WHAT ARE YOU FEEDING THE NEXT GENERATION? PART 4: WHAT ARE YOU PRODUCING?

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WHAT ARE YOU FEEDING THE NEXT GENERATION? PART 4: WHAT ARE YOU PRODUCING? Galatians 5:22–23 (NLT) “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” In Part 1, we asked: WHAT ARE YOU FEEDING YOURSELF? We learned that what we consume matters because what we feed can grow. In Part 2, we asked: WHAT HAPPENS INSIDE YOU? We learned that what enters us must be processed. Hearing the Word is not enough. The Word must enter our hearts and transform our lives. In Part 3, we asked: WHAT IS FLOWING OUT OF YOU? We learned that what is happening inside us will eventually find expression through our words, attitudes, decisions and actions. Now we come to another important question: WHAT ARE YOU PRODUCING? Because something is always being produced by our lives. The question is not whether your life is producing something. The question is: WH...
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THE GOOD SHEPHERD’S PROVISION: THE KEY OF PLANNING PART 8: THE REQUEST FOR OIL — MISPLACED DEPENDENCE

THE GOOD SHEPHERD’S PROVISION: THE KEY OF PLANNING
PART 8: THE REQUEST FOR OIL — MISPLACED DEPENDENCE


Matthew 25:8 (Key Phrase)

“The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’”


There is a moment in life when urgency replaces confidence. That moment often reveals who we depend on—and what we failed to prepare for.

In Matthew 25, awakening is followed by a request. And the request exposes a dangerous assumption.


In the previous lesson, we saw the awakening—a moment of exposure. Everyone woke up, but not everyone was ready. Awareness came late for some, and panic followed.

Now, Jesus shows us what unprepared people often do next: they look outward for what should have been built inward.


Devotional Thought

Preparation cannot be borrowed

The foolish virgins made a reasonable request—at least on the surface.

They were not asking for lamps.

They were not asking for direction.

They were asking for oil.

But oil represents inner life, discipline, and personal investment.

And those things cannot be transferred in moments of crisis.

This is a painful truth:

You can borrow notes, but not understanding. You can copy behavior, but not discipline. You can admire faith, but not inherit preparation. Dependence is good—when it is built early.

Dependence is dangerous—when it replaces responsibility. The request itself was proof that preparation had been neglected.


Pause And Reflect

What am I depending on others to supply for me?

Have I postponed personal responsibility hoping help will come later?

Am I building my own oil or relying on borrowed light?


Life Application

Spiritually

Spiritual depth cannot be transferred at the last minute. Prayer life must be built personally. Faith borrowed under pressure quickly runs out.


Academically

Group study cannot replace personal effort.

Understanding cannot be copied in exams.

Preparation is an individual responsibility.


In Life

Relationships support—but do not replace—planning. Emergency help is limited.

Personal responsibility determines survival.


Prayer

Lord, help me take responsibility for my preparation. Deliver me from last-minute dependence and build in me discipline, depth, and consistency. Teach me to prepare personally and wisely. Amen.


Looking Ahead

👉 PART 9: THE CLOSED DOOR — CONSEQUENCES OF UNPREPAREDNESS

Why some opportunities do not wait for correction.


Do you love this message?

Has it challenged areas where you rely on others instead of preparing?

Share this with someone who needs to build their own oil.

Today, don’t ask for borrowed light—

build your own supply.

Visit: theheraldsdevotional.blogspot.com

God is speaking, are you listening?




Prince Julius Nenebi-Darkson

(EL-PJ God’s Penman)

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