Category Archives: encouragement

Legalism vs. Love; August 4, 2024

Posted on August 5, 2024 by jgarrott

Matthew 12:7-8 If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” As many times as the original passage from Hosea 6:6 is … Continue reading →

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Harvest; August 3, 2024

Posted on August 4, 2024 by jgarrott

Matthew 9:37-38 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” This is a famous passage, but one thing jumps out at … Continue reading →

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The Great Physician; August 2, 2024

Posted on August 3, 2024 by jgarrott

Matthew 9:12-13 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” It’s … Continue reading →

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The Sermon on the Mount; August 1, 2024

Posted on August 2, 2024 by jgarrott

Matthew 5:1 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him and he taught them. This section, particularly verses 3-12, is one of the most famous of all Jesus’ … Continue reading →

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Consistency; July 31, 2024

Posted on August 1, 2024 by jgarrott

Zechariah 7:9-10  “This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’” The Lord is here having Zechariah quote what … Continue reading →

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Unconditional Faith; July 30, 2024

Posted on July 31, 2024 by jgarrott

Habakkuk 3:19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength;    he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,    he enables me to tread on the heights. From verse 17 on, this is one of the most beautiful declarations of faith in the whole Bible. … Continue reading →

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Shepherds and Sheep; July 29, 2025

Posted on July 30, 2024 by jgarrott

Micah 7:14 Shepherd your people with your staff,    the flock of your inheritance,which lives by itself in a forest,    in fertile pasturelands.[a]Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead    as in days long ago. This whole passage is confusing as to who is saying what to … Continue reading →

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What God Desires; July 28, 2024

Posted on July 29, 2024 by jgarrott

Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.    And what does the Lord require of you?To act justly and to love mercy    and to walk humbly with your God. This is a famous verse that is absolutely powerful in its simplicity. It strips … Continue reading →

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Speaking the Truth; July 27, 2024

Posted on July 28, 2024 by jgarrott

Amos 5:10 They hate him who reproves in the gate,    and they abhor him who speaks the truth. Prophets and truth-speakers often get a rough reception! Of all the Old Testament characters I like Isaiah the best, but reliable legend has it that … Continue reading →

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Loving God; July 26, 2024

Posted on July 27, 2024 by jgarrott

Hosea 6:6 For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,    the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. Many English translations say “mercy” here, following the Septuagint, but the ESV (quoted here) and the Japanese go with “love.” This passage as a whole … Continue reading →

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