BE READY

I recently studied Jesus' parable of the ten virgins again.  Fascinating stuff.  All of these women were virgins.  All of them had lamps.  All of them had oil in their lamps. All went to meet the bridegroom.
Yet five spent eternity with the bridegroom and five went to hell.  Why the extreme disparity in results?

I believe the issue is that the five foolish virgins did not plan ahead.  They were going by faith.  I met with a minister from India this week.  He was brought up that way. His dad said if they had no money but he had to go somewhere to go stand at the bus stop and wait until God provided the money. People are testing God. They have enough spiritual preparation for a day, but not for the journey.

We sometimes get a filling at church to last a couple days and then have to go back for more.  What happened to Jesus spending 40 days in the wilderness full of the Holy Spirit being tested and made ready?  Or Paul in the Arabian desert for a long time?  We need to get all of God we can as soon as we can.  We have to stock up on the oil and have some to spare.   We cannot cut things too tight.  We have to take Paul's advice in Ephesians 6 and prepare ourselves so that we WILL stand in the evil day.  If we simply live day by day on a spiritual shoestring, we will not be strong enough when the major test comes.  All for Jesus.  NOW.

Some are disturbed that the five would not share their oil.  Sharing is the new measure of spirituality.
I am not against sharing.  I share. However, if you are prepared in God, do not give up your spiritual supply to the foolish or you may not enough for yourself.  We are to love our neighbor AS ourselves. Not more, not less.  Our spiritual lives must be maintained at all costs.  We must treasure the Holy Spirit within us and know that a continuous filling is required if we are to meet Christ and enjoy him forever.