Tag: Devotional

“Call upon Me anytime. You never bother Me. Jesus paved the way for you to have access to My presence. I never sleep. I am never too busy. My availability to you honors His work on the cross. Come to Me in need. Come to Me in praise. Come to Me to rest. Just come, I am waiting.”

Luke 23:44-45 NIV

44) It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour,

45) for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.

John 8:36 NIV

“So if the Son sets you free, you are free indeed.”

John 19:30 NIV

…Jesus said, “It is finished.”

Hebrews 4:16 NIV

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

 

Access to the inner chambers of God has been provided for us by the work of Jesus on the cross. His death and subsequent resurrection opened the door of communication for us. We now have unlimited audience with God whenever we have any kind of need, question, or just a desire to spend time with Him. It is one of the covenant commitments God made with Jesus for us. In God’s eyes, we have exchanged our old carnal life for a new spiritual life that is accepted by Him forever. The covenant cannot be broken.

In prayer, there is a connection between what God does and what you are to do. Prayer (communication with God) is the vehicle that Father God has established for us to navigate from the physical realm to the spiritual realm and back again to accomplish His will from heaven to earth through us.

Through this communication and because of the work of Jesus, God brings Himself, His plans, and His very being into His established tabernacles – us. Within the communication, we present our requests for all that is necessary for us to become who we need to be. Our Father also communicates His will to us. It is true communication between the Creator and His creation, with Father God all the while fine tuning our encounters with Him through the Holy Spirit.

Let me honor You by coming to You, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“Future believers are in need of you. Do you know that I am counting on you to grow up, so that I can trust you with those who will be coming to Jesus in the great harvest that is beginning? You need to take your eyes off of yourself and your own needs and begin to learn of Me for the sake of others. In your self-absorption, even arrogance, your life in Christ has become about you, rather than about Jesus and those who will embrace Him. Stop that selfish attitude. Turn your hearts now. I need you to grow up! Help get My Word to those who need to hear it. When they do hear, hold them close for Me. Lead them to a deeper, more loving walk. You need to go there first!”

Isaiah 28:9-10 TLB 

9) “Who does Isaiah think he is,” the people say, “to speak to us like this! Are we little children, barely old enough to talk?

10) “He tells us everything over and over again, a line at a time and in such simple words!”

Isaiah 43:21 NIV 

…the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.

Hosea 13:6 NIV

“When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me.”

1 Cor. 13:11 AMP

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways and have put them aside.

2 Cor. 12:15 AMP

But I will most gladly spend [myself] and be utterly spent for your souls.

Hebrews 12:12-13 NLB

12) So take a new grip with your tired hands and stand firm on your shaky legs.

13) Mark out a straight path for your feet. Then those who follow you, though they are weak and lame, will not stumble and fall but will become strong.

 

In Isaiah 28, Isaiah is talking to the drunken prophets and priests who lay in their own vomit, the people who were supposed to hear from God and teach others how to follow Him. Can’t you just smell the pompous arrogance and disdain that they had for this real prophet of God, who exposed the stench of their sin by expressing truth?

They thought that they knew how to follow God and had no clue that they couldn’t follow truth even when God gave it to them in the simplest of terms. In fact, they were offended that it was presented in a way that was beneath their station in life. His humble obedience exposed their arrogance. What a contrast to Paul’s heart to willingly exhaust his life for the sake of others.

Create in me a clean heart, Lord. Keep me teachable and “exhaustible,”

Jim Corbett

“Forever is an extremely long time. We are going to have an unlimited number of times together. I have been patient, but My patience has served its purpose. All things are about to come into My planned order. Everything is unfolding as I have told you it would. Stand for just a little while longer. The refining fires must do their work. They are necessary to accomplish the foundations of future plans and other ordained movements. You may see these times as the end of the end times; I perceive them as the beginning of future eternities. Oh, We will have so much wonderful time together! Wait until you see what I have planned for you!”

Psalm 51:10 AMP

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering and steadfast spirit within me.

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.”

 

Most of us are so focused on our own little problems and our own personal worlds that we have forgotten how much more of real life there is. If I understand the Bible, we have eternities upon eternities to spend with the Lord. Our present life is simply a wisp of time compared to what is left.

What concerns me, however, is that those who do not pass the tests of these times - particularly the main one of accepting Jesus as their Savior so that they do have a bright future - are soon going to be in a world of hurt. Maybe we should get our eyes off ourselves and our own puny needs and begin to think about those who need to see Jesus before it’s too late. What do you think? Is that a “DUH,” or what?

Help me to focus on what is important to You, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“Are you really learning the lessons I am teaching you? Are they being burned into your heart, or do you just retain them in your mind for reference? You need to make what I teach you your private stock. You need to own them. Feed on them. Practice them at every turn in your life. Apply them in your relationships with others. Don’t waste one moment of My time with you. I will require that you deem Our times together worth your while. I will give you whatever time you need to grow if you consider it of value. If you don’t, I will find someone who will.”

2 Chr. 16:9 NIV

“For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him...”

Isaiah 42:25 AMP 

Therefore He poured out upon [Israel] the fierceness of His anger and the strength of battle. And it set him on fire round about, yet he knew not [the lesson of repentance which the Assyrian conquest was intended to teach]; it burned him, but he did not lay it to heart.

 

Few of us realize how important it is to not waste God’s time. We need to understand that His purpose is to use those who choose to be used in His plans.

I am reminded of the television show “Welcome Back Kotter.” There was a character named Horshack who would jump up and down with his hand raised in the air in the back of the school classroom when he knew the answer. He enthusiastically wanted to be called upon.

As the Lord’s eyes go throughout the earth looking for those who want to serve Him, it would be wonderful for all of us to act that enthusiastically, wanting to be called upon by Him. That zeal would help us learn the lessons we’re being taught and use them wisely for His purposes.

Pick me, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“Why do you come to Me to be changed? What is your reason for wanting Me to make you like Jesus? Do you know that your heart motive for wanting something, even honorable requests, is very important to Me? In fact, it means everything to Me. Many of My children are doing what appear to be wonderful works, using My Name; and I am nowhere near them because they are nowhere near Me. They may have requested Me to bless what they are doing, and who they are becoming; but their hearts are motivated by the flesh. You need to make sure that everything you do is motivated by love for Me and My purposes. Should you have any other reason, any hidden agenda for your actions, I may use your efforts for My sake and the sake of others, but they will merit you next to nothing. Seek Me with every fiber of your being. Serve Me with an honest heart and live.”

Psalm 51:10 AMP 

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering and steadfast spirit within me.

Matthew 16:22-23 NIV

22) Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

23) Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Out of my sight, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

Hebrews 4:12 NIV

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Col. 3:23 NIV

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.

 

So many of us do the right things for the wrong reasons. I know people who give money to the work of God out of guilt or obligation. Others visit hospitals, attend church four nights a week, and feed the hungry; but have no real love in doing it.

Some people spend countless hours in prayer, yawning through every minute of the time, raise their hands in praise while looking around at what others are wearing; or receive communion because they are hungry and everyone else is doing it.

All of these foolish people might as well burn their money in the back yard or spend their time at a baseball game. God is not looking for good things being done in His Name from a cold heart. The world can do that. He wants those who are His to move in His Spirit and present His heart of love to a dying world.

Create in me a clean heart, Lord,

Jim Corbett