St Matthew, Chapter 19, verse: 27, Leaving All.

Our paragraph topic is:  (A hundredfold reward promised) Part 1. 

Christ made a statement to his disciples to help them understand the nature of God our Father.  He told them:  "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."  He told them this because they were thinking with the minds of men and not with the possibilities of God.  He did not explain the simple example that he gave them with reference to the camel and the eye of the needle.  He did not show them how it was next to impossible for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.  Instead he gave them this simple example to illustrate to them the physical limitations of this act.

So the disciples were introduced to the unlimited possibilities of God.  Nothing is impossible for God and that was the understanding that Christ wanted his disciples to have.  He wanted them to think with a different mind.  He wanted them to see the power and majesty of the Father.  He wanted them to believe the dangers of riches and how they would hinder one from entering the kingdom.  And then Peter grasping the thought of not having riches and the thought of giving up all asked the question.  Then Peter addressed him, saying, “Behold, we have left all and followed thee; what then shall we have?" 

If we do not have riches, then what do we have?  This is the questions that is on the minds of millions of people today.  What do we get if we do not have the riches of today?  What can we look forward to if we do not have the luxury of today?  Do we get a brand new car in heaven?  Do we get a million dollar home?  Do we have wealth untold in heaven?  What do we get then that we can not have now?  What does heaven have to offer that is far more glorious than what the world offers now? 

We see all the riches that others have that we want.  We see the joy and the happiness that others have that we do not have.  We are constantly bombarded with the images, and sounds, and impressions of the luxury of what wealth and riches has to offer and those are the things that we desire to have.  So we set our minds to going about having those things that are not ours now.  We commit ourselves to doing what it takes now, to get those things that our hearts desire.  And for some the desire is so strong that there are no limits as to what they will do to get them.

Temptation is strong in the world.  The desire and the passion for wealth and riches is nonstop.  We see them in our everyday lives.  We dream of them when we are asleep.  We are consumed with their possession, in everything that we do.  What will we sacrifice to have them?  And for those who believe in the teachings of Christ, what do they want?  What do they get for turning away from the world and turning to Christ?  As Peter asked:  "What shall we have?"

Christ came that we would have life.  He came that we would have life and have it more abundantly.  For those who know this meaning there is joy in their hearts.  For those who do not, the meaning is lost.  What profits a man if he gains the whole world yet looses his own soul?  Better still what can a man give for his soul if it is lost.  There is nothing more valuable in this world than the life that was given back to man by the sacrifice made by Christ. 

What do we get?  We get eternal life with Christ.  What do we get?  We get eternal joy and happiness with Christ.  What do we get?  We get eternal peace here and now with the knowledge of who we are in Him that created us and gave us life.  For he will provide.  He will protect.  He will assure that we will have all that is needed to live and prosper and to carry his message of life and joy and peace and happiness in the Lord.  This is what we get.  And for those who do not understand but want to know, seek him.  Ask him.  Search for him in truth and honesty and you will know what you get.  You get the gift of love that comes from a father who loves you.  You get a gift that is priceless if you know it's value.

Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage and then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ. The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you.  Open the door and let him in.   

St Matthew, Chapter 19, verse: 26, The impossible is possible.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The danger of riches) Part 5.  

Christ had spoken to his disciples about riches and how they can make if difficult to enter into the kingdom of heaven.  He gave them a simple example so that they would have an understanding.  He told them that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.  With what difficulty one would have trying to get a camel through the eye of a needle, one would also have even more difficulty getting a rich man into the kingdom of heaven.

This was a concept that was foreign to them and even to us today it seems extreme.  Our imagination would tell us that you would have to shrink a camel to less than the size of the eye of the needle to get it through.  In the same sense one would have to reduce the rich man down to nothing to get him into the kingdom of heaven.  Yet Christ wanted them to not think with the minds of men but to understand the power and majesty of the Father.   And looking upon them, Jesus said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." 

Christ gazed upon his disciples and saw that they did not understand his words.  He wanted them to understand the true nature of the possession of riches.  He wanted them to know the dangers of having riches and where they could lead.  Having riches and possessing riches is like a fever.  One wants to keep them.  One wants to hold onto them.  On wants to not loose them for fear.  And yet death is the ultimate divider.  For one cannot take riches after death.  One cannot posses riches after death.  For we are all children of God and in heaven there is no place for pride.

Our Father created us.  He gave us life.  He provided us with a place to live to grow, prosper, and to multiply.  He gave us this realm, the physical.  He gave us the intelligence to use the physical to produce the things that would allow us to live and prosper.  All these things he gave us freely that we may know his goodness and his mercy.  After we had rejected him and turned towards the world he still forgave us.  His love for mankind is so great that he allowed his only son to come and live among us that we may know him.  And he gave his only son that he would come and sacrifice himself to redeem us to give us new life.

With this new life we now are able to enter into the kingdom.  Before Christ came to redeem us, no one could enter into the kingdom.  All had to wait until the sacrifice was completed.  Christ  released all those who were in waiting.  He was the first.  And he is the last.  All things are given to us in his name.  The riches of this world will stop us.  They will hinder us.  They will hold us back from entering into the kingdom.  Possession of riches is not the danger but the riches of possession is.  Remember, blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage and then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ. The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you.  Open the door and let him in.   

St Matthew, Chapter 19, verse: 25b, The hearing of the disciples.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The danger of riches) Part 4. 

The disciples heard the words of Christ and they were astonished.  They were in disbelief.  They could not understand what they had heard.  Their minds immediately thought of fear and anxiety.  And their hearts were filled with loss.  For they assumed that all would have access to the kingdom of heaven especially those who had wealth and riches.  But Christ wanted them to know the rules.  He wanted them to understand that the spiritual kingdom was not the same as the physical world. 

In the physical world those who have riches, those who have power, those who have influence are the privileged.  They are the ones who can use their power to get what they want.  But in the spiritual world there are rules, there are criteria by which one is judged before entering.  And the criteria specify that one lives by certain requirements here on earth.  The disciples did not understand the truth of the words that were spoken.  They did not hear with their hearts the meaning of the message.  And as a result they came to the conclusion and said, "Who then can be saved?"

If the rich man has difficulty entering the kingdom, what about the poor man.  Will he be able to enter the kingdom?  Will all those who do not have wealth, those who have means, be shut out of the kingdom?  Who, will be saved, was the shocking question on their minds?  And shocking was what Christ wanted to do.  He wanted them to understand.  For they did not see.  They did not hear.  They did not understand the truth of the kingdom of heaven.  Wealth or power or influence does not of itself open the doors to the kingdom. 

Christ wanted them to understand the difficulty that riches of itself could pose to hinder one from entering the kingdom.  Riches are of the earth.  Riches belong to the world.  Earthly riches are of no value in the kingdom.  Yet earthly riches are what we seek to have.  Earthly wealth is what we all desire.  Power and influence are the things that we wish to possess so that we might walk with those who are rich and famous.  We desire to be seen in the news or on the magazine cover or at a celebrity event.  We seek recognition.

But the criteria for the kingdom is not recognition.  The criteria for the kingdom is not pride but humility.  The criteria for the kingdom is not wealth but poverty of spirit.  The criteria for the kingdom is not hatred but love, not anger but forgiveness, not lust but modesty, not greed but charity.  Christ wanted his disciples to understand these principles just as he wants us to understand them today.  He calls upon us to practice these principles in the here and now so that we will be prepared to enter into the kingdom.  He has given us the blueprint on how to live our lives.

The decision is ours to make.  God is our father.  He knows our needs.  He provides for us daily in every way, if we choose to see and believe.  Those coincidences and circumstances that happen to us, happen by his hands.  Those little things that he gives us, daily, are his provisions, his protections.  If we could only see and understand, how grateful we would be.  For he is our provider.  He is our protector.  He is our source for life.  Our heart's satisfaction is in him.  Our desire to be loved is fulfilled in him.  Our longing for peace is through him and he will give us everlasting peace.  Seek him and you will know.  Ask him and he will provide.  Patience is the key.  Love him and you will know his love for you.

Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage and then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ. The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you.  Open the door and let him in.  

St Matthew, Chapter 19, verse: 25a, The hearing of the disciples.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The danger of riches) Part 3.  

The rich young man was saddened by what Christ told him.  And now Christ speaks the words of truth about the kingdom of heaven.  There is a transition.  There are requirements that must be met.  Each person entering the kingdom must meet the standards.  Death starts the process.  How one lived his physical life determines the criteria.  And the examination at the entrance will set the stage for life everlasting in the kingdom or.

These are the truths that Christ wants his disciples to understand about the kingdom of heaven.  The spiritual kingdom is not like the physical kingdom.  You cannot buy your way in.  You cannot force your way in.  No amount of power or influence will guarantee your entrance.  For what we do on earth will determine if we are eligible to enter.  And Christ gave his disciples a simple example to demonstrate what criteria is used.  He told them that it is easier for a camel to enter the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.  The disciples, hearing this, were exceedingly astonished.

Just as the rich young man was saddened when he heard Christ's words about selling his possessions, the disciples were astonished when they heard these words.  For it was in the hearing that they did not understand.  It was in the hearing that the meaning was lost.  It was in the hearing that the mind transformed and transposed those words to resonate to heartfelt doom.  All want to be rich.  All want to enjoy the pleasures that come with wealth and riches.  This is what we are given to believe and know from birth.

We see everyday those with wealth and how they are able to live.  We hear everyday of those with riches and how they are able to do the things that everyday people dream about.  Everyday we are told about the lives of the rich and famous, the movie stars, the sports stars, and those of wealthy origins.  And our minds are transformed from where we are into where we would like to be.  So the disciples were exceedingly astonished as we are today with these words.  Yet it is these words that are meant to astonish.  It is these words that are meant to shock.  It is these words that are meant to open our hearts to provide us with the opportunity to see the truth of who we are and what we are given to believe. 

What do we believe?  Do we believe that there is a heaven?  Or do we believe that we are in heaven now, on this earth, and we should live forever here?  Do we fear what comes after death?  Are we afraid of that which we have not been given, that which is foreign to us?  We have been given the here and now.  The world gives us this each day.  We are not given what comes after today, what comes after death, what comes after the physical life.  That information is not published.  That information is not talked about on the talk shows in the lives of the rich and famous.  For that has not been given to us to know as we know the world.  It has been given for us to believe. 

Christ came that we would have life everlasting.  He came to teach us of his Father and our Father, the Creator.  He came to demonstrate his love for us.  And he came to pay the penalty for our punishment.  All this and yet we do not know who we are.  All this he gave to us and we cannot see who we are.  All this and we are blinded by the glitz and glamour that the world offers to us if we only go to sleep in the world and do not seek the spiritual.  Each of has the key to reignite the life that Christ has given us.  All it takes is an open mind and an open heart.  All it takes is a desire to know him who has loved us from the beginning.  Seek that which is within you.  Knock on the door of your heart and open it to the love of Christ and he will come to you to let you know of his love and the love of the Father .  For no one lights a lamp and puts it in the cellar or under a measure, but puts it on a lampstand so that all who enter may see.  Christ wants to light your lamp so that you may see the truth of who you are in him.  Come!  Light your lamp and you will be astonished at who you are in him!

Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage and then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ. The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you.  Open the door and let him in.  

St Matthew, Chapter 19, verse: 24, Difficulty for a rich man entering into the Kingdomof heaven.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The danger of riches) Part 2. 

With difficulty will a rich man enter into the kingdom of heaven is what Christ told his disciples.  He spoke words of wisdom to them.  He spoke words of knowledge.  He spoke words above and beyond their comprehension.  But he wanted them to understand the truths of the kingdom of heaven.  He wanted them to know the rules and the mysteries of that place which we all ascribe to attain.  For he lives in heaven and it is the place where we want to be with him.

Yet he spoke these words to the rich young man as he left upon hearing the words of truth.  The young man wanted to know what he had to do to enter the kingdom of heaven.  He had a desire to be with Christ for all eternity.  And in order to achieve this goal he had to rid himself of all that would hold him back.  He had to rid himself of all those earthly possessions that he had acquired, those things that had a hold on him.  For as Christ told his disciples:  "And further I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven." 

And this was the wisdom of the kingdom of heaven that Christ wanted his disciples to know.  He presented to them an impossible example to help them understand the difficulty with which a rich man will have entering the kingdom of heaven.  One can only imagine a large, hump back camel attempting to pass through a small sowing needle.  To our way of thinking this would seem impossible.  For a needle as we know it today is very, very small.  And a camel is very, very large.  The two do not seem to compare at all.  How would this be imaginable in anyone's mind?  But this was the example that Christ gave to his disciples to ponder, to understand.

This was the example that he gave to show how difficult it is for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.  Riches demand holding onto.  Riches demand that they are kept.  Riches demand that they are protected, provided for, adored, glorified, and guarded least they are stolen.  They are not easily come by.  They require hard work and sacrifice.  They often times demand that we forgo our morals to acquire them.  And yet we can not take them with us.  We can hide them.  We can lock them up so that no one else may have them.  Or we can pass them on, so that others may possess them as we have.  But they can not be taken into the kingdom of heaven.

And this is the example that Christ wanted his disciples to understand.  The impossibility of a camel entering the eye of a needle is compared to a rich man entering the kingdom of heaven.  The two do not compute.  A camel would have to be reduced to the size of a pin head or the size of thread to be able to pass through the eye of a needle.  And likewise, a rich man would have to reduced to the size of a pauper to enter into the kingdom of heaven.  You see, what have we of earthly riches?  What have we of paper value, glass rocks that we value as precious or gold colored rocks or silver?  These things have no value in the kingdom.  They are already plentiful and in abundance, available to all.  Possessions of these things imparts no special significance.  They give no power, no prestige, no glory, no honor, no status in heaven.  For the gold in heaven is God's love and it is available to all.

We are children of God our Father.  His love is what fills us, what completes us.  His love makes us whole; without it we are empty.  Christ came to give us this message: our Father loves us.  Our Father loves us so much that he forgave us our sins and sent his only son to atone.  And with that atonement he gave us new life.  Our sins killed us.  Our sins destroyed the life that we had from the beginning.  And even today our sins take away the life that is freely given.  We have only to ask to receive it back.  We have only to seek to find again.  We have only to knock and the door will be opened to us to regain that life that we lost. 

The world does not want us to have that life.  The world does not want us to know.  The world wants us to forget and to continue to live in sin.  For those who want, the opportunity is theirs for the taking.  For those who seek the treasure is there for the finding.  And for those who want the love of the Father, his arms are open wide for you to receive his love only for the asking.  You will know the truth if you seek it.  You will see the life if you knock.  Your heart will know the peace when you open it to the love of the Father.  Come!  Receive the life that is yours for the asking.

Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage and then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ. The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you.  Open the door and let him in.