Our paragraph topic is: (Their distorted religion) Part 13.
You see, it had come to this, gold and silver, precious metals, and jewels were more valuable in the eyes of the religious than the kingdom of heaven. They did not place much value on the temple and the sacred items in it. They did not value the altar but they placed value on the gold and silver placed on the altar. They did not place value upon the temple itself but on the gold that the temple was made of which is how their religious beliefs had become so distorted.
These were the leaders who taught the people what to believe! How wrong could they be? They despised Christ for telling them that their beliefs were distorted and that they had it all wrong. This is why he had to tell them also: "And he who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God, and by him who sits upon it."
They had no idea that they were swearing by God himself. They had no idea that they were telling their followers that their bond with God was nothing when they swore by the temple. They had no idea that they were encouraging the people to break their vows that they were making with God himself, thereby bringing forth the wrath upon themselves. The people only knew that they were following the rules and the laws that were handed down by their religious leaders.
They were sheep being led by their shepherds. And we prey today that God has given us a true shepherds to lead us along the right path to the kingdom of heaven. Of course the ultimate choice is up to us to follow. The ultimate decision is within ourselves if we want to believe what we hear each Sunday. And the choice is up to us if we want more than what we hear each week. If our hearts desire to know more about our heavenly Father, it is up to us to seek him out. If our hearts yearn to feel the truth of his love it is up to us to delve deeper into the knowledge that is available for us. All we have to do is knock on the door to have it opened to us.
And if we truly want to know him all we need do is get on our knees and ask him. We have to be patient to get his response. We have to listen quietly to hear his voice. We have to know that he speaks when he calls us in that soft voice that fills us with joy and happiness. We have to rejoice in his presence when he comes to us with the gifts that he gives us each and every day through the spirit of his heart. For he is a loving Father, and he is a devoted Savior, and they have an everlasting Guide that will be with you until your time to return home.
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 nd 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.
You see, it had come to this, gold and silver, precious metals, and jewels were more valuable in the eyes of the religious than the kingdom of heaven. They did not place much value on the temple and the sacred items in it. They did not value the altar but they placed value on the gold and silver placed on the altar. They did not place value upon the temple itself but on the gold that the temple was made of which is how their religious beliefs had become so distorted.
These were the leaders who taught the people what to believe! How wrong could they be? They despised Christ for telling them that their beliefs were distorted and that they had it all wrong. This is why he had to tell them also: "And he who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God, and by him who sits upon it."
They had no idea that they were swearing by God himself. They had no idea that they were telling their followers that their bond with God was nothing when they swore by the temple. They had no idea that they were encouraging the people to break their vows that they were making with God himself, thereby bringing forth the wrath upon themselves. The people only knew that they were following the rules and the laws that were handed down by their religious leaders.
They were sheep being led by their shepherds. And we prey today that God has given us a true shepherds to lead us along the right path to the kingdom of heaven. Of course the ultimate choice is up to us to follow. The ultimate decision is within ourselves if we want to believe what we hear each Sunday. And the choice is up to us if we want more than what we hear each week. If our hearts desire to know more about our heavenly Father, it is up to us to seek him out. If our hearts yearn to feel the truth of his love it is up to us to delve deeper into the knowledge that is available for us. All we have to do is knock on the door to have it opened to us.
And if we truly want to know him all we need do is get on our knees and ask him. We have to be patient to get his response. We have to listen quietly to hear his voice. We have to know that he speaks when he calls us in that soft voice that fills us with joy and happiness. We have to rejoice in his presence when he comes to us with the gifts that he gives us each and every day through the spirit of his heart. For he is a loving Father, and he is a devoted Savior, and they have an everlasting Guide that will be with you until your time to return home.
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 nd 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.
