Tag: Bible

“When Jesus was born, all the world had been prepared to receive Him. I don’t mean that all present at the time understood Who He was or were even aware that He existed. What I do mean is that when Jesus was present in the world, I had moved everything into its proper order to accept the work that I was doing. All the proper people existed at that time.  All the needed technology was present; everything was in My order. Even the nations that were needed to accomplish My goals were in existence so that My plan could unfold. Every player did his or her part. Knowingly or unknowingly, they positioned themselves into My plan and performed exactly as needed; so that all things could be accomplished according to My will. It is the same today. You are raised up for such a time as this. I am aware that those words have been used so much that they have almost lost their meaning, but they are as true today as they were when I first said them through My servant who was placed as a player in that specific work.

"Because you understand that I am completely capable of accomplishing everything that I have set in motion, you can be assured of this; I am aware of you. I know who you are, what you are doing, and where you will end up. It is not that you have no free will – because you do! It is just that I have already seen the end of everything, so I know what happens. Look at My Word. Is not everything spelled out very clearly? Have I not foretold the result of everyone’s actions - what they did - so that when it is all combined, the result is My plan?

"You are now fulfilling what is necessary so that the results of everything being accomplished will remain My planned outcome. You must know this so that you will not see anything that comes your way as bigger than I am. You must also rest in the fact that you are placed exactly in the position that I have formed for you. If you need to move, I will show you and you will respond. I am capable of doing what is necessary in your heart to move your feet in My direction. Be assured that I am aware of you.”

Esther 4:12-14 NIV 

12) When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai,

13) he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape.

14) For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?”

Eph. 2:10 AMP

For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].

 

In Esther 4:14, the Jews were going to be delivered; that was God’s plan. Esther could choose to participate, or she could walk away from what she had been called to do. Many people, when considering the fact that God knows everything, then assume that every action in their lives really matters little. That makes no sense.

Father God knows the beginning from the end of all things. He has “already been at the end,” so He knows the outcome of every thought and every action of every person. Free will still comes into play at every moment, but there are no surprises in His world. He knew Esther was the proper person for the task at hand because of what He had completed in her. She, at the proper time, needed to give the proper response to the circumstance in which she found herself. God places, orchestrates, creates, and develops everything and everyone — all to His desired end.

Every present moment, every choice we make and its subsequent action should be vitally important to us. Seeking God’s will is paramount to our being exactly where He has ordained us to be. It is much more than something that is good for our well-being; it is necessary for us to know what His will is - the same as it was for Esther - so that we might play out our part in His plan. That “well done” stuff will then come later.

Needing to seek only His desires,

Jim Corbett

“Within the heart of any fellowship, whether individual or corporate, must beat the desire for intimacy, commitment, honesty, and trust. Without them, I am unable to express Myself to the world. Without them, the world will never see Jesus in those through whom I have chosen to express Him. Sad to say, they are missing in most of your dealings with each other and with the world. You gather together wanting to hear the expression of My Word, not knowing that you are to be the expression of My Word. How you act toward one another is the outward expression of the depth of your intimacy with Me. You meet together, not understanding that I have designed that fellowship to present Jesus to one another. The way you treat each other displays your depth of commitment to Me and whether you honor My desire to move in your midst.

"The world observes your behavior and realizes how shallow you are. It observes that you are not honest, even with each other; so it cannot trust the words that you present to them. They fall to the ground in front of your feet, not because they have no potential power, but because their effectiveness is nullified by your actions. Don’t you see that who you are, especially to each other, is more important than what you say? Can’t you understand that what you do, especially to each other, testifies of the work of the cross? All of your religious activity is nullified if you do not love one another.

"Turn your hearts back toward those I have placed in your midst. Your relationships are not complete as far as I am concerned. Your investment in them is vital to Me. Your commitment to those around you indicates the depth of commitment you desire with Me.”

Exodus 33:13-16 NIV 

13) “If I have found favor in your eyes, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”

14) The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

15) Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.

16) How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”

Matthew 5:13 AMP 

You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste (its strength, its quality) how can its saltness be restored? It is not good for anything any longer but to be thrown out and trodden underfoot by men.

 

You and I are on this earth for two reasons: to know God and to represent Jesus. The more we invest in really knowing God and His heart, the better we will represent Jesus - to each other and to the world. The less we know our God, the less we will function like Jesus in our dealings with each other and with the world. If that doesn’t shake you up, little else will.

Wanting to know God intimately so that I can represent Jesus properly,

Jim Corbett

“I am about to bestow gifts upon those who have been faithful to Me in this time of drought. I will also show Myself to those who do not know Me. These individual giftings will be a prelude to My presence being made known in groups of both surrendered servants and open rebels. I will show up where I am unexpected. I will empower those who have focused on My heart, not My hand of power. Once again, I will shake up My church by the power of My Holy Spirit. She will never be the same. The times of man-centered services will be no more when I am present. Time will go unnoticed, praise will be real, and worship will be so intense that the intrusions of the flesh will be set aside for good. I will maintain order. No one will be in charge but My Holy Spirit.

"Sometimes I will visit unannounced to those who do not even know Me. People will be going about their daily tasks in office buildings, warehouses, bars, and anywhere I choose to visit, only to be separated from their flesh to bask in My presence. I will cleanse them, restore them, and empower them for service immediately. Other times, I will come to those who have been waiting for Me. It will be My prerogative, My choice. I will make myself known to little children, wild rebels, and wayward sons and daughters. I will visit and empty places where people have been judged insane. They will be restored to their right minds, delivered from all bondages, and go about proclaiming My Word in power.

"To those of you who have waited for this time, you are about to be blessed as I begin to move. Some of you, however - you who have jealousy in your hearts or have wanted My presence for your own gain - will be set aside. You will be exposed for who you really are. Because you have not submitted to My call to a crucified life, you will watch while others show the world the power of the cross. To those who have ears to hear, listen to what My Holy Spirit is saying. For a season, I am about to visit you with signs, wonders, and great gifts. They will be unlike anything you have seen in your generation. They will bring a new focus to the cross, a dedication to Jesus, and a spirit of truth to My people.”

Isaiah 41:4 AMP 

Who has prepared and done this, calling forth and guiding the destinies of the generations [of the nations] from the beginning? I, the Lord – the first [existing before history began] and with the last [an ever-present, unchanging God] – I am He.

1 Cor. 1:18-19 AMP 

18) For the story and message of the cross is sheer absurdity and folly to those who are perishing and on their way to perdition, but to us who are being saved it is the [manifestation of] the power of God.

19) For it is written, I will baffle and render useless and destroy the learning of the learned and the philosophy of the philosophers and the cleverness of the clever and the discernment of the discerning; I will frustrate and nullify [them] and bring [them] to nothing.

 

From the sound of things, our Father is about to put to shame the box in which we have attempted to contain Him. But then, that has always been the case. The glory of God is so much greater than any man can attempt to duplicate.

In today’s churches, because of the hardness of the hearts of most of us, we have attempted to portray our perspective of who God is to a world that doesn’t seem to recognize Him. That’s because we do not really know Him ourselves. We cannot give someone a description of the One we haven’t ever really seen.

I certainly am not an expert on the characteristics of any kind of revival. In fact, to attempt to characterize and categorize the aspects that signify revival is foolish. God usually confounds those who attempt to do so by “being God” and doing something unique every time. Whenever true revival occurs, however, it has one element missing from those conjured up by man. What’s absent is the presence of anything man-made.

In the early 1900’s, the Holy Spirit visited a warehouse on Azuza Street in California for a season. While He was there, the “preacher” hid his face from those present by placing his head in a crate so that he could be alone with his Lord. Those attending spent their time under benches and in corners, getting right with God, sometimes for days. Others were dropped to their knees in repentance as far away as two blocks from the warehouse that He chose to envelop. Anyone who attempted to stand and proclaim their own words in “the meetings” was dropped to his knees under the power of God. Flesh was not allowed in the presence of God. God did something that man had never heard of before.

We have become so dulled in our experience with God that we have attempted to duplicate His presence with more songs, louder preaching, and empty promises of power. We have “cast this out and bound that” in make-believe, macho bravado. We have said, “Thus sayeth the Lord,” when He has not said it. We have falsely “taken cities” with pumped up enthusiasm, conjured up by “evangelists” who have to come back to that same city to “take it” again. (It amazes me that they are even invited back.) We have become foolish to the world with our empty promises, nonsensical actions, and powerless lives.

I believe that God will not allow that to continue for much longer. His Word is too precious for Him to allow us to mess with it as we have, without Him intervening and saying “enough.” God will have His holy people, His way, in His time.

Needing to “drop and wait,”

Jim Corbett