St Matthew, Chapter 10, verse:34, The Battle

Our paragraph topic is:  (We must give up all for Christ) Part 1.  

And now we talk about the philosophy of battle, the philosophy of war.  Christ speaks to his disciples about the whys and wherefores of this battle.  He tells his disciples, "Do not think that I have come to send peace upon the earth."   Peace will not be sent forth.  Peace will not be called.  Peace will wait in the background after the battle is completed.  Christ makes his principle statement of the why of his coming to earth.  He has come to do battle.  He has come to bring war.  He has come to bring turmoil upon the earth and its people.  For the evil one has taken over the earth and the people of God have fallen by the wayside and forgotten their creator.  Christ has come to re-establish the kingdom of heaven.  He has come to take back the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  He has come to do battle.

Christ tells his disciples this because he wants them to know that they are in a time of upheaval and turmoil.  The earth will no longer be the same.  Satan will be outcast from the earth and the sacrifice will be made.  And to the victor goes the spoils.  The disciples are the warriors.  They are the leaders of the new alliance with Christ.  They will conquer all the earth with their mighty words and deeds.  One can look back into history and wonder about this mighty cause.  Twelve men did the impossible.  Twelve men brought about the end of the reign of Satan on the earth and spread the gospel of Christ throughout the entire world and Christ led the way.  He came to conquer.  He came to separate.  He came to divide believers from unbelievers, sinners from the sanctified and justified, the protected from the unprotected, the faithful from the unfaithful, the light from the darkness, and the good from the evil.  Just twelve men began this movement some two thousand years ago and Christ was their leader.  It could not have happened without the hand of God.  And it did.

Christ said to his disciples, "I have come to bring a sword, not peace."   He brought weapons of war.  He brought battle plans.  He brought strategies from the Father.  And he did not bring peace.  The sword will cut.  The sword will slash.  The sword will stab and it will kill.  For many are the ones who have lived by the power of evil.  Now, the sword will slash evil.  It will cut evil from the flesh of the people.  It will split into, the good, from the evil and provide a means of protection for those unprotected.  The sword will cut to the quick the evil that is in men, separating the just from the unjust.  Christ brought the sword of God to do battle with the evil and to reclaim the lost that had been taken by the evil one.

The sword will cut you.  The sword will cleans you.  The sword will divide you.  The sword will heal you.  Prepare to do battle for the Lord of Host has declared that peace is not here.  He has brought the sword.  He has brought weapons of war.  He comes to conquer.  Christ brought the sword to earth.  Will you be cut?  Will you be slashed by the sword?  Will you be stabbed by the blade of the sword?  War is at hand and the sword will conquer the defenses of the evil one.  Christ has brought swords for everyone to do battle.  He has brought the word.  The word is the sword.  The word is the blade of truth.  It will cut.  It will slash.  It will stab.  Will you become a warrior for Christ and take up the sword for battle?  Will you become a player for evil living in the world of lust and passion?  The battle is coming.  It will come to you soon.  Do not be caught off guard and become a casualty of the sword.  Be prepared.  Join the ranks of the solders of Christ and fight the battle of the Lord.  Uncle Sam calls you to do battle with the enemy of the US.  Christ calls you to do battle with the enemy of the kingdom.  Which battle will you join? 

St Matthew, Chapter 10, verse: 33, Heavenly Value.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Confidence in divine protection) Part 9.  

Yesterday we talked about recognition, acceptance, and acknowledgement.  Christ has given his disciples a statement of division.  He told them that whoever acknowledges him before men, he would acknowledge them before his heavenly father.   All those who know him and accept him and confirm that acceptance when questioned by man will be accepted and acknowledged and confirmed before God.  Christ is giving his disciples a way of discerning true believers.  Those who know Christ and accept him will speak his name before men.  Those who do not accept him will, of course, not speak his name but curse his name before men.  Then there are those who may accept him behind closed doors and in proper company, but, when put to the test in the face of controversy, will not acknowledge his name because of fear and shame and a lack of faith.

True acceptance requires one to separate oneself from the world.  Many may say that they accept Christ but in their hearts he does not live.  And Christ knows the hearts of each and every man woman and child.  So Christ is showing his disciples the fine points of division that will define the true believer and the nonbeliever.  He has told them those who he would confirm before his father, now he says,  "But whoever disowns me before men, I in turn will disown him before my Father in heaven."   So now, we have the complete picture of the expectations of Christ. 

Christ expects men to accept him at all times before all men.  He expects believers to be bold and steadfast in their beliefs.  He expects believers to be disciples themselves, to speak on his behalf when in the company of men.  He expects believers to believe at work, at home, at church, in the streets, with friends, in the clubs, at school, everywhere.  This does not mean to accept him at church and then do not speak his name in the market, at work, with friends, or wherever.  One can not own him in some places and disown him in others.  One can not speak his words in the church, with church friends, and then be silent at work, on lunch break with other friends, in private company with people that do not accept his name.  One has to be consistent with ones belief.  One has to be proud of his name.  One has to be filled with his name and his glory.  One has to be ever present in him and he in you.

Today's society is fashioned so that we do not speak about Christ.  Speaking out about our beliefs and religion causes separation.  It causes people to shy away when one begins to acknowledge the name of Christ.  It is not cool.  It is not the latest thing to talk about in polite company.  It is not what is happening.  What we talk about is what we think about.  And today we think about and talk about the latest fashions, the latest hair styles and clothes, the upcoming concert or event, the news of the stars, the latest TV shows that was on the night before, vampire diaries, and on and on and on. 

We do not talk about the latest gospel show that we saw, the last religious conference that we went to, the words that were spoken in the sermon this past Sunday, and most of all we do not gather outside of church and talk about the written word of God in the gospels.  We are fed everything except what is of need and that is what we speak on.  So when one speaks and acknowledges Christ in polite company, people leave.  People shy away.  And people do not want to hear.  Do you disown Christ in polite company?  Do you disown Christ amongst your friends?  Do you accept Christ when it is convenient and disown him when it is also convenient?  Christ will do the same and disown you when it is convenient before his father. 

St Matthew, Chapter 10, verse: 32, Heavenly Value.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Confidence in divine protection) Part 8.  

Christ now concludes his talk with his disciples.  He has prepared them to do battle with the dark forces of evil they will face when they travel throughout the towns and villages carrying the message to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  His entire message was meant to prepare them spiritually for what they would face.  On several occasions he has told them not to be afraid.  This is the central theme of his message to them.  Keep fear out of your hearts for the Spirit of the Father will come to you when you have a calm heart and a quiet spirit.  

The mission of the disciples is to carry the message of the kingdom of heaven to the people.  The people have strayed away from their worship of the one true God.  So the disciples are sent for to gather the lost sheep and bring them back into the fold.   They will face obstacles.  They will face trials.  They will encounter resistance by the demons of the evil one.  But Christ has given them the weapons to defeat them.  He has armed them spiritually by giving them power to cast out demons.  He has given them power to heal the sick, cure the lame, and restore life to the dead.  Those who do not accept the message he has instructed his disciples to kick the dust off their feet and mark the towns and villages for destruction in the last days. 

This is war.  This is spiritual battle and he wants his disciples to know the consequences of the decisions that men make.  The disciples can only carry the message.  They can not force the people to accept.  Christ tells his disciples, "Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge him before my Father in heaven."   Blessed are they who accept the message of the disciples.  They will be accepted by Christ  before his heavenly father.  He is telling his disciples that everyone that they meet, that accepts the message of the kingdom of heaven, he will accept also when he is restore to his heavenly father.  Hearing is believing.  And believing is the door to faith and truth. 

Acceptance, acknowledgement, truth, God, religion, all denote concepts that evoke mixed feelings and awareness, in our society today.  To believe in God and accept his precepts requires one to step back from the world that we live in today.  It requires a distinct separation of mind and spirit from the reality of today.  This for many is a position of isolation, a position that brakes away from the reality of the world.  Most people struggle to be accepted in the world and not to separate from it.  After all, it is most peoples desire to become more involved in the world.  They want more money.  The want more fame.  They want more beauty and power.  They want more passion and lust.  They want more involvement with the world.  For this is the world that will bring them happiness, only if they can just get more of it. 

Many people try to live partly in the world and partly spiritually.  They do all the things that demonstrate their commitment to the spiritual precepts of God.  Yet they continue to live in the world also.  But acceptance,complete acceptance, requires one to live apart from the world.  

Complete acceptance requires one to brake from the world, to open the door to the spiritual realm of God and his principles.  One has to almost become schizophrenic to separate from the world.  And yet this separation is not a make believe world but one that is real, reinforced by Christ himself and the Holy Spirit.  For with the acceptance of Christ the Holy Spirit comes and resides with one.  Small miracles begin to happen in ones life and one walks along the path of righteousness.  No longer is one in the world but only exist in the world to do the will of God. 

Trust in the word of God and one will not walk alone.  Trust in the Holy Spirit and one will see the miracles of Christ.  Believe in the desire to be one in Christ as he is one in the Father and you will live a life of peace and joy.  Acceptance is the key.  Surrender is the vehicle.  Trust is the paddle and faith in the word is the direction that takes you to the kingdom.  Will you accept Christ before you accept men?  Partial acceptance is not the key.  Hypocrisy will not work.  Only in your heart will you truly know the gift of God.  If you accept Christ he will accept you before his father.  Will you accept Christ today and surrender to his will for your life?  He waits patiently for your response.