* Original post date:01/27/2014*
“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage supper of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.”
                            Revelation 19:7
The striking aspect of the verse is this, SHE made herself ready, the groom did not come and do it for her, she had complete discretion as to HOW she would present herself before him.
The question begs asked, how should we, the collective church of Christ prepare to present ourselves before our soon coming King?
And considering the bride price that he has already paid in his own blood, what could we ever ask as a wedding gift?
Let’s look at two ladies, both with the exact same opportunity with the exact same King, but with two very different outcomes to their stories.

The book of Esther chapter one tells the story of beautiful, beautiful Queen Vashti, she had been GIVEN EVERYTHING, riches, power, and her own place of feasting and banquets in the house of the King.
But with this great beauty, wealth, and power came a really big attitude and trusting in her beauty and her position, she made a tragic mistake that would in effect COST HER THE KINGDOM.
When King Ahasuerus called her to join his party and welcome his guests, she scoffed at his invitation and responded with a big “Vasthi-tude”
Which is reflected in the church of Laodiceans, (the lukewarm church) that the Lord refers to here:
Revelation 3:14-18 : “BECAUSE thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind and naked.”
Comparing her to the Mother of it all, Queen Babylon. 
Revelation 18:8 “How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she hath said in her heart, I SIT A QUEEN, AND AM NO WIDOW, and shall see no sorrow.”
You can clearly read and understand that by her statement that she “sits a Queen” that she is the wife of a King.
Her statement “Am no widow” showing that she is in fact mocking her husband and bragging that his is very much alive and well.
Just as with Queen Vashti, no King could ever condone this kind of disrespect and complete contempt.
Vashti would soon find herself without a Kingdom, without a throne, and most certainly without a husband.
Esther chapter two tells us of a young, orphan girl.
Very humble whom had been chosen as one of those who would be presented before the King.
As part of the agreement, she could ask for whatever she wanted or needed to help prepare for this meeting.

To prepare she purified herself for a year, six months of which she bathed in myrrh (symbolic of dying to her flesh), “leaning not unto her own understanding” she chose to be advised and through divine intervention and her willingness to humble herself and submission, she soon indeed become Queen.
Esther 2:17 “And the King loved Esther above all women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so her set the royal crown upon her head, and made her Queen instead of Vashti.”
It goes on tell the amazing story of how God used the position he had placed her and her willingness to submit to this position, to save all her people from the sword of the enemy.
Now to get back to the Bride to end all Brides.
Revelation 22:17: And the Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely.”
This HAS to come and WILL ONLY come as a complete surrender by the church, (individuals, one mind-set, one purpose) into such a submission into the Spirit of God, that we will no longer know where we end and he begins.
THIS VOICE is spoken in complete unison.
This requires both parties on such a level that it is the true, holy merging between the church and Jesus.
I believe with everything in me that is what he wants.
A Bride, as scripture states “that will not grieve his Holy Spirit”.
A Bride whose mercy, compassion, humility, and love mirror his and is a complete reflection of him.
A Bride who will not be like Vashti, who refused to welcome or “waste her time” with HIS guests.
( We do this through our nasty little holier than thou attitudes) but a bride like Esther, who when offered anything, even to half the Kingdom, she chose, not for herself BUT the lives of her people.

Maybe we will be offered such, and we can ask for this half  of the Kingdom:
THOSE WHO ARE NOT SAVED AND READY TO FALL UNDER THE ABSOLUTE UNBRIDLED WRATH OF THE LAMB.

Be ready, strive through closet prayer, communion, and seeking his face above all.
Welcome HIS guests as HE invites them and welcome them without judgment and malice, and with forgiveness, and forgetfulness (as to their past sins) JUST AS HE HAS WELCOMED US.

POST NOTE: This is an older one, but I feel it needs revisited, our purpose is not to fear these things which are happening in our world but to be certain that our “wedding garments” of his righteousness are pressed and spotless, as the wedding feast of the Lamb approaches.

We are now in the last day outpouring, (yes, this did indeed start with the disciples, but the end time harvest is yet to be completed) as you feel the move of the Spirit, give yourself to Him, and let him have His work in you.
Φλογίζω/NBJ 2015 All right reserved.

This song is one of my all time favorites and if you listen closely, there are TWO voices, she starts, his voice joins in and after just a moment you can not differentiate between the two, blended in complete UNISON. That is what HE wants for his church!