Tag: Devotional

“I want you to walk through each and every door that I open for you with wondrous anticipation and careful communication with Me. Allow Me to unfold all that I have for you while you are being obedient. Examine each step to see if it is part of the plan that I have for you. Many of My children make the mistake of seeing an open door and running through it only to find that they have missed some of the markers along the way. They then run headlong into trouble and confusion by not waiting for Me to plan their steps. Walking with Me through an opportunity is a process. There are times to move and there are times to wait for things to be put in place. Often there are times when I tell you to wait for a while before your next step.

"In these times, I want you to have patience. Listen for clear directions. Wait for Me to light the way. Above all, rest in My arms. You see, I am not as concerned about where you are going as I am about how close We walk together as you are getting there. I want you to be so consumed with Our relationship on the journey that when We arrive at any destination, We are closer friends than when We began. The journey together is important to Me. What We communicate and deal with on the way delights My heart and prepares you for your task.”

Ps. 37:23-24 NIV

23) The Lord delights in the way of the man whose steps he has made firm;

24) though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.

Ps.119:133 AMP

Establish my steps and direct them by [means of] Your word; let not any iniquity have dominion over me.

Pr. 16:9 NIV

In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.

I Pe. 2:21 AMP 

For even to this were you called [it is inseparable from your vocation]. For Christ also suffered for you, leaving you [His personal] example, so that you should follow in His footsteps.

 

Because we walk with God, it does not mean that every step we take leads us to safety. There are times that we walk in obedience to Him, only to find great hardship along the way. In these times, it is easy to feel like we have missed His perfect will, especially when everyone around us is more than willing to confirm our suspicions and doubt. That is why it is most important to keep in constant communion with our Lord on any journey.

God often leads those He loves to hard places that force us to intimate communion with Him. In fact, often the communion with Him is the object of the journey that He has sent us on. That is the opposite of everything that we have been taught.

Our expectation is that if we follow God, we will always eventually be free from any form of trouble or strife. We even find doctrines that purport that if we are in some form of strife, we are out of the perfect will of God. The loving Father that I read about in the Bible loves to walk with us through difficulties rather than steer us around them.

Hold my hand, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“Are you feeling the pressure of change taking place in your life? Do you fluctuate between being bold in your actions (flowing in your anointing) and fear (holding back, almost immobilized?) It is because I am calling you to move beyond your comfort zone. I am requiring more of you, adapting you to your changing world. I have told you that much is happening in the spiritual realm and your world is responding accordingly. Situations and seasons are accelerating. My promises are unfolding quickly. You must change with them or all will be out of order.

"You see, you are very important to My work being done. You carry My Spirit. I give you an anointing, and I fill you with My presence to touch your world. Do not take lightly My encouragement to do what is necessary to become all that you can be in Me. Exchange your life for Mine now. Draw close. I love you and I desire for you to come into the fullness of your anointing. Much is to be done. I plan to use you.”

Eph. 6:12-13 NIV

12) For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

13) Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

Rev. 22:17 AMP

The [Holy] Spirit and the bride (the church, the true Christians) say, Come! And let him who is listening say, Come! And let everyone come who is thirsty [who is painfully conscious of his need of those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported and strengthened]: and whoever [earnestly] desires to do it, let him come, take, appropriate, and drink of the water of Life without cost.

 

I reflect back on the concerns and worries that I encountered even ten years ago. They seem like grade school felt when I was in college. The world is not the same. In fact, people who are really pressing in with the Lord have been saying that something has happened in the spiritual realm. There is a darker presence all around us.

If that is the reality, then it would seem that the tools we were using before the darkness increased would be inadequate for these present days. Please understand, I am not saying that God’s tools are inadequate at all. I am saying that ten minutes of prayer each day, unfocused praise and worship, disregarded hidden sin, cold unfruitful lives, and all else that allowed us to remain complacent will not suffice in this rapidly changing world.

The Lord is now requiring us to step up to the task and really become who we have been saying all along that we are. No more semi-spiritual church games, if we want to fulfill our purpose in life.

I reflect back to the 9/11 plane that was taken down to the ground by the passengers. From what I understand, some of the pivotal players on that plane were Christians. In a heartbeat moment, their lives were required of them. Whatever they had to call upon to overtake the hijackers was either what they had on tap from their relationship with the Lord prior to that instant or it was given to them during the trial.

I’m convinced that the time we’re in now is the beginning of one of the finest hours for members of the church who will see and hear and respond to what the Lord is saying. I believe that those who press in and respond to the Lord will play a vital part in the strategic plans that He is unfolding at this very moment.

Wanting to hear clearly and respond properly,

Jim Corbett

“Do you see the mounting tide of anger in your world? Do you see nation against nation becoming predominant? Do you see that soon, very soon, everyone will be calling for a redeemer to solve daily issues? You know better. You have the answer. He is Jesus. Tell as many as you can before it’s too late.”

Isaiah 8:11-14 AMP

11) For the Lord spoke thus to me with His strong hand [upon me], and warned and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying,

12) Do not call conspiracy [or hard, or holy] all that this people will call conspiracy [or hard, or holy]; neither be in fear of what they fear, nor [make others afraid and] in dread.

13) The Lord of hosts – regard Him as holy and honor His holy name [by regarding Him as your only hope of safety], and let Him be your fear and let Him be your dread [lest you offend Him by your fear of man and distrust of Him].

14) And He shall be a sanctuary [a sacred and indestructible asylum to those who reverently fear and trust in Him]; but He shall be a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

2 Cor. 5:20-21 NIV 

20) We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

21) God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

 

For a long time, we have been hearing that we are living in the end times. Most people scoff at the notion that we really are living in the times foretold by the Bible. Most Christians act as if everything is going to stay the same as it always was, when we above all should know better.

God is calling this generation of believers to observe the times and seasons and make a quality decision to become all that we can be, so that as many can come to Christ as will listen. That is going to take some pretty radical changes in our thinking about what is important and what is not. It is also going to take some nerve to act on what we know to be true. How are you doing with that? What are you doing about it?

Show me truth and help me to act on it, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“Is there anyone you need to repent to or ask their forgiveness? It is important that your relationships are in order, if you are looking to have intimacy with Me. How can you come to Me if you disobey My command to forgive those who have offended you, or choose not to make things right with those you have offended? How do you expect Our relationship to be complete with sin between Us? Put things in order between you and everyone you can as soon as you can. Then come to Me. I will share My life with you. I will wait!”

Acts 24:15-16 NIV

15) …and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

16) So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.

Matthew 5:23-24 NIV

23) “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,

24) leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.”

 

Most of us in the church hope that the Lord doesn’t really mean what He says in these verses. Surely He is not that concerned about our relationships with others if we say we are following Jesus. Is He? He is?

Get my heart right, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“Have you noticed that people in the world are becoming more vicious toward one another? That is no accident. The veil of restraint is being lifted more swiftly during these end times to begin to reveal clearly the true hearts of those who are in rebellion against Me. I am turning them over to their depraved nature. Notice how they are beginning to truly enjoy hating one another. Even their games involve killing and destruction. Murder has become sport. The property and life of others has no meaning. They are progressively moving past even normal civil restraints and on to blatant disregard for all authority, vacant of love. It is society breaking down and moving toward its eventual destruction.

"You, My people, however, must put into effect what I have been teaching you. You must love one another deeply. You must pass normal caring and proceed to be advocates one for another. I am now asking you to throw off all the restraints of selfishness and independence toward your brothers and sisters in My covenant family. I am now requiring you to actually seek to provide for the needs of others. Set aside your own interests and pursue the best interests of others before your own just as Jesus did. That kind of love is what will bring those who have ears to hear to Him during the coming times. It will be what sets you apart from the world.

"As you move closer to Jesus and begin to act toward others as He would, while the world moves farther from His kind of love, your light will become increasingly brighter. The difference between the ways of the world and My ways will become very evident. You will proclaim My love of them by your love toward them and toward one another.”

 Romans 15:1-7 NIV

1) We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.

2) Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.

3) For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”

4) For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

5) May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus,

6) so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7) Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

Titus 3:3 AMP

For we also were once thoughtless and senseless, obstinate and disobedient, deluded and misled; [we too were once] slaves to all sorts of cravings and pleasures, wasting our days in malice and jealousy and envy, hateful (hated, detestable) and hating one another.

 

The dictionary translation of “advocate” is: “one who defends or maintains a cause for another.” The place where we see advocacy as it applies to our mission is to be “advocates one for another, maintaining a cause for another and then to the world.” The Bible dictionary defines “Advocate” as counselor, comforter, supporter, backer, and helper.

When the true body of Christ begins to function in their everyday lives as they are intended to function, there will be little need for preaching to the world. Our lives and our actions will be the testimony of Jesus to them. They will see who He is by who we are. How will that ever happen if we don’t start by loving one another?

It has been interesting to observe the ability for the world to appear to be able to love one another better than the body of Christ does.  9/11 was a very visible example of that.

After September 11, 2001, many people gave far past the needs of their own lives and lived for the needs of others. Christ’s love was indistinguishable from the world’s love. In fact, the world often seemed to love more sacrificially. There were isolated examples of the Christian church stepping into its intended role; but for the most part, we failed miserably to show the nature of Jesus by our continuing sacrifice.

As things grow darker and hatred spreads deeper into all elements of society, our actions will be the only message that penetrates hardened hearts. Empty words will not suffice. Only as we love deeper than they ever could, will they see Jesus. That is the way it was in decadent Rome. The dying Christians - in the arena, on the roadside crosses, and in caves - gave testimony of Jesus by how they sacrificed themselves for Jesus. They loved those who killed them just as He did.

We who call ourselves Christians have difficulty loving each other. God requires us to love the world even unto death - a far cry from our abilities at present.  As we take small steps toward each other, He will build in us the heart to love even those who hate us - something the world has no ability to do. That is where we are called to go so that we point to Jesus. Right now we point only to ourselves. The cartoon character, Pogo, once said something like this: “We have seen the enemy and he is us.”

Help us, Lord!

Jim Corbett