St. Matthew, Chapter 23, verses: 29b; You who pay tribute to the prophets and the just.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Their persecution of religion) Part 2.  

Years had come to past as all this took place.  God gave his people the ten commandments to live by.  He gave them the leaders to guide them along the way while they lived in the land that he promised.  He sent prophets to instruct them when they went astray.  But just as when they were in the desert, the Jews had their own way of thinking and evil had slowly crept into their mist.

God warned them of the evil that was among them.  He told them of the wolves that were growing in the flock.  But they were not aware, they did not see, they did not understand until it was too late.  It had come to the time where the evil had grown to the point of taking over the leadership in the highest order of the synagogue and now the Scribes and the Pharisees were turning against and persecuting their own religion.  They were the ones Christ told:  "You who build the sepulchres of the prophets, and adorn the tombs of the just."  

They were the ones who built the great sepulchres to the prophets and set special days to celebrate the just.  Yet they persecuted the people for the very nature of religion.  God sent the prophets and the just to warn the leaders to change their ways, to eradicate the evil that was taking over the people.  And yet the prophets were killed for their message, persecuted, scourged, crucified because they brought the truth from God to the people.  

Are we no less the same today?  Do our leaders rock the boat or do they go with the status quo?  It is said that for evil to triumph all it takes is for good men to do nothing.  Yet if one good man rises up and speaks out against the evil that is present he is put down, castrated, tarnished, scandalized, or even killed.  This is the nature of the times that we live in and God's will be done.

He told us to ask and it shall be given, to seek and we shall find, to knock and the doors shall be opened.  What if we as a collective asked him to bring us home with him?  What if we as the human race got together and sought peace, knocked on his heavenly door seeking to end this earthly reign in order that we might begin our heavenly spiritual life with him?  Would he grant us that wish?  Would he open the doors of heaven and let us in?  Would he give us our hearts desire and end the final hold of death over us all?  Let us ask and we will see!

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:1, Being Sent.

Our paragraph topic is:(Jesus sends two disciples into Jerusalem)
Part 1.

We begin this new paragraph as Jesus is drawing near to Jerusalem.  He knows that his journey is coming to an end.  He knows what his task is as given him by the Father.  He knows that he will complete the Father's will despite all the obstacles, pain, and suffering he will face.  Fear is not with him.  Courage and the love of his Father is his mainstay.  He knows that he is going home, the place from which he came.

His disciples do not know what will happen.  They have followed Christ from the beginning.  They have heard his words, witnessed his deeds.  They have wondered at his origin, the nature of his power, the goal of his journey.  He has told them on several occasions what will happen to him.  But they are in disbelief.  They do not know.  They do not see.  They do not completely understand, but they continue to follow him because they know that he is the Messiah.  AND when they drew near to Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, on the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples. 

They loved him, the disciples.  They believed in him, the disciples.  They walked with him, eat with him, listened to his words, spoke with him, touched him, saw him, and knew his gentle presence.  They experienced in themselves what no one has experienced since the beginning of time.  They knew Christ.  They had a physical experience of him that no disbelief could erase.  He gave them his heart.  He gave them his soul.  He gave them his love.  And he gave them the life that was in him that they too would know spiritual life.

They were sent.  They did not know the why and the wherefore.  But they went in accordance with his will.  They followed his instructions.  They believed in him.  They loved him.  We today do not have the physical experience of knowing Christ Jesus.  We can not walk with him in his presence.  We can not talk with him in his presence.  We can not know him with all certainty the way that the disciples knew him.  Yet his words live on through their experience.  His presence lives on through their words.  His love comes through because of the love that he gave to them.  And his spirit lives on through the words.

Christ gives purpose and meaning to our lives.  Because he came and walked among us, he has understanding of who we are, understanding of how we feel, understanding of our lives and our struggles.  He knows our wants and our desires.  And he loves us despite of the sinners that we are.  I sinned in my life, grossly.  I turned away in disbelief.  I was bitter, isolated, struggled, and died to his love.  But then I was touched by his love.  I was moved by his compassion.  I was given new life and I was sent forth to share with others what has been given me. 

I write that others may know.  I write that others may see.  I write that others may receive what has been given me.  I have purpose.  I have direction.  I have love.  I have his protection, and his provision, and the knowledge of who I am in him.  I am sent.  Come!  When will you receive your blessings?  When will you know who you are?  When will your eyes be opened, your heart released, your life given to you?  Come!  When will you be sent? 

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 20, verse:30b, They cried out.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The blind men at Jericho) Part 3. 

The word was a powerful thing in those days.  The people did not have television.  They did not have radios.  They did not have books and many did not know how to read.  All they had was what they heard by word of mouth.  And the words about Christ spread like wildfire; all wanted to hear of his deeds.  Even those who were not spoken to directly heard.  They were near to where the words were being spoken.

And then there were the two blind men sitting by the wayside going about their daily business of begging their food, begging for their needs.  This is how they provided for themselves.  Many saw them as sinners because they were blind.  It was believed that someone had to commit a sin in order for them to suffer the fate of being blind.  But the word did not discriminate.  It came to all who would listen.  It came to all who could hear.  It came even to the blind.

The blind men spoke to all who came by.  They begged loudly for a penny, or a quarter, or anything that would help them.  Their voices were heard by all who passed by.  And then they heard that Christ was coming to their town.  They heard that Christ was in their village.  They heard that Christ was traveling the road that they were on.  Their hearts were uplifted.  For surely Christ would hear their plea.  And when he came near, they "Cried out, saying, 'Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!' " 

Fortune shone on them that day.  Their opportunity knocked on their door.  The Lord and Savior of the world walked passed their begging place and they cried out with a loud voice.  They would not be silenced.  They would not speak quietly.  They would not stop calling his name.  They knew that this day was their day to be heard.  All the days of their lives they never thought that they would have this opportunity.   All the days of their lives they never imagined they would be near the presences of the Lord.  They had heard of his miracles.  They had heard of his deeds.  They knew that he had made the cripple walk, expelled demons from the sick, opened the ears of the deaf, and even raised the dead.  Why was it not possible for him to give them sight?

Christ comes to us in many forms.  He may come in an unexpected gift, or through a person, or through an awakening that we have never experienced.  He may even come to us in a life saving event that made us aware of how vulnerable we are in this world.  We go about our lives everyday without acknowledging how fragile we are.  We take our lives for granted not expecting anything to harm or destroy that which we have.  And when tragedy strikes and we come to realize the truth of our existence. 

The world around us is dying, everyday.  Our existence is dying.  Our lives as we know it can be taken in an instant.  Why not be ready?  Why not be prepared?  Why not know who you are inside?  The inevitability of our lives is that death awaits us.  The truth of who we are is that we are eternal beings, the death of the body is not the death of the soul.  For those who believe, God is our Father.  He created us in his image and his likeness and our Father is eternal.  Whether we accept who we are or deny it, the outcome is still the same.  We face a physical death and then the spiritual life within is transformed.  Where we end up is our choice.  Acceptance is the key.  Love is the vessel.  And Christ is our savior.  Come!  His love awaits 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.

St Matthew, Chapter 19, verse: 12c, Who can accept His teachings?

Our paragraph topic is:  (Continence preferred to marriage) Part 5.

Not all can accept this teaching except those to whom it has been given.  Has it been given to you?  Are you one of the ones to whom this teaching is meant for?  Christ gave his disciples this teaching concerning the bonding of male and female as created by God.  He wanted them to know and to understand the history of this teaching.  So he told them that from the beginning God had a plan for them to come together and for them to stay together.  And yet that has not been the case.

For man was so bitter that Moses gave them a rule by which they were able to put away their wives and marry again.  They were captives.  They were slaves under another master.  They had lived under the house of Egypt for over four hundred years.  So the customs and the habits of the Egyptians had become theirs by proxy, even though they were Jews with laws handed down by God.  Yet they wanted to do as they saw the Egyptians do.  They wanted to divorce their wives as the Egyptians did.  Who can follow this teaching?  Only those to whom it has been given and to those who wish to follow the teachings of Christ.  For he told them:  "And there are eunuchs who have made themselves so for the sake of the kingdom of heaven."

Are you a eunuch?  Have you made yourself one for the kingdom of heaven?  Can you follow this teaching?  It is only meant for those who have been chosen.  Have you been chosen?  It is only through belief and knowledge that one is able to understand.  We were created male and female.  We were created separate, not one without the other.  Our goal is to bond.  Our purpose is to create.  Our mission was set from eternity that we would create the physical beings that would come after us.

But evil has other designs.  Evil would have us not create.  Evil would have us lust.  Evil would have us desire.  Evil would have us live in the pleasure of the physical flesh and discard the plans of God.  We were created separate, male and female.  But to bond we must come together and become one.  Our bonding is physical in nature but spiritual in purpose.  Each male and female must decide.  Each male and female must understand the purpose.  Each male and female must know the truth of who they are in Christ and resist the temptations of the world. 

Christ came that we would know.  He came that we would understand.  He came that we would have life.  For we were dead until he came.  We were without spirit.  We were devoid of spiritual life according to God's judgment.  But that judgment was set aside.  That judgment was delayed in its execution until the coming of Christ.  And when he came, he paid for our sins, he died on the cross, and we were given new life.  The life of Christ shines within us, if we seek to know.  The life of Christ shines in our souls.  The life of Christ that is within us brings us back to the Father.  Do you know who you are?  Can you see the life that is within you?  Can you accept this teaching, man?  Can you accept this teaching, woman?  Become one with each other, one with Christ and one with the 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 17, verse: 24b, Tribute to the kings of the earth: Who pays?

Our paragraph topic is:  (Paying the Temple tax) Part 2.

Simon Peter was returning from the chores of the day, speaking with the people, walking in the market place, meeting with old friends, etc.  He had come to be known amongst the people.  He had some connections.  He was recognized as a follower of Christ and his disciple.  So people came to him.  People recognized him.  People in the villages and towns knew of him as he traveled with Christ.  But Simon was not yet known as the leader of the church that was about to come.  He was not yet seen as Christ's representative here on earth.

Christ recognized him as a leader.  Christ trained him to lead.  He gave him knowledge that he gave to no other disciple, knowledge that would be called upon to lead the people after the sacrifice .  So he tested Simon to see if he had learned what was being taught.  He questioned him about the lessons that he was given.  And he asked specific questions of Simon to see what his response would become.  So when Simon returned from his chores  Christ asked of his learning.  But  when he had entered the house, Jesus spoke first, saying, "What dost thou think, Simon?   “From whom do the kings of the earth  receive tribute or customs; from their own sons, or from others?"

Tribute was a touchy subject in those times just as it is today.  Christ wanted to know the thoughts of Simon Peter.  He wanted to demonstrate to him a lesson.  He wanted to show him that there was no reason to worry or to allow the trials and tribulations of the day to infect his mind and soul.  Just as Jesus wanted to instruct Peter in his time, he wants to instruct us today about all the issues that we as a people face.  He wants to comfort us.  He wants to protect us.  He wants to provide for us just as he did with Simon.

We worry about the issues that we face each day, especially for those who do not have the wealth of riches.  And even those who do have wealth, they worry also how to keep that wealth, how to hold on to it and not loose it or have it taken from them.  Yet it is that same wealth the same riches that becomes the reason for our downfall, the prison for an eternity.  Worry opens the door to anxiety about what we will eat, where we will sleep, will we have a roof over our head, what clothes we will wear, and many other issues we face daily.  It is these issues that will lead us astray.  It is these issues that will pressure us and force us to make decisions that could cause us to lie, cheat, steal, bear false witness, commit adultery, and all manner of sins against our father.  And they all stem from our disbelief in the Lord of the Universe, our God.

Our Father sent his only son from heaven that he may teach us and instruct us how to live, how to have joy, how to have peace.  He sent Christ Jesus to us that we may have life, first and foremost.  We were dead!  We had no life!  We are spiritual beings in a physical body.  We were doomed for an eternity in our physical bodies, and Christ came and gave us spiritual life, life beyond the physical.  Believe and you shall receive.  Ask and it shall be given you.  Seek and you shall find.  Knock and it shall be opened to you. 

Do not worry.  Do not fret.  Trust in the Lord and he will provide.  Worry no more.  Fret no more.  Receive the gift that God has in store for you.  I have.  I trust.  I know the truth.  My destiny has been rearranged that I may walk in the way of the Lord and I see miracles in my life each and everyday.  Believe in the Lord and practice "perfect patience" and you will witness miracles.  Come!  Walk with me and I will show you how to receive the light of the Holy Spirit.  He will reveal all to you.  God our father loves you.  Christ loves you and so do I.

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: 23-24a, Tribute to the kings of the earth: The Question?

Our paragraph topic is:  (Paying the Temple tax) Part 1.   

Christ and his disciples traveled on until they reached Capharnaum.  And in Capharnaum the collectors of the tax were waiting.  It was their job to make sure that the taxes were paid.  It was their job to make sure that the taxes were collected from all who entered the city.  It was there job to make sure that according to the law that the levy was paid to the temple so that all would bear responsibility.  The Law stated that the taxes would be paid by all.  The Law stated that all would support the maintenance and upkeep of the temple.  And the Law must be exacted upon all.

But there were those who did not pay.  There were those who had special privilege.  There were those who were above the law.  And the payment of the tax was looked upon with disdain.  So many were forced to pay the tax or suffer the consequences of the Law.  Support the temple.  Support the high priest.  Support the Pharisees and the Sadducees so that they were able to continue to live the lifestyle that their positions afforded.  All must pay.  All must give.  All must pay their fair share.  And those who were exempt would receive the benefits of the income that came from the tax.

So when the disciples entered the city and Christ did not pay the tax, Peter was questioned.  He was questioned concerning an answer that he did not know how to reply.  Does the Son of Man pay tribute others?  Does the Son of God give support to pay for the continuation of an unjust system?  Peter was confused.  Peter was concerned.  So in order to not cause alarm with the tax collectors he answered what they wanted to hear, even though he was still at odds with the system.  And when they had come to Capharnaum, those who were collecting the didrachma came to Peter, and said, "Does your Master not pay the didrachma?"  He said, "Yes." 


There were things that raised the ire of people in the time of Christ and there are things that raised the ire of people today.  There are many opportunities for us to get mad about the injustices that we experience today.  Why does the cost of gasoline continue to go up?  Why do we experience high electric and high gas bills, where the per unit costs is not fixed but fluctuate?  Why are food prices increasing but our income decreasing?  Why do we have to pay increasing taxes to the government and then hear about government waste? 

There are many things in the world that would cause us to be mad and angry, but where does it get us?  Why do we get angry?  Why do we get mad?  Why are we frustrated with the system?  We want more and we do not want to suffer the consequences of what the world forces upon us.  We want more money.  We want more food.  We want more clothes, cars, boats, women, drinks, good times.  We want to live in high places, we want all that this life has to offer, just like the others that we see having the good life.  Yet we do not realize that this world is dying, this world is decaying right before our eyes and we cannot see it. 

For those who believe, they already have their rewards.  For those who are in Christ, he provides for all our needs.  For those who abide with the Holy Spirit, there is no greater reward than what has already been given.  We do not need to get mad.  We do not need to be angry.  Christ provides all.  Christ cares for all.  Christ is all to those who know and believe.  He fulfills all our needs and all our desires.  His fulfillment is not temporary but permanent.  His fulfillment is everlasting.  His provisions are more than this world could ever offer.  Patience is the key.  Practice "perfect patience" and witness the miracles of God, for he will provide.  He will come through.  He will protect.  And he will fulfill all of the promises he has given to those who love him. 

Seek the kingdom of heaven and all else will be provided to you.  Have faith in the Lord and practice the patience that comes with the knowledge of truth.  Trust in the creator of the universe and you will be rewarded with the riches of the universe.  For material riches have nothing of value compared to the riches of heaven.  Crave not for the dirt of the earth but crave the kingdom of God.  I sought to know.  I sought to find.  I knocked on the door and asked God to know his love.  I was touched by his love and now I know.  This is the path I traveled.  This is the road I walked.  It is before you.  Come!  Walk the road with me and we will share a life of joy and happiness in the love of Christ and the love of God 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 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. 

St Matthew, Chapter 17, verse: 11, The Vision: Elias and the Restoration.

Our paragraph topic is:  (On the coming of Elias) Part 3.  

The disciples posed a question to Christ about the teachings of the Pharisees. They were taught that Elias must come first before the end. They believed that when Elias comes then the end is near.  There was conflict in their minds.  There was an understanding that needed to be had that was not forthcoming.  There was a sense of things that needed to be made sense of and they did not have that sense of knowing.   After seeing the vision of Christ with Moses and Elias they needed to have a sense of understanding.  As they came down from the mountain it all began to hit them as to what they had seen and heard.

It was a puzzling experience.  The voice of God the Father said to them that they should hear Christ.  In their efforts to hear him, they had to make sense of what they had heard and seen and experienced.  For this reason they believed that the great and dreadful day of the Lord was upon them.  They were taught that the Lord would bring fire upon the proud and the wicked upon that day.  On that day fire would be set to the wicked and there would be no root or branch but only dust.  And those who fear the Lord shall tread down the wicked and leap like calves of the heard.  These were the thoughts of the disciples as they tried to make sense of what they had experienced.  And they were in fear of the coming of that day and the coming of Elias.  So they asked Jesus, if that day was upon them, where was Elias.  But he answered and said, "Elias" indeed is to come and will restore all things."   

People today would describe fear and False Evidence Appearing Real.  In other words, our emotional reaction is based upon false evidence that is not real but only appears real.  And our reaction to that evidence is not justified.  We live in a world where our fears are minimized.  We are led to believe that we should not be afraid, that we should not fear being robbed, or raped, or shot by a stranger or bombed by a terrorist.  We are led to believe that we should live free of fear and terror and danger and unexpected events that would cause us harm.  We believe in a free society, protected from the danger.  In other parts of the world freedom is not so espoused as in the USA. 

We go about our lives without the fear of the Lord and the coming judgment.  God is love and his love fulfills all our needs.  We search, in this world, for those things that would fulfill us and make us happy but we discover that, that fulfillment is only temporary.  Even love, as we know it, is temporary.  Because our love is based in the physical realm it is only temporary.  Spiritual love is everlasting and comes from God, for he is love.  He fulfills all and completes the need and desire for love.  Yet we live in a society, in a world, that would have us believe that we can have the desires of our hearts.  We live in a world that would have us believe that we are protected and provided for through our own efforts.  We have nothing to fear.  We should live and love and enjoy and have fun to satisfy our hearts desires and pleasures.  And there is nothing to fear, there is no fear of the Lord's judgment.

Our God is a God of love and he loves us because he created us in his image and likeness, an image of love.  To protect us and to provide for us he gave us the commandments to keep us from harm.  For he is the ultimate judge.  Before Adam and Eve sinned God proclaimed that they should not eat of the forbidden fruit.  And if they did then they would die.  Satan tempted them, based upon the logic of the physical mind, into believing that they would not die even though he knew that they would lose their souls and die spiritually.  And the judgment was final.  Only a propitiation would annul the punishment and bring back the spiritual life that was lost.  God is love and he loves mankind.  But there is evil in the world that would have man die spiritually and loose his soul forever.

Christ became the sacrifice in order to annul the sin and give back spiritual life eternal.  Do you know the truth of who you are in Christ?  Do you know the truth of who you are spiritually?  There is a gift waiting for you.  Come, you can discover who you really are, only if you look.  Christ wants you to know who you are.  The Holy Spirit wants to live with you, guide you, protect you, provide for you.  Come!  Seek the truth of who you are in Christ.  Christ loves you and so do I.

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, verses:7-8, The Son of God: Jesus consoles them.

Our paragraph topic is: (Jesus transfigured) Part 6.
     
The disciples heard the voice of God and they were afraid.  Out of the cloud came a loud voice that spoke to them.  These were simple men.  They were not scholars.  They were not men of learning, men of power, men of stature in the community, but only simple fishermen, simple farmers, and common laborers.  But Christ chose them to be his followers.  They followed him because he had charisma.  They followed him because he had an aura about him that commanded their allegiance.  Christ cured the sick. He made the lame walk. He opened the eyes of the blind.  He even gave the disciples temporary power to do the same miracles that they saw him perform.  And they followed him because they came to love him.

But when the father spoke to them they became fearful.  They bowed their heads in fear for their lives.  They had not heard such a voice before.  They did not know if they were doomed or if they should rejoice.  Fear came upon them and took hold of them.  Fear opened the door and would have allowed evil to enter.  Fear prepared them for what they considered would be the end.  Yet this was the voice of their father speaking to them.  Hear him, he told them.  Hear Christ he told them.  Hear his words, hear his deeds, hear his actions, hear his presence.  But when the voice ended there was only Christ left for them to see.  There was only Christ left for them to hear.  There was Christ left for them to believe.  And Jesus came near and touched them, and said to them, “Arise and do not be afraid."  But lifting up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.   

Jesus told them, "Do not be afraid."  He told them as he did in many other situations to not be afraid.  He tells us today to not be afraid.  We fear what we do not understand.  We fear what we do not know.  We fear what we can not comprehend.  We are fearful creatures.  There are many things in this world that would cause us to open ourselves to fear.  But why should we be afraid?  Some would say that fear is good because it is a natural emotion built into our defense mechanism that protects us from harm.  We fear harm to our bodies.  We fear loss of life.  We fear loss of possessions, loss of love, loss of happiness, loss of material things, we are afraid of many things in this world.  This is only because we do not have the spiritual understanding that knows no fear.  Christ tells us not to fear.  He tells us not to worry.  He tells us to be happy because we have a father that will protect us from all harm.  It is one thing to believe but it is an even better thing to know with certainty. 

Yet we continue to fear because we do not believe, because we do not know.  We do not know who we are.  We have no idea of our spiritual nature within us because we only judge by our physical beings.  Fear limits us.  Fear controls us.  Fear commands us to act.  Fear closes the door to the opportunity for us to know who we truly are in Christ.  God created us in his image and his likeness.  He gave us dominion over this earth, over this realm, over the material world.  Adam chose for all men to give that dominion to Satan when he chose to be disobedient to God.  But Christ came and gave to all men, individually and collectively, the choice to decide for themselves if they want life or if they want death.

Spiritual life is a wonderful gift to have.  And life is as precious as freedom itself.  How do you know freedom if you have never been without?  How do you know life if you have never been without it?  How do you know death if you have never experienced life?  For he who is dead does not have life but only a dream.  And it is a dream that you wake up from and realize that you are dead.  In our life's dream we are given signs that tell us of our death.  We see death as though it were real life and true spiritual life as though it were a dream, something far off, something that may or may not exist but only in our imaginations. 

For those who seek to know life, Christ gave us the key.  He told us in his words how to experience life.  He spoke to us about the key to unlock death and open the door to eternal life, eternal life that we can see and experience and know with certainty, here on earth.  But we must awaken from the sleep of death.  We must open our eyes and see that we are asleep.  Once awake we can then seek the truth of life itself through Christ.  Some will balk at the idea of being told what to do.  Some will yield to the voice of disbelief and go back to sleep reasoning with the mind of the world.  But for those who seek, the door is open, the path is waiting for you to follow, the light shines at the end of the tunnel.  Come!  Find your treasure.  Know the truth of who you are in Christ.  The eye is the lamp of the body.  See the truth within yourself and gain the knowledge of the Holy Spirit within you.  Christ loves you and so do I.

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 15, verses: 24, The Lost Children of God: He was not sent.

Our paragraph topic is: (The Canaanite woman) Part 3.

The Canaanite woman came out of the country.  She came to plead for her daughter.  She came because she knew that he was the answer.  She came because she believed that he could save her daughter from the demons.  She came because she had faith in the word that she heard about him.  She came because nothing or no one else could help and she had tried them all. 

She cried out to him.  She pleaded with his disciples.  She wept for her daughter that she may know peace.  And Christ answered her not.  But she would not be turned.  She would not be moved.  She would not relent.  She had heard the word and she believed that he could.  She had heard the word of what he had done for others and she knew that he would save her daughter.  She knew that he would help her if only she could plead with him for her daughter.  So she came out of her country and cried out to him to save her daughter.  Christ answered her not.  But he answered and said,  "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

Christ was not sent.  He came of his own.  He came to save.  He came to free.  He came to sanctify.  He came to justify.  He came that mankind would be restored to their rightful place before God our Father.  But he was sent by God to lost sheep of the house of Israel.  He was sent by God to bring back the lost.  He was sent by God to restore to the house of Israel, those that had gone astray and were lost.  And to the rest he came. 

The Canaanite woman came.  She came for her daughter.  She came because of the word.  She came because she knew that he would save.  Why do we come?  Why do we seek him out?  Why do we pray?  Why do we plead to him for mercy?  Do you know that he is the one?  Do we believe that he can save?  Do we know in our hearts that Christ is the Son of God and can provide for us?  Do we believe that Christ is the Son of God and he can protect us from harm, can heal our wounds, can bring us joy and peace and happiness?   Or do we seek him that we may know worldly goods?  Do we seek him that we may live prosperously in this world?  Do we seek him that he may provide for us in this world.  For the world is corrupt.  The world is evil.  The world is on the path of destruction.  Do we know this and accept it or do we believe that having Christ with us in this world will redeem us?

Christ died that we may have spiritual life with the father.  For God said that if you eat of the forbidden tree then you must die.  And the spirit of man died on that day that he eat of the forbidden fruit.  But Christ came and restored what was lost.  Christ came and gave mankind new life that we may know spiritual life in him.  He did not come that we would know worldly life.  He came that the life that is within us, the spiritual life, would be restored, the spiritual life would be given back to mankind, if they chose to believe.  For it is through belief that we are restored.  It is through belief that we have eternal life in him.  It is through belief that we are baptized in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  And new life is restored and given.  Christ came of his own to save all mankind.  But he was sent by God to the lost house of Israel that they may be given new life in him. 

Do you believe?  Do you know?  Do you seek because you seek worldly relief?  Or do you seek because you believe that he is the one, that he is the truth, that he is the way to eternal life?  For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that we may have life everlasting.  The Canaanite woman believed.  What do you believe?