Do you consider yourself wise or foolish?  I suppose your answer to that question would be how you define wisdom?  I prefer the bibles definition because it is really the only one that matters.  In fact, Jesus reminds us that His word is the only thing that will endure in this life and the only thing that will prepare us for the life to come.  In Psalms (111:10) and Proverbs (9:10) the bible reminds us that “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.”  The bibles reminds us in Ecclesiastes (12:13-14) that all is “vanity”…therefore, “let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all.  For God will bring every work into judgement, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.”  Jesus said “I will show you whom you should fear: fear Him who, after He has killed, has the power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!” (cf. Lk 12:5)   The bible says that “the message (preaching) of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us which are being saved it is the power of God!” (1 Cor.1:18)  The church at large, the modern church, has watered down God’s truth. We have made it more “palatable” and wonder why the church has lost it’s power to change lives!

Jesus tells a parable in Matthew 25 about ten virgins, five wise and five unwise.  Five were ready for His return and five were not.  Five entered the wedding and five were shut out.  Jesus at the end of that parable warns all to “watch” therefore, “for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming!”  For many, Jesus has in a way already come because they have passed on.  Their state of readiness here in this life determined their eternal destiny.  There will be a generation that will be alive when Jesus comes back, we may or may not be that generation.  But regardless if we are or are not, the call is to “watch” and to live out our daily lives in a state of readiness.  The fundamentals of military readiness (Department of Defense) teaches initial readiness, increasing readiness and sustaining readiness.  This state of readiness from our military keeps us safe.  How much more so should we spiritually be living in a state of readiness?!  The bible says that “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God!” (cf. Ephesians 6:10-20)

“For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready!” - Revelation 19:7    Be wise - put your faith and trust in Christ!

Pastor Rodney