The Dividend of Waiting! 2010/22 11-14-10

The Dividend of Waiting! 2010/22 11-14-10

How many times do we hear now, ‘It doesn’t take a rocket scientist.” We don’t really have to be brilliant to know that something is about to happen or really needs to happen in this world of rapid change and confusion. We know, or should know, as Christians that the events that we hear and read of in the world point to a radical change from the way we, in our lives, have known things to be. We have lived to see a nation born in a day. We have seen many wars, and rumors of wars on a scale unknown by any other generation. We have seen the fulfillment of major prophetic happenings, the beginning of the revival of the Roman Empire, and its completion is closer than most think. The violence of the mid-east has erupted into an event that has the eyes and attention of the whole world and is escalating every day.

The one world government is becoming very visible with the world trying to rush into a common currency. There are moves toward a one world church being pushed to the front. The stage is set for the anti-christ, who is almost surely alive and waiting for his door to opened, for a dramatic entrance on the world scene. There is still one thing that has to come about before we leave and is yet missing from this scenario, and is the most important event to us and to the world, even though the world doesn’t know it; it is REVIVAL! It must come, and it will come as the latter rain. We just happen to be in one of God’s Divine Delays.

I have been drawn to Matthew 24 recently, but I will not read it, but rather I want you to see and ponder its contents and what follows. It begins with Jesus prophesying the destruction of the temple, saying that not one stone will be left in place. He then speaks of the signs of the last days and the tribulation times that will occur. He speaks here of the deception of the arising of many false prophets in the last days and warns that we not to be taken in by their claims, and that in those times the love of many will wax cold, but, He then shares that those who endure to the end shall be saved, and here the word saved is beyond just accepting Jesus. It is that holding perseverance that will be needed, and that will bear the fruit of us going through without a scratch. Now look at the fruit of wading through all this “delay”; Matthew 24:14;

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come.”

He has spoken of many events, but to shorten a long story, take a quick look at some of what He is saying.

Verse 15 through 28 covers the ‘great tribulation, and 29 through 31 the coming of the Son of Man. I am going to read you verses 32-35 because they are most nearly in our time, even though many who listened that day witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem;

“Now learn this parable from the fig tree. When the branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.

So you also, when you see all these things, know that it(Note that the ‘it’ is really ‘He’) is near – at the doors!

Note: From all this, you have to know that the hour is late – He is coming soon!!!

Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”

I wasn’t going to read any further, but I feel that I need to go on as we have started, because this is the fertile ground of our soon coming King. Go to verses 36 through 44 and take note; it sounds like much of today happenings.

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.

But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,

And did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left.

Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and the other left.

Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.

But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.

Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

Read this entire chapter and see that Jesus was prophesying many things yet to happen. I think that verses 36 through 44 carry us through to where we are headed . [all paraphrased]Matt. 25…

The Parable of the 10 Virgins

Jesus shared the need for preparedness for His return for us in the rapture. He uses the number five, because it is the number of grace and both were recipients of His grace. There was however, as He said five foolish who took their lamps, but took no oil with them. If you recall the teaching, in the sermon on the mount; Matthew 5:14, He told them they were the light of the world.

But –

There were also five wise, who took oil in their vessels with their lamps, but while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. [‘delayed’ is the greek work perousia which means the arrival of and the presence of](revival is His manifest presence)

Lets add to this Acts 3:18-20, it fits here perfectly;

“So repent (change your mind and purpose); turn around and return (to God) that your sins may be erased (blotted out, wiped clean), that times of refreshing (of recovering from the effects of heat, of reviving with fresh air) may come from the presence of the Lord.

And that He may send [to you] the Christ (the Messiah), Who before was designated and appointed for you – even Jesus,

Whom heaven must receive [and retain] until the time for the complete restoration of all that God spoke by the mouth of all His holy prophets for ages past [from the most ancient time in the memory of man].

Now to verse 6 – Actual wording;

At midnight, a cry was heard: “Behold, the bridegroom is coming, go out to meet him!”

They have been six hours in darkness, and they are now six hours from daylight arriving. Lets stop here and look at several other verses that easily attach themselves at this place. Matthew 24:31 and I Thess 4:16-17

“And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

“For the Lord Himself will descend for heaven with a shout of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”

The next is the passage that speaks of “Behold”[vs 6], and the time was midnight – Romans 13:11-14;

“And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is than when we first believed.

The night is far spent, and the day is at hand. Therefore, let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. [it was midnight]

Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

Now we can get to the verse that the Holy Spirit had in place from the beginning, and it is for such a time as this, and it is vs.7;

“Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.” [they trimmed their wicks]

The word ‘trimmed’ is from the greek word kosmeo, and it is where we get the word cosmetic from. Its base meaning is to beautify, decorate, furnish, embellish and adorn, or in other words, put on the robes of righteousness, and display the garments of praise. This is only in part, but we need to see what causes this to all to come to pass. When the wicks were trimmed in days of old, the light was brighter and the globe on the lamp would stay clear and not be smoky. The wick is not just an item, it is also a process. The wick in the lamp was the vessel that transported the oil to the burning point. It supported the flame, and without it there was nothing to light. It needed the oil, but the oil needed the wick. We are the light of the world, but we need to continually keep our wicks trimmed so that the globe stays clean and the light is steady and sure and bright and clear.

You may think that I am going to deviate from the path now, but stick with me, because this is where we find the dividend of the delay of the bridegroom in coming.

Turn to Lamentations 3:22-23, where it declares that the Lord has mercies that are new every morning, compassion that fails not, loving-kindness that is everlasting and faithfulness that is great beyond measure. We also know that He is love and that love is unconditional, and His much of His character is revealed in the fruit of the Spirit. Here is the kicker – Turn to Col. 2:6-11, and this is a long reading, but let it soak into the deepest ravines of your being; [He is also the resurrection power in us and eternal energy Eph 1:19]

“As you have therefore received Christ, [even] Jesus the Lord, [so] walk (regulate your lives and conduct yourselves) in union with and conformity to Him.

Have the roots [of your being] firmly and deeply planted [in Him, fixed and founded in Him], being continually built up in Him, becoming increasingly more confirmed and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and abounding and overflowing in it with thanksgiving.

See to it that no one carries you off as spoil or makes you yourselves captive by his so called philosophy and intellectualism and vain deceit (idle fancies and plain nonsense), following human tradition (men’s ideas of the material rather than the spiritual world), just crude notions following the rudimentary and elemental teachings or the universe and disregarding [the teachings of] Christ (the Messiah).

For in Him the whole fullness of Deity (the Godhead) continues to dwell in bodily form [giving complete expression of the divine nature].

And you are in Him, made full and having come to fullness of life [in Christ you too are filled with the Godhead – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – and reach full spiritual stature]. And He is the Head of all rule and authority [of every angelic principality and power].

In Him also you were circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, but in a [spiritual] circumcision [performed by] Christ by stripping off the body of the flesh (the whole corrupt, carnal nature with its passions and lusts).

Study what you have just heard until you it has become so much a part of you, and you will know that He is rooted and grounded in you for you and it is you that wick trimmed presents His Presence to the world around you. That is the wick trimmed life.

Now, lets take another step further, and just know that everywhere we go with this, we have been empowered to walk, and without what we already have, we could not achieve it. Gal. 5:16, 22-25;

“But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the Holy Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God). [remember you have His fullness](walk is always forward progress)

verse 22-25

But the fruit of the Holy Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge]. [no spot or blemish, perfected in Him]

And those who belong to Christ Jesus (the Messiah) have crucified the flesh (the godless human nature) with its passions and appetites and desires.

If we live by the Holy Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. If by the Holy Spirit we have our life in God, let us go forwardwalking in line, our conduct controlled by the Spirit.]

Are you beginning to see where the trimmed wick is taking the virgins (us)? It is the walk of our Lord that we are being conformed to. We love the hope of His coming, hold this thought just a moment while we take one more look into the life of the virgins [paraphrasing again at vs’s 8 thru 13];

The foolish also got up and went out, but they found they could not light their lamps or they were so low they would not stay lit. They went to the wise ones to buy, but were told to go to those who sell and buy for yourselves (we can’t go on someone else’s glory) [You can’t borrow someone else’s growth]

So they went to but, but the bridegroom came, and those who were ready [whose lamps were full and wicks trimmed] went in with Him to the wedding and the door was shut, and afterwards the other virgins came and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us’ and He answered, ‘Assuredly I do not know you’. (never had and intimate relationship with you)

Watch therefore, for you do not know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

Note: “Watch” here does not mean to just sit around and passively expect the best. Be on guard to keep your preparedness up to His standards. Grace will be there for you at every need.

Wow!! What a trip this is, turn to Revelation 19:5 -9;

“Then from the throne, there came a voice, saying, Praise our God, all you servants of His, you who reverence Him, both small and great!

After that I heard what sounded like the shout of a vast throng, like the boom of many pounding waves, and like the roar of terrific and mighty peals of thunder, exclaiming, Hallelujuh (praise the Lord)! For now the Lord our God the Omnipotent (the All-Ruler) reigns!

Let us rejoice and shout for joy [exulting and triumphant]! Let us celebrate and ascribe to Him glory and honor, for the marriage of the Lamb [at last] has come, and His bride has prepared herself. [her wicks were trimmed and she had more than enough oil (Holy Spirit).]

She has been permitted to dress in fine (radiant) linen, dazzling and white – for the linen is (signifies, represents) the righteousness (the upright, just, and godly living, deeds, and conduct, and right standing with God) of the saints (God’s holy people).

Then [the angel] said to me, Write this down; Blessed (happy, to be envied) are those who are summoned (invited, called) to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me [further], These are the true words (the genuine and exact declarations) of God.”

Again, Wow and double Wow!!! I am going to read you just several more verses, because, as we just read, these are all God breathed words and are true and exact. 1 John 3:1 through 3;

“See what [an incredible] quality of love the Father has given (shown, bestowed on) us, that we should [be permitted to] be named and called and counted the children of God! And so we are! The reason that the world does not know (recognize, acknowledge) us is that it does not know (recognize, acknowledge) Him.

Beloved, we are [even here and ] now God’s children, it is not yet disclosed (made clear) what we shall be [hereafter], but we know that when He comes and is manifested, we shall [as God’s children], resemble and be like Him, for we shall see Him just as He [really] is.

And everyone who has this hope [resting] on Him cleanses (purifies) himself just as He is pure (chaste, undefiled, guiltless).”

This is all for today and I was not really sure that I would do this, for it was not done until yesterday, so we all need to soak in the words of this time together for days, weeks and years [or until He comes for us]

Father, thank you for loving us so much!!

Class! We are Abundantly Blessed in Him!

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