St. Matthew, Chapter 24, verse: 9c; For my name's sake.

 Our paragraph topic is: (He tells them of trials and hard times to come) Part 3.  

The Bible is but a short story of what happened some two thousand years ago.  We live our lives today and can imagine the multitude of things that can happen in a day's time.  But to think about all the things that were happening during the life of Christ in a day's time and to have all of that written down would be immense.  Yet there they were, the disciples, walking with the Lord our God, talking and being in his presence.  It must have been the joy of a lifetime.  We only hope for what we desire to have in our future.  They lived in his presence in the past.

One can only imagine the effect he had upon their lives, their being, their souls, during his stay here on earth.  To walk with him, talk with him, touch him, feel him, hear his voice, then to see the torture and sacrifice he made would have been unimaginable.  But even more unbelievable would be to see him again after death and to know that he was alive again, that death had no power over him.  What power and majesty that must have given those who were witnesses to his glory.  And he told them: "And you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake."

We think today of the honor and prestige of working and being in the presence of men and women of power such as presidents and kings, and ceo's, billionaires, etc.  We seek to be like them to attain traits that they have so that we might become like them.  There is but one God and one Lord of all and no other.  There are powers and dominions in heaven and angels and saints but only one God and one Lord of all.  

Christ came and walked among us.  He spent time with mankind.  He loved us so much that he gave up his kingship and became like us.  He took up physical form that he might be with us.  And the disciples and many others had the opportunity to be with him during his stay.  But that was not the end of the story.  

He came that we might all have the opportunity to be with him, to walk with him, talk with him, hear him, see him, feel him, know him.  He came and opened the door for each and everyone of us to have that chance to be with him as the disciples did, if we choose.  The choice is ours.  All we have to do is ask him to come into our lives and believe that he will.  God is our Father.  He gave us life.  He loves us and wants us to be with him.  Come!  The door is open.  Let us go home and be 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 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 22, verses: 35; A Doctor of the Law tests him..

Our paragraph topic is:  (The great commandment) Part 2.   

And so they brought forward the great minds of the Law to question Christ.  These were the scholars who had studied and taught the Law down through the ages.  They knew the ends and outs of the Law.  They knew the minutia of the Law.  They knew the intent of the Law as far as man could understand the Law as given by God.  But they could not understand the Law according to the mind of God.  Only Christ had the wisdom and the insight of the Holy Spirit.

You see, they did not believe.  In the face of all that was spoken, all the miracles that were performed, they still did not understand or believe he could be the one.  They only knew that he had to be taken down because he did not belong to their group.  So they gathered together and came up with one question that they believed was the one great question of the Law.  And one of them, a doctor of the Law, putting him to the test, asked him.   

Christ had no formal training in the synagogue.  He did not attend the temple where all the other trainees were taught the ins and outs of the Law.  Yet he knew more of the Law than the masters and the doctors.  They wanted to know who taught him.  They wanted to know how he knew.  They wanted to know were he was trained.  Yet he did not reveal to them who he was and they did not accept that he was the Messiah.  They believed that he was a charlatan, a fake.  

The people knew.  The people accepted him as real.  They could believe what they saw.  They could understand what they heard.  Their minds were opened, their eyes were not blind, their ears could hear.  They could see and believe.  Would we do the same today?  Would we know the truth today if he came to us, spoke to us, performed miracles, healed the sick, made the lame walk, cast out demons? Would we believe?  Yet all that has happened and has been given to us in the written words of the Bible.  He has told us that there will be those who will come after him performing miracles in his name.  He has told us that he will only come again on a cloud with his angels for all to see.  He has given us signs to look for before he comes that we will know that time is drawing near.

Be prepared!  Everyday the thief may come.  Put on your armor in the morning and know that you are ready to face what the day has to offer.  Know that you do not fight alone that you have an army with you to guide you and fight with you in your daily battles.  Be strengthened by your prayers.  Call upon the Lord at all times and he will be your right arm.  Be patient in your needs because he knows what you need.  The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want.  I am but a sinner who asks forgiveness and seeks to do his will in the hope that I may be with him in his kingdom.  May the Lord have mercy on my soul.

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.