St. Matthew, Chapter 24, verse: 6b; Do not be alarmed.

Our paragraph topic is: (Christ warns them not to be led astray) Part 5.  

Many will be led astray by false prophets proclaiming themselves as the Christ.  This is what he told his disciples so that they would know when they heard someone proclaiming to be the Christ  that it was not he.  They would hear many things to come.  Many would get excited by what they would hear but he warned his disciples not to listen to all they would hear or see.  He warned them not to believe all they would hear others talking about because many would speak on what they would hear others saying and repeat the scandal of others.

Christ warned them not to be alarmed, not to be swayed by what they would hear.  The words would spread like wildfire over the grassland causing many to panic.  But the disciples were fore warned not to panic, not to be afraid.  Christ told them: "Take care that you do not be alarmed."

They must become the foundations during the storm that others can turn to for support.  For many will be blown away by the rumors and the panic of what they hear and see others doing.  Those that know the disciples and follow the teachings of Christ will know that the disciples have the foundation of his knowledge and his teachings and that nothing will harm them until it is their time.  They are his pillars here on earth for the church that he established and nothing or no one shall come between him and his church.

So there may be rumors and false prophets and teachers proclaiming themselves to be the Christ but he left instructions as to the how and the wherefore of his coming.

Let no one deceive as to the end of time.  It is written for all to see and believe when the end of time will take place.  Pray that you are not here to see or experience it. 

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, verse: 18; The Hypocrites.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Tribute to Caesar) Part 6.  

They sought to test him.  They sought to trap him.  They sought to know what were his thoughts on the matter of Caesar, the ruler of the Roman empire.  They thought that they were clever and wise and cunning.  But they were only revealing the wickedness of their thoughts and inner beliefs according to the directions that they were given by those who wanted to stop Christ.

So they sent the best of the best of their scholars and wise men to meet with Christ in an attempt to trap him in his own words that they could testify against him as witnesses.  But Christ knew of their plans.  But Jesus, knowing their wickedness, said, "Why do you test me, you hypocrites?"  

Here they were pretenders, paid actors pretending to be pious, holy, seeking knowledge, truth, and wisdom only they were wolves in sheep's clothing seeking their own purpose to get paid and to serve their masters who sent them to trick and trap Christ in his words.  They were wicked men.  They were deceitful and dishonest men.  They were high in stature but low in character, wearing an outward mask but having a mask underneath showing their true nature.

They did not fool Christ for he was able to see beyond the mask to the inner self of who they were.  He knew them for their nature and their character.  He saw the influence behind the inner mask, the evil that drove them to do what they were called to do.  And he was able to call them out as hypocrites.

Often times we are drawn to the charismatic ones who lead a group.  They are the ones that we wish that we were like, the ones that we want to be with.  Yet because of our desire to belong we find ourselves bound to a group that does not have the same values, but we go along just out of a need or a coercion to belong.  Gangs provide that need to belong and then they brainwash to solidify any second thoughts of backing out.  All this comes from a need to build up strong support for an ability to withstand the temptation of the gang.  It takes a strong individual along with a strong support group to prevent the draw of gang coercion.

Christ came to bring peace and love to the people of the earth.  He was an example to those who knew him, those who walked with him.  The gangs of his time sought to recruit him because they wanted to use him as their symbol to cause the people to rise up against Roman rule.  But his kingdom was not of this world.  So they tortured him, beat him, spat upon him and crucified him upon a cross of wood even though he was innocent of any crime or sin.  He was the sacrificial lamb that came down from heaven to be a propitiation for the sins of all mankind that we may have life again.  We lost it once but he came and regained it for all eternity.  So our gang is the gang of Christ.  We are the children of God our Father who has given us life eternal because we follow the rules of his commandments and belong to his gang.  Our home is not of this earth but of the kingdom of heaven.  Come!  Join the brotherhood of Christ and become a member of the Christian gang. 

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:34c, The ability to see.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The blind men at Jericho) Part 11.

We finish this paragraph on a happy note.  The two blind men sat by the roadside begging for their existence.  They could not see.  They had no means of support.  Their life and their livelihood depended upon the generosity of those who passed by their station.  They lived in darkness.  They were without hope and believed only in what they could get from those who passed by.

Some were generous.  Some were meager.  Some gave nothing.  And others cursed them for their plight.  But this was all they knew how to do to provide for themselves.  And then the word came their way.  The people spoke of his miracles.  The people spoke the word of all that he had done for others.  He healed the sick, opened the ears of the deaf, made the lame walk and cast out devils.  He even raised the dead.  And suddenly their hearts leapt for joy.  Suddenly there was hope.  Suddenly they had dreams of being able to see and they believed in the words that they heard.

And Christ came their way.  He walked the road that they sat upon begging for their daily bread.  And they heard his coming.  They heard the crowds shouting his name.  They cried out for his help.  Even as everyone pushed them aside they continued to cry out for his help.  And he heard their cries over all the others.  He heard their sorrow, their pain, their hope, and their belief that he could help them.  And he touched their eyes:  and at once they received their sight, and followed him. 

They were touched by Christ and received their sight.  He made them whole.  He gave them new hope and new faith and a new life to live.  Their hearts were filled with joy that they could now see the world as it was.  Their hearts rejoiced that they no longer lived in darkness.  Their hearts rejoiced that they were released from their prison and could finally be independent and provide for themselves.  Imagine the transformation that took place in their lives to go from darkness to light, to go from being dependent to independence, to go from being blind to now being able to see the world in its true form and beauty.  This was the gift that Christ gave to these two blind men.

We live in a world today that is filled with the things that we are given to see.  We have access to instant everything that consume our attention and occupy our time.  We can text, skype, talk, Instagram, Tweet, Google, Facebook, be Linkedin, use all sorts of new technology to make our lives better and more convenient.  We can even binge watch TV to idle the time away until our brains are fried.  But can we see the truth where all this leads us?  Where are we going? What are we doing with our lives?  What is the meaning of why we are here?  Is this all that there is to life?

Christ opened the eyes of the two blind men.  He transformed their lives in an instant.  And they followed him.  What would you do if your eyes were opened that you could truly see where you were going, where you could see what your purpose was in life, where you could understand who you are?  I saw but I did not see.  I knew but I did not know.  I understood but I did not have knowledge.  And then Christ touched me and opened my eyes.  He gave me new purpose and new life.  Now I know who I am in him.  Now I see clearly the world around me.  Now I have knowledge that comes from him and not from the world around me.  Now I have knowledge that comes from the Lord.  Come!  Receive your sight from the Lord and you too will be transformed.  You too will know the truth of who you are in him.  You too will see the light of life that is within you.  Come!  Cry out to the Lord and he will come, touch you and transform you into a new being, a being of light and life eternal.

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.