Ten virgins - Shepard - XII - Chapters 3, 4 & 5

Required reading
Ten virgins by Thomas Shepard (Available from Amazon or free here).  Read Chapters 3, 4 & 5 of Part 2.

My summary
Today we continue looking at the subject of carnal security.

In chapter three Shepard teaches us that carnal security is sometimes the last sin which surprises and overcome the heart of the wise and foolish.

In chapter four Shepard discusses how Christ's absence is the cause of carnal security in his churches.

Then Shepard moves to the next part of the parable, the cry of the bridegrooms voice.  Next week this subject will continue but today we firstly observe 'that before Christ's coming to secure His churches, the Lord will send forth his cry to awaken these churches, to give warning of, and to make them ready for His coming; His coming either at the last day, or at death, or in this life, to take them into nearer fellowship with Himself.'

What grabbed me
I enjoyed one of Shepard's suggestions to overcome carnal security: 'Make the coming of the Lord real, see it real, and set it really (as it shall be) before your eyes; (Heb. ix.) "To them that look for him," etc. Why do not men look for him? Truly, very few do look for him really; it is only a report, a noise with many men; where there is the power of grace, it presents things as they are, which shall be so; "Faith is the substance of things not seen," it puts them in their being; "it is the evidence of things not seen," for otherwise it will never work upon you.'

If you continue to look for Christ's return each day, you certainly won't fall asleep in serving him!

Next week's reading
Read Chapters 6, 7, 8 & 9.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.