Message 13: The Three Stages of Salvation & Reward and Discipline
VI. How to prepare for the Lord’s second coming
A. Preparation in life—by being filled with the Spirit as the extra portion of oil in our vessel (our soul)—Matt. 25:1–13, Rom. 9:21, 23a, 24a; 2 Tim. 2:21
1. We must believe into the Lord Jesus so that we can be saved and regenerated. Thus, Christ, as the life-giving Spirit, enters into our spirit; this is to have oil in our lamps—Prov. 20:27; 1 Cor. 6:17; Rom. 8:16
2. We must let Christ make home in our hearts so that He, as the pneumatic Christ, will saturate our soul (mind, emotion and will); this is to have oil in our vessels—Eph. 3:17; 5:18; 2 Cor. 3:16–18; Matt. 25:3–4
Read Matthew 25:1–13, then pray over verses 1, 2, 4 and 10
Matthew 25:1 At that time the kingdom of the heavens will be likened to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were foolish and five were prudent. 3 For the foolish, when they took their lamps, did not take oil with them; 4 But the prudent took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
Matthew 25:5 And while the bridegroom delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, Behold, the bridegroom! Go forth to meet him! 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their own lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the prudent, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. 9 But the prudent answered, saying, Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.
Matthew 25:10 And as they were going away to buy, the bridegroom came; and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast. And the door was shut. 11 And later the rest of the virgins came also, saying, Lord, lord, open to us! 12 But he answered and said, Truly I say to you, I do not know you. 13 Watch therefore, for you do not know the day nor the hour.
Read over the outline points and verses above and use these for your prayer to spend time with the Lord in the Word in the morning. After your prayer time, jot down in your notebook one or two things that the Lord touched you with.
Later, watch the following short video podcast sometime during the day.
And here’s a hymn that goes along with today’s portion: