AWAKENING THE BRIDE
Greetings of love and peace:
For many years now I have spoken to you about the bride of Christ, and just how important it is to be aware of God's focus of the bride in Christ's second coming. The fact is that God intends to complete his family through the final marriage ceremony of Jesus to those who have finished the course and been faithful as children of God. These Christians are from all walks of life, all ethnic groups, and almost all doctrinal groups within the church but they are not what we think of as the church in general, but only those who dedicated their lives to Christ.
I think for most of us the idea that God continues to seek out from among those of his kingdom the souls of those who in his sight are becoming spiritually perfected to be the actual BRIDE OF CHRIST is never in our minds. We don't speak much about spiritual perfection because it is something that none of us can ever attain, however, God has continuously given us indications that he is looking for spiritual perfection within us. BE THOU HOLY AS I AM HOLY is not a typo, but a desire from God's heart to ours. It is not that God expects us to physically be perfect, or to be able to be completely obedient to laws and commandments he has given us, but that our hearts and minds be been toward his will in our lives. I am reminded of some of the thoughts and words found in the book of Psalms 119 :126-128 "it is time for you, Lord, to work for they have made void your law. Therefore I love your commandments above gold, yes, above fine gold. Therefore I esteem all your precepts concerning all things to be right, and I hate every false way." It does not become a checklist of things that we have done in our lives that we think will lead to ward this spiritual perfection that we seek, but it is the intent of heart that we use as we seek after God that matters the most. God honored David not because he was a perfected man, but because his very heart sought to please God in every way. In a section of Scripture found in Psalms 119:133-140 we can see David's heart toward God's precepts and his word: "order my steps in your word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. Deliver me from the oppression; so I will keep your precepts. Make your face to shine upon your servant; and teach me your statutes. Rivers of water run down my eyes, because they keep not your law. Righteous are you,, and upright are your judgments. Your testimonies that you have commanded our righteous and very faithful. My zeal has consumed me, because my enemies have forgotten your words. Your word is very pure; therefore your servant loves it."
My point here is simple, the follower of Christ has the opportunity to seek after the father, and to show their true love for God. The problem is that we are all steeped in sin, and although that sin of the world may be sent the Christian; if those who seek after God and his word keep themselves focused and subject to the leading of God's Spirit God's word will prevent sin from having dominion over them as it tells us in Romans 6:12-18 or in Galatians 5:16. So it is from here that I began a conversation with you about awakening THE BRIDE OF CHRIST from within the existing church that we are all a part of. We can all see that this bride is far more than our moral conversation, and much more than our regular attendance or any of the outward forms that may show this world we are Christians. This true BRIDE exists in us when our hearts are broken and we weep over sinners, and over those who never pray for them or speak to them because they are leaving all of that up to their local pastor or minister to do because they think that they have nothing to do with it. We begin our journey as a part of that bride when we realize that the very voice of our brothers blood cries from the ground to heaven because of so many who claim Christ, and yet continue to live in this world. We will begin a serious conversation about awakening the Bride Of Christ this next week. I want you to be in prayer as we seek God's Holy Spirit. May you richly bless God through your life in him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
For many years now I have spoken to you about the bride of Christ, and just how important it is to be aware of God's focus of the bride in Christ's second coming. The fact is that God intends to complete his family through the final marriage ceremony of Jesus to those who have finished the course and been faithful as children of God. These Christians are from all walks of life, all ethnic groups, and almost all doctrinal groups within the church but they are not what we think of as the church in general, but only those who dedicated their lives to Christ.
I think for most of us the idea that God continues to seek out from among those of his kingdom the souls of those who in his sight are becoming spiritually perfected to be the actual BRIDE OF CHRIST is never in our minds. We don't speak much about spiritual perfection because it is something that none of us can ever attain, however, God has continuously given us indications that he is looking for spiritual perfection within us. BE THOU HOLY AS I AM HOLY is not a typo, but a desire from God's heart to ours. It is not that God expects us to physically be perfect, or to be able to be completely obedient to laws and commandments he has given us, but that our hearts and minds be been toward his will in our lives. I am reminded of some of the thoughts and words found in the book of Psalms 119 :126-128 "it is time for you, Lord, to work for they have made void your law. Therefore I love your commandments above gold, yes, above fine gold. Therefore I esteem all your precepts concerning all things to be right, and I hate every false way." It does not become a checklist of things that we have done in our lives that we think will lead to ward this spiritual perfection that we seek, but it is the intent of heart that we use as we seek after God that matters the most. God honored David not because he was a perfected man, but because his very heart sought to please God in every way. In a section of Scripture found in Psalms 119:133-140 we can see David's heart toward God's precepts and his word: "order my steps in your word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. Deliver me from the oppression; so I will keep your precepts. Make your face to shine upon your servant; and teach me your statutes. Rivers of water run down my eyes, because they keep not your law. Righteous are you,, and upright are your judgments. Your testimonies that you have commanded our righteous and very faithful. My zeal has consumed me, because my enemies have forgotten your words. Your word is very pure; therefore your servant loves it."
My point here is simple, the follower of Christ has the opportunity to seek after the father, and to show their true love for God. The problem is that we are all steeped in sin, and although that sin of the world may be sent the Christian; if those who seek after God and his word keep themselves focused and subject to the leading of God's Spirit God's word will prevent sin from having dominion over them as it tells us in Romans 6:12-18 or in Galatians 5:16. So it is from here that I began a conversation with you about awakening THE BRIDE OF CHRIST from within the existing church that we are all a part of. We can all see that this bride is far more than our moral conversation, and much more than our regular attendance or any of the outward forms that may show this world we are Christians. This true BRIDE exists in us when our hearts are broken and we weep over sinners, and over those who never pray for them or speak to them because they are leaving all of that up to their local pastor or minister to do because they think that they have nothing to do with it. We begin our journey as a part of that bride when we realize that the very voice of our brothers blood cries from the ground to heaven because of so many who claim Christ, and yet continue to live in this world. We will begin a serious conversation about awakening the Bride Of Christ this next week. I want you to be in prayer as we seek God's Holy Spirit. May you richly bless God through your life in him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
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