December 2022 | TFRC | The Faith Resource Community

12/29/22 Power for Service

I was reading about David’s mighty men the other day and one thing struck me as never before. The “mighty” part of these men was used for service. I know that sounds a little obvious, but when you think about it, what else should a powerful ability to do anything be used for? It would only justify itself if it were used to help someone less powerful, or even helpless. On the other hand, power misused is so very detrimental to those on whom it’s applied.

Let’s talk about the power we, as men of God, have been given. Holding the highest offices of husband and father - offices dear to our Father’s heart, we, in the clearest sense of the word, have God’s ear. He is for us. His power is available to us. His compassion bears witness to our needs in supplying whatever is useful for the proper stewardship of our families. That’s some pretty powerful stuff!

Men, the next time your marriage hits a bump in the road, think about how important its restoration is to God and then move as He directs to heal it. The next time you see that one of your children could use some help in making decisions, or help out of a harmful place they’ve gotten into, what better assistance could they have than a father on his face before God - the One who cares more for the child than even the father does. Think about the power available to overcome these situations. Then think about the way you may have ignored, misused, or simply not applied it to help those you love. If you are convinced of its availability, how are you going to use that power now?

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

12/28/22 No Longer Your Own

“Failure to submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ is a crucial error. Your submission to His Lordship transfers ownership. You submit to His blood purchase. You are no longer your own, but His. It transfers allegiances. You submit to His will over your life. The world no longer has control over you. You are free from its death and decay. It transfers eternal homes. You are safe with Jesus for eternity.”

Ezekiel 36:26-27 NIV

26) “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

27) And I will put my spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”

Matthew 16:24-25 AMP

24) Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to be My disciple, let him deny himself [disregard, lose sight of, and forget himself and his own interests] and take up his cross and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying, also].

25) For whoever is bent on saving his [temporal] life [his comfort and security here] shall lose it [eternal life]; and whoever loses his life [his comfort and security here] for My sake shall find it [life everlasting].

John 3:3 NIV

In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

John 3:5-8 NIV

5) Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

6) Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.

7) You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’

8) The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

John 3:16 NIV

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Here’s a thought! Let’s all declare personal (spiritual) bankruptcy, so that we can function as that new creature in Christ, which we became when we put Jesus in charge of our lives. Confusion and difficulty arise when we continually try to become better Christians.

God never asked us to do that. His desire is that we become empty, so that the life of Jesus is free to function in us. We seem determined to add our own efforts to God’s plan for us, and then we never reach the fullness that total dependence on God brings. Selah! (Pause, and calmly think of that!)

Jesus, You are Lord over every aspect of my life,

Jim Corbett

12/28/22 Crossroad Decisions

At times in our lives, we are faced with making pivotal decisions, which become crossroads that determine our path for the future. These chosen paths become a benchmark for the rest of our lives. All of our life choices are determined by the parameters of that crossroad decision.

In these last days, our Father is calling His men to make a crossroad decision for their marriage and family. Because of the darkness that is overtaking this dying world, He desires mighty men of valor to lead bright, significant family teams and be His light. In a world where there is no sure footing, these bright lights - filled and led by the Holy Spirit - will become guides to other families, helping them navigate perilous paths and hazardous challenges.

Is this day a crossroad decision time for you? As a husband and father being called by your Father in heaven to make the kind of personal changes needed to allow the Holy Spirit to move in your family unit, are you doing what it takes to help make your family available to be powerfully used? Are you willing to respond to the kind of training that will make you a mighty man of God capable of leading others to His safety? Look around, and then look at your family. Are you willing to do what it takes to be able to lead them to an overcoming life, or are you willing to allow them to become fodder for those who hate the things of God?

Men, it really is crossroad time! Old paths and old ways have little power to overcome the world as Jesus did. Our Father is waiting to equip everyone who is willing to submit to His hand of training. Are you going to be one of His mighty men of valor who leads a mighty family full of His Holy Spirit?

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

12/27/22 Finding the Truth

“Do not trust your thoughts! Your mind will play tricks on you, creating imaginations and lofty things that are against what I have established as truth. You need to discard them and throw them aside for the lies that they are. There is truth, if you make Me your priority. If you learn of My ways through the intimacy established for you by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, you will find it. I will write My truth on your heart.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

5) Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

6) in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 16:9 AMP

A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure.

Isaiah 55:8 NIV

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.

Jeremiah 24:7 NIV

“I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.”

Jeremiah 31:33-34a NIV

33) “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

34a) No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord.

1 Cor. 13:11 AMP

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways and have put them aside.

II Cor. 10:5 AMP

… [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One),…

Phil. 4:8-9 NIV

8) Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.

9) Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Ephesians 1:17-19a NIV

17) I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

18) I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

19a) and his incomparably great power for us who believe…

People will be reached by our righteous living in their midst. We are an extension of His plan to draw all people to Himself. If we are not holy (righteous) in their midst, no one will see God.

Righteousness (a heart that desires holiness) means to be set apart. Any ungodly person can return evil for evil, or good for good. Only a godly person can return good for evil.

Righteousness is a spirit of God. It is a quality of God. It can only develop as we submit to God. Righteousness is a heart desire, not just deeds done in the spirit of religion or only for external appearances.

Instill in me the desires of Your heart, Lord,

Jim Corbett

12/27/22 Crapshoot

Are you just hoping you can continue what you’re doing and have everything turn out for the best? Do you feel you’ve done all you can do, that your marriage is a quiet companionship, everything is OK because none of your children are in major trouble, and besides, you’re just too busy to do anything about whatever might be wrong? Well, you’re shooting craps. You’ve lost the war that’s being waged against you, and you don’t even know it.

Most men - even those who appear successful - live lives that have little to do with the life God has planned for them. God’s purposes for marriage and raising children are far different than the accepted norm. Even His church has normalized what family guidelines are all about. Although there are many bright spots within the church - families who shine with the light and life of Christ, few can be held up as God-like examples to others. In God’s economy, when it comes to family, good is not good enough. God is searching for examples He can use, examples of the image of the relationship between Christ and His Church.

Now is not the time to give up. Now is the time to repent of what is, and submit to the power of God to make the changes needed to become all that you and your family can be in Christ. God is waiting for His men to deny the plans the world has for families and say “yes” to His plans. What do you say we go for it? Let’s stop hovering around the “good enough” and get all the way into “tell me how deep you want me to go, Lord.”

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

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