Friend of the Bridegroom
One of the most important roles in a wedding is the best man…the closest friend of the groom. This position is one of great honor. The best man takes care of their best friends needs, and does their best to make sure the entire wedding goes as the groom envisions it. The hugest breach of trust for the Best Man would be for him to flirt with the bride!
As we turn our lives over to Jesus, more and more we are called into roles of “best man” or closest friends of the Groom. Friends of the Groom, those who know Jesus and have a history with Him are essential as Jesus gets ready to execute the final stages of His “Immanuel Plan” (God with us). Those who know Jesus shine in front of others…always. The more you find out about Jesus and His plans, the more people will listen to you and respond to what Jesus is calling them to. This is part of Jesus’ plan from the beginning, but the Bible promises at the time of the events of Revelation, Jesus releases messengers after His own heart…messengers that people are listening to and responding to (Jeremiah 3:15). This is what it means to be a friend of the Bride Groom. Jesus describes the time of revelation as the preparation for a wedding. There are many called to be best men at His side. These best men and women are seeing the Holy Spirit begin to soften the ground for the biggest awakening the planet will ever see.
The same rules that hold true for the best man hold true for Jesus’ messengers: don’t flirt with the bride! Flirting with the bride in this context means self-promotion. As God gives more revelation and an increase in attention, it is tempting to give in to self-promotion. Giving in to the temptation for self promotion is identical to stealing attention from the Groom and putting it on you. This is the largest breach of trust for someone entrusted with such a close position to the Groom….and to the Bride.
Jesus knew the pressure to give in to self-promotion would be huge. He knows on our own, the fight of “self” is epic. Just like any good parent who is leading their children into a truly good life, He has made available rewards to keep our eyes focused on truth. His rewards are stored up for eternity. He says what we do in this dying and fading theatre will determine how much wealth we experience on a renewed earth, in the New Jerusalem…forever. This is where our best life is going to happen…with Him, where God always intended for us to be. Time and decay will never diminish the rewards we receive for even the smallest efforts to obey God now….moth and rust won’t destroy there. The smallest effort here…even a cup of cold water to a thirsty soul….will be rewarded in a sustained way forever in the age to come.
But there is another truth that should motivate us to resist self-promotion: what I spend here, where moth and rust WILL destroy, I lose where treasure will never diminish:
Matthew 6:1-6 "Watch out! Don't do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don't do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. "When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
Matthew 6:16-21 "And when you fast, don't make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
"Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
What I promote here is never enjoyed where the fruit of it will last forever. But what I promote there, by resisting self-promotion here, I will enjoy forever…never diminishing…never fading.
Jesus said there are positions of first and last in His kingdom. Many who seem first in His kingdom here, with large ministries built through self-promotion, will, in fact be last in Jesus’ presence.
It is so common to hear about how many lives one person or ministry is impacting, or how large another is growing. Many will advertise lives “they” have changed! Long resumes are becoming the norm in a body of Jesus followers mandated to look for the lowest place. Just because I see other people who love Jesus giving in to self promotion, whether it is on a stage or in their own home, doesn’t mean it is the most excellent way to be a bride groom. I want to agree with Jesus about what is excellent. He says if I will declare His name to those around me, He will declare my name to father. I want self-promotion where Jesus says it will last forever!
Matthew 10:32-33 "Everyone who acknowledges Me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before My Father in heaven. But everyone who denies Me here on earth, I will also deny before My Father in heaven.
As we turn our lives over to Jesus, more and more we are called into roles of “best man” or closest friends of the Groom. Friends of the Groom, those who know Jesus and have a history with Him are essential as Jesus gets ready to execute the final stages of His “Immanuel Plan” (God with us). Those who know Jesus shine in front of others…always. The more you find out about Jesus and His plans, the more people will listen to you and respond to what Jesus is calling them to. This is part of Jesus’ plan from the beginning, but the Bible promises at the time of the events of Revelation, Jesus releases messengers after His own heart…messengers that people are listening to and responding to (Jeremiah 3:15). This is what it means to be a friend of the Bride Groom. Jesus describes the time of revelation as the preparation for a wedding. There are many called to be best men at His side. These best men and women are seeing the Holy Spirit begin to soften the ground for the biggest awakening the planet will ever see.
The same rules that hold true for the best man hold true for Jesus’ messengers: don’t flirt with the bride! Flirting with the bride in this context means self-promotion. As God gives more revelation and an increase in attention, it is tempting to give in to self-promotion. Giving in to the temptation for self promotion is identical to stealing attention from the Groom and putting it on you. This is the largest breach of trust for someone entrusted with such a close position to the Groom….and to the Bride.
Jesus knew the pressure to give in to self-promotion would be huge. He knows on our own, the fight of “self” is epic. Just like any good parent who is leading their children into a truly good life, He has made available rewards to keep our eyes focused on truth. His rewards are stored up for eternity. He says what we do in this dying and fading theatre will determine how much wealth we experience on a renewed earth, in the New Jerusalem…forever. This is where our best life is going to happen…with Him, where God always intended for us to be. Time and decay will never diminish the rewards we receive for even the smallest efforts to obey God now….moth and rust won’t destroy there. The smallest effort here…even a cup of cold water to a thirsty soul….will be rewarded in a sustained way forever in the age to come.
But there is another truth that should motivate us to resist self-promotion: what I spend here, where moth and rust WILL destroy, I lose where treasure will never diminish:
Matthew 6:1-6 "Watch out! Don't do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don't do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. "When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
Matthew 6:16-21 "And when you fast, don't make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
"Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
What I promote here is never enjoyed where the fruit of it will last forever. But what I promote there, by resisting self-promotion here, I will enjoy forever…never diminishing…never fading.
Jesus said there are positions of first and last in His kingdom. Many who seem first in His kingdom here, with large ministries built through self-promotion, will, in fact be last in Jesus’ presence.
It is so common to hear about how many lives one person or ministry is impacting, or how large another is growing. Many will advertise lives “they” have changed! Long resumes are becoming the norm in a body of Jesus followers mandated to look for the lowest place. Just because I see other people who love Jesus giving in to self promotion, whether it is on a stage or in their own home, doesn’t mean it is the most excellent way to be a bride groom. I want to agree with Jesus about what is excellent. He says if I will declare His name to those around me, He will declare my name to father. I want self-promotion where Jesus says it will last forever!
Matthew 10:32-33 "Everyone who acknowledges Me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before My Father in heaven. But everyone who denies Me here on earth, I will also deny before My Father in heaven.
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