Hunger and Thirst

And Jesus said to them,

“I am the bread of life.

He who comes to Me shall never hunger,

and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. John 6:35

Jesus promises He can satisfy the hunger and thirst we all experience.  What kind of hunger and thirst is it that He can satisfy?

Jesus satisfies the hunger and thirst that comes from seeking perfect love in a world of people that cannot produce it or sustain it.  Only Jesus can produce such love, sustain it and offer it as food and drink to all who believe in Him.

Think of the start of your day.  What kind of love will probably go unsatisfied for you this day?  You know what kind of perfect love will probably be out of your reach each day.  You can already feel the hunger and thirst for it in your inner life.

Will you be treated with dignity and respect today?  Will you be listened to and taken seriously?  Will you be shown compassion if you suffer?   Will you be forgiven if you fail?  Will these hungers and thirsts for perfect love go unmet for you today?

As you begin your day you can identify these potential hungers and thirsts.   By faith  take your hunger and thirst for dignity and respect to Jesus and ask Him to satisfy both.  Jesus will see your dignity and respect you. Eat and drink of His life and love for you.  Take your need to be listened to and taken seriously to Jesus.  He will listen to you and take you seriously. Eat and drink His life and love for you.   Even your hunger and thirst for compassion and forgiveness He will satisfy as you take them to Him alone. Eat and drink of His life and love for you.

Jesus is the table filled with every kind of love God sets for you each day in your inner life in the presence of all enemies of perfect love in your world.  Jesus is all the love you long to eat and drink each day from people in your world and often cannot find.

When you begin each day at the table where Jesus is the food and drink you will never need to expect the people of the world to love you perfectly.  Every day you live in this world Jesus will be the same beautiful food and drink of perfect love in you.  Eat and drink  one day at a time of the perfect life and love of Jesus in you and you will never hunger or thirst.


 

Touching Spiritual Substance

Every religious system has a list of activities which offer the way to touch the depths of true spirituality or spiritual substance.   In any religious community one must practice all the items on the list if one wants to be taken seriously as a true seeker of spiritual substance.

Those who do not see the group’s governing list as essential and fail to faithfully practice the list will be looked upon as spiritually less and in some religions suffer rejection or worse.  

Once a person accepts the list as the way to spirituality and begins to practice it faithfully that person becomes a slave to whoever wrote the list.  The desire to find our list and practice it runs deep in the human heart.  So deep, in fact, that we cannot truly rest until we feel we have touched true spirituality.

Jesus said in John 14:6 that He was the way, the truth and the life and that no man comes to God but by Him.  Jesus is the list that God wrote that directs to true spirituality.  Jesus is all God demands of us in order to touch spirituality.  This is why we can say “Jesus is all”.

If we want to touch true spirituality we must connect to Jesus as the list of all God requires of us. Touching this true spiritual substance is called being ‘of Christ”. Staying in the connection is called being “in Christ”.

We must become slaves of Jesus and Jesus alone.  He  is the source of the spiritual substance we long to touch.  Abide in Him and you are touching all the spiritual substance that God offers.

So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths,  which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. Colossians 2:16-17
 

Bud McCord

Abide International

Listen Again

Do we really let the Bible say what is really says about Jesus?  Listen again to the words from Scripture and ask yourself if you have really let the Bible say what it says.

 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
John 14:6

“Without Me you can do nothing”
John 15:5

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth.”
Colossians 1:15-16

“For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell…”
Colossians 1:19

“For in Him dwells all of the fullness of God bodily: and you are complete in Him…”
Colossians 2:9-10

“When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”
Colossians 3:4

Listen again and again and again.  Let the Bible take you to Jesus and leave you there for all eternity.
 

Bud McCord

Abide International

ALL

“Jesus is all…”
 

The Father decided that the fulness of God would abide in Jesus.   All that God intends to give to mankind is in Jesus.  Jesus is all.

The Father decided that every disciple would receive all He is willing to give by the Spirit of Jesus within each disciple.  Jesus in us is the revelation of the mystery of all of God’s generosity.  Jesus is all.

It is not Jesus plus something else that we need in order to be the church.  It is all of Jesus that we need for the church to be the church.  Jesus is all the church needs and all the church will receive.  Jesus is all.

It is not Jesus plus a great, annointed leader that we need to be what God expects us to be.  Jesus is all the leader we need to be what God expects us to be.  Jesus is all.

Since Jesus is all, we can rest and stop trying to add to Jesus anything or anyone else.
Cooperate with Jesus and you will find you have all you need to be everything God wants you to be and to do.  Jesus is all.
 

Bud McCord

Abide International

Which Water Am I?

Human beings fill the earth with what comes from within them.

In Noah’s time this was true.

And God said to Noah,

“The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled

with violence through them; and behold,

I will destroy them with the earth.” Genesis 6:13
 

In Jesus’ time this was true.

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me,

as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

John 7:37-38
.

In our time this is true.
 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?  Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”  Matthew 5:43-48

Water is present in the story of Noah and Jesus.  In Noah’s time the water came to destroy.  In Jesus’ time  the water came to give life.  In my time which water am I?
 

Bud McCord

Abide International

Jesus, God's Wisdom

God deliver me!

Jesus is much more than just a very wise man.  He is literally the wisdom of God.

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” I Corn. 1:30-31

In Jesus all the wisdom of God is hidden and that same wisdom is now hidden in every disciple because Jesus abides in every disciple.

For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  Col. 2:1-3

May God deliver me from arguments that are convincing but are not Jesus’ wisdom.
May God deliver me from the idea that I am wiser because I studied theology.
May God deliver me from the conviction that I gained wisdom from leading churches.
May God deliver me from the subtle desire to be wiser than Jesus by explaining what He meant instead of simply saying what He said.
May God deliver me from trying to find a single subject where I can be wiser and more intelligent than Jesus.
May God deliver me from my own wisdom.

When God really does deliver me from all that convinces me except Jesus, I will be free to live the wisdom which is hidden in Jesus who is abiding in me.

Bud McCord

Abide International

My Entire Christian Life

The entire Christian life I will ever live is Jesus in me. The new essential fact about me is I am crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me.

Each day and moment by moment I must consider myself dead to sin which once inspired and governed my life and alive to God who now inspires and governs me through my eternal union to the Spirit of Christ.

Any attempt on my part to blend what was my old life inspired by sin with what now is my new life inspired by the life of God in Christ will only destroy my peace, stop my love and cause my soul to fall from the grace of Christ within.

I must identify continuously  and put off immediately the old things of my old life which no longer match my new life in Christ. Having begun once and forever my new life in Christ by the Spirit I must live once and forever by the Spirit which is my new inspiration and freedom to love.

The only attention my old life deserves is the time it takes me to say to it when I hear it call from its grave is "I am dead to you and alive to God in Christ!"  The time my new life in Christ needs my attention is 24/7 and moment by moment. As I give Jesus in me by the Spirit my undivided attention He will reveal more and more of my entire Christian He is to me and through me.

"For to me to live is Christ" is not a fancy Christian motto I enjoy. It is the entire normal Christian life I live. It is same truth Jesus taught me when he called me to abide in Him as the true Vine who is my entire Christian life.

My entire Christian life already lives in me!  It is Jesus!
Your entire Christian life already lives in you!  It is Jesus!

Bud McCord

Abide International

Not Biblical Enough

The people who most resisted Jesus during his ministry were the Pharisees.  The Pharisees of Jesus’ day considered themselves to be the final word on all Biblical interpretation and practice.  Tragically, they were so fixated on teaching others the Scriptures they failed to be Biblical enough.

In a moment of confrontation Jesus clearly tells the Pharisees their Biblical search had not yielded the true Biblical goal.

And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.  But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.  But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. 

 John 5:37-40

The Pharisees could not see that the Scriptures are all about Jesus.  The mark of all Bible teaching that is not Biblical enough is Jesus is missed  even though He is clearly revealed through the Scriptures.

To all who teach the Scriptures these words of Jesus in John 5 should give reason to be very careful. If our search of the Scriptures does not make us clearly see, hear, love and live Jesus then we are not Biblical enough.

No matter how passionate and authoritative a Bible teacher seems to be, listen carefully to see if the beginning and end of the teaching is Jesus.  Anything less than seeing, hearing, loving and living Jesus is just not Biblical enough.

 

Bud McCord

Abide International

Hidden

“…in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
Col. 2:3

Christianity is meant to be mysterious.  Everything about Jesus and the Father is mysterious and unexpected.

When we try and make Christianity a list of doctrines, principles and techniques for living we don’t diminish Christianity.  We diminish ourselves.  We need mystery.  We need something for which we search.

Jesus is where we search.  Once we have found Jesus as our Saviour it is only the beginning of discovering the mysterious love of the Father.

How we can be forgiven by the Father is perhaps the greatest of all mysteries Jesus solves for us, but from forgiveness we begin to uncover all the hidden things of the Father for us in Christ.

If your experience with the Father and  Jesus is not mysterious, then you missed the mystery that you need to keep you searching in Jesus for all the treasure the Father has given us.
 

Bud McCord

Abide International

Spirituality and Attention

Spirituality and attention are forever linked. The focus of your attention will determine what controls and inspires you to behave as you do today.

In Psalm 1 the man who meditates on the law of the Lord (God's intentions) will live an abundant life and have success as a human being. The key is the continuous focus on what God wants with a desire to cooperate.

Do you have habits that keep your focus on what a God wants? Create some very simple habits that immediately focus you on Jesus.  Jesus is everything God wants for you and from you today!

As your day begins put your hand over your heart and say "Jesus, you are welcome here!".  During the day stop several times and say "Jesus, You are my life."

Whatever gets your attention gets you!  So simple yet so true.

Bud McCord

Abide International

The Knowledge of Evil

When Adam and Eve ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil they got their first taste of knowing personally what evil is.  Human history is the story of each of person getting a taste for evil and paying the price for this taste in pain, misery and death.

When Jesus came as the last Adam He was born with no taste for evil and never tasted evil when tempted.   With no taste for evil He became the bread of life we now eat to rid ourselves of our own taste for evil.  As we eat from Jesus’ holy life day by day we lose our taste for evil and begin to live only to love with Him.

The first Adam introduced us to the taste of evil. The last Adam takes away our taste for evil one day at a time.   Eating from the bread of life day by day we will lose forever our taste for evil.

 

Bud McCord

Abide International

Is Jesus Enough?

Is Jesus Enough?

Each generation and each person must answer the question “Is Jesus Enough?.” It may inspire us to know that others felt He was enough in the past.  Even so, we must know He is  enough right now.

Consider this inspired statement written by the Apostle Paul nearly 2000 years ago.

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.  And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.  And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,  and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.”  Colossians 1:15-20
The Spirit of God inspired the Apostle to know Jesus was enough in his day.  Day by day the Apostle answered this question with a resounding “Yes!.” The same Spirit will inspire you to know He is enough today.  Ask and you will know.

 

Bud McCord

Abide International

Only By Death

"If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell."

Matthew 5:29-30
 

God does not want you to sacrifice your body one piece at a time. What He is after is the alignment of your will to His 100% of the time.

They way we use our eyes and our hands is a public demonstration of just how out of alignment we are. This becomes so obvious to us that we grow deeply offended at our own state and we get frustrated enough to even consider cutting off that part of us which offends us and God.

What Jesus is pointing us toward with this shocking illustration is not a part by part process for human reform.  He is saying that nothing less than public, permanent death can end the battle of our will and God’s will. To live His will we must be willing to see our will publicly die and His will publicly live.

Fortunately for us this death of the human will already took place and all we have to do each day is believe we have already died and are now living God’s will in Jesus.

Paul put it like this in Galatians 2:20:

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

The Christian life is not a piece by piece, part by part human sacrifice.

It is a once and for all death and ressurrection in Christ. Can you see this?

Your death with Christ on Calvary should be as clear as it would be to you to look down and see where one of your hands was cut off because it offended you and God. If Jesus’ death is not that clear to you, look again to the Cross and see not just His public death but yours.

Now seeing yourself dead to sin and alive to God, live the will of God in union with Christ who lives in you day by day.

 

Bud McCord

Abide International

A Plan For Peace

 

"You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You,

Because he trusts in You."
Isaiah 26:3

“Whatever gets your attention gets you.”   This simple statement carries a tremendous power because it is true for all of us.  There is nothing more important to evaluate in our lives than what gets most of our attention.

Attention  becomes even more powerful when attention is combined with trust.   Attention can be mixed with many forces for good or evil, but attention with trust is the greatest of all  human forces.

Giving something or someone one’s attention is one thing.  Giving attention and trust is another much more powerful thing. In fact, there is nothing more precious that we can give to another person than our attention and trust.  

This is why Jesus told people who wanted to do the works of God that they needed to believe on the One He had sent.  To believe is to give one’s attention and trust and this is what God wants us to work at toward Jesus moment by moment.

Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”

Jesus answered and said to them,

“This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

John 6 :28-29

The single most significant thing I can do to cooperate with God day by day and  be kept in perfect peace by God in the process is to give my undivided attention to God in Christ with growing trust.  The quality of my inner life will be determined by giving my attention with trust to Jesus moment by moment. The quality of my love will also depend on my attention and trust in Jesus.

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”  John 7:37-38

We cannot really know what a new year may bring to our day to day lives.  What we can know is how to plan our peace for any new year.  We can simply plan on being kept at peace by God as we give Jesus our attention with increasing trust moment by moment and day by day.
Make paying attention to Jesus with increasing trust your plan for being kept in perfect peace at all times this year and every year.
 

Bud McCord

Abide International

OUR FATHER--- Squeeze!

OUR FATHER
Squeeze!

One of my wife’s dearest friends is in the process of seeing her dear mom leave this world.  Pam also said goodbye to her mom this year.  Pam sent her friend these words of encouragment and comfort about OUR FATHER.

“As OUR FATHER gathers your mom to her true home, I am 100% confident that He will give you the comfort and strength that you will need,
And your needs will clock in at one moment at a time, only.

The entire essence of our  EverlastingTrue Vine will pass
into the receptive branch of your life, one moment at a time.  That is the promise of our Lord Jesus Christ. You will be amazed at the comfort
and thoughts He will whisper into your mind, heart, emotions. Yes, there is pain. But there is equal comfort from Him. Hang on to His hand
tightly and do not let go not even for a moment.

I remember my dad telling me to SQUEEZE his finger as hard as the pain hurt.  I was just 5 years old, sitting in his lap at the dentist, having
a tooth pulled. He told me I could never hurt him no matter how hard I squeezed. I am sure our Lord inspired him to tell me that. I was so
scared, but my dad was holding me and I could hold his finger and SQUEEZE!!!

Hold onto Jesus' finger and SQUEEZE however hard it may hurt, my friend.”

God does not offer us answers to all of our questions during times of pain, but He does invite us all to “SQUEEZE” and be comforted.
 

A Good Father

No good father will ever raise his children to live as permanent victims of the evil behavior of others. A good father will teach his children to rise above evil and live free of all barriers and injustice suffered at the hands of evil men and women.

Politicians and people who want to manipulate us to support them permanently will always want us to see ourselves as permanent victims of permanent evil so we will vote for them to keep them in power to permanently protect us. It is to their advantage that we remain victims under their control and protection.  True freedom is not in their vocabulary.
 .
A good father will always tell his children to flee from those who only want to feed from their pain and gain control over their future.
A good father will weep over the injustice but he will never leave his child living the life of a victim.

God, our perfect and permanent Father in heaven, would never want any of his children to live as victims of their past or live in the hope of human protection instead of His protection.  God frees all of His children to be free indeed.

To all who have been victimized and suffered injustice at the hands of men Jesus says: “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32  Victimization is real but freedom given by the Father in Jesus is our permanent state.

For a Christian to live as a victim is to deny the kind of Father we truly have and reject the teachings of Jesus.

Jesus suffered at the hands of evil men but He never saw himself as a victim.

Disciples of Jesus make no victims and never live as victims.  Doing this they are like Jesus.

Bud McCord

Abide International

Neither Toil Nor Spin

“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?”  Matthew 6:28-30 The way to human beauty is not through toil or spin.  The way is through rest and receiving the beauty the Father sends for us. The human pursuit of the beautiful life is written into our DNA.  We know that humans should be the most beautiful of all of God’s creation.  So, we toil and spin until we are weary and exhausted.  In our pursuit of beauty we literally wear ourselves down to the place that we can do nothing but quit in defeat and dizziness. It is in this moment called quitting that the very first light of God’s original plan can take root in us.  We finally see we were not originally created to toil and spin for beauty.  We were created to rest and receive beauty from the Father.   We were created to believe God will send that which can and will make us beautiful. if we will simply believe and receive by grace the beauty the Creator has sent for us the toil and spin can stop.  The human beauty God sent for us all is Jesus. Jesus said in John 6 that the work God wants from us is  to believe in Him. Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”  Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”  John 6:28-29 The world in which we live is filled with toil and spin.  It is through this toil and spin process that we are left weary and heavy laden.  It is though the toil and spin that we finally hear Jesus saying  “Come to Me and I will give you rest.” Tired of toil and spin?  Isn’t it time to rest and receive the beauty God sent in Jesus?   Bud McCord Abide International

When Our Heart Speaks

"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." Luke 6:45

We spend our entire lives without personally seeing inside our own physical heart.  We know our heart is there and it is critical to our survival but we have a hard time knowing how our physical heart really is doing.  Our heart, however, has a way of letting us know when it is really sick.  Usually the message the sick heart sends stops our world and makes us pay attention to our heart.

Most people also know they have a spiritual heart, but they do not know how it tells them when it is sick.  They do not know the spiritual heart speaks.

To know the condition of our spiritual heart, we simply have to listen to what comes out of our mouth.  If evil comes out of our mouth we know our inner, hidden spiritual heart is very sick.  If good comes out of our mouth we know our spiritual heart is filled with God’s love.

Evil is anything that I think, feel or do that gives me permission to stop loving others.  When I hear words coming from my mouth that give me permission to hate, ignore, condemn or criticize others, I can know my spiritual heart is having a heart attack.

When our physical heart speaks through weakness, pain or a heart attack,  we must stop and pay complete attention because our life is at stake.  When something evil comes out of our mouths we must stop and pay complete attention because love is at stake.

Learn to listen to the voice of your body to know your physical heart and live.
Learn to listen to the words of your mouth to know your spiritual heart and love

Bud McCord

Abide International

"Like the Dew..."

 “Like the dew…”

God says, "I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the lily." Hosea 14:5 

”Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.” Luke 12:27


It is amazing how gentle God is willing to be in our lives!  Meditate on how the Lord wants to gently  influence you on a daily basis.  Think of the kind of power one must have to be so gentle!

As you try to influence other people are you able to be as gentle as the “dew” and simply believe your continous and daily kindness and gentleness will make the difference?  Are you so convinced of the power of love that you do not need to force yourself into view to influence?

The next time you are tempted to say  “Where is God?”, be sure to check for the gentleness of God which is like the dew.
 

Bud McCord

Abide International

Surprising Love

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 

John 13:3-5  

We often think that being a disciple of Jesus is a call to do things that are big and important in the eyes of others.  We think people need to see really big and important things if they are believe in God’s love.

In reality to be a disciple of Jesus is to be as He is in us day by day and moment by moment. Jesus never looked for the big and important things to do. Jesus looked for ways to surprise people with the reach God’s love.

Jesus looked for people around Him who needed love and He touched them.  Jesus noticed people with dirty feet because that is where the love of God needed to touch and bring cleansing, surprising love.  To wash people’s feet is to surprise them with the reach of God’s love.

As disciples we are called to do more than imitate the life of Jesus.  We are called to surprise people with Jesus’ continuing presence in the world in us and through us.  We are to be His hands on dirty feet not just our hands on dirty feet.

 Have you surprised anyone lately with the touch of Jesus hands?  If not, you may be simply imitating Jesus instead of living Jesus.

Surprise someone with the love of Jesus that abides in you today.  Look down for dirty feet not up for power.
 

Bud McCord

Abide International

Love is Forever

The most abundant resource in the universe is pure, Divine love.  There is no shortage of love in the universe and there never will be a shortage.  God is forever and God is forever love.  Love does not have to win, it has never lost and never will.

At any moment when we as humans love as God would have us love, we are cooperating with the eternal.  No act of love goes unnoticed by God and no act of love is ever forgotten by God.  Love is forever.

“And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.” Matthew 10:42

To believe in Jesus is experience firsthand our eternal, personal connection to God’s forever love.  To be loved by Jesus more and more deeply is to be drawn deeper and deeper into eternal life and love.

Anyone who is deeply loved by Jesus will also begin to love others more deeply. Being continuously loved by Jesus draws us little by little into the conviction that love that originates in God through Christ is the source of eternal life and this love must be shared with others. Disciples know that they exist to love.

The perfecting of our love in Christ becomes the goal of all true discipleship because discipleship is not just preparation for today, Discipleship is preparation to love forever.

 

Bud McCord

Abide Internationa

Illusions

The sensation we feel when we discover we have put our faith in an illusion is deeply disturbing and life changing.  Anyone who passes through a disillusion can become a cynic and completely incapable of exercising faith except with a long list of guarantees attached.

Focusing on Jesus will not produce a disillusion.  Jesus said “Whoever sees me sees the Father.”  With this simple statement Jesus was either telling the pure truth or lying in order to create a horrible illusion.  With these words Jesus invites humanity to look to Him to see God.  He guarantees His claim with His life.

Focusing on Jesus moment by moment will never leave a human disillusioned.  Jesus is God made visible and available for us and among us.  Jesus does not offer a list of guarantees.  He is the guarantee.  He is not an illusion.

Jesus invites especially the disillusioned to believe again.

Bud McCord

Abide International

Be Good At Love

If you want to be good at anything, be good at love.  Love is the only human endeavor that lasts.  We were made to be good at love.

Success may look like control of circumstances, but love is success.  Jesus dying on the cross was not an attempt to control His unpleasant circumstances created by the Romans and the religious leaders of His day.  His death was a demonstration of the love He came to deliver.

Success may look like accumulation of money or power, but love is success.  Jesus died penniless and nude on a cross.  Even so, there was never a moment in human history where love was more clearly visible in a human life.  His lack of money or human power was overshadowed by His love. He died powerfully clothed in love.

Success may look like living a long life and retiring well, but love is success.  Jesus did not live long and His plan for retirement here was non-existent, His “early” death was perfectly timed love.

If you want to be good at anything, be good at love.

Bud McCord

Abide International

What Love Does

There is nothing more life improving than being deeply and truly loved by someone who sees what God has in mind for us.  There is nothing that makes people better people than someone loving them back into God’s beauty.
That is what love does.

The Apostle Paul tells husbands in Ephesians 5 to love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her.  He tells husbands that Christ loved the church so “He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”  Love takes away the “spots”, “wrinkles” or “any such thing”  that life in this troubled world leaves on our souls.

That is what love does.

So, when I say to my wife “I love you.”, I am saying I will give her the best of me so I can one day I see the kind of beauty God intends for her . I will love her for a lifetime to remove from her mind, emotions and will the “spots” and “wrinkles” or “any such thing” that distracts from her God desired beauty.  I will love her in such a way that “spots”,  “wrinkles” or “any such thing” disappear because of my love.
That is what love does.

Love restores original beauty over time.

 

Bud McCord

Abide International

The Presence of Christ

“Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
John 8:58

The Presence of Christ was "in the Beginning"

The Presence of Christ was "in the Garden of Eden"

The Presence of Christ was "in the world since the fall".

The Presence of Christ was “with God’s people In Egypt”.
 
The Presence of Christ was “with Israel in the Desert”.

The Presence of Christ was “with Israel throughout its history”.
  
The Presence of Christ “became flesh and dwelt among us”.

The Presence of Christ by the Spirit “filled the church at Pentecost”.

The Presence of Christ “abides in every believer”.

The Presence of Christ “is in me and sends me into the world to love for God's glory”.

Every good thing that has every happened to mankind is from His Presence.

Abide in His Presence right now!

Bud McCord

Abide International

Blessed to Bless

Blessed to Bless

“Then God blessed them…”
Genesis 1:28

The history of humanity begins with God blessing mankind.  It is impossible for humans to be what they were intended to be without God’s blessing.  That which comes before must bless that which comes after.

To know that we are blessed by God makes our souls rest and want to bless others.  Only God’s blessing can free us enough from our fear to truly be a blessing to others.

God blessed so they would bless.  Mankind exists to bless. Isn’t blessing others that for which we were truly made?

Jesus came to restore the blessing of God over all mankind.  To be restored humanity we must receive Jesus as God’s new blessing.  The New Testament could easily begin with “Then God blessed them again.”

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus describes what His blessing brings to us.

The Kingdom becomes ours.
We are comforted in our pain.
We are promised the earth as our inheritance.
We find our hunger for justice satisfied in God.
We find mercy in abundance to free give mercy.
We see God now.
We are called the Sons of God
The Kingdom is ours.
We will receive reward in heaven.
We become the salt of the earth.
We become the light of the world.
(See Matthew 5:1-16)

We are the blessed again ones who exist to bless again in Jesus Christ.  It is our continuous connection to Jesus that keeps us forever blessed in order to bless forever.

To abide in Christ is to live as one of the blessed.  Right now say “I am blessed again in Jesus to bless again!”  Now, go and bless again the people who make up your world this day.

“Then God blessed them….”   “Then God blessed them again”.
 

Bud McCord

Abide International

When Cain Kills Abel

Everyone knows that Cain killed Abel.  Even so, have you ever considered why Cain killed Abel?

Cain’s anger was rooted in his failure to establish once and for all what God  expects of human beings.  To establish for all humans what God expects of them Cain had made his best offer to God.  Abel had made his offer as well. God accepted Abel’s offering not Cain’s.

When God affirmed Abel’s offering Cain was furious.  Cain understood establishing once and for all what men think God expects of them is the most powerful force on earth.  Cain did not want to do what God expects, Cain wanted this power over mankind.  Abel just wanted to do what God expected of men. Abel wanted to leave the power up to God.

Leaders who want the power to establish what God expects of all men become violent when they are not the final word.  They will find a way to force their view and their will on every Abel who just wants to do what God expects of us.

Jesus simply did what God expects of mankind.  For doing what God expects of us without seeking power He was persecuted and hated by the Cains of His day..  He told those who follow Him to expect the same reaction from the Cains of their day.

The Cains of the world still kill in the name of what is right for their power.  They may not even use God’s will  as their excuse but in their minds they want to tell God and every Abel how things should be.

God will take care of the Cains of he world.  As costly and dangerous as it may be to only want to do what God expects of us among the Cains of our day, we must be the people who submit to God like Jesus did.

Abel did not lose His life.  He found it.  So do we when we live Jesus.
 

Bud McCord

Abide International

Holding Visible Things Loosely

Every week we hear of a brother or sister in Christ who has been robbed while walking the streets of a Brazilian city.  Robberies are now so common that there is  a common wisdom in Brazil for how to be safely robbed.  The wisdom is  “Do not resist”.  This wisdom will save your life because the standard behavior of the thief is “Kill all who resist so others won’t.”

Jesus told His followers these things about resisting certain kinds of people.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.  If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.  And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.” Matthew 5:38-42

Was Jesus predicting situations like robberies in modern Brazilian cities?  At first glance the “don’t resist” wisdom of Brazil sounds a little like Jesus’ wisdom.  Upon deeper examination one can see that Jesus’ wisdom is not about survival or avoiding pain , it is about holding tightly to love instead of less important things.

Jesus wants His disciples to value love over survival and material things.  He also wants us to hang on tightly to Him and to love and to hold loosely everything else.

The Apostle Paul gave the early Christians this wisdom.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things  which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things  which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.  II Corin. 4:16-18

As disciples we need to understand that all visible things are in decay and any strategy to hold on to them tightly is not wise in Brazil or anywhere else.  On the other hand, all invisible things rooted in love are permanent and we must hold tightly to them even if it costs us our visible life to do so.  That is called carrying our cross.

So, here is the Jesus wisdom for all times and all places.
Hold the visible very loosely and hold your love (cross) very tightly.

And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
Luke 14:27

 

Bud McCord

Abide International

Live Jesus Now and Forever

LIVE JESUS NOW AND FORVER

He had to come as He did (miraculous birth)
to be what He was (perfect).

He had to be what He was (perfect)
to do what He did (redeem).

He had to do what He did (redeem)
That you might have what He is (life).

You must have what He is (life)
        to be what He was (perfect).

Major W. Ian Thomas

The Gospel is 100% Jesus.  It is what He did perfectly for you.  It is what He perfectly gave you.  It is what He is perfectly in you.  All of this He perfectly did and perfectly is so you can live Him perfectly for all eternity.

“Jesus is all and is in all”.  Col. 3:11b   All he did, all He gave and all He wants to do forever through you is in you.  You will spend all of eternity receiving, rejoicing in and releasing as love all He is in you right now.

Since you have Jesus you lack nothing to live the Christian life right now. The entire Christian life is Jesus living in you right now.  All the Father expects of you is to live Jesus and all the Spirit will ever inspire you to do is live Jesus.  Live Jesus now and forever.

 

Bud McCord

Abide International

A Plan For LIfe

If you had to choose between living your own plans and God’s plan in Christ, what would be your choice?  As simple as this question sounds, it is the essence of our daily struggle as disciples of Jesus.

We must become comfortable with God’s plan in Christ.  We must become comfortable with Jesus’ perfect presence in us as being God’s plan for our life.

We have spent so much time cultivating our own plans that we truly find it strange to stop the continual planning process and rest in the singular plan that is “Christ in you the hope of glory.”

If someone were to ask you what your plan for living this day is, what would you say?  Could you honestly say your plan is to live Jesus?

To become comfortable with this kind of living just take it one day at a time.  Start today by living a plan for life that says  “ For to me to live is Christ.”.   Let living Jesus be your plan and then be ready to move at the speed of Christ.

 

 

Bud McCord

Abide International

Equality

From the beginning of our lives we begin to see the many ways that we are different from other people.  In our perceptions about reality we cannot help but find ourselves feeling unequal to some people.

Some are more beautiful than we see ourselves.  Some run faster and jump farther.  Some are taller and seem  able to draw attention to themselves with ease. No matter how beautiful, how athletic or how tall, no one escapes the sense of inequality.

There is one place, however, where inequality is defeated and must bow to Jesus’ perfect presence .  This place of complete equality is described as being  “in Christ.”   To be “in Christ” is to find the one place in our reality where we can completely lay aside all fear of comparison and inequality.

Being “in Christ” is the true Christian mystery and revelation. If the words “in Christ” were truly understood by every disciple the church would once again find  its most beautiful reality and power.

Every time you see the words “in Christ” read them as “I am in eternal spiritual union with Christ.”  Whoever is in this blessed spiritual condition has found the only equality that really matters.  If we could see each other as “in Christ”, we could literally begin to live the mystery  and revelation of Christ in us which is the hope of God’s glory appearing in all of our lives.  Only through this “in Christ” equality can we demonstrate the true power of being the body of Christ in action as one.

Those who would like to create a type of Christianity that begins with those who have spiritual equality and those who do not have the same equality destroy Christianity at its core.  We would all be wise to see every believer from the moment of their new birth as “in Christ”.  Only then we correctly see them as worthy to be considered spiritually equal to us at the core of their being “in Christ.”

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28

 

 

Bud McCord

Abide International

Good People

"Joe is really good people."

Having someone describe us as "good people" is an old american compliment.   Is it, however, a sign of Christian spirituality to be called "good people"?  Does Jesus in us as our source of spirituality produce a type of human being others would call "good people"?

Sometimes we create a vision of spirituality that measures activities linked to our church calendar, our private devotional time or our evangelistic proficiency.  Unfortunately being simply "good people" doesn't seem to describe much of our spirituality.

If we take a close look at Jesus' spirituality it becomes abundantly clear that He was "good people."  The impression He left wherever He walked was that pure goodness had arrived in human form.  When Jesus says "He who sees Me sees the Father", He was not speaking of His perfect attendance at the synagogue, His private devotional time or His evangelization of people.  He was speaking of the goodness of the Father that was continuously inspiring His goodness day by day.

The spirituality of Jesus was born in the presence of the Father that was abiding in Him moment by moment.  Jesus was "good people" because of the goodness of the Father that was living in Him.  Jesus' visible goodness 24/7 proved that God is good all the time and all the time God is good.

Jesus in us is the source of all of our goodness.  Jesus in us is what makes us "good people".  Jesus in a disciple will always inspire the disciple to be "good people".

Can you imagine Jesus applauding  the spirituality of one of His followers while knowing that His disciple was not "good people" in His neighborhood?  We would do well to be "good people" all the time and all the time be "good people".  "Jesus was "good people" and is "good people" in you right now

 

Bud McCord

Abide International

The Challenge of Genuine Spirituality

Can the spirituality of the early church be ours today?  Yes it can if we accept the challenge of living Jesus' spirituality and not ours. 

 

The great challenge for genuine spirituality in Christians is to move away from attaining spirituality to receiving spirituality.  We must move away from the current personal spirituality paradigms of believing doctrines or creeds, perfecting our personal thought processes, practicing lists of so called Christian principles or living intense church activity.  We must move to the perfect and perfecting spiritual presence of Jesus who abides in every disciple.  We must move toward Jesus in us as the source of all authentic spirituality.  We must live His already perfected spirituality not develop our own over time.

 

When we are in the presence  of people, we are impacted by their presence.  In fact, some people's presence will drive us crazy over time!  Jesus' spiritual presence, on the other hand, spiritually heals us and makes us sane for love over time.  Pursuing a Jesus in us spirituality is not a spiritual therapy we master and then walk on our own.  It learning  to live continuously in the presence of Jesus who is the perfectly Spiritual Person.  He goes with us and is in us until His spirituality is our spirituality and His life is our life.  Jesus in us spirituality is learning to abide in Christ.  It is to go to Jesus alone for spirituality and stay there forever.

 

All who long for a return of a genuine, original Christian spirituality the path to spiritual life will need to move from increasing their own spiritual information or spiritual activity to increasing their awareness of Jesus' spirituality in them and their cooperation with His eternal spiritual life.  

 

Only when the church's primary  concern for believers is seeing Jesus' spirituality formed in every disciple will we see Christianity expressed in spiritual power as it was in the beginning of the church.

 

By the Spirit of Christ in us there is enough genuine spirituality  in us to make us perfectly spiritual.   Our job is to receive and release His spirituality.  He gives it and we live it.

 

Are we up for the challenge to live Jesus' spirituality?  By His Spirit Jesus in us certainly is ready and all we need to do is receive His spirituality moment by moment and release it as fruit.

 

"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

 

Bud McCord

Abide International14

The Temple and The Sanctuary

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

I Corin. 3:16

Temples and Sanctuaries are not unique to Jews and Christians. All the major religions of the world have holy places where disciples gather to know their source, consider the meaning of their life and seek healing. What is unique to Christians is that we are the Temple and in the center of each of us there is the Sanctuary of God.

As a Christian where do you go so God can show you Himself, to find healing and to see your future? Do you go within? Do you know how to find the Sanctuary at the center of the Temple of God you are? Do you know how to enter into and abide in the presence of the God who dwells in you?

Jesus said: ... nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:21

Thomas Kelly said: "A practicing Christian must above all be one who practices the perpetual return of the soul into the inner sanctuary."

Major Ian Thomas said: "Relate everything, moment by moment as it arises, to the adequacy of what He is in you, and assume that His adequacy will be operative..."
For much of my Christian life I made my church my Temple and my Bible my Sanctuary. The result of this was a limited intimacy with God and a lack of inner healing.

The Bible never says it is the Sanctuary. The visible church building is certainly no Temple where God now dwells.

Today in the light of the Scriptures and as a part of the visible church I know I am the Temple of God and I know I must enter the inner Sanctuary in me to begin and continue to live in the Spirit of Christ.

This is part of what happens when I quietly enter the Sanctuary in me where I meet the Trinity within.

I enter empty. I leave with abundance. Matthew 5:3
I enter mourning. I leave comforted. Matthew 5:4
I enter releasing control. I leave calm. Matthew 5:5
I enter hungry. I leave satisfied. Matthew 5:6
I enter wanting to be merciful. I leave merciful. Matthew 5:7
I enter with pure intentions. I leave seeing God. Matthew 5:8
I enter wanting peace. I leave as a son of God. Matthew 5:9
I enter persecuted. I leave knowing my future. Matthew 5:10
I enter hated and falsely accused. I leave joyful. Matthew 5:11-12
I enter without meaning. I leave as salt of the world. Matthew 5:13
I enter with a heavy load. I leave as light as light. Matthew 5:14-16

Learning to practice the perpetual return of the soul (mind, emotions and will) into the inner sanctuary is to learn to simply abide in the true Vine. Learning to relate everything moment by moment as it arises to the adequacy of what He is in me is to walk in the Spirit or walk in the light as He is in the light.

Isn't it time you visited the Sanctuary in your spirit and learned to live in the Presence of your God? The Bible tells you where the Sanctuary is and the church should teach you how to enter. Even so, you must enter alone.

Bud McCord

Abide International

The Rose Bush

When visiting a vineyard rose bushes carefully planted around the outer edges of the vineyard are a common sight.  Besides being beautiful and adding a colorful touch to the vineyard,  the rose bushes are nature's alarm system for protecting the sensitive branches in the vineyard.

There are diseases and plagues that can weaken or destroy the ecosystem in the vineyard.  When these unwelcome invaders come the signs of disease and death first appear in the rose bushes.  This gives the Vinedresser time to protect the vineyard and save the harvest.

In the life of the church the alarm system is the sudden loss spiritual beauty around the edges of the church.  When a church loses the sensitive and beautiful signs of righteousness, peace and joy, then spiritual disease and death is coming to the entire vineyard.

Along with our desire to have a fruitful vineyard we must also be sure to surround the vineyard with beauty that is sensitive to the coming of sin.

"...for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." Romans 14:17

Future Fever

People are willing to do almost anything to have the future they want.  Some will literally stop at nothing to have the future they envision.  This may, at first glance, seem admirable but the cemeteries of the world are filled with those who stood in the way of someone's vision of the future. Cain and Abel had two different visions of the future.  When Cain's vision of the future was rejected by God, a fever burned inside Cain and he killed he own brother to eliminate the future competition. The future fever that burned in the heart of Cain was just the beginning. The fever would spread and millions would die. Some of the more recent mass future fever killings were led by men named Stalin, Hitler and Mao. Their future fever burned so hot  that it led them to murder millions. Though most are not as evil on the world stage as these future fevered men, we are all tempted to kill relationships to secure the future we envision.  We, too, can catch future fever. Older men trade the wives of their youth for a younger woman.  Company executives move older employees into early and unwanted retirement to save a few dollars.  Young pregnant women abort tiny babies to continue pursuing lucrative careers.  Friends abandon old friends in order to move in a more popular group. Pastors build churches while abandoning Jesus' followers who get in their way. While in the grip of future fever we all are tempted to kill whatever impedes our move toward the future we believe we need. Living for a future we feel we must have makes us all dangerous to ourselves, others and the glory of God. The only man who ever lived completely free from the fever of needing to have and protect a future at other's expense was Jesus. From eternity Jesus had the future He wanted. He never lost it.  He left his future voluntarilly to die for us.  Rather than kill us to get a future He wanted, He left what He had and died so we could have with Him the future He already had and we really need right now. At this moment Jesus' future is in us.   He abides in us as our future so we can lay our life down for our friends who need to live His future. The next time you are about to panic and protect your future in some way that will kill a relationship, remember that Christ in you is your future and nothing can take your future away.  Nothing. Turn the other cheek.  Go the extra mile.  Don't worry about tomorrow. Forgive 70x7. Love your enemy.   This kind of living can only happen if our future is not an issue.  This only can happen when we say  "For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain." May God deliver us personally from the temptation to fight others, leave others or kill others for our future.  May God rid the world of those who fill the cemeteries with the bodies of those who stood in their way and fill the world with friends of Jesus who will lay their life down so their friends can live Jesus' future now. "Greater love has no one than this than to lay down one's life for his friends."  John 15:13   Bud McCord Abide International

Identity Matters

Who I perceive myself to be exercises a powerful control over everything I do.  Identity matters.

Who are you really?  How many different voices and experiences have fashioned your perception of yourself.  Would people be shocked to find out what you honestly think of yourself?

All of us must deal with the question of our identity every day. For some it seems fairly easy.  For others it is a frightening battle they fear they are about to lose.

I fought the identity battle in my childhood and into my adult life.  Looking back I can now see that this was the most critical battle of my life.  I learned that my sense of identity was impacting every relationship and every move I made in life.

My cure began when I accepted Jesus' offer to lose my personal identity and begin a new identity in Him.  I lost my life to find it.  I had to change identity instead of trying to repair my own identity.  This hurt deeply, but the result has been abundant life and a new, stable identity.

It comes as a shock to us that our personal identity is not adequate do let us be what we really know we should be.  We keep hoping we can tweak the identity we have from our life experience and somehow it will all fall into place and we can be the person we know we should be.  This just does not work.

An old Jewish man named Nicodemos came to Jesus to talk about entering the Kingdom of God.  This deeply religious man had done all a human can do to be the man he knew God would have him to be.  Even so, Jesus looked at Him and said  "You must be born again."   In other words, Jesus was saying to him, "You need to lose your old identity and live the new one the Father and I will give to you."  Identity matters.

Once I lost my old identity I began a daily spiritual discipline of repeating a list of my new identity in Christ.  This habit helped me embrace my new identity in Christ.

Perhaps a part of my list will help you enjoy your new idenity in Christ.

As I awaken each day I know that God wants me to see myself as...
 

• A Child of God  Romans 8:14-16
• Crucified with Christ  Romans 6: 6-8
• Reconciled  Romans 5:10
• Resurrected  Romans 6: 9-11
• In Christ  Romans 8:1
• Free of Condemnation   Romans 8:1
• Loved John 3:16
• Secure  Romans 8: 31-39
• Complete in Christ  Colossians 2:10
• Forgiven Colossians 1:13-14
• Saved forever  Ephesians 2:8 and Romans 5:9-10
• Justified Romans 5:1
• Sanctified  I Corinthians 6:11
• New Creation II Corinthians 5:17
• Redeemed  Galatians 3:13
• Joint Heir with Christ  Romans 8:17
• Conqueror  Romans 8:37
• Justice of God  II Corinthians 5:21
• Light  Matthew 5:14
• Salt  Matthew 5:13
• A Branch of the True Vine John 15:1-8
• Dead to Sin  Romans 6:11
• Having the Divine nature  II Peter 1:4
• Chosen João 15:16
• One with Christ  John 17:20--21
• Sealed in Christ  Ephesians 1:13
• Free  John 8:36

Your new Identity in Christ Matters

Bud McCord

Abide International14

Satisfaction

If Jesus suddenly walked into your home one morning and you had two hours to be with Him, what do you think would be the most striking difference between you and Jesus?  What is it about Jesus as a human being that sets Him apart from all other men and women who have ever lived?

The difference was in His inner life. Nothing biological made Jesus different than you or me.  The difference was in His spirit and His soul.

Jesus lived from a source of continuous inner satisfaction with His Father. At the very center of His being Jesus was 100% satisfied in God. This satisfaction allowed Jesus' soul (mind, emotions and will) to be completely at rest and continuously able to release God's love without interruption.

Being in the presence of Jesus for two hours would probably make us all extremely uncomfortable with the state of our own inner life. If not for the continuous love coming from Jesus to us during our two hour meeting we would certainly be overwhelmed by the presence of such a pure human being.

Now expand this two hour encounter to every moment for the rest of eternity.  Jesus has made His home in you. You are His home! If you will let Him love you He will overwhelm you with His love and you will begin to experience the satisfaction He continues to find in His Father. Your inner life will become one with His inner life.

Don't be afraid. Abide in Christ since He already abides in you.

"The difference between Jesus and me is simple. He lived 100% satisfied in God 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. I do not, but I can learn!"

 

Bud McCord

Abide International14

God's Expectations and Man's Competence

Many years ago I read a book called  "The Peter Principle".   The principle that had been discovered by a researcher was that  good employees will be eventually be offered a promotion beyond their level of competence.

The person who discovered this principle counseled people to know their level of competence and never let the boss promote them beyond it.  If they were promoted beyond their competence then very soon the boss would be wanting to get rid of them due to unfulfilled expectations and incompetence.

In any relationship it is critical to know what the expectations and competences are on both sides.   If the expectations are clear and the competence is there, then there is great hope for satisfaction for all involved.

Now think of expectations and competence on a universal scale.  Jesus among us is God letting us know what he expects of humanity and Jesus is the kind of competent human being with whom God will become one.  Anything short of Jesus is just not acceptable for God.  No Jesus equals no relationship with God.

Jesus is also the kind of human being we must want to become for this relationship to work..  Seeing Jesus' love in action we need to say say clearly that this is the kind of human being we long to be and can become.  Somehow we must believe we can be made as competent as Jesus was as a human being.

So, from the Divine side Jesus is God's expectation and from the human side Jesus is our expectation.  If we cannot become like Jesus the relationship will not work.  If we do not want to be like Jesus and cannot become like Jesus the relationship will not work.

So, Jesus is the key to everything. In Jesus God gets what He  expects and wants and we get what we expect and want.  Jesus makes this a win/win for all involved.

Jesus is the perfection God demands of us and Jesus is the perfection that will make us  competent humans like Him.  Unlike any other relationship that has ever happened before, God met all the expectations in advance for both sides in Jesus and He invites us to come into the relationship through the door of  fulfilled expectations and competence named Jesus.

On a universal scale the Peter principle is completely overcome in Jesus.  God's expectaions are perfectly met and we will become competent human beings like Jesus.

This is very, very, very exciting indeed!

Romans 8:1 "There is, therefore, no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus"

John 1:10-11 "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:  who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

Bud McCord

Abide International