THE ESSENTIALS OF THE WORD OF GOD

 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple (Psalms 119:130 (KJV).

Before we start, I want to pray for you, that God gives you the Spirit of understanding to be able to comprehend what is being taught here, and grace to practice and live by the revelation you receive through this write up from God. Because, it is the revelation from the mouth of God you live by that saves you, that was why our Lord Jesus said in Matthew 4 vs 4 "that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God". Now the word in that particular part of scripture in the Greek is “rhe‘ma”, which means a spoken word, or rather a promise. Hence, this tells us that, it is according to every kind of “rhe‘ma” (promises) of God men live by. And so I pray, that the eyes of your understanding be opened, and that the anointing that teaches you all things teach you all that is about to be release in Jesus name. Amen. As we begin, I want us to study Matthew chapter number 25, from vs 1-13, which is a popular part of scripture. Now, I want you to listen attentively as we begin to read and study this passage. And it says in verse 1, "Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom". Now, for us to appreciate what is being said here, we need to understand and study three words in this particular verse, which are the number ten, the virgin, and the lamp. Now, according to the biblical numerology, the number ten stands for testimony, law, completeness of order, and responsibility. Now, let study the word virgin. A virgin, is a person who never had sex before. But according to the bible, a virgin is a person who is pure, untainted, whom no sin and iniquity is found. And finally, let also examine what is a lamp, and what does it stands for. A lamp is a device for giving light. In addition, Lamps are vessels that contain oil, a common symbol of God's Spirit, thus they represent our minds, which, when filled with the Holy Spirit, provide illumination for the path to the Kingdom of God. But before we further, I need you to understand something here, that is a taking up of the lamp, which is the transformation of the mind, and the walking to with the lamp, which is the working with a transformed mind, to meet the bride groom. Now, what did this means? This reveals to us that the moment we become born again, there's a taking hold of the lamp, which means the receiving of a transformed mind as a result of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in us, and the filling of the Word of God in our mind (spirit and soul) that enables us to navigate the gross darkness of this world in to meeting Jesus the bridegroom, which in that particular part of scripture is the "went to meet the bride groom". Therefore, we could reinterpret verse one of Matthew 25 as this, ”the kingdom of heaven shall be compared to responsible pure people, who received a transformed mind, and went to meet Jesus”. Now, I want you not to forget that this virgins are responsible, and they are have successfully abstained from every form of ungodliness. This were not sinners, or unbelievers, but this were pure people who have no moral corruption in them, and this were people with a transformed mind. But what goes up in verse two of that same scripture is so intriguing. It says, " five of them were foolish, and five were wise”. Now, what did this also means? This means that among the responsible pure transformed people, there are categories that differentiate one from another. One of the part containing five responsible people were wise, and another part containing five responsible people were foolish. It is important for you to know that being pure and responsible is not enough, you will also have to choose to fall in either of the category of the wise, or the foolish, by your actions. No wonder the bible made us to understand the importance of wisdom in Proverbs chapter number 4 verse 7. So this reveals to us that purity without wisdom is useless, in other words, if you are pure without wisdom, it means you are not pure, you are corrupt. This is because wisdom is the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise. Before we further, I want us to understand the difference between Purity and Holiness, this is because they are different from each other, but still important and needed in the Christian Life. The word purity, which is gotten from the Greek word “KATHAROS” (ΚΑΘΑΡΟΣ) which means pure, it is defined as not mixed or adulterated with any other substance or material. The word holiness, which is also gotten from the Greek word ”AGIOS" (Αγιος) which means holy, it is defined as dedicated or consecrated to God and his purpose; sacred. For example, there are two pure solid gold, one of the pure solid gold is used as a raw material in the production of a wrist watch, cars, book and many more, and the other pure solid gold is only used for the production of a certain product only. Now, I want you to understand that they are both pure solid gold, but one is used only for the production of a certain product, and the other is used for the production of divers product. So we could say that one is pure and holy because it is used only for a certain thing, and the other is only pure, but not holy, because it is used for divers things. And this is how most Christian's live their life, of a true they are pure, but what they lack is holiness which is total separation unto God and his purpose. So it is possible to be pure and not holy, but impossible to be holy and not pure. No back to our discussion. Now, the reason why those five were wise was because they practice the word of God, so it is the word of God that you know and practice that makes you wise (see Ps 119:100). And the reason why the other five were foolish was because they only know the word of God but didn't practice it. And that was why I told you earlier that it is the word of God that you practice that saves you. Thus, when you practice the word of God, you become wise and when you only know the word of God and don't practice what you know, you become foolish. Verse 3 of Matthew 25:3 reveals to us another reason why five was wise and the other five were foolish, which was the ability to discern and understand times and season just like the men of Issachar (see 1 chronicle 12:32), and also the ability to be constantly fill with the Spirit of God in excess (see Eph 5:18). For it says in verse 3 and 4 that “They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them :But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps”. Now, I want you to also see something here which is profound. The foolish responsible pure people with a transformed mind, failed to lay hold, and receive, an excess measure of the Holy Spirit, which is the oil, in their lamps, which is their transformed mind. Understand this, that the problem is not in the receiving of a transformed mind, but the maintaining of a transformed mind with the word and the Spirit of The Lord daily. This is because everyone can receive a transformed mind, but not everyone can maintain a transformed mind. This is why studying and meditating on the word of God daily is important, because you are filled with the Spirit through daily studying and meditation of the word of God (see Rom 10:17). The more you behold, the more you become transformed, and the lesser you look, lesser you become (see 2nd Corinth 3:18). If the word of God doesn't dwell richly in you until Christ is fully formed in you (see Col 3:16 and Gal 4:19), you will not last in the faith, and your purity will not be able to stand the test of time if the coming of the bridegroom is been delays because of his abundance mercy towards the sinners (see Ps 145:8 and Ps 103:8) just like in verse 5 of Matthew 25. And if at midnight a shout (vs 6) is made (see 1 Thessalonian 4:16) will you be able to put in other(vs 7), your lamp and go out to meet Jesus in the air, like the wise virgins who successfully fill up their mind with the word of God and his Spirit, and put in order their whole members to illuminate Jesus Christ, who is the light within us. Verse 8, 9 and 10 reveals something important. In verse 8, the foolish ones ask the wise ones for a dangerous thing, that's, to share a person truth (faith) that was delivered unto them by the Holy Spirit through meditation, practicing and studying the word daily. Let me say something before we proceed. When there is no constant supply of the word of God into your spirit, the illumination of Jesus Christ the light will be quenched, and if the impact of an encounter through the word, and through prayer that will crystallize Jesus Christ the light is dead because of lack of communion and intimacy with the word of God, then there is a great possibility that you will depart from the faith, because the life of the light which is Jesus that became the light of men (see John 1:4 and Ps 36:9) is no longer a lamp unto your feet, and a light unto your path (see Ps 119:105). Now, personal encounters with God you get through the meditating and studying the Word, and through prayer are not to be shared most times because that is your personal revelation of who he is to you. Verse 9 and 10 also teach a great deep lesson to us. In verse 9, the wise advise the foolish one to go back to the dealers to redeem the oil. In this case, the dealers are activities of the Spirit that brings back the oil (Holy Spirit) back into the lamp (vessel) so that Jesus the light can be seen. So the foolish one heeded to the wise counsel at the wrong time which eventually made them missed the arrival of the bride groom. Now, there's something called Time and chance that happened to all humans (see Eccl 9:1), it is possible for you to have the chance in the right time, now, when you have the chance in the right time, it is your season. And it is also possible that you have the right time, but no chance at all. It is also possible that you have the chance, but in a wrong time, which was what the foolish virgin experience. They had chance to get oil back into their lamp, but it was in a wrong time. There's also something called Time and Season (see Eccl 3:1-9) Never lose the time of the season where the word of God can still be heard, practiced and live by. Because a season in time is coming when the word of God and the manifest Spirit of the Lord will be scarce, and men will seek God and not find him (see Amos 8:11, Jere 29:13 and John 7:34). So do everything at the right time, during it season, and also learn how to take advantage of time and chance. Do not be foolish and fail to maintain the Spirit of God in you by not getting constant supply of the word of God that produces Jesus the light. For it is written, ”Quench not the Spirit"(see 1 Thessalonian 5:19). If you do that, just know you won't make it to the feast of the bride groom just like the foolish virgin, who were pure, no stain was found on them, but yet failed to maintain the illumination, which is Jesus the light in them because they had quenched the Holy Spirit (oil) due to negligence of the Word of God. Now, you know that to God, you are not pure, unless you are holy, and you are not holy, if you don't illuminate Jesus Christ the light. Hence, Holiness is attained when Jesus Christ the light is obtain in your members (lamp). Thus, be awake and alert in the Spirit by keeping the supply of the oil constant, for you are not aware about the day (year) nor the hour (day) he will be back (see Matt 25:13). Stay prepared like the wise virgins, in season, and out of season (see 2nd Tim 4:2). And father I pray that your word bless them, and that they practice and live by what they have learnt, that they will always stay prepared. Amen.