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7/25/22 Thankful

Men, when was the last time you expressed your gratefulness to your wife? Have you thanked her not only for who she is and what she does, but also because the Lord placed the two of you together? The kindness of thankful words goes a long way in building a solid, prosperous marriage.

If you are like most men, you’ll read the first paragraph, say “oh yeah,” and thank your wife today. That is not enough. As husbands, you and I are to live in thankfulness for our spouses. We are to continually act in an attitude of thankfulness for the mate our Lord has given us. It’s not an option in His eyes; it’s a command.

If your marriage is not a glowing example of the kind of marriage the Lord wants you to present to the world, you might begin to turn things around by asking the Lord to place gratefulness in your heart for your wife. As He does, begin to live a life of thankfulness toward her in words and actions. Under God’s grace, your wife can flourish in knowing you esteem her, and your children and others around you will have a godly example to follow in living out their lives before the world.

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

7/23/22 When to Stand and Wait

“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

7/22/22 Time to Readjust

“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 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

7/23/22 Precious

The definition of the word precious is “something that is of great value or high priced, highly esteemed or cherished.” Even though this word is not often used to describe men, the definition really fits how God sees his husbands and fathers. In His eyes, we are highly esteemed and very valuable. You, as a husband and father, are also of great consequence in His plans for future generations.

Investing in a marriage, so it exemplifies the relationship between Christ and His church, has untold worth. Nurturing children, so their lives are significant in God’s eyes, is of incalculable value to untold numbers of people as they represent Him in the world. You are part of that!

The next time you feel as if your input in your family is of little value or minimum consequence, you need to remember how God sees your life. You are precious in His eyes. You are valuable to His plans. Your life can impact many generations through the work you do on behalf of those you steward. You are a key player in His plans. Being precious and of great value really means something in God’s economy.

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

7/22/22 Your Word

At one time, I was blessed to live in a farm community where the longtime farmers have a higher code than you see most places. In essence, their word is their bond. To shake on something is closer to the covenant meaning in which that gesture originated. Shaking hands (actually wrists) was a blood tie contract. To break it meant possible death if the one you made covenant with followed through according to law.

In this day and age, we have lost that kind of commitment level. (I don’t know if lawyers were a catalyst for that or the lowering of standards created the need for lawyers). Today we break our vows to each other and to God. In reality, we died to every right we hold dear when we gave our lives to the Lordship of Jesus. That’s what lordship means. When we don’t function in it with Him, it spills over into our relationships with others and we excel in finding ways to nullify contracts we’ve entered into when our agreements become inconvenient.

As a man, you have entered into a marriage contract with your wife in the eyes of the world, and of even greater importance in the eyes of God. A commitment made before God is no small thing, whether we believe it or not. He has called you to love your wife as Christ loved the church. It matters little if she knows how to love you back; you have committed to love her no matter what.

If you’re having marital challenges, remember first that your marriage is under contract with God. How you feel or how your wife feels matters little. You, as a husband, will be held accountable for the spiritual atmosphere in your marriage, an atmosphere where your wife should have the freedom to prosper spiritually. It’s dangerous to break that contract. Keep your word with God, and watch what He chooses to do about everything else.

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

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