Digging Deeper~ Lent Sunday #4

Ez. 37:1-14: God tells Moses how to make the Ark (God's mercy seat). Ps. 130: A prayer of waiting on the Lord for mercy. Rom. 8:6-11: We are to be spiritually minded and not have carnal minds. For life in in Christ, but living in sin is death. But as the Spirit raised Jesus from the dead, so It can raise you spiritually from death.  John 11:1-45: Showing mercy to his friends Mary & Martha, Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. Mercy: It is a trait that God shows to his people. He had Moses build the mercy seat (Ez. 37:1-14), while his people wondered in the wilderness. Why? For he knew that they had a great need to know that God was with them & would forgive their sins. David later wrote a song to God expressing how he waited on God for his mercy when he felt he needed it the most (Ps. 130). God shows us mercy in many ways. One way we see Jesus showing mercy to his friends,  Mary & Martha when their brother Lazarus had died. He brought Lazarus back to life (John 11:1-45). Why was that being merciful to them? Because both women were not married & in their culture single women were to be cared for by a Father or brother for the men were the ones who worked. Women who did not have a man to care for them were very poor. God also is merciful to us spiritually. How is that. Jesus came, died, and roses from the dead to pay for our sins (Rom. 8:6-11). In doing so, he showed mercy to us sinners who were slaves to sin. Because of what Jesus did we can be freed from a carnal & sinful mind. Through Jesus we can have a godly mind. Now that is mercy at it's highest form! Challenge of the week: This week, take the time to think on the freedom that Jesus gave us. Then thank him for that freedom. Above all live in that freedom in Christ. Accomplishment of the week: How did living in your freedom in Christ free you from the bonds of sin?