God's kingdom is like ten young virgins who took oil lamps and went out to greet the bridegroom. Five were silly and five were smart. The silly virgins took lamps, but no extra oil. The smart virgins took jars of oil to feed their lamps. The bridegroom didn't show up when they expected him, and they all fell asleep. In the middle of the night someone yelled out, ‘He's here! The bridegroom's here! Go out and greet him!' Continue reading “Ready or Not”
Anyone who is called to establish something new or move things toward something new is guaranteed opposition. But for many of us, this is what God has called us to do. For all those who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution, which is opposition plus. Don’t be surprised when you are opposed by people and circumstances. All those who came before you with the same calling were so treated. But be of good cheer, Jesus, the one who summons you, has overcome the world, and all the opposition it could muster. He will teach you how to do the same.
This title came to me as I contemplated recent occurrences, things I have seen and heard. What does “into oblivion” mean? “I am going to pound you into oblivion!” The idea here is you are going to be completely pounded, completely destroyed, by the pounding that is about to happen. “He's oblivious….” In oblivion, oblivious, not aware of what is going on around you. Fiddling while Rome burns, the old tale of Nero's madness, is that he was oblivious to important and emergent conditions while occupied with trivia. You have heard this used, and perhaps used it yourself of someone who seemed hopelessly out of touch.
So what brings this to mind? Continue reading “Into Oblivion”
