Category: Spirituality

Christian Love Is Not Puffed Up

Filed under: Christian Love, Jesus, Ministry, Spirituality — 15 Comments

January 7, 2010

Christian Love Is Not Puffed Up

Our posting today is in support of our prior posting (What-is-Christian-Love) that broadly addressed Christian Love as it was presented in the First Letter to the Corinthians.

The topic of, “Not being puffed up,” is closely aligned with, “Love does not parade itself (Love-Does-Not-Parade-Itself).” One exception is that being puffed up carries with it an overly inflated sense of self worth as well.

Today we look to the example of Saul the Pharisee, who would later become the apostle Paul. Saul had persecuted the church of Jesus and in doing so was considered an up and comer in the ranks of the Jewish faith. That is until he was knocked off of his high horse and had to be cared for by the very people he had been persecuting. Here is the story:

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” (Acts 9: 1-6)

Needless to say Saul was no longer puffed up with his religious fervor. Jesus addressed this condition several times during His ministry and often associated it with hypocrisy. The puffed up state of Paul was that he saw himself gaining rank and status in the eyes of others. His hypocrisy was that he though that he was doing God’s work when he clearly was doing the opposite. The following scripture reveals what Jesus thinks about hypocrisy:

In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops. And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him! Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.” (Luke 12:9)

Saint Paul Preaching in Rome

We had hypocrites in Jesus’ day and we have them still today. National news has identified a few of our religious leaders who have committed adultery. Others profess to be leaders of the people but sometimes appear to be shake down men and thieves. There are reports that some TV evangelicals who receive tremendous wealth from their ministries such that they live in luxury, sometimes on the contributions of the poor. There are reports that some priests have abused children.

Therefore, guard your every action to ensure the alignment of your heart with your actions and words. Do not deny your Lord and Savior under any circumstances and certainly do not fear the actions of men because you speak the truth. Finally, recognize that hypocrisy can not be love and therefore avoid it at all costs.

The purpose of these publications concerning love is to assist anyone who is seeking to become more like their savior Jesus Christ. Our approach is to communicate that the life and words of Jesus are the perfect model of what we hope to become. Our expectation is that the reader will contrast their own words and actions to those of Jesus and make an effort to discover where they fall short of the mark. Once shortcomings are identified then the reader can seek the assistance of the Holy Spirit to help them in moving closer to the perfection of the examples that Jesus left us.

We recommended that every person in ministry reflect upon their worthiness to serve by first studying these examples of Christian love.

We have presented a number of posting that address the principles of Christian Love. Each of them is reinforced by examples taken from the life and words of Jesus. The following list of hyperlinks is provided to help those interested in reading these other postings. Clicking on any of the links below will transfer you to the posting of your choice:

What-is-Christian-Love

Christian-Love-Suffers-Long

Christian-Love-is-Kind

Christian-Love-Does-Not-Envy

Christian-Love-Does-Not-Parade-Itself

Christian-Love-is-Not-Puffed-Up

Christian-Love-Does-Not-Behave-Rudely

Christian-Love-Does-Not-Seek-Its-Own

Christian-Love-is-Not-Provoked

Christian-Love-Thinks-No-Evil

Christian-Love-Bears-All-Things

Christian-Love-Believes-All-Things

Christian-Love-Hopes-All-Things

Christian-Love-Never-Fails

Tags: Bible, christ, Christian Love, Christianity, church, God, Jesus, Love, Ministry, religion, Spirituality, theology

Comment

Do What Jesus Did

Filed under: Jesus, Ministry, Spirituality, spirtual warfare — 1 Comment

December 10, 2009

Do What Jesus Did

We have spent quite some time in looking at the life of Jesus. We have sought to understand the key attributes of His nature. In the process we have come to know that He came to earth to be our Savior, our protector and our guide to the heavenly Promised Land.

Jesus Arises to Heaven - Mansions in the Background

He came to give His life on the cross as a in full payment for our sinful ways. He came to break the bonds of the devils dominion over our lives. He rose from the dead to demonstrate that there is life after death and a place in His Fathers house if we choose to follow and become more like Him.

From all of this our conclusion is that we should all do as He did. We should all strive to become more like Him by conforming our actions and words to those He gave to us via scripture as examples for us to follow. Even in this respect Jesus gave us an example to follow as He Himself aligned His actions and words to those that the Father showed Him:

Jesus did what the Father did and as a result we look to Jesus for examples of what we must do to gain favor with God. We become imitators of God and therein examples to others in the process. When we set our actions and words in the direction that Jesus taught us, we will find that we can achieve even greater works than Jesus did:

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever; the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him. (John 14:12-21)

Tags: Bible, christ, Christianity, church, God, Jesus, Ministry, religion, Religious, spiritual warfare, Spirituality, theology

Comment

Expect Miracles in the Name of Jesus

Filed under: Jesus, Ministry, Spirituality, spirtual warfare — 4 Comments

December 6, 2009

Expect Miracles in the Name of Jesus

Interestingly enough, Jesus was sent to earth as an ordinary man. This ordinary man was then empowered by the Holy Spirit and entered into the ministry that His Father gave Him. As we have been discussing all along, Jesus left us His ministry to carry forward and He left us His life as an example of what we should become and what kinds of things we should do. Therefore, if Jesus is to be our model of the life that we should also live, then we also should expect to enter into our ministry empowered by the Holy Spirit to do the will of the Father. To explore this a bit further, let’s take a look at an example of how Jesus sent His disciples into ministry:

After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither He himself would come. Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again. And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. Luke 10:1-9

Jesus sent the seventy to the places that He would also go. He empowered them to heal the sick and to communicate that the kingdom of God is near. He therefore gives them the mission of doing the will of the Father and personally empowers them with the Holy Spirit. We know that this is true because of His words in the following scripture:

Jesus did what He saw the Father do:

Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” (John 5:19-24)

In addition, Jesus prayed for our unity with God. He prayed that we be one with Him — We in Him, and He in us — the Father in Him and He in the Father. If we are to be one with Jesus then we will do the things that Jesus shows us. Therefore, the Life of Jesus is the perfect life that we should emulate. We should seek to do as He did, say the things that He said and have the same effect that He did when He walked the earth. Through out the course of our postings we have presented many examples that support the proposition that the life of Jesus was given to us to be used as the model of what we can become.

All that is required is to step out in faith in response to what Jesus places in your heart. Eliminate all doubt and concern about looking foolish as God rewards people who have perfect faith. He is looking for people who are willing to risk looking like fools in the eyes of nonbelievers because it is only when they see the impossible achieved by the hand of God that they will truly come to believe that God exists.

The Bible is filled with people who had this kind of faith in God. Moses had the faith to lift His staff in expectation that the waters of the Jordan River would part. Moses had perfect faith that God support His mission because he received it directly from God. He therefore was not concerned about the opinions of the people. When the waters parted the people knew that God had delivered them.

It was the same in the life of Jesus. He had to speak words of faith to cast out demons and to heal the sick. He could do this because the direction He was undertaking was one that the Father showed Him. He had to put his reputation on the line that the Father would honor and support His actions in support of His mission that the Father gave Him. He certainly was not concerned with what others might think about these actions. There certainly was no concern for the opinions of the Scribes, the Pharisees, the money changers or the demons.

We, in turn, have to take action that demonstrates our faith in God to support the initiatives that God gives us. We have to initiate the action and have faith to know beyond doubt that He will support what He initiates. If we do these things, then we will be like Jesus. Take the step, speak the word, and take the action necessary to get things moving. Once that is accomplished, then simply step back and watch the power of the Holy Spirit take action.

Tags: Bible, christ, Christianity, church, Covenant, God, Jesus, Ministry, religion, Religious, spiritual warfare, Spirituality, the church, the Holy Spirit, theology

Comment

Jesus Sent His Disciples out Empty Handed

Filed under: Jesus, Ministry, Prayer, Spirituality, spirtual warfare — 1 Comment

December 2, 2009

Jesus Sent His Disciples out Empty Handed

In scripture, Jesus is reported to have sent His disciples out empty handed denying them the customary clothing, provisions and money required for the success of their mission. In thinking about this for a moment I believe that being sent out empty handed is much more common than one may think. At least for missions that come from God.

Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come. And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no money belt, no bag, no shoes; and greet no one on the way.” (Luke 10, 1-4)

I think a mission to heal the sick would be deemed impossible by most of the world today.

Saint Peter Healing the Cripple - Raising Tabitha - Masolino

Therefore the lesson of Jesus is clear; to be successful in our God given ministries we must learn to have total faith in God.

After all, only when the world sees the impossible achieved by the power of God will they start to believe our words. This was true for Jesus himself, who performed miracles in support of the words that He spoke to the people. It was also true for the disciples as well. Peter and John healed the beggar at the temple gate for example and the entire congregation took notice of the event.

When the world sees the miracles of God supporting His saints they will become more likely to believe that Jesus is the Son of God and the Christ.

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost

Why would any Jew or Moslem for example, be persuaded to believe in Jesus when all we have is words? It is through miraculous circumstances that the unbeliever will become ripe for the harvest.

The point is that if we are committed to modeling our lives after our Savior Jesus, then we do not need worldly things for the ministry to be successful. If we do not have what is required then we can pray knowing that He will provide what we need.

In fact, we are much better off having an undoubting faith than to have magnificent resources in support of our ministry. Speaking for myself, I believe that the favor of God is a requirement for successful ministry. Without it all the assets of the world can be ineffective.

We should not hesitate to take on a mission that comes from God simply because it has an improbable outcome. After all, what glory is there for God if the world knows that we mortal men have achieved something on our own abilities? If Jesus has sent us out, then we should not worry about our inabilities or limited resources. If He sent us, then He will provide the money, materials, people and anything else we need for that matter. Have faith and stick to the things that He has shown you. Continue on in faith and do not doubt. I tell you He will deliver what is needed at the very last minute. Do not waiver but rather, stand strong and you joy will be great:

The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.” (Luke 10, 17-20)

In addition, do not try to solve problems in accordance with the ways of man. God deserves all the credit, wait on Him and let Him do the impossible through you. Most of all ensure that you give God all of the glory when He comes through for you.

Finally, when He calls you and sends you out, act quickly, be obedient and do not be distracted from your mission.

Tags: Bible, Bride of Christ, christ, Christianity, church, God, Jesus, religion, spiritual warfare, Spirituality, theology

Comment

Pray That You Are Sent Into The Harvest

Filed under: Faith, Jesus, Ministry, Prayer, Spirituality — 2 Comments

November 30, 2009

Pray That You Are Sent Into The Harvest

Many of us have daily prayer lists that remind us of the items we in which we desire God’s assistance. So, for example, we pray for health and healing of our loved ones, financial security in our personal lives, salvation of family members and friends who do not know Jesus, and so on. Like so many others, I can testify that praying without doubt often results in miraculous answers from God:

The Power of Prayer

Interestingly, in the following passage Jesus tells us that we should also pray to be sent into His harvest:

Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:37-38)

Remember Jesus statement about, “I am the vine and you are the branches?” In this parable the branches that produce fruit are pruned by the Father such that they will produce more fruit in the future. Branches that are barren will be cut off, cast into the fire and burned. We must be sent into the field that was planted by our Lord Jesus to harvest the fruit that is born of the seed of His life and words. If we do not work in the field of His harvest we can not produce fruit that is pleasing to God. Therefore, pray as Jesus recommended. Pray without doubting that you will be sent into the harvest:

Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.” (John 4:34-38)

Tags: Bible, Bride of Christ, Christianity, church, God, Jesus, Ministry, religion, Spirituality, theology

Comment

The Unity of the bride of Christ

Filed under: Bride of Christ, Jesus, Ministry, Spirituality — 2 Comments

November 1, 2009

The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

Read my story by ordering my book, “Possess the Vision”

The Unity of the bride of Christ

If we take a look at Christianity today I believe that we would conclude that we are not a united Christian nation as Jesus prayed (see The-Unification-of-the-Bride). Certainly, the church has disintegrated hundreds of religious factions that we call denominations. While these denominations have common beliefs in the truth of the Bible and are united in their belief that Jesus is the Christ; they often differ in their interpretation and meaning of the scriptures and therefore the moral code that reflects their beliefs. As a result there are many differing doctrines on appropriate Christian conduct.

finding-in-the-temple

So for example, some churches believe that the tools of modern civilization are evil and should not be used. The result is that they do everything with the technology of the early 1900’s. Other denominations believe that it is sinful to wear makeup while others believe that dancing is the devils work. Some believe that it is a sin to eat meat on Fridays, while another believes that the works of the Holy Spirit are not for today. The list of these types of issues is extremely long and so I will not try to introduce them all here. For our purposes it is sufficient to understand that it is in deed a very long list.

The interesting dilemma here is that for every item of disagreement there is a denomination that is proclaiming a false doctrine. Continuing on with this line of thinking, since there are so many issues and so many denominations it is highly unlikely that any of them have it perfectly correct. Yet every denomination that I know claims to offer the perfect pathway to God. They claim that they are the one true church often calling the others evil.

I seriously doubt that we as men we are capable of understanding the nature and heart of God. Certainly our interpretations often fall short of the mark because “His ways are higher than our ways.”

The Holy Spirit is to be the unifier of the body of Christ.

The Holy Spirit

However, if He were active in all the denominations then there would not be divisions. But the things of the spirit are difficult to understand and once acquired they are also difficult to accept. So it would seem that we as a nation of God are right back to where we were prior to the days of Jesus, with the followers of God hogtied in the nonsensical doctrines of men.

Since there are millions of Christians who have been misled by the faulty doctrines of men, how will the world know that Jesus was sent by the Father, or that Jesus and the Father are one as Jesus prayed? The world does not see a united Christianity but rather sees hundreds of competing factions.

There have been a number of attempts to unify the denominations but all have failed after considerable work. In effect, the bride of Christ has been blown into hundreds of pieces. There are hands, legs, and other body parts lying all across the earth and the body is severely damaged. This often means that we cannot work together as an integrated unit. Rather, we are fighting over the doctrines of men and competing among each other for the patronage of the saints. This condition would seem to be exactly what Paul warned the Corinthians of several thousand years ago:

Saint Paul Preaching

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body; whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free; and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. (1 Corinthians 12:4-27)

Based on this passage from Paul, we find that we are not a single component but rather members of a single body. We each have a unique function to perform and this perhaps explains some of our differing views of right and wrong. But the big picture is that to be effective we are to be coordinated in our actions. To the degree that we can unify, or work together toward the mission of Jesus, will be the degree of our improved impact on the world around us.

Read my story by ordering my book, “Possess the Vision”

Tags: Bible, Bride of Christ, christ, Christianity, church, God, Jesus, Ministry, religion, Spirituality, theology

Comment

The Unification of the Bride

Filed under: Bride of Christ, Covenant, Jesus, Jesus the Tabernacle, Ministry, New Jerusalem, Prayer, Spirituality — 1 Comment

September 25, 2009

The Unification of the Bride

Now let’s take another look at a scripture (that we introduced previously in: Preparing-the-Bride-of-Christ-for-Jesus) that foresees the coming of the bride and the bridegroom:

Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” (Revelation 21:2-5)

This scripture tells us that the Tabernacle of God will be with men when the above scripture is fulfilled. Since we have identified Jesus as the living Tabernacle that came to earth (in the post: The-Tabernacle-is-Prophetic-of-Jesus), then the above scripture is referring to Jesus. This means that Jesus and the bride are together on earth and more importantly, that the bride is prepared for marriage.

The rest of the scripture communicates how the bride will be loved by Jesus. He will live with her and take care of her every need. He will take away all her sorrows and will make all things new, including her body, so that she can have life everlasting in Him.

Jesus is the husband who will provide and care for His bride. Each of us individually can be members of the body of the bride who is now preparing for the wedding feast. To do so we must be united as one in the spiritual body of the Bride and empowered by the Holy Spirit. It should be exactly as Jesus prayed in the following scripture:

I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. (John 17:20-23)

Jesus in Prayer Geting Direction from the Father

This prayer of Jesus reveals His desire to be one with us (the bride) and the Father. His prayer will be consummated in His marriage to His bride.

Therefore, as we wait for the return of Jesus in glory we are to be busy perfecting the bride by continuing the work that He left us to do. By way of the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit the bride becomes like Jesus as her heart is conformed to His heart. As the bride speaks the word of God to others the body is matured as more followers are incorporated into the body. As the bride takes charge in the spiritual world the entire body is strengthened as the strongholds of the devil are broken. As the sick are healed and the spiritually bound are set free through the prayer of the bride the body becomes ready for ministry. As the forces of darkness are defeated more souls will turn to the true light of God.

As we finish this posting the Bridegroom remains seated at the right hand of the Father, patiently waiting for His bride to prepare the way of His return. This preparation can only be achieved when His bride has finished the work that He Himself started over 2000 years ago.

Tags: Bride of Christ, christ, Christianity, church, Covenant, God, Jesus, New Jerusalem, religion, Religious, spiritual warfare, Spirituality, Tabernacle, the bride of christ, the church, theology

Comment

THE BRIDE OF CHRIST REVEALED

Filed under: Bride of Christ, Jesus, New Jerusalem, Spirituality, spirtual warfare — 1 Comment

September 22, 2009

THE BRIDE OF CHRIST REVEALED

The preparation of the bride and her work is the essence of the vision God reviled to me (see: Inside-the-Bride-of-Christ). At this point in time I believe that it would be good to present some additional information about who the bride is. The bride is the cumulative body of Christ, formed of the redeemed of the Lord:

But, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all things into Him who is the head; Christ; from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love (Ephesians 4:15 – 16).

The body of Christ

The bride is pure and holy. She is a gift to God, perfect in every way:

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish (Ephesians 5:25 – 27).

Jesus spoke to His disciples about the bride in the following passage:

In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know. Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:2 – 6).

In this passage Jesus states that He will come again and take His disciples into Himself. Therefore, the two become one and this is in essence the same as marriage. In addition, Jesus proclaims to be the Tabernacle in stating that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life (see my previous post on this subject Jesus-is-the-Way-the-Truth-and-the-Life).

The Glory Cloud Covers the Tabernacle

The Tabernacle is the place where God dwells with His people on earth. Jesus also talks about many mansions which are buildings that are often found in a city of many people. This presents the concept of the bride being a great city of people, even the holy Jerusalem, which is clarified in this scripture:

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me saying, ”Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God (Revelation 21:9 – 10).

Tags: Bible, Bride of Christ, christ, Christianity, church, God, Jesus, Jesus the Tabernacle, Ministry, New Jerusalem, religion, Religious, spiritual warfare, Spirituality, Tabernacle, theology

Comment

Preparing the Bride of Christ for Jesus

Filed under: Bride of Christ, Covenant, Jesus, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Jesus the Holy Place, Jesus the Tabernacle, Jesus the Tabernacle Courtyard, Ministry, Spirituality, spirtual warfare — 4 Comments

September 20, 2009

Preparing the Bride of Christ for Jesus

We introduced the Bride of Christ in a previous post (The-Bride-of-Christ-Revealed) and now attempt to expand on this subject a bit. Our understanding of the bride is critical because Jesus is coming back for His bride and therefore, we should do all that we can to prepare for this event. To this end an understanding who the bride is and knowledge of how to prepare for the second coming of Jesus is of primary importance to those of us who are truly seeking Jesus.

The New Jerusalem - The Bride of Christ

We as Christians must all seek to be a part of the bride of Christ. Doing so means that we all become a part of something much bigger that ourselves. We become a part of the collective body of all the saints who followed and worshiped Jesus. By becoming a part of this body we become eligible to also become one in marriage to Jesus and to live forever in His care. This is the ultimate goal of regaining the garden and dwelling there with God in the cool of the day.

But are we ready? Are we even members of the bride? If so, are we ready for the marriage feast? Has the pathway for our Lords return been made straight? Is the bride of whom we are a member matured and ready for this most scared union with God?

On an individual basis we must examine our lives to determine if we have done the things that Jesus did when He walked the earth? Did we say the things that He did? Have we emulated His life in everything that we do? Have we achieved the individual purity and holiness required to being a part of the bride?

In doing these things the body of Christ (which is the bride in waiting) grows and matures. Jesus has sent us to prepare a way for His return. He has put us in charge of His ministry and He wants us to finish the work that He started. It is in the completion of this work that the bride is matured. Only when the bride has sufficiently matured will the bridegroom come for His bride.

Now let’s take a look at a scripture that foresees the coming of the bride and the bridegroom:

The New Jerusalem is the bride of Christ in this passage. Firstly, she is adorned as a bride and is seen coming down from heaven. She therefore is the body of all the saints of Jesus. As Jerusalem is a city comprised of many people, so the New Jerusalem (the bride) is comprised of God’s saints.

The scripture above also communicates that the Bride is adorned for her husband and therefore she has prepared herself for the wedding feast. On an individual basis this adornment is initiated as we are cleansed in the Blood of our Lamb Jesus on the cross (Jesus-is-the-Way). It is completed by the washing in the water of His word (Jesus-the-Brazen-Laver), which matures us as we seek to become like our Lord (Becoming-like-Jesus-the-Way). Finally, our adornment comes by being victorious in the spiritual warfare of Jesus (Jesus-is-the-Golden-Altar-of-Incense). In achieving this we enter a closer relationship with God where as we are empowered to know our mission and pathway, as we develop a familial relationship with the Father and as we bring down the evil strongholds of the devil with our prayers (The-Victory-of-Jesus-Empowers-Us). Once we have entered into this relationship of empowerment we can stand before the Lord adorned with the good works done in the name of Jesus His Son. It is at this time that we become ready to move on to the next level of relationship with God, a relationship of covenant (Jesus-is-the-Ark-of-the-New-Covenant). It is in the covenant relationship that the bride and the bridegroom can become one.

Tags: christ, Christianity, church, Covenant, God, Jesus, Jesus the Holy Place, Jesus the Tabernacle, Jesus the Tabernacle Courtyard, Ministry, New Jerusalem, religion, Religious, spiritual warfare, Spirituality, Tabernacle, The Courtyard, The Tabernacle, theology

Comment