St Matthew, Chapter 18, verse: 21, How many times to forgive? How many times to love?

Our paragraph topic is:  (Peter asks how often to forgive) Part 1. 

If thy brother sin against thee, show him his fault between thee and him alone.  Talk to him/her face to face.  Help them to understand their sin.  Win thy brother/sister back from the clutches of evil.  For evil will come.  Evil will tempt.  Evil will possess and will not let go.  Fight for the soul of those that are lost that they may return to the light and leave the darkness that has enticed them to sin.  Forgive thy brother/sister for they are under the influence of sin and they do not know the transgressions that they have made.

The battle is with sin and the weapon is love for we who love our brothers and sisters.  We who  treasure their light as we treasure our own, love them.  We who love them forgive them of their trespasses.  We who love them forgive them their sins.  We who love them forgive them the things that they do against us.  They do not know that evil has influenced them. 

Forgive them one time.  Forgive them two times.  Forgive them three times.  Forgive them seven times.  Is this enough?  This is the question that Peter wanted to know from Christ.  How often should we continue to forgive our brothers/sisters of their sins?  How often should we have patience with our brothers/sisters?  How often should we open ourselves to their sin in order that they may be forgiven? This is Peter's question for he wanted to know.  Then Peter came up to him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?  Up to seven times?" 

Is seven times enough?  How many times should we forgive?  How many times must we accept the sins of our brothers and sisters and still love them?  For they would sin against us.  They would sin against others.  They would sin against their families, their children, their mothers, their wives, their fathers, they would sin against all who would not accept their ways.  And they would even seek to influence us to sin.  For this is the way of sin.  Transgress and seek others to transgress with you.  Sin seeks companionship.  Sin seeks others.  Sin seeks all to sin against the God our Father.  For this is the way of sin. 

And we who seek not to sin, stand in the way of sin.  For sin would seek to have us limit the love of the Father.  Sin would seek to make us angry.  It would seek to turn us away.  It will seek to stop us from loving.  It would seek to make us not forgive.  For how often should we forgive?  How often should we tolerate?  How often should we put up with the same things over and over again?  We too would be angry.  We too would be tested.  We too would seek to turn away that we would not have to love.  But Christ is love.  Christ is forgiveness.  Christ is the life that was given to us that we may shine in the darkness.  He is our strength.  He is our protection.  He is our provision.  He is our all.  For through him and with him and in him, we become love.  We are examples of the love from the Father.  It is our love that shines forth in the world against the evil that would possess all. 

Come!  Know the truth of who you are in Christ.  See the life that is within you.  Feel the love of the God your Father that will overwhelm you, engulf you, fill you, and nurture you.  For we are his children and he is our Creator, our Father.  And nothing can separate us from him.  The light of Christ awaits your call.  The light of Christ awaits your desire to be with him.  The light of Christ stands at your door waiting for you to open it that he may come and reside within you.  Open your heart!  Seek to know who you are in him!  He awaits you.  He loves you. He will be with you always.

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 Mathew, Chapter 18, verse: 20, The Power of Gathering.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The power of united prayer) Part 2.

If two of you shall agree on earth about anything, this is what Christ told his disciples.  The power of agreement was given by Christ.  The power of agreement is the weapon they needed.  The power of agreement will reach the Father in heaven and whatever they agree upon shall be done.  He told them, that they must agree before anything will be done.  They must understand and know, within themselves, that coming together will gain the ear of their Father in heaven.  For Christ has told them so and he has spoke it to them on earth.

What was he telling them?  What was he giving them?  What was he showing them about the strength and power that they had here on earth?  Did they not know?  Did they understand?  Did they see the truth of what had been given them?  Christ had to explain.  He had to make clear.  He had to show them that they were in him and he in them.  For he said:  "For where two or three are gathered together for my sake, there am I in the midst of them."

For my sake, he told them.  For they must gather for his sake.  They must come together for a cause that he established.  They must come together to demonstrate his passion, his love.  In that gathering, in that coming together, for his sake, his presence will be.  In that coming together he will reside.  In that gathering they will find the spirit of Christ.

How often have we come together for his sake only to express our own will?  How often have we come together to not come together, to not express his will, to not feel his presence?  How often have we come together to feel the presence of ourselves and our will?  Many a church meeting, a church gathering, a church group, a church function has not happened the way that it was supposed to happen.  The wills of those most outspoken, those most vocal, those most with the will to have their own wills imposed, become the sake of the group.  And yet Christ gave to them and gives to us today the power of agreement, and the power of gathering for his sake that we may overcome.

For evil will creep in.  Evil will show its face.  Evil will seek to subvert, to change, to move the gathering in such a way that is away from the will of God and away from Christ's presence.  But to call upon his presence, to call upon his life, to call upon his light within us, will bind evil from entering.  For the light of Christ is given to all.  The life that Christ gives to us, is given to all.  It is given to those who seek to find the truth of who they are.  And it is with this new life that we become the children of God our Father.  And as his children we call upon his Beloved Son for our redemption, our guidance, our provision, and our love. 

So when we gather for his sake, we must be aware that he is in our presence.  He is in the midst of the group.  He sits with us, guides us, loves us, and protects us from the tricks and traps of evil that would seek to influence us.  So come let us gather.  Let us be aware of his presence.  Let us know that he is with us.  Let us trust in his guidance and his wisdom for our todays and tomorrows.  For Christ is our source, our desire, our being.  For in him and through him and with him we find our completion.  For in him and through him and with him we are fulfilled.  Christ is with the Father and the Father is with Christ and we can be with Christ.  He has told us that he will be with us when we gather for his sake.

Our joy and our peace and our love comes from and through our Lord Jesus Christ.  For he has given us a new life.  Before, we were dead.  But through his sacrifice we are now alive, if we choose.  For the choice is ours to make.  The choice is ours to see.  The choice is ours to know, if we choose.  There is another choice.  But those who can see, those who are awake, those who know, do not choose death.  Those who know do not choose darkness.  Those who understand, do not accept the way of the world.  For what does the world have to offer that can compare to what Christ gives?

Come!  See the light of life that is within you.  Know the truth of who you are in Christ and you will know peace.  Know the truth of who you are in Christ and you will know joy.  Know the truth of who you are in Christ and you will know love.  Spread the word!  Speak the truth!  Show the love given you by Christ .  For we can only show by example who we are.  We can only love by example as we are loved.  We can only be at peace as peace has been given us.  We can not fear and fear is not within us.  Carry this message wherever you go.  Show this light to whomever path you cross.  And be the love that is within you as Christ has given to you.  For Christ is the love of the Father and the Father loves his children. 

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.