jesus' words are the place where you go for permission to move about life, you are on the path to an unshakeable life.

By the way, Jesus gives us permission to love everyone at all times. Now the challenge in an election year is doing so!

India 2007

Back in 1974 I first visited Brazil. It was my first time to be in another country and really be able to see another culture in action. That first experience of another culture was life changing. My world expanded on that day and I would never be the same.

I have just returned from 8 days in India with my dear friends Mani and Pam Maken and my world has expanded again. Truly, India is nearly beyond description for me. The purpose of my trip was to preach the dedication service of a church building the Makens financed. It is the first Christian structure in the entire history of the city called Deri Bassi.

I have spent my entire life working with the inner life of people in the Americas. Often people in the Americas don't even seem to know they have an inner life. Indians know the inner life exists!

Seeing and experiencing India opened a window on an entirely new level of religious life and thought. Never have I been in a culture that was so openly and passionately religious. I am sure it will take a while to process it all. It was overwhelming.

Here are some preliminary observations....

1. Religion will continue to shape our world. The west (USA and Europe) with their bent toward secular thinking will not be able to stop the religious momentum that continues to build in the east. Getting rid of Christianity will not stop religion from coming west. Getting rid of Christianity will only make the eastern momentum pick up speed. A religious tsunami is headed west.

2. Christian leaders who hope to be relevant in India must address the inner spiritual life questions that eastern religions address every day. Going to heaven when we die is not the question being asked in India. How to have a happy marriage is not number one on the list either. Their arranged marriages for the most part do last. They think heaven and hell are here on earth.

The question I saw being asked was about what does life mean right now and how do I connect with the very real spiritual realm to benefit me today. Hinduism, Sikhism and Islam have clear, if confused, answers for the Indian population. I did not sense the Christian community was truly in this discussion in India. That may be the effect of only being 2% of the population, but I just did not sense the Christians were taken seriously. I know 8 days is not time enough to know this for sure, but my contact with non-Christian Indians made me feel like they don't think we have anything to offer from the west except capitalism.
The non-Christians wanted to talk to me about commerce and capitalism (and Brazilian soccer) but they looked on my title "Pastor" as not very impressive when compared with "Iman", "Priest" or "Guru". No non-Christian asked me to explain Christianity's claims for today. When I tried to get in the discussion they looked at me as if the people from the west have no clue.

3. Ideas have consequences. Indian society is tragically chaotic and unjust. Shocking is not a strong enough word to describe it. " The poor are poor because they need to be poor to learn what they need for their next life" is an idea I heard repeated by some very intelligent religious leaders. This idea has left the poor on their own and it shows. 7 million live in the slums of Delhi where I spent my last night in India.

Interestingly, this idea about poverty being deserved made for a safer environment than Brazil. I guess the poor have accepted their lot in life and do not use their poverty to justify violence toward those who have more. I was in places in India that I would have expected violence to be rampant and found myself being told by Indians who were with me to calm down and relax. In Brazil I would have been looking for a quick way to escape.

4. The Abide Message fits India perfectly. The word satisfaction was made for India. Moment by Moment and 24/7 ring true in India. The door to the Abide Brazil ministry is open in India because abiding is about NOW.

My Father The Farmer

I have just returned from three days teaching the Satisfying Life course and the Six Metaphors of a Happy Marriage series in a nearby state. A small seminary and camp ministry hosted the conference. The group was small but the openness was huge.

As I was teaching at the camp, the farming community that surrounded the camp allowed me to see something entirely new about John 15. It is hard to put into words how this new insight blessed me, but here goes.

Think for a moment about the massive, eternal and revolutionary importance of Christ's teaching and life. Nothing ever has happened that even comes close to God with us in human form. Imagine the last day of Jesus' life. He washes feet, comforts his disciples and prepares them for His coming death and their future of oneness with Him and His Father. Was there ever a more important day to describe everything exactly right?

As Jesus begins John 15 He begins with these words... " I am the true Vine and My Father is the Vinedresser..." There it is.
Everything that has happened through Jesus' perfect life has qualified Jesus to tell us that His Father is a farmer. A farmer. Not a judge. Not a ruler. Not a conquerer. A farmer.
My Father is a farmer, says Jesus, and Jesus is excited about it!

When I saw this, I caught my breath. Have I really understood that God did all He did in Jesus so He could successfully farm here in the world?

Farmers believe they can produce a certain kind of fruit or crop. If they don't believe a crop will come in, they don't plant. Farmers have taken into consideration everything in the environment and they plant believing the harvest can come no matter the circumstances that come. They don't change the environment, they know they can overcome it and harvest.

I mentioned to the students at the seminary that no one plants until someone proves it is worth it. The first to plant a new crop is always accused of being wrong. Jesus was God's proof that sustained human love could grow in this world again. A second Adam had been found. Now with Jesus in us the fruit can appear worldwide. So now God plants us everywhere and we bear Jesus' fruit.

I wonder how different the history of Christianity would have been if the church had always related to the world not as conquerers or judges but as branches of the Farmer? Who do farmers threaten? Who do Vine and branches threaten?

God is farming in this world. Let that thought sink in. Human love can grow right here if Jesus abide in us and we abide in Him. Amazing.

Take a few minutes and think about your concept of God in this world. If you see Him as judge and ruler you must surely be disappointed with what He is not doing. If you think of Him as love's Farmer, keep your eyes open and you will His fruit appearing all over the place.

I am sure the first disciples thought it strange that Jesus would be excited about having a farmer for a Father. Still, when you think about it what more important thing is there to do than sustain and feed the souls of men and women who hunger for love?


2nd photo: Seminary group
3rd photo: Recently planted Vine at the new Abide Center. Click on photos to enlarge.

Discipleship

During a recent trip to central Brazil a pastor took us to see one of the wonders of nature here in Brazil. It is a fruit tree like no other I have ever seen. It is called a jabuticaba tree. The fruit is delicious when eaten right on site.

As Pam and I ate our fair share of this marvelous fruit, we witnessed discipleship in action. The pastor took us to a small farm where a young couple that has just come to Christ met us. They had with them their small son. The pastor wanted us there to influence this young couple. The young couple was hungry and ready to learn.

As you look as these pictures you will see the discipleship process illustrated as Pam and were learning to harvest jabuticaba fruit. The pastor was teaching the new converts. The little boy is learning just like a new Christian must learn to feed himself on God's abundance.

We were all very satisfied!

Bud