While the Bridegroom Tarries

"Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, 'Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise answered, saying, 'Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.' And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' But he answered, 'Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.' Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. --Matthew 25:1-13

     The Bible gives us a description of what will happen at Christ's return. The Church (all born-again Christians) will be united with him in heaven with a marriage-like ceremony.

William Jay's Insight on Trials

The following is an excerpt from a British pastor from the late 17/early 1800's. He gives an amazing insight into why God seems to be distant from us at certain periods of our life. (Be sure to read it slow)



May 8.—"I will look for him." Isaiah 8:17

     This is peculiar language. It is the language of none in heaven. There all have found him, and are for ever with the Lord. It is the language of none in hell. There they are only concerned to escape from his hand, and to elude his eye. It is not the language of any in the World. There they are sufficiently active and eager ; but they rise early, and sit up late, and eat the bread of sorrow, to glain some temporal advantage, honour, or pleasure —but none saith, "Where is God my Maker, who giveth songs in the night ?" It is not the language of all in the Church. There are some happy souls who know the joyful sound, and walk in the light of God's countenance: in his Name they rejoice all the day, and in his righteousness they are exalted. But there are others, whose desire is to his Name, and to the remembrance of him; whose wish is, " O that I was as in months past, when the candle of the Lord shined upon my soul, and the Almighty was yet with me." These, these are the persons who are saying—and they cannot do better than say—" I will look for him."

Why I Feel Called to Full Time Gospel Ministry

4 years ago this wretched young man had his eyes spread open to fully see the Gospel in it's true beauty. It was not as if I never heard it, because I was in church twice a week as a youth and didn't neglect it my freshman year. But even though I was amidst the Gospel, the Gospel hadn't changed me--because I didn't want it to. I wanted my life the way I wanted it. My mindset was: Jesus would be #1 when I'm dead, but I'm #1 now. Would my soul have been demanded before April '06, I would've never known the Gospel and an eternal separation from God in hell would've been the just and true consequence for my disobedience to God. I committed cosmic treason, sinned against an infinite God which brings his holy wrath. I can say with Paul in Titus 3 that I was foolish, disobedient, led astray, in slavery to various passions and pleasures, passing my days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another (v. 3). But God, being rich in mercy as Paul states in Ephesians 2, for reasons unknown to me, made me alive with Christ, His grace appeared and saved me according to His own mercy--having regenerated me to seeing my sinfulness and His holiness, and sending me the Holy Spirit whereby I became His adopted son. God granted me repentance, leading me to repent of almost 19 years of iniquity and raising up my filthy hands to reach out in desperation to a great Savior.