Bible Prophecy Watcher

Is Your Lamp Full of Oil? Do You Have Extra? What If You Don’t? And What is This Oil?

“And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: … 10- 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.” -Matt 25:2-3, 10 (KJV)

Jesus gave us a unique parable about who would be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. He said it would be like 10 virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. There were 5 wise who took extra oil with them and there were 5 foolish that just took their lamps with little to no oil. The lamps would be used to light the procession to the bride’s house for the ceremony and then back to the groom’s house for the festivities. You see they all looked the part, dressed similar, lamps in hand with good intentions but their were 5 that seemingly only “played” the part in their relationship to the Bridegroom – Yeshua  HaMashiach (Jesus Christ the Messiah). This parallels people (“Christians”) who attend church services weekly in our society now. Some are followers of Christ – real followers, while others just play the part and seek no relationship with Jesus. I can think of several of these types of people right now and even in my own family!

All the virgins or bridesmaids fell asleep because the bridegroom tarried. Then the cry went out that the bridegroom had arrived. The virgins got up and trimmed (refilled) their lamps (or torches) and prepared to meet him. However, by this time the oil that was in their lamps burned off and so they had to rely on the extra oil they brought. The wise virgins were prepared, but the foolish, since they brought no extra, were in big trouble. Plus the bridegroom said this, which should be a WAKE-UP call for all Christians!!

Today’s message is of preparation and where you and I are at concerning the arrival of Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom.

You see the wise bridesmaids were ready and prepared to light the way for the wedding party and therefore were allowed into the marriage feast. The foolish … well, the door was shut in their faces. They would not be allowed to enter So based on this parable, where are you at in preparing for the Lord’s return?

Prepared and wise or foolish and lacking?

And what does this preparation involve?

Did the foolish procrastinate and fail to take oil because they thought He really wouldn’t come? Did they just want to be part of the crowd? Maybe they paid no attention to the signs that He was coming. Maybe they were just lazy or didn’t care. Or maybe they thought they could borrow some oil, if needed, from the other wise and prepared virgins… The bottom-line: they failed to prepare for the bridegroom’s arrival, even though they were in the group of 10 that knew He was coming and even went out to meet Him – but they failed miserably! And the door was shut in their faces!!

So in light of this parable from Jesus how does it apply to us Christians in 2023?

Obviously, today, we don’t carry lamps to light our way but what about how we prepare and what kind of relationship do we have in anticipation of the Lord’s return? This is what defines the oil of preparation. These points are serious and deserve ALL of our focus and attention.

• Do we study our Bibles – daily – to learn as much as possible about when and how? If you don’t read His word you will be in the camp of those that reject it or despise His word and therefore … well, just read what is written about these kind of people in Psa 50:17; Jer 6:10; 2 Chron 36:16.
• Do we desire the real meat of His word – 1 Cor 3:2-3.
• Do we pray seeking the Lord’s face for wisdom in understanding His word?
• Do we pray for others?
• Do we fast (if we can)? Food isn’t the only way we can use to fast.
• Do we live a holy life? (Holiness before a righteous God is of extreme importance.)
• Do we believe on the Lord and His word? No doubt, no unbelief.
• Are we witnessing to others?
• Do we confess our sins to the Lord and seek repentance amending our ways – as often as needed?
• Are we watching with eagerness for His return? Seriously watching and waiting.

Note: Just going to church every Sunday or confessing your sins to a priest (mere man), or having a Bible on your coffee table or shelf, or singing in the choir, or even being a pastor or elder will not save you. You must KNOW the Lord personally and He must know you.

DO NOT take these next verses lightly!

These are some ways that we keep our lamps full of oil ready to meet Him when He returns? There are many more ways but these, I think, are the key ones. So, have you extra oil available ready to trim your lamp when the Lord arrives? Please read this next verse with utmost attention and concern for it is the Lord’s reply to those that were not ready nor prepared for His arrival:

“Later the rest of the virgins also came and said, ‘Master, master, open up for us!’  “But he replied, ‘I assure you: I do not know you!’” -Matt 25:11-12 (ESV)

Are you waiting with anticipation for His return. Heb 9:28 says:

“so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.” -Heb 9:28 (NASB)

Please read this verse carefully and also do not take it lightly. Does it say to you that when the Lord returns to catch away His Bride (rapture the real Christians) that only those who are waiting expectantly will see Him? Mull this around in your mind, read scripture and see what it is saying to you. It is of utmost importance!

Friends, it’s time to start paying attention to the signs occurring all around us fulfilling Bible Prophecy in these last days. It’s time to stay awake and not sleep. It’s time to watch. It’s time to be ready and study our Bibles knowing the time we are living in according to the Lord’s timeline. It’s time to prepare for His return. Keep your lamps topped off with oil, keep extra oil always with you and be ready at any time for His return.

Are you ready and prepared? Are you in the camp of the wise or the foolish? Will you be welcomed into the wedding or denied entrance for your lack of preparation? Get your life ready friends!

“Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.” -Matt 25:13 (NASB)

Grace and peace 

-BPWatcher, Internet Preacher and Bible Prophecy Watchman

All Glory To YAHWEH – God’s Real Name in Hebrew

Walk by Faith in Christ and Not by Faith in This World

“Walk by faith and not by sight.” -2 Cor 5:7 (KJV)

The enemy of our soul is waging a war against those of the faith – faith in Christ, that is. The stakes are high and he is amassing his forces to try and take us out. He’s very cunning, has had thousands of years to hon his undermining skills and he’s throwing all kinds of stuff at us to try and derail us from our faith. Fiery arrows are fired at us trying to penetrate our armor and set afire our shield of faith. Folks, this is real in the spiritual world – you must know this and be always prepared to fight back with prayer, reading God’s word and fasting.

That’s right, Satan will do anything to try and take your mind off your faith, off your trust in Jesus Christ. He is flinging stinging darts, flaming darts and biting darts of despair, worry, doubt, guilt, shame, and fear all designed to try and defeat and derail us from our faith. So what do we do? HAVE FAITH AND WALK IN IT!

Eph 6 states it plain – put on the full armor of God and stand your ground. We are not to be intimidated by his devices but instead know his devices – 2 Cor 2:11. We are to know his tactics and defend our territory with prayer, knowing God’s truth and most of all – faith and trust in the Lord. We are to walk by faith and not by our [spiritual] sight in this world.

So are we doing this? Am I … are you?

Who reading this today is downcast? Are you fearful of the future? Guilty of past sin? Worried about this or that? Now folks, is the time to shake up the forces coming against you with knowing God’s word and knowing how to fight with the knowledge of the truth and with the Lord always at our side. 

What is faith then? Consider for a moment Matt 8:5-13…

This parable is about a Roman Centurion, his servant and Jesus. Realize the Roman soldiers were tough and I presume hard-core in their belief of the Roman government being the sole authority and only God in their lives. However, this Roman officer sought out Jesus and explained how his servant was suffering terribly at home. Jesus replied, I will come and heal him. Now look at the Centurion’s reply in vs 8. He displayed a unique [and most likely very rare] humility by a man known for his status and rank. Then he exclaimed that he was a man of authority too, saying to his men – go here or go there. Wow! Did you catch what he knew about Jesus from the git-go? The Roman officer who had at least 100 men in his charge knew the authority of Jesus! Jesus recognized in him humility and amazing faith. He knew Jesus had the power and authority to heal his servant and in and by his faith knew He could do it remotely. He knew it and expressed it from his mouth that all Jesus need do was “but only say the word” and his servant would be made well. Now that friends is a faith that we all need to strive for.

Recognizing that Jesus Christ is a man of power and authority takes pure faith. So then what is faith? Well, it’s trust and confidence, it is being sure of what we hope for of the evidence of things we don’t see – Heb 11:1. Do you have this type of faith today in Christ?

You see the Lord’s word is all we need to bolster and solidify our faith. And we have this word written down for us in the Bible. But do you take the time to search out what He has to say? The following is a extremely powerful verse and one overlooked by many Christians today.

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” -Rom 10:17 (KJV)

It is of primary importance in the days in which we live right now. For faith in Christ will elude those of the end time generation (that’s us) according to the Lord’s statement found in Luke 18:8. Many will live by their own “worldly faith” manufactured by them based on their stuff, their friends or family and so Jesus will be hard-pressed to find people of faith on the earth when He returns. Already this is taking hold all over America and the rest of the world. As Amos 8:11 says:

“Hear this! The days are coming—this is the declaration of the Lord God—when I will send a famine through the land:not a famine of bread or a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.” -Amos 8:11 (HCSB)

Did you get that? …Of hearing the words of the Lord.

 

Our faith is weak because many Christians don’t want to hear the words of the Lord. In effect – they despise His word. 

They refuse to make time each day to be fed and nourished by God’s Holy Word. 2 Cor 13:5, states we are to examine ourselves [daily] to see if we are [still] of the faith. That is powerful!

Friends, the Centurion in the parable above was found to be of extraordinary faith so extraordinary, in fact, that Jesus said He found no greater faith of anyone in all of Israel. In all of the Jews – the ones He was sent to specifically. Now that’s amazing and speaks a ton-load of what faith is! The Centurion’s faith met the reality of knowing the authority and power of Jesus Christ. This is huge! A great faith unlike any in Israel, in a Gentile no less!. Just let that settle in a minute…

So what are we to do and what will our faith depth-gage record? A Centurion-type humility in great faith or a medium of the road faith or no faith at all? In other words, you don’t read His word, rarely pray, and never quite seek out His face? And you put Jesus as a last priority in your life. Remember, our faith in Christ comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

If a calamity or grave personal danger came into your life today or tomorrow would you live and get through it by your faith in Christ? Or would you collapse into fear, dismay and unbelief, forgetting about the Lord?

FRIENDS – There is much coming our way foretold in Bible Prophecy that will shake people’s lives, rattle them to the core of their beings and I dare say only the ones found with faith and hope in our Lord Jesus Christ will prevail. It’s time to walk by our faith and not by what we see, hear and trust in this world. We must be focused on the Lord and put our absolute trust in Him. In light of what’s coming, consider the following verses spoken by Jesus Himself:

“And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.” -Luke 21:25-26 (KJV)

And

“…for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.” -Rev 17:14b (KJV)

Please consider these things carefully and prayerfully. Faith is of tremendous importance in a believer’s walk with Almighty God. Are you living a life faithful to God and does your life reflect the Centurion’s type faith?

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-BPWatcher, Internet Preacher and Bible Prophecy Watchman

JESUS CHRIST, HE IS LORD, HE IS GOD!