Matthew 25:Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
The issue of partial obedience, which has become mainstream in Christianity is what caused five of the ten virgins to fall short of God’s glory, for they were content with a superficial work, and they recoiled at the personal struggles that would step on their toes. Therefore, in this study, we will take up two issues which pertain to obeying God the right way, and as we study, let us remember what we had learned last week about obeying God from a positive view point.
[1] Obeying God the right way with your finances. The word money is mentioned approximately 125 times in the KJV Bible. However, in the scriptures, words such as gold, riches, silver and wealth are often used to refer to money. Therefore, the number of times money or anything related to it is mentioned, comes out to over 2000 times. So, if you want to know where a person’s treasure is you will have to pull their bank statements and their credit histories, for these would reveal where one’s priority lies.
One of the reasons why the folks in Malachi 3 were observed to be walking mournfully before the Lord of hosts is because of the issue of obeying God in tithes and offerings. When scrutinized very closely, we see clearly the benevolent, selfless character of God, manifested in what He does, and in the laws and instructions He gives to us. As a general rule, He gives more than He keeps for Himself.
Psalms 68:18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them. 19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!