St. Matthew, Chapter 21, verse:19c; The Tree of Nothing withers.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Jesus curses a fig tree) Part 4. 

It is amazing to see the truth that is in Christ Jesus.  He is man incarnate.  He was born of the flesh of Mary.  He is descended from heaven and brought forth from the love of God the Father, first born of all the living.  Yet in his state of union with the Father and common among men he feels hunger.  He fills pain and thirst, love and passion, mercy and forgiveness.  He is Lord and Savior of all mankind. 

He comes upon a tree that has no purpose.  It does not bear fruit.  It does not have seeds that bear fruit.  It only has leaves.  What purpose does it serve man or God?  Christ sees this tree, without compassion, curses it that the tree will not have fruit now or forever.  And this is our sign:  And immediately the fig tree withered up. 

What would we do if Christ told us that we would not bear fruit henceforth and forever?  Would we wither up and die?  Would we cease to exist?  Thankfully, Christ values us a more than the tree.  Thankfully, we are that which he loves that the father created.  Thankfully, we are that which he sees as good in mankind as well as the evil.  Thankfully, we will not be judged as one.  Thankfully, we are that which his passion is so great for us that he gave up that which he was in order to save that which he loves in us from damnation.

The tree of nothing withered up.  For many years mankind withered and died due to the transgression of one.  Yet through the passion of one we are saved.  Through the love of one we are transformed.  And through the mercy and forgiveness of one we are born again into the spirit that was ours from the beginning.  We are given a new life.  We are brought back to life.  We are infused with the spirit of the Advocate, for those who seek to know.  We are brought out of the darkness into the light and taken to our home.

Thank you Christ Jesus for loving us.  Thank you God our Father for forgiving us.  Thank you Christ Jesus for your mercy and your compassion.  Thank you God our Father for the spirit that you have given us.  Thanks be to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

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 17, verse: 20, Casting out by fasting and prayer.

Our paragraph topic is: (Why the disciples could not cure him) Part 5.

Christ taught them.  He instructed them.  He gave to them all that they would need to know for now.  For they could only bare so much.  Their understanding was limited and their hearts were weak.  So Christ had to give them a little at a time that they would not be overcome with the total truth of what was to come.  The sacrifice had not yet been made.  The gift had not been given.  And the justification was not yet made.  So he taught them as though they were little children.  He gave them what they needed now to continue on the journey that they were upon.

Why did they follow Christ?  Why did they sacrifice all?  Why did they seek to know without having the faith that all would be well?  Christ was the key.  He was the answer to all they sought.  He was the Messiah and they followed him because they had some belief in him.  But they were not sure.  They were not certain.  They did not yet have the spirit within them that they would know.  So he taught them and gave them what they needed to know for now.  He showed them the way to cast out demons and how to cast out this particular demon.  He told them:  "But this kind can be cast out only by prayer and fasting."

They did not have the faith of a mustard seed.  They did not have the faith of a grain of sand.  They did not have the faith to cast out the demon from the boy.  Yet they wanted to know why they could not cast it out.  They wanted to know how it could be done.  Christ had given them power to cast out demons before.  He had sent them to the towns and villages to perform miracles in his name.  But because of their little faith they could only cast out this demon by fasting and prayer.

Do we have demons today that need casting out?  Do we have addictions?  Do we have lust?  Do we have compulsions that control us and will not let go?  Do we over eat?  Are we compelled to over shop?  Do we gamble out of control?  Are we addicted to adrenalin?  Do we fear compulsively over everything?  Are we control junkies where we must control everything within our reach?  Do we have demons in our lives that cause us to do things that we do not want to do?  Some would say yes.  Some would say no.  Some would say that we are weak and lack control.  We are no longer possessed by demons but we have all the things in this world that make us subject to being controlled.

Christ came that we would have freedom.  Christ came that we would have choice.  Christ gave himself as sacrifice for our sins that we would have life and have it more abundantly.  But we have life already.  We live and breathe and see, and feel, and love, and want and desire and hate and fear and lust and kill and then we die.  Do we have spiritual life?  Do we have the life within us that Christ died for?  Do we have the light of his spirit within us that we know who we are and where we are from?  Do we know that we are spiritual beings and not physical beings?  Do we know that our spiritual life continues after our physical life ends? 

Come!  See the life that Christ has given you.  He told us how to find it.  He told us where to look.  He gave us instructions as to how to keep it from harm.  He wrote for us in his own words how we would preserve that which he has given us.  And he told us that he would be with us for all times.  He has even prepared a place for us in his father's house that we may live with him for all eternity.  And the Father has prepared great things for those who love him.  Come!  See the light that is within you and you will know the truth of who you are in Christ.  Follow the path before.  Read the words given you.  Open your heart to the truth.  And the Holy Spirit will come and reside with you.  May the peace of Christ be with you and the love of the Father be in your heart. 

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.