Category: MASH United

There are seasons in our lives that make us change or allow us to change either our direction or our way of living. If properly addressed, each season can make the difference between success or failure, sometimes even life or death.

There is a season upon us that requires critical attention. Because of political, social, and physical pressures, husbands and fathers will soon be traveling uncharted waters. Never before in the history of this land - and even this world - has there been a more critical time to understand, prepare, and act, if we and our families are to survive the challenges on the horizon. Soon, our lack of preparation may cause us to be wide-eyed and out of answers. When those we love look to us for guidance and direction, we will have none unless we turn to the Lord with diligence now.

In the season that is fast approaching, only spiritual prowess, an intimate relationship with our Father, and a clear understanding of His plan for our lives and the lives of our families will allow us to overcome the enemy of all we hold dear. As a Christian man overseeing a Christian family, we have been given a mandate to prepare properly for any season, so that those we are stewards of have an environment where they can prosper spiritually, too. How prepared are you for the challenging season that could be upon us at any moment?

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Jim Corbett

We're all familiar with the mythological story of the giant wooden horse that was left outside the walls of Troy and mistakenly identified by its citizens as a gift. Totally undiscerning, they brought it inside the city walls, making themselves completely vulnerable to attack. The Greek warriors inside the horse waited for the opportune moment, and then made a beeline for the city gates and opened them to let in the rest of the troops. End result: Troy is overrun and destroyed.

One of the most insidious measures used by the enemy in his attempt to destroy our marriages, wreak havoc in our families, and even weaken our walk with the Lord is busyness. It is a Trojan horse that incessantly tries to creep into our lives, sometimes without notice. It takes diligence and a watchful mentality to catch it before it is able to kill, steal, or destroy.

Urgency, other people's agendas, job deadlines, church responsibilities, good causes, free time, etc. constantly surround us. All these things can be worthy of our attention, but not at the expense of neglecting our time with the Lord. When we become wrapped up in busyness, we lose our perspective on what really counts the most, and the enemy usually has little trouble defeating us in crucial areas of our lives.

Long ago, a very wise person shared with me that our lives are a series of decisions between the urgent and the important. The urgent looks very much like the important, but may have nothing to do with God's plan for our lives. The important things are those things God desires us to address. They further the kingdom of God, glorify Jesus, reinforce family values, and undergird children who on their way to living significant lives.

Isn't it time to become aware of any Trojan horses that have been sent your way to kill, steal, and destroy? Isn't it time to practice discerning the difference between those things that are important and those things that are simply urgent? Better yet, isn't it best to spend time with the Lord to know which things He's asked you to participate in on His behalf?

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Jim Corbett

Men, is your home a place that proclaims the Gospel, worships the Lord, and praises His Name continually? If it isn't, it should be. In fact, it must be if you and your family are going to survive the coming onslaught against believers, or even make it day to day glorifying the Lord.

This country has fallen into the misconception that the church is some building you and your family visit on Sunday morning. It's also considered a place where you send your children to learn about Jesus, expecting the children's pastor or the youth director to teach them about a life in Christ, and give them the skills they need to relate with their peers.

This scenario leads to the taking in of predigested food, thinking that it is enough, and letting others go to the Lord for you, instead of cultivating an intimate relationship yourself and establishing the family altar. It produces weak, malnourished followers of Jesus, insignificant legacies, and few leaders capable of helping spread the Gospel without a program sponsored by other people in that church building.

God has ordained your home and the life created there by the Holy Spirit to be the real church of Jesus Christ. He has given you and your family a safe place to grow and be nurtured in Him. It's up to you, as a father, to create the spiritual atmosphere where those you cover are free to go as deep as they please with Christ. What kind of atmosphere have you set in your family church?

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Jim Corbett

One of the most vulnerable spots of any animal is the underbelly or underside of its body. In most cases, it consists of soft tissue with little armor for protection. Knowing that, most any foe can do life-threatening damage once the underbelly is exposed.

In the intimacy of a marriage, all faults, traits, fears, and vulnerabilities are exposed to husband and wife. In a very real sense, the underbelly or weakest areas of who they are become known to each other. Unwise stewardship of that knowledge can be deadly in the truest sense of the word.

As a husband, you have the privilege of knowing who your wife really is behind all the masks and protections put in place over the years. You get to see all her fears and weaknesses. On the other hand, she gets to see who you really are. If either of you makes that knowledge available to anyone else, even a best friend, you have violated the trust of your mate and closed down a very important part of your stewardship of each other.

If this trust is violated, walls of protection go up and true intimacy becomes impossible from that point forward. The offended mate hides his or her vulnerabilities for protection, and the offender loses the privilege of holding his or her mate before God in prayer for healing. Wise husbands and wives never allow anyone to see the underbelly of their mate. They seal their marriage; and unless it is mutually decided to seek outside help in certain instances, they seal their lips from any outside influence, so that the Lord alone is their healer as they present those needs to Him.

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Jim Corbett

Although Father God has given us a stewardship of our wife and children, He asks us to turn them over to Him for their safe keeping. He is ultimately responsible for their best interests. We are responsible to give them and their needs to Him.

Foolish stewards look to their own strength and wisdom to protect and guide their charges. They personally take on their responsibility, instead of placing everything in God's hands. Wise stewards, knowing that they are, in themselves, incapable of taking care of the needs of their marriage and family, give everything over to God.

Think for a moment of that exchange. Attempting to navigate the perils of this life with our weak, limited capabilities, or giving those perils over to an almighty God, capable of providing everything we need. Which is true wisdom? It's really a no brainer. Why then do we attempt the first option almost every day of our lives?

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Jim Corbett