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The Sleeping Virgins

Will You Awake Before He Comes?
Mt 25:1-13 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

It was while the bridegroom tarried that the virgins who represent the church fell asleep.
This passage gives us warning by the Words of Jesus Himself to watch and pray because He is coming.

We can merely speculate on this time of His return or become aware of what Jesus says of the closeness of His coming by watching and praying. So with this Jesus gives us further warning
Matt. 24:43-44 But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

Are We Waiting Upon The Lord?
Ps 123:2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.
Please notice the attentiveness in which the servant looks to the master. Please look at the eyes of the maiden who has her focuses upon her mistress. Do we, as the church, wait upon the Lord Jesus with this intensity in devotion? The Bride who is in love is motivated to this level of devotion. Her heart is captured by her Lords every desire. So our attentiveness as His Bride is upon the Groom as our eyes look toward His coming.
The Bride is not aloof but watching and listening in the Spirit.

The Surprise to Come
While "you think not" is a statement that indicates surprise, the surprise is that of Jesus breaking in and snatching His Bride away in the Rapture. Jesus goes on to say that if the attendee, which is Satan, would have known the time of Jesus snatching away of His Bride, he would have tried to stop the invasion of the Groom breaking in upon earth. The phrases Jesus uses to describe the Rapture are "Break-In" and a house "Broken Up," which tells us the whole world will be up in arms over this event. Even though Satan is not informed of this timing of the "Break-In" Rapture, it seems that the virgins who are waiting have some insight into the timing of His snatching away. The virgins awake!
Matt. 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

We are told in Scripture, you may say, that no one knows the hour or the day, which is true!
Matt. 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
However, Jesus has said that the Bride is to be ready and awakened, discerning through watching and prayer. Unfortunately, He says if she is not faithful to this one thing, she will be left behind.
1Thess. 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

The Reminder
Why is it, you suppose, that the Apostle Paul calls the Bride to remembrance when he makes this statement? He is reminding them to watch and pray because of the hour and the day of the "Break-In."

Jesus again warns the church in the book of Revelation through the Apostle John saying...
Rev. 3:1-5 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Today's Church Spiritual Condition (Paraphrasing)
Jesus addresses this church in this manner... telling them..."Sardis, you are a church which claims to be of high spiritual reputation and renowned fame. However, you are in reality a church which is not alive on the inside; you are, in fact, dead to your relationship with me." When Jesus says, "Be Watchful," He is saying... "Awake, Awake, Awake... stop following the ways of this world, off in your own dreams, trying to be fulfilled by this world. Your dreams are keeping you from me and the appointed spiritual life that I have called you to fulfill." Now Jesus is saying "Awake to the realities of the spiritual life and truth that I have spoken to you of and Strengthen what is remaining to fulfill your call for I have not found your works completed before my God. You're not right with me spiritually." Now Jesus begins to address them warning in this manner "If you will not watch (and pray) and beware of my return, I will come upon you as a thief and you will not know what hour I will come upon you!" Then Jesus says... "There are those who have defiled their garments, who are not right with me and some who have remained spiritually clean." Jesus warns those who are defiled about their spiritual condition and assures those who are faithful to him of their name still being written down in His book of Life.

Matt. 16:2-3 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

Lk. 12:54-56And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass. Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?

1Thess 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

The Times and The Seasons
Do you really think that Jesus said all these things about the last days in warning us to watch and pray and did not mean what He said about it?! Watching and praying leads a person to spiritual discernment about the current times and about their surroundings. Jesus said that people could discern the natural surroundings and predict weather changes of which their agricultural community depended upon for their economy, yet, when it came to them understanding that they were in the beginning of the end, they had no spiritual discernment. Those who are the Bride, however, have been told by the passage of Rev. 3:1-3 that those which are watching and praying come into this knowledge so that they will not be overtaken or surprised by His return in the Rapture. When Paul says in
1 Thess. 5:1 I have not need to write unto you about the times and seasons, it is because they are watching and praying.

1Thess. 5:4-9 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ...

Here Paul, by the Holy Spirit, says that if you are the Bride, you are watching and praying... and not overtaken as a thief. Because of watching and praying in which illumination and spiritual discernment is the fruit, these are spiritually aware of the soon return and Rapture of His Bride making preparation for the Groom and her marriage.
Those in the church who are not watching and praying are still asleep. They do not hear the call "Behold the Bridegroom Cometh!" These are drunk with the things of this world and have not regarded the life of being in the realm of the Spirit of God, making completion in their personal callings. So these are not ready and they are overtaken

There is a soberness in these writings I believe to shake us, and to cause us to become awakened to watch and pray before Him. We are told by Paul that we are to put on Christ and be waiting on the Lord when he comes for us.

Watch and Pray
Lk. 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

It is in this alone, watching and praying, that counts the Bride to be worthy to escape the wrath of God which is appointed to the unfaithful and is to be poured out in the Great Tribulation upon the unbelievers. I say again the Bride is not appointed to wrath.

Lk. 12:43-46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

The attitude that some men have is that the Lord's return is not soon and so they are consumed with themselves to the point that they no longer live as those who are faithful.
These become full of grease that has nothing to do with grace; so they slip away in their backslidden conditions and away from God to the point where they no longer seek God or fear Him. Their spiritual condition becomes tragic knowing they are appointed the same judgment as those who are unbelievers, finding themselves trapped inside the Great day of Gods Wrath and Indignation!

Foolish Virgins
I believer it is possible for a child of God to miss the Rapture if that person becomes foolish about their relationship with the Lord. Now the foolish Christians that enter the Tribulation will have to face getting right with God if they want to be included and take advantage of the following catching away provided during this period (Rev. 7:9-17). Surely this backslidden condition has placed them at risk eternally, and now they have gambled with their own salvation being not ready. The sad thing is the evil hardship and cruel suffering they will face will be such that some will cave in.

Are We Worthy To Receive His Invitation?
Matt. 22:2-5,8 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise...
Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.

Here the passage above tells us that the Father God has made a marriage supper for His Son and His Bride. He calls the evangelist messengers to publish the news everywhere to supply a great and noble company worthy for such a feast. What an honor to go to such a banquet. The extravagance alone would be breath-taking. These that are called to the wedding are those who have been sent the invitation. What is their response to this occasion? These are simply caught up in the things of this world so much that they pass by the personal invitation and honor. These that were bidden were not worthy.

I sincerely pray that you are not among those who have counted lightly the invitation to watch and pray because of the nearness of our Lords coming. If this message has waked you and quaked you to spiritually arouse yourself to wait on God by the Spirit, then I have done well in the Lords eyes. This is my motive to prepare the way of the Lord and make straight paths before Him, building up the Lords highway, preparing His Bride for His return.

Rev. 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.


Living Waters Ministries by Minister R. Thomas Lambur 2009

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WALKING IN THE REALM OF THE MIRACULOUS

OUR WALKING IN THE SPIRIT
A walk with the Spirit is a life of being fully filled and possessed of God. We in Him die and live again.

1Corin. 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

In the death of self.. through surrender of our lives to Him we live a resurrected new life. Our life is now His possession and is hidden in Christ in God and the life we now live unto the Son of God is His life being lived through us.

Gal. 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

The Holy Spirit of God is the only person that can live life like Jesus. So being fully surrendered to Him is the only way that true Christianity can be seen and properly displayed so that souls might see Him "in us" and desire the same life for them. As He takes full possession by our surrendering each part of our life over to Him... He ask us to give Him complete control of our body, mind, and spirit so that He may work through them in our life.

This special grace is received and actuated as you pray
what John the Baptist remarked...
Jn. 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease. When we become smaller in our own eyes and He become our first priority then the Spirit of God can take control in our lives.

The results are that the new vessels He makes are honorable to be filled with His precious anointing... the Holy Spirit and made use of among the needy.

2Tim. 2:20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.

Every bit of fallen nature, those effects and desires, are then removed and have been set into His death at the Cross while at the same time the life of the Spirit in Christ Jesus resurrects us into a new life which Jesus Himself lives through us as believers!

Rom. 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Rom. 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free (released me) from the law of sin and death.

The decision is totally ours whether to yield and be fully filled and possess of Him by His Spirit. The change of ones life reflects His vital image and is for His ultimate glory. This Spirit-walk then is experienced... a walk into the miraculous realm of the Holy Spirit and Kingdom of God.

We need to learn that the power of the Spirit comes from waiting on the Lord. The life of walking in the realm of the Spirit is a matter of acknowledging our dependency upon
our Lord and His Spirit in our life.

2Corin. 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

Surrendering to God is the believer's natural response because it comes directly from his heart trusting God. As we experience the Lord's interaction in our lives we begin to understand our human frailty, our own limitations, our inabilities and our role of dependency by yielding to His Spirit.

Zec 4:6b ...Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

What we can not do He can do... yet it requires our attentiveness to His Spirit, and His power to make our lives complete. He give us sufficiency when we are walking according to His will in the promises of God.

2Corin. 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work...

Living Waters Ministries by Minister R. Thomas Lambur 2009



FOLLOWING THE WIND OF THE SPIRIT IN YOUR LIFE
How can you plan tomorrow when you don't even know which way the wind of the Spirit of God is blowing?

Jn. 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Yet, Jesus said that ever believer has to potential to follow the Holy Spirit's steps who foretells the things to come.

Jn. 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Jn. 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

The Christian Celts expressed that following the Holy Spirit was as following the erratic and unpredictable movements of a wild goose which darting flew skyward. The experiential nature of the Holy Spirit and those who follow Him prayerfully is much like what they described.

The Christians Celts looked at nature and saw God revealed in all His glory and they understood God best when they took symbols from what they experienced. The Holy Spirit was symbolized by the wild goose.

Rom. 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse...

Nature often displays His spiritual truths as examples revealed before our eyes.

To them doves were docile and delicate, but the wild goose was untamable, free, and unpredictable. Instead of a soft coo, the wild goose was noisy and raucous. And it seemed always to be on the move on a pilgrimage ordained by the Lord Himself.

So they followed as the Spirit moved and manifested His power in their lives. We also should realize His guidance in our lives and become sensitized to the Holy Spirit.

Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith in our heart connects us with the Lord and through His eye we see and take hold of the promises He has given us. This is the substance and the evidence that we trust in seeing Him lead us into His will for our lives. We are able to catch the movement of His Spirit through the eyes of faith.

Jesus said that those who were led by the Spirit were like the wind, you don't know where it comes from and you don't know where its going. A Christian who follows the movement of the Spirit is wild and free themselves, able to be flexible toward the mind of the Holy Spirit. They have lives that are less than predictable to fallen men but more sure and stable in the long run.

Lk. 6:48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

These live life to the full (John 10:10). They are wild and free, untamable either by fallen-society around them that would bind them with lies, and religion that would chain them to digression, and oppression. Jesus lived this way Himself His life was always following the Father God. He lived in the progressive things of God... doing the Father's desires. All Christians are called to the same kind of life!

So we see Him each day early in the morning experiencing intimacy and walking out the Fathers will in the realm of Spirit.

Lk. 5:16 And he (Jesus) withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.
Mk. 1:35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he (Jesus) went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

"Christianity is a freedom flight catching the tail wind of the wild goose! (the Holy Spirit)"
This wind of the Spirit is found only by drawing closer to the Lord in prayer as He reveals His guidance to us in the steps we are to take each day.

DISCOVERING THE FLIGHT PATH - Guidance From The Lord
A life following in the tailwind of the Holy Spirit is a life of daily seeking and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. That's the kind of life that calls to our innermost being and awakens the longings within us. That's the kind of life that discovers the leading and guidance of God.
The problem is, we know few if any Christians who have discovered the flight path around us. Many of us look to others to guide us instead of developing our own spirit and abilities to hear from Gods Spirit.

1Jn. 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

It is learning to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit that is central to the Christian life according to Jesus.

TIPS TO DISCOVERY THE SPIRIT'S WIND (movement or leading of the Lord)

Learn to meditate upon God's Word... place it in your heart.

Learn to pray.

Learn to listen in prayer.

Commit to obey what you hear from the Lord.

Discover the desires of your heart as the Lord leads you into His Divine will.

Discover your path of destiny, calling, and service.

Follow the path of being fully filled and possessed by the Holy Spirit each day.

FLYING 'V' And The Role Of Experiential Discipleship
"Catching The Wind Of His Spirit"
After finding our flight path we are pulled by the Spirit into the formation of one body or the Flying 'V'. This formation is after the following of the Holy Spirit which brings about the pattern of diversity of gifts together in unity, formation, and harmony. It is a beautiful thing to see, a Flying 'V' in formation. Following the Holy Spirit establishes us as moving together in His same exact direction. We could say that we together then are traveling along the same "Flight Pattern." That is real what a church is... those who are traveling together in the Lord and His Spirit building up one another.

Remember that even though there are different gifts they are called by the same calling... the same fulfilled purpose... and this is to advance the Kingdom of God together as one man. The Holy Spirit is always the leader and as we follow He calls out each gift according to the immediate need represented. Following His lead means trading off sometimes following the direction of a particular gift as they leading us forward in the things of God. All gifts are equal but the Spirit is the one who calls forth the gifts as He has need of them and gives them His assignment.

1Corin. 12:4-7 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

The spiritually mature have both strength and endurance and take the lead so that the rest fall behind the 'tail wind' which is less work. After a time those younger are called upon to take the front which is to exercise their gift... working in it to become more mature and gain confidence.

This is the way of spiritual maturity in the realm of the Spirit... where spiritual strength is received side-by-side and where spiritual leaders are birthed and grow.


Living Waters Ministries by Minister R. Thomas Lambur 2009

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