This is a critical and important time. It is a time of the Bridegroom calling His bride. The Bride is you if you are a Christian. 

For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is His name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth (Isaiah 54:5)

I think a passage that will help us understand the times is the parable of the 10 virgins.

Matthew 25:1-13 When the end comes, the kingdom of heaven will be like ten bridesmaids. They took their oil lamps and went to meet the groom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The foolish bridesmaids took their lamps, but they didn’t take any extra oil. The wise bridesmaids, however, took along extra oil for their lamps. Since the groom was late, all the bridesmaids became drowsy and fell asleep. “At midnight someone shouted, ‘The groom is here! Come to meet him!’ … The bridesmaids who were ready went with him into the wedding hall, and the door was shut. “Later the other bridesmaids arrived and said, ‘Sir, sir, open the door for us!’ “But he answered them, ‘I don’t even know who you are!’.

The bridesmaids represent Christians who hear the voice of Jesus. The oil represents Holy Spirit who lives inside of you. 

We can understand these verses on several levels. The first level is the last event when Jesus comes back, maybe the rapture or the second coming. But I believe this is happening right now, too. I believe this is the season we’re in. He is calling out to us now. We don’t have to wait till the great last event to be one with Jesus.

I submit to you he is calling us to 3 Hs – his heart, holiness, and to be a helper.

The key to our success in this season of calling according to Matthew 25 is the oil. That was the distinguishing feature between these virgins to go into the wedding hall. The oil represents Holy Spirit. He is the one that prepares us as the bride for the groom.

CALLING Away to Heart (Passion & Intimacy)

It’s time to be very sensitive to the voice of Holy Spirit inside of you. He’s not loud. His is a quiet voice. But he is calling us. Lovers don’t yell or need to shout. He is calling us to intimacy with Jesus.

Can you imagine knowing him intimately? He is the Creator of the Universe. You will never get to the bottom of knowing Jesus.

“When we really experience Jesus Christ we learn astonished reverence, breathless adoration , awesome fascination, and lofty admiration. The reverential fear of the Lord mixed with love, fascination, astonishment, admiration, and devotion is the most enjoyable state and the most purifying emotion the human soul can know.” – A. W. Tozer

Next Step: Regularly, ask Jesus to show you his heart.

CALLING Away to Holiness (Purity)

Revelation 19:7-9 (GW) Let us rejoice, be happy, and give him glory because it’s time for the marriage of the lamb. His bride has made herself ready. She has been given the privilege of wearing dazzling, pure linen.” This fine linen represents the things that God’s holy people do that have his approval.

There are 2 storms brewing in America. First is the storm of lawlessness. Lawlessness is where man decides they will do what they want to instead of what God wants them too. This is happening at an individual’s level all the way to the national level, with national leaders deciding to do what they think is right.

The second storm brewing is holiness. It is the opposite of lawlessness. Holiness happens when people say they will follow God’s voice and not theirs. As you stay close to Jesus, you become like him. He is holy, so you start to become holy as you stay close to him. The key to holiness is not first doing right, but staying close to him. He will guide you what to do and what to be. 

John 15:3 (GW) Then Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father takes care of the vineyard. He removes every one of my branches that doesn’t produce fruit. He also prunes every branch that does produce fruit to make it produce more fruit. “You are already clean because of what I have told you.

In the last days, there will be two dueling brides that will emerge—the Consecrated Bride and the Harlot Bride. The Consecrated Bride will marry itself to the Bridegroom King, the Man of War, and the Harlot Bride will marry itself to the world and look like Babylon.  – Jeremiah Johnson 

Next Step: Pay attention to the things that Holy Spirit asks you to change, add, or remove. This is your path to holiness. If it seems not important, it is. It is important to the Trinity. It is the link to your next step.

CALLING Away to Helper (Purpose & Partnership)

Even though our first calling is to intimacy, and our second calling is to purity, because we walk with him closely, we will partner with him. As you walk closely with him, you will see what he is doing and he will then invite you to help him. It is very exciting. You become a part of the solution to change the earth.

Genesis 2:18 (GW) Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is right for him.”

As Eve was a helper to her bridegroom Jesus, we as the Bride of Christ will be a helper to our bridegroom Jesus.

Philippians 2:21 (GW) Everyone else looks after his own interests, not after those of Jesus Christ.

Genesis 1:28 (GW) God blessed them and said, “Be fertile, increase in number, fill the earth, and be its master. Rule the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that crawl on the earth.”

He is still bringing his kingdom to earth until one day when every knee will bow to him. Everyone is called to some area of the Genesis mandate in Genesis 1:28. This is where we help Jesus spread his kingdom on earth. Remember, you are a part of a chain linked together, bringing in the kingdom and getting the bride ready for Jesus. A chain that is 1000s of years long.

Next Step: Follow through on any idea God gives you. Like holiness, no idea is too small. It may seem small to us because we don’t see the complete picture. But don’t delay! These ideas are his ideas and they are all important to him, even if it doesn’t seem important to you.

The call to his Heart, his Holiness, and his Helper is the most exciting adventure we can have!