Is your lamp trimmed and ready?

Keep oil in your lamps

Matthew 25:1-13 NKJV
[1] “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. [2] Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. [3] Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, [4] but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. [5] But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. [6] “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ [7] Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. [8] And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ [9] But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ [10] And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. [11] “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ [12] But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ [13] “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

https://bible.com/bible/114/mat.25.1-13.NKJV

Isaiah 61:1-3 NKJV
[1] “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; [2] To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, [3] To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

https://bible.com/bible/114/isa.61.1-3.NKJV

Things that happen naturally within our human nature:
Anger
Greed
Lust
Pride and ego
Jealousy/envy
Gossip
Hatred

It takes the supernatural filling and the indwelling presence of God, through the Holy Spirit, to douse the fiery darts that attempt to strike us on the inside, when circumstances on the outside and surrounding us are allowed to penetrate and intensify, adding fuel to the fire that the enemy seeks to fan into an inferno, burning us from the inside out. This is where the seeds of anger, pride, lust and greed take root and become like rot within our soul.  Like rust, or an infectious disease, like leprosy, eating away at our soul.

In the parable of the ten virgins. Jesus compares five who kept their lamps trimmed with oil. They had enough oil to keep their lamps burning bright until that day when the Bridegroom arrived for the wedding feast.

The other five had no oil in their reserve tank. As they were awaiting the Bridegroom’s arrival, their lamps dimmed and started to fade. Instead of being prepared, like the others were, they grew lazy and defiant.

Our spiritual lives are much like this parable. Some members of the body of Christ keep their lamps filled with oil and burning brightly, so that others can see their lamps and find their way to the wedding feast.
There are others who know that the wedding feast is near, yet they spend time foolishly, on earthly pursuits; gaining wealth and material prosperity. They become friends with this world; carnal Christians who have become spiritual adulterers and adulteresses. Their lamps or vessels, which are figurative of their soul and spirit, are flickering and fading, because they’re not working out their faith with fear and trembling. They’re not doing anything to grow in the Spirit, so they’re becoming stagnant and unfruitful in their works of faith.

The five who were ready when the Bridegroom (Christ) returned, went in. The other five were too busy, scrambling at the last minute at what they should have been doing all along; keeping their lamp/vessel, filled with oil and burning brightly.

One was prepared and ready. The other was not.

Be prepared. Keep your lamp/vessel trimmed with oil and ready for His return

Some have said that the ten who had oil, could have given some to the others,afterall, that would be loving their neighbors as themselves.

But this parable is more about personal accountability and responsibility before God. Everyone of us must workout our own salvation, with fear and trembling.

We can’t just wait til the last minute and think that we’ll be rewarded for living frivolously and without care and preparation.

Faith without works is a dead faith, and that’s why these five foolish virgins were denied. No works of faith became a dead faith

James 2:26 NKJV
[26] For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

https://bible.com/bible/114/jas.2.26.NKJV