Tag: Devotional

“I call you to an awareness as never before. Those of you who have been in training - get ready for Me to place you where you are needed most. Be ready for a season of harvest. Some who come will not be pretty by the world’s standards, but they will be Mine so I expect you to love them as I do. Now, begin to practice what you preach rather than preaching what you want others to practice. Display your integrity. Love deeply, without reservations. Spend your life for others as Jesus did. You are Mine; now act like it, so others will know who to come to for answers. Lead them to Jesus.”

 Matt. 5:38-48 NIV

38) “You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.'

39) But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

40) And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.

41) If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.

42) Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

43) You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'

44) But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

45) that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

46) If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?

47) And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?

48) Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

 

Although it is something spiritually wonderful, there will be an unspeakable cost for some of us. The price will be high, but the mercy and grace to pay it will be forthcoming from our Lord. I am convinced that soon some of us will walk in a new dimension with God. It is almost as if the tryouts have taken place, the training has been accomplished, the warm-ups have been completed, and the game is about to begin. For some of you, it’s time to join the team. For others, it’s time to take your positions.

Send me in, Father,

Jim Corbett

“The world will always attempt to draw you into contentions that distract you from the real purpose of your life with Me. It will goad you to focus on issues and circumstances that affect your surroundings and bait you to submit to its priorities. Do you understand that you have never been called to place moral restraints on the society in which you live? They will never be able to understand the need for them. You are called to show dead people a life opportunity through Jesus. Watch how He lived in the world and follow His example. Issues of the day were never part of His heart.

"He knew that they only afforded temporary change. Involvement only caused distraction from the real issue of proclaiming eternal change in the hearts of people. Make sure that you know that your steps are ordained by Me and not by seemingly important issues. As Jesus enters a life, it is changed for eternity. That is the most important issue of all time and any generation. As you become involved in the eternal issues that surrounded the life of Jesus, you will see My purpose for your life.”

 Psalm 127:1 AMP

Except the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; except the Lord keeps the city, the watchman wakes but in vain.

Amos 5:14 NIV

Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you just as you say he is.

John 4:34 NIV 

”My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.”

Acts 8:1&4 NIV 

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

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

 

Jesus walked on the streets of cities every bit as evil as any generation. Herod called for the mass murder of children because of his fear. Innumerable crucifixions lined the roads into cities. Rampant sin shrouded every corner of every neighborhood. With all of the decadence, never once did He encourage those who followed Him to do anything about the society in which they lived. He taught them to consider eternal values, rather than important-looking daily challenges.

Jesus was after the heart of sinners. It was His Father’s quest. He showed everyone that tax collectors became honest and prostitutes were cleansed, when their hearts were made new. His life and the eternal promise of His mission carried people above the effects of the society in which they lived, when they embraced the love of His Father. He showed those who had ears to hear a new way to live, one that was not encumbered with the dictates of their days, but one of freedom from earthly restraints. He had a better plan; so should we.

Direct my steps, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“Will you know how to walk in My light when there is only darkness all around you? If you are hearing My call to press in with Me, the answer is yes! I will protect you. I will be with you. More than that, you will be prepared for everything that comes your way. You see, I am making you into proper warriors who will flood this land with My presence. You will be places of safety for those who are too frightened to think straight. Because of your training now, your thoughts will be My thoughts then. We will move in concert, so you will be unavailable to the terrors that stalk the land. Remember My warriors in My Word.

"Remember how I fought the battles for them. Nothing has changed. I am available to you now, and in the future. Now, somehow, you feel that I am not needed every moment of the day. When everything falls away, you will need Me all the time. I will be there for you. I am your covenant Lord. I will never leave you. I promise.”

Luke 10:19 KJV 

“Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

 

Being a Christian is so wonderful, that sometimes all I can do is stop and praise. Think about this. We have the answer to life and death. We have been given all we need to make every proper decision in life. We are friends with our Lord. We have been given freedom, absolute freedom. Should I go on?

Do you know that most people spend more time picking out a new car than they spend determining for sure what happens after they close their eyes for the last time? Isn’t that an astounding truth? The most important decision in everyone’s life - what really is eternal truth - and few understand the impact of that decision well enough to go and find real truth. Pretty incredible.

What is even more incredible is that you and I have found the answer if we believe in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That belief, and the acceptance of His Lordship, is the answer that the confused world needs. Few are really aware of their need; but none-the-less, they need the answer.

Have you ever thought of what might be one of God’s major requests if He had the need to make one? That may sound like a pretty stupid statement, but have you? Over the years, I’ve tried to find out what it would be. I believe that our Father would desire that everyone who embraces His Son would fully grasp what has been provided for him or her because of the cross, and then walk in it. I think it would be that simple and that complex. Tell me if you’ve come up with something better.

Think of it. If everyone really did that, He would have warriors fully completed in His power and available for His plans. He wouldn’t have to spend the time convincing us that He means what He says. We could all get on with the business of bringing others into the kingdom, and then we could all go home.

Boy! Home sounds really great!

Jim Corbett

“Would you like to understand some of the reasons that I do not desire for you to attempt to plan your own future, but rely on Me to plan your steps? There is purpose in My asking you to focus on this day, and not look to tomorrow for your need, or happiness, or fulfillment of My plan for you. You know nothing of tomorrow. With your limited sight, you have no idea what tomorrow may bring; and, for that matter, even if I have a tomorrow planned for you. I have given you a task to pursue; I ask you to surrender to the life of Jesus. What are you waiting for? I have called you to a mission. I want you to bear My message of reconciliation.

"When will you make My desire your goal, instead of presuming upon a tomorrow that you may not have, or a tomorrow that the one who needs to hear may not have? How can you be so arrogant? In your foolish pride, you have put off all My callings, saying that you will serve Me with all of your heart another day. So many days have gone by that you have set aside the importance of My calling in your life. It has been dulled within you, all because you have thought that you have many tomorrows to do what I ask you to do today. You must change now. Today is the only day that I have in My hand for you. Today, you must respond to My will for you. Tomorrow may change everything.”

Proverbs 27:1 NIV

Do not boast about tomorrow for you do not know what a day may bring forth.

James 4:13-15 NIV 

13) Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’

14) Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

15) Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.

 

One day, a very bright, much loved young man was killed while trying to break up a fight between two members of his high school. He died almost instantly. One of the comments in the local paper read like this.

“He just stepped in and tried to break up a fight. He was an innocent bystander in all of this. He was a quiet, good kid. He mentioned last week to his grandmother he wanted to get saved and get back to church. He was heading in the right direction…”

This young man’s tomorrow never came. Instantly, his life was gone. I wonder if anyone thought that he or she had another day to talk to him about the Lord the day he was killed.  Last week he mentioned that he wanted to “get saved” in a week that never came for him.

What has the Lord given you to do? I don’t mean, how long is your laundry list? What is your reason for breathing today, according to your Lord? Are you anointed to talk to someone about the Lord, ask someone for forgiveness, or simply tell others that you love them? Is it time for you to lay aside your pet sins or your critical spirit so that someone gets a better picture of Jesus? What has the Holy Spirit been talking to you about? Are you going to be obedient to do it?

Each of us needs to repent of what we have not done the many yesterdays in our lives, and be obedient to our life in Christ today. Every one of us is very much needed in our personal world. We need to begin to count every encounter, every word spoken to others, every action of every moment, very important. It is to God. He has given every one of us a defined number of moments that are designated as our lives. How are we going to use them and make them count? Will each of them glorify the Lord and fulfill His plan? What an eternal shame if they don’t.

Today, the first thing that I need to do is tell you that Jesus loves you and that you are valuable!

Jim Corbett

“Are you prepared? Are you prepared to work ceaselessly and tirelessly to understand My ways and find My heart? Are you prepared to defend the honor of Jesus at any cost? Will you give up your life for His life to work through you, so that others can know Who He is? Will you turn from your ways and embrace His ways just because it is right to do so? Are you prepared to love as He loved? Start now!”

 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.”

Jeremiah 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 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?

 

The above Bible verses confirm in my heart that the Lord always tells His people to prepare for a time when strength they do not have at present will be needed at a future date. He is looking for us to grow up, heed His warnings, and become strong enough to face those predicted challenges.

Even the most casual observer can see that our world is changing rapidly. Over the years, the Lord in His mercy has been warning His children to prepare for a time when we will need to be able to function with the heart of Jesus in the midst of those who do not want Him and those who say they serve Him but have no strength to do so.

Most of us don’t want things to change, and some of us desire to discard the warnings; but wish as we might, we cannot stop what is going to happen, especially if these are the end of the end times. Maybe it’s best to heed the warnings and submit to the changes that are needed to represent Jesus properly when called upon to do so.

Do what it takes to prepare my heart to glorify You, Lord,

Jim Corbett