4/07/20 You’re Dangerous

Do you have any idea how important it is for your wife to know you are praying for her? Do you have any idea how much peace your children can have when they know their father is standing in the gap for them as they go about their days? Even if they don’t seem to be aware of your efforts in this arena, God notices and responds.

Holding those you love before the Lord is big stuff to Him. It’s also big stuff for your family because it makes an amazing difference in the spiritual realm where wars are won on their behalf. A father or husband on his knees is dangerous to the enemy who wants to rob and destroy. In his eyes, you’re an unbeatable foe. He has no weapon that can win over you as you submit yourself and your family to God.

As you observe your family in action, ask the Lord how you should pray for each one. Sit quietly and wait for Him to reveal their needs to you. Make it your business to intervene on their behalf. In doing so, you will help turn the tide of any warfare that comes their way. You become dangerous in the spiritual realm. You become a mighty warrior, and God sees you as His mighty man. That’s a really good thing!

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

Open post

4/07/20 A Life of Sacrifice and Service

       “How trustworthy are you? At what price do you feel that you would deny Me? When would you deny My Word? Never, you say! You are doing it every day! Each time you place your own interests above Mine, you are opposing My Word. Stop and think of that truth. I have called you to be like Jesus in your world. He lived a life of sacrifice and service, owning nothing for Himself, and caring only for others. He gave up everything, so that you could be at peace eternally. Caring nothing about His own well-being, He hung on a cross so that you could be forgiven. Even though He was part of your creation process, He gave up total control of His life, so that you could learn obedience.

       "That is the kind of attitude that I desire to be in you. You daily deny Me simply by attempting to be in control of your life in any way. It is the opposite of the character of Jesus. Why would your remaining in control of any area of your life not be a denial of My Word? I know that you don’t see it that way, but it is one of the main reasons that I can’t trust you. It is the very basis for all My dealings with sin. It is called rebellion.

       "You need to turn from the ownership of your life and surrender fully to the understanding that you have been purchased at a very great price. You no longer own your life and anything that is associated with it. You need to consider obedience to My will to be your only reason for living. Surrender fully to Me now. Repent of your rebellion. Submit totally to My will. Become trustworthy, so that We can walk closely together. I desire to tell you the intimacies of My heart. I am waiting!”

1 Cor. 6:19b-20a NIV

19b) …You are not your own;

20) you were bought at a price…

1 John 2:6 AMP

Whoever says he abides in Him ought [as a personal debt] to walk and conduct himself in the same way in which He walked and conducted Himself.

Surrendering fully to the Lord is Christianity 101. Those of us who have walked with the Lord for many years sometimes feel that we have this walk pretty well figured out. In reality, most of us haven’t even left the starting gate.

Let’s say that we finally allow the Lord to work in our lives to the point that we learn obedience. Carrying that thought even further, let’s graduate to total obedience, understanding that our obedience is required if we are to be in line with God’s Word. Pretty cool, huh!

In reality, if we are obedient only because it is required, we are not even close to the heart of Jesus. Our obedience is still implemented so that things will go well with us. We will benefit from our obedience.

Jesus was obedient so that His Father would be glorified; and so that others would benefit, even at a great loss to Himself. He had given the ownership of His passions, desires, and every element of His life so completely, that even the remotest possibility of being disobedient was a horrible, unthinkable prospect. To do so would have harmed His Father and each of us. He would rather have died than have that happen. Oh, yeah! He did die instead of being disobedient, didn’t He?

Needing to drop my pride and go back to square one,

Jim Corbett

Open post

The Never- Changing Answer

Confusing sounds always accompany uncertain times. Many voices ring with half truths and hopeful or disparaging information, depending on the motives of the originators. Our world is without question going through times with no clear direction and certainly no real answers. Each day only brings more questions.

During these times we, as believers, have an amazing opportunity to share absolute, proven truth with people who are wide-eyed with fear and confusion. We have the never changing Word of God, a Word that all of us can rely on no matter how many uncertain answers appear. Now is not the time to shrink from helping others; it's a time to find ways to give them something they can rely on.

4/06/20 Birth Pangs

Sometimes the responsibility of holding our offices of husband and father becomes pretty overwhelming, especially if we’re attempting to hold them in a way that pleases the Lord. Standing in the gap for another until Christ is fully formed in that person - which is very much a part of our duties as stewards - is hard work. Paul described the process as if being in the pains of child birth

My own experiences in laboring for my wife and family have sometimes seemed more than I can bear. It’s not that they had gone astray or were in such dire need of prayer outwardly; I just knew that they needed spiritual intervention, possibly to thwart off intended warfare by the enemy. In those times, it’s vitally important to remain in the gap for them, no matter what the cost might be.

Being a husband and father is no light duty. These offices are highly regarded by the Lord. They carry major responsibilities that are designed to benefit others rather than ourselves. It is a continual death to our own needs for the best interests of those He holds dear. It is sometimes painful, but most often incredibly rewarding as we see those we love prospering in Christ.

As you wait on God for your family, be ready to fight the fight for them at every opportunity. The labor pains may be intense at times, but the joy you are giving the Lord through your involvement in their lives is worth every effort put forth.

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

Open post

4/06/20 No Evidence of Real Truth

       “Deception has become so commonplace that few of My people even anguish over it anymore. The line of holiness has been moved by those who do not pursue holiness. Standards that I have not set have become the guidelines for behavior, even in My church. No one grieves over sin. My people care little about those who have no idea of My perfect will for their lives.

       "So many have been allowed to go their own way because My people fail to show them Jesus through the way that they live in their midst. When there is no visible evidence of real truth, the foolish make up their own truth from deceiving influences. How sad it makes Me to see My creation become blinded, lame, and stumbling in folly.”

Hebrews 12:12-13 TLB

12) So take a new grip with your tired hands, stand firm on your shaky legs,

13) and mark out a straight, smooth path for your feet so that those who follow you, though weak and lame, will not fall and hurt themselves, but become strong.

 

When I was a kid, one of the other kids in my neighborhood took great joy in getting everyone else in trouble. He was about two years older than the rest of us, so naturally we all followed him wherever he decided to take us. The tone of our lives was directly affected by what he did, how he felt, and whether or not you were his friend at any given time. I remember that it was very important to be his friend. If you were, somehow, you were more important than the others. The problem was, he accepted and discarded “friends” on a whim, accepting another into his fold. Each of us took turns in his favor. This caused continual disharmony. No one was able to have peace, as we were all pitted against one another many times at his bidding. He would then sit back and enjoy the strife that he had caused. (I hate to say this, but he became a lawyer when he grew up.)

I remember one day, for some reason, we all woke up. Somehow, within about a week, we all realized that he was really a friend to none of us. His actions were exposed, and we all quit playing his game. Soon afterwards, he found people outside of our neighborhood to influence. He was old enough by then to leave our little circle, so he went on to others, no doubt following the same pattern with them. When he left, peace prevailed.

The above Father’s Heart and the Bible verses remind my heart of the importance of influence. We, as Christians, have been given the joy of truth. We have also been given the authority to lead anyone who will come to the saving grace of Jesus. Our mission is clear, and our influence is important to the world.

The problem is that we are not really leading, and few are following us. Because we have ourselves rejected the passions and desires of our Lord, few can see the wonder of His love and come with us. Our direction is unclear and without authority. People are gladly following someone who does have a clear direction and a passion for what they do, even if it is wrong.

So here we are. God has called us to be the strong influence in the world. We are called to make straight paths for people to follow, protecting them from harm as they go about their lives. Instead, most of them follow any big kid in the neighborhood who will take great joy in leading them to a path of strife and bondage. How pitiful! One day everyone will wake up to a truthful account of their lives, but more than likely it will be too late.

Needing to follow closer to Jesus, so that I can lead others to truth,

Jim Corbett

Posts navigation

1 2 3 746 747 748 749 750 751 752 813 814 815
Scroll to top