Be Prepared to Meet Your Bride Groom Part 2

 Be Prepared to Meet Your Bride Groom - Part 2

                Hello and welcome to My Little House of Prayer. I am your host, Dayla Smith. I am so very glad and excited that you are joining me. Last week we discussed the groom of the bride in comparison with the Lord and the Bride of Christ. I sure hope you enjoyed that message. I sure did. You see. I have to go and study in order to show myself approved before God to deliver the messages He gives. I learn through studying, but most importantly, I learn by experience. You see I can’t take you where I haven’t been. So, He allows me to learn through experience. I am so excited to share with you today, from a seamstress’ point of view, how the bride prepares to meet her bridegroom. 

               You need to Know what you are going to sew. That you have the right thread and needle to sew the fabric. Do you have all the right notions(zippers, buttons, lace, etc..  Then, you need to make sure your bobbin is full of the right thread and  matches your top thread.

Make sure you have the right material for what you are going to sew. Jesus told the disciples and all who want to walk the crucified way to count the cost in Luke 14:25-30. We must take into careful consideration our decision to walk with Christ. Salvation is free to anyone who wants to receive it. But, the upkeep is what will cost you everything.

                  There’s an old saying. “It’s not what you know, but who you know.” In order for the bride of Christ to be prepared, she needs to have her trousseau ready, dressed and ready, she needs to know who her groom is. That, in order to be a bride of Christ, she has to have a gown without a spot or wrinkle. What does a bride do when she prepares to be married? She pours over books, patterns and magazines, looking for all of her essentials to have the perfect wedding. (According to her.) hahahahaha She wants the perfect setting. Perfect flowers, perfect cake, perfect reception hall, etc… Above all, the perfect dress. One that will accentuate her divine beauty. The true Bride of Christ’ wants to know all of the intimate details of her bridegroom. The only way she can do this is to pour over the Word of God like water from  a fountain. Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word

How can Jesus cleanse His bride if she refuses to read, hear, study, and learn His Word. Because in it are the instructions of righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

                         The Groom does not want a baby bride. He wants a grown-up bride. She can’t be His without reading the bible, the God given Word of God, and prayer. She can’t even grow up. She starves to death without His Word and prayer. He wants a relationship with her. That’s why He left His love letter for her. And, she must read it.

                   In His Word, she learns what it means to be a Christian, Christ-like, and how to walk with Him. She also learns to hear His beautiful, soft voice. And, how to talk to Him. You know, there is an old saying, “I’m starving for affection.” I don’t want Him to ever tell me that. I think that in Matthew 15:8-9 and Isaiah 29:13 say it well. 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Isaiah 29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: So, if we don’t like rejection, why would we do it to our Lord and Savior?

             So, the bride’s next step is to take inventory of all that she has. What she will need to have for her perfect wedding day. And, what she needs to rid herself of.  In order for her to make her wedding gown, she has to have the pattern, the material, pin the right pieces together, have the right measurements, then cut out what you need and discard the rest. The right pattern for the bride of Christ is the Word of God and Jesus’ example. She is to mirror His life. Be Christ-Like. The material is her life. How she lives it. She needs the correct measurements in her walk with Christ. Isaiah 28: 10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: 

              When she pins the wedding gown material together. She has done so with her choices. If it is pinned together correctly, she has chosen correctly. Remember, pins can be repositioned. How does she reposition the pins? Through repentance. Repentance  means to change one’s mind about a sin. When we change our mind about a sin, we quit doing that sin. How? By putting it under the blood of Jesus. We can do nothing without Him. We must cry out to Him. He is an ever present help. 

                       This is also how she cuts out her dress. She gets rid of all of her excess baggage. Things she does not need. Yes, we're back to sin and choices. When we first get saved, the Lord shows us all of the sin in our lives thus far that is eating us up. As we choose to repent, and put those sins under His precious blood, we cut off the works of our flesh, the world, and the devil.

                 So, the bride receives the salvation of Christ. She has put on His garment of salvation. She has prepared to sew her wedding gown. In order to sew her wedding gown now, she must have the right size needle. It must be in the place it belongs. She must make sure she has enough thread on her bobbin and that it is placed where it goes in the direction it goes. Then, she is to thread her needle. She must make sure she has the right strength of thread as well as the color of thread. Remember the harlot of the city of Jericho? What was her name? Hmmmmm Wasn’t her name rahab? Why am I mentioning her? Because she recognized the Lord at work on Israel’s behalf. And, that if He would take care of them, just maybe, He would have compassion on her and her family, and take care of them also. And, what did the spies tell her to hang out of her window? A Scarlet thread! Joshua 2: 17 And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear.18 Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee.

                             Thread here in Hebrew is hut meaning to sew, a string by implication a measuring tape, cord, fillet, line, or Thread. Do you see what I am seeing? Are you seeing the semblance here? Measuring tape, sewing, cord or thread. Which reminds me of the scripture, Isaiah 1: 18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. There is an old saying, “ Oh, the tie that binds.” What thread is binding you today? The Bride of Christ needs to sew her wedding gown with the blood of Jesus Christ. I know. Most of us would say, “Ewww! That’s gross! And, how do you sew a wedding gown with blood and it come out pristine white? Isn’t a wedding gown supposed to be pristine white?” Because her scarlet thread represents the precious blood of Christ.  Just as every downward stitch represents the death of the old man of sin. A choice for Christ. Every upward stitch is how she arose as a new creation in Christ! Another choice for Christ!

                     Then, she has to make sure she has all the right places on her sewing machine oiled right. Not too much or the oil will spot up the material and thread. Not too little so that the gears will run smoothly and not snag and tear the garment. The bride of Christ depends on the oil of the Holy Spirit. Did you know that the Lord had specific rules for the use of the oil used in the tabernacle. That’s all in Exodus and Leviticus. That’s a good read. I’m bad about giving what the movie or book is about. Because I often go into too much detail. Ruining it for the other person. My suggestion is don’t just take my word for it. Go Study for yourself. Or are you afraid you might like the book enough to take it as His word? 

                    Oil in the bible represents the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the bride of Christ’ helper. 2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
John4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

                      So, you see, the bride of Christ needs the precious oil of the Holy Spirit to help her make her bridal Gown. It is His influence that produces the shine of stitches, as He leads and guides her. He makes every stitch perfect with His influence on her choice making in walking with Christ. He even makes sure her footsteps are smooth. You can find this reference in Psalm 91 and when Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness. The Bride of Christ must depend on the Holy Spirit in her walk with Christ. He is the witness to the Truth. Who is the Truth? Christ. What is truth? Christ. The Holy Ghost helps her to walk in the light of the Lord’s truth’s. He anoints and appoints her. Look at Psalm 91.

                      The bride needs to know what kind of stitch she needs and where she needs it. She needs to know the exact length of the stitch she will need. Then, she is to set the amount of tension she will need. If the tension is too tight, the thread will break and snag the material. If the thread is too loose, the stitches will come out odd. It will skip stitches or flat out not stitch the material together at all. Just like making sure the tension on your stitches must be just right. The tension on our walk with the Lord must be just right. Too much tension will push others away from salvation. Too loose, our walk has a chance of looking more like the world than of Christ. We are to be Christ-like. Christ is our tension in our walk. The closer we walk with Him, the less steps we skip. The less mess we make. Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

1 Peter 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.                                                   

                     The zig-zag stitch is used for darning, preventing, and embellishments. The bride might want decorative stitching in her bridal gown. She may want a hidden zipper in her gown. These are where you would use a zig-zag stitch.

                   When you place a zipper in a wedding gown, most have a piece of metal at the end to keep it from coming apart. Well sometimes there is no metal piece holding the zipper together. This is when you use a zig-zag stitch at the end of where the zipper goes. To keep the dress and zipper from coming apart. This reminds me of another old saying. “A bible falling apart, belongs to one who isn’t.” The bride of Christ should be consuming God’s Word all day every day in order to not fall apart with the trials of life. And believe you, me. The trials are all around us. The enemy is unrelenting with a ravenous appetite to try to devour any possible child of God. That is why she needs to pray and seek the face of her Beloved. Christ. She has to read and consume the Word of God, the bible. So she can stay alert and learn the voice of her beloved. Christ. And, she has to follow her beloved. Jesus Christ. 

                            Now in order to sew the zig-zag stitch, you need to know how far apart you want the stitching to be. If the stitches are too close, they will tear and snag the material. But, if they are too far, the embellishments won’t come out right. If the stitching is too far when sewing a zipper in the gown, the thread will be too weak. Nobody wants a torn dress. Or even to come out of their dress because a zipper came undone on the gown. You see we as the bride of Christ must walk close to Him and to each other. We believer’s must come together corporately. According to the bible Hebrews 10:20-31  20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21 And having an high priest over the house of God; 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

                        What day is approaching? This day. This glorious day!! Titus 2:13

13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18  13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Corinthians 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

                            So, the question is, would you like to make sure you are prepared to meet your bridegroom? If Jesus Christ came right now, would you be ready? Or, would you be left behind? Do you want to be sure? Here is how you can be sure. His word says that He is faithful and true. That He is the One, True, and Living God. That all of His promises are yes and amen. That he does not lie nor repent. This is all in His love letter to us. Like I said, don’t take my word for it. Go read it for yourself. This is His part. He died so that you could live a life free of the cost of sin. 1 Corinthians 15:55-58  55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?56 The sting of death is sin; and  the strength of sin is the law.57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

             In order to receive the Lord’s beautiful gift of salvation is to acknowledge that you are a sinner in desperate need of a savior. The Lord Jesus Christ. Acknowledge all of your sins and ask the Lord for forgiveness of them. Then, repent. Change your mind and choice making decisions concerning those sins. Confess that they are under the blood of Christ. Then, thank the Lord for His wonderful forgiveness. Then, find a bible and read it. The gospels tell you who Jesus is, and teaches you His example of how to live a life in Christ. The old testament reveals what He expects of you. How to walk in this walk with Christ. It also reveals to you the debt Jesus paid, why, and just what He died for. He loves you. As for as the east is from the west. One scarred hand to another. (Casting Crowns) 

           Let me pray with you today. This is just the beginning. You have a lot of work ahead of you. But, you don’t have to do it alone. Find a church with a pastor who is preaching the uncompromising word of God. Sit under Him for at least a year. You will learn and grow. 

                       Lord Jesus, I confess my sins and ask for your forgiveness. Please come into my heart as my Lord and Savior. Take complete control of my life and help me to walk in Your footsteps daily by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank you Lord for saving me and for answering my prayer. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

                                        I know today’s message was a bit long, but I sure hope you enjoyed it. I sure did. Have a blessed week.