Tag: Devotional

“Your world is in constant turmoil and always changing. Small people with evil eyes and loud mouths demand your attention. Their incessant hatred will challenge you to become more like Jesus, so that you can bring hope to those who need to hear truth. People are running out of answers. Give them the answer. His Name is Jesus. You are His representative. Get your eyes off of yourself and your needs.

"I will take care of you. Find out what purpose I have for your life and then function in your calling. You are needed now! Help others to see Jesus before it is too late for them. I am counting on you!”

 1 Cor. 6:19b-20 NIV

19b) …You are not your own;

20) you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

2 Cor. 1:3-4 AMP

3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of sympathy (pity and mercy) and the God [Who is the Source] of every comfort (consolation and encouragement),

4) Who comforts (consoles and encourages) us in every trouble (calamity and affliction), so that we may also be able to comfort (console and encourage) those who are in any kind of trouble or distress, with the comfort (consolation and encouragement) with which we ourselves are comforted (consoled and encouraged) by God.

2:Cor. 10:3-5 NIV

3) For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.

4) The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

5) We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

 

Many people in the body of Christ have forgotten why they have been given breath to breathe. It is to proclaim Jesus to a world that has no answers by living His life before them and for their eternal good. Any other focus eventually leads to a dead end road, leaving believers with the same fears that the world has.

Jesus brings life. The life lived for Him brings life to others and has unlimited resources to overcome any challenge, anywhere, anytime. No power on earth can dilute its God-ordained power to rise above anything the world and its ways attempts to throw at it. Life in Jesus sees through fear and on to promise. Loud voices and violent eyes only drive the one in Christ to the safety of His presence. Fearful times bring the remembrance that the Word of God is being fulfilled in our midst. God’s ways are high above any ways of the world.

Teach me Your ways, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“Where are My representatives? Where are the sold-out members of My family who care about the souls of others before their own interests? To those of you who have given your lives completely to Me and are in My service with your whole hearts, keep up the good work. I am with you. To those of you who still are not hearing, you need to listen with your spiritual ears. I remove your money to get your attention; and you work harder, taking even less time for Our relationship. I place you in situations that are impossible for you to solve; and you struggle until you are exhausted, instead of surrendering to Me. I bring relationships into your life that challenge you to show them Jesus and you run for cover the first time they offend you.

"What is it that you do not understand about your life in Christ? What do you not comprehend about a refiner’s fire? Please grow up so that those who need Jesus might see Him in you. Submit to My hand of training. Embrace the ways of Jesus. You are needed in these end times.”

 Gal. 2:20 AMP

I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

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.

 

A friend and I were talking about a person whose life ended in tragedy. We discussed all the “if only’s” regarding the life mentioned. If only his mother had known the Lord. If only his wife had told him about Jesus. If only friends, teachers, or peers had been there, he probably would have turned out differently. His life could have been a benefit to others instead of an astounding tragedy. I wonder how many people we could influence if we would really get our eyes off ourselves and get serious about the Lord’s business?

I also think about the astounding number of people who have heard God’s “Good News” and have been changed. Those of us who know the truth fully understand that the difference between an eternally valuable life and one that ends in tragedy is Jesus. Knowing that truth, you would think that we would submit with all of our hearts to the desire of the Lord that none should perish. Help us, Lord!

Help me, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“Prepare to begin to implement what you have learned from spending time with Me. I am about to move through those who have responded to My call to intimacy. I am about to have you walk in your chosen calling. What you have been through until now has been the preparation of your heart and the discovery of your life’s direction. Now I will bring My presence to the work of your hands. You have submitted to My training. You have repented of your carnal religion. You have responded to My call to get your house in order. You have repented of following anything but My wishes. You have become Mine with your whole heart.

"Now I can trust you to listen only to My voice. Now I can send you where you are needed. Dress for war. Dress for peace. Be ready to heal the broken. Be alert for the needy. Be prepared to be My hands and My voice in every season. I will send you forth from My lap with My love for those who are ready to hear. Take My heart to them. Show them Jesus!”

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

5) Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

6) in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 16:9 AMP 

A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure.

Acts 8:1b&4 NIV

1b) On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and  Samaria.

4) Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.

 

Our loving Father has an incredible way of moving us from our comfort zones and into action on His behalf. In these days, He is allowing those He has in training to experience challenges that strengthen their faith, remove their personal will; and equip them for service done with the heart of Jesus. He is cleaning the house and the heart of those He is calling to service in these end days.

Recently, the Lord spoke to my heart. He asked Merry and me to seek Him for direction. That may be a simple request, but it sent us on a journey of discovery akin to little we have known before. His direction has caused us to clean our house. We have found and chosen to put aside those things that redirect and distract us from focusing on the tasks He has called us to do. We have discovered areas in our lives that have been a part of us for so long that we failed to realize that we were doing them out of habit, when the Lord was trying to get us to ask why we were doing them at all. He has told us to lay aside those things that are cumbersome and nothing more than extra weight to carry. In essence, He is streamlining our lives, putting His order to them so that He can bless the work of our hands and make us truly fit for service in these special days.

I submit to Your hand of training, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“When evil men plan their evil schemes, I am still in charge. Throughout history there have been those who have attempted to take My timetable into their own hands. They have erroneously thought that they were in control of the times and seasons. Not only have they been foolish, but they have been dead wrong; and it has cost them dearly. Conversely, many of My people have misunderstood the seasons that are being played out before them. They have chosen to blind their eyes to what I am doing for the sake of their own agendas, leaving those that rely upon them in peril. That is just as foolish.

"My people, you who know better, I am calling for valiant stewardship of all My resources. I am heralding a call to My leaders to rise up and be strong in the power of My might. You who have been given resources to hold for Me, it is time to use them as I have planned, so that My Word goes forth to those who need to hear it. Hold on to only what I allow you to keep for yourself. Any more than that will be burned, wasted, and removed forcefully from you by My hand. You who have been given a stewardship of My Word, cast down the imaginations that have held you for so long and begin to preach only what has been given to you from My throne room.

"To do that, you must come to My throne room to receive truth. So many of you have never been here. Now is the time to come. I have much to say to you. I have strong food to give you to nourish My children who have been trained to digest it. To My true church, separate yourselves from any foolish traditions and teachings. Receive what you need from Me and Me alone. Cast aside anything that is not from Me, no matter who is saying it. Learn now to discern the difference. Devour My Word. It will feed you.”

Ephesians 4:11-13 NIV 

11) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,

12) to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

13) until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining  to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

If you had a job to do and were given a choice of equipment to use for that job, how would you go about selecting which piece to use? I would assume that you would select the tool that would perform the best for you. If you were given choices of the same kind of tool, but they were of different quality, more than likely you would select the best quality tool, knowing that it will help you do a better job. The reason it will work better is the fact that each part of that tool is functioning at its optimum performance with no tolerance for failure.

Our Father is once again refining His church. He is, so to speak, adjusting the tolerances to His requirements for the seasons ahead. Because of the task at hand, there is no room for sloppy operation of any part of His end-time machine.

Obviously the comparison of God’s holy church to a machine leaves much to be desired, but the point is clear. The only church that is fit for the Master’s use is a people who function with optimum characteristics - those of Jesus Christ. For too long, we have felt that inferior performance in areas of our calling would suffice. Often it has appeared that we have gotten away with sloppy attitudes and workmanship because the horrendous damage that was done was not readily evident. In the times ahead, however, badly functioning parts will be exposed for what they are – immediately - when their function does not suffice for the task at hand.

In less critical times, bad, unanointed preaching and teaching would be tolerated because the havoc it caused could be covered by someone else over time. That is no longer the case when shepherds have flocks hungry for only absolute truth to take with them for immediate life and death situations. Bad money stewardship will manifest itself quickly when there is silence from those who require it to function for the Lord. The lack of personal fellowship with God and His Word will be quickly evident because of foolish actions and empty words that fall short of the need.

The Lord will soon be able to use only those who have submitted to His refining processes in their lives and in their areas of service. Others will soon be set aside, unable to function properly for His very important, rapidly-approaching tasks.

Needing to submit everything to His hand,

Jim Corbett

“I miss My time with you. To you, Our time together is expendable. You seem to come to Me only when you have need. That’s alright for now. As you understand how important it is to seek Me for your every need and praise Me for all that transpires in your life, you will come to Me more often. Seeking Me builds integrity and shows your understanding of Lordship. That resounds throughout the heavens and glorifies what Jesus has done on the cross. Praising Me builds truth and wealth in your inner being. You are now spiritual beings living temporarily in physical bodies. Praise builds your inner man who has been born to live with Me. That inner man thrives on praises.

"As it pours forth, I respond with My presence. That is health and wealth to you. To Me, however, your staying away is hazardous. You have been formed to “fit’ into My presence. To not do so means that a part of My heart is missing when you are away. I love you, and long to be with you every moment. It is hazardous to you also. You have no real idea of how much would change for you if your priority in life was to be with Me. Your focus and direction would be so different because of Our fellowship that nothing would be the same as it is now. Now you have only pieces of what your life could be You are only a shadow of who you would be for Me. Turn your life around now. Become complete. Let’s spend more time quietly together. I have much to share with you.”

Ps. 31:19-24 AMP 

19) Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear, revere, and worship You, goodness which You have wrought for those who trust and take refuge in You before the sons of men!

20) In the secret place of Your presence You hide them from the plots of men; You keep them secretly in Your pavilion from the strife of tongues.

21) Blessed be the Lord! For he has shown me His marvelous loving favor when I was beset as in a besieged city.

22) As for me, I said in my haste and alarm, I am cut off from before Your eyes. But You heard the voice of my supplications when I cried to You for aid.

23) O love the Lord, all you His saints! The Lord preserves the faithful, and plentifully pays back him who deals haughtily.

24) Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for and hope for and expect the Lord!

II Co 4:16 AMP

Therefore we do not become discouraged (utterly spiritless, exhausted, and wearied out through fear). Though our outer man is [progressively] decaying and wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day after day.

Eph 3:16 AMP 

May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality].

 

Over and over, I hear our Father in heaven calling us to spend more time with Him. Do you think He knows something? Maybe He wants to help us make it through what is on the horizon. Maybe He just wants to bless us. Ya think?

All kidding aside, it makes sense to me that fellowship with us is important to Him. He originally designed us to be with Him. He sent Jesus so that could happen again once sin was destroyed. It is obviously His priority.

Can you give one good reason why being with our Father in heaven is not a priority in our lives? I can’t. Sure, there are all the well-worn excuses, but every one of them is easily set aside when crisis occurs or need arises. It almost seems as if we are using Him. Has He become the “great vending machine” in the sky? You know, drop a prayer in the slot and out comes the answer? Can you imagine the pain it must give the Father when we take the sacrifice of Jesus so lightly? He was scoffed at, beaten, nailed to a cross, all so we could have access once again to Father God. God did it for fellowship, out of love. We do it for convenience, out of selfishness. What an astounding indictment!

Bring truth back in my life, Lord,

Jim Corbett