xjwsforChrist

To the Household of God, Israel, and all who go with, peace to you!

I know you remember that all 10 virgins eventually fall asleep. Do you also remember that only 5 of them manage to garner enough oil so that their lamps (which they need in order to be able to see the Bridegroom's arrival... before everyone else does!) are full when the he returns? The other 5 won't have enough when that time comes and so, sadly, will have to go/return to those who "sell" it to try and buy more. This is because the other 5 need ALL the oil THEY have to ensure their OWN lamps don't go out... and so CAN'T share. They need to be able to SEE him when he's arriving.

Who is it the other 5 go to, though? They go (back) to religion, dear ones. To those who "sell", hoping to "buy" more "oil" because the lamps NEED to be FULL so that they don't BURN OUT while they're on their way to meet their Bridegroom. They can't be allowed to burn out because they need to be able to SEE their way to him AND his to them.

While they're "buying," though, he arrives, takes the 5 whose lamps were full with him, and locks the door behind them. When the other 5 return, they find themselves locked out! All because they didn't "buy" sufficient "oil". Which they SHOULD have bought from HIM... BEFORE they fell asleep!

All 10 virgins fall asleep, yes. If, though, when they wake up, they are still UNABLE TO SEE... what's the difference? They might as well stay asleep because they can't "see" anyway, right? They are STILL BLIND, even when they wake up, because they don't have enough oil.

NOW is not a time to sleep. NOW... is the time to FILL one's "lamp."

The "lamp" is the eye, dear ones. Matthew 6:22; Luke 11:34

And the "oil"... is "eyesalve" - holy spirit - which only HE "sells"... and for free! That is the ONLY way one will see his arrival... BEFORE every (other) eye sees him.

Revelation 3:17, 18

May those with ears hear and get the sense of what the Bridegroom himself said... as to these things AND whe he and his Bride say:

“Come!” And let the one who hears... SAY, “Come!”

And again...

"Let the one wishing and thirsting come... and take LIFE'S water... FREE!"

Revelation 22:17

May the undeserved kindness and mercy of the Father and MOST Holy, JAH... Who Breathes... and the love and peace of his Son and Holy (Spirit), JAHESHUA, the Holy One of Israel, be upon you all and upon your dear households.

Your servant, as I am servant to ALL those of Israel, the Household of God, and those who go with, and a slave of Christ,

SA

Peace to you!!



Yes! Religion is the one 'selling'. Who else would the unwise virgins turn to to buy what the wise virgins know they cannot spare?



(There are also individuals who claim to have nothing to do religion, but who teach the same things as religion, and they write books to 'help' others have 'faith', and then they sell those books to people who are looking to them. Regardless, it is not enough to just come out of religion. One must stop touching the unclean thing AND one must COME to Christ.)


So we have a Teacher who is warning us now, telling us what we should be doing now. All the virgins should be buying from Christ... NOW... and filling up the oil (holy spirit) in their lamps NOW. While we yet have time to come to Christ, and to buy from Him (for FREE!). Never assuming that we have bought 'enough', because we want to be overflowing, do we not?



Ahh, I had been wondering lately about what our Lord meant in this verse. I was picturing a light that shone outward, but not inward. Like a flashlight. But a lamp shines in all directions!

So if we can see (because we have purchased eye-salve from Jaheshua), then our whole body is filled with light. If we cannot see, then our body is filled with darkness, and we are ourselves in darkness.


Peace to you, Shelby, and to you all, and to your households,
your servant and sister, and a fellow slave of Christ,
tammy

YES!! dear Tams - that's exactly it, so thank you truly for expanding on that!

Peace to you and to your household, dear, dear sister!

YSSFS of Christ,

Shel

Great post Shelby, thank you. The above makes clear that each of us has to individually "fill our own lamp", we can encourage one another but we have to go and buy our OWN oil (holy spirit).

I like the links between the lamp > the eye > keep your eye simple > whole body will be light > keep our gaze on the copper serpent > ability to SEE our Lord when He arrives..... about which Jaheshua has reminded me

Peace to all

Your servant, sister & fellow slave of Christ

Loz x

_________________
"This is my son. LISTEN to Him!"

Yes, dear Loz (peace to you, dear, dear sister!). It's tantamount to the WTBTS mantra to "make the Truth your own." Only, they meant their organization, not our dear Lord, who WE know is the ONLY Truth. But our dear Lord's words at Matthew 23:3 REALLY apply here, don't they?

"Therefore, all the things they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds, for they say but they do not practice what they say."

Dear ones (and peace to you, all!), they prepared us for this, when we were under their charge, to share about the Kingdom "boldly." And we did, even going to the doors of total strangers. But we did it, at times begrudgingly perhaps, but even so we did... and under their direction, according to their rules, buying... and selling.. their "oil"... and pushing their false teachings. All subject to their "discipline."

If we truly belong to Christ, though, we have been set FREE. Should we not now be "buying" from... and "selling" for... him? Oil, both olive AND (spike)nard, was VERY valuable in the ancient world and so very expensive. And was used to anoint. Exodus 25:6, 30-33; 27:20; 29:7; 30:25; 31:11; 35:14; Psalm 23:5; 89:20; 132:17; Ecclesiastes 9:8; Mark 14:3; John 12:3-6

WE are given "oil"... FREE. We "buy" AT NOT COST... except the caveat to "sell" it... and for free, as well Luke 4:18, 19; 19:12-26

Those virgins who have enough oil have it because they sold some in order to multiply the Master's "belongings" and so was given more. They "sold" by using their gifts... NOT so as to be "special" or garner favor for themselves, but to build up Christ's temple/Body. The more they "sell" (for free, yes), the more they receive... for free. Acts 20:35

How do we "sell"? There are many gifts, yes. But which is MOST important? Paul wrote that prophesying is. And perhaps he was right. For what did John write?

"And the Spirit and the Bride keep on saying, “Come!” and let anyone hearing SAY, “Come!” Revelation 22:17

I hope and pray that we ALL take whatever opportunities we have, then, while we are still alive in the flesh, to get the sense of this and not just hear... but DO... what those who "hear" are TO do. Matthew 21:28-31; James 1:22-25; 2:18

Peace to you all, and to your dear households!

Your servant, sister, and a slave of Christ,

Shel