Foolish or Wise?

Most all Christians are familiar with the Parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew 25.  I've been studying and pondering it today and found this article, I thought it had some great insights (...like driving around with an almost empty tank in the car.  I was unprepared with gas in my car yesterday and we had to go on an hour long drive for a baby blessing, and I bought gasoline on the Sabbath, I was foolish and was not pleased with myself.)  And this post also about Christ coming like a thief in the night.

From the book "Following the Light of Christ into His Presence" - page 61 - 62:
The parable of the ten virgins teaches a powerful lesson and echoes a solemn warning to those who have been given the gift of the Holy Ghost.  A virgin is one who is pure and unsullied by the world.  They are those who have diligently kept themselves clean.  They are the faithful, and the good. They are members of the church who actively pursue their assignments, pay their tithing, and raise their families in righteousness. They are you and me, and most everyone you sit next to in church. Still, half were turned away because they did not have oil in their lamps and were walking in darkness.  They were not tuned away because they were impure, they were turned away because, without the Holy Spirit, they were unprepared to meet the Lord. 

And at that day, when I shall come in my glory, shall the parable be fulfilled which I spake concerning the ten virgins.  For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived—verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day. And the earth shall be given unto them for an inheritance; and they shall multiply and wax strong, and their children shall grow up without sin unto salvation. For the Lord shall be in their midst, and his glory shall be upon them, and he will be their king and their lawgiver. (D&C 45:56-59)

Notice that those who are the wise virgins have all received the truth, and were not deceived.  They are not only members of His true church, they have received the truth.  They accept something which the foolish five do not recognize as truth.  Whatever it is, it has taught them how to take the Holy Spirit to be their guide.  This is what the foolish five do not know, and for which they will be turned away.  The wise virgins will have learned the lessons of the tree of life, which taught them how to take the Holy Spirit to be their guide.  They will have firmly clasped the rod of iron, and will not have been deceived.  

The foolish virgins have been deceived!  What is the deception which has cost them so much?  It includes the lie that one can succeed spiritually without taking the Holy Spirit to be your guide.  This is obviously what the foolish five believed, and what cost them their place at the wedding feast.  They thought that being a virgin alone was enough...

The wise virgins were different from the foolish in that they:
1) Had received the truth,
2) had taken the Holy Spirit for their guide
3) had not been deceived.

So, yesterday during our drive to the baby blessing, we listened to conference CDs, and this talk "His Servants, the Prophets" gave me some answers I was pondering as thoughts of the ten virgins was on my mind and this part caught my attention:

The answer to these searching questions comes from the prophets throughout ages past who taught the importance of searching the scriptures, along with a promise: “Whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived.”

In each dispensation, the Lord has given commandments to the prophets “that they should proclaim these things unto the world; and all this that it might be fulfilled.  Doctrine and Covenants section 1 constitutes the Lord’s preface to the doctrines, covenants, and commandments given in this, the dispensation of the fullness of times. Of specific mention are verses 37–38:

“Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled.

“What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.”

We will not be deceived if we treasure up His Word.  How do we treasure up his word?  I'm trying by flooding my life with it.

Joseph Smith - Matthew 1:37
37 And whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived, for the Son of Man shall come, and he shall send his angels before him with the great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together the remainder of his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

For more about The Word Of God - read "Following the Light of Christ into His Presence" by John Pontius.