The Practical Preparation of the Bride

It previous studies we have seen that the bride, the overcomers, the manifested sons, the wife of the Lamb and the bondservants are all speaking of the same thing and refer to God’s eternal purpose in fulfillment. While each metaphor is speaking of the diverse preparations as seen from various points of view, the fact remains that very distinct preparations are required to achieve to God’s eternal purpose. [ We are not speaking of “salvation” as understood by much of the church]

In this study we will look at the basic preparation of the bride but of course this applies to all the other metaphors as well. Since all the metaphors are speaking of the same thing, the same preparation is necessary to fulfill each metaphor.

PSA 45:13 The King's daughter is all glorious within; Her clothing is interwoven with gold. [14] She will be led to the King in embroidered work; The virgins, her companions who follow her, Will be brought to Thee. [15] They will be led forth with gladness and rejoicing; They will enter into the King's palace.

We will begin with this truth that the King’s daughter [ that is the Great King, the Father’s daughter] is all glorious within. As in so many of these passages we see the bride and then we see multitudes of virgins or queens or concubines. The implication is that the bride has given herself to the depths of preparation that is required of those who will sit with Him. While the virgins are made pure by faith and the initial cleansing, the bride is made without spot or wrinkle, holy and blameless through various trials and disciplines of God, etc. While the virgins, and others, will be brought to the King in white garments, the bride will be presented in embroidered garments interwoven with gold. While all “the saved” will NOT submit to this painful inner work of perfection [ either by will or by ignorance] they are still “saved virgins.” There is also an outer work of perfection that is represented by the embroidered garments that is unique to the bride. The virgins who are certainly companions to the bride will have white garments of righteousness.

If we miss the fact that at the wedding feast of the Lamb there will be one bride and one Groom but there will be multitudes upon multitudes of invited guests, we may think that everyone is the bride. Watchman Nee says that not only are all New Testaments saints the bride but all the Old Testament saints as well. This certainly does not explain the multitudes of invited guests if all are the bride. Even from church experience we see those who “go on with God” and those who barely grow in their whole Christian life. Still they have been cleansed by the blood and been declared righteous by God and qualify as virgins.

SOS 6:8] "There are sixty queens and eighty concubines, And maidens without number; [9] But my dove, my perfect one, is unique: She is her mother's only daughter; She is the pure child of the one who bore her. The maidens saw her and called her blessed, The queens and the concubines also, and they praised her--.

REV 19:6 "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. [7] "Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready." [8] And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. [9] And he said to me, "Write, `Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" And he said to me, "These are true words of God."

There are righteous outer acts of the saints that qualify the virgins to become the bride. In this “work” certain trials and sufferings occur that assist in the preparation toward perfection. There is also a spiritual growth unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ that is necessary because the bride will be like Him. He is not marrying a baby bride. In addition to that “growth” there is the inner preparation that makes her “all glorious within”. That will be the subject of this paper.

Why would God be concerned about the inner life of the saints if they have been declared righteous by faith? The perfection of the inner life has been a controversial subject since the 14th century. In the 1500's Madam Guyon was imprisoned in the Bastille Prison for her teaching on the inner life with God. Many others have been persecuted and killed because of this teaching. For those it was not just a doctrine but an experience which they refused to deny. We could speculate as to why the devil is so upset about this revelation.

They could confidently say that repentance is the key to the inner life with God. It is not enough to know that “God dwells in you” there also must be communication. To live a life of communication there must be no “log jams” in the river that flows from the throne of God. Removing the “log jams” is the subject of this paper. The key to the inner life is in the heart. The road to Zion runs through the heart. The heavenly Zion is a transparent city with no opaqueness.

PSA 84:5 How blessed is the man whose strength is in Thee; In whose heart are the highways to Zion! [6] Passing through the valley of Baca, they make it a spring, The early rain also covers it with blessings. [7] They go from strength to strength, Every one of them appears before God in Zion.

MAT 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. REV 22:3] And there shall no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His bond_servants shall serve Him; [4] and they shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. If only the pure in heart will see God then it should be obvious that the bondservants are also pure in heart! However, the bride will certainly see His face also which means the bride will be pure in heart. This shouldn’t be confusing since if all these metaphors are speaking of the same thing then the requirements will be the same for each. Whoever will be in the presence of God will be pure in heart.

MARK 12:30] AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.' [31] "The second is this, `YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

So far I have never heard a convincing testimony that someone loved God in this way. “With all your heart” would mean that nothing else was taking up space in your heart. In the computer Bible program it lists 677 verses that make reference to the heart and all the problems associated with the heart. Those who understand the requirements of this commandment will grieve because they can’t even fulfill a small portion. However, God already knows we can’t do that. Therefore He has made a provision so we can fulfill that commandment.

The problem of loving God in this way is in the heart and God said that He must circumcise our heart so we can love Him with all our heart Etc. There must be a cutting away of something in the heart that releases us to love God. All the seed of Abraham must be circumcised to be included as “a Jew”. ROM 2:28] For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. [29] But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God. In the New Covenant to be a Jew also requires circumcision. However, not outward in the flesh but inward in the heart and it is “done by the Spirit”. Abraham’s circumcision was called a circumcision of righteousness” Rom 4:11.

Seeing this we need to ask ourselves If we have been truly circumcised in our hearts. While this is not a new thought and I have shared these things for many years I believe there is a very practical way this circumcision takes place. First we must see what it is that must be cut out of our hearts and why.

JER 17:9 "The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it? [10] "I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds.

In the New Covenant we are convinced that God must take away the heart of stone and give us a new heart of flesh. We may assume that God does that instantly when we are born again. However, after we have been in the church for sometime we discover that many still have corrupt hearts after many years. 1 SAM 16:7] But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

We may be rejected by God if our heart is not right or meet God’s standards. The Bible is full of references to the heart and all the problems associated with it. This is why Jesus said MAT 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. It is clear that because of the stubbornness of the heart people refuse to change.

For years I thought that I failed because my message was not changing people or situations. For that reason I have sought God for a more powerful message. Only recently I have discovered that until the heart is cleansed and transformed the message will do very little. Therefore, our first work must be to expose the heart of people and get them to seek God to reveal what is in the heart that must go. MARK 16:14 And afterward He appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table; and He reproached them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen.

In these last 15 months of prayer God has been dealing with our inner lives and our heart condition. I really didn’t understand why until I saw this principle. God has to get our hearts corrected before the revival comes so He can use us and so we will not be confused by a heart out of harmony with the Holy Spirit. God desires TRUTH in the innermost being first and not outward doctrines. Truth in the innermost being means that every lie is exposed and removed

PSA 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. [6] Behold, Thou dost desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part Thou wilt make me know wisdom. [7] Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Obviously David is asking for much more than forgiveness. He is seeking to have the very root of his problem removed. Jesus clearly knew that the root cause of all man’s controversies with God originated in the heart. To receive “truth” in our spirit [heart] there must be a removal of all the lies that originate there. To receive God’s Wisdom in the hidden part [heart] there must be a heart of truth [with lies circumcised]. While hyssop was for the application of blood, the washing with water is by application of the Word. We are constantly seeking cleansing and washing.

EPH 5:25----just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; [26] that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, [27] that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless.

MARK 7:14] And after He called the multitude to Him again, He began saying to them, "Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: [15] there is nothing outside the man which going into him can defile him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man. [16] ["If any man has ears to hear, let him hear."] [17] And when leaving the multitude, He had entered the house, His disciples questioned Him about the parable. [18] And He said to them, "Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him; [19] because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?" (Thus He declared all foods clean.) [20] And He was saying, "That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. [21] "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, [22] deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. [23] "All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man."

Even AFTER we are forgiven of past sins we discover that the heart of man is still desperately wicked. All the problems within the church flow out of various heart problems. Until the heart is truly circumcised, all kinds of evil will eventually be manifested. It should be obvious that the man that is “Defiled in his heart” cannot be without spot or wrinkle, holy and blameless. He certainly cannot be “all glorious within”. Are all these things potentially in each one of us and are just waiting for a chance to manifest? They are unless they have been circumcised away by the Spirit. All problems have their roots in the heart and cannot be “counseled away”. They must be circumcised away by the Spirit.

Why do pathological liars always lie when it is easier to tell the truth? Because the lie is in the heart if it has never been CUT OUT. This is exactly why we preach but people do not change. What is the problem? We should have started in the heart and waited until God had done His work of circumcision. This has probably been the greatest failure of my ministry and has caused me to try to build with wood, hay and straw. This “old heart” IS the “old wineskin” that cannot hold the new wine of God’s truth!

All these carnal and corrupt things listed in Mark 7 are not just outward actions but are in each one of us unless they have been cut out. The outward actions are just the manifestation of a corrupt heart. The fundamentalist will very confidently declare not to worry about all these things because they are all under the blood! But the fact still remains that those who practice these things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. While past sins are surely forgiven through the blood the heart must be circumcised to cut these thing out or sooner or later they will manifest. Out of the heart the mouth will still speak. What is IN THE HEART will come out the mouth.

MAT 12:34] "You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. [35] "The good man out of his good treasure brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings forth what is evil.

MAT 13:13] "Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. [14] "And in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,

`YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; AND YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE; [15] FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, AND WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES LEST THEY SHOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES, AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I SHOULD HEAL THEM.'

MAT 15:7] "You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, [8] `THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. [9] `BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME , TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.'"

As we look even casually at these truths it is not difficult to understand that the heart is one of the biggest problems with taking the church on to perfection. Even the radical holding of traditions and culture and teaching the doctrines that men have created is just the result of a heart that has not been dealt with by God and properly circumcised. A hard heart will even affect the ears so they cannot hear or understand that which is meant for the heart. Just understanding with the intellect does little to promote growth of the inner man. Until after Abraham was properly circumcised he didn’t understand the promise of the Father and thought that the promise was fulfilled by his own ability rather than by the power of God. We also have that same problem until our heart is properly circumcised.

MAT 18:33] `Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, even as I had mercy on you?' [34] "And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. [35] "So shall My heavenly Father also do to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart."

“Forgiving from the heart” has been a serious deficiency for each of us. We “forgive” with our intellect because we know what the scriptures say but our heart still holds on to the dept owed to us. While no one else may know, God still searches the heart and He looks for the change in the heart.

MARK 3:4] And He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save a life or to kill?" But they kept silent. [5] And after looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. [6] And the Pharisees went out and immediately began taking counsel with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.

MARK 6:50] for they all saw Him and were frightened. But immediately He spoke with them and said to them, "Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid." [51] And He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were greatly astonished, [52] for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened.

Insight, faith and confidence are all tied to the heart condition. If we think that “hard heart” only applies to unbelievers we should take note that Jesus is speaking to His disciples who had not yet been circumcised in their heart. Jesus assumed that the disciples would understand His walking on the water because of the multiplication of the loaves. One miracle should explain the next. The barrier to understanding is the hardness of heart! Even after they saw the multiplication of the loaves and fishes they were concerned because they had no bread. Faith for “a supply of bread” didn’t come by seeing the miracle of provision because of the condition of the heart.

MARK 8:17] And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet see or understand? Do you have a hardened heart? [18] "HAVING EYES, DO YOU NOT SEE? AND HAVING EARS, DO YOU NOT HEAR? And do you not remember, [19] when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces you picked up?" They said to Him, "Twelve." [20] "And when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of broken pieces did you pick up?" And they said to Him, "Seven." [21] And He was saying to them, "Do you not yet understand?"

Each one of us can identify with this problem of trying to believe with our mind but still doubting with our heart. Unbelief must be circumcised from our heart. We could say “the pure in heart believe God”. Those who truly believe God then act upon their faith and speak with confidence.

MK 16:14 And afterward He appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table; and He reproached them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen.

Even after the sacrifice of Calvary the disciples were filled with unbelief because of hardness of heart. When was it that the disciples began to exercise faith in the promises of God? After they were filled with the Holy Spirit and “circumcision by the Spirit” began to take place.

This is amazing that “the Word of the Kingdom” can only be heard IN an honest and good heart. Then we must hold fast to the word with perseverance. LUKE 12:34] "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The focus of our heart will be upon what we consider our treasure in this life. The ministry then must somehow present the “treasure of the Kingdom” to be the primary pursuit of the believer. Striving after earthly prosperity undermines the focus of the heart. Preaching prosperity doesn’t realign [or circumcise] the heart toward the Kingdom but keeps the heart focused upon the temporal. Preaching prosperity and personal wealth to the pure in heart will have little effect because the lust after temporal blessings will have been cut away!

ACTS 5:3] But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back some of the price of the land? [4] "While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God.

Until the heart has been truly dealt with by God and some circumcision has taken place believers may do some strange things and be totally unaware that it is wrong or even an abomination to God. Ananias was still harboring lies in his heart and what was manifest was a lie. Satan found something of himself in Ananias that he could enter. Greed is one of those things.

After so many years the “church” of Jesus Christ has resisted the Holy Spirit and we stand amazed at this ignorance. But why is this normal? No circumcision has taken place as yet. If God anoints the “ministry” to proclaim the circumcision of the heart with conviction, the ministry of the Spirit can recover and restore the church quickly.

ACTS 8:21] "You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. [22] "Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you.

We have probably minimized the importance of the heart being in perfect harmony with God and have done the church a disservice. While paying money to receive the gift of God has become quite common today we may have missed the root problem of the heart. Both in the “minister” and in the seeker. Paying money to receive the blessings of God borders on an abomination.

In praying for people to receive the Holy Spirit we have witnessed some who receive with no effort and others that struggle and struggle and have overlooked the reason. Some have not had their heart dealt with by God even though they are “believers”.

ACTS 16"14] And a certain woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul. [15] And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay." And she prevailed upon us.

No one can come unless the Lord draw him and it is the Lord that opens the heart to understand and respond to the gospel. Still there is the responsibility of man to respond. It has been said that God created the firewood but we still have to cut it and haul it in before we can use it.

ROM 1:21] For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. [22] Professing to be wise, they became fools, [23] and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four_footed animals and crawling creatures.

It is amazing that even after the light of God has come and some understanding is received, if we don’t respond to God, acknowledge Him and give Him thanks the heart is soon plunged into darkness and the downward spiral begins.

ROM 10:9] that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; [10] for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

Just believing in the intellect but not letting the truth of God’s word penetrate the heart is the source of so many “believers” in the church but so few disciples. Some that we may have called “saved” may just be “believers”.

EPH 1:18] I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, [19] and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.

When Jesus said “to see with your heart” it sounds strange because we may not be aware that we have spiritual eyes in our heart [spirit]. However, even if we do have spiritual eyes it does not guarantee that they will see. For that reason Paul prayed that God would do something to enlighten their inner eyes so that they may know. [spiritual things]

COL 3:12 And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; [13] bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. These have been called the 7 bearings of the Christian life that make it run smoothly.

All these characteristics of the bride flow out of the heart. Many negative things need to be circumcised away before these positive characteristics can be manifest. When we are too busy to spend time with God while the Holy Spirit does His work of circumcision, we are TOO busy to manifest Christ. The “bearings lock up”.

These 4 things seem to be the primary focus of ministry. If these are not firmly in place it is doubtful that “deeper ministry” will produce very much more growth. If these four things are experiential I wonder what we could preach to that person. (1) Agape (2) pure heart (3) clear conscience (4) real faith seems to be as far as we can go in preparation.

HEB 3:10] "THEREFORE I WAS ANGRY WITH THIS GENERATION, AND SAID, `THEY ALWAYS GO ASTRAY IN THEIR HEART; AND THEY DID NOT KNOW MY WAYS'; [11] AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, `THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.'" [12] Take care, brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the living God.

HEB 4:12] For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two_edged sword, ( macharia - the dismembering knife used by the priests) and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. [13] And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

The “Word of God” here is not the book but the person. We are not just dealing with some verses but the living God who examines the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Nothing is hidden from His sight. Therefore, the greatest blessing we can receive is to have Him do an eternal work in our hearts. He must open us up to expose the corruption within so there are no hidden things there that will cause judgement to come upon us later.

EZE 36:26] "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. [27] "And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.

JAS 3:13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. [14] But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. [15] This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. [16] For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.

From these several scriptures we understand that all the issues of life flow up out of the heart. What is in the heart the mouth speaks. The evidence of what lies in the heart is seen as it comes out the mouth. While man is helpless to change or cleanse the heart, God can and will change and cleanse it as we seek Him and ask Him to do an eternal work in us. This requires us to humble ourselves before God, acknowledge our problem, confess the problem, repent and ask God to circumcise these offenses from our heart. If we ask with an honest and sincere heart He will do it and not delay. Of course we must add faith to our request and believe that God is for us and not against us. From these scriptures we should be convinced that it is God’s will for all His children to have a heart change. Even if He only does it a little at a time it still must be accomplished.