The book of revelation is a revelation of Jesus Christ. The church needs a testimony, or a lampstand of Jesus Christ in these last days. The book of Matthew reveals the kingdom of heaven. There needs to be a testimony of the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, in these last days. These are certainly evil days, and any parent or grandparent would be remiss as a believer if they were not concerned about their children, grandchildren. You can hope for a better day and for things to turn back to the way they used to be. You can teach them how to be stalwart patriots and fight against the system. You can even teach them to be survivalist and outsmart and outlive the enemy. But I think the more things progress on the Earth the more we see that that such thinking is vanity. What we see happening on the earth is an invitation to join Babylon. The Babylonian system is the system of the enemy Satan. In these last days it will have a prevailing atmosphere. And this is why we need to look at the book of Daniel. Daniel gives us great encouragement and instruction to us but especially to young people on overcoming the spirit of Babylon that is emerging on the earth today. This message is so urgent for all of us who are concerned about young people in the days ahead. I would encourage you to listen to these messages on Daniel, absorb them and pray over them for your children. If they’re old enough have them listen to the first half of the book of Daniel especially because Daniel and his brothers share with us the young life that overcomes and stands for the Lord in these last days

"And I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, having an eternal gospel to announce to those dwelling on the earth, even to every nation and tribe and tongue and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give Him glory because the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who has made heaven and earth and the sea and the springs of waters." (Revelation 14:6-7) it is so good to see these two chapters Matthew 24 and 25 are speaking to three distinct groups of people, (Israel, the church, and the nations) and what’s going to happen to them in the future. Starting at verse. 32. It is clear he is speaking to the nations gathered at the end of the tribulation. He is a good shepherd to the nations, and those that have responded to his eternal gospel by fearing God, and not taking the mark of the beast, and here we see by caring for the little brothers and sisters, that remain on the Earth. God has a way to bring the sheep of the nations into the Millennium and eventually into the new Jerusalem. Many Christians don’t see this … I think because we have a self pleasing view of how the Lord is going to deal with believers in last days. Therefore they don’t study this out. The nations are also part of God’s plan since before the foundation of the world., Verse 34. Have you ever seen this before!? I know Israel is chosen, I know God has a plan for the church, but to see that the nations are prepared from before the foundation of the earth to do such a thing. This is God’s economy. All we can do is say amen! These are all the constituents of the kingdom of heaven on earth, Israel, the church, and the nations. We have a Kingdom! How did these of the nations get there? What’s hard to see here is that they helped the least of the brothers of Christ. The word least means at minimum. Paul said in regard to his apostleshipI am at minimum compared to the other apostles, called an apostle because I persecuted the church. I don’t deserve such a title, but this is what the Lord has called me. At minimum we are all brothers and sisters of Christ, because of the wonderful blood of Jesus Christ. But the Lord wants us to be more than minimal brothers and sisters he wants us to be wise, watchful virgins, and faithful slaves. Again, I say you may not like my understanding here, but do not simply disagree. At least you should live as though it is true! Get into the word of God and consider what he is going to do. We’ve already seen the truth of “one will be taken and one will be left.”These ones who are left are at minimum the little brothers and sisters of Christ. He loves them, but they were not ready when he called and harvested his first fruits. The seventh trumpet in revelation is the last trumpet and at the last trumpet before the wrath of God is poured out the dead in Christ will rise, and the little brothers and sisters on earth will be raptured and we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Then Armageddon will take place and these nations will be judged. This is a judgment of the living at the end of the tribulation. Then there is the judgment of all the dead, and that is at the end of the millennium before the new Jerusalem. Three thrones and three judgments we need to see. Praise the Lord for his supply of the nations who take care of the Saints like they’re taking care of Jesus, giving food, water, medicine, comfort, clothes, shelter, visiting them in prison. These are not words for Christians today, this is not how we are saved. This is the Eternal gospel to the nations. The shepherd is going to care for these sheep. Hallelujah what a eternal gospel and Shepherd. And during the millennium, he’s going to continue shepherding us all to bring us in as that complete bride into the new Jerusalem …praise the Lord, do not become blinded by a teaching, that does not prepare us for what lies ahead. When we submit ourselves to his divine administration , we can lay aside our vain desires and say, just do what you do Lord, Amen.

We have seen two groups of people that are going to manifest the kingdom of heaven. Israel and the church, but there is a3 group that is needed. The kingdom of heaven was initially seen in Israel through the Jewish believers. Christ Ascended and his kingdom was revealed on the earth in Jerusalem. This is not how the religious crowd expected to see the kingdom., But the small band of Jewish believers were hated, persecuted, and even killed for the sake of the true Messiah, Jesus. Since the ascension of Christ, that has happened to all who follow him. There is a reaction from Satan towards the kingdom of heaven’s manifestation. This reaction is seen as wars, rumors of wars, nations battling one another earthquakes, famine, and pestilence. Satan is trying to stop its manifestation. Israel will experience during the last 3 1/2 years of the tribulation such a realization that Jesus is indeed, the Messiah. Satan will be so angry. The abomination of desolation will take place. But Jesus will restore Israel and keep covenant with them and bring them into that millennial kingdom. The second group of people that should manifest the kingdom are the church. The church needs to be ready. They should not be enamored with this age. As in the days of Noah and Sodom and Gomorrah, we should be ready and not living for this world. Do you realize that one will be taken and one will be left behind? Could you entertain the thought that the one left behind could be a believer? Could you consider that the foolish virgins are believers who aren’t ready? Could you consider that the evil and slothful slave is a Christian‘s? Most have not considered this, and do not want to consider this. Let us ask ourselves are all Christians going to be wise virgins and good and faithful servants when Christ returns? Of course not! If this is true, then, who is the foolish? And who is the slothful? This is not in regard to salvation, this is in regard to our having neglected the manifested of the kingdom of heaven in our life. We must deal with these verses, according to their context, and according to the people to whom he is speaking about.. And then the third group of people is the nations. The kingdom of heaven is going to be seen with Christ on the throne, andfaithful slaves, ruling with him, wise, virgins sitting next to him, and the remnant of Israel ministering as faithful priest unto the messiah. Who are we ruling and ministering to? The nations.! Every kingdom must have its subjects, and the nations that have come through the tribulation are the constituents of this kingdom. This is marvelous to see in the remainder of Matthew 25.

What treasures have you received from the Lord? What riches or talent(s) of Christ has He entrusted to you.?

Now, What are u doing with his talents? To those who spend their lives enriching and multiplying His riches in others he says “well done”

But are all Christians going to hear those words!? Unfortunately No. This one slave buried his in the ground and instead the Lord says “you evil and slothful slave…”” This implies that we allow the dirt of living in this age to bury it. Luke 19 is a similar parable. The unfaithful one covers his treasure in a napkin and hides it safely away. This speaks of one who possess his riches objectively but burys it in religious activity. Either way what you you doing with his treasures he has given you !

We see here that there is an expectation to multiply what riches He has given us. This multiplication will call upon our gifts /abilities and will use all our energy to see an increase ..new believers …edifying the church etc.

The slave, with one talent made this excuse:

I know you’re a hard Master with exact and high expectations. Knowing this I did not want to lose it So I buried it so I could bring it to you today intact.

The Lord is a loving, caring bridegroom . But here to the slaves the Lord is serious master and he has a purpose. He is an exacting Lord to us as well. He has a plan. He is unswerving in that purpose. He is exact in his desire is to use all of us to multiply his rich life into the lives of others and to be faithful.

We all, I believe, know this about the Lord but make excuses. Stay busy in the cares of this life, burying our lord’s treasures in the dirt of this world, or we hope a little ceremonial activity will suffice and we hide his treasures in a napkin of religiosity.

What are you doing with the riches the Lord has given you !?

O when we stand before him, will the refiners fire, burn up our works Or will we bear forth fruit.?

If he does not say “we’ll done thou good and faithful slave” he will say “O Evil and slothful slave.”Christians can be evil and lazy slaves. We don’t like to hear this.! We think How can we experience darkness weeping and gnashing of teeth. ? This is not hell but describes what it’s like to not enter into the joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord is not heaven! We make these two mistakes in our interpretion of this verse. This joy prepared for us is the millennial kingdom. Do not put you hands up to your ears. The scripture describe those that have itching ears meaning ears that seek pleasant speaking only for their own pleasure and enjoyment. only wanting to hear what we want to hear. This is why it says in the last book of the Bible revelation, chapter 2 and 3, turn your ears on! Have an ear to listen to what the spirit is saying to the churches in these last days.. "

So we need to be watchful virgins caring for their inward life ready for their loving bridegroom and we need to be faithful slaves, receiving the Lords treasures and outwardly investing them in in the church, to the lost, until he comes. He’s is a serious and exacting Master! He has placed his treasure in our earthen vessels. This treasure is such a light for the church, and for the world May the Lord break our earthen vessels that we might tell out the virtues of him who called us out of darkness into this marvelous light. Let us use all the gifts and all abilities we have until your last earthly breath to tell Out His riches! Amen!

"His master said to him, Well done, good and faithful slave? You were faithful over a few things; I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your master." (Matthew 25:23) These are the words that we all want to hear. Well done. Do you think that all Christians will hear those words? If all Christians will automatically hear these words, then what is the point of the parable.? The parable of the talents reveal the need to be faithful. The virgins were to be wise and watchful caring for their inward love for the bridegroom, staying supplied with oil, constantly at every opportunity being filled up with Christ in anticipation of that day. The slaves are to be Faithful to that which they are called, because we are slaves we are all purchased with a price, and we all belong to him. We are not merely hired servants. All three of these slaves in this parable belong to the master. Each one is given a talent or talents. A talent is not your natural ability or spiritual gift. It is rather the Lord’s riches that he bestows to his slaves to use and invest. Now, He will use your ability, your gifts in order to share and invest his riches, but the word talent simply means the measure of a treasure it’s weightiness. All of us who have been bought by the blood of Jesus Christ, have been entrusted with his riches. Our Christ is so rich he has blessed us with spiritual blessings such as the precious gospel … he has given us a place in his rich body the church and he has deposited his truth in us. What are we doing with all of his riches. are we spreading the glorious gospel of his kingdom? Are we loving and caring and edifying the saints in the church? This is the basis of all of our abilities and gifts. For example: One day as a pastor of many years I saw the rich truth of my human spirit, made by God in order that Christ may come and live in my spirit and express Him. I have not been the same since. I trust I have used all of my ability and gifts to invest this talent in the lives of those around me. I love to talk about Zachariah 12:1, I Corinthians, 15:45, John chapters 4, 7, 14-16, 21, the word to the Ephesians, etc. all extolling the rich virtues of Christ, coming, living and operating in my spirit. Oh, Lord, give me grace and more time to use my abilities and gifts to extol this one talent. Give me more talents more riches. I thank you, that we are slaves that you bought us and purchased us with your precious blood, but Open our eyes and may we see you, see the ripe white harvest, see the reality of the church, and may you give us your riches and allow us to spend our days, investing your riches into the lives of others until you come. And May you say to us well done thou good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of the Lord. This should be our desire to rule and reign with him in that millennial day. The criteria for doing so is being a watchful and wise virgin, and a good and faithful slave.

"Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord comes. (Matthew 24:42)

We will struggle with this parable if we do not see the church as the audience and being watchful for our Groom as the main truth.

All 10 are virgins, all 10 have oil in their lamps, and all 10 are to be watchful for their bridegroom’s coming. This tells us that they are the Lords possession (virgins), His Spirit (oil) is in all of them, and all of them have the capacity to be ready because He is their possession (their Groom).

Concerning the bride in these last days: Are there any wise ones? Any foolish ones? Of course! Our Groom is coming so let us all learn to be wise watchful virgins.

The wise ones had flasks with extra oil and the foolish had empty. Oil is the supply of the Spirit in our daily life. All believers have oil in their spirit received upon salvation, but His intention is that this Life fills up our whole being.

When the midnight cry announced the grooms coming they all trimmed and lit their lamps. The foolish ones panicked seeing they needed more oil. They did not faithfully and prudently prepare. “Go to the sellers of oil and buy for yourself.” What does that mean? All of life’s environments are sellers of oil and opportunities to call on the Lord, my wife and I are sellers of oil to each other. Your children, your trials, your work, your school , your troubles, etc. pay the price and buy His life. Buying oil is not salvation, which is free. This is paying the price by dying to the self and handling everything with His life which will fill your soul up with Him. This is what it means to be a ready bride in these last days.

To be a “wait till the last minute” foolish virgin has consequence: For the Lord to say I do not know you does not mean they are unsaved, but means they are unapproved and they are not recognized as being able to enjoy this wedding feast. This speaks to all believers to be watchful before we die or before the rapture. We do not want to suffer loss in the kingdom. This means we will not hear the Lord say, “enter into the full joy of the Lord” in that millennial kingdom. Are we busting at the seams like an excited new bride diligently, daily preparing for our Lover, the Groom? Or are we complacent, foolishly fickle, waiting to get serious about this marriage thing when it gets closer? Do we think the Groom won’t notice? The message to this bride is You should have been watching daily, because you do not know the day nor the hour your groom may come!” The Groom does not recognize such a foolish bride! He loves her deeply but she is not ready for the marriage feast, but Oh what a Groom! He will spend a millennia binding her and drawing her with cords of love and will bring her into the New Jerusalem as a prepared, ready wife. (Revelation 21:2-4).

It is very possible to be His bride, his virgin, and not be ready when he comes. Cry with me. “Lord, forgive me and make me ready and watchful!”

"Can the virgin forget her ornaments, / Or the bride her attire? / But My people have forgotten Me / For days without number." (Jeremiah 2:32)

There are two little parables that are related to the household. The household is a picture of the church. These little parables are preceded by the encouragement to be ready.. The first little parable is like any homeowner we are subject to a thief coming in and robbing us of our possessions. Of course, we don’t know at what hour the thief would come, but if we did, we would triple check and triple lock and put away every prized possession and be on guard. We’d be ready! Well, Jesus is not a thief, but he’s coming for his treasure, his saints who are ready for him and we do not know the day or the hour, but we are prepared. And then in verse 45 to 51 he gives a parable, describing himself as the master of the household. The household, the church, is the household of faith. The master goes away and places one of his servants in charge of the household. And notice the charge is simple: Nourish all of the other servants. Provide food for all the members of the household until I return, care for them. How happy the master is when he returns and finds that servant nourishing the other members of the household. You see the members are the treasure of the master. Care for them. Then he shares another scenario. He leaves a servant with the same responsibility. It all goes south, when the servant starts to think in himself. This means his focus is not upon the Lord’s charge, but upon himself. This results in not nourishing the other servants , but instead beating them, and then we see him living and caring for the affairs of this life in the world. He is still the one over the other servants, but only in pretense, the Master surprises him, returns and calls him a hypocrite. Oh, Saint, you may attend you may give you may even have a service in your fellowship, are you ministering and nourishing your fellow believers on an organic intimate level. Every brother and sister is the body of Christ, and we are to be found lovingly edifying and building up the Saints. Providing intimate organic contact that flows the life of Jesus Christ in us to them. I encourage you to look for every opportunity to hug, pray, run to every saint you can find. Not just on Sunday but continuously, this is the charge of the master. Yes, believer if we are found not caring for what he cares for, His body, that is like beating the Saints. It is hypocritical. We will be separated from future enjoyment. We will weep, and we will gnash our teeth in regret, and the Lord will deal with us if we are not ready. Lord give us the revelation that the brothers and sisters around me are your body and may I handle your body accordingly. Amen.

"For we must all be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done through the body according to what he has practiced, whether good or bad." (2 Corinthians 5:10) There are three stories or parables that we will see. The householder and servants, the virgins and the bridegroom, and the servants given talents. All of these relate to believers. There is no question there. All of them are encouraging us with keywords to be watchful, ready, faithful, prudent, and wise, servants or virgins. All of these servants and virgins, and again I say, all of them, have a relationship to the primary character, Jesus, who is called their Lord, their master and their groom. All of those who are watchful, ready, faithful, prudent, and wise are rewarded appropriately. Then we see those who are not watchful, ready, etc. will be rewarded negatively. Common teaching associates these as unbelievers. I find my past teaching on this to be arrogant. I asked two questions: 1. Are all Christians before they die or before the Lord comes, watchful, ready faithful, prudent, wise servants? the answer appropriately is “ NO.”. 2) Then I ask what happens to those Christians who are not watching,ready, faithful, prudent, and wise? We must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give account to that which we have done in this lifetime. We can associate being watchful and ready to the gold, silver and precious stones. This merits reward for believers. What about those who have Wood hay, and stubble at the judgment of believers ? They will be saved yet, so as by fire, their works are the consequence of not being watchful, ready, faithful, prudent, wise, servants, or virgins. I think we must agree on this matter, yet when we go back to the parables, we don’t like the negative consequences so we attach them to unbelievers. Saints, these stories are not about being saved, or not saved, or getting into heaven, but they are matters pertaining to enjoyment of the kingdom of heaven at its manifestation. This is the millennium. The words are very harsh. They indicate not being approved, they indicate separation , darkness, weeping and gnashing of teeth, etc. There is an expectation in preparation for the kingdom of heaven. If we are not ready and watchful, I do not know the details, but we will not enjoy fully reigning, ruling and working in that millennial day. But assuredly the Lord will bring everyone of us into a loving relationship with him during that thousand years and present us as a mature completed bride in the new Jerusalem. These are harsh words to apply the negative consequences to believers, but I will tell you this, you may not like or agree with this understanding …that is fine, but your living ought to be such that it is true. "If anyone’s work is consumed, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire." (1 Corinthians 3:15)

"But he (Lot) lingered; so the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hand of his two daughters, Jehovah being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city." (Genesis 19:16) They all lingered. Lot and family are the righteous ones Abraham prayed for God to spare. So the messengers from God grabbed them by the hands and ran them out of Sodom. It’s one thing to linger, we all are prone to linger and languish in the world, that’s why we need the hand of God to save us. But it is something else to look back. To rivet you heart in the world after having tasted His grace is not normal for the believer. Imediately after Jesus said, "Remember Lot’s wife.” He said, “Whoever seeks to preserve his soul-life will lose it, and whoever loses it will preserve it alive." (Luke 17:32-33) . Jesus said the same thing to Peter when he sought to discourage the Lord from going to the cross. He said to Peter, get behind me, Satan! Any attempt to live for this world is to merge with the thoughts of the demons. The life of Christ in you demands death to the self, a crucifixion. This is a hard word, it is a narrow way, but this is what it means to lose your soul life. With Christ in your spirit the soul now has purpose. Your soul is the very conduit from which his life flows. The River in you is meant to erupt from the soul. Therefore what we want, what we think, what we feel must die that this life might live. The outer man (soul) broken so the inner man (Christ) can flow! This should be the normal Christian life. This is why we need to remember Lots wife. She reminds us not to live for this age. What a waste to have His life, His fullness in us, yet allow our soul to be filled up with ourself and this age. That’s not what your soul was made for! Don’t preserve it, lose it, lose it for Jesus Christ that he might live out of it. Amen!

"And even as it happened in the days of Noah, so will it be also in the days of the Son of Man: They were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day in which Noah entered into the ark and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, even as it happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building;" (Luke 17:26-28) What’s your answer for believers who claim that they are saved but they are no longer living according to the Lord? They are not living a life ready for his coming? I’ve heard many say they are false Christians, or they’ve lost their salvation, or they were never the elect, etc. I know so many confessing Christians who’ve walked away from him, and from the Fellowship of the body of Christ. I am simple and believe the blood of Jesus has saved them to the uttermost. that blood will be effective to bring them into his kingdom eventually. These are the saints that will not be ready either in death or rapture, but contextually the Lord is talking about being ready for the rapture where one will be taken and one will be left. Saints, you cannot live a life full of this earth, and expect the Lord to rapture you out of future judgment upon the earth. If we are not ready when our Lord comes, if we are not full of this Christ, and walking, according to the kingdom of heaven, we will be as Lots wife. She turned to tasteless salt because her heart was full of the things associated with the days of normal comfortable living in Sodom. As in the days of Noah, or of Lot indicates that we are all in for this world, marrying, working, planting, reaping, trading, building our family, etc.. those like Lots wife are living for all of these things , they will die or be left behind in rapture in these last days, because although a believer, they are full of this worlds cares. May we be full of Christ as we are in this world. The Lord is looking in these last days for a testimony of saints who are full of Him, and these will be those Saints that are initially taken. Those left behind did not lose their salvation, or lack qualifications to be elected, they will be caught living as in the days of Noah and Lot loving the world, . Living for this life, and not watching for their Lord to come. Israel will go through the great tribulation and many believers will be right there with them. Then what? Then these saints with Israel will find and see the Lord and will declare their salvation, loud and clear. There is a great harvest harvest, prepared for those believers towards the end of the tribulation before the great wrath of God falls upon the earth. Then 1000 years will be set up on earth for all of us to either reign with him and /or learn to live according to this kingdom life. Saints, God is going to get what God is going to get and you and I need to watch now and be ready and go along with his plans. Much better it will be for us to be filled up with Christ now rather than endure the struggles on earth that will force us to turn and learn of Him.