Again, peace to you all (and particularly you, dear brothers and sisters, Armand, Kim, Tams, C&D, and HBTO!).
I can't see where this (shared with me by dear Armand) has been shared already (and, if so, my apologies for the redundancy):
https://www.jewishpress.com/news/middle-east/iran-news/iranian-army-chief-any-country-that-attacks-us-will-be-hit-along-with-israel/2023/02/09/It is my SINCERE wish that all of you AND
all in your dear households are able to stay awake as long as possible but, if not, have enough "oil" in your lamps so as to "see" when the time for doing so arrives. Remember, ALL of the virgins fell asleep, but five (half) didn't do so with enough oil in their lamps and so missed the arrival of the Bridegroom.
My point? It's all good and well to know what may be coming. Knowing, though, won't be enough. The people of Noah's day saw the rain. By the time they did, however, it was too late - Noah and his household were ALREADY in the Ark the doors of which had been locked by JaH Himself. It's not enough because although one might
know... one might (1) not be demonstrating that knowledge AND so their faith in JaH and Christ, or, worse (2) be otherwise occupied (i.e., after being sent off to buy more oil) and so miss the opportunity and have the door shut on them.
While entire households may have been saved due to one family member's [initial] faith (i.e., Noah, Abraham, Rahab, Cornelius), those in everyone of those household who WERE saved
demonstrated THEIR OWN... faith by listening to and cooperating with what that initial faithful person told them THEY had been told to do. Hence, Noah's wife, sons, and daughters-in-law helped Noah, went along with him, when they, too, could have dismissed him. Isaac did not question Abraham, but voluntarily went along with the proposed course of being a human sacrifice. Because, as he said, he knew ABRAHAM wouldn't mislead him.
Rahab's family apparently listened to her because they not only helped her hide the Israelite spies (any one of them could have revealed where they were), but didn't deter her when she hung the cord from the window ("What you are DOING, Rahab?! A red cord hanging out the window? How is THAT supposed to help?").
And Cornelius' family and friends gathered WITH Cornelius and underwent water baptism after receiving holy spirit, both of which any of them COULD have said, "Yeah, no, I'm good!" and went away.
[
NOTE: I am not saying, in any way, size, shape, or form, that everyone needs to get water baptized, as you may already know - water baptism is/was for the descendants of Israel ONLY, Jew and Samaritan, due to the vow of adherence to the Law Covenant their ancestors took at Sinai. NON-Israelite descendants only need to be baptized by fire (holy spirit). This is because they were never
under the Law Covenant - their ancestors took no such vow - and so these don't need to "die" as to that code (for which Moses was "husband") so as to be set free and able to come under a new code (for which Christ is the "husband", the New (Law) Covenant. Those who adhere to Moses (and particularly, Israelites), who still claim a "union" with him... while claiming to belong to Christ and be in "union" with him... are committing spiritual "adultery." It does not
hurt to get water baptized if one is NOT an Israelite descendant, but it not
necessary and no one should try and compel any non-Israelite descendant to do so but not stand in their way if they want to. End of digression.]
I am also not intimating that anyone should listen to ME. You all know that I have stated the truth time and time... and time... again: I am not your/anyone's leader, but only everyone's servant. And I share as such is given me to do so. So, I am sharing with you all now: consider whether you truly ARE awake... or, in truth, are actually asleep and only dreaming that you are awake. And if the TRUTH is that you are asleep... or are falling asleep (because ALL of the virgins call asleep!)... consider (re)checking your oil supply. And consider helping those of your household check THEIR oil supplies.
Don't put JaH and Christ to the test by just assuming that because YOU (think you) are "covered", everyone you love is covered. True,
their love would NOT call for us to lose those WE love. But OUR love for JaH and Christ wouldn't... shouldn't... cause
us to put on THEM what we aren't willing to carry ourselves: helping those we LOVE come to know and be in union with them. Because they may not only prove detrimental to that loved one, but to
us and, by connection, OUR entire households.
It's not easy, no. But we're talking about being granted
eternal life. It SHOULDN'T be easy. Yet, it is nowhere near as difficult as just navigating THIS life, at least for most of us.
Just a reminder so that none of us mislead
ourselves, let alone any others.
May the undeserved kindness and mercy of my God and Father, JaH, Who Breathes, and the love and mercy of His dear Son, my dear, dear Lord, Master, Savior, Teacher, Instructor, Guide, Redeemer, Shepherd, Leader, and King, HIS Way, Truth, Life, Light, Lamp, Lamb, Wisdom, and Word, HIS King... be upon you all and upon your dear households, to time indefinite!
PRAISE JaH, you people! And kiss His Son!
Your servant, sister, and a slave of Christ,
Shel