
“I will have Mercy, and not Sacrifice”: What does this really Mean? [podcast]
“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 Good Shepherd and His True Sheep [podcast]

“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant …” Hebrews 13:20
“To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.” John 10:3
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” John 10:27-29
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. 9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.
10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 11 persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” 2 Timothy 3:1-13
“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?” Luke 9:23-25
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Abiding
“He that Loveth Pureness of Heart” [podcast]

IS YOUR HEART PURE BEFORE THE ALMIGHTY BELOVED?
DO I truly love “pureness of heart”?
“HE THAT LOVETH PURENESS OF HEART, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.” Proverbs 22:11
Without a pure heart, obtained from seeking, worshiping, knowing, and obey God …. no one “shall see God.” Not one.
“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8
If you or I have every word of the Bible memorized and die today with a heart that is defiled with sin, we’d bust hell wide open – and be trapped there irrevocably forever.
TODAY is our day, it’s your day, to throw up those hands and that heart to the LORD who made you, and cry out to Him to grant you a pure heart, one that is innocent, clean, washed, delighting in Him.
“Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” Psalms 37:4
When the LORD is truly working in a man, that man is learning to love “pureness of heart.”
“He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.” Proverbs 22:11
Coming and continuing to come to the light is essential to final salvation.
“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” John 3:19-21
Choosing the Fear of the LORD
WE must surround ourselves with the Word, the people, the praises of our God! FLOOD your ear and eye gates beloved (Proverbs 4:23). Jesus is coming.
“But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” John 3:21
Coming clean: To be sanctified by Christ, one must repent and believe upon Him. As the LORD works in them, there will be the response of honesty, humble repentance and a coming to the light, continually. If not, judgment will be incurred (Isaiah 1:19-20).
“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13
Those who cover instead of bring their depraved hearts into the light to have them changed and cleansed by the LORD, “shall not prosper.” In other words, they are stifled. Those who remain humble, teachable, correctable, rebukeable, and obedient, will receive divine mercy perpetually.
“God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.” Psalms 55:19
Those who refuse to “choose the fear of the LORD” have no changes in their lives.
“For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:” Proverbs 1:29
Psalms 73
“Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. 24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. 26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. 27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. 28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.” Psalms 73:23-28
Drawing Nigh (close) to God Afresh
“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” James 4:6-10
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Articles
Out of the Mouth of Babes – “What is Love?” Hilarious. Revealing [podcast]

Hilarious and heart warming: What these precious children say will have you laughing and perhaps crying.
“What a blessing this was to my heart! My favorite was the 4 year old white sat on his neighbors lap! Phew! We could learn so much from children about love. They aren’t judgmental. There arms are open wide to give and receive love.” Karen Cochran
Jesus says that we are to be “converted” and also to “become as little children.” (Matthew 18:3-4)
Our LORD Jesus, the greatest Servant says:
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13
This “greater love” of our Creator, Jesus Christ, was busy blessing each of us in our mother’s womb.
Reading 1 Corinthians 13 today will refresh your heart and mind on the divine importance placed upon LOVE. Share.
Recently it occurred to me…. That the younger the child, the less corrupted they are by this world and the closer they are to God, as in they were more recently in the womb, being fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalms 139).
“For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. 17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!” Psalms 139:13-17
“Out of the Mouth of Babes” is a Scripture and an idiom, a biblical idiom that teaches us that the young and innocent are often unexpectedly wise. This term originates in the Old and New Testaments. The Book of Psalms (8:2) has God ordaining strength out of the mouths of babes and sucklings; the Gospel of Matthew (21:16) has praise emerging from the same source.
“And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3-4
What does Love mean to 4-8 year old kids? How do they define love? (by an unknown guest)
“The problem is; We look for someone to grow old together with, While the secret is to find someone to stay a child with!” (Charles Bukowski)
What does Love mean to 4-8 year old kids?
Slow down for a few minutes to read this…💕
A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, ‘What does love mean?’ The answers they got were broader, deeper, and more profound than anyone could have ever imagined!
‘When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore… So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That’s love.’ Rebecca – age 8
‘When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.’ Billy – age 4
‘Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.’ Karl – age 5
‘Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.’ Chrissy – age 6
‘Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired.’ Terri – age 4
‘Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.’ Danny – age 8
‘Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and just listen.’ Bobby – age 7 (Wow!)
‘If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.’ Nikka – age 6
(we need a few million more Nikka’s on this planet)
‘Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it every day.’ Noelle – age 7
‘Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.’ Tommy – age 6
‘During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.
He was the only one doing that.
I wasn’t scared anymore.’ Cindy – age 8
‘My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.’ Clare – age 6
‘Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.’ Elaine – age 5
‘Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.’ Chris – age 7
‘Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.’ Mary Ann – age 4
‘I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.’ Lauren – age 4
‘When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.’ (what an image!) Karen – age 7
‘Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn’t think it’s gross…’ Mark – age 6
‘You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.’ Jessica – age 8
And the final one: The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.
Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman’s yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, ‘Nothing, I just helped him cry.’ (This made me cry!)
Now, take a few seconds and post this for others to inspire and spread Love like butter!
And then go be a child again today!
“It’s good to be weak in flesh and strong in the power of His might. It’s good to be vulnerable like a child and abide under the shadow of His wings.” Debbie Lord
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