So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 2 Peter 3:14
Read Day Four – Purified | PREPARING TO MEET JESUS
Watch Anne and Rachel-Ruth share more about this fourth characteristic:
When you and I give our lives to Jesus and become part of God’s family, we are forgiven of every sin we have ever committed or will ever commit. Yet as Jesus followers, we must daily come to the Lord and confess to Him whatever sins we have committed that day so we can maintain our close relationship with Him. Sin puts distance between the Lord and us, a distance that we sometimes feel as a spiritual coldness or deadness or misery, a lack of love for Him, or prayers that aren’t answered.
My mom always taught me to keep short accounts with the Lord. God wants us to tell Him what we did, even though He already knows. He purifies us when we acknowledge our sin before Him, admit we were wrong, humbly and truthfully tell Him we are sorry for it, and stop that sinful behavior. He cleanses us of guilt and shame, leaving us washed clean on the inside. And it feels so good to be purified!
This week’s Challenge:
It’s time for an internal scrubbing! Today, spend time cleaning up. Don’t worry about what the Lord will think of your confession. He already knows about your sin, so just tell Him. He won’t blame you for it. Jesus actually shed His blood in order to cleanse you and remove the stain of guilt. The apostle Paul encouraged the Corinthians, “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
So talk to the Lord about your sin, confess it, stop indulging in whatever it is at present, and ask Him to heal your memories of the past. Ask Him to wash you on the inside—then enjoy being clean! And know that on the day when He appears and you see Him face-to-face, He will make everything new, erasing even the memories of those sins!
Let’s Pray:
Holy Lord, You are high and lifted up. You live forever. Your very name is Holy. I acknowledge that I am not. I am a sinner. Yet You have promised that You will live with those who are contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive our hearts. I am so sorry for all the wrong things I have done and am currently doing. I am sorry for all the wrong things I have said. I confess to You my _________ (fill in the blank). I am willing to turn away from my sin. I choose to put effort into being found “spotless, blameless and at peace” with You when I see You face-to-face. Help me! “Let me hear joy and gladness. . . . Restore to me the joy of your salvation.” Thank You for Your blood, which cleanses me from every sin, large and small, past and present.
For the sake of the Bridegroom,
And in His name—Jesus,
Amen.
After reading Day Four | Purified, join our discussion in the comments:
[Hebrews 9:14; Psalm 32:3; Psalm 66:18; 2 Peter 3:14; Isaiah 57:15]
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7,12
Read Day Three – Beautiful…On the Inside | PREPARING TO MEET JESUS
Watch Anne and Rachel-Ruth share more about this third characteristic:
Like Samuel, maybe you and I need to refocus on inner beauty—the beauty of a Christlike character, which draws people to us and ultimately to Jesus. When we stand before God, we won’t be digging for our new lipstick or fixing our hair or polishing our Jordans or flexing our biceps to impress God. Our character will be what is on full display. Make it a priority to be beautiful on the inside.
This week’s Challenge :
Pause now and consider: How much time do you spend on your outward appearance compared with the time you spend in daily prayer and Bible reading? Do you need to make an adjustment? Today, if it’s your goal to be truly beautiful in God’s eyes, make it a priority to develop your character by spending time with Him, then live out your faith so that others can see Him reflected in you.
Let’s pray…
Fairest Lord Jesus, How could I ever desire anything other than to be a reflection of You? So polish me using whatever means You choose . . . stress or suffering . . . problems or persecution . . . obstacles or opportunities . . . hard work or hard times. I’m Yours to mold into a person who is beautiful in Your eyes.
For the sake of the Bridegroom,
And in His name—
Jesus, Amen.
After reading Day Three | Beautiful…On the Inside, join our discussion in the comments:
- What challenged or encouraged you? What stood out to you?
- How much time do you spend in daily prayer and Bible reading?
- Do you need to make an adjustment?
[Galatians 5:22 – 23; I Samuel 16:7, 12; Acts 7:55 – 60; Revelation 1:9 – 18]
His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ Matthew 25:21
Read Day Two – Faithful in the Day-to-Day | PREPARING TO MEET JESUS
Watch Anne and Rachel-Ruth share more about this second characteristic:
All the signs of the times suggest we don’t have a whole lot of time left until Jesus returns. What will He find you doing? What task has He assigned to you that you feel isn’t very significant? Your work? Your chores at home? Are you stuck in a house caring for a sick loved one instead of out doing “real work”? Whatever it may be, God is watching! Wouldn’t it be wonderful to hear Him exclaim, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things”? So . . . be faithful in the day-to-day!
THIS WEEK’S CHALLENGE (click HERE to download the Journal Page)
What are your daily responsibilities? Examine your attitude toward them. Are you complaining about the demands of life, or are you grateful for the opportunity to serve faithfully with all your strength? King Solomon, the wisest man who has ever lived other than Jesus, challenged the reader of his memoirs, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.” Today, as you prepare to see Jesus face-to-face, commit to ensuring that He will find you faithfully doing the work He has called you to do—with all your heart.
Let’s pray…
Lord of my days, I worship You as the carpenter in Nazareth, fulfilling orders for customers, doing the bidding of Joseph. I am sorry when I complain about the day-to-day. Help me see You in my responsibilities, whether they are small or overwhelming. Lift up my eyes to see that even while I am “digging ditches,” I can have an incredible encounter with You. In that split second of the Rapture, when the sky unfolds and You return for me and I see You face-to-face, I want to be found faithful!
For the sake of the Bridegroom,
And in His name—Jesus,
Amen.
After reading Day Two | Faithful in the Day-to-Day, join our discussion in the comments:
[Zechariah 14:20 – 21, Ecclesiastes 9:10, Matthew 25:21, Luke 10:38 – 42 , I Thessalonians 5:2]
He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— John 1:11-12
Read Day One – A Family Member | PREPARING TO MEET JESUS
Watch Anne and Rachel-Ruth share more about this first characteristic:
Rachel-Ruth: This message is for the whole world. Anybody can become the bride for Jesus. Anybody can become a part of His family. But you have to accept that gift.
Anne : We are both very confident that this is really God’s message for the hour…that Jesus is soon to come back. But we need to be ready to meet Jesus face to face because sooner or later we will.
THIS WEEK’S CHALLENGE (click HERE to download the Journal Page)
If you don’t remember a time when you prayed a prayer like the one below, how do you know you are in God’s family? So on this first day, if you aren’t sure, pray this prayer now. Don’t wait another second! The Bridegroom is at the door. He’s coming in the blink of an eye. Make sure He’s coming for you!
Jesus, I believe! I want to be a member of Your Father’s family! I believe that You died on the cross to forgive me of my sins and cleanse me. I believe that You rose from the dead and now offer me eternal life with You and that one day You will return as my Bridegroom and receive me into Your kingdom in Heaven. I confess to You that I have done wrong things, and I’m sorry. I’m willing to turn away from them. I’m asking that You come into my life today. I receive the eternal life You offer. Be my Savior, the Forgiver of all my sins, the Lord of my life, and my soon-coming Bridegroom! Thank You, Jesus! Amen.
If you have the blessed assurance that God is your Father because you have trusted Jesus as your Savior and Lord, then take a moment now to thank Him for your place in His family.
Father God, Thank You for the confidence I have that I have met the most important criterion for being chosen as a bride for Your Son, Jesus. Not because of anything I am or have done but simply because I have placed all my trust in Him, I know I’m a member of Your family. Now I pray You will use the following challenges to make me more pleasing to You in every way. For the sake of the Bridegroom, And in His name—Jesus, Amen
After reading Day One | A Family Member, join our discussion in the comments:
August 21, 2023
Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. 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. Revelation 19:6–7
The One the Father Seeks
Jesus is coming! All indicators point to the fact that His return is imminent. While expectancy among people of faith worldwide is at a fever pitch, I wonder if you and I are actually prepared for that world-changing, history-altering, heart-stopping moment in time?
Again and again, the Bible tells us that Jesus will come suddenly . . . quickly . . . like a thief in the night . . . and that His followers need to be prepared to meet Him at any moment.
{LISTEN to Anne read a portion of her introduction HERE}
Please read Anne’s introduction to PREPARING TO MEET JESUS – The One the Father Seeks on pages 3-28 of your book or the PDF download. Then join our discussion in the comment section below.
Download PDF Version
After reading Anne’s introduction, what challenged or encouraged you? What stood out to you?
[Matthew 25:1-13; Hebrews 2:3-4; Hebrews 7:25; Galatians 2:20]
