THE PARABLE OF THE TEN VIRGINS

[Albert Finch]

Matthew 25:1-13 - 25 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ 7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ 9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. 11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ 12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ 13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.'

Jesus compares the Church to virgins who "all got drowsy and began to sleep" (Matthew 25:5).

OUR VISION TAKES A BACK SEAT

Virgins sleeping at the end of the age: this seems incomprehensible with all the signs in the Heavens and wonders upon the earth, not to mention the increasing presence of Christ. Yet this phenomenon is something we each battle: the tendency to become spiritually drowsy and lose our focus as we wait for the Lord's return.

There is a subtle activity of the enemy that dulls our perception and seduces our zeal. Our vision takes a backseat to other less important aspects of life. From the beginning, the voice of satan has had this lulling effect on mankind. Eve's excuse for disobedience was, "The serpent hath caused me to forget" (Genesis 3:13 Young's Literal Translation).
This sense of spiritual forgetfulness, of drowsiness, is the cloud of blindness that we each must discern and overcome.

BREAKING PASSIVITY - SETTING PRIORITIES

Today, God is awakening us to the reality of His presence.
The promises the Lord gives us in the Scriptures must become more to us than dream-like realities only reserved for the hereafter.
Moses frequented the glory of God! Israel's seventy elders ate and drank in God's resplendent glory (see Exodus 24:9-11). Jesus unveiled God's glory on the Mount of Transfiguration! Paul says that we all can behold the glory of God and be transformed by it (see 2 Corinthians 3:18).
For this reason, the Scripture says, "Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you" (Ephesians 5:14). If we truly want Christ to "shine" upon us, we must arise from the distractions that entomb us in lethargy and spiritual darkness.
Right at this moment, the presence of the living God is near enough to hear the whisper of your heart. But if we want our dream of standing in the presence of God to come true, we must wake up.

AFFIRMATIONS:

I am complete in Him who is the head of all principality and power. For I am His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God has before ordained that I should walk therein (Colossians 2:10; Ephesians 2:10).

Out of His glorious riches He strengthens me with power through his Spirit in my inner man (Ephesians 3:16).

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14).

God has given me his Spirit, not the world’s spirit, so that I may realize and comprehend and appreciate the gifts of divine favor and blessings so freely and lavishly bestowed on us by God.(I Corinthians 2:12)

I work hard and am not lazy and serve the Lord with a heart full of devotion. (Romans 12:11)

ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Romans 13:11 - "Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed."

John 4:35 - "Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest."

"Urgency of spirit" is very real today. The culmination of the ages is about to burst forth as the glory of the Lord is revealed and covers the earth.
May our flesh not react to the "urgency" we feel, but may we position ourselves in Christ as we prepare our hearts—watching at His gates and waiting at His doors—so as God moves we hear and respond rightly.
In the parable in Matthew 25, all ten virgins had lamps. Lamps speak our calling in Christ, a free gift. Yet only five had bought oil. Oil speaks of the anointing to move in our CALLING -- that which comes from time spent with the Lord. There is cost involved, choices we make. May our lamps be full so when the door opens and the Lord comes in greater ways, we might be "ready" to enter into what God is doing.

The five wise and the five foolish are in us—the deciding vote is ours! Are we going to be wise, or foolish?

May we be prepared, poised and ready, with oil in our lamps.

ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY