The strip down!

       ...As you remember from the last blog "A whole lotta shakin goin on" ... first, we talked about the alarm sounding but not arousing the body, and secondly, a shaking in the body of Christ going on. Now, I want to tell you about what I have more recently seen. I began to see a visual of a parent holding a child who was fighting to keep from getting a bath! While the mother held the child whose clothes and body were soiled with dirt up in the air by one arm, with their little legs and arms violently kicking and fighting, I saw the parent begin to strip off the filthy garments. She moved the unrelenting child over the bathtub full of water; all the while their little legs and arms were stretching out and grasping at all attempts to keep for being plunged into the water for the clean-up. I believe that we are not only in a time of being shaken out of our sleep, but a time of being stripped of the things that soil our spirit man. We are due for a good bathing! We are the children of God and the bride of Christ. Christ is coming back for a bride who is ready for him, yet Jeremiah 3:32 depicts the bride of Christ as one who is not prepared. "Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet My people have forgotten me Days without number." Oh, yes, I know that we go to church every Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday, etc...  However, I am not talking about the outer works, but rather the condition of the heart. You see... you can be the most devoted church member in your church; doing all that is expected of you and much more, yet still forget God. Not really having that intimate relationship with him. How many of us have been so busy working for our spouse, washing their clothes, cooking for them, running their errands, picking up after them, and all the things that we do for them...just to end the day of "doing for them"...and be too tired when we lay down next to them to be intimate with them? Busyness has been the downfall of many marriages. Marriage in general is a picture of our relationship with Christ. Are we so busy with doing all the things that we do for God to be intimate with Him? We are preparing for our wedding day, ...or have we been so busy with "things" that we have forgotten to prepare?  About two years ago, I was in the church by myself at the altar weeping, and again the Lord gave me a picture of two brides. They were both a picture of the bride of Christ. The first bride was in complete disarray! Her dress was smudged with dirt and blood stains. Her hair had obviously been attempted to be fixed, but was all out of place and messy. There were missing and forgotten jewels; one earring on and one off. Black mascara was smeared down her face, and by her appearance her make-up was no doubt thrown on in a mad rush. In short, she was one frazzled bride! However, the second bride was beautifully adorned in spotless white; her hair was fixed to perfection and her make-up was tastefully applied. The sparkling white pearls gracefully adorned her neck and ears. She was the flawless epitome of beauty; poised with grace. Both of these Brides are the bride of Christ. They are both born again by the Blood of Jesus Christ, however, one is not prepared. Perhaps sin is the reason for the lack of preparation. Perhaps, she is just too busy taking care of the things that concern her groom, which is not a bad thing, however she is so caught up in "the doing" that she has forgotten to attend to their relationship. Whatever stands in her way...she is still unprepared. There were two women of God in the Bible, Luke 10:38-42, one was Martha, and one was Mary. As Jesus was in Martha's home one day, the Bible states that, "Martha was distracted with all her preparations." She was very busy serving Jesus. So busy taking care of things in fact that she became frustrated with Mary who was sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to Him. When Martha began to complain because she did not think her sister was doing her part, Jesus replied to her by saying, "Martha, Martha, you are so worried and bothered about so many things; but only a few things are necessary, really only one, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." If we are not careful, we will allow so many things...even that seem good to do...to take us away from sitting at the feet of Jesus. He wants us to take time to talk and relate to Him, and to listen to Him. We, the body of Christ, have allowed so many distractions to separate us from spending time with Christ. It is in His presence that we are made beautiful...ready for Him. If we are truly born again, we will get that bath that our daddy God wants to give us. We will get in the tub willingly, or against our will, whichever we choose. It is time to get the dirt of this world washed away. When your alarm rings in the morning, you will get up from your sleep & out of the bed, stumble to the restroom & into the bathtub. After you get cleaned up and clothed in nice fresh garments, you will be ready for your day to begin. We are in the process of being spiritually prepared in the same way.