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“But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Matthew 9:13 

Jesus specifically instructs us to “go ye and learn what that meaneth.”

UNTIL, as an individual, you begin to realize just how wicked you really are, you will never begin to appreciate what our KING and Savior did on that cross!

Matthew 9:9-13 – Jesus calls Matthew

9  And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him. 
10  And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. 
11  And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? 
12  But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. 
13  But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. 

Approaching God on the basis of His divine mercy and in holy fear:

“But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy MERCY: and in thy FEAR will I worship toward thy holy temple.” Psalms 5:7

In light of our own utter depravity and unworthiness, we must approach God on the basis of His sheer mercy.

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:5-7

With no exception, each of us is in utter need of God’s mercy – initially at salvation and ongoing.

“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Isaiah 64:6

“Refusal to pray because of the guilt of your sins is like refusing to take you bath because you are dirty. Pray.” Augustine Mario

It reveals a great imbalance when someone preaches “holiness” and never mercy. There is hope in the Gospel – the only hope – and that is Christ who said “I will have mercy, and not sacrifice.” In this passage Jesus is revealing to us that He came to save sinners, not to destroy them (Luke 9:56; John 3:17). Yet He only saves those who are willing to admit they are sinners and repent, putting their faith in Him, following Him. Prayerfully declaring verses like Romans 7:18, 24 and Titus 3:5-7 daily defuses evil self-righteousness.

In the divine economy, does mercy triumph over judgment or does judgment triumph over mercy? – “For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment (James 2:13).

Are we preaching AT people or TO people? Do we view our listeners are enemies OR eternal souls that Jesus loves and came to save from their sins?

Paul wrote:

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. 17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” 1 Timothy 1:15-17

All of our unrighteousness went on Christ so that all of His righteousness could come on us.

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

Adam is the father of the old man, the fallen man. Jesus is the King of the new man the new creation (Romans 5).

ALL men have sinned against God and are guilty (Romans 3). Yet, only a few are willing to honestly admit their sin before God and receive His mercy. Flanking our LORD on crosses also, one of those sinners humbled himself and is and forever will be in glory. The other chose to harden his heart and consequently is and forever will be in Hell.

God will forgive “ALL sins” except one:

“Verily I say unto you, ALL sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: 29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:” Mark 3:28-29 

How about the two men who went up to pray? One was heard and the other not (Luke 18:9-14).

“Israel was bringing sacrifices and offerings to the Lord on their feast days, but their lives were corrupt, so their offerings were rejected by God. He would rather have righteousness than ritual. Even in the wilderness, when professing to worship Jehovah, they had practiced idolatry with Moloch and other idols, such as Sikkuth and Chiun.” William MacDonald

All men have sinned and God only forgives and saves those who fall upon His sheer mercy in conviction, contrition, and brokenness. All others forfeit His gift of salvation in Christ.

“Hell is full of people who think they deserve heaven. Heaven is full of people who know they deserve Hell.” Unknown

Notes on this passage from William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary

“Matthew 9:9-13
I. Jesus Calls Matthew the Tax Collector (9:9-13)

9:9 The tense atmosphere building up around the Savior is temporarily relieved by Matthew’s simple and humble account of his own call. A tax-collector or custom house officer, he and his fellow officials were hated intensely by the Jews because of their crookedness, because of the oppressive taxes they exacted, and most of all, because they served the interests of the Roman Empire, Israel’s overlord. As Jesus passed the tax office, He said to Matthew, ‘Follow Me.’ The response was instantaneous; he arose and followed; leaving a traditionally dishonest job to become an instant disciple of Jesus. As someone has said, ‘He lost a comfortable job, but he found a destiny. He lost a good income but he found honor. He lost a comfortable security, but he found an adventure the like of which he had never dreamed.’ Not the least among his rewards were that he became one of the twelve and was honored to write the Gospel which bears his name.

9:10 The meal described here was arranged by Matthew in honor of Jesus (Luke 5:29). It was his way of confessing Christ publicly and of introducing his associates to the Savior. Necessarily, therefore, the guests were tax-collectors and others generally known to be sinners!

9:11 It was the practice in those days to eat reclining on couches and facing the table. When the Pharisees saw Jesus associating in this way with the social riff-raff, they went to His disciples and charged Him with “guilt by association”; surely no true prophet would eat with sinners!

9:12 Jesus overheard and answered, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.’ The Pharisees considered themselves healthy and were unwilling to confess their need for Jesus. (Actually they were extremely ill spiritually and desperately needed healing.) The tax collectors and sinners, by contrast, were more willing to acknowledge their true condition and to seek Christ’s saving grace. So the charge was true! Jesus did eat with sinners. If He had eaten with the Pharisees, the charge would still have been true—perhaps even more so! If Jesus hadn’t eaten with sinners in a world like ours, He would always have eaten alone. But it is important to remember that when He ate with sinners, He never indulged in their evil ways or compromised His testimony. He used the occasion to call men to truth and holiness.

9:13 The Pharisees’ trouble was that although they followed the rituals of Judaism with great precision, their hearts were hard, cold, and merciless. So Jesus dismissed them with a challenge to learn the meaning of Jehovah’s words, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice’ (quoted from Hos_6:6). Although God had instituted the sacrificial system, He did not want the rituals to become a substitute for inward righteousness. God is not a ritualist, and He is not pleased with rituals divorced from personal godliness—precisely what the Pharisees had done. They observed the letter of the law but had no compassion for those who needed spiritual help. They associated only with self-righteous people like themselves.

In contrast, the Lord Jesus pointedly told them, ‘I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.’ He perfectly fulfilled God’s desire for mercy as well as sacrifice. In one sense, there are no righteous people in the world, so He came to call all men to repentance. But here the thought is that His call is only effective for those who acknowledge themselves to be sinners. He can dispense no healing to those who are proud, self-righteous, and unrepentant—like the Pharisees.”

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Abiding

The Joy of God’s Word [podcast]


“Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.” Jeremiah 15:16

“Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.” Psalms 119:89

“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11

PRAYER: Heavenly Father please match and exceed every trial You allow me to go through with Your joy! For You said that the joy of the LORD is my strength! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Current Events and the Name of Jesus Christ [podcast]


“And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14  If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” John 14:13-14

IF we are praying God’s WORD in the name of JESUS CHRIST…. in His bless-ed humility, God is answering!

I don’t think we begin to realize the power that is in the name of Jesus Christ – and available exclusively to those who are HIS.

Memorize the word of our LORD Jesus recorded in John 14:13-14.

“I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3

One commentator notes: “The universal fascination with knowing what is going on in the world has ancient roots. Knowing that Jesus is a well-known rabbi, some ask for his take on the hot news of the day. “There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices” (Luke 13:1). Pilate, the governor, has executed some Jews while they were in the act of offering their sacrifices, mingling their blood with the animal blood. Jewish sentiment is likely strongly against Pilate, although some seem to be critical of the people who have suffered. Maybe they deserved it.”

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The Golden Rule Life: What’s that Really Mean? [podcast]


Thinking, Knowing, Applying, and Doing the Golden Rule of Jesus

Golden Rule living is the only way to live in glorification of our Maker. Spread this word. God calls you, yes you – to love Him supremely and to love your neighbor as you wish to be loved, treated (Matthew 7:12; 22:37-40; Philippians 2:3-5).

We must teach ourselves, our children and those around us the Golden Rule.  “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12). Jesus is coming.

Golden Rule, precept in the Gospel of Matthew (7:12): ‘In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you. . . .’ This rule of conduct is a summary of the Christian’s duty to his neighbour and states a fundamental ethical principle.” Unknown

Taken from the teachings of Jesus, the Golden Rule is summed up as ”treating others how you want to be treated” or, ”doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

WELCOME TO THE LAST DAYS! The self-worshiping false gospel being taught by the enemies of the cross of Christ is epidemic these days as was foretold (Philippians 3:18-19; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; 2 Timothy 3:1-8; 4:2-5, etc.). Beware of the self-love they are teaching. It’s the “What’s in it for me” gospel of self-love. THIS CAUSES THEIR PREY TO WALK IN SELF-SERVING HATRED, MALICE, STRIFE, ETC., NOT GOD’S LOVE.

SOBERING! DO WE REALLY GET IT? Are you omitting love, charitable acts? How are you treating Christ’s body and servants? Ready to meet Jesus today? The way you are treating His body is the exact way you are treating Jesus (Matthew 25:40-41, 46).

The way we are treating others is the exact way we are treating Jesus – who created, died for, and rose again from the dead to save those people! If our relationship with Christ isn’t translating into the love of God filling us for others, we’re departed from Him and in need of swift repentance. Matt 7:12; 22:37-39

“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Matthew 25:40

“The way we treat others sets the standard of how we will be treated by God. And this includes receiving God’s gifts! Amen.” C.

If you aren’t respecting someone, you aren’t walking in God’s love toward them. Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12). Didn’t the LORD command us to treat others BETTER than ourselves (Philippians 2:3-5)? Would you like to be treated the way you are treating that person? Others?

“Treat others the way you want to be treated.” V.

Would you like to be treated the way you’re treating others? Golden Rule! Live it! Would you like to be neglected or inflicted as others have done to you?

Are you elevating other people ABOVE – “BETTER than” – yourself? This is the very “mind of Christ.”

“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” Philippians 2:3-5

THINKING, Applying, and Doing the Golden Rule of Jesus

Don’t want something done to you? Then don’t do it to someone else. Don’t want something thought about you? Then why think such about another person, especially if it’s not proven? Read Exodus 23:1-2. Don’t want something said about you (slander)? Then why believe the sowing of discord among the brethren which is an “abomination” to the LORD and the work of Satan himself, the accuser of Christ’s brethren (Proverbs 6:16-19; Revelation 12:10) …. MEASURE THIS!

Do you truly care for people or do you only care about what they can do for you?

This must be examined in each of our hearts.

If we care only about what others can do for us, we are Christ-less and should immediately seek Him in repentance and confession of our sins. He came and died for you and me with no guarantee we’d receive Him or with any other motive but to love us by paying the full price to redeem us from our sins in which we were otherwise hopelessly cemented.

“And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.” Romans 5:6-8

Instead of asking: “What’s in it for me,” we should always ask: “What’s in it for Jesus and others?”

Contrary to what we have been led to believe, we get NO “points” from God for “going to church” or for having a good record of “church attendance.” If this is true – and it sure is – why are we wasting precious time doing things God never told us to do while we leave the things He commanded us to do undone? How long shall we live outside of His will and yet still claim to be following Jesus – who gave all (John 15:13)? How long shall we allow the hirelings to exploit us with their weekly program that has never produced an ounce of discipleship in us? The divine command to “LOVE one another” appears 12 times in the New Testament. Do we truly LOVE our neighbor as ourselves? If so, then, like the earliest of Christ’s disciples, we do not consider that what we have in our possession is our own. Read, follow, and do Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-35. Why should I have two coats when my brother or sister has none? …… Selah!

The ultimate expression of the Golden Rule was performed by the One who gave that Golden Rule.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13

He who owed no debt to us, chose to pay the debt He did not owe – the debt we owed and could not pay. Sinners can’t redeem (pay the price) for sinners – only a perfect Savior could do that (Isaiah 53)! No man on earth was found qualified to redeem mankind but God sent His prophesied Savior, the very Son of God (Genesis 3:15; Ezekiel 22:30; John 3:16). | Redemption Through Sacrifice

Jesus Christ, the eternal God, came to the earth in fulfillment of over 300 Jewish prophecies, born of a virgin, to show us His Father’s love and to die the death that would redeem mankind. That is, the price for our sins was fully paid and whosoever will, can “Come and take of the water  of life freely” (Revelation 22:17). The LORD still saves all who repent and receive Him as LORD and Savior (John 1:12; Romans 10:9-13). Read John 1 today.

THE GOLDEN RULE is Simple: Think about This – Do you want something believed or said or done to you that you are tempted to do to someone else? If not, then drop it and do not think it or do it toward another. Stop and pray for that person. This is exactly what Jesus told us to do and the disposition He desires us to have as of Him and His Father – love (Matthew 5:44-48).

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” Matthew 5:44

  • “Love your enemies”
  • “bless them that curse you”
  • “do good to them that hate you”
  • “pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you”

Read Matthew 5:44-48 prayerfully, asking the LORD to make it manifest in your heart, thinking, and life.

“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” Matthew 7:12

So, according to the One who gave us “The Golden Rule” (as we call it), what is the Golden Rule? Read and begin to memorize and incorporate the above verse of truth into your everyday thinking.

“The golden rule always should apply to every life! TREAT OTHERS THE WAY YOU WANT TO BE TREATED! This world would be a much better place to live!” K.

EVER been used? EVER been exploited by someone? WHAT did Jesus instruct, command us to do when we are used?

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” Matthew 5:44

What’s going to happen to those who maliciously wrong another? A curse is coming on that person and their household:

“Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.”  Proverbs 17:13

According to the divine pronouncement above, rewarding evil to someone who did you nothing but good (never harmed you), brings a curse.

The cardinal fruit of knowing God is love.

“He that loveth not, knoweth not God.” 1 John 4:8

GOD is interested in FRUIT and fruit only comes from a ROOTED abiding relationship with Jesus (Matthew 3:7-10; John 15, etc.)!

Any questions?

If you do not have God’s love manifesting in your thoughts and actions, it’s because you do not know Him. Read 1 Corinthians 13 every day this week and ask the LORD to make every bit of it a reality in your life.

“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:3-8

Golden Rule Living is following Christ – the example He set when He “came NOT to be ministered unto (be served), but to minister (serve), and to give his life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). WHOSE interests are you living for? Your own or Christs, and therefore His people? Do you realize that if you neglect those around you in need you are neglecting and affronting Jesus (Matthew 25:40-46)? Do you realize that you and I will be judged according to this exact measure and rule?

Just WHAT does preferring others ABOVE ourselves mean? How does that work itself out in our daily lives?

Are you living according to Christ’s teachings, OR, are you deceived into thinking you are following Him who is the only way to Heaven while setting aside, neglecting, and even shunning what He taught? Check out Mark 8:38; John 14:15, 21; Titus 1:16; 1 John 2:3-6. If I am to love my neighbor “as myself” (equally) and even prefer others “BETTER THAN” myself, why would I keep two houses when I knew another member of Christ’s body was without a home? WHY would I keep earthly investments or items that could be sold and the money given to those in need? I simply wouldn’t. The same goes for other possessions and money. Compare your Christianity to the earliest believers in Christ to see if you are authentic. Read Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-35.

The earliest disciples of Jesus were living according to His Word. They were preferring other believers “BETTER THAN themselves” (Golden Rule; Philippians 2:3-5). As true disciples of Jesus, they were naturally doing unto others as they would have them do to themselves if they were in the same need or situation.

Applying the Golden Rule in Your Thoughts and Attitudes Towards Others

“And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.” Zechariah 7:10

Notice: “let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.” When your iniquitous, condemning fleshly mind, or Satan, tempts you to “imagine evil against” your brother or sister in Christ, what should you do? Read the above verse again, write it on an index card, and live by it. This qualifies exactly what Paul meant when he spoke of divine charity and its place in our lives. He stated that when we are walking in God’s love, it “thinketh no evil” inside of us, His vessels and dwelling place (1 Corinthians 13). In other words, love thinks nor concludes “no evil” against any person until it’s actually proven, and then, it shows mercy even as we are so personally and desperately in need of divine mercy – moment to moment (Titus 3:3-7; Jude 21).

“Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” Jude 21

“Imagining evil in your heart sounded foreign until I came to recognize how wretched our sins are. I pray for forgiveness when I am thinking in a wrong way. We are supposed to be forgiving and merciful to others, not having feet that are swift to do mischief.” Dana R.

The Two Great Commandments

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40

1. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind”

2. “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself”

Any person claiming to be a Christian – a follower of Christ – who does not have loving God and loving others as their highest priorities, is completely misled and deceived.

The Greatest of These is What?

“And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” 1 Corinthians 13:13

GOD PLACES the highest premium and priority on love and if you don’t, you simply do not yet understand Him nor His kingdom. Cry out to Him in confession and repentance to open the eyes of your understanding. Whatever you do, make this the priority of your life – loving God and all others – above yourself. Pouring over Philippians 2:3-5 each morning is a daily kingdom recalibration!

Pass This On.

The Mind of Christ

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Feedback:

“That is a wealth of wisdom. Usually I get laughed at for being too gullible. But that’s okay, I’d rather give a person the benefit of the doubt, unless they keep arguing over obvious scriptural passages, then I just pray for their eyes to open! So many who follow these Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing! I never want to be that gullible!” Diana M.

Support | STORE | Podcasts | Christology |  Be Ready in the Morning [podcast]The Sure Mercies of David [podcast]That Repentance and Remission of Sins should be Preached [podcast] | At His Feet

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