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5/31/22 Safe at Home

I remember playing “kick the can” as a child. One person would be designated to guard the can – also called “home”, while the others ran away and hid. As everyone sought their hiding place, the guard counted to a certain number with his eyes closed. When the guard opened his eyes, we each found an opportunity to run toward “home” to kick the can. If we accomplished our mission, we were safe. If the guard caught one of us before we could get to the can, that person would have to be the new guard.

Often I remember being the guard because I was smaller and much slower than the others. The frustration I felt was immense, as one by one the others would make it home safe. It seemed that I could never protect the can as I wanted to. I just didn’t have the skills to do so.

Those frustrations come back often as I begin to understand my responsibility before God as a husband and father. I’m acutely aware of the times I’m incapable of loving, guiding, and nurturing as I should. Often I find myself with no answers.

That’s when I’m reminded that my weakness is the strongest qualification I have for my job. I was never called to have answers for the task I’ve been given. I’ve only been called to need God. In my need, He is my answer. He is my strength. He is my wisdom and power to function as I’m called to function. Instead of me trying to stop others from being safe at “home” as in the game, I welcome them to a place of safety created by My loving Father.

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

5/30/22 Furthering God’s Kingdom

“Delight yourself in Me. Make Me part of those things that mean much to you. Cherish the values of Jesus. Pattern your life after His life. If you do these things, your heart will cherish the things of His heart. It will hold them dear. With the same heart motives as His, your requests to Me will be in line with My Word and My heart. You can then rest assured that your every request will be fulfilled, for I know it will further My kingdom.”

Psalm 37:4 NIV

Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.

I John 5:14-15 AMP

14) And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us.

15) And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him.

Few of us remember that everything we do is supposed to be about God’s desires, His plans, and His will. Many times we attempt to make this Christian walk all about us and our desires and plans. God becomes this bottomless well from which we can draw. He is a gift giver, protector of our freedoms, and maker of our prosperity. Foolish teachers even make dead end doctrines - which are heralded by the selfish and accepted by the immature - out of our need to have our lusts fulfilled.

Once we understand and accept the Lord’s way, we become free. Our prayers come in line with God’s ideas. Our needs become focused on how they can further the Lord’s work. The desires of our hearts change. Our motives become pure. We ask for ways to become more like Jesus. We crave tools to help others. The things of the world fall away, pale in comparison with the things of God. All of our hearts’ desires are fulfilled, sometimes without even asking. God fulfills them because they are in line with His heart. He is a Father who gives good gifts.

I want Your heart desires, Lord,

Jim Corbett

5/30/22 A Great Honor

In the movie, Dances with Wolves, there is an instance when Captain Dunbar is asked to stay behind and take care of his friend’s family, instead of going to war against another tribe. He fought the idea until he was told that taking care of the family was a great honor. It was far more important than warring on behalf of the tribe.

Most of us have lost the idea that taking care of another’s property is an honor. It means that we can be trusted. As a husband and father, Father God has said to you, in essence: “I trust you to take care of your wife. She is one of my precious children. I also trust you to take of the children I’ve lent you. Teach them about Me and how much I love them.”

Men, your offices of husband and father are offices of trust and pivotal roles in the economy of God. You’re important to Him. You play a vital part in the plans of God as you fulfill His desires in guiding His children to the place where they can best serve Him. Wouldn’t it be a good idea to seek Him for His guidance in fulfilling that role? Do I hear an “Amen?”

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

5/28/22 Personally Tailored Seasons

“If you are My child, We will be walking through many different seasons together. You can count on it. There will be overall seasons that orchestrate the coming of My Son. There will also be personal seasons to refine, change, and develop you into the very image of His character. You will become as the perfect, waiting bride because of the work that takes place in you during these seasons.

"The overall seasons began at the time of My creation of your world. Everything has been put in order to bring My creation to the completed salvation process. You are living in the very end of the time before I call all things to be fulfilled. It is then that the season of future eternities will be implemented. You are very much a part of that season also. You will be used as My instruments during that time.

"I need to have you embrace your personal seasons with zeal. Understand that you must go through each personally tailored season, so that you become exactly who I have designed you to be. If your season is particularly difficult, please know that I understand your pain and that I am with you through it. If you are in a season of rest, please know that I love you enough to refresh you before you embrace the next refiner’s fire. Fires bring forth the perfection. They will become increasingly intense because I am about to require much of you. Anyone who is not going through seasons of refinement has long ago been put aside. I love them very much, but they have some time ago halted the deep refining work in their lives. It grieves Me, but I honor that.

"Those of you who feel as if I have lifted My hand from your life, that I am not answering your prayers, that I don’t seem to care - you are very, very wrong. The opposite is true. It is because you have given Me freedom to do what it takes to fulfill My desires in you that you are now in deep training. You have responded to Me as My Son did. I am very pleased with Him and I am very pleased with you. Keep submitting and trusting; I am with you.”

Zech. 13:9 AMP

And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined and will test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will hear and answer them. I will say, It is My people; and they will say, The Lord is my God.

Rom 8:29 AMP

For those whom He foreknew [of whom He was aware and loved beforehand], He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them] to be molded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness], that He might become the firstborn among many brethren.

Rev. 3:19 AMP

Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I tell their faults and convict and convince and reprove and chasten [I discipline and instruct them]. So be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and repent [changing your mind and attitude].

My thumb is wrinkled from sucking on it like a baby during particularly difficult refining times. In seasons of rest, I sometimes forget the object of my life and take my eyes off the goal. I then run back onto the lap of my Lord the minute things return to the “normalcy” of refinement. Sometimes I forget that the reason that I am living is for God’s reasons.

When I remember that I have been bought into a family that has a mandate to love deeper and care more about someone else’s desires than my own, everything becomes clear. My life is not my own. That’s for real.

Having said that, I realize that it’s going to take a lot to bring me to a place of consistently letting go of my own desires. There will have to be difficulties that I can’t overcome, challenges that are bigger than I am; and trials that make me cry out in agony. Why, I’ll have to be hemmed in on all sides at times, so that I can’t move. It will be important to go down some deadend roads, where perils await me. There must also be times when I feel so alone that it’s physically painful, just so that I cry out for help to the One who bought me.

Obviously, the picture is clear. We have only one purpose in this life. It is not our own. It is to submit to whatever influence that the Lord decides will change us and make us more like Jesus. We should even do it joyfully, knowing how much it means to our Lord. The more we squirm, procrastinate, and decide not to submit to His hand of purpose, the more we proclaim own rebellion. We lie and lie and lie, even to ourselves, making believe that our life is of importance in some other way.

Wanting to really admit where my values are placed,

Jim Corbett

5/28/22 Redeem the Time

Let’s talk reality! Our world is spinning out of control. As a watchman, I see things changing so radically that it’s time to reassess our priorities and possibly make some drastic changes before it’s too late. I don’t necessarily mean becoming a “prepper,” although some physical preparation before any crisis situation hits is always a good idea. I am, however, talking about spiritual preparation.

How is your family prepared to face the prospects of terrorism at your door or in your neighborhood? What about a financial meltdown? How will your family handle riots and looting, or the loss of everything you hold dear?

I’m convinced that the only way you can, as a husband and father, properly prepare your family for what is on the near horizon is to become all that you can be in Christ, and call your family to do the same. If they won’t come now, pray them in so they’re ready when the time comes. As the world reels in darkness, you and I are supposed to be the light. We are to love those who can only hate, just as Jesus did. We are to bring His life to a dead and dying world.

Now is the time to find God’s answers for your life and the lives of your family, while things are relatively calm. Now is the time to look at what you have in your hand each day, and see if it has been brought to your attention by the Lord. If it hasn’t, you need to find out how to live in the throne room with your Father, and learn to pick up only what He gives you, so that you and your family can prosper when others are reeling in fear. It’s time to redeem the time! Agreed?

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

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