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Man's Big Three Grace Periods
Part II
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THE SECOND CLOSED DOOR
 
   Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. Matthew 25:1-13.
   Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20.
   I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. John 10:11.
   That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10:9-10, 13.
   If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9.
   During a time of prayer and meditation, it came to me to turn and read the twentieth chapter of Psalms. Please pay particular attention to verse 7:
   The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee; Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion; Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah. Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel. We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions. Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand. Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright. Save, LORD: let the king hear us when we call. Psalm 20. (bold is mine)
   The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice! Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Psalm 21:1, 2.
   Over and over I said in prayer, "Oh God, you can do anything. Anything!" And at once I was reminded of what one of my nieces said years ago: "There are three things that God cannot do: He cannot lie, He cannot die, and He cannot fail!"
   Wow! That's it!
   Again, I began to meditate and this thought came to me about God on this wise: GOD IS EVERYWHERE. THE MORE WE LEARN OF HIM, THE BIGGER AND BIGGER HE GETS TO US. HIS WORD IS CREATIVE POWER. TIME AND SPACE WAS MADE FOR ANGELS (CREATED), MAN, FOWLS, BEASTS, AND EVERYTHING ELSE...
   In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John 1:1-5; 14.
   ...BUT NOT FOR GOD, BECAUSE GOD WAS, BEFORE TIME. GOD IS UNLIMITED AND CANNOT BE CONTAINED! Now that we have established, through the Word of God, that anyone who seeks Him can find Him, let us look further at the Second Closed Door.
 
THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB
     I am sure you have wondered too, just as I, about the terrible destruction during a tidal wave, cyclone, earthquake. How is it that so few people are killed, yet property damage is so catastrophic? Could the answer be found in The Word?
   Jesus Christ came to save lives, not to kill. Also, I have stated before that Lucifer, being lifted up in pride, made such statements as, "I will exalt my throne above the stars of God."
   How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners? Isaiah 14:12-17.
   Through this scripture we can understand the lesser power at work, playing havoc with what God has made good and very good. Please let us consider together one other scripture reference recorded in I Kings, Chapter 19. If you can, please read the entire chapter, but pay special attention to the great experiences of Elijah the Prophet in verses 9-13:
   And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? I Kings 19:9-13.
   Now, may I ask a question? Just Who was in the great strong wind that rent the mountains (more than one), and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord? But the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind, an earthquake. But the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake, a fire. But the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a small, still voice-the Lord! When Elijah heard the voice of God, of which He knew was the All-Powerful God speaking to him and telling him what to do, it is no wonder he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out!
   The great moral of the story is this: Elijah, the great prophet of God, being moved by such experiences, went out to finish the work of God. God had made it plain to him that he was not the only man of God (I Kings 19:18), so Elijah finished the work that God told him to do and went to Heaven (II Kings 2:8-11).
 
PLEASE HEAR, O ISRAEL
 
   Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and by their doings: their way was before me as the uncleanness of a removed woman. Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for their idols wherewith they had polluted it: And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them. And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land. But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went. Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Ezekiel 36:16-24.
   End Part II, "Man's Big Three Grace Periods" Continued...
 
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