Month: December 2024

“Where did you get the foolish notion that you would be ready for Jesus when He comes, if you have spent your lifetime pursuing other loves? How will He recognize those who are His, if they do not have the same heart motives and desires that He does - those who look and act just like Him?

 “It would be wise to decide to have Jesus as your only love. Your life should be spent in preparation for His return, not in pursuit of worldly comforts. Stop listening to useless arguments about when He is coming and live your days as if it were today.

 “This is your time of preparation. It is My time of making sure that all is complete. When all is in order, He will appear for those who are His, those who have given their hearts completely to Him. Will you have made yourself ready?”

James 4:4-10 AMP

4) You [are like] unfaithful wives [having illicit love affairs with the world and breaking your marriage vow to God! Do you not know that being the world’s friend is being God’s enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world takes his stand as an enemy of God.

5) Or do you suppose that the Scripture is speaking to no purpose that says, The Spirit Whom He has caused to dwell in us yearns over us and He yearns for the Spirit [to be welcome] with a jealous love?

6) But He gives us more and more grace (power of the Holy Spirit, to meet this evil tendency and all others fully). That is why He says, God sets Himself against the proud and haughty, but gives grace [continually] to the lowly (those who are humble enough to receive it).

7) So be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you.

8) Come close to God and He will come close to you. [Recognize that you are] sinners, get your soiled hands clean; [realize that you have been disloyal] wavering individuals with divided interests, and purify your hearts [of your spiritual adultery].

9) [As you draw near to God] be deeply penitent and grieve, even weep [over your disloyalty]. Let your laughter be turned to grief and your mirth to dejection and heartfelt shame [for your sins].

10) Humble yourselves [feeling very insignificant] in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you [He will lift you up and make your lives significant].

 

Those who are aware of the times and seasons in which we live are divided into two groups. One group is preparing with moderate zeal because they understand how wonderful it would be to be part of what might soon take place. They are flowing in their usual “this is gonna be good for me” attitude and believe that it will be adequate for whatever happens, whenever it happens.

The other group, those of you who have chosen to live as Jesus lived, have heard the same call, only you have learned from intimate times with the Father that compromise is not part of the character of Jesus. You know that the kind of heart that finds satisfaction in anything other than the Father’s will is in no way similar to Jesus’ heart.

You have learned that it is important to the Father that Jesus recognize Himself in those who are waiting and/or working for Him. You know that responding to the present call to intimacy is important to God and are willing to do so for no other reason than to glorify the Father and please Jesus.  You know that falling in love with Jesus, a vital and often missing part in the fulfillment of God’s plan, is necessary and you desire to do what it takes to go there.

 Make me ready, Lord,

Jim Corbett

 

“Who in the land is out to prove Me faithful? Who has made it their goal to glorify My Name? Who is willing to pay any price for the privilege of carrying My Word to a cold church and a dying world?

 “I have many who say that they will; but over and over, when the pressure gets too great and the trials become too intense, they turn away unwilling to pay the required price for My anointing. What most do not know is that they were on the very threshold of breaking through to victory. Most never knew what they could have done with Me if they had only withstood the pressure a moment longer. I would have poured everything that I have and everything that I am into them, just as I did with those who remained faithful in My Word.

“Where would you be if Paul had given up because of the pressure put on him? You, My remnant, need to understand something. My anointing no longer comes cheap. There is a great price to be paid if you want My presence on what you do. Most of those you know will not be willing to pay the price. I know that, so I am eliminating them by bringing fiery trials into their lives, so that their true nature will be revealed.

“Those who overcome will soon move in a power that has been unavailable to My church for some time. Those who fall away because of the pressure will never know what could have been. You need to decide how important My presence is to you.

“Do you wish to remain with those who are remaining in an old anointing, or do you crave to be with Me in what I am doing in these end times? If you choose to move with Me, it will cost you everything. Are you willing to pay the price?

“Before you answer, you had better count the cost. If you choose My better way, I will be your ever-present Lord. The world will know that Jesus dwells in My people because they will see Him once again in you. Does that mean enough to you to submit to whatever it takes to carry His Name in that manner? If it doesn’t, move aside now. Step out of your calling and be put aside during this time.”

Exodus 33:13-16 NIV

13) “If I have found favor in your eyes, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”

14) The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

15) Then Moses said to him, ”If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.

16) How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”

Acts 21:12-13 NIV

12) “When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.

13) Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

 

Can you imagine Jesus stopping short of the cross because it was too difficult? What if Paul had deemed that the cost of his ministry was too high? What if either of them, or the countless others who have been raised up for specific moves of God throughout biblical history, had refused to pay the price to accomplish their calling? Where would we be?

Except in the case of Jesus, I’m sure that the Lord would’ve found someone else to accomplish the task at hand; so what about the ordinary guys like us who refuse to pay the price? Can you imagine facing our Lord, knowing that we refused Him because we thought our challenge was too difficult?

At this moment, our Lord is calling out a remnant of sold-out believers. Because of the task that will soon be before them, He is presenting increasingly difficult trials to them to expose their level of commitment to Him. His anointing will not come cheap to this generation any longer.  These fiery tests will help to develop a rock-solid commitment in those who embrace all challenges presented. Conversely, they will eliminate anyone who feels that the price is too high.

Each person who had an impact on his or her generation was raised up for that specific time. Every one of them was faced with the same decision that we face today - to do what they were called to do or stand on the sidelines while the Lord accomplished His will through someone else. We hear about, read about, and pattern our lives after those who said “Yes.” Those who refused, well…

Let that not happen to me, Lord,

Jim Corbett