Matthew 25:1, 13
25:1 "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
25:13 "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
Church of God must be watchful always to be ready to welcome Jesus' second coming. On the contrary, being left when Jesus comes a second time, we are destroyed and perished.
We have to keep our lamp to burn continually through these requirements:
1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
The practice of being foolish virgin is evident through rejecting cross, meaning being unwilling to suffer together with Jesus in the flesh. Consequently, one becomes perished forever.
The practice of being wise virgins is real through taking up the cross, being willing to suffer in the flesh together with Jesus.
Matthew 16:24
16:24. Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
Why do we have to suffer together with Jesus? It is useful that we receive the grace and live in it.
1 Peter 2:19
2:19 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.
The grace of God saves our lives.
Titus 2:11
2:11 For the grace of Godthat brings salvationhas appeared to all men,
The grace glorifies or perfects our lives and makes us as glorious as Jesus is so that we are able to welcome His second coming.
Romans 5:2
5:2through whom also we have access by faith into this gracein which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Therefore, the grace is more valuable than all things in the world.There is no other way to get the grace except through taking up the cross. Living in the grace is as our lamp's keeping on burning continually so we can welcome Jesus' second coming. There is only perdition outside the grace of God.
Daily practices of living in the grace of God are below:
25:1 "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
25:13 "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
Church of God must be watchful always to be ready to welcome Jesus' second coming. On the contrary, being left when Jesus comes a second time, we are destroyed and perished.
We have to keep our lamp to burn continually through these requirements:
- Hearing Bride Tidings.
Matthew 25:6
25:6 "And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' - Having oil for supply.
Matthew 25:3-4
25:3 "Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,
25:4 "but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
The Church of God is as ten virgins who can be divided into two groups as follows:- Five wise virgins having the oil for supply so their lamps burn continually to welcome Jesus' second coming.
- Five foolish virgins having no oil for supply so the lamps are quenched and they cannot welcome Jesus' second coming.
- Five wise virgins having the oil for supply so their lamps burn continually to welcome Jesus' second coming.
1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
The practice of being foolish virgin is evident through rejecting cross, meaning being unwilling to suffer together with Jesus in the flesh. Consequently, one becomes perished forever.
The practice of being wise virgins is real through taking up the cross, being willing to suffer in the flesh together with Jesus.
Matthew 16:24
16:24. Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
Why do we have to suffer together with Jesus? It is useful that we receive the grace and live in it.
1 Peter 2:19
2:19 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.
The grace of God saves our lives.
Titus 2:11
2:11 For the grace of Godthat brings salvationhas appeared to all men,
The grace glorifies or perfects our lives and makes us as glorious as Jesus is so that we are able to welcome His second coming.
Romans 5:2
5:2through whom also we have access by faith into this gracein which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Therefore, the grace is more valuable than all things in the world.There is no other way to get the grace except through taking up the cross. Living in the grace is as our lamp's keeping on burning continually so we can welcome Jesus' second coming. There is only perdition outside the grace of God.
Daily practices of living in the grace of God are below:
- In order to face the judgment of God to the world.
Genesis 6:8
6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
Why did God judge the world?
Genesis 6:5-7
6:5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6:6 And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
6:7 So the LORD said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them."
It is because the hearts of men, including the children of God, tended to be wicked and unclean and the conducts were sinful up to the peak of sin, i.e. the sin concerning eating-drinking, in form of being drunk, gambling, consuming narcotics, et cetera, and sin concerning sexuality, in form of mixed marriage, marrying after divorce, marrying and giving in marriage, et cetera.
All sinful works make God's heart grieved. The parents' hearts are also grieved and other people get disadvantage.
The sins come up to heaven and the judgment of God comes down.
Nevertheless, Noah lived in the grace so he could enter the ark and be saved with his wife, his three sons and his daughters in law. The four couples are saved and it is called the salvation of bride.
Thus, we have the salvation of bride through the grace of God.
Luke 17:26-27
17:26 "And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:
17:27 "They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.
The world in these last days will return to the days in Noah's days that men, including the children of God, tend to sin up to the peak of sin. The sins come up to heaven and the judgment of God comes down in form of fire from heaven to destroy the world.
We are now saved by the grace through the ark of Noah, referring to water baptism.
1 Peter 3:20-21
3:20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.
3:21 There is also an antitype which now saves us--baptism(not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
The requirementof true baptism is being dead to sin.
The practiceof the true baptism is being buried in water together with Jesus.
Romans 6:4
6:4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptisminto death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Coming out of the water baptism, we get a new life that is to say the life in the grace.
Genesis 6:9
6:9 This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfectin his generations. Noah walked with God.
The practice of living in the grace is the new life in righteousness, uprightness (being just and perfect), faithfulness in committing service and ministry to the lord (walking with God).
As a result, we get the salvation of bride.
We are not judged together with the world but we get entry into the salvation of bride when Jesus' comes a second time. - To face famine.
Acts 7:9-10
7:9 "And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him
7:10 "and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favorand wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.
Joseph lived in the grace so he could gather grain until there was no famine anymore.
Genesis 41:46-49
41:46 Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
41:47 Now in the seven plentiful years the ground brought forth abundantly.
41:48 So he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities; he laid up in every city the food of the fields which surrounded them.
41:49 Joseph gathered very much grain, as the sand of the sea, until he stopped counting, for it was immeasurable.
There will be spiritual famine drawing near Jesus' second coming.
Amos 8:11-14
8:11 "Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord GOD, "That I will send a famineon the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the LORD.
8:12 They shall wander from sea to sea, And from north to east; They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the LORD, But shall not find it.
8:13 "In that day the fair virgins And strong young men Shall faint from thirst.
8:14 Those who swear by the sin of Samaria, Who say, 'As your god lives, O Dan!' And, 'As the way of Beersheba lives!' They shall fall and never rise again."
Spiritual famine means the famine of hearing the true teaching Word and it results in spiritual death, perdition (falling and never rising again).
Canaan refers to the center of spiritual activities but there is famine in it because the spiritual revival only shows prosperity and entertainment, not the revelation of the Word of God.
Why may the Church of God experience the famine of God's Word?
It is because of making the ephah (the measurement for grain) small and making the shekel (the measurement for money) large.
Amos 8:5
8:5 Saying: "When will the New Moon be past, That we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, That we may trade wheat? Making the ephah small and the shekel large, Falsifying the scales by deceit,
The meanings are below:- Seeking physical matters until there is no chance to seek the true teaching Word.
- Committing service and ministry to the Lord but only to seek physical matters, not prioritizing the revelation of the Word.
Only the Church of God having the grace may prioritize the revelation of the Word more than all things,it is equal to gathering the Word of God as many as we can or being obedient to the true teaching Word through the sheepfold or three main services to the Lord and through church visit service.
Hebrews 4:12
4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Gathering the grain as many as we can equals to hearing and obeying the teaching Word through being shepherded and joining church visit service. We can be sanctified, beginning from our heart and mind.
Mark 7:21-23
7:21 "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, (1)adulteries, (2)fornications, (3)murders,
7:22 "(4)thefts, (5)covetousness, (6)wickedness, (7)deceit, (8)lewdness, (9)an evil eye, (10)blasphemy, (11)pride, (12)foolishness.
7:23 "All these evil things come from within and defile a man."
If the table of our heart is sanctified from the twelve wicked and unclean lusts, it will be able to be filled with twelve loaves of bread (two rows of bread, six in a row), that is to say the true teaching Word.
The more our heart and mind are sanctified, the more we can enjoy in consuming the teaching Word to gather the grain as many as we can so we will not enter the spiritual famine.
Philippians 4:7-8
4:7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
4:8 Finally, brethren, (1)whatever things are true, (2)whatever things are noble, (3)whatever things are just, (4)whatever things are pure, (5)whatever things are lovely, (6)whatever things are of good report, (7)if there is any virtue and (8)if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.
Our heart and mind are sanctified until we can become as Jesus is with the eight matters of His heart and mind, we have the holiness of bride.
Thus, the practice of living in the grace is living holily in the true teaching Word, having holy heart and mind as Jesus' heart and mind.
The results are evident as follows:- We live in peace in the midst of crises in the world.
- We are preserved directly by God in the midst of crises in the world until we are fled far away from the presence of antichrist.
Revelation 12:14
12:14 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.
The true teaching Word in the anointing of Holy Spirit will be the wings of a great eagle which are able to flee us to the wilderness far away from the eyes of serpent.
- Seeking physical matters until there is no chance to seek the true teaching Word.
- To face Jesus' second coming.
Revelation 22:20-21
22:20 He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
22:21 The graceof our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."
The Church of God gets the grace in order to welcome Jesus' second coming.
'Surely I am coming quickly' refers to the readiness of Jesus to come a second time.
John 14:1-3
14:1"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
14:2 "In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
14:3 "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come againand receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
Jesus is ready to come a second time after preparing a place for us in heaven.
'Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!' refers to the Church of God who is ready to welcome Jesus' second coming.
The Church must prepare a place for Jesus in the world through entering into the ministry of forming Christ's body (Jesus as the Head will come to seek His body). It means we have to become priests and kings having priest's offices and the gifts of Holy Spirit.
Matthew 8:18-20
8:18 And when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side.
8:19 Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go."
8:20 And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."
Following the Lord wherever He goes means the following of body to its head. We have to be active in the ministry of building Christ's body.
The ministry of building Christ's body is as acrossing a sea that indeed needs many sacrifices. There is only one thing we must not sacrifice, that is to say the true teaching Word. Acrossing the sea, we have to face a great tempest and waves, meaning hindrances, as if we take up the cross but we may find the grace behind it.
Matthew 8:23-25
8:23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him.
8:24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep.
8:25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!"
Jesus was asleep means He has already died on the cross in order to defeat Satan performing the great tempest and waves of death.
Hebrews 2:14, 17-18
2:14Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
2:17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priestin things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
2:18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aidthose who are tempted.
Jesus rises to become High Priest with the power of resurrection to reconcile us from sins and to help us from all problems. The term "He is able" means the help of God cannot be limited by all things, even the impossible one.
Mark 4:38-39
4:38 But He was in the stern, asleepon a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"
4:39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!"And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.
The practice of living in the grace is being peaceful and still.
Being peacefulmeans keeping in silence to correct ourselves, confessing our mistakes to God and other people, not repeating them after being forgiven.
Being stillmeans we control ourselves, not hoping in other people but God only. We are shepherded well, trust and entrust ourselves to Great Shepherd.
1 Peter 4:7
4:7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
Being peaceful and still, we can stretch our hands to God and He will stretch His hand to perform miracles.
Physical miracles happen that the great tempest and waves become still, meaning all problems are settled, even the impossible ones.
Spiritual miracle happens that we are renewed from carnal men to spiritual men.
Revelation 21:8
21:8 "But (1)the cowardly, (2)unbelieving, (3)abominable, (4)murderers, (5)sexually immoral, (6)sorcerers, (7)idolaters, and (8)all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
We have to be renewed from the eight sins until there is no lying, we are perfect, having the perfection of bride.
Revelation 14:5
14:5 And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.
We become the bride of God ready to welcome the second coming of Jesus, heavenly bridegroom.