12/03/20 The Greeter

There is a familiar story about an individual who belonged to a small church. Several years previously, he experienced a dramatic conversion to Jesus Christ and had followed Him diligently ever since.

One day, he enthusiastically approached the pastor to inquire how he might best serve in the fledgling congregation. The only open position was that of a greeter, which he joyfully accepted.

Every Sunday without fail for many years, this man greeted everyone who came to the church for services. The congregation grew, due in part to the hearty, loving welcome people received as visitors. This man's ministry made a difference at this church.

After a time, the man - now in charge of many greeters - grew disillusioned with his position, and wanted what he considered a more important position in the church. When he was asked to remain as the head greeter, he felt the church did not really appreciate him, so he left.  Eventually he became more disillusioned, and fell away from the Lord.

The first love qualities of service, unashamed love, and child-like enthusiasm are the qualities of Jesus. When we lose them, we lose real life. Are you comfortable with being a servant to your wife? Do you consider it a privilege that you are supposed to care more about the significance of your children’s lives than your own vision? If your answer is “no" on either question, you might want to take it up with the Lord!

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

Open post

12/02/20 Show Mercy

“Because I show you the concerns that I have for My people, do not make the mistake that I love you more than those who have not chosen to serve Me fully. My love is always the same. You need to know that so that you have the freedom to come to Me when you fail. I am always there for you. You also need to know that My love is always available to My children, so that you have a merciful heart for those who need to know Me better. They need to see My mercy. You show it to them; that is why I have given it to you. They need to see My love in action. That is one of the reasons I have shared it with you.

"They need to be free to be humble and bankrupt before Me without fear of Me. That is why I have humbled you. Give to others what I have given you. The best gift you can give to anyone is the understanding of the incredible wealth of needing Me for every action, every breath. I refine you; I orchestrate everything so that you have the necessity of needing Me. Then I impart Myself to you, so that you not only know Me yourself; but so that you can be a testimony of My ways and My compassions to others. My love for your enemies should motivate you to love them also. My love for your brothers and sisters in the Lord should bring you to repentance for your hardened heart toward some of them.”

Matt. 5:43-47a AMP

43) You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy;

44) But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

45) To show that you are the children of your Father Who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the wicked and on the good, and makes the rain fall upon the upright and the wrongdoers [alike].

46) For if you love those who love you, what reward can you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that?

47) And if you greet only your brethren, what more than others are you doing?

Ps. 145:8-9 AMP

8) The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and abounding in mercy and loving-kindness.

9) The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works [the entirety of things created].

I John 3:14-16 AMP

14) We know that we have passed over out of death into Life by the fact that we love the brethren (our fellow Christians). He who does not love abides (remains, is held and kept continually) in [spiritual] death.

15) Anyone who hates (abominates, detests) his brother [in Christ] is [at heart] a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding (persevering) within him.

16) By this we come to know (progressively to recognize, to perceive, to understand) the [essential] love: that He laid down His [own] life for us; and we ought to lay [our] lives down for [those who are our] brothers [in Him].

Forgive me, Lord,

Jim Corbett

 

12/02/20 Corrections of Love

As God continues to reveal your shortcomings, be of good cheer!  God is doing the wonderful work in you that He promised so you can fulfill your roles as husband and father.  A while back, you didn't even know those things were part of you, did you?

I used to see everything I wasn't as a totally negative experience - probably my pride as much as anything else.  Now, as the Lord gives me continual reminders of just exactly who I am and how far I have to go to be like Jesus, I am more able to give myself over to Him, knowing only He can change me and that He wholeheartedly desires to do so.  My appreciation of Him has increased as He also builds the faith in me to believe that He really is Who He says He is.

What chance would my family have if I chose not to respond to the changes the Holy Spirit is always ready to do in me? Where would we be if God never exposed me for who I really am?  Probably sitting comfortably in some church pew with no clue as to the rude awakening in store for me down the road.  Have you seen any shortcomings lately?

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

Open post

12/01/20 Reality Check

“I love your honest praises, but I would rather talk. When was the last time that you let Me in on your most intimate needs, other than those requests that protect your flesh? I want you to discover those things that you need to know. That may sound somewhat foolish, but it is reality. Most of My children have little knowledge of what they have need of. You spend your days on a surface level of life without ever realizing that there is so much more available to you. Your directions and choices are implemented with only partial truths and limited knowledge as your criteria for making them.

"I have so much more available to you. If you would spend the time waiting in My presence before you move in any direction, you would save the time that you need to work your way out of the situations that you find yourself in because of carnal decisions. I say this so often, but you never seem to fully grasp how important it is for you to cultivate a habit of waiting in My presence.

"Would you ever consider taking a full day to spend time with Me? I already know the answer because that is not part of your thinking process or you would have done it. When is it going to be My turn to captivate your interest enough to consider time with Me a priority? I am weary of your false fellowships and your attempts to replace time with Me with offerings, songs, and surface prayers. I am weary of being placed down the list of priorities in your life. It is time for you to make some radical changes.

"Take this day to discover where I really am in your life. If I called you to be with Me for a full day would you come? I know you are busy. I know that you have responsibilities. Why am I not the first priority in your life like you say that I am?”

 Psalm 106:12-15 AMP

12) Then [Israel] believed His words [trusting in, relying on them]: they sang His praise.

13) But they hastily forgot His works; they did not [earnestly] wait for His plans [to develop] regarding them.

14) But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness and tempted and tried to restrain God [with their insistent desires] in the desert.

15) And he gave them their request, but sent leanness to their souls…

 

Boy! These kinds of words make me fall on my face in helplessness. I fully understand what our Father has on His heart. There is no question about the truth of making Him our priority in life.

How does that play out in the life of the homemaker who has children that demand every ounce of energy? Or the provider who is swallowed up with bringing bread to the table?

Being in full-time outreach for many years, I understand the wonder of our Lord’s ability to redeem, even multiply, any amount of time taken away from daily tasks that is spent with Him. I have also seen people struggle with turning any amount of time over to Him. They may prosper financially but lose so much of what is available to them in God’s economy, especially regarding relationships and the opportunity to share His love with both believers and non-believers in their sphere of influence. It is a struggle that has plagued mankind throughout the centuries.

The conclusions that I have come to are these. Priority must be a heart position. To be at peace with our Lord, each of us must do what is necessary to make our Lord the unchallenged priority in our lives. He must be the reason for everything.

Once that is an absolute, everything else falls in place. We then find that we do not need to try to find time with God; instead, it becomes difficult to remove ourselves from Him to deal with other things. Everything other than time with Him is seen as an interruption of the most important. Continuous communication becomes a natural element of our daily lives.

That may seem elementary, but I have found that most of us have never really functioned in that truth. If questioned, every one of us would swear that Jesus is our everything. The fact is, however, few of us function there. Life in general - daily situations, earthly distractions - are really in control of our time.

We miss so much, because we have not taken that very basic step of establishing the one necessary priority of placing God above everything else. Therefore, we attempt to add our Lord to our already busy lives, instead of flowing through life from His lap.

Needing to often go back and reestablish my single Priority,

Jim Corbett

 

12/01/20 Action Reaction

Men, in general, function on an action-reaction basis. If you hit a nail with a hammer - action, the nail will be driven into the wood - reaction. Sometimes it’s hard for us to understand God’s action-reaction principles. Let’s take prayer for instance.

If we take the time to pray - especially about something specific - we wonder why we don’t immediately see the results of our prayers. We forget that the simple act of praying - turning our need over to God instead of just handling it ourselves - glorifies God. That act in itself is the right thing to do, especially when we put aside something we deem important to do it. We honor God by praying and recognizing that He is the source of our answer. (In His great love, He even provides answers throughout our lives for things that aren’t even on our radar screen, just because He chooses to bless us.)

Those seeming delays to our prayer requests accomplish far more than we can imagine. Only God can see the whole picture. While we’re waiting, He’s refining heart motives, orchestrating circumstances, clearing a path, developing patience … and maybe even preparing our hearts to receive the answer to our prayers. This may take some time. In terms of action-reaction time, it could become days, months, even years! As husbands and fathers, we need to put aside the concept of immediate answers and trust in the principles of the kingdom of God.

If you are seeking God for a specific need, don’t give up if He hasn’t chosen to work on your timetable. He started swinging the hammer at the time of your prayer, maybe even before. The nail will be impacted in God’s proper timing.

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

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