Tag: Christianity

“I am continually observing the relationships that you share with others who are called by My Name. I guard your interactions with a steadfast love because I love each of you, even when you sometimes hate each other. Do you know that an indication of how much you love Me is how much you love each other? Do you know that I care more about your attitude in every relationship that I bring your way far more than how much you strive to do for Me? Anything that you claim to do in My Name means nothing to Me if you don’t love others more than you love yourself.

"Jesus put aside everything, even His own opinion, to show you how to get along with others and serve in true humility. Doing only what I asked Him to do, saying only what I wanted Him to say, He showed His love for Me and His humble heart, which I want you to emulate. When you count others as more important than yourself, you show those who give lip service to humility who they really are. I call them fools.

"Strive to lower yourselves in your own opinion, and I will lift you up before the world. Strive for true humility. Show it by taking time to listen to the heart of even the smallest child. Make others’ cares and concerns worth your time, especially your brothers and sisters in Christ. I devote all that I am to others; so does Jesus. Shouldn’t you, if you claim to obey My Word?”

Phil. 2:1-5 NIV 

1) If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,

2) then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.

3) Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

4) Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

5) Your attitude should be the same as that of Jesus Christ.

James 4:10 AMP

Humble yourselves [feeling very insignificant] in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you [He will lift you up and make your lives significant].

 

I don’t know about you, but most people don’t have a clue about getting along with me. Few people understand that I’m always right, so I have no time for their opinion. Most don’t know that the way of being my friend is to always strive to meet my needs. Fewer understand that making me happy is their portion in life; and for the life of me, I don’t understand why I have no friends, when being my friend would give everyone the opportunity to always hear my opinion only, serve someone worthy of service, and understand someone with true wisdom.

Have I made you sick yet? I sure hope you understand that the above paragraph depicts a person that the Bible calls a fool, and I pray that I am not one. If I really thought that way, I would be a fool’s fool.

Proverbs 18:2 is one of the Father’s many definitions of a true fool. It states in the Amplified Bible: A [self-confident] fool has no delight in understanding but only in revealing his personal opinions and himself.

Not caring for the opinions of others shows a heart attitude of complete selfishness and usually follows with an attitude of knowing everything and serving no one. This type of person, who believes that he has all the answers, is an indication of a hardened heart towards God; and he is usually unteachable, untrustworthy, and unwilling to learn anything from anyone - even from God. He is totally self-absorbed and a friend to no one but himself.

Throughout the Word of God, true godly friendships and Christ-like character are manifested in how much we value others above ourselves, especially those who can give us nothing in return. The Christ-like characteristics of gentleness, kindness, tolerance, understanding, and compassion for others are exhibited in the heart that is in line with God’s heart.

Anyone calling himself a follower of Christ endeavors to allow God to develop these characteristics in him, so that Jesus can be seen in him wherever he goes, knowing that acting with love gives hope to the hopeless. His ardent desire is to eventually care for others only, putting himself completely aside, just like the Lord that he serves has done. To the loss of reputation, honor, finances, and material worth if necessary, he relentlessly moves in a direction to acquire the heart that cares only for the other’s best interest in any relationship. Anything less would dishonor his Lord. Anything else he might do for Him would be hollow service.

Wanting to learn how to lay my best interests down just as my Lord did,

Jim Corbett

“You delight My heart. I so look forward to the time when We can be together for all eternity. I have created you to have fellowship with Me. At present, Our being together is hindered by time and your limited understanding and abilities. Soon, however, there will be no limitations to Our interaction. You will be able to enjoy all that I have planned for you from the very beginning of time.

"Until then, keep up the good work. Sell out to Jesus. Be an encouragement to those who need to see His love. Love others deeply and live for their best interests. Your rich example of living a crucified life will give many the hope that He has provided for them at the cross. I love you. Live your life to the fullest in Him. When you are finished, be prepared for a wonderful time together. You will be blessed beyond your wildest imagination.”

Genesis 1:27-28a AMP 

27) So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him: male and female He created them.

28) And God blessed them and said to them, Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it [using all its vast resources in the service of God and man]…

Isaiah 48:3  NIV 

“I foretold the former things long ago, my mouth announced them and I made them known; then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.”

Rom. 5:17 NIV

For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

 

So many of us get so caught up in the day-to-day concerns that we forget about the wonderful inheritance that has been provided for us because of the blood of love that was shed for us many years ago. Jesus accomplished much more for us than we will ever comprehend while we are in these limited bodies.

Soon, we will see Him as He is in all His glory. Until then, we have a job to do. We have the privilege of representing Him to those who need to have answers for their lives. Knowing that He is the only answer, we can confidently share what each of us has been given - a love beyond measure, a life full of answers, and a promise beyond our most imaginative dreams.

Thank You, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“When you come to Me with your requests, you make the transition from the physical to the spiritual. Your physical needs are placed in My hands where I apply My spiritual power to accomplish them. The difference is so great that it is beyond your comprehension. One word from Me begins an unbeatable process toward the completion of everything needed. Come to Me with your needs. Come often. I reassure you, I will listen, and I will attend to everything My way in My perfect timing.”

Gal.3:3 NIV  Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?

 

If we ever really understood the concept of placing everything in God’s hands and leaving it there, most of us would finally find freedom. One glimpse into the spiritual realm, one instant of the revelation of the mightiness of the Almighty, and our whole lives would change forever.

Show me truth, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“You are not your own. It has been very costly to purchase you. Nothing but the blood of Jesus was of sufficient value to redeem you from eternal separation from Me. Jesus willingly sacrificed Himself so that you could be spared the horrors that awaited you because of the one to whom you belonged. Now you are legally Mine. Your heritage has been restored. Never forget Who you now represent. I am perfecting you to represent Our Family properly.”

John 8:42-44 NIV

42) Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I come from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me.

43) Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say.

44) You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire.”

I Cor. 6:20 AMP 

You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own].  So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body.

Eph. 4:12-13 AMP 

12) His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), [that they should do] the work of ministering toward building up Christ’s body (the church),

13 [That it might develop] until we all attain oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the [full and accurate] knowledge of the Son of God, that [we might arrive] at really mature manhood (the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ’s own perfection), the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ and the completeness found in Him.

 

Maybe one day we might get it. I wonder if we will ever comprehend what has happened because of the cross of Jesus Christ. It is no small event to change families. It is no little thing to have averted eternal damnation and been given eternal union with God.

I believe that it is important for each of us to remember who we were, who we now are, and who we are to become. We must never forget how much mercy we have been given. None of it has to do with what we deserve. All of it has to do with how much we are loved.

Never let me forget, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“When was the last time you blessed your wife or husband? What about your children? How about your friends or even your enemies? I don’t mean blessing someone by buying them something or doing them a favor; I want you to call down My blessing upon them. Do you know that in doing so, you become an instrument of My power to turn them to Me? You can wake up the deadened and dying heart, encourage a discouraged spirit, and destroy lying spirits by being My vessel of blessing. The world may consider it foolishness when you bless; I consider it an impartation of My courage and an inroad to My kind of healing. Begin to bless from your heart. Watch how people change as you do.”

 Ephesians 3:14-19 NLB 

14) When I think of the wisdom and scope of God’s plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father,

15) the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.

16) I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit.

17) And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him.  May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love.

18) And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is.

19) May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

 

Most of us understand the biblical principle of blessing our enemies and those who use us, but few of us fully understand the incredible power of invoking those blessings on others.  Fathers, when was the last time that you took your children aside and imparted a fatherly blessing on them? Husbands, how often do you place your hands on your wives and bless them and thank them for who they are and how much they add to your life? What about your friends? Have you ever invoked blessing upon those who have been given to you as alliances by the Lord? Take the time with the Lord and have Him show you how He feels about the impartation of blessing and its effects upon others.

I remember a specific instance when the Lord intervened in the middle of a season of dealing with rebellion in my then young daughter. Something was different from the norm. The rebellion seemed to take on a spiritual state, rather than simple, childlike misbehavior.  I was about to impart consequences for actions taken when He said to my heart, “Father, bless your daughter.” Being the “spiritual giant” that I am, I was too out of patience to do it at the time.

The next day, He wouldn’t leave me alone. Given His strength, I took her aside and invoked a loving, confirming, fatherly blessing upon her. I could see her melt as I did. With every word, she brightened and the rebellion actually disappeared from our household. I believe that far more was accomplished than I will ever know.

Show me Your ways, Lord,

Jim Corbett