St. Matthew, Chapter 23, verses: 39a; You shall not see me.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Lamentation over Jerusalem) Part 6.  

Christ felt a great passion for his city, for his people.  He loved them in all their glory and in all their sin.  His heart went out to them for he foresaw what he knew would happen to them without his protection, without his love.  Evil was waiting in the wings to take over completely.  Yet he was there to fulfill his destiny to pay for the sins of mankind and put a stop to evil.

Still he lamented over Jerusalem.  All the years of work and pain and toil put into making the city as it was, would come to ruin.  This was the city based on the kingdom of heaven, on the measurements of the city of God.  Evil was coming.  You could hear it in the hills.  You could understand what was happening in the courtyards of the rich.  They were selling their souls and Satan was coming to collect.  

Christ knew.  He came to put a stop to it.  He came to end it all.  His new covenant would provide protection and provisions for all mankind who chose to believe and follow him.  So he wept for the city of Jerusalem.  He lamented for the people therein.  He knew that there would be some who would believe and some who disbelieve.  He said: "For I say to you, you shall not see me henceforth."

The time was coming near for his sacrifice, for the payment to be made for the sins of the many.  He would not be available to aid the people in their struggles to come.  He would not heal the sick, cure the lame, open the eyes of the blind, raise the dead, perform all types of miracles as before.  His time was coming to an end.  Yet the people did not know or understand his meaning.

It is hard to believe that such a person walked the earth some two thousand years ago.  Yet we have writings of witnesses of his life and history.  Much is told of Christ over the years.  We have much to read and study of his life, his works, his words, his miracles, interpretations of all that he said and did.  Despite all this, in all that we know ourselves, in all we are taught from early childhood, it comes down to believing what we are given.  We are not scholars.  We have not spent a lifetime studying the books of old to gain the wisdom and knowledge of Christ's life and works.  So we take what is given us in our schools and churches and from our Bibles and Christian readings to help us believe in him.  And yet of this little knowledge the most basic understanding that we can come away with is belief.

Do you believe?  Do I believe?  Do I know?  Yes!  I know within myself, that I live within Christ.  I know within myself that I have life within him.  I know that he lives and therefore I have life because he has given me new life.  Before I was lost in the world, seeking the treasures of the world, not knowing who I am.  But now I seek the treasures of the kingdom of heaven because it is there that I want to be.  It is there that I am from.  It is there that my life originates and not from this world.  

When I seek the treasures of this world I seek darkness.  But when I seek the treasures of the kingdom I seek the light of life that comes from Christ because he has awaken me as to who I am and where I am from.  I am spiritual and not physical and within this flesh lives me, the spiritual being that Christ has awaken and given new life.  My flesh is but dust, but my spirit is alive in him.  Open your heart and seek that which only he can give and you too will know the truth of who you are. 

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: 22; The Throne of God.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Their distorted religion) Part 13.  

You see, it had come to this, gold and silver, precious metals, and jewels were more valuable in the eyes of the religious than the kingdom of heaven.  They did not place much value on the temple and the sacred items in it.  They did not value the altar but they placed value on the gold and silver placed on the altar.  They did not place value upon the temple itself but on the gold that the temple was made of which is how their religious beliefs had become so distorted.

These were the leaders who taught the people what to believe!  How wrong could they be?  They despised Christ for telling them that their beliefs were distorted and that they had it all wrong.  This is why he had to tell them also:  "And he who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God, and by him who sits upon it."

They had no idea that they were swearing by God himself.  They had no idea that they were telling their followers that their bond with God was nothing when they swore by the temple.  They had no idea that they were encouraging the people to break their vows that they were making with God himself, thereby bringing forth the wrath upon themselves.  The people only knew that they were following the rules and the laws that were handed down by their religious leaders.

They were sheep being led by their shepherds.  And we prey today that God has given us a true shepherds to lead us along the right path to the kingdom of heaven.  Of course the ultimate choice is up to us to follow.  The ultimate decision is within ourselves if we want to believe what we hear each Sunday.  And the choice is up to us if we want more than what we hear each week.  If our hearts desire to know more about our heavenly Father, it is up to us to seek him out.  If our hearts yearn to feel the truth of his love it is up to us to delve deeper into the knowledge that is available for us.  All we have to do is knock on the door to have it opened to us.  

And if we truly want to know him all we need do is get on our knees and ask him.  We have to be patient to get his response.  We have to listen quietly to hear his voice.  We have to know that he speaks when he calls us in that soft voice that fills us with joy and happiness.  We have to rejoice in his presence when he comes to us with the gifts that he gives us each and every day through the spirit of his heart.  For he is a loving Father, and he is a devoted Savior, and they have an everlasting Guide that will be with you until your time to return home.

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: 30a; At the Resurrection.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Christ's answer) Part 2.  

They came to him with the question of the resurrection.  They did not believe that there was life after death.  They did not believe in the resurrection of the soul.  They only believed that after life you die and there was nothing else.  So they wanted to hear what Christ had to say since he was the up and coming preacher of the day.  He was the person that everyone was talking about.  Some called him a prophet, some called him the Messiah.

So to get their answer they conceived a question about life and death, marriage and heirs that would address the question of the resurrection.  Christ told them that they erred in their assumption of marriage and ownership after death, after the resurrection.  He said:  "For at the resurrection they will neither marry nor be given in marriage." 

Imagine that!  Christ gave them insight into the kingdom of heaven.  He told them that there will be no earthly ties in heaven.  God created man and woman, gave them the garden, and told them to be fruitful and multiply.  But in heaven man and woman will be free of those earthly ties.  They will be free of those physical bonds that held them to the pain and suffering in the physical realm.  They will be able to experience freedom in the kingdom of heaven.  In the spiritual realm created by God there will be no marriage, no physical as on earth.

Christ came that we could know what to do, how to live, what to believe, and how to love one another.  He came as an example for us to live by, as an example to love by, as an example to believe and to hope by in our daily lives.  He created his church to continue his message and to be witnesses to his message for those who did not see him or did not hear his words personally.  He is the living word of God the Father.  He is the eternal love of the creator of the universe, our hope and our passion for life today and tomorrow.

We struggle each day with the trials and tribulations of this world that we live in seeking to maintain a sense of peace amongst all that is not peaceful.  To look around and see the world in its true form only leads to discouragement.  Yet peace comes from within, from the connection with the living soul of life given us through the sacrifice of Christ's passion.  The Spirit abides with us.  The Spirit guides us.  The Spirit lives with us daily to help us along the way when we become weary of life.  Thank you Christ for that which you have given us.  Thank you Father for all that you provide for us.  Thank you Holy Spirit for your guidance. 

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, verses: 46a; Fear and Desire.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Application of the parable) Part 8.  

And so they that were within, understood the meaning and application of the parables of Christ.  He had finally reached within them and given them the Word.  They heard it and understood it.  And they were angered.  This was not what they wanted.  The Word broke through the barrier and was heard.  That which had made them blind, that which had made them deaf, that which had deceived them, did not want them to understand but the word got through.

And when the word reached them, the immediate defense was anger and frustration and call for action.  They wanted to hurt him.  They wanted to seize him and beat him for his words.  But they could not.  And though they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the people.  

The influence of fear and desire play a great part in our lives today.  We desire to be rich.  We desire to have wealth and popularity, as we see in the media.  We want to be stars, followed by all the public.  Yet we can not, unless we break the boundaries of the laws and seek to be in the news any way we can.  Flash lights and cameras are what we seek.  News paper coverage makes our hearts desire as we read and recount the deeds that we accomplished.  Robbery, murder, unbelievable stunts that bring attention to our bravery or foolishness, are the desires that make the adrenaline rush and the heart beat faster.  We desire fame, we desire fortune.

For most fear holds us back.  Fear is our deterrent.  Fear of failure, fear of injury, fear of criticism, fear if punishment, fear of embarrassment, are all the emotions that keep most of us from doing things that we would neglect later.  Yet the influence of desire and fear are duel emotions that play a part in our lives and it is the influence of one or the other that drives us to act or do the things that we do in our lives.  It takes courage to go against the grain, to go against the flow, to not follow the crowd.  We are social animals and require others in our lives.  We must have others of like mind to support our own beliefs and desires.  

We all want to get to heaven yet no one wants to die, no one wants to make the transition from physical to spiritual.  We are afraid.  So we put off consideration of what may come.  We put it in the back of our mind fearing to think of it until we ourselves are faced with the consequences or we see the consequences of others.  We are afraid of death.  Yet death is but a door leading to the riches and the wealth promised to us by the one who has come and gone before us.  Heaven is real.  God is real.  His love is overflowing.  The Spirit will guide.  The Spirit will lead us along the way.  He is our social guide our leader as we walk the path of life.  Fear not.  Rejoice in that which awaits you at the end your journey here on earth.  For we go to a far far better place than we inhabit now. 

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: 12b, The Money-Changers.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Cleansing of the Temple) Part 2.  

He entered the temple and was inflamed at what he saw, buying and selling, money changers, men practicing deceit and trickery, dishonesty and greed, arrogance and pride.  Instead of prayer and worship, they were practicing evil.  It was as if evil had taken over the house of the Lord.  The people would come to worship their Father were required to purchase gifts for their offerings.  And in the purchasing, the men who sold the items to be sacrificed were practicing deceit cheating the worshippers out of their gifts, stealing from God himself.

Christ saw this.  He was angry.  He was enraged.  He knew that evil had taken over those who were doing the selling.  He saw them.  He cast them out.  For evil can only practice it's sins through man.  It can only influence man to do evil.  And those men had taken over the temple all in the name of making money.   And he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold the doves. 

The people came to worship.  Some had offerings to make.  Others did not, so they had to buy what was sold at the temple.  It was not that these thing were being sold.  It was that they were being sold inside the temple where people came to pray and to worship their father, their creator.  They came to give thanks.   They came to show gratitude to the lord for what he had given them.  They came to receive his blessings. 

Just as we do today, when we go to our lord's house to worship, we come to give praise and worship our Lord for that which he has given us.  We show gratitude and thanks.  For he is the reason that we have the abundance of life today.  We are alive.  We who believe have the promise of salvation.  We who know can see and feel that which is within us.  The spirit lives and he comes to be with us.  He comes to teach us.  He comes to guide us in our daily lives that we do not become evil doers in the world. 

Throw off the old self and take up the new self in Christ.  He will provided for us.  He will delivered us.  He will take us home when the transformation comes.  For he has given us his words to live by, to breathe by, to know by, to see the miracles by his hand in our daily lives.  He is Lord and deliverer.  He is the giver of new life, love eternal.  Come!  Find your peace within and know the truth of who you are in Christ.

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: 18c, The commandments: Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The rich young man speaks to Jesus) Part 6. 

Which commandments to follow, is the question the young man asked Christ.  He wanted to know.  He wanted to have the truth from the one who was claimed to be the Messiah.  For the word had traveled throughout the land that Christ was the one.  The word spread like the plague that Christ performed miracles like no other.  The word spread that the time was come for the kingdom of heaven to appear.  And this young man wanted to know what he must do to enter into the kingdom.

The commandments were already known.  The commandments were handed to the people hundreds of years before the coming of Christ.  But were they known?  Were they accepted?  Were they upheld by the people who professed to believe in God?  Christ came that they would know.  He came that they would believe.  He came that they would see the truth of the words that were written in the testaments.  His miracles were a testament to the power of the one true God.  And his life was the sacrifice for the life of mankind.  So he told the young man to keep the commandments.  And Jesus said , "Thou shalt not commit adultery."

What is adultery?  Adultery is the sexual intercourse of persons when either is married to a third.  So Christ is telling this young man to not have sex with a married woman.  And this message carries down to each of us today.  The bond of marriage is sacred and should not be disregarded.  To break that bond by committing this act allows a third party to enter into the flesh of the marriage bond.  For two people cling to one another, male and female, and become one flesh in marriage.  To allow another to enter into that bond creates an unholy union of male, female, male union or a female, female, male union. 

Today we are given examples and reasons to create such unholy unions, fed by what we see in our entertainment, what we read, and what happens in our society.  The passion and pleasure of sex is like an addiction.  It will drive our every behavior and our every thought to find and to create the next high.  It has no limits.  It demands satisfaction.  It is a demon unto itself.  Once it is awaken with the first hit, the excitement and pleasure of an unholy union will seek to repeat itself.  And at the root of the passion is lust, the demon that draws us into its web of entanglement.  "Thou shalt not commit adultery."

Our Father has given us the pleasure of union with our partners in marriage.  Close the door of entrapment that is fed by unholy unions.  Close the door to what we see, read, and know from the world that is given to us on a daily basis.  Laugh not at the trespass of others who cross the line of passion and seek to entice us to cross over.  See not the acts of others through the entertainment of the media, for it seeks to lead us down the road of destruction through the enticements of lust and passion.  Pay not the price of disillusionment that comes from ignoring the warning signs of trespass that we see along the road of seduction. 

God is our Father.  He is our passion.  He is the pleasure beyond any pleasure that we can seek or know in the flesh.  For the knowledge of Him will fulfill all passion, overcome all lust, and transform us into the light of the spirit that is within us.  For the knowledge of who we are in Christ will open our eyes to the spirit that is within us.  And the wisdom of the spirit will enlighten us to the true path that is before us.  And the God of all creation will provide us with the love that is like no other love we have ever known.  Seek the truth of who you are!  Know the light of life within you!  Be the spirit that is within you and lust and passion and pleasure will have no hold over you!  For your passion will be in Christ and your love will be from the Father.  And your knowledge will come from the Holy Spirit that will guide you all the days of your life here on earth.

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.