Arise, Bride of Christ!

 Once in a while I have a dream that really stands out as something God is trying to teach me or say to me. They are the dreams that are vivid, linger in my thoughts, and compel me to pray.  Early in January, I had such a dream. I do not claim to fully understand this one. It was different from my other dreams as this dream seems not just for me. In the dream, my husband and I were arriving at a quintessential little white country church. It was a bright, glorious day. Many were arriving in vehicles and attempting to park along  the grassy sides of the little gravel road and enter for what seemed to be a special service, maybe a revival. As I entered the door of the church, on the floor right at the door, was a bride,  face down and appeared to be distraught, weeping silently. Most seem to ignore the fact she's there, and some whispered to one another, but none seemed to know what to do about it. I was suddenly in the restroom with a need to wash my hands. The condition of the restroom was concerning. Things were broken, missing and in disrepair.  Yet again, ignored by all in the restroom. The actual sink was missing, but the faucet would pour water directly into the floor. People washed their hands as water ran across the floor. I awoke briefly and went back to sleep to dream the same thing with a couple of differences. This time as we arrived at the little country church, we parked next to a very old style car, similar to a model T, and it was rolling. I was trying to set the break, but it wouldn't work. My husband reached down, lifted the car up by the front bumper, reached under, adjusted something and set it down saying it won't roll now. The rest of the dream was the same, but I could see that the bride appeared to be sobbing.  Needless to say, I awoke a bit disturbed and have spent some time thinking on this and praying.  

Last week, my pastor was speaking and part of a line he spoke rang in my ears as that dream flooded through  me. "The church is in trouble.."   God began to reveal some things to me.  I do believe there may be a little more but I need to document what I feel this is telling me. The bride is the Bride of Christ. There are many going to church believing things are fine. They are fine. They have had an experience with God at some point, but there is now a complacency and blindness that are status quo. They go to church, participate in the expected religious activities, maybe even believing all is well. But the church is broken. The bride is distraught.  She is weakened and face down. But she is crying out for the Bridegroom. The Bride needs to be ready for his coming. She needs to be in her best form. She needs to be prepared , dressed and victorious for the coming of the Bridegroom. At some point, this Bride will arise. When the Bride arises, oh what mighty  power will be released. All the broken in the church will be repaired, healed,  restored. The Bride will arise as the time of the Bridegroom approaches. No longer will she be distraught, broken, and worn.  She will be beautifully adorned, pure, holy and righteous, ready for His coming.

I was led to turn to Joel chapter 2. I encourage  you to go read that entire chapter as I am only sharing some of the verses. But this chapter is explaining what I believe God wants me understand.

1. Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand;

12.Therefore also now, saith the Lord , turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:  

13.And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.  

16.Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.

17.Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord , weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord , and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?  

21.Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the Lord will do great things.  

28.And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:  

29.And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.  

30.And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.

I believe God is speaking, He is calling for the Bride to prepare herself. As these verses describe, there must be a weeping, repentance,  and a cry  that goes forth from the ministry and the people of God. He is calling his people to cleanse themselves, rend the garments and return to Him. We have allowed complacency,  false faith, seeking after the latest and greatest, and even false doctrine and prophecy  to lead us astray. The Bride will be adorned correctly. 

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Revelation 21:2 KJV

The Bridegroom will have no less. Are we prepared for His coming? It is time to make ourselves ready.

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.  For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

Isaiah 60:1‭-‬2 KJV

Arise Church! Arise! Get off the floor! Stop being trampled. Stop allowing yourself to be overcome. Stop with the self-pity. Stop with the distractions. Get it right. Get in prayer. Get in the Word. Arise, that His glory be seen in you! Know to whom you belong  and  whom you await. We are not beaten. We are not destroyed.  We are His Bride, His Body. It is time to let the glory of God rise and shine forth. Arise!