Faith | TFRC | The Faith Resource Community

8/01/22 You’re Dangerous

Do you have any idea how important it is for your wife to know you are praying for her? Do you have any idea how much peace your children can have when they know their father is standing in the gap for them as they go about their days? Even if they don’t seem to be aware of your efforts in this arena, God notices and responds.

Holding those you love before the Lord is big stuff to Him. It’s also big stuff for your family because it makes an amazing difference in the spiritual realm where wars are won on their behalf. A father or husband on his knees is dangerous to the enemy who wants to rob and destroy. In his eyes, you’re an unbeatable foe. He has no weapon that can win over you as you submit yourself and your family to God.

As you observe your family in action, ask the Lord how you should pray for each one. Sit quietly and wait for Him to reveal their needs to you. Make it your business to intervene on their behalf. In doing so, you will help turn the tide of any warfare that comes their way. You become dangerous in the spiritual realm. You become a mighty warrior, and God sees you as His mighty man. That’s a really good thing!

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

7/30/22 Urgent vs. Important

“Beware of the distractions that are formed to hinder a work I have called you to do. They will come from many directions with many seemingly urgent needs. You need to discern what is important for you to do. You need to understand who is being used by the enemy to consume your time. Turn them over to me until they repent. Separate the urgent from the truly important or you will never accomplish what I have called you to do.

"Anything that robs you of your time with Me is not of Me. Anything that attacks you when you are weary is not My doing. I will always send you to a refreshing time with Me, so that you can continue with those things I call important. Always make Our time together your priority. From My presence, move with power.”

Matt. 14:22-23a NIV

22) Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.

23) After he had dismissed them, he went up into the hills by himself to pray.

Mark 6:30-32 NIV

30) The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all 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.

John 7:6-8 NIV

6) Therefore Jesus told them, “The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right.

7) The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil.

8) You go to the Feast. I am not yet going up to this Feast, because for me the right time has not yet come.”

Have you ever noticed that those who choose not to submit themselves fully to the Lord are often used to distract you with their needs when you are involved with doing what God has called you to do? Sometimes the urgency of their request makes it seem as if everything should be dropped to do whatever is necessary to physically meet their need. However, sometimes the answer is to stand back and pray for them and continue on with what you’re doing, letting God Himself intervene in their lives.

Christians in leadership must learn to separate the seemingly urgent from what is really important. There are many pastors who have been burned out by the all-consuming needs of their flock. It would not be very surprising to learn that the ones who were used to weary the pastor went on to do the same thing at another time and place, if they did not repent and turn to God.

Teach me to discern between the urgent and what is important to You, Lord,

Jim Corbett

7/30/22 Birth Pangs

Sometimes the responsibility of holding our offices of husband and father becomes pretty overwhelming, especially if we’re attempting to hold them in a way that pleases the Lord. Standing in the gap for another until Christ is fully formed in that person - which is very much a part of our duties as stewards - is hard work. Paul described the process as if being in the pains of child birth.

My own experiences in laboring for my wife and family have sometimes seemed more than I can bear. It’s not that they had gone astray or were in such dire need of prayer outwardly; I just knew that they needed spiritual intervention, possibly to thwart off intended warfare by the enemy. In those times, it’s vitally important to remain in the gap for them, no matter what the cost might be.

Being a husband and father is no light duty. These offices are highly regarded by the Lord. They carry major responsibilities that are designed to benefit others rather than ourselves. It is a continual death to our own needs for the best interests of those He holds dear. It is sometimes painful, but most often incredibly rewarding as we see those we love prospering in Christ.

As you wait on God for your family, be ready to fight the fight for them at every opportunity. The labor pains may be intense at times, but the joy you are giving the Lord through your involvement in their lives is worth every effort put forth.

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

7/29/22 When Everything Is in Order

“I want you to wait expectantly. I know of your need. I have you close to My heart and I am involved in your situation. When everything is in order, I will move on your behalf. I will not be a moment late. My timing is perfect. You can be assured that I am with you.

"While you are waiting, let’s talk. Submit your heart position to Me, so that I can adjust things if something is out of order. Commit your heart fully to Me. Surrender your will to My will. Allow Me to modify whatever needs to change around you and in those near you. Wait expectantly. I care very much about what you are going through.”

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 46:1 AMP

God is our Refuge and Strength [mighty and impenetrable to temptation], a very present and well-proved help in trouble.

Psalm 51:10 AMP

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering and steadfast spirit within me.

God is always with us and He is always for us. However, He is not always going to give us what we want. He is going to give us what is necessary for us to grow up and to grow in Him. Most of us think that He is going to give us the desires of our hearts. What we are really asking Him to do is give us the lusts of our flesh. That will never happen unless He uses them to bring us to the end of ourselves.

In reality, He often needs to change our hearts to desire the things that He desires. He can then fulfill our requests as we ask for things that are His best for us. That usually takes time. He needs to break through our hardened hearts and overcome our stiff necks.

If you have been waiting for some request to be answered and it seems long in coming, examine your heart and your motives. If they are out of line, repent and submit yourself to God’s plan. If they are in line with His plan for you, wait expectantly. You will not be disappointed.

Create in me a clean heart, Lord,

Jim Corbett

7/29/22 Nothing of Ourselves

If you are like most of us guys, plans, ideas, challenges, and a myriad of other mind games consume our time and cause us to seek outcomes that seem logical to us. We think our way into scenarios, feeling that it’s part of our function as husbands and fathers. Although planning for the future is good and necessary, plans that originate with “logical us” instead of God easily crop up, and a life ordained by us doesn’t glorify Him.

Although our Father in heaven wants us to steward our time wisely and make our days count, He is training us to leave every moment we live in His hands. For most of us, that’s a hard thing to do even though we know that it’s right and it’s what Jesus did. He fully submitted to His Father’s will, doing nothing of Himself.

There’s probably not much you and I can do about how we’ve taken charge of our lives in the past. There is, however, an awful lot we can do from this time forward. Wisdom would say that it’s time for each of us to fully surrender to the Lord in every area of our lives. The example of Jesus fully surrendering His every thought, action, desire, and outcome to His Father is a pattern that pleases the heart of God. It’s also a formula for success as He sees it.

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

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