Investing in Oil and Gold
Scripture References: The Parable of the 5 Virgins-Matt 25: 1-13
The Laodician Church-Rev. 3: 14-21
The oil in the lamps of the 5 virgins, ready for Christ's return, is the Holy Spirit of Truth, which He gives to us to "light the way." It enables us to see the Kingdom here, the Kingdom to come, and the King when He comes. The 5 virgins without oil had lived their lives by their own understanding and way, thereby unprepared for the King and His Kingdom. This Spirit He gives us has to do with our eyes, but also our heart. Do we love the truth?
The "gold" spoken of that God tells the Loadician church to buy before it's too late, is reality. It is "tried and true" and represents perspective from God's heart, which is the only perspective. It is "wisdom," and it can be obtained by asking Him, seeking His way, not our own. To put it another way, we can "buy" this wisdom without cost.
The people in the Laodician church lived their lives, their way, not His. Although it produced a feeling of being rich, it produced only the rewards of this earth, and the Lord called them, "wretched, poor, and blind." And aren't we just that without Him directing our lives, His way? With their self-satisfied lives here, they will be found naked at His appearing.
What are you buying? The riches (values) of this world, or the oil and gold from another? Where have you layed your treasure up? In yourself, and according to your understanding, or in His Kingdom, walking according to His Will? Will He know you when He comes back?
The Laodician Church-Rev. 3: 14-21
The oil in the lamps of the 5 virgins, ready for Christ's return, is the Holy Spirit of Truth, which He gives to us to "light the way." It enables us to see the Kingdom here, the Kingdom to come, and the King when He comes. The 5 virgins without oil had lived their lives by their own understanding and way, thereby unprepared for the King and His Kingdom. This Spirit He gives us has to do with our eyes, but also our heart. Do we love the truth?
The "gold" spoken of that God tells the Loadician church to buy before it's too late, is reality. It is "tried and true" and represents perspective from God's heart, which is the only perspective. It is "wisdom," and it can be obtained by asking Him, seeking His way, not our own. To put it another way, we can "buy" this wisdom without cost.
The people in the Laodician church lived their lives, their way, not His. Although it produced a feeling of being rich, it produced only the rewards of this earth, and the Lord called them, "wretched, poor, and blind." And aren't we just that without Him directing our lives, His way? With their self-satisfied lives here, they will be found naked at His appearing.
What are you buying? The riches (values) of this world, or the oil and gold from another? Where have you layed your treasure up? In yourself, and according to your understanding, or in His Kingdom, walking according to His Will? Will He know you when He comes back?
posted by Patti Blount @ 11:41 AM
4 Comments:
At 3/16/2009 10:38 PM ,
Bill L. said...
Another question we must ask ourselves is "what will our answer be when we stand before Him" - will we have only the ashes of that which was burnt in the fire or that which withstood the fire? I know I am not very proud of much of my effort that will be only ashes!
At 3/17/2009 8:57 AM ,
Patti Blount said...
It is really difficult for me to discern, since Christ is within me, what is of Him and what is of me. As I walk with Him daily, He helps me "see" the difference, little by little. My self-effort will be burned. His Will is established in the heavens, and will remain. Better let Him search us now, so that whatever can be shaken, will be shaken. He is preparing for Himself a Bride, and is in the process of cleansing us now. This post is just reminding us to submit to that process of letting His light shine in and through us, exposing our "wrikles, spots, and blemishes," so that we can take them to Him in confession, asking for His help. Perhaps, this is what keeping our lamps full of oil is partially about. And, when I stand before Him I will still have faith in and trust the Blood of Jesus, for that is the only thing that will truly save us! When I write something, I don't understand half of what I am writing, but feel led to do so anyway. Blessings, my brother.Please expound on your comment, also.
At 3/17/2009 9:39 PM ,
Bill L. said...
As I continue to grow in the knowledge and grace of the Lord He continues to point out that many of those things I thought were of durble material are really only wood, hay, stubbble. (1 Cor 3:11-15) Discerning the difference between that which is of myself and that which is of Him is a long and sometimes painful learning process but well worth the effort. Learning to discern His voice is difficult because all those other voices sound so enticing they seem to outshout the still small voice of the Lord until we really begin to listen. Spending time in His presence is the key to drowning out those other voices.
At 3/18/2009 6:02 AM ,
Patti Blount said...
Thank you for expounding. When you say," spending time in His presences," do you mean a set alone time where you go and "meet" with Him? I do this from time to time, but probably not enough for my own good. And the process you refer to as "painful" is it not Him showing us the ugliness, even evilness of our own flesh, and then taking it to Him, confessing our sin, and then asking Him to cleanse us, and then believing that He forgives and does, indeed, do the cleansing on a level we can't even see or know about? I am learning to not judge myself on externals, like what I think I see as far as a lack of progress, as I am His work, and I am trusting Him to do and complete it in me. When I say "complete it" I mean being conformed to the image of Jesus. Are we talking about the same thing? Do you have a regular time you spend time in His presence? I would, but I lack the discipline, and then if I would make myself do it, it would probably turn into a religious act. (the tendency of our flesh)
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