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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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Apostasy

The FORGOTTEN Sins of Sodom [podcast]


What were the Real and Root Sins of Sodom?

Explosive!
DO YOU KNOW WHAT SINS THE BIBLE CITES OF THE PEOPLE OF SODOM WHICH CAUSED DIVINE JUDGMENT TO FALL ON THEM? THIS LIST OF SINS MIGHT SHOCK YOU.

EXPOSING THE GATEWAY SINS TO SODOM’S DESTRUCTION

Sodom’s sins were pride, gluttony, and laziness, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door.

According to Romans 1 it seems that sexual deviance, namely homosexuality, is the sin, the final manifestation of evil before destruction transpires. The LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for this sin and others and will or is destroying America for rejecting Him (Matthew 10:26-28). WHAT were the specific sins of Sodom and Gomorrah that preceded the ultimate “abomination” of homosexuality? (Leviticus 18:22) Does the Bible reveal these sins? Yes!

Homosexuality always has been and always will be an “abomination” in the eyes of our Holy God (Leviticus 18:22). Repent now and follow Jesus.

DID GOD LIST SODOM’S SINS? WHAT WERE THEY?
THIS SHOCKING LIST OF SINS AND MESSAGE WILL KEEP YOU OUT OF HELL!

Little known sins that led up to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Check this out.

“The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 1:9

Sodomy/homosexuality is usually the only sin attributed to the sins of Sodom and yet the Bible lists several sins that came before the ultimate turning over to homosexuality and further judgment (hell). See also Romans 1 and Ezekiel 16:49-51.

Jesus used this very example of Sodom to warn all under New Testament:

“Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. 31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife. 33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.” Luke 17:28-33

Impending Judgment for Sin

In Ezekiel 16 we read of the judgment coming on the LORD’s people for their sins.

The very sins committed by the people of Sodom before God destroyed that city, were being committed by the LORD’s professing people in Ezekiel’s day, and are today being committed by those claiming to know the LORD in our day.

“Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. 50 And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good. 51 Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy sins; but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more than they, and hast justified thy sisters in all thine abominations which thou hast done.” Ezekiel 16:49-51 

This list of sins in the above passage begins with these 3:

PFA = Pride, Fulness of Bread, and Abundance of idleness.

The Sins of Sodom:

Sins Jerusalem cited for in Ezekiel 16:49-51:

  • Pride (arrogance),
  • Fulness of Bread (gluttony, hoarding),
  • Abundance of Idleness (idle, lazy),
  • did not help those in need due to preoccupation with self-worship (not generous in spreading God’s wealth to His people and work)
  • haughty
  • committed abomination (fornication)

In the bulleted sins listed above from this revealing Ezekiel 16 passage, did you notice the progression?

Though it culminated in sodomy, yet not one sex sin is even specifically mentioned in this list of Sodom’s sins in Ezekiel 16. Does this not align perfectly with the judgment we see in Romans 1, how “when they knew God, they glorified him not as God” and were unthankful, further enriching themselves while they ignored others?

“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful (they were ungrateful); but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” Romans 1:21

A fresh reading of Romans 1 reveals the root sins that preceded the sexual sins which immediately go before divine judgment. See Romans 1:18-32.

The sins that darken the hearts of those who once “knew God” and lead to the ultimate abomination of sodomy/homosexuality are pride, gluttony, idleness, and refusing to be generous givers to believers in need, etc.

Let’s Look Again at the Root, the Gateway Sins of the People of Sodom and Gomorrah:

PFA listed in Ezekiel 16:49-51:

  • Pride (arrogance),
  • Fulness of Bread (gluttony),
  • Abundance of Idleness (idle, lazy),
  • Like the fake religionists priest and Levite of Jesus’ Good Samaritan teaching, they did not help those in need due to preoccupation with self-worship (not generous in spreading God’s wealth to His people and work)

“And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged (weighed down) with surfeiting (gluttony), and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35 For as a snare (trap) shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” Luke 21:34-36

“There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.” Proverbs 13:7

Spiritual “Leanness”

“And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.” Psalms 106:15

“And this is exactly why there is a famine in the land. A famine ‘of hearing the words of the Lord’. Amos 8:11-13. This is the consequence of neglecting the Word of God. This famine is sent by God. To serve judgment because they have disregarded His Word and so their longings remain unsatisfied. It is a spiritual starvation, an emptiness. This is caused by disobedience and complacency. They shall ‘faint for thirst’. This implies an intense suffering. God has withdrawn His Word. As we see in these last days. People literally have contempt for God’s word. When you give them the pure unadulterated words of the Lord it angers them. So God will allow them to suffer an intense hunger because of their refusal of His words. This is why they are so prone to believe false prophets. Because they are weak and not ‘nourished up in the words of faith and good doctrine, whereunto thou has attained’ 1 Timothy 4:6” Karen Cochran

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Articles

“That Ye all Speak the Same Thing” [podcast]


Yes some abandon the sound doctrine which is the Holy Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:15-17). Let such cease.

“That ye all speak the same thing” right?

“Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” 1 Corinthians 1:10

Satan is introducing doubting, casting doubt upon what God has said, His Word, when he said to the woman in the temptation, “Hath God said?” See Genesis 3:1. And Satan in this exchange, changed, altered what God said, God’s Word. See Genesis 2:17 and 3:4. Game changer! The enemy has not changed and we are not be ignorant of his devices, right? (2 Corinthians 2:11).

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16

We stand with both feet and every ounce of our weight on God’s Word with utter impunity to Satan and his kingdom of evil.

“God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.”  Romans 3:4

The final blow of death is coming to him, soon.

“And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.” Romans 16:20

“But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:” Titus 2:1

“If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:11

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Abiding

Fruitful Life. Fruitful Evangelism. [podcast]


The Life God Blesses to Bear Fruit for His Eternal Glory

A fruitful life for God’s glory involves first being genuinely born again, abiding in Christ via the crucified life, bearing spiritual fruit—such as Christlikeness in character, good works, and evangelism—by remaining in vital union with Jesus, the true vine (John 15).

“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” John 15:16

JUST as Jesus multiplied the little with the boy who gave the loaves and fishes, so He does with our efforts. Jesus multiplied that little and fed 5,000 men, and that doesn’t count the women and children present. Try Him.

“O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” Psalms 34:8

“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.
41  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” Matthew 25:40-46

God blesses the lives of His faithful saints. His faithful saints seek His face continually.

Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually.” 1 Chronicles 16:11

God prospers us according as we seek His face and stay upon Him. Of king Uzziah king of Judah, God’s Word says:

“As long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.” 2 Chronicles 26:5

At times in this life there are season of uncertainty, where our vision may not be clear. We must “stay upon” the LORD.

“Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God.” Isaiah 50:10

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
12  Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
13  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
14  And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.” Jeremiah 29:11-14

“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” 1 Corinthians 15:10

“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” Ephesians 3:20

“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8

We’ve never been so reminded of this as of the miraculous events of late where beloved brother Juan dropped some plastic water bottles that hit me in the feet. Only God could have orchestrated this collision of Juan’s life and mine.

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.” Psalms 37:23

Ask Him.

Recently brother Stacy Strother reminded me that God simply wants us, His people to be available, to pray and watch Him work!

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18  They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. 19  So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. 20  And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.” Mark 16:15-20

It has been wisely stated:

“Show me a man’s prayer life, his life of prayer or lack thereof, and I will show you who that man truly is and who and what he loves most.”

All who are zealous for the LORD are zealous about His work, to do it. Not build a church, but to see Christ work in the hearts of men—to strengthen and equip His body and convict and save lost souls to Himself.

One source notes:

“Evangelism is the act of sharing the Christian gospel—the ‘good news’ of Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection—with the aim of inviting others into a relationship with God. It is considered a core mission for believers to spread this message of salvation, hope, and love, often stemming from Jesus’s command in the Great Commission.”

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.” Proverbs 11:30

YOUR PRAYER: Holy Father, in Jesus’ name, unite my heart to fear Thy name. Do your work in and through my life. I am all Yours. Maximize the fruit produced to Your eternal glory. You must increase but I must decrease. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Support | STORE | Podcasts | Jail/Prison MinistryMexico Mission here |All Ministry UpdatesThe Greatest of these is Charity | 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 | Prepared to be Used of God  | Great Commission

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