Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

5.11-  Living in a grace, mercy and peace atmosphere Forgiveness of sins is done as spiritually healing before a physical healing.  Guilt can keep a person from moving forward spiritually.  It is important for God to give the spiritual improvement as a part of general improvement. Mark 2. 2  A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2  They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3  Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4  Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5  When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

5.10- Living in an atmosphere of Grace, Mercy and Peace. The church has been going for nearly 2,000 years.  It has experienced the death of many of those who were the key workers.  In Jerusalem they crucified its founder and builder, but the grave could not hold Him. He had key worker who denied that he even knew Jesus and cursed to prove it.  The rooster crowed and Jesus was proven right. Later, Jesus saw these men and promised if they went forth to make disciples for Him that He would be with them. Grace, mercy and peace atmosphere means that people who have failed will be used by Jesus to spread His good news. Matthew 28. 16  Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17  When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18  Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizin...

5.9- God's grace is delivered by people who may not seem very religious.  God comes in the form of helpers.  When you see the tornadoes, hurricanes and such that destroy communities and kill people you hear someone says this is "an act of God".  People ask where is God?  Mother Teresa said, "Look for God in the helpers." God is in the people who need help.  Those who love God help people.  They have compassion.  They visit sick people.  They are the people who give to the poor and homeless.  They are those who visit jails and prisons and detention centers.  God's grace goes through these people. Matthew 25. 31  “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32  All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33  He will put the sheep on his right and the goats ...

5.8- God's desire for His children is for their warmth, their unity and their protection. Matthew 23. 37  “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 38  Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39  For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’ [ c ] ”

5.7- When you live in the atmosphere of grace, mercy and peace. There will be those who speak against you when you push for what you want. You may want things that they think God doesn't want you to want. They may think that you just need to not push for your needs to be met. You can't let those around you tell you what to ask God for.  You know what you want and you may even know what you need.  So you cry out to God and He answers.   Matthew 20. 29  As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. 30  Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” 31  The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” 32  Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. 33  “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.” ...

5.6- Deep down there is a desire to have a high quality life that lasts forever in our hearts.  The Bible says that God has put eternity in the hearts of men. The more we walk with God the more of His life we experience. As we try this we find we can't actually measure up. Those of us who are rich are asked to transfer our wealth to heaven by giving to the poor. We find we can't totally surrender our wealth to the control of God. Then we realize that the only way rich people can be saved is by the mercy and grace of God. Matthew 19. 16  Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” 17  “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” 18  “Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19  h...

5.5- Do you feel really feel forgiven by God for all your sins? If you do it is a good feeling. It requires honesty. It requires knowing what is right and wrong from God's point of view. If you listen to Godly people you will learn a lot about what God considers good and bad. If you are blessed to be literate and have a New Testament in your language you are blessed.  Not all people are so blessed. If you have been blessed with forgiveness by God then there is a better chance that you will be gracious with others. If you don't extend mercy to others, it may mean that you have not received mercy from God. I beg you to just be honest.  Throw yourself on the mercy of the grace of God.  Turn from the sin and rebellion and dishonesty and running from God.  Then run to Him and receive His mercy and enjoy it and pass it on. Matthew 18. 18  At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2...