Purification of the Church, The Bride of Christ

 

“For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” (Revelation 19:7-8 NKJV)

The modern Church is about to be purified. The Bride of Christ will rise spotless to meet her Groom. God will purify us by fire or by self-sacrifice. For too long we have taken for granted the material riches with which he has blessed us, for too long we have blithely accepted our freedom to worship unobstructedly. Instead of using such freedom to further the purposes of God, we have furthered our own ends.

If God must strip us bare for us to turn to him, he will. He did so with ancient Israel and there is no reason to expect he will not do so with us. He brought calamity, misfortune, and warnings, and yet they stayed fast in their rebellion. He will do the same with us if we do not repent and return to him. The choice is ours. We can be purified by fire or by sacrifice. One comes from God’s hand as a purifying judgment, the other as a willing sacrifice, freely given. Both can achieve the same purpose—a repentant, broken people, people who trust and rely upon God alone, not their own feeble self-efforts. The choice is not to stand or fall, for one day we will all fall before his glorious face. The choice is whether we will fall upon our knees in judgment or whether we will fall upon our faces in repentance, adoration, and worship. 

God is putting the Church through times of testing and tribulation to present a spotless Bride to Christ at the coming marriage supper of the Lamb.

For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17 NKJV)

 Jesus did not come to set up a political kingdom. He came to establish a spiritual, eternal kingdom based on faith, repentance, hope, grace, truth, and love. Ours is not an earthly kingdom or institution. We are citizens not yet home. “And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth…Instead, they were longing for a better country — a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.” (Heb 11:13,16, NIV)

We must remember God is not surprised or unaware of what has happened in this election. It is time to accept the results of the election and lay down any false hope of a continuing Trump presidency. There has been no proven systemic fraud. It was a fair and free election. Look into the results for yourself. Do not be swayed by those who purport to be prophets of God. They prophesied Trump would win. He did not. They are and were false prophets. As God spoke in Jeremiah, "Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord.” (Jeremiah 23:16-17, ESV)

God has not been hampered by the results of this election. He can use anyone or anything to fulfill His purposes. In the Old Testament days of yesteryear, God often used pagan kings to carry out His will and He is more than able to use Joseph Biden to fulfill His will today. Everyone needs to acknowledge the truth that Biden won the election. Start praying for Biden and Harris to become the elected leaders God wants them to be. None of us is perfect and they aren’t either. They truly stand in need of our prayers.

In order to honor and glorify God, we must seek Him, turn our hearts towards Him, and trust in Him alone, rather than in human leaders or institutions. Our coins still bear the words “In God We Trust.” Now is the time for our hearts to bear that imprint as well.

For Unto Us

 

For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given.

Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV)

On Christmas, a tiny baby came into the world to change and transform lives. No longer would anyone need to live separated, compartmentalized lives estranged from their Creator and Friend. Jesus would be the mediator of the new covenant between God and humankind. Old Testament style sacrifices on an earthly altar would no longer be needed, as mankind’s sins would be paid for in full, once and for all, by the death of God’s only Son.

People could cease fearing the displeasure of a Holy God when they sin against Him and other human beings. Regardless of how hard we try to be perfect, we all fall short and we all do sin. However, through the sacrifice of Jesus, we may boldly come to the throne of grace. “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4: 14-16, NKJV).

The coming of Jesus on that starlit night as a newborn babe was God’s greatest gift to mankind. He took His Son, a part of Himself, and robed Him in human flesh to walk among us, teach us, love us, and save us so we could be called God's friends. “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15, ESV)

If you want to be God’s friend, allow the Holy Spirit to show you your sin, open your heart to Jesus and be vulnerable. Give up your right to yourself to the One who loved you enough to send His only Son to die for you. Tell God you are sorry for ignoring Him for so long. Repent and accept by faith the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross on your behalf. Then, the true meaning of Christmas will be revealed to your heart, mind and soul to the praise and glory of God.

Merry Christmas!

2020, the year we will all remember.  From a worldwide pandemic to uncontrolled wildfires to a historic election, it pretty much had it all.  So glad the bells will soon be ringing in a bright new year.  One thing this year has given us plenty of, is time for thinking and contemplating.  I think it brought us much closer to the people and things that really matter, forcing us to stop, look and listen in ways we may never have done so before.  As the death toll rises and infection rate soars, we want to shake ourselves awake up from this made-for-science-fiction movie.  But it is real and there are those suffering great loss, both personally and financially.  Many have lost loved ones and many more have been impacted by loss of income, stress, and isolation or even perhaps of too much time together.  Moms and dads were suddenly and involuntarily drafted to become homeschool teachers. Yet they bore up through it all. My hat is off to you all. Another watershed moment was the great awakening, as people began to understand the injustice and inequalities present in our great nation.  This is not something that will be remedied by a single summer of marches, but it is a start, the beginning of conversations and dialogs that can lead to constructive, real change.  Yet, in all these things, it often felt as if the truly big questions were being ignored or perhaps even silenced. I think some were wondering where God was in all of this mess.

He was here with us, loving us unconditionally waiting for us to surrender ourselves and our circumstances to Him.  For some, He is still waiting.  For others, these trying times have deepened and strengthened their relationship with Him, giving them time to get their perspectives in order and recognize the things that are profoundly important. When life itself balances on a razor’s edge and we wonder “Who will die, who will survive, and will I get it or someone close to me?” we are forced to recognize we are not in control of our existence.  We never have been, but in the pre-pandemic bubble of busyness, we could at least run fast enough to ignore it. Perhaps now is the time to stop running, be still, and listen for God’s voice during this Christmas season.  

When Jesus was born in the manger more than 2000 years ago, it was for one purpose, to reconcile humans with their Creator.  “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23, NKJV) Each and every human being born into this world suffers from a spiritual genetic disease called sinfulness, a condition inherited from the beginning of mankind as a result of rebellion against God.  We are all born in need of a Savior, someone who is able to pay the penalty for our sins.  Only Jesus was sinless enough to take upon Himself the sins of the world.  Justice demanded death, but God in His mercy and grace sent His Son to lay aside His robes of glory to come to earth as a little baby to rescue us from death, despair and eternal separation. Those who choose to believe in Jesus by faith will be blessed with a relationship with God now, and throughout eternity.  “For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9, NKJV)

May you embrace the good news of salvation this Christmas season.

Grateful, Thankful, Blessed

I am utterly thankful for the goodness and mercy of God. I have been granted a personal relationship with God through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus upon the cross. I speak with God on a daily basis and He answers, although not always in the ways I want or anticipate, and sometimes like a rebellious little child I put my hands over my ears to stop from hearing things I do not like or wish to obey. But, He always, always is there loving me regardless.

You see His love is not rooted in the things I do, or do not do, the boxes I check, the tasks I perform, or the sins I avoid. His love is rooted in the redemption and sacrifice He made through His Son to rescue humankind from sin and guilt. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:23-24, NIV)

It is because of this lavish gift of love, this undeserved redemption that I can now stand in the presence of God and commune with Him. I am washed clean of my sin by the blood of the Lamb, shed for me on the cross. It is not anything I have done, but what God has done for me that allows me access into His presence. Only by faith and repentance am I able to receive this wonderful gift. Only when my heart is pierced though, illuminated by the conviction of the Holy Spirit, that I can truly recognize how much I sin against God and others, and can stop justifying or making excuses for my sins.

Only when the morning rays of light reveal this glorious truth, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is not longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now life in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20, NKJV), can I step forward into this new life and rejoice that I am loved by God and have a home with Him forever. #givethanks

Hope for the Holidays

If Christmastime is leaving you forlorn and discouraged, remember Jesus didn't come just on one day two thousand years ago, but he comes as a living hope, each and every day of your life.  It is not that we rejoice in some distant and far away birth, but that we have within us his

spirit, his life, his hope, his love, and the reality of his presence.  

When you feel lonely and dejected turn to him, tell him all your troubles and all your cares.  Once you have told him, remember to “Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you” (1 Peter 5:7, NLT). Be sure to “give” your worries to him, then turn and walk away.  He will take care of them for you, but first you must let go of them in order for him to be able to take them.  Stewing and worrying over present circumstances without releasing them into his care only delays his work.  Trust, believe and wait…he is working things out according to his perfect plan and purposes.

Exercising patience is difficult.  Waiting involves trusting, and trusting involves faith.  Faith is believing that God can and will do everything necessary for you to experience joy and happiness. Sometimes your present path is rocky and it may feel dark and lonely, but God is with you, right beside you through it all.  

Remember the true meaning of Christmas is that God himself came into the world to bear our sins so that we could have a personal relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus.  It’s not about the presents, the family get-togethers, the parties or the mistletoe. Christmas is about you and Jesus. If you personally and experientially know Jesus as your Savior, you already have the most precious, valuable Gift in the universe.  Spread the news and be of good cheer!

"Do not be afraid, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."

(Luke 10-11, NKJV)

 (I initially wrote this post for a different blog about 5 years ago.  Somehow it seems even more appropriate today.) 

Choose to be Grateful

 

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus

1 Thessalonians 5:16-19, NASU

God is in our circumstances and they provide a framework for praise.  Always rejoice, knowing God is fulfilling His purposes for you.  If you are lonely right now, thank the Lord for the opportunity to spend extra time with Him in a more focused way. Rejoice in His goodness and mercy. Regardless of what is happening around you, He is still in control, working out His sovereign purposes.

Rather than focusing on all the things that are going wrong, choose to be grateful for all the things that are going right and rejoice in the blessings of the moment. Marvel at the blade of grass shimmering with dewdrops, be content to spend time in the word and pray for those you miss, asking God to meet all their needs.  Understand that God has a plan for your life and He is working in your circumstances to fulfill it.

The Lord also desires you to reach out and touch people with His love, whether through a kind word to the checkout clerk or a phone call or text to someone you know, bring cheer to someone’s life today.  Be the blessing God wants you to be.