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 22, verse: 7a; The King's anger.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The king's anger) Part 1.  

We continue the parable of the kingdom of heaven that Christ is relaying to the people so that they can have some understanding.  He tells the story in terms that the people can relate to because they have a king.  And often their king has celebrations that the entire population of that town knows about because he sends out messengers throughout the town to proclaim to the people the news of the celebration.  In this parable the king sends out messengers a second time because no one came when he sent the first message to those invited. 

The king was happy.  He wanted to celebrate with his subjects the marriage of his son and the new bride.  But no one came upon sending out the second messengers.  In fact he learned that his messengers had been beaten and killed.  "But when the king heard of it, he was angry." 

The people of the town can relate to an angry king because they have seen and lived through times when their own king is angry.  They know the consequences of his anger.  And this is an idea that Christ wants the people to know about when they think of the kingdom of heaven.  They killed and destroyed the king's messengers which is something that you did not do in those times. 

Can we relate today to this parable in the same way as the people in the time of Christ?  What would happen today if the word of God was destroyed?  What would God do?  Christ came that we would know of the Father.  He left us with the Church that we would have places to go, places of sanctuary.  And he proclaimed that the kingdom of hell shall not prevail against it. 

So we see today that even though there are instances of evil taking over portions of the church, in total the church still prevails and God watches over that which is his.  For if the church would fall God would become very angry and would seek his vengeance upon those who would seek to destroy that which Christ built.  We have a loving God, a God of peace.  But we also have a God that will anger against those that would seek to destroy that which is his.  Be happy.  Be thankful that wrongs committed against those who seek the righteousness of his word will rouse the anger of our God .  For he is judge and jury, and vengeance is his alone.

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: 7a, No Man to hire.

Our paragraph topic is: (Parable of the laborers in the vineyard) Part 8. 

We continue with the parable of the laborers.  Christ relates this story to his disciples that they may have a better understanding of the kingdom of heaven.  Many times telling directly does not register but relating in a parable or a story goes into memory without having to be understood and later the meaning reveals itself.  This is how Christ taught his disciples and he teaches us today.

We are the sheep and he is the shepherd.  But there is a wolf that wants to scatter.  There is a wolf that wants to separate so that he may devour those that go astray.  Christ is here to protect, to provide, to love that which belongs to him and not to the wolf.  So he tells his disciples this simple story that they may have insight, that they may have understanding, that they may have truth of who they are in him.  In the story the house-holder asked the men in the market place why they stood about idle.  "They said to him, 'Because no man has hired us.' "  

Why do we stand about idle?  Why do we wait on man to give us something to do?  Why do we depend on that which can not as opposed to that which can?  We are independent of man and dependent on God our Father.  He will provide.  He will protect.  He will give all that is needed to survive in this world.  And yet we have not recollection of that fact.  We are not given that understanding.  We are not raised with the knowledge that God will provide.  We are given that we must strive and work and be our best that we may succeed.

And yet all that is needed is already given to us.  All that is required is provided if we only knew.  We go out into the world believing that we can have all that we see and desire.  We see the glitz and glamour of the world and we forget that we are children of God our Father.  He it is that gave us life.  He it is that provides for us.  He it is that loves us so much that he sacrificed his most precious son that we may have life.

We were dead.  We lost our life.  We transgressed and were punished by the judge.  But the judge was lenient.  The judge was merciful.  The judge was loving and he sought to give us another chance to have life again.  We wait idly for the world to provide for us but the world can only provide death.  We wait idly for the world to save us but the world can only condemn us.  We wait idly for the world to protect us but the world will only destroy us.  And we miss the opportunity to receive the grace of God our Father who loves us.  Do not get caught by the thief unaware.  Do not slip away without asking for forgiveness.  Do not let the temptation of man's knowledge block faith and hope from entering. 

We are not physical.  We live in a physical world but we are spiritual beings living in a physical shell.  We are created in the image and likeness of a spiritual God.  We are spirits within.  The light of life is within us if we only seek to know it.  The light of life is within us if we only believe.  The light of life is upon us if we only open ourselves to what has been given us.  Christ came that we would know.  Christ  died that we would have.  Christ  arose and ascended that we would believe in him and in the Father.  Lean not upon man but upon that which is real, that which will provide, that which loves eternally.  Lean upon God and know that he will hire.

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.