Open post

2/16/24 Ask for Help

Being the steward of a Christ-like family is an impossible task. Husbands and fathers, who think they can oversee that kind of family in their own strength, are fooling themselves. Without God’s help and the prayers of others, a mediocre marriage and children who don’t really serve the Lord will more than likely be the result. How can we be content to present that to God one day?

If you care little whether or not your marriage is an example of the relationship between Christ and His church or whether or not your children live significant lives before the Lord, then you can remain a blissful blind guide. You’ll be teaching your family - and many future generations if they follow your lead – to settle for far less than God intends. Why would we do that to those we love?

If, however, you want a marriage and family that pleases God and represents Him properly, then begin by asking Him for help at every opportunity. Make a life of prayer your home base so you’ll have the wisdom, guidance, and power to war against the plots of the enemy. Call upon your family to pray for you, too. Share with your wife and children the responsibilities of your offices of husband and father, and that you understand how much you need the power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill them for your family’s good. Make them an integral part of family prayer. Without violating any trusts within your family, call upon one or two trustworthy friends to hold you accountable. Get to work. There is much that needs to be done!

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

Open post

2/15/24 Make Room in Your Heart

“So much is poised to break forth in the spiritual realm. So much is ready to be fulfilled. Soon you will see many foretold events fulfilled with lightning speed. Soon, what you hold in your hand will be of little importance. What is held in your heart will be what matters. Make room in your heart for the ways of Jesus. Make room for His character and His obedience. Invest in those things that have eternal value. Cultivate a heart for the souls of men. Make it your priority in everything that you do. In doing so, you will be functioning with Me, heart to heart. When that happens, I am blessed, you are fulfilled, and My plan is going forth.”

II Sam. 16:7 AMP

But the Lord said to Samuel, Look not on his appearance or at the height of his stature, for I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as a man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.

Eph. 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.

II Peter 3:9 AMP

The Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what He promises, according to some people’s conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient) toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance.

 

It is so easy to lose God’s perspective. From a heavenly perspective, our scurrying around, attempting to store up those things that are passing away, must seem a little silly to say the least. Sad to say, I believe that our foolish actions break the heart of our Father.

If you begin in Genesis and end in Revelation, one very clear point is made. God wishes that none should perish. It is the thread of truth that weaves its way throughout all of Scripture. It is why Jesus did what He did. It is what we are in position to do every moment of our lives.

Let me move with You, Lord,

Jim Corbett

Open post

2/15/24 Your Table

A family, known in their community as compassionless due to their uncaring attitude for everything other than satisfying their own needs, sat down for their evening meal. One table - adorned with a fine linen tablecloth and exquisite china - was set for the parents and their children. A second table for the grandparents was off to the side, set with a vinyl tablecloth and unbreakable plates and cups because they had grown feeble. Their shaking hands and poor eyesight had caused just too many spills and broken dishes for the family to trust them at the other table.

One day the young daughter of the family was playing house. She had a second table set up with her dishes and cups. Her mother entered the room and asked why she had the extra table. The daughter responded, “Oh, that’s for you and Daddy when you get old.”

Compassion is one of the characteristics of Jesus. He cared for others more than He cared for His own life. Families with little or no compassion for the plight of others are relatively useless in a society. Taking and rarely giving, while teaching their children to do likewise, they exhibit their unChrist-like attitude wherever they go. Imagine the ripple effect.

As a father, you have an astounding opportunity to add wealth wherever you and your family live, if you understand God’s plan for you. When you invest the wealth of Jesus in your children, not only do you give them the opportunity to lead honorable, significant lives before the Father; they also gain the ability to affect their immediate surroundings with that same immeasurable wealth and much needed compassion.

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

Open post

2/14/24 No Options

“I have designed you to be advocates one to another. I have called you to watch out for your brother’s or sister’s best interests before your own. You are to lay your life down for them. That is the very basic heart involvement toward one another if you call yourself followers of My Son. There are no options. If you act in any other way toward each other, you are denying My love to them. You are a hypocrite if you do not love one another and then profess love for Me. Your praises are empty. Your worship is nothing but lies. Turn from carnal feelings and sensual motivations. Love one another as freely as you breathe. You will then testify of My love for you to a world that needs to understand the wonders of the cross.”

John 13:34-35 NIV 

34) “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

35) All men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.”

John 15:12-14 NIV

12) “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

13) Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

14) You are my friends if you do what I command.”

1 John 4:20a NIV 

If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar.

 

It is always fascinating how we pick and choose the Bible verses that allow us to remain in our carnal ways of thinking, by-passing those that are definitive commands to follow. The Word is very clear about how we, as followers of Christ, are to act one to another; yet we gloss over some of the commands - not suggestions - of the Lord as if He really didn’t mean what He said.

The word “friend” in John v.14 above is a covenant term. Jesus was making a covenant statement about how we are to act one to another if we say we are in covenant with Him. It looks like He said we are “in covenant” with Him IF we love each other in the same manner that He loved us. Wasn’t He the One who gave up His life for us?

Yikes, Lord! Turn my heart to Your ways,

Jim Corbett

Open post

2/14/24 One Day

Harry Chapin wrote a song called “Cat’s in the Cradle.” It talks of a father who’s always too busy to spend time with his son, even though the son admires him and wants to be just like him when he grows up. At the end of the song, we learn the son turned out exactly like his father, prioritizing everything else above their relationship.

Each of our days is important enough to be numbered by God. He is looking to fulfill His purposes in the people He brings our way through us, especially our children. Our children should desire to be just like us because they experience us being just like Jesus toward them. That hope should be nurtured each and every day. It will not happen automatically one day in the future. It happens conversation by conversation, fulfilled promise after fulfilled promise, with a continual assurance and demonstration of their importance. They need to know you value your relationship with them, which will help them to understand God’s love for them.

God wants your children to grow up to be just like Jesus. The best example He has placed in their lives to show them the character of Jesus ought to be you. In what ways are you showing Him to them?

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

Posts navigation

1 2 3 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 801 802 803
Scroll to top