June 05, 2022
Greetings and blessings to all of you. In the book of Psalm 51:17 it says, “the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken spirit and contrite heart…. these O God you will not despise.” Have God used a hardship that you have faced to help your faith grow stronger? What about a broken heart either from a relationship that is no more…or a death of someone dear to you; or an economic crisis? How has God used that to build godly character in you? Did you know that God wants us to be conformed to His image? In Romans 8:29 “for those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son. There is a need for brokenness. In Jeremiah 4:3 the nation of Israel was trusting in her false securities and was permitting the enemy to destroy her because Israel was not willing to turn to the Lord. Before a house is built a tree must be broken down; before ripe grain can cover the fields, the soil must be completely broken down. It follows before there can be life there must be death. Before there can be joy, there must be weeping. In John 12:24 it says, “except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” Romans5:3 says, “more than that we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that sufferings produce endurance and endurance produces character and character produces hope and hope does not put us to shame because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. We need to be broken. You will realize now or later that only broken things are used by the Lord and that only after we are broken are we {our very best} for God. Here is comfort and wisdom for us. God knows all about it and He would not permit it if he did not see that in the end it will serve a purpose you do not know now. Gideon (Judges)was told to smashed the jars and the light will shine forth in the darkness. We who have been saved are the earthen vessels(jars) and hidden in them are the flaming torches of light; the same as the Holy Spirit and the Word of Life. But the earthen vessels have to be broken in order for the light in us to shine and the power of the Holy Spirit is to be released. The average believer goes through life without letting that power flow. Be Broken..then Grace will follow.
First Lady Vivian C. Currie
Pastor ALC