Wow! Heart issue going on within the Pharisees! Mercy and not sacrifice was the statement Jesus made when hearing what the Pharisees had spoken to the disciples. He goes on to say, "For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
Matthew 12:1-8..................12:1 At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. 2 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, "Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!" 3 But He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: 4 how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? 5 Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? 6 Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. 7 But if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." NKJV
YOU would not have condemned the guiltless.....
YOU would not have condemned the guiltless.....
Thinking of the Pharisees and their watchful eye on Jesus, have you ever wondered if they had schedules to follow Jesus around in a 24-hour period? You know like Mike and Joe at 6 am to 9 am and then Frank and Fred take 9 am to noon. Just a thought, for they seemed to have those spying out what that "man" was doing at the moment.
Now it states from the above scripture passage that Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. The disciples were hungry and began to eat. Now if you have never gone through a grain field and picked the heads of grain, you have missed out. For it is surely a good treat for anyone needing food in a moment of time.
The Pharisees were quick to point out "something" and it was that being in the grain field was unlawful. They were picking in the field on the Sabbath.
But Jesus reminds them of David and how he got the shewbread for his men to eat as they were without food at the time.
1 Samuel 21:1-6.....................21:1 Now David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech was afraid when he met David, and said to him, "Why are you alone, and no one is with you?" 2 So David said to Ahimelech the priest, "The king has ordered me on some business, and said to me, 'Do not let anyone know anything about the business on which I send you, or what I have commanded you.' And I have directed my young men to such and such a place. 3 Now therefore, what have you on hand? Give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatever can be found." 4 And the priest answered David and said, "There is no common bread on hand; but there is holy bread, if the young men have at least kept themselves from women." 5 Then David answered the priest, and said to him, "Truly, women have been kept from us about three days since I came out. And the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in effect common, even though it was sanctified in the vessel this day." 6 So the priest gave him holy bread; for there was no bread there but the showbread which had been taken from before the LORD, in order to put hot bread in its place on the day when it was taken away. NKJV
Though a Law prevented the shewbread to be used by anyone else other than the priests, in this emergency of human need, compassion prevailed over the restriction.
In another arena of this complaint, the priests had to work.
Matthew 12:5....Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless?
Can you imagine the thoughts and overwhelming pride these Pharisees held in regard to what they knew the Law to be for they always referred back to the Lawgiver, Moses!
These priest were guiltless of performing their temple worship.
So in regards to the disciples plucking and eating the grain, as they followed Jesus who was leading them. They were doing what was expected and done in a manner of knowing Jesus was the master of the Sabbath.
It is like in this country, we have laws for the highway use. There are restricted areas like neighborhoods that only allow a 25 mph maximum because the amount of children who live and play in that area. Other areas like Interstate Highways have a designation of 60 mph or 70 mph, but other areas that have construction going on, and that speed is cut dramatically in accord with what is being done to roadway. Some areas of construction may have only a 40 mph reduced to a 20 mph in less than 1/4 mile. Again that is for the safety of those workers in that area and for the safety of those driving on the roadway that is under repair or for a whole new restructuring.
Sunday night, a week ago, in Portland, there was a traffic problem with a "Fast and Furious" moment when a group of street racers took over a bridge on Interstate 405. There were several drivers involved and they performed "donuts" and some "burnouts". Yes, it had traffic snarled, blocked and stopped on the Fremont Bridge. Not sure of the amount of time, but I was thinking how many motorists needed to cross that bridge that had an emergency at home or elsewhere they had to get to, but because of a few drivers, many motorists had to stop while those "stunt drivers" performed their stunts. Yikes!
Not a common rule in this country. Am certain those who exhibited their expertise in "donuts" will see some kind of fine or jail time.
Not a common rule in this country. Am certain those who exhibited their expertise in "donuts" will see some kind of fine or jail time.
Jesus always moved through the crowd. He stopped when He needed to stop but always kept moving to the next person and the next person.
Jesus said, "I desire mercy and not sacrifice"..........I desire all to have a merciful heart......!
About ministering to others. It is always the heart issue. The heart issue is not only for those who come for prayer, but also for those who minister "to others" in prayer. It always takes the Holy Spirit to lead us through to pray for someone. But like Jesus, we should just speak a word and it is done.
In ministering to others, it is the "heart that leads". It takes those who love others through prayer and giving a needed encouragement to another.
You can certainly see those who have a "heart" for others. Not just on the street in respect to saying hello,but stopping to pray with them there as well! That is a strong heart that loves over all circumstances and situations.
I like what the New American Standard-Updated Edition had of the verse..........Matthew 9:13...................13 "But go and learn what this means: "I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." NASU
COMPASSION.......JESUS DESIRES FOR US TO HAVE COMPASSION!
Matthew 5: 7...Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. NIV
Matthew 23:23-24...Woe to you, scribes, and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law; justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. NKJV
James 3:16-18...For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits; without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. NKJV
In the verse above, that merciful and mercy are the love, that God compassion for others. It is one love, one great compassion that has good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisy!
I think of Jesus knowing Judas would betray Him. He knew what was in Judas' heart and yet Jesus never murmured about it to anyone. YOU never READ of anything being mentioned about Judas other than Jesus telling him to do quickly what he was about to do in betraying HIM!
I think of Jesus knowing Judas would betray Him. He knew what was in Judas' heart and yet Jesus never murmured about it to anyone. YOU never READ of anything being mentioned about Judas other than Jesus telling him to do quickly what he was about to do in betraying HIM!
In the blog, "What Language Do You Speak?", I had written our individuality is ours alone but our identity should be in God alone! I knew as I was writing it that it was Holy Ghost inspired and believe that today, that God created us as those individuals with choices, to live for him and to be that part of His family. We can be loud, we can be red, yellow, black or white, we can be short or tall, we can heavy or thin, but our hearts should belong to God. I love to pray, and you may love to run, but we still love God. I love to write about Jesus and you may write songs about Jesus and then sing them to crowds.
We should not want to act like the Pharisees and send out scouts to check on the "man of God" and see if he is following the strict law. Talk about religiosity! no, Jesus came to set captives free. Someone new shows up at church or the Bible study, they love to pray, but are we allowing them access to us and the other believer's or are we shunning them, and cutting off access to them "not to pray" or "encourage" others?
Mark 9:38-44....................38 Now John answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us." 39 But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. 40 For he who is not against us is on our side. 41 For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.
42 "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched-- 44 where
'Their worm does not die,
And the fire is not quenched.' NKJV
Should we not want to look like the "free" son of God and be imitators of that which is good and not that which is of evil intent?
It should not make a difference what church one attends or if it is on Saturday or Thursday. When God is in it, others will know! Acts 5:39........39 but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it--lest you even be found to fight against God." NKJV
(Read all of Acts 5) When God is with us, others will know it and have the wisdom to not fight against it. BUT ALAS, you can at times find some who try to stop what God is doing, but to no avail.
We are not to be the judge, jury and sentence giver of said "crime". We will know others by their fruit. Are they producing fruit that is of righteousness that produces peace or they causing strife? Is the new person praying for others and seeking the other's good?
So what if she prays loud that every person in the next county can hear her pray? So she prays so quiet that only a mouse can hear her speak or give a squeak! So what if "he" only shows up when the service begins with the "sticks" to the drums and leaves when an "Amen" is spoken. Again God is the JUDGE.
Jesus is the "I AM" in our midst. If I talk about Joe Blow and his " what I think is bad" driving on I-5, that makes me a what? We are to bless and not curse our fellow man! Could not tell you how many times I had to repent living in the Seattle area. Yikes! All that confessing sin, .............but God........."they did this" and "God, did YOU see that"..and they....did and did and did................! That is tiring guys.
It is best to give it to God. I keep the responsibility of driving safely on the roadway, but I cast the care of it on God! I believe He will perform His Word over my trips to and from said place I need to be.
Yes, a heart issue. It is the Holy Spirit that brings to us that which is wrong. If HE SHOWS US SOMETHING FOR SOMEONE ELSE, WE ARE TO PRAY AND NOT BRING LIGHT TO IT UNLESS THE HOLY SPIRIT LEADS US IN THAT DIRECTION. AGAIN, GOD'S WORD WILL CORRECT US. IT IS UP TO US TO FOLLOW THAT INSTRUCTION!
In following Jesus, we follow that which He has placed for us to do. Not complain about Jennie June or Missy Ann or John, but walk with them, have good thoughts about them, and pray. For God desires us to have compassion for others. Do we have good fruits that are without partiality and without hypocrisy? Do I have a problem with a woman because she is of color or because she is loud? Some of my best friends have been those of color and who were "very" loud. And praise God, they loved Jesus! It starts with us and should end with those knowing we have been with the Lord!
We are not to have a religion here but a lifestyle that exhibits love the way Jesus did and one that still flows through that of His followers!
Father, thank You for Jesus. He is our example of a 360 degree love. He came to set the captives free who followed after the world's set rules implemented to enforce a rule that no man can keep. Father, today we live in a day and time when people want to rule, have their own way because they think they look good. But from Your Word we find that love is the best example to give and to show. In 1 Samuel 16:7...we are told...... for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." NKJV
Scripture tells us in Proverbs 14:33....that
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding,
But what is in the heart of fools is made known. NKJV
We pray for understanding!
It is our desire as we pray today that courage and strength would be seen in our lives. It is our desire to have that which will give love at the most inopportune times. For we know love never murmurs, but does something. That God-kind of love speaks and fulfills a job to be done. YOUR kind of love does something without being told to do it. Does it quickly and in most cases is never seen by others. It is this kind of serving others that we saw in Jesus. It is this most excellent way in serving that we desire for it truly is given in an amount that is noticeable and it is given by words of kindness and sometimes by correction for another's good.
Scripture tells us in Proverbs 14:33....that
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding,
But what is in the heart of fools is made known. NKJV
We pray for understanding!
Father, we know not what our complete roles are in serving You and our fellow man, but we hold fast to YOUR Word and believe that as we walk into eternity with YOU, we are those who are the merciful extending a compassionate heart whether in praying or giving of time or even finances into another person's life. We understand that we all were created in Your image and we expect to have a part in this end time harvest of having opportunities and many open doors to see Your kingdom come into the lives of many men, women and children. We give You praise for all that You do in our hearts today. Holy Spirit come and have Your way in us. It is in Jesus' holy name, we pray. Amen.
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