"A broken heart is serious and solemn and in earnest. A broken heart never tries to play any tricks with God and never shuffles texts as though even Scripture itself were meant only to be an opportunity for testing our wit. A broken spirit is tender, serious, weighed down with solemn considerations. ...
Further, a broken spirit is one out of which hypocrisy has gone. That vessel, whole and sealed up, may contain the most precious essence of roses, or it may contain the foulest filth; I know not what is in it. But break it, and you will soon see. There is no hypocrisy about a broken heart. O brethren and sisters, be before men what you are before God! Seem to be what you really are. make no pretenses. I am afraid that we are all hypocrites in a measure; we both pray and preach above our own actual experience full often, and we perhaps think that we have more faith than we actually have, and more love than we have ever known. The Lord make us to have a broken heart that is revealed by being broken!" -Charles H. Spurgeon, (1834-1892)
Fear, timidity, pride, self-pity, and envy can all cause us to be hypocrites, can't it. I know I struggle at times. But the Lord Jesus is so very compassionate, and will grant us the grace to surrender these sinful desires that grip our hearts, if we will simply trust Him, and ask Him to help us.
I have learned the best prayer in the Spirit, at times, can be: "Help me Lord, I need You, and I can't do this without You! Amen." Or simply: "Help!". For it's the Holy Spirit who is with us, to take our heart's cry to the throne of mercy and restoration.
"But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." Jude 20-21
4 comments:
Don,
Would you e-mail me at: bluecjcat@gmail.com
Wayne
i tell ya, i'm beginning to think all you guys think chuckie should the fourth member of the Trinity! y'all got his picture on every other post!
the fact that you all believe that only one guy since martin luther got it all really figured out should clue you in to an understanding that God never intended for it all to be sliced and diced into a thousand julliene fries...
but keep up your comments here and there; i enjoy reading them.
and disagreeing with them. :)
but, hey, that's only inline with two thousand years of church history, right?
wish you lived closer to georgia - i've got some gutter work that needs doing after a tornado came down my road...
mike rucker
fairburn, georgia, usa
mikerucker.wordpress.com
"y'all got his picture on every other post!"
I'll keep 'em coming for you. The prince of preachers is just that. But it's all Christ's grace, isn't it.
Charles would hate seeing his pictures, I'm sure, but he would love seeing the Word of God going forth, and the people of God being encouraged and edified.
One day I'll see Ch, and thank him for his faithfulness, and labor in the grace of the Lord.
Don,
I should have added that I would like to e-mail you but I need your address.....
wayne
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