Right, Wrong, Wise, Foolish

Since the groom was late, all the bridesmaids became drowsy and fell asleep...

Then all the bridesmaids woke up and got their lamps ready...

“So stay awake, because you don’t know the day or the hour. (Matthew 25:5, 7, 13 GW)

These are excerpts from the parable of the ten bridesmaid. The thing I noticed is if the moral of the story is to not fall asleep (verse 13), then how come five were wise, they fell asleep too.

Obviously the extra oil made all the difference. Maybe someone older told them, "You better bring some extra along."

In our spiritual journey, there are certain practices that can become routine and drudgery at times, but many times it is those very things that prepare us for the road ahead. The picture I get is from the first Karate Kid movie... Sanding the floor, painting the fence, waxing on and off...these practices built him into a body who when the time was right, he was ready.

In the Christian walk, virtues, faith practices,  a Way of Life...whatever you want to call them are a means of grace to others and to ourselves as we "go through the motions",

James 3:18,

Camelot

Shepherds and Sheep

In the Old Testament, the Lord warned the leaders (shepherds) that he put OVER the sheep (his people)...

Ezekiel 34...
‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: How horrible it will be for the shepherds of Israel who have been taking care of only themselves. Shouldn’t shepherds take care of the sheep? ³ You eat the best parts of the sheep, dress in the wool, and butcher the finest sheep. Yet, you don’t take care of the sheep. ⁴ You have not strengthened those that were weak, healed those that were sick, or bandaged those that were injured. You have not brought back those that strayed away or looked for those that were lost. You have ruled them harshly and violently. ⁵ So they were scattered because there was no shepherd. When they were scattered, they became food for every wild animal. ⁶ My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered throughout the whole earth. No one searched or looked for them.

In the New Testament, we are all ministers of the New Covenant if we belong to Him...

Matthew 25...

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all his angels are with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² The people of every nation will be gathered in front of him. He will separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ He will put the sheep on his right but the goats on his left.

Mother Teresa said, "The reason we have no peace is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other."

I love this song and what a reminder that we are our brother's keeper... Please join me in praying this week for the men of Harrisonburg First Church of the Nazarene as they retreat to seek the Great and Good Shepherd.

James 3:18,

Camelot

The Sheep and The Goats

This morning my pastor in a passionate, compassionate message on hell, unveiled the most ignored aspect of the true perspective on eternity. We will all stand before the judgement seat of Christ. Without the His forgiveness, we are condemned, but with it we are found, accepted, adopted, forgiven, made new, restored, and heaven bound.

Keith Green, who passed away in an airplane accident along with 2 of his 4 sons in the 1970's sings the parable Jesus told in Matthew 25.

James 4:14,
Camelot