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. 

St Matthew, Cahpter 16, verse 24, The Cross of Man: Death!:

Our paragraph topic is:  (The doctrine of the cross) Part 1.   

Christ rebuked Satan in his attempt to thwart the will of God.  Now it was time to rebuke man and instruct him as to God's will for all mankind.  Christ came that man could have life.  Christ came that man would no longer suffer the fate of judgement.  Christ came that man would be lifted up from the judgement of sin and restored to sanctification through his sacrifice.  And Christ came to cancel the actions wrought by Satan in deceiving Eve and Adam to go against the will of God.  For God declared that disobedience would bring death to man.  And death, which did not exist before, entered the world through that disobedience.

And when time was fulfilled Christ gave up his heavenly throne and became man.  He gave up all his power and glory and majesty so that man may be redeemed.  He became a pauper instead of a rich man.  But this transformation was not enough.  There had to be temptation by Satan.  There had to be torture by evil.  There had to be torment by the minions.  There had to be morning and weeping and pain.  And finally there had to be death. 

And this was the example set by Christ as to the path of sanctification and glorification through him.  Man must suffer.  Man must be tempted.  Man must have pain, and morning, and weeping and finally death.  Man must have his cross.  Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Follow me, he told his disciples and the people around him.  He gave them the path to follow.  He gave them directions.  He showed them the way.  Take up your cross.  Deny yourself.  Follow me, he told them.  He spoke to them then, just the same as his words tells us today.  Deny yourself!  Deny myself is not what most want to hear today.  For there is so much for us to have.  There is so much for us to want.  There is so much for us to see, do experience, to live, to enjoy in this life, in this world.  Why then should we deny myself?  Why then should we give up having all that is for us to have, simply because Christ said to do so some two thousand years ago? 

We live in a world where all pleasure and desire is placed at our feet if we just seek it.  We are led to believe that simply by our hard work, devotion to the principles of this world, that we can have all that we desire.  For, there are ample examples of those who have made it in this world and live a life of joy and pleasure.  Or so we are told and led to believe.  And death awaits us all.  Death stands by in the shadows waiting for the opportunity to steal us away from this good life. 

We live our lives in fear of death.  We live our lives attempting to protect ourselves from the uncertainty of death.  With enough wealth we can have the right doctors, lawyers, and specialists that will keep us alive and healthy to enjoy the potential of the good life.  Non would seek to conquer death.  Non would seek to challenge death.  Non would enjoy the prospects of what death brings for fear of loosing the potential of the good life here on this rock.  And yet this is what Christ instructed us to do.  Take up your cross!  Take up your death and embrace it with joy!  For it is through death that we are transformed.  Christ gave us that belief, that certainty, through his resurrection.  For through him we have life.  Through his sacrifice, through his death, and through his resurrection, we have life eternal.

Follow the example.  Take up your death and embrace it.  Take up your cross and enjoy its meaning.  For through it and with it one comes home to the Father.  Through the cross one has life and life eternal.  Through death, the cross, the love of the Father awaits all who follow Christ in this life.  He awaits your decision.  He awaits your choice, for the choice is yours.  Choose the world or choose Christ.  Choose life or choose death.  Choose eternal joy and happiness or choose suffering and eternal damnation.  The choice is yours.  Come!  Follow the path set before you.  You have come this far to this point in reading this message.  Take the next step and know the truth of who you are in Christ.  If you think that the world has joys and pleasures to offer, come know the eternal joy and peace in Christ.  Christ, your savior awaits.  The Holy Spirit will be your guide and counselor. 

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 16, verse: 2 - 4, The Test: Reading the signs.

Our paragraph topic is: (The Pharisees and Sadducees ask a sign) Part 2 
 
The Pharisees and the Sadducees came to Christ to ask for a sign.  They had devised a test for him.  They said they wanted to believe.  They said they wanted to know.  They said that they wanted to see for themselves that Christ was the Messiah and a sign from heaven would convince them that he was the one.  Yet evil had conspired with them.  Evil had devised a plan with them.  Evil had conferred with them to test Christ.  And the evildoers were in agreement that they would come to Christ and ask for a sign.

And Christ saw through them.  Christ saw their evil.  Christ knew of their test but the evildoers were blind.  They did not know.  They could not see who was before them for they could not see the evil that was within them.  But they claimed that they wanted a sign from heaven that they might believe.  Yet they knew how to read.  They knew how to interpret.  They knew how to explain the changes that were taking place but evil was with them and they were blind.  Christ gave them their explanation.    But answering them he said , ''When it is evening you say, 'The weather will be fair, for the sky is red.'  And in the morning you say, 'It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and lowering.'  You know then how to read the face of the sky, but cannot read the signs of the times!   

Christ gave them an example.  He showed them how to use their senses.  He told them that they could read, they could see, they could know if they only use their natural senses.  But the Pharisees and the Sadducees were blind.  They could see but did not want to believe.  They were filled with the darkness that would not allow them to know the truth of Christ.  But he gave them an example that they would know.  He gave them a riddle that would open their minds.  He gave them natural knowledge that they could use to open their hearts and see the truth of the signs that were being worked before their eyes.  But evil consumed them, darkness was within them, and it covered their knowledge of who they were in Christ.

Where are we today?  Are we consumed with darkness?  Are we blinded by the world?  Can we not see the signs that are before us.  Can we not know the truth of who we are and let Christ open our eyes that we may see, and open our hearts that we may know and heal us.  He came to suffer for our wrongs.  He came to die for our sins.  He came that we may have life eternal for without him we are dead.  And through him we have life if we only believe and turn from our evil ways.  The world does not want us to change.  The world would keep us in chains and dead to the life that Christ gives us.  The world would have us not believe.  The world have us partially believe so that we may sit on the fence, living in the world and thinking that we believe in Christ. 

The Father asks us to turn from the evil in the world and to obey his commandments.  The commandments are not meant to harm us, to block us from living.  If you tell a child not to touch the flame because it will burn and cause harm, that child does not know the truth of your words.  But it accepts that truth and does not touch the flame.  Our Father tells us to follow his commandments because to do otherwise would bring harm to us.  And yet we do not obey. 

I did not obey.  I followed the ways of the world, because everyone else followed.  Everyone else was in the world.  Everyone else was consumed with the world and I followed.  I tried to live in the world.  I tried to do as the world said.  I tried to make it work in the world, to have the riches and the desires of the world.  It only led to my destruction.  It only led to my downfall.  It only led me to be tested, to cross over to the darkness. 

Thank you Father for holding my hand.  Thank you Father for not letting go of me for not even sparrow falls to the ground except by the Father's leave.  Thank you Father for giving me your peace when I was a child that I would know how to find you.  Read the signs of the times.  Know the truth of who you are.  Follow the example that is given you as Christ gave to the Pharisees and the Sadducees.  Read the signs of the times!  Christ awaits you.  Christ is holding your hand.  Come back to him and know the joy and the peace that his love gives to all those who know him.  I did and I know the peace and the love that he gives me daily. 

Read the signs 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!