1/29/20 Saying I’m Sorry

For some of us macho guys, saying "I'm sorry" is very difficult, especially if our parents never told us they were sorry for anything. Let's face it; we all make mistakes. Sometimes those mistakes occur through our ignorance, our upbringing, or our sin.

As a husband and father, your words and actions have a very big impact on your family. Your undoneness may be revealed every time you open your mouth or with every reaction you exhibit regarding the challenges you encounter involving your wife or children. Sometimes that inability to deal with things properly will cause separation. Maybe your children have separated from you in their hearts or your marriage may be far less than you ever thought it would be.

Usually in these situations, we have a tendency to replace love for our children with discipline, or take on hard work instead of communicating with our wives. The hope that things will get better is a whole lot easier than dealing directly with the issues that have caused the situation we're in. It's also much easier to blame others for the things they've done or for their imperfections, rather than taking responsibility for the heart separation ourselves.

Holy Spirit-led, heartfelt repentance to those, who have separated themselves from you in their hearts, can go a long way toward healing. Honest repentance for your mistakes and completely forgiving others for their mistakes is God's way of making relationships whole. Your release of any undoneness and all offenses, which have caused the situation you are in, brings a whole new dynamic into play.

In essence, our relationship with Jesus began and remains whole with saying "I'm sorry," whenever we offend Him. We need His mercy each time we come to Him. Our job is to extend that same mercy to those who have offended us - real or perceived, especially family members. Your expression of sorrow for the times you may have offended others gives them the freedom to heal from your offenses. It opens the doors of communication and allows weapons of self- defense or survival instinct to be laid down. "I'm sorry" - two little words that could change the direction of your family when said for the good of others. Will you say them?

Let's talk more!

Jim Corbett

1/29/20 The Simplicity of God’s Plan

        "Little is known about My plans for you after your time in your world is over. All anyone knows is what I have told them in My Word. I have planned it that way. I require that faith is put into practice, and simple trust is needed to follow My Word. That is so everyone has a chance to come to Me. Even children can qualify.

        "The only ones that will never be with Me are those who think that they know better than the simplicity of My plan. In their false wisdom, they are too proud to submit to My spiritual ways. In their arrogance, they scheme a better, more logical way.

        "You keep coming as a wide-eyed child. You humble yourself to My way and My plans. You come in faith; that pleases Me."

Matthew 19:14 NIV

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Hebrews 11:1 AMP

Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].

Hebrews 11:6 NIV

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

 

So often I find myself thinking and reasoning myself into a spiritual corner, or even worse, into some form of unbelief. I sometimes forget that spiritual things are learned from the Holy Spirit to our spirits. As we wait on our Lord to reveal the truth of the Word, we begin to know truth. It is then that we must accept it by faith.

Let me learn from You as a little, wide-eyed child, Lord,

Jim Corbett

1/28/20 Never Minimize Others

Do you know that your wife and your children have a right to trust you to keep quiet about their failings? Do you know that no one outside of your marriage or your family has a right to know about the areas the Lord is working on in either one of them? As a spiritual covering, your job is to create an atmosphere of love and trust in your marriage and family, so that everyone can be free to fail and grow without the eyes of others scrutinizing their every move or judging them "in Christian love."

Often the body of Christ goes around expressing "prayer needs" concerning members of their family, exposing their sins for the whole church to discover. Is it any wonder that the struggling child or the unsaved wife has no desire to enter into that atmosphere? Whether you know it or not, whether you intend to or not, you are minimizing their worth in the eyes of others.

While the Lord is working out the refinements necessary to help all members of your family to become Christ-like, you are called upon to give them love and the freedom to fail within the privacy of your family. You're to build a safety zone for them. In your conversations with them and with others, you're to maximize opportunities to affirm their worth, pray for them, and never minimize them - especially to others. Give the Lord the freedom to heal them. Make sure that others understand the qualities they have and the wealth they've been given by God, no matter what state of growth they may be in. They are valuable in His eyes; your job is to fully understand that value and express it to others when you refer to them. Will you do that?

Let's talk more!

Jim Corbett

1/28/20 One Family

        "It seems that I need to remind you that as you are in covenant with Me, you are also in covenant with each other. You are members of one family with Jesus as the head. You are joined with each other by His shed blood. That connection is stronger than your original birth.

        "Why then do you not understand your commitment to each other? How can you claim that what you have is your own when you know of your brother's or sister's need? How can you not care for them as strongly as you care for yourself? Jesus gave His life for you. How can you war with each other when He lives in each of you? You exchanged your old selfish life for a new spiritual one. Now you are to become an advocate for Jesus as He is for you. You are also committed to become advocates for each other. You are breaking your word to Me when you don't.

        "Love others as I have loved you. It is one of My ways to show the world of My love. Repent of your ways and love each other with My kind of love."

Matt. 5:3 NIV

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Heb. 12:2 NIV

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him, *endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

*Definition of endure: To remain firm under anguish or misfortune, without yielding, with the hope of others being lifted up.

 

Jesus - who was intensely wealthy in the spiritual realm - was poor in spirit, and functioned as our Advocate, rating His own safety and comfort insignificant for our sake. He functioned with an advocate heart in two ways - toward His Father and toward us. We are to do the same.

Jesus had a passion to empty Himself and live a life devoted to others. He would never lift Himself up or hold Himself in higher esteem than anyone else - even the lowliest leper. Even though He was God, He held everyone in His heart as more important than Himself; especially those who laughed at, tortured, and crucified Him. He could not be wounded by their sin; He could only see their desperate need...

In the true spirit of advocacy, Jesus also desires to see His Father put "first" and is constantly looking to have Him glorified. His delight is in having Father God as the object of esteem in the hearts of those He loves. All of His mortal life, and now all of His kingly life, undergirds and points to the Father. There is no "one-sidedness," however, as all of the Godhead - in unity of spirit, being one - point to each other's wealth.

As the Author and Finisher of our faith, Jesus, who functions as our advocate, delights to see us accepted and perfected. He would gladly go to the cross again and again, if He had to, so that we could prosper and be complete in His Father's love; and so that His Father would continually have the pleasure of our company. (Praise God that everything was finished once and for all at Calvary!)

With Jesus as our example, and with the Father's love flowing through us, we are to walk as advocates for our Lord, each other as believers, and then on behalf of those who have need. Our adoption into the family of God, our sonship, gives each of us the heritage and ability to do so through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Teach me to love others as You love me, Lord,

Jim Corbett

1/27/20 Above All, Choose Love

This life continually offers us choices. Many of those choices are slam dunks because the options available are simple. Right is always right, and wrong is always wrong. There are many times, however, when choices are not simple. Sometimes weighing all the factors doesn't lead to making choices clear.

Motivated by love, Jesus made a choice to leave heaven and come to earth. In the garden, He made the choice to do His Father's will. It was also a choice motivated by love. His whole time on this earth was motivated by the love He had for His Father and for us. We are to walk as He walked if we call ourselves His followers.

As a husband and father, you have been placed in the position of being responsible before God for those you steward. You are presented with many choices that determine the outcome in situations that impact the lives of others. It's a responsibility of your God-given office and it's important to Him.

Some choices are easy. When choices that require more than simple decisions are before you, you can never go wrong if you choose love when you make them. You're to lay down your life as Jesus laid down His life. You're to live for the best interests of others. If the choice you face is doing something either for your best interest or the best interests of others, follow the life decisions of Jesus. Choose love! Make the choice that is in the best interests of the others involved rather than yours. Jesus did it; so should you at every opportunity. Abba likes that!

Let's talk more!

Jim Corbett

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