11/18/19 Our Privilege

Being a husband and father is a God-given privilege. It is pretty incredible to think that He trusts us enough to place the lives of other people in our hands - people He loves as much as He loves us. Because of this tremendous responsibility, He also gives us Himself and all that He has so that we can succeed as husbands and fathers. He is always available and ready to supply whatever we need to fulfill our offices.

Our Father has promoted us, then pledges to equip us, and allows us to observe the wonder of the work He accomplishes in us and in those we've invested in.  Yes, the offices of husband and father include an enormous responsibility, but what immeasurable joy and satisfaction there is to experience in the process when fully submitted to Him. What an extraordinary privilege! I encourage you to make the most of it!

Let's talk more!

Jim Corbett

11/15/19 How Will He Recognize Us?

"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

11/15/19 How Will He Recognize Us?

Given that God has ordained the offices of husband and father as His highest offices, the most powerful position a man can take is on his knees for his family. I believe that no other position is dearer to the heart of God or garners more favor, because the family produces and fosters pastors, prayer warriors, and every conceivable worker for the Lord. God's heart responds to a man praying for his own. (In case you think I'm overlooking something - yes, He also has a fervent spot in His heart as people pray for souls to come to know Jesus Christ!)
I think of David's mighty men. His men understood warfare. His men were tried in battle and came out unbeaten, far more proficient than greater numbers of other warriors. They knew how to fight. They knew what it would take to win the battles for their king.
Most men today have no idea how important their position is. Most men give little thought to the probability that they've lost the most important battles of their lives as they see their families fall apart or, at the very least, become unproductive in the Lord's work. Few men even consider that their wives or children are literally supposed to walk as Jesus walked, and that they are supposed to provide the atmosphere for them to do so.
Men, God intended you to be just like David's mighty men in the war for your families. He is more than willing to respond with power to your requests for their ability to overcome the world. You are a man of power when you call upon His power on behalf of those you steward. Why are you not laboring for them as your priority work in this life? Paul said that he was in birth pangs until Christ - the character of Christ - was formed in others. Is that not supposed to be your heart for those you love?
Let's talk more!
Jim Corbett

11/13/19 How Prepared Are You?

How prepared are you as a husband and father to love your wife and lead your family through the coming perilous times? What is life really all about? What is your place in your marriage, your family, your workplace, and your immediate circle of influence?

Let's start over and rephrase the same questions from God's point of view. How prepared are you to lead your family with spiritual wholeness, powerfully glorifying God through the coming times and love your wife as Christ loves His church? What is your life really all about in the eyes of the Lord? Why has He placed you in your marriage, your family, your place of business, and your circle of influence for this generation? Have you fulfilled His plans in those areas? When you stand before your Father in heaven, these are some of the questions you really should be prepared to answer without stammering.

As you look around, you're no doubt seeing how fast things can change. You've begun to fully understand that the things that were at one time secure, even your own personal security, can disappear in a matter of moments. If you have any spiritual discernment, you know that something very important is on the horizon, something far greater than you read about in the daily news, something for which you have little experience and little power on tap to overcome in your present spiritual state. However, God is raising up His special forces out of the ashes of refiner's fires to restore the powerful family unit. He is giving those men, who choose to hear His voice, certain footing in a very uncertain world. He is giving them the spiritual power to overcome a dead and dying world. Are you going to be one of them?

Let's talk more!

Jim Corbett

11/13/19 Loving and Liking

"Do you know that I like every one of My children? I know that you can possibly comprehend that I could love you as some sort of obligation on My part, but to comprehend that the Lord of the universe likes you is possibly a little much. Well, I do! I not only love you; I like you! I like being with you. I enjoy hearing your every thought, your every need. I really care about the things that you care about. You are the reason that I have done everything that you read about in My Word. You are My hope for future creations.

"Come and talk with Me. Let Me know what concerns you or makes you happy. I like being with you."

Ps. 139:1-3 AMP
1) O Lord, you have searched me [thoroughly] and have known me.
2) You know my downsitting and my uprising. You understand my thought afar off.
3) You sift and search out my path and my lying down, and You are acquainted with all my ways.

I Peter 5:7 AMP
Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.

The thought of the Creator of all things liking us does seem a little much, doesn't it? Everywhere in His Word, however, it does point to a glorious God Who is preparing people for a time when they will spend eternity with Him. Maybe we should try to grasp the concept of our Lord liking us. It would sure make prayer time a little more wonderful, wouldn't it?

Thank You for loving and liking me, Lord,

Jim Corbett

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