Part One—
Being broken in spirit, we become mournful over the sinful conduct of our life, which leads to meekness, which then produces a deep hunger and thirst for righteousness.
Mercy is the first external evidence the world can observe to verify that God is at work on the inside.
A Merciful Church
If Satan can remove mercy from the conduct of Christians, the church will die. If we become so busy with buildings, budgets and baptisms that we lose compassion for the suffering stream of humanity that flows through our doors, we may as well close our doors.
If there is no mercy in the house of God, then the glory of the Lord is departed…there is no peace, no joy, no love. Without mercy, the church is a tree with no fruit. It’s a well without water. It’s a cloud without rain. Without mercy, the church becomes nothing more than a religious country club. The building should be burned to the ground before the congregation gets sued for false advertising!
The Greek word for merciful is eleémón, which means “to be beneficial.” It’s God’s will that every church be beneficial to those who walk through its doors. Those attending should go home in a better condition than the one in which they came, from having been in the presence of God’s mercy.
The church is a healing force in a hurting world. It’s a hospital for the battered and broken. It’s a fortress of faith in a world of doubt and skepticism. It’s a house of comfort where hope is reborn. It’s a place of worship where God is revered, where His Word is proclaimed and where His Son, Jesus, is Lord.
Source: Being Happy in an Unhappy World
Spiritual Growth
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