Release yourself from the weight of sin
| It has now become a normal occurrence for many people to see the dreams of rapture. As many of you know, the rapture is a Biblical reference to the time where Jesus will take His people from the Earth as mentioned in Matthew 24:29-31. I totally understand it when people are in a great emotional agitation when mentioning the rapture. The emotional agitation comes as a normal occurrence especially when considering the signs associated with the end times. I totally understand why people have ‘rapture dreams’ and why the subject has become a very important matter in the mouths of many. Though we have the great hope of meeting our Lord, I would like you to also increase focus on one important topic: “having something in hand when the Lord comes.” In Matthew 25, two parables teach us the danger of having nothing in hands on the day that the Lord. Matthew 25:1- 13 read as follow: “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’said “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. Then Matthew 25:14-29 reads a follow: “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ The lesson from the above two parables: Have you noticed that there is something in common between the lazy servant and the foolish 5 virgins? The lazy servant and the five foolish virgins were both caught lacking. And when the Lord came, they had nothing on them. The 5 foolish virgins were supposed to know that they needed oil to operate their lamps. The 5 foolish virgins had nothing to show and they represent the ‘last-minute Christians’ who realize that they have not done what they were supposed to do for the Lord when there was time. In spite of trying to fill the void, the 5 foolish virgins did not manage to enter the wedding venue. Let us be ready today and let us be busy doing God’s will during the time window that is allocated to us. In the parable of the talents, the lazy servant was blatantly caught lacking. And when the Lord comes back, He chases him out in a dark place where there is gnashing of teeth. Many Christians are eagerly waiting for the return of Jesus but at the same time they are lacking concrete results on the will of God for their lives. Since the lazy servants and the foolish virgins were excluded from the presence of the Master, we can conclude the following: “a Christian , who had ample time to do the will of God but refused or omitted to do the will of God, will not be raptured.” (This conclusive statement excludes children). I am not making reference to unbelievers who convert on their deathbeds. Such a category of people did not have ample time to do the will of God. As much as we eagerly wait for the Lord, let us not be caught lacking when He comes. TOP CHRISTIAN BLOGS FOR YOUNG ADULTS |