My studies and experience in the body of Christ for the last forty plus years indicate to me that the church today is less than 10% of what God called it to be. This is very encouraging to me because of the incredible upside. Even in its present state, the church is overall the most powerful entity in the world today, by far. What will it be like when we become 20% of what we are called to be? How about 30% or 100%?

         Compared to what the church is called to be we are, no doubt, falling far short at this time. This is the result of almost 500 years of progress back to our foundations that began with The Protestant Reformation, which ignited a reformation movement within the Catholic Church as well. Progress thus far may have been slow and tedious, but we must always keep in mind what we are told in II Peter 3:8-9:

         But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.

         The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

         This truth is so crucial that Peter exhorts us to “not let this one fact escape your notice.” This means that the Lord can do a work in us in one day when we think it may take one thousand years. Even if the progress to get to 10% of what we’re called to be has been this slow, the rest can happen very quickly. It may not happen instantly, but who is to say that the remaining 90% is not recovered in the next five or ten years? Why not? Here is another stunning thought Peter gives to us in II Peter 3:11-12:

         “…what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God…”

         This implies that we can actually hasten the coming of the day of God!       Many think that the day will be hastened by the coming of evil, but here Peter is writing to believers. The devil does not want to hasten the coming of the day of the Lord, and it is not his place to do so. This verse indicates that it is something we can do.

         This is one of those ultimate issues that we will deal with in more depth later, but for now we need to start giving attention to what we are called to do in preparing the way for the Lord, without giving much credit or attention to the devil. The main factor that will bring the end of this age and the beginning of the reign of Christ over the earth will be the bride preparing herself. What can we do to get ready?