Shopping For Oil? What Time Is It?

Jeremiah 8:7 Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.

Jeremiah 51:17Every man is brutish by his knowledge; every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.18They are vanity, the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.

Deuteronomy 32:20 And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.

Jeremiah 5:31The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?

Romans 9: 22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

1 Chronicles 12:32 And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.

1 Peter 4: 17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Matthew 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9But 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. 10And 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. 11Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Lets say that your a virgin, hanging around with nine other virgins. Your mission is to light way to a wedding ceremony. Off in the distance you hear the sound of the wedding party approaching. You reach down for your lamp, it feels a little light to you. You strike a match, it won't light. You've been waiting and waiting for this very moment in time. Now at the very moment of you fulfilling your duty, your calling, nothing. You ask the person next to you. Hey, how about a little oil? The reply, I don't think so. I won't have enough if I give it to you. How long do you think it would take to buy oil for your lamp? Where will you go to find oil for your lamp? How long will it take for the wedding party to reach its destination? Will I have the time to make it, you ask yourself. The short answer is, it's just too late. To late to get oil, to late to light the way. All this time you have been sleeping, trusting in what you thought. If you would've prepared earlier you could easily the have the oil necessary to complete your task, to fulfill your hearts desire. But now you're embarrassed, you're caught short, now in a panic. And that's not the worst of it, you are going to be locked out of the wedding ceremony. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Weeping, wailing and gnashing your teeth is what your future holds for you, you knew the truth, you knew it was coming. Sadly, but truely. You have squandered your time, you didn't pursue all truth, you felt satisfied, but you were not prepared.

If you had only listened to what the Spirit of God was saying, instead of your denomination, instead of your pastor. If only you had turned off the television, if only you weren't so busy seeking God with every tape, CD, DVD or Book-of-the-Month. If only you had come to the knowledge of God, truth, rather than ever seeking. If you had only disciplined yourself to walk the path of Jesus said to walk, you wouldn't be where you are now, oil less, hopeless and destined to an eternity with sinners, and the unbelieving. This seem a little unfair to you? Who are you oh man, to judge God. You thought you were God's friend, yet here you are at odds with God. What led you to this terrible mishap? In what did you place your trust, who told to disobey God? On whose authority to do think all was well with your soul? Who approved of your walk with God. Who instructed you in the ways of godliness? (Today is the day of salvation. Draw close to the Lord while he is near.)

The oil. What is it? How do I get it? What is the lamp. Well my friend, the lamp is the lamp of truth, you are the lamp of truth. The bearer of the oil that God alone gives. You are the light in the world, the world of darkness, the world of unbelief. You were called and chosen for such a time as this. You were meant to be a vessel unto honor. God formed you while you were in your mothers womb. You are the earthen vessel formed by God to contain the Holy Spirit. You would have been a one responsible for lighting the path through the time of the tribulation period. The oil is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, the Spirit who leads in to all truths, the Spirit who will show us things to come, the Spirit who will take of what belongs to Jesus and give it to us. The Spirit of the oil of gladness. The Spirit that John talked about in Revelation of who we would need ears to hear. The Spirit of Jesus, who is the way, the truth and the life. The Spirit who would not speak of Himself, but of Jesus only. The Spirit who would empower us to be witnesses for God. The Spirit by whom we would speak in other tongues. The Spirit, by whom we receive gifts, severally as he will. You, powered by the Holy Spirit, would be the light in the darkness.

But, you didn't believe. It required that you apply faith to God's word. You were derailed by doubt. On the outside you looked just like any of the rest of the virgins. You look the same, walk the same, and talked the same, or so you thought. You, judging by outer appearance felt comfortable (they are not any more holy than I). You may have even looked down on the others, because you felt as though "you" had the whole truth, you had faith, they were silly being lead by something you did not know. While you heard about the Holy Spirit, you by your pride felt that you knew better, He was not necessary.

Now to the point at hand, how long does it take to fill your lamp with oil. The answer is this, as long as it takes. Some people who are not far off, the time can be very short. All it takes is to be baptized in the Holy Spirit, to be absolutely certain the voice you follow is the voice of the Lord Jesus, to apply faith with competence and boldness, that's all. Where do you find this Holy Spirit that you may go somewhere and purchase this oil? Obviously you cannot purchase this. Biblically speaking, one man did think he could purchase the Holy Spirit, Peter soundly rebuked, and warned him of eternal damnation. No, this oil comes in the same way we received salvation, by believing in your heart and acting upon what you believe. It's free to all those who ask with a humble and contrite spirit, believing they will receive. To those who have not been taught incorrectly, often they may immediately prophesy and have a confidence towards hearing the voice of their Lord. But it seems that the skeptical, unbelieving and fearful have a most difficult time. Truly, some will never come to the full knowledge. Just as salvation requires us to become as a little child in faith, so does the baptism of the Holy Spirit. All the gifts of the Spirit works the same way, by faith that works by love, by the Holy Spirit. You must believe that God loves you so much that he has entrusted the precious gift of the Holy Spirit to you, personally.

The real downside of all this is just as the Scripture says; 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. 11Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. By the time you become aware that Jesus is coming, you will not have the time to be filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit. Why all the sense of urgency? Because, this season we are in was prophesied, we would know that it is here. It is upon us. By your inaction, by your slumbering, you seal your own fate. It is not what God would have for you, it's what you have chosen. Most people do not understand the covenant of the time period of the tribulation. It is a time when God himself will send strong delusion. It is a time when Satan will be trying to wear out the minds of the saints. It is a time when those who are deceived and will say God is here, or our Savior, is there. It was a time when those who have much will be given more. And those who are then, unprofitable, what they have will be taken away. It will be a time of lying signs and wonders, and deceiving the very elect, if possible! It is time that never was before, or ever will be again. It is a time when the beast will make war with the saints, and he will prevail. It is a time of the great falling away, prophesied thousands of years ago.

Make your calling and election sure. Repent of dead works of the flesh. Those who walk after the Spirit will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Let's faith arise within you, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. The day of darkness comes when no man will be able to work, to labor, on his or her faith, it will be to late.

Isaiah 55:1Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. 3Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live;

Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 9Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 10Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

L,J,P&HG

Dave