St. Matthew, Chapter 23, verses: 14c; Greater Judgment.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Woe to the Scribes and Pharisees) Part 7.  

We are crying for the Scribes and the Pharisees.  Woe to them.  They are being called out to the public for their wrongs.  The spotlight of the kingdom of heaven shines upon them and they are being called out for their wrong doings to the people.  The kingdom of heaven is at hand and Christ is passing out mercy tickets to those who are willing to repent.  But the Scribes and the Pharisees are angry and will not relent in their desires to seek revenge upon Christ.

He calls them hypocrites to their face in public.  He tells them that they do not go into the kingdom of heaven but they close the door to the kingdom for those who want to go in.  They devour the houses of widows who have no means after their husbands die by praying long prayers.  And he gives them their judgment by telling them: "For this you shall receive a greater judgment."

He walked the earth and he talked to the earth.  He spoke to the wind and the rain, the sea and the sky, the trees and the fish and the grain.  He was here on this planet and yet we knew him not.  Even today we not know him.  For he is that which is within us, that which is without.  He is around us each and every day.  He has given us the means of being, the being of seeing and the reasoning to know him.  Yet we have not fully known that which we are.

Each waking day is an opportunity to discover.  What are we here for?  Why do we exist?  Is it just to be a part of the collective, to work, play, to love, to create, to procreate, to unify a family, to be a part of a community, a part of a church, a part of an organization?  Or are we given what we consider a greater purpose, to create something that will move humanity along the time line of knowledge and understanding?  Where are we going?  Why are we here?

We walk the time line of death knowing what the future holds for us.  Christ did the same knowing that this was why he was born, why he came, why he died.  Yet he conquered death.  He rose and ascended above the grave.  He tells us that we will do the same that we will have life eternal. Is this why we are here?  Is this our ultimate goal, to die, to rise again?  Should we not rejoice then!  Should we not be happy!  Should we not seek to know the how and the wherefore of him who made this promise to 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 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 15, verses: 23, The Lost Children of God: The Cry of the children.

Our paragraph topic is: (The Canaanite woman) Part 2.

And the Canaanite woman came.  And she cried out to the Lord.  And she cried out to the disciples.  And she cried out that all the people heard.  And she did not receive an answer.  For she was desperate.  She was determined.  She would not be moved.  So, she cried and she cried and she cried.  And she did not despair.  She did not quit.  She did not turn around.  She did not allow hopelessness to come in.  For she knew that Christ was the answer.  She knew that he was the one.  She knew that through him her prayers would be answered.  So, she did not relent.  She cried out for her daughter who was beset with by a devil.

And the disciples heard her cries.  The people heard her cries.  And they wanted her to stop.  They wanted her to turn around.  They wanted her to be quiet from all the woes that she felt.  But Christ did not respond.  Christ did not answer her.  Christ only heard her cries and her tears and her pleases for help.  But the disciples wanted her to stop and they sought Christ to send her away but he would not.   He answered her not a word.  And his disciples came up and besought him saying, "Send her away, for she is crying after us."

Who cries out to God today?  Who beseeches Christ that their prayers might be heard?  Who will not be moved?  Who will not turn away?  Who will be relentless?  Who believes that he is the one?  Who knows within themselves that their prayers will be answered?  Only those who believe greatly, only those who know that their belief is truth and that no one or nothing will turn them around.  The world would detain us.  The world would turn us.  The world would have us not believe.  The world will test our faith.  The world will question our belief.  But only those who know will not be moved.  Only those who know will not turned from their faith in Christ.  For they know without a doubt the Christ can solve their problems, cure their ills, bring peace, give joy to the heart, bring salvation, and restore happiness to those who believe in him.

The Canaanite woman believed.  The Canaanite woman knew.  For she had heard the words that had come to her of the testimony of Christ.  She had faced the evil that was in her daughter without finding relief.  No one was able to help.  No one was able to cast out the demon.  But she had heard of the miracles of Christ and she knew that he was the one.  Do you know that he is the one??  Do you believe that he can save?  Do you believe that he is the answer? 

We seek answers in the world today.  We seek ways to cure our ills, to solve our problems, ways to provide wealth that we believe will bring us peace.  What do we find?  We find temporary peace, temporary joy, temporary love, temporary happiness, but not the peace that comes from the Father.  Christ knows our desires.  Christ knows our wants and our hearts.  And he answers not a word.  How long will you cry out?  How long will you seek him?  How long will you wait for his answer?  How long will you believe?