From: "Gospel Messenger Service" Subject: Lift The Bride's Burdens Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2004 11:45:36 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0007_01C3DA93.F25F85E0" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Unsent: 1 X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4133.2400 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C3DA93.F25F85E0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable LIFT THE BRIDE'S BURDENS By "Rebekah" the Bride (Jn.3:29; 10:29; S.of S.5:7; 2 Cor.5:17; Isa.64:6; Heb.10:14; 1 = Cor.15:56; Rom.6:14) There is a precious woman of whom I 'd like to tell. She's been abused and burdened down and beat upon, as well. She carries heavy burdens on her shoulders every day. It's really hard to see her being treated this wrong way. This woman is so valuable and once she was so lost, But she's been found and rescued now at really quite a cost. I'm sure you understand by now who I am speaking of: She is the precious Bride of Christ found by the God of love. She's been forgiven for her sins, past, present--future, too. Christ's Spirit lives inside of her and she's been made brand new. And when the Lord looks at this one He holds in high esteem, He sees her righteous in His Son, He sees her pure and clean. But there are some who do not view the Bride in this, God's way; They see her fleshly weaknesses she struggles with each day. They're so afraid that she will sin and go a way that's wrong; They tell her to be careful or she'll not to God belong. This threat, it is a burden that they've laid upon this one; This one who's so magnificent who's married to God's Son. They think their threat will keep the Bride from going far astray, But what it really does is make her sin more every day. It makes her sin because it makes her try hard to be good, And trying to be righteous is just building out of wood. Self-righteousness, it is a sin, a filthy rag it is. Tell her she's perfect in God's sight, for that viewpoint is His! Temptations just surround the Bride of Christ in this last day, And many pastors fear for her that she will go astray; And so they mix some law with grace so she will be controlled, But that just puts her back under a covenant that's old.=20 The law, it is the strength of sin, the Bible, it does say; And when a pastor preaches law the Bride might go astray. He needs to preach God's grace to her so she can really see Herself the way God sees her now, then she'll have victory. A pastor does not need to take responsibility=20 To keep his flock from doing wrong, to keep them all sin-free. He needs to focus all their eyes on Jesus and the cross, And give them all assurance that from Him they can't be lost. We must respect the Bride's free will, oh, even if it means She chooses to go her own way and do some worldly things. The Lord, He does not force His Bride to walk in the right way. We must respect her choices, too, if she should choose to stray. Don't beat upon the Bride of Christ, don't make her burdened down. The Bride has been abused enough, it's time to turn around, And help her to rise up again so she can be made whole. To help the Bride be strong in Christ should always be our goal. "Rise up, rise up and come away, oh, come away with Me," Is what the Lord is saying to His Bride repeatedly. So just encourage her to rise by helping her to see Herself the way God looks at her--perfect and pure is she. ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C3DA93.F25F85E0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
LIFT THE BRIDE’S=20 BURDENS
 
By "Rebekah" the = Bride
 
(Jn.3:29; 10:29; S.of S.5:7; 2 = Cor.5:17;=20 Isa.64:6; Heb.10:14; 1 Cor.15:56; Rom.6:14)
 
There is a precious woman of whom I 'd like to = tell.
She’s been abused and burdened down and beat = upon, as=20 well.
She carries heavy burdens on her shoulders every = day.
It’s really hard to see her being treated this = wrong=20 way.
 
This woman is so valuable and once she was so = lost,
But she’s been found and rescued now at really = quite a=20 cost.
I’m sure you understand by now who I am = speaking of:
She is the precious Bride of Christ found by the God = of=20 love.
 
She’s been forgiven for her sins, past, = present--future,=20 too.
Christ’s Spirit lives inside of her and = she’s been made brand=20 new.
And when the Lord looks at this one He holds in high = esteem,
He sees her righteous in His Son, He sees her pure = and=20 clean.
 
But there are some who do not view the Bride in = this, God’s=20 way;
They see her fleshly weaknesses she struggles with = each=20 day.
They’re so afraid that she will sin and go a = way that’s=20 wrong;
They tell her to be careful or she’ll not to = God belong.
 
This threat, it is a burden that they’ve laid = upon this=20 one;
This one who’s so magnificent who’s = married to God’s=20 Son.
They think their threat will keep the Bride from = going far=20 astray,
But what it really does is make her sin more every = day.
 
It makes her sin because it makes her try hard to be = good,
And trying to be righteous is just building out of = wood.
Self-righteousness, it is a sin, a filthy rag it = is.
Tell her she’s perfect in God’s sight, = for that viewpoint is=20 His!
 
Temptations just surround the Bride of Christ in = this last=20 day,
And many pastors fear for her that she will go = astray;
And so they mix some law with grace so she will be=20 controlled,
But that just puts her back under a covenant = that’s old.=20
 
The law, it is the strength of sin, the Bible, it = does=20 say;
And when a pastor preaches law the Bride might go=20 astray.
He needs to preach God’s grace to her so she = can really=20 see
Herself the way God sees her now, then she’ll = have=20 victory.
 
A pastor does not need to take = responsibility 
 To keep his flock from doing wrong, to keep = them all=20 sin-free.
He needs to focus all their eyes on Jesus and the = cross,
And give them all assurance that from Him they = can’t be=20 lost.
 
We must respect the Bride’s free will, oh, = even if it=20 means
She chooses to go her own way and do some worldly=20 things.
The Lord, He does not force His Bride to walk in the = right=20 way.
We must respect her choices, too, if she should = choose to=20 stray.
 
Don’t beat upon the Bride of Christ, = don’t make her burdened=20 down.
The Bride has been abused enough, it’s time to = turn=20 around,
And help her to rise up again so she can be made = whole.
To help the Bride be strong in Christ should always = be our=20 goal.
 
"Rise up, rise up and come away, oh, come away with = Me,"
Is what the Lord is saying to His Bride = repeatedly.
So just encourage her to rise by helping her to = see
Herself the way God looks at her--perfect and pure = is=20 she.
 
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