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Monday, April 23, 2012
Discipleship and the Scriptures
Monday, April 16, 2012
Divine GPS
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:105
For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light. Psalm 36:9
Think of the Bible as a Divine GPS device that is set to take you straight to Jesus. For a GPS to be useful, it must always know where it is and where it wants to go. The Bible is programmed (inspired by the Holy Spirit) to know from Genesis to Revelation where it is in relation to God and man. God has also set the entire Bible to Jesus which is the one destination where He has decided to meet every man.
No matter where you are in this world, contact with the Bible is designed by the Spirit to work from your location and take you to Jesus as quickly as possible. In fact, no matter how often you enter the pages of the Bible before or after conversion it is constantly trying to take you to Jesus. To try and get to any other place or do any other thing with the Bible is a waste of time. Too often we misuse the Bible. When we do, we hear the Bible say "Recalculating". This is because we prefer to go our own way instead of going straight to Jesus and His commands!
Once the Scriptures (the Divine GPS) get you to Jesus and to His commandments, the Bible says "Arriving at destination.. Enter, hear Him and obey Him." If you take Bible apart verse by verse as Bible teachers do, you should end up seeing that every verse is programmed with every other verse with Jesus as it's destination.
A GPS is never set to take you to itself. Neither is the Bible designed to take you to the Bible. The Bible is Divinely set to take you to Jesus and His commandments. Let the Bible take you to Jesus. Let the Bible do its job. Trust it to take you to Him! When it does you will find yourself face to face with Jesus and expected to obey His very specific commands.
No matter where you are you can open your Bible and know it will take you to Jesus every time. Bud McCord Abide International
For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light. Psalm 36:9
Think of the Bible as a Divine GPS device that is set to take you straight to Jesus. For a GPS to be useful, it must always know where it is and where it wants to go. The Bible is programmed (inspired by the Holy Spirit) to know from Genesis to Revelation where it is in relation to God and man. God has also set the entire Bible to Jesus which is the one destination where He has decided to meet every man.
No matter where you are in this world, contact with the Bible is designed by the Spirit to work from your location and take you to Jesus as quickly as possible. In fact, no matter how often you enter the pages of the Bible before or after conversion it is constantly trying to take you to Jesus. To try and get to any other place or do any other thing with the Bible is a waste of time. Too often we misuse the Bible. When we do, we hear the Bible say "Recalculating". This is because we prefer to go our own way instead of going straight to Jesus and His commands!
Once the Scriptures (the Divine GPS) get you to Jesus and to His commandments, the Bible says "Arriving at destination.. Enter, hear Him and obey Him." If you take Bible apart verse by verse as Bible teachers do, you should end up seeing that every verse is programmed with every other verse with Jesus as it's destination.
A GPS is never set to take you to itself. Neither is the Bible designed to take you to the Bible. The Bible is Divinely set to take you to Jesus and His commandments. Let the Bible take you to Jesus. Let the Bible do its job. Trust it to take you to Him! When it does you will find yourself face to face with Jesus and expected to obey His very specific commands.
No matter where you are you can open your Bible and know it will take you to Jesus every time. Bud McCord Abide International
Monday, April 09, 2012
Easter or Resurrection?
Easter and The Resurrection
"I am the resurrection and the life..." Jesus
Easter is an event. The resurrection is a person. An event comes and goes. A person is alive for as long as the quality of their life permits. The quality of a resurrected life is forever.
When we reduce our celebration of Easter to an event on a calendar instead of celebrating the quality of life that now lives in us, we lose the power of the resurrection.
The resurrection is as powerful today as it was on the day Jesus defeated death and the grave for all of us.
Today is not Easter. Today is resurrection. Tomorrow will be resurrection. Ten thousand years from now will be resurrection. Because Christ lives in each of us who have believed Him and received Him every moment is resurrection.
The resurrection lives in you. Rise!
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Mystery Solved
Mystery Solved
An unsolved mystery creates drama and suspense. A sense of suspense is a great tool for selling books and movie tickets as long as the suspense eventually reaches resolution. We love suspense and drama for a time, but we all long for resolution.
After a long period of suspense we all love to finally say "That explains it!" A tremendous sense of relief floods our minds and emotions we we finally know what is really going on.
If we long for resolution while reading a great novel or watching a good film, imagine our need for resolution to the mystery and drama of the meaning of our own life! We must have a "That explains it!" moment about life. Fortunately, God has provided it.
Jesus is God's resolution to the mystery of our history. Jesus is the "that explains it!" relief which our mind, emotions and will must have. As much as we may enjoy temporary drama and suspense, we need an end to suspense and drama when it comes to what God has in mind for us as human beings.
The Apostle Paul saw his ministry as a wonderful "Jesus explains it!" process.
I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily. Col. 1:24-29
Jesus abiding in us is the resolution to the drama and suspense that troubles our souls. As we learn to bring every thought to Jesus we will begin to experience inner peace and an end to unneeded drama that makes our inner world uneasy and stressed.
Jesus is God's final explanation. Let Jesus be your great "That explains it!" Mystery and drama are good in books and in films, but your inner life needs resolution right now.
Bud McCord
Abide International
An unsolved mystery creates drama and suspense. A sense of suspense is a great tool for selling books and movie tickets as long as the suspense eventually reaches resolution. We love suspense and drama for a time, but we all long for resolution.
After a long period of suspense we all love to finally say "That explains it!" A tremendous sense of relief floods our minds and emotions we we finally know what is really going on.
If we long for resolution while reading a great novel or watching a good film, imagine our need for resolution to the mystery and drama of the meaning of our own life! We must have a "That explains it!" moment about life. Fortunately, God has provided it.
Jesus is God's resolution to the mystery of our history. Jesus is the "that explains it!" relief which our mind, emotions and will must have. As much as we may enjoy temporary drama and suspense, we need an end to suspense and drama when it comes to what God has in mind for us as human beings.
The Apostle Paul saw his ministry as a wonderful "Jesus explains it!" process.
I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily. Col. 1:24-29
Jesus abiding in us is the resolution to the drama and suspense that troubles our souls. As we learn to bring every thought to Jesus we will begin to experience inner peace and an end to unneeded drama that makes our inner world uneasy and stressed.
Jesus is God's final explanation. Let Jesus be your great "That explains it!" Mystery and drama are good in books and in films, but your inner life needs resolution right now.
Bud McCord
Abide International
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
A Deeper Repentance
When we go through a time of great personal failure it can lead us to repentance. We respond to our failure knowing that we truly are at fault and need to come before God with a broken and contrite heart.
Is this failure provoked change the most powerful kind of repentance? Until recently I would have said "yes" to this question. Today I would say there is a more powerful kind of experience that produces an even deeper kind of repentance.
This more powerful kind of repentance is produced by experiencing the kindness and longsuffering of God toward us. When we become aware of His tremendous goodness toward us instead of our own tremendous failure toward Him, we experience the deepest kind of repentance.
The shift in my thinking came about as I heard a pastor calling his church to repentance in his Sunday sermon. He called them to come and repent not because they had failed. He called them to come and repent because God is so good to them and so longsuffering toward them. The altar of the church filled with people repenting because they had seen the goodness of God.
I was profundly touched by the wisdom of this pastor. He has it right!
If we would see others repent we can hope they fail or we can hope they see God's goodness and kindness.
God uses His goodness and kindness to reach us. God does not seek our failure. He seeks our good.
Do we secretly hope others will fail so they will repent or do we hope they will see God's goodness and longsuffering before they fail?
"Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?" Romans 2:4
Friday, February 24, 2012
Game On!
...be filled with the Spirit... Ephesians 5:18b
Have you ever tried to play a sport with a ball that is not properly inflated?
Basketball, volleyball, tennis, football and soccer all depend on exact inflation for excellent results.
As you master a sport the proper inflation issue becomes more and more important. The higher your skill level the more sensitive you are to an underinflated ball. It is nearly impossible to put a ball where you want it to go when it is improperly inflated.
Your ability to accurately deliver love to others depends on inner life filling by the Spirit of Christ. The better you get at delivering love to others, the more sensitive you will become about the internal filling of the Holy Spirit. Proper filling of the Spirit means love goes where it needs to go.
Perfecting the delivery of God's love is the goal of all discipleship. Putting love exactly where it needs go time after time is the skill of discipleship. This skill depends on the filling of the Holy Spirit.
As our outer life takes the blows that are part of delivering love here in this world, our inner life must be continuously renewed at the level of our spirit where we connect with the presence of Christ moment by moment.
This continuous filling is needed even as the external pressures against love grow in intensity in our outer world. As we get better at delivering God's love, the outer resistance grows as we face greater spiritual resistance.
Loss of proper internal filling will mean the delivery of love becomes heavy and damaging to our mind, emotions and will. Trying to love others without proper internal filling is like playing a demanding sport with an underinflated ball. Every play made with such a ball is hard work, lost energy and less excellence.
Every moment we try to love others without the filling of the Spirit is loving with a heavy, underinflated soul. This makes delivering love inexact, hard and energy draining.
It is no accident that this "be filled" passage in Ephesians is immediately followed by instructions on husbands loving their wives like Christ loved the church. Delivering love in marriage is not easy for anyone with an underinflated inner life! Loving like Jesus is for men and women filled with the Spirit of Christ.
Game on! Be filled!
Bud McCord
Abide International
Have you ever tried to play a sport with a ball that is not properly inflated?
Basketball, volleyball, tennis, football and soccer all depend on exact inflation for excellent results.
As you master a sport the proper inflation issue becomes more and more important. The higher your skill level the more sensitive you are to an underinflated ball. It is nearly impossible to put a ball where you want it to go when it is improperly inflated.
Your ability to accurately deliver love to others depends on inner life filling by the Spirit of Christ. The better you get at delivering love to others, the more sensitive you will become about the internal filling of the Holy Spirit. Proper filling of the Spirit means love goes where it needs to go.
Perfecting the delivery of God's love is the goal of all discipleship. Putting love exactly where it needs go time after time is the skill of discipleship. This skill depends on the filling of the Holy Spirit.
As our outer life takes the blows that are part of delivering love here in this world, our inner life must be continuously renewed at the level of our spirit where we connect with the presence of Christ moment by moment.
This continuous filling is needed even as the external pressures against love grow in intensity in our outer world. As we get better at delivering God's love, the outer resistance grows as we face greater spiritual resistance.
Loss of proper internal filling will mean the delivery of love becomes heavy and damaging to our mind, emotions and will. Trying to love others without proper internal filling is like playing a demanding sport with an underinflated ball. Every play made with such a ball is hard work, lost energy and less excellence.
Every moment we try to love others without the filling of the Spirit is loving with a heavy, underinflated soul. This makes delivering love inexact, hard and energy draining.
It is no accident that this "be filled" passage in Ephesians is immediately followed by instructions on husbands loving their wives like Christ loved the church. Delivering love in marriage is not easy for anyone with an underinflated inner life! Loving like Jesus is for men and women filled with the Spirit of Christ.
Game on! Be filled!
Bud McCord
Abide International
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Growing Up In Christ
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
Ephesians 4.11-13
"I was raised in Church."
There is a difference between growing up in Church and growing up in Christ. If we ever hope to truly be the Church we would be wise to understand the difference.
To grow up in Church is to learn the art and importance of Christian community. To grow up in Christ is to learn the art and importance of communion with Christ within.
To grow up in Church is to learn the rythm of services and calendars. To grow up in Christ means to learn the rythm of love and eternity.
To grow up in Church creates memories that last a lifetime but begin to fade. To grow up in Christ creates actions that last for eternity and never fade.
We would be wise to grow up in Church. We would be wiser to grow up in Christ so we can truly be the Church worth growing up in.
Bud McCord
Abide International
Ephesians 4.11-13
"I was raised in Church."
There is a difference between growing up in Church and growing up in Christ. If we ever hope to truly be the Church we would be wise to understand the difference.
To grow up in Church is to learn the art and importance of Christian community. To grow up in Christ is to learn the art and importance of communion with Christ within.
To grow up in Church is to learn the rythm of services and calendars. To grow up in Christ means to learn the rythm of love and eternity.
To grow up in Church creates memories that last a lifetime but begin to fade. To grow up in Christ creates actions that last for eternity and never fade.
We would be wise to grow up in Church. We would be wiser to grow up in Christ so we can truly be the Church worth growing up in.
Bud McCord
Abide International
Monday, February 06, 2012
A Mary or Martha Day?
The two most famous sisters in the New Testament are Mary and Martha. The presence of Jesus in their home and their different responses to His presence made them memorable.
Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her." Luke 10: 38-42
Mary comes across as the sister who got it right and Martha as the sister who got it wrong. Sounds like many families we all know!
The issue is not who is right or wrong. The issue is the presence of Jesus and how to properly respond to Him. Jesus is that "good part" that must be chosen. The lesson intended is not judgement of one person over another but the choosing of the one necessary thing--Jesus' presence.
Mary and Martha are a picture of each of us. At times we are Mary. At times we are Martha. Since Jesus had made His home in us, we must deal with our own personal responses to Jesus each and every day.
Mary set her speed to Jesus' speed. Mary set her inner life to Jesus' peace and calm.
Martha set her speed to the need. Martha set her inner life to her own need to please and control.
I see myself in both of these women each and every day. Will today be a Mary or Martha day for me?
Bud McCord
Abide International
Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her." Luke 10: 38-42
Mary comes across as the sister who got it right and Martha as the sister who got it wrong. Sounds like many families we all know!
The issue is not who is right or wrong. The issue is the presence of Jesus and how to properly respond to Him. Jesus is that "good part" that must be chosen. The lesson intended is not judgement of one person over another but the choosing of the one necessary thing--Jesus' presence.
Mary and Martha are a picture of each of us. At times we are Mary. At times we are Martha. Since Jesus had made His home in us, we must deal with our own personal responses to Jesus each and every day.
Mary set her speed to Jesus' speed. Mary set her inner life to Jesus' peace and calm.
Martha set her speed to the need. Martha set her inner life to her own need to please and control.
I see myself in both of these women each and every day. Will today be a Mary or Martha day for me?
Bud McCord
Abide International
Monday, January 30, 2012
Prayer--Technique or Faith?
John taught his disciples to pray so Jesus' disciples asked Him to teach them to pray. A simple request which elicited a simple answer.
Luke 11: 1-13
Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”
So He said to them, “When you pray, say:
"Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us day by day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one."
And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.
“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
So, in these few simple sentences Jesus taught his disciples how to pray.
Go and speak to God like you would go to a dear friend when you need something immediately to love someone you must love and you know your friend has it and will give it.
Go and speak to God and ask like a child who wants some particular kind of satisfaction that is a good thing that he knows his caring father has in his possession and he knows he will give it.
Simple. "When you pray, say...." That's it. Go to God asking for resources to love those you must love. Go to God asking for what He has that you need to be His satisfied child. Go to God asking because He is generous toward you and toward others. "When you pray, say" to God what you really think about Him as your friend and as your father.
Jesus' simplicity is amazing. His instruction is simple because He begins and ends everything in His Father's character. Man's teaching is complex because it begins and ends in spiritualized technique.
We want to learn the techniques of the Christian life so we can dominate them and control them. We want to become less dependent through technique. We want to graduate to what we are told are the highest and most powerful Christian techniques so we can climb the pyramid of Christian attainment. We want to say
"I am getting better at this Christian technique called prayer."
Jesus never taught a technique called Christianity. Listening to Jesus there is no such thing as "Christian technique." The two words do not go together.
There is no technique in Christianity but there is God's character revealed in Christ to which we speak and from which we receive. Jesus revealed and taught the character of His Father. When we pray by faith we speak straight to the character of God.
Faith is not a technique. Faith is receiving directly from God's character in Christ by the Spirit. Faith is being a friend of God. Faith is being a healthy, satisfied child of God. Faith is orienting absolutely everything to the generous character of God just like Jesus did.
So much of today's teaching is technique. So much of today's Christianity is complicated. That is why Jesus is so refreshing. Hear Him and prayer will simplify to "When you pray, say...." Speak to God what you really think of Him. Simple.
Luke 11: 1-13
Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”
So He said to them, “When you pray, say:
"Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us day by day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one."
And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.
“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
So, in these few simple sentences Jesus taught his disciples how to pray.
Go and speak to God like you would go to a dear friend when you need something immediately to love someone you must love and you know your friend has it and will give it.
Go and speak to God and ask like a child who wants some particular kind of satisfaction that is a good thing that he knows his caring father has in his possession and he knows he will give it.
Simple. "When you pray, say...." That's it. Go to God asking for resources to love those you must love. Go to God asking for what He has that you need to be His satisfied child. Go to God asking because He is generous toward you and toward others. "When you pray, say" to God what you really think about Him as your friend and as your father.
Jesus' simplicity is amazing. His instruction is simple because He begins and ends everything in His Father's character. Man's teaching is complex because it begins and ends in spiritualized technique.
We want to learn the techniques of the Christian life so we can dominate them and control them. We want to become less dependent through technique. We want to graduate to what we are told are the highest and most powerful Christian techniques so we can climb the pyramid of Christian attainment. We want to say
"I am getting better at this Christian technique called prayer."
Jesus never taught a technique called Christianity. Listening to Jesus there is no such thing as "Christian technique." The two words do not go together.
There is no technique in Christianity but there is God's character revealed in Christ to which we speak and from which we receive. Jesus revealed and taught the character of His Father. When we pray by faith we speak straight to the character of God.
Faith is not a technique. Faith is receiving directly from God's character in Christ by the Spirit. Faith is being a friend of God. Faith is being a healthy, satisfied child of God. Faith is orienting absolutely everything to the generous character of God just like Jesus did.
So much of today's teaching is technique. So much of today's Christianity is complicated. That is why Jesus is so refreshing. Hear Him and prayer will simplify to "When you pray, say...." Speak to God what you really think of Him. Simple.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Tremors
Seismologists are aware of tremors beneath the surface of the earth that cause no alarm to the millions who live and walk unaware. The scientists watch and listen because they know these nearly imperceptible movements will someday give rise to earthquakes that may claim thousands of lives in a matter of seconds.
Though their contstant vigilance cannot stop what may happen, they can perhaps give sufficient warning that danger is close. Even a few minutes warning can save lives.
There is evidence in Scripture that mankind's behavior influences the creation. There is a link between how we as humans behave and how at peace the earth will be. It appears that we humans can make the creation tremble and groan.
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now."
Romans 8:18-22
What is it that causes the earth to tremble and groan? What sends tremors through the creation? It is the failure humans to behave as the "sons of God." It is humanity's failure to continuously love as God loves.
Whenever love stops in a human life it sends a tremor though the creation. Though this love stopping tremor may be imperceptible to other human beings, those who stand close to the person whose love stops can feel the effects. We are all like seismologists when it comes to love stopping close to us.
Creation feels the collective effect of mankind's constant love stopping tremors. The creation trembles and groans waiting for the day that the earth will be populated by a humanity whose love does not stop. Only when all men love will creation stop trembling and be at peace.
Regardless of how Christians may feel about global warming and its conseguences, there is a greater threat to life on earth. That threat is the growing force of the love stopping tremors that are clearly gathering across the planet.
For this reason every disciple must be a contributor to the peace and rest of the planet by loving without stopping. May our lives be tremor free to the glory of God and peace on earth.
Christian enviromentalism starts with love for our God and our neighbor. May the place beneath our feet be at peace because we do not stop love.
Though their contstant vigilance cannot stop what may happen, they can perhaps give sufficient warning that danger is close. Even a few minutes warning can save lives.
There is evidence in Scripture that mankind's behavior influences the creation. There is a link between how we as humans behave and how at peace the earth will be. It appears that we humans can make the creation tremble and groan.
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now."
Romans 8:18-22
What is it that causes the earth to tremble and groan? What sends tremors through the creation? It is the failure humans to behave as the "sons of God." It is humanity's failure to continuously love as God loves.
Whenever love stops in a human life it sends a tremor though the creation. Though this love stopping tremor may be imperceptible to other human beings, those who stand close to the person whose love stops can feel the effects. We are all like seismologists when it comes to love stopping close to us.
Creation feels the collective effect of mankind's constant love stopping tremors. The creation trembles and groans waiting for the day that the earth will be populated by a humanity whose love does not stop. Only when all men love will creation stop trembling and be at peace.
Regardless of how Christians may feel about global warming and its conseguences, there is a greater threat to life on earth. That threat is the growing force of the love stopping tremors that are clearly gathering across the planet.
For this reason every disciple must be a contributor to the peace and rest of the planet by loving without stopping. May our lives be tremor free to the glory of God and peace on earth.
Christian enviromentalism starts with love for our God and our neighbor. May the place beneath our feet be at peace because we do not stop love.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
The Speed of Love
"Pursue Love...." I Cor. 14:1
Many disciples of Jesus believe that true spirituality would require a significant change in the speed at which they live. Faster would mean less spiritual. Slow would mean more spiritual. Mountain retreat would mean spiritual. Busy life in the city would mean less spiritual.
The reality is very different. No choice of speed on our part is needed. True spirituality is able to move at any speed in any place. We must pursue something much deeper than speed. We must pursue love.
True spirituality is about a continuous inspiration and orientation which comes from abiding in Christ and always produces love. To abide in Christ is to enjoy a barrier-free, moment by moment inspiration and orientation from Christ's Spirit within. We must choose to abide in Jesus' love moment by moment and then He chooses our speed. We choose the inner and He chooses the outer.
Once we make the choice to begin all inspiration and orientation in Jesus as our source, He will increase or decrease the speed of our activity as needed. Divine speed setting is part of what it means to pray "Your will be done."
Think of a pilot flying a modern jet airplane. The most important question is not speed. The question is sufficient inspiration (power from the engines) and orientation (direction and altitude). Losing power or losing altitude and direction is the real danger.
The spiritual life is somewhat like flying. It is a moment by moment inspiration and orientation found in Christ. Speed problems won't kill spirituality but a loss of inspiration and orientation eventually will.
Divine speed setting is called walking in the Spirit, living in the Spirit, being filled by the Spirit. It is called abiding in Christ and living by faith.
What we need is complete confidence that Jesus abides in us by His Spirit as both our continuous inspiration and orientation. Staying focused on Jesus inspires and orients us to move in the right direction at the speed of love.
The speed of love may be as slow as sitting by the bedside of a sick friend or it may be fast as leading a major company. It will probably be both for some. All of us will have what I call "monk" days. All of us will have what I call "executive" days. Some days we will be executive monks!
Jesus in us will set the speed of our love. Our job is to receive by faith from Jesus within the inspiration and orientation to release perfectly timed love.
Stay inspired and oriented in Jesus and the speed of your life will be the exact speed of the love only you are called and equipped to deliver.
Many disciples of Jesus believe that true spirituality would require a significant change in the speed at which they live. Faster would mean less spiritual. Slow would mean more spiritual. Mountain retreat would mean spiritual. Busy life in the city would mean less spiritual.
The reality is very different. No choice of speed on our part is needed. True spirituality is able to move at any speed in any place. We must pursue something much deeper than speed. We must pursue love.
True spirituality is about a continuous inspiration and orientation which comes from abiding in Christ and always produces love. To abide in Christ is to enjoy a barrier-free, moment by moment inspiration and orientation from Christ's Spirit within. We must choose to abide in Jesus' love moment by moment and then He chooses our speed. We choose the inner and He chooses the outer.
Once we make the choice to begin all inspiration and orientation in Jesus as our source, He will increase or decrease the speed of our activity as needed. Divine speed setting is part of what it means to pray "Your will be done."
Think of a pilot flying a modern jet airplane. The most important question is not speed. The question is sufficient inspiration (power from the engines) and orientation (direction and altitude). Losing power or losing altitude and direction is the real danger.
The spiritual life is somewhat like flying. It is a moment by moment inspiration and orientation found in Christ. Speed problems won't kill spirituality but a loss of inspiration and orientation eventually will.
Divine speed setting is called walking in the Spirit, living in the Spirit, being filled by the Spirit. It is called abiding in Christ and living by faith.
What we need is complete confidence that Jesus abides in us by His Spirit as both our continuous inspiration and orientation. Staying focused on Jesus inspires and orients us to move in the right direction at the speed of love.
The speed of love may be as slow as sitting by the bedside of a sick friend or it may be fast as leading a major company. It will probably be both for some. All of us will have what I call "monk" days. All of us will have what I call "executive" days. Some days we will be executive monks!
Jesus in us will set the speed of our love. Our job is to receive by faith from Jesus within the inspiration and orientation to release perfectly timed love.
Stay inspired and oriented in Jesus and the speed of your life will be the exact speed of the love only you are called and equipped to deliver.
Monday, January 02, 2012
The Satisfying Life
The Satisfying Life in 2012
Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
The writer of Psalm 1 had discovered the plan for a permanently satisfying life. It was a clear and simple plan and needed no adjustments from year to year.
Continuously meditating on and aligning his life with God's loving intentions as expressed in the written law brought to this person a satisfying and fruitful life. Why did the plan work so well that it became the famous Psalm 1?
First, it works because of the universal spiritual reality that says "Whatever gets your attention gets you." Human beings are "receivers". Humans are what they receive and release. We receive by paying attention.
As much as we humans like to think we are our own source and can decide what we will do or won't do, the reality is that we do what gets our attention. We do get to choose what gets our attention from the available lists of possibilities. This choosing can be the solution or the problem. The choice the author of Psalm 1 made is the solution.
When we give our undivided attention to God's intentions for us and for others, God has us. Until we do this, God does not really have us and we do not have the real satisfying life.
Second, it works because of another spiritual reality that says "Only God can make us truly human." Being what you were meant to be and doing what you were meant to do is the satisfying human life. Only the person receiving continuously from God becomes like a tree planted by rivers of living water which gives its fruit in the right season.
When Jesus came to earth and lived among us He made meditating on God's intentions much easier to see and to live than it was for the author of Psalm 1. Jesus is the God's law written in human flesh. Jesus is literally God's intentions made visible and available to us. He is also what true humanity looks like.
Since Calvary Jesus has become the source of the Satisfying life and staying focused on Him continuously means God will have all of you and you will have all the satisfaction you need to be a fruitful human being.
This is called abiding in Christ and it is the right plan for living in 2012 and beyond.
Abide in Christ 2012. In other words "receive well to release well!" When you do God will have you and you will have the satisfying life! It works for all who freely receive from Jesus because Jesus is the plan that satisfies. He is the satisfying life!
Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
The writer of Psalm 1 had discovered the plan for a permanently satisfying life. It was a clear and simple plan and needed no adjustments from year to year.
Continuously meditating on and aligning his life with God's loving intentions as expressed in the written law brought to this person a satisfying and fruitful life. Why did the plan work so well that it became the famous Psalm 1?
First, it works because of the universal spiritual reality that says "Whatever gets your attention gets you." Human beings are "receivers". Humans are what they receive and release. We receive by paying attention.
As much as we humans like to think we are our own source and can decide what we will do or won't do, the reality is that we do what gets our attention. We do get to choose what gets our attention from the available lists of possibilities. This choosing can be the solution or the problem. The choice the author of Psalm 1 made is the solution.
When we give our undivided attention to God's intentions for us and for others, God has us. Until we do this, God does not really have us and we do not have the real satisfying life.
Second, it works because of another spiritual reality that says "Only God can make us truly human." Being what you were meant to be and doing what you were meant to do is the satisfying human life. Only the person receiving continuously from God becomes like a tree planted by rivers of living water which gives its fruit in the right season.
When Jesus came to earth and lived among us He made meditating on God's intentions much easier to see and to live than it was for the author of Psalm 1. Jesus is the God's law written in human flesh. Jesus is literally God's intentions made visible and available to us. He is also what true humanity looks like.
Since Calvary Jesus has become the source of the Satisfying life and staying focused on Him continuously means God will have all of you and you will have all the satisfaction you need to be a fruitful human being.
This is called abiding in Christ and it is the right plan for living in 2012 and beyond.
Abide in Christ 2012. In other words "receive well to release well!" When you do God will have you and you will have the satisfying life! It works for all who freely receive from Jesus because Jesus is the plan that satisfies. He is the satisfying life!
Monday, December 19, 2011
Pure Goodness
Pure Goodness
Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Bad cannot produce good. It takes pure goodness to produce true good.
Just ask yourself if your heart is good or bad. Be honest. Unless you have truly understood that Christ lives in you right now and He is the source of all pure goodness, it is hard to say "My heart is good!". You need to believe you have a treasure in your heart to seek pure goodness there.
As a believer in Jesus you have the source of pure goodness in you right now. Good intentions live in you. Good words live in you. Good ideas live in you. Good courage lives in you. Your job is to stay in touch with this pure goodness and bring it out into the light to bless others.
Try saying this..."I am forever united in my spirit (heart) with the pure goodness of Jesus." Now from this good place ask for the specific kind of goodness you would like to "bring forth." It is there. Your job is to receive it and release it.
When we say we cannot be good, we may be telling a truth. We may be admitting that nothing good lives in our flesh. That is a truth. Even so, the greater truth for a believer is that we no longer live in the flesh. We now live in connection with Christ who is pure goodness. The greater truth is pure goodness lives in connection with our spirit.
Christmas is about pure goodness being born into the world. Don't forget that that same pure goodness now is born in you! Draw from this good treasure and be good.
Merry Christmas!
Bud McCord
Abide International
P.S. I wrote this devotional thinking about our daughter Rachel who has a wonderful website about really good food. Check it out! www.puregoodness.net Only good food can bring out the best in you.
Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Bad cannot produce good. It takes pure goodness to produce true good.
Just ask yourself if your heart is good or bad. Be honest. Unless you have truly understood that Christ lives in you right now and He is the source of all pure goodness, it is hard to say "My heart is good!". You need to believe you have a treasure in your heart to seek pure goodness there.
As a believer in Jesus you have the source of pure goodness in you right now. Good intentions live in you. Good words live in you. Good ideas live in you. Good courage lives in you. Your job is to stay in touch with this pure goodness and bring it out into the light to bless others.
Try saying this..."I am forever united in my spirit (heart) with the pure goodness of Jesus." Now from this good place ask for the specific kind of goodness you would like to "bring forth." It is there. Your job is to receive it and release it.
When we say we cannot be good, we may be telling a truth. We may be admitting that nothing good lives in our flesh. That is a truth. Even so, the greater truth for a believer is that we no longer live in the flesh. We now live in connection with Christ who is pure goodness. The greater truth is pure goodness lives in connection with our spirit.
Christmas is about pure goodness being born into the world. Don't forget that that same pure goodness now is born in you! Draw from this good treasure and be good.
Merry Christmas!
Bud McCord
Abide International
P.S. I wrote this devotional thinking about our daughter Rachel who has a wonderful website about really good food. Check it out! www.puregoodness.net Only good food can bring out the best in you.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Reputation
"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Phillipians 2:5-11
Jesus perfected His love not His reputation. What an unlikely strategy when compared with the wisdom of this world.
Jesus' commitment to love was the living manifestation of His depth of commitment to His Father. Reputation would be left in the hands of His Father. Love would be Jesus' singular focus.
Reputation protection and the perfection of love are never comfortable traveling companions. As we move through life we will be forced to go with one or the other. At times they can seem to be united but there is always a time when perfected love will need to abandon reputation so love remains preeminent.
The description of Jesus in Phillipians 2 is a call for each of us to see the perfecting or our love as more important than the protecting of our reputation. When our reputation is at stake we often panic because we have invested so much in the building of our reputation. When we have been working on perfecting our love we can let go of our reputation because we trust the Father with our reputation.
We remember and revere Jesus because He perfected His love for us instead of protecting His reputation.
Be remembered for the quality of your love. Let love be your reputation.
Bud McCord
Abide International
Jesus perfected His love not His reputation. What an unlikely strategy when compared with the wisdom of this world.
Jesus' commitment to love was the living manifestation of His depth of commitment to His Father. Reputation would be left in the hands of His Father. Love would be Jesus' singular focus.
Reputation protection and the perfection of love are never comfortable traveling companions. As we move through life we will be forced to go with one or the other. At times they can seem to be united but there is always a time when perfected love will need to abandon reputation so love remains preeminent.
The description of Jesus in Phillipians 2 is a call for each of us to see the perfecting or our love as more important than the protecting of our reputation. When our reputation is at stake we often panic because we have invested so much in the building of our reputation. When we have been working on perfecting our love we can let go of our reputation because we trust the Father with our reputation.
We remember and revere Jesus because He perfected His love for us instead of protecting His reputation.
Be remembered for the quality of your love. Let love be your reputation.
Bud McCord
Abide International
Tuesday, December 06, 2011
The Speed of God's Compassion
"Pain suffered while we are alone is very different than pain suffered near someone else." Henri Nouwen
Most of us consider ourselves fairly compassionate people. We weep when we watch really sad films. We get very indignant when we see someone abuse another. We may even pray fervently for those who suffer. Even so, do these things qualify as compassion?
The meaning of the word compassion is to "suffer with". That means to do much more than be moved emotionally to a state of caring. I believe it means to actually stay with the sufferer for a God appointed period of time.
There is no way to stay with a person who suffers without suffering with the sufferer. There is no way to stay with a sufferer without reducing our speed to their speed for a time.
Perhaps that is why we want to get away quickly from the suffering of another. Suffering spreads by contact and suffering alters travel plans. Compassion is risky and time consuming. All true love is.
As a minister for over 35 years I have noticed that I wanted to help people get past their suffering as quickly as possible. Slow recoveries seemed to me to be a sign of my pastoral incompetence and a lack of faith on the part of all involved.
Good counseling in my mind was fast counseling. I was too busy for someone's stubborn pain to slow down my plans to help so many. I lacked the speed of God's compassion.
I don't believe God wanted me to stay at the hospital for hours at a time with every person. I think He wanted me to stay as long as He needed me to reveal His compassion to a particular sufferer. I seldom remember asking how long He wanted me to stay. I guess I assumed He was in a hurry since I was in a hurry to go after all the other pain.
Fast cures certainly sound very appealing to us unless we are the person whose pain is stubborn. Perhaps the desire for fast cures explains why modern healing meetings draw such huge crowds. Compassion and fast don't match. Massive healing meetings many times reveal more frustration with stubborn pain than compassion for sufferers.
Compassion is being willing to stay as long as God would have us stay with a sufferer while going at their speed so they won't go alone.
Some of my friends who are ministers live at only one ministerial speed--fast. The faster they go, the more famous they become. They are incredibly dynamic and gifted. There is only one problem with great speed in the life of a minister and that is the fact that our calling includes showing God's compassion not just God's speed and direction as we see it.
God's compassion has its own speed. Are we willing to let God make us His campassion? I am learning to ask Him if He approves of my speed. Amazingly, I have time for everything that truly matters at His speed.
(For a Biblical example of The Speed of God's Compassion read the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10.)
Bud McCord
Abide International
Most of us consider ourselves fairly compassionate people. We weep when we watch really sad films. We get very indignant when we see someone abuse another. We may even pray fervently for those who suffer. Even so, do these things qualify as compassion?
The meaning of the word compassion is to "suffer with". That means to do much more than be moved emotionally to a state of caring. I believe it means to actually stay with the sufferer for a God appointed period of time.
There is no way to stay with a person who suffers without suffering with the sufferer. There is no way to stay with a sufferer without reducing our speed to their speed for a time.
Perhaps that is why we want to get away quickly from the suffering of another. Suffering spreads by contact and suffering alters travel plans. Compassion is risky and time consuming. All true love is.
As a minister for over 35 years I have noticed that I wanted to help people get past their suffering as quickly as possible. Slow recoveries seemed to me to be a sign of my pastoral incompetence and a lack of faith on the part of all involved.
Good counseling in my mind was fast counseling. I was too busy for someone's stubborn pain to slow down my plans to help so many. I lacked the speed of God's compassion.
I don't believe God wanted me to stay at the hospital for hours at a time with every person. I think He wanted me to stay as long as He needed me to reveal His compassion to a particular sufferer. I seldom remember asking how long He wanted me to stay. I guess I assumed He was in a hurry since I was in a hurry to go after all the other pain.
Fast cures certainly sound very appealing to us unless we are the person whose pain is stubborn. Perhaps the desire for fast cures explains why modern healing meetings draw such huge crowds. Compassion and fast don't match. Massive healing meetings many times reveal more frustration with stubborn pain than compassion for sufferers.
Compassion is being willing to stay as long as God would have us stay with a sufferer while going at their speed so they won't go alone.
Some of my friends who are ministers live at only one ministerial speed--fast. The faster they go, the more famous they become. They are incredibly dynamic and gifted. There is only one problem with great speed in the life of a minister and that is the fact that our calling includes showing God's compassion not just God's speed and direction as we see it.
God's compassion has its own speed. Are we willing to let God make us His campassion? I am learning to ask Him if He approves of my speed. Amazingly, I have time for everything that truly matters at His speed.
(For a Biblical example of The Speed of God's Compassion read the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10.)
Bud McCord
Abide International
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Treasure
Treasure
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6: 19-21
A human being without a desire for treasure (abundance) does not exist. The difference among humans is defining what the true human treasure should be, how it is to be obtained and where to keep it safe. Some people say they have no need of treasure but even they will protect something or someone given just the right set of circumstances. Even killing oneself is an attempt to protect something or someone we treasure too much to let live without an adequate treasure.
All humans desire to live from treasure or abundance because we all started out in Adam and Eve in an environment of perfect abundance. Since that perfect place and perfect spiritual abundance with the Creator was lost by looking for the false treasure of trying to be God, the hunt by humanity for treasure has been ongoing and tragic.
A sense of no treasure can drive human beings insane. Black Friday at Walmart comes to mind! Human beings without a treasure can become depressed, violent, intolerant, protective, demanding, discouraged and even suicidal. The crash of the stock market in 1929 with millionaires jumping from skyscrapers comes to mind. In all of us there is the deep sense we should have a safe treasure that is our source of abundance from which we will live. Trying to get this treasure makes some of us crazy. Protecting this treasure can make some of us dangerous. Protecting government retirement programs or government funded tuition comes to mind.
Jesus never condemns the human desire for treasure (abundance). Instead, He defines the true treasure as a return to the Creator and the Creator's Kingdom. He tells us the treasure will be kept for us as we "lay it up in heaven". He tells us that treasure is meant to keep one's heart focused. Jesus forever links treasure and the focus of the human heart. What we treasure has our heart. We don't have our treasure as much as our treasure has us.
Christianity is not a treasureless life. It is unashamedly a way of life that depends on God Himself offering to be our treasure. God is willing to be our treasure because He wants our heart. He wants our heart because when He is our treasure we are finally able to become human again. Being humanity's treasure was God's original plan.
The problem for Christians comes in when we want multiple treasures just in case the God treasure does not work out too well. The rich young ruler who went away sad when Jesus told him to sell all and give it to the poor comes to mind.
Jesus never condemned treasure or abundance. The human heart needs its treasure. He also never suggested we could mix treasures of this world with the treasure that is His Father.
Is God your great treasure? If He is, then your heart will be in the right place and you will live a life of increasing sanity called love. God as the human treasure calms and quiets the human heart. Nothing else really can.
If you have multiple treasures, then expect to live with a divided and weakened heart. As a multiple treasures person you may even do some crazy things from time to time. Don't be surprised when you do crazy things for treasures that are less than God. The wrong treasures are that powerful.
If God is your singular treasure, then don't be surprised when you do incredibly sane things like forgiving and loving. The right treasure is that powerful.
Choose your treasure wisely. It will have your heart.
Bud McCord
Abide International
Abide International is an organization dedicated to helping Christ-followers worldwide
understand and experience true satisfaction in Jesus as a moment by moment reality.
Abide International - 17701 N.W. 57th Avenue - Miami, FL 33055
Web: www.abideinternational.org - Email: info@abideinternational.org
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6: 19-21
A human being without a desire for treasure (abundance) does not exist. The difference among humans is defining what the true human treasure should be, how it is to be obtained and where to keep it safe. Some people say they have no need of treasure but even they will protect something or someone given just the right set of circumstances. Even killing oneself is an attempt to protect something or someone we treasure too much to let live without an adequate treasure.
All humans desire to live from treasure or abundance because we all started out in Adam and Eve in an environment of perfect abundance. Since that perfect place and perfect spiritual abundance with the Creator was lost by looking for the false treasure of trying to be God, the hunt by humanity for treasure has been ongoing and tragic.
A sense of no treasure can drive human beings insane. Black Friday at Walmart comes to mind! Human beings without a treasure can become depressed, violent, intolerant, protective, demanding, discouraged and even suicidal. The crash of the stock market in 1929 with millionaires jumping from skyscrapers comes to mind. In all of us there is the deep sense we should have a safe treasure that is our source of abundance from which we will live. Trying to get this treasure makes some of us crazy. Protecting this treasure can make some of us dangerous. Protecting government retirement programs or government funded tuition comes to mind.
Jesus never condemns the human desire for treasure (abundance). Instead, He defines the true treasure as a return to the Creator and the Creator's Kingdom. He tells us the treasure will be kept for us as we "lay it up in heaven". He tells us that treasure is meant to keep one's heart focused. Jesus forever links treasure and the focus of the human heart. What we treasure has our heart. We don't have our treasure as much as our treasure has us.
Christianity is not a treasureless life. It is unashamedly a way of life that depends on God Himself offering to be our treasure. God is willing to be our treasure because He wants our heart. He wants our heart because when He is our treasure we are finally able to become human again. Being humanity's treasure was God's original plan.
The problem for Christians comes in when we want multiple treasures just in case the God treasure does not work out too well. The rich young ruler who went away sad when Jesus told him to sell all and give it to the poor comes to mind.
Jesus never condemned treasure or abundance. The human heart needs its treasure. He also never suggested we could mix treasures of this world with the treasure that is His Father.
Is God your great treasure? If He is, then your heart will be in the right place and you will live a life of increasing sanity called love. God as the human treasure calms and quiets the human heart. Nothing else really can.
If you have multiple treasures, then expect to live with a divided and weakened heart. As a multiple treasures person you may even do some crazy things from time to time. Don't be surprised when you do crazy things for treasures that are less than God. The wrong treasures are that powerful.
If God is your singular treasure, then don't be surprised when you do incredibly sane things like forgiving and loving. The right treasure is that powerful.
Choose your treasure wisely. It will have your heart.
Bud McCord
Abide International
Abide International is an organization dedicated to helping Christ-followers worldwide
understand and experience true satisfaction in Jesus as a moment by moment reality.
Abide International - 17701 N.W. 57th Avenue - Miami, FL 33055
Web: www.abideinternational.org - Email: info@abideinternational.org
Monday, November 07, 2011
Flesh or Spirit?
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. John 3:6
As humans we try to make judgments of others using our carefully constructed human views of moral behaviors. When God judges humans he judges their birth not their behaviors. God doesn’t give us grades for behaviors. He sees our behaviors and gives them a DNA or birth test.
If the origin of any human behavior is birthed in something other than God’s Spirit it is called “flesh” and it is condemned by God as useless no matter what human standard is applied and how nice the behavior might appear to other humans. With God it is not a “pass/fail” accomplishment system. It is a “flesh/spirit” birth system.
In John 3 Jesus told a “pass/fail” leader named Nicodemos that all men and women need a new birth--including him. To say he was shocked is to put it too lightly. He was stunned. He had spent a lifetime working the “pass/fail” behavioral system and he had never once heard of the “flesh/spirit” birth system. Jesus basically told him he had wasted his time and needed to start over as a new human being.
It is never easy to free ourselves from the accomplishment system and move to the birth system. We all want to earn our standing with God instead of being born into our standing with God. Adam and Eve switched from birth to accomplishment in Genesis 3 and the effects can most clearly be called “death.” It stinks.
In our spiritual formation, we need to become accustomed to determining in our own behavior what is born of the Spirit an what is born of the flesh. Even though we now are “born again” and we have the Christ in us, we must be trained by the Holy Spirit to Identify and put off the works of the flesh. God wants us to learn to see birth over behavior in everything. The “pass/fail” system must be put to death.
This is not as difficult as it may seem for a disciple. Try this. When you are behaving in a way that needs a “birth” evaluation to see where the behavior is coming from, just ask Jesus “Is this behavior birthed in you?” You will be surprised how quickly Jesus owns what he births and how quickly He rejects what He did not birth. Remember, we focus on behavior but Jesus’ focus is on birth.
It is possible for a believer to begin in the Spirit and then try to be made perfect in the flesh. Galatians 3:2b “Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?” Having begun in the birth system of grace are you now made perfect the the behaviors system of works? Great question!
A believer can begin experiencing things birthed in the Spirit and suddenly begin to put on behaviors that are from the flesh. Why would God permit this?
He allows this to teach us that birth matters most and no amount of good work can ever hope to birth what only the Spirit can birth. Jesus put it this way “Without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
You can also learn to look for birth not just behaviors in others. Source is more important than symptoms in our relationships. Reacting to symptoms in others is a waste of time. That is why Jesus tells us to “turn the other cheek” when someone attacks us. Striking back at a behavior cannot reach the level of birth, but turning the other cheek can.
A disciple should become a birth expert not a behavior expert. Don’t judge behaviors. Look for the source not the symptoms. Aim for the new birth of others by living as Jesus teaches in the Sermon on the Mount. Behavior modification is not Christianity. New Birth is.
Bud McCord
Abide International
As humans we try to make judgments of others using our carefully constructed human views of moral behaviors. When God judges humans he judges their birth not their behaviors. God doesn’t give us grades for behaviors. He sees our behaviors and gives them a DNA or birth test.
If the origin of any human behavior is birthed in something other than God’s Spirit it is called “flesh” and it is condemned by God as useless no matter what human standard is applied and how nice the behavior might appear to other humans. With God it is not a “pass/fail” accomplishment system. It is a “flesh/spirit” birth system.
In John 3 Jesus told a “pass/fail” leader named Nicodemos that all men and women need a new birth--including him. To say he was shocked is to put it too lightly. He was stunned. He had spent a lifetime working the “pass/fail” behavioral system and he had never once heard of the “flesh/spirit” birth system. Jesus basically told him he had wasted his time and needed to start over as a new human being.
It is never easy to free ourselves from the accomplishment system and move to the birth system. We all want to earn our standing with God instead of being born into our standing with God. Adam and Eve switched from birth to accomplishment in Genesis 3 and the effects can most clearly be called “death.” It stinks.
In our spiritual formation, we need to become accustomed to determining in our own behavior what is born of the Spirit an what is born of the flesh. Even though we now are “born again” and we have the Christ in us, we must be trained by the Holy Spirit to Identify and put off the works of the flesh. God wants us to learn to see birth over behavior in everything. The “pass/fail” system must be put to death.
This is not as difficult as it may seem for a disciple. Try this. When you are behaving in a way that needs a “birth” evaluation to see where the behavior is coming from, just ask Jesus “Is this behavior birthed in you?” You will be surprised how quickly Jesus owns what he births and how quickly He rejects what He did not birth. Remember, we focus on behavior but Jesus’ focus is on birth.
It is possible for a believer to begin in the Spirit and then try to be made perfect in the flesh. Galatians 3:2b “Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?” Having begun in the birth system of grace are you now made perfect the the behaviors system of works? Great question!
A believer can begin experiencing things birthed in the Spirit and suddenly begin to put on behaviors that are from the flesh. Why would God permit this?
He allows this to teach us that birth matters most and no amount of good work can ever hope to birth what only the Spirit can birth. Jesus put it this way “Without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
You can also learn to look for birth not just behaviors in others. Source is more important than symptoms in our relationships. Reacting to symptoms in others is a waste of time. That is why Jesus tells us to “turn the other cheek” when someone attacks us. Striking back at a behavior cannot reach the level of birth, but turning the other cheek can.
A disciple should become a birth expert not a behavior expert. Don’t judge behaviors. Look for the source not the symptoms. Aim for the new birth of others by living as Jesus teaches in the Sermon on the Mount. Behavior modification is not Christianity. New Birth is.
Bud McCord
Abide International
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
"It Was Good For Me"
The parables of the treasure and the pearl of great price. Matthew 13: 44-46
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
Why did the man and the merchant do what they did? They did it because it was good for them and it was very smart. It was to their great advantage to reach a place of absolutely no need outside the possessing of the treasure or the pearl. With these choices they were done choosing. What a relief!
Does the Kingdom of heaven approve of such thinking? According to Jesus it does and that took me by surprise.
Here is how I might have ended these parables to make it fit my old idea of Christian self denial which always left me feeling I should do only things that would leave me with less.
“And the man gave the treasure to the poor so his treasure would not distract him.”
“And the man who bought the pearl sold it and gave the money to the poor so he would look humble.”
Whey didn’t Jesus add my thoughts to His? Because He approves of human beings doing what is best for them. He always has. He approves of human beings who know how to choose their permanent, personal solution before they try to become someone else’s partial solution. Jesus approves of human beings living from permanent abundance.
The treasure and the pearl are Jesus. Jesus is the ultimate value of the Kingdom. Jesus is the Kingdom made visible. Jesus is perfect abundance. Letting go of everything we have valued in our old pursuit of happiness in order to have Him is good for us and it is very smart.
In the end such a singular pursuit of Jesus is the only thing that will make us most useful to those in need. In fact, choosing Jesus is the only thing that will make us truly useful forever.
Beneath all the wonderful sounding reasons we give for our personal behavior is one inescapable fact. We all do what we think is best for us. We love ourselves too much not to do so. To lose our life in this world and find Jesus as our life is what is best for us and it is a very smart choice. Jesus is our only hope to live and love from abundance.
The choosing of what is best for us is not the problem. The problem is we choose things that are not best for us and then we suffer a sense of lack, start looking again and everyone else suffers with us because we are still on the hunt for what is best.
When we choose Jesus as what is best for us, God is pleased with us because He is the One who created us to choose Jesus who is the best. When we get choosing Jesus right, we will certainly bear the good fruit of such a smart choice. Once you have the best you can really get on with living the best.
When you choose Jesus your need to keep on choosing ends. You have what is best for you forever and nothing is smarter than settling the abundance issue once and forever. To truly love the issue of permanent, personal abundance found in Christ must be settled once and for all.
Make Jesus your final choice and you will choose to love. What a relief it is to love from the certainty of Jesus’ eternal perfection and abundance instead of constantly checking to see how much we have spent loving others.
Bud McCord
Abide International
Monday, October 10, 2011
The Farmer
On the last day of His life on earth before His crucifixion Jesus refers to His Father as a Vinedresser--a farmer.
Hardly the title I would chosen for the King of the Universe and the One who was at that moment overcoming the Evil One through His Son's sustained and sustaining love.
Still, the title is the one Jesus chose. I have come to see why Jesus called His father a farmer during my 60 year journey in the world. God is not about changing the world. He overcomes it one human at a time. He takes the world as it is and does what He wants done through those He chooses. He takes into consideration all the tragic elements of the world and says, "I can grow my crops here in this life."
We get angry at God because He does not change the tragic elements of the world, but He goes on with His work--getting His fruit visible and available in the middle of this tragic world.
The crop (fruit) God wants is called love - sustained love. Jesus is the first to have sustained the Farmer's love. Since He did this all excuses about the world being too tough a place for sustained love to exist are eliminated. All excuses are gone for the branches of His sustained love and it is time to harvest the same sustained love crop worldwide.
Every time you pick up a beautiful apple, pear, banana or grape cluster, some farmer has overcome the world for you. For such beautiful fruit to end up on your table, the world was overcome and you benefit from the victory. Thank God for farmers!
The One who overcame the world is now abiding in you to bear the fruit of Jesus' sustained love. No excuses now about the world needing to change before you can bear this fruit. The Farmer knows what He has done and he can do in the world just as it is. He can make us the bearers of sustained love if we will but abide 24/7 and moment by moment in His sustained and sustaining love.
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you will suffer tribulations, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." Jesus inspiring his disciples in John 16:33
Bud McCord
Abide International
Monday, October 03, 2011
A Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Waste
For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ. I Cor. 2:16
Jesus was the only human being who ever enjoyed a mind that was completely free to function as a human mind was meant to function. He was the most intelligent man who ever lived and His mind was the perfect tool for God’s loving purpose. Jesus never wasted His mind. He used His mind to live the Christian life.
Unfortunately we as disciples waste His mind. We waste it because we do not believe we have His mind. We think great Bible teachers have some of His mind, but we honestly do not see ourselves having nearly any of His mind.
How many children grow up and live their entire lives never being encouraged to develop the ability that their own DNA possesses? They don’t even know what their DNA is. How many young adults give into distractions and end up living their entire lives beneath their full potential? They don’t even know what their potential is. How many Christians never access the mind of Christ while trying to live the Christian life? They don’t even know what the mind of Christ is.
I, for one, have wasted much of the mind of Christ over the years. Quite frankly, I have only recently realized something of what it means to have the mind of Christ. I have only recently begun to realize that having the mind of Christ is critical to living Christ’s life as my life.
“For to me to live is Christ...” Phil. 1:21 “it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me..” Gal. 2:20
To have the mind of Christ means I can literally think with Jesus about everything that is happening to me at any moment. If you have a mind you can think with that mind! If you cannot think with it you don’t have it.
Jesus abides in me by His Spirit and is willing to think with me. He is willing to give me His thoughts about my reality until my reality becomes His reality. As we think together as one we begin to face the reality with one mind--His mind.
I know this sounds very strange, but I imagine that the first time people heard that they carry their parents DNA that, too, sounded strange. Even so, the only DNA we will ever have or ever use is the DNA we received from our parents. It is also true to say “I have the mind of Christ.” Jesus gives me His mind by His Spirit within me. The only thinking that I can use to live the Christian life comes from Jesus’ mind not mine. My mind cannot think the Christian life up as I go along. My mind needs to receive the thoughts directly from Jesus who is the living Christian life who lives in me.
Every believer has the mind of Christ. Every believer can let the mind of Christ teach their mind how to live Jesus’ life in our daily reality.
I have tested this idea with many congregations and with many Christians by describing to them scenarios where they are facing some challenge or attack. I ask them to ask Jesus who abides in them what He thinks about this challenge or attack. I ask them to think with His mind if they should be afraid or go on the attack. As incredible as it sounds, they always know what He thinks. That shocked me. They did not always want to do what He thinks, but they always knew what He thinks.
The next time you are facing a great challenge ask Jesus what He thinks about the challenge. Ask Him if He thinks it is the end of the world. Ask Him if the challenge is impossible. Ask Him if you should be afraid to face the challenge. I know you already know the answer because you really do have the mind of Christ.
The next time you are attacked or offended ask Jesus what He thinks. Does this attack determine who I am? Does this offense mean I need to vindicate myself? Should I retaliate? I know you already know the answer because you really do have the mind of Christ.
It is a terrible thing to waste the mind of Christ.
Bud McCord
Abide International
Jesus was the only human being who ever enjoyed a mind that was completely free to function as a human mind was meant to function. He was the most intelligent man who ever lived and His mind was the perfect tool for God’s loving purpose. Jesus never wasted His mind. He used His mind to live the Christian life.
Unfortunately we as disciples waste His mind. We waste it because we do not believe we have His mind. We think great Bible teachers have some of His mind, but we honestly do not see ourselves having nearly any of His mind.
How many children grow up and live their entire lives never being encouraged to develop the ability that their own DNA possesses? They don’t even know what their DNA is. How many young adults give into distractions and end up living their entire lives beneath their full potential? They don’t even know what their potential is. How many Christians never access the mind of Christ while trying to live the Christian life? They don’t even know what the mind of Christ is.
I, for one, have wasted much of the mind of Christ over the years. Quite frankly, I have only recently realized something of what it means to have the mind of Christ. I have only recently begun to realize that having the mind of Christ is critical to living Christ’s life as my life.
“For to me to live is Christ...” Phil. 1:21 “it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me..” Gal. 2:20
To have the mind of Christ means I can literally think with Jesus about everything that is happening to me at any moment. If you have a mind you can think with that mind! If you cannot think with it you don’t have it.
Jesus abides in me by His Spirit and is willing to think with me. He is willing to give me His thoughts about my reality until my reality becomes His reality. As we think together as one we begin to face the reality with one mind--His mind.
I know this sounds very strange, but I imagine that the first time people heard that they carry their parents DNA that, too, sounded strange. Even so, the only DNA we will ever have or ever use is the DNA we received from our parents. It is also true to say “I have the mind of Christ.” Jesus gives me His mind by His Spirit within me. The only thinking that I can use to live the Christian life comes from Jesus’ mind not mine. My mind cannot think the Christian life up as I go along. My mind needs to receive the thoughts directly from Jesus who is the living Christian life who lives in me.
Every believer has the mind of Christ. Every believer can let the mind of Christ teach their mind how to live Jesus’ life in our daily reality.
I have tested this idea with many congregations and with many Christians by describing to them scenarios where they are facing some challenge or attack. I ask them to ask Jesus who abides in them what He thinks about this challenge or attack. I ask them to think with His mind if they should be afraid or go on the attack. As incredible as it sounds, they always know what He thinks. That shocked me. They did not always want to do what He thinks, but they always knew what He thinks.
The next time you are facing a great challenge ask Jesus what He thinks about the challenge. Ask Him if He thinks it is the end of the world. Ask Him if the challenge is impossible. Ask Him if you should be afraid to face the challenge. I know you already know the answer because you really do have the mind of Christ.
The next time you are attacked or offended ask Jesus what He thinks. Does this attack determine who I am? Does this offense mean I need to vindicate myself? Should I retaliate? I know you already know the answer because you really do have the mind of Christ.
It is a terrible thing to waste the mind of Christ.
Bud McCord
Abide International
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