St. Matthew, Chapter 23, verses: 16b; Swearing by the Temple.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Their distorted religion) Part 2.  

He had called them names in public, names that caused other prophets to be killed.  He berated them for the things they did, for their so called pious behavior, for their religious demeanor on the outside and hypocritical behavior on the inside.  He saw everything that they did and made comment of it to the people.  And the Pharisees and the Scribes did not like what they heard from this man of low demeanor.

Yet he was the Christ that they could not see.  He was the Messiah.  He was the Chosen One and they still could not see the writing on the wall.  The people heard, the people saw, the people understood.  The people believed and knew that he was the one foretold, the one who would come and bring about change.  But they, the religious leadership, could not believe he was the one.  He called them blind guides: "Who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing."

Is it nothing to swear by the house of God?  Is it not something to make an oath and bind it by the house that the creator of the universe lives?  Does that not have any meaning?  We place our hands on the Bible and swear to tell the truth.  If we place our hands on the Temple of God and swear that we are bound does that not have meaning?

We say that a man's bond is his word but how true are those words today.  How often have those words been reversed or taken aback when convenient and to our benefit.  What is truth?  What is honesty?  What is love of brother, or neighbor of fellow man?  We are all brothers and sisters created by one God, given his one image.  Does that not make us the same?  

Least we forget who we are, we come from a different place.  As beautiful and wonderful as this place we live in, it is not the home we are destined for.  We are two in one.  A two-fer, one flesh, one spirit.  Until we come to realize and understand this we loose the truth of who we are in this world.  We loose the opportunity given us from birth to transform into the spirit that we are to become.  For we are truly spiritual beings in a physical body waiting for the transformation to take place at the given time and place designated by God.  Do not be blinded by the physical.  Open your heart and see the true you from within.

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 12, verses: 15 - 16, The Testimony.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The mercy of Jesus) Part 2. 

Time marches on and the battle continues.  The dark frces of evil, in counsel with the Pharisees, have gathered together to plot the downfall of Christ.  But Christ continues the battle.  He cures the people that follow him.  He provides miracles to the large crowds.  He continues to take back the lost souls that were captured by evil.  And the battle continues.  With all his power and miracles Christ is merciful.  Christ is forgiving.  Christ is loving.  For with a few words he could have brought damnation upon the Pharisees.  With a few simple words he could have unleashed the powers of heaven upon those that conspired.  Yet he was merciful.  He was loving.  And he was humble.

For it was spoken of him in the scriptures.  Isaias prophesied of his manner, of his nature, of his actions.  St Matthew tells us,  "What was spoken through Isaias the prophet might be fulfilled, who said,  "Behold, my servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased: I put my Spirit upon him, and he will declare judgment to the Gentiles."

 Christ, the chosen one, beloved of God, upon whom the Spirit of God has been laid, was spoken of throughout history until his coming.  He would right what was wrong.  He would bring salvation.  He would bring judgment to the people.  He would save all mankind. For he was the chosen one of God.  He came to do battle.  He brought the sword of God to separate the saved from the damned, the believer from the unbeliever, the just from the unjust.  And the Pharisees plotted against him even down through history as it was written.  They sought to prevent his coming.  They sought to destroy his word.  They sought to take by force the souls of the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  But Christ came.  Christ restored.  Christ renewed.  Christ made new the covenant.

Histroy tells us about the chosen one.  It tells us about the history of the savior of the world.  It tells us about his salvation, his resurrection, and his ascension into heaven.  But today Christ lives and the spirit tells us.  The spirit moves us.  The spirit guides us.  The spirit lives.  Christ promised to send the Holy Spirit.  Do you know Him?  Have you received him?  Why do you wait, hesitate, doubt, disbelieve that the Holy Spirit will come to you?  Why do you not seek him?  Why do you not know Him?  Why do you not beg for him to come to you instead of praying for things of this world?  The Holy Spirit will give all.  The Holy Spirit will teach all.  The Holy Spirit will reveal all.  Christ was merciful.  He was patient and continues to be patient today.  But the time of the coming of the destroyer is unknown and could come any day.  Do not be caught off guard.  Be prepared!  Be in Christ!  Seek Him!  Find Him!  Know Him and he will know you.