St. Matthew, Chapter 24, verse: 32b; The leaves of the fig tree.

 Our paragraph topic is:  (Jerusalem's impending destruction) Part 3. 

In those times people lived in small villages and farming was the main economic way of life.  They raised cattle, sheep, goats, chicken.  They grew grops and farmed grapes, olives, dates, and figs.  So Christ spoke to them through terms that they were familiar: fig trees.  He gave them a message that they could understand and heed its meaning.  That was two tousdand years ago.  What can we take from his words today.

Today most people do not live on farms but in large cities.  They do not raise cattle and grow crops for a living.  Today people have a total different way of living.  We have busses and cars and trains and plains for transportation.  We buy food at the local food store.  We go out to eat at restaurants to entertain ourselves to enjoy a meal away from home.  And we entertain ourselves with various forms of pleasure from digital to live shows and group events like baseball or basketball or some other form of group event.  Life is completely different today from the time of Christ.  How then can we take meaning from his words:  "When the leaves break forth you know that summer is near."  

The leaves fall from the trees and we know that winter and cold weather is coming.  The leaves return on trees and that tells us that soon warm weather is coming.  These two things we can relate.  But Christ in this paragraph was saying more than just speaking of  trees and leaves.  He was giving the people a sign, information to beware.  He had told them of the last days and the signs to look for.  Now he is saying beware, if you see any of those signs then you know what is about to happen.

The signs are a message for us also, that we need to look for in our daily lives.  As he said before if the owner knew that he would be robbed he would have made preparations to defend himself against attack.  We also must be prepared to protect ourselves and stay on guard against the coming of the end days for we know not when they may come.  Stay vigilent, stay prayerful, continue in the faith of Christ Jesus and the grace of God our Father.

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 24, verse: 32b; When the branch is now tender.

Our paragraph topic is:(Jerusalem's impending destruction) Part 2. 

And now comes the parable of the fig tree, the one that Christ wants us to learn for our safety, for our protection, before the impending doom.  He has given the signs to look for,  all the destruction that will happen during the last days.  Now he tells us what we can look for as a precurser.  Learn this sign.  Let the fig tree be your example of what to look for in the coming future.

He says: "When its branch is now tender."  This is a sign of the coming spring for the fig tree.  Even so when you see all the signs of the coming rapture know that the end days are near.  Do not be fooled.  Do not be ignorant of what is forthcoming.  For the signs are real and tells the truth of the impending doom, no matter what others may say or believe.  The media may proclaim a different theory.  Science may show another belief.  But Christ  has given us the truth of what is to be and what is to come.

We are children of his creation, bought by his sacrifice on the cross.  Given new life from death, by our faith and belief in him and the Father who sent him.  The Holy Spirit proclaims us and marks us with its light of life.  We are saved.  Thanks be to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit that we exist today and forever.

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 24, verse: 32a; Learn this Parable.

 Our paragraph topic is: (Jerusalem's impending destruction) Part 1. 

Here we are in 2025 reading about a man, a being, who walked the earth some two thousand years before our time.  This was no ordinary man, compared to all the other men, as we come to know and have heard about him in our lifetime.  This man was our creator, the one who is, who was, and who will always be.  He is our savior who gave us new life from death, by sacrificing himself on a cross for our sins.  This man, our God, who loves us, wants to teach us how to walk a path free of pain and suffering.

Evil awaits us, out there, along the path of life.  It waits on the byways and the sidelanes of life.  It wants to distract us from the path of life, draw us in, turn us aside and keep us in its snare for eternity.  Evil is not good for us.  It will harm us in the long run.  It will eat away at the love and the goodness that is within us.  We must learn the tricks and trials of evil and stay on the path of life that our creator has given us, otherwise we loose life and obtain death.

Our teacher is Christ.  He came that we may have life.  He lived amoung us that we might know the truth of who we are.  He gave his life that we may no longer suffer death.  He conquered death that now we have the opportunity to live a new life with him.  He tells us: "Now from the fig tree learn this parable."  He prepares to teach us how to stay away from the traps of evil.  He does not give us a straight away answer, but speaks to us in a story, a parable, that we each can make sense of  in our own way.  This way we can all learn from it.  

He knows that some will learn now.  Some will learn later, some will take time for the meaning to come.  In time, though, he has planted the seed and the meaning will come.  His words require thought.  They require comtemplation, to savor the understanding and full meaning.  Learn this parable.  Apply it to your life.  Make sense of it and it will make sense of you.  The spirit is in it and the meaning of Christ is in it and he will be in 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 24, verse: 31c; The Ends of the Heavens.

Our paragraph topic is:(Darkening of sun and moon) Part 13. 

We come to the end of this paragraph, The Darkening of the sun and the moon.  This would be a terrible time in the history of man.  Never before has man been without the shinning of the sun or the glow of the nightlit moon.  We have come out of the dark ages and brought forth light to our cities and towns, given ourselves music and sound over the airwaves, transmitted pictures thousands of miles that all can see and view motion pictures for their entertainment.  Man has indeed come a long way from ages past.

But what of the future will we experience?  What lies ahead for mankind?  Do we have eternity to ecplore and progress?  Can we as a race continue to survive into the unknown future or are we doomed to extinction?  The dinasaurs are no more.  They lived and are no more.  We have definite proof of their existance.  Will mankind no longer exist?  

Who are we?  What are we?  Why are we here?  How did we come to be here?  Chiikdren ask these questions as they try to make sense of the world around them.  Our explanation comes from what we believe, what we have faith in, what is given us through the works of our ancestors.  The Bible tells us that one day there will be a reckoning, a judgment day of all things.  Christ says the Son of Man will come upon the clouds of heaven and he will gather his elect from one end of heaven to the other. 

When will this happen?  We don't know.  Will this happen?  That is to be determined.  The dinasaurs are extinct.  They were determined.  Will we also be determined in the future?  Will we be gathered up from the ends of the heavens, taken up into another place to live another life?  Who are we?  What are we?  Why are we here?  What do you believe???

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 24, verse: 31b; The Elect.

 Our Paragraph topic is:(Darkening of sun and moon)Part 12. 

The darkness comes upon the earth and the light and the warmth that we take for granted is no longer.  The sun refuses to shine, the moon glows no more at night and the twinkle of the stars are gone forever.  We are in the darkness that Christ told us about.  These are the days after the tribulation.  

The powers in heaven and on earth will be shaken to the core and they will not know what to do.  Panic will ensue.  All the nations and the tribes will mourn for their plight, for no one will know what will happen.  It is written for us to know.  It is told for us to witness for ourselves.  Those who believe may find solice in the knowledge that they have been given some witness as to the truth of what is coming. 

And he said: "And they will gather his elect from the four winds."   His angels will come to collect those who have been called, "the elect."  The world is round but the winds blow in every direction.  They circle the globe as it is their own.  And the angels fly with the wind.  God knows his children.  He knows those who love him, those who he first loved from the beginning of time who keep his words. 

Peace and love and justice.  Humility and care for thy neighbor, for we are all brothers and sisters, children of our creator.  Let us all call out his name on that last day that we might be saved and caught up in the wind into his kingdom.  For God is a loving God, a forgiving God, a merciful God, a God of our hearts.  He will save us.  He will love us.  He will forgive us of our sins and cleans us that we may know everlasting life and not death.

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 24, verse: 31a; HIs Angels.

Our paragraph topic is:(Darkening of sun and moon)Part 11. 

 The saga continues in the Biblical description of the end of days, where Christ describes to his disciples what will happen after the tribulation.  The Sun will be darkened and the moon will not give her light; the stars will fall from heaven and the powers of heaven will be shaken, he tells them.  Then will appear the Son of Man coming upon the clouds of heaven.  

We have seen the power of earthquakes.  We know and are familiar with their destructive force.  Our media shows us daily what happens when they occur in various parts of the world where people are runnung for their lives and no one can do anything to stop the destruction from happening.  We know about the devistating force of water and what it does when it reaches catastrophic levels in sunamis and runnoff with mudslides.  We are helpless against fire when it becomes out of control and our efforts to stop it's raging inforno is unleashed upon the land.  The elements of nature are beyond mankinds control.

As humans we seek to leave behind or avoid the power of nature.  This is a goal of manknid.  Leap to space.  Go to the moon or Mars or another planet similar to the earth where we can grow and thrive without the threat of destruction.  The race for space is our objective our unexpressed desire for safety for longevity of life and liberty.  Is it possible?  Can we achieve it before the appocalype?  Why worry!!

Christ has given us the ultimate outcome for those who live to experience it.  He has given us a set of measures to let us know when and where it will all take place.  And after all the tribulations he says:  "And he will send forth his angels with a trumpet and a great sound."  

We will all know!  We will all see!  We will all be able to feel the awe and majesty of his coming with the great sound of the trumpet.  Those of us in heaven, those of us on earth, those of us asleep, those of us who believe or do not believe, all will be shaken by the coming of the Son of Man.  All will know the truth of his words.

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 24, verse: 30f; The Power and Majesty.

 Our paragraph topic is:  (Darkening of sun and moon) Part 10. 

It reads like a movie script, this last section of sentence 30, a science fiction movie where everything is going to piceces and the earth is ending in destruction with no salvation.  The sun does not shine, the moon does not give up its light, the stars fall from the heavens, all is dark in the sky.  What is mankind to do? What is happening?  What is the explanation?

We know that wind has great power and rain has great power that man has not conquered.  Definitely water has such destructive power that we all run from its force.  So what is happening now that all these things are occuring?  Is the earth falling out of orbit, spinning out into space?  Is mankind doomed to certain death?  Is there no hope for us?

Christ has predicted that these are signs of his coming, signs of the last days when the judgment will take place.  He has fortold what will take place so that mankind will have written history two thousand years before it actually happens that those who are not believers can believe.  

We are seeing some great power happening today with hurricanes and fires and volcanos erupting all over the planet.  What will happen next?  Will the sun refuse to shine?  Will the moon not glow?  Are we coming to the end of times or are these just natural occurances?  Is the thief coming in the night?  Are we prepared to meet him to protect ourselves from destruction?

Each waking day we must put on our armour and be ready to do battle, asking God for the strength and the courage to repel the onslaught of evil that we face.  We must be ready, daily, and pray that we do not see the last day coming.    

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 24, verse: 30e; The Son of Man coming.

 Our paragraph topis is: (The Clouds of Heaven) Part 9. 

When I was growing up I would like to watch the clouds and imagine what they were.  Some would become animals or people, or things that would make me laugh and smile or even fear them if they became real.  Clouds are beautiful because they can become whatever our imaginations want them to be.  They are fun to watch and allow ourselves to relax doing so. 

Growing older though, does not provide time to gaze at the clouds.  There are too many other activities that occupy our time and energy.  We find ourselves busy with the living of life in today's world that requires our time and talent.  Cloud watching is a daytime activity whereas we have become nightime adventurers as we grew older.  We leave behind the things of our youth and take on the norms of our cultural age.  

God and Lord Jesus become more and more a belief of our childhood and less and less a part of who we are in our age of awakening awareness.  We know of presidents and rulers and dictators, and monarchs. and kings, actors. sports greats, entertainers, and all sorts of social figures but nothing concievable as God or Lord of all creation.  Many in ancient times have called themselves gods that we have learned through history.  We even have entertainment with god like figures who have great powers beyond human imagination.  This only helps to feed our egos or understanding of what we can imagine a human godlike person would be.

As we grow older and age gives us knowledge and a little wisdom of the world, it is possible to come to understand the balance in the world.  There is evil beyond measure in it and so there has to be some measure of good.  With that good, there must be some force, some energy that goes with it.  Though we may not always agree or understand its working, there has to be some balance, otherwise evil would consume the entire planet.  

Christ told us:  "The Son of Man will be coming upon the clouds of heaven."  He did not say the clouds of the earth.  Will you see them?

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 24, verse: 30d; The Son of Man coming.

 Our paragraph topic is:(Darkening of sun and moon)Part 8. 

How small and fragile we are in the cosmos of this universe.  The  powers and Principalities that exist above us that rule the universe, the cosmos, compare us to ants or microbes.  We are nothing in the big scheme of things.  Why do we exist?  Why do we live out our lives in this bubble of a world?  War, and famine, and starvation, and poverty, and death, disease, hunger, rape and pillage, domination for power and glory are all that is sought.  There are those that want to be at the top, the top microbe, the head leader of the year, of the decade.

I read the words of Christ as he tells of the coming of the last days and imagine how it must be that these things takes place.  I try to understand in detail the darkening of the sun and the moon, the panic it must cause, how man copes with these events.  What does he do?  What will be the words spoken to the people to calm fears?  Darkness will prevail and the ordinary, life as we know it, will be no more.

 Christ tells us: "And they will see the Son of Man coming."  For all will know.  And all will see.  And all will have knowledge of what is happening.  The powers of heaven will open and the angels will come forth with horns of triumph and the Son of Man will come forth in all his glory and majesty.  This is the power that is, the power of truth, the power of life that gives life.  This is the reason that we live, the reason we are here, the reason we struggle day to day.  We have life because he has given us life.  Of all the billions of struggles, toils, and terrors, above all, what we have in this bubble of a world,  we have life beyond life.  Life, in Him, and He in the Father.

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 24, verse: 30c; The Tribes on earth.

 Our paragraph topic is:  (Darkening of sun and moon) Part 7. 

How do we comprehend what is being given us in the Bible?  How do we accept, make sense of, the prophecies that we read about in this chapter that Christ tells us will happen in the end of days.  This was two thousand years ago since he lived.  His words were written many, many years ago.  Are his words real?  Can we believe them to be true?  How do we accept them in our day and time?  How do we make sense of them?

Man has come a long way since the time of Christ.  He has advanced in many ways to provide for himself and his people in countless inventions to imporve life.  Transportation, education, medical improvements, lifestyle changes, housing, government, travel, food distribution, construction and many other areas that were not available two thousand years ago.  How can we believe that in our improved state of life the tribulations described will happen to us.  Is it fiction or is it prediction of that which is real to come?

What will convince us that the words Christ spoke are real?  What will help us to accept them as truth?  Do we have to wait, to see, to believe?  Or can we believe that Christ is the truth and his words are real?  He has said:  "And then will all tribes of the earth mourn."   They will see the Son of Man in heaven.   

How can we make sense of it all?  Do we deny it or accept it?  Do we rationalize it in an attempt to understand and accept or do we truly believe what is given us?  What is a leap of faith?  Is it true that faith opens the heart to the knowlesge and love of God?  One can only beleive to see, to know, to understand.  Christ said that there is power in prayer.   If we ask to know him, if we ask to seek him, if we knock to have the door of faith open to us, will we really find the truth? 

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 24, verse: 30b; The Son of Man.

 Our paragraph topic is:  (Darkening of sun and moon) Part 6. 

It is foretold for all to know, for all to read, for all to believe if they choose to believe.  We live in a world that does not convey a message of truth.  We live in a world apart from the truth, a world of our own making that allows us to believe as we choose.  What we believe is given to us by those who make the choices for us and provide those choices that we might accept them as truths.  Those choices makes us feel a part of the norm, a part of the accepted, a part of the crowd, not outside of it, and therefore we are accepted.

Our acceptance of the norm means not truly believing in that which is foretold as the outcome of our future, the truth of who we are.  Christ, as the ultimate fortune teller has left us a book of knowledge.  He has given us a history of his life here on earth.  He has left us an example of love and peace and patience of how we should become in life.  His example is our blueprint of what we are.  He tells us the moon will not give her light and the stars will fall from the heaven and then will appear the sign of the:  "Son of Man in heaven."  

Do you believe or do you accept the norm?

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 24, verse: 30a; The Sign.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Darkening of sun and moon) Part 5.  

What will happen after the tribulation of the last days, after all the destruction and chaos?  What will come next?  Christ tells us that the sun will not shine and the moon will no longer give up its night light.  He says that the heavens will be shaken and the stars will fall from the sky.  There will be total darkness.  Man will only be able to see by his own created neon light.  Batteries and electrical energy will be the source of power to bring forth light into the world in those places that have the ability to do so.  

Otherwise there will be darkness and the coming of the Son of Man will be light upon the sky like the morning sun.  Christ  says:  "And then will appear the sign."  It will be for all to see, all around the world, written upon the sky.  Look up!  See the sign!  Know that he is coming!  It has been foretold!  Christ the King is coming to save those that believe in him.

Do you believe what is written?  Do you know who you are?  Are you a child of God or a child of the flesh?  What are you made of:  flesh and bone or spirit and truth?  The soul cries out for truth.  It wants you to believe.  It wants you to know.  It wants you to see and to be assured that it is real.  Can it be so?  Yes it can!

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 24, verse: 29d; The Powers of Heaven.

 Our paragraph topic is: (Darkening of sun and moon) Part 4.  

Day by day we live our lives each to their own sense of reality.  The young seeking to make their way in life, searching for their way to the top.  The middle-aged seeking to hold on to what they have and just gain a little more so they can reach a time of happy enjoyment.  The older aged counting the days till they can finally retire to the golden islands of their dreams.  And the oldest of all, counting the days left and looking back at the days spent and how they missed the mark on many occasions.

Christ gives us a wake-up call.  He tells us the trials and tribulations to come on the last day and what we should expect.  We need to open our eyes.  Clean our ears.  Tune our senses to the upcoming changes that will take place least we are lost in the uproar.  Fear will run rampant.  What will you do in this case?  Will you know where to turn, where to go, who to look to, how to balance yourself within?  Christ tells us, all will be shaken.  He says:  "And the powers of heaven will be shaken."

Nothing will be taken for granted.  Everything will be upturned and shaken, even heaven.  Everything must be turned anew.  Everything must be awaken.  Everything must know that something is happening differently than before, even in heaven.  The king is coming.  The Son of Man is coming.  He is on his throne with his scepter in his hand.  All power has been given him to judge the living and the dead.  Are you ready?  Have you been shaken today?  Are you awake?

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 24, verse: 29c; The Stars.

Our paragraph topic is: (Darkening of sun and moon) Part 3.  

We continue with this powerful paragraph told by Christ of how the last day will happen: "The Darkening of the Sun and the Moon".  If we just stop and consider the meaning of it all, it has mind blowing consequences.  All around the world life goes on without any consideration to what would happen if these events happened.  The sun goes down and comes up again without fail.  We go to bed and wake up to our routine without much change every day.  But what would happen if this changed.

What would happen if we awakened to our daily routine, and it was still dark at 8 O'clock or 9 or 10 O'clock and there was no sunlight?  What would happen if a day or two went by and there was no sunlight?  Who would we look to, who would we question for answers?  How would our mindsets change?  Would we change our beliefs, our thoughts, our ideas about this world?  Would the scientist have the answers to what was happening?  Would the government have the answers to what was happening? What would we think? Would we be in a panic mindset?

Christ predicted that the sun would be darkened, and the moon would not give up her light also.  He also told his disciples:  "And the stars will fall from heaven."   Complete darkness.  No natural light!  This is what Christ predicts will happen on the last day after the tribulation.  Mankind will live in his own manmade electric energy.  24-hour darkness and 24-hour neon light.  This is what he says we have to look forward to after the tribulation.

Are you ready?  Are your children ready?  Are they prepared for what is to come?  Do they know what to do, what to expect, what to believe, how to react?  Christ is giving us the answers to the upcoming test.  Are we ready to take it?  We never know when the thief will come to rob us.  So, we need to be on guard at all times.  Take Christ with you.  Keep him at your side.  He will protect you.  He will guide you.  Christ said he will not leave us, that he would send us an Advocate to be with us.  Do you have yours? 

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 24, verse: 29b; The Moon.

Our paragraph topic is: (Darkening of sun and moon) Part 2.  

It is amazing the times that we live in.  There is so much that is happening in the world around us that we are consumed with the events of our daily lives so much so that we have so little time to consider the macro effects of the bigger picture of life.  We have very little patience.  We have very little understanding.  We have very limited knowledge of our city, our state, our region, , nation, country, our continent, our earth, our universe, our galaxy, the bigger picture of which we are a part.

Christ tells the story of the prediction of the end of days beginning with the macro picture of the universe, the sun.  He says that the sun will be darkened.  Can we stop and imagine what that would be like if the sun lost its power to shine?  What would happen if it burnt out, if all the fuel that powers this great ball of energy, stopped?  Where would we go?  What would we do?  What would happen to our lives?  What would be the big picture of life if this happened?  Where is the next big Hollywood movie, "Life without the Sun"?

Christ further says: "And the moon will not give her light."  These are the predictions of what will happen on the last days coming from the mouth of the Son of God.  He tells his disciples of the trials and tribulations that are to come so that they will be prepared for the coming of the wrath of God during the end days.  He wants them to know.  He wants them to prepare, to not be afraid, but to know that he will be with them through it all.

And where will we be?  Will we be prepared?  Will we be ready when the last day comes?  Will we know what to do, where to go, how to respond?  Will we be prepared or panic with fear not having the inner knowledge of his wisdom to give us the strength to see us through?  He told us he will be with us even to the end of days.  Do we believe?  Do we know?  Do we have the truth within us of who we are in him?  Keep us in your grace Lord, even till the end of days.

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 24, verse: 29a; The Sun.

 Our paragraph topic is:  (Darkening of sun and moon) Part 1. 

We are the children of the risen Lord, those who choose to believe.  He has given us a choice, an opportunity to be with him in his kingdom or not.  For there will come a time when that choice must be made for all, either now or later in the future.  But the choice must be made before the end of days when all things will come to an end.

The earth will cease to exist, and a new kingdom will be created for those who choose to be with him.  We live our lives in a different realm almost unaware of who we are and where we belong.  There is the earthly realm and the spiritual realm.  Both exist together.  We are mostly unaware of the spiritual because it is not seen or heard or experienced.  Yet it exists if we believe.  It exists if we know.  It exists if we have the wisdom to see within, the light that is given, for us to see.  

Christ has given us God's words about the coming of the last days.  He has told us, through the disciples, what is to come upon the last day.  There will be great signs and wonders the likes of which have never been seen or heard before.  Many will fall away because of fear.  Many will be lead away because of false prophets and false teachings.  Christ tells us:  "But immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened."

No daylight.  No sunlight to warm our bodies.  No heat to enjoy the breeze of the springtime.  Only darkness to follow.  What will humanity become?  What will our bodies transition into?  Will we make our own sunlight in an attempt to compensate for the loss?  The beginning of the end has begun and who will be our savior?  Who will save us from this tragedy?  Will we then begin to understand the truth of what is given to us.  Are we spiritual or are we physical?  Will we believe then?

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 24, verse: 28; The Body.

 Our paragraph topic is: (The sign of the last day) Part 10.  

What is truth?  Christ is telling his disciples truths they can rely upon before the last day.  They need to know.  They need to understand what will happen when things start to go awry.  Fear will come upon the people, and many will not know what to do.  Many will panic and create lies and theories that suit their own thinking.  But Christ wants to strengthen those who will listen and believe his words.

We believe in what we can see, what we can touch with our senses.  These are the truths that we rely upon to help us survive.  Christ tells us truths to help us know when the last day is coming, great signs and wonders, false prophets, tales of Christ appearing in different places.  These are all truths that will happen that the people can see and witness with their senses to know and not be fearful of what is happening.  He tells them another truth that they know:  "Wherever the body is, there will the eagles be gathered together."  

They have seen this truth.  They know this truth.  They believe this truth.  They trust this truth.  They understand this truth.  They can take comfort in knowing that once they see this truth that there is meaning in what they see and believe.  Christ has told them.  The world has given them proof of it and they can believe him and his words because he has called upon what they know and believe. 

What do you know and believe today?  Will you see the last day?  Will you be alive when it comes?  Will you see the great signs and wonders that are to come?  Will you experience the tales of Christ being called in different locations?  Or will your transition take place before this time?  No one knows the time or place when it will happen.  We only know that it has been given to us that it will happen.  It has been given to us to believe or not to believe.  It has been given to us to expect the worse or not to expect it.  It has been given to us to prepare for it or not to prepare for it.  It has been given to us to pray for his help that we may be worthy to receive his grace or not to receive it.  The choice is ours to make.  Where are you?  What do you believe.  What is your truth? 

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 24, verse: 27b; The Son of Man.

 Our paragraph topic is: (The sign of the last day) Part 9.  

What are we looking for?  What do we search for each day of our lives?  Is it love?  Is it happiness?  is it money, a good job, wealth, success?  Is it peace of mind?  What is it that we want from life that makes us tick?  If we had lots of money would that fulfill our desires?  Would power to do what we want, make us content?  Would the ability to fulfill our sexual desires when and where we wanted, be enough to make us happy, satisfied, pleasured?  We see others with many of the things that we wish we had, that we desire to have, that we strive to achieve in this life.  What do we really want?

Some are fortunate enough to have the things that we desire.  Many are less so.  And it is those few who have, those few we look up to, with passion in our hearts, that we wish to have the same lifestyle they have.  Yet only a few will achieve that life.  Only a few will reach that top.  Only a few will be chosen to have the riches that they see others with.  The many will strive but fall short of reaching that goal.  

Christ told his disciples that life will not always be the same.  He told them that there will come an end to life when all will be destroyed.  He gave them signs to look for, told them what wonders would happen, spoke to them about people who would become false prophets in order to lead many astray.  Yet there would be no secret meetings, no special conferences, no general sessions that only the few would know about.  The end would come for everyone to see, for everyone to know.  He told them, just as the lightning comes from the east and shines even to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  

He came in the beginning as the son of a carpenter, the son of Joseph and Mary.  Yet he came that man would have life, a second chance at life.  For God so loved the world that he gave his only son as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind.  Christ came once to forgive sins; he will come again to end the sins of the world.  What do you want?  Do you want the riches that the world has to offer now, or do you want a second chance at eternal life?  In the end there will be no haves and have nots.  All will see, all will know, all will understand that he is the one who gives life to the world.  

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 24, verse: 27a; The lightning.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The sign of the last day) Part 8.  

How is it that we have these words from Christ and yet do not understand their meaning.  Their literal meaning is plain to see but what do we comprehend from their figurative meaning?  Is there more to understand?  Are we missing the truth of what is being said?  Christ often spoke in parables.  He said: "To him who has shall be given, and he shall have abundance, but from him who does not have even that which he has shall be taken away." 

Do we have?  Or do we not have?  That is the question that we should ask ourselves.  Can we understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven that we may have abundance?  Abundance where?  Here on earth or in heaven.  Which do we want?  Which do we desire?  

Christ tells us:  "For as the lightning comes forth from the east and shines even to the west," the same will happen when he comes on the last day.  All will know and see, as they see the lightning coming forth.  He will come forth for all to see and know.

There will be no hidden mysteries, no secret meetings no press conferences, no announcements, all will know, and all will see what is plain to see as the lightning in the sky.  His coming will be on the last day.  He told his disciples, and he gives us his message now for all to know and see.  Those who desire to know will see and believe.  For some have and some have not.  And for those who have they will have abundance.

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.