Welcome to Anchors Of Truth
from the 3ABN Worship Center.
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When The Spirit
Falls with Mark Finley.
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We certainly had a
wonderful beginning last night.
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The Spirit did fall here.
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And it fell on our speaker
and it fell upon those that were
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here in the audience.
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And we had a meeting
afterwards, an afterglow,
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where we talked about the
Lord for quite a little while
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after our meeting last night.
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And then we had a prayer
with Pastor John Lomacang.
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And tonight, we are
again expecting the power
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of the Holy
Spirit in this series.
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The title of the series
is, When The Spirit Falls.
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You know, tonight we're
going to hear a warning.
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It is, Which Spirit Is Speaking?
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Because there is a true
Holy Spirit and a counterfeit.
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And tonight, we'll be talking
about which spirit is speaking.
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Pastor Mark Finley has
had experience preaching
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all over the world.
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He has literally held crusades
in almost every major city
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of the world.
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God has blessed His ministry.
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And for so many years, he
was also the Speaker/Directory
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of It Is Written while he
was holding those meetings;
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in places like Moscow,
and Helsinki, and Stockholm,
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and other places
around the world.
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Tonight, he is going to be
presenting our message to us.
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And we were talking
last night about some of the
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books that has written.
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But right now one of my favorite
books that Mark has written
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is called, Studying Together.
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It's a question and answer
book that's an ideal thing
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for people to have.
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And as I was talking
about that last night,
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he told our group afterwards
that there is now an app
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that you can get for
your iPhone, for your iPad,
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for any smart
device that you have.
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And you simply go on
the app store and put in
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"Studying Together"
and it will come up.
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It's only like $4.99.
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It is invaluable.
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You can use it to
study wherever you are.
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And it is a tremendous
tool for answering questions.
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And so I hope that you will make
yourself, have the privilege,
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of taking that
into your computer.
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You know, you've got
some apps you've never used.
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Get rid of some of
those and get this one.
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Because you're going to
use the app, Studying Together,
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by Mark Finley.
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Well tonight before
Mark comes to speak,
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and again his subject
is, Which Spirit Is Speaking,
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tonight Danny
Shelton is going to come
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and he's going to sing
one of my favorite songs,
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an old favorite,
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.
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O soul, are you
weary and troubled?
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No light in the
darkness you see?
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There's light for
a look at the Savior,
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and life so abundant and free.
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Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
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look full in His wonderful face.
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And the things of
earth will grow strangely dim
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in the light of
His glory and grace.
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His Word will not
fail you, He's promised;
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believe Him, and
all will be well.
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Then go to a
world that is dying,
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His perfect salvation to tell.
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Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
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look full in His wonderful face.
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And the things of
earth will grow strangely dim
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in the light of
His glory and grace.
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In the light of
His glory and grace.
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Amen.
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The Holy Spirit's roll
is to lead us to Jesus.
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Jesus said, "If I go
away, I will send Him unto you.
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And I will abide with you."
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The role of the Holy Spirit
is to turn our eyes upon Jesus.
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We're studying about the Holy
Spirit in a five part series.
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Last evening, we looked at
the Person of the Holy Spirit;
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the work in
ministry of the Holy Spirit.
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Tonight, we'll talk about
the urgency of the Spirit.
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Tomorrow night, true
and false and counterfeit
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manifestations of the Spirit.
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And then on Sabbath
morning and Sabbath evening,
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we'll talk about the
finishing of God's work
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and what God
wants to do through us
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in the ministry
of the Holy Spirit.
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Let's pray as we go
into our presentation.
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Father, we just thank You
so much for the opportunity
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of the gift of the Spirit.
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Lord, in an age where
so much passes for religion
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that's sham and pretense,
so much passes for religion
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that's false and counterfeit,
we are so thankful for the true
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manifestation
of the Holy Spirit.
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We're so thankful for the
promise that the Spirit is not
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something that we can
wait for in the future,
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but it's a gift
present for the church now.
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That we can claim that
promise of the Spirit now.
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That we can open our hearts
to receive the Spirit now.
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And we pray Thee
that this meeting would be
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life changing
for each one of us.
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In Christ's name, amen.
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Some time ago, I read
quite a fascinating story.
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A woman called up
her insurance agent.
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And she said to
the insurance agent,
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"I want to double the
insurance on my house."
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He said, "Well, I'm
more than happy to help you.
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I will be delighted, in fact,
to come over and talk to you
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about increasing your
insurance on your house."
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She said,
"Look, this can't wait.
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It has to be done now.
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I want to do it over the phone.
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I have my credit card, I can
give you my credit card number.
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I want to increase, I want to
double my insurance coverage."
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He said, "Look, I'll
come tomorrow night."
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But she didn't pay
much attention to that man.
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And he kept getting a little bit
irritated with her and he said,
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"Look, I told you
I'd come tomorrow night.
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We can't do it over the phone.
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There is a lot
that you have to sign."
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She said, "Sir, you
just do not understand.
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Look mister, my
house is on fire.
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And I have to increase my
insurance coverage right now."
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There are some
things that you have to do
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that just can't
be put off, right?
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So things that you have
to do, you have to do now.
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One of those
things is preparation
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for the coming of Jesus.
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Luther Warren, an
early Seventh-day Adventist,
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use to say this, "The
only way to be ready for the
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coming of Christ is to get
ready today and to stay ready
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for the coming of Christ."
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The way to be ready is
to get ready and stay ready.
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There are some
things that are urgent.
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Some things it doesn't make any
difference whether you do today
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or do tomorrow
or do the next day.
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There are some
things that you can put off.
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There are some
things that you cannot.
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And that is, preparation
for the coming of our Lord.
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Jesus, in the book of
Matthew, outlines the signs
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of His return.
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And those signs
are all around us today
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as we look at the signs.
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Now there are two key chapters
on the second coming of Christ
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in the book of Matthew.
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Entire chapters
devoted to Jesus' return.
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In Matthew chapter
24, we read the signs
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of Christ's coming in the world.
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In Matthew chapter 25,
we read the preparation
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for Christ's
coming in the church.
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So there are two
distinct chapters about the
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return of our Lord.
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The signs in the world
and preparation in the church.
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As we go through
Matthew chapter 24,
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we observe there in the 24th
chapter in the book of Matthew
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that there would be
wars and rumors of wars,
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that there would be floods, that
here would be natural disasters,
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that there would
be crime on every end.
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As we look at those signs
in the 24th chapter of the
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book of Matthew, we
see them being fulfilled
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all around us today.
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Lawlessness is abounding.
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There is famine,
earthquake, fire, flood.
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There is terrorism.
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And we stand on the
knife edge of eternity.
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Matthew chapter 24,
though, concludes with a
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solemn appeal by Christ.
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And Christ says, let's read
it together from the screen,
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Matthew 24 verse 42.
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Jesus says all these signs
will be taking place around you.
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We can know His coming
is near, but we cannot know
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the hour it is here.
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We can know that it
is... What, everybody?
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...near, but we cannot
know the hour that it is here.
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And so, Jesus shares with
us the signs of His coming
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so we'll be wise in preparation.
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But He does not share with
us the exact date of His return.
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He says, "Watch you therefore,
because you do not know the..."
00:12:22.56\00:12:25.76
What? ...hour of His return.
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And He makes this
appeal in Matthew 24 verse 44
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when He says...
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So the appeal of Jesus is
not that we have a knowledge of
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when Christ will come,
but rather we are ready
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when He comes.
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Jesus outlines
general signs of His coming.
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But I get nervous
when people begin to say,
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"You know, I've been
looking at a time chart
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and I think I have all
these dates figured out.
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And He is going to
come here or there or then."
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That was not the
emphasis of Jesus.
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Jesus gives us the
panoramic vision of signs.
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He paints the big picture.
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But then He
appeals to our heart,
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"Therefore, be also ready."
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Matthew chapter 24 talks about
the signs of Christ's coming.
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Matthew 25 gives
us three parables.
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And in these parables, each
one appeals to us to be ready.
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The parable of the ten virgins
talks about spiritual readiness.
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The parable of the ten talents
talks about using our gifts
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that God has
given us to serve others
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in the context of readiness.
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And the parable of the sheep
and goats talks to us about
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ministering to the
needy and the poor,
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being compassionate, in
the context of readiness.
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Let's look, though, at
that first parable tonight.
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And it's called, the
parable of the ten virgins.
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If you're a
student to the Bible,
00:14:03.23\00:14:04.86
you remember the story well.
00:14:04.89\00:14:06.26
If you're not a Bible student,
it's a story that Jesus picks up
00:14:06.29\00:14:10.11
from an ancient wedding.
00:14:10.14\00:14:11.69
As Jesus was talking
to His disciples about the
00:14:11.72\00:14:13.89
signs of the times,
Jesus looked out and He saw
00:14:13.92\00:14:16.93
an ancient wedding that
was going to take place.
00:14:16.96\00:14:19.08
He saw these ten brides
maids that would light the way
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to the wedding.
00:14:23.67\00:14:25.15
Now in 14 of the 21 parables
listed in the gospel of Matthew,
00:14:25.18\00:14:32.03
they refer to
the kingdom of God.
00:14:32.43\00:14:34.59
They're kingdom of God parables.
00:14:34.62\00:14:36.63
Matthew wrote predominately
to a Jewish audience.
00:14:36.66\00:14:40.08
And so he wrote about the
church, the kingdom of God.
00:14:40.11\00:14:43.85
And the parable of the
ten virgins is commented on by
00:14:44.28\00:14:49.32
Ellen White in "Review
And Herald," August 19, 1890.
00:14:49.35\00:14:52.95
Notice this reference very
carefully in which she says...
00:14:53.15\00:14:55.88
So here you have a
divine comment on the
00:15:06.52\00:15:08.69
parable of the ten virgins.
00:15:08.72\00:15:10.25
And that this parable would be
fulfilled to the divine letter.
00:15:10.28\00:15:13.96
And here you have a comment in
which the messenger of the Lord
00:15:13.99\00:15:18.18
says to you and to me, to
each church, and to the world,
00:15:18.21\00:15:21.42
that she was often referred to
the parable of the ten virgins.
00:15:21.45\00:15:26.00
Now if God directed the
mind of His special messenger,
00:15:26.03\00:15:29.38
the prophet of God,
in this last generation
00:15:29.41\00:15:32.36
to the parable of the ten
virgins, and if He brought it
00:15:32.39\00:15:34.68
back again and again and again,
wouldn't that be a parable
00:15:34.71\00:15:38.95
worth studying for
you and for me tonight?
00:15:38.98\00:15:41.65
This is a vital
parable for a people preparing
00:15:41.97\00:15:44.69
for the coming of Jesus.
00:15:44.72\00:15:46.09
If Jesus Himself gave this
parable as the first parable
00:15:46.12\00:15:51.02
after Matthew chapter
24 describing the condition
00:15:51.05\00:15:54.76
just before the coming of Christ
and how to be ready for the
00:15:54.79\00:15:57.05
coming of Christ, this must
be an incredibly vital story.
00:15:57.08\00:16:01.68
So let's look at
it, Matthew 25 verse 1.
00:16:01.71\00:16:04.04
Read it together
with me again, please.
00:16:04.07\00:16:06.19
Notice it's a
kingdom of heaven parable.
00:16:15.88\00:16:17.77
So it's a parable
that deals with the church.
00:16:17.80\00:16:20.33
It says, "The kingdom of heaven
is likened to ten virgins."
00:16:20.36\00:16:24.96
Now when we look there
at the idea of virgins,
00:16:25.48\00:16:28.94
in the Bible a woman
represents the church.
00:16:28.97\00:16:32.03
You see this in
the book of Revelation.
00:16:32.06\00:16:33.61
Chapter 12 in Revelation, you
have the true church described
00:16:33.64\00:16:37.43
as a woman dressed in
white, pure radiant garment.
00:16:37.46\00:16:41.23
Revelation 17, a harlot woman
dressed in purple and scarlet,
00:16:41.46\00:16:46.02
and scantily clad.
00:16:46.05\00:16:47.71
So Revelation 12; the bride
of Christ, the true church.
00:16:47.74\00:16:50.99
Revelation 17, the harlot woman.
00:16:51.02\00:16:53.24
So in the Bible, a
woman represents the church.
00:16:53.27\00:16:56.81
A pure woman
represents the true church.
00:16:56.84\00:16:59.87
A harlot woman represents
a fallen church or apostasy.
00:16:59.90\00:17:03.98
Now there's something there
that's very, very fascinating.
00:17:04.01\00:17:07.60
The Bible says, "The kingdom
of heaven will be likened to..."
00:17:07.63\00:17:11.11
How many virgins? Ten.
00:17:11.41\00:17:13.37
Now numbers in the
Bible are important.
00:17:13.47\00:17:15.95
Three indicates the
Trinity; the Father, the Son,
00:17:15.98\00:17:19.31
and the Holy Spirit.
00:17:19.34\00:17:20.71
So in Revelation, you
have the Father, the Son,
00:17:20.74\00:17:22.65
and the Holy Spirit.
00:17:22.68\00:17:24.05
You have the true Godhead,
true Trinity, the Triumvirate.
00:17:24.08\00:17:28.33
In Revelation, you
also have the dragon,
00:17:28.36\00:17:30.30
the beast, and
the false prophet;
00:17:30.33\00:17:31.70
the false trinity,
the false triumvirate.
00:17:31.73\00:17:33.22
So three represents the Godhead.
00:17:33.25\00:17:35.43
In the book of Revelation, seven
represents what, everybody?
00:17:35.46\00:17:37.97
What does seven
represent? Perfection.
00:17:38.00\00:17:40.40
Seven churches, seven
seals, seven trumpets.
00:17:40.43\00:17:43.29
You know, the perfect
working of God through history.
00:17:43.32\00:17:46.78
And in the book of Revelation,
twelve indicates completeness.
00:17:46.81\00:17:50.51
You have the twelve
tribes, the complete
00:17:50.54\00:17:53.31
Old Testament believers.
00:17:53.34\00:17:54.79
The twelve
patriarchs in the Old Testament.
00:17:54.82\00:17:57.73
You have the twelve disciples
representing the New Testament.
00:17:57.76\00:18:00.17
In the book of Revelation,
you have again "four"
00:18:00.20\00:18:05.06
representing universality.
00:18:05.09\00:18:07.50
What in the Bible
does ten represent?
00:18:07.53\00:18:11.60
It's not so easy, is it?
00:18:11.63\00:18:13.09
In the days of Jesus
Christ, there is something
00:18:13.70\00:18:17.87
very, very fascinating.
00:18:17.90\00:18:19.92
If Jewish men were going
to start a new synagogue,
00:18:27.11\00:18:30.04
they would have to have
at least ten Jewish men.
00:18:30.63\00:18:35.09
Why did Jesus
use the term "ten?"
00:18:35.50\00:18:38.19
To let you and me know
that what He was describing
00:18:38.49\00:18:43.23
in it was the church,
the synagogue of believers.
00:18:43.26\00:18:47.29
His true church at end time.
00:18:47.32\00:18:49.87
We have pointers to that.
00:18:49.90\00:18:51.51
Kingdom of
heaven parable; church.
00:18:51.54\00:18:53.89
Ten virgins; church.
00:18:53.92\00:18:55.41
The number ten again; church.
00:18:56.77\00:18:58.94
And so we see that throughout
Jesus' description there.
00:18:58.97\00:19:03.75
These ten virgins, or
this group of believers,
00:19:03.78\00:19:07.73
the church, has
something in their hand.
00:19:07.76\00:19:10.04
It is what?
00:19:10.07\00:19:11.44
They go out with their lamps.
00:19:11.47\00:19:13.51
And throughout
Scripture, you know it well,
00:19:13.54\00:19:15.56
Psalm 119 verse 105.
00:19:15.59\00:19:17.22
Let's read it together.
00:19:17.25\00:19:18.62
If you're at home,
join in with us as we read
00:19:18.65\00:19:20.73
Psalm 119 and verse 105.
00:19:20.76\00:19:24.54
Local audience,
let's read together.
00:19:24.57\00:19:26.26
I thank God that we don't have
to guess at Bible symbolism.
00:19:31.40\00:19:35.19
I thank God that He has
made the symbols in Scripture
00:19:35.22\00:19:39.17
abundantly plain.
00:19:39.20\00:19:41.12
Kingdom of heaven; church.
00:19:41.15\00:19:42.86
Virgins; true church.
00:19:42.89\00:19:44.96
Ten; smallest number of Jewish
men that comprise a synagogue.
00:19:44.99\00:19:49.00
Lamps in their
hand; the Word of God.
00:19:49.03\00:19:51.72
Now this is pretty
incredibly good news.
00:19:52.19\00:19:54.11
Isn't it?
00:19:54.14\00:19:55.51
Here's a group of
people, ten virgins,
00:19:55.54\00:19:57.54
representing God's church.
00:19:57.57\00:19:59.01
They have His word.
00:19:59.04\00:20:00.41
These are Bible
believing, Sabbath keeping,
00:20:00.44\00:20:03.30
Adventist Christians.
00:20:03.33\00:20:05.78
Here, this group of
people, are not out there
00:20:06.05\00:20:09.14
in apostasy some place.
00:20:09.17\00:20:10.95
They're not out in rebellion.
00:20:10.98\00:20:12.63
They haven't turned
their back on God's Word.
00:20:12.66\00:20:15.53
This is His church.
00:20:15.56\00:20:17.58
Well they must all
be very wise, right?
00:20:17.92\00:20:19.80
If they're all in the
church, they must be very wise.
00:20:20.21\00:20:22.55
If they're all
virgins, they must be all ready
00:20:22.58\00:20:25.41
for the coming of Jesus.
00:20:25.44\00:20:26.81
They all must be saved by His
grace, living a prayerful life,
00:20:26.84\00:20:30.14
obeying God.
00:20:30.17\00:20:31.61
I mean, not one of these
ten could possibly be lost,
00:20:31.64\00:20:35.82
could they?
00:20:35.85\00:20:37.63
Let's see what Jesus says
as we go on in the parable.
00:20:37.83\00:20:40.24
Matthew chapter 25 verse 2.
00:20:40.27\00:20:42.43
That leads me to
a very significant
00:20:47.40\00:20:50.95
and important question.
00:20:50.98\00:20:53.23
Why were the wise, wise?
00:20:53.26\00:20:55.11
If they were all associated
together, if they were all
00:20:57.93\00:21:03.89
part of believers,
why were the wise, wise?
00:21:03.92\00:21:07.72
And why were the
foolish, foolish?
00:21:07.75\00:21:09.17
I think I know.
00:21:09.21\00:21:10.58
The wise were wise
because they were wide awake.
00:21:11.13\00:21:13.83
And the foolish were foolish
because they were asleep.
00:21:14.63\00:21:18.07
What do you think?
00:21:18.94\00:21:20.31
Is that what the Bible says?
00:21:20.47\00:21:21.84
The Bible puts it this way.
00:21:22.67\00:21:24.36
Verse 5 in Matthew
25, read it with me.
00:21:24.39\00:21:28.02
A few of the
slumbered and slept.
00:21:32.36\00:21:34.05
Five of them
slumbered and slept.
00:21:35.41\00:21:37.02
What does it say?
00:21:37.44\00:21:38.81
All of them slumbered and slept.
00:21:38.84\00:21:40.44
So the wise weren't
wise because they were awake.
00:21:40.47\00:21:43.01
And the foolish weren't foolish
because they were sleeping.
00:21:43.31\00:21:45.88
As time went on and as the
coming of our Lord was delayed,
00:21:46.62\00:21:52.73
there was a spiritual
lethargy that swept over both
00:21:53.27\00:21:59.14
the wise and
the foolish virgins.
00:21:59.17\00:22:01.54
There is a danger that
the Christian church faces
00:22:02.51\00:22:06.87
today, in general.
00:22:06.90\00:22:08.40
And there's an incredible danger
that the Seventh-day Adventist
00:22:08.79\00:22:11.43
church faces.
00:22:11.46\00:22:12.83
The longer time goes on,
the more one can declare with
00:22:13.14\00:22:19.17
their lips that they
believe Jesus is coming soon,
00:22:19.20\00:22:22.31
but in their
heart of hearts sleep.
00:22:23.66\00:22:28.19
The longer the time goes on, the
longer the delay takes place,
00:22:28.65\00:22:35.16
the greater the possibility to
enter into spiritual lethargy.
00:22:35.77\00:22:41.57
Isn't that what Jesus
is saying in this story?
00:22:41.77\00:22:44.87
He is warning the entire
church, wise and foolish,
00:22:45.58\00:22:50.31
not to fall into a deep sleep
on the knife edge of eternity.
00:22:50.70\00:22:56.69
The message of
Isaiah the prophet
00:22:57.15\00:22:58.68
speaks to this generation.
00:22:58.71\00:23:00.15
Here it is,
Isaiah 60 verses 1 to 4.
00:23:00.18\00:23:02.77
Isaiah says, "Arise and shine."
00:23:02.80\00:23:05.58
Do what?
00:23:05.61\00:23:06.98
Arise out of
your sleep and shine.
00:23:07.01\00:23:08.56
Are we living the time
when darkness covers the earth?
00:23:15.04\00:23:17.96
The darkness of spiritualism.
00:23:17.99\00:23:19.58
The darkness of Satanism.
00:23:19.61\00:23:21.16
The darkness of demonism.
00:23:21.19\00:23:22.86
We are living at a time when
darkness is covering the earth.
00:23:22.89\00:23:26.67
And Jesus is speaking
to His entire church today.
00:23:26.70\00:23:29.62
"Arise and shine,
for your light has come."
00:23:29.65\00:23:31.97
This is our destiny.
00:23:32.00\00:23:33.89
This is our time to
share the light of Christ
00:23:33.92\00:23:37.06
with the whole world.
00:23:37.09\00:23:38.46
This is our time to be
filled with the Holy Spirit.
00:23:38.49\00:23:41.49
Look, deep darkness
will cover the people.
00:23:41.52\00:23:43.93
But the Lord will rise
upon you, and His glory
00:23:43.96\00:23:47.33
will be seen in you.
00:23:47.36\00:23:48.73
Thank God, God is
going to yet do something
00:23:48.76\00:23:51.61
with His
slumbering sleeping church.
00:23:51.64\00:23:54.38
God is yet
going to do something.
00:23:54.90\00:23:57.08
He's going to move
with His Holy Spirit.
00:23:57.11\00:23:58.66
There will be a
powerful spiritual revival
00:23:58.69\00:24:01.74
in these last days
of earth's history.
00:24:01.77\00:24:04.17
And what's going to happen
when that revival takes place?
00:24:04.20\00:24:06.23
The Gentiles. Who are they?
00:24:06.26\00:24:07.63
The heathen shall
come to your light.
00:24:07.66\00:24:10.35
Kings to the
brightness of your rising.
00:24:10.38\00:24:12.87
What a prophecy.
00:24:12.90\00:24:14.27
The church will not
flicker and go out in darkness.
00:24:14.30\00:24:17.41
His people will
not sleep forever.
00:24:17.44\00:24:19.77
There will be a mighty
Holy Ghost spiritual revival.
00:24:19.80\00:24:23.39
Jesus' power will
move through His church.
00:24:23.59\00:24:26.42
Men and women will be
on their knees seeking God.
00:24:26.91\00:24:29.35
And the reason more
people do not come to be part of
00:24:30.12\00:24:34.08
God's true church now is
not because they don't have
00:24:34.11\00:24:37.76
spiritual
longings in their heart.
00:24:37.79\00:24:40.37
It is because they have
not seen the light of Christ
00:24:40.81\00:24:43.63
in the fullness of
the Spirit in our lives.
00:24:43.66\00:24:46.03
God cannot do something...
00:24:46.28\00:24:47.90
...with you until He
does something for you.
00:24:49.19\00:24:51.40
God cannot do
something through you until
00:24:52.00\00:24:54.66
He does something to you.
00:24:54.69\00:24:56.06
What a prophecy.
00:24:56.22\00:24:57.59
The Gentiles, the
heathen, will come to our light.
00:24:57.62\00:25:00.33
The light of Jesus
Christ rising in His people.
00:25:00.56\00:25:03.29
The kings to the
brightness of their rising.
00:25:03.58\00:25:06.11
We have not yet seen
what God is going to do.
00:25:06.14\00:25:10.26
Lift up your eyes
all around and see.
00:25:10.29\00:25:13.31
Jesus says to His sleeping
church, "Lift up your eyes
00:25:13.78\00:25:17.24
all around and see."
00:25:17.27\00:25:18.71
They all gather together.
00:25:18.91\00:25:20.28
They're going to come to you.
00:25:20.31\00:25:21.68
The greatest revival in
history is going to take place.
00:25:21.94\00:25:24.48
The greatest soul winning
initiative that this church
00:25:25.39\00:25:29.44
in this world has ever
seen is going to take place.
00:25:29.47\00:25:32.56
Pentecost is
nothing in comparison
00:25:32.86\00:25:35.77
to what's going to happen.
00:25:35.80\00:25:37.17
3000 baptized in a day.
00:25:37.20\00:25:39.33
The early rain, according
to Hosea, was moderate.
00:25:39.36\00:25:43.26
If you saw 3000 baptized
in a day, that wouldn't be
00:25:43.70\00:25:46.24
very moderate, right?
00:25:46.27\00:25:47.64
It's only moderate in comparison
to what's going to come.
00:25:47.83\00:25:50.06
We have not yet seen
what God is going to do.
00:25:50.47\00:25:54.07
Because it is
written in Revelation 18:1,
00:25:54.10\00:25:57.42
the earth will be
lightened with the glory of God.
00:25:57.45\00:25:59.38
It is written in
Habakkuk chapter 2 that the
00:25:59.41\00:26:01.83
glory of God will go from one
end of the earth to the other.
00:26:01.86\00:26:05.38
What a day.
00:26:05.70\00:26:07.07
Would it not be a
shame to sell your soul cheap
00:26:07.54\00:26:11.53
when we are on the
verge of the greatest
00:26:11.56\00:26:13.86
outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
00:26:13.89\00:26:15.26
This is no time for lethargy.
00:26:15.29\00:26:17.15
This is no time for
spiritual drowsiness.
00:26:17.18\00:26:19.95
This is no time for
Laodicean complacency.
00:26:19.98\00:26:22.63
This is no time to
drop out of the church now.
00:26:22.66\00:26:25.46
This is the time to recognize
that God is about ready
00:26:26.25\00:26:29.25
to do something that's unusual.
00:26:29.28\00:26:31.60
Empowered by the Holy Spirit...
00:26:31.63\00:26:34.46
Christ will come and
return to this world.
00:26:44.08\00:26:48.08
But why?
00:26:48.11\00:26:49.48
Why are some spiritually drowsy
on the knife edge of eternity?
00:26:50.24\00:26:54.78
Why are some sleeping?
00:26:55.26\00:26:57.44
What do the wise virgins have
that the foolish virgins lack?
00:26:57.64\00:27:04.20
And how can you and I keep
from being foolish virgins?
00:27:04.44\00:27:08.34
You see, these foolish
virgins believed the same thing
00:27:09.01\00:27:11.98
as the wise virgins.
00:27:12.01\00:27:13.39
They're all together.
00:27:14.08\00:27:15.45
They attend church together.
00:27:15.48\00:27:17.59
They all are anticipating
the coming of the bridegroom.
00:27:18.33\00:27:22.36
They all have lamps
in their hand and believe
00:27:22.78\00:27:25.70
biblical doctrine.
00:27:25.73\00:27:27.35
What is the essential difference
between the foolish virgins
00:27:27.38\00:27:31.99
and the wise virgins?
00:27:32.02\00:27:33.55
Is it possible that I
think I'm a wise virgin
00:27:34.18\00:27:37.56
and I'm really a foolish virgin?
00:27:37.59\00:27:38.96
Is it possible
that my perception of my
00:27:39.44\00:27:41.82
spiritual experience is greater
than in actuality it really is?
00:27:41.85\00:27:46.76
Let's study our passage
and see if we can discover
00:27:46.99\00:27:49.29
the difference between the
wise and the foolish virgins.
00:27:49.69\00:27:52.41
Matthew 25 verse 3 says...
00:27:52.44\00:27:54.30
Now it's not that the
wise were awake and the
00:27:58.04\00:28:00.71
foolish were sleeping.
00:28:00.74\00:28:02.27
It's not that at all.
00:28:02.56\00:28:03.93
All slumbered and slept.
00:28:04.07\00:28:05.44
They had this
spiritual drowsiness.
00:28:05.47\00:28:07.24
But there is
something that the wise had
00:28:07.48\00:28:10.18
that the foolish did not have.
00:28:10.21\00:28:11.66
What was it?
00:28:11.69\00:28:13.06
Oil.
00:28:13.09\00:28:14.46
Those who were foolish took
their lamps and took no oil.
00:28:14.49\00:28:18.42
So they had some oil in
their lamps before, didn't they?
00:28:18.45\00:28:22.03
But they ran out of oil.
00:28:22.78\00:28:25.56
I wonder what this means.
00:28:26.29\00:28:28.42
They had some oil, but
their lamps burned dim.
00:28:28.68\00:28:33.31
They did not
replenish the supply of oil
00:28:33.34\00:28:37.74
that they had previously had.
00:28:37.77\00:28:39.94
Now notice the text,
Matthew 25 verses 5 to 13.
00:28:39.97\00:28:43.04
So there was this
delay in the coming of Jesus.
00:28:45.23\00:28:48.20
Now this is a key point.
00:29:05.64\00:29:07.01
Their lamps have
not yet gone out.
00:29:07.41\00:29:10.22
Their lamps have
not yet gone out.
00:29:11.04\00:29:13.07
Don't miss that.
00:29:13.10\00:29:14.47
I read this parable for
years, but I missed that point.
00:29:14.50\00:29:16.18
Their lamps have
not yet gone out.
00:29:16.79\00:29:18.57
In other words, they
still have a flickering
00:29:18.94\00:29:22.46
of spiritual experience.
00:29:22.49\00:29:24.86
They have not turned
their backs in apostasy.
00:29:25.18\00:29:28.71
But their spiritual lamps
are in the process of going out.
00:29:29.81\00:29:34.67
Their spiritual
experience is waning.
00:29:35.37\00:29:39.48
Their prayer life is waved.
00:29:39.75\00:29:41.50
Their Bible study life is waved.
00:29:41.53\00:29:43.74
They have an
intellectual knowledge of truth,
00:29:44.25\00:29:47.10
but their heart has
not been transformed
00:29:47.31\00:29:50.40
by the grace of God and
through the Holy Spirit.
00:29:50.60\00:29:53.26
The text goes on, "But
the wise answered saying..."
00:29:53.47\00:29:55.65
The wise and foolish
virgins are together.
00:29:58.81\00:30:01.17
One thing our parable teaches
us is that whatever this oil is,
00:30:01.20\00:30:05.39
you cannot get it
from somebody else.
00:30:05.42\00:30:07.77
A wife cannot get
it from her husband.
00:30:07.80\00:30:10.65
A husband cannot
get it from his wife.
00:30:10.68\00:30:13.29
Children cannot get
it from their parents.
00:30:13.32\00:30:15.55
You cannot get it
from your preacher.
00:30:15.58\00:30:17.82
You cannot get it
from some TV program.
00:30:17.85\00:30:20.27
You can only get
this oil from Jesus.
00:30:20.30\00:30:23.37
And every human
being must come to Jesus
00:30:23.93\00:30:27.17
for an abundant supply
of the oil of God's grace
00:30:27.20\00:30:29.39
and the Holy Spirit.
00:30:29.42\00:30:30.79
"Go rather to those who
sell and buy for yourselves."
00:30:31.04\00:30:34.93
There will come a point that
our destinies will be decided.
00:30:37.24\00:30:41.48
That either we will have
fully committed to Christ
00:30:41.51\00:30:45.51
and been sold out for
Jesus, or by repeated choices
00:30:45.54\00:30:50.01
we'll have anesthetized
our brains spiritually
00:30:50.04\00:30:54.43
so we are locked in a
Laodicean complacency.
00:30:54.46\00:30:56.90
Those that were ready went
in with Him to the wedding.
00:30:56.93\00:30:58.87
And the door was what?
00:30:58.90\00:31:00.34
Shut.
00:31:00.37\00:31:01.74
Now the door of
probation will not be shut
00:31:02.48\00:31:06.26
by some arbitrary act of God.
00:31:06.29\00:31:08.87
There are those Christians,
and even some Adventists,
00:31:09.14\00:31:11.24
that say, "Oh, wait a minute.
00:31:11.27\00:31:12.92
What if the door
has already been shut?
00:31:12.95\00:31:14.47
What if, what
if... What if I'm lost?
00:31:14.50\00:31:16.71
What if, what if the
door has been shut for me?
00:31:16.74\00:31:19.17
What if, what if my name
has come up in judgment?"
00:31:19.20\00:31:21.38
Or, "Wait a minute.
00:31:21.41\00:31:22.78
Is it just some time on
the calendar where God says,
00:31:22.81\00:31:24.87
'Okay, I'm going
to shut the door.
00:31:24.90\00:31:26.27
If you're in, you're in.
If you're out, you're out.'"
00:31:26.30\00:31:27.67
Not at all.
00:31:28.16\00:31:29.53
The door is shut when every
human being on planet earth
00:31:30.77\00:31:35.65
has made their final
irrevocable decision.
00:31:36.30\00:31:39.35
"He that is
righteous, let him be..." What?
00:31:39.55\00:31:41.52
"...righteous still.
00:31:41.55\00:31:42.92
He that is holy,
let him be holy still."
00:31:42.95\00:31:44.90
The shut door in
the sanctuary of heaven
00:31:45.28\00:31:48.45
is the acknowledgement
that if it were open any longer
00:31:48.75\00:31:52.33
nobody else
would make a decision.
00:31:52.36\00:31:53.89
The shut door in
the sanctuary in heaven
00:31:54.42\00:31:57.26
is God's acknowledgement
that everybody has
00:31:57.54\00:32:00.77
sealed their destiny by
the decisions they've made.
00:32:00.80\00:32:06.39
"He that is righteous,
let him be righteous still.
00:32:06.84\00:32:09.97
He that is holy,
let him be holy still.
00:32:10.00\00:32:12.71
He that is unholy,
let him be unholy still."
00:32:13.03\00:32:15.47
Before the coming of
Jesus, the events of this world
00:32:16.17\00:32:21.53
will catapult everybody
in making some decision
00:32:21.86\00:32:26.18
for or against Christ.
00:32:26.21\00:32:27.58
And the decisions
that we are making now
00:32:27.72\00:32:30.99
settle and
determine our eternal destiny.
00:32:31.02\00:32:34.56
The decisions we make every
day form grooves of character
00:32:34.94\00:32:39.67
in our brain.
00:32:39.70\00:32:41.22
Have you ever seen a sidewalk
00:32:41.25\00:32:44.20
that goes like
this and like this?
00:32:44.23\00:32:46.23
It has a 90 degree angle.
00:32:46.26\00:32:47.72
But some people don't
want to get that extra exercise
00:32:48.07\00:32:52.13
walking down the sidewalk like
this, making the right turn,
00:32:52.16\00:32:55.36
and walking like this.
00:32:55.39\00:32:56.76
So this is what they do.
00:32:56.79\00:32:58.16
They walk down the sidewalk
and they cut across the grass.
00:32:58.19\00:33:02.84
You ever see that?
00:33:03.20\00:33:04.57
And one person cuts across,
and somebody else sees their
00:33:04.90\00:33:07.77
footprints and says, "I think
I'm going to go there too."
00:33:07.80\00:33:09.99
Somebody else see
their footprints and says,
00:33:10.31\00:33:11.74
"I think I'm
going to go there too."
00:33:11.77\00:33:13.14
And after you do
that long enough,
00:33:13.50\00:33:15.32
what happens over there?
00:33:15.35\00:33:17.18
You have a path
down there, right?
00:33:18.37\00:33:20.39
In the neurons of the brain,
every little decision you make
00:33:20.93\00:33:26.67
to compromise truth
creates a pathway in the brain.
00:33:26.85\00:33:31.44
Every decision you make;
not to pray when you get up
00:33:31.67\00:33:35.50
in the morning, to rush through
your day, not to feast on
00:33:35.53\00:33:39.72
God's Word, creates a pathway
of lethargy in the brain.
00:33:39.75\00:33:44.42
So I may be in church,
I may believe the truth,
00:33:44.61\00:33:50.74
but something has
happened in my spiritual life.
00:33:50.99\00:33:54.44
My soul has become barren.
00:33:55.48\00:33:58.13
My spiritual
life has become empty.
00:33:58.69\00:34:02.24
The oil of the Spirit is gone.
00:34:02.48\00:34:06.59
That's the story of
the foolish virgins.
00:34:06.79\00:34:09.78
They intellectually
believe the truth.
00:34:09.81\00:34:12.82
They associate with the
wise virgins, but something
00:34:13.02\00:34:16.86
in their heart is gone.
00:34:16.89\00:34:19.10
Because the pathway that
they have worn in their brain
00:34:19.63\00:34:23.90
by conscious
decisions that they have made
00:34:24.21\00:34:27.22
is one of spiritual complacency.
00:34:27.25\00:34:29.61
"Afterward, the
virgins came and said,
00:34:29.64\00:34:31.35
'Lord, Lord, open to us.'
00:34:31.38\00:34:32.84
But he answered and said..."
00:34:32.87\00:34:35.13
This is the key to the
whole parable right here.
00:34:35.16\00:34:37.67
"I do not..."
What? "...know you."
00:34:37.70\00:34:40.21
They did not know Jesus.
00:34:40.51\00:34:44.13
The word "know" in the Bible
is the intimate relationship
00:34:44.36\00:34:47.78
that a husband has with his wife
and a wife has with her husband.
00:34:47.81\00:34:50.55
There was no
intimacy with Jesus.
00:34:50.58\00:34:52.59
They had an
intellectual knowledge,
00:34:52.95\00:34:54.50
but their hearts cold.
00:34:54.53\00:34:56.28
So Jesus says,
"Watch therefore..."
00:34:56.31\00:34:58.33
Watch and pray.
00:35:01.49\00:35:02.86
Watch and study the Word.
00:35:02.89\00:35:04.26
Watch, lest your
spiritual life be robbed
00:35:04.29\00:35:07.06
by the cares of this life.
00:35:07.09\00:35:08.46
Watch, lest the
devil come and snatch away
00:35:08.49\00:35:12.41
your deep interest for
Jesus and the things of God.
00:35:12.44\00:35:16.27
The foolish virgins lacked
the all essential oil of the
00:35:16.30\00:35:20.53
Holy Spirit filling their lives
and transforming their hearts.
00:35:20.56\00:35:24.78
What does the symbol of
oil represent in Scripture?
00:35:24.81\00:35:29.66
And why does Jesus
use the symbol of oil?
00:35:29.69\00:35:31.91
Now if I ask the
average Christian audience
00:35:31.94\00:35:34.26
and the average
Seventh-day Adventist audience,
00:35:34.29\00:35:36.33
"Why does Jesus
use the symbol of oil
00:35:36.64\00:35:38.99
and what does oil represent?"
00:35:39.02\00:35:40.59
What is the typical answer?
00:35:40.62\00:35:42.06
The oil represents the...
00:35:42.09\00:35:43.78
Boy, I knew that this
was a wonderful audience.
00:35:44.75\00:35:48.43
But I want to ask
you a deeper question.
00:35:49.31\00:35:50.99
The oil
represents the Holy Spirit.
00:35:52.32\00:35:54.42
The answer that
you gave is correct.
00:35:54.81\00:35:57.92
I heard some of you
saying it in your homes
00:35:58.58\00:36:01.16
and it came back.
00:36:01.19\00:36:02.62
But my next question is this.
00:36:04.63\00:36:06.94
Is fire a symbol
of the Holy Spirit?
00:36:07.43\00:36:09.74
Is water a symbol
of the Holy Spirit?
00:36:10.52\00:36:12.73
Why doesn't God use fire
and why doesn't He use water?
00:36:13.13\00:36:16.06
Why does He choose oil?
00:36:16.81\00:36:18.87
You can only understand
the impact of the parable
00:36:19.52\00:36:23.65
if you understand the
three fold meaning of oil
00:36:23.99\00:36:26.85
in the Old and New Testament.
00:36:26.88\00:36:28.54
So let's look at it.
00:36:28.57\00:36:29.94
When the prophet comes
to anoint David as king,
00:36:34.14\00:36:38.28
he sets him apart
and anoints him with oil.
00:36:38.31\00:36:42.11
When the elements of
the sanctuary are set apart,
00:36:42.34\00:36:47.77
they are anointed with oil,
they're consecrated with oil.
00:36:47.80\00:36:52.69
When the high priest is
set apart, oil is placed upon
00:36:53.06\00:36:56.12
his head, oil is placed upon his
eyes, oil drips down his face,
00:36:56.15\00:37:00.09
oil is placed upon his hands,
oil is placed upon his feet.
00:37:00.12\00:37:02.87
Why?
00:37:02.90\00:37:04.27
Oil is placed on his head; his
brain is consecrated to Jesus.
00:37:04.30\00:37:08.22
Oil is placed on his eyes;
the Holy Spirit symbolizing
00:37:08.25\00:37:11.79
that only he shall look at
that which is anointed and holy.
00:37:11.82\00:37:15.72
And the oil is placed upon
his mouth so he can only speak
00:37:15.75\00:37:18.34
that which is holy.
00:37:18.37\00:37:19.74
The oil is placed on his hands
so his hands will reach out
00:37:19.77\00:37:22.72
in ministry of holiness.
00:37:22.75\00:37:24.30
Oil is placed on his
feet so he shall go in the
00:37:24.33\00:37:26.86
pathways of holiness.
00:37:26.89\00:37:28.41
Oil is a symbol of
consecration that this article,
00:37:28.44\00:37:32.20
this individual, is
sold out totally consecrated
00:37:32.23\00:37:35.96
to Jesus Christ.
00:37:35.99\00:37:37.50
So the foolish
virgins vacillated.
00:37:37.53\00:37:41.25
The wise virgins had
one priority in their lives;
00:37:41.96\00:37:44.38
"Seek ye first the kingdom
of God and His righteousness."
00:37:44.41\00:37:46.64
They were totally
consecrated to Jesus Christ.
00:37:46.67\00:37:49.90
Now there's a
second aspect of healing.
00:37:50.00\00:37:52.91
You remember in the
New Testament when the
00:37:52.94\00:37:56.07
good Samaritan went
and he met that man by the
00:37:56.27\00:38:01.16
wayside, what did he do?
00:38:01.19\00:38:02.56
He poured in oil and wine.
00:38:02.59\00:38:03.96
Wine, there, was a symbol
of the grace of Jesus Christ.
00:38:04.23\00:38:09.01
Oil was the symbol of
the healing balm of Jesus.
00:38:09.51\00:38:13.31
Jesus' grace forgives us,
but Jesus' grace heals us.
00:38:13.34\00:38:16.88
Oil is a symbol that the
Holy Spirit has entered my life
00:38:18.86\00:38:22.72
and healed me from within.
00:38:22.75\00:38:24.64
That I am healed of anger.
00:38:25.45\00:38:27.18
I'm healed of bitterness.
00:38:27.21\00:38:28.88
I'm healed of resentment.
00:38:29.14\00:38:30.87
I'm healed of lust.
00:38:31.35\00:38:33.04
I'm healed of gossip.
00:38:33.46\00:38:35.18
When you come to Jesus and
you consecrate your mind to Him
00:38:36.25\00:38:39.87
and open your heart to Him,
and have an intimate experience
00:38:40.33\00:38:43.61
with Him, His grace
flows into your life.
00:38:43.64\00:38:46.56
You're sold out for Jesus,
you're consecrated to Him.
00:38:46.93\00:38:50.30
The healing balm of the Holy
Spirit, the oil of the Spirit,
00:38:50.70\00:38:53.85
enters into your life.
00:38:53.88\00:38:55.25
It does a deep work of healing.
00:38:55.61\00:38:57.43
There is one
other aspect of oil.
00:38:57.63\00:38:59.72
The candles in the
sanctuary were illuminated
00:39:01.51\00:39:05.35
by the fuel, the oil.
00:39:05.38\00:39:07.59
So oil is a
symbol of illumination,
00:39:07.62\00:39:09.82
or oil is a
symbol of witnessing.
00:39:09.85\00:39:11.91
God longs to have a people that
are filled with His Holy Spirit.
00:39:11.94\00:39:16.29
He longs to have a people that
are totally consecrated to Him.
00:39:16.32\00:39:19.60
The oil has touched
their head and their eyes
00:39:19.63\00:39:22.39
and their ears and their mouth,
and the oil has set them apart.
00:39:22.42\00:39:25.75
God longs to have a people who
totally are sold out for Him.
00:39:25.78\00:39:30.55
But they did not have a
present experience with Jesus.
00:39:34.97\00:39:39.55
Matthew 25 verse 6 says...
00:39:40.07\00:39:41.57
You cannot get an
experience when Jesus comes
00:39:43.62\00:39:45.68
that you don't have today.
00:39:45.71\00:39:47.08
You cannot get an experience
then that you do not have now.
00:39:47.11\00:39:50.16
You cannot get an
experience in the future
00:39:50.19\00:39:52.08
hoping and grasping for it.
00:39:52.11\00:39:53.65
Jesus invited us
to know Him for today.
00:39:53.68\00:39:56.76
They said, "Our
lamps are going out.
00:39:56.79\00:39:58.38
We do not have an experience
sufficient for the time
00:39:58.41\00:40:02.16
of the coming of our Lord."
00:40:02.19\00:40:04.02
Look, Ellen White says,
Gospel Workers, page 274...
00:40:04.05\00:40:07.48
I am not calling you
tonight to the superficial.
00:40:14.13\00:40:16.47
I'm not calling you
to wade to your ankles
00:40:16.50\00:40:19.63
in a kiddie wading pool up
to your ankles to get pennies.
00:40:19.93\00:40:23.81
I am calling you tonight
to something deeper, broader.
00:40:23.84\00:40:27.80
Something that is higher
than you could ever imagine.
00:40:28.10\00:40:31.32
I'm calling you
to dive for pearls.
00:40:31.35\00:40:33.43
To open God's Word.
00:40:33.46\00:40:35.03
Let God speak to
you through His Word.
00:40:35.06\00:40:37.60
Let the Holy Spirit
transform your life.
00:40:38.14\00:40:40.40
To be consecrated by the oil.
00:40:40.43\00:40:42.29
To be healed by the oil.
00:40:42.32\00:40:44.07
And let that oil fill
your life, to illuminate you
00:40:44.64\00:40:47.99
to witness in a
powerful way for Jesus Christ.
00:40:48.02\00:40:50.96
Does it?
00:40:56.58\00:40:57.95
Do you sense that
presence of God closing you in?
00:41:04.51\00:41:07.89
The wise virgins do.
00:41:07.92\00:41:09.29
The wise virgins have
one priority in their life.
00:41:16.38\00:41:18.88
And that's to know Jesus and to
be filled with His Holy Spirit.
00:41:19.60\00:41:23.52
To be totally
consecrated to Him.
00:41:23.55\00:41:25.49
To be healed within by the
grace and power of the Spirit.
00:41:25.52\00:41:29.04
They long to have that
intimate knowledge of Jesus.
00:41:29.07\00:41:32.70
Ellen White, in the book,
"Christ's Object Lessons,"
00:41:32.97\00:41:35.34
which is probably the
best commentary ever written
00:41:35.37\00:41:39.04
on the parables.
00:41:39.07\00:41:40.44
Christ's Object
Lessons, page 411, describes
00:41:40.47\00:41:43.47
those foolish virgins.
00:41:43.50\00:41:45.74
And she says...
00:41:45.77\00:41:47.14
So are the foolish
virgins hypocrites, yes or no?
00:41:55.47\00:41:58.56
No. Do they have a
regard for the truth?
00:41:58.59\00:42:00.55
Certainly, they have
a regard for the truth.
00:42:00.58\00:42:02.62
Have these foolish
virgins advocated truth?
00:42:04.19\00:42:06.61
Have they preached truth? Yes.
00:42:06.64\00:42:08.04
"They are attracted to
those who believe the truth."
00:42:08.34\00:42:10.69
Wow!
00:42:11.04\00:42:12.41
"But they have
not yielded themselves
00:42:12.44\00:42:14.65
to the Holy Spirit's working."
00:42:14.68\00:42:16.15
What is the difference between
the wise and foolish virgins?
00:42:43.04\00:42:48.27
The foolish virgins are content
with something superficial.
00:42:48.87\00:42:52.76
They do not know God.
00:42:53.33\00:42:56.50
Look, we continue.
00:42:56.53\00:42:58.03
"They have not
studied His character..."
00:42:58.06\00:43:01.81
Now notice, the wise and
foolish virgins are together
00:43:13.44\00:43:16.64
in the church.
00:43:16.67\00:43:18.65
They are together
doing service for God.
00:43:19.44\00:43:23.48
One class does service with
their hearts burning within them
00:43:24.38\00:43:29.18
because they have an
intimate relationship with Jesus
00:43:29.21\00:43:32.15
and His love flows out of them.
00:43:32.18\00:43:33.94
The other class still
does service, but their service
00:43:34.26\00:43:39.11
degenerates into a... What?
00:43:39.14\00:43:40.91
...form.
00:43:40.94\00:43:42.31
Because they have a
superficial religion.
00:43:42.34\00:43:44.91
They're still in the church,
but it is a formal religion
00:43:44.94\00:43:48.92
that they have.
00:43:48.95\00:43:50.32
Notice Ezekiel 33 verse 31,
talks about the ancient Jews.
00:43:50.35\00:43:53.56
Ezekiel the prophet said...
00:43:53.59\00:43:55.27
So ancient Judaism;
their experiences repeated
00:44:11.59\00:44:14.81
in God's last day church.
00:44:14.84\00:44:16.21
In ancient Judaism
their mouth went after God,
00:44:16.63\00:44:19.83
but their heart
drifted... What?...from Him.
00:44:19.86\00:44:22.18
You remember what
Timothy says about the last days
00:44:22.21\00:44:24.81
of earth's history?
00:44:24.84\00:44:26.21
He says this.
00:44:26.24\00:44:27.61
Are we living
in those last days?
00:44:34.61\00:44:36.37
Have perilous times come?
00:44:36.40\00:44:38.19
These are the foolish virgins.
00:44:49.62\00:44:51.75
They pontificate with
their lips, but their hearts
00:44:52.29\00:44:55.57
are far from God.
00:44:55.60\00:44:56.97
These are the foolish virgins.
00:44:57.00\00:44:58.37
They have a form of godliness.
00:44:58.40\00:44:59.77
Oh Jesus...
00:44:59.80\00:45:01.17
...break my heart.
00:45:01.79\00:45:03.16
Lord, I don't want
any form of godliness.
00:45:03.94\00:45:06.38
I don't want some superficial
religious experience.
00:45:07.50\00:45:10.47
I don't want to
be playing church.
00:45:11.72\00:45:13.30
I don't want to
be playing church.
00:45:13.70\00:45:15.13
Oh God, break my heart.
00:45:16.80\00:45:18.17
Is that the
desire you have tonight?
00:45:18.20\00:45:19.63
Oh God, break my heart.
00:45:19.66\00:45:21.11
God, give me a knowledge
of Jesus that is so deep
00:45:22.29\00:45:26.46
and so full that I reveal Your
love to the people around me,
00:45:26.49\00:45:30.61
and that the light of Your love
shines to the people around me,
00:45:31.18\00:45:34.84
and the power of Your
Spirit works through me.
00:45:35.10\00:45:38.76
Oh Lord, let me be that light,
because the oil of the Spirit
00:45:38.79\00:45:44.53
is filling my soul to
illuminate a world in darkness
00:45:44.56\00:45:48.91
and prepare it for
the soon return of Jesus.
00:45:48.94\00:45:51.18
See, there is a
difference between...
00:45:51.21\00:45:53.63
There is a difference between an
intellectual cognitive knowledge
00:46:02.34\00:46:07.76
in the head and a knowledge
that gets into your soul
00:46:08.24\00:46:12.49
so you passionately love Christ.
00:46:12.99\00:46:15.16
Look, has the truth
which you believe...
00:46:15.69\00:46:19.07
Are you a wise virgin?
00:46:25.87\00:46:28.55
Or is your
experience superficial?
00:46:29.62\00:46:32.59
Do you remember the times
you use to pray and you use to
00:46:32.97\00:46:35.35
study the Bible?
00:46:35.38\00:46:36.75
You had that
passionate love for Jesus.
00:46:37.54\00:46:39.37
But things have
changed and you're kind of
00:46:39.88\00:46:42.52
just going through the motions.
00:46:42.55\00:46:44.59
Look at this reference.
00:46:44.62\00:46:45.99
Signs of the
Times, February 17, 1890.
00:47:14.16\00:47:17.52
Look at this.
00:47:17.55\00:47:18.92
Look, the devils
believe that Jesus Christ
00:47:57.67\00:48:00.18
was the Messiah.
00:48:00.21\00:48:01.58
They believe that
He died on the cross.
00:48:01.61\00:48:04.27
They believe that
He is coming again.
00:48:04.30\00:48:06.42
They believe that
He's coming shortly.
00:48:06.45\00:48:08.99
"But will this faith
save the demons of darkness?"
00:48:13.59\00:48:16.51
Will it?
00:48:16.54\00:48:17.91
"They have not the
faith that works by love
00:48:17.94\00:48:19.74
and purifies the soul.
00:48:19.77\00:48:21.26
That faith, and that
alone, which cleanses the
00:48:21.29\00:48:23.46
soul-temple is
the genuine faith."
00:48:23.49\00:48:25.03
Signs Of The
Times, February 17, 1890.
00:48:25.06\00:48:27.17
Genuine faith reaches up and
not only believes, but accepts.
00:48:28.23\00:48:34.56
It accepts Jesus' grace.
00:48:35.04\00:48:36.98
It accepts His power.
00:48:37.01\00:48:39.29
It accepts the
promise of the Spirit.
00:48:39.32\00:48:42.00
And genuine faith says, "All the
promises in the Book are mine.
00:48:42.03\00:48:46.13
Every chapter,
every verse, every line."
00:48:46.16\00:48:49.60
Genuine faith takes what God
has said and internalizes it.
00:48:49.63\00:48:54.62
Genuine faith takes what
God has said and believes it.
00:48:54.65\00:48:57.82
Genuine faith says, "Jesus,
You're not only the Savior,
00:48:57.85\00:49:02.00
You are my Savior.
00:49:02.03\00:49:03.40
Jesus, You not only
forgive sin, You forgive my sin.
00:49:03.43\00:49:06.82
Jesus, You not only
give strength, You not only
00:49:07.22\00:49:10.76
open the eyes of the blind
and unstop the ears of the deaf,
00:49:10.79\00:49:13.94
and touched the withered
man's arms and it was healed,
00:49:14.13\00:49:17.41
You touched my
withered soul and it was healed.
00:49:17.44\00:49:19.75
You touched my blind
eyes and they were opened.
00:49:19.78\00:49:21.86
You touched my deaf ears
and I heard divine realities.
00:49:21.89\00:49:25.81
My eyes were opened
and I saw divine things.
00:49:25.84\00:49:30.20
You touched my palsy
body and my palsy soul,
00:49:31.51\00:49:35.37
and bitterness and anger
and resentment were gone.
00:49:35.70\00:49:38.32
The wise virgins
have a living experience
00:49:38.74\00:49:42.44
with the living Christ.
00:49:42.47\00:49:43.91
But you can't do it.
00:49:49.04\00:49:50.41
Knowing Jesus is a
personal individual experience.
00:49:51.89\00:49:58.11
And the wise said, "Go
and buy for yourselves."
00:50:03.73\00:50:06.88
The oil represents
the sanctifying grace
00:50:07.29\00:50:09.74
of the Holy Spirit.
00:50:09.77\00:50:11.24
Not the Holy
Spirit in some vague way.
00:50:11.27\00:50:14.23
Not the Holy spirit
in some general way.
00:50:14.26\00:50:16.41
Not the Holy Spirit
in some ethereal way.
00:50:16.75\00:50:18.88
The oil represents
the sanctifying grace
00:50:19.82\00:50:22.90
of the Holy Spirit...
00:50:22.93\00:50:24.39
Here is the good news,
here is the incredible news,
00:50:34.79\00:50:39.06
here is the
wonderful news for you and me.
00:50:39.09\00:50:42.23
The oil that flows
from heaven's sanctuary,
00:50:49.38\00:50:52.58
the Spirit that flows
from heaven's sanctuary;
00:50:53.16\00:50:55.94
that oil is for you.
00:50:56.34\00:50:58.33
Heaven's supply never runs out.
00:50:58.55\00:51:01.58
And as you and I kneel
before Him and His throne,
00:51:01.84\00:51:04.68
we say, "Oh, Jesus,
Jesus, You promised your Spirit.
00:51:04.71\00:51:08.67
Jesus, I don't want a
superficial experience.
00:51:09.03\00:51:11.53
Jesus, I don't want
the form of godliness.
00:51:11.87\00:51:15.13
Jesus, I don't want
merely something external.
00:51:15.34\00:51:19.31
I don't want to be
going through the motions.
00:51:19.34\00:51:21.79
Lord, I'm
opening my heart to You."
00:51:22.56\00:51:24.36
And He says, "My child,
anybody who has ever prayed
00:51:24.72\00:51:27.96
that prayer sincerely I
have poured My Spirit out upon
00:51:27.99\00:51:32.25
and they have been transformed."
00:51:32.28\00:51:34.62
We need not slumber and sleep
on the knife edge of eternity.
00:51:34.89\00:51:40.35
The Bridegroom has been
delayed and the appeal goes out
00:51:40.38\00:51:43.22
to you and to me to wake up.
00:51:43.32\00:51:45.38
The greatest danger that
you and I experience is the
00:51:45.95\00:51:49.48
danger of delay.
00:51:49.51\00:51:50.91
The greatest
danger that we experience
00:51:51.50\00:51:53.48
is the danger
of procrastination.
00:51:53.51\00:51:56.11
You may be at home
watching this broadcast
00:51:57.44\00:51:59.97
on Three Angel's Broadcasting
and you have thought
00:52:00.00\00:52:03.53
in your heart, "I really need
to make things right with God."
00:52:03.56\00:52:08.51
Or you maybe have
thought, "You know, my Christian
00:52:09.21\00:52:13.03
experience is waning.
00:52:13.06\00:52:14.43
My prayer life is weak.
00:52:14.68\00:52:16.27
I'm not studying in
God's Word like I use to."
00:52:17.56\00:52:20.14
Or you may be
here in this audience
00:52:20.17\00:52:21.88
and you're thinking,
"You know, I've got to
00:52:22.96\00:52:24.86
get that right sometime.
00:52:24.89\00:52:26.85
I've got to get
that right sometime."
00:52:27.19\00:52:29.92
The story is told
of these ten virgins.
00:52:30.37\00:52:35.75
Many people are waiting
when they should be preparing.
00:52:43.18\00:52:47.54
Did you ever hear that
story, fictitious of course...
00:52:47.78\00:52:53.24
It's alright if the preacher
tells you a fictitious story
00:52:53.84\00:52:56.01
as long as he tells
you it's fictitious.
00:52:56.04\00:52:58.04
You've got to watch the ones
that tell the fictitious stuff
00:52:58.07\00:53:00.08
and they don't tell
you it's fictitious.
00:53:00.11\00:53:01.85
Did you ever hear that story...
00:53:02.55\00:53:04.90
The devil is
going out of business.
00:53:05.61\00:53:07.28
And he says, "Come,
let's decide the best way
00:53:08.06\00:53:14.32
that I can leave you
some final instructions."
00:53:14.82\00:53:18.48
And he says to his
angels, "Tell me, Tell me.
00:53:18.78\00:53:21.72
What do you think is the
best counsel I could give you
00:53:22.92\00:53:26.95
on how to deceive the
largest number of people?"
00:53:27.36\00:53:30.91
And one angel
says, "I know what it is.
00:53:31.11\00:53:33.60
I'll fly from here and I'll
tell everybody there is no God."
00:53:33.63\00:53:37.26
The devil says,
"That's a very foolish approach
00:53:38.59\00:53:40.99
because they can see God
in the sun, moon, and stars.
00:53:41.02\00:53:42.99
You may convince a few, but
you're certainly not going to
00:53:43.02\00:53:44.91
convince many.
00:53:44.94\00:53:46.31
God has His Holy Spirit
working on their hearts."
00:53:46.99\00:53:49.18
"Somebody else," the devil says.
Another said, "I know what.
00:53:49.21\00:53:51.06
I know the best
counsel you could give us.
00:53:51.09\00:53:53.07
Here is the best
counsel you could give us.
00:53:53.10\00:53:55.16
I will tell
them there is no God.
00:53:55.19\00:53:58.81
Why don't you say...
00:53:59.23\00:54:00.60
The best counsel you could
give us is just go tell them
00:54:01.28\00:54:03.38
there is no truth.
00:54:03.41\00:54:04.78
That's it's all
relative in everybody's mind."
00:54:05.05\00:54:06.88
The devil says, "Well,
that's going to deceive some.
00:54:06.91\00:54:09.29
But it won't deceive everybody."
00:54:09.84\00:54:11.31
One angel says, "Wait a minute.
00:54:13.32\00:54:15.06
Maybe Lucifer, maybe
Satan, the best counsel that
00:54:15.09\00:54:17.91
you could give us all is this."
00:54:17.94\00:54:19.68
They go on and on and on.
00:54:20.72\00:54:22.15
The devil says,
"None of you are right.
00:54:22.50\00:54:24.05
None of you are right.
00:54:24.74\00:54:26.11
The best counsel I
can give you is leave here
00:54:26.35\00:54:29.75
in the bowels of hell,
the regions of outer darkness,
00:54:30.01\00:54:34.14
leave here, go
from here, and tell them
00:54:34.74\00:54:37.54
there is no hurry.
00:54:37.95\00:54:40.14
Tell them to wait.
00:54:42.02\00:54:43.39
Tell them to put
off eternal decisions."
00:54:44.08\00:54:48.88
I was preaching one
night in one of the southern
00:54:49.34\00:54:52.25
states of the United States.
00:54:52.28\00:54:55.33
I preached on the
parable of the ten virgins,
00:54:56.02\00:54:58.14
the urgency of
making a decision.
00:54:58.45\00:55:00.84
A young woman came up to
me and said, "Pastor Mark,
00:55:01.62\00:55:04.42
I'm one of
those foolish virgins.
00:55:05.92\00:55:07.69
Brought up in an
Adventist Christian home, but my
00:55:08.65\00:55:10.66
experience with
God is superficial.
00:55:10.69\00:55:12.66
I'm a university student.
00:55:12.86\00:55:14.50
And I've just got so
much to do in my studies.
00:55:15.10\00:55:17.41
I don't pray anymore,
don't study the Bible anymore.
00:55:17.44\00:55:19.48
Can you help me?"
00:55:19.51\00:55:20.88
We sat down together
and we opened God's Word.
00:55:20.94\00:55:23.23
I shared with her
how to know Jesus,
00:55:23.87\00:55:26.17
how to have a
meaningful prayer life,
00:55:26.20\00:55:27.87
how to open her Bible on
her knees and pray through
00:55:28.51\00:55:31.55
the psalms and pray
through the epistles of Paul and
00:55:31.58\00:55:34.15
pray through the gospels.
00:55:34.18\00:55:35.55
She wrote in the flyleaf
of her Bible these words,
00:55:36.31\00:55:40.41
"I once was a foolish virgin,
but tonight I'm leaving here
00:55:40.44\00:55:44.78
a wise virgin."
00:55:45.08\00:55:46.67
Six months later, I was
preaching at a camp meeting
00:55:47.02\00:55:49.99
up in the New England states.
00:55:50.02\00:55:51.65
A girl came down the aisle that
I kind of vaguely recognized,
00:55:51.96\00:55:54.82
but I didn't know who it was.
00:55:54.85\00:55:56.22
She said, "Do you
remember me?" I said, "No."
00:55:56.25\00:55:57.62
She said, "I'm the
sister of the girl you saw
00:55:57.65\00:56:01.13
six months ago.
00:56:01.16\00:56:03.59
Do you know
what happened to her?
00:56:03.77\00:56:05.22
This girl, my sister,
that you saw six months ago,
00:56:06.06\00:56:09.33
she went back to school.
00:56:10.76\00:56:13.08
When she came
home for Thanksgiving
00:56:13.32\00:56:15.61
she had a terrible pain in
her heart and fell over dead.
00:56:16.29\00:56:21.39
When we went to get her
Bible, written in the flyleaf of
00:56:22.02\00:56:25.27
the Bible was, 'I
was a foolish virgin,
00:56:25.30\00:56:29.23
but now I'm a wise virgin.'"
00:56:29.61\00:56:31.45
There is no time to fool around.
00:56:32.66\00:56:36.73
You are one
heartbeat away from eternity.
00:56:39.26\00:56:41.73
You don't know
what's in your body.
00:56:42.42\00:56:44.28
God longs to give you
the deepest most intimate
00:56:44.91\00:56:50.36
experience with Him
that you can imagine.
00:56:50.39\00:56:52.87
Don't miss what God
wants to do for you.
00:56:53.93\00:56:57.59
Wallowing around in
Laodicean complacency,
00:56:57.82\00:57:00.87
when you can have
a vibrant experience
00:57:01.47\00:57:04.46
filled with His grace.
00:57:04.49\00:57:05.86
Why not make that
decision right now as we pray.
00:57:06.29\00:57:08.35
Dear Father in heaven,
thank You so much for Jesus.
00:57:08.38\00:57:12.10
Thank You that You long
to pour Your Spirit upon us.
00:57:12.32\00:57:15.64
Thank You that You long
to fill us with Your grace.
00:57:15.67\00:57:18.20
And oh Jesus, we
open our hearts to receive
00:57:19.14\00:57:21.75
Your Spirit right now.
00:57:21.78\00:57:23.15
We don't want to fool around
with our Christian experience.
00:57:23.38\00:57:25.90
We don't want to have
a superficial experience.
00:57:25.93\00:57:28.14
Oh Jesus, we want
one thing; to know You,
00:57:28.17\00:57:30.79
for whom to
know is life eternal.
00:57:31.43\00:57:33.27