I want to personally welcome you to the launch of the vision I believe The Lord has given to me and my wife Emily for 2024 and beyond.
LIVING FAITH EVANGELISTIC MINISTRIES
In the first few months of this year, me and my wife have gone through life-changing and life-altering experiences. Experiences I hope to one day share in fullness when the timing is right.
These experiences have caused us to reexamine the heart of what we desire to do for The Lord and His Kingdom.
This is why you read this on a brand-new website with a completely different look. The ministry is no longer Preston Shuttlesworth Ministries; we are LIVING FAITH , the vision given to Preston and Emily Shuttlesworth.
And this is the first installment of my brand new personal devotional that I would like to share with you. Otherwise, you will be forced to see it as a thread on my Twitter/X account with screenshots then put on my IG account , It seems none of us want that , not even my own mother…
For better-written, more thought-out, and more carefully constructed reading material, I highly recommend reading my wife’s first installment of her brand-new devotional.
“The Remaining and Powerless Tactics of the Devil”
With that being said…
Today, I would like to delve into the profound symbolism of GARMENTS found in the Bible, a theme that threads through the Old and New Testaments, illustrating our transformation and new IDENTITY we find in Christ. It is often the symbolic expression of a new nature and the token of a new MISSION given to men and women we read about in the Bible.
You like how I did that ? Threads ? lol team , Anyways…
For example,
In Zechariah 3:1-4, we witness a powerful vision of Joshua, the high priest, standing before the angel of the Lord in filthy garments. These soiled clothes symbolize iniquity and sin. Yet, the Lord commands the removal of these tainted garments and the dressing of Joshua in clean, rich attire, symbolizing the divine act of removing his sins and clothing him in RIGHTEOUSNESS in preparation for his role as a High Priest in God’s Kingdom. Like Joshua, we are called from our impurities and clothed afresh in the GRACE and MERCY of God so that we can properly perform the great things He has called us to.
Let’s next reflect on the Prodigal Son’s return (Luke 15:22). After a journey of FAILURE and REPENTANCE , where a man attempted to do all that was within his heart to do and found nothing worthwhile, he is not met with CONDEMNATIONS but with the best robe, signifying forgiveness, restoration, and a renewed status as a beloved family member in his Father’s House. This echoes our journey back to the Father’s arms, where we are embraced and CLOTHED with dignity and LOVE, no longer identified by our past transgressions. MERCY is given to the true sons and daughters of God.
In the Book of Revelation, garments symbolize PURITY and VICTORY. In the book, we see promises of white garments given to those who OVERCOME, signifying our worthiness and purity achieved through CHRIST. (Rev. 3:5)
For instance, Revelation 7:9-14 portrays a multitude in white robes, WASHED in the Lamb’s BLOOD, standing in victory and salvation. These images inspire us to persevere in our LIVING FAITH, looking forward to the day we shall STAND cleansed and righteous before the throne of God.
Our transformation is not only SPIRITUAL but also POSITIONAL.
For instance,
Joseph, DRESSED in fine linen by Pharaoh (Genesis 41:42), and Mordecai, ADORNED in royal garments (Esther 8:15), illustrate how God ELEVATES and HONORS His faithful and uncompromising servants. As children of God, we are elevated and ROBED in His righteousness, called to live as representatives of His kingdom. The Lord deems it fit to allow physical manifestations of His FAVOR and GRACE to be seen upon those He calls by His Name. This kind of promotion comes neither from the east, the west , nor the south, but this PROMOTION comes from The Lord. (Psalm 75:6-7)
May your transition into greater realms of God’s power and grace be evident upon your life in 2024!
Isaiah 61:10 expresses the JOY and GRATITUDE of being clothed in these newfound garments, salvation, and righteousness. They are personal declarations of the transformative power of God’s love and mercy towards us. These garments are gifts, unearned and freely given, reasons for unending JOY and CELEBRATION in the life of every believer.
However, these gifts require our ACCEPTANCE.
In the Parable of the Wedding Banquet (Matthew 22:11-12), the man without wedding clothes represents those who REFUSE to clothe themselves in Christ’s RIGHTEOUSNESS , a stark reminder of the necessity of being prepared for the Kingdom of Heaven. This man was not allowed to enter the wedding feast; he was bound hand and foot and cast into outer darkness for this grave GRIEVANCE. This is a prophetic symbol of the penalty of those not clothed in the RIGHTEOUSNESS of CHRIST. (Matt. 22:11-13)
Dear friends,
As we contemplate these passages and themes found within The Word of God, let us EMBRACE the new IDENTITY Christ offers. Let us shed the old garments of sin and, in humility, allow God to clothe us in His RIGHTEOUSNESS for His Name’s sake. May we walk in the assurance of His love, ADORNED with the GARMENTS of salvation, ready to spread His WORD and live out His TRUTH. May we attain LIVING FAITH to change our world for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Pray this prayer with me:
“Heavenly Father, thank You for clothing me in Your righteousness. Help me to shed my old self and to walk in the new life You have provided. May I wear Your garments of salvation with humility ,gratitude, and joy , serving as a light to those around me. May I attain a Living Faith in 2024 to be a more effective ambassador of your Kingdom In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
– In Love, Evangelist Preston Shuttlesworth