bridegroom

A Wedding of a Bride – Frank Work

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Many years ago I performed my first wedding since being ordained more than a year and half. This isn’t earth shattering in the grand scheme of things, pastors, ministers of the gospel, keepers of the 4th flower, twice removed to the east honeysuckle humming bird church of the passionate No. 2 pencil, marry people everyday. So why does this particular wedding hold so dear to my heart? Glad you asked.

The young lady who asked me to do this most honorable occasion is someone who I have literally known since she was born. She was born in the same year as my son, in the same state, on the same island of Oahu. Her and her future husband are both teachers who I believe are striving to make a true difference in the heart and minds of those they teach. I only know a few teachers personally. All of whom are passionate about the children they have taught or will continue to teach. So I am very blessed to have been asked to be the one who will marry this young couple, especially as my first wedding.

There is something else that God has spoken to me about concerning this wedding. There is a movie called “Four weddings and a Funeral“, and I honestly have never seen this movie, but it caused me to reflect on my own time as a minster of the gospel. My first 3 duties after being ordained was to preside over 3 funerals. The first funeral was for my daughter -inlaws grandfather. My second funeral was for a 10 month old child. My third funeral was for the babies mother who committed suicide. First let me say that I was very honored to be asked to do these services and be a part of honoring them. It’s no small thing I believe when you are asked to oversee a funeral, especially from family and friends. I bless those families who have lost loved one, yet can be assured that their loved ones are seated securely with the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

So I was doing my first wedding, watching the bride who will be dressed in all her regal attire, preparing herself for the moment when she will say “I do” to her bridegroom. I have only seen a small part of the preparation period of this bride to this point. It is now a frantic time period as the wedding draws closer, that the “details” of the wedding are starting to stack up. “Did we do this? Do you want this and that? What’s your thoughts on this part of the wedding?” And the questions continue to stack up as the moment draws closer.

Our Lord and Savior Jesus was crucified, buried and rose on the third day committing himself to be sin on that cross, so that we as God’s children would be able to come to the Father in Heaven through the sacrifice and blood of Jesus. It’s only because of that blood, that life giving blood, are we saved from the fires of hell that we honestly deserve. So get to your point Frank. Alright I will. I believe that God was showing me through this time,  that death has to occur so that life, the life of Jesus can come fully through you and I. That we must have a mindset that Jesus wants to kill the carnal nature of who we are so that our spirit man can rise up and take hold of the destiny that has been placed within each one of us, since the time of our conception.

Side note: I believe that the Holy Spirit is implanting and speaking destiny to us as we are conceived in our mother’s womb. That we as infants in the womb are truly fellow shipping with our Lord and Savior so closely that our spirit man remembers that, and yearns to be in that state of relationship again. Hence the reason our flesh is never satisfied.

Seeing the process of the bride’s preparations helps me to understand in a small way, the way the bride of Christ should be preparing for the bridegrooms return, who is Jesus. Details. Matthew 25: 1-13 gives us a great picture of those who were concerned about the details those who were not. Preparation is essential and required of the bride to prepare for the coming of the bridegroom, whether down the isle or Jesus coming, both to me require preparation and effort in order that the bride is presented without spot or wrinkle. “He will love me regardless of what I look like.” This is true, the bridegroom will love the bride, but the bride must honor the bridegroom by preparing herself for his coming, and not take advantage selfishly, of His love for her.

This young lady, whom I had the most dubious honor in presiding over her wedding, is preparing to present herself as a bride whom her bridegroom will eagerly say the words, “I will”.

I am reminded that I the three funerals I was a part of is symbolic of the days of death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus and that we must die to ourselves in order that He may live fully in us. I pray the power of the Holy Spirit and the life giving love of the blood of Christ will bless this couple as they begin their journey.

I believe that prophetically the time of preparation is upon us. We are not to assume anything in our time on this earth. That we prepare for His coming as though it was going to happen tomorrow, today or within the next few seconds. That the time of morning who we were is past and the time of embracing who we are is upon us. I believe that we will start to see the remnant of the bride of Christ start to make herself manifest in power and understanding in the days to come. That no longer will the bride be satisfied with average, but that there will be a an excellence in spirit to prepare herself for the bridegrooms coming. Come to the wedding feast and adorn yourselves in the finery of the blood of Christ. The time of the light that will shine through His bride is upon us. In the coming days we will see the manifest presences of the Lord Jesus in our midst. We will see the power of the Holy Spirit releasing the captives from addiction, sickness and pain. We will see the love of the Father welling up in the hearts of the bride. I believe that we will see the power of God in such a way that it will change towns, cities, regions and countries. I know that God is looking upon His son’s bride and sending forth the angels of the Lord to carry out the missions that have been set before them in preparing the bride. Children of God will be crying out not in pain, but in victory as the angels are giving their marching orders concerning the bride. I believe that we will see a physical manifestation of the power and glory of our Lord Jesus in such a way, that there will be no way in denying it. That in the coming months we will be seeing and living

Matt 6:25-34

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

I know that I personally fall short in many area’s of my own life, but I also know that I have to keep trusting in Jesus and realize that He loves me and believes in me because of the blood that covers me. Blessings

Be Still – Karen Austin

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Do not despair because of what we see being reported by man. Man has limited insight as he mostly views the present from the past. Man’s statistics are based upon past statistics. The natural man lacks the insight to see possibilities that only God can bring. The truth that we seek is in His Word and what we hear His Spirit speak to us in times of stillness. It is easy to get quite, but harder to become still.

Quietness is when we turn off the TV, Facebook and instant messaging. We may even turn down the lights. Quietness is when we turn off the outside world, but many times inside, our “apps” are still running..

Stillness, however requires a setting aside of our opinions, our desires, our needs and focus solely upon Him, His greatness, His majesty, His faithfulness, His love. It is turning off all the inside noise that causes distraction from what He desires to share with us or do in us. Stillness is simply ‘being”. Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God.”Stillness is about being in the present, not in the past, nor in the future. It is not a time to try to figure out your problems or the problems of those you love.

I have had many times of stillness when not a word was spoken between Him and I. But, oh my, there were times when He would begin to overwhelm me with His love for me. I did not go into this time with an agenda, just to be with Him. A. W. Tozer is quoted as saying: “If a man wants to be used by God, he cannot spend all of his time with people.”

Quiet worship is a good tool to help us enter into stillness. So i leave you with these two scriptures and some “stillness” music. My prayer is that you enter into times of stillness with the One who loves you.

“Move your heart closer and closer to God, and he will come even closer to you…” James 4:8

“I am standing in absolute stillness, silent before the one I love, waiting as long as it takes for him to rescue me.
Only God is my Savior, and he will not fail me.” Psalm 62:

Am I that I Am – Karen Austin

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“For many did not see this coming, but I did. I knew the plans of man and you will see me bring them to nothing. In the midst of what the enemy meant for chaos, I shall bring stability. In the place of great fear shall be great peace. You say, “How will this happen?” Know that I have a plan and it is being put into place even now by those whose hearts are close to Mine, those who have chosen to rise above the seen and enter the unseen, the realm of My Presence.

Have I not always had a plan to deliver My people? I am the One who knows all things and sees all things. My thoughts are above your thoughts and My ways above your ways. I will take the foolish things and confound the wise. You will see. I am the One who sits on the throne and through the prayers, through the worship of My saints, I shall release a deluge from Heaven that shall suffocate this that has come against you. Watch and see…and great shall be the rejoicing!

My name shall be proclaimed among the nations. Even now those in places of authority are calling upon My name and seeking counsel from those whom I have chosen. The harvest is now, even at the door, seeking the One whom you proclaim. These are the days that you have longed to see, but know this, they also come in the midst of great darkness. But I shall do as I have said in My Word, the knowledge, the awareness of My glory shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.”

A Year of Restoration and Restitution – Karen Austin

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I declare over you that this shall not only be the year of restoration, which in itself shall be great, but I decree over you that this year shall also be the year of restitution. You can be content with restoration, but oh, believe Me now also for restitution! [Proverbs 6:31]

You shall see the goodness of the Lord coming upon you and overtaking you. The seeds that you have sown, some in years past, seeds that you have forgotten, I have not forgotten! It shall be the beginning of the plowman overtaking the reaper [Amos 9:13]. Multiplied harvest in this new season.

But heed this instruction: Be sure that you have uprooted all seed that was sown out of anger, rebellion, bitterness or revenge. This is a harvest that you do not want to reap! Then plant in its place My Word.

For I am raining upon seeds that you have sown. You shall see some 30, some 60 and some 100 fold return [Matthew 13:8]. Does not the world give interest on your monetary deposits? How much more shall I, the creator of all things, give unto you?

For you see, these are the days of Kingdom finance and Kingdom multiplication. You shall even reap where you have not sown. Those who have taken what I have entrusted to them and brought forth an increase, more shall be given unto them. Be faithful with all that I entrust to you.

I Am a Son, Not a Slave – Frank Work

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Ephesians 1:17-19
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; 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 exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power

This portion of scripture really opened up to me this past week. I remember years ago we had a four day conference at my church, and there were special speakers throughout that time who ministered and shared the heart of God concerning the “now “days of the Lord. What always comes to mind when talking about the “now” is how it pertains to my life on an everyday basis is Matt 6:34;

Matthew 6:34(NKJV)
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Matthew 6:34(NIV)
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

I personally am trying to remember that I can’t live on yesterday’s blessings but must live in the now, especially in these perilous days. Perilous because our society is decaying in and around us, and we are walking in a state of purposeful unawareness. We do this willing because we aren’t asking our Father, but we are begging Him. If I can remember that I am no longer a slave to sin, but I am a son of my heavenly Father and co-heir in the body of Christ, I am assured by the Word of God, and His Holy Spirit that if I ask, then it will be given (Matt 7:7-8, 21:22). I look at it this way, a slave begs, a servant begs, a son ask.

When I was a slave to sin, I had no one to ask, so I had to beg of the world to obtain what I wanted. Now, I don’t have to beg of the world, I only need to ask of my heavenly Father. Now, now that I am in the kingdom of God I don’t ask for myself, because I do not know what to ask. I must take my lessons from Jesus when He said in John 5:19, “Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” I must hunger and thirst after the desires of God’s heart for my life, and not my own.

When scripture speaks of God giving us the desires of our heart, it’s not about our own selfish desires and wants. It’s about being in alignment with His heart and yearning to know what is on His heart, then when our hearts are in alignment with His heart, then and only then do we receive the desires of our heart. Because it’s no longer our desires that we long for, but Jesus.

I believe it’s essential to live in this day, this moment, this second. How am I to know what I am to do, unless I know what the Holy Spirit is saying to me? All dependency must be on Jesus.

Matthew 11:28 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

The Moment the Bridegroom see’s His Bride – Karen Austin

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A few years back while in prayer I entered a vision where I was an observer of a wedding that was about to take place in a small church. The room was full of guests who came to witness the joining of this couple to become one. There was such joy and excitement in the air!

The bride was at the threshold just getting ready to enter the sanctuary. She was wearing a beautiful white gown with many sequins. As she took her first step into the sanctuary, she looked to the front where her bridegroom stood. It was then their eyes met. It was as if there was no one else in the room. They only had eyes for each other.

It was then my understanding was opened to know that the bridegroom was Jesus, our Bridegroom King. The bride was the Bride of Christ. There was such love between Jesus and His Bride. It was evident to all how deeply in love they were. As they locked gaze upon each other, I could see fiery love and light coming from His eyes to His Bride. With each step she took, as she slowly walked up the aisle, her dress became brighter and brighter reflecting His light. The people in the pews began falling over because the power of that radiant love and brightness of light between the Bride and her Bridegroom overcame them.

As she got to the altar, they stood face to face, Jesus then removed the veil from His Bride. No longer did she see in part. Her eyes were opened to see Him as He is! The officiant of the wedding was the Father. With such joy, He then presented His Bride to His Son, Jesus.

Holy Spirit revealed to me that each of us are as a sequin on the gown of the Bride of Christ. As we fix our eyes upon our Beloved, our magnificent obsession, our light becomes brighter and brighter, even as we become more pure of heart. I then heard these words, “How long it takes the Bride to get up the isle to meet her Bridegroom, it is up to her.” We must be about making ourselves ready to meet Him. We must endeavor to put aside all that would defile us. [Ephesians 5:25-27, 2 Peter 3:11-12, Revelation 19:8], 1 John 3:2-3, Revelation 19:7-8]

“And The Spirit and The Bride are saying, ‘Come’, and let him who hears, say, “Come”, and let him who thirsts come and take the water of life without charge.” Revelation 22:17 Aramaic Bible

I Believed and So I Spoke – Frank Work

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2 Corinthians 4:13-14(ESV)

13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.

These two verses really stuck out to me. It’s not a big secret that what we hold in our hearts we will also speak and do. I know Jesus said the same thing about the treasures of our hearts (Matt 6:21). What we believe, we will hold true to our hearts in all that we say and all that we do. If I hold malice and discontent, that will be evident in my actions and thoughts. If I hold joy and love, that also will be evident. Belief though, that’s a game changer. Belief can cause us to do some fantastic things, but it can also cause us to do some really questionable things. Belief can drive us to help the poor in spirit and minister to the widows, orphans, and the homeless. Belief can also drive us to darker times, like hate, jealousy, envy, and war.

Even though everything I am is given over to Jesus, I still must ask myself…”Frank, what do you believe?” What do I believe about Jesus? What do I believe about my heavenly Father? Are my beliefs in line with scripture or am I straying away from the foundation of the word?

Romans 10:8-10 (ESV) speaks to the exact concept of belief;

8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word [the message, the basis] of faith which we preach— 9 because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord [recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God], and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart a person believes [in Christ as Savior] resulting in his justification [that is, being made righteous—being freed of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God]; and with the mouth he acknowledges and confesses [his faith openly], resulting in and confirming [his] salvation.

We can talk all day about what we believe and who we believe in and how we believe it. But truly everything comes from our heart, the innermost core of who we are. Our thoughts are constantly changing, but our belief system is constant. I really have to ask myself; What do I really believe about my faith and my walk with Jesus? How is my belief system affecting my walk and more importantly, who is affected by my belief system? Because what I believe will spill over to my family, friends, and people I meet.

My beliefs will also cause me to do things I shouldn’t do, but because I have such a strong sense of belief in what I am doing, I will justify it as being right and true. I believe..(haha), but really, I believe that accountability will help me stay true to the very nature of Jesus. Not just accountability from family and brothers/sisters in Christ, but accountability from the Holy Spirit. Honestly, the only way I am truly going to know if I am hearing God correctly is to bring it before my trusted brothers/sisters and give it over to prayer. The Holy Spirit will then begin to give me the Father’s truth.

When I am going through trials and tribulations I must ask the question, “What do I believe about this?” My beliefs will dictate my prayers and how I respond. I need to respond with the heart of God and according to the foundation of His word. Any other way is soulish and selfish and will cater to my flesh and not strengthen my spirit.

God is Really in the Details – Frank Work

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This morning I am reminded about details and how important it is to remember that I can move and work and have my being in this life, without remembering that the details of my life are easily over looked. I constantly have to ask the Lord to show me what I am missing, but my finite mind cannot comprehend the majesty of His love for me, so I have to constantly ask Him to open my eyes to see and my ears to hear what the Spirit is doing and saying within my heart and life. It’s the little things that trip us up and cause us to stumble. There is an old saying “The devil is in the details”

Song of Solomon 2:15 (NKJV)

15 Catch us the foxes,
The little foxes that spoil the vines,
For our vines have tender grapes

Not only is Jesus concerned about the details of our lives, but there is another who is in direct opposition to Jesus, who is trying to cause us to stumble through the details of our lives. Satan is the master accuser. He is legalistic. He is more cunning than any lawyer, and completely committed to seeing the children of God stumble. There is an old saying, “The devil is in the details.” The master of lies wants to see us fall, he wants nothing more than for us to lose our focus on who we are in Christ. More importantly, who Christ is in us.

Revelation 12:10 (NKJV)

10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.

“When the solution is simple, God is answering.”

You know who said that? Albert Einstein. I am constantly over thinking many things in my life and leaving out the smallest detail and playing this recording in my mind like a broken record, “God will figure out the rest.” When in reality I am not listening intently enough, and missing the most important parts of what He is trying to tell me. The details.

Pretty amazing isn’t it? God is very interested in the details of our lives when we are not. He reminds us in scripture that we are to be concerned about the details, because in the details is where Satan works. Satan is legalistic and will corrupt our hearts in the details that we over look.

Psalm 37:23 (NLT)
23 The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
He delights in every detail of their lives

Paradise lost? Or we just can’t see it? – Frank Work

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STOP! stop right now and do me a big favor. Just stop what your doing, which is reading this, and sit back, relax, quiet your spirit and ask God to give you His shalom peace. Don’t talk, unless it’s your prayer language. Don’t raise your hands, unless you feel the unction of the Holy Spirit, and just be still. No music, no outside distractions. Come back in 5 minutes or if it is longer, come back then. But just take 5 minutes and seek God and see what the Holy Spirit shares with you.

Welcome back, how was your experience with God? Did you hear him? Could you feel the power of His love over you? Is your spirit man at peace? If the answer is yes then you have found something that probably half the people you know can’t seem to find. Paradise.

I bet you’re saying to yourself right now, “We will only find paradise when we come into His presence in heaven.” I say, that the moment you fell in love with Jesus, and accepted Him as your Lord and Savior is the moment you entered into paradise with Him. The death of our human flesh is not the only time we are in heavenly places, remember what scripture says about this; Eph 2:4-10

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Isn’t it amazing, just thoroughly amazing, that we can be walking in the realms of the heavenly places even while still here in our flesh? I am not speaking some hokey, new age nonsense here. As you read for yourself from the above scripture, that when we received Jesus as our Lord and Savior our spirits were and are, sitting together with Jesus in heavenly places. Oh, are you one of those who think you can’t be seated with Christ? Let’s put it this way, if the simple truth of our salvation is a lie, then our entire concept of Jesus is a lie. Jesus promised us in Romans 10:9 “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Either Jesus was crucified, died on the cross, was buried in a tomb, wrapped in linen and anointed for burial. As well as descended into hell, took back the keys and conquered hell, rose again on the third day and later ascended into heaven to take His rightful seat as King of kings and Lord of lords and will await the trumpet call of His return, or….or…it’s all a lie, and we have all been fooled. Do you know who wants you to believe it’s a lie? Exactly! The father of lies, the very one who is in direct opposition not only to Jesus, but also in opposition of your destiny in Christ.

I want to encourage the reader that the more time we spend in prayer, in His presence, the more we will have a taste of paradise through the power of the Holy Spirit. I promise you that God is true to His word when He tells us in 1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Sound of Thunder – Part 5 – Karen Austin

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Sound of Thunder – Part 5

So fear not when you hear the thunder and the rumbling. Believe Me when I say, “Yes, the enemy will cause thunder to rumble in your life”, but know that he can do nothing without Me saying that it’s ok. My hand is upon you. My hand is upon your life and My hand is upon your loved ones because I AM a God of Covenant and great peace do I release upon your children and your children’s children because of Covenant.

Because of Covenant, I’m about to give dreams to those that have walked away from me. I’m about to give dreams and you shall begin to see those that have walked away and those that have strayed are going to begin to stream into the churches that allow My Spirit to move freely because they know that they know, that they know, that they know, it’s only the Spirit of God that can set them free and they must go to where the Spirit is moving.

I will have lighthouses all over the earth. Just as in the underground churches in the other nations, where people are led by My Spirit, and so shall it be in the days ahead that My Spirit will draw those that are crying out for deliverance – for healing – for peace. I will raise them up quickly for I have need of them. This will be a day in which some of the training manuals will be thrown out the window because what worked then, will not work now.

It’s a new hour. It’s a new season. It’s a new day. Forsake not the assembling together of yourselves in these last days because you will need the encouragement and the strength of one another. For when the armies got to battle, one does not go this way and one go the other way. They all stay at the heed of the commander. And then they gather back in the bunker. They look out for one another. And this shall be an army that locks arms and saves and delivers many.