“Few of you understand how much you harm yourself by reentering places and rejoining people from whom I have delivered you. Sometimes you even return for the sake of fleshly unity. Why would you decide on your own what is best for you, and then complain to Me when things become troublesome? I deliver you for reasons that you may not understand completely, but you must begin to trust that I know what I am doing.

        "I place you in refiner’s fires and then I remove you when you begin to look to Me for all of your needs. I deliver you, change your circumstances; and set your feet on solid ground, so that you can be part of My plan. I desire to use you. When you allow your own refiner’s fires back into your life, they destroy you rather than teach you My ways. You become ineffective.

        "You really need to take a good look at your life. Are you where I have placed you with those with whom I have placed you, or are you where you thought you should be without seeking My counsel? One is life; the other is death.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

5) Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

6) in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

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.”

Jeremiah 29:11-14a NIV

11) “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

12) Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

13) You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

14a) I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.”

Acts 15:36-40 AMP

36) And after some time Paul said to Barnabas, Come, let us go back and again visit and help and minister to the brethren in every town where we made known the message of the Lord, and see how they are getting along.

37) Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark [his near relative].

38) But Paul did not think it best to have along with them the one who had quit and deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone on with them to the work.

39) And there followed a sharp disagreement between them, so that they separated from each other, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus.

40) But Paul selected Silas and set out, being commended by the brethren to the grace (the favor and mercy) of the Lord.

Because of these e-mail messages, I have come to know many, many people from all across the land, even in some remote parts of the world. Because of the strong, direct content of these messages, only those who choose to really go deeper with God, and have learned to wait on His counsel, continue to receive them for any length of time. Others ask to be removed from our mailings soon after their flesh is made uncomfortable by what is said.

What I have learned from many of those who are digging in with the Lord is how important it is to be exactly where He places us, exactly with whom He places us, for precisely as long as He desires us to be there, whether it is a wonderful experience or an intense challenge. On the other hand, I have learned that to remain there, wherever it is and with whomever it is, for one millisecond longer than the Lord desires for us is foolishness at a minimum and downright dangerous in most cases.

So many times I hear of people wondering where God is, when they are the ones who have moved far from where He wants them to be because of their own decisions and desires. He cannot bless them where they are, when they are out of His will. Only repentance and obedience will rectify an unhealthy, dangerous situation.

Take my hand and lead me on the right path, Lord,

Jim Corbett