Tag: men

Sometimes the responsibility of holding our offices of husband and father becomes pretty overwhelming, especially if we’re attempting to hold them in a way that pleases the Lord. Standing in the gap for another until Christ is fully formed in that person - which is very much a part of our duties as stewards - is hard work. Paul described the process as if being in the pains of child birth.

My own experiences in laboring for my wife and family have sometimes seemed more than I can bear. It’s not that they had gone astray or were in such dire need of prayer outwardly; I just knew that they needed spiritual intervention, possibly to thwart off intended warfare by the enemy. In those times, it’s vitally important to remain in the gap for them, no matter what the cost might be.

Being a husband and father is no light duty. These offices are highly regarded by the Lord. They carry major responsibilities that are designed to benefit others rather than ourselves. It is a continual death to our own needs for the best interests of those He holds dear. It is sometimes painful, but most often incredibly rewarding as we see those we love prospering in Christ.

As you wait on God for your family, be ready to fight the fight for them at every opportunity. The labor pains may be intense at times, but the joy you are giving the Lord through your involvement in their lives is worth every effort put forth.

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Jim Corbett

If you are like most of us guys, plans, ideas, challenges, and a myriad of other mind games consume our time and cause us to seek outcomes that seem logical to us. We think our way into scenarios, feeling that it’s part of our function as husbands and fathers. Although planning for the future is good and necessary, plans that originate with “logical us” instead of God easily crop up, and a life ordained by us doesn’t glorify Him.

Although our Father in heaven wants us to steward our time wisely and make our days count, He is training us to leave every moment we live in His hands.  For most of us, that’s a hard thing to do even though we know that it’s right and it’s what Jesus did. He fully submitted to His Father’s will, doing nothing of Himself.

There’s probably not much you and I can do about how we’ve taken charge of our lives in the past. There is, however, an awful lot we can do from this time forward. Wisdom would say that it’s time for each of us to fully surrender to the Lord in every area of our lives. The example of Jesus fully surrendering His every thought, action, desire, and outcome to His Father is a pattern that pleases the heart of God. It’s also a formula for success as He sees it.

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Jim Corbett

When I first came to the Lord, I couldn’t comprehend how a man could also be part of the bride of Christ. “Macho Me” had great difficulty surrendering my masculinity to some bridal story in which I was to play a part.

Over the years, I have learned of the wonder and privilege I have as a member of God’s family, and how I was to prepare for my role as a man, a husband, a father, and a waiting bride. I learned that the epitome of being a man is to prepare myself for Jesus as a waiting bride would prepare for her wedding day. I’m to be sincere about my intentions, focused on my preparations, and meticulous about my appearance before Him. I am to prepare to honor Him and join myself with Him, having gained His kind of heart through my preparation - all for His joy and glory. I want to do that!

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Jim Corbett

Are you primarily a player or a prayer in your relationship with your wife and children? A player adheres to the world’s direction for solving his family situations. He acts out the role of husband and father in a way he’s been taught by society. What is society’s definition of being a man? What does society see as the role of father? Where does society say we, as husbands and fathers, should go when problems and challenges arise?

A prayer, on the other hand, is deeply rooted in Christ. He understands society has no answers for him and his calling. His role as a husband or father is ordained and defined by God. His approach to every situation is modeled after the heart of Jesus. When challenges occur in any family situation, the prayer does just that; he prays. He is firmly convinced that every challenge has a Christ-like solution that’s found in the Word of God.

In this very challenging world, our Father is looking for men who are prayers, not players. He’s raising up mighty men who win every battle on their knees. He’s calling forth strong, loving, formidable men to win the war the world has waged against their marriages and families. He’s calling forth families to rise above the stranglehold the world has had over them for too long. He’s calling His men to implement the instructions He gives them during their time in His throne room.

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Jim Corbett

One of the most important functions in fulfilling your offices of husband and father is to love your wife as Christ loved the church. He laid down His life for the church. You are to do the same for your wife, placing her best interests above your own.

Part of loving your wife is supporting her. You are to support not only her offices of wife and mother, but also her personal anointing. In the structure of the family designed by God, the man is the covering or structural beam, and the woman is the structural support post. One is not capable of functioning well without the other. A wise man understands his wife’s very important role and gladly does all he can to properly acknowledge it.

As children of God, we have all been given an individual anointing. As a husband, it’s important to find out and enthusiastically support the anointing or calling of your wife. As part of loving her, you’re to consider her mission as one of your priorities. In understanding that her mission in life is as important as yours, you can function in unison under the anointing of God, and receive His blessing. This is an atmosphere in which your marriage can prosper, and your children can become all they can be in Christ.

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett