03/06/2026
We must contend...
There is a sobering truth that the church must remember again. The Word of God says in Ephesians that Christ is coming back for a glorious church, not having spot, wrinkle, or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. The Lord is not returning for a bride that is comfortable in compromise, He is coming for a bride that has been washed, purified, and made ready. Right now, much of the bride's gown is stained, not because Christ failed her, but because she wandered. Some have traded devotion for distraction, traded holiness for acceptance, and some have flirted with the very things Christ died to deliver us from. Like a bride who left the wedding chamber and ran into the streets, the garment that was once white has been dragged through the dust of this world. The stain of pride, lust, bitterness, greed, and rebellion has settled on the fabric, and yet many still stand saying, 'I am ready,' but they are deceived. The Spirit is calling the church back. The Lord is sending out a clarion call. In Revelation, the Lord speaks to the church and says, 'You have left your first love, not lost it, but left it.' That means it can be returned to. Jesus is not looking for a perfect bride in her own strength; He is looking for a repentant bride, a bride who will fall to her knees and say, 'Lord, wash me again, cleanse my heart, take every idol from me, and restore my first love.' The beautiful mercy of Christ is this: the same blood that saved us is the blood that cleanses us again when we repent. The gown may be dirty today, but it can be washed white again. This is the very mercy of God our Father. The hour we are living in is late. The signs of the times are everywhere - the shaking of nations, the confusion of the world, the coldness of many hearts. These are the reminders that the return of the king is drawing near, and soon the cry will go forth, just as it did in Matthew, 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming!' In that moment, there will be no time to run and prepare. The oil must already be in the lamp; the garment must already be ready. So, the call today is simple, but it is very urgent: come back to your first love, lay down every hidden sin, and turn away from every lover that is not Christ. Wash the gown, because the bridegroom is coming, and when He opens the door, those who are ready will step into the marriage supper of the lamb with garments shining pure white and radiant, prepared for the king who gave everything to redeem His bride. And the most beautiful part of this message is: it is not too late to be made clean.