Tag: Jesus

“Where are you going to find truth when truth is non-existent in those you trust? Where are you going to find help when the powerful become helpless? Who will be your source for peace when your world falls apart? You need to really see the signs all around you and make some decisions. If you choose “business as usual,” I will not be able to use you when your seasons change. If you choose to do whatever it takes to bring My presence into your life, We will commune in intimate ways. You will see the wonder of what happened at the cross. You will observe hearts that fail from fear from the safety of My Holy Place. You will understand what is happening when others reel in confusion. You make the choice. If you do nothing to draw close to Me at this moment, you have made a choice. It is not a good one!”

Amos 3:3 KJV

“Can two walk together except they be agreed?”

 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 out-flowing 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].

 Phil. 4:8-9 NIV

8) Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

9) Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

 

In the above verses, Paul understood the difference between making a real difference and simply existing. He grasped the concept of finding the heart of Jesus and tailoring his every moment to pursue it with zeal.

Jesus had a single purpose.  Paul had a single purpose.  Any person that was truly used by God was, first and foremost, sold out to God.  God moves on behalf of one who is determined to be in line with His causes.  Most of us aren’t willing to pay the price; and therefore, never receive the joy of knowing the powerful hand of God in our lives.”

What is your determined purpose in life? Really, for what do you get up every day and pine?

Make my life devoted to Your purpose, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“To fulfill My plans, all of your dreams, hopes, and desires must die. There is no room in My economy for someone who will not lay his every desire at the foot of the cross and take up My desires. The closer you get to My heart, the more that truth becomes evident. The closer you get to My heart, the more your own desires become pale and unimportant. For all the days of your life with Me, I have been shaping your spirit to conform with Mine. I have allowed circumstances to take place in your life that have caused you to make either My kind of choices or choices that favor your heart. As you grew with Me, as you have submitted your will to Mine, you have gained insight and wisdom to make choices. Little by little, you have seen the wisdom of My ways. Your heart and your desires have become more and more like Mine with each submission to My will.

"Soon, those of you who have understood the need to function in complete union with Me will understand why it is necessary to do so. Normal wisdom and logical choices will not be the criteria for proper decision making. The untrained heart will be unable to find peace, as difficult decisions will be needed to survive. Only the ones, who know that they are exactly where I desire them to be, will be able to rest in the days ahead. To know where I want you to be and what I want you to do will be simple to the trained, obedient heart that desires only My will. I will be able to guide, direct, and position you, who listen and obey, for specific tasks and optimum impact, even when others, who call themselves Mine, are unable to make any decisions because of fear and confusion. You will be able to discern My will and move in perfect unison with Me. You will care for the things I care about, when the only thing that others care about will be their personal comfort and safety.

"When others move, you will be free to stand still. When others stand immobilized, you will flow in My Spirit, accomplishing My perfect will. We will trust each other completely and move in complete unity. That is the way I have planned it. That is the way it should be. Nothing will be able to hinder you as We move in perfect harmony.”

 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 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?”

John 10:17-18 NIV

17) “The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again.

18) No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

Hebrews 5:8-9 NIV

8) Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered

9) and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.

 

No command of the world could touch Jesus. Its dictates, laws, and rulers had no hold on Him. All His authority came from His Father and was returned to His Father. He had learned complete obedience by laying down His every desire in favor of His Father’s desires long before we see His impact on the world as a grown Man.

There is no mystery to doing our Father’s will. We must simply lay down our every desire and commit to function only for His purposes and desires. That freedom, however, does not happen all at once.

The above portion of Scripture, “once made perfect”, used to astound me. In the Amplified Bible, it reads, “And, [His completed experience] making Him perfectly [equipped,” which gives us clear insight. Jesus learned obedience through suffering while growing up, and when his flesh man was perfected, God used Him.

We know that He was completely obedient from the time we are able to observe His life, so the “suffering” that is talked about in these verses could not mean the time on the cross or in the garden. It must mean a suffering that He went through before His appearance. That “suffering” infers the continual choice of the death of His own will as man and the acceptance of His Father’s will. He was sinless throughout His life, so He must have been obedient, even while His Father’s perfect obedience was being worked “in” Him. So it must be with each of us.

Not my will, but Yours, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“You have been given an allotment of days. What are you doing with them? These specific days have challenges that you will face. How are you going to handle them? You have been designed to overcome any and every challenge as We walk together. You have been given power to rise above whatever attempts to destroy your peace if you trust in Jesus. Allow Him to live His life through you to overcome. Allow Him to be your Victor. His plans are My plans. His directions are My directions. You cannot fail if you trust Him.”

Amos 5:4b AMP

…Seek Me [inquire for and of Me and require Me as you require food] and you shall live!

John 16:33 AMP

I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]

2 Cor. 1:8-10 NIV

8) We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.

9) Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

10) He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us…

 

Jesus was brought into a world so perilous that children were killed at the whimsical edict of an evil king, crucifixions were as commonplace as morning walks, and people were held in slavery to ignorant teachers and foolish guides, yet He was absolutely fearless. His passionate love, His intimacy with His Father, and His zeal for imparting truth made Him “Teflon” in a world seething with infectious evil and eternal danger. His presence in any society was a gift of love from His Father God. We are in training to be the same kind of gift to those around us wherever our Father sends us.

To have the wonder of the living Christ residing in us is one of life’s profound miracles. To have Him desire to share our time on this earth and then for eternity is an astounding privilege. To not take full advantage of this wondrous gift is foolishness.

Remove my foolish heart, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“Do you know how the words “I will have a people who serve Me with all of their hearts” will impact your life?  It means that your personal world will never be the same. At present, you have little desire to serve Me with all of your heart. There are many distractions that vie for your allegiance, and you submit to most of them. Many of them rob Me of My time with you. Many of them rob you of your desire to spend time with Me. That is not a positive combination. Would you think it cruel of Me if I removed everything from your life that hindered you from becoming like My Son? Would you curse Me if you were brought to a place of absolute dependence upon Me for your next morsel of food, a moment of safety from the surrounding terrors, your very life?

"I am deeply concerned for you. No matter how many times I call you to intimacy, no matter how often I warn you of the coming terrors, you have little knowledge of what it is like to have Me and Me alone for your sustenance. You don’t even seem to care. So many other gods occupy your world that you have little determination to learn of My Son, even though He is the key to your safety when your world falls apart. When will you stop the foolishness? Look around. How can you miss the abundance of signs that proclaim imminent changes in your world? How can you not respond to My calling to become holy so that you can overcome what lies ahead?

"Look to those who see with My eyes. Listen to My prophets - not the street-corner variety - but those whose strong words make you uncomfortable. Listen to what I am saying and determine in your heart to move with Me in the soon coming times. I will have a people who will serve Me with all of their hearts.  There, I’ve said it. Now what will you do in response?”

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].

 

According to the Bible verses above, Paul had a determined purpose that drove his life. He was hungry for God. His whole being embraced his calling and he knew that he needed everything that the Lord had for him to be able to make it. Since he did make it, it would be good if we embraced his formula.

His unswayable (Is that a word?) determination was his first direction for us to follow. We need to get serious.

He wanted to truly know Jesus. Not a bad choice for a mentor.

He wanted to know what was provided for him at the cross and the resurrection. What were his tools? How much of God did he have at his every call for help? Where was true power to overcome and how could he tap into it?

Now he tells us. If we die to our every desire and take up His cross, we will rise above every worldly god and function in concert with the only real God even while in the body.

He got it, and it proved powerful to the end. Study these wealthy verses until they are deep in your heart. Feed on them and determine to get determined.

Determined to become determined,

Jim Corbett

“It is once again time to watch and pray! You must shake yourself from the lethargy and slumber that is prevalent in My people. Now is the time to work while there is still light enough to do My will. I call you to holiness. I call you to Myself, so that I can show you how I would have you live in the perilous times ahead for your world. Nothing you hold on to will soon mean anything. Make time with Me your priority. Buy gold refined in the fire. I have salve for your eyes, so that you will be able to see clearly. Time is so very short. Wake up! Awaken others! Find those who see clearly and invest what you have in My work. Seek Me together. I will show you what to do. I will show you how to see as Jesus saw. I will show you how to live as Jesus lived.”

Matthew 16:22-23 NIV

22) Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

23) Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Out of my sight, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

Matthew 16:24-25 AMP 

24) Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to be My disciple, let him deny himself [disregard, lose sight of, and forget himself and his own interests] and take up his cross and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying, also].

25) For whoever is bent on saving his [temporal] life [his comfort and security here] shall lose it [eternal life]; and whoever loses his life [his comfort and security here] for My sake shall find it [life everlasting].

Matthew 26:43-46 NIV

43) When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy.

44) So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

45) Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

46) Rise, let us go!...”

Rev. 3:18 NIV 

I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

 

In the garden, Jesus looked past His own needs and saw the imminent darkness that was fast approaching. He urged those around Him to push past their immediate needs to watch and pray with Him. They needed the Father to be the goal and purpose of their lives. He characterized their lack of awareness to the peril as slumber.

Once again, a spirit of slumber has overtaken most of the church. Once again, immediate and personal needs have overshadowed the fast-approaching darkness. Most are unaware that twilight is upon us. Most cannot see that we are living in the closing hours before deep shadows lurk at every corner. Many will soon cower in fear. Many will find any kind of light that will give them some semblance of safety. Safety will not be found in any source except a solid, loving relationship with Jesus and our Father God.

Are you working with the heart of Father God while there is still light enough to do it with freedom? You must! Shake yourself awake to the peril that is once again fast approaching. Jesus is asking each of us to slumber no more. He sees what we cannot see. He calls us to His Father’s side, so that we can prosper throughout what is about to take place.

What are you hanging on to that is more important than doing your Father’s will?  How are you investing your resources and your energies? Do you know for sure what He desires of you? Is your personal form of slumber stopping you from going to Him now? What part of your life are you hanging on to that is not yours to keep?

Awaken me, Lord,

Jim Corbett