Category: From Our Fathers Heart

“Have you forgotten that your life is a legacy? It really has purpose! Each day is ordained to have you fulfill My plan in your midst. Each moment has been given to you by My hand. Use them wisely. One day you will be held accountable for what you have been given.

“How have you used what was Mine? How have you given it back to Me? Was whatever I gave you returned to Me full of eternal purpose? Do you ask Me to bring My wealth to whatever you do so that your plans line up with My Word? You should, you know. Your life will line up with My Word if you do. That brings eternal purpose to your days. That becomes a worthwhile legacy!”

Proverbs 16:9 AMP

A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure.

Proverbs 20:24 AMP

Man’s steps are ordered by the Lord…

Isaiah 30:21 NIV

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV

8)“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.

9) “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Colossians 3:1-3 NIV

1) Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

2) Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

3) For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

 

So often the cares of this life and our focus on our old sin nature obscure what our real life is and who we really are. We have been bought by God. We represent Him. His days have real purpose; so should ours. Keith Green summed everything up when he sang, “Make my life a prayer to You…”

Make every moment of my life a prayer to You, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“Do you find pleasure in serving Me? Do you delight in being with Me or do you come to Me only when you have need or because you feel obligated to do so? If so, you are missing so much! You have misunderstood why I have called you to Me. I have designed you to need Me as much as you need air to breathe. I have created Our relationship so that you can be fulfilled. I delight in being with you.

“Because of the cross and the life and work of Jesus, you are welcome to come to Me any time, all the time. I want you to enjoy Our time together. I want you to miss these times and hurry to get back to Me when you find yourself busy with the things of your world.

“Isn’t it time that you had some real joy in your life, no matter what challenges you are facing? True joy comes from Our time together. Stop being robbed of the incredible life I have for you. Come to Me, knowing that I am eagerly anticipating Our time together.”

Gen. 1:31 AMP

And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good (suitable, pleasant) and He approved it completely….

Proverbs 18:10 NIV

The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.

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.”

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.

 

The Holy Spirit is wooing the church of Jesus Christ to prepare as a bride would prepare for a coming wedding of hearts. Through trials, tribulations, and extreme challenges, He is posturing each of us to get our priorities straight. By leading us to the end of ourselves and placing a new hope in those who will listen, He is calling us to set aside all of the ways of the world and embrace the ways of Jesus as our only reason for living. In doing so, we will be prepared for His coming and able to overcome the hazards that are soon to come our way.

This call is a call to holiness - a pursuit oftentimes not considered attainable or even a necessary part of every Christian’s heart - which will initiate a bridal heart desire that will allow the Lord to live His passionate life through devoted, surrendered vessels. It can be one of the most exciting adventures of your life if your heart’s desire is to increasingly make room for more of the most priceless treasure ever given to anyone – Jesus Christ. As you respond to the heart of God and increasingly develop a posture of waiting for Jesus’ timely return, you will then guide others to His heart as more hear the same call.

Call me over and over until I understand, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“You have been given access to Me in the Name of Jesus. It is the only name that is powerful enough to accomplish that access. I send you to others in the Name of Jesus. It is the only name powerful enough to break down all the barriers that would hinder your representation of truth to them.

“Jesus! The single name that spans all time, the Name from eternity past to all of eternity future. Your world was changed by it. You even count down the time waiting for His return to you by events that He has established. Jesus - the Name that is above every name ever given. Jesus: whisper it, speak it, shout it from the rooftops, and weep in praise when it passes your lips. Jesus! Your Very Soon Coming King!”

Mark 9:41 AMP

For I tell you truly, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to and bear the name of Christ will by no means fail to get his reward.

John 16:23 AMP

And when that time comes, you will ask nothing of Me [you will need to ask Me no questions]. I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that My Father will grant you whatever you ask in My Name [as presenting all that I AM].

Eph. 1:21 AMP

…Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named [above every title that can be conferred], not only in this age and in this world, but also in the age and the world which are to come.

Phil. 2:9 AMP

Therefore [because He stooped so low] God has highly exalted Him and has freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name.

 

Our whole Bible is focused on one very precious Name and the single most important event in the history of all mankind. Jesus is the promised Messiah and Redeemer of all mankind from Genesis to Revelation. He is the highest Name above all names and the Eternal Lord. No other name is as important in all of eternity past and through all of eternity future. He is Jesus.

How privileged we are to be called by His Name, allowed to function in His Name, receive mercy and grace at the throne of the Father because of His blood and His Name; and be able to call upon His Name whenever needed. Think about it. The One who is far above every other name still knows us by name.

Thank You, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“My gifts to you sometimes come in the form of great trials and hardships.  I know that it is hard for you to see My love in difficult circumstances, but from the heavenly perspective it is the greatest kind of love. Look at it this way. I know what you are about to face in this life. I know where your weaknesses are, and I also know where you are vulnerable to attack. If I didn’t strengthen you in those areas, what kind of love would that be?  It would be no love at all, but very much like an uncaring friend.

“I am training you for My ministry of reconciliation. That is why you must submit to My training. Let Me assure you that I am hovering over you in the midst of each trial to make sure that it is not too much for you. It needs to be strong enough to change you, but it will not crush you. Rest assured that I am with you through it. I love you.”

Rev. 3:19 AMP

Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I tell their faults and convict and convince and reprove and chasten [I discipline and instruct them]. So be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and repent [changing your mind and attitude].

II Cor. 5:17-19 AMP

17) Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!

18) But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself [received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself] and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation [that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him].

19) It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but canceling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor).

 

If you haven’t been through any kind of trial or hardship before this, just keep walking with Jesus and you will experience them. It is part of God’s promise to us to train us for our ministry of restoring others to the Lord. Look at the lives of the prophets and apostles. Look at those who willingly gave up their lives for Jesus throughout the centuries. How do our trials compare to theirs?  Then again, how does our love for God and other people compare to theirs?

I am convinced that our ability to love others and to love God is directly related to the amount of forgiveness we have received and the amount of pressure that we submit to at the hand of God. Placing ourselves directly in a situation of desperately needing the Father eventually trains us to have the kind of faith and caring that is needed to touch our world. (Is God responsible for all of the evil things that happen to us and in the world? Of course not. There is an enemy of our soul that is in the business of discouraging us, trying to separate us from the love of God, and attempting to kill us.)

Maybe we need to really understand something, however. God is not in the business of making our lives comfortable. To believe that is a lie. (That lie has done more harm than almost anything in the body of Christ because to believe it allows us to embrace a self-centered, self -absorbed gospel.)

God is in the business of making sure that others do not perish.  His plan is to use us to bring that gospel to those who haven’t heard it. The problem is that you and I are not showing others what Jesus looks like, so He needs to change our character.

Few people will embrace the saving Gospel and come to Jesus because of our lives and our witness, if all we can offer them is empty words and fruitless lives. We need a Christ-like life for them to see who He is. That kind of life only comes through the pressure of trials and hardships. They are forming us to embrace those who hate us and those who need us.

Do what it takes to change me, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“Perilous times require adventurous people to counteract fear in the immature believer. You are heading for some perilous times, and it is time for you to make some decisions. What will you do when everyone else panics? Where will you find safety when everyone around you finds their strength in what they can do with their heads and their hands?

“You need to practice My presence now. You need to learn to remain on My lap until I release you with the answers that are needed to overcome the situation in My timing. You need to learn to hear My voice above the din created by the loud voices of carnal men and immature believers. I want you to realize something. If you are really following Me, you should have long ago considered yourself dead to everything that others long for. This world should hold nothing for you. You should be getting rid of those things that hold your attention, instead of acquiring more. You should be practicing to become a leader to those who will need answers when the paper leaders fail them. That power comes from being with Me.

“Become adventurous today. Quit holding on to things that will soon disappear. Hold on to Me. I will show you places that are marvelous, when others see only havoc. I will show you wondrous, high places that cannot be touched by carnal fears and insignificant terrors. I will make you adventurous when others are hamstrung with fear and confusion. I will impart My kind of strength to you. Your place is with Me, not with those who are hanging on to things that don’t matter. Time with Me is where the resources for your adventure will be found. Come to Me now.”

Hebrews 10:32-36 NIV

32) Remember those earlier days after you received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering.

33) Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated.

34) You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.

35) So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.

36) You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV

1) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

2) 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.

3) Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

 

I wonder what the early church would think of the self-serving gospel that is being presented in most circles these days. I wonder how Paul would contend with the prosperity preachers who would proclaim that it was his lack of faith that landed him in prison. How many of them do you think came to him in his day, telling him to confess that he is free so that he could be? The immaturity of today’s doctrines is so apparent when placed alongside the maturity of those who understood their positions as believers and showed us a much better way.

From the moment Saul (Paul) was knocked down on his way to Damascus by the power of God, his adventure began. His feet were firmly placed on a new road to uncharted territory. He was on his way to living a life that few, if any, had experienced before - a life of death to self and alive to Christ and His ways. He led the way to the most prosperous life imaginable, designed in heaven and implemented by his Lord. Hidden danger, terrorizing threats, beatings, and imprisonment were no match for the wonder of trusting his Lord at every turn. He had found the greatest adventure of his life.

Our Father has shown us the success achieved at the end of Paul’s kind of life. Not very visible then but read about most every day since he lived it by those who need to learn how to really live God’s way.

Wanting to be part of an adventure with God,

Jim Corbett