St. Matthew, Chapter 24, verse: 22a; Saving living creatures.

Our paragraph topic is: (The destruction of Jerusalem) Part 10.  

Again we have a look into the wrath of God.  In his anger in the past when he destroyed the earth before with the rain, his anger was complete.  40 days and 40 nights nonstop the rain filled the earth covering the entire planet with water, leaving no living creature alive except the chosen family of Noah.  Since that time, we have not seen nor heard of such natural destruction happening upon the earth.

Yet Christ makes his prediction to his disciples of the coming destruction of Jerusalem in which there will be such as man has not seen or heard of since the beginning of the world.  The wrath of his father is complete and unforgiving, and it is coming upon the city of Jerusalem.  He is telling the people to pray that they do not see this destruction.  For he tells them:  "And unless those days had been shortened, no living creature would be saved." 

So Christ is telling his disciples and the people that all life would be destroyed.  He is saying that all life on this planet would be eliminated and only plant life would be left.  What a sober thought to consider.  A second time in history mankind has been considered for extinction by our God.  What does that mean?  What are the consequences of end of life on this rock?  Are we meant to exist forever or does life end at some point in the distant future?  What is life?

We are born, we grow, we learn, we live in this ever-changing world, we grow old, and at some point in our lives, we die.  Life, however, continues on, it does not end.  Christ, however, is saying, in that time in the life of Jerusalem, it was considered that life on earth would end completely.  

Christ came that we might have life and have it more abundantly.  He came and paid the price for our sins to free us from death.  We die individually, daily, but we live in him because he gave us life, if we choose to believe, in him.  He has life because he is of the Father and the Father is life.  We have life within us because Christ has given us life through his sacrifice if we believe in him.  Though we die physically, though the whole world ends, we continue to have life because he has given us this precious gift of life from the Father.  He loved us even before we knew him.  What can a man give in value equal to the value of his eternal life?    

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 23, verses: 22; The Throne of God.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Their distorted religion) Part 13.  

You see, it had come to this, gold and silver, precious metals, and jewels were more valuable in the eyes of the religious than the kingdom of heaven.  They did not place much value on the temple and the sacred items in it.  They did not value the altar but they placed value on the gold and silver placed on the altar.  They did not place value upon the temple itself but on the gold that the temple was made of which is how their religious beliefs had become so distorted.

These were the leaders who taught the people what to believe!  How wrong could they be?  They despised Christ for telling them that their beliefs were distorted and that they had it all wrong.  This is why he had to tell them also:  "And he who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God, and by him who sits upon it."

They had no idea that they were swearing by God himself.  They had no idea that they were telling their followers that their bond with God was nothing when they swore by the temple.  They had no idea that they were encouraging the people to break their vows that they were making with God himself, thereby bringing forth the wrath upon themselves.  The people only knew that they were following the rules and the laws that were handed down by their religious leaders.

They were sheep being led by their shepherds.  And we prey today that God has given us a true shepherds to lead us along the right path to the kingdom of heaven.  Of course the ultimate choice is up to us to follow.  The ultimate decision is within ourselves if we want to believe what we hear each Sunday.  And the choice is up to us if we want more than what we hear each week.  If our hearts desire to know more about our heavenly Father, it is up to us to seek him out.  If our hearts yearn to feel the truth of his love it is up to us to delve deeper into the knowledge that is available for us.  All we have to do is knock on the door to have it opened to us.  

And if we truly want to know him all we need do is get on our knees and ask him.  We have to be patient to get his response.  We have to listen quietly to hear his voice.  We have to know that he speaks when he calls us in that soft voice that fills us with joy and happiness.  We have to rejoice in his presence when he comes to us with the gifts that he gives us each and every day through the spirit of his heart.  For he is a loving Father, and he is a devoted Savior, and they have an everlasting Guide that will be with you until your time to return home.

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, verses: 40; The Owner's actions.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The vine-dressers kill the master's son) Part 3. 

What would you do?  If this was a tale about your property what would you do?  You hire and pay someone to build and make repairs to your house while you are away.  After the repairs are completed the house is vacant for a while and the repairman thinks that you are dead and wants to claim the house for himself.  He wants to take what is yours.  What would you do?

This is the central theme of this parable.  They were offered many opportunities to change to return what was not theirs but they refused.  So Christ is speaking to the chief priest and the elders asking them what would the owner do.  "When, therefore, the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-dressers?" 

Will he beat them, will he hang them, will he kill them, what will he do?  For they beat and stoned, and killed his servants.  And they led away his son and killed him, the heir to the vineyard.  They wanted to take everything of value from the owner.  His wrath will be forthcoming.

He was away for a long time, many years.  And they assumed that he was not returning, so they made themselves owners, they made themselves lords of the vineyard.  And when messengers were sent asking for the fruit of the vineyard they refused to send that which belonged to the owner.  Again he sent servants and they were turned away or killed.  Finally he sent his only son that maybe they would respect his rights to the wine but the vine-dressers refused again and killed him also.  And then comes the owner with his might and wonder to put asunder the wrong that has taken place.

We live in this place where we believe and assume that we are the owners.  It was given to us as a gift but we have taken the belief that we are the owners and that our place here evolved over many millions of evolution.  We are the evolved and this is our world.  We search beyond this world in the belief that there is other life in the universe comparable to ours that will justify our own existence and support our reasoning.  Yet the truth and the knowledge that we seek is before us, given to us from eye witnesses, written for us to see and believe. 

Some believe because it is written, not knowing the truth beyond the words.  Some have faith because they have seen in their own lives the results of their prayers.  Then there are those who know because they have found the light of life within themselves and can see the truth of who they are.  What joy and peace that truth brings.  What happiness comes in knowing that you are blessed and loved.  What sorrowful tears are shed in the knowledge of our sins and the merciful relief that comes from forgiveness. 

We are children of light and not of darkness.  The light of Christ Jesus exist within those who know and can see.  And that knowledge can belong to anyone who seeks to see, anyone who wants to know.  It is written for us to see.  It is written for us to know.  It is written for us to walk in the trust that comes from the knowledge of who we are.  It is written, seek and you shall find.  Knock and it shall be opened to you.  Ask and it shall be given you by the Lord our God who created us. 

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:23b; Christ's authority.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The authority of Jesus) Part 2. 

Christ was a gentle man.  He was not pretentious or self seeking.  He taught with love and understanding giving the people all they needed to comprehend fully.  His words were filled with the spirit of his father and he wanted the people to know his father as he knew him.  For God our Father is the creator of all things.  He gave life to all the world, all creatures, all things.  His creation is good.

Christ is a spirit of power and majesty.  And yet with all the power of the universe he was humble, quiet, gentle, loving.  His rage, his wrath could have destroyed anyone and everyone that displeased him.  Yet not often did that side of him show.  He performed miracles.  He made the dead rise, cured the lame, cast out demons, made the blind see, the lepers whole, calmed the stormy seas and walked on water.  But little did you see or hear of the awesome power he commanded, used.

And then came the chief priest and the elders, and said, "By what authority dost thou do these things? And who gave thee this authority?" 

They were wise men.  They were leaders and teachers and elders.  They were learned men, men of the world, knowledgeable of all that concerned the Law and the people of Israel.  But they did not know him.  They did not know the Christ.  They did not know from whence he came or from what part of the world he came and they were fearful. 

He brought change.  He brought peace, he brought harmony, he brought love.  He brought a knowledge of something more to life than what the people knew as their daily routine.  He brought knowledge of the kingdom of heaven to a people who knew of their God but did not know of his kingdom, of his plans for them, of his love for them.

We today live in the same world as those of yesteryear.  We eat, work, play, love, cry, search for truth, and die the same as they did thousands of years ago.  We know through our churches that there is a heaven and a kingdom of God.  Yet do we believe this?  Are we sure of this?  Is this a certainty in our lives today?  We are challenged.  We will be questioned of our faith.  We will face the winds of change that seeks to turn us in another direction.  How solid are our feet planted in the belief and truth of the authority of Christ that nothing will turn us away from him.

He is our provider.  He is our protector.  He is our caretaker no matter who rules, who is in office, who calls the shots.  God's will be done and we who believe and know will not be turned away from the gift of life that has been freely given to us through the passion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  This is the authority upon which we stand.

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 19, verse: 13a, Bring the Children.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Jesus blesses the children) Part 1. 

He gave his disciples lessons to live by: lessons on adultery, immorality, and marriage, lessons on bonding, acceptance, and love.  They were powerful lessons for them.  But as with all things from Christ they took it in until they could understand.  They accepted his teachings because he had demonstrated to them that he was special, he was the chosen one, he was the Messiah.  There were many strange things that he said and did.  They knew that he loved them and wanted them to understand.  While all the time in the back of their minds, in the darkest corner of their being there was always that lurking voice speaking to their doubts and their fears.

So they took a rest and all the children came to play.  The children had heard their parents talking about him.  They had heard about all the miracles.  They knew that this man was special because of the way that the others treated him.  And they played near him, in his sight, in his presence, not knowing who he was.  They wanted to know.  They wanted to see up close.  They wanted to be with him.  So they got closer until they were within his reach.  "Little children were brought to him then that he might lay his hands on them and pray."

They brought the children to him that he might bless them.  Parents brought them that he might impart some spiritual healing upon them, that they might grow up knowing that this man affected their lives.  Lay hands on them.  Pray for them.  Teach them that they might know the true meaning of God.  We are fortunate, those who grow up in a Christian environments.  We are brought to church.  We are taught the history of our religion.  We are given the essentials of our beliefs that we might have a foundation to grow upon as we encounter the world. 

For too many of us, our religion, our beliefs, our faith is based upon what was forced upon us in early childhood.  We did not want to go to church.  We did not know what we were being given through the many lessons and teachings and preachings.  All we knew was that it was required of us.  And if we did not obey then we were taught about the wrath of God.  We would burn in hell.  We would be eternally damned.  We would not go to heaven.  All of this was given to us at an early age.  We would carry these teachings, these thoughts, these beliefs, with us throughout the rest of our lives and pass them on to our children and their children's children.

And yet love was within us, as children.  Love was a part of us as little ones.  For we loved life.  We loved our parents.  We loved our brothers and sisters, most of the times.  We had the seeds of God's love within us but no one cultivated those seeds that they would bring forth fruit.  Are children able to become fruitful?  The seed within us was buried deeper.  Instead a new seed was planted within us as children, a seed that would set our beliefs on a vengeful Father, a Father of wrath, a God of punishment if we did not obey.  Our Father is a God of love.  No matter what we do he will still love us. 

With understanding,  true understanding of who we are in his love, our eyes can be opened, our hearts can beat with a different beat, and we can become aware of the spirit within us.  With that awakening we can know the truth of who we are in Christ.  With that awakening we are able to receive his love.  And the knowledge of his love makes us keenly aware of our sins, our wrongs, our transgressions.  Repentance, sorrow, regret comes with knowledge of his love.  And like little children we are able to free ourselves from the grips of evil and become once again his children.  For He is forgiving.  He is merciful.  He is loving.  He is protective.  He is our provider.  He is Our Father above all.  Open the door and let him lay hands on you that you may become a child again.

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 18, verse: 8, Occasions to Sin for the hand or foot.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Avoiding scandal) Part 5.

Christ continues to instruct his disciples about scandal and sin in the world.  He has given them the truth concerning the misleading of the little ones and the punishment that one will suffer.  He has instructed them on the causes of scandal and the wrath that will come upon one who brings forth scandal.  Now he tells them about occasions to sin.  He tells them about the eyes and the hands and the feet, if they lead one to sin.

It is far better to cut off those parts if they are occasions to sin.  If the feet lead one in the direction that causes one to sin then cut them off.  If the hands lead one to pick up sin then cut it off.  If the eye is the sight of sin then pluck it out.  For it is far better to not have these parts of the body that will lead us to sin than to enter into the fire of hell with them.  He tells them:  And if thy hand or thy foot is an occasion of sin to thee, cut it off and cast it from thee!  It is better for thee to enter life maimed or lame, than, having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.

How drastic these statements seem.  Who would dream of cutting off their hands or their feet?  Who would consider self mutilation?  How destructive is the occasion to sin that it could compare to such drastic measures?  What Christ is telling us is that the everlasting fires of hell are even more destructive than the actions that he suggests.  If thy hand or thy foot is an occasion of sin to thee then it is better to separate oneself from them in life.  Can one imagine such an occasion where the hand or the foot is totally out of the control of the rest of the body? Can one imagine where the hand or the foot does not yield to the control of the mind?  Can one imagine such an occasion where the hand or the foot leads one to sin despite all efforts to not sin?  Such is the possession of evil.  Evil in the would have us kill or steal or be controlled by parts of the body to commit sin.

Cast it from thee!  Throw it away!  Get rid of it if it causes you to sin continuously.  Compulsions!, Passions!, Strong desires!, drive us to do things that we otherwise would not do.  Lust clouds the mind.  Anger blinds the judgment.  Jealousy, revenge, rage causes us to see red and drives to the final conclusion of those desires without consideration of the consequences.  All these are the keys that open the door to evil that will posses us and lead us to sin.  Patience, love, repentance, forgiveness, all allow us to close the door to sin and return to the knowledge of who we are in Christ.  

We are the children of a loving God.  Our father does not want us to perish in the everlasting fire.  So he gives us these warnings to help us understand the seriousness of the sins we commit.  And he provides us a way out that we may find forgiveness and repent against the actions that we committed.  But far greater than all this is the opportunity to share in the life of Christ through the Holy Spirit so that we may fully understand who we are. 

For Christ gave us life.  He restored the life that is within us.  And he has given us an opportunity to understand who we are, to understand ourselves as we will be known in heaven, outside of the flesh that we occupy.  We are spiritual beings in a physical shell.  And it is through the spirit that we can come to know our true nature. 

Come!  See the light that is within you and know the spirit that you are.  Shake off the shackles of the flesh.  When you know the truth of who you are in Christ you began a journey of discovery that comes from and through the Holy Spirit.  Open the door!  Let him in!  Seek his presence and you will know the truth.  Christ sacrificed his life that you may have yours.  See the true light that is yours.  Follow the path that is before you and discover the other side of the physical realm.  Christ awaits you.  The Holy Spirit is welcomes you.  The Father adores you because you are his own.

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 18, verse: 7b, Woe to the originator of Scandals.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Avoiding scandal) Part 4. 

Scandals, are an evil in the fabric of mankind.  Scandals, are an opening into the heart and soul of man.  Scandals, are a thing that once spoken and breathed, takes on its own life.  Christ warns of these things.  He speaks to his disciples telling them to beware.  For Scandal will come.  Scandal will take on its own life.   Scandals will spread like a plague, a disease in the minds and hearts of men.  It is spread by word of mouth.  It will consume.  It will destroy.  And when it has fulfilled it's purpose it will die.

Christ tells his disciples that the world will suffer because of scandals.  He warns them of the impending doom brought on by it.  And he tells them that it is a necessary evil.  Scandals must needs be.  But scandals only come through men.  They only have life and take form through the thoughts and minds of the men and women that allow it to be created, allow it to have life in their minds and hearts.  Christ warns his disciples against scandals.  He tells them:  "For it must needs be that scandals come, but woe to the man through whom scandal does come!"

Woe to the man or woman through which it comes.  Beware, Christ tells us, that we are not the messengers of scandal.  For the punishment is great, the wrath is everlasting, and the justice of God will come to those who open the door to scandals.  Pride, envy, revenge, self-interest are all the causes that open the door to scandal.  For it is these evils that invade the heart and pollute the mind to bring forth scandals that destroy mankind.  For scandal is now commonplace in our society.  We have engines of scandal, tools that we can use to promote scandals, TV shows, news broadcasts that excite and tell us about the latest scandals, and talk show hosts that help us to laugh and joke about the scandals that are in our daily lives.  All these opportunities allow us to practice the basest of behaviors easily and readily without even leaving our homes or bedside. 

We are children of God created in his image and likeness, children of light.  Christ gave up his majesty and royalty to become man that we could be redeemed from death and given new life.  It is with gladness and hope and joy that we should be rejoicing in the new life that is available to us and the gifts that our father has prepared for us in heaven.  Why then, do we need to pride ourselves in the meaningless travails that the world has to offer.  Why then, do we need to be jealous and envious of what others have?   Why then do we need to spread lies and rumors and gossip about the affairs of others that we may profit ourselves through the pain and suffering of others.  The creator of the universe has already given us far greater gifts that fulfill our deepest desires and passions?  We seek to fill the holes within us when we practice such behaviors without realizing that evil has crept into our hearts and polluted our minds.  Christ has given us the keys to fulfilled our lives for eternity. 

It is with those keys that we can open the door to eternal life and welcome the truth of life into our hearts.  The Holy Spirit is given to us freely if we only believe and seek it.  The light of life will come to us if we only desire to know the truth of who we are.  The love of God will overwhelm us if we only ask to know his boundless love.  Our father is alive and wants his children to know who he is.  He wants to protect us.  He wants to provide for us.  He wants to love us, if we let him.  The choice is yours.  Awake from the sleep of the world and become alive with the truth of who you are in Christ.  Follow the path before you.  Open the door to the Holy Spirit.  Live the life that you are meant to live for eternity, both here on earth and in heaven. 

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 12, verse: 32, The Unforgivable Sin: Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit not forgiven in this world or the world to come.

Our paragraph topic is: (Blasphemy against the Spirit not forgiven)
Pt 2.  

The curse is pronounced and the Pharisees listen.  The curse is pronounced and the demons rejoice for the Pharisees have been handed over to them.  The curse is pronounced and the world listens as the prophecy is fulfilled.  For Christ had prophesied that the kingdom of God had come upon them.  Christ had prophesied that the children of the Pharisees would be their judges.  Christ had prophesied that he came to plunder and there are those who are against him and those who are with him.  And the Pharisees stood on the other side, against him.

Still the Pharisees clung to their need for power, their requirement for authority.  The desire for power blinded them.  The passion for authority over the people left them without a footing or foundation to stand upon when the battle had ended.  And when the battle ended, the foundation was removed from under their feet and the footing was destroyed.  For a new foundation was being built and a new footing was being poured with Christ as the cornerstone.  So this man that the Pharisees did not believe was the Messiah told them about blasphemy.  This man that was an unrecognized teacher, a miracle worker, told them, the educated men of scripture, that their sin would not be forgiven.  This man told them that they had committed a grave sin against the Holy Spirit and it would not be forgiven.  Christ told them further,  "And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this world or in the world to come."  

The unforgivable sin was committed.  The unforgivable sin was spoken.  The unforgivable sin brought the curse upon them and it would not be changed in this world or the next.  Their fates were sealed.  Their future was known.  Their sentence was pronounced for all the world to hear.  And the demons rejoiced, for the Pharisees had just been placed on their side and they carried the mark of damnation upon them.   But the battle continued and the Pharisees plotted and planned how they would trick him so that they could bring about his downfall. 

In this world there are those who are dead and know they are dead, and there are those who are dead and do not know that they are dead.  The unknowing dead are just waiting to be pronounced dead.  God is a merciful God.  He is a patient God.  He is a loving God, for he does not bring judgment upon all who sin instantly.  He places his wrath in vessels until the day of judgment that justice may be fulfilled.  He waits patiently until the end of time that all may have the opportunity to repent and receive new life, to awaken from the dead. 

Are you dead and do not know it?  Do you have life eternal?  Christ calls to you that he may give you eternal life, now.  Christ calls to you that you may know the light of his life within you.  Christ calls to you that you may know the truth of life with the Holy Spirit.  Come receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that you may know life eternal.  Do you not know that the Holy Spirit may dwell within you, today, right now?  How can you know for certain that you have the Holy Spirit within you?  Seek Him and he will come to you, he will show himself to you.  Seek Him and he will demonstrate his love for you.  Seek Him and he will provide his eternal light to guide you.  For Christ has promised to send the Holy Spirit.   And the Holy Spirit will teach all things.  Do you want Him to live in your life?  Do you want Him to be your guide?  Come, receive the indwelling and become a warrior for Christ!