Category: Christian blogs

1. PARABLE OF TEN VIRGINS was told a day before Jesus was betrayed to be crucified.  “… when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the SON OF MAN IS BETRAYED to be crucified” [Matthew 26:1-2] In the PARABLE, Jesus spoke of events leading to His appearance to receive His BRIDE. To emphasize importance of the message, the Lord added two PARABLES in the same vein. PARABLE OF TALENTS came right, where he positioned Himself as a man travelling to a far country, who committed his goods to his servants, “And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS SEVERAL ABILITY; and straightway took his journey” [Matthew 25:15] PARABLE OF SEPARATION OF SHEEP AND GOATS went further; Jesus spoke of the end, when He shall sit to JUDGE the nations, “… then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats” [Matthew 25:31-32] PARABLE OF TEN VIRGINS speak to the present Church more than any other; we cannot deny urgency of the message, “He that hath an ear, let him HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT SAITH UNTO THE CHURCHES” [Revelation 3:22]

2.  The central characters in the PARABLE are the TEN VIRGINS, “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto TEN VIRGINS, which TOOK THEIR LAMPS, and went forth TO MEET THE BRIDEGROOM” [Matthew 25:1] The TEN VIRGINS, represent the Church, the congregation of SAINTS born and cleansed by the WORD from corruption that is in the world, “Being BORN AGAIN, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the WORD OF GOD, which liveth and abideth for ever” [1 Peter 1:23] They took their LAMPS, symbolizing their profession of FAITH to meet the BRIDEGROOM, which here is the Lord Jesus Christ. Here is the twist in the story, as they went forth to meet the BRIDEGROOM with LAMPS burning, we are told five were WISE and five, 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” [Matthew 25:3-4] LAMPS illustrate FAITH, OIL is LOVE of God that keeps our LAMPS aflame. All TEN VIRGINS started out with their LAMPS burning but five we were told were FOOLISH and took no OIL with them. Without OIL, which is LOVE of God, FAITH has no durable insurance against vagaries of this world. The best of men may falter and go to sleep, LOVE never sleeps or stumble. Remember the pulsating LOVE of Christ we had at the beginning, the Lord will have nothing short of that, “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because THOU HAST LEFT THY FIRST LOVE” [Revelation 2:4]

3. Perhaps the part of the PARABLE that affects us most is Verse 5, where the Lord made clear the CHURCH SLEPT, “While the BRIDEGROOM TARRIED, they ALL SLUMBERED and SLEPT” [Matthew 25:5] By laying emphasis on the BRIDEGROOM’S delay, the Lord shifted the story far ahead to a time when “ALL SLUMBERED AND SLEPT”. For His immediate audience, it meant His Coming would be fulfilled after they were long gone. For us, it speaks of a time of foreboding darkness, the type that lulled both WISE and FOOLISH VIRGINS to SLEEP. That season is here, as it is written: “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, IF IT WERE POSSIBLE, they shall DECEIVE THE VERY ELECT” [Matthew 24:24] Contrary to popular opinion, SLEEP is not inertia, it is a paradigm shift; transformation from one level of reality to another. For example, we run, eat, buy stuffs, get rich and even SLEEP in our dreams! When Jesus said, “ALL SLUMBERED AND SLEPT”, He referred to this SLEEPY LUKEWARM CHURCH. We claim to be AWAKE and burning for the Lord, where is the OIL? We have the riches of this world but our LAMPS are fast going out when we need them most, “Because thou sayest, IAM RICH, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art WRETCHED, and MISERABLE, and POOR, and BLIND, and NAKED” [Revelation 3:17]
4. The MIDNIGHT CRY roused the VIRGINS from SLEEP, “And at MIDNIGHT HOUR there was a CRY made, Behold, the BRIDEGROOM COMETH; go ye out to meet him” [Matthew 25:6] The Lord obviously kept some aside and awake, as He did in the days of Elijah, 1 Kings 19:118 to sound the alarm. The MIDNIGHT CRY is the final call to the Church to TRIM THE LAMPS, “Then all those VIRGINS AROSE, and TRIMMED THEIR LAMPS” [Matthew 25:7] As aforesaid, LAMPS represents our FAITH, “TRIMMING THE LAMPS” means pruning dead weights and whatsoever does not answer to FAITH in our lives [Hebrews 12:1-2] This the TEN VIRGINS did yet FOOLISH could not set their LAMPS on fire because they had no OIL. They did not take OIL with them, not because they forgot; it was something worse, they trusted in their ACCESS to who “SELL OIL”. When a VIRGIN so much as give ear to another, she is defiled, “For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a JEALOUS GOD” [Deuteronomy 4:24] Strange doctrines, traditions, customs and crass materialism peddled through the ages have raised an army of FOOLISH VIRGINS, who know where to “BUY” what they cannot have from God. This is the MIDNIGHT CRY, let us all return to Christ, our FIRST LOVE. He is at the door, it is too late in the day to go out to “BUY”, “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” [Matthew 25:10]

1. PROPHETS are the mouthpiece of God, by them He guides His people and preserves them. And what better example than Israel, “And by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved” [Hoseas 12:13] God spoke through His Prophets in every age, till in due season, the FATHER of all was revealed in the SON, as it is written: “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days SPOKEN UNTO US BY HIS SON, … Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, …” [Hebrews 1:1-3] Everything the Prophets said, the WORD of God, was at the appointed time made flesh in Jesus Christ [John 1:1 & 14] He is the FATHER and SPIRIT of the Prophets, and we in Him are SONS OF THE PROPHETS; who TESTIFY of FAIH His name, “… I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the TESTIMONY OF JESUS IS THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY” [Revelation 19:10] We are SONS OF THE PROPHETS in a long line of SONS and have much to learn from those who went before, “… Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off” [1 Kings 20:11]

2. We are SONS OF THE PROPHETS, not of the WILL of men but of the living WORD, “Being BORN AGAIN, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” [1 Peter 1:23] We are the militant Church, born AXE in hand, to advance the Kingdom of God on every front, “… SONS OF THE PROPHETS said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us. … But as one was felling a beam, the AXE HEAD FELL into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for IT WAS BORROWED” [2 Kings 6:1-5] The intention was right but the AXE HEAD was borrowed, did not fit and fell in the heat of battle. Our AXE HEAD is the PROPHETIC WORD of TRUTH, borrowed AXE HEAD is a mishmash of predictions, soothsaying and news headlines grafted to Scriptures to supposedly validate Bible PROPHECY, “YE SHALL NOT ADD unto the word which I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you” [Deuteronomy 4:2] When we make copious quotation from the Koran, for example, to purportedly give credence to Scripture, we are forcing borrowed AXE HEAD on handle of FAITH, it won’t hold. With borrowed AXE HEAD, we are as news pundits, running both sides of the divide; making uncertain sound, “For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” [1 Corinthians 14:8]

3. We are the ISRAEL of God, SONS OF THE PROPHETS, for who the LIVING BREAD came from heaven to nourish and establish us into everlasting LIFE. Hitherto, there was MANNA which sustained the Church in the wilderness, “Your fathers did EAT MANNA in the wilderness, AND ARE DEAD. … I am the LIVING BREAD WHICH CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: …” [John 6:49-51] MANNA illustrates material sustenance, has no eternal relevance and a warning against covetousness [2 Corinthians 8:15] Every time we mishandle the WORD of God to placate the flesh with  platitudes of false prosperity, we grieve the Spirit in us, “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” [Romans 14:17] As SONS, we are under strict obligation to separate the TRUE VINE from WILD VINES; the former is LIFE, the other is DEATH, “And Elisha came again to Gilgal: … and the SONS OF THE PROPHETS were sitting before him: … one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a WILD VINE, … shred them into the pot  … as they were eating of the pottage, that they cried out, and said, O thou man of God, there is DEATH IN THE POT …” [2 Kings 4:38-40] WILD VINE is synonymous with STRANGE DOCTRINES, a form of godliness that thrives in disobedience to present truth, the fruits are worse than devils, “Wherefore BY THEIR FRUITS ye shall KNOW THEM” [Matthew 7:20]

4. We are SONS OF THE PROPHETS, custodian of prophetic TRUTH; of things that are past, present and yet to come. We are not in the dark pertaining the imminent translation of the BRIDE and so were they before us, “And the SONS OF THE PROPHETS that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace” [2 Kings 2:5] KNOWLEDGE is good, WISDOM is far better; knowledge is passive, wisdom is knowledge in action. Elisha went all the way with Elijah, crossing treacherous mountains and flooded rivers, “… And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I WILL NOT LEAVE THEE. And they two went on.  And fifty men of the SONS OF THE PROPHETS went, and STOOD TO VIEW AFAR OFF: and they two stood by Jordan” [2 Kings 2:5-6] Elisha was not following a man, his innermost desire was not for fame or title; he was after what only God could give, “… And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so” [2 Kings 2:9-10] Beloved, the purest evidence of our readiness for translation are our innermost thoughts and hidden desires of the heart, not the hours spent on Church programs, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” [Luke 12:34] God help us all, amen

ELECTION OF GOD; one candidate, presented to us in one man, Jesus Christ

The MARK has roots in Genesis and is fulfilled in Revelation, “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; …” Revelation 13:18

Dawn of THE DAY OF THE breaks with the rising of the SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS … Malachi 4:2
https://youtu.be/xssIhOSZ4F8?si=dg9Ef_0Ug5j_cLDe

1. THE ROAD TO EMMAUS pricks our conscience ever the more as prophecy is daily fulfilled in readiness for the appearance of Jesus Christ. We are as Cleopas and his mate, well versed in signs and events pertaining to our time, “And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?” [Luke 24:18] We may never know why the two men left Jerusalem and the company of disciples on such a day to visit Emmaus; the day Jesus rose from the dead! However, they did and a day of JOY, the fulfilment of the HOPE of many generations was turned to a season of sadness and confusion, “And he said unto them, WHAT MANNER OF COMMUNICATION ARE THESE that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are SAD?” [Luke 24:17] Alas,THE ROAD TO EMMAUS is once more filled with stragglers; disciples retreating from FAITH into despair and confusion as the BEAST bares his fangs. And for the last time, the Lord is back on the road, “Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through MUCH TRIBULATION ENTER into the KINGDOM of God” [Acts 14:22]
2.THE ROAD TO EMMAUS beckons when Bible prophecy is entrusted to personal interpretation, “Knowing this first, that NO PROPHECY of the scripture is of any PRIVATE INTERPRETATION” [2 Peter 1:20] It is a road paved with apprehension, the disciples had “TRUSTED” that Jesus would overthrow the Roman occupation and “REDEEM” the honour of God’s people but were disappointed, “But WE TRUSTED that it had been he which should have REDEEMED ISRAEL: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done” [Luke 24:21] Israel was not ignorant of promise of the Messiah, the people were led astray by their religious leaders who interpreted prophecy through prisms of selfishness. They provoked unbelief in the people, so much so, disciples who had walked and dined with Jesus, and heard Him speak severally of His resurrection were trapped in doubts, “Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;  And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive” [Luke 24:22-23] The similarities are uncanny, it is not hard to see religious leaders distorting the promise of our inheritance in Christ for gain, “And many shall follow their PERNICIOUS WAYS; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through COVETOUSNESS shall they with feigned words MAKE MERCHANDISE OF YOU … their damnation slumbereth not” [2 Peter 2:2-3]
3. THE ROAD TO EMMAUS is crowded with otherwise good folks, men such as Cleopas and his fellow disciple, brethren who in sane times trusted in Scriptures pertaining to Christ but these are not normal times. Listen carefully, the same Scriptures that assured us of Christ’s imminent appearance also warned of a perilous season preceding our translation, “MEN’S HEARTS FAILING THEM FOR FEAR, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the SON OF MAN COMING in a cloud with power and great glory” [Luke 21:26-27] It is true the times are tough perhaps tougher than we expected, add to that unfulfilled expectations and not a few are driven by doubts to EMMAUS. It is a shame to see charlatans busy cashing in on palpable misery to draw men to EMMAUS with lies in the name of the Lord, “Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and DESTITUTE OF THE TRUTH, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself” [1 Timothy 6:5] Are we now greater than Jesus and His Apostles who endured tribulation of their days without breaking ranks? It is enough the disciple is as his Master; Jesus said to Cleopas and his mate, and indeed all of us, “Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have SUFFERED THESE THINGS, and to ENTER TO GLORY?” [Luke 24:25-26]
4. THE ROAD TO EMMAUS is not for you; Jesus loves you and remembers your fervent beginning in FAITH, “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast LEFT THY FIRST LOVE. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and REPENT, and DO THE FIRST WORKS, else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou REPENT” [Revelation 2:4-5] What Jesus said to one, He says to all; let us remember how we once trusted in every word in the Bible not doubting and in all things acknowledged His WISDOM. Can we say the same today? How soon our eyes were blinded by stale “BREAD” leavened with vanities of hypocrisy, “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and ANOINT THINE EYES with EYESALVE, that THOU MAYEST SEE” [Revelation 3:18] Let us remember how we jumped to interpret  every global event to suit our arrogance, wrongly dividing the word of truth. Today, Jesus is at the door, if we will reconsider and allow Him in, He will rightly break the LIVING BREAD; open our eyes and restore our strength to return to Him, “… he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their EYES WERE OPENED, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. And they ROSE UP THE SAME HOUR, and RETURNED TO JERUSALEM,  …” [Luke 24:30-31,33] Are you born again?

Looking at Lot’s wife in present truth unravel valuable lessons …

https://open.substack.com/pub/voiceoflasttrumpets/p/remember-lots-wife?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=5od0ru

https://open.substack.com/pub/churchintheclouds/p/godliness-with-contentment-b42?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=5od0ru

1. SOUL is the BREATHE of God in you, the nature of God domiciled in flesh and blood, “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and BREATHED into his nostrils the BREATH OF LIFE; and man became a LIVING SOUL” [Genesis 2:7] Your SOUL is your unique identity in God, the precious embodiment of His PROMISE to make man you in His own IMAGE and LIKENESS [Genesis 1:26] We were made, first as LIVING SOULS in His IMAGE that through OBEDIENCE we should inherit His LIKENESS in Jesus Christ.  Then came SIN and we “DIED” to God and our INHERITANCE, “… BY ONE MAN SIN ENTERED into the world, and DEATH BY SIN; and so death passed upon all men, for that ALL HAVE SINNED” [Romans 5:12 I have GOOD NEWS for you, Jesus Christ paid off our SIN on the Cross and restored to us the LIFE and PRIVILEGES of SONS of God, “For if by one man's offence DEATH REIGNED BY ONE; much more they which receive ABUNDANCE OF GRACE and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in LIFE BY ONE, Jesus Christ.)” [Romans 5:17] We have this treasure of inestimable value in earthen vessel and are besieged on every side by formidable adversaries, “IN YOUR PATIENCE POSSESS YE YOUR SOULS” [Luke 21:29]

2. PATIENCE is enduring PEACE flowing from wells of unflinching TRUST in God, “Thou wilt KEEP HIM IN PERFECT PEACE, whose MIND IS STAYED ON THEE: because he TRUSTETH IN THEE” [Isaiah 26:3] TRUST in God is LIVING FAITH, the sort built on surest foundations of His infallible PROMISE, “And this is the PROMISE that he hath PROMISED US, even ETERNAL LIFE” [1 John 2:25] ETERNAL LIFE is perhaps the closest approximation of God’s PROMISE on this side and prototype is Jesus Christ, God revealed in flesh and blood, “To wit, that GOD WAS IN CHRIST, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation” [2 Corinthians 5:19] The PROMISE is to all men, irrespective of race, gender or criminal record, as many as shall receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. We have a deposit of the PROMISE in this BODY, the fullness awaits us in His LIKENESS, the glorious BODY we shall receive at the appearance of Jesus Christ, “BE PATIENT therefore, brethren, unto the COMING OF THE LORD. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath LONG PATIENCE for it, …” [James 5:7] PATIENCE is not indolence it is CONFIDENCE in God to make good His PROMISE, “Cast not away therefore your CONFIDENCE, … For YE HAVE NEED OF PATIENCE, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the PROMISE” [Hebrews 0:35-36]

3. PATIENCE is REST in the worst storms of this world, drawing strength in FAITH, “Now FAITH is the SUBSTANCE of things HOPED FOR, the EVIDENCE of THINGS NOT SEEN” [Hebrews 11:1] Considering present instabilities and uncertainties of what lies ahead, PATIENCE in FAITH is in short supply and HOPE replaced with gnawing torments of FEAR. At times such as these, you cannot afford to lose HOPE; frustration, confusion, hatred, fighting and despair are symptoms of FAITH crippled by what is SEEN. “Through FAITH we understand that the worlds were FRAMED BY THE WORD OF GOD, so that things which are SEEN WERE NOT MADE OF THINGS WHICH DO APPEAR” [Hebrews 11:3] Read the verse again, enduring FAITH is settled on immutability of the WORD of God, subjecting every situation contrary to your PEACE in obedience to obedience of Christ in you, “CASTING DOWN IMAGINATIONS, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and BRINGING INTO CAPTIVITY EVERY THOUGHT to the OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST” [2 Corinthians 10:5] Though times are fast changing and more troubles as well as persecution lies ahead, there is PEACE and REST for those who in PATIENCE ENDURE in HOPE of God’s infallible PROMISE, “And ye shall be HATED OF ALL MEN for my name's sake: but he that shall ENDURE TO THE END, the same SHALL BE SAVED” [Mark 13:13]

4. These are dire times, the LAST DAYS, much spoken in Scriptures are here and SCOFFERS abound even some who once trusted in the PROMISE of God, “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the LAST DAYS SCOFFERS, walking after their own LUSTS, And saying, WHERE IS THE PROMISE OF HIS COMING? …” [2 Peter 3:3-4] Those who doubt God’s ability or willingness to fulfil His PROMISE are in grave error, mistaking His PATIENCE for negligence or failure, “The LORD IS NOT SLACK CONCERNING HIS PROMISE, as some men count slackness; but is LONGSUFFERING TO US-WARD, not willing that any should perish, but that all should COME TO REPENTANCE” [2 Peter 3:9] It may be God has waited this long to give this opportunity to REPENT and be established in His PROMISE before drawing the curtain on time. He will not wait forever, the appearance of the Lord is imminent when we shall be revealed in glory of the SON of God, “Beloved, now are we the SONS OF GOD, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when HE SHALL APPEAR, WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM; for we shall see him as he is” [1 John 3:2] Friend, the days ahead demand vigilance, refuse to be distracted, possessing your soul in PATIENCE; looking beyond present challenges in spirited HOPE of what God has prepared for us, “But as it is written, EYE HATH NOT SEEN, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which GOD HATH PREPARED FOR THEM THAT LOVE HIM” [1 Corinthians 2:9] If you have not done so, receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour today, amen

SPIRIT OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD is partial to the WEAK, TRAUMATIZED and DELINQUENT …