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5/13/23 Just Say Yes

Make sure you respond to the call God has for your life. Make sure you don’t choose to take the easier road by living a life that’s different than God intended.

If you follow hard after God, you’ll probably feel like you’re on the outside looking in within the church. I'm not talking about doing weird things that discredit the integrity of the Gospel. I mean that if you follow the example of the life of Jesus and move only when and where God tells you, people will not understand. You may find yourself giving away your possessions, taking a lesser job so you can reach people, or - heaven forbid - trusting God completely for your provision while you go into full time service.

One of the most heart-wrenching sights you'll ever see is the emptiness in the eyes of those who have not responded to the call of God, usually because of fear or their lust for worldly goods. Those desires may be simple things, like security, new clothes, or a new car. They understand deep down that they have heard the call of their Creator and have said "no" when asked to fulfill His desires for their lives. Nothing, absolutely nothing, will satisfy the emptiness of soul that follows.

After saying “no” to the Lord, most of them eventually find themselves working feverishly at some other ministry or filling a myriad of church positions to cover up the emptiness. The end result is almost always an involvement with other weary, often critical people who are also doing good works, attempting to make a difference of some sort to cover their pain, rather than following after God's original plan for their lives. How sad! How grievous to God. Just say yes!

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

5/12/23 Wherever, Whenever

“I know I’ve asked you this many times before, but I am asking it again so that you can confirm it in your own heart. Are you willing to go wherever I ask you to go, whenever I ask, no matter what the cost is to you? Confirm the response that you gave Me long ago so that I might refresh you now. When you said “yes,” I immediately placed you in training. That is what is happening to you now. I know that it is not easy, but one day you will see that it was necessary.

"Things might look dark at present, but I am faithful. I am with you. Soon we will move to the next building block of your relationship with Me. I am proud of you. You may not see any progress, but I do. Embrace Me through these times. You will make it. In fact, you will overcome.”

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].

Paul realized that beatings, imprisonment, hardships, and every other conceivable kind of trial led to the knowledge of Jesus, His resurrection power; and ultimately, to freedom from all attachments to the world. Without sharing Christ’s sufferings, he would not be transformed into Christ’s image.

The cost of Paul’s kind of anointing is everything we have and everything we own. Are you really willing to pay that kind of price? If not, how close is your brand of Christianity to God’s kind of Christianity?

You have to give me the proper heart, Lord,

Jim Corbett

5/12/23 The Bad Guys

As men, we are taught to hold on to our own safety and make sure no one takes our stuff. Some time ago, the Lord startled me while I was in one of those quiet-almost-sleepy-could-really-be-dozing kind of prayer times. His voice was quiet and full of love. He said, "I want you to know that I love your most aggressive enemies as much as I love you. There is no one on the face of this earth that I wish would perish. I want you to pray for all those who hate Me. In fact, I want you to pray for anyone who will hate My children. Pray that they will be able to share My love."

Then things got personally serious. "I want you to pray for those who will kill you. I don't mean that someone is going to do that, necessarily; but I want you to have the heart that would care about their salvation more than you care about your own life." By now, I was awake. Pray for someone who hated me enough to kill me! Love others - even the bad guys?

The Lord then reminded me of His actions on the cross. He had words of forgiveness for those who were spitting on Him and an attitude of great love for those who drove the nails in His hands. He told me to do the same with anyone who came against me. It was enough to remind me this life is not centered around my well-being. What a novel thought!

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

5/11/23 Is It Worth It?

“If Jesus would return today, where would you stand? Do you think that you would go with Him, or would you be left behind? Let me ask you some questions? Is the priority of every moment of your life to submit to Him in every way, so that He comes back for an unblemished bride, without spot or wrinkle? Is looking for His return the most important thing in your life? Are you preparing for Him so that He is pleased, or so that you can go?

"Unfortunately, many in My church are filling their days by padding their comfort areas, instead of preparing for His return. You need to make sure that whatever you have in your hand is worth the price that you have placed on it. It may be far more expensive than you could possibly have guessed.”

Matthew 25:1-13 NIV

(1) “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

(2) Five of them were foolish and five were wise.

(3) The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them.

(4) The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.

(5) The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

(6) “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

(7) “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.

(8) The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’

(9) “ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

(10) “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

(11) “Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’

(12) “But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’

(13) “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”

Many of us have become so involved in the things of this earth that we have forgotten what is of true value. I know of people who are very afraid of losing what they have, meaning material possessions. That is a fear that is very well-founded and guaranteed to come true. To place our confidence in anything that is not considered eternally valuable by the Lord is pure foolishness.

Anyone who is the least bit aware of the promised events that will take place in the season called the end times need only look around. Many changes in our lives could happen swiftly, leaving little or no time to prepare for them. I believe it would be wise to readjust our priorities if they are not in line with our Lord’s priorities.

Teach me what is of value to You, Lord,

Jim Corbett

5/11/23 Easier to Do

As men, it’s easier to try to do something about all the brush fires we ignite with our spiritual ignorance than it is to become everything we’re called to be in Christ. Making something happen is far easier than waiting on God to direct our steps and completely oversee our lives, which allows us to avoid the many pitfalls the enemy has planned against our families.

Doing stuff to make things better in our own strength means we’ve unknowingly decided to make ourselves vulnerable to the traps set by the enemy against our families. It means we’ve reduced the outcome of our lives to the limitations of our own carnal thinking and insufficient power. It means we’ve offered the enemy an opportunity to attempt to override the plans God has for us and our families. It means we’re in the world and of the world; and, therefore, incapable of winning any spiritual war waged against us. It means we’ve taken the well-traveled, easier road and chosen to walk in spiritual weakness.

On the other hand, becoming a true man of God and a mighty warrior means we’ve overcome and discarded the ways of the world. We’ve ceased to function in the realm of the enemy and have planted our flag in the kingdom of God by submitting to its guidelines in our lives. It means we’ve crucified the flesh, having gladly died to its demands and becoming fully submitted to the Lordship of Jesus over every area of our lives and the lives of our families. It means we’ve accepted God’s invitation into His throne room, which He can make our war room where nothing harmful prevails over us or those we love. Would you like to live there?

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

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