Timely Insights into God's Word from Khandielese Reyes

“Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.  And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.  They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.  While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.  And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.  Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.  And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil: for our lamps are gone out.  But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were READY went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.  Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.  But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.  Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”  (Matt 25:1-13)

“Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.  Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.  WATCH THEREFORE: FOR YE KNOW NOT WHAT HOUR YOUR LORD DOTH COME.  But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would have not have suffered his house to be broken up.  Therefore BE YE ALSO READY:FOR IN SUCH AN HOUR AS YE THINK NOT THE SON OF MAN COMETH.”   (Matt 24:40-44)

If the question were asked to every professing believer this moment “are you ready for the coming of the Lord?”, I believe the majority would raise their voice in proclamation, declaring “YES, absolutely, I’m ready!”  But…….Are you REALLY?   Are you INDEED READY?  The word tells us to WATCH,,  have you been keeping watch?  If your heart is towards this world and the things thereof, NO you are not ready!  If Jesus is not truly LORD of YOUR LIFE and other things have taken priority over Him, NO you are not ready!  If your heart has sought after false Gods and doctrine, where you’ve turned away from your first Love and that which you’ve been taught from the beginning concerning Christ you no longer believe, NO you are not ready!  If your idea of an intimate relationship with the Lord is that of spending a maximum of several hours a week in prayer, praise, worship and the reading of His Word, NO you are not ready!   If you’ve turned a deaf ear to the warnings and prophecies given by our Lord and say in your heart there’s plenty of time to prepare, NO you are not ready!  If you are one who’s consumed by fear over the events that are troubling the world today, so much so that you’ve lost hope in the Lords very own words “Be of Good Cheer, I have overcome the world”, NO you are not ready!  If you secretly hope in your heart he would delay His coming not for the sake of the Lost, but that you may have more time to fulfill all your dreams and goals in this life, NO you are NOT READY!

Most Christians believe that when the Lord returns for the church, the ones who’d be left behind, would be only the individuals who had not accepted him and his free gift of Salvation and Eternal life.  Those who did not believe in God the Father nor in the Son of God, Jesus Christ our Lord.  Those who lived a life of sin and sought no need for repentance, and believed had no need of a savior.   According to many, such would be the ones “left behind” to face the great tribulation that shall come upon the whole world when the Lord raptures his church.  Well, this is only part true.  ALL who reject the Lord Jesus will be left behind to face this horrific 7-year tribulation period, but not all who’ll be left behind will be “unbelievers”.  There will be MANY that are professing believers who will be “left behind” also.  Who do you suppose will share the message of salvation to those who will be obviously confused and terrified over the sudden disappearance of millions of people simultaneously?  Who do you suppose would give explanation of their disappearance?  Will it be an unbeliever?  Or will it be a believer who was not prepared, when the Lord called His Church.  Who KNEW and HEARD the truth but rejected it in their hearts. You may ask how is this possible that a “believer” would be left behind when the Lord promises salvation to ALL that believe and receive Him?  The word of God clearly states: “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Well, It is so because our salvation is not what’s being questioned if unfortunately any of us are “left behind”, what’s questioned would be our lack of preparation and expectation of his coming which caught us unaware.  The word IS true that ALL who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved, ALL who confess him and believe in the heart shall be saved, however salvation doesn’t end here and a “believer” is not one by mere speech, but one who BELIEVES in the HEART and act upon what he/she believes through confession!  There are many that speak the words, yet do NOT believe.  Once we accept Jesus as our LORD and SAVIOR and confess with our mouths such, He then should become just that, LORD of our lives, and Christianity then becomes a WAY OF LIFE, not a title or label, but the way WE live.   However, some believe that accepting him is enough. We could then continue living our lives in the manner that seeks after the flesh and not the Spirit. We can continue to be disobedient and rebellious children with the notion that somehow when “The Church” is removed, we will all participate in this great event despite whether or not we were desirous or prepared for his coming!  If there were no need of preparation, why then would the Lord stress that we WATCH and BE READY!   This He stressed in all 4 of the Gospels.   If it were as simple as just accepting His gift of salvation; and yet continue to live our lives the way WE choose (as some believe);  to eat, drink and be merry with no thought or concern of his coming; and then ONE day we ALL will be snatched away to be with the Lord and ESCAPE the great tribulation, then there would be NO reason to prepare and the Lord’s warnings wouldn’t have mattered at all.  We could simply go about our lives doing what we desire with the “false” understanding that because we accepted the Lord and His gift of Salvation, when the time did come we would escape the devastation that will indeed come upon the whole world?  Come on….We can’t be that spiritually blind!  The truth of the matter is there WILL indeed be “unprepared believers” who will be left behind to face the “great tribulation” period. They WILL have salvation and eternal life if they endure to the end, however will not escape this 7-year period.  During this time, the gospel will continue to be preached (with great persecution), until ALL the nations have heard and then the end will come.  Christians during this period will suffer greatly for the word.   Some will be slain, imprisoned, and some will give in and accept the mark of the beast.  It will be a most difficult and horrific time for believers and unbelievers alike. Keep in mind that the “rapturing of the Church” and the “End” are two separate events.  The rapture of the Church could happen at ANY time, and the end will happen after the gospel has been preached to ALL the world.  Then the Lord will return and EVERY eye shall see him as the word declares: “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and ALL kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.  Even so, Amen.” (Rev 1:7)

Now, with this in mind, let’s go back to the beginning of this message to the parable of the ten virgins with the understanding that this parable represents Christ and His bride and the oil or LACK of oil represents preparation or the LACK OF.  In this parable ALL were aware the bridegroom was on His way because they went forth to meet him.  Five made preparation for His coming and brought oil with them to light their lamps.  The other five only brought their lamps, apparently thinking it unnecessary to bring the oil as yet.   Perhaps they thought they’d have plenty of time to fill their lamps with oil, so they would wait and when they knew for certain the bridegroom was near, they would then get the oil needed to light their lamps.  The bridegroom tarries a bit, so the ten virgins rest for a while, but five STILL had their oil and were prepared.  Suddenly, at a time LEAST EXPECTED, there’s a cry in the night that the bridegroom is coming.  The ones prepared are ready to go.  Their lights are lit and they are able to see clearly the path towards their bridegroom.  Scrambling to light their lamps, the unprepared realized they lacked the oil needed, thus they begged the prepared ones for assistance.  But, there was NO time, and the prepared only had enough to keep their lamps burning.  They suggest to the others to go and purchase oil for themselves.  But while they raced in fury for the nearest marketplace that would have oil for their lamps, The Bridegroom came and ONLY THOSE WHO WERE READY WENT IN WITH HIM TO THE MARRIAGE; AND THE DOOR WAS SHUT!   The unprepared realizing they’d been “LEFT BEHIND” call out to the bridegroom to open the door for them. NOW they are ready, NOW they have their oil and their lamps burning, NOW they would believe that although He did not give them a specific time or day of his arrival, HE DID PROMISE HE WOULD COME, and HE KEPT HIS WORD! But, hard as they may knock and as much as they would plead, the bridegroom would not open the door and sadly told them: “I KNOW YOU NOT”  They were unable to participate in the wedding feast.  Sadly, THEY WERE LEFT BEHIND!  If only they’d been wise as the others were and made preparation for the arrival of their beloved.

When the Lord calls for HIS BRIDE, will you be one of the wise or the foolish?  One of the prepared, or unprepared?  PLEASE……If you receive NOTHING ELSE that has been written here, RECEIVE THIS…..Behold, HE IS COMING……”DON’T BE LEFT BEHIND”……PLEASE!!!!  The two in the field and the two grinding at the mill, where one was taken and the other left, was NOT a believer and an unbeliever.  BOTH were believers, but ONLY ONE WAS PREPARED AND READY TO GO!!!!!

“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and HIS WIFE HATH MADE HERSELF READY”  (Rev 19:7)

I love you all so very much. Have a blessed week in the Lord and remember: Whatever we do, do ALL for the GLORY of GOD, who ALONE is worthy of the GLORY and the PRAISE!

May the peace of the Lord be with you today and always…….

Khandielese
Daughter & Servant
   of the Lord God