Tag: From Our Father’s Heart

“Soon, any doctrines of men will not be able to survive. All of them have one single factor that will not be able to stand true when difficult seasons are upon you. They all have self-fulfillment of some sort as their foundation, even though it is masked as serving Jesus. Many manipulate My Word to pad their comfort zones. Others provide justification to remain strong and have faith in their own faith. Still others say that they will not be touched if they speak themselves positively out of any harmful situation.

“Do not be deceived. The only proper focus of your belief is Jesus. Follow His life. Emulate His desires. He held nothing as His own. He had complete disregard for His reputation, safety, and even His very life, when it meant following My will. You are in a war for the souls around you. You are in training to lay down your life for the best interests of My Word and the welfare of others. You are to glorify Jesus. Any other doctrine is another gospel. Do not be part of it.”

I 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.

Luke 9:23-25 AMP

23) And He said to all, If any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself [disown himself, forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests, refuse and give up himself] and take up his cross daily and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also].

24) For whoever would preserve his life and save it will lose and destroy it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he will preserve and save it [from the penalty of eternal death].

25) For what does it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and ruins or forfeits (loses) himself?

 

We are hearing of saints, who have ministered for many years, falling away because the doctrines that they have purported are not standing the test of the pressures they are experiencing at this time. Their formulas simply aren’t working anymore. They have become disenchanted, disheartened, and angry at God when He does not respond to their demands and commands and faith strategies.

Create in me a clean heart and a proper spirit, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“Are you prepared? Are you prepared to love deeper and care more, no matter what someone does to you? Are you prepared to give everything you have if I ask you to do so? What about forgiveness? Can you forgive those who harm you and hate you? Can you stand silent as Jesus did, with no malice in your heart, even when you are wrongfully accused? Can you love your accusers?

“I am asking you to function with eternal values while you are preparing to be with Me. They are of great consequence now, because they testify of the wonder of the cross to the world. They are also of great consequence to your eternal future, for you will be judged on what you have done while you are in Jesus.”

Jeremiah 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 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?

Amos 3:3 KJV

“Can two walk together except they be agreed?”

Matthew 5:11-12 NIV

11) “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.

12) Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Matthew 6:19-21 NIV

19) “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

20) But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

21) For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

 

Most of us have listened to the lie that our salvation ends with the altar call or however we came to the Lordship of Jesus. From God’s perspective, that time was only the beginning. We simply answered a wake-up call and accepted the mercy of God.

Everything after that is a working out of and growing up in the plans of God. Before we were new creatures with born again spirits, we had no clue that a life in Christ even existed. Since we have come to Him, He is able to talk to us because our inner man has become alive; and we are able to listen and respond, if we choose to do so.

Teach me to listen and respond properly, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“Timing is everything. You must listen to My heart and move when I tell you to move. I call you to respond when all is in order and everything is in place. Your obedience makes the difference between a good thing and a godly impact. Listen to My heart. Heed My command; then wait for My orders to move. Nothing can hinder Me as I move through obedient vessels, in My timing, with all My forces properly positioned.”

Joshua 6:1-5 NIV

1) Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

2) Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.

3) March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days.

4) Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets.

5) When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in.

Isaiah 30:21 NKJV

Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.

 

We hate to wait, even if it is the Lord telling us to do so. Our lives are so hectic and our perspective is so short-sighted, that waiting on the Lord for His timing and responding at His command means little to us. We see little value and wisdom in waiting, so we trudge ahead of His plans - powerless to implement His work and ineffective in what we do.

Andrew Murray stated in his book, Waiting on God: “All the exercises of the spiritual life, our reading and praying, our willing and doing, have their value.  But, they can go no farther than this, that they point the way and prepare us in humility to look to and depend upon God Himself, and in patience to wait His good time and mercy.  The waiting is to teach us our absolute dependence upon God’s mighty working, and to make us, in perfect patience, place ourselves at His disposal.  They that wait on the Lord will inherit the land; the promised land and its blessing.  The heirs must wait; they can afford to wait.”

Show me truth, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“Some surprises are wonderful; others are not good if you are not prepared for them. Are you sure that you’re ready for the surprise that will change the world as you know it? Most of My church is not ready. Please don’t follow their example. You make yourself ready by drawing close to Me during this time of preparation.

 “If you notice, the distractions are becoming more prevalent. There are many more noises to sway your attention from Jesus. That is because the time is drawing near. Push aside everything that clouds your vision and quiets your hearing of My Word. Do not be lulled to sleep as many have been. Wake up. Shake yourself awake. You do not want to be surprised and left behind.”

 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!’”

1 Th. 5:4-6 NIV

4) But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise  you like a thief.

5) You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.

6) So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.

 

Whenever there is talk about the rapture, controversy breaks out about doctrine and personal beliefs. Theories abound as to whether or not there is a time of calling away those who are looking for Jesus. Some believe that there is no such thing as the rapture. Others believe that there is one and everyone who accepts Jesus is taken away. Still others believe that only those who are truly waiting for Jesus and have enough oil, (sincere, sold-out hearts and proper reasons for waiting,) are taken to the marriage supper.

I am convinced that there is a time when our Lord will call for those who are thinking, acting, and loving as He would. I also believe that the time is very near.

Whether you share my beliefs matters far less than how prepared you and I are because we love Jesus.  Are we ready and prepared to meet Him if He should come at any minute? If we are ready for whatever, whenever - I mean really ready for His reasons - He will be glorified no matter what happens or when it happens.

 Make me ready so that You are blessed, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“Look back on those people who have been instrumental in your life. I want you to bless them. Bring them to Me in prayer. Pray that I might prosper them in all they do, and that they become all they can be in My eyes. Pray that they serve Jesus with all their hearts. Pray this for everyone that I bring to your mind, even those who have hurt you or despitefully used you. Ask for My mercy to come to those who have intentionally harmed you. Wait in My presence until you can be grateful for every person that you have encountered. Take your time. There is no hurry. Over time, as I heal your every wound, I will show you how all of them have a portion in who you are in Me. I will set you free.”

Esther 6:1-3 AMP

1) On that night the king could not sleep; and he ordered that the book of memorable deeds, the chronicles, be brought, and they were read before the king.

2) And it was found written there how Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the attendants who guarded the door, who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.

3) And the king said, What honor or distinction has been given Mordecai for this? Then the king’s servants who ministered to him said, Nothing has been done for him.

Phil 4:13 AMP

I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].

 

It’s easy to bless those who have blessed us, but every one of us has had people intentionally or unintentionally bring harm to us through their words or actions. When you live in society, it is unavoidable. How we handle those offenses is what counts. In the world, most reactions to offenses fall into the categories of retaliation, holding unforgiveness of some sort; and leaving hurtful wounds and insurmountable obstacles in the way of healthy relationships. In Christ, however, every offense, past or present, brings opportunity for our growth and healing by His power.

As I was writing this comment, and partly because of a recent conversation with some friends, I was thinking of some short phrases that have helped me place offenses in proper perspective over the years. I wish I could take credit for them, but they have all come from other people, those much wiser than I.

“Lord, flood them with the same mercy you have given me.” This has often brought things into perspective as I think of how much mercy I have asked for because of my own sin towards God and towards others. It has allowed me to remember that we are all in need of the Lord and brings home the thought that we judge others by their actions; we judge ourselves by our intentions, (another borrowed phrase.)

“Forgiveness is the ardent desire to bear the consequences of another person’s sin.” This one is a definition of the heart of Jesus.  He saw our future healing and bore the weight of our sins and the sins of others because of our need. Only by His power can we understand that every sin against us gives us the opportunity to see that person’s desperate need for Jesus. By the infused sufficiency of Christ in us, we can understand that it is our privilege to hold that person up before the Lord so he or she might be healed. The act of forgiving then becomes a warfare tool against the real enemy, and an agent for healing in both the offending party and the offended.

Teach me Your ways, Lord

Jim Corbett