St. Matthew, Chapter 24, verse: 26b; In the Chamber.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The sign of the last day) Part 7.  

He has given us all the signs and signals to look for at the end of days.  We know what to expect.  It is written for those who seek.  Do not be fooled by the fake shows that we see today that may appear real.  There will be many that will lead us astray.  He has told us so.  He has given us all the knowledge that we need to survive the deception that will come.  

Christ tells us in his own words, handed down through the disciples, what to expect.  Do not be deceived, he tells us.  Do not be misled.  They will tell you that he is in the desert, do not go there.  They will say to you: " 'Behold, he is in the inner chambers,' do not believe it."  We Know how he will come.  We know how he will appear.  We know how he has told us that he will come on a cloud with his angels for all to see.  So, it is not for us to rush to judgment to see him when we know that he will appear for all to see and not in some place for only a few to see.

We are his children, and he is our Lord and Savior.  From him and through him and with him we have our life, eternal.  We are one with him as he is one with the Father.  For those who love him life without him is meaningless.  He is the source of all our happiness, all our joy, all our peace, all our grace.  Thank you, Lord Jesus, for all that you have given us.  

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: 19b; Those with infants.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The destruction of Jerusalem) Part 6.  

Infants and children, those we are, by nature, given to protect, we will do all to save from harm.  We will give our own lives that they might live.  For they are our hearts and souls and to see them suffer or endure harm tears at the very fabric of our humanity.  Yet Christ made his prediction that those with infants would suffer most because of the destruction of Jerusalem.

He spared no one the horror of the coming evil.  He wanted all to know, to become aware.  He, the gentle man of compassion, told the world that Jerusalem would suffer and see destruction.  Imagine the horror and the despair that spread throughout the populace when the people heard of his prediction.  Woe to those with child:  "Or have infants at the breast in those days!"

 Attack the defenseless and the innocent children.  Make them the basis, the foundation of the coming destruction and everyone will understand.  Everyone will believe and know the effect of what was to come.  Prepare now or suffer the little children.  Hear the words of peril; listen and learn or disbelieve and know the truth of the prediction of the words of God.

These were the words of Christ to the people and his disciples that they should know what was coming to their precious city of Jerusalem.  They were proud of their city.  They were proud of what their religion had given them.  The Jews were a proud race of people guided by the hand of God throughout the centuries.  He watched over them, protected them, guided them for many years.  So how could this man, this Christ, say that their city would be destroyed.  They did not know.  They did not believe.  They did not see the writing on the wall that was before them.  The Messiah had come down from heaven just as it had been written by the prophets of old and they did not believe.  It was all there for them to see.  It was there for them to know if they only looked.  But they were a proud people who did not want to give up what they had.  They did not want to change.  And Christ came to bring about change.

Even today we need change, change in our hearts and minds, change in our thoughts and how we live, change in what we believe.  We believe there is a heaven and a hell but we don't know it.  We do not live it.  We do not feel it in our hearts.  We are but shells that carry the true self of who we are but our shells control us and not that which is within us.  

Christ came to give us life, a new life, a more abundant life.  He came that we might not die if we only believe.  And what we believe is life that is within us that is eternal, not physical, not flesh and blood, but created in the image of God the Father.  The light of life is within us if we only believe.  The light of life is within us if we only see.  The light of Christ is given us if we only know that he is with us always.  This is the truth that is with us today, tomorrow and always if we believe. Let nothing or no one change your belief from the life that is within 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 nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ .   The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.

St. Matthew, Chapter 24, verse: 12; Iniquity abound.

 Our paragraph topic is: (He tells them of trials and hard times to come) Part 9.  

It was a recipe for disaster.  All that could happen would happen, Christ told his disciples.  They should know what was to come.  They should be prepared for any and all outcomes during the trials and tribulations that Christ was telling them.  They were not prepared for all the things that were to come but he put the fear of what was to happen in them to test their faith and belief. 

Did they believe in him?  Did they really accept him as being the Son of Man, the Messiah?  Did they believe all that he was telling them or was this just another tale he created like so many other stories he told to the crowds?  But these were his disciples he spoke with, he said:  "And because iniquity will abound, the charity of the many will grow cold."

Iniquity, injustice, sin, lawlessness, all will abound and love for the many will cease and grow cold.  What will tomorrow bring?  What will this time in history look like?  Will there be war, famine, pestilence, disease?  What will happen to humankind?  What will become of the good qualities of mankind?  Will they cease to exist, will man return to the dark ages?  Even today these are some questions that we can ask ourselves in the present political and civil climate.

What will our God do during such a time?  Can we still rely upon his grace?  Can we still believe that he will provide for us, protect us, show us the way forward in spite of all that occurs around us?  Or should we become afraid for our lives not trusting that our God and Father will provide?

Iniquity my abound.  Lawless may increase.  Sin may become common place in and around us but all this is no reason for us to waver in our faith and trust in our Father who has given us life eternal.  We are but clay vessels in this earthly realm, waiting for the time to be called to our permanent home.  

Christ came to let us know that we are more than just human beings, flesh and blood, skin and bones.  He came to open the door for us that we would know that there is a heavenly kingdom awaiting us when we leave this earthly realm.  He came to let us know that we are spiritual beings given eternal life by the sacrifice he paid on the cross for our sins.  He came to give us eternal life everlasting that no one can take from us except us.  

So despite what is happening around us, our faith and knowledge in who we are should not waiver.  We are children of God, created in his image and likeness given life eternal through Christ Jesus.  Iniquity begone!  Sin begone!  Lawlessness begone!  In the name of Jesus Christ we command you begone!  We are the children of the almighty, ever living God.

Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself.  Do not study it in parts reading one passage nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ .   The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.

St. Matthew, Chapter 23, verses: 39b; Blessed is He.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Lamentation over Jerusalem) Part 7.  

Christ ends his commentary to the Scribes and the Pharisees with a prophesy.  He wants them to know that he has told them before hand what will happen and how it will happen.  He has given them every opportunity to open their hearts and minds to the truth but they are unwilling to see the light.  They are blind to the wisdom that comes forth from who they see and perceive as being a commoner, a charlatan attempting to mislead the people and disturb the peace.

They live in fear.  They live in doubt.  They live in disbelief of their own religion.  They are the leaders responsible for leading the flock to God and they know him not.  Christ told them that he was leaving, they would not see him any more.  It would not be:  "Until you shall say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!' "

This was the prophesy that was to come.  This was the message that was to be spoken by those who would see the coming of the kingdom of heaven on the day of judgment.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord to save the people from damnation.  On that day the people will know the truth of his name.

On that day all knees will bend and heads will bow to the Lord of all creation.  For he will judge all, the living and the dead.  All things hidden will be revealed.  All things unknown will be known.  All that we have feared will be open to understanding, for we all will be able to see the truth that has been hidden since the beginning of time.  

We were not given the knowledge to understand, to comprehend all things.  This is the nature of who we are, the essence of our being.  Yet we have, as human beings, the capability to perceive and do great wonders within our realm of existence.  God has given us the ability to love, to hate, to feel, to know, to see, to understand, to perceive, conceive, to believe beyond ourselves that which we do not know but can imagine.  We are the lowly creations without full knowledge, but we have the ability to understand on a limited basis what we know.  And it is that knowledge that allows us to conceive and believe in our God and his love for us.

We are the children of the Creator.  He has life and has shared his life eternal with us that we may know him in our limited capacity.   To grasp a small portion of his love for us is so powerful that it will fill to capacity every cell in our mind, body and soul.  We can not contain the truth of it.  But it is there for us to receive if we choose to seek it, if we choose to find it, if we choose to know a small portion of the passion of Christ in God.  Seek him and ask to know his love. 

Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ .   The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.

St. Matthew, Chapter 23, verses: 37b; Gathered thy children.

Our paragraph topic is: (Lamentation over Jerusalem) Part 2.  

Christ cried out for the city on the hill, Jerusalem, Oh Jerusalem!  He loved the city and the people within it.  His passion for them was deeply held within him for he knew what was to happen.  Yet with all the effort to stop the trials and tribulations nothing happened.  Messengers were sent, prophets were delivered so that the people would hear the message but the city would not have it.

Christ knew.  He saw the past and the future of the city.  He knew what would happen and his heart wept for the people and especially for the children.  He cried:  "How often would I have gathered thy children together."   The children that he so loved and cared for that he wanted to protect but could not.  The little ones that were so precious to him who's hearts were so full of love who's lives were cut short.   These were the ones that he wanted to protect, to provide for but could not because the city would not.  

Jerusalem, Oh Jerusalem, why did it have to be this way.  Sin City, Sin City, why do you call us to do the things that we do?  Why do you corrupt?  Why do you create greed?  Why do you cause us to slander?  Why do you cause us to loose all our morals just to seek the false glitze and glamour of the bright lights of your city?  Sin City, even the children are brought here to be influenced at an early age.

We cry and we weep for we must have the life that is flashed before us daily, in our lives and in our dreams.  These are our goals.  This is what we live for and what we die for, to live the golden life.  And yet we do not realize that we already have the golden life.  It has already been given us.  Christ came that we would have it and have it more abundantly.  But we do not understand that it is already there for us.  We are blinded by the glitz and glamour of the bright lights of the world and what it has to offer. 

What thing of value can a man offer for his own soul?  There is nothing more valuable in this world than a man's soul.  Lose not your own! 

 Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ .   The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.

St. Matthew, Chapter 23, verses: 18a; Swearing by the altar.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Their distorted religion) Part 6.  

They did not know, for they had created a religion based upon the knowledge of man and not the wisdom of God.  Their beliefs were based upon the limited wisdom of man.  Christ called them blind fools.  They had no understanding of the wisdom of God nor had they sought or asked for his wisdom.

They ruled the people based upon what they could conceive themselves.  The wisdom of the prophets was not known to them.  The knowledge that came from the God to the prophets was killed, buried with their bodies because they could not hear the message that the prophets brought from God.  This is why they believed: "And whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing."  

They had no idea of sanctity or purity or even of the knowledge of God himself.  Generations had passed since their forefathers were brought out of Egypt and lead through the dessert by the hand of God.  They were many generations away from their forefathers with very little knowledge of what truths were experienced by their parents.  They knew not and even those who had access to the readings of the past did not talk about it or tell about the times past.  Only in the synagogues on Sundays when the readings were held did one have the opportunity to hear of the miracles wrought by the hand of God.  And those miracles were attached to the Law that one must keep, the Law that was interpreted by the rulers who created them and changed them.

They had a distorted idea of religion.  Christ came down from heaven to be with us, to walk with us to talk with us, to show us the truth of who we are and how we should be.  We are the children of our creator, our Father, a father who loves us.  He wants us to stay out of harms way just as we would want our children to not be harmed.  It is amazing to think that the son of the creator walked this earth among mankind, lived with us, died for us, arose from the dead to return to heaven so that we would know the truth of the cycle of life.  We have life within us just as he has life and the Father has life.  Our belief in him is our belief in his life and the life in the Father.  Our belief in him is our oneness in him as he is one with 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 nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ .   The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.

St. Matthew, Chapter 22, verse: 16c; The person of men.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Tribute to Caesar) Part 3.  

The Herodians continue with their set up.  Their premise was to lead the conversation by beginning with a preset foundation upon which to build a trap for Christ.  They made conditions.  They made assumptions.  They made initial conditions upon which they believed that Christ would accept so that they could come back and use those same assumptions to tear him down.

He was a man of God who taught the truth.  He did not care for the any man.  He was truthful in his speech and words.  And he did not care who heard or did not hear what he said about them.  One of their premise:   "And that thou carest naught for any man; for thou dost not regard the person of men."  

You see these were the initial steps that they used to set the foundation to trap Christ.  They believed that they were smart and wise and cunning.  They believed that they knew who this Christ was.  So they had conceived a plan to trap him and to deceive him in his own words.  They had no idea who they were dealing with, who they were standing before, who they were speaking with.  All knowledge and wisdom was with him.  All things hidden were revealed to him.  And all that was under the influence of evil was open to him.  Nothing was hidden, nothing was covered up.  He knew all.

Yet here were the wise of the wise before him seeking to show that their wisdom was greater.  Here were the knowledge of the knowledgeable seeking to show that they knew more than he who held all knowledge in the palm of his hand, he who created the wisdom of the universe before they were even conceived in the mind of God.  Yet their arrogance brought them before him with the grain of knowledge that they possessed in an attempt to show how limited they were in their understanding of the master of knowledge.  Yet he was humble.  He was merciful.  He was loving in his judgement of them.

For they were his children and he was their Lord and Savior.  He knew them before they were conceived, before they were born into this realm.  He loved them because they were his own.  He forgave them of their ignorance because he knew that they did not know, they did not understand, they were influenced by others who would deceive them and lead them astray.  But such is the love of Christ.  Such is the love of the one who forgives and forgets.  Such is the love of the one who sees the good in what he has created and wants all to come to him of his/her own free will. 

Let it be known that the choice is ours to make.  Let it be known that the world we live in today seeks to turn us away from that which was freely given to us and paid for at a high price, the price of death.  The choice is yours.  Choose wisely, if you have wisdom.  If not then ask and it shall be given, seek and you shall find, knock and the doors shall be open unto you, and you shall know the truth of who you are in Christ.

Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ .   The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in. 

St. Matthew, Chapter 21, verse:25b; The Argument.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The authority of Jesus) Part 5.  

There was the Question: "Whence was the baptism of John? from heaven or from men?"  Jesus posed this question to the chief priest and the elders to test their honesty and sincerity in seeking the truth.  Did they really want to know of his authority or were they asking him for proof of his authority to set another trap for him? 

They came with a plan to questioned him.  They were angry and jealous of his attraction to the people.  They did not know him or from whence he came.  He taught in the temple but his teachings were different from theirs.  His teachings were commonplace and reached the hearts and minds of the people.  And this was something that the leaders did not like.  They were afraid that he would sway the people against them.  So,  (They) began to argue among themselves. 

They had prepared their question and knew what they would do with his answer.  They did not know that he would pose a question to them.  So they had to step back and prepare an answer for him.  They had to consider all the possibilities of their answer.  They had to respond in a way that they knew would not be controversial or that would cause themselves harm in the eyes of the people.  So they argued among themselves.

They were like children who had done something wrong and were preparing their story of what happened.  They did not want to cast doubt upon themselves.  They did not want to be seen as culprits.  So they had to get their story strait.  Guilt or innocent.  Right or wrong.  Acceptance or blame.  Punishment or forgiveness.  These were the emotions that they dealt with, the same emotions that we deal with today.

We do not want to be wrong, we want to be right.  Our fear of punishment persuade us to try and escape, attempt to place blame on someone or something else.  We learn this from childhood and the more it is practiced the more we rely on it to find solutions to wrongs that we commit in life.  And our conscience influence aids us in finding ways to explain or to get out of the punishment that awaits us.

Is there remorse?  Is there shame?  Is there a true feeling of regret for what we have done?  Only the heart knows and our God knows our hearts.  He sees within our deepest thoughts and feelings.  He knows the truth of who we are.  He is our judge and jury.  He is the one who will issue punishment.  And he is the one who can dispense mercy.  He is the one who can forgive.  He is the one who knows who we are and knows our weaknesses.  Yet it is up to us to ask for his mercy, to ask for his forgiveness, to seek his love.

Deep within is the spirit of his creation, the object of his love.  We are his children and he is our Father.  He gave us life and it is that life that he sees as loving and caring and wonderful.  But we live in a world where that life can be tainted, dulled, corrupted, and killed, if it is not protected and nourished.  We are loved.  We are cared for.  We are provided for, if we only allow ourselves to be.  The choice is ours.  The peace is ours.  The rewards are ours, waiting to be accepted.  Open the door and let him in.  Open the door and receive the nourishment of life.

Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ .   The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in. 

St. Matthew, Chapter 21, verse:17; Leaving Them.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Anger of the Jewish leaders) Part 5. 

He taught in the temple.  He cured the sick in the temple.  He was praised in the temple.  And the chief priest and the scribes were indignant in the temple.  They saw and could not believe.  They heard and could not know.  They felt the praise and their response was anger and jealousy and fear.  They were the leaders.  They were the Law.  They were the ones that the people feared and looked up to.  But Christ came and brought change.  He came and was different.  He came and the people turned to him and not to the leaders.

The leaders came to him to ask what he was doing.  Did he not know that even the children were giving praise to him?  Did he not know the effect that he was having on the poor, the blind, the lame, all the people?  For they all came to be cured.  They all came to hear.  They all came to be touched by his presence.  But the leaders did not see, they did not know, they did not feel presence of his grace.  And he tired of their indignance.  And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and he stayed there.

He could have stayed.  He could have continued to speak with them in an attempt to open their eyes.  He could have continued to show them the miracles that he performed.  But they were blind.  They were filled with their own importance.  They were already under the influence of  the evil that was within them and could not change.  So he left.  He went away.  He did not want to continue to be in their presence for it was offensive. 

Often times, even today, we may find ourselves in situations that are not tenable.  We may find ourselves in situations with others where we are presenting our point of view and trying to sway others.  But in some instances the others cannot see, they cannot understand, they refuse to hear what we are saying.  This continued back and forth opens the door to anger and frustration that may escalate to aggressive behavior or violence.  This is not our intention.  It may be better to leave, to walk away, to cut off the argument and not go any further.  For continuing to engage opens the door to violence and this is where reason leaves and anger comes in.  And with that anger comes evil.

Christ came to teach us how to love one another.  He came to help us to understand who we are in the eyes of God our Father.  He came that we may have new life instead of death.  Death came into the world long ago with Adam.  But Christ conquered death.  He came that we would have peace in our minds and our hearts, not hatred and anger and jealousy, and envy.  He came that we would be able to see and know that we are loved in this world.  We are not alone.  We are not lost.  We are not forgotten. 

We are not poor but rich is the love and grace of God our Father.  He is the one who created the moon and the stars and the earth and all that is within.  He is the one who gave us life out of the goodness of his love.  He is the one that will gift to us the riches of the universe if we come to know him and open our hearts to his will.  Come join us.  Leave the old behind and take on the new.  Forget the chaos that you knew and know the peace and joy of the kingdom of heaven.  Throw off the darkness of death and take up the light of Christ.  You will know the truth of who you are in him.  

Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ .   The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.

St. Matthew, Chapter 21, verse: 4, The Word Fulfilled.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Jesus sends two disciples into Jerusalem) Part 4. 

What was his purpose?  What was his goal that he sent the two disciples into Jerusalem?  They didn't ask.  They didn't know.  They only followed the instructions they were given.  They were even given words to say if they were questioned as to what they were doing with the ass and the colt.  And all went as they were told without any changes.

Many times throughout the Bible we find instructions that were given by God.  Those instructions were meant to be followed without question.  Yet we as humans have to make meaning of what we do.  We have to try and understand, to rationalize, to make things fit into our world.  Where it pertains to God we cannot understand his ways.  Only in retrospect do we come to understanding.  The disciples were given instructions and they followed them.  They only understood later the purpose of what they were doing.  Now this was done that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled.

The whys and wherefores of his actions had already been foretold.  The words of what he would do were already written so that all would know and have knowledge of what would happen.  Even to the ends of the world the words are written for those who seek to know, for those who look to see, for those who want to understand.  The word was fulfilled and will be fulfilled.  Christ came as it was written.  He spoke to us.  He walked with us.  He led us to his sacrifice and redemption that we would know who we are.  He gave us new life.

All this is being done so that what was spoken will be fulfilled.  The God of mercy, the God of love calls us to his name.  He calls us to come home to him where we belong.  We are not of this world.  We are not of this realm.  We are not physical beings even though we live and breathe in a physical realm.  We are his children.  We are created in his image and his likeness, waiting for the day that we will be transformed and become new beings.  We are like the caterpillar that lives as a worm crawling the earth.  And then one day it crawls into its cocoon and is transformed into a beautiful butterfly.

Happy are those who know.  Peaceful are those who understand.  Fulfilled are those who see that which they are.  Knowledgeable are those who know and trust in him.  Wise are they who worry not the trials and tribulations of their daily lives.  They are the ones who have been given purpose, who have been touched by his love, who know the reality of his presences in their lives.

He awaits your calling.  He awaits your belief.  He awaits your needs that he might come and sit with you and show you his love.  The words have been spoken through the prophets.  They await fulfillment.  They await your awakening from darkness into the light.

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 20, verse:28a, To Serve.

Our paragraph topic is: (Humility according to Christ's example) Part 7. 

Whoever wishes to be first shall be your slave is what Christ told his disciples.  Whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant.  And they did not understand his meaning.  He spoke in parables.  He spoke in riddles.  He spoke in words that had one meaning on the surface and a different meaning on a deeper level. 

They wanted to be great.  They wanted to be known.  They wanted all the things that they saw exhibited by the leaders of their time and that was their example.  So they assumed that he would follow the example of the day and lead them to be great leaders of the new order.  But his example had one meaning on the surface and another meaning on a deeper level. 

On the surface they were repulsed at the thought of being great with being a servant.  They definitely did not want to become a slave in order to be first.  But on a deeper level Christ was telling his disciples not to be like the leaders of their time.  He was telling them to be humble, to be obedient.  He wanted them to understand that greatness comes from the Father and that it is rewarded through humility.  He told them that even he who is lord of all, came to be a servant:  "Even as the Son of Man has not come to be served but to serve." 

Follow his example.  Listen to his words.  Walk in his footsteps and know the will of the Father.  For we are but his servants, here to spread the good news of our redemption to all who have not heard, to all who do not know, to all who are blinded by the world.  Love is the key to what we do.  For we are all his children.  We are all brothers and sisters.  We all come from the same tree of life that he created.  And we are all created in his likeness and his image.

We are not black or white, Asian or Latin, Native Indian or immigrant.  We all belong to one family.  We are all the same.  Beneath the skin of the flesh, beneath the muscle and bones of the body, we are all living spirits created in his image and likeness.  And we all have one Lord, Jesus Christ, who came to serve and not to be served.  For he loved the life that was in us.  He came to restore that life because it was lost.  And through the knowledge of the spirit within us we can come to know and come to see that which he gave to us.

Follow the example.  Humbly seek that which has been given you.  We all have a purpose.  We all have a place.  And we all are loved by the Father who knows our hearts desires.  He will provide.  He will protect.  He will listen to your needs.  But you must open the heart to believe in him.  You must act on him.  You must know, with everything that is within you, that he will take care of you.  Practice the patience of heaven.  And in that patience is the proof of who you are in him.  Open the mind!  Open the heart!  Seek the truth that is within you and you will know the truth of who you are in Christ.  God, your father loves 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 19, verse: 14a, Hinder not the children.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Jesus blesses the children) Part 3.

So the children came.  They were brought to him that he might bless them and lay his hands on them.  This was a sight to see, the children in their playful nature around Christ, the savior.  They did not know him.  They heard their parents speaking of him.  They heard strangers and other people talking about him.  But now they had the opportunity to come close, to touch him, to be in his presence.  Oh, what a joy that must have been!

The disciples thought not.  They did not see him having time for little children.  He was the savior.  He was the Messiah.  He was the Lord of all, yet he had time to play with the little children.  They did not understand.  They did not know.  For the disciples and all the others considered that he had other things to do, other things to think about, other problems to solve.  Yet he had time for the little ones.  But Jesus said to them, "Let the little children be, and do not hinder them from coming to me."

Do not hinder them.  Let them be.  Do not disturb them.  Let them play, let them have fun, let them see the world through their eyes, fresh and anew.  For they are the little ones, precious in the eyes of God our Father.  They are the innocent ones, uncorrupted by the influences of the world and of evil.  Their light is bright, new and fresh from the tree of life.  Do not stop them from coming to the light of their creation.  Christ loved the little ones.  He knew them before they were conceived into the flesh and he adored them in their new spirit.

His love was the love of the Father.  His love is the love of a brother.  His love for the little ones is the love of all creation, an all-consuming love.  But the world does not love the little ones.  The world does not know their light.  The world wants to hinder them.  The world wants to turn them away from the light and turn them to the darkness.  For they are the precious ones in the eyes of God.  They are loved.  They are adored.  They are new.  Hinder not the little ones.  

When they are born into the world our hearts are filled with love for them.  When they are first conceived our lives are changed, at least for those who know and who understand God's plan and purpose.  For some it does not bring change.  For some they bring a feeling of a burden upon their lives, they not knowing the joy that will come.  So they turn away from the new life that is given them.  They turn away from the gift of life that is passed on to them.  They do not know the love, the protection, and the provision of the Father that awaits them through this new life.  And then there are those who would hinder the plans of the Father from coming forth, they destroy the new life.  All brought forth through the fear that comes from evil.

Do not hinder the little ones, Christ told his disciples.  Let them be.  Give them the freedom brought forth through God's plan and purpose.  Theirs is the gift of love.  Theirs is the promise of hope.  Theirs is the joy of innocence.  See the world through their eyes and rejoice in their passing back to the Father.  For the transition is a joyous time.  The transition is a time of happiness.  The transition is a time of love for those who have gone to be with the Father.  And the little ones will go without the taint of sin or corruption.  Hinder not the little ones and let them be with the one who gave them life.  For Christ rejoiced in seeing them that his sacrifice would have purpose, his sacrifice would have meaning, his sacrifice would mean love for these little ones who were new from the tree of live.  

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 19, verse: 13b, Rebuked by the disciples.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Jesus blesses the children) Part 2.

The children were playing near, where Jesus was resting.  And he watched them play.  The parents and guardians wanted them to meet Jesus.  So they proceeded to bring them to him that he might lay hands and bless them.  The children did not know who he was.  They did not know that he was the chosen one, the Messiah.  They only knew that he was someone special, someone that their parents respected and honored.  So they played as all children do.

But the disciples did not want that he should be troubled.  They did not want to bother him because they knew that he had other things to consider, other things to think about, other serious problems to consider.  For Christ was a mystery.  He was their teacher.  He was their leader.  He was the miracle worker and they did not know what he would do or say next.  So they did not want the children to disturb him.  "But the disciples rebuked them."

The little children were rejected.  They were set aside.  They were of no concern that they should interfere with the master.  How often is this true today?  The children are sent outside.  They are sent to their rooms.  They should not be in the presence of honored guest.  They are silly.  They are immature.  They are childish.  And yet it is this feature that makes them so adorable, so loving, and so much like we ought to be.  For we have a father.  We have a guardian.  We have a protector who watches over us that we should not worry.  But we cannot be children.

We are adults.  We are mature.  We have responsibilities.  We are the protector, the provider, the caretakers of our families.  And we are the ones who must be watchful and not playful.  So we rebuke the children and those that are childlike.  We rebuke their innocence.  We rebuke the playfulness.  We rebuke the unselfish love that they exhibit.  For this is something that we cannot do, something that we cannot afford to have,  something that is beyond our reach.  And yet it is our example.

Knowledge of who you are in Christ brings peace.  Knowledge of who you are in Christ brings joy and happiness.  Knowledge of who you are in Christ brings love.  For with knowledge we are able to see ourselves as we are, not as we want to be.  With his knowledge we become children.  And as children we are able to recognize who is our Father.  Christ gave us life.  He gave us hope.  He gave us love.  He gave us peace.  It is only through him that one is able to know the eternal nature of his being.  And through his eternal spiritual nature our physical life looses all meaning.  It is only through this knowledge that spiritual life comes into focus and the desire to be with the one who completes all our desires, becomes our passion.  His love is all.  His love is complete.  His love is everlasting.  When will you come to know his love?  When will you become a child of God?

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.