The Bride of Christ... REALLY?

Is this the best we can do?

As embarrassing as this photo is, the LORD instructed me to preach in this outfit on last Sunday.

He said I needed to dress myself as the Bride of Christ, in its current state.  Notice how every item is stylish, in its own right, but clashes when brought together?  God spoke and explained that many in the Body feel they are “okay” because they see the beauty and the righteousness in themselves, but refuse to work with others.  So many desire to be seen so badly, that they refuse to step back, "out of the spotlight" even when the anointing is flowing through someone else.  They feel they are living right, but refuse to lift up, encourage and support those in the Body that are not as strong.  Humility is often missing as so much seek their own glory and attention.  As a result, this is a picture of the bride we are presenting to our Savior – uncoordinated and random, lacking harmony and beauty!

The word of God says that Christ’s church is made of many people, with many gifts, all from the same Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4).  The purpose of diverse gifts is not for us to compete with one another, but for us to feed and support one another (Ephesians 4:16).

We are spending too much time trying to stand on our own, rather than operating in accountability and working together to build God’s Kingdom.  As a result, we are CLASHING IN THE SPIRIT, and causing even the very gifts of God to be out of place and confusing!

In all of this, the LORD finally reminded me – the only parts of my outfit doing their job were those things underneath the surface that could not be seen!  Selah.