Are You Prepared?
In Matthew 25, Jesus talks about ten virgins. Five were wise and five were foolish. They were all carrying oil lamps as they went out to meet the Bridegroom, but they all fell asleep. The five wise virgins had extra containers of oil in case they needed to refuel, but the five foolish virgins didn't. Subsequently, the oil in the lamps burned out while they were all sleeping.
When news of the Brdegroom's coming was announced, the five wise virigins arose, refilled their lamps with the reserve oil they had and trimmed their wicks to re-light their lamps. The five foolish virgins were unprepared, so they asked the wise virgins to give them some of their oil. The five wise virgins refused their request saying, "If we do, we won't have enough for us and you." They suggested that the five wise virgins go and buy oil for their lamps. The five foolish virgins did so, but while they were gone the Bridegroom came. The five wise virgins went inside the feast and the Bridegroom shut the door. After a while the five foolish virgins returned and knocked at the door saying, "Lord let us in." The Lord responded, "Depart from me, I never knew you."
This parable of Jesus is about being prepared. As Christians we must prepare ourselves for the coming of the Lord. Jesus is soon to return and we must be ready. The time to prepare is now because when Christ returns, it will be too late. Now is the time to get saved, Spirit-filled and live a holy life that glorifies God.
Money is not the answer. The five foolish virgins had money and when it was suggesgted to them to go and buy oil, they went. Not once did they say, "We don't have any money." Nor did they say, "We can't afford the cost of the oil." The reason is because they had the money to buy the oil, but didn't buy enough in advance. They knew the Bridegroom was coming. This is why they went out to wait for His coming.
The prosperity preachers have been misleading God's people. They have been distracting the people of God by telling them "money cometh", instead of "The Bridegroom cometh." The Church has been chasing after money and have been greatly deceived. These prophe-liars have been telling the people that God wants them to have lots of money to be able to buy and do things. Some also say that having lots of money is how others will know that they are blessed. This is a distortion of the Word and it comes directly from Satan, who is using it to distract God's peolple from what matters most, their soul salvation.
The five foolsih virgins had money, yet they did not enter. Money will not get you in the kingdom of God. Only through living a righteous life of holiness and purity, after having been washed in the Blood of Jesus can a man be born-again. The five foolish virgins missed the Brdegroom because although they had worldly possessions, they were unprepared to meet the Bridegroom.
Having large sums of money does make you prepared, just as not having money will make you unprepared. The psalmist asked the questions, "What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the Blood of Jesus." The question I want to leave with you now is very simple. Are you prepared? Are you prepared for the coming of the Lord Jesus, who is soon to return? Many people ask futuristically, "Will you be ready?", but that's not the correct question because it gives the elusion that there is still plenty of timeleft to get ready. No one knows how much time is left,. Matthew 24:36 states, "No man knoweth the minute nor the hour that the Son of man will return." We must be ready now. At any moment, Jesus could return, so the real question is, are you ready?
