Tag: Devotional

“What are you waiting for? What is your hopeful expectation? Whatever expectation is the priority of your heart will determine the actions of your days. You should be waiting for Jesus! He should be the hopeful expectation of your life. If pleasing Jesus were the reason you existed, your only priority would be to prepare for His return. Nothing would distract you from that event. Nothing would be more important to you.

"Those who walked on earth with Him thought that Jesus would return for them personally. It was the hope that drove them to do wondrous achievements to further My kingdom. It was the motivation behind their pursuit of Me, so that they could live His life in front of those around them. I have placed that hope in each generation for very specific reasons. The hope of His return will keep you in constant preparation. It will cause you to strive to be like Him. It will motivate you to become as a waiting bride. Press in, My faithful ones. The time is soon.”

1 Cor. 1:2-9 NIV 

2) To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:

3) Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4) I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.

5) For in him you have been enriched in every way—in all your speaking and in all your knowledge—

6) because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you.

7) Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.

8) He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9) God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

Rev. 22:17-21 NIV 

17) The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.

18) I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book.

19) And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

20) He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

21) The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.”

 

One of the golden threads that weaves its way through every generation of believers is the hopeful expectation of the return of Jesus Christ and their subsequent removal from this earth and its cares. It is the driving force behind every thought, prayer, and move of the ones following hard after the things of God. Unfortunately, to the carnal believer, waiting and preparing for the return of Jesus is foolishness. It is the stumbling block that allows them to remain in their shallow representation of His life to the world, because they do not believe His return is near.

As you study the wonder of the Word of God, and the eternal genius behind concealing the specific time and place of His return, there is nothing to do but fall prostrate in thankfulness and praise to God. What better stimulus! There is no more powerful driving force to keep us heading in the proper, safe direction.

As wondrous as all that is, you and I have the privilege of looking back through the corridors of time and applying all of the keys to His coming that are found in the Word of God. If we study the Word with diligence, there is no question that the event of His return is very near. What other generations could only speculate, we see fulfilled with precise, surgical implementation, almost every day. What was the hope of other generations, I am convinced will be the fulfillment in ours.

Our preparation for the return of our Lord for us may seem foolish to the skeptics. The enemy’s attempts to convince us that the Lord’s return is far off could be used as a tool to discourage believers from becoming all that would please our Lord when He comes for those who are like Him in every way. That preparation, however, is the most important feature of our lives, simply because we know what our spirit, in line with the Holy Spirit, is saying. I believe that I am being told to look to the skies in hopeful expectation for my Master each and every day.

Maybe today, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“True wealth is only found in the heart of Jesus. All worldly wealth is useful for a moment in time and fades with seasons and economies. You need to share in Christ’s passions, so that you can know His heart and gain His wealth. You need to spend your time searching for His honest riches. The world and its ways have little regard for His ways. They don’t understand His kind of prosperity. Gaining the true prosperity of Jesus will cost you everything. It is a small price to pay, however, considering its eternal worth.”

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].

 

Most of us will gladly sell the true wealth to be gained in a refiner’s fire for one morsel of comfort and ease. We would trade the spiritual gold that is gained only from intimate, devoted times with the Lord for second-hand head knowledge from some book or sermon. True riches such as the heart, character, and desires of Jesus being formed in us only come from the Lord Himself. They are costly, but those who seek these kinds of eternal riches are considered truly prosperous by Father God.

Teach me to desire only true prosperity, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“Many in My church have been lulled into a complacency that is certain death to the kind of deep spiritual life that I desire for them. They observe that their “big” sins are gone, so they think that everything is in order. They do not know how far they are from the truth. They don’t know how much of a hindrance their complacency is to My work, because they have not sold out enough to hear My voice above their works-oriented religion. They can only see through eyes that are carnal, so they understand little about what I call “big” sins. Big sins to Me have little to do with the visible sins of the world. Removal of initial sins is part of My covenant promise because of the cross. The undiscerning see themselves being healed of obvious sins, layer after layer; then they stop pressing in deep enough to allow Me to show them a mightier walk, a walk that I wish all My children could experience. A big sin to Me is compromise, which is caused by rebellion regarding My ways.

"Another is keeping what is Mine, so that they can pad their comfort areas. One that is prevalent now is complacency toward the seasons in which they live. I grieve over a prayerless life. You who do see, you who have sold out, you who are surrendering fully must understand that only radical intrusions into their comfort areas will shake them loose. Do not spend your time attempting to teach the crucified life to those who choose not to be taught. It will only cause you frustration and hardship. They do not understand your devoted life, so they must judge you by their standards. Concern yourselves with souls, those who need to hear and be saved. Cultivate the young hearts to fully submit to Me, before they are swayed by the cold church. Save them from complacency by exhibiting the life of My Son before them.        Serve the teachable. Set aside those who choose not to see the times and seasons. They are not willing to do what it takes to be ready when I need them. You find those who will hear and see. I will soon deal with those who have chosen to go the way of complacency.”

Ps. 86:11 AMP

Teach me Your way, O Lord, that I may walk and live in Your truth; direct and unite my heart [solely, reverently] to fear and honor Your name.

Rom. 13:11-12 AMP

11) Besides this you know what [a critical] hour this is, how it is high time now for you to wake up out of your sleep (rouse to reality). For salvation (final deliverance) is nearer to us now than when we first believed (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Christ, the Messiah).

12) The night is far gone and the day is almost here. Let us then drop (fling away) the works and deeds of darkness and put on the [full] armor of light.

 

Navigating through the New Testament, we see the writers covering many things concerning this new belief that had come upon the people of that time. Jesus had set a standard that no one had even thought possible before His death and resurrection. We see stages of this kind of life presented and worked through as spiritual matters impacted and modified very human men and women.

Once Jesus had laid the foundation and set the example for living, those closest to Him continued on with His teachings to the early church. Initially, simply repeating the Words of the Savior was enough to change the hearts of listeners. Many embraced the new and wondrous life that had been sent from on high since His sandaled feet hit the shores of the Jordan River.

Something happened, however, as time went on. Human nature entered into the picture. Fledgling churches and new converts began to need more guidance to work through their lives as they grew in their newfound faith. Disagreements, interpretations, and fleshly desires started to impact the purity of what Jesus had presented. Very real daily problems needed pertinent solutions, so we find the writers not only teaching what is needed to grow in the faith; but also addressing situations that came up because of the sin nature that was being exposed. As they had to teach, exhort, chastise, correct, encourage, and even threaten disciplinary action, the whole New Testament presents a picture of very real people who acted in a very real manner.

A golden thread that weaves its way through all the New Testament books, actually all of the Bible, is the call to a deeper, more intimate life with the Lord, available to those who choose to pay the price for it. Woven through most of the books is the call to come back to the original purity of the initial church, the life exhibited by Jesus Himself. Human nature, imperfect as it is and spurred on by the deceit of the enemy of their souls, migrated from the purest form of service to cold, dead religious activity and false interpretations of what was intended. It all had to be addressed.

So it continues through all of church history right up to this day. God is continually presenting the standard of the life of Jesus to anyone who will embrace it. Every generation has allowed every kind of distortion of the life that Jesus presented to exist within the church, and the Lord has continually presented a better, deeper way– the one that was established by Jesus and copied by the very first believers. This generation is no different. Today, our Lord is raising the standard from what we once were to Whom He wants us to emulate once again. If we are wise, we will answer the call.

Needing to respond whole-heartedly to what I am hearing from the Lord,

Jim Corbett

“What has happened to My Word? Who has taken it and used it for their own glory? Who has attempted to conform Me into their own image rather than in the way that is right? Who has called upon Me to serve them, rather than bow down before Me in holy awe? Who has become proud of their salvation and lorded it over those who need mercy, rather than weeping for them?

"Look around. See what is going on in My church. See who is preaching another gospel, using My Word to support their imaginations, so that they can grow mega-churches and develop large followings. Watch who tickles the ears of the foolish. Listen as the sweet-tongued carnival barkers manipulate and cajole My children to look only to themselves, rather than lay their lives down for others as Jesus did. Look at them with My eyes. Listen to them with My ears. Leave their presence if they are misusing My Word for their own gain and telling you to do the same. I am not where they are even though they say that I am. You come to Me. Allow Me to take you to the cross and show you truth.”

 Jer. 23:28-29 AMP

28) The prophet who has a dream, let him tell his dream; but he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat [for nourishment]? says the Lord.

29) Is not My word like fire [that consumes all that cannot endure the test]? says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks in pieces the rock [of most stubborn resistance]?

Jer. 23:31-32 AMP

31) Behold, I am against the prophets, says the Lord, who use their [own deceitful] tongues and say, Thus says the Lord.

32) Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, says the Lord, and tell them and cause My people to err and go astray by their lies and by their vain boasting and recklessness—when I did not send them or command them; nor do they profit these people at all, says the Lord.

 

A false anointing is very deceptive, especially if the Word of God is manipulated to prove what is being said. False teachings are rampant throughout the church. They always have been and, sad to say, will continue until this season in God’s timetable is over.

I used to think that the preaching of “another gospel” would be easily recognizable by anyone who says that he is following Jesus. It amazes me to see intelligent believers swayed into lives that are in no way similar to the life of Jesus. I am deeply concerned for the teachers who took them there and those who will do so in the future.

Forgive me, Lord, if I ever cause even one to be side-tracked,

Jim Corbett

“I am requesting a standard of excellence from My people. For too long the world has not seen Jesus in those who call themselves followers of Him. It has caused much hardship for those who need to find truth for their lives. Many have fallen by the wayside because My people would not love as He loves. Now only those who have submitted to My refiner’s fires will be entrusted with the working of My Word in this closing season. I am raising up a holy people, people who look and act like Jesus to a world dying and out of answers. Do you choose to be part of My remnant warriors? Will you turn completely to My work in you? Will you surrender fully to My hand upon you to train you to love as Jesus loved? Will you surrender your life as He did?

"I need you to say “yes” before I begin a deeper work in you. If you choose not to submit to this preparation, you will not be part of what I will do through My holy vessels. You will observe from the sidelines and long to be able to join in My work, but you may not because I cannot trust you. The price to be part of this bridal preparation will be everything you are and everything you have. How far will you go with Me? What are you willing to give to glorify Jesus? Make your choice now. I am waiting.”

 Esther 4:13-14 AMP

13) Then Mordecai told them to return this answer to Esther. Do not flatter yourself that you shall escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews.

14) For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance shall arise for the Jews from elsewhere, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows but that you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this and for this very occasion?

2 Cor. 5:20a NIV

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.

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.

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.

 

Throughout most of our lives, the enticements that the world offers us, not the passions of the Lord, have proven to be the focus of our attention. They are the basis for our selfish pleadings to our Father and really are the gods that we serve.

Because of our lack of desire to focus on our life in Christ as the only reason that we breathe, when the world grows darker as predicted by the Bible, most of us will be so consumed with fear that we will be unable to represent Jesus to those who desperately need Him. We will walk around the same as those in the world, wide-eyed and drooling rather than being able to rise above all the clamor as Jesus did.

The Holy Spirit is wooing the church of Jesus Christ to prepare as a bride would prepare for a coming wedding of hearts. Through trials, tribulations, and extreme challenges, He is posturing each of us to get our priorities straight. By leading us to the end of ourselves and placing a new hope in those who will listen, He is calling us to set aside all of the ways of the world and embrace the ways of Jesus as our only reason for living. In doing so, we will be prepared for His coming and able to overcome the hazards that are soon to come our way.

This call is a call to holiness - a pursuit oftentimes not considered attainable or even a necessary part of every Christian’s heart - which will initiate a bridal heart desire that will allow the Lord to live His passionate life through devoted, surrendered vessels. It can be one of the most exciting adventures of your life if your heart’s desire is to increasingly make room for more of the most priceless treasure ever given to anyone – Jesus Christ. As you respond to the heart of God and increasingly develop a posture of waiting for Jesus’ timely return, you will then guide others to His heart as more hear the same call.

Make me passionate about what You are passionate about, Lord,

Jim Corbett