1/03/20 Urgent vs. Important

        "Beware of the distractions that are formed to hinder a work I have called you to do. They will come from many directions with many seemingly urgent needs. You need to discern what is important for you to do. You need to understand who is being used by the enemy to consume your time. Turn them over to me until they repent. Separate the urgent from the truly important or you will never accomplish what I have called you to do.

        "Anything that robs you of your time with Me is not of Me. Anything that attacks you when you are weary is not My doing. I will always send you to a refreshing time with Me, so that you can continue with those things I call important. Always make Our time together your priority. From My presence, move with power."

Matt. 14:22-23a NIV

22) Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.

23) After he had dismissed them, he went up into the hills by himself to pray.

Mark 6:30-32 NIV

30) The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught.

31) Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."

32) So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

John 7:6-8 NIV

6) Therefore Jesus told them, "The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right.

7) The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil.

8) You go to the Feast. I am not yet going up to this Feast, because for me the right time has not yet come."

 

Have you ever noticed that those who choose not to submit themselves fully to the Lord are often used to distract you with their needs when you are involved with doing what God has called you to do? Sometimes the urgency of their request makes it seem as if everything should be dropped to do whatever is necessary to physically meet their need. However, sometimes the answer is to stand back and pray for them and continue on with what you're doing, letting God Himself intervene in their lives.

Christians in leadership must learn to separate the seemingly urgent from what is really important. There are many pastors who have been burned out by the all-consuming needs of their flock. It would not be very surprising to learn that the ones who were used to weary the pastor went on to do the same thing at another time and place, if they did not repent and turn to God.

Teach me to discern between the urgent and what is important to You, Lord,

Jim Corbett

1/03/20 Determined to Take the Time

With all the demands that are on us as husbands and fathers, the idea of changing our focus to pursue holiness as our priority goal seems impossible. Without a holy heart, however - one that is totally dedicated to making the Lord and His priorities our priorities - there is little hope of overcoming the world and its challenges. There is also little chance of us leading those we steward to spiritually safe places.

In a world that is proclaiming darkness out loud and bent on destroying anything that resembles Christ-like living, our only hope is to dwell in an immovable place in God's presence and power. That can only come from making a determination to pursue His throne-room presence with every fiber of our being. There is no more important task, as formidable as it may seem.

In the soon coming darkness, those who are wise will already have determined to refocus their lives. Because we say that we follow Jesus, we must walk and conduct ourselves as He walked and conducted Himself when He was on this earth. We are to make it our only priority to seek God and His ways. That will require a determination to take the time necessary to find an intimate relationship with the Lord, if we want to overcome the world as He did. In leading a full life, the last thing we want to eliminate is the only source of hope we have. Why have we chosen to do so?

Let's talk more!

Jim Corbett

1/02/20 Be Holy

If the picture you have in your mind of someone who is holy includes a halo, a Caspar Milquetoast demeanor, and a mentality that flees at the onset of any conflict, you are way off. A holy man of God is a mighty warrior for the kingdom of God, his marriage, and his family.

To be holy means to be totally separated from the world, its siren songs, and its attachments. It means to be unashamedly dedicated to the Lord, focusing solely on living out the life of Jesus in daily life. A holy man is, therefore, untouchable by the world, unavailable to any fearful distractions, and unreachable when called upon to violate any portion of the heart of God.

If you desire to walk in Holy Spirit power as a husband and father, seek holiness. Seek an intimate, loving relationship with your Father in heaven. Be determined to know the heart of Jesus and live it out on behalf of those you steward. Allow nothing to stop you from walking and conducting yourself as Jesus did. Live a holy, separated life above the world and all its ways. It is your heritage. It is your calling. It is your covenant promise if you seek it with all your heart.

Man of God, be holy as He is holy!

Let's talk more!

Jim Corbett

1/02/20 When Everything Is in Order

"I want you to wait expectantly. I know of your need. I have you close to My heart and I am involved in your situation. When everything is in order, I will move on your behalf. I will not be a moment late. My timing is perfect. You can be assured that I am with you.

"While you are waiting, let's talk. Submit your heart position to Me, so that I can adjust things if something is out of order. Commit your heart fully to Me. Surrender your will to My will. Allow Me to modify whatever needs to change around you and in those near you. Wait expectantly. I care very much about what you are going through."

2 Chr 16:9 NIV

"For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him..."

Psalm 3:1-6 AMP

1) Lord, How they are increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me.

2) Many are saying of me, There is no help for him in God. Selah [pause and calmly think of that]!

3) But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.

4) With my voice I cry to the Lord and He hears and answers me out of His holy hill. Selah [pause and calmly think of that]!

5) I lay down and slept; I awakened again, for the Lord sustains me.

6) I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me round about.

Psalm 46:1 AMP

God is our Refuge and Strength [mighty and impenetrable to temptation], a very present and well-proved help in trouble.

Psalm 51:10 AMP

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering and steadfast spirit within me.

 

God is always with us and He is always for us. However, He is not always going to give us what we want. He is going to give us what is necessary for us to grow up and to grow in Him. Most of us think that He is going to give us the desires of our hearts. What we are really asking Him to do is give us the lusts of our flesh. That will never happen unless He uses them to bring us to the end of ourselves.

In reality, He often needs to change our hearts to desire the things that He desires. He can then fulfill our requests as we ask for things that are His best for us. That usually takes time. He needs to break through our hardened hearts and overcome our stiff necks.

If you have been waiting for some request to be answered and it seems long in coming, examine your heart and your motives. If they are out of line, repent and submit yourself to God's plan. If they are in line with His plan for you, wait expectantly. You will not be disappointed.

Create in me a clean heart, Lord,

Jim Corbett

1/1/19 How will you lead others?

I once wrote a story about a foolish trainee who attended school for jungle warfare. In his ignorance, this unwise person slept through tactical training courses, joked his way through hand-to-hand combat rehearsals, thought nothing of the importance of parachute packing; and dismissed survival school as something needed for a later date since things were relatively calm at present.

The day came when he was up in the air with other trainees on their way to a jungle jump zone. Remorse for his foolish behavior helped little as the door of the plane opened up and he was next in line to jump. After surviving the jump and because of his rank, he found himself in charge of other recruits because their leader had been critically injured. With no skills and little understanding of what was needed to overcome the extreme hardship at hand, this man put himself and those in his charge in incredible danger due to his foolishness during training.

And so it is with you as the leader and spiritual covering of your family. Any thinking person can see that extreme times of incredible hardship are on the horizon. Spiritual wisdom, Christ-like confidence, fearless action, and intimate submission to the Lord may not be found when the battle rages. These unbeatable skills are learned over time at the feet of Father God in His throne room. The ability to hear His directions clearly when the battles are raging will only be available to the person well practiced in knowing His still small voice.

Figuratively, the plane warming up on the runway is just about ready for take-off. As a husband and father, others are relying on you to have what is needed when called upon for any situation ahead. How do you think you will fare when all the handles you've been used to during this relatively calm time disappear? When spiritual business as usual is as ineffective as a cup of water against a raging forest fire, how will you lead others then if you choose not to be equipped now?

Let's talk more!

Jim Corbett

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