An Overdeveloped Soul

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

Itching Ears and Anointing

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

Is Jesus Enough?

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

Let It Never Be Said of Us

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

Looking For Jesus

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

Having Begun

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

Opportunities

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

Either, Or or In the Middle

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

The Exempt

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

Choose Your Direction

Choose Your Direction Revelation 22:11 He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.” Jesus tells us that people must stay with the direction they have chosen.  He tells us to choose a direction and stay with it.  Is He encouraging sinners to stay sinners?  Why would He say this? It is because God sees direction more than He sees individual actions.  This is why Jesus’ first words to His disciples were “Follow Me” instead of “Do this.” The choice of direction once made will have tremendous future consequences on every action. Jesus wants us to choose our direction and own it as ours. Imagine two people walking side by side down a path. It appears at the moment they are headed to the same destination. But what if the reality is they are walking with a slight, imperceptible difference in direction? Over time the imperceptible difference of this moment will become a vast gulf fixed between the two.  This is what God sees as he looks at our lives.  He sees the direction.  He sees the end of the direction not the result of an action.  In spiritual circles we want to debate individual actions. God wants to talk about direction that will determine actions. In the business world great leaders see directional trends and adjust.  Weaker leaders see daily results and panic. Adjusting to trends means the business will stay with its market.  Adjusting to daily results will mean losing touch all together. In raising kids great parents see directional trends. Weaker parents scream and yell at daily behaviors.  Adjusting to each and every error a child makes will drive both child and parent crazy. Adjusting to the trends in a child’s behavior is helping them to choose the right direction. Take a look at your direction. This is what God sees.  You may make periodic changes in a behavior, but the direction you have chosen will overcome the momentary stumble along the way.  Evil people can do good things occasionally but not as a trend.  Good people can do bad things occasionally but not as a trend. Direction overcomes momentary lapses every time. Choose your direction wisely.  It is taking you somewhere.  Is that really where you want to go? Bud McCord Abide International

Discipleship and the Scriptures

Discipleship and the Scriptures Matthew 28: 18-20  And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. Jesus commanded His first disciples to go and make disciples.  He went on to clearly tell them to make disciples by teaching all new disciples to identify publicly with Jesus' work and presence and to  " observe all things" He commanded. Go back and read the verses.  Is it clear to you that Jesus and His commandments are the measurement and tools for discipleship?  If it is, think with me for a moment about why we seldom focus only on Jesus and on His commandments in discipleship. Consider these questions...             Were you discipled to live from Jesus' presence in you while obeying His very specific commandments?             In your discipleship were the Scriptures used to help you see Jesus clearly or were the Scriptures used to help you see the Scriptures clearly?             Were you taught to obey the specific commands of Jesus or to obey equally all the Bíblical commands from Genesis to Revelation? I am convinced the failure to focus on Jesus' presence in our lives and the obeying of His very specific commandments  are the missing elements in modern discipleship. Let me explain. In our needed attempts to defend the inspiration of the whole Bible as it has been repeatedly attacked,  we have failed to distinguish what the Bible itself clearly  distinguishes. The Bible distinguishes Jesus Himself and His very specific commandments from everyone and everything else that comes before or after Him.  The Bible clearly  distinquishes Jesus and His commands because He is the fulfillment of  every Bíblical command. The Bible leads us all to Him and His commands as the final Living Word.  The Bible is the most beautiful book in the universe because it reveals Jesus. In John chapter 5 there is a striking story of a group of Pharisees (Teachers of the Old Testament Scriptures) who do not believe in Jesus while saying they do believe in the Old Testament Scriptures and obey them completely.   Here is how Jesus confronts their failure to receive His presence and hear His words as a result of their intense but wasted Bible Study. 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 Bible never asks us to substiture all of its content in the place of all of Jesus or all of His specific commands.  The perfectly inspired Scriptures always direct our full attention to the perfect person of Jesus and His perfect commands which we are to obey joyfully and continously. If anyone focuses completely on Jesus' presence and obeys His commands, that person will see Jesus in every verse and command in the entire Bible. That person will love the Scriptures because they took Him to Jesus.  That person will be a disciple of Jesus and never a Pharisee. Bud McCord

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

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!  

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

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

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

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

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