St. Matthew, Chapter 24, verse: 7a; Nation against nation.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Christ warns them not to be led astray) Part 8.  

Christ continues to tell his disciples about the destruction that is to come.  He does not want to fill them with fear but he would rather that the word come from his mouth than from the mouths of scandal, spread by anyone who has added words to embellish the tells of destruction and add fear to the minds of those who would hear it.

The disciples must know.  They must understand what is to happen.  They must remain calm in the eye of the storm because Christ is with them and he has told them of the coming doom.  They are his witnesses here on earth of all that he has said and done, all that was prophesied, all that was foretold.  They are the ones who will carry the message of hope and faith in the one true God.  This is why he is telling them:  "For nation will rise against nation."

The prophesy is written.  It has been foretold.  It is there for all to see, for all to read, for all to believe if they choose.  The choice is theirs.  One cannot say one did not know for it has been there for two thousand years.  Maybe it will be tomorrow or the next day or next week or next year.  Who knows.  The question to ask is are we ready when it comes.  Have we prepared ourselves for that time and place to accept who we are with 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 21, verses: 39; They killed the Son.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The vine-dressers kill the master's son) Part 2. 

This is a special time of year when Christians come together to celebrate the three days of the passion of Christ.  He came to Jerusalem knowing full well the outcome.  Yet he completed the Father's will, not his own, even to the point of death.  He died on the cross sacrificing his life for the life of many throughout the world and throughout all time.  He conquered death and gave life anew to all who would believe.

This parable is about that death.  It is about the opportunity that Christ Jesus extends to all.  The vine-dressers were given that opportunity to change from their greed, to change from their passion, to turn away from temptation.  Yet they could not see.  They could not understand what was being offered.  They did not accept it.  They could only see the greed and passion of their wants and desires.  "So they seized him, cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him."

They were vine-dressers.  They were workers in the vineyard.  They did not own it, but they laid claim to it.  The owner sent messengers.  He sent servants to them.  He sent his own son thinking that they would respect him as the official representative of the owner.  They did not.  They cast him out and killed him, thinking that his death would end the claim on the vineyard.  The opportunity was theirs to take.  The reward was theirs to receive.  But greed had consumed them and they could not see beyond their false claim.

Christ came into this world to bring the word to all who would listen.  He came so that we could know and believe in the Father.  He cast out demons.  He healed the sick, cured the lame, opened the eyes of the blind, made the lepers whole, even raised the dead to give signs of the power given him from the Father.  Yet even this was not enough to convince that he was the Messiah, the chosen one.  Evil had taken hold of Israel.  Power and influence were challenged.  He came to break those bonds to set the people free and give them new life.

We celebrate Easter on this day, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  We celebrate with joy and gladness the gift that he has given to all, the gift of life.  Though he paid a horrific price for our freedom, he accomplished the will of God our Father through the passion of love.  His love is fulfilling.  His love is all encompassing.  His love is for all peoples throughout the entire
world.  His love is eternal throughout all time.  We are his people, his creation; he is our Father.  Let us be glad this day that it is finished. 

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:13a; It is Written.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Cleansing of the Temple) Part 3. 

Christ entered the temple with anger, horror, and frustration at what he saw.  They were selling and buying of gifts for sacrifice.  They were changing of monies and lying and deceiving the purchasers of their money, money that is meant for the purchase of gifts for the praise of God.  The thieves and the robbers had entered the holy place used for prayer and thanksgiving and Christ was horrified at what he saw.

He saw evil.  He saw those who were influenced by evil practicing greed and deceit.  Their only goal was to make money and revel in the praise of mammon for the wealth that it brought to them.  They were not concerned that it was a house of prayer.  They were not concerned that it was a house of worship to the creator.  They were only concerned with greed and deceit, how much could they cheat the customer out of their money meant for God the Father.  And he said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer'." 

The word is written for all to see.  The word is patient for the time for completion.  The word is fulfilled for all to know that the time had come.  And it came to pass that evil was overturned in the temple.  It came to pass that evil would not take by force the house of God.  It came to pass that the time for redemption was at hand and no longer would evil be allowed to rule the day.

He came to walk among us.  He came to show us his love.  He came that we would have a witness as to the truth.  He came that we would have forgiveness and a new life.  He came and he is our Lord and Savior.  The word is written.  The word is truth.  The word awaits for completion.  The word will be fulfilled.  The choice is ours to believe.  The choice is ours to accept.  The choice is ours to know the truth of who we are in Christ.

Let not the world deceive you as it did me.  Let not the world turn you away from the truth of who you are.  Let not the world turn you away from the life that is freely given you by the sacrifice of his love.  It is written for you to believe.  It is written for you to accept freely.  It is written for you to see and know him in truth and honesty.  The word will be fulfilled.  The word will be completed.  The word will return to the Father having finished it's purpose.  Will you receive the word and be renewed?  I do, I have, I am, I know.  Do 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 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: 12a, The selling and buying.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Cleansing of the Temple) Part 1. 

We continue our walk with Christ as he enters Jerusalem.  The people of Jerusalem did not know him but the people who came from far away places knew him and had heard the word.  They praised him as he entered the city.  They worshipped him as he came.  They shouted Hosanna in the highest.  They were the ones who gave honor and glory to him and not the citizens of Jerusalem.

He walked through the city and the crowds followed.  They wanted to know what he would do.  They wanted to know what he would say.  They wanted to see him, to touch him, to be a part of the history that was being made.  So Christ went to the temple to pray.  He went to the temple to teach.  He went to the temple, to his father's house.   And Jesus entered the temple of God, and cast out all those who were selling and buying in the temple. 

He was appalled.  He was astonished.  He was angry that this sacred place was being used as a market place for con artists and thieves.  Evil had invaded the house of the Lord.  It had taken over the most sacred place where the people came to worship, praise, and thank their heavenly father.  This was wrong.  This was blasphemous.  This was not the place for those who practiced the ways of the world to do their business.

So he entered with anger.  He entered with righteousness.  He entered and cast out the evil that had taken over the temple.  What would you have do if this was your house and it was being used as a drug house, a house of prostitution, a den for robbers and murders to gather?  Would you have called them out?  Would you have called the law enforcement to clear them out?  What would you do?

Christ came that we would know the truth.  He came to be our sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins.  He came that we would have new life and have it more abundantly.  He came to establish his presences here on earth through the legacy of his church.  And he said that the forces of hell shall not prevail against it.  So today we have a place to go when we are in need of peace.  We have a place to go when we need to communicate with our Father.  We have a place to go away from the world outside.  We have a place to go where we can find love, and understanding, and forgiveness.  For this is what he left us throughout the world.  No matter where we go or what city we find ourselves in, somewhere we can always find a place of worship, a place of peace.

Long did I wait before I entered the church.  Ashamed was I of the experiences I had in my life away from the church.  Guilty was I of the sins that I committed.  Desire did I to have peace, forgiveness, hope, and faith in my life.  I knew, but rationalize did I what I was doing.  I did not care of the consequences.  But he held my hand despite my disobedience.  He loved me despite my uncaring.  He forgave me despite my guilt and my shame.  He loves me today and I love him for all that he has done for me.  Turn back I will not.  With the help of the Advocate I will fight to continue to walk the path he has given me and I will fight to open the door to any and all who seek the truth of him who loves all.     

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: 8, The humble and the lowly paid him homage .

Our paragraph topic is:  (Triumphal entry into Jerusalem) Part 3. 

They heard that he was coming.  And the word spread of his arrival.  They came to see, they came to hear, they came that they could be a part of his arrival.  They were simple folks.  They were poor, they were humble, they were the downtrodden and the suffering.  But they believed in him.  They had faith in him that he would change their world, change their suffering, change their pain into joy.  They believed.

So they came out to meet him.  They had no horns or drums to announce his coming.  They had no confetti to welcome him, but they had their cloaks.  And they found a way to honor him, a way to praise him, a way to give him the glory that he deserved.  And most of the crowd spread their cloaks upon the road, while others were cutting branches from trees, and strewing them on the road. 

This was their time to celebrate.  This was their time to rejoice.  This was their time to show to the world the coming of the Messiah and their belief in him.  They were not the governors, or the priests, or the men of power, or the merchants of the day.  These were the common folk, the people who had heard the word, the people who were poor and downtrodden, the everyday common people who were trying to eek out a living in those trying times.

And Christ came onto the scene.  He heals the sick and the word travels.  He cast out demons and the word goes forth.  He cures the lepers and open the eyes of the blind, and makes the lame walk, and forgives the sins of those who are sinners.  He raises the dead to demonstrate to those who believe that he is the Messiah, the Son of God.  And the word becomes wildfire and spreads throughout the land.  And now he comes to the annual celebration of the Passover and all want to see, all want to know, all want to be a part of the new beginning that he brings.

Only a hand full know what is about to happen.  Only the few have been warned of the sacrifice.  Only a few follow in horror of the greatest suffering that is about to take place for one so innocent and unblemished as Christ.  They did not know what was happening.  They did not understand why this was taking place.  They thought that he came to take over the kingdom, to be ruler of the world, to transform all the evil that was taking place.  They did not know or fully believe that he came to be the sacrifice, the propitiation for our sins.  They did not know that he would rise again, triumphant over death, never to die again.  They only knew that they could see what was in front of them and what they saw was horror.

Two thousand years later we know why he came.  It has been given to us to see the church that he created through the disciples.  It has been given to us to know of his sacrifice, of his suffering, of his pain, of his death, of his resurrection, and of his ascension into heaven to sit at the right hand of his Father.  We who believe know the why and the wherefore.  That has been given to us.  What we do not know is when he will return, when the words will be fulfilled.  Will you be ready?  Do you believe?  Do you know 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 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.

St. Matthew, Chapter 20, verse:33, Open our eyes.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The blind men at Jericho) Part 8.

What would you have me do for you is the question that Christ asked the two blind men?  What do you want?  He heard their cries.  He heard their sorrows.  He heard their hearts calling out to him over the din of the crowd.  He did not see them.  He did not know them.  But through all the noise and all the people that followed him he heard their hearts calling out to him.

They were two blind men sitting by the roadside begging for their daily needs.  They had no work.  They had no income.  They had no way of providing for themselves.  They were blind.  They depended upon the mercy of those who passed them by.  They depended upon the goodness in the hearts of men and women who had pity upon them.  Many thought that they were sinners and did not deserve their help.  Many thought that they had sinned or someone in their family had sinned.  But here they were sitting by the roadside asking for help that they might survive.

And then the word came to them.  The word that spread throughout the land of Christ's deeds and his miracles spoke to their ears.  The word traveled by mouth, from one person to another.  The mouth spoke the word and all listened.  The mouth spoke the word and the two blind men heard.  They believed the word.  They hoped in the word and what it could mean for them.  And the will of God came their way.  Their hearts were filled with joy.  They believed that they might have the opportunity for their dreams come true.  And when they heard that he was there, they cried out.  He heard them and asked: "What would you have me do for you?"  They said to him, "Lord, that our eyes be opened."

Lord open our eyes!  This, more than anything else was their hearts desire.  They wanted to see.  They wanted to know.  They wanted to be delivered from the darkness, from the endless despair, from the hopelessness.  They wanted to live in the light.  They had their hearing.  They had their sense of smell and taste and touch, but they could not see.  They could not experience all that was, without their sight.  And they could not provide for themselves without their sight.

Do you live in hopelessness?  Do you live in despair?  Are you on the merry-go-round of life not knowing your purpose or place in this world?  We see so much joy and happiness in others in the media.  Our appetites are fed with the material pleasures that we could have in our lives.  Yet we live our lives in momentary pleasures that are here today and gone tomorrow and then we fall back into the daily grind of life.  Most of us live by the wayside like the two blind men.

Why do we hurt?  Why do we feel such pain, such anguish?  Why is it that we are not happy within ourselves?  What more is there to life that we are missing?  Our joy, our happiness, our peace is not real but only fleeting.  Is there more?  Is there something that is real that we can latch onto?  Can we not feel true joy within?  Can we not be truly happy within?  The two blind men only wanted to see.  What is it that you want?  Lord open our eyes that we may 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 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:31a, Others tried to silence them.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The blind men at Jericho) Part 4. 

Opportunity knocked at their door.  Fortune favored their call.  The word spoke to them and they were overwhelmed with the joy and happiness that comes with the fulfillment of a dream.  For Christ was coming to their village.  He was coming to their town.  He was near and would soon be walking down the road where they sat begging for their survival.  They were blind.

The two blind men knew that this was their one time to ask the one person they believed could help them, Messiah.  They had heard the stories.  They had heard of the miracles.  They believed all were true and wanted to have their opportunity to ask the Lord for his help.  What did they want?  Was it gold?  Was it silver?  What was it that they wanted more than anything else in their lives.  They wanted to see.  More than life itself they wanted to be able to see and this was their opportunity.  They would not be silenced.  They would not cease their begging.  They would not pass on this opportunity to have their eyesight because others wanted them to stop.  "And the crowd angrily tried to silence them." 

What will you do when your opportunity knocks?  What will you want?  What will you need more than anything else in your life?  Will it be fame?  Will it be fortune?  Will it be riches?  Will it power?  Will it be influence?  What is it in your life that you desire?  And what will you sacrifice to obtain your dream?

We live in a world where we are bombarded daily, hourly with the things that make us want.  We make minimum wage and live from paycheck to paycheck.  But we see commercials on TV about owning a luxury car, buying a dream house, having money to buy expensive clothes.  All this comes to us in the guise of advertising.  All these things comes to us through the media that drive us to want, drive us to strive, drive us to be more, drive us to do more, drive us to want more.  We can be all that we want to be, but at what price.

The two blind men sat by the roadside begging, as they did everyday, for their needs.  We sit in our cubicles working in our daily grind to provide for our needs.  We want more because we are given to want more.  We are bored, dissatisfied, unhappy because that is what we are given to be.  We see all the happy people who have it all and that is where we want to be.  And for those who are given to extremes, they will seek to take what they want at any cost.

Christ came to the two blind men.  They did not know, until they heard, that he was coming.  Christ comes to us also.  He comes to let us know that we are loved.  He comes to hear our sorrows, our pain, our wants and our desires.  He cares for us.  He knows what we want, what we need.  But we do not know what it is that will satisfy our hunger.  We do not know what will fulfill our happiness and our joy eternally.  We do not know that we are the children of our Father and he will provide. 

God will provide.  God has provided.  He has given us more than we could ever want.  He has given us his love.  We were once dead.  But now we live.  The life we have is given to us through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus.  And it is through his sacrifice that we are blessed beyond imagination.  We recognize the things of the world.  But we need to recognize the things of the spirit.  For this recognition opens our eyes and our hearts to that which is within us.  To know the love that the Father has for each and everyone of us will fill the heart for all eternity.  And beyond his love nothing else exists that  can or will satisfy.

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 20, verse:30a, Two Blind men.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The blind men at Jericho) Part 2. 

A great crowd followed Christ as he was leaving Jericho.  He was the person of the times.  Everyone wanted to see him.  Everyone wanted to be near him.  Everyone wanted something from him.  They were drawn to him through the word.  They heard through the word.  And the word spread of his deeds, of his miracles, of his teachings.  Many thought that he would bring about change.  But his change was of a greater purpose than what was imagined.

He came for a purpose.  He walked and talked for a purpose.  He taught of the things to come and of his Father.  And he gave comfort to those in need.  He gave hope to those without hope.  He brought light into the darkness so that those without belief would know, those without hope would be hopeful, those without faith would see that their faith was real.  Even the blind who could not see knew that he was the one.  "And behold, two blind men sitting by the wayside heard that Jesus was passing by."

The word was everywhere.  Everyone was talking about him.  Everyone was spreading his message and what they saw.  And that meant that they stopped what they were doing and came to him.  He was in their town.  He was in their village.  He was nearby and they wanted to see for themselves.  He was nearby and they wanted to know for themselves.  He was there and they wanted to be there.  The two blind men were there and this was their opportunity.

Great people come into our lives and we have opportunities to see them, to be where they are, to even have a chance to meet them.  So when that opportunity presents itself, if we are lucky, we rush to be in that place where they are.  This is our nature.  This is who we are.  This is the opportunity to grab a moment in time that we will remember for the rest of our lives. 

What would you do if you heard that Jesus was passing by your city?  What would do if you heard that Christ was coming to your town?  If it were announced on the news that Christ was having a meeting at your local church, your local arena, or coliseum, would you come?  Would you make an effort to buy a ticket, to get off from work, to plan a way to get to where he would be?  He performs miracles.  He changes lives.  He makes the blind see and the lame walk, and the cripple whole.  What could he do for you, if you came to see him?

Each and everyday we have that same opportunity.  Each and everyday we can go to see him, be with him, touch him, know that he is with us.  Each and everyday we have the opportunity to live with him just as the disciples did two thousand years ago.  The choice is ours.  The opportunity is ours if we choose.  All we have to do is ask. 

We must know that our asking requires patience.  We must know that our asking requires believing.  It is believing that we must act on, knowing with certainty that he will hear us and answer.  For without that certainty, impatience will creep in.  Without that certainty, impatience will seek to persuade you to give up.  Impatience will talk to you and seek to make you believe that he will not answer.  Impatience will seek to destroy your faith in him.  But patience will deliver.  For patience will allow you to see the miracles that he will perform in your lives.  Patience will give you the strength to know that he will answer.  Patience will walk with you each day, each hour, each minute and show you how to walk in belief, and to walk in faith, and to walk in hope.  We are his children and he is our Father.  He will provide.

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: 16a, The Order of things: The Last, first and the First, last.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the laborers in the vineyard)
Part 24.

We have been writing about this parable for some time now and we come to its end.  The house-holder had the right to choose to do as he pleased with his generosity to pay all the laborers the same amount and the laborers had the right to feel slighted.  The first hired laborers agreed to the payment for a days labor in the beginning.  They understood that they would work an entire day for a denarius.  They believed that this was a fair and just payment for their labor.  They were the first to come and the last to leave, the last to get paid.

It was in their payment that they turned, they changed, they felt slighted.  They saw that the other laborers who came after them were paid the same amount.  It was in this seeing, in this believing that their minds were changed, their hearts were bittered, their anger began to boil.  But that was the decision of the house-holder and not the decision of the laborers.  He decided to pay all the same.  He decided to make all equal in terms of their pay.  He decided to be generous.  And that had no bearing on the laborers.  As he told the laborers:  "Even so the last shall be first, and the first last." 

This is a famous quote in religious teachings, but what does it mean for those who follow the teachings of Christ today.  Christ was the first of all creations.  And he is the begotten son of God our Father.  He was there from the beginning of all creation.  Before the heavens were created and the principalities came into being, he was there with the Father.  He saw it all, he knows it all,  he was a part of it all in the love of God our Father.  Who will be the last?  Who will be the last soul to enter into the kingdom of heaven before the doors are closed and no more enter into the kingdom.

God our Father is a generous God.  He is a loving God and a protective Father who watches over his children.  Out of the generosity of his love he gave us life .  But there will come a point when time is fulfilled and all things are completed and the judgment will come forth.  There is a time when the heavens will shake and the tree of life will no longer give of its fruit.  There will come a time when our savior Jesus Christ will come forth with all his angels and demonstrate his power and majesty to the world that all will know his name.  When will that time come?  No one knows but the Father.

Will you be the last?  Will you know the truth of who you are in Christ?  You have, within you, the life of the Father.  You have, within you, the instructions given you through the Word.  You can have, within you, the path laid out by the Advocate each day.  The choice is yours to make.  Will you be the last?  The Father awaits you with open arms.  He seeks to embrace you with his love.  He desires that you come home to him instead of the place built for the outcast angels.  The choice is so simple and so easy to make.  The choice is a thousand times better than anything the world has to offer.  Come!  Take his hand and follow the path given you from the life within.  You will know the truth.  You will know the love.  You will know peace.   

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: 22b, The commandments: Having great possessions.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The rich young man speaks to Jesus) Part 16.

And now we come to the culmination of this paragraph topic, the rich man speaks to Jesus.  He came because he wanted to know.  He had conquered all the experiences of his time, having the freedom to do as he pleased.  Yet within all that he had accomplished he still desired something more.  He had a hunger within.  He had a hole that needed to be filled.  He had yet to find anything in this world that could fill it.  He had riches.  He had opportunity.  He had freedom to do all that his wealth allowed.  Yet he did not have the fulfillment that enlightenment brought.

He sought Christ because he heard the word.  He sought Christ because the word opened the door to his heart and stirred something within him.  He sought Christ because that which was within pointed him in the direction of Christ to get the answers.  And when he found Christ he was given answers.  Keep the commandments he was told.  That he did, but that was not enough to fill the hunger.  If he wanted to be perfect he was given other tasks to complete.  Sell what he had.  Give to the poor and have treasure in heaven.  And then, to reach that perfection, come and follow Christ to fill the hunger within.  When he heard the words he was filled with sorrow and sadness.  "He went away sad, for he had great possessions."

He had great possessions.  Much had he acquired in his lifetime even though he was a young man, he had great possessions.  Typical of what we aspire to have today is great possessions.  We want much riches, cars, beauty, good health, love, passion, power, beautiful homes, travel, fine clothes, fine wines, fine men or women in our lives.  All these are the things that we aspire to have today.  Is it wrong to want these things?  Is it wrong that we see and feel the desires of our hearts?  Is it wrong for us to want what is given to us to have?  After all we see these things presented to us everyday.  We are given to want these things because others have them and they tell us that we should want them also.

Great possessions are the things that are plugged into our brains daily.  Yet it is those same possessions that possess us.  It is the desire, the passion, the need, that drives us that consumes us, that possess us in our every waking thought and deed that lead us to the destination that we seek.  Some succeed in that goal.  Most do not.  What must we do to obtain that goal?  Or is that goal something that we truly want or desire?  Thousands of potential actors, singers, comedians, and performers grow up seeking to be the stars of today.  Yet only a handful succeed in reaching that goal.  And what are the consequences that are paid to obtain that goal?  What price do they pay to be number one? 

The rich young man had an opportunity.  He had an opportunity like nothing else that he had experienced in his life.  He had the opportunity to become a follower of Christ, to become a disciple.  Yet he had possessions.  He had great possessions.  And those possessions had a hold of him.  He could not find a way to let them go.  He was blinded by the glitz and glamour of death.  For all that is physical leads to death.  And all that is spiritual leads to life.  What is the dollar but ink on paper?  What is gold but a shimmering rock?  All that we are given to value in this world does not give life but death.  And there is nothing in this physical world that will give life except that which is life. 

Christ came that we would have life and have it more abundantly.  We are the life that he has given us if we only are able to see it, to feel it, to know it, to be it.  We are given death in the disguise of life, but life is within us and not from outside.  Life is the light that is within us.  It is the essence of that which Christ gave to us.  It is the light of life that results from the spirit within.  I am the spirit and not the physical.  I am the light within and not the body.  I am the life of the spirit and not the darkness of death.  For I know the truth of who I am in Christ and so can you.  I know the consolation of the Spirit and so can you.  I know the protection and the provision of the Father and so will you.  Come!  Know the truth of who you are in the spirit and see the life that is within 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: 21b, The commandments: If thou wilt be perfect, give to the poor.

Our paragraph topic is: (The rich young man speaks to Jesus) Part 13. 

Christ continues to instruct the rich young man in the things of heaven and of the kingdom.  The young man wanted to know what to do just as we today want to know.  He, however had a burning desire to know.  He came to the one person that he heard would give him the truth.  Jesus spoke the word.  He spoke the word that would reach many ears far and wide.  He spoke the word that would reach the hearts of his people, those who belonged to the Father.  For they came in search of what they had heard.  They sought out the truth of what had come to them via word of mouth and they wanted to know if what they heard was true.  They wanted to see this person themselves with their own eyes.  And they came just as this young man had come.

For the word called them.  The word spoke to them.  The word entered their hearts, their minds, and spoke to the spirit within them.  Christ came to teach.  He came to instruct.  He came that all who would believe would have a reference to the truth of his words, his life, and his sacrifice.  And just as he spoke to the rich young man, he speaks to us today.  Jesus said to him, "If thou wilt be perfect, go, give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven.

Christ had already told the young man that he should sell what he had.  He told him that he should divorce himself of that which holds him, that which binds him to the physical.  For the physical is dead.  The physical is imperfect and temporary, but the spiritual is perfect, and everlasting.  So Christ was telling this young man to let go of the physical.  And in this statement he was telling him to give that which he had to those that are in need.  By giving to those that are in need he would in turn gain for himself permanent treasure that is in heaven. 

How difficult is this concept to grasp?  We know of the physical.  We know of that which we can see and feel and touch and taste and smell.  We do not know of that which is beyond our physical senses.  Yet we have something that is much more than the physical.  We have the spirit that is within us.  How can we see the spirit?  How can we feel the spirit?  How can we touch and taste and hear that which is spiritual that is within us?  How can we know that which is proclaimed as part of us and yet have no physical proof?  The simple truth is belief.  To open the door to the spirit within, you must first believe that you are spirit.  You must open the mind and open the heart in order that the spiritual eye within may see. 

You see all science starts with a belief.  We believed that the earth was not flat and set out to prove it.  We believed that the earth is not the center of the universe and use that which we have to prove it.  If we believe that we are physical beings wrought by millions of years of evolution then that is what we will seek to prove and to find.  However, if we search the world around us and see the majesty of its construction and know that this complex and beautiful world did not just evolve from an amoeba, then we allow ourselves to come to believe that there is something that is far greater than ourselves that created the grandeur and majesty before us.  And with that open mind we can begin to see the truth of what we seek.

And if we seek the knowledge and wisdom of God who created us,  we can find the key to the truth of who we are in his instructions, in his words.  Christ came that we would have the word.  He came that through the oneness with the Father we could find the instructions we need to ourselves.  We are spiritual beings.  We belong to the spirit and not to the physical.  The mind cannot see, the ear cannot hear, but the heart can know the truth of who we are.  For through the mind of the heart we open the door to that which is ourselves.  We can see the light of life that is within us.  Through the mind of the heart we can feel the presence of the spirit that will abide within us.  Through the mind of the heart we can know the wisdom that is given us on a daily basis that will be our guide in life. 

Christ tells the young man to give to the poor and he will have treasure in heaven.  Give to the poor and you will find your treasure.  For heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field and once you find it you will sell all that you have to have your treasure, what heaven offers.  For nothing on this earth can compare to the riches that await in heaven.  Nothing on this earth is everlasting as what awaits you in heaven.  Nothing on this earth can fulfill as what awaits you in the presence of the Father in the kingdom of heaven.  And once you taste that, you will long for nothing else 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.

St Matthew, Chapter 19, verse: 16, The Good Master.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The rich young man speaks to Jesus )
Part 1.

Our scripture journey skips and takes us to another time and place.  We left Christ where he laid hands on the children and prayed over them.  He departed from that place and moved on to another.  It is in this place where he encounters a young man that has heard of him through the word.  The word traveled.  The word was with the people.  The word was with the rulers, the wealthy, the soldiers, the merchants, the word was with everyone.  The people spoke it.  They heard it.  They marveled at it.  And it spread from one mouth to one ear to another mouth and so on.

It was the word that caught this young man.  He wanted his questions answered.  So he sought  Christ to pose the questions that that no one else could answer to his satisfaction.  He wanted an answer that would provide meaning  to his life.  He wanted to know.  He wanted to believe.  He wanted to do those things that would guarantee him success to the kingdom of heaven.  So he sought Christ  for the answer to his questions.  And behold, a certain man came to him and said, "Good Master, what good work shall I do to have eternal life?" 

What good work shall I do to have eternal life?  Is this not the question for each and every one of us?  Do we not want to have eternal life?  Do we not want to enjoy the life that we have forever?  Or, is this not a question that we concern ourselves with now.  Are we only concerned with the questions of the here and now:  Where will I work to make money?, How will I pay bills?, Where will my kids go to school to get the best education?, What can I do tonight to entertain myself?, What girlfriend shall I call tonight?, etc.  These and others are worldly questions that are upfront on our conscious mind on a daily basis.  They occupy our minds from the time we awake from the time we pass out to sleep.

Do we concern ourselves with what we must do to have eternal life?  Will compliance with Sunday worship be enough to secure our future eternal life?  Or is there more that we should do to be certain of that future?  Our lives are filled with worldly thoughts and demands that prevent us from concerning ourselves with eternity.  And it is those thoughts that we are given to have that stop us from being who we are.  We are eternal beings created in the image and likeness of our Father.  He gave us life and Christ came to renew that life after it was lost by Adam.  Yet in the world today we have no awareness of who we are. 

We are drowned by the demands of the world.  We are blinded by the desires and passions of this world.  We are lost and asleep in the world, as if we are the walking dead.  For it is death that leads us in this world.  It is death that drives us into oblivion.  It is death that stimulates our passions and desires.  And it is death that will lead us down the wide path of destruction. 

Christ came that we would have life.  He came that we would know the truth of who we are.  He gave us the instructions to discover ourselves.  He arose from the grips of death.  He left this world that we would know that he is truly the Christ.  He sits at the right hand of his father waiting for us to call to him as our savior.  The decision is up to us.  The path is before each of us to follow.  The door is open to those who decide to seek the path that will lead them to the knowledge of eternal life.  Know yourself.  Be yourself.  See yourself as you are seen.  For it is through the knowledge of yourself that you open the door to the truth of who you are now and forever.  Christ awaits you.  God the Father loves you.  And the Holy Spirit will lead you in this world and the next.  Open the door and ask Him in.

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.