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mercy

Hosea 6:6
"For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings."

This week we have studied verses from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 9. Where Jesus celebrated with Matthew. On the occasion of Matthew leaving tax collection to follow Jesus. This event was attended by other tax collectors and SINNERS. The Pharisees saw it as scandalous that Jesus was dining with them! Jesus preached to them that true righteousness comes from recognizing one's need for grace and showing love to others, rather than from strict adherence to religious rituals.

The words that our Lord and Savior used are the same as the words in today's verse from the Old Testament. The prophet Hosea wrote during a time when Israel had turned away from God, engaged in idolatry and experienced profound moral decay. God's message through Hosea is a call to prioritize compassion, kindness, and a sincere relationship with GOD rather than focusing solely on external religious practices.

We want to be balanced in our practice of our FAITH. We must have a deep, personal relationship with Jesus and demonstrate genuine acts of mercy and charity to people.

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