Tag: From Our Father’s Heart

“The foolish among you are not heeding My repeated calls to intimacy. You are not changing the religious format of your life by making time with Me your priority. I am calling you to Myself so that you can hear My heart and I can make you more like Jesus. When I am your priority and you come fully surrendered, I give you His heart - a bridal heart with bridal desires for bridal preparation.

“Jesus is coming soon for those who have only His desires, seek only His ways; and have prepared only for Him. Cast aside the other gospels that are so prominent in your world. Any message that does not call for intimacy and proper heart preparation is a foolish doctrine designed for the foolish heart. To follow them will have you standing on the sidelines when My end-time plan unfolds.”

Matt. 25:1-6 NIV

1) “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

2) Five of them were foolish and five were wise.

3) The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them.

4) The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.

5) The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

6) At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’”

Hebrews 1:3 AMP

He is the sole expression of the glory of God [the Light-being, the out-raying or radiance of the divine], and He is the perfect imprint and very image of [God’s] nature, upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power.  When He had by offering Himself accomplished our cleansing of sins and riddance of guilt, He sat down at the right hand of the divine Majesty on high…

 

So many things distract us from focusing on why we have been born and then born again, as God sees it. We have been born to accept God’s way of salvation, Jesus Christ. When we do, we are to allow Christ’s life to live through us, so that others can accept Him as their Savior and Lord.

We are to take on His nature as He took on the nature of His Father. That kind of image only comes from intimacy, a sharing and imparting of Christ’s nature by a loving Father. When Jesus comes, He will be looking for those who were wise enough to gain His heart, are familiar with godly intimacy, and are as He is.

Make me like You, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“I desire more for you than how you are functioning now. Why won’t you move from the sidelines of logic, carnal wisdom, and business savvy and enter into My faith life? Human reasoning will always be shallow at best. Your worldly, logical counsel limits Me and My servants. I have given you much to do because you have asked to be a steward of much. I have brought those in need to you. Now you lord My resources over those I send your way.

“You are dabbling at the perimeter of My work, when I want you to be part of a mighty move and pour what I have given you into others. You work from a base of pride because of your position among people. In your own mind you have become important, but you are really doing little for Me compared to what I have in mind. You need to remember that you are going to answer to Me for what I have given you.

“Begin to pour My resources into My work with zeal. I desire that you become a limitless fountain, not a cask that can be emptied. I am waiting for you to submit fully to My plans. Discard your own ways. Break loose and move in faith. I desire to move through you in a mighty way, but I will be able to really use you only when you have My heart and you are functioning in My wisdom.”

II Chr. 16:9a AMP

For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are blameless toward Him.

Ps. 111:10 AMP 

The reverent fear and worship of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom and skill…; a good understanding, wisdom, and meaning have all those who do [the will of the Lord].

Luke 12:42-44, 48b NIV

42) The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time?

43) It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns.

44) I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.”

48b) “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”

Ja. 2:26 AMP

For as the human body apart from the spirit is lifeless, so faith apart from [its] works of obedience is also dead.

 

God is raising up a faith people who are moving in the wonder of Jesus and discarding the logic of the world. He is using those who have been with the Father enough to hear His heart and move only when He says to move. Human reason can only carry the work of the Lord as far as logic will allow it to go. Faith, combined with Godly vision and implemented by learned obedience, is limitless. In these coming times, those who wait on the Lord to hear His heart and then step out in faith will accomplish mighty works, as the prideful unknowingly reel in their helplessness.

Teach me Your ways, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“Remember the spiritual season that you are in. Remember with soberness the purpose for your comings and goings. In My economy, I am calling as many souls to Jesus as will come. At the same time, I am preparing a bridal heart in those who respond to My call to holiness. Most of My church is unaware of how close I am to heralding the end of all things as you know them. They are so busy attempting to gain more and preparing for better times that they have lost perspective.

“You, however, who desire to walk in step with My purposes and plans, shake off anything that distracts you from hearing Me clearly. You draw close to Me now. Hear My heart and recognize My Word being fulfilled in your midst. You will prosper if you respond to My call.”

Ephesians 1:17-19a NIV

17) I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

18) I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

19a) and his incomparably great power for us who believe…

 

So often the rising and falling tides of our world demand that we respond to them, sometimes rightfully so. Continuous response, however, removes our affections from heavenly places and lowers them to carnal thinking and responses in everything we do. We lose sight of what is really happening in the real world into which we have been born.

Because of our acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Lord, we have been born into a new spiritual world, which is governed by spiritual dynamics. We are spiritual beings, who exist temporarily in a physical world that no longer exists for us somewhere in our future. Should not our focus, then, be on the priorities and events of the world that will soon be our home, and not cater only to the demands and priorities of this decaying world?

Bring everything into proper focus, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“Guard your heart from any distraction that takes you to a place other than what I have planned for you. In these end times, there will be many sirens wooing you to follow them. They will attempt to draw your heart to good things and wonderful-sounding missions that have little to do with My design for your life. Do not follow them for their end is less than My plan for you. Anything that allows you to remain where you are at present is not My plan. Anything that does not bring you to more time with Me - more intimate, deeper moments and the quiet direction of My heart - is a plan to steal your crowns.

“I am calling My people to intimacy. I am calling My true believers to move in directions that are foreign to the carnal believer. I am soon going to ask you to break out of the typical spiritual box in which you are required to remain to be accepted by those who have shut out My voice. You will not be able to move with Me if your priority is not to be with Me. You will only be able to hear what your flesh feels if Our time together does not break your fears and carnal thoughts. When I direct the steps of My intimate friends, logic and comfort are not My priority; safety is not My goal. I will place My warriors in situations to accomplish My will.

“To the one who has not spent enough time with Me to understand My heart, these movements and actions will appear foolish at times. Make sure that you ponder the things I call you to ponder. Make sure that you hear your directions from My mouth, not from the mouths of the many voices sent to distract you. Come to Me so that you are sure of your commands, then move with confidence that My presence is with you. I am waiting.”

Matt. 4:4 NIV

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Mark 4: 24 AMP

And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing. The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you – and more [besides] will be given to you who hear.

Gal. 5:16-17 AMP

16) But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God).

17) For the desires of the flesh are opposed to the [Holy] Spirit, and the [desires of the] Spirit are opposed to the flesh (godless human nature); for these are antagonistic to each other [continually withstanding and in conflict with each other], so that you are not free but are prevented from doing what you desire to do.

II Tim. 4:3-4 AMP

3) For the time is coming when [people] will not tolerate (endure) sound and wholesome instruction, but, having ears itching [for something pleasing and gratifying], they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the errors they hold,

4) And will turn aside from hearing the truth and wander off into myths and man-made fictions.

 

A bloody death on a cross made no sense to the highly respected religious leaders of that time. Speaking in dialects foreign to their upbringing was foolishness to those who did not understand. Giving away all that they possessed, so that others would not have need, was scorned by many with greedy hearts. Acting in a way that meant a sure prison sentence was frowned upon by the logical mind of the leaders of Christian communities of that time. Continually writing letters of teaching, encouragement, correction, and rebuke - especially from a prison cell - seemed of little value when there were so many wonderful, well-established teachers right in the midst of your readers.

Only those who are unashamedly in love with Jesus see merit in some of the directives that God gives to those He can trust. Only those who have little fondness to be accepted by others will have the strength to move with God on missions that He alone understands. All others will flounder in the mire of tradition, logic, and status quo when radical love of the Father is required, and unquestioned obedience is necessary.

Father God is training those who have ears to hear. He is communicating His plans to those who desire to spend time on His lap and move from there, only to hasten to return after being obedient to a command. It is the opposite of a works-oriented religion. It is the antithesis of the power-seeking, safety-conscious church mentality.

In a world where the line between right and wrong moves with the whims of those in power, where the difference between knowing truth and following a good-sounding lie is becoming almost impossible to discern, and where the normal footings of logic and reason are discarded, the Lord provides the only wisdom that can be trusted. His “foolish” directives smack in the face of modern “reason” the same as they have throughout the centuries.

Only those craving to know their true purpose in life – those who call upon the Lord and Him alone for wisdom and wait in His presence until they hear His desires - will move above the clatter of the world. They may look out-of-step with everyone else, even the “wise” in the church; but they will be in perfect cadence with the One who is worth following.

Wanting only You to direct my steps, Lord,

Jim Corbett

 

“I call you as My vessel of service. Once you respond, I anoint your hands to do My work. I bring My presence. I bring all that I am to what you do, so that your efforts last for eternity. You need to stop worrying if what I call you to do is important. If I call, if I anoint, if I bring My presence, it is important!”

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...”

Eph. 2:10 AMP

For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].

Heb. 13:20-21 AMP

20) Now may the God of peace [Who is the Author and the Giver of peace], Who brought again from among the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood [that sealed, ratified] the everlasting agreement (covenant, testament),

21) Strengthen (complete, perfect) and make you what you ought to be and equip you with everything good that you may carry out His will; [while He Himself] works in you and accomplishes that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ (the Messiah); to Whom be the glory forever and ever (to the ages of the ages). Amen (so be it).

 

So many times, we are expecting the lightning flashes and thunder bolts to occur when we do something for God. A long time ago someone shared something that has stayed with me in the many years we have been in ministry. He said that “ministry is a whole bunch of ordinary days.” How true that has become over the years. However, because our Lord is so gracious and loves us so much, He often shows up to encourage us in some way when the very ordinary days become long and tiresome, when we feel as if nothing is happening and we are useless.

One lesson that might be very important for all of us to learn is the fact that it is not our job to see results. Our job is to simply be obedient. If God calls us to something, He will see that the results add to His plan. He will accomplish His will through us. All we really need to do is respond to His call.

Teach me to hear You and then move with You, Lord,

Jim Corbett