St. Matthew, Chapter 24, verse: 14c; The End.

Our paragraph topic is:  (He tells them of trials and hard times to come) Part 13.  

They asked him to tell them of these things, when they would happen, the signs of their coming, and when the end would come.  Curious minds wanted to know what would happen.  They wanted to know details.  They wanted to be aware of the coming doom.  Little did they know that they would not see the day that it would happen.  They would be long dead and buried before the end came.  Yet Christ gave the word that the gospel of the kingdom would be told throughout the world before the end would come.

Nations would know of his words of the coming of the end before it would happen.  The disciples were the witnesses who would relay the message of the coming doom so that all would know of his words.  They would put to words his message so that all would have the opportunity to read and know the prophesy of Christ of the coming end of the world.  He told them that the gospel would be preached in the whole world:  "And then will come the end."  

We today still wait for the end.  We do not know, even though we have heard of the gospel of the kingdom of heaven.  We still wait for the coming of the trails and tribulations predicted by Christ.  Some do not believe that they will come and go about their lives as though nothing will happen.  Others have not made any preparations for its coming.  They ask no forgiveness nor seek no thoughts of the wrongs they have committed against God and their fellow man.  Yet the clock ticks and time marches on minute by minute second by second.

The message has been given to those who would listen, those who have ears to hear, who hearts to believe, who have blood to fear.  It is available for all to read and know.  Their is no excuse, no escape.  God is patient for he wants all to have the opportunity to receive his grace.  But there is a limit to his mercy.  There is a limit to his patience.  There is a limit to what he will allow to pass without his judgement.  The end will come weather now or in the future, weather for the living or for those who have passed on.  All will see and all will know of it's coming, when it is happening.  Pray for God's mercy. Pray that we may not be caught up in the storm.  Pray that his love will save us from the trials and tribulations to come.  In Christ's name pray.

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: 7a; Nation against nation.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Christ warns them not to be led astray) Part 8.  

Christ continues to tell his disciples about the destruction that is to come.  He does not want to fill them with fear but he would rather that the word come from his mouth than from the mouths of scandal, spread by anyone who has added words to embellish the tells of destruction and add fear to the minds of those who would hear it.

The disciples must know.  They must understand what is to happen.  They must remain calm in the eye of the storm because Christ is with them and he has told them of the coming doom.  They are his witnesses here on earth of all that he has said and done, all that was prophesied, all that was foretold.  They are the ones who will carry the message of hope and faith in the one true God.  This is why he is telling them:  "For nation will rise against nation."

The prophesy is written.  It has been foretold.  It is there for all to see, for all to read, for all to believe if they choose.  The choice is theirs.  One cannot say one did not know for it has been there for two thousand years.  Maybe it will be tomorrow or the next day or next week or next year.  Who knows.  The question to ask is are we ready when it comes.  Have we prepared ourselves for that time and place to accept who we are with our 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 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 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 20, verse:21a, A Mother's Hope.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The mother of James and John) Part 3.  

James and John, sons of Zebedee, were followers of Christ.  They rejoiced in him.  They believed in him, for he was the Messiah.  John the Baptist told them that he was the one that they should follow even when they were his disciples.  They believed in John the Baptist and knew that he was a prophet but when he told them that they should follow Christ they rejoiced.

It was a special time for them.  They knew of their history as Jews.  They knew of their tradition.  They knew that God had guided Israel and protected them throughout history for they were a chosen people.  And they knew of the prophesy that the Messiah would come and walk among them.  So they were ecstatic that they had found him and they had the opportunity to live in his presence. 

They told their relatives.  They told their friends.  They told their brothers and sisters and their parents.  They told everyone that they knew about the Christ they followed.  And because of their zeal, and their belief and their hopes, their mother saw the change in them.  She was their mother.  She provided for them.  She raised them, cared for them, protected them and loved them from birth.  And she, more than anyone else, wanted to make sure that they were taken care of.  So she went to Christ.  She desired to know herself that her children would be provided for, taken care of, and that they would have some place in the new kingdom with Christ.  When she came to him,  He said to her, "What dost thou want?"

What do you want?  This is a question that we can ask ourselves, "What do we want?"  What is it that we want.  What is it that we want today?  What is it that we want tomorrow?  As though we had a genie that would grant us our every wish, what is it that we want.  There are many things that come to mind that would answer this question.  We could say money.  We could say power.  We could say fame, or fortune, or riches, or health, or any number of things.  But the real question is what do we really want in our lives. 

We live day to day, going about our daily routines.  We work, we play, we socialize with our friends.  We shop, we cook, we eat, we sleep, we do things to entertain ourselves on a daily basis, but what is it that we really want in this life.  Do we really know the answer to this question?  Do we really know what we want?  Do we really know what would make us happy?

We are presented with ideas of what others do, or have, or want and we think that this is what we want also.  We rejoice over the possibility of how we would feel if our wish was answered, if we won the lottery, or won a car, or won some money.  And the joy of winning would make us happy for a while.  But will this sustain us for life?  Will this joy be with us for eternity?  Will we be happy when we get what we want? 

Each morning we wake up in search of what we want.  Our every thought, our every action, our every belief moves us in the direction of our wants and our desires.  There is something inside that needs fulfilling, something inside that drives us to do what we do.  Christ told us that our Father knows our every need, our every desire.  He told us not to worry about tomorrow because tomorrow has enough worry in itself.  But the Father knows us, provides for us, protects us from harm.  And the Father fulfills us.  For it is with him and through him that we find what we want.  It is in his love that we are complete and desire nothing more.  Through his love our hearts desire is found.  Through his love we long no more.  Through his love we are finished and can rest in peace knowing that he loves us.  What do you want?  I want to be with my Father, my creator, my Lord and savior Jesus Christ.  For through him and with him I want nothing else. 

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.