Enter His Courts: From Award Winning Author “Best Spiritual Book of Upliftment Enter His Gates of 2014.”

By Christina Corbitt

There are trials and struggles. In the midst of all this, mistakes are made. Guilt and shame are the driving force in the search for hope. Pain and sorrow cause us to question more than we ever did before. Life is leading us somewhere, but where and why? He never promised a life without these issues. What he promised was that we wouldn’t be alone during them. He waits for us to enter his gates to find rest and peace. His courts are ready for forgiveness and healing if we’d only come. He calls us to come enter his courts.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 13, 2018
• ISBN: 9781984559265

Christina Corbitt

This year, my husband Patrick and I will be married twenty-five years. He’s been my best friend and my encouragement throughout the years. In 2010, I was suddenly diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. Through much sorrow and pain, sometimes I think this is the best thing to happen to me. It took me to my knees, sometimes literally, causing me to reach out for something I had taken for granted. I had to learn to lean on the Lord once again and trust Him. For this, He didn’t remove the pain, but gave me an encourager instead. Now, our mission is about Him.

Book preview

JANUARY 1

In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and He was God.

—John 1:1 NLT

B efore our first breath, He was here. Before the first bird’s chirp or the first deer’s leap, He was here. Before the wind blew for the first time or before the first flower bloomed, He was here. Before the waters separated, before the sun or moon first sparkled, before there was day and night, He was here. Before anything existed, He was already here.

Before sin slithered into the garden, His mercy was already planted. Before temptation made its first grand gesture, His grace was already in place. Before our submission to our lesser will, His will was already in motion. We may feel the guilt and sting of our mistakes. We may carry this burden, thinking it is ours and ours alone. We may think that we have strayed too far beyond the boundaries of forgiveness. But we would be wrong. Because before we sinned, salvation had already given birth to restoration. Restoration had already rebuilt the bridge we had destroyed. And this new bridge was our way back home.

Before we were here to mess anything up, He was already here and ready. So let go of yesterday and last year. This is a new year. And He’s been here the whole time, waiting for you. And He’s willing, ready, and able to make all things new once more.

JANUARY 2

After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?

—Galatians 3:3 NLT

A young boy walked into his house without realizing his feet were filthy. It was only after traveling through most of the house that he turned to notice the footprints he had left. Panicking, he quickly got some paper towels to clean the floors. The paper towels did nothing for the carpet areas he had walked on and only made the mess worse on the linoleum. He then tried to pour water on the messes, which made it all the worse.

With tears in his eyes, he tried hard to clean up his mess before his mother saw what he had done. However, with his back turned to the door, she walked in to find him cleaning. Quietly, without saying a word, she retrieved her mop bucket with cleaners and began to mop the linoleum until every trace of dirt was gone. She then got out her carpet cleaner and began to clean the rugs. When she was finished, there was no sign that he had ever made a mess.

As he began apologizing, she took him in her arms and said, Thank you for trying to clean it up yourself, but that’s my job. Sometimes, when we try to clean up after ourselves, we make it worse and we panic. Some messes you can help clean up, but some just have to be cleaned up by me.

JANUARY 3

Beg the Lord to save you—all you who are humble, all you who uphold justice. Walk humbly and do what is right. Perhaps even yet the Lord will protect you from His anger on that day of destruction.

—Zephaniah 2:3 NLT

A man raised his son up in church, but the son never made a connection. Soon the son was grown and ready to live on his own. But the father’s heart was heavy because his son wasn’t saved. The father refused to give up. He went to visit his son. Before he left his son, he took down all the fire and carbon monoxide detectors and the extinguishers and had the water completely turned off.

The son was infuriated and demanded his things back and the water turned back on, screaming at his father, Are you crazy?

The son shook his head profusely and asked, If you cared about me, why did you take the detectors and extinguishers? Why did you have the water turned off? Don’t you know I’ll need those in case of a fire? If this place caught on fire, surely you know I would die. Is that what you want?

Quite the contrary, the father said with tears in his eyes. You are dying in your sins. The only thing that can protect and save you is the one thing you have removed from your heart. When judgment day comes, that will be the fire you won’t be able to extinguish. Christ is the only one who can put out that fire. So call me crazy if you want. I don’t want you to die. I want you to live.

JANUARY 4

I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their hearts of stone and give them tender hearts instead.

—Ezekiel 11:19 NLT

A young daughter watched her mother go out every morning and tend to her flowers. Her mother would remove the hanging basket of flowers from their hooks and pick off all the dead flowers. She would then water them and place them back on their hooks. This was her routine every morning while the flowers lasted.

Why do you pick off the dead ones? the young daughter asked her mother.

Her mother smiled and said, Because I’m making way for new flowers. I get rid of the dead ones so that new flowers have room to grow. If I don’t get rid of the dead, the living have no place to bloom.

JANUARY 5

Am I the one they are hurting? asks the Lord. Most of all, they hurt themselves, to their own shame.

—Jeremiah 7:19 NLT

T he mother found her young daughter lying on the floor with their dog. The young daughter was petting the dog as the mother approached with some food. When the mother tried to give the food to the dog, the dog wasn’t interested and barely even looked up at her.

He doesn’t want that, the young daughter told her mother. I’ve already fed him. He likes chocolate better.

Quickly, the mother grabbed the dog and took him straight to the vet. Luckily, they were in time to save the dog. When the mother returned home, she questioned why her daughter gave the dog chocolate in the first place.

He loves it, she said. You should have seen how happy he was when he was eating it. Why? Where did you take him?

I took him to the doctor, the mother explained. Chocolate is very dangerous to a dog. They should never eat it no matter how much they like it. Just because he likes something doesn’t mean he should have it. Some of the things we enjoy most just might be the things most dangerous.

JANUARY 6

You will hear a voice say, This is the way; turn around and walk here.

—Isaiah 30:21 NLT

T wo large areas were marked off for the teams to play a new game. Each area had many different colored footprints all over. The goal of the game was for each student to reach their destination point in time. One student from each team would be started by the teacher. From there on, their instructions to follow would come from the footprints, for each footprint had instructions.

Most of the footprints instructed how many steps to take on a particular color. But some gave questions with only two options. One option had a certain instruction, and the second option had a different instruction. Each student had a limited amount of time to finish. The game continued until every student had the opportunity to play.

The teacher stood before the class and explained, This game is representative of life. Each step we take leads to another. That step may be easy enough or may require a little extra effort or thought. Right or wrong, our choices lead us somewhere. And in this life, we only have so much time to get there. The right leader can help lead the way. The wrong leader will lead us on a different path. So whether we’re a leader or a follower, we must make sure our steps are correct. Because someone may be watching, and we don’t want to lead them astray.

JANUARY 7

Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in Him, for He shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between His shoulders.

—Deuteronomy 33:12 NIV

A young boy was playing around with the stove as his mother was preparing the meal. She constantly chased him away, explaining the dangers of the stove. She took certain precautions to hinder his curiosity, but nothing worked. All her explanations fell on deaf ears. All her safeguards went unsuccessful. With every meal, this was her battle.

One day, the mother had company for lunch who witnessed the son’s persistence. They, too, tried to deter the boy away from the stove. Although the boy was kept at bay and remained unharmed, the mother was always exhausted. This was noticed by the guest. So the guest suggested the mother allow her son to touch the hot stove in order to truly understand the dangers of it.

The mother shook her head adamantly. And with a look of disgust on her face, she responded, That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard. Why on earth would I deliberately allow him to hurt himself when he’ll do enough of that on his own? It’s my job to protect him, and that’s what I aim to do. If he hurts himself, it won’t be because I allowed him to but because he was so determined to allow it to happen. It will not be because I hurt him or failed him but because he hurt and failed himself and would not allow me to prevent it.

JANUARY 8

I—yes, I alone, am the one who blots out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again.

—Isaiah 43:25 NLT

A little girl came home from school and found her mother cleaning the inside of the oven. Confused, she asked her mother why because no one ever saw the inside, and the top was always so clean.

Even if no one ever saw the inside, her mother explained, I would still know it was dirty. And since I would know that it was dirty, I would also know that it must be cleaned.

The little girl chuckled and said, God doesn’t care if the inside of the oven is dirty.

I beg to differ, the mother said. Inside is where all the evidence of every spill is kept. It burns and becomes worse and worse. The longer it sits there, the harder it is to remove it. The stove is kind of like us. We may look fine to everyone on the outside, but it’s inside where all our secrets are kept. It’s where our pride, selfishness, greed, anger, and hate spill over. It festers and burns and becomes difficult to remove after a while. It may take people a long time to notice if they ever do. But God notices, even if we ourselves don’t. Because He notices, He also notices that we need to be cleaned. And He’s the one who does the cleaning. The inside of anything is always more important than the outside. So just because you don’t see it doesn’t mean it doesn’t matter.

JANUARY 9

I am overcome with joy because of your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul.

—Psalm 31:7 NLT

A young boy was having a very bad day. So he walked around his house, stomping and kicking and complaining. From time to time, he would even raise his hands up in the air and let out a scream. He was so upset that he found himself shaking and crying. He felt he could not be consoled.

His mother came home to find her son in this manner. Without a word, she picked him up in her arms and sat down in her rocking chair. She stroked his hair as she rocked him back and forth. She asked him no questions and offered no advice. She just quietly and gently rocked him in her arms as she wiped away his tears.

Finally, the boy calmed down and fell asleep in his mother’s arms. When he woke up, she was still holding him, smiling down at him. At this point, he wasn’t angry anymore, nor could he recall why he had gotten so angry. So he hugged his mother even tighter and didn’t let go for a long time. He smiled up at her, laid his head back down upon her shoulder, closed his eyes, and rested.

JANUARY 10

Today you will be with me in paradise.

—Luke 23:43 NLT

B enjamin’s family just moved into a new house, a new town, and a new state. As his father was tucking him in that first night, Benjamin asked his father why they had to move. His father explained their new home was much better for them, with many more blessings in store.

What if I can’t find something? Benjamin inquired.

Then I’ll find it for you or show you the way to it, his father answered.

What if there are monsters in the closet? Benjamin asked.

There aren’t, his father said. But if there were, I would protect you from them.

What if I don’t like it here? Benjamin asked.

His father thought for just a moment and responded, But you will.

How do you know for sure? Benjamin continued.

Smiling, his father finished tucking him in bed and replied, Because you’re home now. And that’s where everybody wants to end up—home.

JANUARY 11

I have called you back from the ends of the earth so you can serve me. For I have chosen you and will not throw you away.

—Isaiah 41:9 NLT

A young girl watched her mother washing dishes after the meal and asked, Why are you washing the dishes?

The mother responded, Because they’re dirty.

The young girl thought for a moment and asked, But you washed them yesterday.

The mother smiled and said, Yes, because they were dirty yesterday.

Still not understanding, the young girl asked, Why keep washing them? Why not just throw them away if they keep getting dirty?

The mother stopped washing the dishes and took her daughter by the hands and said, Because they’re valuable to me. In the same way, God doesn’t throw us away because we get dirty. He simply cleans us up because we’re valuable to Him. The most important things you always keep, no matter what you have to do to keep them.

JANUARY 12

There are many rooms in my Father’s home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly.

—John 14:2 NLT

W e were considering rescuing and adopting another fur baby. We were asked why. We have an indoor dog and cat, but we lost our eldest baby recently. She was fourteen going on fifteen. So if we already had two active indoor babies, why want another? The answer is quite simple.

It is just as the Father is still calling to us, Come, there’s still room. There’s still enough provision, salvation, and love. Come. I’ll take care of you and love you. Come.

Heaven isn’t full yet, and His table still has a reservation for each of us. None of us have to be orphaned, rejected, or lost unless we fight to be. His invitation is for all who are willing to come and be part of His family. He’s preparing a place for us, and there’s still room. On judgment day, many vacancies will be found, but no one who comes will be turned away. Come. There’s still room, and there’s still enough love for every one of else sinners.

JANUARY 13

The Lord gave me everything I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!

—Job 1:21 NLT

W e just took our little man and had him fixed. He’s approximately three to three and a half months old. We thought it might be a little soon, but he was definitely ready. He’s a little groggy and a little mopey, but he’ll be just fine. Tomorrow he probably won’t even remember what just happened. Sister had been missing him during the day and is thankful for his safe return home. The two have resumed their play, although still a little slow for him.

There are pros and cons about having this procedure done. Some are all for it, and some are set against it. However, for our family and for him, this was a necessary step. This will not slow him for long. He will still be vibrant and happy and healthy. And above all, he will still be very much loved.

So why do I say all this? Because sometimes the Lord will do the same to us. He will remove something from us or from around us for our benefit. Sometimes it is something so obvious that needs to be removed that it goes without question. Sometimes it is something a bit more subtle that the removal is noticed and questioned. But for our benefit, the Lord deals with it oftentimes before we ever have to. Something okay for one person may not be okay for the next. Something safe for one may be very treacherous for another. The Lord knows what’s best for us.

The next time we feel like we’ve been fixed, instead of questioning Him over it, maybe we just need to relax until the stigma wears off and we discover we didn’t need it anyway.

JANUARY 14

Unless you are born again, you can never see the Kingdom of God.

—John 3:3 NLT

A young boy had been out playing all day and had gotten quite dirty. His mother called him inside to clean up for a party that evening. She prepared a bath for him and laid out clean clothes. However, the young boy refused to bathe. Instead, he quickly wiped off his face and hands and then continued to change into his clean clothes.

His mother stood at the door and called for him when it was time to leave. As he approached, she realized he hadn’t taken his bath. In an attempt to fool her, the young boy mentioned his clean face and clean hands. However, she wasn’t fooled. She simply took off her coat, stepped out of her shoes, and went to sit on the couch.

When the young boy realized his mother wasn’t taking him to the party, he began to get upset. The more she told him he wasn’t going, the angrier he got.

Finally, she explained, You’re not going to the party because you’re dirty. I drew a bath for you. I laid out clean clothes for you. All you had to do was get in the bath. Your face and hands aren’t clean because the rest of you isn’t clean. I can even smell you. You don’t want to get clean, then you don’t get to go to the party. In order to go, you must be clean and presentable. And in this state, you are not.

JANUARY 15

Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

—Ephesians 6:17 NLT

T wo men met and instantly became friends. They exchanged phone numbers and swore to call the other shortly. The first man dialed the phone number he was given, but the phone just rang constantly before going to voice mail. The second man also dialed the phone number he had received, and it, too, was unsuccessful, for someone else always answered.

Weeks, months, and then years went by when the two men ran into each other. They immediately began to question the other about their failure with the phone numbers. It just so happened that both men still had the phone number of the other in their wallets.

The first man dialed a number which never answered. The second man never answered because he didn’t recognize the number and then never checked his voice mail. The second man dialed a number which turned out to be a wrong number. He never double-checked to insure he dialed it correctly.

The Father has given us ways to contact Him and ways He may contact us. Are we not expecting His call and therefore not recognize when He is trying to reach us? Or are we using wrong avenues to reach Him when His way has been so clearly marked out in His Word?

JANUARY 16

God has given gifts to each of you from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that God’s generosity can flow through you.

—1 Peter 4:10 NLT

A man owned a farm which had a lot of groundhog activity. The farmer had small children and wanted to protect them. Nearly every day the farmer would go out and fill in the holes left by the groundhogs. In this way, the children could run and play without fear of falling into the boroughs and hurting themselves.

When the children were older, a lot of family gathered at the farm for a reunion. During this time, someone had brought up the topic of groundhogs and the damage they do. The farmer’s children laughed it off, replying that they never had a groundhog problem.

In his defense, the farmer explained, They’re right. They never had a groundhog problem. I did. And I dealt with it every day just so they wouldn’t have one.

JANUARY 17

Obey His commands, listen to His voice, and cling to Him.

—Deuteronomy 13:4b NLT

A mother took her young child to a popular beach. The beach was rather busy that day. So as the child went to run off, the mother asked the child to stay close to her.

The child walked near his mother, but there was still a slight distance between them. As she tried to speak to her child, the child found it hard to hear her. As groups of people went between the two, the mother suggested they walk a little closer together.

The child came a little closer but still kept a safe distance from his mother. As she tried to speak to her child, many things went unheard. As a beach ball bounced between them, with children chasing the ball, the mother suggested they walk a little closer together.

Finally, the child got close enough to his mother that she took him by the hand as they walked.

See, she said, this is much better. Now nothing can come between us.

JANUARY 18

As Christ’s soldier, do not let yourself become tied up in the affairs of this life, for then you cannot satisfy the one who has enlisted you in His army.

—2 Timothy 2:4 NLT

T he army general sent a messenger to the king with an important message. When the messenger didn’t return, a second messenger was sent with the same message. The second messenger came upon a small village that was celebrating. He avoided this distraction and went around the village instead of through it and gave the message to the king. On his way back to camp, he found the village still celebrating, and he went around again.

The king’s orders were to break camp and relocate. On their travel, they came upon the same celebrating village. The army general sent only a few men in to gather supplies. But while they were there, the missing messenger was found celebrating. The men quickly returned and told the general. The general was upset, but he gathered the men and supplies and left without the missing messenger. One soldier asked about the messenger and if he was to come with them.

The general replied, No. He had no respect for his duty nor the men who relied on him. He betrayed me, but most of all, he betrayed the king. We did not abandon him—he abandoned us. If he had been captured, we would come to save him. But he became tied up with things that distracted him from his mission. Therefore, he cannot satisfy the one who enlisted him. If his loyalties are not to the king, then he can’t be in the king’s army.

JANUARY 19

And I will forgive their wrongdoings, and I will never again remember their sins.

—Hebrews 8:12 NLT

J onah was diagnosed with cancer, and he had a hard time coping with the reality of it. For several years, he endured many treatments, many medications, many therapies, and many surgeries. He attended many appointments, not only for physical reasons but also for psychological purposes. Finally, hope arose when his doctor discovered a way to completely remove the cancer and all its components. Afterward, the doctor was proud to present Jonah the records declaring he was absolutely cured.

Jonah had a hard time afterward and began to dwell on all he had been through with the cancer. He returned several times to the doctor to get copies of all their records. And although the doctor recommended he stop focusing on the cancer and focus on his healing, Jonah couldn’t. So one day Jonah, requested his records and was given only the form with his final diagnosis. Infuriated, he spoke to the doctor about his records.

The doctor said, Jonah, today you are cancer-free, but you dwell only on the times when you had it. I did not only remove that information from your records, I also destroyed them forever. The cancer is gone. Rejoice in that instead. You are healed. Do not dwell on the suffering. I destroyed those records and left only what you should dwell on—your healing.

JANUARY 20

Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.

—Colossians 3:16b NLT

A young boy was called down to dinner by his mother. As he approached the table, he stopped and stared. On the table was a whole turkey with gravy, sweet potatoes, dressing, rolls, and even pumpkin pie for dessert. As his parents were sitting down at the table, they noticed their son just standing there with a puzzled look on his face. So they asked what was wrong.

Hesitantly, the boy asked, Is it Thanksgiving?

Why do you ask that? his father asked.

The boy pointed to the table and said, Because that’s our Thanksgiving dinner.

His mother smiled, shook her head, and said, "I hate to break it to you, but we can have turkey all year long if we want it. Turkey isn’t reserved for Thanksgiving Day only. We’re supposed