“How do you think you’d fare if I had you in jungle survival training, instead of the training that I’ve had you in—to be My light to the world and to represent Jesus so more would come to Him? Suppose tomorrow when you woke up, the plane heading for the jungle was on the runway, your parachute was being strapped on, and your flight plan showed the drop off point, which meant you would jump and remain in the jungle for one year. As of that very moment, there would be no more training. You would survive only to the extent to which you have already submitted to your training. How ready would you be?
"If you had submitted to survival training in the whimsical way that you have trained for My call, I’m afraid you wouldn’t last very long once you hit the jungle floor. You will not be able to represent Me properly as the times change either. You have not taken My training seriously. You have not embraced My instructions with all your heart; and, therefore, you are not ready for what is ahead.
"Soon you will need to draw upon My power to rise above all that is happening around you. Some of you still do not know how to do that. You need to take seriously what I am teaching you. Everything is for your good and for My plan. Submit fully to My training in your life. Embrace the trials; relish the hardships. Know that they are for your good and for My purposes to be fulfilled in you.”
Jer. 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 to 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?
Rom. 12:1-2 NIV
1) Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—which is your spiritual worship.
2) Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Titus 2:11-14 AMP
11) For the grace of God (His unmerited favor and blessing) has come forward (appeared) for the deliverance from sin and the eternal salvation for all mankind.
12) It has trained us to reject and renounce all ungodliness (irreligion) and worldly (passionate) desires, to live discreet (temperate, self-controlled), upright, devout (spiritually whole) lives in this present world.
13) Awaiting and looking for the [fulfillment, the realization of our] blessed hope, even the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
14) Who gave Himself on our behalf that He might redeem us (purchase our freedom) from all iniquity and purify for Himself a people [to be peculiarly His own, people who are] eager and enthusiastic about [living a life that is good and filled with] beneficial deeds.
Heb. 12:9-10 AMP
9) Moreover, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we yielded [to them] and respected [them for training us]. Shall we not much more cheerfully submit to the Father of spirits and so [truly] live?
10) For [our earthly fathers] disciplined us for only a short period of time and chastised us as seemed proper and good to them; but He disciplines us for our certain good, that we may become sharers in His own holiness.
It is a well-known fact that those who do not submit to training, whether on the job or in the military, do as much harm to those around them as they do to themselves, because they have little knowledge when called upon to do their jobs. Most of the time, they have little idea of how much harm their foolishness causes.
In the body of Christ at present, few of us know how to trust the Lord. Most of us squirm and flutter, trying to remove ourselves from the uncomfortableness of His training; instead of standing firm, waiting for the work to be done in us.
Because we are so selfish and put our own comfort above the welfare of others, we will not have what’s needed when the world needs to see Jesus. We will look and act like all the others as they go about in a blind panic when difficult situations arise. That isn’t the way Jesus would act. That should not be the way we act. Sadly, most of us will not know any other way.
Teach me Your way, Lord. Make me listen!
Jim Corbett
