Tag: Devotional

“I am calling you to prepare your heart to be completely in line with My heart.  Some of you are not heeding My call. Submit yourselves to Me, that I might bring you into the fullness of life. Allow Me to break your heart, that you might desire the things that I desire.

"I desire that none should perish. I desire for you to love your enemies. I desire that you place the interests of others before your own interests just as Jesus did. I desire that you look to heavenly things and discard all the ways of the world. Are these the things that you really desire?          Why, then, do you push aside those I bring to you who need to see Jesus? Why do you embrace the things of the world? You need to respond to My call. There will come a day when you won’t be able to hear Me because of your hardened heart. That will be a dark day for you!”

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. 2:2-5 NIV

2) I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.

3) You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

4) Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.

5) Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

 

There is a vast difference between understanding and living under grace and mercy, and falling into complacency. There is no comparison between a heart that grieves because of the sin it embraces—sin it is continuously repenting of before the Lord—and the heart that has ignored the continual wooing and warnings of the Lord to repent. So many of us, who have walked a long time with the Lord, have become self-righteous, thinking that our Lord overlooks the lack of first love qualities in us because we have been with Him for so long, and have done so many things for Him. That’s a big oops!

Break my hardened heart, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“How do you think you’d fare if I had you in jungle survival training, instead of the training that I’ve had you in—to be My light to the world and to represent Jesus so more would come to Him? Suppose tomorrow when you woke up, the plane heading for the jungle was on the runway, your parachute was being strapped on, and your flight plan showed the drop off point, which meant you would jump and remain in the jungle for one year. As of that very moment, there would be no more training. You would survive only to the extent to which you have already submitted to your training. How ready would you be?

"If you had submitted to survival training in the whimsical way that you have trained for My call, I’m afraid you wouldn’t last very long once you hit the jungle floor. You will not be able to represent Me properly as the times change either. You have not taken My training seriously. You have not embraced My instructions with all your heart; and, therefore, you are not ready for what is ahead.

"Soon you will need to draw upon My power to rise above all that is happening around you. Some of you still do not know how to do that. You need to take seriously what I am teaching you. Everything is for your good and for My plan. Submit fully to My training in your life. Embrace the trials; relish the hardships. Know that they are for your good and for My purposes to be fulfilled in you.”

Jer. 12:5 AMP

[But the Lord rebukes Jeremiah’s impatience, saying] If you have raced with men on foot and they have tired you out, then how can you compete with horses? And if [you take to flight] in a land of peace where you feel secure, then what will you do [when you tread the tangled maze of jungle haunted by lions] in the swelling and flooding of the Jordan?

Rom. 12:1-2 NIV

1) Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—which is your spiritual worship.

2) Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Titus 2:11-14 AMP 

11) For the grace of God (His unmerited favor and blessing) has come forward (appeared) for the deliverance from sin and the eternal salvation for all mankind.

12) It has trained us to reject and renounce all ungodliness (irreligion) and worldly (passionate) desires, to live discreet (temperate, self-controlled), upright, devout (spiritually whole) lives in this present world.

13) Awaiting and looking for the [fulfillment, the realization of our] blessed hope, even the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

14) Who gave Himself on our behalf that He might redeem us (purchase our freedom) from all iniquity and purify for Himself a people [to be peculiarly His own, people who are] eager and enthusiastic about [living a life that is good and filled with] beneficial deeds.

Heb. 12:9-10 AMP

9) Moreover, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we yielded [to them] and respected [them for training us]. Shall we not much more cheerfully submit to the Father of spirits and so [truly] live?

10) For [our earthly fathers] disciplined us for only a short period of time and chastised us as seemed proper and good to them; but He disciplines us for our certain good, that we may become sharers in His own holiness.

 

It is a well-known fact that those who do not submit to training, whether on the job or in the military, do as much harm to those around them as they do to themselves, because they have little knowledge when called upon to do their jobs. Most of the time, they have little idea of how much harm their foolishness causes.

In the body of Christ at present, few of us know how to trust the Lord. Most of us squirm and flutter, trying to remove ourselves from the uncomfortableness of His training; instead of standing firm, waiting for the work to be done in us.

Because we are so selfish and put our own comfort above the welfare of others, we will not have what’s needed when the world needs to see Jesus. We will look and act like all the others as they go about in a blind panic when difficult situations arise. That isn’t the way Jesus would act. That should not be the way we act. Sadly, most of us will not know any other way.

Teach me Your way, Lord. Make me listen!

Jim Corbett

“You need to walk in the forgiveness that I have provided for you. The enemy of your soul would delight in having you remain under the condemnation of what you have done in the past, even those things you did before you came to Me. He continually reminds you of your sin.

"My Holy Spirit always reminds you of complete forgiveness and acceptance. The person you were before you accepted the Lordship of Jesus over your life is dead. There is no life there anymore. Because you have chosen to come to Me, I have taken care of your past. I am in charge of your present days, days that I have appointed for you. I have plans for your future.

"Walk in freedom. Pray for those you have harmed when I bring them to mind. Place them in My hands once and for all time. I will take care of them. It is My job, not yours, to focus on how they are to be healed. It’s what I promised to do for you. You do what I call you to do this day. Walk in My love and forgiveness. Looking back will harm Our relationship. It will rob you of the joy I have for you. Looking ahead will overwhelm you. It will cause you to fear the future. I am sufficient for today. Hold My hand; I am here for you.”

Ps. 103:11-12 AMP

11) For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great are His mercy and loving-kindness toward those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him.

12) As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV

11) “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

12) Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

13) You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

II Cor. 5:17 AMP

Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ, (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!

 

As the Lord teaches us humility, He has a way of showing each of us how much we need Him. He reveals the darkness of our own hearts, so that we can look past the failings of others and extend mercy to them. His acts of love are far different from the condemnation in which Satan attempts to have us reside.

The enemy wants to make sure that we concentrate on our failures, rather than on the new life we have in Christ. It is a trap full of entanglements that, if given enough attention, will keep us from walking in the freedom with which Christ has set us free.

Show me who I am in You when I start to listen to the lies, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“I understand the struggles you are going through. I know how they are bringing you to a point where you have little strength. I am aware of your requests and petitions to Me. Be patient just a little longer until patience has its perfect work in you. While the answers to your prayers are being formed to completion, come to Me to hear My heart for your life. Allow Me to show you the freedoms that are being created in you. Rest in My assurance that I know who you are and what you are becoming. The answers to your needs are on the way. While that work is in progress, fellowship with Me will bring life to your heart. I love you.”

Isa. 30:15a AMP 

For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: In returning [to Me] and resting [in Me] you shall be saved; in quietness and in [trusting] confidence shall be your strength.

II Cor. 1:8-10 NIV 

8) We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.

9) Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

10) He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us…

James 1:2-4 NIV

2) Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

3) because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

4) Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

 

God is doing a mighty work in the hearts of those He has chosen to be part of these end times. That work makes His greatly loved children appear as if they have no answers for anything that is happening to them. It feels like there is no way to turn, no way out of your situation - no matter what you try or how hard you work.

Be encouraged! You are in the school of your Father God. He is forming you into His own image and developing the patient character of Jesus in you. It is a work that is happening in many at this very time. Remember that God is there for you. Embrace what He is doing.

Needing to rest on my Father’s lap,

Jim Corbett

“After all your worries, plans, schemes, and devotion to things that pad your own comfort zone, some of you will come to Jesus empty-handed. The time you’ve spent on plans other than My plans will have been wasted on nothing. Remember what I am about to say and ponder My Word.

"Your life is but a whisper, one heartbeat away from absolute reality. After your last breath, there is an accounting of how you have responded to My calling. Grace and mercy will be abundant at that time, but there will also be a reality of loss when you find out how you could have blessed Jesus; but, instead, chose to squander My gifts upon your flesh— flesh that will then be burned away. Much that seems important and urgent on earth has no value in heaven. Invest in My eternal plans. Focus on My ways for you. When you come to Me that day, I desire you to be prosperous as I define prosperity. Bless Jesus as He has blessed you.”

I Cor. 3:11, 13-15 AMP

11) For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is [already] laid, which is Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)…

13) The work of each [one] will become [plainly, openly] known (shown for what it is); for the day [of Christ] will disclose and declare it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test and critically appraise the character and worth of the work each person has done.

14) If the work which any person has built on this Foundation [any product of his efforts whatever] survives [this test], he will get his reward.

15) But if any person’s work is burned up [under the test], he will suffer the loss [of it all, losing his reward], though he himself will be saved, but only as [one who has passed] through fire.

 

Many of us are so focused on the things of everyday life that we forget that this world is passing away. What we should be preparing for is our eternal world, the world we will have forever. If we read the Word properly, there is a direct impact on our eternal lives because of the choices we make and priorities we establish while living this life. We are given every opportunity, every tool, and every access to wisdom, so that Jesus is blessed by our lives. It would seem wise to take this opportunity to find out what really pleases His heart.

Teach me Your ways, Lord,

Jim Corbett