The Virgins and the Bridegroom

Matthew 25:1-10  Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

The ten virgins are 10 people… The bridegroom is Jesus… The virgins are waiting for Christ’s return…

And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

Five of them were wise and received the gift of Salvation... the foolish were unsaved…

They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

They hadn’t received Christ into their hearts…

 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

The oil is like Salvation. The wise realized that they needed Christ’s gift of eternal Salvation, and accepted it...

While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

No one knows when the Lord will return… We should not let that keep us from serving the Lord RIGHT now. We must live for the LORD now, later it will be to late.

 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

Christ is returning.

Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

All of us need work… was always need work… we need to trim ourselves… trim what is excess, what doesn’t belong…

 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 

The foolish were unprepared…

But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

You can’t get saved, or make decisions for anyone else… Everyone MUST make their own decision.

 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

If we aren’t saved before Christ returns, there will NOT be time when HE comes back!

Chastisement?

Chastisement is hard. I seem to have a habit of getting into more than my share of trouble, so I know exactly how hard it can get.

Chastisement can be as simple as your parents giving you a reminder. Or it can be as big as God having to deal with you.

I’ve been both places. I’ve had my parents discipline me until they were almost ready to give up.

God had to deal with me when I wouldn’t listen to my parents…

It wasn’t fun. I was sick for almost 3 years straight. He also “took away” pretty much all of my friends.

But it was what I deserved, and it was what it took to get my life back on track.

Hebrews 12:5-8, says

And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children,

My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons;

for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous:

nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness

unto them which are exercised thereby.

Chastisement from the LORD means that we are really children of God. At times I have doubted my salvation. I would think “how could I have been saved and done that?”

Then God showed me these verses. A light bulb came on.

So that’s why I’ve been sick.

I’m glad that I was chastened! It means that I really was saved!

*Please do not misunderstand me. I DO NOT think that everyone who is sick is being chastised… Sometimes God uses sickness for other reasons: to help people grow, or perhaps to help someone else to get saved. Sickness was just what God used for me.

Pray for your Government leaders!

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions,

and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 

For kings, and for all that are in authority;

that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

1 Timothy 2:1-2

In the United States, our government is leading our country into debt, and ultimately into bondage. We do not have good leaders in our government. There are a few who we “thought” were good, but we have seen in recent days that even they have not fulfilled their “promises”.

We need to pray for these men{and women}. Sometimes we want to get mad at them, but you know what? God put them there. God allowed them to be elected, and that’s who is supposed to be there right now. True, it probably isn’t Gods perfect will, but its what happened.

Pray for our leaders. It is they who will decide which way our country goes.

peoplephobe?

People: Humans.

Phobe: to fear

In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.

Psalms 56:11

The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?

Psalms 118:6

Many times I have found myself wondering what a certain person thinks about me doing something. At times I have went out of my way to make sure I didn’t “offend” people.

Then I realized it doesn’t matter one bit what other people think. It really only matters what God thinks of us.

Don’t be a people pleaser! God is who we should “fear”!

Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart:

for consider how great things he hath done for you.

1 Samuel 12:24

Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

Proverbs 3:7