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3/30/21 What Is God Doing?

2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV) " So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

As we look around our world as it impacts our daily lives and the stewardship of our family, there can be much cause for concern unless we can see past what our circumstances tell us, and on to what our loving Father is really doing. It is easy to listen to the boasts of those who think they are in power and forget who is really in charge.

Our God is still very much on the throne. Jesus is our Mighty Lord, and the Holy Spirit is causing all circumstances to be in line with the ultimate plan of God. Even those who curse God are being used to do His bidding the same as Pharaoh was in Moses' time.

Looking beyond circumstances, there can be much joy if we see daily challenges for what they really are and understand that what God is doing is about mankind and our relationship with Him. Nothing has changed.

God has sent Jesus to restore the intended Garden of Eden relationship with Him. He is always after the hearts of those He has created. Once we accept the provision of the cross, He is always in the process of bringing us to an intimate relationship. Those who respond to that call are continually brought into challenging circumstances and refiner's fires to burn the world out of them. These fires become more intense for those who want only Jesus and nothing of the world and its ways.

Today if you see past what is in the headlines or look beyond the difficulties you are personally facing and on to what God is really doing, you will find His love in action. To the unsaved He is giving a chance to embrace His love before He closes things down. To His children, He is calling them to Himself in preparation for the most wonderful time possible, the marriage supper of the Lamb. To fathers and husbands He is giving opportunity to repair the breaches in our fortress family.

Difficulties always bring need. Need forces us to cry out for help. Crying out for help to God always brings Him close and moves His heart. His bottom line is to make us like Jesus. Difficult times and refiner's fires do that. Look past them and embrace what is really happening; it is for your eternal good. Are you willing to go through the fires?

Let's talk more!

Jim Corbett

3/29/21 You Have a Purpose

“I would like to remind you of some things of great importance. I’m sure that you know what I’m about to tell you; but in this season, it would be good for you to place them a little closer to your heart. I love you. I have provided a way, through Jesus, for you to be free forever. You will never be separated from Me again, because of what He has done for you. Your relationship with Me has been reconciled forever. I am always for you and never against you. My Holy Spirit is available to you for comfort, encouragement, and guidance in whatever you do. I have also provided you with each other. You have an eternal family. As wonderful as that is for your future, some of them are near you right now, all over your world. You will never be alone. Wherever you go, if you are ever in need, you can count on your family to be there for you. You have a God and a family who love you. You also have been given the honor of loving back.

"As your world grows darker, you will be a brighter light because of this love for Me and for your family. You will also be safer because We are together. In addition to all of that, you have a purpose. I have crafted you Myself. If you seek Me, you will see the value that you are to Me; and you will also see the reason why you were born. Remember often: You have a God who loves you. You have a bright family in a dark world. You have a purpose for being born. It is important to Me that you be thankful for what I have done.”

John 13:34-35 AMP

34) I give you a new commandment that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another.

35) By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves].

John 16:7 AMP

However, I am telling you nothing but the truth when I say it is profitable (good, expedient, advantageous) for you that I go away. Because if I do not go away, the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you [into close fellowship with you]; but if I go away, I will send Him to you [to be in close fellowship with you].

Col. 1:20 AMP

And God purposed that through (by the service, the intervention of Him [the Son] all things should be completely reconciled back to Himself, whether on earth or in heaven, as through Him, [the Father] made peace by means of the blood of His cross.

Phil. 2:2 AMP

Fill up and complete my joy by living in harmony and being of the same mind and one in purpose, having the same love, being in full accord and of one harmonious mind and intention.

As I was writing this message, many thoughts came to me. Most importantly is the obvious - what our loving Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit have done and are doing.

What also came to mind is something that I find I have not considered of enough importance: God’s gift of family. Seeing the seasons as a watchman, my ministry is to encourage the body of Christ to draw closer to the Lord. To do that, the Lord reveals areas of danger and things that are out-of-line. Often I have to go to Him for refreshing after seeing these things. It is difficult not to become discouraged at these times.

What has come to me this morning is a renewed wonder of what is my high honor and great privilege. I have a loving family in Christ. That thought has often been placed somewhere behind mission, covered by the urgency of the times. Because of my zeal, I realize that I am often not as grateful as I should be for this privilege. How foolish!

Because we are in faith outreach, the only way we have been able to move forward over the years is because of the love of this Christ-like family. I am humbled by the love we receive - and very, very grateful. Thank you, Father!

In the upcoming season, let’s all remember and pray that our Lord will continue to remind each of us how much we need to be grateful for His abundant love, no matter what is happening all around us. God has given much. What has clouded your ability to remember how much?

Getting back to the basics of my Father’s heart,

Jim Corbett

3/29/21 You Are Valuable

Do you have any idea how valuable you are to your Father God? I don't think many of us men can really grasp the concept of a Father that loves us not for what we do, but just because we are valuable to Him. In fact, most of us look at the stewardship that we have been given only as an obligation that we will be held accountable for, without realizing that it is because He really cares for us, He chooses to trust us.

Some of us had an earthly father who demanded from us without the corresponding love and encouragement. We were told to live up to expectations to maintain some kind of worth in his eyes. Possibly because he never had any encouragement from his father, he wasn't able to pass on what he had no knowledge of. Whatever the case, we spent our days attempting to prove our worth to him, and to anyone else for that matter.

God is not like that. He lovingly places value on us, value that is not changed by our actions good or bad, right or wrong. His kind of value is a wealth beyond our comprehension. It is placed on us simply because we exist and belong to Him.

If we ever really comprehend that concept, we can take on the powerful stewardship given us as husband and father with an incredible joy, knowing that our heavenly Father is not only for us, but covers our back when we blow it. In essence, His mercy and grace flow stronger to us and our needs when we turn to Him because we are out of answers. He guards us, protects us, loves us unconditionally, and guides us to truth, just because we are His. Maybe it's time to bask in the value He places on us as we go about our days heading up our family, so we can pass unquestioned value on to them.

Let's talk more!

Jim Corbett

3/27/21 Rebuilding

“As I promised, I am going to make you into the likeness of My Son, Jesus. The challenges before you will be death to your flesh. Sometimes they will cause you to despair if you don’t understand that I am truly rebuilding you. While We are working together and you are being prepared, I have some suggestions to help you along the way. As you go, I will convict your heart and help you with other thoughts for your journey.

"Start here. Let’s delight in the journey together. Love passionately. Have more fun, knowing that you are in My hands. Sell or give away at least one third of all you own. Eliminate everything in your life that “owns” you. (Get rid of your TV and video games - they own you.) Do not walk closely with fools who talk of foolish ideas that are not in My Word. Eat right. Take long walks alone or with a friend. Decide to love people through My Son. Determine to see others as Jesus sees them. Smile a lot. Smile some more. Become a study of your mate’s needs.

"Love your mate passionately. Go on dates with your mate. Pray with your mate. (If you don’t have a mate, focus your love on Me.) Study your children as the gifts that they are. Love your children passionately with holy love. Spend time with your children or help someone with theirs. Find some way to honestly compliment everyone. Take more time to do everything; slow down. Be at peace with your relationship with Jesus. Sing more. Rest more. Sit and talk with Me anytime you can. Come to Me more often, simply to be together. Cultivate biblical reasons to be hopeful.

"Get your eyes off yourself and your own needs. Learn to devote yourselves to the needs of others. Tell others that they are valuable. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive some more. Seek to make new friends. Remember that this life is not a trial run; it is the real thing. Remember why you are living this life. Live it as Jesus would live it. He, in fact, desires to live His life through you. Be blessed in your comings and goings. I love you!”

2 Cor. 2:14-16a AMP

14) But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph [as trophies of Christ’s victory] and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere.

15) For we are the sweet fragrance of Christ [which exhales] unto God, [discernible alike] among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing:

16a) To the latter it is an aroma [wafted] from death to death [a fatal odor, the smell of doom]; to the former it is an aroma from life to life [a vital fragrance, living and fresh].

Jesus endured the cross because of the joy of what it was accomplishing. So many of us walk around prune-faced because God is doing some carving of our flesh. During those times, most people would not desire to serve the Lord because of us, no matter what we said. Our countenance would drive them away.

Why wouldn’t we approach this incredible walk with God - not only from a spiritual aspect, but from the physical also - so that we can be a proper witness all the time? We prepare for everything else we do. Why wouldn’t we take some logical steps to insure that things that hinder us from accomplishing our journey are eliminated? Why wouldn’t we add anything to our lives that would help us be a better witness?

Things that have no bearing on a proper relationship with our Lord get in the way. They are like rocks in our backpack. Why would we give notice to them, much less carry them?

This relationship that we have entered into because of Jesus is the most astounding life that anyone could live. Our future is bright. We need to do what it takes to eliminate anything that clouds our perspective of the inner joy we should be having in the journey, even in rough times.

Show me the rocks, Lord. Let me get rid of them now!!

Jim Corbett

3/27/21 It’s Not About You

How would you fare if you found out that nothing in this life is about you - nothing? What if you fully understood that there may be no Hollywood ending for you; that you were asked to burn yourself out for Jesus and no one will ever know about it? What if you were called to pour yourself and all that you had into others out of obedience? What if, in God's eyes, there is really no other way to live?

As a father, husband, and man of God, your job is to seek out the life of Jesus and then live it out in front of those around you. That means that you do nothing of yourself or for yourself. It's called the crucified life - a life of laying down your own for the best interests of others and for the glory of God.

Jesus overcame the world from the cross. Although that kind of life is foreign to us, He asks us to do the same. He asks us to provide a smooth path for our wives to become all that they can be in Christ. He asks us to guide our children to the life that has been bought for them from the cross. He asks us to be an example of Him to our friends and acquaintances. We are stewards of their precious lives. When we stand before Jesus He won't be impressed about how much money we made, or how big a house we had; we will answer for the lives that God has placed in our path to direct and love.

How much time have you spent to find out what this life is really all about? The more you devote yourself to the Word of God and spend time in His presence, you will see that your life is to be spent for others, not yourself. That's what the life of Jesus looked like. That's what ours should look like. What does yours look like?

Let's talk more!

Jim Corbett

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