Since the rebellion Adam and Eve chose in the Garden of Eden could easily be classified as the ultimate act of ignorance, choosing the offer God makes to us through Jesus could just as easily be classified as a very wise and needed decision. It's the most important decision any of us will ever make. We can choose an eternal, loving relationship with the Creator of all things or we can choose to be separated from Him forever. If only everyone would pick the first option.
Author: Jim Corbett
Jim is an author, heart revival coach, teacher, and public speaker. His heart and mission is to bring people to an understanding of the times and seasons and lead them to be all they can be in Christ and know the thrill of Jesus as their Lord.
Merry is a co-author, editor, pianist, and worship leader. Her heart mission is to encourage believers in discovering the wonder and truth available in the opportunity presented to everyone because of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Together with their daughter Jubilee Faith, they are the founders of The 101 Group. A back to basics spiritual investment company that equips the body of Christ to effectively serve the Lord through written and spoken word, personal publications, music, daily devotionals, concert venues, and MASH icu, a comprehensive program for men.
8/14/20 Pancakes and Sausage
- by Jim Corbett
How many of the men’s groups around this land are no more spiritually filling than the pancakes and sausage breakfasts that are considered valuable gatherings? How many men’s groups do nothing more than gather as a social get together? How many men’s group leaders have real answers for men attempting to restore their marriages or rescue their children? Look around; there are seemingly very few.
God is in the process of rebuilding Christian families, because they are the most powerful witness available to a dark and dying world. A proper marriage tells others about the relationship between Jesus and His church. A proper family builds a legacy that not only impacts those around them, but potentially generation after generation to come.
Men, the power, love, and wisdom needed to walk with God in order to help restore those offices will not come from one more pancake breakfast or weekly social gathering for men. It will not happen through weak leaders who have no answers for themselves. The power to help turn marriages and families around will only come to a man who desires to see wholeness restored as He seeks God in His throne room.
If the leader of your men’s group (even a pastor for that matter) is not a frequent visitor to the throne room of God, where he can receive what is needed to help rebuild marriages and families, he is nothing more than a blind guide. He’s probably a very nice, very caring guy; but, more than likely, he’s incapable of helping anyone who really is serious about God’s plan for the family, which is the key unit for all He does. That man is unable to share and give away whatever is needed if he doesn’t own it himself.
Today is the day to look around at those you are following and those who are walking with you in life. Are they heading in God’s direction, or are they remaining where they are, hoping that things will one day get better? Are they hearing the call to become servant leaders, first in their marriages and families, and then to those around them? If they aren’t, it might be time to make some changes, so you don’t find yourself with no answers and no one to encourage you to go to God for inspired answers when they are needed.
Let’s talk more!
Jim Corbett
8/14/20 More Important Than Your Problems
- by Jim Corbett
“Too often the cares of your day hinder your ability to trust Me. You look at the challenges before you and they loom big in your eyes. Trust Me! Trust My promises to you. I am faithful. Often I delay answers to make you turn your heart around to Me. When I am more important than your problems, answers will come. I love you! You are Mine. I will take care of you!”
Mark 4:18-19 AMP
18) And the ones sown among the thorns are others who hear the Word;
19) Then the cares and anxieties of the world and distractions of the age, and the pleasure and delight and false glamour and deceitfulness of riches, and the craving and passionate desire for other things creep in and choke and suffocate the Word, and it becomes fruitless.
2 Cor. 1:8-10 NIV
8) We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.
9) Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.
10) He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us…
Father God is developing a bridal heart and the same character that Jesus has in those who will respond. We must be like Him in our hearts if we are to intimately walk with Him and live passionately for Him. Can you imagine Jesus coming for a church that is selfish, self-centered, and harbors murder in her heart?
Can you imagine Him enjoining Himself to one who looks to the delicacies around her that please her more than He pleases her? Does it seem possible that Jesus would function in a relationship where His bride would not have the same desires, the same motives, and the same purposes in all that they do together? To think so is ludicrous!
How then is Jesus going to form us, who need His character developed in us during these end days, before He comes? He is going to allow us to see who we really are. He will allow us to face ourselves, so that we can come to repentance. He will do what it takes to expose our sin. Each time we repent, He will change us to be more like Him. It is an act of astounding love on His part. It is also our choice to respond or reject His efforts.
Make me who I need to be, Lord,
Jim Corbett
8/13/20 Distorted Obligations
- by Jim Corbett
Many years ago, I met a man who was having difficulties at home. His family was disjointed in opinions, needs, and direction for their lives. He spent most of his time putting out fires and filling the wants of some very needy family members. After several instances of pouting, crying, and just plain self-focus, it became very clear what the dynamics of his family were. In the course of a conversation, the man expressed to me that his goal in life was to keep his wife and child happy. It was all he wanted to do. It was the reason for his life. This goal kept him incredibly busy on a never-ending journey from morning ‘til night each and every day of his life.
As I observed the family in action, it became very clear that the pattern he had set was joyfully embraced by those involved. His wife and child were very needy and continually looked to him to fulfill the need, whatever it might be. Yes, there were legitimate needs, but whims and personal desires became gods to be served. His days were quite involved in finding ways to bring comfort rather than taking the time to figure out with his family a more reasonable way to function.
The saddest part of the whole situation was the fact that the man had been called to a faith ministry. For several years, he walked in his calling. As the Lord was building his faith through trials and difficult circumstances, his wife grew increasingly alarmed and uncomfortable. What changed the direction in his life and caused him to abandon his calling began with her statement, “I never want to walk in a faith ministry again.” So began the dissolution of an outreach that was touching many people.
Men, your job is not to find ways to keep your family happy. Your job is to provide an atmosphere that allows them to become everything they can be in Christ. Sometimes that will mean hardships and journeys far from their comfort zones. It may require you to stand by, dig yourself in with the Lord, and watch them squirm while He is dealing with their selfishness. It’s called real love. Will you walk in it?
Let’s talk more!
Jim Corbett
8/13/20 Seeing with God’s Heart
- by Jim Corbett
“Purity has a purpose. The pure in heart will be able to understand My heart. You will be able to gain insight into Who I am and why I do what I do. As you remove all of the clutter that darkens your reasoning process, you will be able to move closer to Me. We will move in concert. I will be able to trust you with more of My plans, for you will desire to implement them with honest motives. Come to Me today to be cleansed from everything that the world has to offer. Come to gain My heart in everything you do. If you see with My heart, you will see Me and your world much differently.”
Ps. 24:3-4 AMP
3) Who shall go up into the mountain of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His Holy Place?
4) He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted himself up to falsehood or to what is false, nor sworn deceitfully.
Matthew 5:8 NIV
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”
Luke 12:1 NIV
Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.”
Phil.4:8 AMP
For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].
One year, Merry and I had the opportunity to watch the Super Bowl with some fellow believers. Actually, we watched very little of the game, but had a delightful time simply being with those who loved the Lord and are pursuing Him with all of their hearts.
When half-time came, the so called “entertainment” intruded upon us with the kind of filth that violated the senses of everyone in the room to the point that we turned the TV off and began to pray. The program was embarrassing and an intrusion upon everything we believed.
I know that what is happening to the world is predicted. I know that we are coming closer to the coming of our Lord and that the world is being prepared to accept anything that is not of Christ. I see the world getting darker, but I also see the remnant believer desiring to be separated from anything that is of that world.
As we are able to see Who our Lord is with less distorted vision, anything having true value is compared only to His beauty. He becomes the benchmark for what is worthwhile in our lives to the point that dark values become distasteful and putrid. Those who love them are seen as pawns who need Jesus, rather than those to be envied and idolized.
Create in me a clean heart, Lord,
Jim Corbett