Are You Just Playing Christianity – Do You Really Know the Lord?

"And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him" -Matt 25:6 (KJV)

Many people will attend church today all across the globe – most will go in, listen and then go home. Most won't bring their Bibles for modern technology 'relieves that burden' by displaying the scriptures up on a big screen. Several will be tired from a hard work week and may dose off. Some will be focusing on what they will be doing after church. Others may daydream. Some disinterested. Many indifferent. A few will listen attentively to what's being said; most will forget what was said four hours later. So when you read the parable of the ten virgins or bridesmaids in Matt 25:1-13, keep in mind the above church-going scenarios and how this may apply in your life.

The Ten Virgins:

First, let's look at all 10. They all probably looked the same and may have all attended church (or synagogue) together. If you lined them up you most likely couldn't tell who were the wise and who the foolish. They dressed pretty much the same and looked like regular church attendees. So what made the difference? You see, they all went out to meet the bridegroom and since they didn't know when he would arrive, they took their lamps to be ready. In those days the lamps were actually torches that would be used to light the way for the wedding procession from the bride's house back to the bridegroom's place.

The Five Wise (prepared) Ones:

The five wise took extra oil just in case their torches ran low while they were waiting. They had prepared in mind, body, soul and spirit. They had anticipated this event and eagerly awaited it. They were ready! They did not want to miss out and certainly did not want the door shut in their faces.

The Five Foolish (unprepared) Ones:

The five foolish virgins took no extra oil. They were either lazy or lethargic or complacent about when or if the bridegroom would even show up.

So when the cry was made at midnight that the bridegroom arrived, they could not trim (or refill) their lamps (or torches) and therefore were not prepared or ready for his coming. If you look at this with prophetic insight you will see that despite the good intentions of these five (equal to the good intentions of people today) many will not be ready to go with the Lord when He returns in the clouds to take His Bride back to His house. They will have not prepared correctly and the door will be firmly shut in their face – Matt 25:10.

Here's Today's Truth but It Will Hurt:

Many contemporary Christians live with one foot in the world and the other in what has been termed "Churchianity". Just going to church will not get you into the wedding. Living a lukewarm, half-hearted 'Christian' life with more interest in this world than in the world to come will not get it when the cry of the Lord comes – when He comes to take away those that know Him and those that He knows.

Many (or should I say, most) right now today, especially here in America, are not ready; they are like the 5 foolish virgins.

They go to church to be seen or to get a soft warm fuzzy but their hearts are not for the Lord. They may live too much in the world and not enough in Him. They are therefore unprepared for HIs arrival. What does this mean? Well, for one, they seldom read their Bibles but maybe once a week or twice a month. They hardly ever have time to pray or seek the Lord. So busy, you know.

They may not spend quiet time alone with Him to hear what He is trying to say to them. They speak more of worldly things than Godly things. They rarely tell others about the Good News of the Gospel to their friends and family (most are afraid of offending or ashamed of the Lord).

In fact, they remain silent on speaking about Christian and Biblical things but they could certainly rattle off about the upcoming sports games (i.e. Fantasy Football playoff games, Super Bowl, etc) or about this or that. (Many family and friends will remain unsaved and go into hell's flames because others [who knew the truth] failed to tell them.) Some don't even want to talk about the Lord and His blessed gift of salvation.

Some tire of hearing about it for it interferes with their worldly cares, agendas and agendas. They are not prepared to meet the Lord and folks, this is the tragic truth … the door will be closed to them when they finally find the extra oil to fill their lamps. It will be too late for them to go and into the wedding feast of the Lamb.

An Old Testament Example:

Now Old Testament Lot and his family had commitment issues. In fact, when you read his account in Gen 19, you will discover that he and his wife was so attached to the city of Sodom, whether through business affairs, friends, family and/or his nice shiny house that the angels that were sent by God to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah actually had to drag him out of the city – Gen 19:16. He lingered not seemingly wanting to leave. Even his wife didn't obey the angels command not to look back. What was she so concerned with: stuff, friends, family (2 other daughters) etc.? As a result she became a pillar of salt. Are you like this in your walk with the Lord?

Now a Test:

The Lord impressed upon me a spiritual measuring stick that can be used to measure the length, breath and depth of your walk with Him right now. Are you ready for the truth? Ok, let's say that you are out and about. You hear a message that a heavenly-bound train has arrived in your town. But the message also says that you only have time to get there and board the train because it will leave immediately; no waiting, no tarrying, no delays. This is a one-time offer for you; it's only between you and the Lord. You have absolutely no time to call anyone and no time to go home and say goodbye to your family and friends. If you do, you will miss the train.

Remember, you only have enough time to get there before the doors are closed and the train departs. If you are even one minute late – too bad, the train has left. Are you ready? Will you make every effort to get there ASAP or are you so attached to this world and your stuff that you'll say something like, "Oh, time got away from me or I'll catch the next one". Well friends, sadly to say, there may not be a next one, not at least according to the Bible. You must be ready at any time to meet the Lord and enter the wedding feast.

Our Blessed Hope:

"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;" -Titus 2:13 (KJV)

So the question comes down to your faith – right here, right now. Have you prepared like the 5 wise virgins eagerly waiting to go when the Lord calls or will you be found unprepared – lazy in your faith, lethargic in your Christian commitment or a compromiser with the world?  C'mon, fess up the truth to yourself in front of Almighty God.

Does He know you, do you know Him? Are you ready, willing and able to go when you are called? I pray this message today stirs your heart to get right with the Lord Jesus Christ post haste! There is no time to mull it about in your mind when the 'train-calls' (example above) or trumpet – 1 Th 4:16-17 sounds. Now's the time to measure/assess where your heart, mind and soul are at with the Lord. 

Our only hope is in the Lord but He requires that we seek Him, confess ours sins, repent seek His face – this is preparing.

We must be prepared everyday with our lamps full and with extra oil in case He tarries. We should be watching and waiting, looking for the Lord's arrival (Heb 9:28) with excitement and anticipation either at our personal rapture (death) or at the rapture of His Bride. Would you be ready to get on the train if a message rings out in your soul? Are you ready to meet Him if He would return today or tomorrow? If not, please get right and get ready now!

"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;" -Phil 3:20 (NASB)

-BPWatcher, Internet Preacher and Bible Prophecy Watchman

THE LORD IS RETURNING … WILL YOU FOUND READY?