Making Herself Ready
Hi Friends,
I want to thank the Lord for his faithfulness to entrust us with his gifts, his authority, and his mission to reach the world with the gospel. I know that we are ordinary people, but we have an extraordinary Holy Spirit living within each of us as believers. That Holy Spirit empowers us to do the Lord’s will. He wants us to be who he has called us to be. And he wants us to get ready for his return.
The vision I am sharing with you today, is about the church. We must be aware of the time in which we live. We need to get ready. The Lord will take those who are ready and waiting for his return!
The Vision
I see the head of a woman. She is pretty, with brown hair. She has her hair styled in a French twist and at both sides of her forehead is a single brush roller, or hair curler.
What I believe the vision means:
A French twist is a hairstyle that is not as casual as a bun, or ponytail. It is much more elegant. Women usually save this type of an “updo” for a special occasion, as a formal party or wedding.
The hair in the vision is nearly finished. The curlers on either side of the forehead are taken out just before she is ready to go. The strands of hair are loosened and allowed to fall gently framing the face.
I believe that the vision represents the idea of getting ready, for a special occasion. The woman is the church, the bride of Christ. Jesus, our Lord, will be coming soon to take his bride to be with him. She needs to be ready when she hears the trumpet call of God, and the voice of her Lord.
There are many scriptures which speak of the Lord’s second coming. But it is not for us to just have an intellectual discussion of his return. It is important that we truly embrace the fact that he could return for his bride today, this afternoon, or tonight at midnight. We need to be ready.
“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will be with the Lord forever.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
How are we, the church, to ready ourselves for the Lord’s return? We cannot pack our bags, and wait on the porch for him to come. What do we do?
Jesus tells us how we are to live throughout the four Gospels and in the book of Revelation. Just reading all the words in red gives us a good idea of what the Lord considers important. He expects us to live lives of holiness, purity, and devotion to him. Yes, even if we work full time and have a family, we can still live to please him. We do not have to be a monk or a full-time missionary in order to show our devotion to the Lord. The Lord looks at the heart, and he looks at our relationships, our thoughts and our ways. We will be held accountable for every idle word that comes from our mouths.
“But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.” Matthew 12:36
The Lord is like a husband to his church: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” Ephesians 5:25-27
“‘Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. She was given clothing of fine linen, bright and pure.’ For the fine linen she wears is the righteous acts of the saints.
“Then the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb.’ And he added, ‘These are the true words of God.’” Revelation 19:7-9
The Lord purchased his bride, the church, with his own blood. He cleanses his church with the word of God, which is likened to washing with water. And he presents the church to himself as holy and blameless.
So what is our part? We first accept and acknowledge that Jesus died on the cross to redeem us. We are sinners. We are those who are, or who were, living for themselves, doing as we please, living as if there was no one to whom we are accountable. But once we become aware of our sins, our immoral and selfish ways, we see that compared to the holy requirements of God, we deserve to be banished from his sight. We deserve the death that he suffer for us.
“....Without holiness no one will see God.” Hebrew 12:14
Somehow, this is where most people get lost. They cannot comprehend the holiness of God, nor do they understand what is to have the fear of God. Somehow people believe that they are “pretty good.” They consider themselves basically good people. Most people believe that they are going to heaven because they haven’t committed a truly terrible crime like murder, so they feel confident that they are “good to go..”
Some people believe that all you have to do is believe in God. “You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.” James 2:19
Some people believe that as long as they know that Jesus died on the cross for all men, that it automatically includes them, and there is nothing else that is required. But that is not so. Jesus himself said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’“
“Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:21-23
What the Lord is saying is that he wants and expects us to know him, personally. There should be a point in your life when you personally speak to the Lord and ask him to forgive you for your sins. You cannot assume that because you go to Church regularly or occasionally, that you are going to heaven and that you are “saved.”
In Chapter three of the book of John, Jesus speaks to a Pharisee named Nicodemus who comes to Jesus in the cover of night, to speak with him. Jesus explains to him what it means to be born again.
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.“
“How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time to be born?’” Jesus answered, ‘“Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you do not know from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
Nicodemus said to Him, “How can this be?”
Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, but you do not know these things? Truly, truly I say to you, We speak of what We know and bear witness of what We have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended to heaven except He who descended from heaven, even the Son of Man who is in heaven. Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned. But he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. This is the verdict, that light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes to the light, that it may be revealed that his deeds have been done in God.”
Once again, Jesus gave himself up as a sacrifice, and thereby redeemed or purchased his bride.
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy….“
Then he cleanses the church, his bride with the word of God:
“…cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” Ephesians 5:25-27
The word of God is the Bible, but at the same time it is Jesus himself. John spoke of Jesus as the living Word of God. His words bring healing, restoration, correction, and a desire for holiness.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. “ John 1:1-9
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14
When we read the Word of God, the Holy Spirit is right there with us bringing revelation and understanding to the scriptures. He quickens the word or makes it come alive to our spirits. Through the scriptures we come to understand the Lord’s heart, and we have a desire to please him.
“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.” Hebrews 4:12-13
The word of God is powerful. It can transform and renew the mind, ultimately changing your life, and revealing God’s purpose. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-- his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2
If we read the word and allow it to take root in us, then following the Lord becomes as natural as breathing. “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” John 15:7
But if we do not bother to read the word, or take the word of God seriously, then we will not get ready. We will not be ready when he comes. We will be like the servant whose master went away on a journey and left him in charge: “But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.” Luke 12:45-46
Too many people in the church are not ready. They are not concerned, because they are too distracted with their work, their families, and their pastimes. However, the day will come….
“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Matthew 24:37
I believe that the Lord gives me these visions to share with the Church because he is concerned. He is revealing his heart. This I believe is a warning. It is certainly not the first. I have several other posts about the Lord’s second coming that you could also read:
It must be important to the Lord to give me so many visions telling us to get ready.
I do have one more important aspect to getting ready, and that is to develop a closeness to God. It is important to not start out right and then over time, lose what you once had to busyness or letting life get in the way of your relationship with God. He wants you to finish the race well. Not with apathy, or a lack of real commitment. Remember the foolish virgins who took their lamps with them to meet the bridegroom, but but brought no oil with them. When the midnight cry came to meet the bridegroom, they had no oil for their lamps. The wise virgins who were ready went in to the wedding supper, and the door was closed. Later when the foolish virgins arrived, having had to first go and buy oil for themselves, asked the Lord to open the door for them. But what did he say to them? “I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.” (Matthew 25:1-13)
Both the foolish and wise virgins represent the church. They were to be the bride of Christ, yet only five of the 10 were ready with oil in their lamps. The oil represents the Holy Spirit. If we do not continue with God, the Holy Spirit does not have to stay with us. When we go our own way choosing the world and its values over God and his values, the Holy Spirit becomes grieved.
The Holy Spirit will for a time attempt to capture our hearts, and convict us of sin, but when we willfully choose to follow after other things and other people, he eventually removes his presence, and hands us over to Satan. God does this so that after the devil has had his way with us, we may finally be ready to turn back to God, and so be saved.
“For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in Spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this. So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 5:3-5
We of course want everyone to be saved. That is the Lord’s very heart. “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9
So anytime you have the opportunity, share the gospel with your friends, loved ones, and neighbors. Share the gospel with those you don’t know and those you don’t like. Share the gospel with everyone. The Lord wants no one to go to hell.
Start fasting, praying and seeking the face of God, on behalf of our nation and the nations of the world. Pray that they make their peace with God, become saved and filled with the Spirit of God. Visit the sick, and help the needy. Be a blessing to others, perhaps you will be the answer to someone else’s prayer. We should do just as the Lord has said, in his last words to his disciples:
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
Hallelujah! Praise be the Lord!
Be blessed everyone, and please pass this along to someone who needs to know Jesus, our Lord and Savior!