They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. Matthew 25:3, 4.
Many receive the truth readily, but they fail to assimilate truth, and its influence is not abiding. They are like the foolish virgins, who had no oil in their vessels with their lamps. Oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit, which is brought into the soul through faith in Jesus Christ. Those who earnestly search the Scriptures with much prayer, who rely upon God with firm faith, who obey His commandments, will be among those who are represented as wise virgins. The teachings of the Word of God are not yea and nay, but yea and amen.
The requirement of the gospel is far-reaching. Says the apostle, “Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Colossians 3:17). “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). Practical piety will not be attained by giving the grand truths of the Bible a place in the outer courts of the heart. The religion of the Bible must be brought into the large and the little affairs of life. It must furnish the powerful motives and principles that will regulate the Christian’s character and course of action….
The oil so much needed by those who are represented as foolish virgins, is not something to be put on the outside. They need to bring the truth into the sanctuary of the soul, that it may cleanse, refine, and sanctify. It is not theory that they need; it is the sacred teachings of the Bible, which are not uncertain, disconnected doctrines, but are living truths, that involve eternal interests that center in Christ. In Him is the complete system of divine truth. The salvation of the soul, through faith in Christ, is the ground and pillar of the truth.
Those who exercise true faith in Christ make it manifest by holiness of character, by obedience to the law of God. They realize that the truth as it is in Jesus reaches heaven, and compasses eternity. They understand that the Christian’s character should represent the character of Christ, and be full of grace and truth. To them is imparted the oil of grace, which sustains a never-failing light. The Holy Spirit in the heart of the believer makes him complete in Christ.—The Review and Herald, September 17, 1895.
Ye Shall Receive Power p. 16
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for Kim. The hospital is pushing for her to go on hospice, but the family does not want her to. Her boss is trying to get her into another hospital who will give her the operation she needs. Please pray that her boss will be successful in getting her the treatment she needs. Brenda
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
Before I was five, my aunt Joyce still lived with my grandparents. So did I as they had adopted me when I was a baby. My aunt loved all children, but I was especially dear to her. So, for those first five years, she used quite a bit of her paycheck to shower me with expensive gifts. Imagine her disappointment when as a very little girl, I played with the box instead of the toy.
As I got older, her gifts were enjoyed, but I did not appreciate the hours of work that she put in at the factory in order to buy these expensive gifts. Gilmore’s Department Store was the fanciest and most expensive store in Kalamazoo; and because Auntie Joyce loved me, she bought my presents there. One time when I was very little, she saw a portable dollhouse with very expensive and realistic miniature furnishings. Each week she would buy a piece of furniture, so that by the time I was old enough to enjoy playing with it, I had the complete set. How I loved that dollhouse! It was one of the few things that I really enjoyed playing with.
I can never remember really thanking Auntie Joyce for all the lovely things she bought me. Oh, when I was old enough to talk, I said “thank you,” because I had been taught to be polite; but I took her gifts for granted as though as though I had a perfect right to them.
How often do we do the same with our Great Creator’s gifts. How often we enjoy His wonderful blessings with scarcely a thought of the Giver. We might even thank Him politely for something special, but our heart is not filled with gratefulness. We are as He sadly described His followers of old, “this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men.” Isa 29:13 How often we forget that, “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17
How little we appreciate His Greatest Gift of all and take this Greatest Gift for granted.. Because of His great love for us, He sent Jesus, His only Begotten Son, to suffer and die for us. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” John 3:16,17 Yet, how often we live our life as though we were worthy of such a sacrifice! We can never be worthy, “but God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Rom 5:8
Do we daily thank Him for the great sacrifice that He made for us? Do we have thankfulness and love for His goodness welling up within our hearts? Do we respond to Him by loving obedience? Can others see His character shining through us? Are His praises continually on our lips? “Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” Ps 107:8 Paul advises, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thes 5:18
May He open our eyes to His blessings each day. May we thank Him for bearing our griefs, and carrying our sorrows, being wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities. (Isa 53) May we praise Him from from a heart filled with love and gratitude for His marvelous grace.
Rose