Tag Archives: Wedding

The Bride

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The new bride came home to her new home!

She said a quick “Thank you and I love you” to her new husband. Then she went about adoring the walls and furniture, ceiling and floor.  


Not a problem you say. That was the last time she paid serious attention to her husband.  


She would cook for him is if it were a duty. And all the other chores of a wife she carried out without fail. She would let her lips brush his four head, as if that were a substantial sign of love.  


Her heart was so detached from him he might well have not been her husband at all.  


But do not judge her for infidelity. There was no other man in her life. The problem is, there was no man in her life at all. Still he was faithful to keep her as his wife.  


Does this draw a picture of your relationship with your husband Christ Jesus?

What is the Measure?

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He moved into his new apartment. Of all the things he enjoyed, there was one new thing that intrigued him the most.  The kitchen faucet was different.

The first time he went for a glass of water, the faucet dispensed but a few drops.  Pulling his glass away, he turned it off then on again. A flow came out that would’ve filled his glass.  “How curious.”

He put his glass under the spigot again. Turning it on, he got one third glass of water.  

Over the next few weeks it was like that for him. He asked no one for help, simply enjoying the intrigue.

We approach God in prayer, asking for many things. By our faith we expect a response. And surely enough, we get one.

Sometimes it’s but a dribble.  Sometimes we ask, with the weakest of faith. We walk away from prayer missing the overflow he intended to give. Without possibility of explanation, we know what we missed.  So our intent to gain faith strengthens.

But the giving seems random, doesn’t it.

Here is the understanding I reach tonight. The sum of his giving to us is not found in the small experiences we receive. The sum is found where the sum belongs; at the end of our life.  

How many people give up because they are not satisfied with the small things he gives? Rather than remaining faithful, they turn away in disgust and futility. But the faithful remain, fully believing that God will accomplish those things he promised at the start.  

Of course I want you to ponder these things. Of course I wrote this so that we all might benefit for the sake of God’s glory in Jesus. But doesn’t it break down to this, it is up to each of us to develop the faithfulness required 

There is a wedding to attend. No wedding is complete without gifts.  And no gift will be accepted but those things which have come from God; The profitability of his Spirit at work in those who remain faithful.  Amass a mountain, or a mole hill if you will. But by all means and desire, bring him something.

The Living Promise 

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The place where free will can be tested. A place where God’s commands can be broken. A place where free will can choose to love the One who made it, or despise Him forever.  

A place where it is possible for violence to be king. A place where it is possible for compassion to suffer seemingly endless sorrow. A place where there is no such thing as innocence, until God Himself comes to inhabit a body.  


That’s where we live, my Friends. Perhaps better said, that’s where we wait to die; when we will move into the next place of His creation. 


With deft and Holy intent, He made this place. He has set unimaginable rewards in a place we have yet to see. He has entered into chaos to give life to dead bones. And billions have already been sealed for eternal life and joy. 


Trust in Jesus cannot be useless. See how He delivered His promise. He did not come to deliver sorrow. He came into sorrow to deliver hope.  


Mistrust of everything in this world is appropriate. Not so with the promise of God. We restrain our joy at the things this world offers. But isn’t that because this world can not deliver what we need. Empty promises and broken hearts is all the world has in its hand.  


He promised you. It is impossible for Him to lie. When it comes to our Lord, we have every right to be full of joy and hope. If you have received the promise of God, you are engaged to be married to the King of all creation.  


He will never abandon you. He will never leave you hungry. You will not be dressed in rags, nor struggle to survive, alone. You will from eat all the beautiful things he desires to create. You will be full of joy, and that eternally.  


Measure the kind of hope He has delivered to our hearts. Measure, and be at peace.  



WWJD

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A "What Would Jesus Do?" (WWJD) bracelet

Image via Wikipedia

In the parable of the wedding feast in Matthew, we read about one who was attending but was not wearing wedding clothes.  The Lord asked him, “Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?”  The man had nothing to say in response.  To my initial amazement the Lord gives orders to bind that man hand and foot and to throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Then the Lord says, “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

 

I have often written of the urgency in the Gospel to follow after the Lord with our hearts, minds, and “soul ears” open to His leading.  Again, we interpret this passage with the same value of urgency.  Who is he who was not dressed in wedding clothes?  It is he who was not spoken of in the following passage: “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb.”  (Rev. 7: 14)

 

What does this mean?  When the Lord came to me as I drove across Elk Mountain, he explained this passage without referring to it.  He said to me, “I will take you to be with me, if you will but listen to me.”  It is in the listening and obeying every moment that we wash our robes in the Blood of the Lamb.

 

Which man knows what is appropriate, timely, and Righteous, except that the Lord tells us these things from His perspective in Heaven.  I will say this and know that few will receive it with an open and honest heart:  No man knows what is absolutely right to do or say at any one moment.  But in the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit, we fill our moments here with His perfect will.  Those who live according to plain religion, hoping that they are doing what is right, are not washing their robe in the Blood of the Lamb.   They stand a good chance of being like that man at the wedding feast.  They too will have no answer to the Lord when asked.  They will not understand why their clothing is not gleaming like the others.  They will be without an answer.

 

Hear these words and consider your life.  If you’re not sure about where you stand with the Lord, sell your entire life to gain that sureness!   What would you give if you are that man who is asked how you got in there?  And what would you desire you had done when they are taking you away from the Great Wedding Banquet of the Most High God and His people?

 

The  Lord is not looking for people who will attend the religious service, dressed, and participating appropriately.  He has no interest in socially acceptable religion.  He is looking for those who are intent in listening to Him.  For eternity, it is those kind of people the Lord is seeking.  Sin will be done away with.  And only those who commit their entire heart, mind, body, and soul to following Him are going to be “worthy”.  Strive with all you have to enter!  The way is narrow, which leads to eternal life.  Only Jesus can teach you what step should be taken next.  Pride, ignorance, folly, rebellion, and the like belong to the broad way.  The broad way, which leads to destruction.  What more can be said?  The choice is always ours.  His offer remains before us all until the moment when we leave this tent of flesh.

 

You have heard of the saying, “What would Jesus do.”  This saying supposes that we can either guess or discern what the Lord might do in any given case.  I have learned the folly of that saying.  We are not called to guess.  We are called to obey.  And how can we hope to obey unless the Lord Himself is teaching us moment by moment.  He is speaking to us right now.  Are we listening?  We sharpen our ears as we do what He says.