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7/21/23 Are You a Spiritual Wimp?

As a husband and father, are you teaching your family to be spiritual wimps? If you are, you probably believe that if everything is going your way you are in the will of God. Conversely, if you are under pressure of any kind - especially if the pressure is tremendous or if you don't seem to have what you need to remain in your comfort zone - you feel that you have somehow missed God, or He has missed you.

In general, United States Christians work from their comfort zones. With a few exceptions, they give away only what they no longer need. They pour into God's work only after they have done what is necessary to fill their personal containers.

To take a day off from work simply to be with God is almost unheard of. To actually trust God for everything is looked upon as foolish and even lazy. Prayer is considered less productive than whatever can be accomplished on their own. Only when they run out of their own abilities do they pray, and then only to remove them from their hurt. Whether these examples are extreme or not, any one of them is not a blueprint for others to follow.

If you are a spiritual wimp, you are going to be surprised as the world heads for the conclusions that the Lord has planned from the beginning. You will experience many before unheard of challenges. You will be further surprised when God does not respond to your needs in the way you expect. If you have created a god that serves you and your needs, you will find out that your false god does not exist.

Those who have trusted in their own abilities - what they have earned, what securities they have established for their safety - will not know what to do. When all the normal handles of security have disappeared and there are no familiar places to hang on to, only those who have made intimacy with God their priority will understand His purposes during difficult times - which do not necessarily include their safety or their seeming best interest.

Men, God is sovereign. God's plan is eternal and has eternal consequences. Although greatly loved, we are to be His servants and implementers of His plans, no matter what it costs us, just as Jesus did. All challenges that come our way are designed to make us function like Jesus did, overcoming the world in each of us. As husbands and fathers, we are to listen to our Father from our place of intimacy on His lap, and then do whatever we are called to do for the good of His plan, all to His glory.

Extreme challenges make us weak and out of answers. Trusting in God to overcome those challenges brings us in line with our Father's plan for mankind. Jesus trusted Him for every need as our example. For every challenge, every soul, every situation, He did the unquestioned will of His Father no matter what it cost Him. We are to do the same in front of our families.

Let's talk more!

Jim Corbett

7/20/23 A Gamut of Reactions

“When you flow in My anointing, there will be many different kinds of reactions from those around you. In your immediate circles, you will be able to do minimal work for Me. People who know your past have much difficulty seeing your future. They will always attempt to apply who you used to be to whatever I am calling you to become. Do not be discouraged. I will use their ignorance to build a steadfast heart in you. If necessary, I will move you where you will be welcomed for who you have become. As an invited guest, you will be able to flow as I direct, and many will be able to see Me through you. If I can trust you enough to send you to a specific place to accomplish a specific task, understand the warfare that you will encounter. You may be accepted because of Who I am in you.

"For some you will need to gain respect. It will be accomplished by the love that you live before them, and what I do through you over time. Flow with those who are not threatened by your gifts and anointing. Undergird their work and respect My call on their lives. Together you will work as one for My common good. For others you will be a threat to their little kingdoms. Jealousy will rise up in their hardened hearts.

"Understand that it is not you that they are resisting. It is Me that they really do not want in their midst. Love those who cannot understand who you are and what I am calling you to do. Be on guard, however, for those who see you as a threat to their strongholds. They will not see you as an answer to prayers and will want to discredit and destroy you.”

Matt. 5:11-12 NIV

11) “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.

12) Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Matt. 13:54-58 AMP

54) And coming to His own country [Capernaum], He taught in their synagogue so that they were amazed with bewildered wonder, and said, Where did this Man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?

55) Is not this the carpenter’s Son? Is not His mother called Mary? And are not His brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?

56) And do not all His sisters live here among us? Where then did this Man get all this?

57) And they took offense at Him [that is, they were repelled and hindered from acknowledging His authority, and caused to stumble]. But Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.

58) And He did not do many works of power there, because of their unbelief (their lack of faith in the divine mission of Jesus).

John 1:45-46 AMP

45) Philip sought and found Nathanael and told him, We have found (discovered) the One Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote about – Jesus from Nazareth, the [legal] son of Joseph!

46) Nathanael answered him, [Nazareth!] Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Philip replied, Come and see!

I believe that the Lord is once again showing His church how serious He is about the present call to become who we have been saying we are all this time. The Christian games have had minimal effect in reaching the world. Father God is raising up His trusted believers, who are armed with the “dunamis” Word permeating their lives to “explode” strongholds of religious activity.

When dusty sandals carried the Word of God into a society, that society was never the same. Everyone who made contact with Jesus knowingly or unknowingly encountered the Sword of the Spirit. Once encountered, that Word began to do its work in their hearts, exposing the truth of God. Some willingly embraced Him. Others were skeptical until they could see Him for Who He really was. Others hated Him because the spirit in them understood that His mission was to destroy their ill-fated, death-grip religion, personal gain, and righteous-sounding activities.

God will always have a people, who are filled with the same Holy Spirit that Jesus had, whom He can trust. Whether sending them two-by-two unannounced, or bringing them into the midst of people who have been praying for revival, He brings His Spirit to minister His required changes through willing vessels, assisting those with valid missions there.

If you are being raised up to bring truth to wherever you are at present, or are sent to unfamiliar places, understand that you must be dead to anything that resembles pride and need for acceptance. You must walk in truth, have no hidden motives, listen only to the Lord; and be willing to go to the cross for the good of those to whom you are sent. If the Holy Spirit is really with you, you will be loved by those with open hearts and hated by those who will not move with God. Your anointing will cause people to reevaluate who they are in Christ; that is part of revival. While that is happening, peace may not be the order of the day. Stand strong; the Lord is with you.

Give boldness to Your servants, Lord,

Jim Corbett

7/20/23 Godly Decision Making Between Spouses

As a man reclaims his office of husband and father, there are godly principles that he and his wife should use to determine the will of God for their family. They are to approach all decision making in family circumstances with the attitude of what is best for God, each other, and the children. Each decision will then produce safety and harmony within the family and fertile soil in which the parents and children can prosper and become everything they are designed to be. If the children are of reasonable age and reasonable in their walk in Christ, they should be provided an opportunity to present their opinions that will be considered by the parents.

As a husband and wife come together for the best interests of each other and the children, they pray, consider all the options, and make a determination. Should they have an impasse and are unable to agree, even after much prayer and submission to each other, the husband should go to prayer and make the decision he feels has been given to him - one that is best for his wife and his children, not for himself.

While seeking to find that decision, his posture must be the same kind of sacrifice that Jesus made. He is to lay down his rights, opinions, and personal gain to be able to hear clearly. Knowing this, the wife submits herself to prayer and then submits to the decision that is presented. Any decisions that involve the children are then presented to them by both parents, who are in agreement. What an incredibly joyous way to glorify God! Try it!

Let's talk more!

Jim Corbett

7/19/23 Would You?

“Would you do what I asked you to do if nobody thought it was worthwhile? Would you be satisfied if no one recognized your work for Me? How would you fare if everything you were called to do was never heralded, seemed to have no effect, and fell on deaf ears? Would you continue to do it simply because I asked you to do so? I need you to answer “yes” to these questions. If you can answer “yes,” I can use you. I need you to be a willing heart devoted to Me. I will determine what is truly successful. You simply be obedient.”

I Sam. 15:22 NIV

But Samuel replied: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.”

Rom. 9:21 NIV

Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?

1 Cor. 4:2 AMP

Moreover, it is [essentially] required of stewards that a man should be found faithful [proving himself worthy of trust].

Col. 3:23 AMP

Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men,

In our world of logical, reasonable, and approved by the masses, there is little importance placed on simple obedience. In the time I have known the Lord, He has often asked me to take steps that seemed illogical to me. Often, I have not had enough faith or courage to be obedient. I’m sure that I have missed out on some pretty incredible things because of my fears.

Sometimes, I have done what I am sure He told me to do, and from all appearances, the steps I took seemed like dismal failures. Other times, I looked like a fool in the beginning, but eventually became part of a miracle that He had planned all along. Most of the time, there has been little fanfare because of my obedience. Usually, it’s mighty quiet when I do what I am asked to do, almost as if obedience on my part was expected. Hmmmm!

Could it be possible that the Lord’s ways are higher than mine? Could He know the beginning from the end and does not need to share that part of His wealth with me? Maybe He wants me to trust Him, no matter what the outcome is concerning what He calls me to do. Ya think?

Thank You for being faithful, Lord,

Jim Corbett

7/19/23 Building Your Family Fortress

Have you ever thought of your family as a fortress? God does! He has designed you as a husband and father to be a covering from all of the treachery offered by the world to devour your wife and children. A man, who is properly submitted to God, is equipped to lead those he is steward of to places of safety in all they do, and make the home an environment that nurtures, supports, and equips them to venture into the world again. The atmosphere he creates is an impenetrable fortress - a place of spiritual direction, safety, warmth, and love - for his family.

As a covering, part of your journey is to discover and repair any breaches in your family fortress, either those created by you or the attacks of the world. Once you realize that the enemy is relentless in the pursuit of your family - wanting them to conform to his ways, wanting your fortress to be compromised in any way possible - you will see your job description in a different light. You will understand how important it is to create a fortress for them, and look to God for help, wisdom, and strength. It's your job.

What is so exciting is that He is waiting for you to turn everything over to Him for His guidance. As you are the covering for your family, He is the covering for you. He delights in making sure that you have all you need to fortify your family against any attack they may experience, as you seek and submit to Him and His power. He is not only worthy of your submission, He is an unbeatable covenant partner, allied with you against any attempt by the enemy to breach what He has put together.

Let's talk more!

Jim Corbett

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