St Matthew, Chapter 15, verses: 20, Understanding: Awareness

Our paragraph topic is: (Christ explains what defiles a man) Part 4.   

Christ has revealed, to his disciples and the people, understanding of what defiles.  He has opened the minds and the hearts of the people so that they now know, so that they now see, so that they now understand truth.  For this is not the truth of the Pharisees that want the people to hear their truth.  This is not the truth of the world that wants the people to be confused, misled, and blind.  This is the truth that comes from the father of truth through Christ.  This is truth that comes from the creator of truth that knows no lie or falsehood or deceit.  This is the truth that comes to mankind from all eternity, the truth of God.

Christ spoke the words of truth and truth came to the people.  Christ explained the words of truth that there would be no doubt in the people.  Christ elaborated on the truth that all would understand.  And today we read and hear the truth and do not understand, do not comprehend.  He has said to us,   "These are the things that defile a man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."

These, defile a man when they enter the hearts of men.  These, defile a man when they come forth from the mouth of men.  These, are the things that are evil,the things that occupy the hearts and men and allow darkness to enter the heart.  For from the heart comes evil thoughts.  For the heart thinks.  The heart believes.  The heart knows.  The heart is.  "I praise thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou didst hide these things from the wise and prudent, and didst reveal them to little ones."  Become like a little ones and not like the wise and the prudent that profess the knowledge and the wisdom of the world.  Hear the words of the truth of eternity and know that it comes from the father of wisdom and truth.

Let not the heart be opened to evil.  Let not the heart become dark with passion.  Let not the heart know adulteries and immorality.  Let not the heart give false witness or blasphemies.  Let not the heart conceive of murder.  For these are the things of evil.  These are the things that lead down the path of destruction and death.  These are the things that defile, corrupt, and kill the life that Christ came and died that we might have.  And these are the things that the evil one brings to us that we may fall to him.  Yet we live in a world where these things are all around us.  We live in a world where these evils present themselves to us on a daily basis.  We live in a world where these things a accepted as common occurrences. 

But we know not how to protect ourselves.  We know not how to fight against these things.  We know not how to guard our hearts that we may not succumb to the temptations of these things.  For this is not a part of our world.  We are not taught how to avoid these things.  We do not see and hear and understand the truth of the advocate that was given to us.  For Christ came that we may have life and have it more abundantly. 

Receive the life of Christ and open the heart to the advocate that he may live within.  Christ has told us how we may know that we have the Holy Spirit.  He has give us the guide.  He has opened the door that the Holy Spirit may come in.  Yet few accept.  Few know.  Few receive the truth of eternal life that is ours for the asking.  Read the words of the good news.  Study the words of the gospel of the New Testament.  Read it like you read a book and not as a study guide.  Receive the truth of the light of Christ.  Then, you too will know that you have received the light of the Holy Spirit.  And your heart will rejoice in his presence and his consolation.

St Matthew, Chapter 15, verses: 19, Understanding: The Revelation

Our paragraph topic is: (Christ explains what defiles a man) Part 3.   

The things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart and it is they that defile a man.  Christ spoke these words to his disciples and to the people that he had called to himself.  He is the teacher.   He is the instructor.  He is the author of Truth that proceeds from the Father, and Truth is with him.  Yet they did not understand.  They did not know.  They did not see the things that he spoke to them.  Truth reached out to them but their minds and hearts were blocked by the things that filled their hearts.  Christ is the truth that comes from the father and in him there is no lie, there is no deceit.

Yet do we find truth in his words today?  Do we believe that he can not lie and his words are living truth?  He speaks of things that do not make sense.  He speaks of things that are difficult to comprehend.  He stretches the imagination to the limits of understanding that perplex the mind.  Yet he does not lie.  He does not deceive.  His words are truth.  Then he spoke these words to his disciples:  "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, immorality, thefts, false witness, 
blasphemies."    

The Revelation: "Out of the heart come evil thoughts."  Is this truth?  How is it that thoughts come from the heart?  We think with our minds and not our hearts?  Or do we?  Christ, the author of Truth through his Father, tells us that the heart thinks.  Is this truth or is it symbolism?  Out of the heart come thoughts???   Christ praised his father in a previous verse for hiding the things of knowledge and wisdom.   " I praise thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou didst hide these things from the wise and prudent, and didst reveal them to little ones."

Hear and understand!!  The heart thinks.  The heart believes.  The heart knows.  The heart is!  For we are the children of God and through our hearts we are.  Let not the heart think of evil.  Let not the heart know adultery.  Let not the heart seek murder.  Let not the heart give false witness or think of theft, or immorality.  For it is from these things that open the door of the heart to darkness and the good heart becomes evil. 

Hear the revelation, hear the lesson.  Hear and learn!  Hear and understand!  Truth seeks to know you.  Truth seek to find you.  Truth seeks to give you joy and peace.  For from it and with it and through it comes the blessings of the spirit within you.  Let it not be contaminated with evil.  Let it not be defiled.  Let it be cleansed with the living words of Christ.  Fill it with the knowledge and truth that comes from the father and his blessing will flow unto you.  His seed will be planted in you to grow and bring forth much fruit.

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: 32, The Unforgivable Sin: Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit not forgiven in this world or the world to come.

Our paragraph topic is: (Blasphemy against the Spirit not forgiven)
Pt 2.  

The curse is pronounced and the Pharisees listen.  The curse is pronounced and the demons rejoice for the Pharisees have been handed over to them.  The curse is pronounced and the world listens as the prophecy is fulfilled.  For Christ had prophesied that the kingdom of God had come upon them.  Christ had prophesied that the children of the Pharisees would be their judges.  Christ had prophesied that he came to plunder and there are those who are against him and those who are with him.  And the Pharisees stood on the other side, against him.

Still the Pharisees clung to their need for power, their requirement for authority.  The desire for power blinded them.  The passion for authority over the people left them without a footing or foundation to stand upon when the battle had ended.  And when the battle ended, the foundation was removed from under their feet and the footing was destroyed.  For a new foundation was being built and a new footing was being poured with Christ as the cornerstone.  So this man that the Pharisees did not believe was the Messiah told them about blasphemy.  This man that was an unrecognized teacher, a miracle worker, told them, the educated men of scripture, that their sin would not be forgiven.  This man told them that they had committed a grave sin against the Holy Spirit and it would not be forgiven.  Christ told them further,  "And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this world or in the world to come."  

The unforgivable sin was committed.  The unforgivable sin was spoken.  The unforgivable sin brought the curse upon them and it would not be changed in this world or the next.  Their fates were sealed.  Their future was known.  Their sentence was pronounced for all the world to hear.  And the demons rejoiced, for the Pharisees had just been placed on their side and they carried the mark of damnation upon them.   But the battle continued and the Pharisees plotted and planned how they would trick him so that they could bring about his downfall. 

In this world there are those who are dead and know they are dead, and there are those who are dead and do not know that they are dead.  The unknowing dead are just waiting to be pronounced dead.  God is a merciful God.  He is a patient God.  He is a loving God, for he does not bring judgment upon all who sin instantly.  He places his wrath in vessels until the day of judgment that justice may be fulfilled.  He waits patiently until the end of time that all may have the opportunity to repent and receive new life, to awaken from the dead. 

Are you dead and do not know it?  Do you have life eternal?  Christ calls to you that he may give you eternal life, now.  Christ calls to you that you may know the light of his life within you.  Christ calls to you that you may know the truth of life with the Holy Spirit.  Come receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that you may know life eternal.  Do you not know that the Holy Spirit may dwell within you, today, right now?  How can you know for certain that you have the Holy Spirit within you?  Seek Him and he will come to you, he will show himself to you.  Seek Him and he will demonstrate his love for you.  Seek Him and he will provide his eternal light to guide you.  For Christ has promised to send the Holy Spirit.   And the Holy Spirit will teach all things.  Do you want Him to live in your life?  Do you want Him to be your guide?  Come, receive the indwelling and become a warrior for Christ!

St Matthew, Chapter 12, verse: 31, The Unforgivable Sin: Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit not forgiven.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Blasphemy against the Spirit not forgiven)
Pt 1. 

And now the curse comes upon the Pharisees who proclaimed that Christ performed miracles by the power of Beelzebub.  For he has prophesied to them of the kingdom of God.  He has prophesied to them of the plunder that will take place.  For he has prophesied to them of the binding of the strong man and the taking of his treasures.  And they do not see, they do not understand.  They only know that they are the men of authority, the men of power.  And it is that same power and authority that brings them to damnation.  It is that same power that has corrupted them so that they do not understand that the kingdom of heaven is in their midst and that their children will be their judges on the day of judgment.

Christ makes his conclusions to the Pharisees, "Therefore I say to you, that every kind of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven to men; but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven."   So if they did not know before, they know now that they have committed blasphemy.  They have spoken words against the Holy Spirit that will lead to their damnation.  Being educated men of the Scriptures, they knew what they were doing.  Being educated men of people they knew what they wanted.  Being educated men of the world they clung to their power and authority even unto death.  For they had been long in authority.  They had held power for many years over the house of Israel and they did everything and all things to maintain that power.   The lines of battle were set and the battle continues.

The lines were drawn long before Christ came.  They were put into place when the demons crept into the temple.  The lines were set and greed came in.  The lines were set when lust reached her talons into the hearts of the Pharisees.  The lines were set when the actions of the Pharisees were merely acts and not an indication of their intentions.  The lines were drawn over the years with the devil slowly taking control of those in power in the house of Israel, those in authority.  God sent prophets.  God sent his messages.  God sent his wrath that they may understand the root of the problem.  But they did not listen.  They did not understand.  They were possessed of the world.  And then the world brought the curse upon them, the Pharisees, because of their blasphemy.  They world led them to believe that they were still in control and nothing could take that away from them, not even this man who claimed to be the Messiah.

We see the same results in our churches, synagogues, and chapels today.  The Pharisees and the Chief Priest rule the people.  They have long been in power and authority.  And evil creeps into their midst.  It starts small and grows.  I festers and becomes a sore.  It blossoms and become full blown evil in the midst of the believers who are also corrupted and misled.  They saw the signs but ignored them.  They heard the messages but did not listen.  And now the signs begin to show of the corruption.  The evil begins to show its head and Scandal exposes herself.  Abuse of power, sexual misconduct, financial misdealings,  and all sorts of evil comes forth.  Even death finds its way into the temple.  And it is that evil that brings the downfall of the pastor of the church and the believers in the church.

Are you a man or woman of authority in your church?  Do you cling to your position?  Will your position of power, your position of authority bring about your ruin?  For it was this same clinging desire that led to the downfall of the Pharisees and brought about their blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.  Be careful of the drunkenness of power.  For it will intoxicate the spirit.  It will bring about downfall.  It will mislead the heart.  It will blind the eyes to will of God.  Humility is the key to the drunkenness of power.  Be humble!  Seek humility from the source of all humility, Christ Jesus.  For he gave up his authority, his power, and came to earth to save mankind.  Be his example!  Be his follower!  Live by the humility of his life and the drunkenness of power will not overtake you.  Are you a humble man or woman?  Remember the Pharisees.  They got drunk with power and committed the unforgivable sin!

St Matthew, Chapter 12, verses: 5 - 6, The Accusations of the Pharisees

Our paragraph topic is:(The disciples pluck grain on the Sabbath) Pt 3.

Christ continues to instruct the Pharisees in their accusations of the disciples.  The disciples have plucked grain on the Sabbath and eaten it.  The Pharisees witness this act of violation of the Law, according to their interpretations, and bring it to the attention of Christ.  Christ does not respond to their accusations but instead instructs them in the interpretation of the Law.  The Pharisees were the authority on the Law.  They interpreted the Law to their satisfaction to keep the people in line.  They enforced their interpretation of the Law so that they could remain in power and have dominion over the people.  They did not know.  

They did not know that they spoke with the creator of the Law.  They did not know that Christ also knew the Law.  And he kindly and gently instructed them as to their error.  In their rush to judgment they forgot about those parts of the scripture that showed others breaking the law.  In their rush to judgment they forgot about King David breaking the law because he was hungry.  In their rush to judgment they forgot about the priest who brake the law on the Sabbath.  Christ asked them,  "Have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath days the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are guiltless?"  

You see, the Pharisees had their own interpretation of the Law.  They interpreted the Law according to their needs and their necessities, to keep the people in line.  This is why Christ said to them,  "But I tell you that one greater than the temple is here."  And with this statement came the shock.  For Christ told them that he was greater than the Temple and that, was considered blasphemy.  No one was greater than the temple except God.  Yet, here was a man, admittedly a man, a rabbi, with great power, but in their eyes, not God.  Yet the statement was out in the open for them to hear in shock and disbelief. 

The Pharisees wanted to align themselves with Christ.  They wanted to be his disciples also.  Because of his great power and miracles they could see that the people were following him and dismissing them.  And now came this statement and the violation of the Law in plain view of their enforcement power.  This was an insult.  This was injury.  This was unforgivable in their eyes.  They were the almighty enforcers of the law.  They were the keepers of the faith.  No one knew the ins and outs of their religion more than they did.  Yet Christ stood in their midst and instructed them on the error of their ways.  He instructed them on the scriptures.  He instructed them on their knowledge.  And there it was, the spirit of arrogance, standing there in their face.  They did not know.

Are you a Pharisee in your church today?  Are you a learned scholar of the scriptures?  Christ wants to instruct you.  Will you listen?  Will you learn?  Or will arrogance stand in your face causing you to be blinded to the truth?  Christ brought the good news to earth so that the people would know how to live.  Christ brought us the good news so that we would know how to forgive.  Christ brought us the good news so that we would know how to love one another.  Yet we still do not understand.  There is but one teacher.  There is but one preacher.  All others are merely shepherds leading the flock to the teacher.  And the Divine Helper teaches all.  Will you seek the wisdom of Christ?  Will you seek the humility of Christ?  Will you seek Christ's love for one and all?  For through it and with it and of it we are transformed into aliens not from this world.  For the Holy Spirit will convict.  The Holy Spirit will transform.  The Holy Spirit will reward.  The Holy Spirit will assign you your task in the workforce of Christ.  Will you seek Him?  Will you learn from Him?  Will you know Him?  I have and I do!

St Matthew, Chapter 10, verse: 17, The Enemy

Our paragraph topic is:  (Opposition foretold) Part 3.  

Christ continues to give instructions to his disciples about the enemy.  He has given them instructions on who they will face, ravenous wolves.  He has told them how they should conduct themselves, with the wisdom of serpents and guileless as doves.  Now he gives them a forwarning.  He tells them to, "Beware of men."   Men are not who they appear to be.  He tells them, "They will deliver you up to councils, and scourge you in their synagogues."  Christ is telling his disciples that men will betray you.  The disciples are going to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  They are going amongst their own people.  They are proclaiming the good news to the lost sheep.  And yet they are to beware of the men they meet.

Christ gives these instructions because he wants his disciples to be prepared for what they are going to meet.  They do not know the hearts and minds of men.  They do not know what is said behind closed doors.  They do not see the evil that men do.  So he is providing them with instructions that are vital to their survival on their solo journey.  For we are spiritual creatures in a physical body and are influenced by the evil one who wants to maintain power over the lost sheep.  So he inhabits the minds and bodies of men influencing them to do evil.  Through his control, men will betray their mothers.  Through his control, men will kill their brothers.  Through his control, men will lust after their sisters.  And they will do anything to maintain the power that they have acquired.

So Christ wants his disciples to beware.  He wants them to be wise as serpents and guileless as doves.  He wants them to know that they are going into the midst of wolves.  He wants them to be prepared.  The battle is a spiritual battle fought in the physical realm.  The spoils are the souls of men.  And the disciples will have a taste of their future calling.  They will become generals fighting the battle after Christ has returned to the kingdom with his father.  They will train the future solders, and captains, and lieutenants of tomorrow.  So they must lead the way.  They must learn from the master all that is necessary to be successful in this war.  It is through their learnings and teachings from the master, written in this training manual that we survive today.

The war continues.  The enemy has taken over the world and exerted his influence over the lives of men of power, the captains of industry, the rulers of advertisement.  Their payment to participate in the battle with the evil one is paper money whose value provides them with the passions of their heart.  And the children of God live in a sea of passion, a sea selfishness, a sea of lust, and all manner of evil.  We must not take in the fumes of darkness.  The temptations are present all around in our everyday lives. 

Put on your gas masks that you may not die.  Put on your protective suits that you may not be contaminated with the toxins of evil.  Guard your eyes and put on your eye gargles that they may not be filled with the lusts of this world.  Cover your ears with the muffles of spiritual soundness that you may not hear the blasphemy of the dead.  But above all remember Christ's words and carry them with you daily.  For they are your protection.  They are your shield.  They are your weapons of war to do battle with the enemy.   Beware of the council of men for they will deliver you up to be scourged.  Are you ready for battle?  Are you ready for the war?  Prepare yourself!!!