10/26/19 Violation of a Trust

A violation of a trust is hazardous to any relationship, especially a marriage covenant relationship. Recently, we talked about sealing your marriage. If you don't do so, it opens the door to violations of your wife's trust on countless occasions, leaving a shell of a true marriage relationship as God sees it. These violations can continue to grow until the communication gap between spouses is so wide that there is little or no meaningful dialog except for addressing practical daily needs. When there is a lack of trust and communication breaks down, the true, intimate feelings, fears, and needs of either spouse can easily become fodder for the other spouse with his or her friends or a counselor of some sort. When this happens, it is more than likely that both of them will retreat even more to protect themselves from further wounds.
Men, your office demands that you guide your wife and family to true intimacy with the Lord, so that they can be prepared to glorify His name and do His work.  That ability only comes from intimacy with Him yourself. If you find intimacy difficult to attain, there is a good possibility that the violations of trust in your past have been carried into your marriage and will not allow you to trust anyone, even God. If that is the case, only the Lord can show you how deep the scars are. Only He can heal you so that you have the ability to really trust again and be trustworthy yourself.
While you're dealing with the Lord about your own brokenness, a good place to start is to stop violating your wife's trust at this very moment. Stop every negative thought about her. Stop jesting to others about even her smallest quirk. Stop communicating her failures with your buddies. Never again minimize her with your mouth or in your mind. Don't criticize her so you can feel better about yourself. Determine that every communication that comes out of your mouth about her will be positive and uplifting. Learn to speak of her value to others as the Lord shows you how He sees her.  Make it your project in life to be trustworthy of her slightest wound or deepest fear, so she can learn to whole-heartedly trust you. Although it's only a beginning of the kind of covenant God has established for the two of you, it's a start. Watch the life that springs from the change in your perspective by the grace of God. Are you encouraged to try?
Let's talk more!
Jim Corbett

10/25/19 Seal Your Marriage

How many of your friends know some of your wife's faults? How many times have the words from your mouth been less than high praise for the partner God has given you? How many of your "prayer needs" to others are nothing more than spiritual gossip and an opportunity to minimize her and show your spirituality?
Well, men, if any of those questions or something like them pertains to you, you have some repenting to do. You have completely missed the concept and astounding, powerful impact that sealing your marriage has.
God has ordained a marriage to allow two people to grow and prosper in Christ through His power. He has joined two very imperfect people together so that they can provide a safe place for each other to fail over and over again, and then be healed over and over again. In His eyes, they have covenanted to live their lives for the best interests of the other.
People today think nothing of violating the trust of their husband or wife at the drop of a hat, missing the fact that each violation minimizes the ability of the spouse to safely share his or her personal details. Each instance of gossip, "counsel" with a friend, or even a small verbal jab shows the spouse that communication with his or her mate is a potential danger of the exposure of his or her deepest needs. That danger closes the door to any form of deep healing.
God's way is to have those He has joined together go to each other for their healing. He intends that every marriage should be sealed and off limits to everyone else unless both partners agree to have some form of counsel, and then only to a point they both agree on. Other than that, they are to go to God for the needs of the other. Once trust is established again, true God-impacted healing can take place. Maybe it's time to rethink things.
Let's talk more!
Jim Corbett

10/25/19 Benefits with Responsibilities

"Few of My children choose to fully dedicate themselves to Jesus and the gift that We have given them. They willingly take the benefits of what has been accomplished at the cross, but rarely accept the responsibilities that are associated with them. Examine your heart. Do you care about the things that have eternal value as your priority? Are you conscious about the times and seasons in which you live to the point that you have modified your lifestyle to tell others of the urgency of each day? Have you sacrificed your comfort areas, so that others might find out Who Jesus is? Do you really know Who He is yourself?
       "Those questions are only the beginning of what you might ask as you take the time to find your real motives and reasons for the choices you are making. I do notice what takes place in the hearts of those of you who say that you are Mine. I note who is responding to My call to holiness. I welcome your desire to press into intimacy with Me, to gain My heart and understand My desires. It is why you have been called. It is why I have given you breath."
Joshua 24:15 NIV 
"But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for this day whom you will serve,  whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."
II Chr. 16:9a NIV  
"For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him..."
Proverbs 29:21 AMP  
He who pampers his servant from childhood will have him expecting the rights of a son afterward.
Amos 3:3 KJV
Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
So many foolish things are being done in the Name of Jesus that it is clear that little time is spent to really know what His heart is. Representatives of His Word maneuver people for their own gain. Representatives of His life attempt to maneuver God to pad their comfort areas.
Jesus went to the cross so that we could accept God's way as our way. It is the highest calling and the most astounding privilege. Whatever gets in the way of our conforming to His plans and to the image of Jesus should be cast aside as the horror that it really is. We represent Him. We will be held accountable for what we do in His Name.

Show me what is real, Lord,

Jim Corbett

10/24/19 Did You Follow Through?

"How have you responded when I have called you to do something for Me? Have you done what I asked you to do? Have you followed through with what I placed on your heart, no matter how hard the task might be? You should know that all of my requests are tests, so that you can see if I can trust you. I am asking you to be faithful with small amounts, so that I can trust you with much more.
       "Do you see how important it is for Me to have people I can rely upon? As times become more difficult, those who have learned to follow my heart without question will not be distracted by the peril all around them. They will be obedient no matter what. Learn to be obedient to My heart now! Learn to follow through with what you are called to do, no matter how hard it is for you. There is much need! There is much to do! I desire to use you. Learn to live My way now. I will be able to use you in a greater capacity then."
Matthew 25:14-30 NIV
14) "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them.
15) To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.
16) The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more.
17) So also, the one with the two talents gained two more.
18) But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
19) "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.
20) The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'
21) "His master replied, `Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
22) "The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'
23) "His master replied, `Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
24) "Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.
25) So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'
26) "His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?
27) Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28) " 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.
29) For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.
30) And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'"
Obedience to the heart of God is very difficult in the beginning. It takes a determination to decide to do things God's way rather than our own. What is amazing, however, is the fact that the more we respond positively, the easier it gets. In fact, after responding to the Lord with many "yeses," it becomes a wonderfully fulfilling lifestyle. We eventually cannot fathom living without doing His will and work. It becomes as important as food and water.

Become my food and water, Lord,

 
Jim Corbett

10/24/19 Your Privilege

Men, do you remember those cute little things that you loved when you first met your wife that now drive you nuts? Remember when you were so much in love that she could do nothing wrong? Remember when all your conversations about her were glittering with accolades and glowing with wondrous praises? Has anything changed?
If things have become complacent in your marriage, you now quietly put up with those quirks, and you have few glorious praises about your wife before others because the glow of her wealth has worn off, she is not wrong - you are. If you minimize her in any way because she has flaws in your eyes, you don't understand your office as a husband.
Here is your privilege, men! You are the only one in this world chosen by God to observe the imperfections of your wife. You are the only one in this world whom He trusts to prayerfully hold those imperfections before Him, so that she might become more like Jesus. He trusts you to never share them with others. God observes your wife as righteous and on her way to holiness. He observes her through the blood of Jesus. He is focused more on who she will become rather than on what she is not.
Satan loves it when married couples pick each other apart by bringing up each other's flaws. Unwise couples fall for his plan, and minimize the impact their marriage could have in the world. Wise men and women understand that the limitations they have the privilege of seeing in their spouse are wonderful opportunities to hold that person before the Lord for his or her best interest. It is one of the highest privileges given in marriage. How are you doing with that?
Let's talk more!
Jim Corbett

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