· A common saying in our culture is, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” meaning
basically, “If it’s still tolerably functional, leave it alone.”
· Many people live their lives that way as well. Their motto is, “My life is
functioning just fine, so I don’t need ‘fixing’ – I don’t have any problems
right now that need outside help.”
· What they don’t realize is, “IF IT AIN’T BROKE, GOD WON’T FIX IT!”
In other words, until you admit you’ve got a problem, God won’t help you with that problem!
· It’s kind of like this “RECALL NOTICE” …
The maker of all human beings is recalling all units manufactured,
regardless of make or year, due to a serious defect in the primary and
central component of the heart. This is due to a malfunction in the
original prototype units code named Adam and Eve, resulting in
reproduction of the same defect in all subsequent units. This defect has
been technically termed, Sub sequential Internal Non-Morality, or
more commonly known as S-I-N, as it is primarily symptomized by a
loss of moral judgment.
Some other symptoms are: (a) Loss of direction, (b) Foul vocal
emissions, (c) Amnesia of origin, (d) Lack of peace and joy, (e) Selfish
or violent behavior, (f) Depression or confusion in the mental
component, (g) Fear, (h) Idolatry.
The manufacturer, who is neither liable nor at fault for this defect, is
providing factory authorized repair and service, free of charge to correct
this SIN defect. The number to call for the recall station in your area is:
P-R-A-Y-E-R. Once connected, upload your burden of SIN by pressing
R-E-P-E-N-T-A-N-C-E. Next, download J-E-S-U-S into the heart.
No matter how big or small the SIN defect is, the J-E-S-U-S repair will
replace it with: (a) Love, (b) Joy, (c) Peace, (d) Longsuffering, (e)
Gentleness, (f) Goodness, (g) Faith, (h) Meekness, (I) Temperance.
Please see operating manual, H-O-L-Y B-l-B-L-E, for further details on
the use of these fixes. WARNING: Continuing to operate the human unit
without correction, voids the manufacturers warranty, exposing owner to
dangers and problems too numerous to list and will result in the human
unit being permanently impounded.
For free emergency service, call on J-E-S-U-S.
DANGER: The human units not receiving this recall action will have to
be scrapped in the furnace. The SIN defect must not enter heaven or
else heaven will be infected.
· Because of sin, human beings are fundamentally “broken.” The Psalmist
David discovered this principle during his life …
· Psalm 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken
heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
· Psalm 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken
and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
· Because of our cultural expressions, we primarily think of a “broken
heart” or a “broken spirit” as a “weeping heart” or “sad spirit,” but the
primary meaning of David’s Hebrew expression was what we normally
think of when we think of the word BROKEN:
BROKEN: violently separated into parts, shattered, damaged,
fractured, violated, disrupted, made weak or infirm, subdued, crushed,
bankrupt, reduced in rank, cut off, disconnected, not complete or full.
· David realized two very powerful truths: FIRST, that his heart was
“broken” – not merely that it was sad, but that something was
fundamentally wrong with it; SECOND, that GOD IS ATTRACTED TO
BROKENNESS! (“nigh unto them,” “thou wilt not despise”) He knew that
“if it ain’t broke, God won’t fix it,” and that’s why David didn’t mind
admitting his problem …
· Psalm 31:12 I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a
broken vessel.
· In fact, the whole purpose of the Old Testament law was to show man
that he was fundamentally BROKEN, and that he needed God’s help!
· Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid.
Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust,
except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
· Galatians 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring
us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
· The Law of Moses contains many illustrations concerning brokenness:
· Any earthen vessel contaminated by an unclean object, animal or
person was to be BROKEN.
· When leprosy had BROKEN through the skin, a person was unclean
and had to be separated from everyone else.
· When leprosy had BROKEN out in the walls of a house, the house
was to be broken down.
· The Old Testament is really an ongoing contest between God and the
devil’s false gods for the affections of Israel. Altars to Jehovah and
many false deities were alternately built and broken, depending on the
character of the man who occupied Israel’s throne at the time.
· The implication throughout all these illustrations is clear: Humanity is
BROKEN by sin, and until sin’s power (its “altar”) is BROKEN in our
lives, we live under the certain threat of eternal destruction.
EITHER YOU BREAK SIN, OR SIN BREAKS YOU!
· No sacrifice that was imperfect was allowed to be offered to God, and
no man who was “broken” or even “blemished” was permitted to enter
the presence of God as a priest, further illustrating the fact that our
brokenness separates us from God …
· Leviticus 21:17-19, 21 17Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he
be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish, let him not
approach to offer the bread of his God. 18For whatsoever man he
be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a
lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous, 19Or a
man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded … 21No man that hath
a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the
offerings of the LORD made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not
come nigh to offer the bread of his God.
· People can become broken by many things … sometimes other people
break us, sometimes our circumstances break us, sometimes even God
breaks us, but most of the time WE BREAK OURSELVES. Our stubborn
insistence of doing things our own way is our own worst enemy!
· THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT, NO MATTER HOW YOU GOT BROKEN,
GOD IS WILLING TO FIX YOU, IF YOU’LL CRY TO HIM FOR HELP!
· Psalm 147:3 He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their
wounds.
· Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath
anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to
heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and
recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are
bruised,
· The only thing God asks is that we break our PRIDE and admit our need
for His help – then He steps in and breaks the power of SIN. What a
great trade! BUT YOU MUST TAKE THE FIRST STEP …
· Hosea 10:12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy;
break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he
come and rain righteousness upon you.
· Matthew 21:44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be
broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
· Mark 14:3 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper,
as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of
ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and
poured it on his head.
· 1 Peter 5:5b-7 5… God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to
the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand
of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care
upon him; for he careth for you.
· Contrary to popular belief, pride is not thinking too much OF
oneself, but simply thinking too much ABOUT oneself (whether
good or bad). Pride makes ME the center, instead of God.
· Jesus met up with TWO PROUD PEOPLE in the city of Jericho …
· The “up-and-outer” was the short tax collector named Zacchaeus (Luke
19), who had to humble himself and climb up a tree in order to see
Jesus. (We also “fall short” and need to humble ourselves and just
get to “the tree”!) In spite of his outward success, Zacchaeus finally
realized that he was inwardly broken. God planted the sycamore tree
(He made the opportunity), but Zacchaeus had to climb it!
· The “down-and-outer” was a blind beggar named Bartimaeus (Mark 10),
who had to humble himself and cry out – even when he couldn’t see for
himself that Jesus was there! And when his friends told him to be quiet,
he said, “You’re not the one who realizes how broken he is! Somebody
told me God is here, and there’s no way I’m going to let Him get this
close and pass me by, because God doesn’t stop for the proud!” Only
the blind man in that crowd of seeing people actually “saw” Jesus!
· These are the two reactions that keep us from breaking our pride –
and a Scripture for each of them:
1. I’M NOT BROKEN (the “up-and-out” person)
Revelation 3:16-17 16So then because thou art lukewarm, and
neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17Because
thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of
nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and
poor, and blind, and naked:
2. I’M TOO BROKEN (the “down-and-out” person)
Jeremiah 33:20-21a 20Thus saith the LORD; If ye can break my
covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there
should not be day and night in their season; 21Then may also my
covenant be broken … (GOD’S PROMISE WILL ALWAYS WORK!)
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