“Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

² And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

³ They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

⁴ But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

⁵ While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

⁶ And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go you out to meet him.

⁷ Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

⁸ And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

⁹ But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go you rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

¹⁰ 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.

¹¹ Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

¹² But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

¹³ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man comes.”  Matthew 25:1-13

The five foolish virgins began to live outside of the Holy Spirit’s domain when they took no oil with them.  They were slothful and yet they religiously trimmed their lamps.

Sadly, many foolish Christians today who are religiously trimming their lamps but lack oil. They are bound by the compulsion of the law of sin and death because their faith is placed in the trimming of their lamps.  The irresistible urge to behave in a certain way cannot be overcome.  Their religion is steeped in superstition and mysticism.  Instead of the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus which requires faith in Jesus and His finished work, their yamakas, prayer shawls, rosarys and traditions of man have become the law that sets them free from the law of sin and death.   These laws will not free the Believer from the law of sin and death but will indeed keep them bound (Romans 8:2).

“¹⁴ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up:

¹⁵ That whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:14-16

This may come as a surprise to many “mature” Christians but I want you to know dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified is for us as well…not just the sinner.  The finished work of Jesus Christ on Calvary’s Cross paid our sin debt AND gives us dominion over sin.  It frees us from the law of sin and death DAILY.  We deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow Jesus DAILY.

Religion will have us trimming our lamps even though they lack oil but the Gospel of Jesus Christ will compel us to follow Him for Who He is and what He has done for whosoever will believe.  Shemitahs, harbingers, blood moons, 40 days or 12 steps will not evoke us to follow Jesus but instead seduce us to follow man and their vain imaginations.

“²² Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy Name? and in Thy Name have cast out devils? and in Thy Name done many wonderful works?

²³ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.”  Matthew 7:22-23.

Hear me friends, the Lord does not recognize our religious and foolish “lamp trimming”, He responds to our faith in Him…without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).  Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of Man comes.  Are your lamps full of oil or are you trimming an empty lamp?  The answer is between you and God…prayerfully consider.

-Donna Clark Warren

“Who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?” asked King Nebuchadnezzar.

“¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer you in this matter.

¹⁷ If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

¹⁸ But if not, be it known unto you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up.” Daniel 3:16-18

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were not careful to answer King Nebuchadnezzar.  They knew the God in Whom they believed and were persuaded that He could keep that which they had committed unto them – their lives.

“For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.” 2 Timothy 1:12.

These three Hebrew boys knew, in whatsoever state they were, to be content.  They knew both how to be abased and how to abound (Philippians 4:11-12) because they knew the God in Whom they had believed.  

The modern church has been careful to answer. They have served golden images at the altar of Cain.  Superstition, schemes of man, human psychology, 40 days, 12 steps, ceremonies and traditions have been the answer given to gain victory and righteousness in the eyes of God.  The power of God, which IS the Cross of Jesus Christ and Him crucified (1 Cor. 1:18), is not sufficient to deliver the modern Christian out of the hand of King Nebuchadnezzar, they must “do their part” and fight battles the Lord Jesus utterly defeated at Calvary’s Cross.

There is but one battle the Lord has called His Children to fight and that is the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12) – faith in HIM, in Who He is and what He has done on Calvary’s Cross for whosoever will believe.  Sadly, there are many Christians who are praying to a God they do not know.  They pray to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob but they don’t know the small still voice.  Their flesh responds to the wind, earthquake and fire but God is not in them (1 Kings 19:11-12).  These Christians are being swept to and fro by every wind of doctrine because they are praying to a God they do not know.

There comes a time in every Christian’s walk where they find themselves in the wilderness. When we understand the Lord has delivered us out of Egypt and into the wilderness to commune with Him – to learn His Voice and His ways, we will find the promises of God are yes and amen.  However, as long as we continue looking back into or living in Egypt, we cannot commune with Jesus Christ in the wilderness.  We are praying to Him but we don’t know Him…we don’t know His Voice.  He hasn’t authored our faith according to His Will and His Ways…we have.

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”  Philippians 4:6.

Be careful for nothing Brothers and Sisters.  Remember in Whom you serve.  Be determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified (1 Cor. 2:2).

“11 And He said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:

12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What are you doing here, Elijah?” 1 Kings 19:11-13

Sadly, many of God’s Children seek the wind, earthquakes and fire instead of beholding God’s still small voice. Although God indeed caused the wind, earthquakes and fire, they were not the manner in which God chose to speak to the prophet Elijah.

Be careful not to forsake the still small voice of the Lord for the wind, earthquake and fire that He may cause as He passes by.

“12 For whosoever has, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever has not, from him shall be taken away even that he has.

13 Therefore speak I (Jesus) to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.” Matthew 13:12-13

Whosoever has and wants more of the righteousness of God which only comes through the Cross of Jesus, will have more. Whosoever has but does not care for more, will not receive more and what they have will be taken away.

Those who reject the finished work of Jesus on the Cross for victory over the world, the flesh and the devil, will lose what righteousness they would have had and what they currently possess. However, those who seek for more of God’s righteousness because of Who HE is and what HE has done and not the experiences as He passes by, to them will be given more abundance. They will see, they will hear and they will understand because they are not seeking the “experience”, they are seeking Jesus Christ and following Him daily – not just on Sundays.

While seeking the experience, we too often miss God’s still small voice. As a result, not only do we seeing see not or hearing, we hear not but we don’t understand. We are tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine because we don’t understand…we can’t hear the still small voice.

“2 But He that enters in by the door is the Shepherd of the sheep.

3 To Him the porter opens; and the sheep hear His Voice: and He calls His own sheep by name, and leads them out.

4 And when He puts forth His own sheep, He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him: FOR THEY KNOW HIS VOICE.

5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.” John 10:2-5

The religious lack understanding. They do not have ears to hear. They look for and point to the wind but God is not in the wind. Religion will not hear the still small voice of the Lord asking…what are you doing here, Elijah? Behold the still small voice.