Tag: Church

“I would like to thank you for the impact you are having on the rest of My family. I am talking to those of you who are daily laying your lives down for others and not living for yourselves. You need to know that every time you say a kind word, give mercy, or do a good turn to someone in need, you are bringing glory to My Name. Each time you choose to not repay an injustice, or forgive someone who has hurt you, you are implementing the same Holy Spirit that took Jesus to the cross. Every time you repent to Me, or to someone you have harmed, you prove that the work of the cross is functioning in your life.

“These may seem like simple things to you, and they are basic tenets of My expectations; but they are very important. You need to know that I notice them. I hover over them to bless their impact. I am pleased as I see you function in My kind of love.”

Prov. 16:7 AMP

When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Rom. 15:2-3 AMP

2) Let each one of us make it a practice to please (make happy) his neighbor for his good and for his true welfare, to edify him [to strengthen him and build him up spiritually].

3) For Christ did not please Himself [gave no thought to His own interests]; but, as it is written, The reproaches and abuses of those who reproached and abused you fell on Me.

Eph. 4:32 NIV

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

 

Few of us realize how important a kind word, a good gesture, a loving smile, and a steadying hand of support are to some people. The world seems to be better at functioning like this than the church. God, however, considers the reason for doing something more important than the act itself. When we, as believers, live Christ’s life before someone, it is a cup of cold water in the Name of Jesus. It lifts up His Name. Kind acts in the Name of Jesus, for the sake of Jesus, resound in the heavenlies and have eternal impact. We need to make a habit of flowing in God’s love, so that He is pleased.

Show me whom I can bless with my actions, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“What if I told you that I care little about anything that distracts you from Our time together, no matter how good it may appear? What if I showed you My perspective about your purpose for breathing, and you found that nothing is more important to Me than who you are becoming in Me?

“When I observe your life, I see that you often forget that I desire to order your days to accomplish My plans in and around you. You have gone about your own business for so long that you can no longer even hear Me when I call you to change your ways. I remind you that I have also numbered your days. Stop wasting them on padding your comfort areas and going about your own business.

“You are My ambassador. You are the only way that people will see Jesus and come to Him. What are you doing about it? What has become more important to you than that? One day I will show you.”

Matthew 21:28-31 NIV

28) “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

29) “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

30) “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will sir,’ but he did not go.

31) “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”

James 4:4-5 AMP

4) You [are like] unfaithful wives [having illicit love affairs with the world and breaking your marriage vow to God! Do you not know that being the world’s friend is being God’s enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world takes his stand as an enemy of God.

5) Or do you suppose that the Scripture is speaking to no purpose that says, The Spirit Whom He has caused to dwell in us yearns over us and He yearns for the Spirit [to be welcome] with a jealous love?

 

Throughout most of our lives, the enticements that the world offers us, not the passions of the Lord, have proven to be the focus of our attention. They are the basis for our selfish pleadings to our Father and really are the gods that we serve.

Because of our lack of desire to focus on our life in Christ as the only reason that we breathe, when the world grows darker as predicted by the Bible, most of us will be so consumed with fear that we will be unable to represent Jesus to those who desperately need Him. We will walk around the same as those in the world, wide-eyed and drooling rather than being able to rise above all of the clamor as Jesus did.

We forget that we are in training. We forget that our training has a reason and an eternal purpose. So many of us come to the Lord and begin to use our newfound hope and our new nature to build our lives around the promises of God that are good for us, rather than really finding His plan for our lives and the reasons for our salvation.

Give me Your heart, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“Passion and zeal are two elements that I choose for you to put back into your life with Me. I want you to set aside all distractions and focus on the specific calling that I have given you. Determine in your heart to follow My instructions carefully as I lead you through these final steps, leading to the coming of My Son. Build on what I have taught you, hone your defenses, polish your spiritual weapons, and rethink your commitment.

“Ten percent OF you is not enough to accomplish what I have planned FOR you. I am giving you new commands that will require you to step out of the well-worn patterns that have held My people in bondage for too long. If I prosper you, it is not so that you can build bigger and serve yourself more. It will be for you to place vast amounts of wealth into the hands of those who will reach people in powerful ways designed by Me.

“The old ways are limited, and some are hindered by self-serving interests. I am about to reach large amounts of people in a small amount of time. If I call you to minister, sell out to Me in a way that is beyond your ability. Cry out to Me for My ability. It is the only way to accomplish spiritual callings. If I call you to prayer, pray empowered by My Spirit and move in My presence. The times of tolerating My complacent church are over. Anyone who chooses to stay there will find himself walking in the flesh in an attempt to appear spiritual.

“To My real church, these efforts will appear comical, and you will separate yourself from them. To the world, they will appear as the foolishness they are. You who have ears to hear, join Me where I am now! Continue with Me where I am going. Move with Me or be left behind with the cold and the dead.”

Rev. 2:3-5 AMP

3) I know you are enduring patiently and are bearing up for My name’s sake, and you have not fainted or become exhausted or grown weary.

4) But I have this [one charge to make] against you: that you have left (abandoned) the love that you had at first [you have deserted Me, your first love].

5) Remember then from what heights you have fallen. Repent (change the inner man to meet God’s will) and do the works you did previously [when first you knew the Lord], or else I will visit you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you change your mind and repent.

Rev. 3:15 AMP

I know your [record of] works and what you are doing; you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot!

 

I don’t believe that many of us really understand our responsibility as Christians. We have lived under God’s grace for so long that complacency has set in and spiritual zeal is nowhere to be seen. Holiness is thought of as an unreachable goal, designed for the past saints of God, those who lived during Jesus’ time.

In most areas, our ignorance of God’s ways has gone beyond immaturity, past selfishness, and deep into dead-cold religion. We have the audacity of believing that only ten percent of anything we earn is God’s but claim that He is the One who has prospered us. We claim to praise Him in our services but fail to spend time with Him when we are alone. Love is one of the main elements of what we believe, but the simplicity of loving one another evades us. Most foolish of all, we submit to traditions and beliefs designed by empty preachers and cold denominations that have little to do with the heart of God. Holiness is not even a consideration for most of us.

I’m convinced that our Lord is just about through using and including those of us who have responded irresponsibly to being entrusted with His work. We - as stewards, leaders, preachers, and teachers - have failed to respond to the heart of God; and He is about to replace us with responsible servants if we don’t change. Time is too short, and the wooing is too clear for Him to wait much longer.

Needing to set aside what does not matter and embrace what is important to my Lord,

Jim Corbett