St. Matthew, Chapter 23, verses: 35c; Between the Temple and the Altar.

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

How could they escape the damnation of hell, the doers of evil who in cooperation with Satan's minions were the perpetrators of the murders of the prophets and the messengers of God.  They refused to repent.  They refused to believe.  They refused to open their eyes and see the evil that was within them.  Instead they agreed to go along with that which influenced them.  They agreed to believe that they were right in what they were doing.  

They continued to believe that they were right in persecuting the religion of God and suppressing the messengers and the prophets he sent.  They were lost and could not see.  They were blind and had no understanding of who they were, even though the opportunity was given them to change.  They could not change.  They continued to scourge and persecute from town to town, to pursue from village to village every messenger sent to proclaim the good news.  They even pursued Zacharias: "Whom you killed between the temple and the altar."

They were blind in their sight.  They had no understanding of what they were doing.  Evil led they to commit murder in the most sacred of places.  The evil within led their blind rage to commit sin in the Temple before the altar without thinking of what they were doing.  And yet they will suffer the consequences of their actions and have the blood of all the just to pay.  These words were spoken by Christ from his father God upon the Scribes and the Pharisees to the evil generation of spirits that influenced them. 

What a heavy burden to bear to be a part of such a group that must carry such a sin to pay such a price.  Adam and Eve made the ultimate sin that stained all mankind with mortal sin that no man could pay the price to lift.  It took the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, to come down from heaven to save mankind from the stain of mortal sin.  We now have an opportunity to become new.  We can now have new life because before we were dead with mortal sin but Christ paid the price for our sin and gave us the chance to have new life.

To have new life all we have to do is believe in him.  All we have to do is believe that he is the Son of God and that we have a Father in heaven who is our creator.  Belief opens the door for us.  Belief creates the spark of life.  Belief gives us a new soul that allows us to have eternal life instead of continuing to be dead.  Do you believe?  Do you know?  Do you understand who you are?  The Bible says seek and you will find, knock and it shall be opened to you, ask and it shall be given.  Believe!  Ask for your new life and receive it.

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: 30; In the days of our Fathers.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Their persecution of religion) Part 3.  

What was religion in those times?  God gave Moses the Ten Commandments and Moses gave them to the people, the Israelites.  They traveled through the desert with the Arch of the Covenant until they reached the promise land God gave them.  Their religion was then the Ten Commandments and the writings of Moses and the leaders that followed.  There were many situations that came up requiring resolution.  Those resolutions required new rulings to be handed down.  Thus as time pasted many more rulings were added to the commandments which became the Law for the Jewish religion.

Often times leaders went astray and prophets were sent by God to give warnings and guidance to the leadership to get back on the right path.  Many did not listen.  Many prophets were killed for the message they brought.  Yet God continued to send those messengers to his people that those who would listen would heed his warnings and return to their true God.

Centuries went by without any messengers and now Christ comes to save mankind from sin.  The Scribes and the Pharisees have spent years persecuting the people, keeping them in line for the Romans, fearing they would loose their positions of power and prestige.  They cared not for the religion of the people, only for their personal glory.  Christ called them hypocrites, they build the sepulchres of the prophets, and adorn the tombs of the just: "And say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been their accomplices in the blood of the prophets.' "  

Blood, is the essence of life.  It flows within and through every human being on this planet.  We are different on the outside, but our lifeforce is the same on the inside, blood.  The precious blood of the innocent children was shed for the Christ child that he might avoid the swords of Herod.  The precious blood of the prophets was shed to bring the message to the people of Israel to repent and change their ways.  The innocent blood of the lamb of Christ was shed for all mankind for the sins we have committed.  His blood cleansed the earth giving everyone new life, the opportunity to eternal life.

The Scribes and the Pharisees persecuted their religion, seeking to control the people.  Christ came to release the people from death that they might have new life.  For those who believe it is there for the seeking.  For those who want it is there for the asking.  For those who know it is there for the seeing.  The path is there for those who want to find it.  He has given us the way, the truth and the light.  All we need to do is reach out and grab it.  

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: 29b; You who pay tribute to the prophets and the just.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Their persecution of religion) Part 2.  

Years had come to past as all this took place.  God gave his people the ten commandments to live by.  He gave them the leaders to guide them along the way while they lived in the land that he promised.  He sent prophets to instruct them when they went astray.  But just as when they were in the desert, the Jews had their own way of thinking and evil had slowly crept into their mist.

God warned them of the evil that was among them.  He told them of the wolves that were growing in the flock.  But they were not aware, they did not see, they did not understand until it was too late.  It had come to the time where the evil had grown to the point of taking over the leadership in the highest order of the synagogue and now the Scribes and the Pharisees were turning against and persecuting their own religion.  They were the ones Christ told:  "You who build the sepulchres of the prophets, and adorn the tombs of the just."  

They were the ones who built the great sepulchres to the prophets and set special days to celebrate the just.  Yet they persecuted the people for the very nature of religion.  God sent the prophets and the just to warn the leaders to change their ways, to eradicate the evil that was taking over the people.  And yet the prophets were killed for their message, persecuted, scourged, crucified because they brought the truth from God to the people.  

Are we no less the same today?  Do our leaders rock the boat or do they go with the status quo?  It is said that for evil to triumph all it takes is for good men to do nothing.  Yet if one good man rises up and speaks out against the evil that is present he is put down, castrated, tarnished, scandalized, or even killed.  This is the nature of the times that we live in and God's will be done.

He told us to ask and it shall be given, to seek and we shall find, to knock and the doors shall be opened.  What if we as a collective asked him to bring us home with him?  What if we as the human race got together and sought peace, knocked on his heavenly door seeking to end this earthly reign in order that we might begin our heavenly spiritual life with him?  Would he grant us that wish?  Would he open the doors of heaven and let us in?  Would he give us our hearts desire and end the final hold of death over us all?  Let us ask and we will 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 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: 23b; Paying Tithes on nonessentials.

Our paragraph topic is:  (They overstress the nonessential part of religion) Part 2.  

They wanted to control everything the people did, every aspect of their lives, so they could collect taxes and tithes.  So they conceived of different ways they could create rules to control the people.  They stressed the nonessential parts of religion as being important in the lives of the people.  The more a person adhered to the nonessentials the more a person was made to believe they were special to God.  And yet this was not what God wanted from the people.

Where was their faith?  Where was their belief in the God who created them and gave them life?  Where was their trust in the one God who provided for them on a daily basis?  Why were they not grateful for the many graces that were given to them on a daily?  Instead it was:  "Because you pay tithes on mint and anise and cummin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the Law."

What is important to us today?  Are we taught to observe just the nonessentials of our religion, go to church on Sunday and holidays, give tithes if we can, send our children to Bible study?  Are these the essentials for us today?  Or is there more that we should do?  Do we really believe in what we hear in church?  Do we know that we have a God in heaven that loves us and provides for us?  What happens when we have a love one who is taken away and we have to suffer the pain of loss?  Do we blame God for our loss, our pain, our suffering?  

Our knowledge and belief is more than just words that we hear repeated in church.  It has to become a part of who we are, an understanding of the knowledge of our God and his love for us.  Our belief has to become us, who we are inside and out no matter what happens, life or death.  We are more than just flesh and blood.  We are more than just body.  We are soul, spirit, created in the image and likeness of our Father.  Our life is eternal if we choose to accept who we are.  And the life here on earth is only a spec in the cosmic time of eternity.  That is our belief.  That is our knowledge.  That is our truth, our faith in the trust given us from the promise of Christ Jesus.  He came to give us new life and now that new life is yours.

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: 18a; Swearing by the altar.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Their distorted religion) Part 6.  

They did not know, for they had created a religion based upon the knowledge of man and not the wisdom of God.  Their beliefs were based upon the limited wisdom of man.  Christ called them blind fools.  They had no understanding of the wisdom of God nor had they sought or asked for his wisdom.

They ruled the people based upon what they could conceive themselves.  The wisdom of the prophets was not known to them.  The knowledge that came from the God to the prophets was killed, buried with their bodies because they could not hear the message that the prophets brought from God.  This is why they believed: "And whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing."  

They had no idea of sanctity or purity or even of the knowledge of God himself.  Generations had passed since their forefathers were brought out of Egypt and lead through the dessert by the hand of God.  They were many generations away from their forefathers with very little knowledge of what truths were experienced by their parents.  They knew not and even those who had access to the readings of the past did not talk about it or tell about the times past.  Only in the synagogues on Sundays when the readings were held did one have the opportunity to hear of the miracles wrought by the hand of God.  And those miracles were attached to the Law that one must keep, the Law that was interpreted by the rulers who created them and changed them.

They had a distorted idea of religion.  Christ came down from heaven to be with us, to walk with us to talk with us, to show us the truth of who we are and how we should be.  We are the children of our creator, our Father, a father who loves us.  He wants us to stay out of harms way just as we would want our children to not be harmed.  It is amazing to think that the son of the creator walked this earth among mankind, lived with us, died for us, arose from the dead to return to heaven so that we would know the truth of the cycle of life.  We have life within us just as he has life and the Father has life.  Our belief in him is our belief in his life and the life in the Father.  Our belief in him is our oneness in him as he is one with the 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 23, verses: 17b; Which is greater?

Our paragraph topic is:  (Their distorted religion) Part 5.  

He called them blind.  He called them fools.  They could not see, they could not hear, they could not understand.  They had distorted everything that was given to them.  They had made their own religion to conform to their own desires so that they would be in control of the people and the people would respond to their wishes.

They were the rulers of the people.  They made the laws and handed them down to the people.  Moses gave them the Law from God but they changed it to meet their own needs.  God sent prophets to show them the errors of their ways but they did not listen, they did not hear.  This is why Christ called them blind fools: "For which is greater, the gold, or the temple which sanctifies the gold?"  For this is what they made their religion to believe.

Many years had past since their forefathers had left the dessert and the memories of the miracles of the hand of God protecting the children of Israel.  The prophets had come and gone and nothing changed.  The generations did not remember the lessons of the past.  The leaders and rulers came and went without handing down the wisdom of the forefathers.  The world was the same.  Everyone sought power and fame and fortune.  Everyone sought the glory of men and no one sought the glory of God.

Gold had more value than anything on earth, and yet man had not reached or sought the inner value of the soul.  He had not witnessed the truth of the burning light of life within that came from the life of the soul given by the sacrifice of Christ.  And the light of the world walked the earth without being noticed.  The demons noticed his light but man could not see it.  The leaders of the people could not see it and the crucified him for it.  Yet that is why he came down from heaven that he might pay the price for our transgressions and free us from sin.  

We are blessed to have a second chance.  We are blessed to be so loved to have him as a savior.  We are so wonderfully blessed to not have to walk in darkness anymore but are now guided by the light of his Advocate, the Holy Spirit.  Thank you Father for your love.  Thank your Christ for your passion.  Thank you Holy Spirit for your guiding light.  Amen!

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.