Thursday, March 24, 2011
END TIMES READING PLAN: Jeremiah 51
SCRIPTURE READING
Eph 5:26-27 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. (ESV)
In this passage, Paul gives us key details and defines what it means for the Church to be made ready at the time of the Second Coming. The Church will be so filled with glory, sanctified and cleansed, that she will not have spots, wrinkles or blemishes. The Church’s mind, emotions and actions will be radically cleansed while on earth, before Jesus’ coming. In God’s grace, He prefers to cleanse the Church through His Word and prayer. The Church must feed on Scripture, pray, fast and obey. We give our heart to God and receive from Him as we read Scripture in a way that creates an active dialogue in our heart with God. Scripture gives us the conversational material in our prayer life that we pray back to God. We pray dialogue with God by praying truths back to Him that help us obey His Word and commit to Him. As you pray, make declarations of your resolve to obey the Word. Tell Him that you want to be the pure and spotless Bride. Tell Him that you want to be presented to Jesus in splendor, as a glorious Church.
PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Spend some time in prayer, asking God to cleanse the church, to purify her and to draw her into wholehearted love for Him.
2. Ask the Lord for a step that you can take so that you are being cleansed and purified. Pray about whether you need to go to an encounter or empower retreat, even if you have been before. Ask for other steps that you can take in order to be presented to Him in splendor.
3. Spend some time in prayer, tell Him that you want to be the pure and spotless Bride. Tell Him that you want to be presented to Jesus in splendor, as a glorious Church.
