Faith | TFRC | The Faith Resource Community

12/16/23 Action Reaction

Men, in general, function on an action-reaction basis. If you hit a nail with a hammer - action, the nail will be driven into the wood - reaction. Sometimes it’s hard for us to understand God’s action-reaction principles. Let’s take prayer for instance.

If we take the time to pray - especially about something specific - we wonder why we don’t immediately see the results of our prayers. We forget that the simple act of praying - turning our need over to God instead of just handling it ourselves - glorifies God. That act in itself is the right thing to do, especially when we put aside something we deem important to do it. We honor God by praying and recognizing that He is the source of our answer. (In His great love, He even provides answers throughout our lives for things that aren’t even on our radar screen, just because He chooses to bless us.)

Those seeming delays to our prayer requests accomplish far more than we can imagine. Only God can see the whole picture. While we’re waiting, He’s refining heart motives, orchestrating circumstances, clearing a path, developing patience … and maybe even preparing our hearts to receive the answer to our prayers. This may take some time. In terms of action-reaction time, it could become days, months, even years! As husbands and fathers, we need to put aside the concept of immediate answers and trust in the principles of the kingdom of God.

If you are seeking God for a specific need, don’t give up if He hasn’t chosen to work on your timetable. He started swinging the hammer at the time of your prayer, maybe even before. The nail will be impacted in God’s proper timing.

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

12/15/23 Blessed in Your Comings and Goings

“I want you to be free from the bondages the world would attempt to place on you. Draw close to Me and I will teach you how to love unashamedly. I will free you from the fear of loss. You can stop defending your reputation, for I will be your defender. In times of trouble, I will be your strong tower, your rear guard, your most capable warrior. You will never need to worry about the day’s hardships, for I will always provide for you. Others will prosper, for I will provide for them through your life. You will be blessed in your comings and goings, for you are Mine. You will be able to freely bless others, for I am with you. I love you. I love to set you free. I love to make you complete in Me through Jesus!”

2 Chr. 16:9 NIV

“For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him...”

Psalm 3:1-6 AMP

1) Lord, How they are increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me.

2) Many are saying of me, there is no help for him in God. Selah [pause and calmly think of that]!

3) But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.

4) With my voice I cry to the Lord and He hears and answers me out of His holy hill. Selah [pause and calmly think of that]!

5) I lay down and slept, I awakened again, for the Lord sustains me.

6) I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me round about.

Psalm 18:1-2 NIV

1) I love you, O Lord my strength.

2) The Lord is my rock, my fortress and deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, He is my shield…

In this present time, there is an onslaught to destroy the faith of weak or ignorant Christians. The best way that the enemy can destroy who we are, or what has been done for us through Jesus and the corresponding wonder of our relationship with Him, is to diminish who God really is in our eyes. We must never forget that this is the very same God Moses could not look upon because of His glory.

The “smaller” our God and Lord can be made to appear to us, the weaker He will seem and our faith will become. The weaker He seems, the less we will be in awe of Him. That is hazardous to our walk with Him; and consequently, to our wonder of Him and trust in Him as God.

Fact is, there is only One God. He is El Shaddai. He is more powerful than any need, greater than any foe, and worthy of all honor and glory. His will brought everything into being by simply speaking it into existence. He is God and there is no other. He held our first breath and owns our last. It is right to serve Him and live only for Him.

Teach me to understand Who You really are, Lord,

Jim Corbett

12/15/23 Credentials

The two reasons you or I would never have access to dinner with the King of England are: first, we haven’t been invited; and second, we don’t have the credentials. Only those who have fulfilled the requirements it takes to qualify will ever partake of a meal with the King.

Our flesh will never be able to gain an audience with God. Flesh simply doesn’t have the credentials to do so. Adam and Eve were removed from His presence as soon as their fleshly nature controlled their decisions. Their reasoning ability separated them from the purpose for human creation - to be in a position where God is our God, and we are His devoted, dependent people.

Men, pride is the most distinguishable cause of why we don’t want to submit to God’s requirements, although ignorance and a myriad of other reasons also stop us from going there. Fact is, we simply want to be in control of our lives and are unwilling to give that up, even if it means that we may never have the answers we need to become the husband and father our Lord intends; or worse yet, will never enjoy the true presence of our Creator God. How foolish!

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

12/14/23 The Place of Needing God

“I know that this is not what you normally hear, but I want you to count the cost of serving Me when you are in the dark valley, not from the mountain top. Mountain top commitments fade when times get difficult. When you have nothing to offer, when there is no escape, when you have come to the end of yourself and still commit to serve Me, I know you mean it. That is when I change you. That is when your heart becomes more like the heart of Jesus. Never be afraid to go to the place of needing Me. Each time I drive you to the end of yourself, it is My love in action. When I am all that you have and I am needed for your next breath, I will be there for you. You can trust Me. That is when We can really talk.”

Psalm 3:1-6 AMP

1) Lord, how they are increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me.

2) Many are saying of me, There is no help for him in God. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

3) But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.

4) With my voice I cry to the Lord, and He hears and answers me out of His holy hill. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

5) I lay down and slept; I wakened again, for the Lord sustains me.

6) I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me round about.

Isa. 38:17 NIV

Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back.

Unless we really understand that everything God does is for our good, we will never be able to communicate with Him properly in times of anguish. Usually in those dark places, we begin to accuse God of being unfaithful and question His promises, instead of releasing our desperate need of Him and crying out for help.

We forget that He has taken us to those places, so that we finally come to the end of ourselves and He can get to our real need - more of Jesus. What we say and how we act toward Him in those desperate moments reveals our true heart. At that time, He either releases His compassion and changes us or allows us to remain there until our need of Him is more powerful than anything else.

We spend so much time trying to prove that we are getting better and becoming more Christ-like, when our Father is working to get us to acknowledge that we are bankrupt and in need of Jesus. When we do acknowledge our need, He can change us.

Do what it takes to make me whole, Lord,

Jim Corbett

12/14/23 Water in the Desert

Even after the Israelites saw God part the Red Sea for them, they had little faith that He would provide water for them where there was no visible sign of it. Their faith in Him was under attack.

At times, when I comprehend the awesome responsibility of my offices of husband and father, great fear rises up in me. I can only see how impossible it is to fulfill these offices. My eyes turn toward the power of the world and the war that I’m facing, and how weak I really am to the point that I become immobilized. Sometimes even hopelessness temporarily sets in.

When this lie invades my thinking, it’s time for me to remember Who my God really is and who I am in Him. It’s also time to remember that it’s not my job to overcome my fears. I’m only called to submit them to God and surrender to His faithfulness to allay them and change me.

God did part the Red Sea for His people. He did provide water for them. He did take care of their every need. He is the same God today as He was then. I am His child and He will take care of me and my cares, just like He took care of theirs. As soon as I remember that, I can find a place of rest in Him and wait for His promises to be as real to me now as they were to His children way back then. I have no need to fear!

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

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