St Matthew, Chapter 12, verse: 33, Discerning the Tree: Good or Bad.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Blasphemy against the Spirit not forgiven)
Pt 3. 

The Pharisees have been given the curse that they brought upon themselves.  Christ has told them that blasphemy against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven either here on earth or there in the coming of the kingdom of heaven.  The demons have delight in this pronouncement by Christ because the Pharisees have placed themselves into the hands of Satan.  They have officially taken on the mark of the beast through their actions against Christ and the Holy Spirit.  How did they do this, by proclaiming that Christ performed miracles by the power of Beelzebub. 

Christ had warned them of their blindness.  He had warned them of their judgment.  He had warned them of the presence of the kingdom of God.  But they did not listen.  They did not hear.  They did not understand the truth.  For they were fearful of loosing their positions.  They were fearful of loosing their power.  They were fearful of loosing their authority over the people.  And it was this fear that led them to bring upon themselves the curse proclaimed by Christ.  For the battle continued.  The lines were drawn and the sides were chosen.  The Pharisees chose their side in the battle and they chose to fight against Christ.  Christ had told them that they were either against him or they were with him.  There was no in between.  They were there to gather the lost sheep of the house of Israel or they were there to scatter the sheep.  It was simply a matter of black and white.  There was no grey.  The tree was either good or bad.  Christ said to them,  "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad for by the fruit the tree is known."

Long had the Pharisees been in power.  Long had they exercised authority over the people.  Long had they led the people in the ways that were of their own making.  And the devil came.  They devil crept into their midst.  The devil slowly and steadily grew on them such that they began to change to his ways and forsake the ways of God.  Greed took over.  Lust brought her chains into the temple and enslaved the leadership.  Vanity prevailed.  Corruption was brought in.  And all manner of evil began to surface and become part of the rank and file of the Pharisees.  And Satan had his grip upon them, that their passions and desires blossomed fully without check.   And Christ came into the picture.  Christ began to preach.  Christ spoke against them.  And Christ proclaimed the curse upon them that they spoke with their own mouths.

The Pharisees lived in luxury.  The Pharisee lived in honor and respect of the people.  They enjoyed favors and privileges that were given to no others.  And it was those same favors and privileges, that same honor and respect, that brought them to their downfall.  They did not want to change.  They did not want to relinquish to a higher authority.  They wanted to hold own to their positions despite the decrees of the higher authority.  For God declared the end of their reign.  God declared the beginning of a new time.  God proclaimed the judgment and the sacrifice of the lamb to justify the people.  God proclaimed the end of the reign of Satan on earth.

But Satan continues to influence, even today.  Satan continues to creep.  Satan continues to steal, and kill, and destroy.  For the tree is bad and the fruit is bad of those who follow him.  There is no middle ground.  Satan would have man believe that there is a middle ground so that he can snatch those who walk the fence.  Do you know the fruit of the Spirit?  Are you a tree of good fruit or a tree of bad fruit?  There is no partial fruit, partially good and partially bad.  Do not be deceived by the suggestions of the devil.  For he is there to deceive, he is the father of all deception.  

Are you with Christ or against him?  Are you a scatterer or a gatherer?  Know your fruit.  Know who you are.  Stand up and become a warrior for Christ that your fruit may be known.  Put on the armor of the Holy Spirit and take the sword of God that you may fight the temptations of the devil.  The devil will deceive you.  The devil will lie to you.  The devil will steal from you that precious gift of life given you by the blood of Christ.  Be not in the world but be in the word of Christ!  Be not in the world but be in the Holy Spirit!  Know that he will come to you.  Know that he will provide for you.  Know that he will protect and guide you that you may do the will of God in this world and be blessed with his riches.  For God is the owner of the vineyard and all those who produce bad fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.  Be of good fruit and know who you are!

St Matthew, Chapter 12, verse: 28, The Kingdom of God is at hand.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Christ refutes them) Part 3. 

So the Pharisees wanted to fight.  They wanted to cast doubt upon Christ.  They wanted to create suspicion upon his name.  Consulting with their partners, the devil, they came up with the thought that Christ was a partner with Beelzebub.  And they spoke it to him.  But Christ refuted them and schooled them on what they were doing.  He told them that a house divided will not stand.  He told them that if he was under the power of Satan then how is it that their children were able to cast out demons calling upon the same power that he did.  He told them that because their children believed in that same power, they would be the judges of the Pharisees at the day of judgment.

Christ was meek.  Christ was mild.  But the Pharisees wanted to battle so Christ brought them to the battle.  He spoke to them the words that ran ice chills down their backs.  He told them, "But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you."   This was a chilling thought.  The kingdom of God had come upon them.  They then had to understand what this meant.  They had to know that they then were fighting with God.  They then had to understand the consequences of their actions, the consequences of their words. 

The thought came and the next thought was that of the demons pulling them back into the pit of their reality, telling them that this could not be.  The demons had them to think that the Spirit of God was not upon this man and the kingdom was not upon them.  The demons told them that these were the ramblings of a possessed man and that they should find some way to get rid of him.  For the people did not see as they saw.  The people did not understand as they understood.  The people did not know as they knew.  So they continued to battle, blinded by the reality that stood before them, Christ Jesus, the Messiah.

Are you blinded by the reality of the world and unable to see the reality of the kingdom?  Are you in the world, unable to let go because of the fear spoken to you by the devil?  Christ wants you to let go.  Christ wants you to let God.  Christ wants to demonstrate to you the awesome power of his love for you.  But you can not experience it until you let go, until you let God direct your life.  When you express you release of the world and speak your dependence on God, the miracle begins.  Once the miracle begins your life will not be the same again. 

The demons will try to pull you back.  They will bring you doubt.  They will try to bring you fear.  They will try to turn you back.  But those who persevere will begin to see the change.  They will begin to know in little ways that God provides.  They will see the miracles taking place before their eyes and the kingdom of God will be upon them.  Patience is required.  Perfect patience is needed.  For a ocean liner is not turned around on a dime and your destiny will not be changed over night.  Walk the path with Christ and he will provide.  Seek the knowledge of the Holy Spirit and he will guide.  Know the words given by Christ and God will protect and provide.  God loves you!

St Matthew, Chapter 12, verse: 26 - 27, They sought Division: Satan vs Satan.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Christ refutes them) Part 2. 

And they came to him seeking to divide.  They came to him seeking to cast doubt.  They came to him seeking to destroy the power of the kingdom of heaven.  The battle continues, for they did not know to whom they came.  And Christ was meek.  Christ was mild.  Christ was gentle in his response to the accusations of the Pharisees.  For they accused him of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub.  They accused him of being evil.  They accused him of having the power of the devil, and they did not know.

Christ refutes them simply by saying,  "If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand?"   For he had told them that a house divided will not stand.  He had shown them the simple truth of their misstatement.  Yet, from their own mouths, they spoke these words of evil, thereby condemning themselves.  For they said that Christ, the Son of Man, was evil, that he had the power of evil, that he belonged to the house of evil.  For they were fearful.  They feared for their positions and their authority.  They saw Christ as a threat and wanted to eliminate him and separate him from the people.  So they sought to bring division into the minds of the people by making the Messiah look evil to the people.

But Christ had mercy.  Christ forgave them.  Christ opened the door to let them come in.  But they refused to come.  Christ told them,  And if I cast out devils by Beelzebub, by whom do your children cast them out?   For the children of the Pharisees called upon the same power that Christ himself called, the one true God, Jehovah.  He called upon his father to give him the power to cast out demons, heal the sick, make the lame walk, and the blind see.  And this is the one and same God that the children of the Pharisees called upon also.  For they believed in God.  They followed his commandments.  They knew of his power.  And they, the children of the Pharisees, loved him.  But the Pharisees did not understand.  They were fearful and followed the counsel of evil. 

Christ, therefore, told them that because they did not believe, their children, "Therefore they shall be your judges."   On the day of judgment, their children would be present.  On the day of judgment, their children would give witness.  On the day of judgment their children will be their judges, condemning them to hell.  Christ wanted them to see.  He wanted them to understand.  He wanted them to change their ways and turn from evil that he might love them.  But they would not.  They could not.  They were lost and captured by evil and kept imprisoned by their own wills, their own desires, their own fears.

Will your children judge you or will you have to give judgment for them on the day of judgment?  Do not be captured by evil, for it will imprison you and not let go.  It will drag you to the deepest darkest corner of despair and offer to end your life as an option.   Christ will come for you, if you only ask him.  He will help you, if you become open to him.  He will guide you, if you will only follow him.  Be not trapped with evil.  Turn to Christ for salvation.  For salvation is not something that is shunned because it signifies the church.  Salvation is in the world, with you.  Salvation is with you at all times, in daylight and darkness.  Salvation is ever present even outside of the church in your time of need.  Seek not the four walls of the church but seek first the salvation of Christ and the church will welcome you.  The church will accept you.  The church will know you.  For through Christ is your salvation.  Through Christ is your deliverance from evil.  And through Christ is your life eternal in heaven.  Come, take his hand and he will lead you to salvation!

St Matthew, Chapter 12, verse: 25, They sought Division.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Christ refutes them) Part 1. 

They sought to divide.  They sought to bring doubt.  They sought to create fear.  They sought to bring Scandal to turn the people away from Christ.  The Pharisees have proclaimed that Christ cast out demons by the prince of devils, Beelzebub.  They want to scare the people.  They want to cast doubt upon Christ.  They want to bring Scandal upon his name.  But Scandal does not come.  Doubt is in hiding.  And fear cannot erase love for the people.  These are the tactics that they use against Christ.  The battle continues.

Christ knows of their desire to scatter the people.  He knows of their desire to cast doubt upon his name.  He knows of their need to bring fear into the people to prevent them from following.  But he deals with their tactics.  He tells the Pharisees,  "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand."   Christ demonstrates to the Pharisees and the people a simple rule which they all are aware of and know as truth, a divided house does not stand.  

History has revealed that a divided husband and wife will not stay together.  History has revealed, a divided kingdom with father and sons pulling in different directions will not last.  Treachery and deceit will eventually take over and the house will fall.  History has been written of great cities and towns that have withstood the test of time but fell from the division within its wall and not from the attacks from outside its walls.  Deceit and treachery and larceny and greed take hold and the kingdom falls.  How is it then that the Pharisees speak of Christ as a member of the house of evil when he brings the message of the kingdom of heaven?  The Pharisees do not understand the source of his power.  They do not know how he is able to perform such miracles.  They do not believe that he is the one greater than they, the one who came down from heaven.  For the Pharisees were full of pride.  The Pharisees were full of vanity.  The Pharisees were so drunk with power and authority that they feared loosing it.  And they clung to their positions of authority, refusing to recognize the change that was taking place before their eyes.  The battle continued, they fought for their positions, and they accepted the reasons of the evil one.

On the verge of starvation, Christ was tempted.  On the verge of death Christ was offered the life and riches of this world.  On the verge of separation from his physical body Christ was offered to separate from His heavenly Father.  He was offered division.   Are you divided from God today?  Are you divided from your spouse and do not know how to stop the division?  Are you divided in your church taking sides with others allowing division to come into the church?  Division comes to scatter.  Division comes to separate.  Division comes and brings with it confusion, doubt, fear, anxiety, and loss, spirits of even greater evil.  Christ is one in the Father.  Are you one in Him?  Do you know Christ?  He seeks to know you, if you would only let go of the world and come into His world.  Are you afraid to let go?  If you only knew the difference, you would have no fears, no doubts, no anxieties.  Your joy will be complete.  Your peace will be fulfilled.  Your love will abound and overflow.  For in Him, and through Him, and with Him, we become one with the Father and there is no division!  He fulfills all!

St Matthew, Chapter 12, verses: 24, The Battle continues: The Possessed Pharisees

Our paragraph topic is:  (Pharisees ascribe a miracle to the devil) Part 2. 

And then the Pharisees heard the sayings of the crowd and they became possessed.  They became possessed with anger.  They became possessed with jealousy.  They became possessed with envy.  They became possessed with hatred and the devil had them.  For they did not know how to understand the power of Christ.  They did not know how to understand how such a man could do the things that he did.  And then they had an idea.  And then they thought that they knew.  And then they were given the thoughts that were given to them by evil, "Say that Christ performed miracles by the power of evil, Beelzebub."

They were possessed.  They did not understand.  They were filled by the spirits of evil for they said,  "This man does not cast out devils except by Beelzebub, the prince of devils."   For you see, they said "This Man."  They did not know that this man was the Messiah.  They did not see, that this man was the Messiah.  They did not hear his words, and they did not understand his miracles.  For he spoke the words of the Father and they fulfilled the prophecy of Isaias.  And the battle continues.

Christ was meek.  Christ was mild.  He did not raise his voice in the streets.  He did not wrangle with the Pharisees.  For his actions were written of in the scriptures.  He was foretold of before his time.  And they did not know Him.  So they gathered together and took counsel and plotted and planned how to trap him, how to trick him, how to destroy him.  For they could not stop him from teaching.  They could not stop him from preaching.  They could not stop him from healing the sick, making the lame walk, opening the eyes of the blind, casting out demons, and raising the dead.  So they had to kill Him.  They had to get rid of Him.  They had to destroy Him.  For he was the Son of God.

Are you a meek person?  Are you a mild person?  Do you speak softly and carry the will of God with you?  Will you be a witness for His glory today, wherever you go?  The battle continues.  The demons gather to plot against you.  The demons lay tricks and traps to destroy you.  They seek you out at home, at work, in the streets, in your car, while you are driving, at the mall, in the grocery store, wherever you are, they will seek to work against you.  Seek your refuge in Christ.  Carry him with you, in the mall, at home, in the stores, at work, wherever.  Where you go, so also must He go with you.  He is your protection.  He is your provider.  He is your daily food.  For in Him and Through Him, and by Him, you will find your reward.  Seek first the kingdom of heaven and all else is provided.  Be a soldier for Christ.  The battle continues!

St Matthew, Chapter 10, verse:25b, Teacher, Pupil relationship.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Disciple not above his teacher) Part 3.   

Christ has told his disciples that no pupil is above his teacher.  He has said this to illistrate to his disciples the structure of pupil teacher relationship.  If the pupil is below his teacher and the students of the evil one are who they encounter in their solo journey then they should not worry.  They should not be afraid.  For the disciple is not above his teacher and the servant is not above his master.   The servants of Beelzebub, want to serve their master so they seek to do greater evil.  They seek to kill, to destroy, and to sactter.  But the students are not their masters only like him.

Christ tells his disciples,  "If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more those of his household!"   If the master of the household is evil, how much more can the servants of the houshold be.  The servants are not above the master.  Even though they are evil, having been trained or taken on the mindset of the master, they are not above him.  They are like him but not above him.  And the same is true of the disciples.  They are not above their teacher who is Christ, even though they strive to be like him in all ways.  Christ wants his disciples to know who they are facing and how they are to defeat them.  Their battle will not be with the master but with the disciples of the evil one.

They have been trained in preparation for thier journey into the towns and villages.  They have been trained to do battle with the dark forces that have taken over the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  They will encounter evil.  They will encounter darkness.  They will cast out demons.  They will evict evil spirits.  They will cause death to abandon its claim.  They will heal the sick.  But of all the things that they do, they will face only the disciples of the evil master.  And all are servants of the master and not above him but only like him in evil. 

So today, we the disciples of Christ, seek to be like him.  We seek to cast out demons.  We seek to heal the sick.  We seek to cause the lame to walk and the blind to see, based upon the powers that Christ will give us through the Holy Spirit.  We become followers of Christ.  If you do not follow Christ you follow the evil one.  If you do not follow Christ you are a disciple of the devil.  There is no middle ground. 

We are led to believe that we are independent agents.  We live in this world and we seek to be the best that we can be.  We live our lives according to the principals and morals handed down to us by our society.  IF we do not follow the commandments given by Christ then we follow the commandments of the devil.  Those commandments may not be evident to us because they are hidden.  They are disguised to prevent us from knowing that they are evil.  They are hidden in the way we live, the way we speak, the way we think, and the things that we do in the name of our independence.  Society tells us that we can live a life of luxury and passion.  We can have it and eat it at the same time.  There are no boundaries.  Go for it.  Do what you feel.  Be all that you can be.  These are the slogans that we live by.  And they are the slogans that lead us to become disciples of evil.  Are you a follower of Christ or a follower of the devil?  If you are not one then you are the other.