St. Matthew, Chapter 24, verse: 6c; These things must happen.

 Our paragraph topic is:  (Christ warns them not to be led astray) Part 6.  

So they are given line by line item by item of the things that will happen before the end will come.  Christ points out all the things that will happen, in their time, so they will know what to expect when they hear of these things and they will not be alarmed as others.  They will not panic.  They will not show fear.  They will be at peace.

He is preparing his disciples for the great movement of fear and anxiety that will take place by the evil that will come forth.  He told them:  "For these things must come to pass."

There must be wars and rumors or war.  There must be anxieties and fears, and panic to move the people to do unspeakable things that they would not do ordinarily.  For they will not think rationally when they are afraid and fearful.  They will not think clearly when fear rules their thoughts.  But as far as the disciples are concerned, they will have clear vision, clear understanding, clear knowledge of what is to come because Christ has given them the wisdom to know what is coming and what is to happen.

He has been with them in times of hardship and pain, in times of trouble and sorrow, in times of hunger and in times of impending death.  Each time he has chastised them not to be afraid because he was with them and will be always.  Even though he left them and returned to the Father, he sent his spirit to fill them with his presences to let them know that he is still with them.  So even though certain events must come to pass the disciples were not afraid.  They knew that he was with them and would protect them and keep them from harm.

And if it was true for them it is true for us today, his children.  He would not leave us behind without his protection, without his guidance, and without his wisdom to help us along the way.  He is the way, the truth, and the light that leads to life eternal.  All we have to do is follow his lead, keep his light burning within us, and love each other as we love ourselves.  We are all one family, all made in his image and likeness.  Praise be to God

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 23, verses: 36; This Generation.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Their persecution of religion) Part 14.  

And the kingdom of heaven came upon them and they were not ready.  The opportunity for repentance came before them and they did not repent.  The day of judgment was there in their presences and they dismissed it as another hoax.  They were blind and could not see, deaf and could not hear, dumb and could not understand the changing of events taking place around them.

Farmers could read the change in the weather.  Politicians could read the change in the moods of the people.  Priest can understand the spiritual needs of their parishioners.  But the Scribes and the Pharisees were so engrained in their beliefs that they could not see the light of Christ that stood before them despite all the signs that were shown.  And Christ told them: Amen, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation."

Theirs was the endpoint of their time.  Christ had come to offer redemption.  They had rejected redemption and instead choose to fight it.  So the time had come to close the books, to end the persecution, to write the names of all those who were persecuted and all the names of those who persecuted the just.  Judgment day had come and their names were written in the judgment book along with all the others who had persecuted the just.

Thank you Father for the opportunity for redemption.  Thank you for the mercy you have shown us in giving me the chance to repent of my sins.  For I know not when or how or where I may be called upon to surrender my life and come before you for judgment.  But that the life I have lived at least I have had the opportunity to change my ways and repent of my sins.  I pray that if I may die tomorrow that you will have mercy upon my soul and not condemn me to hell.

My desire is to be with my savior Lord Jesus Christ in his kingdom that I may be fulfilled by his presence.  For he is my be all and end all.  There is nothing on this earth that can fill me more than his presence.  Thank you Father each day for the love and the protection that you give me and my family.  May we continue to walk the path that leads us to your kingdom. 

 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: 17c, Keep the commandments?

Our paragraph topic is:  (The rich young man speaks to Jesus) Part 3.

One there is who is good and he is God.  The Father created us.  The Father gave us life.  The Father protects us and guides us and provides for us.  And he is good.  He is great.  He is wonderful.  He is glorious.  He is above all and is all.  And he is good.  But we live in a world where our actions indicate that there is no belief in God.  Our actions demonstrate that we are our god.  We believe that we must do for ourselves.  We believe that we must provide for ourselves.  We believe that we must protect ourselves in any and all circumstances.  And when the world demonstrates that we are not in control, we do not know how to make sense of it.  We loose control rather than surrender the control to our Father.  We believe through our actions that we are the ones who are great and wonderful and glorious.

The young rich man questioned Christ to get an answer to his question.  He wanted to know what he must do.  And behold he came.  Of all the people who followed Christ and sought his teachings, this young man appeared and asked the question that could have set him on the right path as he stood at the crossroad seeking to know which direction to take.  He asked:  "What must I do to attain heaven?"  And Christ told him:  "But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." 

Keep the commandments.  Simple, easy, straight to the point: "Keep the commandments."  Is it just that simple.  Is it just that easy, to just keep the commandments.  As we are children our parents command us to follow their rules.  Looking out on the world and seeing what it has to offer, we rebel.  Our society commands us to follow the laws that are set before us, we do not.  We adapt them to fit our own needs as we see fit.  Our God gives us commandments to follow as a guide to life, but we create our own guide to follow as we choose.  There are those who would believe and would attempt to follow the commandments.  We are not perfect so we make some effort to obey.  Yet in the world we live in, we are compelled to disobey, to set aside, to rationalize our actions to fit the situations we face.  Our society motivates us to turn away from the commandments and to follow the norm of today.

Keep the commandments.  Keep the rules that are given to us and do not go astray from them.  They are the boundaries that separate us from the protection that our Father provides and the evil that wants to lead us away from our Father.  The choice is ours.  Choose to follow the commandments or choose to cross over and be led by that which will lead you astray.  What do we loose?  What do we gain?  If we only knew the peace, and the joy, and the happiness, and the glory that is ours, we would not make the choices that we make today.  We sacrifice our heritage simply for the glitz and glamour of the moment. 

Our Father does not dictate to us.  He merely sets guidelines to follow.  He is good and he knows what is best for us.  He sees the truth of the choices that we make.  He knows the path down which our decisions will lead us.  And he is compassionate and merciful to forgive us if we awake from the influences of evil and turn back to his protection.  But if we knew the truth of our decisions and the treasures we give up for the passion of the moment, we would not make the decisions that we make.  We would rejoice in the commandments, if we knew.  We would celebrate the gifts of the Father, if we knew.  We would be overwhelmed with the path that we walk, if we only knew the treasures we forsake.  We have a choice.  And the choice is ours to make. 

Let us not be led astray by the influences of the world.  Fear not the loss of the flesh, for the spirit is alive and cannot die.  Fear not the death of the body for the body is dust and must return to dust.  For worse than death is the one who can kill the body and kill the soul in hell.  We have the life that has been given us by Christ.  We have the life that is within us.  We are the children of our father, created in his image and likeness.  Yet we live in the flesh not knowing the truth of who we are in the spirit.  Keep the commandments!  Seek the truth of who you are in Christ and you will know and see the light of life that is within you.  The Holy One will come and abide with you.  The Holy One will teach you.  The Holy One will guide you, protect you and be with you at all times.  Then you too will know the truth of who you are.  And with that truth no one will be able to lead you astray.  For your light shines within, and that light is the life that Christ has given you that you will know where you are from.  Open your mind.  Open your heart.  See the truth that is within you.  For you too are a child of God, your 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.