How Prepared Are You?

       There is an urgency in the air! Though masked as climate change experiences, the world systems and western governments have concluded that time is running out for the people on earth. Their reasons, their conclusion, and solutions may be very outstretched, but one thing they got right is that time is indeed running out for the people of the world! 

       At a particular point in time, as prophesied by Prophets of old, God came down as man and made His dwelling among people, to turn them from their wicked ways into right standing with Him. At this time, we were told that He loved the whole world and He gave His Son to die for it. For as many as believe and receive Him, He gave them the power to be His sons, and they are saved! He was crucified, dead, and buried, and He rose again with the promise that He would return! 

       For as many, as believed and received Him, there is a state of readiness we must be in, to receive Him when He returns! His return, as shown in the Scriptures is in two ways: The first is to take those that are His and ready off the earth to meet Him in the sky, and the second is to return to earth and judge it by defeating and destroying the armies of the world and their leader, the devil! Knowing this, how prepared are we for His coming? 

       Jesus Himself gave a parable in Matthew 25:1-13 of what this time will be like! And beloved, we are already living in the time being spoken of! The Parable is about the 10 virgins who went out to meet the groom! The Bible tells us: “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like 10 virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom" (Matthew 25:1, HCSB). They 'went out'; it was a purposeful response to come out of the darkness of the world: “Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you" (2 Corinthians 6:17 NLT). When you receive the LORD as your personal LORD and Savior, it means you have come out of the world systems and you are pledging your life to the LORD to live for Him according to His dictates! 

       Sadly, many of the virgins that come out today are foolish and very few are wise! Why? "Five of them were foolish [thoughtless, silly, and careless], and five were wise [far-sighted, practical, and sensible]. For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take any [extra] oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil along with their lamps" (Matthew 25:2-4, AMP). The extra oil is more of God's Word. 

       Beloved, do you carry extra oil in your flasks or you are just coasting along? How much of God's Word do you have in you? How is your inner man? So many have found a way to explain away the Scriptures to suit the depraved lifestyles of the world. Indeed, like Paul, we need to be like those we desire to win over, but we are not to take on and live in the sin in their lives: "To the weak, I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might, by all means, save some" (I Corinthians 9:22, NKJV)! When children of God give room for the flesh and its manifestations, there is a problem! It means they lack extra oil for their lamps. 

       The text went on to say the Groom was delayed and they became drowsy and slept. Understand this, all the virgins slept! However, "But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! The bridegroom [is coming]! Go out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins got up and put their lamps in order [trimmed the wicks and added oil and lit them]" (Matthew 25:6-7, AMP). The shout has gone out, Beloved. We are at the midnight hour! This is the time to trim our lamps by adding more oil to the lamp. 

       The time the shout went out to the actual appearance of the Master is short! Don't get careless and thoughtless by the goings on in the world and its systems and you go back to sleep or refuse to replenish your oil! This is the time to get up and get more oil! When the Groom comes, it will be too late to go get extra oil! You have spent enough time rationalizing the word of God, this is the time to live out the truth you have come to believe. this is the time to study, meditate and practice what you have learned. As you do this your flask is being filled with oil and you are getting prepared to meet the Savior of your soul! May the LORD grant you understanding, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ! God bless you!