FEBRUARY 7 "THE PARADOX OF DELAYING"

   As with everything about God, there is a Paradox.  Jesus' delay in his coming will add many to the Kingdom and also true, is Jesus' delay in coming will take many out. These virgins have enough oil for a quick appearance, but definitely don't have enough should the bridegroom delay.  We can call them "flash in the pan" Christians.  We see them come with much excitement and enthusiasm for the Lord, but their Oil, their light quickly begins to dim and go out, after a few months. Unfortunately, it's not just the "flash in the pan" Christians that I have seen this happen too. Christians that have been around for 20 + years are now beginning to loose their oil. Had Jesus come back when they thought, the '70's or 80's, they'd be in Heaven with Jesus today, however the Bridegroom has delayed in his coming. The longer you serve God, the more brothers and sisters we see falling by the wayside. Is it not our duty to keep the "fire alive".  We know that Jehovah originally lit the fire in the Temple, but he commanded the Priests not to let the fire go out.  Our duty is to attend to the business of our souls, to take great care of the fire, the oil, or lack of it, within us. We can and do grow careless in waiting for Christ's return.  In the parable, the Wise and the Foolish both slept. First they slumbered, then they slept.  It is always easy to see a Saint that is wavering off, losing zeal and interest, however, never to any admission on their part. Those that allow themselves to slumber, to become spiritually lackadaisical will rarely, not continue in that downward spiral. Slumber, does lead to sleep, stay awake! "Stay Awake" is the warning in verse 13. So we can conclude that even those that are considered wise should not have fallen asleep. "A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep— So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler"  The same thought is being used in Proverbs, that one course of action or inaction, is clearly leading to another. They are all intertwined. And so while neither of us our "mind readers" and neither of us "knows the heart of another" we do know that slumbering, leads to sleep, that "relaxing" spiritually is a progressive motion, progressive towards are spiritual demise. We ought to dread the beginning of spiritual decay in our lives. The wise virgins would not share their oil because we cannot give somewhere the fire of God, the Spirit of God, that is in us.  We can comfort, we can encourage, we can fellowship, but they must purchase the oil themselves. Those that have more oil than others is not because they were just more privileged or favored by God, it's because they purchased it.  While others slept, they prayed. While others indulged in carnality they kept themselves in The Word. While others were lackadaisical about the assembling of the Saints, they were diligent to be there...for Faith comes by hearing; and by hearing the Word of God. The time will come when fading brethren will ask for "our oil" and we will have to tell them what we've been telling them for years, " I can fellowship with you, I can help you, I can be a shoulder for you to cry on, but you must establish your own relationship with God, that I cannot give you! They want what we have, but they don't understand that what we have has come from years of investment and we cannot give it to them, as much as we would like.

As the scripture says, "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling"......."for the first shall be last and the last shall be first"....how much of a reservoir of oil do you have, go purchase some now, today and through out this year because the bridegroom may not come as soon as you had wished or hoped. For some that is good news, for others it will be bad! The delaying of the bridegroom will be what added many to the Kingdom, but it will also be, what took many out, be ready!