Tag: Devotional

“I want you to hold up the arms of a friend. Do what it takes to help them through whatever challenges they might be facing. Pour yourself into his or her need with reckless abandon. That’s what Jesus did for you. Now you show others who He is by living the way He did.”

Exodus 17:12 AMP 

But Moses’ hands were heavy and grew weary. So [the other men] took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Then Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side and one on the other side; so his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

John 15:12-14 NIV 

12) “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

13) Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

14) You are My friends if you do what I command.”

 

Have you ever felt the chill of someone who cares little or nothing about anything or anyone but himself/herself? On the other hand, have you ever basked in the warmth of Christ-like love that was limitless in its scope?

We, as followers of Jesus, are called to pour out all of our life’s juices for the benefit of others, just as He did. If you feel that my last statement is a little extreme, ask the Lord to show you how He desires all of us to serve.

Show me how to live Your way, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“I am calling for a new honesty from My people. I now require that you be honest with Me and honest with each other. Have you noticed that for many years, My power has been present in some of My children when their lives were tragically out of order? Many of you wondered how that could be. I did it so that you could learn to separate the holy from the defiled. You could see the foolish actions of those who were supposedly “anointed,” but then had to discern that the power in itself did not mean that I was with them. Their lives did not hold up to My standards. You set most of them aside, and rightfully so. What is important is a pure heart that follows only Jesus.

"Now, I have given “eyes to see” to those of you who have begun to separate yourselves unto Me. Most of you no longer follow the foolish because they seem to have power; you desire only truth. I have done that work in you. Power for the sake of power no longer means anything to the discerning. In fact, many ambassadors of the enemy will soon show great signs and wonders. Many of My people will not remember this lesson and will again be fooled. You must not be part of them. 

"Holiness must be your pursuit. A holy life will mirror the life of Jesus.  There will be no fleshly, flashy exhibitions that supposedly demonstrate that I am there. There will, however, be wonders to behold at My hand by trusted servants in the midst of the deception. I will place My presence in those who have no desire to be seen and are not building their own “ministry.” Big cars, big houses, big names are part of the past. Now I require honesty.”

1 Thes. 4:7-8 AMP

7) For God has not called us to impurity but to consecration [to dedicate ourselves to the most thorough purity].

8) Therefore whoever disregards (sets aside and rejects this) disregards not man but God, Whose [very] Spirit [Whom] He gives to you is holy (chaste, pure).

2 Thes. 2:9-12 AMP 

9) The coming [of the lawless one, the antichrist] is through the activity and working of Satan and will be attended by great power and with all sorts of [pretended] miracles and signs and delusive marvels—[all of them] lying wonders—

10) And by unlimited seduction to evil and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing (going to perdition) because they did not welcome the Truth but refused to love it that they might be saved.

11) Therefore God sends upon them a misleading influence, a working of error and a strong delusion to make them believe what is false.

12) In order that all may be judged and condemned who did not believe in [who refused to adhere to, trust in, and rely on] the Truth, but [instead] took pleasure in unrighteousness.

 

Everywhere I turn, I encounter believers who are sick and tired of the side-show religion that is masquerading as Christianity. They are finally rejecting the false influences of slick operators and charismatic personalities that supposedly represent God’s power. More and more people are walking away from and holding God’s money from showboat artists who do “wonders”- supposedly in the Name of Jesus - while living lifestyles that do not resemble Him.

In my early years of walking with the Lord, I had the privilege of participating in signs, healings, and wonders. While all of those things were happening, my life was far from being holy. I loved God as best I could; but I was so undone that much sin was still prevalent in my life.

In my quest for what I thought was important at the time, and because I had seen His power, I asked the Lord why I couldn’t be used to start at one end of a hospital hallway and heal everyone in every room. His answer was somewhat surprising then, but after many years it has allowed me to separate truth from make-believe when it comes to the gymnastics that are sold to the unaware as God’s power supposedly at work.

He said that He would not allow me to walk from one end of the hall to the other because “you would not be the same person at the end of the hall that you were at the beginning.” He was right. As soon as I would have seen all those people get out of their hospital beds, thanking me for being such of a spiritual guy, I would have gone down to the first print shop and had “Jim’s Healing Services” cards printed up. Nothing or no one - possibly not even God - would have been able to talk me out of taking my “gifts” on the road - band, singers, and the whole enchilada. I could have hurt a lot of people. I simply couldn’t be trusted.

Over the years, I have seen a whole bunch of characters, like I could have been, doing “stuff” that was accepted as “anointed,” but was light-years from having the Lord as part of it. We, as a church, have swallowed almost everything that someone said was from God and anointed by Him. A lot of people have been discouraged, disillusioned, and hurt badly because of their inability to see through the religious-sounding talk.

I’m convinced, however, that new eyes are being given to be able to walk away from the hype and wait for and want only the Lord. I also believe we are entering into a time when God’s honest anointing will again be with His people.

Wanting to get really honest with God,

Jim Corbett

“Prepare to see Me move! If you are in rebellion, soon I will say “Enough.” Prepare to see Me move! If you are in a refiner’s fire, soon your answers will come. Prepare to see Me move! If you are in need, soon I will be your provision. Prepare to see Me move! If you are longing to be like Jesus, soon I will do a mighty work in your heart. Prepare to see Me move! You need to be prepared for the time when I move on your behalf. The day will come that all of My promises to you will come to pass. Prepare now for that day, for it will surely come. Prepare to see Me move!”

Isaiah 46:9-10 AMP

9) [Earnestly] remember the former things, [which I did] of old; for I am God, and there is no one else; I am God, and there is none like Me.

10) Declaring the end and the result from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure and purpose.

Isaiah 48:3 NIV

“I foretold the former things long ago, my mouth announced them and I made them known; then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.”

 

God is always faithful. No matter what happens in between the time He initiates something and its conclusion, you can be sure that what He has said will happen. There is no doubt.

If you are rebellious, it is just a matter of time before He tightens your life so that you fully submit. If you have needs, it’s just a matter of time before they are met if you have submitted them to Him. If you are in a refiner’s fire, you can be sure to see His hand move when your lesson is learned.

You and I serve a faithful God. All of His promises are true. All of His Word is true. All that He has said about Jesus is true. You can count on it!

Teach me to trust You, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“How much time do you need to get your house in order? How far is your heart from the heart of Jesus? What is the name of the god that you really serve? These are several of the questions that I have been asking you to answer for some time now. Distractions have forced you to modify your priorities for a season and you have set My priorities aside to serve other impending needs. Because you have done that, you have become weary. It is important that you bring your focus back to My heart focus, and approach these and other areas of your life with renewed vigor, or you will not be ready when I need you.

"One of the tactics of the enemy of your soul is to desensitize your heart to My every desire. He often brings so much debris into your life that you reel from its pull and are guided by its influence and seeming importance rather than by My guiding voice. You become so busy that My priorities are no longer the center of your attention. Even good-sounding activities and needs that appear important will often bring you to the point of exhaustion. I understand how that can happen, but now you need to shake yourself loose from anything that takes My place as a priority in your life.

"Get back to the kind of fellowship that We had begun. Sit quietly with Me. Listen to My heart once again. Do not listen to the lie that My needs are heavy weights and that time away from My tasks will give you rest. The opposite is true. You have been trained to place your burdens on Me. Any distraction that causes you to handle your life by yourself is no longer a part of your new nature. Its weight brings weariness, not peace. Your only place of true rest is in Our fellowship. You now only receive true joy when you give the control of your life to Me, rather than being controlled by circumstances and situations.

"As you return to Me, I will pour My peace back into your heart. I will refresh and strengthen you. I will be your source of joy and peace once again. I will restore your proper focus. Together, We will overcome anything that has invaded your heart, so that you can see clearly once more. Come to Me now. I am waiting for you.”

Matthew 11:28-30 NIV 

28) “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

29) Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

30) For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Mark 6:30-32 NIV

30) The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all that they had done and taught.

31) Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

32) So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

 

Each of us must find a way to shake loose from the demands of our “every days” and run away with Jesus. I know that is a tall order for some of us. It must, however, become a priority in our lives.

If every one of us, who are too busy because of life’s demands, could express our true longing, it would be for simple, quiet moments with Jesus. That is because our new, born again spirit has that desire as its only priority. Our inner being is happy only when it is resting with its Lord. That place with Jesus is the only true source of joy and comfort.

If we can find time for meetings with people, if we can be active in sports, if we schedule appointments, why can we find so little time for Jesus? It should be our main goal in life, especially during these times and seasons.

Why wouldn’t a homemaker get a babysitter once a week for three hours so that she can be with Jesus or share “Mom” time with other moms, so that all could find moments to tuck away?  What about a businessman actually scheduling an appointment during his day, so that he can be locked up with the Word? Think of the possibilities. We are creative in all other areas of our lives; what happened to us when the most important need in our life is set somewhere in the back of our minds or forgotten completely? How foolish have we become?

Replace everything else with Your presence, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“When will you really begin to stop playing church games? When are you going to stop talking and start acting out what you have been called to do? Where is the corresponding outpouring to what you’ve been given? Do you realize that you are only eternal moments away from looking into the face of Jesus? What are you going to say when He asks for your portfolio? To those of you who are diligently seeking Me for direction in your lives, be patient; I am at work. I will soon show you who you are in Me and where I want you to spend My time. You are faithful, and I am pleased.

"To those of you who have been lulled to sleep, or settled into complacency, or stopped seeking Me with all your heart for your purpose in life - I am setting My chin against you for a moment, until you come to repentance. You are in danger, and I cannot allow you to remain in your sin. Get up. Get involved in My work with My kind of heart. Find out what I am doing in your midst and pour your life and everything you have into it. I will require an accounting of your moments and resources soon. Time is short. If you don’t understand My heart, why I am calling you to account; and then respond with sincerity, I will move on. Someone else will take your place and accomplish your task. You will miss what I have for you.”

Esther 4:1 AMP

Now when Mordecai learned all that was done, [he] rent his clothes and put on sackcloth with ashes and went out into the midst of the city and cried with a loud and bitter cry.

Esther 4:4 AMP

When Esther’s maids and her attendants came and told it to her, the queen was exceedingly grieved and distressed. She sent garments to clothe Mordecai, with orders to take his sackcloth from off him, but he would not receive them.

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?

 

The above selected verses paint a brilliant picture of positioned people who have choices to make. In the simplest form, it goes like this. Mordecai was sincerely crying out to the Lord, asking Him to overcome what had been put in place against His people. Esther was in a position of influence and vast resources, enough to have a real impact on the challenge and the fate of her people; but she feared to get involved because she was primarily focused on herself and her own well being. Mordecai showed her that she was the one ordained for the task at hand; but if she didn’t respond commensurate with her calling and the various resources she had been given, someone else would be used and she would be set aside.

Let me not step aside, Lord,

Jim Corbett