Tag: Devotional

“How close is your heart to the heart of Jesus? Your answer is very important, so respond carefully. My desire is that it beat in unison with His. Understand this. Your life is really a time of preparation. Please understand how important your goals are as you walk with Me. It is important that you seek to be like Jesus in every way. My goal is to empower you to do so. 

"In this life, you, My church, prepare for one of three situations, depending on your maturity. You prepare for your personal security, you prepare for war, or you prepare for marriage. Those of you preparing for personal security do only what it takes to spend eternity with Me. You spend your days confident in the work done for you at Calvary, and that is enough. The thought that I desire more for you is rarely in your heart, so you have become immovable and complacent, ill-equipped for even the smallest mission, unless it is for your benefit.

"If you are preparing for war, you have chosen to go deeper with Me, understanding that there is much more to your preparation than your personal security. You seek Me with all your heart and live a crucified life, allowing Me to eliminate your carnal nature at every opportunity. You are truly after My heart and My desire. You desire to represent Me with all your heart. You are valiant.  I can trust you with much.

"Marriage preparation goes much deeper. It has all the characteristics of a warrior, but also includes a cleansed heart that beats with radiant, intense, holy love for Jesus. Your days are filled with preparation for Him as you represent Me. Your focus is His pleasure, as you prepare for His return. Nothing is more important to you than your understanding of His ways, so that your garments are spotless and ready. While you joyfully complete any mission that you are called to do, your eyes are ever looking upward, your heart is always waiting for His call. You have the heart of a waiting bride.”

Matt. 25:1-6 NIV

1) “At that time the Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to met the bridegroom.

2) Five of them were foolish and five were wise.

3) The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them.

4) The wise, however, took oil in their jars along with their lamps.

5) The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

6) At midnight the cry rang out ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet Him!’”

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 desires to do it, let him come, take, appropriate, and drink of the water of Life without cost.

 

I am convinced that we, as members of the body of Christ, must look past all of the daily distractions, and understand that we should be preparing as if we were getting married soon. Within the church, there are many varied teachings concerning who or what the bride of Christ is. Some say that anyone who is born again is automatically the bride. In Revelation, the bride is represented as a city. Some believe that in the city resides the true bride. Most interpretations have enough Bible verses to back their theory with gusto. True Bible scholars have contended these and other viewpoints for centuries, all convinced that their opinion is correct.

I am certainly no Bible scholar, nor am I an expert in any way. In my study, the only thing I’m sure of is that Jesus Christ is Lord. He is the Messiah who said that one day He will return. We should take comfort in that promise. From that base, however, it seems that the Lord is continually addressing the heart and motive for everything we do as the body of Christ. If that is truth, wouldn’t it be wise for every one of us to seek to position our hearts as close to the heart of Jesus as possible - for His pleasure?

As Jesus desired only to please the Father in every way, we should be doing the same as our daily pursuit; that’s a given. I see that as basic Christianity 101. To make that pursuit complete, however, there are many verses throughout the Word that goad us toward a holy motive, a pure love, a deeper calling — one characterized by the heart of Jesus — that is attainable through the power of God. Wouldn’t Jesus be most blessed if it were our mission to be as much like Him and waiting only for Him as a pure waiting bride? Why would we think He is worthy of anything less if we call Him Lord?

Wanting to have pure motives,

Jim Corbett

“Does anything really move you anymore? Do you care if people are going to be separated from Me for their eternal lives? When was the last time you wept for souls? When did you give up any comfort for the sake of someone hearing My Word? I know some of you are fulfilling My plan for you, but what about those of you who have settled into a mundane spiritual existence? Where is your fire? Your time is considered your own. Your money is yours! My gifts to you make you proud rather than grateful! What is it going to take to wake you up? You are about to find out unless you wake up to My heart! Old manna is no longer nourishing and some of you are starving to death spiritually. Repent now!”

James 1:13-15 AMP 

13) Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted from God; for God is incapable of being tempted by [what is] evil and He Himself tempts no one.

14) But every person is tempted when he is drawn away, enticed and baited by his own evil desire (lust, passions).

15) Then the evil desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully matured, brings forth death.

Rev. 3:18-20 AMP

18) Therefore I counsel you to purchase from Me gold refined and tested by fire, that you may be [truly] wealthy, and white clothes to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nudity from being seen, and salve to put on your eyes, that you may see.

19) 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].

20) Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears and listens to and heeds My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will eat with him, and he [will eat] with Me.

 

Human nature has an incredible ability to adapt to almost any conditions. Persecuted Christians, jailed for their beliefs, often prospered spiritually under horrendous conditions. Personal tragedy, in time, becomes palatable memories. Broken hearts and emotions eventually heal, especially with the power of God. We are an adaptable people with an incredible gift.

This ability to become familiar with and adapt has its drawbacks, however, when it comes to the times and seasons in which we live. For many years now, the Lord has been calling His church to prepare, to draw close to the Lord, to weep for souls. The problem with our adaptability is that we have become dull in hearing the message that the Lord is giving. The urgency has lost its sting in many cases. Zeal has been replaced by nonchalance, and in some cases many have fallen into a quiet spiritual death. Some of the children of God are in grave danger. Most don’t even know it.

Wake me up, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“Some of you have forgotten why you have been born. Your vision is so clouded that there is little eternal purpose in your life. Because of self-interest, you have complicated My very simple plan. I want you to love Me above everything else, and then love others more than you love yourself. That is what Jesus did. Why would I ask you to live any other way?”

1 John 2:6 AMP

Whoever says he abides in Him ought [as a personal debt] to walk and conduct himself in the same way in which He walked and conducted Himself.

 

Have you ever wondered what the above verse really means? I believe it means that whoever says he abides in Him ought [as a personal debt] to walk and conduct himself in the same way in which He walked and conducted Himself.

Help me, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“I love how many of you are becoming so sensitive to My leading. I know that We’ve talked about this many times, but it really is important to Me. I need to tell everyone that they have been reconciled to Me. You are My missionaries. From My perspective, I know when and where you can be effective. That is where you must be. When you learn to hear Me correctly, I can trust you to be there as My agent.

"While you are learning absolute obedience, many times it may appear as if you have made a mistake in following My direction. You may look as if you have missed My will completely. Sometimes that may be the case, but don’t be alarmed. I can handle that. Sometimes, however, you will be exactly where I want you to be and everything still appears as if you did not hear Me properly. Nothing works, nothing fits, and nothing seems right. You may still be in My perfect will.

"I may be using you for many reasons that you can’t see at the time, and will possibly never understand. These are the times that you will hear foolish words like “Where He guides, He will provide” from the uninitiated, ignorant, or success-oriented Christian. Many tender, obedient hearts have been stifled by those who don’t understand My ways. I may even be allowing you to appear as a fool, so that I can reveal the unfair judgments and hardened hearts in the lives of those who are watching you. Your reaction to what looks like a mistake on your part is as important as your reaction to success.

"Don’t listen to those who have not spent enough time with Me to really hear Me and understand My ways. It will only confuse you and hinder My life from flowing through you. I will take much pleasure in guiding you throughout your time with Me. You continue to learn to listen to My voice and move in obedience. The outcome of your obedience is up to Me. Keep walking, keep trusting. I am pleased. You are My special project! I love seeing you grow up.”

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…

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.”

Acts 21:12-14 NIV 

12) When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.

13) Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

14) When he would not be dissuaded. We gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”

 

Jesus was on a mission. Totally obedient, He moved when and where He was told. Fulfilling prophecies, personifying feasts, He had to count every step as ordained, for it was. No one understood His mission and His reasons for doing much of what He did. His death signified to those who had no understanding that He had definitely made a wrong turn somewhere.

I can’t tell you the number of times I have personally experienced or seen my faith-walking friends standing bare-faced and looking foolish because things seemingly did not work out following a step of obedience. I’m not talking about people making rash decisions. I’m talking about those with honest hearts, who spend months, years, and even more time seeking the Lord for their direction, only to seemingly find no answer after they step out.

Following the Lord does not always result in the American dream kind of ending. Jesus was crucified. Paul did go to jail. Most of the apostles died what appeared to be untimely deaths. Many, many people have been martyrs for the Lord because of their obedience and dedication.

Never let the perceived outcome hinder your ability to praise the Lord - knowing that you have been obedient - or hinder you from moving with Him the next time He calls you to a work. You are on a mission. Many in the church have been nullified by the need to look cool and prosperous. They can’t hear God. He can’t trust them.

You are being taught to hear His voice and move with Him, no matter what the others might do. The remnant heart longs only to please the Lord. Nothing else satisfies.

In the coming season, I am convinced that two functions will determine the true church of Jesus Christ. The first will be absolute obedience to the Lord. Listening and following only Him, the church will move in unison to accomplish His end-time work. The second will be looking only for the Lord. Fully ready, fully prepared, she will be purified and waiting hopefully.

Learning to listen and look,

Jim Corbett

“Do you realize that I have a Father’s love for you in the purest form? Because of what was won for you at the cross, We are in covenant. You are Mine! I watch over you. I desire to guide you and protect you. I will do whatever it takes to make sure that you grow up properly. My heart is for you and never against you. I love you!”

I Th. 5:24 AMP 

Faithful is He Who is calling you [to Himself] and utterly trustworthy, and He will also do it [fulfill His call by hallowing and keeping you].

Hebrews 13:5b AMP

…for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]

 

Children prosper under a good father, one who functions in love. There is always fertile soil to grow strong and healthy, which produces ripe, healthy fruit and feeds many with its goodness.

Father God provides rich soil for us to grow in. His heart is for us. His love is toward us. How wealthy we are as His children! What an opportunity to grow good and strong!

I love You, Father,

Jim Corbett