Tag: Devotional

“Do you fully understand the privilege of being in My family? Do you really comprehend the alternative? With your acceptance comes responsibility. You have My Name to uphold. You have My desires to fulfill. You have other members of My family to undergird as they progress in their relationship with Me. A high price was paid for your acceptance. How grateful are you?”

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...”

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 with your brother; then come and offer your gift.”

Matthew 25:14-30 NIV

14) "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them.

15) To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.

16) The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more.

17) So also, the one with the two talents gained two more.

18) But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.

19) "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.

20) The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. `Master,' he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'

21) "His master replied, `Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

22) "The man with the two talents also came. ‘Master,' he said, ‘you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'

23) "His master replied, `Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

24) "Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,' he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.

25) So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'

26) "His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?

27) Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

28) " ‘Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.

29) For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.

30) And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' “

 

During our travels throughout the United States, we encounter many people who call themselves Christians. Some really are an example and testimony of Jesus. Many, however, seem to have lost their perspective of Christ’s crucified life, and have turned the Gospel inward. They seem to fully accept the privilege of a relationship with Christ but place the responsibilities that come with it somewhere behind all their own agendas.

Serving Christ and accepting His Lordship over our lives is the answer to all human life. It is not a game, nor is it a membership into a “bless me” club. It is a covenant with the Creator of all things. It is a binding contract that is overseen and monitored by the Lord Himself. This covenant agreement with Jesus is taken very seriously in heavenly places. It should be taken very seriously every moment of our lives.

Show me what I agreed to, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“I see all the things that you’re doing for Me, but I’d rather talk. Don’t you feel a little lonely without My presence? Wouldn’t things work better for you if I was at the center of them? Why are you running ahead of Me? We haven’t spent enough time together to have you know My heart. That really has to change. I need to share some pretty vital information with you before you move out again, thinking I am with you. Make Me your priority. Doing good things is not necessarily what I want for you. I want your heart to be in line with My heart. Then We can move together.”

Ps. 16:11 AMP 

You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

Amos 5:14 NIV 

Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is.

Micah 7:7 AMP

But as for me, I will look to the Lord and confident in Him I will keep watch; I will wait with hope and expectancy for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.

 

If we continue to do a bunch of good things and never really learn to wait in God’s presence, we have missed the purpose of the cross. The world knows how to do good things. In fact, because most of us are undone when we come to Christ, we spend most of our days finding answers to our questions and can’t even see the needs around us.

How are you spending your days? Are you firmly convinced that the things you are doing are birthed and anointed by God, or are they just right looking and right sounding events that have little eternal value?

Lord, I want to know you more,

Jim Corbett

“I’m ready if you are! I’m ready to move if you are willing to put into effect what you have been trained to do. You need to wait in My presence to gain My will before you move. Move only when I tell you to move. Move only with those I give you. Listen to My heart in all of your decisions. Seek wise counsel. Walk in love. Remember why I have called you. Focus on your calling. Wait for My presence. Anticipate miracles when you need them. Enjoy the ride; you are My agent of change!”

Exodus 17:12 AMP 

But Moses’ hands were heavy and grew weary. So [the other men] took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Then Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side and one on the other side; so his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

Deut. 1:6 NIV

The Lord our God said to us at Horeb, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain.”

Exodus 33:13-16 NIV

13) “If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”

14) The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

15) Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.

16) How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”

Matt.16:19  AMP

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind (declare to be improper and unlawful) on earth, must be whatever is already bound in heaven; and whatever you loose (declare lawful) on earth must be what is already loosed in heaven.

John 7:6-8 NIV

6)Therefore Jesus told them, “The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right.

7) The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil.

8) You go to the Feast. I am not yet going up to this Feast, because for me the right time has not yet come.”

 

With the Lord, timing is everything. When I study the heart of God, I see Him moving at determined times with precise measures. Most of us make the mistake of receiving a direction and then running ahead of His will with our own concept of what He has told us. What happens then is a perfect crash and burn scenario.

Allow the Lord to awaken your heart to His next move in your life. Wait for His precise directions. Seek wise counsel. Move in love. The Lord has determined your path. If it is His time for you to move ahead, walk in His perfect will.

Teach me to wait, Lord,

Jim Corbett

 “Everything that you receive from Me is an act of love. You are My cherished child. You are part of Me because of what Jesus has done. When you come to Me with repentance in your heart, I forgive you and remember your sin no more. It is gone as far as I am concerned.

"When you need help, I always move in your direction. To maintain peace, you need to remember that while I fully accept you, you are also in training. I fully accept you always, no matter how many times you need to repent to Me because of your sin. My acceptance is part of My overwhelming love for you. I always love you. I am also always training you and fulfilling My promise to make you holy. Sometimes that may appear to you as if answers are delayed or challenging seasons may continue too long.

"Remember that I love you. I always love you. Allow that knowledge to remain in your heart when answers to your prayers may seem to take too long while I am training you.”

2 Cor. 3:18 AMP 

And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.

Ephesians 5:1-2 NIV

1) Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children

2) and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Hebrews 10:14 NIV

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

Rev. 3:19 AMP  Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I tell their faults and convict and convince and reprove and chasten [I discipline and instruct them]. So be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and repent [changing your mind and attitude.

 

It’s so easy to forget that we are continually in training for service. Our lives are not designed to remain in comfort, where we can observe the world going by from some lofty perch. We have been brought into the kingdom of God so that our Lord can accomplish His will through us.

Once that understanding is complete in us, our lives will never be the same. We will be able to walk in full acceptance, bathed in love, willing to be guided to whatever training ground the Lord deems necessary. The highs and lows of whether or not we are accepted will fall by the wayside. The question of whether or not we are loved will be answered, and the purpose for our lives will come into focus the more we submit to His hand. Our lives will become wondrously fulfilled, flowing in loving interaction between Father and child, working in union with a common goal.

Teach me from Your heart, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“Do you remember when we were alone and quiet and you gave your life to Jesus? I don’t necessarily mean when you made an emotional commitment, but the day you understood His Lordship. I mean that determined moment when everything you were became Mine through Him. I also want you to remember the subsequent times when you confirmed your decision to have Jesus be the Lord over every fiber of your being. You sold out completely for My reasons, rather than remain in the feel-good religion of those around you.

"At those confirming moments, you came out of the cold, dead church; and set yourself on a bridal course with Me. Although I am no respecter of persons, I do honor the heart commitment of My true church and deal differently with those who are completely Mine. I take you at your word and your heart purpose, beginning the course to remove everything that is of the flesh in you. That is My determined purpose.

"You must understand that your life will never resemble the lives of those in My church who have never gone beyond selfish reasons for knowing Me. Remember, you have decided to respond to the call to be set apart over and over again. When you became serious from the depths of your being, I could begin the deeper work in you individually. In this late season, I am doing that increased work en masse.

"Look around to see how many of My people are going through trials to refine them. Be not surprised as more enter into My refinement and the trials increase. Some of My remnant will fall away even now because of the pressure. You remain steadfast. Regain your first love. We will make it through together if you rely on Me. Who will embrace the bridal heart? Let it be you.”

Phil 3:10-11 AMP 

10) [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]

11) That if possible I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body].

Rev. 3:19 AMP

Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I tell their faults and convict and convince and reprove and chasten [I discipline and instruct them]. So be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and repent [changing your mind and attitude].

 

Far from an “elitism” mentality, there is a separation that is happening within the body of Christ. As usual, the enemy counterfeits any move of God, attempting to draw the unsuspecting believer into a trap of uniqueness or polarization. This end-time separation cannot be counterfeited, however, because it is not one of raising ourselves up, but one of lowering ourselves to a posture of complete surrender to the will of God in every area of our lives—esteeming ourselves as nothing so that Jesus can become everything in us.

This move to bridal preparedness is not the road that many will take because it is a road willingly taken to destroy every ounce of our carnal heart behavior. It is a crucified life, implemented by the Lord in those who continually surrender themselves to Him. It is a road of complete elimination of the flesh so that the Spirit of God is all that remains. It is the dedicated study of Jesus, embracing and accepting His very nature, so that when He comes, we will be like Him.

Waiting,

Jim Corbett