The Purified Bride: Are You Ready?

Are we, as a church (bride), ready to receive our groom (Jesus)? Have we indeed demonstrated a Spirit-Led life? What do our actions speak? 

Let's dive into Scripture today, Matthew 18 and Psalm 19 out of the NIV Bible, for a dose of Truth sprinkled with mercy, love, compassion, and a reality that we all sin and fall short of the Glory of the Lord. 

Do our words bind, curse, oppress, restrict, forbid, or limit? Do our words lose, unbind, untie, free, release, or bless?

Are we speaking curses or blessings over our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ? 

How do we find our way to the Light of Truth in a world darkened by agendas, motives, deception, and negativity? 

Will you be on the right side of history? Will you be ready as a bride, full of oil in your lamp, when our groom comes for His church?

Follow Tammy Toney-Butler along in this message as she dives into God's Word and delivers His Truth through prophetic insight, experiential knowledge, and more as a mere sinner, dirty yet delivered and set free by the Light and love of Christ.

Join Tammy on the Reflective Hour Podcast and YouTube channel for healing support. https://reflectivehourwithtammytoneybutler.buzzsprout.com/

You can purchase her book on Amazon Kindle, "When you know, that you know, that you know there is a God." 

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Tammy-Toney-Butler/author/B0DC1VXP45?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

Check out the ministry website at www.reflectivespacesministry.com

Click on the link to donate to further her reach and God's call on her life to minister to the sick, broken, hurting, and marginalized: 
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https://account.venmo.com/u/Reflectivespacesministry

Hotline numbers: https://www.reflectivespacesministry.com/contact

About Tammy: https://www.reflectivespacesministry.com/about

Tammy is available to teach and empower women and men as they journey to wholeness through the Light and Love of Christ.

Transcript

Hello. Welcome to Reflective Spaces Ministry. Today is a great day and we shall rejoice in it. This is the day the Lord has made. Today's message is titled The Purified Bride. Are you ready? Behold, I do a new work, a new thing. Do you not perceive it? That is what the Lord placed on my heart this morning. I had no intention of doing this type of message today. But of course, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Jesus, Lord Jesus, who guides us into all truth, Well, he has his own will, right? And we're to surrender to the Lord's will and not our own. So here I am, ready to carry out my assignment, which is to bring his message of truth to you today. May you see him and not me. May you remember Lord Jesus and not me. May you yield to the power of Lord Jesus, to his words of truth. May you have wisdom, supernatural divine insight as to how to proceed as he navigates and charts your course towards true north. Thank you for joining our ministry. For today's message, today's teaching, today's word that the Holy Spirit has for you, for his church, for his bride, a message that comes to you from a flawed vessel, a mere sinner that Christ redeemed and set free. Many of you know I survived child sex trafficking. and the loss of my father to suicide. And I have been on his mission to paint the world we want to see. A world of inclusion, freedom, and liberty for all. Let's look at the word of God and see what Christ has to say. Let's always look to the truth. and yield our sword in times that it is needed the most. He's coming. Are we as a church ready to receive our groom? Do our actions align with the words spoken from our pulpits? What is the posture of our heart? our hearts. Let's look inward today and let him guide us into all truth. Let him guide us into all truth. Holy Spirit, have your way. I am merely your voice. I'm going to be reading Matthew eighteen out of the New international version. The greatest in the kingdom of heaven is the first section. At that time, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? He called a little child to him and placed the child among them. And he said, truly, I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. Truly, I tell you, unless you change, you become like little children. Are we humbling ourselves? Are we surrendering to the Lord's will and not our own? Are we truly realizing that God is in charge? That he alone is in charge? And he is our protector, our shepherd, our comforter, our redeemer, our Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Nisi, Jehovah Rapha. He's everything to us. He's our healer. He restores. He brings life more abundantly. Are we taking the posture of little children and truly trusting our Father to supply all of our needs? Are we? Are we trying to influence outcomes and people and trusting in the world systems and not our Lord Jesus, our Savior? Abba Father, the Father of our precious Lord Jesus. Let's continue. The next section is titled, Causing to Stumble. If anyone causes one of these little ones, those who believe in me, to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble. Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come. If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell. The parable of the wandering sheep, the next section. Again, we're reading out of Matthew, new international version. The parable of the wandering sheep. See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heavens always see the face of my father in heaven. What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? Doesn't that speak of the love of our Savior? Even if the ninety-nine are safe, he goes after the one. Often he sends me after the ones. And if he finds it, truly I tell you, He is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish. Even if the ninety-nine are safe, he goes after the one. It is not his will, he's not willing, that any one of these little ones should perish. Not one. Dealing with sin in the church is the next section. If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church. And if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. But remember, Jesus welcomed tax collectors into his home. So remember that. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven. And whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them. We're gathered today in his name, and he's with us in spirit and truth, guiding us into all truth. Let's keep reading. the parable of the unmerciful servant. Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times? Jesus answered, I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him since he was not able to pay the master order that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. At this, the servant fell on his knees before him. Be patient with me. He begged and I will pay back everything. He was pleading his case. The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. How many times has Lord Jesus taken pity on us? Mercy. Gave us mercy and grace and canceled our debt. Jesus canceled our debt of sin by dying on the cross for us, for sinners. That speaks of mercy and love and grace and truly going after the ones. I know I was one and he came after me and he redeemed me from the pit of shame, guilt, fear, regret, self-loathing, imposter syndromes, coping through various addictions. He lifted me up out of the Merkin mire, set me on a rock higher than myself, saved me and redeemed me. I owe him everything. I owe him everything. But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. Pay back what you owe me, he demanded. His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, be patient with me and I will pay it back. Now remember, this was the servant that was just forgiven by his master and his debt canceled. So it's looking at the posture of this servant's heart. His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, be patient with me and I will pay it back. But he refused. Now he was just forgiven much, but he is refusing. to forgive another. Wow. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. The truth always comes to the light. What's done in the dark and in secret always comes to the light. Then the master called the servant in, you wicked servant. He said, I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. So he begged for mercy for himself. He received it. But did he have a changed life? Was he grateful? Did he treat others as he was treated with mercy? Or did he judge them? Did he deny them freedom from the same oppression where he was bound? No. He wanted to be ruthless and bind them. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you? In anger, his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured. until he should pay back all he owed. This is how my heavenly father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart. This is how my heavenly father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart. Remember, this is Jesus answering the query of Peter. That struck me this morning. It struck me because God showed me, Lord Jesus, such love and mercy. I didn't have to do all these works. He freely died on the cross. He freely gave me salvation. He freely gave me life. All I had to do was believe in him. All I had to do was believe in him. And when I was broken, destitute, pleading my case, begging him to save me. He washed me clean. He had mercy. He had mercy. And he saved me and redeemed me. How dare I judge another? How dare I put another in bondage and not offer them up words of freedom, of edification, of building them up, Who am I to judge another? Who am I to put another person in bondage? Who am I to be exclusive instead of inclusive? Who am I? Christ forgave me of much. He forgave me of much. And he'll forgive you every time you come to him. Religion and religious leaders often can have flawed doctrine, believe they are being guided by the light, but indeed are being deceived, caught up in a web of deception. We have to be careful that we read the word of God for ourselves, that we look at Jesus' teachings, And then we make sure we aren't putting others under the condemnation of the law. Jesus came so we can be set free from the curse of the law. We love the sinner. We show them the pathway to righteousness, to the love of Jesus. And He transforms their hearts with His merciful, love-centered lens. with which he views the world and shows us things and builds us up, cleanses us, washes us clean. Oh, does he wash us clean. Oh, does he wash us clean. Let's look at Psalm nineteen as we talk about cleansing and being washed clean. Let me read this. The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak. Night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word. Their voice is never heard. Yet their message is gone throughout the earth and their words all to the world. God has made a home in the heavens for the Son. It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding. It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race. The sun rises at one end of the heavens and follows its course to the other end. Nothing can hide from its heat. The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making the wise yet simple. The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. A healthy fear of the Lord, not a perverse fear. A healthy fear of the Lord. We aren't to have fear. We aren't to cater to fear. Perfect love casts out all fear. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the Lord are true. Each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. They are a warning to your servant and a great reward for those who obey them. How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me. from these hidden faults keep your servant from deliberate sins don't let them control me then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin cleanse me o god from any unrighteousness any unwholesome talk anything that is not of you o god purify me sanctify me consecrate and make me holy Anything that has defiled me, O God, cleanse me, purify me, wash me clean by the blood of the Lamb. That's the posture we need to take daily as we humble ourselves as little children so that we can enter into the kingdom of heaven and we can be ready when God comes, when the Lord Jesus comes for his bride. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock. and my Redeemer. And I was reading out of the Holy Bible New Living Translation put out by Tyndale. Now, let me just pause for a minute and see the direction that Father wants me to go now. I had taken, I should say, I scribed some notes from a download. And I believe that it is now that he is wanting me to speak to you and teach you from this download from him. Lord Jesus, help me, Holy Spirit, to give this in the intent and the purity in which it was downloaded to me. May they see you, not me. May they learn from you, not me. May they glean your knowledge of truth, your words of truth from your rhema word and your Logos word, oh God, oh God, our redeemer. Oh God. So I was getting through a download by his infinite wisdom. And all truth is displayed in heaven and in earth. The church has the keys to the kingdom and authority to bind and loose. Remember, we just read that in the scripture whatsoever is bound on, on earth is bound in heaven. Isn't that what we just read about in the scripture? Let me make sure that I pull that back up so that I can say that absolutely correctly. It says here, let me find it again. Yes, here we go. Let me read it again so it's fresh. If your brothers or sisters' sins go and point out their fault just between the two of you, if they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. Okay, we were reading that. Where did I miss that at? Oh, here it is. Okay. You can tell this is live and I'm just following the Lord here. It says in Matthew, again, we're reading, we're going to start at . You should remember that one. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. And this was what I was getting by is infinite wisdom. All truth is displayed in heaven and in earth. The church has the keys to the kingdom and authority to bind and loose. Whatsoever is bound on earth is bound in heaven and loosed on earth is loosed in heaven. And remember binding. What does binding mean? Binding means to limit or to curse or forbid or restrict. Loosen means to release, unbind, untie free, like a blessing. We get to have what we say. And are we creating the world we want to see in a negative or a positive fashion? Are we speaking curses over our life even, the lives of others? Or are we speaking blessings? Remember, blessing, loosing, releasing. So are we releasing, loosing freedom? Or are we binding and cursing? We have to be very careful as a church, a purified bride, as a body of believers, that we are only following the will of Lord Jesus, Abba Father, The perfect will of Abba Father, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because remember, Christ came to do the will of the Father. And remember, the only way to get to heaven is through Jesus. Trustful obedience to God's plan for your life speaks volumes in the spirit realm. Trustful obedience. Submission to the will of God. Trusting. Walking by faith and not by sight. A surrendered heart full of the reverential fear of the Lord has great power with which to draw from to exercise authority on earth. You get to have what you say. You have the authority and we as a body of believers as a church, we need to use it. We need to make sure that we are a purified bride and that only the Holy Spirit is guiding us into all truth. And we get to pray according to the perfect will of God. We get to have what we say is the collective church. Remember the power of two or three witnesses. But are we cursing or are we in binding? Or are we releasing and loosing blessings over our fellow believers, over those that the Lord has called us to minister to? Remember, Jesus came for sinners. He didn't really come for those who thought they were righteous and didn't need the law. I mean, didn't need his love. Those that were under the law, remember the Pharisees and the Sadducees, they are the ones that persecuted and ultimately put Jesus to death on the cross. Ask yourself this question. Are you fully guided by the Holy Spirit, the spirit of truth? Are you truly guided? Do you wake up every morning and seek God's will for your life or your own? Do you start your day with prayer? devotion, communion with God? Jesus communed with his disciples at the Last Supper, which speaks of love, relationship, friendship, fellowship. Are you communing with God? Do you have a relationship with him? Or will he say, wait, I never knew you. Do you spend time with This is the question all servants of the Lord, believers must ask themselves. Do I walk with ordered steps by the Lord Jesus, by way of his Holy Spirit, or do I follow my own will and worship on Sunday when it's convenient for me, but during the rest of the week, My words and my actions do not show the love and mercy of Lord Jesus. They judge and condemn and bring bondage, like we read about the servant who was forgiven of much, but then turned around and treated another horribly. I have to ask myself that every day myself. Am I being merciful, nonjudgmental, keeping myself from defilement, purified and cleansed so that I can be ready with oil in my lamp for when Lord Jesus comes for his bride. And he's coming. And we need to be ready as a church. We need to be ready to receive our groom. We have to ask ourselves this season, as a church, who's guiding us? Who is guiding us? Who's guiding me? Do my actions speak of love and forgiveness and joy and purity? Do my words edify and build up or do they condemn and destroy? Are we following the world's religion? Are we following political leaders, coworkers, friends? Are we following the law? Are we following religion but yet have no relationship with Lord Jesus? He's asking us this question as a church, as a body of believers, as his bride. For the appointed time is here. This is your season. This is your moment. This is your hour, your time. The time is now. The time is now. Glory be to Jesus. Glory be to Jesus. Glory be to Jesus. Glory be to Jesus. This is the year. that heaven invades earth and many souls are brought into the kingdom of God. This is the year of the great awakening of the church and of the hearts of the people in the church. That's the message that he has for you, the church. That's what I came to deliver. He's coming for his bride. Will we be ready? Are we standing on the side of what's merciful and right and pure and noble in his eyes according to Jesus's own words? Or are we condemning a brother and sister passing judgment based on the color of their skin, their lifestyle, judging them by their sin, yet Asking Christ to forgive ours. Wow. I don't know about you, but that's hit me really hard over the past few years as I've been walking this journey to wholeness one layer at a time. As I've been being made into the image of Christ, looking inward for that inward knowing, that compass of the spirit of truth, the spirit of God, the spirit of Jesus, the Holy Spirit that guides us. because He can be our only God. We have to remain pure. We have to step up and stand out as the true, authentic church of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have to be on the right side of history. On the right side of history. The time is now. The time is now. The time is now. We will be judged from this day forward on how we respond to our brothers and sisters, those that we come in contact with every day. How do we treat them? Do we treat them like that servant did who treated them horribly? Or do we treat them as Jesus treated us, as me, as he treated me, and show mercy, love and grace as that the king showed his servant? There's a lot to be gurgling today from these passages of scripture that he's had me read. This new way of teaching and speaking to you. I pray that he reached you today that he guided you into all truth, that you see him and not me, that you remember these words for the church, the purified bride, and ask yourself this powerful question. Are you ready? Are you ready? Are you ready? Many of you are facing storms and trials and fear and Uncertainty of the days that lie ahead. You need to remember one thing and one thing only. Jesus is in charge on the throne. God's got us. He's got us. Remember, He protects us. Even if the ninety-nine are safe, He goes after the one. The safest place to be this season is tucked under the shelter of the wings of the Almighty God and only following the Holy Spirit, not man, the world, but the Holy Spirit. Let Him and Him alone guide you into all truth this day and every day. As we serve Him and Him alone, as we glorify Him, exalt Him, praise His holiness, Holy Spirit, I pray that they have received this word, that it has penetrated bone and marrow, that they'll remember it, hide it in their heart, that it will take root and grow into a tree of life, and that they will spring forth this season as bearers of the light in a dark world, And your truth will resonate in the hearts of your people around the nation and around the world because this year we get to paint the world we want to see one layer, one pulpit, one place at a time. In the mighty name of your precious Son, Lord Jesus, I pray. Flood them with your presence, O God. Give them fresh oil, O God, for their lamps so they can remain full. O Holy Spirit. O Holy Spirit. O Holy Spirit. Thank you, Father. Thank you, Father. And that is all he has for you today. This is Tammy Toney-Butler of Reflective Spaces Ministry. Remember to like and subscribe to our YouTube channels. Share this video. Check out our website. Sow into this word as the Lord directs. for he guides and orders our steps. May you have open doors this season of opportunity to spread the gospel of truth and freedom throughout the world. God bless you, keep you, and bring you into such peace and joy this season, no matter the storms that come to you. Glory be to Jesus. He loves you. God bless you.