Tag: From Our Father’s Heart

“In the quiet place of intimacy with Me can be found all that is needed for you to be complete. When all the distractions that the world calls prosperity have been stripped away, you, My child, will find true prosperity. What the wisest scholar could not grasp about the true meaning of life will be comprehended fully by the youngest child who is truly Mine. At that time, My people will understand My Son's heart as He was led to the cross.  They will understand the kind of love He had for those who cursed Him. At that time, only what is truly important will be worth knowing.  All else will pass away as so much rubbish.  My people will prosper as I see prosperity.”

Phil. 3:10-11 AMP

10) [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted, with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]

11) That if possible I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body].

 

This scripture has brought me so much life! In the many times that I have studied it, I have learned something each time. I believe that the operative thought our Father would impart here is "freedom."

Paul is giving us the key to Christ’s kind of freedom in every circumstance. This is not a "What can You do for me, God?" kind of Christianity. It is an "I realize that I have been bought with a price; I will gladly do what is necessary to serve You properly, Lord" kind of love. It is the kind of wealth that allows us to joyfully overcome everything the world has to offer.

People who are in this for their good rather than the Lord’s purposes will think you've gone stark raving mad if you pursue this kind of life. Then again, the world’s way of thinking could never understand God's kind of freedoms. Understand also that every trial you incur will really be a gift given to you to make you more like Jesus. It's also God's way. That means that even those who would come against you are really helping you in your quest. What an incredible God!

Wanting more,

Jim Corbett

“You will never lose your way if you keep your eyes on Me. I understand every path you are to follow. I have gone before you. I am with you. As We walk together, you will see the majesty of the paths We have walked in the past. It will give you confidence to walk in new directions. Take My hand. Be confident that I will provide solid footing. Sometimes the path may seem dark. Allow Me to light the way. Allow Me to be your Guide. I know the way.”

Ps. 116:8 AMP

For You have delivered my life from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling and falling.

Ps. 119:105 AMP

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

5) Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

6) in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 16:9 AMP

A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure.

Isa. 30:20-21 AMP

20) And though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide Himself any more, but your eyes will constantly behold your Teacher.

21) And your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way; walk in it, when you turn to the right hand and when you turn to the left.

Luke 1:78-80 AMP

78) Because of and through the heart of tender mercy and loving-kindness of our God, a Light from on high will dawn upon us and visit [us].

79) To shine upon and give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to direct and guide our feet in a straight line into the way of peace.

80) And the little boy grew and became strong in spirit; and he was in the deserts (wilderness) until the day of his appearing to Israel [the commencement of his public ministry].

 

Few of us would venture into dark places on purpose. When those days come upon us, however, we can be sure that the Lord is in them with us. After the darkness has subsided and we have overcome by the power of the Lord, more often than not there is an astounding amount of evidence of the Lord walking every step with us.

The next time you are called to traverse uncharted paths, those you have never been on before, remember the many times you have conquered them in the past. They will help you to be assured that He will be with you again.

Allow me to remember how many times You have helped me, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“Study My Word. Ponder it in your heart until it becomes part of you. Allow My Holy Spirit to show you insights into its deeper meaning. Guard your heart from anything that does not conform to My Word and My heart. You can rely on Who I am and what I have said. I always confirm My Word. Anything other than My Word is not to be held close to you, even if it sounds good or looks real.”

Psalm 106:12-15 AMP

12) Then [Israel] believed His words [trusting in, relying on them]; they sang His praise.

13) But they hastily forgot His works; they did not [earnestly] wait for His plans [to develop] regarding them,

14) But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness and tempted and tried to restrain God [with their insistent desires] in the desert.

15) And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their souls and [thinned their numbers by] disease and death.

Psalm 111:2 NIV

Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them.

Psalm 119:89 NIV

Your word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.

Psalm 119:160 NIV

All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

5) Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

6) in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 16:9 AMP

A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure.

 

What we deeply believe will determine who we are, why we pray, how we pray, why we attempt to bring others to see who Jesus is; and cause us to form a perception of why He did all that He did. This perception will be a foundation for how we interpret the Word of God; and consequently, how we carry out what we have learned, also showing others that same perception.

Where we place God in our plans will determine how we perceive the nature and purpose of our salvation. Wrong perception in this area will cause us to flounder blindly in a fog of religious activity, striving to find purpose for our life at best, and actually working against the real desires of God at worst.

Train my heart to desire only Your true Words, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“It is your responsibility to do what is right; it is My responsibility to give you the desire and ability to do so. These are not responsibilities that I take lightly. They are pivotal to Our relationship and the expression of My covenant with you to those who are observing Our interaction. Our relationship demands nothing less than absolute trust and honesty with each other. It relies on the fact that I must create in you a new heart, one that will be obedient to My will in everything, right down to the minutest detail. The expression of My work is when you do it.

“My first creation, the angels as you know them, had no opportunity to work through obedience. When they rebelled, they were simply removed from My presence. I am working through obedience with you because of the nature of the relationship that I desire. Interaction is part of that relationship. Proper choices on your part declare the depth of your allegiance to Me. The progressive purity of your allegiance determines the depth of the flow of My work in your heart. That cycle continues until you see Me face to face. You submit, I build more of Myself in you. More of My nature in you creates more of a desire to submit, which brings more of My nature, and so on and so on. The cycle is necessary for My reasons.

“All heaven is watching this interaction and marveling at your opportunity to relate to Me in that way. You believe Our relationship is limited to what you can understand. I have plans that are far above your knowledge. For now, you simply trust Me and submit to My will as best you can. I will then give you what it takes to move deeper with Me.”

Psalm 51:10 AMP

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

Ephesians 3:10-12 AMP

10) [The purpose is] that through the church the complicated, many-sided wisdom of God in all its infinite variety and innumerable aspects might now be made known to the angelic rulers and authorities (principalities and powers) in the heavenly sphere.

11) This is in accordance with the terms of the eternal and timeless purpose which He has realized and carried into effect in [the person of] Christ Jesus our Lord.

12) In Whom, because of our faith in Him, we dare to have the boldness (courage and confidence) of free access (an unreserved approach to God with freedom and without fear).

 

The angels are amazed that we have free access and unreserved approach to God. What an astounding truth!

We have lost our awe of God. We have been given so much grace, and have functioned under so much mercy, that our perspective of what Jesus has done for us has been limited to our ability to reason. We go to God with a yawn, demand that He respond to our wishes with pompous attitudes, and receive from Him with ungrateful hearts.

God is allowing us to have access to Him so that His eternal plan can be worked out. He, for some reason that is far beyond my ability to comprehend, desires to be patient enough with our blatant disregard for His majesty and omnipotence in order to accomplish that work in us. We really don’t get it.

When I think about how we, as the body of Christ, misuse and misunderstand the incredible privilege we take for granted, I am reminded of a small child and his very caring parents. The child functions in his daily life, oblivious and unconcerned of what it requires of his parents. His expectations for the basics of life cause him to receive them mostly without any gratefulness, and sometimes even with a demanding attitude.

In their own little worlds, children demand their portion of respect, adulation, and honor, unaware that their basic freedoms are only theirs because of the graciousness of those around them - those who have built the kind of environment that facilitates their freedoms. They go happily about their self-centered little lives, giving little thought to the magnitude of the gifts in which they function.

Are we not very much the same with God, only compounded one thousand fold? I believe that if God would ever really expose us to our puny perspectives and naive attitudes, we would fall at His feet in repentance. We would also have a rekindled gratefulness for who He really is.

Show me the truth, Lord,

Jim Corbett

 

 

“Share My heart with your friends. Tell them that I really do exist. Show them Who I am by living the life of Jesus in their midst. You will be surprised at how many people in your circle have little knowledge of Me. Many may be religious, but that’s the extent of their capacity to know Me. If you take the first step, I will bring My presence to your willingness to reach to others.”

Exodus 33:13-16 NIV

13) “If I have found favor in your eyes, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”

14) The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

15) Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.

16) How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”

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...”

Ephesians 3:14-19 NLB

14) When I think of the wisdom and scope of God’s plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father,

15) the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.

16) I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit.

17) And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him.  May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love.

18) And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is.

19) May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

 

Over the years, I have encountered a good number of people who have said with their words or their actions that they are too busy to do more for God than they are already doing. In one instance, someone said that his business was so fruitful and kept him so busy that teaching a Sunday school class once a week was enough. I saw that sharing Christ has been pigeon-holed as one more activity in their lives, rather than a work of love and a passion as important as breathing.

Can you imagine how that breaks the heart of God?  Do you understand how much they are missing compared to the full, vibrant life that the Lord has planned for them if only they would decide to fall in love with Him, instead of simply taking all they can from His goodness and His promises? I would call that foolishness.

Teach me to love so deeply that I need to share You or I will burst, Lord,

Jim Corbett