St. Matthew, Chapter 23, verses: 13b; Shutting the Kingdom of Heaven.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Woe to the Scribes and Pharisees) Part 2.  

In this paragraph Christ continues to scold the Scribes and the Pharisees on the wrongs they are committing against the people.  He scolds them not to berate them but to show them the error of their ways and hopefully to heal them.  He wants to give them every opportunity to change, every opportunity to turn from their evil ways, every opportunity to save their souls from the possession of evil within them.

They are the leaders and pillars of the religious community responsible for the souls of the people.  Yet they do not open the doors of heaven.  They do not show how to follow the commandments of God, they are not the examples of faith that the people need to return to God.  Christ calls them hypocrites:  "Because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men."

They knew the consequences of their actions.  But they did not care.  They only believed in their actions to maintain their own status in society.  They were privileged people.  They were honored in the public places.  They were recognized for their positions.  They were believed to be pious and holy followers of the Laws of God.  Yet the truth was exactly the opposite.  For behind closed doors the piety came off, the beliefs were different and they cared not for the people of God.

We see many examples of this same behavior today.  People profess to be one way in public but out of the public eye they are an entirely different person.  God sees what we do and how we think.  He knows our inner most thoughts.  We cannot hide from his gaze, he knows who we are.  Yet for those who are true to his sight, those who make an effort to follow his commandments, even though they may stumble and fall, he still loves and forgives.

Our belief in him opens the door to his heart.  Our faith in his promise transforms us into his children.  Our trust in his glory gives us the guidance needed to walk a path lit by the light of the spirit.  Our knowledge of the things that he has done for us, his protection, his provisions, strengthens us to know the truth of who we are in him.  Our love for him grows daily with each waking hour because we have the proof and the delight of being able to see his light of life within us as we know who we are.

God is our Father.  He is our creator.  Christ Jesus is our Lord and our Redeemer.  Through the love of God and the passion of Christ we have the choice today to choose.  We are not dead.  We can have life and have it more abundantly.  The choice is ours to make.  Open the door and he will come to you.  Seek his love and he will touch you.  Allow your heart to know that you are loved and you will see the truth of who you are in him.  God is love.  Christ is our redeemer.  The Holy Spirit is our guide.  Belief is your key to a new life, eternally. 

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, verses: 38; The First Commandment.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The great commandment) Part 5.  

They put him to the test thinking that he would fail.  One of the Doctor's of the Law asked him the question that they believed he would not know having not studied under their direction.  But they were wrong in their assumption, for he knew the great commandment of the law, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind."

And he recited it to them as though he lived it.  But he added more to that statement to let them know that he also was knowledgeable of the Law.  He said:  "This is the greatest and the first commandment."

You see they only knew about the great commandment as being the foundation of the Law.  They did not know that there was another commandment that was also a foundation principle of the Law.  They were the scholars.  They were the ones who studied the Law.  They read it, discussed it, practiced it, applied to their lives and the lives of the people on a daily basis.  So they believed that they knew it like the back of their hand.  Yet here comes a commoner like Christ who knew more about the Law than they did.  How was that possible?

And this was the way of God working according to the promise that was made to the forefathers of those who believed in him.  The prophets foretold the coming of the Messiah and the redemption of the people from sin.  They foretold of his sacrifice, the resurrection, and his ascension into heaven.  All this written down for those future generations to read and believe.  

It is there for those who want to know, for those who seek to find, for those who are tired of what the world has offered.  You see, once your eyes are opened and you are healed, you know the truth of what happened.  So, the struggle becomes keeping your eyes opened, keeping the truth in front of you, and following the path given you by your spirit.  For the Spirit will lead you and guide you every day.  The Spirit will protect you and provide for you.  Your life will be filled with joy and peace because now you have a path, a sense of direction, a purpose and a goal in life that leads to fulfillment.  We are his children and he is our Father.  He will care for 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 19, verse: 30b, Those who are last and those who are first.

Our paragraph topic is:  (A hundredfold reward promised) Part 6. 

Jesus made a promise to his disciples and those that followed him that there would be great rewards.  He wanted them to know that the trials and tribulations that they would face for their fellowship with him would be rewarded greatly.  They would face battles.  They would face enemies that they had not known before.  They would face all kinds of trials.  They would face pain, and torture, and even death.  But Christ reassured them that the trails they would face could not compare to the rewards they would receive.

The twelve disciples would be judges over all the tribes of Israel.  Those who followed would receive rewards totaling a hundredfold to what they would sacrifice here on earth.  So the rewards are more than one can imagine receiving.  And then, they also would receive life everlasting for all eternity.  All would be with him in the kingdom when the regeneration comes.  And none would be left out.  For those who came first would be the last to receive.  And as he told them:  "And many who are last now will be first." 

Who will be the last to come?  Who will be the last to enter the kingdom of heaven in the regeneration?  And after the last, comes the judgment that will right all wrongs and balance the scales of justice.  And there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.  And many will be left behind.  And many will be left outside.  But the last will become the first and the first will be the last.  And Christ is the first to come, but he, will be the last.

What will be our reward?  What will we receive in the kingdom of heaven?  What is our heart's desire?  What will make us happy beyond our wildest expectations?  The heart only knows what it knows, and it knows what will make us happy.  Surely what we have experienced here on earth has or can, bring happiness and joy.  But will that fulfill the desires of the heart?  Will that satisfy?  Will what we can receive here complete the longings of what is in our hearts?

We see and feel and smell and taste all the wonders of the creation of man.  We are given to desire that which is presented before us in the news and the media and socially and online.  Everyday we are given examples of what it would mean to have all our financial needs met.  And that is something that we all want and desire, to have enough money to not have to worry about working and toiling for tomorrows needs.  But is this enough to satisfy?  Is this enough to fulfill?  Is this the be all and end all to the longings within our hearts?

Christ came that we would have life and have it more abundantly.  He came to tell us that there is something more than we perceive in the here and now.  He came that we would be able to see the light, that our eyes would be opened and our hearts would know the truth of who we are.  He gave us the example to follow.  He opened the door for us to come, into the kingdom.  And he led the way to the kingdom of fulfillment.  Satisfaction is not in the physical.  Happiness is not in the present.  Only with him and through him and by him can that which fills our longings be complete.  Only through and with and by the love of God our Father can we know that which is truly ours to know.  The true fulfillment of who we are is only available in the Father and his love.  Come!  Be the true life that Christ has given you through his passion.  He loves you.  He awaits you.  He will fulfill 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.