Trim Your Lamp, Let Your Light Shine by Brother Duke Hansen

         We will be in a few different places this morning for scripture reading. The first place I would like you to turn to is the book of Proverbs chapter 6. We will read one verse, verse 23. This is important to read first, as it is the framework which we will build our message from this morning.

        23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life.

        Now, if you move up a few verses to verse 16, you will read the things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to him. In this one verse we just read, the lamp, the light, and the law are things which Jesus would reference in his time on earth. We will get to that momentarily. When we talk about a lamp, we need to establish that a lamp is not a light. It is a tool to house light. The reproofs and instruction at the last part of verse 23 is a fact of life. You get instruction from the Lord, and, if you don't follow the instruction, you receive reproof. Reproof is criticism for a fault. Now, turn to the book of Matthew chapter 25. We will begin reading at verse 1.

        Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

        2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

        3 They that were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them;

        4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

        5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

        6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

        7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

        8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

        9 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.

        10 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.

        11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

        12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

        13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

        In the parable Jesus tells, there are things the wise virgins knew that the foolish ones did not know. Jesus is referring to his second coming in the parable. What good is a lamp that doesn't light up? The lamp is a metaphor for a man or woman who has been saved and on the path. That person should be able to shine their light into the darkness of this fallen world. It is not denominational divide, or an example given to a select few and no one else. It's a right or wrong decision. In order to shine your light, you need to study scripture, pray, seek the truth, build your faith which strengthens your testimony. 

        The oil is a metaphor for the Holy Ghost. There are people who have the oil and those who are still seeking it. Many have plotted and schemed to obtain the Holy Ghost through purchase, or create their own doctrine which says that 1) You don't need that because it was only for the apostles of the early church. Or 2) You get the Holy Ghost as soon as you are water baptized. Do either of those statements have any support in scripture? No. You see, you will never going to be smart enough to figure God out. You won't find a loophole in dogma or a work around in doctrine. Truth be told, men and women cannot figure one another out to get along, so how in the world are they going to outwit their creator?

        So, the lamp is the commandment and the oil is the Holy Ghost. Follow the commandments and do them. Don't be distracted by selfish ventures. The commandment does not care for your feelings or emotion. The law is light. Man's heart has always been set to resist God. We need to be the example and have the law alive burning to others.

        In the parable, the virgins who were wise, in verse 7, trimmed their lamps. If you look at 2 Timothy 1:6-7, Paul instructed Timothy to stir up the gift of God which was within him, and yes if you are saved, baptized in Jesus name, and Holy Ghost filled, is within you as well. Now, you need to know that many people don't possess the spirit and medicate themselves with pills and prescriptions for various things like depression and emotional disorder.  Here's a hard fact most of the world will recoil at this morning. 90% of sicknesses and diseases are tied to sin. If you are a professed believer in Jesus, you would know of the healing power of his name and would put your faith in it, rather than run to every nurse practitioner or doctor to fulfill your need to be altered chemically. Jesus doesn't treat symptoms nor prolong treatments. He's a deliverer and a healer. 

        To trim the lamp, you need to stir the spirit inside of you. It's easy to stir the spirit in the company of like minded believers, but, you should also do this in your prayer time, in your prayer closet by yourself. Where there is no light shining, there is no Jesus. The sooner you can get to the point that following his commandments is right for your life, the sooner you break the cycle of insanity many are on.

        Get your own oil. There's work involved and you can't mooch off of others for it.  Not everyone present knows what it is like when God puts you in the press. Everyone knows about the shifty man, which is our human nature. You have to lean onto this word and not your own intellect nor your own understanding. Trim your lamp and get your own oil. We are going to turn to the book of John chapter 3. These are very familiar verses we are going to read this morning.

        There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

        2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou does, except God be with him.

        3 Jesus answered and said, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

        4 Nicodemus said unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

        5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

        Look at verse 5 again. Two different baptisms are stated by Jesus. Of the water and of the spirit. You can trim your lamp.

        6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

        7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

        8 The wind blows where it lists, and thou hear the sound thereof, but cannot tell whence it comes, and whither it goes; so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

        So, verse 3 is the conception. You form and grow in the wolf. There are some people who have been in the womb for decades. This is repentance. Verse 5 is the birth. Verse 8 is the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is something you cannot see, but you feel and hear it through the quickened tongue and stammering lips. Back to verse 3, you can't see, you are blind and in darkness. Just having repentance doesn't cause you to quit sinning.

        9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

        10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and know not these things?

        Let's rephrase this question for today. You're a christian and you don't know how to be born again? You think a repeat after me prayer read from a card is repentance? 

        11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

        12 If I have told you earthly things, and you believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

        13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

        14 And as Moses lifted yp the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

        15 That whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

        16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

        Most denominations view believing in Jesus is knowing he lived and died. Knowledge alone is not salvation. There's more to the name than merely a story. There's power in that name. Demons tremble at the mention of that name. 

        17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

        18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

        You already sentenced yourself if you stop halfway in belief. You don't believe in the name of God. That name is so important, an angel delivered it, man knew it not for 2000 years. 

        19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

        20 For everyone that does evil hates the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

        21 But he that does truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

        To review the proverb; the commandment is the lamp, a tool to hold the oil. If you profess with your mouth one thing, and you do the other thing, don't call it faith when it's not faith.

        Afflictions are there for a reason in every life. No one is exempt from them. Healings are coming behind those afflictions. So, if it's about his name, the meaning of it, do people really hate it? No. They just don't believe. Whatever you see in Jesus you will limit your understanding of him to it. So, you can limit your understanding of him as just a baby in a manger, or a teacher, or a preacher, or you can keep him on that cross all your days. Don't limit him or his name. He is all those things and more. Don't narrow your sight to just one part of him.

        God will use the things in your life to work with. At the beginning of your walk, God is accompanying you away from the darkness of the world. As you grow and mature in your faith, the objective is to build, grow, and mature your spirit man. Where offense hurt you, or insults wounded you, you grow and let them slide. You know you will receive those, but you have the maturity to brush them off. 

        Surrendering and truly allowing God to work will bring you victory. You have to have a personal relationship with God. If you think where you are this morning and where you came from was left to chance or accidental it hasn't. Look at the story of Esther. You are where you are this morning for a purpose. God wants you to go deeper, press harder in your life. If you are blocked by a stronghold, you can overcome it with by just saying no. No will build your house. Everything is about the light and the lamp. In many chapters of scripture there is a lineage and a people of God. There is a line that goes from Adam to Jesus. The parting question is are you in that line this morning?