Who gets the power to heal the sick and cast out demons?

I hadn't noticed this before.

Mark 3:13-19(NKJV)

And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. 

Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, 

and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons: 

Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter; 

James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, “Sons of Thunder”; 

Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Canaanite; 

and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. And they went into a house.

I believe that once we accept Jesus and we receive the Holy Spirit we all get some of this power in proportion to our faith.  I hadn't noticed that at first Jesus only gave this power to His twelve disciples. 

Why do so many people get this wrong. Have they not read the Scriptures?

There are many Christians who seem to think that all human beings should be one big happy family.  Jesus said differently. 

Mark 9:39-41(NKJV)

But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. 

For he who is not against us is on our side. 

For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.

Jesus understood that there are two sides.  Those who are on the side of Jesus and God….. And those who are enemies of Jesus and God. 

Once again I marvel at this change that arrived with Jesus

One of the coolest things about the changes that Jesus brought about is that we are now totally in control of whether we receive the power of the Holy Spirit or not.  In the OT it wasn't like that.

Luke 1:15(NKJV)

For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 

In the OT, from what I've read, you were handpicked to receive the Holy Spirit.  God decided who did and who didn't get the Holy Spirit and there were way more people who didn't get it than who did.

All of that changed with the arrival of Jesus.  Now all who accept Jesus get the Holy Spirit as a bonus.  And the best part is that each and every one of us can have the Holy Spirit if we choose to.  We are in total control. 

So do you have the power of the Holy Spirit in your life yet?  If not, let me help you.  All you have to do is invite Jesus to guide your life.  Just have a conversation with Jesus.  "Dear Jesus…." 

I wonder if the dead people thought it was gracious and merciful? :)

This just struck me as a bit funny.  There have been times where the people have pissed God off enough that He killed a bunch of them off.  I have no problem with that.  They had fair warning and went ahead a pissed off God anyway.

What made me chuckle though was this verse from Nehemiah. 

Nehemiah 9:31(NKJV)

    Nevertheless in Your great mercy     You did not utterly consume them nor forsake them;     For You are God, gracious and merciful.

Nehemiah is praising God for not killing them all.  For leaving some of them alive to start over.    Nehemiah says God was "gracious and merciful" for not killing all of them.  I wonder if all of those who did get killed would agree with that assessment?  :)

God's conditional promises

It n ever ceases to amaze me all of the people who think that all of God's promises are automatic and you don't have to do anything for them.  All of the people who think they can reject Jesus and still receive God's favor.

It's like they have never read Scripture.  If they had they would realize that it doesn't work that way.  Almost all of God's promises are conditional.  Take a look at this one as an example.

2 Chronicles 30:9(NKJV)

For if you return to the Lord, your brethren and your children will be treated with compassion by those who lead them captive, so that they may come back to this land; for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn His face from you if you return to Him.”

IF you return to the Lord He will do such and such.  If you don't return to Him, He won't do such and such.  Notice it doesn't say, whether you return to Him or not He will do such and such. 

God is…power

I've got to admit I didn't get much out of this.  It basically said the same things as God is strength.  I've offered a couple of examples below.  I then looked up the definition of power and strength and found out why they seemed to say the same thing. 

The two words are used to define each other!  :)

Deuteronomy 8:17-20(NKJV)

then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’  

“And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. 

Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. 

As the nations which the Lord destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the Lord your God.

Daniel 2:36-38(NKJV)

“This is the dream. Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king. 

You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; 

and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all—you are this head of gold. 

power

1.

ability to do or act; capability of doing or accomplishing something.

2.

political or national strength:

the balance of power in Europe.

3.

great or marked ability to do or act; strength; might; force.

4.

the possession of control or command over others; authority; ascendancy:

power over men's minds.

5.

political ascendancy or control in the government of a country, state, etc.:

They attained power by overthrowing the legal government.

6.

legal ability, capacity, or authority:

the power of attorney.

7.

delegated authority; authority granted to a person or persons in a particular office or capacity:

the powers of the president.

From <http://www.dictionary.com/browse/power>

strength

1.

the quality or state of being strong; bodily or muscular power; vigor.

2.

mental power, force, or vigor.

3.

moral power, firmness, or courage.

4.

power by reason of influence, authority, resources, numbers, etc.

5.

number, as of personnel or ships in a force or body:

a regiment with a strength of 3000.

6.

effective force, potency, or cogency, as of inducements or arguments:

the strength of his plea.

7.

power of resisting force, strain, wear, etc.

From <http://www.dictionary.com/browse/strength>

Keeping the end times simple.

Jesus says Watch!  Be Ready.  OK.  What specifically are we to watch for? 

There are many things I suppose but here are the two main things I am watching for. 

Mark 13:14-15(NKJV)

“So when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’  spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not” (let the reader understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 

Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house. 

When I see the antichrist or beast in Jerusalem that is the first big can't miss sign.

As far as being deceived by those claiming to be Jesus there is an easy test.  

Mark 13:21-26(NKJV)

“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, He is there!’ do not believe it. 

For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 

But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.

“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; 

the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 

Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 

Unless I see Him descending from Heaven I know it isn't the real Jesus.

I may get some of the other stuff wrong but these two things seem like they would be hard to miss. 

‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’”-accept when God tells you to. :)

Matthew 4:7(NKJV)

Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’”

Really?  Then why did God say this?

Malachi 3:8-10(NKJV)

    “Will a man rob God?      Yet you have robbed Me!     But you say,     ‘In what way have we robbed You?’     In tithes and offerings.

    You are cursed with a curse,     For you have robbed Me,     Even this whole nation.

    Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,     That there may be food in My house,     And try Me now in this,”     Says the Lord of hosts,     “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven     And pour out for you such blessing     That there will not be room enough to receive it.

Isn't that God telling us to test Him on His promise? 

Sounds like bureaucratic functionaries everywhere doesn't it?

 

Matthew 23:2-8(NKJV)

saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 

Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. 

For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. 

But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. 

They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 

greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’ 

But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. 

We do so many Christians walk around feeling defeated?

To me this is one of the saddest things to see.  Christians walking around feeling defeated.  Christians walking around with no hope.  Why do so few Christians use the power that they have been given?

Acts 1:4-8(NKJV)

And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 

for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 

Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 

And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

We have the Holy Spirit!  God's Spirit here to guide us and help us.  Those aren't just words.  There is a real power that we can draw on!  So why do so many not do so? 

I wish I knew the answer to that.  How do we get people to draw on the Power of the Holy Spirit?  How do we get Christians to live in hope?  It just baffles me because it should be our natural state of being. 

We should get up every morning EXPECTING this day to be better than the last one!  Not in some fake or forced way but in a truly natural and believing way.

As we have been going through a change of season for the last year it has been pretty tough.  But it has never been hopeless.  In fact the ultimate victory is a given in my mind.  So why is that?  Why do I not doubt that in the end we will overcome and life will be even better than it was in the past when so many others live in hopelessness? 

I'm going to offer some thoughts but before I do I want to say that this makes me a bit uncomfortable because I am going to offer some examples from my life and I don't want it to come off as bragging.  It is not meant to be that way.  I simply offer it as examples of what I do differently than those who are hopeless that may explain the difference in our outlooks.

First off I have always been a pretty optimistic person.  Even when I got my right eye shot out when I was 11 it didn't really affect me or slow me down.  I suppose the only way I can explain that is that it is the personality that God gave me.  So I will acknowledge that based on some of the personality traits that God blesses us each with some of us will have a head start over others in this regard.  But I believe that this is the only part that we don't have any control over. 

I am in the Word constantly and consistently and have been most of my life.  I have read the Bible though so many times I have lost count.  I know the promises that Jesus has made.  I believe He is who He says He is.  I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that when Jesus says He has my back….He has my back! 

But more importantly than knowing about the promises that Jesus made in an intellectual way, I long ago accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior.  Or to say it more plainly, I asked Jesus to come into my life and lead me.  I began to have a personal relationship with Jesus.   When I accepted Jesus I got the Holy Spirit that is referred to in the Scripture above. 

Have you done that yet?  Have you asked Jesus to come in to your life?  If not, why not now?  Would you like to have Jesus help guide your life?  Just have a conversation with Jesus.  "Dear Jesus…."

Now some of you are probably saying "but there are many Christians who have accepted Jesus too and they are struggling.  How come?".

Unfortunately many Christians go to church on Sunday but never open a Bible on their own the rest of the week.  How do they expect to know the promises of God and stand on them when they don't make an effort to build a relationship with God and draw closer to Him? 

The Bible gives us clear instructions on how to succeed in life.  All you have to do is follow the formula.  One of the major themes of Proverbs is get wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.  How many people who are struggling, especially financially, make a consistent effort to learn new things to give them an edge to get ahead?   

Instead many Christians sit around waiting for things to magically get better.  They send around things on the internet like, "send this to 10 people and God will bless you" as if God is some sort of lottery or magic talisman.  It doesn't work like that. 

Lastly I think it is a mind set.  The Bible tells us that we are hung by the tongue, snared by the words or our mouths.  How many times have you heard a Christian say things like "If I didn't have bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all."?  Or when something bad happens "that's just my luck, nothing ever goes right for me.". 

Are statements like that consistent with standing on the promises of God?  When you say things like that you are basically saying God's a liar.  You're saying that you don't really believe He has your back.  Is it any wonder things don't work out the way you would like? 

Instead, expect good things to happen, put in the work and the effort, and good things usually do happen. Stand on the promises of God.  And get into the Word more so you know exactly what those promises are.  Get to know God!

Why do bad things happen to Christians?

As always, the answer is in Scripture. 

Mark 9:49-50(NKJV)

“For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. 

Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another.”

Everyone!  Everyone will be seasoned by fire.  Jesus didn't say almost everyone did He?  He said "everyone!". 

Now why is that you may wonder?  As I have said before, my theory is that there are just certain life lesson that we can only learn through the hard times.  To deprive us of the hard times would be depriving us of some of our best opportunities to grow.

Why do you think Jesus said "no sign shall be given"?

I have a theory that I'll share after the verse.

Mark 8:11-12(NKJV)

Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him. 

But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.”

What is the basis of our salvation.  Faith in Jesus.  That that He is who He says He is and that He will save us and give us eternal life. 

Needing a sign shows lack of faith in my opinion. 

So once again we see Jesus telling the Pharisees to pound sand.  I think this again demonstrates how mistaken Peter was when He said that God wants all saved.  Seems to me that God only wants those who believe in Jesus on faith saved.  The rest, once they have made the decisions to become enemies of God by rejecting Jesus, are pretty much on their own. 

If God wanted all saved no matter what, then Jesus would have made an exception and given a sign.  At least that is my theory. 

We don't often think of God killing do we?

I noticed this today and thought it deserved a comment.  File it under another misconception of God.

There are many who say and believe things like God never acts directly against people.  He will let Satan mess with us but God doesn't do it directly.

Really?  The verse below is Jesus speaking.

Luke 12:5(NKJV)

But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!

Jesus is speaking of God here.  It would seem to me that the phrase "after He has killed" indicates a direct action of God killing someone.  Hmm.

The last couple of times through the New Testament I have been paying special attention to what Jesus Himself says vs. what everyone else says in the NT.  Really interesting.  I would highly recommend the approach to your study. 

A few years back there was a bracelet that people wore that asked "what would Jesus do".  I'm going to change that slightly.  I think we should start asking "What did Jesus say?".

I love it when Jesus looks them in the eye and tells them to pound sand!

This is one of my favorite exchanges between Jesus and the Pharisees.  Once again we see the ministry style of Jesus.  He doesn't soften the message.  He doesn't try to talk them into believing.  He recognizes that they aren't sincere in their question and Jesus basically tells them to pound sand!  :)

Matthew 21:23-27(NKJV)

Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?”

But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: 

The baptism of John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?” And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 

But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet.” 

So they answered Jesus and said, “We do not know.” And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

Why did Jesus want so many of His miracles kept secret?

Have you ever wondered why Jesus on many occasions instructed people not to talk about the miracles that He performed?  Here is an example.  This one actually made me laugh out loud.  Read it and then I'll tell you why.

Mark 5:36-43(NKJV)

As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” 

And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. 

Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly. 

When He came in, He said to them, “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.”

And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying. 

Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, “Talitha, cumi,” which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” 

Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement. 

But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat.

How exactly are they going to keep it secret?  All those people who thought she was dead, they are going to see here up and walking around.  Are they really going to believe that she was just sleeping when they know that Jesus works miracles?  :)

"That none may perish"…can Peter back this up with Scripture?

I have written in the past about my belief that the apostles were just like the Pharisees from the standpoint that they added their own human views to some of the Gospel.  I have used some examples of Paul in the past but here is one from Peter.

Here is what Peter said.

2 Peter 3:8-9(NKJV)

But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Really???  Does God want everyone saved?  Can Peter back that up with Scripture?  The reason I ask is here is what Jesus said on why He spoke in parables. 

Mark 4:10-12(NKJV)

But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. 

And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, 

so that      ‘Seeing they may see and not perceive,     And hearing they may hear and not understand;     Lest they should turn,     And their sins be forgiven them.’” 

And lest you think this is a mistake, here is what Jesus said in Matthew.

Matthew 13:11-15(NKJV)

He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 

For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 

Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 

And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:      ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,     And seeing you will see and not perceive;

    For the hearts of this people have grown dull.     Their ears are hard of hearing,     And their eyes they have closed,     Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,     Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,      So that I should heal them.’ 

So on the one hand we have Peter saying that God wants all people saved and that He doesn't want any to perish.

On the other hand you have Jesus twice explaining that the very reason He purposely speaks in parables is so that some will not understand and be saved!

Now let's view this in light of one of my guiding principles of Bible study.  That principle is God and Jesus are always in agreement.  As Jesus Himself said, "a house divided against itself cannot stand.".

So who you going to believe?  Peter or Jesus?  Based on the principle above I choose to believe Jesus on this topic.  Now that raises some other interesting questions doesn't it?  Like how can a loving God not want everyone saved?  I personally have no problem reconciling that issue and I'll cover that in future blog posts. 

I'm reminded of a joke.

There is a joke about a person stuck on his rooftop during a flood.  He is praying for God to save him.  Pretty soon a rowboat comes along offering him a ride.

"No thanks" he says "God will save me."

Later another boat comes by.  Again he declines the ride saying "God will save me.".

Later a helicopter comes by and for a third time he declines all the while having faith that God would save him.

And then he drowns.  When he gets to Heaven he is furious.  "God, why didn't you save me?".  God says "Dude, I sent two boats and a helicopter, what more did you want?".

There are some who seem to think that doing any planning to save ourselves is showing a lack of faith.  That we should depend on God for that.

Let's ask ourselves "what would Jesus do?".  I ran across this verse today.

Mark 3:9-10(NKJV)

So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him. 

For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him. 

Did Jesus sit around waiting for God to supernaturally save Him?  Nope.  He was proactive.  He could see the situation might get out of hand so he had a contingency plan.  Does that mean he lacked faith in God??? 

Not at all.  To me it just shows Him using His God given common sense.  God gave us an intellect for a reason.  I believe God expects us to use it.  God is there to step in and help us out when necessary but I think He expects us to help Him out by trying to do some of it on our own. 

Contrary to showing a lack of faith I think it shows faith that God has given us the ability.

"…taught as one having authority"

Mark 1:21-22(NKJV)

Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. 

And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

I get this one.  I have been in the presence of one who teaches as one having authority.  Here is what I mean.

Years ago at the Covenant Church of Kalamazoo we had a missionary in Africa that we supported.  His name was Dave Green.  He was a short, mild mannered, soft spoken man in his late 60's I would guess.  He had been on the mission field for 30-40 years.

I attended a Bible study that he was leading.  He had us look up a certain Scripture and follow along.  He started reading the Scripture.  At least that is what I thought he was doing.  I looked up and saw that he was reciting it from memory.  It was like there had been a transformation.  He looked bigger, like he had grown in stature.  His voice was strong and booming.  He had an air of authority about him.  And it was clear that it didn't come from him per se, it came from God's word.  It was really cool!

Is a gift from God ever evil?

Is a gift from God ever evil?

Wednesday, May 03, 2017

10:38 AM

There are a lot of people who look at the saying in the Bible that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into Heaven and decide that it means that it is bad or evil or even a sin to be rich. 

If that is the case then read this verse and I have a question on the other side.

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20(NKJV)

Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage. 

As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God. 

For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.

If a man's wealth is a gift from God as Solomon says in Ecclesiastes then are we to assume that God gives evil gifts?  Or might the more logical answer be that many are misinterpreting the eye of a needle verse?  I think misinterpretation is the more likely answer.

So what does the eye of the needle verse mean?  My belief is that it means that the wealthy have more temptations between them and Heaven and that is what makes it harder for them to get into Heaven.  It has nothing to do with the mere fact that they have wealth.  It is all about the additional temptations they face.

Make sense? 

For those who think Jesus is a Socialist….

There are some who would argue that when Jesus told the young man to sell everything, give it to the poor, and follow Him (Jesus); that is an indication that Jesus embraced socialism.  Now if that is the only Scripture you look at then I could see how you might come to that conclusion.

However, as I have said many times, Scripture is a book of balance and it has to be taken in its entirety.  In addition I have also written my belief that God and Jesus are always in agreement.  I have also written about how our rewards in Heaven are based on merit.  (Salvation is free, rewards are earned).  Basing our rewards in Heaven on merit certainly is not a socialist construct. 

So take a look at the Parable of the 10 virgins.

Matthew 25:1-13(NKJV)

“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 

Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 

Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 

but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 

But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

“And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ 

Then all those virgins arose 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, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 

And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

“Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 

But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

Notice that Jesus didn't say "You virgins with the oil, give some of your oil to those virgins who need some."  Jesus didn't say that did He?  Nope.  Jesus told the unprepared virgins to go buy their own oil and admonished them for not being prepared.

Jesus didn't condemn the prepared virgins for not sharing their oil did he?  Nope, Jesus held them up as the example to emulate.

So where does that leave us?  Here is my take on it.  Jesus wants us to be willing to surrender all that we are and everything we have to Him.  But Jesus also wants us to act responsibly and be prepared. 

Once again, the Bible is a book of balance!

But it was lawful to pay blood money?

Hypocrisy has been around as long as man.  Here is a great example of it. 

Matthew 27:6-8(NKJV)

But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood.” 

And they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. 

Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.

Hmm, can't put the money back in the treasury because it is blood money.  They didn't seem to be too concerned about taking the money out of the treasury to pay the blood money in the first place did they?