Day 26 Brides of Christ

 I pray over my daughter continuously.  I have given her over to the Lord as Hannah gave Samuel, with my heart’s desire “your will be done” and not mine.  I know she was formed and created for a purpose.  Formed to be an epistle for Christ in such a dark world; formed to be a light at such a young age to those around her, I know God’s plan and purpose for Madelyn is to pure and holy unto him while she wants for the man created just for her. 

 Eve was created just for Adam.  Each of their bodies formed and molded to fit perfectly together, each of their personalities meshing together as one, complimenting each other as God intended.  I pray for Maddie and her mate.  I pray for my son-in-law to be a Christian man with a heart toward God and friend of his as Moses.  I do not know when Maddie will meet this man, but I am determined to prepare her for that special time for it is my job as a parent to “train her in the way she should go, as to when she is older, she will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).

 I was not a bride of Christ.  I succumbed to the desires of the world while in my teens and early twenties, suffering mental for it.  Never thinking I was good enough, pretty enough, always comparing myself to other “worldly” women and their “beauty”, my self-esteem was so low, so skewed in thinking, the devil had truly deceived me.  I pray Maddie never experience what I experience, never think what I thought of myself and never fall into the entrapment of the enemy as I did. She is a strong prayer warrior, even at such a tender age.  My family will attest to her prayers and how powerful she prays for those around her and in full faith in belief in Christ.  But, I know there is preparation, there are trials and triumphs ahead and I am not a naive mother.  For I have lived the “worldly life” and will tell my daughter my own experience along with God’s plan. 

 Training a child up in the ways of the Lord is different than living in your twenties and thirties as a Bride of Christ.  I have Christian friends who are living as Brides of Christ.  All are women in the thirties and forties who have been divorced due to marital affairs and desire to wait for the one God has for them.  All of the women are in the Church, serving in some area, praying for their groomsman and determined to not fail.  Some have fallen in to sexual exploits, but have repented quickly without the judgment from “us” as girlfriends.  I have friends who have waited years with no physical contact from men.  Is that possible you ask?  Yes, but extremely challenging.  Living as a Bride of Christ where men, lust, sex, pleasure and self gratification are EVERYWHERE, these women have etched and grafted into their spirits not to sin against God.  Jesus of Nazareth is more important to these women than any fleshly desired fulfilled, self gratifying night.

 To be a Bride of Christ is to be committed.  Committed to your Bridegroom, Jesus, for the season specified by the Lord is an amazing, challenging, and holy experience.  Each of my friends, through prayer, bible study or nights of fellowship, have agreed this knowledge and remaining pure to the Lord has brought them different revelations of themselves. If able to do over, these women have confessed to not living as the noble wife in their previous marriages.  Some were in church ministry with their spouses, living the Christian life, but were not praying or seeking the Lord as they should have been.  These Brides have a deeper relationship with Christ, the struggles and worldly views God has delivered them from, their own self motives and ambitions changed to God’s plan and purpose is becoming more clear. These women know what a godly man is, seek that “covering” in their marriages and desire to wait for the man God has chosen for them. 

 The world looks at these women as weak; I look at them as having strength that only comes from the Lord.  The world looks on and asks, “Enjoy your life, go out to clubs, find yourself a man and settle down when ready.”  These women pray as Peter wrote, “Since Christ suffered in his body, I will arm myself with the same attitude, because he suffered in his body.  Christ did not live the rest of his earthly life for worldly desires, but the will of God.  I have spent enough time in the past doing what the world chooses to do, living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.  I know the world think it strange I do not plunge with them in to the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on me for that.  But I know they and myself will give an account to Christ who is ready to judge the living and the dead.” (1 Peter 4:3). These are the prayers and heart’s desire of my friends.  The Brides of Christ I know have lived that former life, and like myself, have no desire to fall back into the entrapment. 2 Timothy 2:21-22, “If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”

 My friends would have wanted the knowledge they have now, as they are encouraging to the younger generations of women to wait and pray for the man God has for them.  If you are a young Bride who has never been married, never fallen into the entrapment, and continues to ask, seek and knock, then I would encourage you to persist in your pressing on.  Pray to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob for truth, wisdom and service.  If you have been waiting for a time, pray to the Lord for guidance and seek his counsel regarding the man whom he has prepared for you, your motives, which should be pure and not demanding; God will reveal to you the plan, what you need to know at this time in your life and what you need to do.  If you are serving in the church, but are not growing spiritually, then I would pray for a different service where you can glean from godly women.  If you are in bible study, I would be in prayer about starting a bible study for Brides of Christ, so you all can mutually encourage one another (Romans 1:12). During this time, many Brides are learning to cloth themselves with compassions, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. They are bearing with each other, forgiving those who may have heart them and learning to put on love, which binds everything together in perfect unity (Colossians 3:12-14). This is a learning process and fellowship, friends, female accountability partners, parents or women in the church are here for support.

My friends and I encourage you to have a prayer warrior to lay your requests at the cross. We exhort you to prepare for the temptations with the armor of the Lord, never go alone to a club or party without an accountability partner and glean from an elder in the church whom you trust and recognizes your heart’s desire.  The temptations are there, they are ready to pounce as our enemy prowls around like a roaring lion to devour.  Just as my friends and I pray, please do not allow yourself to be used, abused, deceived, manipulated or by anyone.  You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength.

Let us Pray and CONFESS the Word of the Living God:

Abba Father,

 I desire to be a Bride of Christ.  I desire to follow you and not the world.  I know the decision I am making is challenging, but you will give me the strength I need in all things (Philippians 4:13) I pray to not live my former way of life for the old has passed and I am new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians  5:17) I am renewed by the transforming of my mind (Romans 12:2) I believe you have a life, purpose and plan for me.  I believe I was knitted together in my mother’s womb not for death, but for life.  I pray to cast of the ways of the world, following the ruler of the kingdom of the air with all its desires and cravings, but follow my shepherd who leads me down green pastures and quiet waters (Ephesians 2, Psalm 23)

 Help me to think on things that are pure, noble, of good report, truthful, noteworthy, praise worthy (Philippians 4:8).  I pray to take this time and be a servant, a doer of the word with the gifts and talents you have given me (James 2:18, Romans 12:6-8) I desire to diminish and you increase for I can only except was has been given to me from above (John 3:27-30) I pray my faith grow stronger each passing day and during this season to listen, heed and follow the voice of the Lord.  I pray you continue to teach, guide and instruct me on this holy life, preparing me to be this wife of noble character (Psalm 25, Proverbs 31). I pray if I have bitterness from my past, you will help me to forgive quickly.  I pray if I have ungodly attitudes towards marriage, I pray for godly married woman to glean from, to watch and learn how to be this wife of noble character.  May I submit before you, and I know only then will you life me up and give me honor (James 4:10)

 Father I pray for the strength and peace which surpasses understanding, to stand against the world’s desires when they spring forth, and help me to memorize scripture to defeat the enemy with ungodly attacks.  When my heart begins to break while in your waiting room, I pray you comfort me with Psalms and hymns of praise to heal and repair my spirit while I wait.  I know your gentle hand will love me and mend the recesses of my heart that are broken or scarred. Show where I may have strongholds to tear down, negative vain imaginations of myself or others, and lies I have believed by the devil.  I desire the truth which I know will set me free (John 8:32)! 

 I pray to encourage those around me, inspire those who are waiting as I, and continue to be a light in a dark world.  I pray to follow my shepherd when I hear his voice.  Whether it be missions trips, bible studies, prayer groups, moving, teaching or worshiping, help me sit at your feet and love you.  I believe you will never leave me nor forsake me (Job 1:5). In the name of Jesus of Nazareth I pray, Amen.