After talking with many people about walking with the Lord, it seems the most productive way to walk with Him is to simply say “yes” whenever He asks us to do something or gives us directions. It seems logical, doesn’t it? Saying yes to Him allows us to avoid many pitfalls, and literally gives us a clear path to follow. Yes, Lord!
“Do you know that you will never run out of forgiveness? I knew how many times you would fail, and I still invited you to spend eternity with Me. There comes a time, however, to set aside foolish things and pursue deeper wealth with Me. Now is that time. I desire much deeper times together. Set aside everything that would stop you from coming when I call. I want you to be ready for what is ahead.”
Ps. 86:5 AMP
For you , O Lord, are good, and ready to forgive [our trespasses, sending them away, letting them go completely and forever]; and You are abundant in mercy and loving-kindness to all those who call upon You.
Romans 2:4 NIV
Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?
God is calling for His people to set aside the things of the world and grow up. The Holy Spirit is heralding the call of bridal heart preparation. Only God can make the changes that are needed in us, but we need to make a choice to respond to the call - or we can go about our business and miss what the Lord is doing all around us.
Give me the power to choose, Lord,
Jim Corbett
“If you continue to cry out “why” when you are in peril or going through rough times, you will miss what I am doing in your midst. You will also miss My mercy in action. If you truly understand that every event, every situation, every season at all times has a purpose, you will find peace as you are going through even the roughest of times. Generations that have little pressure in their lives manufacture another gospel, one other than the true Gospel. Instead of remaining in a position of humble service and complete obedience, they demand of Me and create Me in their own image. They require Me to perform My Word for their benefit instead of submitting to My Word for the benefit of My overall plan.
"Difficult times purify the rebellious, selfish heart. They then are a benchmark for future generations to observe and come to repentance for their own rebellion. Embrace and see through any times that challenge you. See My mercy in action as you cry out to Me for My presence and strength. I am keeping you close to Me. I am giving you perspective. I am guarding your heart from a rebellious path to destruction. A heart that desires independence of Me in any way is on the road to spiritual death. Needing Me desperately has a way of changing that.”
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?”
John 18:11 AMP
Therefore Jesus said to Peter, Put the sword [back] into the sheath! The cup which My Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?
At times, when I am overcome by the loud noises and boastful attitudes of people in the church who have gained much, consume it upon themselves, and request more, I attempt to find a way to bring things back into God’s perspective. I remember one time when I was feeling sorry for myself. I wanted more than I have, and desired to push God faster and maneuver my situation in my own strength, so that the many needs of my life and our ministry might be met. I wanted to be removed from the pressure that I was under and was asking God to help me find a way to be delivered from the desperate times I felt I was in.
Instead of patting me on the back and stroking my whimpering heart, my gracious Lord led me to a book about the saints of God who were imprisoned for their faith during the Cuban revolution that brought Castro to power. Reading about the giants of faith - the humble missionaries in their imprisoned hellholes, who served others and lived the life of Jesus before demonic tormentors - has put the Gospel back in perspective and made me fall on my face in repentance for my evil, demanding heart.
In the most unbelievably horrible conditions, few of them asked “why.” Most of them cared only for their Lord to be glorified, and that those who were lost – so lost that they would inflict the kind of pain on another human that the prisoners experienced - would see Jesus in them and be saved.
It seems, at times, that I have learned little and forgotten much about the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. Without knowing it, I have been distracted by what appears to be God’s hand of provision, yet denies the true wealth of desperately needing Jesus for every moment of life.
I am sorry, Lord,
Jim Corbett
The world is always attempting to delay the end of things. Death can be an incredibly frightening prospect. The end of a job, the end of a marriage, the end of anything has to be dealt with.
A believer, on the other hand, has the joy of knowing that the end of something can lead to a new beginning. When we surrender to Jesus, the end of our old life opens up an amazing life of redemption for us. The end of our life on earth is the beginning of an eternity of joy. The world fears the end. Believers can embrace it as the door that leads to everlasting life in the presence of the living God!
“Your relationship with Me will bring both life and death to you. Not only are you a new being, but I will continually pour Myself into you to conform you to the likeness of Jesus. That is true life! Our relationship will also bring death to your worldly ways. Your portion is to prepare for both. Observe when refiner’s fires or difficult circumstances are accomplishing a death to your flesh and strengthening your resolve to serve Jesus. Observe also when serene circumstances are used to build up your spirit, bringing life to your inner man by the power of the Holy Spirit. My life and death process will continue until Jesus comes for you. Don’t attempt to squirm out of difficult times any more than you would deny the restful, peaceful times. Both are accomplishing a great work in 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…
2 Cor. 3:18 AMP
And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.
2 Cor. 5:17 AMP
Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ, (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!
Ja. 1:2-5 NIV
2) Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
3) because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
4) Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
5) If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
As I look back on my walk (actually stumble) with the Lord, I see that the difficult times were the most productive times. They were the times that taught me how to need Jesus. They brought my pride low enough to call out His Name.
Those hard times also taught me about the faithfulness of our Father. As I reflect back, I see the wondrous pattern of a loving God taking care of His dumb kid, who over and over fell in the same mud puddle or tumbled out of the same tree. The life and death process of the Lord has done and will continue to do its work in me until I see Jesus. I am so glad for that promise.
Thank You for Your trials, Lord,
Jim Corbett
