Tag: bride

Guilty. But, Jesus

Adultery? Are we all guilty? We, believers in God through the Son He has sent- we are the  Bride of Christ. We are the Church. If Jesus is the Bridegroom, then aren’t we guilty of adultery as well, putting so much attention on stuff in this world and not giving attention to the wedding at hand?
So, the story is told in the Book of John, chapter 8,  that God has come into the temple, And He, Jesus in fact,  begins to write in the dirt: “This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.  John 8:6. Two thousand years before, it was the finger of God who wrote on stone tablets, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Exodus 20:14.
The Religious Leaders came as policemen asking  about the punishment this woman, caught in adultery, should receive.  Jesus spoke: “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”
One by one, they slipped away, beginning with the oldest even to the last. (Yes, this is how it is written in John 8 verse 9). ‘And Jesus was left alone – with the woman standing in the midst. “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”
This is the voice of the Lord.  And she answered, “No one, Lord.”
“Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” (These are the words of Jesus, no pointing of the finger in John chapter 8 verse 11.)
Do you think the woman lifted her head to look in His eyes?  Jesus comes today to forgive our sin.
Am I willing to hear Him and lift up my head? Am I willing to receive his forgiveness and go – and walk in the light? No more hiding in the night.
If Jesus is the Bridegroom, and we are the Bride if Christ, shall we go now giving attention to the wedding at hand?
“The marriage feast of the Lamb ” (Revelation 19:6) is coming! Is the Bride making herself ready? Our Bridegroom, Jesus – does He have first place in our heart?

 We’ve all failed to be faithful! We’ve all missed the mark. What are we to do? We must hear the voice of our Lord:

“He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord requires of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)
Are our ears open to hear His gentle and compassionate voice: “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
I pray for myself, I pray for you, that we lift up our chins and make this very choice.

“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
    the Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and exult
    and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
    and his Bride has made herself ready;
8 it was granted her to clothe herself
    with fine linen, bright and pure”—

for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

9 And the angel said  to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” This is in the Book of Revelation, the Revelation of Jesus Christ. The Story is written, the invitations are going out! Revelation 19 reminds us: Let us be glad and rejoice, for the marriage supper of the Lamb has come.
Let us be a Bride that makes herself ready! Yes, no? We all have the choice.
 

"When I grow up, I want to be a…

“When I grow up, I want to be…
“a princess”, “a knight”!
Oh, how precious it is to see the little ones in their ‘play clothes’ of satin and lace and jewels and their tierras, and as the ‘little gents’ gird up their swords, and wave them so to ‘fight the enemy’! “Be as a child” we are encouraged in the Bible. Be as a child…
The children dream. They are there, all dressed up – they ARE a princess, and yes, they ARE the knight! Our eyes watch the children with smiles. Our eyes delight in the beauty of simplicity to believe and their spirit of total delight!
Our Father’s eyes are on His children. Oh yes, they are on you and me. He has called me and He has called you, He has said, “Come now, let us reason together,” Says the LORD, Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Thou they are crimson, they shall be as wool…” (Isaiah 1:18). He looks passed all the mess and truth about the ‘natural’ me, and He takes my ‘old garments’ and He clothes me in His Righteousness, when I come to Him willingly. Oh yes, He does. It’s the beauty of it all, the miraculous, gracious beauty of it all!
My sins were as scarlet, but He has made them ‘white as snow’ and He has covered me in His love. No one else could take my filthy garments, but the King of Kings… He was willing, He did leave His throne, for you and for me:
“Thou camest, O Lord, with the living word That should set Thy people free; But with mocking scorn and with crown of thorn They bore You to Calvary….Thou Didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown When Thou camest to earth for me, But in Bethlehem’s home was there found no room For Thy holy nativity.o come to my heart Lord Jesus: There is room in my heart for Thee!” ( Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne, by Emily Elliott, 1864).

“There’s room in my heart for Thee! There’s room in my heart for Thee!” His Bride’s heart dances, His children take courage… we can say from the depth of our being : “I am Yours and You are mine!” ‘I am my Beloved’s and He is mine. “He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love – for love waved as a protecting and comforting banner over my head when I was near Him.” (Song of Sol. 2:4,Amplified).
The Love of my King, it makes me to sing. Out of His mouth comes grace and from His lips flow mercy. He is clothed with majesty, yet He …
He left His throne and His kingly crown when He came down to earth for me. His song to me is like no other, you have heard it, no?
“You are fair, my love, and there is no spot in you… You have ravished my heart, My sister, My spouse, You have ravished my heart With one look of your eyes, with one link of your necklace. How fair is your love, My sister, My spouse!”;Song of Songs 4:7,8).
Because His loved has ravished my heart, He has taken my filthy garments and clothed me in white! I fancy a ‘playful’ childlike spirit! Come join me and discover a ‘joy anew’ somewhat like a child we see in their garb! Let’s love the Lord, who came down for us, and be ‘worshipers’ now and forever!
When I ‘grow up(!)’, Lord Jesus, in You, I want to be a worshiper, a worshiper to Thee – for now into all of eternity!
“I come to my heart, Lord Jesus. There is room in my heart for Thee!”