Tag: Devotional

“As I challenge each of you to become like Jesus, you must remember one very important fact. I am the only One who can make the changes that are needed in you. You can never change yourself. Any attempt to do so enters into the realm of religion and destroys My concept of relationship. Religion is man’s vain attempt to become good before Me. It causes striving, a system of good works in an attempt to impress Me, and much condemnation when you realize that you will never achieve the goal of holiness.

"A person who has an honest relationship with Me, however, understands his complete and total bankruptcy. In his deepest inner parts, there is no hint of the possibility of achieving anything in his own strength. Anything that might be accomplished in him or through him is understood to come from Me. That is the kind of relationship for which Jesus died. He died so that you could cease from any striving to better yourself. I promise to do all of the work of perfecting you and making you holy.

"All I ask you to do is come and spend time with Me. As you do that, I will impart Myself to you.  Each time We visit, a little more of you is perfected. While We enjoy each other, My Word is accomplishing its task. The call that I have on your life is impossible for you to accomplish, especially in the coming times and seasons when I will require the out-flowing of Jesus in your daily walk. It will require total death to your flesh, a painful process.

"Although there will be times of agony, when all you can do is hang on to My promises, I will be hanging on to you, holding you close to Me. In the easier times, let’s have fun together, while I am accomplishing My work  in you and for you.”

Hebrews 10:14 NIV

because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

 

Those who desire to draw closer to the Lord and become all that they are intended to be know that religion, good works, and striving have no part in their lives. Sometimes, however, every one of us has a tendency to fall into the trap of each one of those elements, especially when we hear the call to holiness and preparation for the coming of our Lord.

As the Father reveals all aspects of His heart, sometimes I reel with the overwhelming challenge that I am called to face. I begin to condemn myself for who I am not, cower at the prospects ahead of me as a Christian in the coming times, stagger at the weight of my responsibility to represent Jesus properly; and become discouraged as I attempt to prepare for His return. It is then that I remember that none of this was my idea in the first place. My Father has ordained my life and has promised to fulfill His plan for it and in it. My job is simply to need Him desperately.

In the above verse, I am so encouraged by the words “those who are being made holy.” The wonderful part of “he has made perfect forever” is pretty incredible and difficult for me to understand fully; but “being made holy” soothes my heart. At this very moment - and every moment until we are with our Father in heaven - the process of making us holy is being accomplished, because we have surrendered our lives to Jesus and His completed work on the cross.  It is being done for us as we embrace the astounding honor of spending time with our Father. What an incredible, assuring promise!

Gratefully jumping on the lap of my Abba,

Jim Corbett

“Few of you are ready to be inconvenienced. Few of you are willing to go the extra mile for those who cannot return the favor. You need to change that. It is a heart position that denies who Jesus is. It is a posture that identifies with the world’s system, not Mine.

"Most of you need to practice stepping out from your comfort zones. You need to purposely place yourselves in positions where you appear as someone greater than who you really are to others. Go beyond your small world and reach into the world of My presence. I will meet you there. It is like building up your muscles. Once you start to exercise them, they become stronger and can do more.

"Build your heart that way. Practice loving deeper. Begin to care for someone who has little ability to care back for you. Get uncomfortably open with your love. Extend your love beyond the reasonable and into the realm of the unashamed. It is the antithesis of what is happening in the world. You will stand apart. You will be taken advantage of. Your personal zones may be inconvenienced. You may be laughed at after you have spent yourself, scorned when you exhaust your resources for the sake of others; and chastised when you display unabashed acceptance to the unacceptable. It will be fun.

"I love to accompany you to those kinds of vibrant displays of the heart of Jesus. I love to fill empty, outstretched hands with miracles. I love to find ways for those who have no ways. I love it when you, My chosen ones, show others Jesus rather than simply talk about Him. Go find where He may be found, instead of continually calling Him to where you are. We will rejoice together in the vibrant world of loving service.”

I Sam. 16:7b AMP 

For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.

Matt. 22:37-39 AMP 

37) And He replied to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect).

38) This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment.

39) And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself.

John 15:13 NIV

“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”

 

Jesus left His heavenly home, was persecuted, whipped; and then died on the cross while others laughed at Him, so that we - who say that we are His followers - could remain comfortable in our own little worlds, store up riches for ourselves, and demand more from God. I don’t think so!!!

May I be like You, Jesus,

Jim Corbett

“Be grateful for those who have helped you in the past. Rejoice over how I have provided for you. Give to others with selfless abandon. Speak life-giving words into those around you. Deeply love everyone that is near you. Bless your mate. Bless your children. Bless your parents. Bless your friends. Make a practice of rejoicing in My love for you. I will bless you.”

Psalm 111:2 NIV

Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them.

Isaiah 40:1 NIV

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

 

My family and I were walking into a restaurant in South Florida early one evening. We were just in front of a young man who we found out later worked there. As we were walking into the building with this man right behind us, the Lord told me to turn around and bless him. The thought gave me cause to hesitate a moment because this man did not look friendly and carried a street presence that usually signifies a gang association.

When I turned around, the man stopped with surprise. Before he could do anything, the Lord directed me to put my hand on his chest and speak wealth into his spirit. I was directed to tell him that he was valuable, that God had a plan for his life; and that Jesus loved him. He was so surprised and taken aback that all he could say was a weak “thank you.” When he did, his head was down and he looked like a little child. I believe that few people, if any one at all, had ever affirmed his worth to him.

For the time we were at the restaurant, we observed him glancing at us with a questioning look every time he had the opportunity while he did his work. I think that he will remember that moment for the rest of his life. Such a small thing to do, but such a major event in someone’s life.

Show me how to bless others, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“For many years now, I have been telling you to prepare for the final fulfillment of My Word. Some of you have responded to My heralding with absolute abandon. You have seen the signs all around you that confirm what I have been telling you, and you have initiated whatever changes were needed to respond to My wooing. Life as you knew it has fallen away in your heart, and your only reason for existing is to be totally prepared and part of those who will usher in the coming of My Son. Even though things seem to take longer than expected, you remain faithful to what you know to be true in your heart.

"Others of you are just now responding to the events all around you. You are applying what is very evident before you because you see its application to My Word and are beginning to adjust your priorities. Things are changing so fast that their implications have become very clear. Soon, you will move with zeal in the direction of holiness because you will finally know that what once was in your world can never be again. You see it and are making proper decisions to apply your lives to what is happening. You have determined to be ready and will soon sell out completely to what you know to be truth.

"The remainder of My church does not, as of this time, understand where their priorities should be. They are still attempting to find only solace in Me for their personal needs, rather than responding to the Holy Spirit’s call to holiness. Their eyes are only on themselves and their desires for their kind of abundant life.

"My caution to them is to wake from your slumber. Shake loose from anything that hinders you from choosing holiness as your only desire. Exchange your old life for My new life in Jesus. There is still time, but do not wait too long.”

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.”

 

The Lord always warns His people of what He is doing to accomplish His will and fulfill His plans. Throughout history, it seems that there have been several responses to what the Lord is saying at any given time. Basically, I see that these responses come in three seasons or waves.

I have observed that there are those who are very responsive to the slightest movement in the heavenlies. Their ears are so tuned to the heart of the Lord that He has a mouthpiece to herald His heart to begin to stir His people. This heralding begins at a time when there is little or no evidence of the heralding being needed. Usually, most do not hear what is being said; and these few are labeled as fanatics. Because of their great love for their Lord, however, they quietly press on, holding what they have been told in prayer and sharing only with those who have ears to hear.

I believe that the next group responds to concrete evidence and its application to the Word. Their great love for the Lord motivates them to be very sensitive to their world and its biblical application. Wanting to accomplish the Lord’s will, they recognize the times and seasons as they happen, and respond in kind. They implement on a large scale what the first group has been saying for a long time. Generally, it seems that this group hears what the Lord is saying in time to respond and move with Him to accomplish His will.

The third group usually submits to any movement of God only through great pressure. When things become too difficult for them to handle, they seek God’s help in solving their needs; and therefore do not move from their comfort zones unless it is absolutely necessary. They are only moved by what is best for them and usually miss much of what the Lord is really saying until it’s too late. When what was being proclaimed for a long time does come to pass, this group is usually scurrying to do just enough to get in on what is happening. Usually, it seems that they miss out completely.

Wanting to hear and respond quickly,

Jim Corbett

“You are seeing all things that I have created in your world so far fall in their place. Through My Word, you have seen the creations of the heavens and the earth. You have seen the creation and rebellion of My angelic beings. You have also seen the creation of mankind. Each and every one of My creations has an order that is to be followed and is functioning in My plan. I have designed it to be that way. There is no guesswork in anything that I do.

"Both My angelic creation and your creation have an initial period that allows proper choices to be made, and then there is a conclusion that fits within My overall plan. You are now part of the initial period - the earthly portion of your life. Your world, as you know it, will no longer exist once all of My purposes for it have been fulfilled. Once they are accomplished, you will remain with Me to fulfill the plans that I have for the eternal future. That may seem relatively unimportant at this moment in your life, but do not limit its impact in regard to your future.

"You need to remove your focus from the immediate and begin to realize that I have much more for you to do once your creation has fulfilled its initial purpose. Just as the angelic creation had a time to be involved in the playing out of their initial purpose to then function in My plan because of their choices, your involvement today directly impacts your future with Me. Your choice to serve Me was only the beginning. Your actions and daily choices have far more impact than you know.

"What you do each day, the choices you make, the decisions you follow, really play a part in your eternal future. Make proper choices. See a larger picture than what is presented to you each day by your life. I am a very creative God. Do not limit Me because you cannot see beyond what is happening in your little world.”

Joshua 24:15b NIV

“…then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…”

Matthew 24:35 NIV 

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

 

I often wonder what the timeframe was that the angels had to make their decision to follow God. How much time did Lucifer have to influence that decision? How long did they function with God before the rebellion was exposed?  Did they spend all of their “days” in the rebellion plot, weeding out those who would remain faithful to the Lord and those who would rebel, or did “life” go on as usual, in service to God, while all things were playing out?

I know that those things are not necessary for us to know in order to function or they would have been revealed to us through the Word. It is fascinating, however, to understand that there was some sort of timeframe whereby the angels functioned; and then there was a conclusion to life as they knew it for some of them. Once the heavenly rebellion was concluded and the “players” of God’s plan had solidified their positions by their actions, God went on to His next work – us.

Now we, as a human race, are in the same sort of initial timeframe that the angels had. We have been created. Biblical history has shown us of a rebellion - this time with a means for redemption through Jesus Christ - and this very day we are on our way to the conclusion of this timeframe in our lives. What happens next, only God knows.

What does seem of paramount importance, however, is how we redeem each moment that the Lord has given us before He closes this portion of history. Our days are definitely numbered. What we do with each one seems to have a definite impact on our function in God’s economy, not only for today; but also for the futures to come.

Needing to function in God’s plans, not mine,

Jim Corbett