Tag: Devotional

“Are you not aware of the times and seasons? Who has swayed you from My ways? Have you stopped looking for the soon coming of My Son? Do you plan for His coming every day? You need to shake off the things that have distracted you. They have clouded your eyes and quieted your hearing of why you have been born in this season. Listen carefully! This is not about you! The enemy of My Word is zealous to preach his lies to deceive many, while you crave more comfortable places to hide. He understands what is about to happen and is forming death grips on those who will listen. Many are hearing him because you are not living the truth of Jesus. They need to hear My voice. Who will show them if you don’t? Wake up. Realign your priorities now!”

 Proverbs 29:21 AMP

He who pampers his servant from childhood will have him expecting the rights of a son afterward.

Jeremiah 10:23 AMP 

Oh, Lord [pleads Jeremiah in the name of the people], I know that [the determination of] the way of a man is not in himself; it is not in man [even in a strong man or a man at his best] to direct his [own] steps.

1 Cor. 13:11 AMP 

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways and have put them aside.

 

What I have been realizing lately is the fact that there is still a portion of me that is in this walk with the Lord for my good rather than for the fulfillment of His plans. It really boils down to the issue of Lordship. I want to be Lord over things that I need to control. As I do that, I lose sight of the plan of God for my life and make demands on Him to fulfill my needs. One day, I will realize that this life is not all about me, and He is not in the business of allowing me to live as though it is.

Forgive me, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“I have called you to a higher place. I have taught you to reside in that place with Me. Your world is again attempting to force you to take sides on issues, involve you in controversies, and coerce you to move in directions that are designed to distract you from the real issues that need your complete attention. The more you become involved in the daily distractions, the less you will be able to hear Me when I call you. You need to remember that I have been training you for such a time as this. Understand that others, who are not as mature as you, need you to maintain a proper presence in front of them. You must keep a clear head and remain steadfast in the mission to which I have called you.

"Do not be distracted because of outside influences. Listen carefully. I am about to make the impossible possible in many of your lives. I am about to bring forth miracles and wonders to draw many to Jesus. You need to be where I have called you to be, not in some place, reacting to something that has temporarily garnered your attention. Keep your focus. Remain steadfast in prayer. Stay diligent and on course. If you move only when I tell you to move, you will be where I want you to be. I can then accomplish My desires through you.”

Esther 4:14 AMP  

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?

 

Throughout the Word, God has placed specific people in specific places to accomplish specific tasks for Him. Positioned properly, these agents allow the power and presence of the Lord to accomplish tasks. They witness miracles and proclaim His Word in due season. Leaders such as Joshua, Abraham, Moses, the prophets, Esther, the apostles, Paul, D. L. Moody, Charles Finney, Smith Wigglesworth, and others too numerous to mention continually moved with the Lord and accomplished much for Him.

Each move of the Lord required obedient, usually ordinary men and women during a specific time and place, who accomplished extraordinary missions for Him. I’m sure that each mission would still have been accomplished if that ordained individual hadn’t shown up for the job. The Lord would have used someone else. However, these people saw the presence of the Lord firsthand because of their obedience.

We are living in astounding times. If these are not the end of the end of times, (I firmly believe that they are,) future Christians could be reading about many of us who have gone before them, because of the exploits that we were involved in for our Lord. We could be the past men and women of faith to them.

In each generation and season, the life of every man and woman has great purpose and matters deeply to the Lord. Every one of us has been born for such a time as this as surely as Esther was. The training that we have been through, or are going through now, will be used in many ways and for many reasons to help fulfill the plan of God.

Would it not be wise, then, to covet our time with our Father, dismissing every distraction that would hinder that fellowship and keep us from hearing His direction every moment of every day? Wouldn’t it be even more wonderful to know that each of us is exactly where we are supposed to be at any given moment, so that the Lord is free to use us for His purposes? On the other hand, wouldn’t it be horrible to find out that someone else had to be used in a particular instance because we were not obedient?

Wanting to be exactly where I’m supposed to be every day, all the time,

Jim Corbett

“I remember the blood. I remember watching as Jesus wept and I sent comforters to Him, knowing what was in store. I stood by as He was denied any defense. He willingly allowed Himself to be governed by those I had given the authority to do so. But then We had agreed upon that long, long ago. I remember when every demon in hell took a turn at holding the whip that tore His body. I saw the weight of your sin that He carried and died for. I had to turn My back so that everything could be completed. I was able to release forgiveness to all of you because of what was accomplished by Jesus that day. I remember the blood. Be assured, I always remember the blood.”

John 19:30 NIV  

…Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

 

If this were the day that Jesus was crucified for our sins, many events would be taking place simultaneously. The earthly violence was over. A new kind of death-destroying violence was about to occur.

At this moment the tomb would be quiet, the body of the Savior of the world cold. Sleepy guards have positioned themselves to stave off any unwise intruder. All heaven would be poised in horror, waiting for the Father to do something, anything. All hell is rejoicing, thinking that they had won. Most of mankind is sleeping restlessly, very confused at the events of recent days. Others are gloating over their recent victory, confident that they have accomplished God’s will by killing “that blasphemer.” A small group is cowering together, waiting fearfully for the knock on the door, sealing their doom.

To some in heaven and on earth, the unthinkable had happened. To others, the foolishness was finally over. Winning and losing had parallel camps in both the spiritual and physical worlds. Neither, however, had any understanding of what the Father was about to do. Soon He would lovingly call forth the Name of His only Son, Jesus. With brilliance beyond description, Jesus would respond by reaching to the outstretched hand of His Father.

From that moment, both heaven and earth would never be the same. God’s original order would be restored. Spiritual death would be destroyed. Eternal life with God was now available.

In the next few months, most of mankind would go about their business, unaware of the eternal impact of what had just happened. A few of the faithful would begin to tell others of the most wonderful event that ever occurred. Those would then tell others that hope could now be a part of every life.

A gift above all worth had been given to some who would receive it gratefully. Others, through the centuries to come, would care less.

Help me to always remember the blood, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“If you only knew how little time there is left for you to become equipped to carry My Word to a dying land. Have you noticed how far the world has migrated from reality as I see it? Do you see how they have lost all reason? Children are killing children. Parents are abandoning their families to fulfill their own desires, leaving them to strangers without any remorse. A spirit of hatred and murder has permeated the minds of those who have lost all reason and now function as pawns of the enemy. Being driven by Satan, they can no longer even think for themselves. Animalistic lusts have become so prevalent, that wisdom is nowhere to be found. People have truly become lovers of only themselves. Your society has become so decadent that any presentation of My Word, or the work that Jesus did, are laughed at, scorned, and cast aside as dirty laundry.

"Still, My heart reaches out to them in mercy. I desire that everyone should be with Me for eternity. You must tell them. Shake off the spirit of the world that says they have gone too far and are out of reach of My grace. Put aside your own selfishness and care more for their salvation than your own comfort. Stop being so proud of your relationship with Me and become thankful once again for the cross. You need to remember where you were when I found you and gave you My gift of life. Where would you be if I had not had mercy on you? Give that same mercy to others before it is too late. I have called you; now share Jesus with those who laugh at you. They laughed at Him, but He still went to the cross. You do the same.”

John 20:20-21 NIV

20) After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

21) Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

Ephesians 5:1-2 AMP

1) THEREFORE BE imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father].

2) And walk in love, [esteeming and delighting in one another] as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a slain offering and sacrifice to God [for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.

II Tim. 3:1-2 AMP

1) BUT UNDERSTAND this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear].

2) For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane.

 

As necessary as it is for each of us to recognize the times and seasons in which we live, and lay our lives down to become all that we can be in Jesus, most of us are missing the heart of God. In our zeal to become like Jesus, somehow, we have lost His love for souls, when that was the very purpose for which He came. It is impossible to separate that desire from who He is!

When was the last time you wept over those who are lost? Conversely, how often have you cheered deep down in your heart when someone “got what was coming to them” after committing a horrible crime? Which of those do you think Jesus would do? He even cried out for forgiveness from the cross for those who had pounded the rusty nails in His hands and feet.

All that our Father in heaven does prepares us for two purposes. He prepares us as a waiting bride so that we are ready for marriage at the coming of Jesus and as servants of His will while we wait.  Most of the church is responding fully to neither. How that must hurt His heart!

Needing to submit to and act upon my Father’s desires,

Jim Corbett

“Are you ready for your assignment? Are your days spent seeking My heart so that you know My will for your life? Is your most important goal in life to receive from Me the character of Jesus, so that you can represent Him properly to your world? Do you care about what I care about? Why not?”

Eph. 3:7-9 NIV

7) I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.

8) Although I am less than the least of all God’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

9) and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.

 

In the above Bible verses, Paul sounds like a man who has happily found his reason for breathing air. I am convinced that long before he could make the statement above, he had to enter into that place of absolute surrender to the Lord and His plans. Everything of the flesh had been burned from him. He had gained the heart of God through transparently meeting with God and lived only for the purposes that the Lord had for him. He was dead to himself and alive only to Jesus.

In my travels, I meet many people. Those who are truly happy are either on a zealous quest to find God’s specific design for their lives, or they have found it and are walking towards its fulfillment through Christ’s power. If you are seeking the Lord with all your heart, if your desire is to spend time with Him for His purposes to be fulfilled in your life, if your eyes are off of yourself and your needs and searching for the heart of the Lord, you are well on your way to saying with Paul, “This is my life work, …..”

I have claimed the above verses from Paul as my own. I have them in my journal and read them when I feel that I may have lost my direction. Every time I do read them, I am flooded with the Lord’s peace because I once again remember why I have been born; and that I have found the answer to my life. It took close to twenty years to be absolutely sure; but once I was sure, there was a very clear reason for getting up each morning that no weapon formed against me could steal from me.

God has a specific plan for you. You have been created for His purposes and are very valuable to Him. That is not a heavy burden, but a privilege. Everything you are going through is heading toward His fulfillment in you, if you are seeking His heart. He is forming you to be able to live the life of Jesus accurately in your world.

Thank You for a purpose for living, Lord,

Jim Corbett