This sermon emphasizes the importance of being spiritually prepared and ready for the return of Christ, drawing from the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. It highlights the need for personal readiness, faithfulness, and commitment to Christ, urging believers to hold fast to their faith, watchfulness, and obedience to God's commands. The wise virgins symbolize those who are vigilant, filled with the oil of God's grace, and consistently shining their light for Christ, while the foolish virgins represent those lacking in preparation and spiritual depth.

If you are still there, I said, praise the lord. Let's rise up as we pray together. Heavenly father, we thank you for the great things you are doing. In every life, every heart, on everyone, in this retreat. Well thank you lord because as you speak to us, and you remind us of what Christ has done. You also reminding us of what Christ will do. As we look back to the cross, we're looking forward to the crown. And we pray lord, you help us so that everyone will be ready in Jesus name. We do not know when the trumpet will sound. And when the midnight cry will come. But whenever it is lord, today, or this week, or next month, or the coming year, or the coming decades, whenever it will be, lord we pray, you make us ready in Jesus name. Lord we pray, lord we pray, all our services, all our labors, all our endeavors, all our commitment, consecration in the kingdom, will not be a waste in Jesus name. Make us ready. Keep us ready. So that when that hour will come, we'll be able to answer that question, are you ready? For the midnight cry. Your children will be prepared. And we will not miss it on that day in Jesus name. Open our eyes of understanding now, as we look at your words, strengthen your people. Let the joy of the lord be their strength. In Jesus name, we pray. Thank you god bless you, you can sit down. Just like you heard from the choir now, asking us a question, are you ready? For the midnight cry. Matthew chapter twenty-five. Reading from verse six. And at the midnight, there was a cry made. Behold, the bridegroom cometh. Go ye out to meet him. In verse thirteen, watch therefore. For ye know not neither the day nor the hour wherein the son of man cometh. He talks about the bridegroom coming. And he talks about the son of man coming. The bridegroom is Christ. Is the savior of the church. And is the head of the church. Is the bridegroom of the church. And the church is the bride. And the lord Jesus Christ himself. Told this story. Gave this parable. So that all these people, you and I, will be ready when the lord shall come. And he tells us from that Matthew chapter twenty-five. Reading from verse one, he says then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins. Which took their lambs and went forth to meet the bridegroom. Jesus Christ spoke about his coming. Quite a number of times. And then he reminded the people that there is a preparation to be made. So that you and I can be ready. There are people that think that because they're Christians, because they come to church. When Christ comes, automatically, they will go. But Jesus said, it takes preparation. It takes readiness. It's more than profession. That I am of Christ. I belong to Christ. That's why he gave this parable. He said in verse two. And five of them were wise. And five were foolish. These were people waiting for their lord. These were not seen as outside. These were people in the kingdom. In the kingdom of heaven. These were people in the visible church. In the local church. In the local churches. In the churches all over the country. In the churches all over the continent. In the churches all over the world. Five wise. And five foolish. And then it goes on to say in verse three. And they that were foolish took their lambs. But took no oil with them. They took their lambs, they knew Christ was coming. They knew they wanted to be ready. But they didn't make enough preparation. Then he tells us in verse four, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lambs. The lambs were burning and shining. And yet they said, we're going to get enough oil. Extra oil. Should the bridegroom tarry. So we can have all it takes. For our lambs to be burning. While the bridegroom tarries, the all slumbered and slept. And at midnight, there was a crying mage. Behold, the bridegroom cometh. Go ye out to meet him. Even though it appears delayed. One day, Christ will come. The bridegroom will come. And then it says, it will be a midnight cry. And the cry will go forth. Behold, the bridegroom cometh. Go ye out to meet him. Then, all those virgins arose and trimmed their lambs. And the foolish said to the wise, give us of your oil. For our lambs had gone out. They discovered too late that the lambs did not sustain them. They discovered too late that the oil was not sufficient. They discovered too late that the lambs had gone out. And so they they knew that they must have oil. Put in their lamb. The light must be shining. A day were going to meet the bridegroom that comes. They couldn't meet the the Lord coming. In darkness. And so there to get oil. But seek the Lord while he may be found. Call ye upon him while he's near. There's a time of opportunity. A time you can pray. A time you can call. A time you can prepare. A time you can get ready. Seek the Lord at that time. And now it was too late for them but the wise and search. Say not so. Not so. Salvation is personal. Not so. Sanctification cannot be shared. Not so. Holiness is not transferable. Not so. The oil will not be sufficient for you and I. Not so. Readiness is a personal issue. Not so. Lest there be not enough. For us and you. But go ye rather. You know where to buy. You know where to get it. You should have done it before this time. Go rather to them. That sell. And buy for yourselves. While the wench to buy. The bridegroom came. While the wench to buy. The bridegroom came. Hold on. That different kinds of oil. There is a there's a kind of oil that will run your motorcycle. That oil will not fly an airplane. There's a kind of oil that can run your motorbike. There's a kind of oil that will help and burn your that oil will not help you to fly. There's a kind of oil that is ordinary. There's a kind of oil that is super. That is extraordinary. There's a kind of oil. Made for the rapture. There's a kind of oil that is made to take you to meet the bridegroom. Just go into the backyard there and say you are catching the oil. That will help you to meet the bridegroom. Take care. Take heed. The day of grace for the gentiles that the of grace is here now. When the trumpet sounds and the dead in Christ rise up. And we which are alive were caught up together to be with them in the clouds. The gate will open then for the Jews. For the Gentiles the periods of grace. And the period when any gentile can just call. That periods will not be like this time. And so after that trumpet has sounded. After that Christ has come. After the believers have been taken away in the rapture. When the antichrist begins to rule. When the pastors have gone. When the preachers have gone. When the church has gone. When the people saved, sanctified, and ready. When they have gone. When there'll be no counselor. When there'll be no preacher. When the antichrist will not allow freedom of worship. When you will need the mark before you buy. When you will need the symbol and the of the antichrist of the beast before you even eat. And when it will be very difficult to live on this earth when the trumpet has sounded. And the children of God when they have gone. And at that time for your children to go to school. And for you to get a job. They'll not just be demanding tax clearance. They'll be demanding the clearance of 666. The mark of the antichrist. If that is the time you want to go and buy. If at the time when it is easy at the time of the retreat when everybody thousands of people are gathered together. And they're praying. And they're saying oh God I need salvation. Oh Lord I need transformation. Oh Lord I need restoration. Oh Lord I need holiness. If at that time when you can pray. When we can pray. When there's unity we're praying together. If at that time you cannot pray. If at that time you cannot call upon the Lord. If at that time you cannot be saved. If at that time you cannot be restored. At a crisis come. I'm going to get oil. I'm going to get salvation. I'm going to get restoration. You might find it's not easy to pray like that. At that time. There'll be no freedom of gathering like this at the time of the antichrist. There'll be no time and there'll be no permission to have land and have a campground at the time of the antichrist. There'll be no law that will permit you of the freedom of worship at the time of the antichrist. You have waited too long. The bridegroom came and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage. And the door was shut. Afterwards came also the other virgins the foolish virgins the other virgins, the careless virgins the other virgins, the unprepared virgins the other virgins, the wise virgins, saying Lord, Lord open to us. They knew his name. They didn't have his nature. They knew his name. They were not obedient to him. They knew his name. They didn't get ready. Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said verily, I say unto you, I know you not. The conclusion, verse thirteen Watch therefore. Watch therefore. Theologians tell us no need to watch everybody is saved everybody coming to church will make it Preachers tell us no need to watch once you are saved you are forever saved Aaronians teachers tell us no need to watch raise up your hands you are born again, forever, forever it's there They tell us whether you are prodigal son prodigal daughter prodigal member, prodigal father, prodigal mother prodigal preacher, doesn't matter everybody will make it to the final day that's what they say, but Jesus said no there are people who will be foolish there are people who will be wise and he said, if you're going to be wise, watch watch therefore for you know not neither the day nor the hour wherein the son of man cometh are looking at this message the wise and the foolish virgins the wise and the foolish virgins the Lord is coming I said the Lord is coming and he wants you, wants me to be ready virgins, who are those? virgins, who are those? We're looking at 2nd Corinthians chapter 11 2nd Corinthians chapter 11 and we're reading from verse 2 for I am jealous over you with godly jealousy for I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ, who are the virgins? those who follow Christ those who believe in Christ those who are saved by Christ, those who belong to Christ those who hope to reign with Christ those who say we're saved we're serving we're worshipping and we belong to him, chaste virgin unto Christ Revelation chapter 14 reading from verse 4 Revelation chapter 14 and we're reading from verse 4 these are they which are not defiled with women for they are virgins for the virgins the undefiled the people who have been cleansed, washed purged purified to serve the Lord and to be completely separated and set apart unto the Lord these are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes these are redeemed from among men being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb see the virgins, the people that are converted to Christ and the people that are giving to Christ who are the wise virgins, these who believe in Christ they also believe in the second coming of Christ and they are watching they are watching they do not live careless lives and feel I'm saved I'm saved, they are not the people that do not know the reason why they are saved they are the people that know Christ is coming and because Christ is coming they need to watch so that they can be ready Luke chapter 12 reading from verse 35 Luke chapter 12 reading from verse 35 let your loins be guarded about and your lives not just burning continually, burning is in the continuous days not just that your light shone yesterday or that your light is shining today, but it keeps on shining and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord when he will return from the wedding that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately your light shining getting ready that any time you hear the sound of the trumpet you wouldn't have gone back into darkness you'd still be walking in the light living in the light Philippians chapter 2 reading from verse 15 Philippians chapter 2 verse 15 that she may be blameless and harmless the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom he shine as lights in the world those are the wise virgins the community is dark the community is defiled the community is polluted but you have the grace of God in you sanctified and you are shining as light in the crooked and dark world holding fast the words of life that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain neither labored in vain the light shining get you ready your ears chilled to heaven your mind centered on heaven your affections set on things on high that when he comes, you will not be at a loss in you will not be lost in Revelation chapter 19 Revelation chapter 19 verse 7 let us be glad and rejoice and give honor to him for the marriage of the lamb is come and his wife and the bride and the virgin has made herself ready and I was granted that she should be arranged in fine linen clean and white for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints and it says unto me right blessed are they which are called to the marriage supper of the lamb and it says unto me these are the true sayings of God you will be ready I said you will be ready we're talking on we're speaking on, teaching on the wise and the foolish virgins, you understand now who the virgins are you understand who the bridegroom is, Christ Jesus the Lord and you understand that Christ is coming and because he's coming he's calling you to readiness and he's calling you to preparedness, three things we're going to look at, number one the preparedness of wise faithful virgins the preparedness preparedness of wise faithful virgins number two the profession the profession talk of mouth the profession empty testimony the profession of wanting foolish virgins lacking wanting incompetent not ready unwise the profession of wanting foolish virgins number three the petition the petition of unwise foolish virgins I pray you'll be ready somebody there said I pray you'll be ready number one preparedness, number one readiness, number one the preparedness of wise faithful virgins we're coming to Matthew chapter twenty-five in Matthew chapter twenty-five the very words of Christ, I'm reading from verse one they shall the kingdom of heaven be like a king unto ten virgins which took their lambs and went forth to meet the bridegroom in Bastille and five of them were wise and five of them were wise part of them were wise some of them were wise think about that it's not everybody that calls on the name of the Lord that is wise it's not everyone that says I know the doctrine Christ is coming not everyone is wise five were wise part of them wise some of them wise and then he tells us in verse four but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lambs the wise those who are getting ready they have lambs they also have oil sufficient oil extra oil more than enough oil to keep the lambs funny verse seven then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lambs the wise had oil to supply every time temptation comes grace is there to stand to be sustained every time a trial comes courage is there to keep their faithfulness unto the Lord every time there is a pull from the world and from the devil there is a stamina there is the backbone to say I will stand every time a challenge comes these wise virgins their minds are set their vision set their gaze set their focus in touch destruction might come but they keep on looking looking for the savior when he will come and nothing derails them nothing distracts them nothing discourages them the lambs were trimmed verse nine for the wise answered saying not so lest there be not enough for us these are people that are looking at each I will not allow a child a friend a companion anyone to make me lose my grace and to make me lose my chance and to make me lose my readiness I will not allow any situation to make me lose my preparedness for the coming of the Lord lest he misses it and I miss it lest he doesn't make it and I don't make it I will not fight on anything I will not quarrel about anything I will not drag anything with anybody if he has lost grace and is ready to fight I'm not going to say you know how to fight I know how to fight you it means that there'll be no grace in A there'll be no grace in B knowing how to fight is not enough there are things you need to know that there are things you can do which you will not do because your mind is focused on the coming of the Lord that's why it says when these foolish virgins let's share together let's have it together let's live together let's be careless let's be careless together you have much oil we don't have any can you pour something here I only have enough for the coming of the Lord I don't have enough extra you only have enough salvation enough sanctification enough holiness enough purity enough conviction to carry you through not so lest there be not enough for us and you but go ye rather to them that sell and buy for yourself watch therefore wise virgins those are the people who are watching wise virgins those are the people who are ready what is virgins those are the people examining themselves am I ready if the Lord should come today watch therefore for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh he tells us that we are to be wise wise wise Matthew chapter 7 I read in from verse 24 Matthew chapter 7 wise virgins Matthew chapter 7 verse 24 therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doest them I will liken him unto a wise man which buildeth his house upon a rock whosoever heareth these sayings of mine what did Christ say repent except he repent he shall likewise perish whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doest them I will liken him to a wise man what did Christ say ye must be born again what did Christ say blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God what did Christ say watch and pray that ye fall not into temptation what did Christ say watch and pray that ye may be accounted worthy to escape the sins that are coming on this world and to stand before the Son of Man what did Christ say he says iniquity shall abound and the love of many shall wash cold but he that shall endure to the end the same shall be saved therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doest them I will liken him to a wise man which buildeth his house upon a rock and the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell not for it was founded upon a rock the wise the wise they were waiting for the coming of the Lord and they will not give up their conviction they will not give up their watchfulness they will not give up their courage they will not give up their strength they will not give up their consecration, commitment to the bridegroom to the Lord, to the Savior Hebrews chapter 10 in Hebrews chapter 10 here we're reading from verse 36 Hebrews chapter 10 reading from verse 36 for ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise those wise virgins were patient they just kept on trimming their lamps keep the lamp burning keep the light shining pouring oil, pouring oil pouring oil waiting patiently and they didn't say we've been waiting he has not come we've waited, he has not appeared, look at this in verse 37 for yet a little while and ye that shall come will come and will not tarry, yet a little while, yet a little while, yet a little while a day is gone the wise virgins they take inventory, what happened tonight, today do I have any grudge any bitterness did I miss my way is there something for the blood of Christ to cleanse, is there something, carelessness tripping in and coming in that I need to take back to the cross, they're watching and they're looking at their lives because they know who knows, it may be tonight, it may be tomorrow when there is no moment to make any cleansing possible for yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry now the just shall live by faith but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him but we the wise but we the so are preparing but we the so are looking for the bridegroom but we are not of them who draw back unto perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the soul these are people who are holding on to their first law Revelation chapter two reading from verse four Revelation chapter two reading from verse four here it says nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou hast led thy first law you know those preachers that tell you it doesn't matter you'll be saved, you're forever saved you loved the Lord before, you still love the Lord only, it's not for the favancy of the past the faithfulness of the past the loyalty of the past and the burning passion of the past and it says Christ is coming for everyone not only sanctified holy, purified people nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou hast led thy first law remember therefore from where thou art falling and repent and do the first worse or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove the candle's cheek out of its place except thou repent when the candle's cheek is removed, no light again, no light again no oil, no lime and you want to be ready look at verse twenty-five of that chapter two but that which you have already hold fast till I come hold fast till I Matthew chapter twenty-five these wise virgins urge the lamb Matthew chapter twenty-five these wise virgins urge the oil Matthew chapter twenty-five looking at verse four and the wise took oil in their vessels with their lambs the wise took oil in their vessels with their lambs, what did Jesus mean here by the lambs what do you need to possess that shows you have the lambs looking at second second Samuel for the lambs second Samuel chapter twenty-two and we're reading from verse twenty-nine second Samuel chapter twenty-two verse twenty-nine for thou art my lamb oh God and the Lord will lighten my darkness the people who have come to God come ye out from among them and be ye separate says the Lord and ye shall be my sons and my daughters and I will be your God the people that belong to God God becomes their lamb God is their father and God is their upholder and God is their helper and God by his grace is their sustenance in Psalm one hundred and nineteen Psalm one one nine the wise took oil in their vessels with their lambs, their lambs Psalm one hundred and nineteen verse one oh five verse one oh five thy watch is a lamb unto my feet and a light unto my pathway these are the people that will not play with the watch of God these are people that will not give up the watch of God these are people that hold on tenaciously to the watch of God to enlighten them to direct them, to show them the way they must go to produce more faith in them and to lead them to loyalty and faithfulness what's a lamb? God himself what's a lamb? His watch that he gives us Proverbs chapter six verse twenty three Proverbs chapter six verse twenty three for the Lord for the commandment is a lamb the commandment is a lamb and the law is light and the reproofs of instruction are the way of life these are people that hold on not only to the promise of God but to the precepts and to the commandments Isaiah chapter sixty-two Isaiah chapter sixty-two reading from verse one Isaiah sixty-two verse one for Zion's sake will I not hold my peace for Jerusalem's sake will I not rest until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth these are people that are saved and they hold on to that salvation these are people that belong to God and they will not let go of their hold on God these are people that have the word of God and they hold on to the word of God tenaciously for the wise took oil in their vessels with their lambs now the oil, what's the oil? because it's talking about the foolish not having enough oil and the wise having enough oil in Exodus chapter twenty-seven and reading from verse twenty Exodus twenty-seven verse twenty and thou shalt command the children of Israel that they bring the pure oil only beating for the light to cause the lamb to burn always the oil to cause the lamb to burn always what's that? the grace of God in our lives that keeps the Christian life shining always what's that? the help of God the salvation of the Lord that is there constant and keeps the light shining always we're looking at Psalm forty-five Psalm forty-five verse seven in verse forty-five verse seven thou lovest righteousness and hated wickedness therefore God thy God has anointed thee with the oil of gladness above