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Hello, everyone.  Glad you could join us today for another broadcast of the Resounding Shophar Blast!  The last couple weeks we looked at the signs and the need for us to be paying attention to the signs indirectly pointing to the return of Jesus for us, His Bride, the Church, His followers.  As I’ve mentioned in earlier broadcasts, my heart is first to remind Christians that Jesus is coming back at any time, and that they need to make sure they are ready when that time comes.  Today, I want to look at one of many reasons some Christians will not be ready when the time of Jesus’ return takes place. When someone is expecting something to take place, how much they believe it will happen is seen in their preparation for it.  For example, if a person is excited about attending a football game where their favorite team is playing for the championship, they will be sure they have the proper attire for the event cleaned and ready, they will make sure the car is fueled up and ready to go, and that they have enough cash to pay for the $1,000 hot dogs being sold there.  Or, if someone is waiting to be picked up by a friend to attend a birthday party for their best friend, they will make sure they are dressed and ready to go, that the present they are taking to the party is boxed and wrapped up with a nice bow, and they will be all ready to simply walk out the door when their friend arrives.  In the same way, if a person is expecting Jesus to arrive at any moment, they will be sure to do all they can to be ready when that event takes place. This picture of followers of Christ being ready when Jesus returns for us is seen in the parable of the ten virgins located in Matthew 25:1-13.  In this parable, there are ten virgins, Christians who are waiting and expecting the bridegroom to return for them, but only five of them were wise in making sure they were adequately prepared when that time came.  The five foolish virgins had not taken the initiative to make sure they were prepared for that time, and as a result they were left behind and were refused entrance to the wedding festivities.  So, what could keep someone from being ready when Jesus returns for us?  There are any number of reasons that this could be the case, but I want to look at one reason a person may find that they were not ready when they needed to be. I realize that this is a controversial issue within Christian circles, but nonetheless it must be mentioned, and that is the idea that a Christian’s eternal destination is forever sealed at the point of salvation, where they surrendered their lives to Jesus.  In other words, we are talking of those who don’t believe that a Christian can “lose” their salvation, a dangerous teaching that is putting many at risk of falling short of eternity in heaven with Jesus.  I first want to mention that I don’t believe everyone that believes this train of thought is not going to heaven, but rather that those who do run the risk of not being ready when the time of Jesus’ return comes. Why would the teaching that Christians can not lose their salvation be a dangerous one for people to embrace?  Well, the reason is really quite simple.  If they believe their eternal home has already been sealed and is non-revocable, then it becomes very easy for someone to slack off and not take their relationship with Jesus seriously.  And if a person isn’t taking their relationship as seriously as they ought, then they are more apt to allow unconfessed sin to continue in their life, or to put something or someone other than Christ on the throne of their heart, which is idolatry in the sight of God.  In other words, the person becomes complacent and apathetic as a follower of Christ. Obviously, some will still argue that a Christian can not “lose” their salvation, but let’s take a brief look at some passages that would seem to indicate otherwise. In John 15:1-8, Jesus identifies Himself as a vine, and that we are the