Tag: Christianity

“The holy life of Jesus that has been designed for you in My presence and bought for you at Calvary is not for the faint of heart. It is not for the self-serving, the materialistic, or the controlling. If you truly want to live out the life that has been planned for you, it will cost you everything. It cost Jesus everything to win it for you; now it’s your turn.

“I want all of you. I will take all of you, if you will respond to Me with all of your heart. Submit to My Word. Submit to My ways. Submit to My heart. Submit to My hand of training. I will reproduce the character of Christ in you, so that I can touch others through you.

“You must come to Me completely willing to do My will, whatever the cost to you, just as Jesus did. I will then take who you are and who you are not and eliminate them, replacing them with who you are designed to be. The death of your old ways will bring forth His ways, which are My ways, by the power of My Holy Spirit.”

Ezekiel 36:26-27 NIV

26) “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

27) And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”

John 1:10-14 NIV

10) He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.

11) He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

12) Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God -

13) children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

14) The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 3:30 AMP

He must increase, but I must decrease. [He must grow more prominent; I must grow less so.]

John 6:57 AMP

Just as the living Father sent Me and I live by (through, because of) the Father, even so whoever continues to feed on Me [whoever takes Me for his food and is nourished by Me] shall [in his turn] live through and because of Me.

Hebrews 10:14 NIV

…because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

 

The pursuit of Jesus usually begins for our good and pleasure. He meets our needs, brings us to salvation, and makes us feel good every time we go to Him. That’s good for us. There comes a time, however, that we understand the Father’s plan more clearly.

He shows us that this relationship is not only about us and our needs. He brings us to an increasing level of maturity. As we begin to understand His character better, we understand and move with His heart more often. As this action, response, action, response relationship continues, we gain more of His heart, and love more and more as He loves. We also begin to identify with His heart so closely that it becomes our heart.

The closer we get, we actually fall in love with His ways and move from admiration of Him to a love for Him. Getting to know Him and His ways leads to increasing love for Him, because we are changed more and more from being in His presence. Once we know Him, we act in a way that pleases Him because of the love for Him that has been placed in our hearts.

Destroy everything that is of me, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“When Jesus paid for you with His blood, He bought everything. He owns your memories, your present days, and your future plans. He owns your past sins and your eternal future. There is nothing that is not under His blood.

“Some of you walk in the sins of others that have harmed you long ago. Why do you do that, when they have been made powerless by the work of the cross? You now have the right, the command, and the power to forgive anyone and everyone who has done you harm.

“Choose to forgive and I will heal you. Walk in forgiveness and I will set you free. Choose to love as Jesus loves and no one can ever harm you again. Allow Jesus to love through you and you will have an eternal impact on others - even those who hate you - just as He did.”

2 Chr. 7:14 NIV

“…if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Isaiah 30:21 NIV

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying “This is the way; walk in it.”

John 13:33-34 NIV

33) “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

34) All men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.”

I Cor. 7:23 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.

Gal. 5:13 AMP

For you, brethren, were [indeed] called to freedom; only [do not let your] freedom be an incentive to your flesh and an opportunity or excuse [for selfishness], but through love you should serve one another.

I Pe 4:8 AMP

Above all things have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins [forgives and disregards the offenses of others].

 

How can we say that we follow Jesus, the One Who gave His life so that each of us can be forgiven, and not forgive those who have harmed us? The root sin of unforgiveness is pride.  Because that is rarely recognized, it is never really dealt with as such; and we evade submitting the root sin to the total Lordship of Jesus Christ.

I Will Remain in Charge – the Antithesis of Submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ

Anyone harboring unforgiveness toward another has, in essence, determined to hold that sin (real or imagined) over that person and has chosen to be the “lord” of that incident or grieving situation.  The dominance and control exercised by the unforgiving party denies all that was promised to God when he/she committed to the Lordship of Jesus in all areas.  This area, therefore, remains under the dominance of Satan. Pride caused him to be expelled from the presence of God, and he is delighted when we follow his lead in any area of our lives.

If God has forgiven the person who has offended you but you won’t, are you not telling Him that your position is loftier than His? In light of the truth, that’s not possible, is it? What do you need to do at this point? God demands that we forgive if we desire to be truly free.  He even shows us, in Luke’s account of the crucifixion, that Jesus forgave all those who harmed Him; and also the repentant thief just before he died. We must do the same.

Unforgiveness, although often deeply masked by wounds, scars, and self-pity, is one of the greatest causes of weakness in the body of Christ and it will cripple any attempt to draw close to the Lord if left unconfessed. Once this main stronghold is acknowledged and confessed, a tide of healings and freedoms are able to surface, and it can be brought under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Help me to forgive as I have been forgiven, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“I want you to function beyond your personal abilities. When you have done all that you know to do, just stand and wait for Me to show Myself strong. I will be found when you are in need. I will be strong when you are at your weakest or when you have no answers. I am the answer to your every need.

“Never be afraid to walk in areas to which I call you. I will always be in those places with you. It is the way I intended your life to be. It is the way of the cross. It is the way of real life.”

Isaiah 2:22 AMP

Cease to trust in [weak, frail, and dying] man, whose breath is in his nostrils [for so short a time]; in what sense can he be counted as having intrinsic worth?

Isaiah 30:21 NIV

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying “This is the way; walk in it.”

Jeremiah 29:11-13 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.”

 

Seeking God with all of our heart usually happens when we are out of answers. Only when we have exhausted our own resources do we finally give in to the reality that we need God. We have it backwards.

Needing God should be our priority in life. It should be the most important function of our everyday living. Learning to need God should be the goal of every thought or action.

When we function in need of God, we have the presence of God with us. What more could we ask for? Where could there be a better place to function? Where could there be a better place to rest from our own frailties and be free to see the power of God? Where else could we be aligned with the heart of Jesus, Who did nothing of Himself but said and did only what His Father wanted?

Teach me to need You every moment, Lord,

 Jim Corbett

“Why do you hang on to things that are not yours? Each day I observe your comings and goings. I see what you are striving for and what you are setting aside. You are still making a futile attempt to hold those things close that I want to pry from your hands. They are like idols to you; you must throw them aside as the rubbish that they are.

“Look how you hold on to your reputation. I want you to seek true humility; you long to be recognized. Your days are spent in the quest for riches–only to hoard them or use them to pad your comfort areas. Can you not see that those things that hold you captive only hinder you from being free to have My interests as your priorities? Come to Me with a desire to seek out My kind of true wealth. Come to Me to learn of a freedom that you have never enjoyed. Come and learn of My heart. You will never regret holding close those riches that I impart to you. You will never achieve the kind of joy that is your heritage unless My desires become your desires.

“I love you. I want to use you to accomplish My plan in your midst. Come now; let’s readjust your priorities together.”

So many Bible verses come to mind as I ponder the paragraphs above. Listen to these for starters.

Acts 8:1 and 4 NIV

1) On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

4) Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.

Let’s see. I get kicked out of my home. I have no place to live. I’ve lost everything. What a great time to proclaim victory in Christ. I believe that my priority should be preaching the Gospel to those who hate me.  (That would be my attitude - yeah, right!!!)

II Cor. 9:6-8 NIV

6) Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

7) Each man should also give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

8) And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

OK, OK, I’ll give 10% of what I earn. Is that 10% of the net or the gross? I need to figure that out.

Colossians 3:1-4 AMP

1) If then you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, thus sharing His resurrection from the dead], aim at and seek the [rich, eternal treasures] that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

2) And set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth.

3) For [as far as this world is concerned] you have died, and your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ in God.

4) When Christ, Who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in [the splendor of His] glory.

Only ten more years until I retire. Then watch me do this Christian thing. I think I’ll get a horse and put “Jesus loves you” on the saddlebags and go across country. What a witness that will be!

 

I am really beginning to smell my own rotting flesh when I compare my motives to those who have gone before me. How about you? I really appreciate the patience of the Lord. Whew!!

I need Your heart, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“There are many ways that I bless My people. Some of them look and feel as if I have abandoned them, but the opposite is actually what is happening. Few people in the church see prosperity as I see it. It is because their flesh dominates their thinking. They are unable to really see My ways because they haven’t died to the world’s way of thinking.

“Prosperity, in My economy, is how much your heart and life are in line with the heart and life of Jesus. Few really press in long enough to gain His heart, turning away when I begin to separate them from the norm. You are truly prospering when I place you in My refiner’s fire. These times are misunderstood and frowned upon by most of the church, because you look as if you are out of control; and most of the time appear as if you have failed miserably, sometimes for long periods of time.

“The road to intimacy with Me, which creates in you the heart of Jesus, is never a comfortable road to the flesh. I take you there because I have plans for your life. Some of you have wondered why you are even on that road. Your life is continually in upheaval, your plans are dashed on the pavement; and you feel as if you are abandoned more often than you feel secure. Be at peace. No matter how much your flesh resists, I know who you are in your inner being, the real you. I have called you to a place you have never been, a place you may never have thought of going with Me.

“Soon, even though you could never imagine it now, you will be more comfortable when you are being refined, than you are when you’re at rest, being refreshed. You will even be anxious to get back on the path to Jesus. Your heart will delight in each trial and test, knowing that you are pleasing Me by your submission to My hand. The “inner man” in you will cherish spiritual growth more than material gain, understanding that it is far more important in My eyes.

“While others attempt to protect their lives from any kind of discomfort, you will embrace the challenges that I present to you as the love gifts that they are. While others remain close to the world with their cold religion and empty lives, you will crave only intimacy, and press into every trial with fervor. They will appear to be the ones who are being blessed. You and I know better.”

Isaiah 30:18 The Living Bible

Yet the Lord still waits for you to come to him, so he can show you his love; he will conquer you to bless you, just as he said. For the Lord is faithful to his promises...

Isaiah 30:20 The Living Bible

Though he give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet he will be with you to teach you – with your own eyes you will see your Teacher.

Isaiah 55:8-9 AMP

8) For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord.

9) For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.

Phil. 3:10-11 AMP

10) [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]

11) That if possible I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body].

Rev. 3:19 AMP

Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I tell their faults and convict and convince and reprove and chasten [I discipline and instruct them]. So be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and repent [changing your mind and attitude].

 

The times soon to come will require honest followers of Jesus Christ, not cold, confused zealots. God is refining a people to not only represent Jesus properly in this world; but also, to be fully prepared and waiting eagerly to meet Him when He comes. Unfortunately, many in the church do not see themselves as both.

Jesus will not be joined in marriage with anyone who has a whorish heart, a heart that is not like His in every way. This presents a problem for many of the doctrines present in the church today, because most of the church has a heart that craves many things other than His heart for satisfaction. We “sell” our emotions and desires to areas of comfort, rather than refinement. We look for His return only because it will allow us to escape this world.

Should the return of Jesus be soon, two things must happen. Either He will take only a very few - those who have a mirror of His heart - with Him, or an intense refining fire is coming to the church to create His true heart in us before He comes, one that desires and loves only what He desires and loves. Anything other than that denies the work and intent of the cross and the holiness of Jesus.

I believe it is vital for all of us to set aside all conjecture, debate, and contention about pre, mid, post, or “even if” and seek God’s presence with all our hearts. Finding out what pleases God should be our only pursuit. This life in Christ requires the absolute death of all our fleshly ways. It is the intent of the cross and the only way to intimacy and Christ-likeness.

It’s time that we got on with it. Each of us needs to request that the Lord do what it takes to take us where He wants us to go. What is His intent for our relationship with Him? How are we intended to represent Jesus? How do we become like Him?

Wanting to really press in,

Jim Corbett