Tag: Devotional

“A new season is at hand. To those of you who understand that there must be a crucifixion of your flesh, anticipate the joy that is your heritage after your resurrection. Understand that I am taking you to a death of everything that you were, all that you own, and all that owns you. I must do this so that you can be trusted with My presence. You must be an empty vessel so that My presence is all that is in you after I call you forth. There will be a resurrection. I will roll away the stone of your grave. I will raise you up for this end-time work.

“Here is what must happen. You must die to yourself. That work is in progress as we speak. Submit to My hand and the trials that you are encountering. They are refiner’s fires that will allow you to embrace the cross as Jesus did. Next, you must rest as a dead person would rest, waiting for Me to move in your situation. Your submission will have planted the seed in you of the anticipation of My resurrecting hand upon you. Then in My time, when all is ready, I will once again bring forth My light to the world. It will be in you as fully as it was in Jesus. Consider this the holy work that it is. Soon, I will call you to come forth.”

Galatians 2:20 AMP

I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]: it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Gal. 5:24 AMP

And those who belong to Christ Jesus (the Messiah) have crucified the flesh (the godless human nature) with its passions and appetites and desires.

Gal.  6:14 NIV

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

 

So many of us desire to have all the good stuff without going through the suffering that conforms us into the image of the Lord. Consequently, we take our head knowledge to those around us. The further consequence of that is that few, if any, people are changed by head knowledge.

God is calling for a holy generation - a resurrection generation, one that has embraced the cross, waited as if dead to our own abilities to push the gravestone aside; and allowed the Spirit of God to completely eliminate our flesh and renew our spirits. We are a remnant, waiting as if a bride for the Lord to complete His work in us. I believe that He is about to call us forth here, and soon to Himself.

There are no shortcuts to completing the work that is needed to be done in each of us. Our Lord is very good at placing us in situations and circumstances that are intended to change us. He wants all of us. That’s how much He loves us.

Only by Your strength, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“I would like you to peruse everything that you call your own and see if you would really give it away if I asked you to do so. Where does My ownership stop? If there is a time that it does stop in your life, what is your interpretation of “Lordship” and “Master”? Where do you draw the line when it comes to stewardship of My wealth and cross into personal ownership? If I asked you to give away everything, would you do it; or is that kind of request outside of My jurisdiction?

“How can you say that I own your life if I really don’t own every relationship, every moment, and every item in your life? Search My Word and see if you can find your license to claim anything as your own if you’ve given your life to Me. Jesus owned nothing, including His life, as an example to each of those who were to come after Him. His waiting bride is in training to do the same.”

Acts 4:29-35 NIV

29) “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.

30) Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

31) After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

32) All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.

33) With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all.

34) There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales

35) and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.”

 

The above verses fascinate me as much as any verses in the Bible. They occur as a fledgling church moved in a society that was reeling from the most incredible event in history - the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Just after the Holy Spirit empowered them, the church formed patterns for others to follow. As stated above, when in peril, they asked for boldness to proclaim Jesus, not deliverance from the danger. It was too early for the different interpretations of what had happened to pollute them, so they had one heart and one mind.  Their risen Master owned nothing and gave everything. It was natural to do the same, not even counting the cost.

Isn’t it fascinating that those who probably walked with Jesus acted very much like He did, once they were strengthened to do so? It seems that as more time elapses - and the further we, as believers, get from the actual resurrection day - the more room for personal interpretation of how Jesus lived is involved in the way that we choose to represent Him. It is also fascinating that we seem to be less powerful in everything we do as that occurs.

At present, we, the church, have become so much like the world in most of what we do, that our impact on the world is far less noticeable. We almost fit comfortably in a society that hates Who we are supposed to represent. Sort of makes you want to go “Hmmmm!

Change my heart, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“In the quiet place of intimacy with Me can be found all that is needed for you to be complete. When all the distractions that the world calls prosperity have been stripped away, you, My child, will find true prosperity. What the wisest scholar could not grasp about the true meaning of life will be comprehended fully by the youngest child who is truly Mine. At that time, My people will understand My Son's heart as He was led to the cross.  They will understand the kind of love He had for those who cursed Him. At that time, only what is truly important will be worth knowing.  All else will pass away as so much rubbish.  My people will prosper as I see prosperity.”

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].

 

This scripture has brought me so much life! In the many times that I have studied it, I have learned something each time. I believe that the operative thought our Father would impart here is "freedom."

Paul is giving us the key to Christ’s kind of freedom in every circumstance. This is not a "What can You do for me, God?" kind of Christianity. It is an "I realize that I have been bought with a price; I will gladly do what is necessary to serve You properly, Lord" kind of love. It is the kind of wealth that allows us to joyfully overcome everything the world has to offer.

People who are in this for their good rather than the Lord’s purposes will think you've gone stark raving mad if you pursue this kind of life. Then again, the world’s way of thinking could never understand God's kind of freedoms. Understand also that every trial you incur will really be a gift given to you to make you more like Jesus. It's also God's way. That means that even those who would come against you are really helping you in your quest. What an incredible God!

Wanting more,

Jim Corbett

“You will never lose your way if you keep your eyes on Me. I understand every path you are to follow. I have gone before you. I am with you. As We walk together, you will see the majesty of the paths We have walked in the past. It will give you confidence to walk in new directions. Take My hand. Be confident that I will provide solid footing. Sometimes the path may seem dark. Allow Me to light the way. Allow Me to be your Guide. I know the way.”

Ps. 116:8 AMP

For You have delivered my life from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling and falling.

Ps. 119:105 AMP

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

5) Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

6) in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 16:9 AMP

A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure.

Isa. 30:20-21 AMP

20) And though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide Himself any more, but your eyes will constantly behold your Teacher.

21) And your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way; walk in it, when you turn to the right hand and when you turn to the left.

Luke 1:78-80 AMP

78) Because of and through the heart of tender mercy and loving-kindness of our God, a Light from on high will dawn upon us and visit [us].

79) To shine upon and give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to direct and guide our feet in a straight line into the way of peace.

80) And the little boy grew and became strong in spirit; and he was in the deserts (wilderness) until the day of his appearing to Israel [the commencement of his public ministry].

 

Few of us would venture into dark places on purpose. When those days come upon us, however, we can be sure that the Lord is in them with us. After the darkness has subsided and we have overcome by the power of the Lord, more often than not there is an astounding amount of evidence of the Lord walking every step with us.

The next time you are called to traverse uncharted paths, those you have never been on before, remember the many times you have conquered them in the past. They will help you to be assured that He will be with you again.

Allow me to remember how many times You have helped me, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“Study My Word. Ponder it in your heart until it becomes part of you. Allow My Holy Spirit to show you insights into its deeper meaning. Guard your heart from anything that does not conform to My Word and My heart. You can rely on Who I am and what I have said. I always confirm My Word. Anything other than My Word is not to be held close to you, even if it sounds good or looks real.”

Psalm 106:12-15 AMP

12) Then [Israel] believed His words [trusting in, relying on them]; they sang His praise.

13) But they hastily forgot His works; they did not [earnestly] wait for His plans [to develop] regarding them,

14) But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness and tempted and tried to restrain God [with their insistent desires] in the desert.

15) And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their souls and [thinned their numbers by] disease and death.

Psalm 111:2 NIV

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

Psalm 119:89 NIV

Your word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.

Psalm 119:160 NIV

All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

5) Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

6) in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 16:9 AMP

A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure.

 

What we deeply believe will determine who we are, why we pray, how we pray, why we attempt to bring others to see who Jesus is; and cause us to form a perception of why He did all that He did. This perception will be a foundation for how we interpret the Word of God; and consequently, how we carry out what we have learned, also showing others that same perception.

Where we place God in our plans will determine how we perceive the nature and purpose of our salvation. Wrong perception in this area will cause us to flounder blindly in a fog of religious activity, striving to find purpose for our life at best, and actually working against the real desires of God at worst.

Train my heart to desire only Your true Words, Lord,

Jim Corbett